sinister kid.

i got a tortured mind, and my blade is sharp. a bad combination, in the dark. javier inciarte. 31. LB sicario. barber. felon.

[amelia-ortiz]

Leaving Daniela in the care of a friend, Amelia had walked off to catch up to the ice-cream van. It wasn't the best weather for something so cold, but cravings didn't really care about that. It was on her walk back, juggling three cones that she looked forward, spotting her friend talking to someone she didn't know... But no small child by her side. A frown at first, brown eyes drift to the surrounding patch of grass, expecting to see Dani there. Now, whether it was instinct or just pure fear, her heart had already sank, seconds before she finally spotted her child, making her way towards the road.

"No, no," a breathless whisper, she drops the ice-cream and runs as fast as her feet could take her. So blinded by the danger her baby girl was in, she hadn't noticed her friend was also running towards her, nor did she take any notice of who swooped her up and out the way of a vehicle that would have done devastating damage. "Daniela," frantically approaching, even now she knew she was safe - she wanted her child in her arms before she decided she could actually breathe steadily.

No time or focus yet to scold her friend for taking her eyes away from her, Ameila picks up her daughter and chokes on a sob as she fusses around her little face. It was only when she looked over to the hero in order to thank him, she sees what feels like a ghost from the past staring back at her. "Javier," quiet as a mouse, her entire body stills with a trail of goosepimples travelling up her spine. Hi? That's what he had to say?

Her compleciton paled and her eyes almost squinted with the desire to focus, nodding quite gormlessly at his comment. "T-tegan," twisting her body, she leans to show her friend that she's asking her to take a hold of Dani. Amelia didn't want to collapse with a child in her arms, or at all, preferably. "What?" Confused, she stumbles just a little as she turns back to face him. "You know she is," she says, because for her, that was the belief. Javi knew. How could he not? "I'm... I need to sit-" the more overwhelmed she felt, the more hazy her vision became, knocking her off balance even stood still, her hands move out in front of her, instinctively grabbing onto something solid - him.

Her vision blurred to a blakened state. Try so she may, she could never truly control what happened, her grip on him gives way at the same time her legs do, passing out before she could say or do anything else.

[javier-inciarte]

It was odd, feeling like he had absolutely no idea what to say to her. But he might as well have been speechless. Even in the moments when he stood back while Amelia embraced the little girl, he still couldn’t steady his mind enough to actually settle on something to say. Her finally looking at him and staring as though he was a ghost didn’t help, but he didn’t blame her for it. Truth be told, he felt quite sure that he was looking at her with the exact same expression. Four years was a long time, and sure, he’d thought about what it’d be like to stand face to face with Amelia again, but all the thinking, pre-planning, and hoping could’ve never actually prepared him for seeing her– especially seeing her with a child he had to assume was hers. 

Swallowing thickly, he took the coward’s way out (again) and glanced down at his feet, not sure he could wholly withstand looking her in the eye. It meant he didn’t see her wavering initially, or catch the way she stumbled. It was only her defiant you know she is comment that had him finally blink up from his shoes in confusion. How would he possibly know that? “What? No, I don’t–” he stammered, head shaking, but before he could really comment any further, he saw her start to buckle– and then she reached for him. “Amelia– shit,” he cursed, arms instinctively hooking around her, hoping to try and soften the blow he knew was coming. 

Once she passed out, he gently eased them both onto the grass. “Hey, I’ve got her,” he started, addressing Amelia’s friend, “Why don’t you guys go down to the water and we’ll meet you there?” because Javi didn’t think the little girl needed to see her mom fucking faint if she didn’t have to. Waving them both off, he sat down, settling Amelia’s head in his lap, not only to make her comfortable, but because he knew she didn’t need to open her eyes and have the sun’s blinding light beaming straight into them. At least this way, he could use his body to block out most of it.  He wasn’t sure how long it took her to stir. In a lot of ways, it felt like a lifetime, but when she did? It was hard for Javi not to do the most, and he had to remind himself not to crowd her or overstimulate her. “Amelia?” He started, peering down at her with big, curious brown eyes, “Hey, hey– you’re alright.” Having known Amelia for years, he’d learned what to do whenever this happened. By now, it felt like second nature, even if, granted, he hadn’t done it in years. “Your daughter’s good– she’s with your friend,” he continued, fingertips lightly brushing her hair away from her face and tucking a few strands behind her ear. “You okay? Got some water if you want it.”

[lovesspell]

"Yeah? Can't you see it. Gen-Z would go crazy for some shit like that. Someone would totally pay for it. And well I think that depends, would your cousin pass the vibe check? If not then I don't know how good your chances are." When Ella heard the sigh, they reached out to give his arm a slight squeeze, staying quiet as he explained himself. "That's real, dude. It's a rough transition back into reality but all you can do is try to be easy on yourself. Which I know is hard for you," they teased. "But day by day, you know? We just gotta find you some hobbies like you could start building some legos, I've been loving getting high and building legos. Or I don't know like woodcarving or ultimate frisbee. I could teach you to skateboard. So many possibilities, dude."

