Let's get something straight...

14.

There was a moment of stunned silence.

None of us could find words, much less the courage to break the thick stillness that descended upon us after such... brutality.

I mean, the living room was a complete wreck.

The coffee table had been reduced to a pile of broken pieces of wood. The tv stand, along with the glass elephant figurines mom collected and other little knick-knacks upon it, were all smashed into unrecognizable shards of crystal and bits of wood. The tv lay in a heap of plastic and glass on the floor. And amidst all that rubble lay Nico, an unmoving mass of bloody limbs and rumpled business suit.

This was... this was a violent act of aggression. One my mind just couldn't wrap around, much less accept could arise from the perverted jerk behind me.

How... just how could he have caused such damage in such a short amount of time- seconds practically!

Just what was he?

As my eyes tried to focus on one single point amongst the ruins of what had once been an orderly living room, somewhere amid all that debris emerged a pained groan.

I blinked.

Shit, he was alive! How the hell was Nico still alive after that!?

I swallowed but it was like there was a thick dry lump lodged in my throat that wouldn't let me and I nearly ended up choking on my own spit when it wouldn't go down.

The hands of time began to move again and when they did I became acutely aware of mom as she stood behind us, hands to her mouth, eyes wide and swimming with shock as she took in the impossible scene before her.

Asheton's arms around me tightened as if I were a life preserver that he was holding onto for dear life. His breath, soft and slightly ragged as it brushed the back of my neck, was scalding hot. And the heartbeat at my back was like a scared bird fluttering wildly as if desperately trying to burst out of its flesh and bone cage.

As I was forced tighter against his chest, his body draped around me like a thick blanket, I could feel the violent tremors wracking his body. He wasn't just shaking, he was undergoing his own personal earthquake and taking me along for the ride.

If I didn't know any better, I'd say he was... scared.

My lips parted. My eyes widened. Without my noticing my hands moved, hovering a sliver away from his black-clad arms, as if... as if...

No.

No way was I going to touch him.

No fricken' way.

Scowling, I curled my hands into fists and lowered them down to the floor to keep them from any more funny business.

Still, there were so many things I wanted to say.

So many things I wanted to do, but when faced with the overall weirdness of today... of poor Nico... of Asheton and his odd behavior- nothing would come out.

What was this?

What was wrong with these guys?

And what was up with Asheton, cowering like a little boy at my back. Was he scared? Ashamed? Guilty? What?!

For the third time since I'd met him, Asheton had managed to render me speechless.

And that was not a feat many people could claim.

He was the only one... the only damn one who could fuck with my mind like that.

"Goodness!"

Asheton started.