Little Liar Boy

The silence made him uncomfortable, but he knew he wasn’t wrong. Hazel orbs  flickered away, knowing that this? was bigger than them. Minho’s addiction was bigger than him and as much as he wanted to make it about Fay, or the lack of trust that had somehow wedged in between the two.. He just couldn’t bring himself to say anything more. A lump forces its way down his throat, fingers curling deeper into the bag as he let out a sigh. he wouldn’t cry about leaving, he wouldn’t cry about this.. Because if they decided to get back together.. then.. it wasn’t the end. He decided he wouldn’t cry until the end. His lips part in  thought as his confession hi is ears.. and While Hansol feels like he could believe it, there’s a part of him that just doesn’t believe it. “I wish I could tell if you’re lying.. You can’t..” He paused to look away for a bit, “You can’t tell me you love her and then when I’m leaving tell me you don’t.– Just before this gets to a spot where we can’t fix this..Where I don’t come back or you don’t come back or whatever– Just.. call me when you know what you want. When You’re sure of how you feel.:”

It was hard for him to truly comprehend that this was happening. That Hansol really had a bag and was ready to walk out of their apartment without either of them knowing when he’d come back. It was really starting to feel like a break up like the end of everything they had worked up to for seven years and that was hurting Minho more than he would ever admit. “I wouldn’t lie about loving you. I know that I lie but that…I wouldn’t lie about that.” There didn’t seem to be much point in fighting it all anymore, Hansol had made up his mind and Minho couldn’t help but think that he was probably right. Things were spiraling too quickly and they both needed to take a break before there was nothing left to salvage. “O-okay.” His fingers continued to play with the ring in his hand, a bitter laugh nearly escaping him as he realised how the metal was still warm even if their relationship had just dropped to freezing temperatures.

she flinches again at the sounds of the gun firing, at the feeling of blood splattering on her from the man next to her that had been holdnig onto her up until this moment anyway. as much as she was used to dealing with blood, this made her want to throw up, the feeling of it splattering on her face, arms, clothes.. it made nuri feel worse than before. the only saving grace was knowing that minho had at least killed him anyway, and the hold had slackened on her wrist until it was gone. nuri would’ve rubbed at the pain there, trying to will it away, but she became more focused on keeping up with minho, and not letting herself drag behind as he took her away from the scene.

nuri wasn’t actually sure what to say now though as they came to a stop, now her hand able to go to her wrist and rub gently at it, eyes running over it as her hands shook a little from the whole ordeal. shock still in her bones. “it just needs ice.” she half whispered out instead, because well.. she was the medic after all, and her cheek was just going to bruise and maybe swell a little. she could handle that. “thank you..”

It was easy for Minho to pick up on the shake of her hands and how her voice was just a tad too quiet – he’d practically made a living out of being able to read people after all. He supposed it shouldn’t come as a shock that she was shaken by what had just happened not everyone was as used to violence and death as the people Minho surrounded himself with. Nuri had only been here for a short time Minho couldn’t even know if she’d ever actually watched someone die like that before. “There’s no need to thank me. It’s sort of my job to make sure you don’t get hurt.”

Part of his brain was telling Minho to at least try to comfort her- she had just had a guy’s brains splattered on her – but that wasn’t really something he was good at. He could comfort Hansol or Sunmi or even Minki maybe Minjae if he had to but other people, he wasn’t sure how he was meant to do that. He didn’t know her and she didn’t know him, the only comfort he could really give her was safety. “Come on. The Underground's going to be the safest place for you until Hansol sorts out this mess.”

 Hazel orbs wanted to feel sorry for him; wanted to extend that bridge of maturity so that he wouldn’t say anything stupid and they could just move past this like it was a small bum in a large road. But it was hard for him to do. He was sure it must of hurt, stumbling upon the murder scene of someone  you loved gad to be traumatic. And it wasn’t like Hansol thought he was lying. But he just, didn’t want to hear it right now. He didn’t want to feel bad for him right now. Not when the other had indirectly made him feel bad about himself  for not knowing .

