#jihoon & xile.

[wilds1de]

sometimes, jihoon wonders if there'll come a day where the nariza split stops chasing them. they're like some ugly ghost that keeps haunting the prowlers. but that's not feasible, is it? not with how often they come face-to-face with them and they're quite literally their rival race crew. the split brought the prowlers together. they're the ones who stayed when things went to literal shit. these are the people he'd go to hell and back for. xile is one of them. jihoon can see the different ways the betrayal impacted the crew members. some were more vocal about it than others. some, like jihoon, kept it tightly sealed. till it came out tonight in an explosive fight. but it didn't feel enough, did it? fighting darius wasn't enough, no, it didn't bring him any satisfaction or the closure he'd been unknowingly seeking. "you sound confused by that." he doesn't think it's that shocking that she came up in the conversation one way or the other. "i might've told him to fuck off and leave you alone because you've moved on." a pause. "your ex is a jackass. in my defense, he was shitting on us. claimed he doesn't give a shit about the prowlers." clearly a lie when he's trying to talk to xile again. not a good lie at that. who's he trying to fool? "oh, she clearly did ask her friend. i got punched for it." fucking nariza bois.

his eyes narrow as he tries to catch what xile is admitting to. it's another admission said with no breath in between. "did you say something about us doing the do?" he blinks, face palming at the words. "oh, you're insane." but it's not said unkindly, but with fondness. he knows his best friend is without filter more often than not. "fucking hell." he shakes his head. there's very little that xile could do that would truly anger him. and well, he's done his own fair share with her ex, too. he feels bad that mari was caught on the receiving end of all of this, because the mari he knows can't fight. "did you let her think we're becoming parents? we're too young to be doing that, xile." just when he already corrected one of mari's assumptions about his personal life, she's probably out there quickly believing another. first minkyu, now xile. it never ends. he shouldn't be here wondering where mari is. or what's going through her mind about everything that went down tonight. focus, jihoon.

after   the   split,   there'd   been   moments   of   uncertainty.   everyone   on   edge,   everyone   looking   around   at   a   sparse   crew   and   wondering   what   came   next,   the   months   that   followed   were   laced   with   bitterness.   heartache,   anger,   it   all   went   hand   in   hand   at   the   time.   while   many   had   dealt   with   the   aftermath   alone,   privately,   the   mechanics   had   stuck   together.   it   helped   that   they'd   join   rodani   around   the   same   time,   that   their   sense   of   loyalty   matched,   that   they   often   found   themselves   in   mirrored   moments.   three   years   later,   it   mattered   to   xile   that   they   remained   by   each   others   side.   he   wasn't   a   relationship   she   would   risk.     “    i   came   up   in   the   conversation?    ”       it   wasn't   anger   in   the   question,   it   was   hesitation.   confusion.   at   the   quirked   brow,   eyes   hastily   look   away   with   pouted   lips   remembering   the   time   earlier   in   the   night   she   had   rushed   through   a   keynotes   version   of   her   argument   with   marigold.   she   hadn't   told   him   much,   run   on   sentences   without   a   breath   in   between,   but   she'd   managed   to   at   least   admit   that   she'd   spill   the   little   she   knew   of   his   sex   life   to   his   ex.     “    i'm   sorry!    ”       whined,   hands   thrown   up   in   a   half   tantrum   that   would   go   nowhere,     “    i   didn't   say   anything   besides   the   fact   you   two   fucked,   and   that   she   can   ask   her   friend   since   she   clearly   didn't   believe   me.   damn,   maybe   she   did   decide   to   ask   her   friend.    ”       eyes   catching   his   up   above,   wincing   at   what   she'd   have   to   admit   next,     “    actually,   i   might've   said   something   else   too.   don't   kill   me,   okay?   but   i   might'vemadesomevaguecommentsaboutus   and   it   could've   givenhertheimpressionwe'redoingthedo.   which   by   the   way,   she   hopes   we   have   some   cute   babies!   your   ex   is   kinda   weird.    ”

[driftrz]

what do you think you’re doing? @drftings

two fucking fights in a few hours. even the bartender felt bad for darius, handed him a little ice pack — modeling was gonna be fucked for a few weeks while his bruises healed. that throbbing he feels is definitely a black eye. fucking jihoon, he thinks, but there's no malice to it. just a low resignation, lacking as much fire as a sigh breathed out. he's the one in the wrong, anyway. he wasn't in the wrong with the second fight, really more of a mauling against his person. doesn't know why she decided to attack him like a feral chihuahua, but she'd managed to get a few good hits in. really, a part of him had allowed it. he deserved them, why not surrender to them ? the cold against his wounds feels nice, but the dark corner he's tucked himself in is uncomfortable. what a mess. if they didn't have that meet coming up, he'd head home early just like in new years'. and then, just as he's really getting into his sulking session, there xile is : had somehow managed to sneak up on him, but her voice he could hear louder than any music or drunken conversation. xile, xile, xile, xile. was this what forever was going to be — quiet pining for a love he tore apart ? pathetic of him, when she’s moved on. and still there it was, neverending. this friends shit was supposed to get rid of that. glances up, finding her gaze. " gettin' my shit rocked, apparently. " tries to grin, but that makes his cut lip sting, so expression turns into a grimace and a hiss. " thanks for not goin' too hard on mari. she's not really a fighter, she just... it’s jihoon. " shrug, as if the name of an ex explained everything. maybe it did. he certainly knows what it’s like to feel a little crazy over someone three years too late. the ice pack moves from one side of his face to the other. it's not the most bruised up she's ever seen him, but there's still something that feels vulnerable. maybe it's because the last time he'd been hurt in front of xile — the new years' bruise didn't count — was when he'd left her. his eye’s swollen, uncomfortable, but as she gets closer, he notices the scraps on her. “ mari didn’t do that. shit, are you okay ? ” for a moment, it feels like there'll be a lull between them. like she might not answer. did she not trust him enough to ? he doesn't want to think about that. silence means he'll be left to think, to have his mind wander more than it already does. when it comes to his mind, all those who wander are lost. instead, he blurts the only thing he can think of : " they've got a photobooth set up. we’re lookin’ a little fucked, but, i was thinkin’, if you wanted to… "

