the beep of an alarm woke gerard up on the tour bus. he was in a band called "knife fights" and set alarms for when they had to get ready to leave for the show.
"c'mon ray!" gerard shouted at the lead guitarist as he shook him out of his dreaming.
"god, what! gee, its like three am!" ray rubbed his eyes and looked up at gerard.
"actually, its like eight. you stayed up way too late, dude." gerard pulled ray up and went to make the coffee. the rest of the band woke up and headed out to the couch of the bus and waited for it, the drummer grabbing a monster. "no coffee, bob?"
"nah. i don't want to be short. id take the heart attack than have chicks not dig me." bob popped the can open and took a long swig, sitting down at the sorry excuse for a table they had on the bus.
"actually i really kinda think short people are hot. short dudes are kinda my thing i guess," gerard said. he was openly gay and no one really cared, but they kept it a secret from the fans because they didn't want to lose fans for such a tedious reason.
"that's all on you, gee," mikey said with a smile. "Youre the only one who really thinks short is hot. or dudes" Everyone laughed same with gerard. they made little jokes like this all the time, but they meant no harm .
"coffees up, guys," gerard said, pulling a strand of his raven black hair behind his ear and grabbing a mug.
the show was great. gerard sand until his voice was cracked, loud with all his heart. and ray shredded his guitar solo.
the whole show gerard had his eyes locked on one particular fan who sand every word and jumped higher with more energy than anyone else. like he genuinely loved the band. they weren't that popular, so it was a bit uncommon. gerard went back stage to towel his sweat off and hopefully change into less wet jeans.
he was greeted backstage to the bus driver looking down at his feet. "whats wrong, Pellisser?" gerard leaned agaist a wall and didn't maove his gaze from the driver.
"bus broke down, and the only place we can get the thing fixed is hours away. its getting towed there now." He looked at gerard once, then back to his feet. "Sorry dude…."
gerard sighed and laughed a little. "Its fine, i bet i could get someone to pick me up."
the other guys got rides. Mikey and ray went with mikey girlfriend (again) because they 'called it first' and bob and dewees decided to ask someone in the crowd for a ride, which is a shady and desperate move. the driver got a ride from the towers, gerard guessed.
gerard sighed again. he didn't have anyone, he already went through all his contacts. mikey told him to "get more friends" but gerard never listened. mikey was always right. god, why did he never listen to his brother?
gerard decided hed take the chance of going with a fan home. he put on some sunglasses to maybe hide his identity a little. it wouldn't be that weird, its only five oclock and its florida so the sun wouldn't be setting for a bit. he was still in his sweaty misfits shirt, so he changed into a clean motley crue tee. he needed to go fast, so he skipped the jeans and went back into the crowd.
they were opening for motionless in white, so people were still flooded in the area. he hung back by the bar and hoped no one would notice it was him while he searched for someone who didn't look like theyd drive him to their own house and kidnap him.
his eye caught that energetic bouncy guy hed had his eye on all show. relief flooded his body as the guy walked over towards the bar, unaware of gerard being... gerard. he was shorter than expects, and covered in hot tattoos. hed lost his shrt while gerard was in the back, because all the man had on was some pleasingly tight skinny jeans.
gerard hesitantly tapped on the guys shoulder after he bought an overly priced water bottle. "hey..im in a bit of an issue—"
"oh my god! youre—"
gerard smacked his hand over the strangers mouth and looked around. "listen. im in a hurry. i saw you really liked my band because you cang every lyric and jumped all over and yea,.. my bus broke down. i need a place to stay..." gerard realized his hands were still on the short mans face, so he blushed and put them and his sides.
"youre kidding me!" the little guy smiled so hard and gerard thought he was about to explode with excitement. " i..i can give you a ride! i have a car! you said a place to stay? i have an apartment you can crash there i just really really like you and your band and youre like my hero and this is so cool i promise i wont kidnap you or anything— sorry im rambling."
"its fine". gerard felt himself smiling hard, too. "i need your name tho."
"im frank. frank iero. i live like a block away so i didn't bring my car but we can walk it if you..if you want" frank was blushing really hard. he loved gerard. he admined a fanpage and wrote fanfiction and didn't own a shirt that didn't say "knife fights" on it. he loved gerard so much.
