"I'm surprised you called for this meet up, Wong." Sheriff Sheng closed the car door to meet Shorter who was leaned up against his red motorcycle. "Have any intel for me?" The sarcastic tone of his voice rubbed Shorter the wrong way. Making a sly comment like that after what had happened to Lao made him wish assaulting a cop wasn't illegal.

"More like a warning." Shorter stood up off his bike and looked around to make sure that they were alone. "If you go near Lux again, we're gonna have a problem." He pointed.

Sheng chuckled, "Ah. Guessing she mentioned our little talk the other day. I didn't mean anything hostile by it. I was giving her my own warning."

"I'm only going to tell you this one time." Shorter gritted his teeth. "If you or any cop goes near my Lux and tries to intimidate her again, then you'll have to answer to me."

"Is that a threat? Because if it is, allow me to remind you of who I am." Sheng scowled and tapped the badge on his chest. "You should be afraid of me."

Shorter controlled his temper, refusing to allow himself to get riled up by these mind games. "I'm not some little street kid that scares easily. There's a reason why Chinatown answers to me. Or do I have to remind you of that?" He asked brooding and sarcastically. The scowl from the Sheriff satisfied Shorter. "Give me a reason to do it. And maybe next time-" Shorter starred daggers through Sheng's chest where he knew that beneath the clothing, there was an old gunshot wound from the year prior. He smirked at the thought of the bullet finishing the job, "You know what? I'll let you finish the sentence for me, Sheriff."

Sheng breathed out heavily from his nostrils, almost creating the sound of a low snarl. That night where his life flashed before his eyes, being gunned down by the Chinese mafia, two thoughts had shot through Sheng's mind. One, his poor daughter will grow up without a father. And two, if he survived, he'd dedicate the rest of his life to taking down Shorter Wong and his gang. 

Shorter turned away and threw a leg over his motorcycle. "If I hear Lux say that you were bothering her again- don't expect another quiet meet up." After one last warning, Shorter started the engine and drove off, leaving Sheriff Sheng more determined than ever to take down this group of street thugs. It was going to happen with or without Lux. One thing was certain, Shorter Wong will wind up behind bars if Sheng has to give up his own life to do it.
_____________________

The police hadn't been able to rest easily ever since Lao's body was found. They knew his death had to have been coordinated and not just some drug deal gone wrong, but there was no way to prove it. It was back to square one on finding out a way to take down the mafia. This time, without the help of a trusted CI. They'd just have to lay and wait for another opportunity to arise.

Lux sat at her computer and continued her tasks for the day, watching the clock in the corner until it was her punch out time. She gathered the last of her things and made her way to the parking garage where there thankfully wasn't another police car. Instead, there was a red motorcycle parked right beside her car with a more than familiar boy waiting for her to arrive.

"Shorter?" Lux approached, "What are you doing here?"

"Just making sure those cops know that I wasn't playing about them harassing you at work."

"Did you see anybody?"

He shook his head. "Nah, at least none in uniform. Or any that I could recognize." Shorter was well aware that there could still be under covers roaming around so he thought it best to scope out anybody suspicious for Lux's next few shifts just to be safe. In a way, this type of protectiveness excited Lux. She felt important and really part of his life. Not just a side thought. "You goin home?"

"No. I told Oz I'd hang out with him today. We're just gonna be at a coffee shop for a bit to catch up." Lux knew how neglectful she had been to her best friend who literally visited her in the hospital every single day and it upset her how she let him fall through the cracks these past few weeks. She figured that a meet up was just what they needed to rebuild their friendship.

"Tell 'em I said hey. I'm gonna meet up with Ash in a few. He's got some stuff going on that I gotta help him out with."

"What kind of stuff?" She asked, trying her best to not sound worried.

"Nothing that'll get me, killed." Shorter chuckled and plopped his arm around the back of Lux's neck to bring her into his chest. "I'll let you know when I'm coming home."

"Same." Lux tiptoed and planted a kiss onto Shorter's cheek in which he squeezed her butt making her 'eep' in surprise. "You're disgusting." She shoved his chest which made him laugh.