[javier-inciarte]

Snorting a laugh, Javi shook his head, “Look, he definitely passes the vibe check, but this man is damn near pathological when it comes to his pristine walls and floors,” he cringed, though his teasing was nothing short of affectionate, of course. Rio had really been more like an older brother to him instead of a cousin, but…he still liked things a certain way, “He’d stroke.” Javi was certain of it. Scrubbing a hand across his mouth, he sobered then, knowing that Ella was right about his need to go easy on himself, but like they’d pointed out, that wasn’t so easy for him to do. “Well, that’s why I’ve got you, right?” He prompted, glancing over at them with a soft smile, “You go easy on me when I can’t do it myself.” Seemed like a fair enough deal in his mind. Humming to himself, he pondered the different options. They sounded good for the most part, plus he still had piano to fall back on. “Woodcarving would be nice, but…I do enough slicing and dicing at the barbershop,” he mused aloud, weighing his options, “And having all ten fingers is nice.” Shrugging, he lifted his drink to his lips and sighed, “In any case, you had me at Legos. What’re we thinking– Star Wars type shit, or do we just build our own world?”

[javier-inciarte]

WHERE: Lake Mead WITH: @amelia-ortiz

Up until about four years ago, Javi hadn’t ever appreciated the outdoors quite like he did now, but after his release, he’d taken to random strolls around Tonopah Valley, and one of his favorite spots was Lake Mead. It was buzzing with life and warm, despite how cold the November air was turning, but what stood out to him the most was that it was nothing like Culiacán. Maybe that was why he liked it so much. And so this was his therapy– his way of re-integrating himself into the world now that his wrists weren’t weighed down by shackles anymore. It was a way for him to get fresh air and lose himself in the world around him– beyond that, though, it was a reminder of how good the world could be, and so he clung to it. 

It was all well and good– in fact, his mind was actually at peace, mulling over the lastest Chopin piece he’d decided to learn now that he was free to play piano again. And then…he saw it. Dark eyes happened to glance upon the winding road leading up to Lake Mead, and only a few paces away he glimpsed a little girl, casually making her way towards the asphalt. “Shit,” Javi hissed beneath his breath, knowing he couldn’t very well look the other way. He took off in a sprint, dashing towards the girl before she wandered a step too far. 

By the time he reached her, she’d taken a step or two out into the road, and Javi whisked her up without a second thought, carting her away back into the grass– back to safety. “Hey, hey,” he cooed, kneeling down so that he was almost eye level with the little girl. “You’re okay,” he assured her, dipping his head down so that he was at least somewhat eye-level, “It’s all good, yeah?” Javi thought to say more, but a shout in the distance stalled him and he looked up. The woman leading the charge was unfamiliar to him, but the one following close behind? He’d have to be dead to forget her face, and even then, he wasn’t so sure he ever would. Amelia Ortiz. The only woman he’d ever loved, and the woman he’d essentially told to get lost, if only because he couldn’t stand the thought of dragging her down with him. Suddenly, it was almost as if he forgot about the kid in his arms. “Amelia?” He called out, brows knitting together as dark eyes took her for the first time in…far too long. He’d be lying if he said it didn’t break him in a lot of ways, or leave him breathless. No matter what had transpired between them, Amelia would always have that power over him, even if he liked to try and convince himself that she didn’t. “Um– hi,” he stammered, wholly unsure what to do with this. Then again, Javi wasn’t sure what to do with most situations. “Saw her wandering into the street,” he confessed, not wanting it to look like anything more than what it was. It was purely innocuous, nothing more– nothing less. “She…uh– she yours?”

[lovesspell]

"Okay, okay fair, but you gotta focus on one spot, don't move your head too much." They reached over to cover his eyes for a moment before laughing. "Oh well those guards just had shitty taste, I think a lot of people would pay for a spongebod sistine chapel type situation, are you kidding? You'd be viral on the socials immediately. Who knows, you might have a calling. I'd let you draw SpongeBob on my ceiling," they told him with a smirk, just grateful that he felt comfortable enough to talk about his time inside. "You been feeling alright? I imagine this shit is like...a lot to take in."

[javier-inciarte]

Chuckling softly as Ella covered his eyes, Javi nodded, “Alright, alright– just one spot. Think I can manage.” Sighing quietly, he glanced up again, this time keeping his gaze locked on one spot and zeroing in. “Spongebob Sistine Chapel, huh?” He parroted back, eyeing them with a raised brow, “Might be onto something there. I mean, I’ve got all the time in the world right now– hey, how bad do you think my cousin would freak if he came home and found me doing up a whole fucking Spongebob mural on his wall?” He laughed at the thought, but he knew it would make Rio’s head explode– he was safer taking Ella up on their offer of their ceiling instead. Shrugging a shoulder, he pushed out a long sigh and shook his head, “I don’t know. It’s just…I dunno, it’s like you said– a lot. When you’re inside, your whole life is regimented– guess it’s just taking me a minute to figure out my own routine again.”