“The first sign of addiction is not being able to admit you have a problem.” He commented, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. it was an awkward quiet; the kind where it was clear he was uncomfortable and that there was something pressing his mind. Perhaps he was stalling, but he felt like this needed to happen. There were a lot of things that went left unsaid in their relationship– A lot of things that; when one thought about it were serious issues that needed to be discussed but hansol was afraid of leaving too, no matter how bad he knew he should. “I think.. We should think this through.. what we really want and what we’re ready to put up with.. I know I’m not perfect or some type of catch.. but.. I need to think on things. and leaving now.. without the ring.. is probably my best bet.” He says, starting towards the door.

It probably shouldn’t have stung to have Hansol point out his alcoholism as much as it did. They both knew about Minho’s problem, they just had a silent agreement to not discuss it and now for the first time, it had been brought up. Shoved into his face where he couldn’t ignore it and it horribly only made his hands itch to reach for the bottle. Minho would be lying if he said he didn’t understand where Hansol was coming from but that didn’t mean it didn’t hurt him any less. He could feel the last pieces of his composure ripping apart as Hansol explained how he was leaving the ring. Leaving his wedding ring with Minho and not taking it with him. A part of him wanted to be angry again, to lash out and hurt Hansol back for stepping on his heart in such a way but he didn’t. He felt like he had a right to but he couldn’t. He just stood there like a fool watching him getting ready to leave. “I love you. Not anyone else, alive or dead, just you.” The words don’t come out loud or strong but there’s conviction behind them. A last ditch attempt to make sure Hansol knows that he comes first and always will.

seung wasn’t exactly going to let anyone get close to them right now, so he was at least careful in looking both ways and checking that they were alone. at least right now, things seemed clear. “i know, that’s why i figured you’re being framed too. that’s three gangs under suspicion for something that hasn’t happened then.” it was the only connections that he could make at this time either, because it was hard to actually try and get information gathered when there was a such a tear in the pact now. but he was at least glad to hear is thoughts on hansol not being the one to call an attack like this were correct. seung liked to think he knew his friend well enough anyway. “i could lie and say we’re close to finding out, but no. the more we look, the more it doesn’t make sense for someone to do this– i would’ve said the snakes, but after this event, it seems like they’re as in the dark as we are on it.”

 He appreciated Seung’s honesty, he truly did and it was because of that he chose to extend his own to the other. “Shit. I was hoping you would have some sort of lead we could hang onto.” There went that line of possible inquiry. He should’ve been ready for it he supposed, life didn’t make a habit of handing over answers easily. Solemnness falls over Minho’s face as he sighs a bored tone flowing into his voice. “Maybe it’s just one of us gangs getting bored and deciding to use the rest like chess pieces.” It was a dangerous theory to even suggest considering no one had agreed on throwing out the pact. No one trusted each other anymore but the pact still stood…unless one gang was truly going out of its way to destroy them all. “Or maybe someone bigger.”

the sting in her cheek was enough to blind nuri to a lot for a moment. to stun her into submission almost, because it had been a while since she’d been hit anyway. sure, she grew up in a horrible neighbourhood, and often times her nights in her teenage years were spent cleaning up the wounds and bruises that were left on her mother, but it didn’t mean she was entirely used to this treatment either. wasn’t a stranger too it, but nor was she too familiar to it that it wouldn’t shock nuri for a few moments.

if she thought she was shocked enough though, she was surprised when the sounds of shots echoed after instead. making her flinch, eyes closed because there was an expectation of pain– but it never came. it was the voice that made her look again, cheek red and bright (it’d probably bruise anyway), as she spotted the male between the small parting that had formed with the group. it was apparently enough to make them shake a little, but not to make them scatter. the man still had his grip on her wrist after all, tighter now. nuri did her best not to let the pain show either, biting on her lips to stop any pained noise escaping, but it didn’t hurt, and she was frightened in some form. she didn’t want it to show though, because nuri didn’t like letting fear or pain show in any situation– she liked to appear calm after all, but that was waning when she was in this position.

There’s no attempt to hide the annoyance on his face as Minho accepts the fact that they weren’t going to give up that easily. He wasn’t exactly expecting it anyway. “Your funeral.” Time like these was what reminded Minho of just why his father had forced him to learn how to shot nearly every gun he could get his hands on. He still has a deep rooted hatred for them for many reasons. Like how much blood splatter was caused by him shooting the man holding Nuri in the jaw, the irritating recoil that ricocheted up his arm as the another two got quick shots to the knees and the heat that was slowly beginning to leak through his palm as he took a blind shot at the final member and made a quick grab for Nuri.