"Hey, not my fault you look good in scrubs."
____________________
"Heard the news." Oz stirred his coffee around to break the awkwardness between him and his "best friend". He'd seen on the news about Lao and tried reaching out to Lux which only resulted in seen text messages. Her new life must be too eventful that she didn't even have the time of day for him anymore. That's why he was surprised when Lux reached out to see if they could grab a coffee together. "How are you holding up?"

"Fine I guess. Worried about Sing." Lux checked her phone to see a text from Fang. She quickly typed a reply and placed her phone back down. "Haven't heard from him after-"

"Lux." Oz dropped his head down and sighed, holding tightly onto his warm mug. "I don't like that you're staying with Shorter." He forced himself to say. "One of his best friends attacked you. He tried to kill you." He threw his arms up and let them fall onto the table. "I don't get it. You've always steered clear of things that don't benefit your life and here you are putting yourself in danger. Shouldn't this have been a wake up call?"

Lux looked around and felt the eyes of staring customers. "Keep your voice down." She whispered. "I don't wanna talk about that."

"Well I do. I can't just sit here and let you get hurt again. I won't do it."

"You don't have to do anything. Shorter's here to protect me. I trust him."

Oz rolled his eyes and scoffed. Lux turned into one of those lovesick girls that she had always judged for being hung up on a boy than focusing on their grades. Now she sees no issue with it. "You know what I think?" Lux leaned back in the chair and crossed her arms, letting the judgment continue. "I think you only "love" Shorter because you want to fix him."

Lux scoffed and shook her head no.

"You've always been that way, Lux. You see people's flaws or their weaknesses and you want to be the one to mold them into someone who you approve of."

"I don't appreciate you making me sound like some type of control freak. I don't try to change people. All I ever did was want to help. How is that a bad thing?"

"Because you're doing that to a guy who has no interest in changing, Lux! He wants you to be okay with the things he does. He wants you to turn the other way so you don't see what kind of person he really is."

"You don't know him!" She shouted, standing up and nearly tipping her chair back. "You don't know anything about our relationship!"

"And you're in love with who he could be! Not who he is!"

Lux clenched her jaw but it didn't stop the words that escaped out of her mouth. "If you won't respect my relationship, then I don't want to be friends anymore."

"Are you serious?" Oz sat back and scoffed, "You're choosing him over me? Your best friend since we were little. Need I remind you, that he didn't check up on you once while you were in the hospital. I was there every day for you. But I'm the one you're cutting out of your life?" He shook his head, "That accident really screwed up your head because the Lux I knew would know better than to make an idiotic decision like this."

Lux kept her posture stiff as a scowl remained on her face.

"Fine." He slapped his hands onto the table as he stood up, "If that's the way you want it. I'm gone."

The boy bumped past Lux, the sudden contact knocked her out of her heated anger. She turned to call her friend back but the glass door of the shop had already slammed shut. Her chest felt tight and full of regret. Oz was the last thing she had that was attached to her "old life" and now he was gone too.

Lux had gone back home and did some cleaning up before stepping into the shower. The warm water relaxed her nerves and the fruity aromas helped regulate the girls breathing. She closed her eyes and ran her hands slowly over her body to rinse off the soapy bubbles. Lux missed how smooth her skin used to feel. Now it was flawed by old scars that have yet to fade away. Forever a constant reminder of being in harms way. She was always seen as perfect and took pride in having her life in order and being praised by others. Now she felt as if everything she was doing was wrong.

Lux moved in with Shorter to get away from these standards that were set for her, and now she's being judged more than she was back then. Lux looked at herself in the foggy mirror, her wet bangs stuck against her forehead as droplets fell onto the sink and floor. She scratched at the red hive on the side of her face that felt warm when the rest of her body was cool to the touch and covered in goose bumps.

The person in the mirror wasn't someone that Lux recognized. That girl was someone who was lost in her own body and mind. Lux had wanted so badly to break out of a mold that she found herself trying to fill a different one.

Lux dragged herself over to bed, getting beneath the covers and feeling the cold, empty side next to her. She sighed, grabbing Shorter's pillow and clinging onto it as she cried waiting for him to text or call to let her know that he was coming back home. Nothing was received.
______________________
Working at the hospital was something that brought Lux a sense of joy. The clerical duties kept her mind off of the falling out with Oz and it felt nice to be productive again. Only downside was that some of the ladies working at the reception desk seemed to have found out who she was associated with, as Lux would catch their hushed whispers and side eyes whenever she'd pass by.

