Hybrid Theory: A [Linkin Park] Spinoff.

Super Xero.

[Midnight. Mike's point of view.]

I slowly open my eyes to the sounds of yelling and glass shattering in the living room.

"EREN. WHY DID YOU HAVE TO DO THAT!? WHY WITH HIM!?"
"ALEX, I TOLD YOU. I WAS IN A MENTAL HEALTH FACILITY. MARINO, BENTON, AND ISHKO BEAT ME UNTIL I COULDN'T FEEL ANYTHING! CHESTER SAVED ME!!!"
"THAT'S IT! I'VE HAD IT WITH YOU THINKING THAT CHESTER IS THE ALMIGHTY GOD! WHEN THE TRUTH IS, IS THAT HE'S AN ADDICT, AND HE CAN'T EVEN HOLD THE REIGNS OF HIS OWN LIFE!!!"

A pained cry from Eren.

At this point, I'm on my feet and behind Alex in a matter of seconds, less for Chester's defense and more for Eren's peace of mind, my voice escapes my throat in a harsh growl,"Rostov. I told you. Hurt her, and I kill you."
Eren drops to the floor, blood streaming from the corner of her mouth.
Alex slowly turns to face me,"There's one thing that I guess I forgot to mention about me: I can fight better than half of your precious American redneck poster children." He swings his left hand, planting a blow to my right ear.
I swallow a fresh surge of rage as I blindly reach for the tabletop lamp beside the TV.
Eren coughs, her voice faint, "Mike. Hit him on the nose."
I feel my left hand close around the polished bronze shaft of the lamp,"Hey Alex. What happens when you mess with anyone with the last name Shinoda?"
Alex looks at me,"I don't know. What?"
"THIS!!" I swing the lamp, watching as it connects with the tip of Alex's nose.
Alex sways for a few seconds, then drops like a sack of potatoes.
I rush over to Eren, not realizing that I'm still gripping the now broken lamp, my voice taking on a fatherly tone,"Eren. Where'd he hit you?"
She rasps,"Stomach. Why?"
I look at her, completely unaware of the blood dripping down the right side of my head,"Come here. Let me wipe that away for you."
Eren coughs,"Mike. Your ear. It's bleeding."
I shake away the dizziness,"I'm fine. I'm worried about whether you are or not."
She stands in front of me, visibly shaken,"I.... I'm fine, Mike. I'm just tired."
I drop the lamp,"Go lay down on the couch while I get you some tea."
"Mike. You are bleeding. You're going to pass out in about five seconds."
I look at her before everything goes black.
The sound of wood cracking and splintering.
There went the coffee table.
A voice yelling for Chester.
Eren, don't wake him up. He'll only hurt Alex more than I could.
Chester's voice, yelling my name.
Chester. No. I'm fine. I'll wake up shortly.

[Two-thirty in the morning. Alex's point of view.]

I groan and pull myself to my feet, immediately sickened by the sight of Mike laying in a pile of blood and what looks to be a ruined coffee table, my voice barely escapes my throat,"Mike?"
No answer.
I run towards the bunk room, "Eren! Phoenix! Rob! Brad! Joe! Chester!!! Help!!!"
The door slams open, followed by voices.
"What's going on?"
"Rostov, swear to God. Let Mike alone."
"What happened?"
I stammer,"Mike and I got in a fight, I hit him in the ear...he passed out and broke the coffee table."
Just then, a dark shape launches itself at me, knocking me to the floor,"YOU DUMBASS!!! DON'T HIT HIM IN EITHER EAR!!!"

[Chester's point of view.]

