10. Gangsters
{Kinda features Minizerk and Wroetofreezy}
Josh leant back in the black leather chair, his right leg folded over his left. He had his right arm resting ontop of his leg, his chin perched on his thumb and his index finger between his teeth.
Simon was next beside him, in an identical leather chair. He was sat back, his arms folded across his chest, his fingers tapping nervously against his bicep.
The two men wore matching black suits, a white button up shirt and black ties. Josh and Simon were members of one of the most dangerous gangs in London, and they had come to a 'friend of a friend's' wedding to wait for the arrival of two other guys, Callum Airey and Harold Lewis: members of their rival gang.
Simon reached for glass of gin on the table in between him and Josh, he downed the liquid in one gulp before placing the glass back down.
Josh turned to him, his face blank and calm "Relax" He advertised, sensing his friend's nerves "We know them, we know their gang" Simon nodded whilst Josh took a cigarette from his pocket, lit it, and placed in between his teeth "We've got this"
"I'm not worried about them" Simon replied, his piercing blue eyes scanning the people in the room, some drinking and dancing, others were eating, and a few were passed out on the floor "It's more: where are we going to take them?"
"Well," Josh began, offering a cigarette to Simon, who refused with a wave of his hand "if things go the way we expect, we won't have to take them anywhere"
Simon scoffed lightly, and then he chuckled "You don't believe that" He rose an eyebrow, and Josh shrugged "Its very rare things go the way we plan"
"But they always work out" Josh reminded, looking over at Simon "Right?" He grinned slightly "We're good together, always have been"
Simon noticed two figures enter from across the large room "Since the beginning" He mumbled in reply, not paying as much attention to Josh anymore.
He leant forward, trying to identify the figures but the room was too dark, the only lights being neon colours that flashed across the room. Josh realised who Simon was looking at, and he too, kept his eyes on the two figures. They stayed together, and made their way over to the bar.
"Relax" Josh repeated "They'll come"
Simon sighed and sat back in his chair, he took Josh's glass off the table and finished the alcohol with a swing.
"I was drinking that"
"No, you weren't" Simon denied "You start smoking after you're done with your drinks or meal"
Josh opened his mouth to reply, but his attention was returned to the same figures that went to the bar. They were approaching him and Simon, as they got closer, the two were able to pick out their features.
They were both male, wearing suits, one taller than the other. The taller man was Callum, or Cal. He had blondish brown hair, which looked like it was trying to quiff up, but it had fallen flat. Simon smirked at that, knowing his hair was styled the proper way. Callum had a long, solemn face with hard eyes, and his stare was icy cold.
The shorter man was Harold, or Harry. His hair was a light brown colour, and it was a floppy messy. He was nowhere near as intimidating as Cal, in fact, he was more of a boy. A blue eyed, baby faced boy.
When the pair stopped infront of Josh and Simon, Josh took one hard, long look at them before exhaling a cloud of smoke up at them.
"Josh Bradley, Simon Minter" Callum stated, his voice low "-"
Before he could speak, Josh cut him off with a snap "You're late"
"Our apologies" Cal said with fake sincerity.
Josh nodded slowly, before waving his cigarette at Harold, a smirk pulling at his lips "And who's this? You know we don't deal with children"
Cal turned to Harold, who answered for himself "And I don't deal with grandads" He quipped back, sarcasm laced in his voice "Aren't you a bit too old for this?" He asked with a cheeky grin "Forgot your zimmer frame?"
The smirk that was once on Josh's face fell, and it was replaced with a scowl, and he kept his deathly cold glare locked on Harry. Simon felt frustration and humiliation being radiated from Josh. He didn't expect the kid to have such a smart mouth.
Cal stifled a giggle, and Simon felt anger squeeze at his chest at the fact this boy was making a mockery of them. Before he could snap back with his sarcastic remark, Josh slowly got to his feet, standing taller than Harry but shorter than Cal.
Josh exhaled another long breath of smoke, and the cloud wafted over Harry's face. Simon bit his lip, he knew things weren't going to go well, but he didn't expect the confrontation to go badly so quickly.
"I don't hit children" Josh sneered quietly, trying not to gain any unwanted attention from anyone "but you're fucking pushing it, kid"
"Ah, come on, Josh, he's only little" Simon piped up from his chair, his tone far too cheerful. That was his way of dealing with things; make a joke out of it. But he was careful, he didn't want to cause a scene inside, where people could see them.
Josh took a step back, his glare still on Harry, who shared the same expression. Cal clapped his hands together "Well, I think we should get down to business" He suggested "But first up, you lads fancy a drink?"
