7 Deadly Sins of Joseph Anza
Joseph Anza has been a naughty boy. A collection of fanfics showing the 7 Deadly Capital Sins.
Thanks for the alerts and faves, but can you guys review? Haha. So I know what you think. I'd appreciate any comment and constructive criticism. Thanks!
Since I did it in the first chapter. I'm going to put morals in the chapters.
Oh, and remember:
I do not own Fillmore! and any of its characters. What I'm writing is merely a time passer and a medium of entertainment for the readers. I will not be responsible for people that read content that they are not to read, because I will state directly what things you can expect from the fanfic.
ANGER
"Speak when you are angry - and you'll make the best speech you'll ever regret."
It was a widely known fact that Joseph Anza was a stoic master of self-control. Even when angered, he wouldn't buckle. Unless you pissed him off enough, which was rare. Only a handful of people knew what could set him off edge. One of these things would be when you make a girl cry. He'd get in your face, and either talk up to you or fight. Brawl, in better terms. But he would defend a lady no matter what. It was one of the things he'd learned from bodyguard training. Make sure you protect. No matter who the person was to you, you should protect him or her. No matter what he or she says, you protect. It is your duty as a bodyguard to protect, and only that. Their instructor made sure it was etched clearly into their brains.
Another thing that really pissed him off was when you talked to him about love. He hated seeing couples, he hated romance novels and movies, he cringed whenever he saw two lovers supporting one another, and he hated Valentine's Day. He wanted love, yes, but he didn't want to lose himself to someone else. He had girls from different walks of life falling for him, but he didn't want any of it. Besides, he was only thirteen. Why were intimate relationships important? School and friends were more important than any fling. He didn't have dates to the 8th Grade's Seasonal Proms. He didn't care if people called him a loser. Besides, he wasn't the partying type. He was more of a stay-at-home-and-play-basketball type guy.
If you lie to him, he could get very angry. And it could happen easily. He knew when someone was lying. He wasn't put in the safety patrol for no reason. Usually, he did the interrogation, since Fillmore and Ingrid were mostly busy. And because he was a good talker. He got his point across, and knew how to convince people to talk. His haunting blue eyes were beautiful, yes, but when you pushed lying, they could turn into the most frightening things you could see. It was as if his glare could crack the glass you were holding. He was a silent guy, but knew his moves.
And he held grudges quite long.
But none of those fit the reason why he was angry today.
"My sister's in a fucking coma." he mumbled. He punched his desk, earning some splinters and a very sore hand. It bled, but he didn't care. It didn't hurt as much as he was hurting right now.
"What? Why?" asked Karen, one of his very special friends. She stopped working, and walked over to his desk. His face was sullen, eyes distant. His face was paler than usual. It was either he had been crying all night, or had not slept at all. Karen had a feeling it was both, but seeing how unpredictable Joseph was, you couldn't tell.
He sighed. "I am agoddamned idiot." he all but screamed. He took a deep breath. And another. "I didn't know she was doing this. Why couldn't Celle just tell anyone anything? I was trying to be a good brother, but she kept taking so many risks that I couldn't help but get angry! God, I wish she were more careful. I wish I knew better about her. And we just had to fight yesterday. Oh, I am such a good brother. I am so good. If it weren't for me, she'd be well and walking right now!"
"Joe, it's not your fault." she said, tucking back her black hair. "Look, you fought.But it wasn't you that made her sick."
"No! It was! God, if I weren't so careless with my words she wouldn't have cut herself! I had no idea what she was doing until she stopped answering her door. Fuck it. I am such a bastard." he was breathing deeply, practically growling. Joseph's sister, Jade Asceline, was known to be one of X's biggest risk takers. She was on about every extreme sports team, unlike her older brother who preferred traditional sports and office work. He loved her dearly, but sometimes she got on his nerves, though he'd never admitted it. He put his face to his hands. "I have Ingrid to thank for lock picking."
She went around him and stroked his hair. "Why don't you tell me the whole thing? Joe, sometimes, it's better to talk and vent out your frustration. You're always too reserved and self-kept. Sometimes it's not good to be hiding what you're feeling. After all, we're all human."
He sighed, lowering his head. "I just... oh, hell. Here's how it started. Sit down. It's going to be a pretty long one."
She obliged, and sat on the chair in front of his desk. She leaned against the table.