[wilds1de]

location: heartbreaker bar

featuring: darius ( @driftrz )

jihoon was fully contemplating on skipping the valentine's day celebrations. not only did he not care about the holiday, but he wasn't feeling particularly festive. he's here because xile convinced him by buying him a drink. so one drink became two, ultimately losing count. after the new year's party, he did decide he wouldn't be attending any other party sober. and he's keeping that promise! he's about to leave the bar when his eyes land on darius, doing a double take. things would've gone so differently if he was sober. he wouldn't be walking in his direction, for starters. he leans against the wall next to him. "good to know you're alive, at least." because at one point, jihoon was convinced the worst had happened to his friend. or ex friend, now. "so, how long were you planning to hide? didn't peg you for a hypocrite." his words are said with a bite in them, straight to the point. he's not one for confrontation usually. but he's not thinking his words or actions through, driven by the liquid courage and his annoyance and anger. but there is honesty in them, mirroring his actual thoughts on the whole situation. the betrayal still feels fresh.

[thr0ttle]

NEW  PROMPT  ‼️ define  ur  muses  approach  to  loyalty  within  the  crews  &  if  it’s  important  to  them  or  not.  or,  a  realization  in  how  little  the  rodani  prowlers  matter.

see,  it’s  like  you  have  an  imaginary  rope.  name  one  end  pride.  the  other  is  called  loyalty.  you  can’t  divorce  them  from  each  other.  they’re  the  same  and  not  the  same.  it’s  like  you’re  ten  and  playing  tug  of  war  all  over  again.  what  drives  the  win,  the  need  to  topple  the  other  side?  pride.  one  tug  and  they  go  tumbling.  on  the  other  hand:  what  has  you  tugging  harder  for  your  teammates?  loyalty.  against  or  for?  they’re  kind  of  the  same  thing.

what  was  it  you  learned  in  high  school  physics?  every  action  has  an  equal  and  opposite  reaction.  you  want  to  win  —  want  to  be  better  than  the  other  team.  that’s  pride.  right?  

so  the  equal  and  opposite  reaction  must  be  loyalty.  tug  on  pride  and  you  get  loyalty  in  return.  you  want  to  win.  you  get  the  win.  you  serve  the  crew.  that  has  to  count  as  some  semblance  of  loyalty.

(  it’s  different.  you  think  about  the  way  your  fingers  dig  into  tem’s  arm.  the  way  you  sit  shoulder  to  shoulder  with  xile.  there’s  a  memory  of  you  sandwiched  on  the  couch  between  jihoon  and  minkyu.  on  the  hood  of  the  car  next  to  jet,  lips  curled.  slipping  a  pair  of  sunglasses  into  gunwoo’s  hair.  falling  into  steps  with  victoria.  listening  to  the  hum  of  eric’s  car.  across  the  table,  staring  bambi  down.  in  the  dead  of  the  night  with  eddie,  an  unexpected  warmth  sparking.  as  a  stray  dog  trailing  after  kaiyo.  in  the  passenger  seat  watching  hawk’s  deft  fingers  switch  gears.  leaning  against  the  railing  of  some  club  with  giselle.  brushing  past  the  crowd  to  stand  in  front  of  joji.  there’s  rhiannon  draped  over  your  car,  lari  under  it  with  some  tool  you  can't  possibly  name.  even  calling  hana  ‘princess’  is  tinged  with  a  fond  edge  on  the  good  days.  are  you  still  playing  tug  of  war?  you  think  about  how  you’ve  reached  across  the  border,  sometimes,  slipping  past  darius’  apartment  after  he  leaves  your  car.

none  of  that  is  born  from  pride.  )

you  think  you  get  it  —  what  loyalty  is.  it  doesn’t  matter  what  they  do  or  who  they  are.  it’s  bigger  than  that.  you’ve  seen  the  way  jihoon’s  mouth  bares  teeth,  soft  around  the  edges,  when  rome  comes  around.  yours  curve  into  a  scowl  instead.  give  it  a  million  more  years,  and  you’ll  never  understand  that  bond.  you  look  at  xile  and  hunter  and  shake  your  head.  and  then  tem  whines  about  xile,  and  you  nod  and  think  about  how  you  trust  her  hands  more  than  anyone  else’s,  and  you  don’t  say  this  out  loud.  you  witness  eric  and  gunwoo  claw  and  spit  at  each  other  and  you  sit  on  the  sidelines  and  find  both  later,  separate  times  on  separate  nights.  it  doesn’t  matter.  here’s  the  thing  about  pride  and  loyalty.

pride  belongs  to  the  crew.  loyalty  is  yours.  they  don’t  have  to  be  mutually  exclusive.

