Infatuated

The kitchen was dark when I got downstairs, and I didn’t bother flicking on the fluorescent lights that hung from the ceiling. I had never been a fan of fluorescent lights, they always reminded me of high school classrooms, and that was a period of my life that I never wanted to revisit. Before I dropped out to peruse my current, well I guess you could call it a career, high school was my own personal hell on earth. I was short, stocky and had glasses as thick as Coke bottles. You can imagine how much I got bullied. I got Lasik to correct my flawed vision, and my rigorous training quickly helped shed the unwanted baby fat that stubbornly clung to my bones.

I walked over to the fridge, my hip colliding with the sharp edge of the island painfully.

“Shit.” I cursed under my breath, clutching my hip tightly, squeezing my eyes shut. I sucked in a deep breath and the pain slowly faded. I straightened up and continued my quest to the fridge, not eating for weeks had taken quite the toll on my body. I yanked open the door of the fridge, the bright white light flooding the kitchen. I squinted my eyes against the sudden brightness and plucked a package of sliced chicken from the top shelf, ripping open the package greedily and shoving all 24 slices into my mouth, swallowing them with great difficulty. I threw the empty package out and grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge and chugged it down, a few water droplets leaking out from my mouth and trailing down my chin.

Okay, so I admit I was lacking in the table manners department.

I heard someone clear their throat quietly, and I spun around, only to find Lindsey standing in the doorway, a large white bandage wrapped around her throat.

“Um,” She stuttered, running her hands through her hair nervously, “They- they said you’d explain what was happening.” She cast her eyes downward.

“Thanks guys!” I yelled upstairs, sure that they could hear me, “Leave it to me to explain to the girl that she’s in a house full of blood-sucking leaches!” I heard a quiet chuckle from behind me and I whipped around, only to find Gerard leaning against the wall, his teeth gleaming in the darkness.

“We already told her that much Dearest.” He grinned.

“Don’t call me that.” I snapped. “And leave, I need to talk to the girl alone.”

Gerard held up his hands in surrender and turned away, fading into the darkness. I turned to Lindsey, whose pale face was even paler than usual.

“So- so it’s true then?” She gasped, “They’re not a bunch of psycho’s?”

“Well I think they’re crazy, but other than that, I’m sure what they’ve told you is true.” I ushered her over to the island. “Ask your questions, I’d be happy to answer.”

“Gerard said you were human.” Lindsey started, her eyes examining me carefully.

“Gerard can drop dead for all I care.” I growled.

“So you’re one of them?” She gulped.

“No, I’m as human as it gets. And they’re all really nice guys, except for Gerard.”

“He seemed nice enough.” Lindsey raised her eyebrow in confusion.

“Tess here just hates me because I’m beautiful.” I heard a taunting voice chime from behind me, and a cold hand snaked around to clasp my shoulder. I shook it off roughly and whipped around.

“Don’t touch me.” I snarled, “I thought I made that perfectly clear.”

Gerard’s eyes clouded over then cleared, his mouth crumbling into a hard line. “Sorry.” He muttered, then walked over to Lindsey, who was looking very confused.

“I’m so sorry if Tess has been rude to you.” He smiled at Lindsey, who still looked a little weary. “Believe me when I say this, we mean no harm to you.”

That one simple sentence set me over the edge. All my anger I had tried my best to contain (and I clearly wasn’t doing that well at controlling it) over the past few weeks bubbled over, and I felt heart rate quicken at my sudden burst of fury. Gerard noticed it to, and turned towards me questioningly, one eyebrow raised. I balled my hands into fists and clenched my teeth.

“You mean no harm to her?” I barked out a laugh and stood up, my vision clouding red. “Just like you meant no harm to me, right Gerard?”

“What have I done to you?” Gerard asked, eyes wide at my fury.

“What have you done?!” I hissed, “YOU FUCKING KIDNAPPED ME!”

“I- uh, Bob’s calling me, I, um, better go, nice meeting you Tess!” Lindsey backed out of the room quickly, and as soon as she was out of the room I heard her turn on her heal and run upstairs.

“You scared her off!” Gerard accused, his eyes trailing to the spot where Lindsey had been.

