And the plot thickens… Matt: EVEN MORE?! O.O. A little bit, yeah.
15 – Friends
"What? No flowers?"
Isabella looks down at her cot and Ian nods his head, 'nope, no flowers." Isabella holds onto a pink blanket where her daughter is now wide eyed and staring at Ian. Isabella gives over the little child towards Ian. "By the way, she's not that skinny."
"Coming from an anorexic little one, that says a lot," Ian rolls his eyes and his eyes guide down onto Isabella's body, she's a little onto the normal weight range because of their daughter but still not healthy enough. Ian just stares at her, glaring coldly. "You can have her."
"Who says I'm keeping her with you?"
"If you name her Melanie, I'll bash your head in."
Ian smirks and shakes his head, 'not Melanie." He then looks down at the girl in his hands, tanned flesh, bits of black hair and violet eyes. Definitely a Devil's child. The child curves her mouth as if she's smirking. "Monique."
They're home.
Jeff just can't believe it.
He steps into his room, Gilbert following him while Matt goes to his room. Gilbert's eyes widen at the sight of the walls, black, with a gray border on each one of them and a window that resembles a jail cell, Jeff turns around towards his father and chuckles nervously. "Um…I…when you were away and stuff and that shape shifter was pretending to be you, he was almost never home so Matt was a lot…and he ticked me off a lot. I just did this out of anger. I always said that he makes me feel like I'm in a prison so I just did this… Dad?"
"Huh?" Gilbert snaps out of trance. "Yeah, I understand but does Matt's room look the same?"
"Yeah. Pretty much. He likes horror movies a lot so he painted his walls black but his ceiling is gorgeous." Jeff says, his eyes widening in the memory of amazement, 'you know, he's the one who inspired me to be a painter. His ceiling is so beautiful, they're a bunch of lines to you but to an artist…they speak to me…it just moved me…make my heart flutter…I know that sounds weird but Matt sucks at being an artist so that kinda shocked me too."
Gilbert nods his head and follows Jeff into Matt's room where Matt seems to have sat down onto his red bed, Gilbert's eyes trail towards the ceiling and he lets out a soft gasp. "Damn. That really is nice. Though I'm not an artist."
Matt just stares up at his ceiling. "You actually like that crap?"
"It's the best art I've seen done by you, 'Jeff giggles, walking towards him, throwing Matt backwards as he jumps on top of him. Matt lets out a chorus of laughter as his hands slip around Jeff's waist and he quickly kisses Jeff's lips. Gilbert looks away at the display of affection. "Um…"
"Oh yeah, you're in the room, 'Jeff flushes into a bright pink, sitting onto Matt's lap. "So I start school tomorrow?"
Jeff doesn't feel like going to school all over again and having to explain to everyone that he 'moved away' and he wonders if Matt will be able to go through the day of school without having someone insult Matt for being a schizophrenic. Matt sighs before he flips onto his bed, Jeff standing up and staring down at Matt. "Hey, you look tired." Jeff realizes, reaching over to stroke Matt's face.
"Nah, Jeffro, I'm fine."
Jeff shakes his head. "You're lying to me."
"I'm not dying. It's not the end of the world. Go, pack your stuff, Jeffy and I'm going to go take a shower, m'kay?"
Jeff nods his head and slips out of the room, and Matt looks through his drawers for a bunch of clothing. Gilbert just chuckles and probes through his mind, doubting the idea of both of them going to the same high school all over again but he doesn't know what other school to apply to. He slips out of the room to leave Matt his privacy. In the shower, Matt slips inside of the warm water, allowing his head to slide down.
"Well, well, well…"
"Oh shit." Matt snaps his head towards Ian, who stands there with a smirk on his face. "Great. Now get out of my bathroom, bitch."
"Not a way to treat a guest, no?"
Matt twists towards Ian, 'why do you bother coming here? Why me?"
"Besides you're vulnerable. Jeffery may be weak but you're weaker. I can feed on you better than bouncing ideas at Jeffery. But if you must know that Jeffery is going to have a very difficult time going through high school with me around…" Ian's smirk widens. "Precious little Jeffy can be broken in ten different ways but I have to choose the one that makes Matty break too, no? It'll hurt you to see your little pet get beaten to death, I assure you."