“Come on.” He made the conscious effort to hold the wrist that hadn’t already been abused and kept his grip as light as he could whilst pulling her through a short maze of alleyways. Minho’s grip did not disappear until he was sure they’d taken enough odd turns to lose the injured assailants – if they had even bothered to follow them at all. “I would say that I’d take you to the medic for your cheek but that’s redundant.”

it was hard not to have heard about the situation invovling the snakes, and in seung’s mind, someone should’ve probably seen this coming anyway. the snakes had only crashed onto the scene a little while ago, and he was pretty sure nobody was really taking kindly to them just yet either. after all, seung himself still wasn’t so sure that they weren’t a threat. but to hear that the lost boys had apparently staged an attack on them.. even to seung something felt off. he liked to think he knew hansol well enough too that he wouldn’t go and do something like this, but it reminded himself of his own situation with the outlaw bloods that matched up too well with the fact that he hated them with a passion. either way, some things didn’t add up.

but he spotted the gang in question’s second in command fairly easy then. watching how he moved whilst well.. a little too open about who he was, he supposed. even seung covered up now. not just because of the threat on his gang’s head, but because it was getting easier now to do things in the shadows and keep a fear up. “i’d say it’s stupid of you to be out so openly like this given your situation,” he muttered out after a moment when the male was close to passing him, “but i’d figure you already know that given how you’re moving. i’m assuming it wasn’t your gang that did this either.”

 Minho wouldn’t deny the slight bit of fear that went through him until he was able to truly identify the voice. He pulls his hood tighter around his hand as he turns to face Seung, it was risky to just stop in the street at a time like this but the area was quiet enough for Minho to not be too worried. “Hansol’s not the type to plan an attack that points so obviously to us for no real reason.” He couldn’t exactly say that he knew Seung well, Hansol was close to him so he trusted him to a degree but that was it. He was aware of what Seung was capable of but that seemed to only make him respect the other more than fear him. “And neither are you. Find out who’s framed you yet?” If he was already trying to work out who had framed the Lost Boys mere hours after the attacks it was only right to assume that Seung had been doing his own digging. It wasn’t like the Outlaw Bloods were a quiet gang about who they were blaming so Minho was well aware that the heat was still very much on the Nameless

Minki: isn't it best to just.. stay quiet? don't react and it won't draw so much attention

Minki: lot of people can be dumb though. i think.

Liau: minho i'm being serious

Liau: yeah we're a gang. that doesn't instantly mean we'll get along

Liau: nobody wants to hear death threats right now. we're all scared and being told we'll get bullets in our heads isn't exactly helpful

Liau: hansol you might not trust me, but i took an oath. i wouldn't do anything in spite of you

Liau: and dabin that was uncalled for

Liau: minki's right. we should stay out of the open until this passes over

Hansol: Liau don't talk to him like that.

Hansol: I don't know what the fuck has gotten int your guys's heads that you THINK this is some kind of Democracy, but it's not. It's a hierarchy with me on top and then Minho.

Hansol: You need to respect your leaders. And it doesn't matter if we get along. You all took an oath TO ME. To this gang. And whether you like Dabin or Minki. Nuri-- I don't care. You can like and dislike whoever you want. But you will operate how and when I tell you.

Hansol: But that's what we want for you guys to do; lay low and if you guys are just now figuring it out I need to go replace some people because we made that command a while ago

Minho: fuck this

Minho: i'll be in my old room at the underground in anyone needs me

He winced as he was pulled aside, rubbing the place where he was grabbed when it was let go. “Well…how else was I supposed to get your attention. I didn’t want you to shoot me because you thought I was somebody else.” He grumbled a lame excuse, not wanting to simply own up to his wrongdoing. Yes, Minho knew him thick and thin, but Liau didn’t want to be thought of as the weak one anymore. Couldn’t he care about others besides his own gang members because it was the right thing to do? “Hyung…one of the Snakes beat me up.” He whispered, recollecting the fight that happened an hour or two before. This wouldn’t be something he would tell Minho, unless he thought it was important. “They-they said…” His fist clenched, as Liau inspected his Lost Boy Tattoo. “They said you did it because you were mad they crashed your wedding.” He slumped against the brick wall behind them, covering his face in shame at his own words. Liau knew that wasn’t the case, but telling Minho that…made him want to get punched. “I-I wish I could trust you like the old days. I wish I was more to you than just an annoying little kid.” He admitted, tugging at the strings on his hoodie and sniffling.