"i like it. ill walk. its cool." gerard brushed the strand of hair, still sweaty, behind his ear. "lead the way, frank."
they got to franks fifth floor apartment. it was pretty small, but gerard was used to a tour bus, so this was great.
"you have a shower right?" gerard looked around. his bags were still on the tour bus, gerard thought, disappointed.
"sorry, youll have to use the sink. of course i have a shower!" frank giggled and kept staring at gerard. if it were anyone else gerard might have found it creepy, but this guy was different. gerard thought he was kinda cute and just something about him made gerard feel safe around him. comfortable. like they were best friends in another life.
"you can use it, yknow" frank mumbled when gerard was just staring back, like a lovestruck idiot.
"oh! uhhh thanks.." gerard found the bathroom and frank told him how to work the shower stuff.
after his shower, gerard realized he had no clean clothes. awkwardly, he wrapped the towel around his waist, his hair still dripping slightly down his neck and walked out to where frank was reading comic books on his couch. "can i borrow some clothes...? my bag is still on the bus. im an idiot." gerard started to blush and so did frank.
frank couldn't believe what he was seeing. he had just gone to his first knife fights concert and now he had the lead singer practically naked in his living room. franks face felt flushed pink as he realized he had been just staring. "oh uh yea...they might be a little small though."
"its fine" gerard said. he didn't know why he felt so comfortable around frank, but he did, so gerard just rolled with it.
"here," frank said half to himself as he pulled out an iron maiden shirt and a pair of long black pajama pants that were too big for him. "unless you need underwear too because im pretty sure my ex boyfriend left one or two thongs if youd like them," frank joked.
"haha im good," gerard giggled, a little interested to know if frank was serious about being gay. "sorry for asking...but youre...youre really gay?"
frank looked down. "uh...yea..sorry if that's an issue." frank kinda got a little worried that he might leave, or get freaked out because he was gay. hes not a flamer, but hes not into chicks one bit.
"its not," gerard said, kinda hesitantly. "im actually..im gay too." he hid behind his long black hair avoiding franks gaze.
"cool." frank smiled that fun, happy smile and handed gerard the clothes.
"but seriously i do need underwear."
"oh." frank dug through the drawer and pulled out a pair of boxers for gerard. "here."
"thanks" gerard said awkwardly.
gerard was fully dry and dressed now, and frank and gerard were in the tiny kitchen whie frank was cooking some facon. gerard thought it was cool that frank was a vegetarian. they ate in somewhat silence, frank watching gerard the entire time.
everytime frank looked down at his plate again gerard would look up and stare at frank. it was nice, gerard thought. part of him wanted to stay here with frank, but he know he couldn't. gerard chacked his phone and it turns out hed have to stay here for a week until the bus was done being fixed.
"so...uh how long is it okay for me to stay?" gerard asked when frank was done.
"how long do you plan on staying? we can live forever if you've got the time." frank looked at him longingly. "fuck did i say that out loud. sorry."
gerard blushed. "i...the the bus wont be fixed for at least another week. we had to cancel some other shows in Orlando."
"a week is fine! you can stay as long as you like." frank smiled again as he took gerards plate.
frank and gerard spent the rest of that night washing the dishes and talking about comics and sci-fi movies. it was the most fun frank had in a while.
"so do you have a job?" gerard asked.
"i...its complicated." it wasn't complicated at all. frank was a bartender at a strip joint.
"oh. its cool i don't need to know. i just wanted to know if id be here by myself all lonely all week." gerard laughed. frank paused mid-scrub. fuck. he had work.
"ill just take it off, or you can come with. itd be easier to explain my job if you just saw it." frank avoided his gaze.
"i can go? that's cool. i have to help don't i?" gerard laughed again. "i wouldnt mind unless it was on a farm or something."
frank smiled and giggled. "no theres no farm."
once they were done, both frank and gerard were tired.
"so do you wanna crash on the couch? you can sleep in my bed with me, itll be way more comfy. the couch doesn't pull out and its hard as rocks." frank looked at the floor, avoiding gerards gaze.
