Chapter 4

            A pan, a frying pan to be exact, flew from the hall and smashed into a sleeping albino. Gilbert screamed in both shock and pain. The pan had struck his chest through the covers and pain shot through his chest, he gasped and sputtered, clutching his chest and moaning in pain. He looked around, finding his wife leaning against the doorway and staring at him with cold and unfeeling eyes.

            Anger burned through him matching his level of pain.

            “The fuck was that for?!” He yelled flashing a glare at her

            “Well you didn’t set you damn alarm and its eight o’clock and someone around here needs to work and pay the bills.” she spat at him

            Still in pain he sat up, a huge red mark on his pale skin.

            He was wounded from inside more than out. Why was she being so utterly cold and cruel to him?

            Sure he wasn’t perfect, and maybe he drank a little more than he should, but she tolerated that for years!

            He looked up at her, his pain-filled red eyes meeting her now cold and unfeeling green ones.

            “You know, I miss when I’d look into your eyes, you would just break into a smile. I miss that, I miss your smile.” he said gritting his teeth but speaking true

            She huffed and muttered something in Hungarian then left.

            He sighed and held back his un-awesome tears. He recalled like yesterday how they were star stuck lovers. How he could smile or look at her, and she would light up.

            When they held hands, or when he held her in his arms, he felt like he had everything.

            What was he missing? He had no clue. He had not an inkling what brought on this sudden change in her. And it hurt him, and he was very concerned about it.

            He stood, still clutching his very sore and painful chest and walked to the bathroom where he showered and dressed as fast as he could.

            He raked his brain for important dates he could have missed, none came to mind.  He knew he didn’t hurt her, well he didn’t hit her, lord knows what he could’ve done to hurt her any other way.

            She hadn’t even had to pick him up from jail in the last few months!

            He walked down the stair slowly, wondering why his chest still hurt, and gave up thinking about what he’d done wrong.

            He couldn’t figure it out!

            Ludwig stood at the bottom of the stairs; Gil bent down and winced, but ruffled his little brother’s hair.

            “Goodbye and goodnight Luddy, be good alright?” he said

            Ludwig looked at his older brother and nodded, giving him a small hug around his neck, before running up the stairs.

            Gilbert wondered what brought on the sudden showing of emotion in the usually stoic boy.

            He straightened up and walked into the kitchen, where Elizia stood, scrubbing dishes with excessive force.

            He walked up behind her, but she spun around and sprayed his him the scalding hot water from the hose.

            He yelped and scrambled back out of the waters range.

            “Don’t come near me” she hissed

            He looked at her hurt and his shoulders drooped.

            “Remember the night I proposed?” he asked quietly

            Some emotion leapt to her face, but it vanished before Gil could identify it.

            She grabbed a soapy pan from the sink

            “Go to work before I throw this at you too” she said, but her voice lacking anger

            Gilbert took that as his chance and he advanced on her. He put his hand on the counter on either side of her, boxing her in.

            He looked into her eyes “Please tell me why you’re acting like this” he pleaded

            She shoved roughly against his chest, which still hurt a great deal.

            Then swinging the cast iron frying pan in her hands at his side.

            It struck him and knocked him flat on the ground, white pain dancing through his body. He moaned in pain, moving his hand to touch where she struck him. He wasn’t bleeding, but pain coursed through him.

            “YOU! YOU IS WHY I’M LIKE THIS!” she screamed storming off.

            Gil looked at the clock on the oven, seeing it was eight forty three.

            He groaned and staggered to his feet, the room swam but he managed to move his feet, grabbing his keys and walking out the door.

            He unlocked his car and got in, starting it up and driving to the club.

            The whole way there his chest throbbed and he felt like doubling over and dying.

            Gilbert managed to get to the club without crashing his car. Pulling around the back, he locked the door and staggered, gasping in pain, to the back door.

            He wrenched it open and the four other men, who were fully dressed and ready for the stage, stared at him.

            Mathias took one look at the albino’s pain filled eyes and face before stepping over to him and letting the albino lean on him.

            Antonio walked over quickly to his friend

            “What happened mi amigo?” he asked concerned

            Mathias half helped half dragged Gil to a chair. Francis ran into the back room from the stage, and going right at Gil.

            “What happened to you mon ami?” Francis asked

            “Elizia hit me with a cast iron frying pan. She threw it to wake me up, and then hit me like a half hour later” he grunted

            Alfred came up with an ice pack and pain medication which Gilbert took.

            “Maybe you like should totally not go on tonight.” Feliks said from the side

            Gilbert sat up straighter “Nein!” he barked

            Francis looked at his friend “You sure about it?” he asked putting his long time friend before his business

            “Ja.” he answered

            Mathias ran off, and Antonio stepped closer “Gil don’t hurt yourself any worse.”

            Gilbert stood. “With the pain meds and ice and adrenaline it won’t hurt anymore. Just let me get my costume ok?”

            The men around him looked to Francis

            “Alright Gilbert do what you want.” he said before leaving

            Gilbert walked over to his changing area, and quickly looked at what he was to wear for his solo dance.

            He sighed at seeing simple clothing. He pulled on black tear away pants that had a chain on the pocket, a black shirt, and a leather jacket and sun glasses.

            Feliks walked over to him, dressed as a knight.