"What?! What are you going to do to him?"
Ian looks down at the floor, 'I'm not going to do anything."
"Oh, sending someone else in to do your dirty work."
Ian shakes his head, 'must I remind you if I do it myself than Jeff would be snapped into pieces in seconds and I don't want to lose my control and completely kill him without making you both suffer a little bit… besides, what fun is that? I want to play a nice game. Not a boring one."
Ian slips his fingers underneath Matt's chin and forces Matt to look at him. "Be. Very. Careful. I'm the last person you want to play with."
Matt just glares at him. "No. You're the first."
"You have no idea what you just said, 'Ian looks back towards the window, the lit room turns black for a second only to have Matt turn and look around. Ian's gone for now. Matt just ponders on about what Ian means… game. It's a game and it's a guessing game but that's not enough information for Matt to build up—
Then he hears a scream.
Oh shit.
"JEFF!"
Matt floods towards Jeff's room where Jeff stands, shaking as Matt wraps his damp arms around Jeff.
"What'd you see? Jeff? What happened?"
"Um…nothing…" Jeff says, trying to move away from Matt. "Don't touch me."
"Jeffro…"
Jeff shakes his head, tears starting to spill from his eyes. "Just go."
Matt watches as Jeff walks towards a plastic case where Jeff sits down and looks at his hamsters run around, a few shuffled sobs escaping Jeff's mouth as he tries to regulate his sobs and not having that type of control makes Jeff's tears cascade faster and harder. "Jeff…"
"Just go, Matty."
Fuck Ian. Matt turns around to face Gilbert. "He doesn't want to talk about it. He's scared and shaken up."
"But what happened?"
Matt looks down at the floor, water trickling down his hair, 'I have no idea. I was in the shower and I heard him scream so I grabbed a towel and rushed over and Jeff just seems so shaken up and scared about something but he doesn't want to tell me…let's just give him some space. He's not going to tell us right now."
Gilbert nods his head. "I hate the fact that I can't control what happens to you both."
"I know, Dad." Matt sighs, then turns towards his room, slamming the door shut so he could change…
__
Adam's hands are around Chris's for the moment. "Hey."
Chris looks down at the floor. "Hey." His voice is soft and breakable, cracked and bitter. "What do you want?"
"I know you're in a bad mood but I got you your favorite type of dessert…the Spanish thing and hey…hey, look at me, 'Adam lifts Chris's chin so that Chris looks at him, 'I know you're confused of the entire airport episode and I am too but I know that despite the fact, I want to keep you safe…I love you."
"I know you do, Addy," Chris presses his head against Adam.
"Are you going to be alright?" Adam asks.
"Can I have a cookie too?"
"You're pushing it. Besides, don't you have like a wedding dress to fit into?" Adam chuckles while Chris playfully smacks his shoulder, allowing his hands to grip tightly onto Adam's shoulders as he continues to rest his head onto Adam's chest, the soft lull of their song into Chris's ear.
"What happens to Confessional Pistol?"
Their band.
Adam smirks. "We may just have gotten our band back, don't think? I got my drums here and you got your guitar. Jeff still plays bass, and Randy's vocals are still in use, may I add…" Adam's eyes widen, 'Confessional Pistol may have a chance to compete this year on that battle of the bands stuff they see on TV, right?"
"Yeah…" Chris thinks of it, 'and I miss the band."
"I miss the band too."
"Chris? Really? Bringing back Confessional Pistol?"
Randy, who had just gotten around here a few days ago, sits onto a chair in Chris's front yard, while Adam sits near a table, Matt sitting beside him and Jeff's on the table, holding onto Matt's shoulders and poking his head through Matt's shoulder.
"Yeah!" Chris nods.
"You're the biggest idiot ever."