“The wedding? Me and Hansol we’re both too drunk and giddy at the wedding to give a fuck. That’s why they weren’t killed where they stood right there and then.” There were plenty of things Minho could blame his next actions on. His recent and sudden sobriety, the anger that he still held from falling out with Hansol, his general feeling about this situation that they had all just been dropped into or maybe t had just been too long since he’d let himself backhand someone. It didn’t really matter in the end as his hand still connected Liau’s check reaching out to grab his chin only a second later. “You don’t trust me? You fucking ungrateful piece of shit. Have I ever put you in danger? Have I ever put the Lost Boys in danger?” His grip tightened as Minho took a step closer, voice steady and ice cold. “I will admit I have lied and deceived and cheated the entire time I’ve lived in this shit city but I did my fucking job. I grew up spitting on people like the insignificant ones I now have to associate myself with. I’m above you in every single way!But I still protected you, I protected all of you and I will continue to do it.You don’t matter Liau. I don’t matter. The Lost Boys do. The gang surviving is what matters. And I don’t care what I have to fucking do to make sure it does but I didn’t kill those Snakes. Because if you haven’t noticed that’s only put us in more danger.”

☀️🐶 Liau 🐶☀️: we gotta stick together through this everyone

☀️🐶 Liau 🐶☀️: things look like crap rn but we've been through worse

☀️🐶 Liau 🐶☀️: i'm not sending this as some kind of shitty pep talk. i'm sending this bc we're all wanted for something we didn't do

☀️🐶 Liau 🐶☀️: this could be the only way to clear our names

Minho: oh fuck off

Minho: there are no reminders to stick together. we're a gang that goes without saying

Minho: if any of you want out just say and i'll make sure you have a bullet in your head by morning

Minho: there's no pep talks or 'we are all in this together' crap

Hansol: if they think I did it they can leave

Hansol: I'm not in the mood for dumb ass kids

Minho: then come and deal with the dumbass kids

Minho: i'm meant to be at the apartment looking after Minki and Sunmi

Minho: idk if you even want to talk to me rn

Minho: but you really need to convince the boys that you didn't plan the attacks

Minho: too many of them are gossiping that you did it

He wanted to reel himself back; he really did. But he found that hard to do when his insecurities were eating him up inside. Sure this woman was dead, she was gone and it wasn’t like she was there to take him away from the other– but at the same time, she had enough impact on Minho that he had done two things that he had never done to Hansol in their seven year long friendship, even. Minho had never lied, nor had he ever cursed at him. And that scared Hansol. Someone had so much power over him that it changed their relationships and Hansol didn’t know how to channel that fear into words. “Go, explain your punk ass little love story.” He says, though he isn’t sure if he’s ready or actually wants to hear it.

He knew Minho had problems, just as much as Hansol had his own, and he slows himself down at the silence; his sudden race to packing his bag and leaving slowed down to now him just leisurely throwing clothes in a bag as if he was packing early for some sort of vacation. The words hit his ears but he’s still angry, still mad that this is what their relationship had come to; shaky apologies and rushes to get angry at each other. It annoyed him.  But he doesn’t say anything back, fear that he might get overly aggressive again. He’s takes his time to sit on the bed, hands running through his hair as he tries to think of why this bothered him so much and why Minho was still so hung up on her– but when he goes to actually try and talk it out he stiffens, looking at the selected liquor bottle before grabbing his bag  and dragging it back into the room. “You shouldn’t drink since you’re taking care of Minki. There’s left overs for the next couple of days so don’t order mcdonalds every night because you’re lazy.  Don’t drink while you’re in charge because I probably won’t show up with gang shit. If you can even be sober for a couple of days.”

He mostly ignored Hansol’s response. He didn’t want to explain it to him, he didn’t know how to. There was too much there. How much he’d loved her, how she had never deserved anything that had happened to her, how his brothers rented him, how he was young and dumb, how the whole reason he refuses to carry out anything bloody is because he can’t get the image of her dead eyes out of his head, how the whole reason he drowns himself in a bottle is because it’s easier than admitting to himself that everything was his fault. Hansol deserved something now. Some kind of explanation. It was as he heard his husband enter the room that the words finally came out, as clunky and stuttered as they were. “My brothers killed her when I got the heirship. I’d known her since I was eleven and they left her body on my bed.”