"Lux, can you go up to room I-403 to collect the patients file? It should be hanging beside the door." One of her co workers asked, never once removing her eyes from the computer screen.

"I-403? Over in intensive care? Isn't there another reception pod to handle those patients?" Lux had asked, confused on why she'd have to go across the building to collect an ICU patients chart when she was only tasked with working in the pediatrics unit.

"Yes?" The woman in blue scrubs turned slowly in her squeaky chair and raised an eyebrow. She was tall and heavy, wearing a shade of foundation that was two shades too dark for her pale face, that creased between the lines in her forehead. Lux was thankful that there was a station between them so she wouldn't have to smell the tobacco that seeped into Cathy's clothes and breath. Her voice was raspy from the years of smoking and the roughness of it matched her rather miserable attitude that didn't seem to fit into a pediatrics setting. "Is that a problem?"

Lux straightened up her posture, "Uh- no ma'am! I'll be right on it."

Once Lux got to the ICU she had scanned the numbers beside each door to find room I-403. Her ears perked up once she found what she was looking for. "Ah-ha!" She pointed, taking hold of the file that was hanging up next to the opened door. The voices coming from within spoke of how the patient who had resided in that room must have pissed someone off with how terrible his injures were when he was brought in.

Lux peaked around the doorway and saw the nurses packing bloody linens into leak proof laundry bags and sanitizing the room to be spotless to look as if someone hadn't just died there moments prior. She had felt a chill go down her back and quickly speed walked back to her unit in pediatrics.

She plopped the file onto her desk and sat heavily on the chair, taking in deep breaths to calm her nerves from what she had just seen. Thankfully there was nobody around to see her reaction and ask about the experience.

After logging into the hospitals system, Lux had opened up the patients file to digitally transfer over the information starting with his name. "Age is 19. Cause of death..." Lux read the screen and looked back down at the file, "Brain hemorrhage." She typed. "Injuries:" the file read a graphic description of what seemed to be torture and mutilation. The patient had several fingers chopped off along with blunt force trauma with what was assumed to be caused by a baseball bat from the splinters they had found imbedded into his scalp and clothes. He also had suffered multiple stab wounds caused by a short blade, meaning it wasn't used to kill him. Whoever had did this wanted the victim to suffer. Lastly, it was noted that the boys tongue had also been severed.

"Finished?" The voice beside Lux's ear caused her to almost jump. It was Cathy now back from her scheduled smoke break.

"Mhm." Lux nodded and swallowed the lump of bile in her throat. "Poor boy."

"Yeah." Cathy snatched the file off of Lux's desk and sifted through the pages. "Gangs can be rather violent. Doesn't matter if it's little thugs in the street, mafias, cartels, they're all the same. Causing pain to others for their own gain. Not one of them has a heart or a conscience."

Lux could understand why someone would think such a thing but that couldn't apply to everyone. Shorter and Sing were kind. Sunshine seemed nice. Smiley was worried about his sisters that one time. They all clearly had feelings. "How do you know?"

"Does anyone with morality do this to another human being?" She asked holding up the patients folder. "You do know whose trademark it is to cut out a tongue, right?"

Of course she knew.
______________________
 
When Lux had stepped out of her car when arriving home she had smelled something burning in the air. The scent led her over to a trashcan with weak smoke emitting from the gaps between the can and dented lid that rested on top. She tapped it a few times with her fingertips to make sure it wasn't still hot before tossing off the lid to only find ash at the bottom of the disposal.

Strange, she thought.

Lux was greeted by a hug from Shorter who seemed more than thrilled to see her. His shades were off so the sparkle in his eyes were visible much like the twinkle of his toothy grin. "I missed you. Forgot yuh worked today."

Lux nodded in response and didn't show that much excitement in her expression.

"Did yuh get my text last night?" He asked referring to the message he sent about how he was going to be with Ash later than expected. Lux had seen his text when she had woken up for work but didn't respond. She had hoped to at least see a good morning message to know he was still thinking about her but he didn't even grant her that.

