The parking lot was cracked concrete with a handful of cars lined up. The rising sun highlighted the scarlet shade of the truck in front of them, the vehicle parked crooked between the bright lines. The other buildings were barren at best and dozens of feet away, giving Jimin and Jericho privacy he wasn't sure he was comfortable with.

Jimin approached the truck, Jericho on his tail and observing each movement. There was a flash of hesitation, then, Jimin tugged on the car handle and wasn't surprised to see it was locked.

"No point, it's not big enough for all of us anyway," Jericho said. Jimin actually did listen and moved on to the next one. It was a Honda, but Jericho didn't recognize which one exactly. Another pull on the handle told the same tale. They snatched keys from the office, and Jericho was sure Kayden was keeping an eye on them through the window.

"Let's hurry up, I don't like the idea of relying on Charlotte and Kayden," Jimin said, going to the next one: an SUV.

"You don't trust your own teammates? Not even Charlotte?"

"Do you trust Asa and Theo?"

"A little." Although Jericho truly did trust Asa and Theo deep down, Jimin raised a fair point. In this world, the best way to survive was by looking out for the individual. Either the ones most trusted, or oneself. Jericho chose himself.

"Charlotte's secretive. Even when we were together, I never trusted her. Kayden told me to kill you, and you're not half-bad, so that only adds to my distrust of him," Jimin said, rifling through the keys to see which one matched the SUV.

"Did you just compliment me?"

"Take it how you want, I was just pointing out a fact," he said, finding the proper keys and unlocking the vehicle. When it opened, Jimin swiveled to Jericho, and their eyes locked. "I know you don't like me, I'll be honest I don't like you either, but I'm no idiot. I hope you know that."

"You're the best fighter in the Underworld. You can't be that stupid."

"Precisely." Jimin ducked inside and inserted the keys. They didn't need to hotwire anything after all, and Jericho was mildly relieved. He hated cars, and hotwiring wasn't exactly his forte. Based on the way Jimin was grunting from so much as touching the car, it seemed as though he hated cars too.

"Looks good for storing all the shit we have. Maybe we can even fit everyone in here without any cramming," Jimin said, turning on the engine to make sure everything worked. "Are you good with cars?"

"A little, but I don't like them."

"You and me both. This is more Kayden's thing."

"If it's Kayden's thing, why are you and I out here?" Jericho asked.

"Two reasons," Jimin replied, checking how much gas was left. "One: you hate Kayden more than me. Not by much, but enough. Two: Charlotte wants us to get along since I'm her right hand, and you're her new boy toy."

"I'm her what now?"

Jimin hopped out of the car and pat Jericho on the shoulder, his lips turning up in a smile that his eyes mimicked. "She likes you. I wish I could trust you to take care of her."

"You should. I'm a good guy."

Jimin snorted and went to the trunk, opening it to see how much room there was. "I'll believe it when I see it. Until then, don't make me laugh." Jericho didn't say another word, but he had to admit he was doing his best not to think too deeply about Jimin's words.

Despite settling into his new life better than most of the others, Jericho was still recovering from the shock of it all. Killing Eladio, running away, stealing cars with the person he hated. It was strange to be sleeping in the same room as his rivals. Every few minutes he had to remind himself that this was his future now, but even then, he found himself going dizzy with confusion.

Jimin was satisfied with the trunk, leaving it open for when the others came out. Until they did, Jimin and Jericho could only wait. They didn't want to leave the car and risk anything happening to it. Any survivors from the attack coming to stop them, perhaps. They also didn't want to leave one person with the car. That was where the distrust came in. It was mutually agreed that they'd lean against the car in silence. Or, Jericho thought it was mutually agreed.

"Music," Jimin said, Jericho tilting his head.

"What?"

"I like music."

"I didn't ask," Jericho replied, Jimin rolling his eyes.

"Well you're learning about my interests anyway. Don't stand there acting like you don't like music too." Jericho mumbled a curse that had Jimin snickering. "One look at you and I know that you love music, bite your nails when you're nervous, and you have a strange addiction to coffee."

"It's... not strange," Jericho said, forcing his hands to stay away from his deadly mouth.

"It's strange." Jimin peered at Jericho, and Jericho back at him. Sections of Jimin's irises were coated with secrets, but he was mostly showcasing his curiosity. If Jericho was being honest, Jimin's eyes were dark and warm enough to look like a puppy's. It didn't help that the man was a little shaggy and had puffy cheeks.

"I know that no matter what happens between you and your friends, you'll always love them," Jimin said, which had Jericho stalling. "You still love Kayden, don't you?"

The answer Jericho craved to scream was no. It was resting on the tip of his tongue, prying his mouth open to spill out. But when his lips parted, the only noise he made was a sharp breath that gave away too much of what he was thinking. Jimin picked the silence apart, leaning a bit closer to Jericho than he would have liked.

