Chapter Text
Johnny huffed.
The back of his head bumped against the headrest of his gray velcro seats a couple of times.
God, he didn’t know what the fuck to do.
Half of him wanted to pull her into his arms and apologize for what happened between them. Go back to the way things were and pretend the fight never happened. Then again, Johnny wasn’t no bitch. Nope. He may have mellowed out in some areas (thanks to Aisha), but he was still Johnny-muffuckin’-Gat. If anyone should be apologizing, it was her for making it weird…
Which would lead to the other half of him that fed into his inner rage and frustration. As soon as his eyes would lock on her, he’d probably want to choke the shit out of her. Push her into the house, squash his lips against hers, and take off all her clothes—
Johnny blinked, shaking his head slightly.
Whoa.
Where the fuck that come from?
Y’know what?
Fuck it.
At some point, Johnny would finally cut the engine off to his Stilleto and get out of his car. Seems the Red Light District was just as run-down and junky as it used to be. Bums, druggies, sketchies, homeless, ghetto, poor—you name it. They were all here. They never left the rough side of town and it seemed as though they were here to stay. Especially after some having been pushed out of the Row and forced into these types of areas. Johnny ignored one of the druggies casually sitting not too far off from the door to Boss and Carlos’s apartment. Injecting himself with some kind of extracurricular drug right in broad daylight. Not like anyone cared. Unless another fiend would come by and want some.
Johnny stopped in front of the door, shoving his hands within his pockets. He tapped his foot three times before lowering his head and closing his eyes tightly. He clenched his jaw slightly and sniffed before shaking his head. He lifted it so he could look at the door again. After letting out another huff and running his fingers through his black, flat top, short sides styled locks, Johnny brings that same hand up. He curls his fingers and his knuckles bangs against the busted ‘ol wood of the door. Looks like someone graffitied it recently. Landlord either hasn’t had a chance to notice it or just didn’t give a shit.
After a minute of waiting, Johnny grumbled under his breath and knocked again. Only this time, using the side of his hand instead of his knuckles.
He would wait another minute.
“Ay! Open up! I know you’re home!” Johnny yelled, banging on the door again.
After about thirty seconds of persistent knocking, the door would finally open.
Johnny paused mid-knock to stare into hazel brown eyes that looked up at him with a slightly annoyed look. Didn’t seem like he got up recently either. Though, according to his loungewear which consisted of a purple-colored wife-beater top and black sweatpants, he definitely wasn’t up and about. Had to have been watching TV or some shit. Either way, his little ‘intimidating’ stare wasn’t nearly enough to disturb Johnny.
“Goddamn! Why you comin’ around here knocking like the damn police?” Carlos sized Johnny up starting from his light brown and white Adidas, to his dark blue jeans, and his own white V-neck T-shirt that showed off just a bit of his chest with gold chains. Of course, Johnny wore his prescription shades at all costs. Couldn’t see a damn thing without ‘em.
“It's good to see you too, Carlos.” Johnny’s taunting smirk didn’t remain. It would drop into a scowl. “Where’s Boss?”
“She ain't with you today?” Carlos questioned, raising an eyebrow.
“Muffucka, if she was with me, I wouldn't be here.” Johnny said smartly. The Asian man rolled his eyes behind his tinted specs.
“Damn. I’m guessing she’s with Shaundi then.” Carlos shifted within the doorway. Before, half of his body was behind the door. A skeptical pose of someone who lived in this neighborhood.
Who could blame him?
They had quite the colorful characters here that lived mixed in with the regular folk.
Carlos moved into a more comfortable position. Crossing his arms over his chest and leaning his shoulder against the doorframe. His ankles crossed as he continued to glare at Johnny. Even if Johnny may have not shown it blatantly, Carlos could tell the man was a bit weary. Just more in his Johnny-ish way.
“Nope. As a matta-’o-fact, I called Shaundi today an’ she mentioned that Boss ain't been returnin’ her calls since yesterday.” Johnny shifted his weight onto his other foot, shoving his hands in his pockets. He was trying to keep his cool on the outside. But underneath, he was a boiling mess of impatience and irritation. “I even called Pierce an’ he said he’s been gettin’ the same treatment.”
“Well, she ain't here.” Carlos shrugged his shoulders nonchalantly.
“You sure ‘bout that?” Johnny questioned. His demeanor changed to one of skepticism and his thick eyebrows raised. Carlos didn’t seem to like that. His own thick eyebrows furrowing in slight irritation; causing wrinkles to form in between them.
“You callin’ me a liar?” Carlos countered back a bit defensively.
“If da shoe fits…” Johnny wasn’t scared to call Carlos out. Besides, the fuck was he gonna do?
