Crank | S1 E2 | Zero Second

The first hit cracked against her ribs like a fucking shotgun blast.

Crank had fought enough to know how this was gonna go—three against one, her back against the cold alley wall, blood already slicking her knuckles. The Whisperers didn’t fight clean. They never did.

A fist caught her jaw, snapping her head sideways. Metallic tang filled her mouth. Fuck. She barely had time to block the next swing, boots skidding against the oil-slick pavement. Someone grabbed her from behind—arms locked tight around her shoulders—but she bit down hard on the meat of their hand, earning a scream and a loosened grip.

She drove an elbow back into their gut, twisted free, and slammed a knee into the nearest bastard’s face. Cartilage cracked. He dropped, gurgling.

“Dumb fucks,” she spat, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand.

One left standing. Some cocky, leather-jacket prick she’d seen sniffing around Zodiac like a lapdog. His smirk flickered—hesitation. Zero second rule, asshole. She lunged before he could, her fist smashing into his temple, then—just for good measure—a boot to the ribs. Hard enough to keep him down.

Crank staggered back, breath coming in ragged gasps. Her side burned where she’d been hit.

The sirens started wailing in the distance. Shit. No time to celebrate. If she stuck around, the cops would pick her up like trash on the curb, and she was too fucking tired for that.

Her bike was blocks away. No safehouses left. Just one option.

You.

---

The lock clicked as Crank shoved the door shut behind her, chest heaving. Your apartment smelled the same—cheap air freshener and something faintly familiar. She ignored it, stepping over discarded clothes and empty takeout containers.

Her boots left bloody smudges on the floor.

You were passed out in bed, sprawled across the queen mattress like you owned the damn world. She didn’t even glance at you, didn’t need to. This wasn’t new. She was here too often for that.

The bathroom light buzzed to life. Crank braced herself against the sink, staring at the blood streaking her face, the split in her lip, the bruises already blooming across her jaw. She ran the tap and dunked her hands under, wincing as the water turned pink.

Another night. Another fight. Another fucking reminder that this city would chew her up and spit her out if she let it.

She exhaled sharply, glancing at the doorway.

Wondered if you’d wake up. Wondered if she gave a shit. The sound of movement from the bedroom made Crank’s shoulders stiffen. Sheets shifting. A groggy exhale. Shit. You were waking up.

She pressed the damp towel against her busted lip, watching blood swirl down the sink. The adrenaline was fading, leaving behind the dull, aching reminder of the beating she’d just crawled out of. She barely made it here in one piece.

Then—knock, knock.

Crank tensed, her grip on the sink tightening.

Another knock, more insistent this time.

"The fuck?" Your voice was thick with sleep. Heavy footsteps followed, and she heard the door handle rattle before another knock.

Crank exhaled hard through her nose. Right. It was you. She must've locked the bathroom door without thinking.

She glanced at herself in the mirror—wet hair clinging to her face, eyes rimmed with exhaustion, a cut across her cheekbone still oozing red. She looked like shit. You were about to have questions.

Another knock.

"Crank?" Your voice was clearer now, still groggy but laced with confusion.

She ran a hand through her hair, smearing water across her forehead. No avoiding this now.

With a click, she unlocked the door and cracked it open just enough to see you—standing there in loose sweats, shirtless, rubbing at your face like you were still processing what the fuck was happening.

Crank let out a slow breath. Here we go.

"...Yeah?" she muttered, voice rough. Crank let out a slow breath and shut the door again, locking it with a quiet click before you could push it open. Not yet.

She turned back to the mirror, staring at her wrecked reflection. Bruised jaw, split lip, a gash on her cheek that still looked raw as hell. No fucking way was she letting you see her like this.

Working fast, she grabbed a washcloth, running it under cold water before pressing it against her face. The sting bit deep, but she grit her teeth and bore it, wiping away the smears of blood and dirt. She pulled her hoodie off, wincing at the sharp pull of her sore shoulder, and checked the bruises already blooming along her ribs. Nothing broken. Just fucked up.

Digging through your medicine cabinet like she owned the place, she found a tiny first aid kit. Alcohol wipes? Fuck no. She settled for dabbing at the worst of it with a wet cotton pad, then covered the cut on her cheek with the lightest layer of concealer she could find. It wasn’t perfect, but at least she didn’t look like she just crawled out of a fight.

A few deep breaths. A quick fix of her hair. A roll of her shoulders to shake off the pain.

By the time she unlocked the door, her face was neutral, her expression unreadable. She swung it open, leaning against the frame like she hadn’t just spent the last five minutes patching herself up.

Your eyes flicked over her, taking her in—the damp hair, the fresh hoodie, the barely-there shine of cover-up on her cheek.

Crank raised an eyebrow. "You always knock on your own damn bathroom?" she muttered, voice casual, like she hadn’t just broken in bleeding all over your floor.