Notes:
Important things to note for this story:
✧ Takes place during the Vision Hunt Decree, an indeterminate amount of time before the Traveller's arrival in Inazuma. In my mind, the Decree has been going on for several months by the time this story takes place.
✧ Itto still has his Vision!
✧ The way I have chosen to depict trauma/mental illness/PTSD is heavy with symbolism/imagery, and so it might not be the most realistic representation. I've done my best to be respectful, however if it at all problematic, please let me know!
✧ I like to write with a lot of symbolism; keep an eye out for it! However, I also like to obfuscate, to my detriment. So if it's too obtuse, I'm happy to answer questions and clarify (without spoiling too much, of course).
✧ This story is very Canon Compliant and does not diverge from the known events of the story too much. There are some small headcanons of mine I have injected in there, but they are minor!
✧ There will be both a good and a bad ending, because I want to have my cake and eat it, with a cup of tea too, if you don't mind. I will warn you now, the bad ending will contain a Character Death, while the good ending will contain an explicit consensual sex scene. However, both endings will be posted and tagged separately, so you can pick whichever you prefer~
✧ Author rambles are in the end notes! ...Hm? What do you mean I'm already rambling?
A ragtag gang of teens teams up with a neighboring girl gang when a major cartel moves into town, threatening their families, their turf, and the community they've worked so hard to protect.
*****
Cash West formed the Seven 20s - a gang of six overzealous teens with guns - to keep his tiny, crime-infested town in nowhere California safe. His methods are unorthodox and frankly illegal, but the town loves his Robin Hood heroics. However, the gang gets more than they bargained for when the Mendoza cartel rolls into town, determined to knock them off the map. As the threat hits closer to home, Cash has no choice but to team up with his ex-girlfriend Tiana's neighboring girl gang, the Hearts of Spades. Soon allies become enemies, families get trapped in the crossfire, and romance brews as Cash fights to unravel a massive conspiracy that puts everyone that matters to him at risk. When the stakes are life and death, will the gangs be able to overcome an enemy more powerful than any of them could have predicted?
Book One of The Seven Twenties Series
Content and Trigger Warning: contains violence, drug use, mentions of domestic abuse, and mature themes.