"I know I'm not the person you'd want to tell that, but it might help to have a neutral party in the mix. Not Charlotte, not Asa, not Theo. Maybe I can be that mix, if you'll let me," Jimin said.

"Why?"

The single word had Jimin backing up and giving Jericho the space he much desired. Both of them were perplexed at the simple question. Sometimes the most simple things had the most complex answers.

"Because you're close to the woman I love. I'm mature enough not to act childish about that, but I'm also not dumb enough to let you run off with her with no protest. I may not want to get to know you, but I have to. For her sake."

Jericho rolled those words around the wrinkles of his brain until they clicked. Jimin was standing in front of him with his lips pursed, the height difference minimal, but the extra inch or two Jericho had on Jimin gave him the confidence and power he needed to answer.

"And let me guess: the second you see something even slightly suspicious, you'll report it to her?" he asked.

Jimin's lips curled up, but they dropped after a beat. Instead, he reached out and gave Jericho's shoulder a squeeze. "I know you won't believe me, but no. I won't. We've all done shady things. We're horrible people who kill for a living. Actually, I'd be more concerned if I didn't find something suspicious about you. Even though we don't like each other, it's best that we become friends. We both need someone we can at least rely on. Not fully trust, but trust enough that we save each other when needed. I'll be that for you, Mr. Novak. But only if you'll be that for me."

The breeze seemed to stop as the pavement sunk into his sneakers. Each car was more colorful than the last with the SUV being a deep maroon shade that matched both Jimin and Jericho's appearance. The metal rims were trembling because the engine was running, and the tires were covered in filth.

Despite that, despite the gas smell soaring up his nose and swimming in his mouth, Jericho kept his focus on Jimin. It didn't help that Jimin reached his hand out, hope dancing in the space between Jimin and Jericho's hands.

"Truce?" Jimin asked, Jericho gazing at the flesh before him.

He didn't have a chance to question himself. Their hands connected before Jericho could ask himself what he was doing. Jimin shook his hand, Jericho returning it. The contact dropped a beat later, Jericho about to fall over if it weren't for the car keeping him upright.

"Truce," Jericho said, dipping his head. Jimin mimicked the gesture, but the silence Jericho needed was still far away.

"Not to be a dick, but I still have to give you the best friend speech." Jericho went to groan, but Jimin was already cutting him off. "Don't hurt her or I'll break your legs and leave you for the zombies when the apocalypse happens."

Jericho raised his brows at the younger man. "How many zombie movie posters do you have in your room?"

"I... Shut up."

A laugh freed itself from his throat, Jimin jolting from the noise. Jericho had to confess even he was amazed he was laughing, but Jimin wasn't as terrible as he originally thought. Granted, he wasn't Jericho's lord and savior, but Jimin was the relief he didn't know he needed.

"There isn't a single cell in my body that trusts you," Jericho said. Jimin shrugged and couldn't disagree. "But I'll give you some credit, Mr. Seong: you're right, taking things in a light way makes life more enjoyable. Maybe there's still time to help my frown lines."

"I doubt there's much we can do for that, Mr. Novak. Oh, and please do tell me I'm right more often. I have an ego if you couldn't tell."

"I could, thanks."

Jimin snickered, but they didn't have any more time to talk. Charlotte came out with the injured Theo by her side, Asa protesting the whole way there. Theo was bandaged up, likely thanks to him guiding Asa through the procedure. Within a minute, the entire group was gathered around the SUV. Jimin rolled his eyes when Ariel approached, but he eventually guided her to her seat in the back.

"We got a lot of cash and ammo, no food though. I took his phone. Hopefully we can call Mr. Belmour with this and get some help. Set up deliveries and settle down for a while," Charlotte said, placing a duffel bag down in the trunk with Jimin's help. "Jimin, you're on shotgun. Asa, drive."

"Thank God it's not me," Theo mumbled, Charlotte peeking at him with confusion.

"He can't drive to save his life," Asa said with a laugh, sliding in the driver's side and getting a feel for the size of the thing. "Jesus, this thing is bigger than Jimin."

"Was that an insult to my height, or a compliment to my dick?" Jimin asked.

"You're Korean, can't be that big," Asa replied, Jimin getting on the passenger's side.

"Stereotyping? Ouch. I'm hurt."

Kayden helped Theo out, which gave Jericho a moment alone with Charlotte. As alone as they could get, anyway. Jericho hoisted another bag into the trunk while Charlotte made sure everything was secure. It was quiet, some banter sounding off between Asa and Jimin up front. Otherwise, it was strangely peaceful.

"Are you okay?" he asked, and she slowed her movements by a hair. Her arms were covered in a dusty substance that went up to her neck. It didn't help that bags were drooping down her eyes, her hair tangled and thrown in several different directions. Then, she finally looked at him, giving him a smile that was cracking under the weight of her sorrowed expression.

"I don't know."

~~~
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