"I miss Confessional Pistol. Hell, since school started, I never get to see you guys. I have you guys in almost all my periods but I still am not able to see you guys! I mean, it's unfair, no? We used to bond through this and I thought…that since we're going back to our regular basis, school in North Carolina and shit, we can go back to the band too…it was such a success but Jeff and I broke it up when we ran off…and this is our chance to mend it back again! Randy, you had dreams singing near an audience that bows down to your every command!"
"That was before I figured out that I was dying, 'Randy snaps and then instantly, he shuts up.
"What?" Adam's eyes are soft now, liquid brown, staring at Randy.
"Well…I…I'm sick, guys. I don't know how to tell you this but I'm actually pretty sick and I can't do anything to get any better." Randy says, mumbling and grunting before staring back at Jeff and Adam, then back towards Chris but then a thought whirls through his head. "This could be the last thing I do with you guys and Confessional Pistol may be on track but then…then who'd take my place after I die?"
"Well…" Matt tries to suggest something. He's a horrible singer so it can't be him and Randy points towards Chris.
"What?!" Chris exclaims, his face going pale, 'you know how much fear I have when I'm on stage, Ran! That's unfair!"
"But you sound better than any of us. Even me. Chris, your voice is awesome. You have been to all those singing instructors and stuff and you're throwing it away just because you're afraid of singing in front of an audience…" Randy closes his eyes. "Hey, there's that creep kid that used to hang around here that really knew his way around a guitar, what's his name?"
Jeff stares at Randy. "Shannon?"
"Yeah, that one."
"He used to live next door to us," Matt realizes, 'and he still does. His dog better get off my lawn though. Thing loves to shit everywhere. And I work hours on the house. Shouldn't get a damn dog…"
Jeff giggles. "Shannon is friendless. He just doesn't seem to have anyone at his house…that's kinda sad…"
Matt stares at Jeff, glaring, 'he'll be fine. He has a dog."
"He can play guitar in Chris's position…we can get him to join the band. Hell, all he ever does is strum his guitar or play with his dog…poor thing," Jeff starts, Matt sighs and looks away. "What did Shannon ever do to you?"
"His dog-"
Jeff slaps him playfully. "That's evil, Matty."
"Confessional Pistol is back in business." Randy simply says and Chris stares at him in disbelief before he goes over and embraces him so tightly that Randy seems to have turned into a different shade of pale as he tries to breathe. "Dammit…Chris…can't breathe…you little bitch…"
Matt blinks.
Jeff giggles. "Yup. That's Randy."
Matt's sitting down by a table, watching as the band practiced a song called 'Fragile'.
He'd kill them after this is over.
Shit metal music.
Shannon is sitting beside him, holding onto his dog and stroking her between her ears, Blink's eyes are staring up at the act as she licks through her golden paws. Shannon just stares at her and kisses her ear, watching the act in front of him unfold.
Randy holds onto his microphone, biting down at his lip, and starting to sing at the beat of Jeff and Chris's guitars and at Adam's drums banging violently. "…and you still wonder/Still ponder/my little friend/Unseen things/You still wonder/Still ponder, my little friend/Obscene little things/Still stuck in your pretty head…"
Jeff resists his urge to giggle as the chorus of the song hits. "Senders/Enders/You will surrender/Capture/Fracture/You will rapture…"
The dog barks.
Chris plays electrically and smoothly, singing in a slurred whisper, '…and you still wonder."
Randy's part comes on again and he takes his part quickly, grinning at the rhythm. John just walks by and sits down, knowing that he and Randy are separated but that doesn't mean that they can't stay friends. "…don't be scared/You still know that I never cared/Don't be fucking scared/I don't care that I'm all impaired!"
"Pretty little butterfly/Don't open your wings/Don't cry, little butterfly/Hear me sing…/Don't open your wings…"
Chris breaks in Adam's part to say in his slurred, darkened whisper. "I'll tear them apart."
Adam glares back at Chris as if he's the only one in the stage, and pretends to threat-glare him, trying to retain his laughter, "…you won't leave me…"
Adam grins at his part, looking over at Chris and winking at him. Matt wants to gag but he holds it in as Shannon watches. "Close your mouth, you'll catch flies."