It’s as if a shoot went down his spine as Hansol commented on his drinking. It wasn’t something they ever truly discussed maybe because they were both too scared to. They both just left it hanging there. Minho spiked his drinks as often as he could and Hansol would just sit there and watch, both not wanting to address the issue there. “I’ll drink if I want to. You don’t get to decide that for me.” There’s not as much bite behind the statement as there could be, his brain not providing enough energy to even be angry at Hansol was right. It was probably why his hand pushed away from the bottle in juxtaposition to his words. “Don’t…” Don’t go. He runs a hand through his hair as his other hand continues to play with Hansol’s ring before finally holding it out to him. “At least take this if you’re going to leave. Please don’t leave it here, you should be wearing it.”

the only thing that nuri understood about this situation was that it was bad, and apparently something had happened that well.. put them in danger? others in danger? nuri wasn’t really sure, she wasn’t even completely aware of what had even happened to cause any of this. she just felt like she was in the dark– and kinda of worried actually. what nuri did know though, pretty well actually, was that someone had been following her the past two streets she’d walked down. she just wanted to get back to her apartment honestly, or even headquarters, but she couldn’t deny the feeling, and the sound, of footsteps behind her. it was in taking an apparent wrong turn though into a near dead end that nuri turned, finding herself faced with.. too many people. she didn’t recognise any of them either, only that they were far too close.. and maybe she should’ve been a little more cautious about walking around alone right now.

“hey–!“ she yelped a little when of the males in the group facing her got her arm, pulling it so that the tattoo she’d had to get on her wrist for the lost boys was visible. nuri tried to tug her arm back, but the grip was tight, causing her to wince a little. it was bruising practically. “what do you wa–“ she was cut off at a sting on her cheek, head suddenly facing the wall next to her instead after the back of the mans hand connected with her cheek. nuri wasn’t a stranger to this kind of violence honestly, but it didn’t mean she liked it, especially when she was out number.. a tiny kid in a situation she could get out alone from. @minhogp

Minho had checked the entire underground to make sure who was there and who wasn’t. It had been an almost silent agreement between all the Lost Boys to convene there. It was the safest place for them when people were this angry at them. It seemed that most of them had caught wind of the situation and run to the hide out as fast as they could but there were too many people missing for it sit right with Minho. He’d managed to convince a handful of members to quickly run the streets and grab any Lost Boy they could find, if they weren’t back by midnight then they’d have to find their own way to safety. They couldn’t risk it. He had decided it was best for him to go as well, especially as he certain faces were missing from the ranks.

His steps quickened in his rounds as he heard a cry. Making his way as quickly and quietly to the alleyway as he could before peeking around the corner. “Fuck.” It could have been any girl getting mugged – it wasn’t rare in this area – but of course it couldn’t be that it had to be Nuri getting manhandled. He wasn’t sure where his feelings sat with Hansol’s ‘sister’, he didn’t know if he really believed who she said she was but he couldn’t just leave her there to get beaten. Without much more thought he pulled the pistol he kept with him out and fired two warning shots at the wall near their heads before rounding the corner fully.“Now, are you really willing to risk your life for the chance of beating up one little girl?”

This was the final straw. Liau had kept quiet about the wedding, the brawl at Hyuk’s, even the fallout between his leader and second-in-command, but this. This was the last time he would sit back and put his faith in his elders. Half of the snakes were dead, and the blame was on the Lost Boys. Liau hadn’t even realized it, until a Snake confronted him and left with a nasty punch to his jaw. So when he saw his hyung breezing through without a care in the world, he got mad. Really mad. He never asked for anything, except for no murders. That wasn’t to say Liau believed Minho did it, because he didn’t. But he knew Minho had some kind of an answer. “Minho!” He hadn’t intended to be this loud, but that was how it came out. At least nobody else was around to witness this. Liau was hardly recognizable anyway: he’d pulled up the hoodie he’d worn, and the lucky gray facemask stashed in his backpack was now strapped across his face. “Tell me you didn’t do it.” His accusation was impulsive, on the spot. And through the red-hot rage he felt, it made way to something else. Something he hadn’t felt since the fire. Fear. Liau would always be loyal to the Lost Boys, even after this blew over. But now…he was afraid. Afraid of being lied to. “If you’re going to keep me in the dark about everything else, at least tell me this. Please.”

