Unspoken Bonds

Part 7: Uncharted Territory

A couple of days after the shootout, Kion got a text from AJ:

"Yo, you tryna hoop? Pull up."

Kion stared at the message for a solid minute. AJ's contact name was still saved as just "AJ" with no emoji, no extra details-bare minimum, just like Kion preferred. His instinct was to ignore it. They weren't boys like that. They worked together because they had to, not because they were friends.

But something about the message made him pause. Maybe it was the fact that AJ had been solid during the shootout, or maybe it was just curiosity. Whatever it was, Kion found himself replying:

"Where?"

AJ sent the address to a park a few miles out. Kion debated it for another few minutes before grabbing his keys and heading out.

When Kion pulled up to the park, he spotted AJ immediately. He was on the court, shirt off, playing a quick one-on-one with some random dude. AJ was all energy, his dreads swinging as he drove to the basket, his laugh loud enough to carry across the court.

Kion leaned against his car, watching for a moment before walking over.

AJ noticed him before he could say anything. "Ayo! Look who showed up!" he called, jogging over with that same cocky grin he always had.

Kion shoved his hands in his pockets, glancing around. The park was chill-just a few kids on the swings, a couple of dudes at the other end of the court.

"You ain't say nothin' about runnin' full-court," Kion muttered, nodding toward AJ's opponent.

AJ laughed. "Man, you ain't gotta run. Come shoot around or somethin'. Dude just left anyway."

AJ grabbed a ball from the sideline and tossed it to Kion. He caught it easily, his movements smooth.

"You even know how to hoop?" AJ teased, stepping onto the court.

Kion just gave him a look, lining up a shot from the free-throw line. The ball sailed cleanly through the net, and AJ whistled.

"Okay, okay, I see you. Let me find out you got a lil' game."

Kion didn't respond, but the corner of his mouth twitched-almost a smile.

They ended up playing a game of 21, the sun dipping lower as the evening stretched on. AJ kept talking the whole time, cracking jokes and trying to throw Kion off his game.

"You ain't gotta play like your life depend on it, bro," AJ said after Kion drained another shot. "It's just me."

"That's why you losing," Kion replied, the words slipping out before he could stop them.

AJ froze for a second, then laughed so hard he nearly dropped the ball. "Oh, now you talkin' shit? Aight, bet. Watch this comeback."

By the time they finished, AJ was bent over, hands on his knees, trying to catch his breath. Kion wasn't even winded, standing off to the side with his arms crossed.

"You ain't got no stamina," Kion said, shaking his head.

AJ waved him off, still grinning. "Yeah, yeah. Whatever. You lucky I ain't had my Gatorade today."

They grabbed their stuff and headed toward the parking lot, the air between them lighter than it had ever been.

AJ leaned against Kion's car, drinking from a water bottle he'd grabbed from his bag. "So, what you doin' after this?"

Kion shrugged, leaning on the other side of the car. "Nothin'."

AJ tilted his head, studying him. "Man, you ever do anything? Like, outside of all this gang shit?"

Kion glanced at him, his expression unreadable. "I do what I gotta do."

"That's not what I'm askin'," AJ said, his tone softer. "Like, what you actually like to do. What's your thing?"

Kion looked away, the question catching him off guard. He hadn't thought about that in years-not since he got pulled into this life.

"Don't got one," he said finally.

AJ frowned but didn't push. Instead, he changed the subject. "Aight, well, I'm finna grab some food. You comin' or what?"

Kion hesitated, but AJ was already moving toward his car, throwing a lazy wave over his shoulder.

"You can't say no forever, Kion," he called.

Kion sighed, shaking his head as he got into his car and followed AJ out of the lot.

They ended up at a little diner on the edge of town, the kind of spot that stayed open late and didn't ask questions. AJ slid into a booth like he owned the place, grinning up at the waitress as she handed them menus.

"What you gettin'?" AJ asked, flipping through the menu.

"Whatever," Kion said, not even looking.

AJ laughed. "Bro, you can't just say 'whatever.' You gotta eat somethin'. What you like?"

Kion glanced at him, then at the menu, finally pointing to a burger.

AJ shook his head, still smiling. "See? Was that so hard?"

They ordered, and as they waited for the food, AJ started talking again-about basketball, music, random shit he'd seen on Instagram. Kion listened, nodding occasionally but not saying much.

But every so often, AJ would ask him something-like what kind of music he liked or if he'd ever been to a concert-and Kion would give short, honest answers.

By the time they left the diner, it felt almost... normal. Like they weren't two gang members with blood on their hands, but just two guys hanging out.

Later that night, as Kion sat on his couch, he found himself thinking about AJ. About the way he laughed, the way he didn't seem to care that Kion wasn't much of a talker.

It was weird. Kion didn't let people in-didn't even want to-but AJ had this way of sneaking past his defenses without even trying.

He shook his head, brushing the thought away. Whatever it was, it didn't matter. AJ was just a coworker. A loud, annoying coworker who talked too much.

At least, that's what Kion kept telling himself.