Keep Running Darling

Who are you?

After, quite literally, running into Party Poison, I went back to my "bed" and decided to rest for a while longer. Eventually everyone else was up and beginning to eat breakfast, talking amongst themselves. Everyone but Party. 

I got out of my bed and walked outside, not bothering to ask about Party. I didn't really care if I'm being honest. 

Once outside I realized the heat hadn't set in yet. I closed my eyes, taking in the comfort of the morning air. 

"You need to put some pants on or you're going to burn." 

I jumped, opening my eyes and looking for the source of the voice. 

"Up here."

I looked up to the roof of the diner, and there sat Party Poison. He was dressed but his hair looked disheveled, like he had just woken up. He had a cigarette in his left hand and a can of PowerPup in his right. 

"Huh?" I answered him.

"I said, you need to go change out of those shorts before the heat comes in or you'll burn."

"Oh, yea... well I have a little until then so I think I'll enjoy the morning in my shorts for the time being."

I rolled my eyes as I looked back out to the open desert in front of the diner. 

I can take care of myself, thank you very much.

A few minutes went by. Neither of us said a word until Party broke the silence with an exasperated sigh. 

"Do you want to come up here?" 

I turned back to face him on the roof, debating my answer. 

"Are you going to finally be nice to me?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

He took a long drag off his cigarette and looked back down at me.

"You've got 2 seconds or the offer is off the table."

"Fine."

He almost looked as if he wanted me to decline. 

"The ladder is around the side, help yourself."

I slowly walked to the side of the building debating if I really wanted to go up or not. Once I reached the ladder I had made my decision. I made my way up slowly, being sure not to aggravate my wounds. Once I made it to the top, I looked around and saw that Party was in the same spot as I saw him last.

Thanks for the help.

I walked over to him and sat by his left side, taking in the cigarette smoke as it burned. We sat in silence for a few minutes, Party often taking a drag of hit cigarette or a bite of his breakfast. 

I can't take it anymore.

"Why do you hate me? I just met you and you have yet to show any kindness towards me." I asked, turning to look at him. 

He didn't look back at me but his eyebrows furrowed. After a few seconds he answered.

"I just don't know you."

"Well that's a copout answer if I've ever heard one."

Now, he looked at me both confused and irritated. I looked back at him, taking in his features now that we were up close. 

His hair fell in front of his face so perfectly, casting shadows on his prominent cheekbones and fair skin. His lips were thin, but pink and his eyes... they were beautiful. It was like looking into a forest lit up by the morning sunlight. 

I hated to say it but he was gorgeous. 

He looks like-

"You really don't remember me do you?" 

His question broke me out of my daze. "...What?"

He shook his head, "I didn't notice at first. You were so bloody and beaten. You looked the same, just older and I guess it didn't click in my mind that there was a possibility of you even being alive."

"What do you mean? Dr. D said we've never met." I was utterly confused. 

"Technically no, we haven't met. Not as Toxic Venom and Party Poison... I didn't realize until you came out of your house wearing that jacket... my jacket." 

My blood began to boil, thinking this was some sick joke. For starters, Dr. D would never lie to me. Second, this jacket was never Party's. This jacket hasn't been worn by anyone but me since the fires. 

"I had my suspicions but you never showed that you remembered so I let it go. I dealt with you as I would any other stray. After you pulled that stunt yesterday, I decided to make a move to see if it would help jog your memory. But nothing worked... that is, until I caught you daydreaming last night."

What is this man talking about?

"You were mumbling but I could make out a few words. You were seeing the night of the fires. I didn't want to bug you about it because you seemed upset." He looked at me expectantly now. 

I was frozen. Party has sat here and told me that we knew each other before the fires. He just told me my jacket was his. But it wasn't, it was... it was... no.

No it can't be. He just looks a lot lie him... right?

I pushed myself off the roof from my seated position next to Party. When I balanced myself on the ground, a shooting pain came from my wounds but I ignored them, running into the diner. I pushed open the doors, earning concerned looks from the three men sitting at the bar. 

"Tox? What's wrong?" Kobra was immediately on his feet and at my side, helping me steady myself. I looked up at him and realized my eyes were beginning to well up with tears. "Tox, talk to me! What happened? Did Party do something to you?!"

"What's his real name?" I almost yelled. He looked at me confused. 

"What do you mean? Party? That is his real name." 

"No Kobra! What was his name before the fires?!" 

Kobra looked at me as if I was a ghost. "G-Gerard... Gerard Way."

I couldn't stop the tears from coming. 

I heard the sound of the doors opening again and whipped my head around to see him. The man I hated ten minutes ago. The man who hated me two days ago. The man who I thought was dead. The man I had fought with the night before the fires. 

I ran out of Kobra's arms, rushing to Party and slamming myself into him. His arms were immediately around me. He stroked my hair and rubbed my back as I sobbed into his chest. I felt his chin on my head as he whispered for the others to leave the room. 

Once I heard the doors close again, I looked up at him. His eyes were now bloodshot with tears threatening to fall. He looked in my eyes as I spoke.

"G-... Gerard?" I stuttered out. 

"Yes, It's me Aria."