[wilds1de]

location: heartbreaker bar

featuring: mari ( @mvmentum )

this fucking night. fuck valentine's day. fuck the nariza bois. jihoon is so fed up, and is cursing the second he agreed to go out. he managed to get an ice pack from the bartender, but the throbbing pain hasn't subsided in the slightest. if anything, it grows by the minute. he's not sure how things got to this point, and not sure what started the domino effect of drama. xile and mari's fight? seeing darius? or maybe him and mirae hooking up three months ago? it was all a tangled web of messes, too messy for his liking, but it's not like he can do anything about it. he's already gotten into two fights. he can feel a black eye forming and he'll sure he'll be even more exhausted tomorrow with the inevitable bitch of a hangover. he'd love nothing more than to leave back to his apartment, but with the meet in less than an hour, it seemed like his night was nowhere close to ending. there's no way he's staying at heartbreaker bar one minute longer, since this fuckass bar seemed to attract drama.

he's heading outside when he spots a familiar figure. her back is to him, but he doesn't need to question who it is. he knows right away. the reality is, he can pinpoint her in a crowd full of people. his brows furrow, letting out a slight sigh to himself. three years of zero contact and a lot happening in the span of just two months. 2007's shaping up to be a shit year. for a moment, he freezes in place. not sure what to do. should he talk to her? he's gotten enough of a gist of the fight between her and xile, and she knows about him and mirae now. but that is only scratching the surface of the heavy and cruel history they share. it barely covers it. he silently walks up to her, standing next to her and glancing down at her. "i'm—" what is he supposed to say, really? obviously, it's been proved they can't really talk to each other. not after everything. "are you okay?" it's not the smartest question, but there's nothing else he can say.

[thr0ttle]

they  should  leave.  this  is  why  tania  always  leaves  after  a  race  —  win  or  lose  or  anything  else  in  between.  nothing  good  really  comes  from  staying,  not  when  too  much  lingers  in  the  air.

like  tonight.

they're  already  on  their  feet  and  walking  away,  max  left  behind  with  god  knows  who  right  now.  they'll  find  him  tomorrow  at  the  shop  —  someone's  bound  to  fix  him  up  anyway.  maybe  jihoon  or  xile  will  take  pity  on  them  tonight.  or  maybe  they'll  be  back  here  again  tomorrow,  in  the  foggy  hours  of  the  morning,  to  perform  that  stupid  drive  of  shame  all  the  way  back.  that's  not  tonight's  problem.  nothing  is.  nothing  other  than  outrunning  that  burning  sensation  and  the  tight  coil  winding  around  their  entire  body.  squeeze,  squeeze,  squeeze,  snap.

not  here.  not  here.  do  it  elsewhere.  disappear  into  the  dark.  that's  what  they  do  best.

and  then:  fuck  off.  said  like  it's  an  order  —  like  flint  struck  against  steel.  nothing  snaps.  and  yet.  tania's  head  lifts  up.  dog  at  the  edge  of  the  fence,  remember?  they  both  are.  of  course  he's  walking  away,  too.  what  right  do  you  have?  tania  wants  to  ask.  you  fuck  off,  they  might  say,  if  they  were  feeling  kinder.  something  clenches  deep  in  their  gut.  the  thing  that  throws  itself  out  of  their  throat  is  a  cruel,  "sore  loser,  aren't  you?  can't  even  stomach  thirteenth."  there's  a  pair  of  sunglasses  set  over  their  eyes.  he  doesn't  know  that  they've  almost  thrown  the  car,  on  that  last  lap.  might've  been  better  than  to  finish  like  this.  "try  being  dead  last,  jet."

open   to   anyone,   set   at   track   -   one   after   monday’s   race   …

if   there’s   any   feeling   jet   wears   on   his   face   openly   and   without   shame,   it   is   anger.   often   directed   at   himself   –   a   thirteenth   place   finish   from   a   second   place   start   is   reason   enough   to   express   without   guilt,   he   thinks.   his   car   door   slams   behind   him   as   he   finally   gets   out   from   the   driver’s   seat,   minutes   after   the   race   had   been   called.   as   he   walks   away   from   the   track,   no   destination   in   mind,   the   desperation   makes   his   hands   shake   and   his   skin   crawl.   he   needs   an   answer   for   why   this   is   happening   –   what   he   is   doing   wrong.   his   mind   replays   the   race   already;   every   turn,   straightaway,   and   overtake   burned   into   his   memory   to   be   reviewed   over   and   over   again   ad   nauseum.   he   has   to   get   it   right.   the   sound   of   footsteps   behind   him   isn’t   enough   to   make   him   stop   or   turn,   instead   over   his   shoulder   goes   a   clear:   “   fuck   off.   ”