[rio-romero]

"I wanted to." He says, though he's sure he didn't have to. Javi knew fine well that he always wanted to do anything for him, anything to help him. "Whenever you're ready." Shrugging, he left it there, knowing that when he did feel ready, he'd reapproach the subject himself. Until then, it didn't need to be spoken about. The comment about his head being loud caught his attention the most & whilst he wasn't sure it was a good idea to try and press for more information, he didn't feel right not commenting on it. "You wanna talk about it?" An open floor question, one his cousin could dig into or deny. "You're not wrong," agreeing with the statement about the dip, he nods. "You won't be disappointed, trust me." Rio assures him, not even feeling like his opinion was biased. He knew good food, if it wasn't, he wouldn't have suggested it for a take-out. Putting in the order with a few added extras, he tosses his phone down at his side to return his focus back to Javi. "Nothing better to discuss in there, huh?" Chuckling, he follows it with a quiet sigh.

"Nobody was surprised." Rio states, feeling like it was more than accurate. Hell, even Cole wasn't surprised and he didn't know any details, all he knew was that Matias had a bad attitude that bled all over everything. "No shit. Showed up here, invited herself in, left her heels on," he frowned, apparently still bitter at the memory of shoes walking across his pristine floors. "It was never a question, there was only one answer she wanted to hear." He half chuckles. "Sometimes I do wonder though." He adds, making it an outloud thought. What would have happened to him if he dared say no to the General? "Not bad, I've worked my way through most of our connections now, cut a few new deals, made a few changes... Yeah, it's going." He didn't want to say going well and jinx it, but he was pleased with the new progress and direction. "Not a big fan of my face being out there more but it is what it is."

[javier-inciarte]

Javi wouldn’t deny that there was a small part of him that wanted to talk about his time inside, particularly how it had cut far deeper than he’d ever expected it to. But there was a much louder voice telling him not to, at least not yet. Truthfully, he hadn’t had time to really process it yet– not enough to talk about it, anyway. “Not yet,” he murmured, nodding gently. It wasn’t an outright no, it was just a not now, and he knew Rio would know the difference. His cousin had never been one to push him and Javi trusted that Rio knew if he was going to talk about it with anyone, it would be him once the time came. For now? He’d settle for the simpler things in life– like queso. “Alright, man, my expectations are pretty high, so…I’m holding you to that.” If he was being honest, Javi had never liked Matias. He’d been too arrogant, so sure of his own shitty ideas that he never bothered to consider better alternatives. In short, he wasn’t sad to see him go. Chuckling upon hearing that Alejandra had left her shoes on, he swore he could almost see the steam coming out of Rio’s ears, “Should’ve said no just for that,” he teased, knowing that no wasn’t an answer under any circumstances. “Well, she made the right choice– even if she left her fucking heels on.” Javi didn’t have any doubts– he knew Rio would clean up Matias’s messes and then carve new ways forward. From the whispers he’d heard inside, maybe he already was, “When I was inside, I heard something about a ceasefire? Changed the whole dynamic of the yard, primo,” Javi explained, meaning that the distance that had ordinarily been enforced between members of Los Santos and the Sons of Silence had shrunk somewhat, and the tension wasn’t always at its usual fever pitch. If the Sons inside knew why, they hadn’t shared it with Javi, but they had no longer looked at him like he was a target either. “What’s that about?”

[lovesspell]

"See...isn't this peaceful and also trippy. I feel like I picked the perfect spot." Ella smiled up at the ceiling as they lay on their backs in Ella's living room. They had managed to get a new piece of art onto the ceiling of their apartment and were clearly very proud of it. It might have felt silly but a moment like this meant a lot to them. To be seeing Javi out of a prison uniform, free and next to them. Well as free as free could be these days. It was something Ella had learned to not take for granted and they tried to not let their expression seem too emotional when they handed him the bag of chips over. "Do you like it?" @javier-inciarte

[javier-inciarte]

“Kinda making me dizzy, if I’m being honest,” Javi chuckled, dark eyes trained on the ceiling despite the way his head seemed to spin the longer he laid like this. Tearing his gaze away from the piece of art on the ceiling, he glanced over at Ella, taking the bag of chips they offered him, “Yeah, I like it.” Popping a chip in his mouth, he eyed the ceiling again, “Not gonna lie, I drew a bunch of random shit and stuck it on the ceiling of my cell,” Javi divulged, figuring if he was going to talk about the last four years, Ella was one of the few he could do so with. “Guards weren’t too impressed, but after a few tries, I really perfected Spongebob.” 

[rio-romero]

"You're a free man now, take all the time you need." Patting a hand off his shoulder as he moves by, he grabs a bottle opener before getting comfortable. "Your house." Rio nods. "I wanted you to have your own space if you ever got sick of me," smirking, he offers a soft shrug. "Do what you want with it. Live there, live here, use it as a bachelor pad, I don't care." Chuckling, he only says that to let Javi know the gesture was pure of heart. It wasn't a secret way of telling him to move out. Truth be told, he'd be glad of the company. Rattling around an empty house did nothing to soothe his paranoid thoughts, that was for sure.

