Between Stripes

T W E N T Y T W O

"So I'm shocking with machetes, so what?" I grumbled, letting the large sword fall to the ground with a clunk. Jerome chuckled and waltzed towards me.

"Gotta practice then, sweetheart." He slung his arms round my waist lazily.

"I ain't using a machete anytime soon." I snapped, which got a low chuckle out of Jerome.

"Doll face, you've gotta be prepared for anything." A single finger of his hooked itself under my chin. He tilted my head so that I was looking up at him. At him and those brilliant eyes.

"Gotta be prepared for absolutely anything. Especially the inevitable." He murmured, his voice was dark and quiet. He had me on edge. As usual.

"Don't you go leaving me now, mista!" I said, feeling my eyebrows knit together. Cue the human emotions coming into play. Worry surged into my mind, of course. Sure, I was insane but I wasn't lost. Was I? I still had emotions, it wasn't all a mess of madness.

Nah. Jerome is far worse off.

Yeah, his voices are like thoughts.

He's the boss in his head.

Always in control, even when he seems to be the absolute opposite.

Never veering off the road.

Who knew my voices were so smart?

Not you.

Obviously.

"Now don't you worry about me. Nobody can make me go away for too long." He smirked as his eyes studied my face. Trust him to fucking analyse me when I attempt to worry about him.

"I don't like the sound of this, J." I mumbled and let my gaze fell.

Trying the puppy dog tactic?

He's got something planned.

Obviously, he's being incredibly philosophical. Especially for Jerome.

Be wary Georgy, you don't wanna be dragged onto this rollercoaster.

What? Jerome wasn't a rollercoaster.

If he was, I was too late to get off. Might as well stay for the rest of the ride.

The real rides not even began yet.

"Oi, you listening?" Jerome's sharp tone tugged me away from my friends. Looking up at him I saw the unpleasant frown which was imprinted on his cheeks.

"Yeah?" I said but it sounded more like a question.

"Obviously not." He snapped, letting his finger drop and my chin fell along with it. Following that I frowned, sticking out my bottom lip.

"Tell me J, I'm sorry." I murmured, tracing patterns on his neck with a single finger. "Just the voices, ya know?"

"Yes I know Georgia." He muttered. I tried my hardest not to roll my eyes so I pressed a kiss against his jaw. His weak spots was my last try at getting him to talk.

"C'mon J, you know you want to." I murmured softly before pressing another kiss to his jaw.

"Fine, fine." He sighed. I moved away from him, biting back a smile. Someone was weak today.

"I was saying, recently things have been a little testy between Galavan and myself. Keep your eye out for him at the stupid event." His voice was taking a new approach, it was very cautious yet the sly confidence was still there. Only a bit though.

"What are ya saying J? He got something up his sleeve?" I asked, feeling my brows join together.

"I'm just saying be cautious about him for me. Take a gun, hide it. Just so I know you're safe." He murmured, pressing a light kiss to my forehead. Jerome was scaring me. Never before had he acted so... mortal.

"I'm a big girl, I can handle him."

"You can't handle Tabitha though. I just know she'll be there. Probably disguised." He whispered against my skin. He probably had his eyes closed.

Why the fuck is he acting like this?

Homeboy is finally aware of death. Obviously.

What the fuck?

Do shut up, you're almost as surprised as dumb dumb over here.

I assumed that 'dumb dumb' was me. And the voice was right. Jerome's sudden mortality revelation and the way he was taking it actually scared me. He was supposed to be brave. And strong. And powerful. And scary... but not like this. Scary to other people. Not scarily weak.

"Georgia, you've got to promise me that you'll get the fuck out of there if anything happens to me."

"No Jerome, I ain't leaving you. I'm not like that." I whimpered, feeling my bottom lip quiver involuntarily. 

"I know you aren't, that's why I'm making you promise." He stroked my cheek with his thumb. As I blinked, a small pool of tears escaped my eyes. Shit. I was crying.

"Hey stop that." He frowned, wiping the tears away.

"I-I'm sorry J."

"Georgy, please just promise me. Promise me you'll save yourself."

"J, call me what you want! Call me greedy o-or selfish but I don't want to see you go. I'm not letting you go!" I blinked the tears away, words poured out my mouth. "So yes. I'm selfish. I'm impatient. Occasionally insecure. I make mistakes and 80% of the time, I'm out of control. A-and nobody can handle me. Except you. You've see me at my worst and you're still here. Now, you're at your worst and mister, I ain't moving the slightest bit."

Then, I got angry.

"Why would you ask me to leave you? Why the fuck would you do that?" I shook a little, slamming my palms onto his chest. Tears shakily slid down my face. "Why would you ask me to do something that you wouldn't do for me? Cause I know you Jerome, and I know you wouldn't do that."

Looking up, I saw his big eyes set on me. They were different. Kinda empty. And sad.

"Georgia, promise me." He said. His voice was emotionless and distant. Two things I certainly wasn't.

"No." I whispered.

"No." I shouted, half to him and half to myself. Pushing myself out his arms I stepped backwards. After a few more steps I found myself pressed against the door.

"Georgia..." Jerome said, his voice was cautious.

"No! Fuck you! Fuck you Jerome!" I shouted before slinging the door open and stepping outside. It slammed behind me.

As soon as the door closed, the tears began to fall.