[wilds1de]

it's not that he wasn't expecting mirae to approach him at some point, when xile had, very quickly and with no details, told him she told mari about them. it would inevitably be a domino effect. there was only a one percent chance where mari didn't confront her best friend. so he saw all of this coming. he has regretted and felt bad about that hook up for months already, for different reasons, from mirae being his ex's best friend to her being part of the rival crew and a traitor. it was unlike him. thanksgiving had been a weird time, deciding not to go home and instead spending it drunk with someone who was equally feeling miserable and alone at the time. it lead nowhere good. his fight with darius has already drained his energy, so he doesn't have it in him to deal with a hysterical mirae. "okay, now it's just looking like you want someone to blame for this," he says. as if it wasn’t both of them in this. if jihoon wasn't so tired and fed up, he would think his words through a little better, attempt to de-escalate a situation. but there's no de-escalating it. maybe it would be better to get it over with so he can put this fucking night behind him once and for all. "i don't know what happened between you and mari, but we've been broken up for so long. it shouldn't even include me." this is how jihoon tries to rationalize it, by separating himself from mirae and mari's business. "but go ahead, do whatever you want if it makes you feel better." once again, he knows there's no de-escalating a situation where mirae's involved. he knows the ex prowler, after all.

she  thought  that  she  would  feel  better  after  punching  darius,  as  if  it  was  a  way  to  console  herself  into  remembering  just  how  fickle  and  fleeting  friendship  was.  maybe  she  was  finally  cracking,  too  much  turmoil  in  the  span  of  a  night  for  even  herself  to  manage.  sloane  had  been  a  tap  at  her  glass,  rome  a  push,  and  mari  one  of  the  few  that  was  capable  enough  to  shatter  it  all.  rage  was  tiring  after  all,  eating  her  from  the  inside  until  it  was  hollowness  that  left  more  destruction  in  it's  wake.  she  almost  wishes  she  hadn't  done  it.  hadn't  slept  with  jihoon.  but  mirae  can't  bring  herself  to  the  point  of  regret.  everything  was  hollow  now,  and  maybe  that's  what  it  was  meant  to  be.  "  i  don't  want  to  talk.  are  you  that  idiotic  that  you'd  tell  someone  you  know  what  happened  ?  "  jihoon's  blind  trust  towards  his  friends  is  disturbing,  and  mirae  doesn't  understand  why  she's  brought  down  because  of  it.  "  for  someone  who  can  barely  meet  my  eye,  you  seem  awfully  comfortable  telling  everyone  about  me.  "  a  betrayal,  from  someone  she  never  trusted  in  the  first  place.  expected,  anticipated,  yet  none  of  it  happening  on  her  terms  leaves  her  reeling  as  a  result.

[wilds1de]

"last i checked, i worked here," jihoon points out, quirking an eyebrow in the other's direction. if jihoon wasn't at his apartment, then you'd most likely find him rodani wheels. he shrugs lightly, he doesn't take hunter's attitude seriously; something he got used to. "xile's not here and there's no booze. it's hard to repeat valentine's day like that, don't you think?"

♪ closed starter ; @wilds1de ♪ location ; undisclosed.

★          ꒰          🏹            ꒱           “   what   are   you   doing   here   ?   i'm   not   really   lookin'   for   a   repeat   of   valentine's   day   if   that's   what   you're   lookin'   for.   ”

[thr0ttle]

she’s  a  sight  for  sore  eyes.  with  everyone  and  their  mothers  wearing  matching  bruises  tonight,  tania  can  admit  to  the  relief  that’s  plainly  written  across  their  face  to  see  lari  with  none.  perks  of  not  being  caught  up  in  whatever  crew  drama  happened  tonight,  they  guess.  “you  knew  exactly  what  my  ride  was  gonna  look  like,”  they  return,  but  at  least  this  is  easy.  no  baggage,  or  whatever  it  is  xile  and  jihoon  and  everyone  else  carries  with  them.  tania  leans  back  against  the  supra,  lips  curving  up.  “wasn’t  sure  you  were  gonna  be  here  to  see  it  tonight,  actually.  what,  witnessed  a  fight  somewhere  else  and  got  curious  enough  to  see  if  someone  might  start  punching  in  here?”

「   🔏   」     STATUS.   ﹕   closed. 「   🔏   」     LOCATION.   ﹕   bay  parking  garage.  「   🔏   」     FEAT.   ﹕   maestro  &  phantom  (  @thr0ttle  )

         she’s  not  even  sure  why  she  continues  to  show  up  to  these  meets  .  but  lari  supposes  that  it  has  to  do  with  her  innate  fascination  with  the  cars  that  just  can’t  keep  her  away  .  she  spots  tania  not  too  far  off  and  makes  her  way  over  to  them  .  “  nice  ride  ,  ”  she  comments  ,  a  playful  smile  gracing  the  mechanic’s  lips  .  “  is  it  me  or  is  today  the  day  that  everyone  decided  to  get  into  a  fight  ?  ”  guess  those  hands  are  rated  e  for  everyone  .