Jeff almost forgets his verse but he remembers when it's been a few seconds and no one's said anything. "Senders/Enders/You will surrender/Capture/Fracture/You will rapture…"
Adam nods again, looking back at Chris. "Pretty little butterfly/I'll find you/You'll die…"
Chris goes back to his slurred whimper, 'don't hurt me…"
The next few verses are Chris and Adam singing to each other as if they're the only ones on stage. Randy's just happy that in this song he doesn't sing much.
"You'll never fly again…"
"LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"…I love you, little butterfly/don't cry/you'll die/and so will I…"
Jeff stares at them.
"JEFF!"
Jeff remembers his verse. He hates being the chorus. "Senders/Enders/You will surrender/Capture/Fracture/You will rapture…"
"Obscene little things, unseen things, unforeseen things…" Adam and Chris sing along together.
"Senders/Enders/You will…"
Adam grins and screams out the next word, 'SURRENDER!"
Chris says in that whisper once more, with a crack in his voice, 'you said you loved me…"
"Capture/Fracture/You will…" Jeff repeats robotically.
"RAPTURE!" Adam cuts in one more time, holding onto Chris's shoulder as if he's about to break him in two halves.
"…please, don't do this to me…" Chris mumbles.
Randy walks into the center of the stage, looking down at Chris and smirking, 'pretty little butterfly…you still wonder…"
"JEFF!" Randy screeches once more.
Jeff drops his guitar and looks over at him, alert but he's sure the song's over, isn't it? He shakes his head. "What'd I do?"
Randy laughs. "Just like teasing you, idiot. Next time you forget it's your part. I'll let Matt sing it."
Jeff looks at him in horror. "Have you seen Matt sing? He sings Happy Birthday and we all start crying…"
"HEY!" Matt stands up from his position and Shannon follows, feeling sort of alone back there only with Blink and Matt sits down onto the stage, watching the room in Chris's house. "You bought this yesterday?"
Chris nods his head. "Yeah."
Matt eyes him.
"What? I'm a rich kid!"
Matt sighs and turns around towards Jeff who giggles as he puts down his guitar and sits beside Matt, embracing him. "What did you think?"
Shannon thinks for a moment. "Who wrote it?"
"Oh, Phil did." Jeff says, grinning, 'he's a poet so writing music comes easy to Phil, and he listens to a lot of metal so he knows what type of music that Chris wants 'cause Chris writes the notes that we use…and he makes sure it's not too complicating 'cause I can't do much with my little guitar. I do play bass only after all. Look at my fingers, Matty!"
"Shit." Red lines all over them. Matt blinks.
"That's what bass means. Hurt hands." Jeff grins, pressing his head towards Matt's chest. "Hey, let's go! Today, Dad gets off work! We can spend some time with him and stuff! Come on, Matty!"
Matt smiles. "Nice meeting you, Shannon." Then he glares down at the dog. "Hello, mongrel."
Shannon laughs. "Oh, she knows you."
Matt's about to tear her limb from limb when Jeff grabs onto his hand and takes him away and he runs his hand through the dog's fur, smiling to himself.
Randy looks at Shannon. "Hey, by any chance, do you have HIV and or AIDS? 'Cause I have some questions…"
Shannon just stares. "Is it weird that I don't find that weird?"
Chris laughs. "He's one of us already."
Just as they get home, Jeff walks towards the couch where Gilbert is and jumps into his father's arms. "Daddy!"
Matt just laughs and passes by towards the kitchen.
Jeff giggles. "First day home from work. Are you excited?"
Gilbert nods his head, 'yes. How are you today, Jeffy?"
Jeff thinks for a moment, then his grin widens. "Well, I've…" then a memory over washes his head and he slinks down onto the couch, 'I've…I've done some stuff I guess that I'm not too happy with and I'm scared a lot…but band practice helped me take my mind off things. I just want to break free from it all, you know? Weird stuff has been happening."
Gilbert embraces him. Jeff just whimpers. "What?"
Jeff slips away from Gilbert's embrace. "Just scared."
"Of what?"