Lux didn't know why she needed so much reassurance and validation from Shorter. She felt herself wanting to cling to him when he was with her and even more so when he wasn't. He's shown that he loves her but for some reason that wasn't enough.

"I did yeah. Glad you're safe." She forced a smile.

"I got you something." He said, reaching into his front pocket. "Close your eyes." Lux breathed out and did what was kindly asked of her. She felt something cool and dainty wrap around her neck and fall between her breasts. "Open."

She looked down and held a gold, heart shaped medallion between her fingers that read the letter L on it. "You got me a necklace?" Lux looked up and smiled. He was thinking about her.

"It's actually a locket." He said, "Open it."

Inside was a tiny, redeveloped picture that she had taken of Shorter with her Polaroid. It was during a date when they had gone out into the city to just be a normal couple for the day. Shorter had his guard up at all times but made sure not to be obvious about it. Lux had shown him one of her favorite cafe spots and snapped a picture of him smiling wide after he tried her favorite pastry. Cream puffs. He was starting to develop a sweet tooth because of Lux that day.

Lux felt a sting in her eyes and threw her arms around Shorter's neck. "I love it. Thank you."

"It shows that I'll always be in your heart even when I'm not with you."

Lux giggled at the romantic words, "You're so corny."

Shorter laughed with her, "Okay, Ash helped me pick it out and thought it would be smooth for me to say that."

"He tricked you."

"I guess so." They shared another giggle. Shorter went into his shirt and pulled out a matching locket that was already around his neck that held a picture of his Lux inside. He had taken it on one of the nights when he had snuck into her room and they stayed up eating snacks and talking until he had to leave. He had made some dumb joke that made Lux laugh so hard that Pepsi shot out of her nose. She looked so cute and full of life and had to capture that moment on his phone. She fought him to erase it but he just couldn't. Lux gave up her playful assault on him when he had shown her that there was nothing dripping from her nostrils anymore by the time he took the photo. It was just her bright smile and rosy cheeks. "This one's still my favorite picture of you."

"I like it too, weirdly enough."

"I kinda miss those nights." He admitted under his breath.

"Who says we can't have them anymore? We live together now so let's make some new memories."

Shorter couldn't have agreed more. "Let's go out tonight."

The suggestion surprised Lux. It was rare when they'd go out together. This opportunity wasn't one to turn down even though she was a bit drowsy from her early morning shift. "Really?" She hopped in excitement. "Yeah, let me shower and get dressed. Where do you want to go?"

"Let's just be spontaneous for the night. Like old times."

Lux tiptoed and kissed Shorter's cheek, "I love you."

"I love you, too, Lux."

While Lux showered, Shorter had began looking through his dresser for something else to change into. The shifting of clothes revealed a silver, short blade pocket knife at the bottom of the drawer. It still had dried blood on the serrated edge from the night prior and Shorter had realized he didn't clean it well enough. He'd have to do it again on a day when Lux wasn't home.

That night, Shorter and his Lux were on that damn red motorcycle that she grew to love being on the back of. They sped on roads that led out of the city and took them somewhere far. That's when they were the most happiest with each other. Alone and in the middle of no where, quiet even with only the sounds of nature humming in their ears.

Looking up at the night sky when out of the city lights really highlighted the stars up above. Shorter had a small blanket that was tied to the back of the seat of his motorcycle and spread it out on the grassy field where he and Lux could lay down and gaze up at the infinite.

Shorter pulled a flask from the inner pocket of his green coat, throwing his head back as he took a swig. "This is nice."

Lux didn't drink but she wanted to taste the alcohol on Shorter's tongue. Her lips teasingly grazed against his own and breathed down his throat, then slid the tip of her tongue along the side of his neck.

Shorter breathed out a moan. He had taken full notice how Lux began to feel more comfortable with her sexual nature. At first she was timid, and wanted to hide herself when things would get out of her comfort zone. That being if Shorter moved too fast, said something too explicit, put her in a position she wasn't comfortable being in. He learned how to read her body and adjust to her needs.