[wilds1de]

"i haven't made a decision yet. depends on how this goes," he says, a playful tone to his voice. coming up with convincing excuses to get out of going somewhere is a skill of his, but coming with xile had been an immediate yes on his part. there's not a lot of people he would do anything for. he reaches for the hot sauce, never one to say no to hot sauce. "that kinda makes it worth it." he gestures to the breakfast burrito with a mirthful eyes. her reaction to his words comes as no surprise, shrugging at it. but he knows there's no real seriousness behind it because it is so like jihoon to ignore something first before attempting to acknowledge it actually happened. "well, i'm saying something now," he points out. now jihoon's not usually an expressive person, his facial expression unreadable more often than not, but he's left mouth open for a moment. he was supposed to be taking his very first bite of the breakfast burrito! "darius? who—darius?" his old friend had dropped off the face of the earth a few years ago, to the point jihoon feared the worst at one point. "wait. there's so much happening right now. what do you mean he's nariza now? that doesn't make sense." because the darius he remembers considered the prowlers family, and had been very opinionated when the split between the crews happened. then again, the shittiest part of all of this is that so many people had turned their backs on the crew that it should feel normal for him, as if the whole thing didn't slice through the crew like a knife. "didn't think of stopping by the prowlers for a quick catch up, it seems." the sarcasm is merely to deal with the nastiness of the situation. "though, good for you for punching him." a pause. now he finally takes a bite of that burrito. "you okay, though?"

in   some   twisted   trick   of   fate,   the   mechanic   was   an   early   bird.   she   always   had   been.   as   a   child,   it   worked   out   in   her   fathers   favor   when   she   got   herself   up   and   ready   before   the   fourth   alarm   rang   for   him.   and   now   as   a   young   adult   it   didn't   matter   that   she'd   manage   to   get   approximately   two   hours   of   sleep   last   night,   she   was   still   the   type   to   get   up   before   the   alarm.     “    are   you   hating   being   up   this   early?    ”       the   sheepish   grin   contradicting   the   thoughtful   question,   dropping   the   aluminum   foiled   wrapped   breakfast   burrito   into   his   hand.   eyebrow   raising   as   she   wordlessly   questions   whether   he'll   want   hot   sauce   with   it.   she's   nothing   if   not   prepared   this   morning,   the   new   year   resolution   that   she'll   start   to   actually   eat   breakfast   meals   something   that   most   likely   won't   make   it   past   a   week   into   the   year.     “    pre   -   midnight?    ”       said   around   a   bite   of   tortilla,   tabasco,   chorizo,   egg,   and   cheese,     “    somethin'   happened   before   midnight?   you   didn't   say   anythin'   when   we   went   swimmin'!   are   you   holdin'   out   on   me?    ”       no   real   heat   behind   the   words,   the   friendship   the   two   held   relaxed   enough   that   neither   expected   to   be   told   details   of   each   others   life   right   away.   it   either   came   or   it   didn't.     “    well,   okay,   wait.   ‘cause   i   have   got   to   tell   you   ’bout   this,     ”       another   bite   of   the   burrito   washed   down   by   a   sip   of   coffee,     “    did   you   know   darius   is   back?   scratch   that,   has   been   back!   i   saw   him,   accidentally,   before   the   races   outside   of   12welve.   punched   him,   but   'sides   the   point.   ‘pparently   he’s   been   in   miami   a   year,   and   wanna   know   why   we   haven't   seen   him?   he's   nariza   now.    ”    

[wilds1de]

jihoon's a simple person. when things felt too bleak, being around cars in any capacity helped. cars always successfully provided the distraction he sought. if he wasn't buried deep under the hood of a car, he was speeding down miami's roads in his own car. it was that simple. he's the passenger today, with xile driving above speed limit, but it does the trick all the same. and lately, all he's been doing is seeking a distraction of any kind. he wasn't picky about it. "they better not. i fear they'll come face-to-face with xile rosario's wrath," he teases lightly. except he wants the fire sauce as well, but you will not find him going back and asking for it if it was indeed missing. he looks in his bag as well to double check on his order. "yeah, all's right. they got me the fire sauce too. they missed it last time i ordered. noticed the food doesn't hit the same way without it. are we eating that outside or is your car about to smell like taco bell for the next two days?" jihoon's a bit obnoxious about eating in his own car. he does not allow it, thank you very much.

☆        closed   starter   for   @wilds1de,   won   jihoon

☆        located   at   bay   parking   garage. ↪        cruise   action   prompt    —    flipped.   there   is   no   real   privacy   in   the   won-seo   household,   improvisation   leads   them   to   the   garage   with   bags   of   taco   bell.

the   itch   was   coming   back.   every   three   months,   like   clockwork,   there'd   be   this   irritation   under   her   skin.   something   that   would   keep   poking,   prodding,   until   she   ended   up   somewhere   in   the   keys   or   tampa,   even   tallahassee,   racing   around   a   track   she   had   no   business   on.   it   was   dangerous,   maybe   borderline   stupid,   and   no   one   knew   about   it.   felt   the   itch   this   morning   soon   as   she   got   up   from   bed,   pacified   it   by   driving   way   above   the   speed   limit   from   jihoon's   place   to   taco   bell   to   the   bay   parking   garage.   it'd   come   back,   she   knew,   but   it   was   enough   for   now.     “    they   better   not   have   forgotten   my   fire   sauce,    ”       arm   half   way   into   the   bag,   head   ducking   to   look   for   the   miniature   sauce   packets,     “    ever   since   it   came   out,   can't   have   my   taco   bell   without   it.    ”       a   roar   of   victory   when   she   finds   the   ten   fire   sauces   she   requested   at   the   drive   through   window,   a   look   over   to   where   jihoon   was   planted   in   the   passenger   seat   of   her   car,     “    they   get   everything   right   for   you?    ”