Jeff won't say another word as he walks into the kitchen, and Gilbert follows Jeff, 'I've forgotten about Dinner, Jeffery…I'll go call-"
They stop to see that Matt has dinner set in its place, and he's just applying a few spoons and forks here there and he looks up at his father, confused. "What? Why are you looking at me like that?"
"You don't have to cook…it'll make you seem like a Maid."
Matt laughs. "I do the cooking around here…and the cleaning too. I just don't like giving Jeffy chores. Besides, he gives me crap if I start telling him about cleaning his bedroom."
Jeff nods his head, 'and besides, Matt's used to it."
"But it's…"
Matt stares up at Gilbert as he shakes his head. "I don't know. It just reminds me of Ruby so much…the cooking and cleaning…" he stares down at his son who seems frozen in state as he blinks down, tears threatening to trickle down his eyes.
"What?"
Matt stares down at his food then stands up. "I'm sorry." Matt walks out of the room.
Jeff just stares down at the food in front of him, sighing softly and then staring up at his father, trying to think of a way to tell him this.
"He looked like her," Gilbert's voice is laced with thickness and certainty. "His eyes, her eyes. His face, her face. He looks just like her. And I can't handle it. One day, I just walked in on him, say his face, we're all alone and I just did it. I raped him. I know it's fucking wrong…but God, he felt so right. My virgin Matty…" he chuckles sadistically. "He was only twelve…and he could scream…"
Jeff just stares at him. "The shape shifter…he told Matt that he looked like Mom. That he was a sorta replacement for her…" Jeff remembers, from the dark night that almost makes him want to start crying all over again, 'and when you said that, he just lost it. Poor thing. You can't really blame him…he's been through the abuse since he was 12 and he made it towards 16… it didn't stop from there. Everything just got worse."
Jeff stands up. "Imma go talk to him."
Jeff walks towards the room and slips through, hearing a crash of lightening and then followed by a scream.
Jeff runs downstairs, he'd heard that scream from outside…
He slips outside and stares at the next yard, a body on the floor, a body on the floor…Jeff stares at the body and realizes that it's a female.
He turns to see Shannon's face, tears cascading down his face…
Shannon's Mother.
Jeff lets out a gasp as he hears another scream.
"No!" he's sure that scream is Matt's.
But he can't just leave Shannon here all alone. "Shannon, bring Blink and you over here…" Jeff says, holding onto Shannon's shoulders who slowly nods his head, letting out a sob that he's been choking back, 'get your stuff and just come over here…it's not safe there…Shannon…"
Shannon just runs towards his house to get his belongings as quickly as he could have. He isn't thinking straight and he'll never be able to—
At the same time, Jeff turns his head towards the house and runs towards the source of the scream.
To find Matt onto the floor, blood seeping from his head…
"Fuck. Fuck. Fuck." Matt curses as Gilbert, who's been kneeling down, holds onto Matt's body as tightly as he could've, embracing him as Matt shakes and shivers.
Jeff leans down, 'what happened?"
"I…I don't know…" Matt simply says, 'I just got pushed out of my balcony window…"
"I found him outside and when I actually touched him, he just started screaming…and he was trying not to faint…he's trying not to faint… Jeffy, you should call an ambulance or something-"
"NO!" Matt exclaims, gripping tightly onto Gilbert's arm and shaking his head. "I don't want to go back there ever again! I don't want that! I don't!"
A mischievous laugh fills the house.
Ian makes his way towards the trio, smirking his smirk and then leaning down towards Matt. "Told you."
Matt wants to rip off that face, staring at him.
Ian grabs onto Matt's shoulder, Jeff stepping back and telling his father to step off because if they anger Ian now, they'd sure be done for it. Ian's eyes are staring into Matt's, hard honey meets hard brown. Ian smirks and bites down at Matt's lower lip, drawing blood from it then pulls himself back, 'next time, it's not gonna be you who gets hurt…" Ian grabs onto Jeff's body and swings him towards him, pressing his own body against Jeff as if Jeff is his screw toy, 'it's gonna be your little slut over here."
Ian reaches down to pinch Jeff's ass and makes him slur a whimper.
"Enjoy your ride to Hell."
X Sam.