Scarlet was quieter once she returned to herself.
Angrier, too. More protective, though.
She stopped asking. Started doing.
The first circuit she entered she was riding her junker bike, wearing a stolen helmet, and borrowed clothes that fit her frame awkwardly.
No jacket. No patch. No colors, save for the pieces of painted scrap on her bike.
She lost, terribly. Wrecked on the third lap. She had been riding too aggressively and tried to take the turn too quickly.
One of her tires did take down another racer, at least.
She didn't tell anyone where she was or how she got the bruises.
Hid her limp, badly. Hid her bike, too. Fixed it in secret.
Told Judge she was fine when he asked. Told Rook to fuck off when he pulled out his kit.
Judge still left his tools out.
Moved things closer to her den so she wouldn't have to walk as far.
Rook, too. He started leaving water bottles around. Protein bars. A half-full bottle of painkillers.
Eventually, the leg healed, the limp faded. Scarlet still hadn't fixed her bike up enough to drive again, much less pull off a stunt like trying to race, but it was... less broken.
Scarlet was in the garage, taking a break from fixing her ride, when she heard a woman's voice. Careless, laughing. Loud.
"Ooh, are you that chica the bossman was-" a hand. Smelled like gunpowder. Stained with oil.
Too fast.
Too close.
Tan skin and curly brown hair and a grin too big and someone Scarlet absolutely did not know.
Teeth found flesh before Scarlet could think better of herself.
Shouting. Blood. Another language, Spanish? The stranger stumbled back. Hit the workbench.
A loud bang, tools scattered everywhere.
Too much.
Scarlet retreated to the rafters. Favored her left leg while climbing, though even then, her grip almost slipped.
Growled low and aggressive and cornered the entire time. Tracked every shape that entered or exited or moved. The stranger on the ground, shaking her hand, the way she took a step back. The way she was still laughing. The stranger was staring at Scarlet. Grinning. Grinning-- like this was funny.
Rook ran in. Scarlet's head snapped to him, before it whipped back to the stranger. Rook wasn't the threat. He knelt next to the stranger and said something under his breath.
'Judge. Where's Judge. Judge should be next. Judge always--'
Door- movement-- There he is. He didn't look at the stranger. He looked around, before--
Up. Directly at Scarlet.
He did not look angry. He looked...
Concerned.
The growl stuttered, and then lessened. It didn't disperse-- not with her so keyed up, but...
It lessened.
"Mierda, that hurt-- hah-- okay, okay-- hey, bossman--" the stranger spoke again, looking at Judge.
He didn't take his eyes off of Scarlet. His brow was furrowed slightly.
"I uh-- I fuck up? Didn't mean t' scare the poor gal..." Rook grabbed her hand as she shook it out, made her hold still so he could provide treatment and--
Scarlet's growling finally quieted completely.
"...She ain't used to strangers, s'all, Mia." Judge's tone was low and even.
The stranger-- Mia-- laughed again, softer this time, "Ah-- yeah, yeah alright. That's fair, makes sense," she looked up again, waved at Scarlet, "YO! My name's Mia, what's yours?!" she shouted.
Scarlet flinched from the volume, eyes locked onto Mia's injured hand.
Then Scarlet tilted her head. Confused. Processing.
One heartbeat. Two.
The growling returned. Her stare turned icy, brows knitting into a glare.
Except, now it was less aggravated and more...
Petulant?
Scarlet didn't trust the stranger all at once, and it definitely didn't happen that day, but...
Scarlet clambered down from the rafters. After nightfall. After Mia left. Only when Isaiah came in with a soft blanket and a burrito and left it on the hood of one of the cars.
Scarlet dropped down the moment she smelled the food. Lightly bumped her forehead into Isaiah's shoulder when she passed. Hoisted herself on the car and tucked her right leg under her. Started digging into the burrito. A soft, content hum left her chest.
"...Mia made 'em," Judge told her after she was half done.
Scarlet froze. Slowly looked up at the man.
For a moment she looked absolutely betrayed.
"...S' good, isn't it?" His expression stayed flat.
Scarlet stared at him for a moment longer.
Then she huffed through her nose, and continued to eat. Slower, now.
It was good.
The second time Mia ran into Scarlet, she was still too loud, too fast, and too familiar--
Scarlet didn't bite her this time, though her jaw tightened.
(Thought about it)
Mia caught how Scarlet flinched. How her shoulders went stiff.
Backed off pretty quick. Just barely out of biting range. Scarlet's eyes still stayed locked on her hands.
"Still haven't told me your name, chica. Or you, ah, what's the word... muda-- eh, no-- mute?"
Scarlet frowned at her, scowled, shook her head once, "...'m not mute."
Her voice was rough from lack of use.
Mia didn't seem to mind.
"Ah! So the feral woman does speak!"
Scarlet stared at her for a long moment--
Then turned heel and walked away, ignoring Mia's laughter as the crazy lady called after her.
"No-- haha, hey-- hey, chica, your name- hey get back here!"
Scarlet walked faster.
Disappeared behind Judge's truck and watched Mia look for her.
The third time was a bit different--
That time, Mia hadn't walked up to Scarlet, hadn't gotten into her space...
No, Mia blew an oil drum sky-high with explosives.
Scarlet felt her own teeth in her tongue. Tasted copper.
Smelled gunpowder.
Smoke.
Fire.
Ran towards the noise anyways. Dragged the laughing maniac woman out of the lingering fire--
She didn't realize she was carrying Mia away until--
"Chica-- big gal-- hey, hey-- listen-- I'm-I'm fine-- I'm fine!" Her voice was still loud, but it wasn't that same chaotic shouting, it was something softer, more real,
"Cariño, you're shaking-- I'm fine-- I did that on purpose."
Scarlet let go of her, if only barely just.
Huffed out something dismissive, a quiet excuse that didn't really hold up.
Didn't stop hovering all day.
Scarlet sat next to Judge at the bonfire that night. Head tilted back to stare at the stars, legs in front of her.
Mia was talking, sharing stories, something dramatic and only half-believable.
"...and that was when my tío-- maldito sea-- told me no agua-- I made sure his ride went boom--"
"...m' name's Scarlet," her voice was quiet, almost eaten by the flame.
Mia's attention latched onto her like a spark might take to drybrush.
She looked at Scarlet as if she had just been handed the sun.
Scarlet scooted just an inch closer to Judge, hid her face against the back of his shoulder.
Peeked out at Mia, but didn't glare.
