Keep the Faith

Only Human

"It's hard to explain, Jan." His voice came out muffled, barely audible.

He was sitting cross-legged on my bed, bent over so that his forehead was pressed against the mattress. I was on the floor by the bed; it looked a bit like he was worshiping me.

I had commented on the huge controversy that had recently surrounded My Chemical Romance, probably the one thing you shouldn't bring up with him, especially. "I hear a lot of people say you've changed." That was when he'd flopped forwards.

I heard it myself, that tone in my voice that said, "A lot of people, me included. Could you please, please tell me what's going on? I don't know what to think anymore."

It was a while before he spoke again and I had to really listen, since it was in a tiny, timid voice.

"Did I-- Did we disappoint you?"

Oh, Gerard. My heart melted and I gently patted the mess of black hair before me. I was completely wrong: the man hadn't changed one bit. He still cared. He was still amazing. And he was only human -- always had been, always would be.

"No. You didn't. None of you did."

He raised his head the tiniest bit so that he could look at me. I think I'd never before fully appreciated how pretty his eyes are.

"Really?" he asked, voice and eyes filled with hope. I couldn't help smiling.

"Really."

I don't know exactly what he was to me at that point in time; hero, brother or friend, I can't really say. But when he sat up straight and smiled that childlike smile at me, the whole room seemed to light up along with his face.

"Thanks. I mean it."

When I was replaying that incident in my mind for the umpteenth time later, I realised something: my hero is just like everyone else.

Just that he isn't, really.

"All the best heroes are ordinary people who make themselves extraordinary."
♠ ♠ ♠
Based on a dream I had.