Rainbow Heart

Chapter 9

It was the weekend. The house still smelled of smoke from yesterday's disaster. The cake needless to say, was not as tasty as Orange had wanted it to be. But Orange was gone. Now Red sat on the bed, fiddling with the sleeve of his hoodie. Today Barney didn't have work, but he went out, saying that he was going to go hang out with some friends.

Red was absolutely pissed off. Come on, Barney spent all day with those motherfuckers five days a week playing video games! Red was lonely. And jealous. He never got to see his own boyfriend. Then the weekend comes and there's finally time to hang out and do boyfriend stuff and he fucking leaves again to go see them! Red had never really experienced jealousy before. But he could safely say that he was feeling it now.

Green? Does this mean... Orange asked. Everyone was silent. But it wasn't peaceful silence. It was tense. Charged quiet. They could all feel Green's angry jealousy. They knew that Red wouldn't sustain his calm for much longer. Green was now the dominant emotion.

And that's exactly what he turned into. The green-eyed monster of jealousy.

Green hated that name. "Monster." It wasn't his fault! This is how he was. None of the colors could control their emotions. That was just the way they were. People who called him a monster were no different from his father.

He heard the door open and close downstairs. A voice called to him. "Hey! Red, or whatever color you are right now, I'm home!" Barney shouted. Green stayed right where he was on the bed, not wanting to see him.

Green heard heavy footsteps as Barney came running up the stairs to meet him. "Hey, Red! I just realized that, uh, I have one more thing to do with the guys. I'll be back soon."

Green was jealous. Jealous and angry. Did Barney just think that he could come into their life, be wonderful and adorable and caring, and then walk the fuck out and leave him alone again? Was he trying to replace them? Oh hell no. Green was going to kill his detestably lovable ass.

"Barney! You asshole!" Green seethed, running towards him and slapping him across the face. Barney stumbled back in surprise.

"Green?" He gasped, gawking at Green. This was the first time Barney had ever met Green. "Oh, oh! It's so nice to see you for the first time! I don't know what emotion you are but hello!"

"No! No hello!" Green shouted, stomping his foot childishly. "You're a real dick, you know that?! I am stuck inside the house all day with nothing but the voices in my head! And then the weekend comes and I finally get the chance to spend time with you and you run the fuck off?!"

Barney was concerned now. A little taken aback by this sudden outburst. "Uh..."

"Shut up!" Green screamed. "Fuck you! Go away and spend time with your friends then! Obviously you care about them more than you care about us!"

Without thinking about what he was doing, Green shoved Barney back and away from him. He watched as his boyfriend stumbled and fell down the stairs. He screamed as he watched Barney rolling down the stairs, slamming his head against the ledges, twisting his arms at awkward angles, and putting his weight in all the wrong places as he free fell. When he finally landed in a heap at the bottom of the stairs, he was in pain and dizzy. He couldn't lift his arms or move his legs. All Barney could see was the blood spreading beneath him across the floor.

"BARNEY!" Green screamed, absolutely horrified at what he had just done. Without a second thought Green charged down the stairs, landing on his knees at the bottom at his boyfriend's side. Quickly, he pressed his hands against Barney's ribcage, just above his heart. He closed his eyes in concentration.

There was a sudden change in the air. Like the tension between life forms before an oncoming storm. A low hum vibrated from the ground, seeming to fill Barney. And Green's hands began to glow.

He placed his hands directly over Barney's heart, and Barney seized up. It felt as though he were being electrocuted, shocks running throughout his body, but it didn't hurt. It was just so intense. Everything deep down to Barney's bones vibrated with the power.

When it was over, Barney felt reborn. Every bruise had vanished and his scrapes had healed over. The searing pain in his limbs and chest was gone and he bleeding had abruptly stopped. His skin was left with a healthy glow and was unusually soft. He gasped in surprise, looking up at Green, pleading for an answer. Green looked as though he already understood that he wanted answers. And before he could even ask for them, Green provided.

Green shrugged. "I am a healer. The color green represents healing, health, balance, nature... We all have special abilities. Even if some of us aren't aware of them yet."

Barney was taken aback by the way Green spoke. "You call yourself 'we.'" He pointed out. "Why is it that only some of the others do that?"

Green regarded him, tilting his head curiously at Barney. As if surprised he was taking an interest in their condition. "We are all parts of the same being. The others chose to believe that they are all separate beings that are tied to the same vessel. Foolishly assuming they have the freedom to call their existence and body their own. But we are all part of the same physical form."

Barney was still confused. "You said you all had special abilities. Does that mean you're all... Magical?"

Green laughed at that. "What? You hadn't picked up on that? We change color and personalities in an instant. There's clearly something different about us."

"Well what is that?" Barney asked, leaning forward eagerly.

"To be honest, I'm not sure." Green replied, helping Barney to sit up. "I think we may be somewhat separate. Maybe we have different souls... Or parts of souls. But the lack of one dominant soul means we are always fighting for control of our physical form. But to answer your question, yes, we all have powers."

Barney leaned back, staring into Green's eyes in amazement. Green's eyes immediately darted away to avoid Barney's gaze. He blushed.

He cleared his throat before continuing. "But... I don't know their powers. The only one we know is mine. I hate my power."

"Why?"

Green hung his head, and Barney could see his fists clench. "When our father beat us... He was so strong. We were only children. Weak, under exercised, and sun deprived. Without my power, we would have died before our sixth birthday."

Barney was silent. His heart clenched with emotion.

Green wiped his eyes before continuing. "I've seen our wounds. The wounds that can never be healed. They need you, Barney. Sometimes you won't know what's wrong, sometimes we'll go off for no reason. You may not always be able to help us. But you need to be there for them. They need you. Blue, Purple, Red... They're the most heavily effected."

Barney nodded. "I'll never leave you."

Green looked up, his eyes full of tears. With a weak smile, he turned away to look towards the window. Out on the horizon of endless green trees. "Good. Because if you do." He said softly. "I'll come and shove you down another flight of stairs."