“...” Carlos’s thick lips tightened into a thin line. He wanted to say something vile back to the man, but knew that would only fuel to unnecessary aggression. Instead, Carlos huffed before he continued. “What makes you think I know where she’s at at all times?” Carlos asked snarkily.
“‘Cause you fuckin’ live wit’ her, dumbass!” the volume to Johnny’s voice raised slightly. He was clearly beginning to struggle holding his urge of wanting to push the younger man to the side and just storm in himself to search the house. But he wasn’t no damn cop or nothing.
“Don’t mean she tells me everything.” Carlos shrugged his shoulders again. “I mean..you saw first hand how she is when I tried to bring her some’n to eat. I try to ask her what’s wrong. But she won’t talk to me..”
“Mm..” Johnny hummed, nodding slowly.
Damn. So it was worse than he initially thought.
Johnny thought maybe it was only him getting the bitter end of the stick. Especially after the argument they had not too long ago. However, he wasn’t the only one Boss was ghosting. Even the very lieutenant that lived with her had barely any clue what was going on with her; what was wrong with her. Regardless, Johnny was determined to get to the bottom of it. He would get to the bottom of it soon enough. As soon as he could, if possible.
“Look—I really don’t know where she’s at. But I’ll try and call her myself. And when she comes home, I’ll tell her you dropped by.”
“A’ight.” Johnny held out his fist for a dab. “Thanks, kid.”
"No problem.” Carlos dabbed fists with Johnny casually before the other man would turn to head back to his Stilleto.
Carlos closes the door once Johnny is well on his way across the sidewalk. He slams the door as he always does and applies not only the door knob’s lock, but also the sliding metal latch lock as well. Added just for extra security. Once those were in place, Carlos turned and walked further into the house. Through the kitchen, past the living room, down the small, short hall, and grabbed the doorknob to the last door on the right. He turned it and pushed. Unlike the front door, this door was easy to open. Carlos stepped in and his attention immediately turned to his left.
There she was.
Laying in her bed.
Sheets brought up to her shoulders as if she were freezing, but really her body felt as though it was on fire. There was no wet rag draped across her forehead to help regulate her fever. Nor was there a thermometer sticking out from the corner of her mouth. She wasn’t sick. She was just in too much pain. So much pain, it was hard to move. It was impossible to move. Not without feeling the excruciating pain of a thousand flaming hot needles steadily being punctured and dragged across every millimeter of her body. It was excruciating and flat out unbearable.
“Mhnn…who was it..?” Boss’s hoarse voice sounded out.
“Gat.” Carlos answered simply, walking up to the side of her bed.
“Mm…” Boss rolled her head to the side and hissed at his painful even that was. “I…Is he gone..?”
“Yeah. I managed to get him to leave.” said Carlos, crossing his arms.
“Good…”
“...”
“...”
“...Want me to help stretch you out?—”
“—Please.” Boss groaned.
Carlos chuckled slightly, as he’d lean over slightly. Just so he could reach for the blankets on the other side of Boss. He began pulling them down to reveal her body.
“It ain’t funny asshole..” Boss huffed, shooting Carlos a nasty glare. She then grit her teeth and shut her eyes tightly, as another wave of immense pain crackled and popped at her nerves. Spreading from her core and stretching it's way throughout her body. As if to punish her for being smart with her only source of help.
“My bad, Boss.” Carlos muttered in a half-sincere tone, as he moved down to the end of her bed.
Once Carlos had pulled the sheets off of her fully, he’d get to work immediately. Remembering every technique the physical therapist that was secretly a gang affiliate he had hired showed him. He’d usually start with her legs first, so they could take the time they needed to recover while he helped work the rest of her body out. It became like a routine for them whenever Boss got like this. Having a few days where the pain was just so unbearable, not even pain pills could help soothe the ghost aches. Days where she was rendered immovable and forced to lay in bed like a sick child on a school day. You could say besides the nightmares and making sure she took care of herself properly and took her pain pills…it was all normal for the two of them at this point.
What made it better on Carlos’s end was that he was the only one close enough to Boss to know of her condition. Yet, there was a nagging reminder in the back of his head of possibilities if he wasn’t there and/or available to help her.
What would she do?
Who else would she call?
Sure. Pierce and Shaundi proved their loyalty time and time again. However, Boss still seemed a bit weary. Nina was one of her friends from back in the day that Boss trusted, but in all honesty, the woman was just trying to live a normal life for the most part. Maybe helping Boss every now and again with makeup affects, but that was all.
Then, there was Johnny…
The very same person that Boss considered her ride-or-die since the beginning; but even she tore a rift between them in accordance to their last heated argument. While Carlos knew at some point they would make up, there was only the matter of when…and how…
Ugh.