            “A knight?” Gilbert asked

            “Yeah, like I totally love the idea.” Feliks said smiling

            Gilbert looked at it. It was a long white shirt with a red cross that went over a long sleeved shirt patterned like chainmail, with a belt on the waist; the white shirt fell to Felik’s knees, pants patterned like chain mail under that.

            “Odd choice…” Gilbert muttered

            Mathias walked over; a shot of what Gilbert assumed was vodka in his hand

            “You know I don’t like vodka.” Gilbert said, looking over the tall Dane’s odd outfit

            “Are you a… bear?” Gilbert asked

            Mathias shoved the shot at him still “Drink it will you. And no, I am a viking.” 

            “What the hell was Francis smoking when he picked out these costumes?!” Gilbert asked

            “Well Alfred is a firefighter, and Antonio is a cop.” Mathias said

            Gilbert took the drink, putting the cool glass to his lips, then throwing his head back, swallowing the liquid, which slid down his throat giving him a warming sensation.

            “God his selection sucks.” Gilbert muttered

            “Well not like someone from last night will be here again. So what we have another cop thing? It’s a very popular choice anyway.” Mathias said

            “Wait are we not doing the group show first?” Gilbert asked

            “Damn did she like hit your head too? It’s like Saturday, we totally do our solo first, and then our duo then close with the group and like go into the crowd.” Feliks said looking at him like he’d gone mad

            “Oh right.” he said nodding

            Outside they heard the music soften and Francis start speaking “Alright ladies! Our first entertainer is from the cold reaches of Denmark, with cunning and coldness, with strength and a fierce disposition, coldness matched only by looks, here is the Great Dane!”

            Mathias ran from the back room onto the stage, Eduard switched to a Danish song ‘Danmark Man Dark’

            Gilbert wasn’t in quite as much pain, and he tentatively stretched a bit, relived to find it only hurt a small degree. Thank god for Alfred and his painkillers.

            Antonio walked over to the group of people, the ever so loved cop costume on.

            “Dude why did Francis decide to have two cops in a row?” Alfred asked Antonio joining the conversation

            “Quite honestly I don’t know mi amigo…I think Francis was just fantasizing again.” Antonio said shrugging and smiling

            Feliks walked close to the stairs leading to the stage, ready for his turn.

            Gilbert laughed at Antonio’s answer.

            Mathias’s song came to an end and Feliks took a step to go out, in the same moment the back door thudded open. The men threw a look to see who was coming in, Alfred slid towards the hidden gun behind the clock on the wall.

            Antonio made out the intruders face before the others, and then shoved Feliks out of the way and ran onto the stage. Mathias entered in the next few seconds, following the others’ gazes.

            A pissed off and maybe even murderous Romano stood in the doorway. He stalked in, red faced and fist shaking.

            “Wild and free—” Francis started, before seeing it was Antonio. He raised an eyebrow and continued on “Fine tanned skin, flashing green eyes, and a smile more deadly than a bulls horns, I give you the Matador!”

            Eduard, ever on top of things got the correct song playing, ‘Good Girls go Bad’

            Thankfully the music was loud, or else the whole audience would’ve heard Romano’s infuriated screaming

            “WHY IS THE TOMATO BASTARD STRIPPING?!” he screamed, his face becoming even redder

            Mathias wrapped a towel on his waist and walked over, standing behind Gil.

            None of the men standing there wanted to answer the infuriated Italian.

            “Well he like totally is good at it.” Feliks said breaking the silence

            “I think Francis and I… may have… suggested he try it…” Gilbert muttered

            Romano gave him a death glare

            “Dude relax! It’s not a bad thing, its kinda fun!” Alfred added

            Romano’s eye twitched.

            Antonio’s song ended, and he ran into the back, grabbing a towel.

            In that moment, everyone wanted to be Feliks, who rushed out of the room and onto stage.

            And nobody wanted to be Antonio. Alfred and Mathias dashed past a temporarily distracted Romano out into the back

            “I’ll dig your grave.” Gilbert said brightly, rushing away from the Spaniard and Italian towards the others

            “What brings you here Lovi?’ Antonio asked, either oblivious to Romano’s anger or just used to it

            Romano’s eyes raked up and down the Spaniards body, eyes lingering on the low hanging towel around Antonio’s hips.

            Romano looked backwards, none of the men in sight.

            Romano walked up to Antonio, grabbing the towel where Antonio had it tied, and pulled the surprised Spaniard into the nearest room.

            “You think it’s safe to go back in?” Mathias asked

            Gilbert peered around the door, to check.

            “Well neither one are in sight, so I’ll go with a yes.” Gil said running in

            Alfred noted the supply closet was shut, when it was usually open. He chuckled.

            Feliks emerged back into the room, and Alfred ran out onto stage, Francis yelling over the cheering crowd

            “He’s hot! He’s on fire! With a smoldering glare he’ll set your very being on fire! Here is the Hero!”

            A song Gilbert was unfamiliar with began to play

            Feliks looked around “Well how did it go?”

            Mathias pointed to the shut supply closet “I think very well”

            The three laughed. Gilbert readjusted his costume

            “How do I look?” He asked, in a fake deeper voice than his own and smirking

            “Oh like totally badass Mr. Bad-boy” Feliks said laughing and going to get his duo act clothing on.

            Gilbert inched closer to the stairs, waiting for his turn.

any thoughts on this?