"Fair. I'm still ordering takeout though, you wanna try Madre?" He asks, having already told Javi all about it on one of the visits. He's sure he could get a doordash to deliver. "Oh, you want to get straight into what you've missed?" Laughing slightly, he brushes a hand over his face and pauses in contemplation. Whilst he didn't really want to give Javi more to think and worry over, he knew he had to speak up before someone else did it for him. "Matias left, got booted to Mexico, actually." With a light eye roll, he pops the top off his beer, "he did a lot of shit to deserve it." A slight understatement, but details were unimportant now, weren't they? "Alejandra asked me to take over... And I said yes." Not that saying no to her was ever going to be an option. "That's why I missed a couple of our visits, it's been a busy adjusting period."

[javier-inciarte]

A free man. He hadn’t known the meaning of that for so long, and now Javi could scarcely wrap his mind around it. He knew he was free to take back his life and do what he pleased, but he wasn’t sure where to start. It meant putting broken pieces back together and figuring out what that image looked like. Javi didn’t have the slightest clue, but he wanted to– he wanted to try and make up for the four years he’d lost. It was just figuring out where to begin that left his brow furrowed and constant questions resonating throughout his mind. “You didn’t need to do that,” Javi murmured, head shaking, even if he did appreciate it, “Thank you, though. Maybe when my head isn’t so loud, I’d like to check it out,” he divulged, cluing his cousin in on the state of his head while also trying to make light of it.  “Sure,” he chirped back, eager to try out the new restaurant, especially knowing his cousin’s name was tied to it, “Maybe some fajitas? Oh– oh, and queso dip too. If the dip isn’t fire, your restaurant ain’t shit, primo,” he joked, though…if Javi was being honest, it wasn’t actually a fucking joke. Queso dip defined entire restaurants. Shrugging, he offered up an apologetic smile, “Yeah, I mean, it’s gotta be better than talking about me almost dropping the soap,” he pointed out, preferring not to relive that part of prison life. Lifting a brow as Rio spoke about Matias, Javi eased out a thoughtful hum, thoroughly unsurprised. He’d heard whispers inside, but to have it confirmed? It made sense. “Oddly enough, I don’t really find that surprising.” Just like he didn’t find it surprising that Rio had been appointed to take his place, either. His cousin had the mind to make it work– the level head that Matias never had. “No shit?” He parroted back, eyes widening, “Not like you could really say no, though– even if you wanted to.” He knew how this shit worked– when Alejandra had presented the idea to his cousin, she hadn’t been asking. “How’s that adjustment going?”

[rio-romero]

The drive back felt surreal to Rio, after four years of visiting the prison and leaving without his cousin, here he was. Finally. A pure blend of happiness and anxiety sat in his chest about it. Happy he was free, of course, but anxious about the ways in which prison life had taken its toll on Javi. Having never experienced it himself, he wasn't the one to give any real advice on how to recuperate. Perhaps he needed to check in on Chase again, ask him what he was doing to help him find his footing again - anything that would help his cousin wouldn't be refused, that was for sure.

"Good to know." Chuckling, he slips out his shoes, pausing to take his jacket off and hang it in the closet. "The same? Even with the new layer of the same white paint?" Rio scoffed in amusement, wandering off to grab a couple beers. "It'll take you a while to settle, I would think." Coming back, he holds one out for Javi to take. "You can stay here as long as you want, it's rare I get unannounced visitors so you should have the time to adjust without much interruption. We can go view your house whenever you're ready." Shrugging, he knew Javi would know that Rio didn't personally mind how long that would be. Whether it was a month, a year, or if he turned around and said never? He'd never kick him out.

"Look, I don't wanna bombard you with who's been doing what or who the hottest Kardashian is now so just... Tell me what you wanna do, primo, and you got it." Rio sat down on his usual spot on the sofa and nodded towards him. "I can order one of everything from a takeout?" Joking, well - mostly. He'd find the moment to inform Javi that he was no longer a capo, but teniente. It hadn't been something he wanted to worry him with whilst he was inside, thought it best to wait until his release which was only a couple months away at that time.

[javier-inciarte]

“Oh, you know what?” Javi started, only to pause for a moment and pretend to take another look at the white walls, “Maybe it does look a little whiter…?” It didn’t– at all– and the playful lift in his tone would tell his cousin that, if the wry smile curving at the corner of his mouth didn’t. All kidding aside though, Javi couldn’t quite escape the thought that everything felt foreign to him, even if the setting was as familiar as they came. “Not sure what that even looks like, primo,” settled, that was. Javi hadn’t known what that was like for four years now, but he was looking forward to rediscovering it– or at least trying to. Taking the offered beer, he eyed it for a moment– that was another thing he’d gone without. Even before prison, he hadn’t been a big drinker, but he wondered just how big of a lightweight the last four years had made him. Popping off the cap, he raised it to his lips– only one way to find out. “Appreciate that. Just need a minute to catch my breath, you know?” As he took a sip of his beer, it took him a moment to register what Rio had said. “Wait– my house?” He parroted back, dark eyes widening in surprise, “You arrange that?” If he had, it wasn’t all that shocking to Javi– his cousin had always been far more generous than people expected him to be. Taking a seat on the couch, Javi eased out a long sigh, eyes momentarily drifting up to stare at the ceiling. What did he want to do? It seemed like such a simple question, but to a man who’d grown accustomed to having no say over his regimented days…it was loaded. He hadn’t had the sort of freedom to choose much of anything during the last four years. “Honestly, I kinda want to just sit here and sink into this couch– my bony ass ain’t sat on something with this much give in a while,” Javi laughed, shifting around a little before leaning back as if to prove his point. “Catch me up on what’s new with you, though– no way I’m moving from this spot, so now’s your chance.”

