Ain't Shady Baby, I'm Hot

74

"Welcome to Crackhead Wasteland." Sarah chimed as I leaned my arm outside the car window.

"I don't know about this man." Pope's worry floated in and out of JJ's ears as the blonde stopped the Twinkie just outside of a mobile home. "Dude, why are we at Barry's?"

"This'll only take a second." JJ hopped out of the Twinkie and started walking to the house.

"Where are you going?"

"Yo soy justicia."

"I got it." I sighed popping the door open and sliding out.

"Did you glean anything from that?"

"I took ASL, Pope. But I know intent when I see it." I answered him already following the blond. "B, you may have a good point to add..." I trailed off.

"Yeah, I'm coming." I kept walking up to the house with John B on my tail. The two of us ready to keep JJ from doing something stupid. Or at least try to.

"JJ." I looked for him in the house, the rummaging noise inside the kitchen led me straight to the blond.

"I know you've got a stash around here somewhere."

"Why are you doing this, JJ?" I asked moving past him to lean against the wall cutting him off from the bedroom.

"I told you, yo soy j-" he didn't look at me once as he waved his hand in the air.

"Yeah, cut the bullshit." I spat, crossing my arms over my chest carefully. "Why are you really doing this?"

JJ ignored me, continuing to dig through stuff, fully pissing me off as I held my tongue.

The door opened and slammed shut as John B came rounding the corner hopping in for me.

"Yeah, so what's your plan, slick?"

"Well, as thou hath stealeth from us, we shall stealeth from ye."

"Yeah, that kinda got lost in translation." John B sassed.

"An eye for an eye, John B."

"Left the world blind, JJ. What happens after you rob a drug dealer, JJ, huh?" I jumped in, John B adding to the point.

"Exactly, he knows who we are."

"I'm not scared of this guy." JJ pushed past John B as he came to stand in front of me.

"And what about Pope, or Sarah, or Kie. What if they're scared of this guy. You aren't going to be able to protect everyone all the time. You do this and people get hurt. Trust me." JJ pondered my words.

"Have you ever robbed a drug dealer before?" I glared at the male as he challenged me.

"Have you ever been stuck feeling helpless as you watched people you love being hurt. Because I have, JJ. And knowing that my decision could've changed that outcome, that's the kind of shit that sticks with you. Haunts you."

"Get out of my way, Xena." I shook my head.

"I followed you in here to stop you. I'm not just going to stand back and watch you bury yourself."

"I've already been buried, Xena!" He shouted my arms falling to my sides at his raw emotion. "I've been buried and cast aside. Clawing and trying to grab ahold of something that makes the pain fade." He took my moment of weakness and spun us around. Continuing his search as John B came to lean against the kitchen.

"There we go." We heard him speak as I moved over to stand beside John B. His arm coming to rest on my shoulders and give me a squeeze.

"What are you doing?" He called out as I leaned into him.

"Getting even." There was a two minutes pause as John B and I both stood.

"Alrighty, took care of business." John B and I both looked at the blond who seemed happier than he was five minutes ago. It was John B's turn.

"Hey, look at me. If you keep going down this road, you're gonna end up just like your dad, do-" JJ grabbed John B shutting him up.

"You watch your mouth, man. Aren't you tired of being messed with?"

"That's not the point, JJ." John B argued as I watched the blond finally crack.

"'Cause I am."

JJ walked past us both heading outside. The two of us sharing a glance as John B shook himself off.

"Alright. So we're looking at five grand each for reparations for putting us through that bullshit." We heard JJ as we came out onto the screened in porch. "Sorry about that y'all." John B was first as I brought up the rear watching JJ count cash.

"So that's what we're doing now? We're robbing drug dealers?" Kie pointed out as I came to stand next to her and John B.

"This Barry guy's gonna find out. And he's gonna come after us."

"Yes, he will. This is not the time to start willin' out." I made eye contact with JJ and pulled a 'see' face.

"How'd you like having a gun pulled on you?" JJ snapped, annoyed at me and the reactions of everyone. "Xena almost got shot, again!"

"Relax." John B crossed the circle to JJ.

"He had it right here on you, bro." JJ had his finger in John B's face.

"Look. We've gotta go get the gold, okay? Just give me that shit. We're putting it back." I watched John B grab the bag and everything just slowed down.

JJ's face contorted to anger as he turned, arms stretched out as he threw John B backwards onto the Twinkie. Holding him against the car.

"Do you feel like a tough guy? Huh? Xena had a fucking point, what are you gonna do when he comes for us?" John B spat.

"We punch him, in the throat."

"Yeah, good fucking idea, JJ."

"I'm not putting it back." The blond hopped into the Twinkie like a fucking child.

"You guys getting in or what?" He called out as we all stood silently staring.

There was a heated exchange between all of us. Mainly the five of us Pogues. Sarah just happened to be there to complete the circle.

JJ cleared his throat before hopping out of the Twinkie.

"What?"

"We're sick of your shit."