[driftrz]

jihoon and xile. was that why jihoon had been so angry ? delusion still incapable of making him believe the other had been genuinely worried for him this entire time. " i see. " muscle in his jaw ticks, deep breath in, deep breath out. he was not jealous, because he was moving on, healthily, and he was not jealous, and has he mentioned he's not jealous ? " well, whatever's going on between them, i don't care. they can do anythin' they like. it's been three years. " he's sure mari can see how impressively unaffected he definitely is. " still can't believe you punched her first. " clicks his tongue, almost scolding. if marigold was capable of a fight, he wouldn't scold her : whatever's between her and xile is between them, and they could work it out on their own... except with the way mari fought, it was more like xile could work it out by dragging mari around. " feel like i need t'get you a personal trainer or somethin', if you're planning on scrapping with anybody else like that. "

“  oh  ?  jihoon  told  you  that  ?  “  eyebrows  raising  in  surprise.  the  lingering  doubt  in  her  mind  that  xile  was  blowing  smoke  up  her  ass  deflating  at  the  words.  the  information  now  all  but  confirmed  by  the  other  half  themselves.  something  green  and  bitter  simmering  in  her  chest.  sitting  up  fully,  she  pursed  her  lips  curating  her  next  words  carefully.  “  xile  said  …  well  more  insinuated  that  her  a  jihoon  were  something,  “  her  eyes  watching  the  other  carefully.  hide  all  he  wanted  but  the  pair  were  complementary  forces.  no  way  he  was  completely  unaffected  by  the  information,  even  if  he  wanted to pretend  to  be.  “  not  sure  what  ‘  something  ‘  is  …  fucking  ?  dating  ?  or  whatever  …  “  continuing the  words  feeling  sour  on  her  tongue.  “  it  was  why  i  punched  her,  “  she  feels  safe  enough  in  this  space  to  admit  it.  even  if  he  judged  her,  she  knew  he’d  understand.  plus  the  darkening  bruises  were  an  evident  indication  of  the  winner  of  the  fight.  “  not  my  finest  moment  …  just  pissed  me  off.  “

[driftrz]

after his failure of a call to friendship through his valentine's letter, he'd expected the lack of acknowledgement. doesn't make it any easier to withstand. unexpected is when she speaks to him after he's touched her, while the tips of his fingers are still burning, bringing up words he'd thrown out in anger. now he isn't hungry, either, remnants of his plate staring down at him when he glances their way. there would be no forgetting what happened on the 14th, not from the mirror and not from the company he kept, it seems. all he wants to do is turn back time and stay home. he ignores the audience they have, the way he can almost feel matías' burning stare, hungry to ask a million and one questions. " he was a dick to me first. he tell you that part ? " bitter tone at the memory, molars gnashing together ( pointedly ignores matías going 'damn he really said that shit huh?' and his fiancée returning with a 'cállate, matías' ). he could replay jihoon's words over and over. they wouldn't make his any nicer, but at least he can say he didn't strike first. though, given xile probably agreed with jihoon's statements, he's at a growing loss. there shouldn't be any shame in snapping at an enemy. somehow xile turns the world upside down like nothing else. browns snap back to her. " so what if i don't think about the prowlers anymore ? you think any of that applies to you ? maybe it's unfair to you, i don't know, but you go beyond the crew shit for me. not sure if you've noticed, xile, i can't get you out of my fuckin' head. " downwards twist of his mouth. alarm in his mind starts blaring : you've said too much ! someone clears their throat. there's a moment of silence before the rest of the table attempts a half - hearted resurgence of conversation, but he knows all eyes and ears are turned towards them. except for emanuel, who's taking longer to check on the pie then is needed. loss of a lecture on cursing at the table, at least, but maybe emanuel's presence would help with his buzzing nerves, leash him down and force him to behave in a way he can't when it's just him and xile and their nosy audience. deep breath in. " i didn't mean it. " admission only for her ears, spoken out with enough pain in his tone you'd think he was pulling his teeth. " what i told jihoon. it's just, seein' him, it made me think — nothing good. but i'm not gonna apologize for the fight 'cause i'm not the one who hit first. "