“Good!” I shrieked, “She should be scared, she’s in a house with a vampire!”

“So are you!”

“I’VE BEEN DEALING WITH YOU BASTARDS FOR YEARS I THINK I CAN HANDLE IT!”

“WHAT THE FUCK IS YOUR PROBLEM EXACTLY?!”

We were both screaming at each other now, Gerard’s usually calm disposition was gone along with mine and his entire frame was shaking, his eyes narrowed into slits. I guess he had some pent up anger and frustration too, and I had a feeling it was about to come out in a torrent.

“WHAT’S MY PROBLEM?” I gasped, “YOU TOOK ME AWAY FROM EVERYTHING!”

“That’s just the thing!” Gerard exclaimed, “You have no family, no friends, you live alone! You slept all day and hunted by night! That’s it! I took you away from nothing!”

“That was my everything.” I hissed at him, my face only inches from his now. “The only thing I had left and you took it from me!”

“BUT LOOK WHAT I’M GIVING YOU!” He growled, gesturing around wildly, “For the first time in your life you have friends that care about you. I gave you Mikey!”

“I’m a motherfucking prisoner in this house!” I slammed my hand against the wall, “I DON’T WANT TO BE HERE! I HATE YOU! I FUCKING HATE YOU!” A few angry tears leaked out from the corners of my eyes and I tried my best to hide them. I was well aware that I was throwing a bit of a temper-tantrum, but I didn’t care anymore. Gerard had it coming.

“I’VE TRIED TO BE A NICE GUY!” Gerard now had his teeth bared and my hand instinctively curled around my knife in my pocket. “I’M NOT USUALLY THAT EVEN TEMPERED! MY LAUGUAGE IS USUALY A HELL OF A LOT WORSE, BUT I’M JUST TRYING TO BE A NICE GUY, SO YOU WOULD FEEL COMFORTABLE HERE!” The entire house seemed to vibrate with our screaming so I wasn’t exactly surprised when Mikey and Frank popped their heads into the kitchen.

“Uh, Bob and Ray took Lindsey home.” Frank said quietly, “Just thought I should let you know. She’ll probably visit soon though, her and Bob are a match made in heaven.”

“Thanks Frank.” Gerard’s voice was strained.

“Oh, so you let her go!” I hissed, “Why’d she get to?”

“Drop it Tess.” I heard Mikey warn quietly, “Just walk away. He gets scary when he’s angry.”

“Stay out of this Mikey.” Gerard and I synchronized, causing Mikey to take a step back.

“Yeah we let her go. What else were we gonna do with her?” Gerard growled.

“WHY THE FUCK AM I STILL HERE THEN? IF SHE GETS TO GO HOME WHY CAN’T I?” My cheeks were flushed and burning with rage.

“CAUSE I SAID SO!”

“WHO THE FUCK DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? MY MOTHER?”

“YOU’RE SO INFURIATING, YOU KNOW THAT?”

“OH I’M INFURITATING!? SAYS THE GUY WHO KIDNAPPED ME AND LOCKED ME IN HIS HOUSE LIKE SOME KIND OF PET! CAUSE THAT’S NOT INFURIATING AT ALL!”

“Maybe we should just back away and reassess this situation after a good night’s sleep.” Mikey inched towards Gerard and I, “I don’t want to knock you guys out but I swear to god I will if I have to.”

“You come anywhere near me with your hands right now Mikey I will snap them off,” I warned.

“Like you could catch me!” Gerard scoffed at his brother.

“I mean it guys.” Mikey’s mouth was set into a hard line, “I’ll do it to stop the yelling. I don’t like fighting.”

“She started it!”Gerard accused, “She’s the one being so unreasonable!”

“Me?” I growled, taking a step towards Gerard, “I’m being unreasonable!?”

“Yeah you are, I’ve tried my best to make you happy Tess, but I am DONE!”

“FINE!”

“NO MORE MR. NICE GUY!”

“SEE IF I CARE YOU FUCKING MONSTER!”

Gerard bared his teeth and lurched forwards with his hands outstretched, ready to snap my neck. I flicked my knife out, the blade glimmering coolly in the light.

