Snakes and Splinters [PUBLISHED]

9

Phoenix and Carlos sat at a two-seater table in one of the back corners. The sight was simply so alien, I had to pause and simply stare. There weren't any windows to the outside where they sat and the light from the wall lamps, casted down faint shadows over their faces, bringing out the definitions of their facial features. The sharp peaks of Carlos' cheekbones and the tensed muscles in Phoenix's jaw. It made me smile inside at the fact that two people I cared about weren't fighting for once and looked to be having a somewhat civil encounter with each other.

Neither of them noticed me and I quickly went to the staff room to put my things away, slipping off my coat so that I was in my black work attire. After a quick brief from my manager, I stepped back out into the front of house, walking round to where Phoenix and Carlos was sitting. They had already been served drinks, but the waiter who had been attending to them had just finished his shift, so I gladly took over.

I saw Carlos look up and smile at me when he caught sight of me approaching. Phoenix's shoulders stiffened through the dark long sleeved shirt he was wearing and he turned to look at me also. I saw him relax and nod at me and I nodded back at him and my half-brother, knowing a grin would annoy Phoenix to no end.

"How's it going?" I asked the two of them, standing over their table with a notebook as if I was about to take their orders.

Carlos smirked and leaned back in his chair, looking over at Phoenix.

"Ask him," he said, lifting his chin in Phoenix's direction.

Phoenix scowled back at him and hardened his jaw again, "What's that supposed to mean?"

"Wait," I said quickly before they could argue, not that I thought Carlos would give into one, but then again he had to lose him temper sometimes, didn't he?

I held my notebook down by my side and looked between the pair of them, "How long have you been here?"

"Fifteen minutes," Phoenix grumbled and Carlos rolled his eyes, picking up his beer and taking a sip.

I smiled faintly. To me, working together would be worth it and I'm sure they knew that too, otherwise one of them would have walked out by now.

"Phoenix doesn't like working with someone on the same level as him," Carlos said after placing his glass back down. "He likes being the only shot-caller."

"Not true," Phoenix muttered, flicking his attention to the older male. "I just don't like working with you."

Carlos chuckled lightly, "There I was thinking you'd grown up. My, my Phoenix, you're not eighteen anymore."

Phoenix tightened his fist on the table top and I widened my eyes, hoping he wasn't thinking of trying to throw a punch.

"You're too proud," Carlos went on. "You can't even admit you like being the only one in charge. You used to be worse, I know that, but you haven't changed that much in these past four years."

"I don't really like you Carlos," Phoenix said to him straight. "I tolerate you. I don't know why I thought we could work together all those years ago. I was deluded."

I wanted to ask Phoenix what there wasn't to like about Carlos. Carlos was a lot friendlier, both to me and towards his family. I had barely seen him angry in all the time that I'd known him, whereas I'd seen Phoenix angry more times than I'd seen him smile. However, I didn't dislike Phoenix at all, like Landon had told me a long time back, Phoenix had been through shit, probably things that he hadn't even told all his brothers.

"I don't particularly like you either," Carlos shrugged. "But life would be boring without your stupid self around. You and your brothers keep me and my boys entertained."

I had raised my eyebrows at the minor insult and Phoenix growled under his breath. The two regarded each other silently and I could sense the tension growing even thicker.

"How about some chips?" I jumped in desperately. "Or some sandwiches? It's lunch time after all."

Phoenix didn't take his eyes off Carlos and continued to glare at him, but Carlos turned his face in my direction.

"No gracias," he murmured to me.

I didn't know why, but that seemed to anger Phoenix even more and he hit his fist against the table top.

"Stop speaking Spanish to her and let her get on with her job," he muttered.

"It's okay," I raised my hand. "It's a little empty right now so I can stay for maybe another minute."

Phoenix said nothing and neither did Carlos, who had returned his gaze to his rival gang member.

"You need to think not just about yourself, but for your gang and for your men," Carlos said eventually with a sigh. "Neither of us have enough men to fight back whoever is responsible alone. We have to put our gangs together."

I saw a couple more customers sit down and noticed a look from one of my colleagues.

"I have to go now," I said to the two men. "I'll be back when I can."

They nodded and I went to serve the other customers.

I went back to Phoenix and Carlos' table over the course of the afternoon and topped up their drinks, switching to water as they didn't want to actually get drunk. What they were discussing were serious matters and they needed to concentrate. I didn't hear much of the details because they paused every time I came, but it didn't matter, I just wanted them to shake hands at the end of it and declare that they'd made an agreement.

They spoke for two more hours and by the end I could already tell what the outcome was. I grinned at them as Carlos smirked a little bit and Phoenix held his usual straight face. As least he wasn't glaring.

"So what's your decision?" I asked them anyway, wanting to hear it out loud.

Carlos grinned when Phoenix sighed deeply and my older brother looked at me, a hand rubbing his chin. I'm sure he had the ultimate pleasure in declaring the words that Phoenix didn't want to hear but knew were necessary in solving the issues at hand.

"The Snakes and Splinters are forming an alliance."

I couldn't wait to see the reaction of all the others, both Simpsons and Santiagos. I had a feeling it would be a very mixed response, maybe even explosive.

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