Simon would've accepted, but Josh replied first, pointing a finger to Harry "Is this one old enough to drink?"
"Are you young enough to hold yours?" He contracted, straight back.
Josh turned to him, his lips parted. Simon couldn't tell if he was slowly becoming impressed, or if he was about to hit him.
Cal laughed, placing a hand on both of their shoulders. Josh was scowling whilst he smoked, Harry was grinning proudly.
"This is nice!" He chuckled once more "Good old banter, I love it!"
Before anyone could reply, a women approached the four men, her hands on her hips. Simon stood up politely, next to Josh. The women pointed the cigarette inbetween Josh's teeth.
"You can't smoke in here"
Josh nodded "Yeah, that's fine" He lied, turning to the three of other guys "We're off anyway, great party!"
The woman nodded, and the four guys made their way towards the exit. Cal and Harry paced infront, with Simon and Josh close behind them. Simon kept his eyes on the back of Cal, burning holes with his stare.
Josh leaned closely into Simon as they walked "I'm gonna fuck that kid up" He hissed.
Simon didn't look at Josh, he remained focused "Let's not get to hasty" Simon warned "We weren't sent to kick the shit out of them" He added, though the real reason he didn't want Josh fighting was because of what happened last time "Besides, as you said, he's just a kid"
"We were kids once" Josh reminded, his voice remaining a low whisper "Since we were boys, we've learned to live with having the shit knocked out of us"
Simon let out an exasperated sigh "We didn't have a choice"
"I know" Josh replied, cooly "But he did, and he chose this life. This is what he'll get"
Simon rolled his eyes, deciding it best to not argue with Josh. He wouldn't get anywhere, trying to change Josh's mind was like talking to a brick wall. As Simon thought about it, he was the same. He was too stubborn for his own good, but at least he'd accepted that.
Cal pushed open the double doors, and the guys all stepped outside into the cool, evening air. Simon felt the chilling breeze wrap around him, even in a suit, he was still cold. The sky was dark and cloudy, the moon wasn't in sight and neither were any stars.
They kept walking, away from the popular streets used by couples and families and to the dark back alleys that were only used by criminals. Simon heard Josh crack his knuckles, and at that point he knew there was no point trying to negotiate with either Josh or Cal and Harry.
Cal turned to the right, opening a dark door on the side of a building. The door swung open, and he waved a hand to signal in Josh and Simon. Josh walked in with no hesitation, disappearing inside.
Simon hesitated, and Cal rose a questioning brow "Is there a problem?"
Harry stood behind Simon, edging him closer to the door. Simon didn't want to go in, he knew that nobody would leave unharmed. He don't want to see Josh hurt, not again.
Despite his gut feeling, Simon ducked inside, the top of his head narrowly missing the top of the door frame due to his tall frame. Inside was bright, lights hung from the ceiling and over several snooker tables. In the corner of the room was a bar, and behind it was a barman. Josh was stood at one of the snooker tables, a cue in his hand as he waited for a opponent, the cigarette still hanging from his mouth.
Cal and Harry followed in, both with dangerous glances in their eyes. Cal waved the barman away, and he left quickly. Simon went over and behind the bar himself, pouring a drink and leaning against the wooden bar.
Harry sat on one of the bar stools, and Josh tossed the spare cue to Cal, who caught it with ease and did the break. Whilst Josh and Cal played their game, the boys began to discuss.
"Things are started to get out of hand" Simon began, wanting this to be over as soon as possible. He didn't like that fact him and Josh were isolated, and they were in an unfamiliar environment "We need to fucking sort this"
Cal leant on the cue, watching Josh take his shot "You boys wanted a war, you got a war"
"We own clubs, we drink" Simon reminded "We're not soldiers"
"But you are gang members" Harry quipped "you did shoot up our good buddy Lewis, you did send a van through our pub wall" Harry glanced at Cal "We weren't sent to negotiate with you, we were sent to fuck you up"
Josh glared at him "Our? We?" He repeated "You're just a kid. What would you know about pulling a trigger and putting your life on the line for a living?" Harry rolled his eyes, and Simon drank "What are you? 17?"
Harry chuckled dryly "20, actually" He informed "and you? Late 30s?" Josh's grip on the cue tightened.
"You better watch your fucking mouth" Josh threatened, mumbling an 'inbred' comment under his breath, which caused Harry to snap.
He pushed himself up off of the bar stool, his fist clenched and his stance wide "The fuck you just say to me?" He hissed, and Cal putted a red snooker ball.
