Embarrassment

I walked into work early for once the following Monday. There wasn't as much crime today. Thank god. I didn't think I could handle hearing Frank's yelling again this early in the morning. I'd been text messaging with The Skeleton all weekend. We would flirt and joke. I'd begun to dream about him too. I'd always dream of us laying in my bed, deciding that we were gonna have sex. And then, I'd remove his clothes and he'd remove mine, before removing my mask. And then just as I was removing his mask, I'd always wake up. Life was fucked.

"Oh my god. He's here on time. Praise the heavens. Fire fucker is in the building. Now tell me, did you burn your hair black? Or were you born that way, whore?" Erica said to me. I raised my eyebrows at her and wondered what the fuck she was going on about. Me? A whore? Ha, as if. And wasn't it obvious that my hair was dyed black?

"Erica, that's enough. Remember, no one is allowed to talk to Gerard anymore except me," Frank interjected. "There's work on my desk for you. We're flat out today so just don't set any more fires. And don't cause problems," Frank pleaded. He didn't yell at me thankfully.

I got to work doing what I was supposed to be doing. I didn't speak to my co-workers and they didn't speak to me. Frank didn't yell at me and there were no fires. There was even time at the end of the day for me to draw whatever I wanted. I drew a picture of The Skeleton and The Dark Ninja. I'd been drawing a lot of those pictures over the weekend, ever since The Skeleton said that he liked my painting. I didn't even notice someone else's presence in the room until it was too late. A hand snatched away my drawing.

"Hey! That's private. Give it back!" I exclaimed, looking around. Frank was staring at my picture and I wasn't sure what to do. Would he think I was some guy who should be locked up in the loony bin? Would he start a rumor that I had a superhero fetish as well as a supposed fire fetish?

"How do you draw them so well?" he asked me. "There's so much detail in it and emotion," he pointed out.

"I told you. I have family connections in the media. I see pictures of them all the time. Now give me back that drawing!" I exclaimed angrily. Frank raised one eyebrow at me before handing the picture back.

"You finished all your work for today then?" he asked. I nodded, busting to get out of that office.

"Yeah," I spoke, looking out of his office door and towards the shop front. There stood my brother. "Mikey!" I exclaimed walking over to him and giving him a hug. I noticed that Frank had come out of his office and came over towards us. Was he gonna yell at me for walking away from him? I fucking hoped not.

"Hey. I finished work early and thought I'd come by and wait for you to finish," he spoke, his eyes catching something behind me. I turned around and looked to see what he was looking at. He and Frank were having some sort of staring contest.

Those eyes. They're lined with eyeliner. I'd recognize their beauty anywhere. Those lips. It's him. It has to be.

I realized we'd been staring at one another for quite some time. I decided to walk up to him and introduce myself to him.

"Hey. I'm Frank," I said, putting my hand out for him to shake.

"Frank as in Gerard's boss?" Gerard's brother spoke. I nodded. He politely but somewhat reluctantly shook my hand.

"I'm Mikey, his brother," he informed me.

"It's nice to meet you," I said, smiling. Mikey nodded and Gerard opened his mouth to speak.

"So, uh, since I've finished all my necessary--" he said, me cutting him off, by doing something shocking. I couldn't help but stare at Mikey's lips. I couldn't help but want to kiss them. I couldn't fight the urge to kiss him. So out of impulse I lunged forward at him and attached my lips to his. I pressed my lips into his and tried to pry open his lips. After a little while I noticed that his lips weren't moving so I pulled away, going slightly red in the face.

"What the fuck was that?!" Gerard exclaimed, sounding shocked.

"Uh, wow. Uh... fuck. I uh don't know how to say this without hurting you, but I'm taken so unless there was some mistletoe above my head, I'd prefer that you refrain from doing that ever again," Mikey said. Now I was super red in the face. I felt everyone's eyes on me. My employees, my clients, Gerard's, Mikey's. After what seemed like an eternity of silence, Gerard opened his mouth to speak.

"So as I was saying, since I've finished all my necessary work, do you think it would be possible that I could finish up early today?" he asked me. All I could do was nod. "Mikey, I'll just get my things. I'll meet you out the front," Gerard informed his brother. Mikey walked out of the shop still stunned at what had just happened.

Gerard went and got his things, but at the same time dragged me along back out to my office, slamming the door behind us.