It took several minutes for people to drag Gil off of Tommy. Once the feat was managed, Maddie dragged Gil out and away from the community center. It took several blocks for Gil to pull himself together. He was still mad but also self-aware.

Maddie turned on a dime to face him. She looked pissed. Gil was about to sign his apologies when she wrapped her arms around him. The action surprised Gil so much, he was hardly able to register her body pressing against his.

"That was stupid, " Maddie said when she let go.

"Are you okay?" Gil attempted to sign, but his hands were sore. As expected his hands were red and raw. The skin was peeling back from his knuckles.

Maddie frowned at his hands. The sheer stupidity of his actions was starting to dawn on Gil. He couldn't talk to Maddie if he didn't have his hands. He should have used his feet to kick the bastard instead.

Maddie took his hands and squeezed him a little too hard. He gave a little yelp but his cries were to no avail. Maddie took him to the corner pharmacy and bought a first aid kit. Gil tried to protest, tried to explain that it would heal on its own and he was used to it, but she was keeping his hands hostage. She stopped at a bench and ordered him to sit down with a point.

Gil obeyed, and Maddie sat down next to him. She opened the kit and wordlessly started treating his wounds. She disinfected his raw knuckles and carefully started wrapping his hands. Her movements were so delicate and gentle, Gil was mesmerized. He was in deep.

Once she was done, she placed his hands in his lap.

"Thank you for standing up for me at the movie. I never thought Tommy was the type to go to violence. But you shouldn't either. You hurt yourself because of me. I didn't want that. I was so worried."

"I'm sorry," Gil finally managed to sign out. He didn't quite understand what she was trying to say.

Maddie frowned and grabbed his hands again. Gil couldn't help but smile. She looked cute even when mad.

She held down his hands with one of hers and placed her other one on his face. Gil inhaled. He had no clue what was going on. She leaned in and kissed him.

Gil was frazzled. He thought Maddie was mad at him, but he found himself in the perplexing and wonderful situation where her lips were softly moving against his.

He responded in kind, doing his best despite being partially restrained. He had been so worried about being out of practice, but kissing was like riding a bicycle. And every girl he had ever kissed said he was an awesome kisser.

The effects of his skill were starting to take a toll on Maddie. Her resistance on his hands gradually lessened. She moved that hand to the other side of his face.

Gil took the opportunity to move one hand to the back of her head, playing with the small curls at her hairline that were too short to go in her pigtail.

Maddie broke the kiss, not nearly as mad as when she started. She almost looked shy now, nervously biting her lower lip.

"You have to know why you got into a fight because of me," she signed.

Gil was even more confused. He had gotten into fights for much less. He once punched a guy in high school who said he was gay for eating a hotdog.

Maddie proceeded to take out her phone and started to type. Gil waited patiently.

Maddie considered her wording and then showed her phone to Gil.

"I met Tommy when I first moved here. I was a deaf girl in a big city, and he was nice to me. Maybe too nice. I should have taken notice when he treated me like I was helpless. We had gone on a couple of dates, but it didn't feel right. Last month at the community event, he told me that he loved me and wanted to make our relationship official. He forced a kiss on me. I told him very clearly that I wasn't looking for a relationship and I was still getting used to moving here. I told him I considered him a friend and did not want a romantic relationship with him. He ignored me after that. I've heard from other girls here that he has a thing for deaf women, so I erased the thought of him from my mind. After meeting you, I got so caught up, I didn't consider how bringing you to the community event would make him feel. He overreacted and said some very rude things, but his actions were not entirely unwarranted. I made him jealous."

Gil could feel his anger creeping up again. Not for Maddie of course, but now that he knew the story he wanted to beat Tommy all over again. He took a deep breath and decided to make a confession of his own.

"I really don't care if his actions were warranted or not. Tommy is not the first asshole I've punched and probably won't be the last. I got picked on a lot, so I've been in a lot of fights. I had a problem directing my anger. I went to a lot of counseling in high school. One of the ways I learned to deal with it was through music, but that's a long story. I've had my heart broken, and I've been a victim of jealousy. Neither are excuses to hit someone you love. He treated you like a possession because you were just a fetish to him. I won't let anyone treat you like that."