"Okay, so sibling rivalry was never big on me and Celle. We were tight, but you know her. She loves trouble, and trouble loves her. Lately, she's been slipping in some of her classes, and I couldn't figure out why. Sure, Asceline isn't the brightest student out there, but the lowest she'd ever gotten was a C- on a test. But lately, I've seen that she's been getting Ds and Fs. I don't know why. I see her studying and doing her homework every night. I didn't understand why a hard worker like her was failing, even in math, which was her favorite subject. She got As and Bs all the time, and was one of the best students in class. These past weeks, I haven't been able to talk to her much. She was becoming more distant to me. She was always busy, and when she wasn't she'd spend time sleeping or practicing. I missed her, I really did.
So I went to make my own investigation. That's why you've caught me talking to her teachers a lot these past weeks. I wanted to try and find out what she was doing in class, so I could trace her problem. Well, as it turned out, she was always sleeping or doodling in class. If not, she'd be staring out the window, as if she couldn't get out there anymore. I didn't understand why she was so unhappy. I checked with her friends, who also noticed the same things. But she apparently told no one why she was like that. Not even her best friend, Kate."
"Wow, must've been really bad, huh." commented Karen. Joseph nodded.
"It was. One day, I told Vallejo I needed to get home early. I'd told Folsom about my sister, and she agreed to let me go. Teachers reported to her about my sister's behavior. So I followed her around. And I haveFIllmore to thank for the stealth skills. Anyway, I followed her around until she went home. I thought she'd be going directly home, since everything she did at school was pretty normal. But I was surprised to learn that she took Dementia, which was completely the opposite direction of home."
"Wait, isn't that place, like, scammer, squatter central?" she asked raising an eyebrow.
He nodded, his eyes as hard as stone. Sighing, he continued. "It is. I followed her, of course. I, myself, was frightened to be there. What more her? A bouncer could go in there and come out traumatized. It's empty, haunted, and scary as hell. Miracle no one there gets out here. Anyway, I saw her go into this abandoned building. I peeked through the windows, and I was pained to see her being sexually harassed. She wasn't raped or anything, but they were touching her. I was going to go in, but some son of a bitch caught me, and I had to run off. Load of bull. I was a stupid coward.
When she returned home later, about 2 hours after, I told her I wanted to talk. I told her to come into my room. She hesitated, but I left the door unlocked for her to run out if she was scared I might do the same thing to her. I told her I knew what she was doing. She, of course, denied it. I told her I followed her after school. She was obviously upset that I did.
"Asceline. Can we please talk? Now. It's important." said Joseph, who stood by the door frame.
"Uh, okay. Where?" she replied, scratching her head.
"In my room. Go." he said, leading her up the stairs. When the siblings entered, he closed the door, but left it unlocked. He noticed the hesitation in her eyes when he shut the door. He took a breath.
"Asceline. I know what you're doing. Why are you doing it?"
She paled, but didn't show any expression. She knew him. She was trying to hide from him. "I'm not doing anything, okay? Just hanging by school."
Joseph sighed. "I followed you, Celle. And I didn't like what I saw. What the hell was that guy doing to you? Better yet, how the hell did you get there and why do you know him?"
Her jaw dropped. "What? Joseph, how could you invade my privacy! That's my business, not yours. This is my body, and I do what I want with it."
"Asceline, it is my business when you're being harassed! Look at you! You have bruises. Your grades are slipping! You're losing your touch with the world! Your friends! Mom! Dad! Me. Sis, why are you doing this?"
"Joseph, you wouldn't understand. I want this."
My eyes could have flamed when she said that she wanted that. It was a lie. I know it is. She was being forced to do it against her will. That made me angrier. She was my sister, and she didn't deserve shit like that. I told her that I didn't believe what she was saying.
He let out an exasperated sigh. "Asceline, what the fuck is that supposed to mean? You want sex? I don't believe you. You're too young for things like this. I don't believe that you're doing this willingly. I think you're doing this because that dipshit is forcing you to do it! Why are you succumbing to him? Couldn't you tell me so I could help you? Sis, you know you can talk to me about anything. Whatever you need, I'll try to get it. Just don't put yourself in harm's way!" he all but yelled.
"I love him!" she cried, tears falling down her face. "Joseph, I don't want to leave him. Yes, he may be forcing me to do this, but I don't want him to leave me!"
He groaned, his face contorting into a mixture of anger, disappointment, and sadness. "Oh my God, Celle! Of all things, I NEVER expected you to sink this low! Why would you give yourself to a man that doesn't love you, but lusts after you? Sis, this isn't right! You're hurting yourself more than giving yourself happiness!" Joseph shook his head, fighting back the tears.