His entire body whipped around at the sound of his name, not even thinking before he marched towards the younger man to grab his arm and pull him closer to an alleyway. “Fucking hell Liau, would you mind not announcing my presence to the whole city.” He hissed at the other, suppressing the want to hit him upside the head for being so dumb at a time like this. He didn’t care if there were people in the street or not, the Snakes were out for blood and Minho was not offering up his own. “Of course, I didn’t fucking do it. I would already be nice and safe in the underground if I’d done it. Not running around risking getting a bullet in my skull.” He was honestly slightly offended that he was being asked by his own gang member if he had anything to do with the attack. Minho was not a good person and was not against killing as many people as possible but only when provoked. Not randomly like this. “We don’t keep you in the dark about shit. We tell you what you need to know and if Hansol had done this he would have told you. So, rail in the disobedience because I’m really not in the mood for it today.” He was lying of course. There were things he kept from Liau but he didn’t consider Liau high on the list of people who need to know what was going on, maybe that was a fault with Minho but he didn’t care much about it at this moment in time.

Perhaps he should’ve known better than to say things so recklessly; But Hansol was hurt and reasonably so. He gave his everything to Minho, things he wanted to do, things he didn’t want to do– Whether or not he did those things depended on Minho’s reactions, wants and needs. And Now Minho was getting mad at him, for not knowing that he had feelings for some dead girl back in Russia? It only made his own blood boil. How could Minho disregard his years of commitment? How much Hansol invested over a girl that he would never see again. Hansol understood that loss hurt, he understood that it took time to get over, but at the same time Hansol feels like he’s in second place and that’s not fair when Minho has always been his number one. “Necrophilia’s a thing and you’re pretty kinky, I wouldn’t put it past you.” He hisses, resisting the urge to keep insulting the other, no matter how tempting it might have been.

It seems though, that from the moment the word leaves the elder’s mouth, Hansol’s brain shuts off and he finds himself dragging the back of his hand across the other’s face, “Oh what? So I’m supposed to magically fucking know right? That you have feelings for some dead ass bitch? I’m somehow supposed to know your life story, that you didn’t tell me, and then kiss both your ass and her’s because if she wouldn’t have died we wouldn’t be here? Fuck off Minho. Maybe we shouldn’t have done all of this if you really fucking thought that way.” Perhaps he’s not thinking straight, but it doesn’t stop him from yanking the ring off of his finger and throwing it at the other before he’s shoving random clothes into one of his bags  and taking his necessities, “Whenever you decide what the fuck you want; let me know.”

Minho can only feel his anger rising as Hansol continued to spit words at him. He deserves it and he knows he does. He never speaks about his past, has never even hinted at Fay’s existence yet here he is getting angry at Hnasol for speaking so flippantly about her when he doesn’t even know who she is. “Will you shut the fuck up and let me explain!” Raising his voice wasn’t a good idea, it wasn’t going to help him and all it would end up doing is heightening the situation but Minho was stuck. An onslaught of seven years of repressed emotions was hitting him at once and it was hard for him to take it. Until he was suddenly having to catch Hansol’s ring and the sensation of a bucket of water falling on his head overcame him.

That was their wedding ring. Minho’s hands had shaken when he’d put it on Hansol’s finger and now Hansol was angry enough to throw it right back at him. Minho was hung up on Fay, it wasn’t something he could deny, he’d loved her and lost her and never let himself grieve. But he loved Hansol. Hansol was his everything – his soul mate even if Minho didn’t really believe in that idea – and Minho was having to watch him pack his bags in a fit as rage as he just stood there. He couldn’t move as he watched trying to rack his brain for something to do to make him stop, to make things right, but as the anger ebbed out of him he was only left with a headache and now answers. “I’m sorry.” His voice comes out shaky as he gets out of the bedroom as quick as he can, Hansol’s wedding ring still clasped in his hand. He can’t remember making the decision to start fishing through the liquor cabinet but he’s not surprised by his actions. His heart is cracking and he only knows one medicine for it.