The thought that popped into Carlos’s mind had his stomach churn. The last thought he needed was Boss and Johnny slobbering all over one another like that. Then again, chances of that were slim to none. With Johnny finally having a much more stable relationship with Aisha nowadays as opposed to back in the day. Yes, Carlos had asked Nina about that as well.
Either way, Carlos knew that Boss would need more than his own support if she were to get through this. So…
“You know,” Carlos finally spoke up after a good few minutes of silence. Well, mostly silence. Boss’s soft hissed, grunts, swears, and complaints would be the only sound that filled the air during the past few minutes. “You’re gonna have to tell the others at some point, Boss…if not Shaundi and Pierce, at least Gat.”
“The fuck I do…” Boss inhaled sharply, as Carlos would help move her hands high above her head. To where her fingers touched the headboard.
Carlos had to resist the strong urge to roll his eyes at Boss’s stubbornness. By now, the young Hispanic man should have been used to it. He knew how Boss tried oh-so-hard to keep her reputation intact. Couldn’t have the other gangs out there thinking she was a pushover. For sure couldn’t have her own crew think that she was a pussy. Laying in bed, unable to move due to excruciating pain was seen as weak. Carlos should consider himself lucky to even know what was going on with Boss behind the scenes. The perks of living with her.
“Ay, I’m jus’ sayin’,” Carlos finally stated after a brief pause, slowly helping Boss reposition her arms to stretch out on either side of her. A technique that would also help her open up her chest. “I can fend off Pierce and Shaundi no sweat. But it's only a matter of time before Gat bulldozes me outta the way to get to you.”
“Tch…as if da bastard would do some’n like that…” Boss winced, as Carlos would held her bend her arm. Her muscles twitched and tightened in protest. Another electric shock that she could have sworn jumped to her heart and nearly gave her a damn heart attack. “Ouch ouch ouch! Fuck!—”
“—Sorry, sorry!” Carlos frowned, helping her stretch her arm back out. It was obvious that arm wasn’t ready, so he would try the other. Another good few moments of silence passed before Carlos decided to continue the conversation. “You seriously think he wouldn’t though?” Carlos raised a brow, glancing down at Boss’s dark brown and hazel white mismatched eyes.
“I know he wouldn’t.” Boss assured. She did since again when it came to the other arm; but it wasn’t nearly as bad as the other. “Not unless he wants my foot up his ass.”
“Tch. Then you don’t know Gat like you think you do.” said Carlos with a scoff.
“Da fuck you jus’ say?” Boss’s slightly pained gaze turned dark. As Carlos helped rotate her head from side to side now, she’d give Carlos a dirty look as soon as her head was turned to face him.
Before, such a glance would have had Carlos instantly shutting up. However, whether it was due to him growing used to it or the mere fact that Boss was left incapacitated, he was unaffected. Continuing to speak his mind freely.
“No disrespect, Boss. You may have known Gat for longer than I have, but I’ve also known Gat for a long time too. Guy's scary wit'out even trying. When he wants something, he’ll stop at nothing to get it. It's only a matter of time before he shoots me down as soon as I open the damn door.” Carlos said casually.
Boss bit her lip at that.
The idea of Johnny literally whipping out a gun and shooting at Carlos wasn’t funny. In fact, the thought alone was enough to piss her off. Yet, knowing that Johnny cared about her that much to go as far as to shoot his own homie down just to see if she was okay was enough to put involuntary butterflies in her stomach.
Ugh, stop it, Boss.
Johnny’s in a devoted and loving relationship to one of your homegirls. Get a fucking grip.
“Jus’ da fact that you said that only goes ta show how much you still don't know shit about Gat…” Boss rolled her eyes. “There may be a lotta people who eitha fear or respect Gat ‘cause of an unstoppable force he is, but he knows I ain't scared ‘a him. In fact, I’m da only one who can buck up to him if he tries some stupid shit like that.”
Even if Boss didn’t say it outright, her words still had Carlos feeling butterflies within his own stomach. Hearing how apparently she valued Carlos enough to even stand up to the likes of Johnny if it ever came time to that.
No, no Carlos. Not now.
Boss was still going through a lot of shit and needed more time.
“Well, can’t exactly take ‘im on if you can’t move, Boss.” Carlos shot Boss a slightly teasing, yet charming smirk.
“Which is exactly why you’re here ta help me.” Boss returned his charming smirk with a charming grin of her own. “Now, try my oth’ah arm again..let's see if we have it some time to catch up.”
Carlos chuckled lightly, as he nodded. A look of determination upon his Hazel brown eyes.
“You got it, Boss.”