Cerucci, oop, sorry about that. :P Well, if you'd be bad for thinking that, I'm probably worse for writing it. It probably shouldn't have taken that long. LadyDragonsblood, I like getting inside their heads.. especially when they're getting inside each others pants.. or outside them.. Thank you so much, hun. I appreciate it. And that's okay, my whole internet was down the other night. takers dark lover, problem is Phil likes him a lot. Only time will tell if it's not good. Pleb, Phil does love him. And that 'talk' will happen soon..

The Darkest Corners;
Chapter fifteen/ 'Haircut'
Rated; M/ L (adult situations)

Gerard sat on the couch, curling his feet up under him stubbornly.

Adam was knelt down in the floor, holding to his red Converse, the laces untied and loosened. "Gee.. c'mon, let me get your shoes on so we can go." Chris had been home for an hour now, Gerard was cleaned up and dressed. He wanted to leave and get this over with.

Gerard shook his head slowly. "No."

Adam nodded. "Yes."

"I don't wanna." He folded his arms like that would make it final. It never did.

Adam slouched. "Why not? We're just gonna get your hair cut."

"I don't want it cut."

"Why?" Adam reached for his foot, but he pulled it away.

"Cuz. I don't."

"Cuz why?" Adam persisted, reaching for Gerard's foot again, this time pulling it down without hassle.

"My head hurts. I don't wanna." He pouted viciously as Adam put on his shoe and began tying it.

"Now, Gerard, does your head really hurt or are you just trying to pull my leg?" Adam reached for the other foot.

"No, it does. Really." He let Adam succeed in getting the other shoe on.

"You know not to lie to me about that." Adam carefully tied the laces. "Now, if your head is really hurting, I won't force you to go. But I don't like when you use that as an excuse to get your way."

"She might hurt it." The boy said softly. "Make it hurt then."

"Now, you know Amy. She wouldn't hurt your head. She's really gentle and quick. Be done in no time."

"I jus' don't wanna go. Stay home."

Adam sighed. He guessed he would just have to see if she'd come here.

-xx-

It was at home that Phil started to feel slightly guilty about making Gerard rub him off. Could it be considered forcing him? The same old argument ran through his head; Gerard didn't understand what he was doing? Could he understand if it was explained? Phil thought he could.. but why explain it? He could just show him instead.

Okay, so that wasn't exactly showing Gerard.. but Phil needed that goddamn release..

Maybe he did take a little bit of advantage of him. Was it forcing? Gerard didn't tell him no.. but Phil didn't give him the option. Was he just doing what Phil wanted him to do without any questioning other than his eyes? He didn't pull away, didn't much protest.. he just looked a little embarrassed about accidentally groping Phil in such a private area. It's not like he knew better..

But shit, that was the thing, he didn't know better.. If it was someone else, he didn't know better.. right? Phil kindly hoped he knew better, he hoped he knew how to say no. He could imagine all the creeps at the institute that might not take no for an answer. Adam had told him about the troubles with the Wyatt clan. Phil knew Gerard didn't like being in ten feet of them, he had saw that first hand a few times. He almost cracked Bray's skull once for leering and making the boy uncomfortable. Of course, he didn't do that. It would have terrified Gerard and it was easier to just lead him away from the greasy sicko and distract him. And to tell one of the bigger guards to keep an eye on the Manson family.

But Gerard wasn't afraid of everybody, maybe he wasn't entirely comfortable with everyone he met, but fear was different. It was always possible to trust the wrong asshole.

Shit, maybe Gerard was trusting the wrong asshole in him. He'd have to be a selfish asshole to do that to him. But Phil had a right that others didn't. Phil was his boyfriend, they weren't, they had no right to leer or touch him. Phil was glad he was out of that place and with someone he could trust. He could trust Chris, and he knew Adam would never hurt him.

Phil sighed. It didn't help trying to justify shit now. It was done. He could stop and never do it again, but there was no taking it back.. But truthfully, he didn't want to take it back and he didn't want to stop. He wanted to do it again, he wanted to do more. He knew he would just have to be careful and patient. Take it step by step. He couldn't just jump right to fucking him. He'd have to build up to that.. if that was even a possibility, he wasn't sure yet. Phil knew he would never force him, he'd never hurt him.. that was important. Gerard never acted like he was scared of him at least.

