The heat of the afternoon simmered off the asphalt, thick and unforgiving. A frustrated shout cut through the air. + 

“Move your damn car!” + 

The voice belonged to a man built like a brick wall, his face flushed with anger. From the driver’s seat of a sleek, black sedan, he slammed a fist against the steering wheel. + 

A curt reply came back, laced with venom. “Why don’t you shut the fuck up!” + 

The brunette, a man with close-cropped hair and eyes like chips of ice, slammed his door and stalked toward the car parked beside his. He rapped on the driver’s window, knuckles hard against the tinted glass. + 

“What the fuck did you say?” he spat, his voice tight with rage. + 

The younger man, raven-haired and lean, met him without flinching. He unfolded himself from his car, standing directly in front of the other, mirroring his aggression. + 

“I said, shut the fuck up. I can park my car wherever I want.” The words were delivered with a cold, unwavering stare. + 

“You’re in my parking spot, fuckface. Now move before I call security.” The brunette smirked, a predatory glint in his eyes. + 

The raven rolled his eyes, a flicker of contempt crossing his face. Without another word, he climbed back into his car and smoothly maneuvered it out of the spot, the tires whispering on the pavement. + 

“That’s more like it.” The older man smiled, a cruel satisfaction twisting his lips as he pulled into the space and settled into his seat. He glanced up at his apartment building and headed inside. + 

The air hung heavy with tension, the parking lot a stage for a silent, simmering conflict. + 