[camilowylders]

''That's because your taste in liqour is shit,''

Camilo leaned back in his chair with that ease he'd had in his early twenties, but he had to work hard to fashion his face into one of indifference, so he didn't show that every moment ached. This last week, that's all that'd been on his mind. How much he wished he wasn't fucking aging. And yet, there he sat, studying Javier with a knowing glint in his eyes. He'd known Javi for years. And the man's acerbic sense of humor hadn't changed a bit, so he grumbled a laugh. "You always did have a knack for finding the silver lining in a pile of shit," Camilo replied, a faint smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "Unfortunately, the world ain't changed all that much."

Except the growth of Los Santos on a whole.

Camilo glanced around Madre Tierra; honestly, it'd never really been his scene, but he put up with it for the most part, the low hum of conversations filling the air, or the bustle of the doors opening as they brought out meals to serve. It was a world away from the cold, concrete reality of the prison yard. And he wondered if it yet felt real to the man before him. "Lets be fuckin' real though, what is it you wanna do most now you're out?''

[javier-inciarte]

Eyeing the beer in his hand, Javi bobbed his head from side to side, a slow shrug that said he more or less agreed with Camilo’s assessment. He’d never been a heavy drinker, even before his arrest, and so developing a taste for any sort of alcohol was a ship he figured had long since sailed. “No argument there,” he chuckled, taking another sip anyway. Sighing softly, he leaned back in his seat, trying to at least appear less on edge than he was. It went without saying that his transition back into the world wasn’t as seamless as he’d wanted it to be, but he was working on it. Chats like these, they helped– they let him feel just a tad bit closer to normal, or at least as normal as Javi could get.  “Never really had much of a choice,” Javi supplied with a soft laugh as he glanced over at Camilo. For most of his childhood, he’d been neck deep in shit and if he hadn’t tried to find some sort of silver lining, the world around him would’ve surely consumed him, one way or another. “No, it hasn’t,” he agreed, clicking his tongue against the roof of his mouth. No, the world hadn’t changed one bit from where he sat. “But I have.” After four long years in prison, how could he not? The hard part was just figuring out where this version of him settled in all of it. Tipping his head to the side, he pondered Camilo’s question, “I’m not sure,” he answered honestly. “I guess just try to figure out where I fit into things, you know?” Most people would’ve likely said something like skydiving or traveling, but Javi just wanted to find himself. “Not the most exciting answer, I get it– but I feel like I gotta do that first before I can think about anything else. Does that make sense?”

[javier-inciarte]

WHERE: Madre Tierra WITH: @camilowylders

Part of adjusting to a life beyond the iron bars was slowly delving back into the life he’d so abruptly left. And so here Javier was, sitting across from Camilo, a beer he didn’t really plan on drinking in hand, while he tried to settle in and feel normal. It wasn’t that easy though. It never was. Regardless, he was doing his damndest because too much depended on him and his ability to get right with the way his life looked now– not the way it had looked during the last four years behind bars. “You know,” he started, taking a sip of his beer before making a face, “I figured maybe after a few years, this shit would taste a little less like horse piss and yet?” He paused, brown eyes narrowing as he judged the bottle in his hand, “It’s still awful.” Setting it aside, he folded his arms on the table and shook his head, grinning softly at Camilo, “But I’m the criminal, right?” Why not whoever had brewed that shit?

[javier-inciarte]

WHERE: Rio's Home WITH: @rio-romero

If there was one thing that Javier Inciarte had learned over the last four years, it was that time moved differently on the inside. It was almost like living in a vacuum, where all he could think about was the noise and the crushing weight of his circumstances, and the outside world was all but drowned out. Lost. Now that he was out, Javi didn’t know where to begin in finding it all again, but he’d try. He had to. If he didn’t, it was like admitting defeat to the iron bars that had held him in for the last four years, and he couldn’t allow that. 

On the drive back to Rio’s, he’d tried not to dwell on that and just allow himself to be present, but it was hard. Freedom was hard, much more so than he’d anticipated the moment the guards first unlocked his handcuffs and sent him on his way. He couldn’t relax, almost like he was waiting for a call saying it was some sort of mixup and that he had to go back. But it never came. 

Following after Rio, he stepped inside the familiar home and instantly stepped out of his shoes, having not forgotten his cousin’s borderline pathological need for cleanliness. “Don’t worry, primo,” Javi murmured, twisting to flash Rio a wry smile, “Prison didn’t break all my good habits.” Just most of them— not that he really had a ton of admirable traits to begin with. “Place looks the same,” he commented, moving deeper into the living room, “Crazy how different everything feels, though,” he mused aloud, mostly to himself rather than Rio. 

