You Stole My Heart

Marco was still trembling in the corner of the living room when the guys arrived. Johnny had trailed downstairs, currently destroying the kitchen how he found suitable. Johnny, honestly, wasn't very sure why he was breaking anything or why he even angry anymore. It was as if he was possessed. The door was flung open by Matt, the guys right behind him. He spotted Johnny walking into the living room from the opposite end of the hall.

“Seward!” Matt shouted, also walking into the living from the other end of the room. Johnny looked up, baseball bat still tightly in his grip by his side. Jimmy, who was the last one in, shut the door and followed the group. It was then he noticed Marco curled into a ball in the corner closer to Johnny.

“What the hell do you want?” Johnny snapped. The guys extended like a wall of muscles and tattoos along their end of the living room. Johnny glared, his knuckles turning white on the bat.

“Stop being stupid Johnny. You’re not fixing anything,” Brian said slowly, trying not to make the man go insane and possibly hurt Marco. No one was sure if he noticed her yet or not, but they weren’t about to take any chances with the, shall we say, ‘trigger happy’ bassist.

“She was in my house, she fucking destroyed my room,” Johnny muttering, glaring at the ground.

“And so you destroy the rest of the house? You’re acting as immature as her Johnny,” Zacky pointed out. Stupid comment. Johnny’s head snapped up. If looks could kill Zack would be ten feet under about now.

“I didn’t fucking cheat on her. I didn’t steal all her money. Do not fucking compare me to her!” Marco let out a yelp when his fist flew through the wall next to him. All the guys unconsciously took a step forward, terrified for Marco.

“Johnny, just put down the bat, okay? You don’t want to do something you’ll regret,” Matt said slowly, putting his hands up to show he held nothing to hurt him. He took a few slow, careful steps as Johnny glared him down.

Suddenly Johnny snapped, flying forward with the bat raised. Matt, seeing this coming, quickly grabbed the bat. Brian and Zacky ran forward to help hold Johnny still as they all began to struggle. Jimmy dashed to Marco, scooping her up in his arms.

“It’s okay Marco,” Jimmy whispered, petting her hair as she began to shake. Johnny shouting caused Jimmy to look up. Brian and Zacky had him pinned to the wall as Matt tried to talk him down.

“Let go of me you fucking gorillas!” Johnny shouted. Matt looked back and saw Marco shaking and crying. His hazel eyes hardened and he turned to the struggling Johnny with a glare. He grabbed his chin, forcing him to look at the small girl curled up in Jimmy’s lap.

“Would you fucking look at Marco? She’s scared to death of you! Is that what you really want Johnny, is it?” Matt shouted. Marco barely raised her head to have her tear leaking eyes meet Johnny‘s. Johnny looked through her at first and then slowly realized that she was there, she was real. He slowly fell still, his eyes clouding with tears as he looked at the eleven year old who was now terrified of him.

“I’m horrible,” he muttered, falling limp. Zacky and Brian let go of him to let him slide down the wall. He sat at the bottom, his knees up and his hands covering his face. The four friends looked at each other with uncertain faces.

Marco stood from Jimmy’s lap against his silent protests. As she walked forward Matt attempted to grab her so she wouldn’t go near the sulking bassist. She, instead, shook his hands off and walked to Johnny. She stepped over his knees and sat on his lap. He slowly raised his head to come face to face with Marco.

“Go with Jimmy for a while Marco,” Johnny said softly.

“No.” Johnny and the rest of the guys looked at her wide eyed at her statement. She leaned forward, wrapping her arms around his torso and resting her head in the crook of his neck. It took him a moment, but he slowly hugged her back. The guys excused themselves, no doubt heading into Johnny’s kitchen to grab a beer. They all needed one by now. After a few minutes Marco finally broke the silence.

“Johnny?” He opened his eyes and looked down at the young girl who was still cuddled into his chest.

“Yeah Marco?”

“Don’t do that again, okay? I don’t like mean Johnny.” Johnny chuckled lightly, kissing her forehead.

“Okay babe, I won’t. Mean Johnny’s on vacation.” Marco grinned, obviously pleased with this. Marco climbed off his lap, holding out her small hand. Johnny grabbed it, practically swallowing it with his much larger hand, and stood to his feet. The pair walked into the kitchen where the guys, as Johnny had guessed it, stood in the middle of the destruction with a beer each in hand.

“All better now?” Brian asked, looking between the two. Johnny nodded as the two walked closer to the small huddle.

“Yeah. Sorry about this guys,” Johnny apologized meekly, rubbing his neck with his empty hand. Matt clapped him on the back, smiling to show his dimples.

“It’s okay, man. We all have our bad days.” Johnny nodded, his brown eyes trailing over the mess he had caused. He chuckled weakly, looking up at his friends who had confused faces.

“Do you think you guys would be willing to help clean a bit?” The guys all shared appalled faces.

“Please. Us clean the worthless mess you made? Does that sound like us at all?” Zacky scoffed. Marco looked up at all of them with pleading, puppy dog eyes. They all groaned, covering their faces with their hands.

“We’ll do it, we’ll do it! Just stop with the big eyes,” Jimmy whined. Marco giggled showing it was okay for everyone to look again.

“Let’s just get this over with,” Brian sighed, chugging the rest of his beer.

- Time Lapse -

An hour later and Johnny’s house was back into the 'clean' category. Probably more than it has ever been since he had moved in. Johnny let out a sigh of relief and ran a hand through his sweaty hair. He had never sweated while cleaning. That was strange for him. Marco grinned up at him from her spot across the bedroom. “All done?”

“All done,” Johnny agreed, motioning with his hand to have her follow him. She tossed off the bandanna she had wore on her head to keep her bangs off her face and skipped after the bassist. When they reached the bottom of the stairs they could hear the television on and movement from the kitchen. Johnny walked into the kitchen only to pause before doubling over laughing.

“What the hell is so funny?” Brian demanded. He wore an apron over his black jeans (“So I won’t get orange bleach stains”), yellow cleaning gloves, and a bandanna over his head for the same reason as Marco. Zacky, who he had been paired with, was in normal clothes, sitting on a stool at the island with a cup of coffee in hand. His mouth was twitching into a smile behind the rim of the mug.

“Never let your girlfriend see you like that,” Johnny exclaimed, clenching his stomach. Brian huffed, tossing off the bandanna and apron on the counter. As he ripped off his second glove it came back and slapped him in the eye. Zacky finally let out a laugh as Johnny fell to the ground with tears streaking his face.

“Fuck you,” he muttered, storming from the kitchen, stepping over Johnny’s body. Just as he left Matt walked in, confusion etching his features.

“What the hell are their problems?” Matt asked, pointing behind him and then at Johnny.

“I’m not sure anymore,” Marco chimed as Zacky went back to just sitting with a smile. Matt opened his mouth to say something, but just shook his head instead.

“Johnny, there’s something you need to see.” Johnny instantly sobered up at the seriousness the singer showed. He stood to his feet and followed Matt into the living room. Matt nodded to Jimmy who pressed play on the TV remote. The camera zoomed into a guy behind a news desk. He looked dramatically at the camera as a picture popped up to the left of his head.

“Rockstar with a kid? You heard it right. Local man Johnny Seward, also known by fans as Johnny Christ, bassist of Avenged Sevenfold, was caught today at a local Wal-Mart with a young girl.”

Shit.