Maddie gave a small smile as she read. "I'd like to know your story someday," she signed.

Gil smiled back. "Then, I'll tell you someday." He checked the time on his phone.

"Do you have to go?" Maddie asked.

"Yes," he signed. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

She nodded.

Gil took her face in his padded hands and kissed her forehead. Just that small motion left his heart in a frenzy.

Her eyebrows knit together. It looked like she was going to sign something, but she gave up and waved goodbye.

Gil didn't have time to dwell on what she thought of him right then and there. He had to grab his bass and make it to practice.

The only thing that was saving Gil's ass was that Arthur hadn't shown up to practice. He had managed to pull on an old pair of fingerless gloves to cover up Maddie's handiwork. Right now he was swooning, reminiscing over every millisecond of Maddie kissing him. He struck out chords on his bass guitar slowly, careful not to strain or overextend his hands.

Francis was swooning right back. "Gil, you've been holding out on us. Where have you been hiding those chord changes?"

"Have you started a new song?" Toni asked excitedly. "Did something good happen with your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend yet," Gil said, finally hitting a discordant note.

"Reminds me of when I first fell in love," Toni reminisced, churning out a romantic melody of his own.

"She's not my first love," Gil said. He was obviously was off his groove. He tried to think of what he was playing. "I'm not naïve."

Francis laughed. "How cute."

"So, when can we meet up?" Toni asked. "I want to get your songs playable and repeatable. It's really going to help us take off."

"Wait, what are you guys talking about?" Francis scolded them. "Arthur isn't..."

"Arthur doesn't give a shit about what we think. Why should I care what he thinks?" Toni put down his guitar. "You see the way he treats Gil. He'd never give his ideas a chance."

"Let's hear it then, " Arthur said, coming out of nowhere and already combatant. "What sort of fantastic ideas does Gil have for the band that are better than mine?"

Francis frowned. "This isn't a competition. If you want to compare dick sizes, fine. Just don't take it out on the band."

"Stay out of this Francis, this doesn't concern you," Arthur hissed.

Francis raised his arms in exasperation. "Am I not in the band, too?!"

"Let's hear it, Gilbert. Bring it on. And it better not be the same shit as last time."

Gil didn't play into his goading. "Fuck off, Arthur. You're not king of the band."

"Maybe not, but I'm the best one out of the three of you," Arthur yelled.

"Say that again?" Toni threatened.

"You heard me! I'm the one who puts the most effort in. I book all our gigs. I keep all of your asses in line..."

"It's not like anyone asked for you to do that..." Gil said under his breath.

"You want to take this outside, Beilschmidt?" Arthur threatened.

Gil seriously considered it. "Nah, I've punched my asshole quota for the day."

"It's not like you to be a coward, Gil." He marched onstage and grabbed Gil's wrist to keep him from playing.

"Ah, fuck!" Gil exclaimed as Arthur ripped off one of Gil's fingerless gloves, taking some of the stuck on bandages with it.

Arthur's face went to pure rage when he saw Gil's injured hand. "You really don't give a shit about the band, do you, Gil?!"

"It's not like I can't play," Gil defended. Which was a partial lie since now his knuckles were throbbing.

"We have a performance this weekend! What were you planning to do, half-ass your usual half-ass playing? That leaves us with a quarter-ass of a mediocre bass!" Arthur started pacing the stage. "Don't bother showing up tomorrow or any other practice. I'll find someone else."

"Arthur," Gil tried to reason with him.

"I'm serious. You're out of the band."

"Last I checked kicking members out was a band decision, " Francis said finally having enough. "If Gil goes, I go too."

"Me three," Toni piped in. "And if we're going by democratic band rules, I think that means you're the one kicked out, Arthur."

Francis frowned. "That's not how that..."

"You want me gone so badly! Fine, I quit! See how long your stupid band sticks together based on friendship alone." Arthur stormed out.

"Arthur, wait!" Francis put down his sticks and followed after Arthur.

"Argh! I'm too mad to play," Toni declared, putting away his guitar. "Screw that bastard. We're better off without him."

That left Gil the only one left for practice, clutching his beaten up hand. He ran the still gloved hand through his hair. "Well, shit."