sonoflongshot | If Every Man Says All He Can, If Every Man Is True...

Aiden had been on a high since his band's well-received performance. He had been bouncier and happier than he had been in awhile. Some of his lingering issues were pushed to the nether regions of his mind from the crowding of possibility. The Mojoworlder was still floating along when his band mates made a surprise visit to the New Mutants home-cum-base. The girls were out shopping for summer hoodies or something. Aiden hadn't really paid attention because it sounded girlly and of no interest to him. Consequently, the base felt empty as he lead his band mates to his music room.

"What's up, guys?" Aiden asked cheerfully as he opened the door and gestured them inside. There was a loose grouping of chairs across from his drum kit for them to sit in.

"The next gig," Jimmy, the lead singer, answered as he flopped heavily into one of the chairs. His hair was in its typically messy state, looking like he had gotten out of bed and walked directly into a wind tunnel. The guitarist and bassist quiet took their seats beside him.

"Oh? Are we doing the same two sets? Or maybe changing it up a bit?" Aiden was cheerful and oblivious to why the trio seemed a little sullen. He had no idea why they weren't more excited after a great gig and another one coming up. "Maybe add in some metal covers? Something that covers all our strengths? I have a list of some possib-"

"Aiden," the bassist interrupted in a low rumble. "We need to talk."

The Mojoworlder blinked and stared at his dark-haired band mates. He thought that they were already talking. He was sure he had been moving his lips and sound was coming out. Aiden tilted his head and tried to figure out what was going on.

"Look," Jimmy started after puffing out an aggravated breath. "The indie reps at our last gig were impressed with us. They're going to bring their boss to our next gig to show off their find and maybe get us signed."

Aiden was about to whoop in victory. Except Jimmy held up his hand to forestall him.

"And we want your girlfriend to stay away from the gig."

The words hit Aiden like a hammer blow to his stomach. He almost found himself hunching over. "What? Why?"

There was an uncomfortable silence as Aiden's band mates exchanged glances. The guitarist and bassist shifted a bit to the edges of their seats.

"It's better for us if there's no mutie freak attached to the band," the guitarist explained with a slight sneer. He tended to have a sneer all the time. Though this time Aiden found the the turn of his lips offensive.

Unconsciously, Aiden's fists clenched at his sides. "Did the reps say something?"

Jimmy shook his head. "Nah, man. This is a band thing. The guys and I don't want her hanging around."

"Even better if you make that permanent," the guitarist commented. The bassist nodded slowly.

"You..." He shook his head. It did not make the idea any clearer. "You guys want me to break up with Angel?"

"It would work out the best for the band in the long run," Jimmy said, trying to sound reasonable.

Aiden unclenched one of his hands and slowly brought it up to wave his fingers at them. All four fingers on that hand. He worked hard not to speak through clenched teeth. "I'm one of those 'mutie freaks,' too."

The band stared hard at him. Like the thought had never occurred to them.

"We.. thought that was a birth defect," the bassist mumbled after a long pause. "Like extra thumbs. You said you were born that way."

Aiden saw his fingers slowly clench back into a fist in the periphery of his vision. He brought his hand back to his side before he attacked with it. True, the four fingers were more from his alien DNA, but that was complicating the matter at the moment. "And if I don't break up with my girlfriend?"

"Then you're out of the band," Jimmy said without missing a beat.

The guitarist might have been sneering, but Aiden's mouth went right into a snarl. "Get out," the blond ground out. "Get out now."

Jimmy got to his feet and held up his hands. "C'mon, Aid. It's just one girl. A fuzzy freak of a girl. What's she compared to a life of fame and fortune in front of us?"

Aiden glared. "Everything. She's everything," he replied shortly as a red sword of hard light appeared in one of his clenched fists. "Now, get out before I use my freaky mutie powers to make all of you eunuchs."

The threat got all of them on their feet and scrambling toward the door. Aiden followed behind them. An ominous figure making sure they went out the door. The trio ran flat out to the two-door junker they had arrived in. The bassist flung himself into the back as Jimmy fumbled with the driver's side door. The guitarist had to wait, so he spun on his heel. "We don't need you, Blaire. One drummer's like the next. I hope that freak's a good fu-holy shit!"

The guitarist never quite finished his original statement. Aiden had figured where that sentence was going. The sword in his hand had turned into a hard light bat. He charged the car, swinging toward the guitarists head. He had to cover the ground from the door way to the parked car, but Aiden was fast enough when motivated. Jimmy got into the car while the guitarist had done his ill-thought out taunt. Jimmy screeched a curse and got the car started. He gunned the car in reverse to get away from the bat-swinging mutant. The guitarist was not quite in the car and was dragged along for a few feet before he pulled himself in. The car peeled off, down the driveway and into the street. Aiden stopped where the guitarist had been standing, panting through clenched teeth. He watched the car disappear in a squeal of tires and smell of burnt rubber.

He stood there, seething for a moment. Just when he had things in working order. Just when he thought he was coming out from under the black cloud. Something hit him down. Made his dreams shattered, impossible things. Aiden turned and went back in. He slammed the door behind him. As he stalked to his music room, the bat in his hand disappeared. He stood in the doorway, breathing heavy. His fingers twitched at his sides at being denied righteous punches to the nose. He moved into the room and kicked at the chairs his now former band mates had been sitting in. They shot across the room and clattered against the wall. He turned on his drums.

Aiden didn't quite remember what he did to his drums. He hoped he would have done Keith Moon proud. There was angry yelling and throwing at least. He assumed. When he had clarity again, he was standing outside the music room, staring at a drumstick sticking into the wall across from the door. Rather than shut the door like he normally did, Aiden walked away. His shoulders sagged lowered with each step. The girls could fend for themselves for dinner. He didn't feel like handling sharp objects without blood spurting. He headed to his bedroom shared with Angel. He stepped in and looked at the queen-sized bed. He trudged over to his side. Every step become a monumental task. He managed to make it to his side and fall onto the bed. He grabbed a blanket and curled up into as tiny of a ball he could make himself be. Then he resolved he was not leaving that position or spot until he was dead.

Current Mood: broken-hearted

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