"ill go with you," gerard almost whispered, also looking down. frank started towards his room, and frank followed. it was a small bed, in a small room...not like gerard minded at all. frank crawled up under the sheets and made room for gerard. a lot of room. "thanks," the taller man said as he slipped in beside frank.
frank scooted a little closer, not wanting to be creepy.
gerard scooted even closer. franks heart started to race. he didn't know whether to go closer or stay or anything. he had dreams that something like this might happen, but hed never thought itd happen.
gerard rolled over to face frank. his golden hazel eyes glowed in the faint starlight leaking in franks open window. god he looked to pretty, frank thought. frank giggled and looked back.
"whats so funny?" gerard smiled, poking franks belly.
"nothing. youre just so pretty" franks mouth slipped out the last part. shit, he probably looks like a fucking creep now.
"thank you. a lot". gerard got even closer, so their bodies were pressed together.
they just stared into eachothers eyes for what seemed like forever. taking the chance, frank pressed his lips to gerards. gerard kissed back, his tongue tapping on franks lips asking for entrance. frank gave way willingly.
it turned into a hot, open mouthed clash of tongue and teeth. when the kiss broke, they kept staring at eachother, the biggest smile on franks face. "by the way im a bartender. at a strip club. down the road."
"that's. hilarious." gerard couldn't stop himself from giggling a little. "maybe when i go there i could get on one of those poles for you," gerard teased, scooting fully all the way close to frank so they would be what gerard classified as cuddling.
"id fucking love that," frank teased back, kissing gerards cheek.
they fell asleep in a matter of minutes, gerards head on franks chest.
franks alarm woke both gerard and him up the next morning at ten. "C'mon Gee get up," frank persuaded, nudging gerard when he just groaned and didn't move.
"since when do you call me gee? i didn't think anyone called me that other than the band. not that i don't like it" gerard smiled.
frank blushed, not realizing he said it out loud. again. "i uh...may or may not run a couple fan pages. check the internet sometimes, people call you that a lot."
"that's kinda creepy, Frankie." gerard sat up now. "but im digging it."
"since when do you call me Frankie?" frank sneered teasingly mocking gerard.
"since now," gerard batted his eyelashes in an innocent way, looking up at frank.
frank looked down at the gorgeous man on the bed, his hair all messy and ratted from a good nights sleep. he was so fucking pretty, franks brain kept saying. so did franks dick.
pushing the thought of that out of his mind, frank walked over to his dresser again, pulling out some clothes for himself. "uh if youre gonna be coming to work with me, you might want to change out of my pjs."
gerard got up and walked over beside frank. "let me," gerard said, digging through the drawers.
frank and gerard walked to the joint a few blocks away at about 3pm after they ate lunch. frank was surprised at gerards actually really good choice of an outfit. it was really girly to frank, though. cute, but a little girly. he was wearing the tightest fucking black jeans known to man, a lower cut skin tight misfits tee shirt and a fucking bracelet and mirrored sunglasses, the ones he wore yesterday.
"why do you always wear those glasses?" frank looked expectantly at gerard. "ray said that a group of people walking around here fangirled way too hard and blogged about us staying here for a week and now the streets are kinda filled with some fans. if you haven't noticed." gerard reached for franks hand as frank realized there were more people out than usual.
"so are we...?" frank trailed off as a girl ran awkwardly up to him.
"are you-" she could barely speak.
"yes i am." gerard smiled warmly and told her to 'sshh' about it. he signed a notebook for her and they kept walking.
"and yes, frankie. i guess we are." gerard kissed frank on the cheek as they walked in. gerard slid his glasses up to his hair like a headband to reveal pretty black eye makeup. frank hadn't noticed that gerard had gotten into his makeup but damn he looked hot. he looked really girly, but frank loved it.
only a few people were there yet, because the place was only open for business in two hours when it got a little darker, but the girls were practicing their little "act" and someone was counting money at the register.
"thanks for covering for me, pete," frank said as a guy behind the counter started to put new unopened bottles ona shelf behind him. "no problem iero, i knew you really wanted to see that band yesterday. and whos this lovely lady?" pete said, checking gerard out a little too hungrily.
gerard blushed. "this is gerard," frank said. "my boyfriend."
"oh. im so sorry. i just..."
"its fine," gerard interrupted. "im flattered actually. thank you." gerard smiled his sweet little smile and sat down in one of the stools at the counter.
