Jon sat on the roof of the institute, a cigarette between his fingers, smoke curling off the end of it. He looked down at the city below him. People going about their nightly routine, ignorant of what was going on behind the scenes, of the fears that ruled their world, of how truly horrible life was, and he wished he was like them.
He sighed and raised the cigarette back up to his lips. As he pulled it away and blew smoke from between his lips, he turned his head up to the sky. He couldn't see the stars but somewhere in the back of his mind he knew where they all should be, and it was almost enough.
Jon smiled, a cold, dark smile that was only full of anger. Anger at the world, at the beings controlling it, at himself mostly though. Not for anything in particular, but he needed someone specific to be mad at, and who better than himself.
Just as he raised the cigarette to his lips again, he saw someone else step through the window, leading to the small ledge he was sitting on. He watched as the tall figure emerged from it, and sat down next to him.
"Want some company?", The man asked, Jon looked over at him, taking in his all black appearance and tattoos.
"Why not?", Jon shrugged, smoke still billowing from his mouth, he pulled out his box of cigarettes and held it out to him, and the other man took one.
"Got a lighter?", Gerry asked. Jon nodded, not saying anything as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the lighter with the spider web on it. He flicked it on and held it up to the cigarette in Gerry's mouth.
They sat like that for a while, not talking, just smoking in silence, taking in the world around them. They watched as the archival staff left to go home, and he as Elias locked up the building and went on his way, but they didn't speak, not for a bit anyways.
Eventually Jon spoke up, "Do you think that there's a way to stop all of the rituals? To save the human race before fear wipes us all out?"
Gerry looked over at him, but Jon was still looking down at the street below him. He sighed and didn't answer for a while, but when he did, it was slow and precise.
"No. There's no way to stop it, just to prevent it, for another two hundred years, and then they'll try again"
"Then what's the point? Why are we going through all of this, if we won't really succeed", Jon asked, finally looking at Gerry. His glasses were fogged up a bit and his eyes were red, his cheeks wet.
"I guess it's so we can live, so everyone can live for a while longer, and who knows in two hundred years, we might not be scared of all these things anymore", Gerry said, "So don't stress yourself out over it"
"Fear is what makes us human", Jon said, taking a drag of his second cigarette.
"No. Emotions make us human, fear make us cautious. And that's good. But you can be human without fear", Gerry told him.
Jon's mind drifted to Georgie. She couldn't feel fear, he wondered what that was like, to not be afraid. He wished he had looked into those kids' eyes, be wished he wasn't afraid, it would make all of this so much easier.
"Fear makes us stupid and irrational", Jon countered, ignoring his thoughts.
"Yeah, I suppose, but so does love and hate and anger and happiness. I just think humans are irrational", Gerry shrugged.
Jon sighed. "And what happens when I'm not human anymore?", He finally asked the question he was avoiding.
"You'll still feel things, you'll still be you", Gerry told him, reaching out to grab his hand that wasn't holding the cigarette, "Is that why you're upset?"
Jon let him take his hand, but looked away."I'm scared", his words were almost a whisper but Gerry heard them.
"I know, but it'll be okay", He moved a bit closer, letting go of his hand and wrapping his arm around his shoulders.
"Will it?", Jon asked, still looking down.
"Yeah, you know why?", Gerry asked. Jon looked over at him slightly, still not lifting his head all the way.
"Because", Gerry began, reaching over to touch Jon's face, and guide it up towards his own, "I'm right here, and you're not getting rid of me that easily. Monster or not you're mine"
Jon looked at him, studying his face, he then leaned in, giving him a quick kiss. "I guess you're right".
Jon smiled, and moved Gerry's hand off his face. He took his cigarette and put it out on the tile of the roof, he then stood up.
"What are you doing?", Gerry asked.
"No smoking in the institute", Jon said, "Let's go inside"
"Alright", Gerry put out his own cigarette and stood up.
They both stoped through the window one at a time. When they were inside and the window was shut, Gerry looked over at Jon.
"So what now?", He asked.
"I know where Tim's secret alcohol stash is", Jon smirked, looking over at him, "And I could really use the company"
