Compass - Banana Fish x Reader

CHAPTER ELEVEN: Dodgy

The rest of the day ended up being quite the rollercoaster.

Kong informed me that Skip had been killed, after I had asked about the poor boy. It made me sick that Marvin had done such a thing, and even sicker when I actually felt glad hearing that he, too, had been murdered. That was why Ash was in prison.

After that, I'd sunken into a real mood, and Bones ended up on the receiving end of it. It didn't take long for him to do a runner, after being chewed out for scratching his head too loudly. Alex attempted to appease me with food and an offer to get me something else to wear, but it didn't do anything.

Eventually, I settled down enough to agree to a game of blackjack with them, which turned out to be pretty entertaining. Still, I wanted nothing more than to leave. My university would be calling soon, asking why I had skipped so many classes, not to mention everybody else in my life.

Shorter returned at around eleven o'clock, but something was off. He told both Alex and Kong to leave, and two of his own followers took their place, which unsettled me. I had just started getting used to the pair.
"So, are you gonna tell me what happened or..?" Following Shorter into the bedroom, I lingered by the doorway, just in case he was in no mood to talk.

"Shit went south." Giving me a blunt answer, he flipped down across the width of the bed, very nearly smacking his head on the wall.
"Okay...How?" Curious, I moved a bit closer, still hesitant to be near him. Heaving a sigh, Shorter rolled onto his back, blowing a raspberry into the air.
"Somebody important got shot. Your precious Arthur and Golzine's bastards really fucked shit up."

At the mention of Arthur, my hesitation was thrown aside, and I nearly leapt onto Shorter, winding him by catching myself on his stomach.
"Is Freddy okay?! He didn't get shot, right?!" Partially sitting up, Shorter glared at me for a moment, as though my question was preposterous.

"I wish he did. Ash's big brother was. I didn't even know he had a damn brother..." He flopped back down, leaving me where I was, half over him.
"Wait...What? Is he alright? F...Arthur didn't shoot him, did he?" My apparent obsession with the blond seemed to piss the gang leader off, and he shoved me gently to the side.

"No, your precious little Freddy didn't, but he may as well have. Ash is gonna lose it..." His hands moved to his face, sliding beneath his shades to rub his eyes. "I don't think he's gonna make it. Not without going to an actual hospital...I'm heading back early hours to check on him and meet Eiji there."

Hovering over him from the side, I tried to place that name, but was coming up blank.
"No idea who that is, but I'm coming with you." Of course, Shorter immediately began to object, but a pillow directly to the face shut him right up. "This place isn't soundproof. If you say I can't I'll scream so loud the whole of Manhattan will hear me."

Completely taken aback, Shorter narrowed his eyes, using his elbows to prop himself up with the pillow still sitting on his chest.
"No fucking wa-" He moved quickly when I took a deep breath, and my scream was prematurely halted by that same pillow being smooshed into my face. Pinning me down, but also making sure I was able to breathe, Shorter groaned in annoyance. "Shut it! Fucking...fine! You can come! Dammit, woman, you're a real piece of work!"

I know I am. It takes practice.

I was happy with the outcome, though not particularly fond of our positions. If his knee had been any closer to my crotch I likely would have screamed again.
"Your testosterone is in my personal space, you punk..." I growled, muffled by the musty pillow. Scoffing, Shorter moved off of me, fluffing his hair back up with his fingers, though I didn't miss the slight tint of his cheeks.