Josh smirked to himself, and Simon downed his drink "Oh, nothing, nothing unusual for you. I mean, doesn't everyone in Guernsey fuck their family?"
Simon bit the inside of his cheek. Cal scoffed "Shut up, Josh, you dick"
Josh continued to grin, and Harry let out a low, growl. Simon glanced at him as he pulled out a handgun from where it was tucked in the back of his trousers.
"No, no, no" Simon shook his head "There's no need for that, just put it away before you get hurt"
"Come on" Josh encouraged "Show me something"
The next few moments happened in slow motion for Simon. Josh was stood at the snooker table, the handgun in Harry's grasp pointing directly to his chest. Cal was finishing a shot, but everything went from fine to fucked.
Simon noticed Harry pulling his finger back on the trigger, but before he could let out the shot, Simon had hit him over the head with one of the beer bottles behind the bar, causing the glass to smash and Harry to stumble.
Cal raised his cue, and swung it at Josh, slapping him across the face with the heavy wooden object. Josh's head snapped to the side, and blood began to trickle from his nose.
Simon slid over the bar, jumping onto the back of Harry, one of his arms wrapping around his neck and the other struggling to tug the gun from his grasp. Josh had recovered, and had picked up one of the snooker balls. He chucked it at Cal, and the two continued to beat eachother with the snooker cues.
Harry dropped to the floor under the weight of Simon, who fell away from him. The gun was knocked from Harry's grasp, so he scrambled to reach it. Simon could hear Josh grunting, and the cracking of what he hoped was the snooker cues and not bones.
Simon leaped ontop of Harry, raising his fists and slamming them down on the side of Harry's face. He punched again. And again. And again. Until Harry lashed out, kicking him in the balls. Simon groaned, rolling off Harry and wheezing out a curse word through a heap of pain.
He let eyes on Harry, who was once again holding the gun. Simon cried out Josh's name, raising his fist and throwing it at the back of Harry's head. But after Harry had pulled the trigger.
Simon shot up, his wide blue eyes meeting Josh's dark ones. Harry clambered to his feet, and they all watched a dark patch of red blood stain Josh's white shirt, the liquid spreading across his chest.
Cal ran a hand through his hair, glaring at Harry who seemed pleased with himself. He strode over to Harry, dragged him by the ear and away from the scene, muttering "fuck" to himself before leaving.
Simon took in a sharp intake of breath as he watched Josh slump down, gripping on to the side of the snooker table to try support himself. But he wasn't strong enough, and he collapsed on his back on the floor with a 'thud'.
Frantically, Simon crawled over next to Josh, who's once white shirt was now completely red. Simon felt his heart clench, and his stomach doing flips. He froze, staring at the blood, not knowing what to do.
Josh coughed, his hand over his chest. Simon took off his black dinner jacket, and sniffed as he put it over Josh's wound.
"You're fucking stupid" Simon managed to say, trying to apply pressure to the wound on the far right of Josh's chest "I told you something like this would happen!"
Josh hissed in pain "Fuck" He snarled "Its not that bad" He denied, trying to reassure himself as well as Simon.
"I need to call someone" Simon muttered, but Josh grabbed Simon's hand before he could get out his phone, getting blood all over Simon.
"You can't, we'll both be arrested" Josh informed "You know that"
Simon stuttered, still in shock "I can't leave you like this"
"People survive gunshot wounds all the time" Josh said nonchalantly "It's okay"
Simon wiped his eyes, hating the fact he had to see his best mate in pain. He hated that he could've done something more, but he hadn't. He should've trusted his gut, and he was more angry at himself for not following his instincts.
"Tell me what to do" He insisted, his voice slightly broken "I can do it"
Josh smiled gently, blood leaking from a hole in chest. He intertwined his fingers with Simon's "Don't leave me" He said gently "Lie here"
He pulled Simon down, who buried his head in Josh's neck. Their fingers stayed locked together, their legs crossing over in a form of contact.
Simon silently let out tears as Josh bled.
A/N:
This was fun to write - something different. I based this off of the party scene in Legend with Tom Hardy (if you haven't seen the movie, I highly recommend it!), and up top is a screenshot from the film along with the trailer. By the tittle 'Gangsters', I don't mean those twats that you see walking around the street with their trousers half way down their legs, I mean gangsters from the 1960s - men that dressed smartly, respected women and were dangerous. Like the Kray twins.
Anyway, hope you guys enjoyed - let me know if you want to see a second part to this!
-K x
21.02.17