“Bring it.” I lunged forwards, but a cool arm circled my waist and pulled me back.

“Tess, think rationally,” I heard Frank whisper urgently in my ear, “You’re a good hunter, maybe even great, but this is Gerard Way. He can do shit you can’t even imagine, he could kill you in an instant.”

“I don’t care!” I tried to squirm out of his tight grasp but he only restricted his arms, pulling me rib-crushingly tight against his chest, “I’ve had enough of him! I am not afraid to die trying to kill him!”

I heard Mikey’s urgent whispering to his brother, but I couldn’t make out the words being spoken. I glanced towards Gerard, whose teeth were still bared, but now Mikey had his lanky arms around Gerard and was holding him back.

“I thought you said he couldn’t catch you.” I taunted Gerard. He hissed and pounced forwards but Mikey held him back. I guess he was stronger than he looked.

“Both of you.” Mikey glared at us, “Are acting totally insane. Look at yourselves! You’re about to rip each other’s throats out!”

Suddenly I heard a front door open and slam closed, “We’re back!” I heard Ray yell, “And Bob even got Lindsey’s phone num- What the fuck is going on?!”

Ray and Bob’s faces were identical masks of surprise as they entered the kitchen.

“Hey guys.” Frank greeted them grimly, “They, uh, both kinda snapped at the same time.”

“Could you grab Gerard for me?” Mikey asked them, his grasp on his brother visibly weakening, “I gotta contain them both, and I think I should do Gerard first.”

An ear shattering growl ripped its way out of Gerard’s mouth, “Don’t you dare Mikey! All of you step away and let me at her!”

“Come on ya worthless piece of shit!” I snarled, again trying hopelessly to twist out of Frank’s iron grasp, “Let’s see you try to lay a hand on me!”

“I see.” Ray muttered and rolled his eyes then went to stand on one side of Gerard, Bob walked over to the other and they both grasped his arms tightly.

“Okay, can I let go now?”

Ray and Bob nodded and Mikey hesitantly unwrapped his arms from his brother and went to stand in front of him. “Sorry Gee.” He said and placed his hands on either side of Gerard’s head- which by now was thrashing all over the place, trying to escape. He remained me of a cornered animal. “But you need to calm down. You’ll see when you’re sane again, how much you would’ve hated yourself if you killed her.”

Slowly I saw Gerard’s shoulders slump slightly and his head drooped downwards, his mess of raven hair falling into his face. His knees then buckled and Ray and Bob placed Gerard gently on the floor.

“Th-thanks lil’ bro.” Gerard slurred, and his eyes finally wavered shut.

“Holy shit.” Bob chuckled, releasing his hold on Gerard’s shoulder, “He hasn’t been that mad in centuries! He wasn’t even himself there!”

“All right, you’re next.” Mikey smiled sympathetically at me and placed his hands on either side of my trembling face. It brought back unwanted memories of what happened all those weeks ago.

“Come on Mikes,” I pleaded desperately. I hated the feeling of when he did this. “Gerard’s already out, you don’t have to incapacitate both of us.” My eyes darted over to Gerard’s form crumpled against the counter. His skin was almost transparent in the ugly fluorescent light and his lips were an unbelievable red. He looked so innocent when he wasn’t being a total dictator.

“Sorry Tess.” Mikey winked at me, a smirk settling on his face, “But I think that you both need a little downtime to think about what you’ve done as well.”

A large wave of lethargy washed over me and I fell forwards, all my energy gone. My eyes slid shut and I rested my cheek on the cool tile of the kitchen floor. Franks grasp was suddenly gone and I was floating in a sea of blackness.

“Wow.” I heard Frank giggle, but his voice was far away and tinny. “He must really love her.”

“How do you figure that?” Mikey’s voice sounded incredibly quiet.

“Only people he cares about a lot can make him that mad.” I felt someone lift me up off the floor, and my head lolled backwards, hurting my neck.

Their voices suddenly muted, and I was alone. As hard as I tried, I couldn’t get the burning image of Gerard slouched against the counter out of my head. What scared me more however was how I had found him extremely attractive for a split second.

What the fuck was wrong with me?