[disorientedandbewildered]

[devilsgatewayhq]

Name: Javier Inciarte Age: 32 Occupation: Barber at Chop Shop Barbershop Time living in Tonopah: 22 years Neighborhood: Downtown Gang Affiliation: Sicario with Los Santos Face Claim: Alejandro Speitzer

Biography:

Javier Mateo Inciarte Mendoza was born in Culiacán, Sinaloa, Mexico, in the summer of 1991 to Emilio Inciarte and Juana Mendoza, two people who really had no business being parents but lacked the self awareness to realize it. Emilio was deep into the criminal underground, particularly whenever it came to smuggling drugs, and Juana loved the dangerous thrill of that perhaps more than she ever loved Emilio. Together, they were a match made in hell– Juana was kerosene and Emilio was the open flame. There was no way Javi was ever going to walk through life with them without leaving a trail of ashes in his wake.

As predicted, his childhood was unstable. There were very few things in Javi’s life that held any sort of permanence to them– even where he would eventually rest his head each night was often a toss up, with them bouncing from place to place in tandem with Emilio’s work. The faces surrounding him day in and day out held little to no consistency too, save for his parents. But the one of the few pieces of Javier’s childhood that stood the test of time and survived every turbulent year, other than utter chaos, was music. No matter where the boy went, he carried a small, portable keyboard with him. Juana had suggested it as a means to keep Javi occupied and therefore out of Emilio’s way, but neither of his parents could have ever predicted the love affair Javi would develop with piano, or his knack for it. For the young boy, it was more than just a passion, it was an escape.

Tragedy struck early, as it often does in a story like Javi’s. One morning, Juana and Javier had borrowed one of Emilio’s cars and had gone into the city to shop around. Juana had been looking for a new summer dress and an eight year old Javi had been on the prowl for fresh sheet music to learn. Needless to say, Juana never got her dress and Javi never got his copy of Beethoven’s Moonlight Sonata. On the way into town, countless clips were unloaded into the side of their car in an assault clearly meant for Emilio. But as the story would go, the bullets meant for her husband ripped Juana to shreds and one managed to catch Javi in the back as well.

It was there in the hospital, while planning his wife’s funeral and watching a chest tube get jammed into his son’s side that Emilio decided it was time for a change. A little late, sure, but late was better than never. They had to get out of Mexico, no matter the cost. But with no legitimate trade skills in his arsenal, Emilio’s options were limited. All he’d ever known was this outlaw way of living, but he couldn’t keep living it in Culiacán. Luckily, one of Juana’s sisters hadn’t quite escaped it either and was living in Tonopah Valley, Nevada, building a life and a name within Los Santos. Emilio saw that as his opportunity and once Javier was well enough to travel, the duo left for the United States and never looked back.

Once landing in Nevada, Emilio hit the ground running, quickly proving himself within Los Santos. Javi, only nine years old at the time, stuck to his piano– for as long as he could, anyway. Inevitably, the cartel’s pull caught up with him and he began to hang around a little more– learning, but always on the outside of it…just the way he preferred it. After nearly losing his life to gang violence, he wasn’t so keen on throwing himself at it. Instead, he focused on his music and eventually started hanging around the barbershop, learning the craft so that he could earn money of his own. When he wasn’t learning Chopin or Debussy on piano, or learning how to perfect the latest hairstyle, Javi was often left to his own devices, and in the desert, his amusement could take any sort of shape. For him, he’d learned to love to play with fire– quite literally. The flames never did frighten him the way they should have. Quite the opposite, really. They were starving for oxygen the same way he was and that both fascinated and devastated him all at once.

When he was seventeen, he met Rio Romero, who happened to be his cousin– the son of the very woman who’d brought Javi and Emilio to Tonopah. Little did he know at the time that this man, not that much older than him, would become his rock and the family he’d always longed for. Rio was a cousin, an older brother, and a father all in one. Somehow, in no time at all, he made up for everything Emilio and Juana both hadn’t been able to give Javi and for the first time in his life, he felt genuinely wanted– and safe.

Two years later, when Javi was nineteen, Emilio was revealed as the scumbag his son had always believed him to be. Accused and convicted from stealing profits from Los Santos, Emilio Inciarte was sentenced to death– and rather quickly. A scandal like that couldn’t be given too much daylight. Once the dust settled, all eyes looked to Javi. Had Emilio’s flesh and blood been in on the plot? Had he aided him? History would show that Javi was completely innocent, but that hardly mattered when there was an opportunity to make an example of him. Shortly after his father’s execution, he was forced into cartel life– the one thing Javier never wanted. But someone had to pay Emilio’s debt, and who better than the son who was suspected of helping him? 

The next few years were hard on Javi. Every move he made was looked at with scrutiny and he felt like an outsider, no matter how many times he proved he wasn’t. During that time, Rio talked him off a literal edge more than once, somehow convincing him that his life was worth more than what his father’s scandal had reduced it to. Little by little, Javi picked up the pieces with Rio’s help and over time, he carved out his own name in Los Santos– apart from the one Emilio had made for him. He’d always been resourceful and wise, he just needed a chance to show it. 