growing   up   in   a   home   that   was   never   quiet   for   too   long   taught   her   to   never   silence   her   own   voice.   it   didn't   matter   that   her   three   older   brothers   were   louder   than   car   engines   because   the   moment   she   opened   her   mouth,   it   went   quiet.   she   learned   to   speak   up,   learned   to   have   opinions   and   share   them,   learned   that   in   this   life   she'd   never   truly   be   alone.   and   in   that   home,   she'd   been   taught   to   invite   others   into   it,   an   open   door   policy   that   half   of   miami   have   encountered   at   one   point.   some   bodies   that   ended   up   framed   on   the   walls,   pieces   of   the   family.   pieces   of   darius   were   around   the   entire   home.   three   years   away   and   still   he   fits   in   like   he's   never   been   gone.   kicks   exchanged   underneath   the   table   between   dumb   and   dumber   that   she   has   to   pretend   to   not   notice,   easy   conversation   that   went   from   harmless   to   prodding,   the   way   her   father   smiled   as   he   looked   around   the   table.   weeks   ago   it   would've   been   enough   to   warm   the   cold   heart,   but   tonight   there's   left   over   anger   from   the   passing   holiday.   enough   that   she   ices   him   out.   speaking   to   everyone   but   him,   not   bothering   to   acknowledge   the   extra   food   that   gets   placed   on   her   plate   though   she   knows   it   comes   from   him.   plans   to   ignore   him   the   entire   night   until   his   touch   is   branding   her   skin,   orbs   peering   down   at    him   as   he   checks   the   way   her   injuries   have   settled.   she   hadn't   bothered   to   cover   them   up   with   make   up,   no   sense   of   shame   around   her   family,   the   worst   of   her   injuries   covered   by   the   baggy   jeans   she'd   worn.   she   could   be   normal.   answer   his   question,   allow   their   family   to   finish   dinner   with   peace.   but   she   doesn't,   never   one   to   bite   her   tongue   especially   in   the   rosario   home.   doesn't   even   lower   her   voice   when   she   curtly   says,     “    is   this   you   carin'   ‘bout   a   prowler   now?   thought   you   didn’t   think   about   us   at   all,    ”       the   cough   from   across   the   table,   followed   by   a   smack   against   the   back   of   a   head,   breaks   the   silence   that   followed   her   recount   of   his   words   from   valentines.   she   knows   her   brothers   are   tuning   in   to   the   conversation,   their   partners   attempting   to   chastise   them   with   an   ear   out   as   well,   hears   the   scraping   of   a   chair   as   her   father   mutters   that   he'll   check   on   the   pie.     “    isn't   that   what   you   told   jihoon?    ”       his   touch   gone   but   the   feeling   still   lighting   skin   on   fire.   appetite   gone,   half   full   plate   pushed   away   waiting   to   be   snatched   by   the   second   born   of   the   family.   arms   crossed   across   her   chest   as   she   finally   looks   him   in   his   eyes,     “    you   were   a   dick   to   him.    ”

[wilds1de]

after valentine's day, all jihoon wanted to do was move on from it. so much of what happened was totally out of character. he's not someone to engage in a physical altercation, especially not one to initiate one. he doesn't regret landing the first hit on darius, but he doesn't want to dwell on what happened either. darius would go on the list of people who turned their back on him. fuck knows that list is already long, what's one more person? for the reason, jihoon threw himself into his work, as usual. working on cars is what helped. it's what always helped. and that's what the ride with tania was meant to do. well. till the sudden conversation drop came out of nowhere.

he's no longer focused on testing max, he's trying to register tania's information dump. over the years, jihoon tried to push mari out of his life, and it worked, for the most part, even though erasing her completely would prove impossible considering their paths would still cross during races and meets. but with everything that's happened so far, he's seriously beginning to suspect some higher power is out to get him. this higher power is probably sitting there laughing at him, like his life is some teen sitcom. he can't say anything about tania hooking up with a nariza. not when he's done the same thing months ago. he rubs the nape of his neck. "o... kay," he says again. "i mean, if you've talked, then you know we broke up years ago... so what you guys do is none of my business in any way." first minkyu, now tania. who's next? xile? rome? the real question on jihoon's mind is what drove mari to bring this up with tania. "it's a thing in the past. before the crews split."

how  they’d  love  to  keep  talking  about  engine  control  units  and  engine  powers  and  whatever  upgrades  jihoon  has  skillfully  done  for  max.  he’d  always  been  good  at  that,  tania  thinks,  vaguely  recalling  how  his  eyes  had  shone  whenever  little  jihoon  had  proudly  boasted  about  all  those  car  knowledge  he  had  to  little  tania.  he’s  at  home  here,  like  this.  they  don’t  have  to  look  at  him  to  hear  it  in  the  sound  of  his  voice  —  until  it  tapers  off  into  something  completely  different.

they  stare  at  the  road  ahead.  presses  on  the  gas  pedal  a  little  harder,  putting  in  just  the  right  amount  of  acceleration  to  put  what  jihoon  said  to  the  test.  that’s  priority.  right?  tania  sighs.  their  fingers  are  wrapped  tight  around  the  wheel  now.  back  leaned  into  the  seat,  eyes  straight  on  the  road.  they  say,  “yeah.  mari,  your  ex?  she  told  me  you  guys  dated.”  max  turns  around  a  corner,  and  tania  slows  down  again.  just  enough  to  turn  to  look  at  him.  better  to  rip  off  the  bandaid  than  to  let  the  wound  fester.  “i  slept  with  her,  jihoon.”  more  than  once,  tania  doesn’t  say.  “didn’t  say  anything  because  she’s  on  the  other  side  of  the  fence,  obviously.  but,  well.  she  told  me.”

