Rivals: The Killjoys vs. The Youngbloods

13. This Means War

Foxes woke up bright and early the next morning. She glanced at her daughter, still asleep, curled up in a ball.

"After today, everything will be okay." Foxes said, lightly pushing the hair away from Artemis' face. "After today, I'll be able to be a good mom."

Artemis mumbled in her sleep and held her special blanket close to her; oblivious to her mother getting ready to take the life of an innocent man.

Foxes wiped at the tears threatening to run down her cheeks. "I just love you so much, and I want the best for you." Her voice cracked. "I just want to give you a better life."

Foxes got up and pulled on her clothes. She leaned down and kissed Artemis' forehead.

"I'll be back before you know it." She whispered and grabbed her gun from the safe in the closet.

Foxes turned to look at the form of her sleeping daughter one last time before she disappeared into the early morning.

......

Gerard shuffled into the kitchen, sleepily rubbing his eyes. He smiled when he saw Frank leaning against the counter.

"Good morning babe." Frank said, as he felt Gerard's arms wrap around his waist.

"How'd you know it was me?" Gerard rested his head on Frank's shoulder.

Frank smiled. "Well, everyone else is in the other room, and you're the only one who would ever sneak up behind me and wrap their arms around me."

Gerard kissed Frank's shoulder. "Ray might."

"But Ray and I aren't tight like that." Frank reasoned.

"He's right." Ray called from the other room. "We aren't."

Gerard rolled his eyes. "How'd you sleep?"

"Despite you kicking me and stealing the blankets, I slept pretty well." Frank poured coffee into Gerard's favorite mug and turned to hand it to him. "Here, I made you coffee."

Gerard smiled and took the mug. "Just what I needed." He sipped from the mug. "You're the best babe."

"You know what I need?" Frank smiled smugly.

"What?"

Frank wrapped an arm around Gerard's waist and pulled him to him. "A good morning kiss." Frank winked.

"Anything for you." Gerard grinned and kissed Frank slowly.

Mikey and Ray groaned in unison from the living room.

"You guys are disgustingly affectionate." Mikey said.

Gerard twisted his fingers with Frank's and pulled him into the living room. "Says the one who's constantly been smiling at his phone."

"I have not." Mikey protested.

"He just was." Ray informed.

Gerard ruffled his brother's hair. "My brother has a crush."

"I do not!" Mikey pushed his brother's hand away from him. "I was on iFunny."

"You're always on iFunny." Frank grinned and pressed a kiss to Gerard's cheek. "And you call us disgusting."

Gerard smiled at his blushing sibling and raised the mug to his lips again.

It all happened so quickly, the quiet laughter was replaced by a bang and the sound of glass shattering as a bullet passed through the window and embedded itself into Gerard's chest, right between his ribs. The mug Gerard was holding slipped right through his hands, and coffee stained the warehouse floor as it smashed against the ground.

"Get down!" Ray yelled, tackling Mikey to the floor.

"Gerard!" Frank yelled as his partner fell into his arms. "Gerard no, no!" He pressed his hands onto the wound to try and stop the bleeding. "Call an ambulance!"

"I've got it." Ray grabbed his phone and ran into the other room.

"M-Mikey." Gerard feebly reached towards his brother.

"Shh, save your strength." Mikey whispered, crawling towards his brother.

Gerard coughed, blood sprayed from between his lips. "You gotta- gotta take over. You have to beat them."

Mikey blinked away tears and shook his head. "No, don't talk like that. Don't-"His voice cracked. "Don't say that."

"You're my second." Gerard whispered. "You've always been, but now you have to lead." He pressed a bloody finger into Mikey's chest.

"I can't!" Mikey said. "I can't. I don't want to! I want you!" His voice reached borderline hysteria.

It was like a horror movie Mikey couldn't press pause on. His brother was lying on the floor, bleeding out and there was nothing he could do to stop it.

He didn't want to be in charge, he didn't want to stop BL/ind. He just wanted his brother to live. He couldn't bear to see the person who had practically raised him from birth to be reduced to a lifeless shell.

Gerard closed his eyes for a moment, a pained expression on his face. "I believe in you." He said after a moment and wrapped an arm around his brother.

Mikey held him, crying into his shoulder.

"Frankie." Gerard put a bloody hand against Frank's cheek.

"I'm right here baby." Frank said quietly, and held Gerard's hand to his cheek.

Gerard smiled, his teeth red with blood. "You've never called me that before. You should have, I like it."

Frank bit his lip, his eyes shining with tears. "These are special circumstances."

"You're damn right." Gerard coughed. "When were you gonna propose to me?"

"I was gonna ask you on our anniversary." Frank said, unable to stop the tears from falling. "In a couple days."

"Ask me now." Gerard said.

"I don't have a ring-"

"I don't care." Gerard interrupted, his voice labored as he struggled to breathe.

"Marry me." Frank whispered, falling from tears. "Marry me Gee."

"You didn't have to ask twice. I will." Gerard nodded and swallowed painfully. "Take care of my brother."

"I will." Frank promised.

"Frankie." Gerard said weakly. "Mikey."

"Yes?" They both looked at him, his face blurry from tears.

"I love you." Gerard strained to keep his eyes open.

"I love you too." They whispered.

But Gerard didn't hear it, he was already gone. Frankie felt it the moment life left him, he let out a strangled gasp and buried his head into Gerard's shoulder. His tears mixed with the blood.

Ray walked back into the room then, at the sight in front of him, he let the phone go. It fell to the floor with a soft thud.

Mikey choked back a sob and got to his feet. The panic was already clawing at him, threatening to pull him under. He had to go somewhere, anywhere. Any other place was better than the room where he watched his brother die.

"Mikey." Frank said as Mikey grabbed his phone and pulled on a hoodie to cover his bloody t-shirt.

"Wait." Ray reached for him.

"Leave me alone." Mikey walked towards the door. "I can't- I just-"

"Mikey-"

Frank was interrupted by the door slamming. "I'm sorry." He said quietly to Gerard, and gently shut his eyes. "I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you. I'm a failure, I'm a failure." Frank repeated.

And amidst all the guilt and the lies and the hatred swirling around in his brain. Three words became perfectly clear. One phrase became his new found mantra.

This.

Means.

War.