FicWad

"Oh Lord…" Lindsey mutters.

"What is it?" Jamia asks worriedly.

"Michael's coming home." Gerard repeats, stupefied.

"What's so wrong about that?" Frank inquires.

Gerard sighs, rubbing his left eye with his palm. "Michael…" He sighs again.

"I can't believe he's coming back…" Lindsey mutters.

"Lindsey. we're going to have to go to church for a while…" Gerard says, frowning.

"And we'll have to say grace." Lindsey agrees, searching her mind for anything else they might be forgetting.

"And before bed." Gerard nods.

"He's not going to be sleeping with us, so no, we don't." Lindsey reminds her husband.

Gerard nods, biting his lip. "We're forgetting something…"

The two Ieros present look at each other, concerned about the Way's obviously agitated behavior.

"Oh Lord, what if he does that again? Or to Jamia!" Lindsey says, her voice cracking as it's raised to a higher pitch than usual, her face riddled with anxiety.

"He won't." Gerard says firmly. "I'll be by your side the entire time. Frank will have to be with Jamia. Don't worry, he won't touch you. Just keep your mouth sealed."

Lindsey takes a deep breath, trying to calm her nerves, and finally nods. "I don't understand how Alicia is married to that man… She's so nice."

Gerard nods. "Yes, I he has a very nice wife. He should appreciate what he has, not treat it like trash. That Alicia can stand to be around his astounds me…"

"Poor dear doesn't even know he's carrying out an affair with that Elizabeth woman." Lindsey says, a look of disgust clearly portrayed on her face.

"I believe we are all technically carrying out an affair." Frank points out.

"Yes, but we all know about it and are rather happy with the state of it. Alicia, precious thing that she is, doesn't even realize her marriage is being tainted." Lindsey explained, smiling sadly for her sister in law.

"How do you all know about the affair, though? It doesn't seem like you communicate all that well." Jamia asks curiously.

"Michael tends to stay away from alcohol, but when he drinks, he really drinks. Get's a rather large mouth, and it seems that he tends to drink around Lindsey and I. Though he seldom drinks around us anymore…" Gerard adds the last bit thoughtfully, then shrugs it off.

Frank nods, well enough. "Yes, but who is he and what's the difficulty you have with him?"

"He's a strict Christian. He believes strongly in the dominance of men and isn't afraid to be violent. If these were still the times of dueling then I do believe he would have been shot at many times." Lindsey explains.

"And he happens to be my brother." Gerard adds.

The Ieros stare at Gerard. They can hardly believe the Way family would hold a strict Christian, as neither Gerard or Lindsey commonly mention church or prayer. They seem anything but violent, so is it really possible to be related to such a person?

Gerard chuckles. "Lindsey and I are the only non-Catholics in the Way family."

"R-really? He's your brother?" Jamia confirms, still stuck on that detail.

"Father's favorite." Gerard mutters, almost bitterly.

Lindsey shrugs. "At least your father used to come to your birthdays."

Gerard chuckles. "He died at the last one he came to."

Lindsey shrugs. "We can't all be perfect."

There's silence for a few moments.

"Frank, would you like to go into town for a spell?" Gerard asks his lover, attempting to break the awkward silence.

"I would like that very much." Frank agrees, very much desiring to spend time with Gerard. The men smile at each other for a moment before the more influential one calls for a carriage.

"Will we see you for dinner?" Lindsey asks with a smile ghosting her lips. She knew the men would be close as soon as they met, and if she can properly read the fire in her husband's eyes, and his body language, love has started to bloom between the two married men.

"No." Gerard says, grinning.

~AT THE BACK TABLE OF A SMALL HIGH CLASS RESTAURANT~ (Shit caps lock was on)

"So… your brother… " Frank starts, wanting to know more about the enigma.

"He's coming… and I suppose now I'll have to plan the Christmas celebration and Bandit's funeral." Gerard sighs. "I hate the holidays."

Frank pats Gerard's arm from across the white clothed table and polished silver. "We'll give her a proper burial."

Gerard nods. "I know. It'll have to be a proper Christian send-off. Give her our prayers and hope they guide her to heaven."