"so now its time for me to work i guess." frank picked up a spray bottle and cleaned some crumbs off the countertop.
the next couple hours flew by, and the place was actually getting pretty full. gerard had been hit on countless times, frank getting a little annoyed. it was kinda funny tho, because almost every person who hit on him was straight.
gerard got a few numbers and stuffed them in his pocket so they wouldn't feel bad.
everything was going perfect and fun. then out of nowhere, one of the girls falls off the biggest stage and takes two girls down with her. they all get hurt pretty bad, a girl named "Diamond" or something actually split her forehead open. only five girls were left, not even enough to put on the show.
the owner of the bar was really upset. he stormed out towards frank, looking a little scared, even. "iero, do you have any idea where to get more girls? any pretty girl who would even be willing to go up there? we have some stuff in the back." the owner, Brendon, was really desperate. he looked at gerard. "You! would you go up there? youd get paid. we need a pretty girl like you. i promise."
franks eyes widened. "uh, Urie, hes-"
"i'll do it!" gerard panicked and said it louder than franks sentence, cutting him off. frank gave him a look that said "oh my fuck are you serious?"
he was dead serious. "you need it bad, like right now?"
"yes. we have girls to work the main stages, but no girls to walk around and give some personal ones. anything you want. I'll pay you as much as you need." he seemed so desperate..and the girls weren't doing a good job making the packed club happy, either.
"i can do it." gerard looked at frank.
"okay. if you want to, babe." frank looked at him, smiling. he might get a little show out of this, too, frank thought.
"shes your girlfriend? i thought you were gay!" Urie shouted a little too loud.
gerard gave a stern look. "uhhh im bi. chicks are my thing too. just never really got one..."
Brendon eyed gerard from head to toe. "well this is wonderful catch," he said, winking. "but i'll show you where the clothes and stuff are.
when gerard came back out, he was wearing a half shirt tank top and even tighter pants with glitter. everywhere. hair and everything. it was straighter than before and he had very colourful eye makeup. "fuck", frank said, checking gerards everything. theyd called in even more bartenders to maybe please the crowd more.
"i thought she was a dude," pete said looking at gerard even more than the first time.
"uh actually shes filling in for diamond, Mariah and lynz because they all had a pretty bad accident on the big stage." pete nodded and said that a few girls were coming from petes old club.
"so get to it, then 'gerard'", pete laughed and grabbed gerards ass. gerard glared back and said nothing.
when he left, gerard whispered to frank, "so what am i supposed to do exactly? im in way over my head."
"you can quit yknow." frank served a beer to fat ugly dude and he looked at gerard.
"i cant do that! he asked me to and he really needs it. this place is packed."
"and im really digging the look, gee." frank laughed to himself. "also, you just have to go over to people who look lonely, chat with them and end up giving them a lap dance."
gerard sighed. "kay."
the rest of the night, frank watched gerard do his little substitute job. he was actually really good at it. frank couldn't keep his eyes off of gerard for a while, until Brendon came back out looking much more pleased.
"so how much are you paying Ger- uh my girlfriend to be one of your little sluts for the night?" frank said when he had no one to cater to.
"actually, he said he didn't need any money. gerards a cool guy." Urie sat up on the table and looks at franks shocked expression. "oh and he told me everything. that hes a he. and your boyfriend. and hes in that band you went to see."
frank was still shocked that gerard didn't even want money for this shit.
frank watched gerard sashay the rest of the night away around peoples tables and on laps until there was no one left and they were just sitting there at the counter by themselves with a few drunk stragglers watching the girls finish up.
"well that was a different experience." gerard had a beer in his hand by that time. like his fifth one. his hair was messy again like it had been that morning and he had rubbed all the makeup off.
"you might want to get your regular clothes back on," frank suggested.
"probably." gerard got up and walked a few steps before he almost fell over. "fuck" gerard said laughing.
"youre fucking hammered aren't you, Gee?" frank laughed and sat gerard back down by the counter. he nodded and laughed. "just wait here then. i'll grab your shirt but you can just keep the jeans or something."
when frank came back out, gerard was still there, but the lights above him and darkened and everyone left. gerard didn't seem to mind though. frank flicked on the lights.