And show it, Javi did. Eventually earning the rank of sicario, he finally reached a point where he felt like he stood on his own two feet and most of the suspicious looks and doubts were cast aside. Sure, some remained, but the reputation he’d built for himself outlasted them. 

When he was twenty-six, he met Amelia Ortiz and was instantly smitten. Javi fell hard and fast for her, abandoning whatever preconceived notions he had about love and relationships in favor of diving in with her. The two were practically inseparable for two years– in love and happy. He’d never experienced a bond quite like that before, but rather than bolt away from it, Javi leaned into it full force. But whatever he felt had to take a backseat once Amelia’s past reared its ugly head and a local thug she thought had left her alone suddenly resurfaced. Witnessing the entire thing, Javi knew he had to intervene, despite promising that he wouldn’t. How could he sit idly by and let the woman he loved continue to be tormented by this thug? And so despite assuring Amelia he’d stay out of it, Javi didn’t.

Instead, he set fire to the man’s home four years ago– burned it to the fucking ground with the hope of catching him in the blaze in the process. But it didn’t play out quite the way Javi had hoped. The flames spared the thug and Javi was arrested. Convicted on a first degree arson charge, he was sentenced to four years in High Desert State Prison.

It didn’t take him long to realize he’d burned down a hell of a lot more than a home— he’d torched his freedom too, and the life he’d built over the last two years with Amelia. Despite her relentless support and countless visits, Javi couldn’t stand the thought of her tying herself to him and holding her back, and so he cut it off a few months into his sentence. What he didn’t know was that Amelia was pregnant with his child the day he cut her off. He didn’t give her a chance to let him know that though, his mind solely focused on severing that tie to him, fearful that it would only bring her down in the end. What was meant to spare her ended up nearly destroying him. For the remainder of his time behind bars, Javi spiraled without her steady presence to lean on, but in the end, he still believed he’d made the right call in breaking off contact. Now, after four long years, he’s rapidly approaching the end of his sentence, and Javi is far from the same man he was when he went in.

Headcanons:

Nickname from those closest to him is “Sweeney,” as in Sweeney Todd, because he will quite literally demon barber your ass if the cartel needs him to.

The bullet that struck him when he was eight is still in his body, just below his heart, because the surgeons thought it too dangerous to remove.

Taught himself how to read music and play piano, though he mostly plays by ear.

Has no idea that he has a daughter named Daniela, but will soon find out.

[elnarcissista]

[camilowylders]

Camilo glanced at Javi, a laugh bubbling from his lips as a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips, appreciating the younger man's presence and his shared affinity for the thrill of fire. He understood Javi's desire to create his own explosive spectacle, far removed from the controlled bursts of the official display. In the Desert they'd have seen the impossible if Javi had anything to do with it. There was an unspoken understanding, forged through their shared experiences in Los Santos and the bonds they'd formed in what Camilo could only describe as a friendship.

"You know what," Camilo said, "I say we watch this shitty display and head over to the desert and you can set Somethin' up? I could do with not going home tonight and moping in my own corner, if you get me?'' The smirked tugged looking down at his watch. ''Plus I have nothing better to be doin' after.''

Camilo's gaze turned distant when he saw someone walk past with a similar look to that of Carla, lost in the memories of those stolen moments. He did this way too often. The weight of loss had settled heavily on his heart. But he pushed through the ache, determined to honor Carla's memory in his own way. Looking at his empty glass, he sucked his teeth, wishing he could let the liquid seep through him, soothing his troubled soul.

''I need to know if you wanna' do that because I'll stop drinkin now.''

[javier-inciarte]

“I would but,” he paused, sighing hard for added dramatic effect, “Fire’s kinda off limits for me right now– gotta be on my best behavior.” Even if in the desert, there were no rules. Still, Javi knew what would happen the moment he lunged back into that hobby of his– he’d take liberties that weren’t his to take and ultimately, he’d end up right back in High Desert State Prison. So while he’d brought it up, he knew better than to give into the idea. No, it was safer here, watching others put on firework displays that would ultimately pale in comparison to what he had in mind. “But I’m still down to hang,” he added, ensuring Camilo knew that even if he wasn’t about to light up the desert, he’d still keep him company. “Looks like they’re about to start anyway,” Javi pointed out, gesturing over at the operator who appeared to be gearing up to fire off the first round.

But what Javi had in mind and what actually happened were two entirely different scenarios. The first few sparks were brilliant enough to anyone watching the display, but then…something happened– some sort of misfire. And next? Chaos.  Dashing to the side, Javi narrowly avoided some of the rogue fireworks that had been sparked by the misfire and went careening towards the vineyard itself. “Shit,” he hissed beneath his breath, immediately darting a look to the side, spotting Camilo. “Are you alright?” He shouted, though he didn’t have long to linger on the question, not when the vineyard caught fire and flames began to build all around them. “Hey, ‘mano, we gotta get outta here. Now.” Clambering to his feet, he urged the other man forward with a hurried wave, “Vamos.”