Now, she was more open. More adventurous with her body and advances. Whenever she'd want to have sex, she used to cuddle up really close to Shorter hoping he'd pick up on the hint. He always did. Then she'd be a little more vocal even with her mousy voice when saying "Can we-?" being too embarrassed to finish the rest of the sentence. His favorite thing she started to do recently was tug at him with want and lust in her eyes while her mouth moved, not to say words, but to pleasure him in other ways.

Lux kissed and sucked Shorter's neck, leaving red markings on the skin while her fingers freed the button to his jeans. Shorter pulled Lux by the back of the neck, kissing her hard and tasting her entire mouth as she did his. She pulled away and pressed a hand against Shorter's chest, motioning for him to sit back. He loved when Lux decided to take control and make him feel good. He hissed when her warm, wet mouth wrapped around the head of his dick as she stroked the rest of his shaft for added pleasure. "Fuck baby..." his hand tangled up in her hair as his cock began to grow harder in her mouth. Lux opened up, with a pop sound coming from her lips and licked up and down the shaft without caring about the saliva dribbling down her chin.

Shorter brought her hair to the side and reached forward, running his hand down Lux's arched back. Her loved seeing her on all fours just for him. The way her short skirt hiked up just enough to reveal her bareness drove Shorter's body crazy. His fingers massaged the wetness of Lux's panties, playfully tugging at the laced fabric and letting it snap against her folds. She moaned even with a mouthful at the teasing that was happening behind her.

Two fingers sank into her sex and slowly started to pump in and out. Shorter's hand was large enough to hold her pelvic area while speeding up the pace in which he fingered her. His slamming palm against her ass was something that made Lux even more wet. It was almost as if he were simultaneously spanking her and rewarding her with his fingers. She pulled him out of her mouth, using her other hand to get the hair out of her face as she drawled out, "Don't stop, Sh-Shorter." she stuttered. Lux's head fell weakly onto his thigh, still maintaining the tight strokes that continued to make him keep moaning her name.

If there was one thing Shorter loved to do, it was making Lux feel good and he knew exactly how to do it. He pulled out his fingers and before Lux could whine he planted another kiss and leaned her back onto the blanket. "You're getting too good at that baby." The compliment made Lux giggle. She raised her legs up to assist Shorter in taking off her panties before he dipped his head down beneath her skirt.

Lux often felt euphoric when his mouth licked and sucked at her mound. He was so good at it. He'd stiffen up his tongue and graze it over her clit, only to flick it and drag back down between the pink folds and suck them between his lips. Lux held Shorter's head in place with both hands that scrunched his purple locks. Her mouth fell agape. Loud, serene moans got lost out in the open.

Shorter then flipped her over back onto her knees, tossing her skirt up to fall at the mid of her back. He raised a hand and smacked her ass before kissing the stinging, red cheek. Lux bit her lip and smiled at the new sensations. "Don't make me wait." She cooed, hooking a finger between her teeth.

There was something exciting about doing this out in the open with no one around. They felt exposed yet secure in this vulnerable state. Shorter lined up his cock with her entrance and slid the tip in and out, wanting to hear more of his Lux's whines and pleads for more. She sounded so sexy. Her lustful voice, that naughty mouth, her more than perfect body was all out on display just for him and the stars above.

The couple shared an exhale of pleasure at the fullness and tightness of finally becoming one. Shorter thrusted his hips forward, watching Lux's ass ripple with each hard movement. She covered her mouth to muffle any screams but Shorter pulled her hand away.

"No no. Let me hear you, baby. Let me hear how much you love when I fuck you."

The dirty talk always caused Lux's cheeks to heat up. She decided that now was more than perfect to reciprocate those words, no matter how vile it felt to roll off her tongue. She looked back at Shorter whose hair had fallen over his face between thrusts and smirked wickedly at him. Her plump lips formed an O as whimpering moans fell out louder. "Go harder. I wanna feel all of you." Those words rang foreign in her ears but she didn't care. It was how she felt. It was what she wanted and Shorter obeyed.

He tugged at her long hair, using it as leverage to go harder and deeper, hitting her most sacred sweet spot that only he could reach. "Yuh, like that huh? You love how much I can make you feel good?"