[wh1plash]

without  a  real  stable  source  of  income,  minkyu  usually  ends  up  making  food  at  home  (  after  he  borrows  jihoon's  card  for  a  publix  run  ),  or  getting  strange  and  low  -  priced  street  food  sold  out  of  someone's  minivan  (  he's  convinced  he's  found  a  real  hidden  gem  for  tamales  ).  though  he  thinks  xile  would  turn  her  nose  at  both  of  those  options,  so  minkyu  settled  on  something  fancy  and  impressive  to  sweeten  the  deal.  sure,  she'd  given  everyone  one  of  those  pink  roses,  but  he  swore  his  had  been  pinker  than  the  rest,  and  who  would  he  be  if  he  didn't  shoot  his  shot  ?  "  i'll  have  you  know  this  wallet  does  not  belong  to  jihoon.  "  it  certainly  didn't  belong  to  himself  either,  but  that  was  beside  the  point.  he's  here  to  impress,  isn't  he  ?  even  if  half  of  his  gentlemanly  attempts  are  promptly  shot  in  the  foot  by  xile  herself.  minkyu  didn't  have  an  exact  reason  for  chasing  xile's  company,  even  when  it  wasn't  entirely  in  some  romantic  or  crush  -  fueled  sense.  he  liked  to  think  she  was  a  good  person,  someone  who  had  her  heart  locked  up  in  the  way  he  had  it  pinned  to  his  sleeve.  and  she  was  pretty  too,  especially  when  they'd  met  and  she  was  focused  on  working,  entirely  unamused  when  a  clueless  new  import  model  walked  into  wheels  with  more  questions  than  he  could  fit  in  his  mouth.  he'd  squished  his  muscly  body  between  xile  and  jihoon  that  day,  finding  friends  in  two  sides  of  the  same  coin  even  if  one  liked  to  protest.  "  oh  okay,  well  if  you  do  just  let  me  know.  i  can  like  ...  flex  and  intimidate  someone  into  turning  it  down.  "  he  visibly  brightens  at  the  compliment,  like  he's  just  been  given  a  treat  and  told  to  go  fetch.  "  thank  you  !  yeah,  costed  me  a  bunch.  used  my  own  money  and  everything.  i  figured  'cause  it's  valentines,  and  it's  like  the  official  color.  plus,  you  like  pink.  "

coyote   casino   was   not   an   establishment   the   mechanic   frequented,   had   wandered   inside   a   few   times   here   and   there   but   never   for   a   long   period   of   time.   never   stepped   foot   in   the   restaurants   area.   they   were   known   for   being   glamorous,   and   she   wasn't   much   of   a   gambler   or   the   type   to   spend   copious   amounts   on   food,   but   they   promoted   a   special.   and   minkyu   had   brought   it   up   one   of   the   days   she   was   handing   out   pink   roses   to   all   the   prowlers,   the   holiday   spirit   bringing   them   together   tonight.   head   glancing   up   from   the   menu,     “    y'steal   jihoon's   wallet   again?    ”       it's   happened   enough   times,   but,     “    ‘cause   i’m   not   above   lettin'   him   treat   us   tonight.    ”       the   kicked   puppy   look   shouldn't   work   on   her,   brings   a   fond   smile   to   her   lips   that   she   doesn't   let   the   other   see.   charming   when   he   wasn't   trying   to   be.   from   the   moment   they   had   met,   smitten   grin   and   quirked   head,   they'd   started   their   dynamic   of   push   and   shove.   he   pushed   for   any   ounce   of   love,   she   shoved   him   to   the   side   where   jihoon   was.     “    thanks,    ”       the   compliment   warming   her   up,     “    i'm   only   a   little  ��cold,   but   s'alright.   i   think   you   really   look   good   tonight,   i   love   the   fact   that   you   wore   pink.   it   suits   you.    ” 

[wh1plash]

he'd  always  been  ruled  by  his  emotions.  lust,  love,  desire,  whatever  it  was  painted  as.  they're  a  welcome  change,  someone  who  doesn't  look  at  him  with  a  snide  look,  as  if  he  was  moments  away  from  saying  something  stupid.  eliana  looked  at  him  ...  like  he  was  someone  good.  he  can  hear  a  voice  in  his  head  yelling  danger,  sirens  blasting  and  someone  akin  to  jihoon  or  xile  telling  him  that  those  nariza  bois  are  no  good.  yet  despite  it  all,  minkyu  does  nothing  more  than  grin  right  back  at  her,  colorblind  to  the  red  that  was too often  disguised  by  nariza  pink.  "  glad  to  see  i  passed  the  test.  might  be  the  first  time  that's  happened  to  me,  "  he  jokes,  though  he  certainly  can't  recall  a  time  that  would  prove  him  false.  "  i  think  they  have  all  these  special  cocktails  tonight.  wanna  try  one  with  me  ?  "  he  was  definitely  feeling  pretty  red  hot  and  bothered  with  the  way  they  were  checking  him  out.  the  drink  choice  only  seemed  on  par  for  the  occasion.  

minkyu's a cutie. simple. fun. gives her exactly what she wants. so why wouldn't she want to be on the receiving end of the attention he so willingly gives out? they know it'll be a good time. it's a shame he's a prowler. in a way, it made it both exciting and annoying. she knows the rules, doesn't necessarily always follow them. (not that everyone around her was a saint, mind you.) if you asked them, things could be much easier, much simpler if they didn't have that. but in a way, it made room for some excitement in an scene they gave no shits about. either way, eliana gives minkyu one of her best smiles, meant to charm. "correct answer," they say, letting her eyes linger a little bit on his fit. at least he's dressed nicely. she's come across so many boring fits tonight. it was depressing. "you may. what drink are you getting me? surprise me."