Where There’s Life, There’s Hope.

I looked up into the familiar eyes of Gerard Way sitting there in all his glory.Confidence didn't seem to be oozing around him like a cheap whore's perfume and his tomato red hair had been replaced with dark shade of black that fell to his shoulders. He was a lot paler than Frank had remembered, and a bit chubbier too. Frank just stared at him until Toro broke the awkward silence.
"Yeah, this is Frank Iero. He's the guitarist that flew in from California to help us out! How cool is that?" Ray gushed.
"What, wait. You're our Rhythm guitarist?" Gerard exclaimed ignoring Ray's question. Same ignorant bastard, Frank noted with a snide smile.
"Apparently." Frank's stomach tightened as he spoke the word.
"No way! How cool is this?!!!" Gerard exclaimed flailing his arms back and almost hitting the guy sitting next to him.
"Wait...I'm getting the feeling you two know one another..." the guy next to Gerard trailed staring at Frank. "I'm Matt by the way, Frank."
Frank gave a wave because he was cut off before he could say anything by Gerard's big mouth.
"Yeah! We were friends in High School! Right before he left for California!!" Gerard squealed acting like a school girl who'd just talked to their crush.
"Friends?" Frank asked, revolted by the term. "You made every day of my life a living hell you ignorant bastard!"
The cat was out of the bag as Frank glared at Gerard who looked like he wanted nothing more but to retreat back into a turtle shell to hide from his embarrassment.
"You're the reason I can't leave myself alone to my thoughts for too long! The reason I've been fighting relapse for 4 years! The reason I can't sleep at night for fear of my nightmares and you consider yourself my friend?!" Frank sputtered incredulously.
"I...uh....um" Gerard stuttered trying to formulate the right words. "....I thought....when we left things were on better terms...I uh...apologized."
"Let's get one thing straight. No, I repeat. NO amount of apologizes will ever allow me to forgive you." Frank stared Gerard directly in the eyes, snarling.
Gerard just sat there staring at Frank in awe. He'd never seen Frank this direct about anything that involved conflict. He'd never in a million years thought he'd ever see his face again, much the less be joining band with him. He never thought the sad, pathetic, self harming boy from high school would ever stand up for himself to him and for some reason, all negativity aside...Gerard found it....sexy. Although he'd never admit it aloud.
"Alright."
"Excuse me?" Frank was caught off guard by Gerard's passive statement.
"I said, alright." Gerard forced a smile observing Frank. " Don't forgive me for our past but, at least give me a chance to prove to you I've changed."
Frank thought about this for a second. If it was one thing he was always taught it was that everyone deserved a second chance. This was his second chance with a band that might have potential and it would only be fair if he gave Gerard a second chance at being 'friends'. Frank used the term loosely, since friends don't usually beat up friends. His stomach and head pleaded with him to tell Gerard to fuck off and go suck a dick, but his heart told him otherwise. He agreed to help Toro, and he should own up to that.
Swallowing hard, and taking a breath he muttered the words that would change their relationship forever "Fine. For Ray. But, the minute you fuck up: I'm outta here."
"Deal." Gerard said confidently.
"All right!!!" Ray exclaimed excited! "That was awkward...but, now that it's over we can get our show on the road!"
Frank was thankful that Ray wasn't questioning anything, knowing full well that in the car later it would be a full out interrogation all the way back to Newark.
"Alright, I have a question though." Frank stated before they got too far into things, "What exactly is the name of this band?"
The whole group smiled a welcoming smile at Frank.
"Welcome to Ray Gun Jones." Gerard beamed.
Ray Gun Jones? For some reason, that didn't feel right to Frank, but he wasn't about to argue. He smiled back across the table. Even though his enemy sat across from him, he felt almost at home again and that was a feeling he hadn't had for years.

Notes

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