Situations

We were sitting around a fire in the desert when it happened. Everyone was talking and laughing and then there was a shot of light from nowhere. Gerard yelled and shoved me to the ground. I heard yelling and looking up through the settling sand to see Frank and Mikey holding a Draculoid in between them. It was struggling, a bullet hole in it's stomach. I watched blood leak out, but it didn't look like human blood, it was thicker and darker.
Gerard held a torch to its face and and the white mask gleamed. I wanted to take that mask off and see what was hiding underneath it but I didn't dare voice that thought. Gerard held a torch up to the monsters face. The red and green light reflected off both the mask and Gee's face, making him look dangerously beautiful.
"Take it around out back and tie it up. If it's still alive by morning then we'll decide what to do with it."
"We need to do a search, where there's one there could be more. Everyone spread out."
I looked at Gee, my eyes wide. Did he mean me too?
"Marina..." He looked at me as if unsure of what to do now. "Come with me."
I got and brushed the sand off my clothes before clutching at my sides. He led me to the diner, tugging me along by my hand.
"Stay here. It's not safe for you to be out here. You don't know enough yet and I need to be focused, not worrying about you." He reached into his jacket and pulled out a blue gun. It was the exact shade of blue as the streaks in my hair.
"I know you haven't used one of these yet, but if something happens and you need to protect yourself I want you to have it." He faltered. "If you need to fire this, take off the safety." He touched a small lever on the gun. "Then shoot." He placed his finger over mine so I touched the trigger.
I looked up at him, I didn't want him to go.
"When did you get this? The color.." I looked at him, searching his face for an answer.
He wrapped his arms around me, a mischievous grin on his face.
"Is that not your favorite color punk?"
I giggled, feeling a little better. It seems he has that effect on me.
"I'll be back soon love. You'll be alright, don't wait up for me because I don't know how long this will take."
He kissed me gently. I wrapped my arms around his neck, standing on my tip toes to reach him better.
"I love you." I said as he pulled away.
He smiled at me, white teeth gleaming in the half dark. He kissed my forehead then he was gone.

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- Gerard's POV-
We spent half the night looking for any more Draculoids. We found two. huddled in some bushes. Mikey yelled and there was a flash of light. I rushed over to him, leaping over rocks and bushes. One had him by the throat but he appeared weaponless.
"Ger-wad! Sh-Shoot!" Mikey choked out. I fired one shot from the yellow gun, scared to death that I would miss and hit my only brother. The shot hit it square in the back and I sighed in relief.
"Thanks." Mikey grunted, rubbing his throat.
"You okay?" I asked, pulling him into a hug.
"I'm fine." He patted my back awkwardly.
I was so afraid of losing him, afraid of losing everything. I mean I loved Mikey before, of course I did. He's my only brother, but now... It was just different. I felt like I had more to live for. More to die for.
I would still die for this cause. Trying to bring this industry down is what I live for. What I'd die for. But is it really worth it?
I thought back to Marina, hopefully she was sleeping in bed right now. She was too pretty to miss sleep. So pretty and she loved me. How could she love me? We had slept together and I had hoped it had meant something more, but I didn't want to get my hopes up. She was a desert beauty, a flower blooming on this cactus we call a life. She had fallen into this with me and I didn't intend to keep her trapped here. She could still live a normal life if she wanted to. I won't be the one to take that away from her. Even if I did love her.
Thinking of her made the night go by much faster, I could tell the sun was going to rise soon and we had checked everything within ten miles of the diner.
"Alright Mikey I think we can call it quits. If there were any more close enough to be a threat we would have found them by now. We should go home now."
Mikey nodded, he looked as exhausted as I felt. I just wanted to crawl back into bed and wrap my arms around Rina.
We rode back together and I was glad for the time with Mikey. He seemed to have cheered up, laughing and joking about what he'd do to the next Draculoid that tried to touch him. I was glad he was okay, and even more thankful that I could see this lighter side of him. The world was ugly and I envied the fact that he hadn't let it harden him.
I tried to sneak in quietly but Rina stirred when I slipped into bed.
"Gee?" She mumbled sleepily.
"Yes, I'm home now love." I wrapped my arms around her and settled her into my chest.
"I missed you, I'm glad you're okay." Her sleepy voice was the cutest thing.
"I missed you too." I mumbled back, already half asleep.
She breathed against my skin. "I just love you." I heard her whisper right before I passed out.
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-Marina's POV-
I had said I loved him twice and he hadn't said it back either time. Maybe he hadn't heard it the second time but I know for damn sure he heard it the first time. He just smiled and left.
Why? Maybe I shouldn't say it again. If he hadn't said it back then it was clear he didn't feel that way about me. I tried not to think about the fact that I might just be an easy fuck for him. What I really needed to do was figure out what my future was going to be. I didn't have anything to go back to in the city, and I don't know if I could stay here. I might like it at the diner, but I won't stay here if Gerard doesn't want me to. I know I could prove to him that I could be useful, and that I could fight too. I was doing well in my training, everyone said so. It seemed the only problem was my feelings for Gerard. It didn't help that I was around him a lot, and I slept in the same bed as him. That needs to change, I thought to myself. Distance could help. Make it so I wanted him less. I would ask him tonight, there must be somewhere else I could sleep that wasn't his bed. I don't even care if I have to crash on the floor of the diner, I just can't stay in the same bed with Gee anymore.
I could feel my thoughts growing darker with each thought about getting away from him. I didn't want to create this distance, but I felt like I had to. I could focus on my training and actually being useful to this cause. That's what matters. I didn't come here for love, I came here for revenge. Remember that Marina.

Notes