A scream escapes my throat as my fingers wrap around Alex's neck,"GODDAMMIT! YOU COULD HAVE KILLED HIM!!! GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON THAT I SHOULDN'T SNAP YOUR NECK LIKE A TWIG!!!"
Alex coughs through the suffocation,"E-eren. M-mike. The b-band."
I find my muscles not responding to my rage, everyone else's voices going faint, all except for the sound of Eren crying.
I slowly let go and stand up, No. This isn't what I wanted to be.
Mike groans softly from where he is laying in the living room.
I turn and walk into the living room, my entire body numb and weighted,"Mike?"
Mike's voice, weak.
"Chester. I'm sorry I broke the table. I remember how much stress you put yourself through to find it. I'm sorry."
I run over to him,"Mike. It's fine. That thing was old and fragile when I bought it. I was waiting for one of us to break it...it was bound to happen."
"H-help me up. Please."
I take his hand, pulling him to his feet,"You dizzy or anything?"
"N-no. My head is killing me though."
Alex walks over to us,"Mr. Shinoda. I'm so sorry."
I chuckle as I extend my right hand towards Alex,"Nothing to be sorry for. You kicked my ass. Good job, kid."
He takes my hand uneasily, a broad smile breaking across his face,"Got my nose broke by Mike Shinoda. Hah. That'll be a fun story for my kids."
I smile,"Now let's get some sleep."

[Six in the morning, Joe's point of view.]

I knock softly on the bathroom door, thinking that someone is in there,"Anyone in there?"
No answer.
I wait a few more seconds, then go to knock again, my eye caught by a small pile of clothes by the wall, "The hell?" I slowly open the door, first seeing Eren's ring laying on the counter, then my gaze falling on the tangled mess of bare skin that is Alex and Eren.
Eren scrambles to her feet, quickly wrapping a towel around her, "Joe! What are you doing up!? It's six in the morning!!!"
I fight back the sudden surge of vomit swelling in my throat, "Had to use the...... bathroom." My voice takes on a sudden furious edge,"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU TWO DOING!?"
Eren stands there, tears in her eyes,"Joe. It's not what you think. Please. Don't tell the others."
Alex stands up and pulls his shorts on,"Morning Mister Hahn. Did you sleep well?"
I close my eyes,"Alex, don't try and change the subject. Eren, put some clothes on." I turn and walk back towards the bunk room.

[Rob's point of view.]

"What's all the yelling about?" I yawn as I see Joe climb into his bunk.
He grunts, clearly unsettled and furious,"Eren."
"What's she doing?"
"Alex. On the bathroom floor."
I stammer,"She's doing what!?"
"You heard me. I didn't stutter."
The door clicks open.
Eren walks into the bunk room fully dressed.
I close my eyes, trying to keep from letting the shock and disbelief get the best of me.

[Eren's point of view.]

I slowly climb up into my bunk, tears in my eyes, Dammit Joe. Why must you be the awkward one that has to piss at six in the morning!?
Joe coughs slightly.
Chester snores.
Mike rolls onto his back.
Rob lays looking through a slit in the curtain of his bunk, obviously trying to figure out why I'd be awake at this time of the morning.
I slowly settle into the darkness of my bunk and pull my curtain closed.

[Alex's point of view.]

I sigh as I sit down on the couch, my gaze falling on the broken pieces of the coffee table,"Someone save me now, from the mess that I've created." I slowly lay down, trying to force myself to fall asleep.
Eren's soft cry from the bunk room.
I sit back up and decide to clean up the pieces of the table, the lyrics to Fort Minor's Slip Out The Back running through my mind as I make quick work of locating a trash bag from under the sink.

[I met this guy]
[I can't remember his name, but he walked funny like he was just too big for his frame]
[He stood five foot and weighed a buck fifty, but what he said seemed so right, it stuck with me.]
[He said, slip out the back before they know you were there]
[At the worst, you'll see nobody cares]
[Cuz you don't wanna be around when it all goes down]
[Even heroes know when to be scared]

A voice snaps me back from my thoughts.
"Kid. Get some sleep. I'll clean this up."
I look up from the floor to find myself looking into Phoenix's eyes, my reflection shining in the base of green, highlighted by golden-brown flecks, a stammer escapes my throat,"H-hello, Mister Farrel."
Phoenix smiles,"Please. Mister Farrel was my father. Call me Phoenix."
I feel a sudden, furious heat running up the back of my neck, although I'm not really sure why, Dammit Phoenix. I'm not gay. Why am I reacting this way!?
"You okay there?"
I quickly busy myself with picking up the pieces and shoving them into the bag, just to have them fall right back onto the floor.
Phoenix laughs,"Seriously, Alex. Get some sleep. I'll clean this up."
I yawn and move towards the couch,"Night, man."
"Let me get you something to cover up with." Phoenix stands up.
I climb onto the couch and situate the pillows under my head before closing my eyes.