"well shit." gerard said, covering his eyes from the bright light out of nowhere. "no ones here." gerard hadn't even noticed?
frank giggled and helped gerard stand up, pulling the shirt over gerards arms and over the halfshirt. he grabbed the sunglasses, too, but gerard didn't wear them, just stuffed them in his pocket. they just stood there for a while, just looking at eachother. he mived that strand of long black hair out of gerards face, and gerard smiled even more. he looked really pretty, even prettier now than the the first day hed seen him in person. it was perfect. he pulled gerard as close as he could and kissed him. no tongue, no teeth, just a long, deep kiss.
they walked back to franks apartment, and gerard collapsed on the couch, still drunk as motherfucker. he still had a bunch of body glitter. gerard was laughing in a cute little way, one that made frank smile. frank walked over to the couch and sat on the floor next to the couch, face next to gerards. "hey,", frank whispered.
"hi." gerard whispered back. gerard started stroking franks longish black hair, kinda wavy but straight at the same time. "i think your tattoos are pretty," gerard half-slurred half-said.
frank giggled. "thanks. i know you don't like needles so you don't have any."
"that's right, frankie. needles are scary and i wont go near them." gerard scooted off the couch and onto franks lap. "but i'll definitely go near you." frank smiled and kissed gerard. gerard kissed back again. frank didn't break the kiss but ended up actually carrying gerard back to his bedroom despite how much taller and heavier gerard was.
they layed down on the bed and kept at it. frank trailed down gerards neck with wet kisses. they lost their shirts and frank went all down gerards chest and stomach with the kisses. gerard pulled frank up to his face again and they went back to kissing like they were minuted before. after a while, gerard and frank just ended up cuddling and whispering sweet nothings to eachother before falling asleep to the sound of eachothers voice. gerard wished this would last forever.
but it never did.
at the end of the week, ray and mikey picked gerard up from franks apartment, tears filling his eyes. he was still wearing franks iron maiden shirt and pajama pants.
gerard went through the rest of the tour like normal, but it never felt the same.
gerard would never see frank again.
the alarm on gerards phone woke him up so he could get ready for work. he looked around his bleak boring white walls of his cheap apartment, only having a bed and a desk full of papers. no couch. no tv. no computer. only the basics of electricity, heat, and water. the band had gone downhill a few years ago. mikey quit to be in a new band, bob went to jail, and ray and gerard just quit. without mikey and bob, they couldn't be a band anymore.
gerard was now a worker at a Hot Topic store in Detroit.
gerard got up and went over to his closet, the only thing hanging up was some long black pajama pants folded over a hanger and an iron maiden tee shirt. he shut the closet door. he didn't even need to get changed, he was still wearing skinny jeans and a cupcake cult band tee. he fixed his makeup, straightened his hair, put a light sweater on and left the house to walk to work.
his phone rang when he was halfway there. it was mikey. "yea?" gerard sighed into the phone.
"how are you?" mikey was always doing this. watching over gerard for no apparent reason. he wasn't the same since the band broke up.
"im fine." gerard waved to a car slowing down for him.
"now you know i don't believe that, Gee. you haven't left your house other than to go to your pathetic little emo store job since you got it and bob went to jail. youre only 25 gerard. get a boyfriend or something."
"..." gerard just listened. he didn't want a boyfriend. he didn't want a girlfriend. he just wanted to have things go back to the way they were before. when he was with frank.
"youre not still hung up on that guy are you?"
"..." gerard didn't answer again.
"come on Gee! its been three years since that one stupid week. it was one week that wasn't supposed to happen." mikey said the words like he was upset, but he wasn't. he never got upset at gerard.
"i know its been a long time. but i cant just forget about him, Mikey. i just cant. you don't understand." gerard hung up and walked into the store, grabbed his lanyard and got to work. he sat behind the counter watching the teens talking about bands and buying tight jeans. the usual. it was boring and gerard just didn't feel like working at all. or even being awake. or even breathing.
a kid set a shirt on the counter with a few pins. gerard rang it up and stuff, a line somewhat growing behind him. there were like two more customers but the store was still packed.
it was ten minutes before close and gerard and his coworker, Patrick, were the only ones running the place. two people were left in line and gerard finally went out to the desk, just in back stocking while Patrick cashiered. he sold the girl a beanie and an overpriced shirt, then looked up at the next customer.
something in gerards chest just snapped. it was him. frank.