[amelia-ortiz]

"Not at all, I'm merely trying to make the world a little less scary for you, and I think that's like, super nice of me. You should be saying thank you." Harper teases. There was nothing she could do to make oceans less terrifying, especially considering she did agree with him about that. Had the fear been general water, perhaps she could have helped. "Am I?" Baiting him. Judging by the smirk on her features, she absolutely was. "I can do that. Or you could use me as a floatie. I'm small, I have this theory that if I curl into a ball I would still float."

[javier-inciarte]

“Mmm,” he hummed a bit doubtfully, lifting a brow at her, “Well, my mother never did teach me manners so…a thank you might not be in the cards just yet.” He was teasing, naturally– well, partially. No, his mother hadn’t taught him manners, that much was true– but Rio had. Taking in her smirk, he chuckled in spite of himself, knowing that there were very few looks from other people that could really get him feeling all twisted up inside. But that one always did. “Yeah, I think you are,” he countered, folding his arms across his chest, chin raising as he shot her an accusing look, though the undertones of it were bathing in warmth– a sign that he was only teasing. Scoffing at her suggestion that he use her as a floatie, Javi was quick to shake his head, “All that really told me is that we’re both gonna drown. I’ve been shot, Harper– last thing I wanna do is go out choking on pool water that little kids have pissed in.”

[ariana-cruz]

"Oh, so noble of you to tell me the truth." She teases, his comment pulling a genuine laugh from her, at the least. Aria had never spoken to Javi, only a passing a hello of times before his sentence. They were in no way familiar, but what she found most interesting is how wrong she was about his entire energy. Wrongfully, she was expecting him to be on par with his cousin and the way he carried himself. Looking at Javi now, she could see he possessed some nervous and even awkward personality traits that Rio didn't. It was cute, and not being a stranger to making men uncomfortable, nothing she didn't know how to navigate. Thankfully for him, her intentions weren't to make him even more uneasy. "Your cousin said a similar thing once, but he still gives me the same wary pair of brown eyes that you are right now." Aria smirked.

"If you could have a look, I'd like to hear them. I'm hiring you either way, I trust that Rio isn't blinded by his love for you that he'd set you up to embarrass yourself. I'd just like to listen, curiosity mostly." Aria shrugged a shoulder. As he talks, her features soften, nodding along as she pretty much liked every variation he'd mentioned. "How about I allow you to decide? All three, just one... It's your set, you can choose what you feel suits the vibe best that night." It seemed logical to her and in all honesty, she didn't want to oversee everything he wanted to do. She wasn't a musician, she trusted that Javi knew how to read a room and play the instrument best suited. "I see. So, is that a polite way of you saying that you've been told I might breathe fire or turn you into a frog?" Chuckling now, she sighs softly. "I've heard it all. And before you inquire, I'm not willing to divulge if I'm actually capable of either. Can't go spilling those kinds of secrets to just anyone, elusiveness is a big part of my craft."

"Anyway, I think you should take a couple of days to decide what days or nights you want to commit to here, and get back to me on it, I can draw up a contract from there. Would you want cash in hand or bank payment on a weekly basis?"

[javier-inciarte]

Javi supposed that in many ways, he hadn’t always been quite so subdued. Quiet, sure, but in the aftermath of his stint in prison, it was more than just silence that plagued him. It was something more akin to a severe lack of comfort in his own skin, something he felt sure Aria could see radiating off of him in waves the longer she looked at him. He figured that made him the exact opposite of what most people expected him to be, particularly when he was stood next to his cousin. The physical resemblance was uncanny, but it stopped there, though he was satisfied to hear that Aria affected them both so similarly, “Well, at least we’ve got that in common. Hard for anyone to rattle Rio,” Javi chuckled, shrugging a shoulder, “So kudos to you. Me, though? Sneeze too loud and I’m ducking for cover.”

Nodding, he made a mental note to find older recordings, though he wasn’t entirely sure where to begin looking. His thoughts bent towards Harper– perhaps she had a video saved somewhere. “That’ll work,” he agreed, nodding a bit more firmly this time, “I sing too, but I tend to keep that to myself.” Meaning, stage fright was real no matter how talented people said he was. “Lightning could strike though.” He wouldn’t rule it out. Lifting a brow at her, a soft chuckle escaped him and he shrugged, “I’ve heard a couple things, yeah. If you could breathe fire, I’d be impressed– I’m a bit of a pyromaniac myself,” Javi divulged, a mischievous smile taking up residence on his lips. No, he wasn’t proud of the four years he spent behind bars, but he could find amusement in it if for no other reason than how literally he’d taken the phrase, go big or go home. The house fire he’d started was perhaps his most impressive feat to date. 

“I can do that.” He’d check his schedule at the barbershop and figure out a way to balance the two. “Cash in hand might be best.” Less red tape that way, and now that he had a criminal record at his feet, he already had enough red tape to begin with. “I should probably get going soon,” he murmured, gesturing back towards the door. “But I’ll get back to you– soon. Wouldn’t want you turning me into a frog for making you wait too long, right?”