Chapter Text
The Zones are too hot in the day and too cold in the night. Food is hard to find and often out of date, water is a luxury and housing was just anything that had a roof. Only the truly, truly desperate leave the comfortable though miserable life in battery city, working stable jobs in houses with a constant available supply of bland food and popping pills. Every. Single. Day. to live freely in the desert with a few friends. Or more likely, coworkers in survival. Some adjust, some just... don't.
A desert in California is probably the last place a homeless punk running from the government should be, not that facts like that stop kids from escaping to the zones. Kids like Fun Ghoul, formerly Francis Iero and kids like Kobra Kid, Jet Star and... Unfortunately kids like Party Poison. Bratty, loud, annoying, selfish kids like Party Poison.
Two years ago when Party joined the crew, they walked into the diner and immediately made themselves known as an asshole. See, Ghoul isn't one to self isolate but y'know how it is when you've had a shitty nights sleep on a stained mattress with no blanket and five,... no six springs poking out of it and stabbing Ghoul in the back (betrayal) anytime he dared roll over in his sleep. On days like that you dont really need some newbie trying to get into your unwashed pants?
-
"Well good morning! you look like you died three times over in your sleep, It's a good look on you." Party muttered, stretching themselves out over the kitchen counter Ghoul was supposed to be eating in silence at.
"Mmrrggshh" Ghoul groaned in response, hoping that the person beside him would take the discreet fuck off and actually... well.. fuck off?
"Charming.. ugh you actually eat that stuff?" The newbie asked, directing a disgusted face at the can of dog food Ghoul was currently eating.. who turned their nose up at something edible and nutritious(ish) in a fucking DESERT?! "You're not an animal... even if you're drooling like one!"
... fuck, is he actually drooling?
".... y'gun's attached upside down" Ghoul retorted, expecting party to scoff and storm off or something but of course not! No, they just continued staring at him... Ghoul had just woke up and this was his first independent interaction with Party Poison and they're already insulting the lifestyle the souls forgotten by the general population are forced to take up.
-
Since then, things haven't really improved? Party and Jet got along but that's just because Jet's practically an angel, it's hard not to like him. Party and Kobra somehow got along since they're siblings, its almost difficult to believe two people so completely different were related?
Tall, quiet and reserved Kobra, the weirdly thin kid with a fascination with spiders that came to the crew at 18 was attached to the flamboyant asshole that escaped two years later. It's certainly an interesting dynamic.
Of course Ghoul loved the crew with all he had but that doesnt mean he has to love everyone in said crew? Right? Anyways, today Jet and Ghoul are lounging together on a couch Jet somehow managed to fit on the trans am to bring home a few weeks ago while kobra worked on fixing up his bike not helping. Its relaxing, it's nice, and it's awesome to spend some time with Jet outside of running from droids or being in the infirmary and getting coddled! Jet's practically his found family brother anyway so drinking stale, warm beer on a peeling leather sofa sounds like a solid fucking day if you asked me. Of course... all good things must come to a fucking end, and Ghouls good mood was quickly assassinated when Party slinked over to the two, plucked Ghouls beer out of his hand and took a sip, before practically collapsing next to him. What the hell! That was the last beer!
"Greetings, boys~ lovely afternoon, am I right?" Taunted Party in that honeyed voice that nagged something deep inside Ghoul.
"WAS lovely before y'showed up"
"I'm sorry, Fun Ghoul, do you have an issue with me?"
Ugh, Party can bat their eyelashes and slyly touch his arm all they want, it's not going anywhere... even if they're a pretty, pretty face. Even if their lightly tanned hands were all warm and the crop tops they always insisted on wearing to bed made them look all eesome.
"Guys, c'mon play nice.. witch knows there no time T'be arguin' out here" Jet was obviously the mediator as he was always the type to want harmony in the diner. Despite being the buffest and most scarred up, Jet Star was just a kind soul who knew his way around a ray gun like he was born with it in his hand. Hey, maybe they called it a ray gun because of Ray Toro, who knows!
The pair glanced at each other before going back to just peaceful quiet. Well, mostly peaceful.. Everytime Party interrupts something, Ghoul goes on a very long, very repetitive mental rant about how much he hates Party and their obnoxious red hair and their empty green eyes that betrayed how stupid they are and their weak, unscuffed girl hands from being a new runner and how properly they spea- ... maybe he pays too much attention to detail.
Jet on the other hand was probably the closest with Ghoul. He was the tallest which helped them get things off high shelves on runs to abandoned diners, he had such a nice face that you can really appreciate it when you talk to him and the pile of dark almost black-brown curls that went just past his shoulders were perfect when you napped on his shoulder. What.. you dont cuddle with the homies?
But what the hell. He should've taken Ghouls side, Party stole the last beer! That's totally uncool. Alcohol is a very, very rare treat and Party snatched it away from him! Kobra is definitely getting a long winded speech about how his sibling needs to back off later but for now, Ghoul is just hardcore glaring straight at Party Poison. This evening was ruined.
Later in the week, after many (two) days of thinking and pacing and rambling, Ghoul decided to actually confront Party instead of just giving them the evil eye and snide remarks at dinner. Yeah! They deserved it after taking his beer and not to mention wearing Ghoul's favourite jacket to bed without asking yesterday! Oooh Ghouls totally gonna lay into him so hard, and they're gonna be all huffy and shit!
"Party. Here, now." The man snarled from the doorway of Kobra and Party's shared bedroom, grabbing their wrist as soon as they approached. "Who do you think you are comin' t' the desert n' actin' like y'better than everyone?" Questioned a now fuming Ghoul while stomping down the hall with grinding teeth that could make a dentist squeal in horror. Party Poison, obviously not happy about being dragged behind this guy to their doom, huffs loudly and yanks away from his unfairly tight grip.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Challanged the redhead. "You're the one that's always being pissy whenever I happen to look at you!"
"Oh shut up! Y'know you're always windin' me up on purpose, y'snake! Flauntin' y'pretty face and stealin' n' shit!" Ghoul's getting aggressive now, and Party is backed against a wall, literally. The man is progressively getting louder, ruder, and his fists are clenching visibly. It would be scary if he werent so short and thin.
"Pretty? Are you sure you didnt bring me here to hate-fuck?~" The bastards teasing him now, a soft hand landing on ghouls arm, tracing over his bicep delicately. That's a dirty move. Of course Party's still just ruffling his feathers... right? Yeah! That sneaking weasel is distracting him!
"Sh-shut it! Swinish whore." Its a tough situation really, how do you argue against someone who's still fucking flirting with you? Ghoul is grunting, almost shaking with anger by now.. why does this slimy newbie get him so irrationally and embarrassingly emotional? "Y' not even helpful on runs!"
"Aw baby, you know I'm new here! I just need a strong, fortified killjoy to show me the ropes" The words lip out with disturbing ease, like that pink lipgloss lubed up their sentences. As they spoke, they creeped closer to ghoul right up until they're face to face. One of parties palms is pressed flat against Ghoul's chest which is quickly rising up and down with heavy breaths and hardly contained rage. To any onlookers, Ghoul is flustered, his heart is beating and Party looks at him like they're just about to eat him alive.
"Shut. Up." And well, they did shut up, just not in the expected way. Sure, their lips were finally fucking shut, but they were also pressed against Ghoul's. Short, chaste and indelible but unmistakably a kiss, even if it really only counted as a peck. Then finally, they sauntered away which left the dark haired man to slump against the wall in shock, sliding down until he hit the floor.
Ghoul sat like that for a long while with his knees to his chest... sitting in silence. What the fuck was that???