-xx-

Adam opened the door to greet the redheaded woman nearly an hour later. He smiled brightly and leaned down to hug her. "Hey, Amy. I hope it's not troubling you to come all the way out here. He just stubbed up."

She had returned the smile. "It's no trouble, Adam." She tapped his shoulder with her fist and readjusted the strap on her shoulder, her bag of supplies tucked underneath her arm. "Besides, Gateway was way out of my way. This is much better."

"So much better. Come on in. It's cold."

"No, duh. Did I sleep through fall and wake up in January?" She followed him when he lead her inside. "So, where is he? He's not gonna fight me, is he?" Not that Amy wasn't used to him, or prepared for when he was being stubborn, she just liked to know ahead of time.

"Nah, he's subdued watching TV." Adam lead her into the living room where both Gerard and Chris were glued to the set.

Amy nodded. "Both of them are. Good boy." She patted Adam's shoulder. "Help me get set up."

Adam grabbed a chair from the kitchen and helped Amy set down some garbage bags on the floor to catch the falling hair. Gerard watched her with dreaded interest. It wasn't that he didn't like Amy, she was nice.. he just didn't like hair cuts. He agreed with Mama that it would be lighter and he could see better, but the getting it done part wasn't fun. It was itchy and uncomfortable.

Amy calmly approached the couch, leaning down to smile at him. "Hi there, you been a good boy? Been a long time since I seen you. Adam says you've been fussy."

Gerard raised his hand up to nibble his fingers, shaking his head. He wasn't fussy, he just didn't want to go out. He had never been to a salon before, he wasn't sure he wanted to.

"No? Well, that's okay. Come on, let's get you trimmed up." She reached out for his hand, helping him up when he took it and leading him to the chair.

He sat and squirmed. "Itchy."

"I know." She unrolled a black cape from her bag to cover him with.

"Won't take that long and we'll get you a bath and you won't itch no more." Adam assured.

Chis pouted. "I didn't even get a hello. I may not give you my business." His lips then quirked.

"Maybe I don't want it." Amy teased, sticking out her tongue at him. "And hello, Chris."

Gerard shuddered as her fingers raked through his hair. Her touch was always soft and careful. Mama was right, she had never hurt him. She knew where his scar was and didn't touch it or mention it.

"You gonna hold still for me now?" She really didn't need ask. Gerard's attention was already back on the movie they were watching. He didn't pay attention as she got out her clippers.

For the most part, Gerard sat still, content to watch the TV screen. He squirmed only a little when hair fell on his nose, scrunching it up and closing his eyes, or hugging himself under the cape as Amy squirted his hair with water from a bottle because it was cold. He was cold and made it known so. "Mama.." He whined.

Amy held back a giggle. She had always found him calling Adam mama to be cute. Adam used to flush, but never corrected him. He had in the beginning a bit, but saw it as useless. Besides, she and everyone suspected that he secretly liked it.

Adam brushed the hair off his face, causing Gerard to flinch away. "Stop it.. be done soon then you can play in the tub." He saw him shiver as he was squirted again.

"It's cold.." And wet. And all it did was make him have to pee. He realized he hadn't since before Phil left. He had had to go then, but forgot and it went away. Now he really had to go. He closed his legs and tensed, shutting his eyes tight.

"I'm almost done, you can hold still for just a minute or two. I know you can." She finished the rest of it dry and had just unfastened the cape when Gerard jumped up and ran to the bathroom... managing to drop stray hairs on the floor on his way.

Adam groaned, he had been trying to avoid getting hair on the carpet.. but the boy had managed to sit there the entire time this time. Usually he'd get up and wander off to be chased down. Adam knew having his hair cut upset him. He excused himself and went to get Gerard's bath over with while Amy cut Chris's hair. He'd vacuum the carpet later.

Gerard finally began to relax in the warm water, feeling better when the cut hair was rinsed away, Mama gently cleaning them off his face. He was happy Mama didn't have to wash him again, having already done so in thinking they were going out. He ended up with two baths today, but only had his hair washed on the second.

A few minutes later Adam carried a clean, dry and sleepy, towel-wrapped Gerard to his room to get his pajamas. Gerard followed him back out after that, clutching to his black bunny and going to curl up on the couch, yawning. His hair was lighter at least, and layered. It was a little above his shoulders, his bangs reaching his cheekbones and parted to the side as always. It was shorter, but not too short. He didn't want it short-short this time.

Chris's hair didn't look much different, just trimmed up and less shaggy-looking. He hadn't needed much took off. It took Amy less than ten minutes and they both sat and talked and laughed about old times.