"I love the way you fuck me, Shorter." Lux couldn't even comprehend that she had said such a word. She's never used it in her life yet it spilled out so naturally. It felt good to say. It even shocked Shorter to hear Lux say the "f-word" but even he couldn't care less about it in this moment. All he was focused on was pleasing his girl. "Keep fucking me. Make me cum for you." Lux kept repeating. Her juices glazed between her thighs and coated Shorter's cock more as she came all over him.

He grunted as they came together, collapsing in a breathless heap of sweating bodies. Lux raised an arm and draped a hand on the back of Shorter's head as he laid on top of her, still trying to catch his breath. "This was fun." He chuckled.

"Now I need another shower."

They quickly got dressed again and gave the stars one last look before hopping back onto the motorcycle to go back home. As they laid in bed together, drawing closer to sleep, there was still something on Lux's mind that bothered her. "Shorter? Where were you last night?"

"I told you." He tiredly answered, "With Ash."

"What did you do?" Shorter sat up. It was clear that Lux had found something out. "Did you guys hurt somebody?" His lips made a straight line to not show any form of a guilty expression. "Just tell me."

He didn't want to lie. Not after today. "Yeah. We did."

"Why? He was just a-"

"How'd you find out?" Her words were cut off.

"I had to get a patient file from the ICU. I read the report. I know your gangs mark. Cutting off someone's tongue."

"What else did the report say?"

"Too much that I can't bring myself to repeat or imagine you and Ash doing such an awful thing."

Shorter ran a hand through his hair and exhaled. "So what do you wanna do?" He asked. Lux tilted her head confused. "I clearly can't hide all of the shit I do. I don't wanna lie to you about it anymore either, but the last thing I want is for you to be afraid of me."

"I'm not afraid of you. I'm just trying to work this out in my head."

"Well don't do that." He reached out, placing a hand on her leg, "We're supposed to work this out together. Tell me what I can do to make this easier."

Lux pondered any and every solution and came up with nothing. "I don't know..."

"I don't do those things to good people. I hope you know that. Everyone I've hurt has done something to where it was deserved. If anything bad ever happens to me that shit would be deserved too."

"Don't say that."

"It's true, Lux. I'm not going to sit here and pretend to be a saint, but I'm not a monster either. I'd sacrifice myself to save someone I care about if I had to." This life was more complex than anybody on the outside could ever understand. It wasn't pretty. There was nobody to hold your hand through the destruction. There wasn't even a possibility for a chance at having a happy ending in your life. Shorter felt like he wasn't worthy of such things. Even now he still felt bad about bringing Lux along, but he couldn't let her go. His love kept her bound at the wrists and ankles.

"You're capable of turning into something that others fear. So tell me why after all this that I still love you? Am I crazy for it? Am I wrong for wanting to stay? I don't understand."

Shorter held Lux by the cheeks and leaned his forehead against hers, "I'm still that same guy I was when we first met. That guy you fell in love with is still me. That part hasn't changed just because you learned about this other side. So no, you're not crazy. You're just having trouble being alright with loving all of me now. And that's okay. I know it feels wrong but please, please don't talk yourself out of it." Lux could feel his hands trembling on the sides of her head, "You already have all of me. I don't want you to let go."

"I won't." She spoke softy, "I'll never let you go, Shorter. Not now. Not ever."

"Promise me..."

Lux leaned in and kissed him, "I promise. I can't imagine being without you. That's why I'm always sad when you're gone. I can feel how far away you are. It makes my heart hurt."

Shorter then pulled Lux into his bare chest, running his fingers through her long hair the way she liked. He closed his eyes, taking in this moment of peace and love, singeing into his memory exactly how Lux fit perfectly into his arms. He didn't want to lose that. They were perfect for each other. Nobody could convince them otherwise. "I'm so sorry." He apologized with tears in his eyes, "I'm trying to make it easier I really am."

Lux took hold of her new locket that had Shorter's picture resting against her chest. They'd always be with each other even if it wasn't physically. Shorter missed Lux just as much and he understood that he had to express it more, which is why he gave her such a gift. Lux needed to know that she was always on his mind too, and that he needed her just as close.

"I know you are, so don't apologize. We'll be okay."

"Yeah... We'll be okay..."