FicWad

Present Day; Gerard
You rang me last night, acted as though nothing had ever happened between us. You're good at that. Make believe. I wish I had those skills.
What was it? A misguided attempt at normality? Or were you just trying to gauge how far I'd gone, how much I'd missed you, if I'd let the alcohol fuck me up past the point of no return?

Would you even do that?
'Hello?'
'Hey. It's Frank.'
Of course it is. I'd recognise your voice anywhere, and you know it.
'Oh. Right.'
'How are you?'
I catch sight of my ghastly reflection in the mirror above the phone, too-pale face, greasy hair straggling about like a fucked-up halo, the garish bruises like pansies and split lip, cradling the phone like it's all I have left of you.
Why?
Because it is.
'Fine. Fine. You?'
'Umm, yeah.'
'Adine?' I force myself to ask.
There's a pause. I can hear you breathing.
'She's good.'
'Right. Yes, okay.' I glance up at the mirror again, disgusted. 'Why'd you call?'
'I just wanted to check how you were. '
So I was right.
'Have you been doing much?'
Sleeping. Reading. Do you know how easy it is to escape if you really want to? Not crying, of course. Not for you.
'Nothing...' You clear your throat, I wait, fiddle with the cord.
'So...I suppose, I just wanted to tell you-'
'Frank, I-'
'Who is that, honey?' Her voice filters down the line, like the sweetest poision. I start,
'No one, babe, just hang on a sec I'll-' I hang up.

And I smash the fucking phone against the wall until there's blood dripping from my arms.