Adam tried to pay Amy before she left, but she waved it off. "Nah. Just maybe call me over when I don't have to cut hair to like eat or something, okay? Feed a chick." She grinned and waved at Gerard, who was dosing off on the couch. "Bye-bye. You behave." She folded up the hair covered cape and put it in a plastic bag to be rinsed off later.

"He always is." Adam smiled tiredly.

"I meant you and Chris. I know he is." She kissed his cheek and they said goodbye before she took her leave.

"Hey, kiddo. Going to sleep on the couch? Your hair looks pretty."

Gerard said a small "thank you" and continued to blearily watch the television. After that, Daddy went to clean the tiny blond hairs off of him while Adam vacuumed the hair Gerard had dropped while the boy held his ears at the loud noise. Chris had helped Amy pick up all the garbage bags and put them in the trashcan while Adam was bathing Gerard, thankfully without spilling more hair, and took the chair back to the kitchen- it was hair-free, magically.

-xx-

That night Mike had popped by Phil's apartment. He was going to ask about maybe going out that night.. he knew Phil would tell him to fuck off as usual.. but Phil shrugged and said "why not?" as Mike regarded him with inquiry. Phil was all relaxed and dreamy and slung an arm across Mike's shoulders. It was scary. It was... out of character.

"Someone's chipper today." Mike said, a bit concerned.

Phil only smiled and Mike flinched back, a mock look of horror on his face. Phil Brooks was fucking smiling and the world must be ending.

"Who are you and what have you done with Phil?"

Phil rolled his eyes. "You are such a prick."

"Now you're trying to trick me into thinking you're him by insulting me like he would." Mike took Phil's head in his hands and shook him a bit, peering closely at him. "Get the hell out of my friend, you demon, monster, alien, whatever you are.."

Phil shoved him away in agitation. "Stop that. I can't be in a good mood?"

"You're never in a good mood." He didn't add 'not since the thing with Gerard,' meaning the accident and when the arguments and drifting apart started. It had all created so much tension that Mike didn't want to bring up. "So.. can I ask why our Punky's in a good mood?"

Phil grinned again. "A gentleman never kisses and tells."

"You're never a gentleman.. Huh? What? You got laid." Mike gave this really weird, confused grin. "You're not cheating on him, are you?"

Phil rolled his eyes like Mike knew he would. "No."

"So..? Did you just decide to dump him and move on.. or.. you finally decided to accept you're a filthy pervert?"

"You know how to take all the fun out of something, don't you? And I didn't exactly get laid.. we were kissing and I had been teasing him about my phone and he thought he was sitting on it, so he grabbed me and.." Phil sighed. Okay, now that he was uttering it aloud he did feel like a pervert. "I kindly helped him rub me off. But it was through my jeans and I.. I couldn't help it.."

Mike snorted. "Headline; Straightedge pervert finally loses will-power and self-control. Story at eleven."

Phil huffed. "Stop acting like I took a drink or a hit."

"You took a hit alright."

Phil slugged him.

"Ow.." Mike grumbled, rubbing his arm. "Why do you and Paige like to abuse me?"

"You're just so damn abuse-able." Phil knew Mike knew he was kidding. "And stop being a pussy."

"Hey, I won't have a pervert call me a pussy in my own home."

"You're in my home." Phil reminded.

Mike looked around. "Oh.. right."

"And really the piece of shit isn't even mine, I just rent it."

"Whatever.." Mike dismissed whose home it was entirely. "So.. how did he react..?"

"Please tell me you don't want jerk-off material."

Mike scoffed. "I don't need it."

Phil shrugged. "He just seemed really confused and embarrassed. He didn't pull away or say no or stop. I would've if he had."

Mike nodded. He may have kidded, but he didn't think Phil would outright rape him. "And Adam didn't kill you?"

"Yes, viciously." Phil said dully. "No, he was busy doing laundry. I feel I'm breaking his trust more than Gerard's. Adam only knows about the kissing."

"Unless Gee slips and outs you."

"He wouldn't do that.." Would he?

Phil's not done with Gerard. And ah, when a muse starts yelling at me to stop watching porn and write.. it almost feels like old times.. But the porn is very inspiring.. let's go with that. Or I just want to be pervy again. I'm a little slow, I've not felt good, more medical issues and winter weather. Sorry. Also, Happy Halloween!