Frank nods, smiling softly. "I would have loved to meet her."

"She would have loved you." Gerard smiles sadly at Frank.

"Did she know about you and Lindsey?" Frank asks quietly after a moment passes.

"You mean about… our queer capabilities?" Gerard whispers.

Frank nods, almost chuckling at his partner's word choice.

Gerard shakes his head. "We sent her away so she wouldn't find out."

Frank nods thoughtfully. "I wonder what will happen with Lily and Cheryl, and all of us heathens around here."

"It could be disastrous." Gerard says gravely.

Frank nods. "It could be. I guess we'll take that hurdle when it appears, yeah? And speaking of disasters, what did Lindsey mean when she said your father died at your birthday?"

Gerard sighs. "I was seventeen at the time. Michael was fifteen, already the embodiment of everything I loathed. It was my birthday, and we were going on a short vacation upstate when bandits seized our carriage."

"Is that why you named Bandit Bandit? Frank asks.

Gerard shrugs. "The thieves had guns. Two of them, each with one shot. One gun was pointed at me, another at Michael. When they shot to kill us, my father jumped in front of Michael to save him. The bullet pierced his brain, dead instantly. It was only by luck that I didn't get hit, as there was a backfire in one of the guns."

Frank is silent. letting the words seep in. Gerard's father chose Michael to save over his eldest, the obvious choice to any other family. That must have left quite the scar on Gerard, a deep mark of hate. "Is that why you didn't want to travel for your birthday?"

Gerard nods his agreement. "Losing my father… wasn't pleasant, but I got over it. He was a power hungry greedy bastard who did not even know his own limits." Gerard sneers the last bit. "And Michael has taken on the worst of him, the worst of everyone in the family. Well, except Uncle Samuel. He didn't inherit any evil from uncle Samuel."

"What happened with your Uncle?" Frank asked.

Gerard shrugs. "He was a priest… Well, until he raped a few boys."

Frank gasps, mouth open like a goldfish. "That.. That's not good."

Gerard chuckles. "It most certainly isn't. While Michael isn't that horrid, he certainly is awful."

"What… What did Michael do to Lindsey?" Frank asks, uncertain if he should pry or not.

Gerard looks hesitant, but feels he needs to warn Frank. "He hit her. for speaking out of turn, and not obeying when I asked her to pour me another glass of spirits."

Frank's jaw hangs for the second time during the man's stay at the restaurant. "He what?"

Gerard nods. "When he's here, women are not people. Women cannot own property, or money, or manage business, so are not worthy of his time, only worthy of his harsh fist and sharp tongue. He's cunning, he sees things others tend not to. Don't let his cheery nature fool you, he will use the dirtiest tricks imaginable." Gerard says, grimacing. "Probably why he's such great politician…" Gerard mutters.

"A pollitition?" Frank asks.

Gerard nods. "He lives in Washington, District of Colombia. Oh, and don't so much as touch your children while he's here. That is for the womenfolk, in his mind. And… we have to act like male friends, nothing more. He wouldn't hesitate to turn us in for blasphemy." Gerard explains.

"Oh."

"Exactly. He'll be here within the next week, so we should really get ready for his arrival."

"Get as much out of each other in the time we have until he comes to ruin our good time?" Frank asks, smirking seductively. Oh dear, it wasn't a question. It was a demand.

+++++
Tch. That was like… half author's notes. Whatever, i didn't like it but oh well. Having ante posted annoyed me, so I thought I'd get it up (and SOMEONE reviewed the note very kindly ;D). I had a veer interesting soundtrack for this. Started with Falling in Reverse, made it to the soundtrack of Swan Lake (which I find very hard to write to) and am actually listening to Three Cheers. Haven't actually listened to MCR in a while.

So yes. don't expect an update on anything anytime soon, as I will be tied up with a foreign exchange student who only speaks a small bit of English… Oh, the horror XD

See you all in March! (Well, maybe earlier I might go on a writing spree or some such in the middle of the night while she sleeps)

~Althea (like a boss)

P.S. I haven't written a legit A/N in a long time, have I? I remember when you guys used to comment on my hyper A/N… oh, those were the days...