Work Text:
After Party
After taking down the Idols, Los Panteros and Marshall Defence Industries, the Saints can finally rule the city as planned. The 4 come to an agreement to hold a party at the church to celebrate. People from across the city and ex-members of some gangs come in to either join their establishment or to just have fun. Kevin is working up where he DJ's, Eli is having a few drinks and Neenah is chatting casually with a few of the new recruits.
A man named Antonio, from Marshall, waits patiently outside the double doors of where the 'leader' of the Saints is getting ready. He's proposing a new partnership for the Saints and Marshall.
The doors open and out steps Boss in their purple suit. Their eyes glance over to Antonio as they grin.
"Antonio. Glad you came to your senses," they greet. "Hey, listen. I'm kinda having a party right now, but... we'll talk business later." They say as they pat Antonio's cheek before walking away, leaving the stunned man where he was.
Boss has their phone held up while they livestream the party behind them. "We got a party going on so I'm gonna keep this one short and sweet," he tells the camera. "Fuck the Panteros. Fuck the Idols. Fuck Marshall. The Saints are here to stay baby!" They emphasise each of the gangs while flipping the bird to the camera. Neenah and Kevin are behind Boss cheering too. Boss hands Kevin the phone as the other records them. "So if you know how to shoot a gun or if you're broke and wanna learn how, swing by the church. We'll be waiting for ya!" The Boss continues before leaning back off the top floor they stand on, being crowd-surfed by the many people below who cheer.
After the message Boss put out, the 4 friends meet together to hang out for the remainder of the night. They sit at the bar as Kevin prepares them all one last drink. Shot glasses are set out as Kevin works behind the bar before pouring them all a drink, including himself.
"This is a special drink I made for tonight. It's got a little kick to it," he says with his usual smile as he picks up his shot. "I call it the 'Boat Explosion'." The gang takes each of their own shot glasses. Boss lifts the shot glass to their mouth, downing it in one go before setting it down on the counter. They begin to feel woozy, as expected from the drink. As Boss tries to speak, the lights and sounds begin to fuzz and blur, their breathing becoming heavy as they try sitting themselves upright. They groan in discomfort, going to a stand to try go outside to get some air.
They feel Kevin help to support their body as they step outside the church where they hurl over, dry gagging whatever's left in their stomach. They wipe the sweat off their brow as they realise something. They've been poisoned. Before they can turn around to confront Kevin about this, they feel the sharp impact of bullets hitting their back serveral times, the noise masked by the thumping cacophony of Kevin's mix inside the church. The Boss stumbles to the garage in hopes to return back through the side entrance, but hears the sound of a car's engine roaring out, the bright headlights blinding them as it hits them dead on.
Neenah steps out of the car. Eli lowers the smoking gun in his grip. Kevin joins them as they stand over the Boss. They lay on the ground, completely out of it as their blurry vision looks up at the 3 figures standing above them, recognising their friends.
Catching their breath, Boss opens their mouth to speak. "W-Why...? What have I done to yous?" they beg to know the truth with their glistened eyes. The 3 glance at eachother before replying.
"Did you think the loyalty we had kept us together?" Eli begins, clicking the safety back on the gun before pocketing it in his pocket. "The only reason we're here is out of fear."
Boss is shocked at hearing these words, confused and hurt to now learn this after months of being friends with them. "What? What are you talking about?"
Neenah scoffs, shaking her head as she continues. "We were glad to continue what we did before. Robbing from convenience stores and hijacking cars. But you were just... a murder machine."
"We couldn't handle the non-stop killing and getting Marshall or the cops on our ass all the time," Kevin adds on. "And to joke about murder too? Who the hell does that?"
Boss looks between them. They feel as if their whole life was a lie. It is a whole lie. Their friends who they thought would be at their side? Who they have rescued many times? It pains them more than when they were fired from Marshall.
"I-I don't understand... Neenah, you were part of the Panteros. Kevin, you were part of the Idols! What different does it make from our gang to theirs?" They question, leaning against the floor unable to do anything.
"I only worked as their getaway driver, Boss," Neenah replies with her arms crossed. "And Sergio sure as hell wasn't going at Marshall for 'fun' and getting ourselves in danger." Kevin nods along before he speaks.
"I was just there to make the music, dude. I enjoyed it a lot, and I miss it. I'm spending more time killing than actually doing what I do best."
The Boss can't say anything. They've been fighting against their consciousness for so long and won't be able to stay awake. He hears Eli speak one last time.
"We realised how fucked up this truly was gonna be when you were at Boot Hill. We knew you wouldn't stop. We knew you enjoyed it. And we knew this was gonna be our lives from now on unless we did something," he says in a solemn tone. "We don't want to be a gang. Not this kind of gang anyway."
"We're sorry we had to do this Boss." Is the last words Boss hears before the sound of a gun going off a few more times is heard before they fall limp.
Neenah, Kevin and Eli work together to drag the body over to the graveyard at the side of the church. A 6ft deep hole has already been prepared for their plan. They dump Boss' body in before grabbing a shovel each and burying their old friend. After that, they re-enter the church once again, split all the money they collected over the months equally before going their seperate ways.
Darkness surrounds Boss as they journey through the weird dream, or nightmare, they're having. Being betrayed by their friend's has further convinced them that they are alone. That no one will ever be at their side. To think everything they've lived was a lie, it hurt.
That is, until they hear the familiar sound of someone calling their name.
"Boss!"
'Is that...' Boss can't help but ask themselves as they follow the voice, being lead to a bright door at the end. They rush to it, jumping between each large, floating slab, getting closer and closer to it. The door opens and they step inside...
Boss finally opens their eyes with a gasp, sitting up and spluttering out the dirt in their mouth. A hand gently slaps their back to help them further. Boss clears their throat, before looking up to see the person. The familiar face of the Nahualli that they arrested but also broke out of prison kneels at their side.
"You okay now?" The Nahualli asks, unable to hide his concern after finding the Saints leader buried alive. Snickerdoodle meows at their side, rubbing his head by Boss' hand. The ginger cat lead Nahualli to Boss which is how he found them.
"Yeah... yeah, I'm... fine," Boss responds, brushing off the dirt on their bloodied suit. "You actually came?"
"Good," Nahualli nods, leaning back to give Boss some space. "I was just passing by. I wanted to get a good drink anyway." He says with a small smile, earning a weak chuckle from the Boss.
There's silence between the two before Nahualli speaks.
"I seen your 3 friends leave the church. They all went seperate ways. It looked like they were in a rush, that something happened," Nahualli tells him. "I presume... they did this to you?"
Boss can't help but wince, bowing their head down in silence before silently nodding.
A hum leaves Nahualli as he stands up. "I know where they may be. I have my people following them. I'll help you get your revenge on them," he continues, before offering a hand to Boss. "After all, we are alike. I'm willing to help a friend."
Boss stares up at Nahualli for a short while, debating in their head whether to really trust him after what's happened. Thinking it through, they sigh before taking the hand and standing up.
"If you try anything, I won't be afraid to put a bullet through your head." Boss warns them, before earning a nod from Nahualli who begins to lead them back into the church where he begins to tend to their wounds