"HE LOVES ME, BRO. JUST BECAUSE YOU'VE NEVER EXPERIENCED LOVE, DOESN'T MEAN YOU HAVE TO JUDGE ME FOR IT!"
SLAP.
That was my mistake. I was so stupid to have done that. I should've been more careful with what I did and said, because I had no idea how sensitive and vulnerable she was at that time. My ire got the best of me. I was so stupid. I am an idiot, Karen, an idiot." he said, sighing. He closed his eyes, fighting to regain his composure. He did, and eventually continued with the story.
"She ran out of the room, crying. I heard her slam her door, and all I could do was fall to the floor and listen to her cries.
After his hand connected with her face, she stared at him with wide eyes brimming with tears.
"Never did I expect you to sink this low." she said, running out of the room.
I was shaking, and trying not to cry. I was scared. I'd never seen her so hurt before. I didn't mean for it to get so far. I didn't want that to happen. She enraged me too much that I... lost control." he said, biting his lip. His eyes were clouding with tears, but he refused to let them fall. Karen held his hand, encouraging him to continue.
"I'd never felt so bad my entire life. She went silent just a few minutes after she locked herself in, and I was still trying to work up the courage to apologize to her. I decided to go get her her favorite apple tarts from the store in Kesslers. I went out, and bought a box for her. Those apple-cinnamon tarts were her absolute favorite, and usually cheered her up. It was worth a shot. And so, I went back home about half an hour later, because I'd neglected to bring fare with me. So I had to walk.
I entered the house and brought the food up with me. I knocked on her door.
"Celle? You still there? Listen, I'm sorry. I guess I was so enraged I couldn't control myself. I didn't mean to hurt you." he sighed. "Listen, I got you something. Might wanna come out and take it."
He frowned. Usually she'd retort or something by now.
He knocked again. "Celle? Celle? Open up!" He repeated this several times in a row.
"Celle? Celle! Hey, open up! Celle? CELLE!" he cried, frantically banging on her door. Just then, he remembered the credit card trick Ingrid taught him. He pulled it out, and successfully opened the door.
"CELLE!"
And... there she was." he said, shaking his head sadly. "She was there, on the floor, eyes open and glazed, and her arms with a huge collection of cuts. It was horrible. She was slowly killing herself and no one knew. That was why she was paler. That was why she was weakening. It was the sad, cold truth."
She squeezed his hand and allowed him to collect himself. "Joe, you did that because you wanted to protect her. And who could blame you? You did what you could. It's not your fault."
"The blood. God, the blood. Thank the Lord no news crew went there when I was. And thankfully they weren't covering it yet. Ugh. Fucking media people, always trying to get into others' lives. Oh, God, it was awful. It was everywhere. She was in shock when I got there, because she'd lost too much. Thankfully I had my phone, because I could never gain any strength to go down the hall and get it. When I got help, I think I passed out or something, and the next thing I knew, she was in a coma. I'd never seen Mom and Dad so... quiet." he said. tugging on his jacket sleeve. Karen stared into his eyes, but he looked away, and she took off his hand. She pulled his sleeve up, and sure enough, there it was. A neat, fresh cut.
"Joseph, how could you?"
His icy orbs were swimming in a pool of tears. "I acted on rage, Karen. I couldn't help it."
They sat in silence for a while, when Vallejo came out of his office.
He raised an eyebrow. "Anza. You get any sleep last night?"
He shook his head. "Not a wink."
"Well, go get some, cause Folsom's giving you the day off. Anything happen?"
He nodded. "A lot." he replied, slamming the door shut behind him.
A few weeks later, Joseph woke up at the hospital bed beside Asceline. He'd slept there the night before, not bothering to leave her side. He was afraid of any moment being her last. He'd donated blood every so often, since they were both of AB positive blood type. His parents were hesitant, but he pushed them that he wanted to do this. For her. Since ABs could receive fromany of the three other types, it wasn't much of a problem, but Joseph wanted to ensure she got the best.
Her face was significantly rosier than it was weeks ago. She was looking much better. He smiled, and held her hand. It jerked, and squeezed his.
He nearly gasped. "Celle? You there?"
"Yeah. I am."
Sometimes you just need to keep your mouth shut. Remember, that sometimes, words can hurt more than actions. Just put yourself in their shoes before judging them. You can't control what you feel, but you can certainly control what you say and do.