Kick Me Like A Stray

“Frank, this is Mikey. Mikey this is Frank."

The man in front of me really wasn't a man exactly. He looked about one or two years older than me and was a foot taller. (But, seriously, who wasn't taller than I was?) All angles and awkward limbs, floppy blonde hair and the poker face of a fucking champion and sounded completely monotone with his answer of, "He is prettier than you told me." Somehow the dude was flirting in monotone. That shouldn’t be possible.

My face flushed a red so deep a tomato would probably look pale.

“If there were words for his beauty I would have used them, my dearest brother." Gerard's words had so much dramatic effect, complete with swooning gesture, in them it was a wonder we weren't in a really badly casted soap opera where no one could act.

Come to think about it, that was pretty much my life.

Mikey said nothing just a series of minute eyebrow movements that Gerard would make noises in response to. That seemed to be a conversation I couldn't follow despite my head swiveling back and forth watching the tennis match that was this talk. Or maybe it was more of an un-talk. Neither really fit what this conversation of nothing really was.

“Umm, I’m sorry to interrupt. But can I stay? Gerard said you wouldn't mind but... I guess I want to hear it from you. I don't want to be a burden and, like, I can go back home."

“The fucking Hell you will. You won't be going back there to sleep ever again. Not while I have a say in it. I will tear him apart if he puts his hands on you again. There will be no body to find."

Mikey's eyes tightened as he watched Gerard's mini-speech fighting either a smile or maybe a twitch. He seemed impossible to read. But, when he turned to me it was covered over by a face that screamed "Quit being an idiot of course you can stay. Gerard would cry if I said no. And I'm not an asshole and you seem pretty cool. You have my blessing."

And I don't think that it was entirely possible to do that with as minimal facial movement as he made.

"Yeah, he has that effect on people. Man of little words. Yet he sometimes seems to talk more than me. Even with his poker face he emotes more than anyone I know." Gerard whispered from close behind me. “Emotes like a motherfucker.” Another high-pitched squeal emitted from my throat for the second time today. I hadn't heard him move, too busy watching Mikey's face.

"And I would not cry, Mikes. Now you are just being mean."

His words got him the most beautiful smile I had ever seen from his brother.

“I think so, too.”

Think what, too? But before I could ask Gerard was taking my hand and leading me down the small hallway of his apartment to his room. The door was closed as we stopped outside it crowded at the end of the hall.

“This is my room and now it is your room. I will be rooming with Mikey. Which is no hardship, I swear it.” Somewhere behind us Mikey snorted in agreement. Or something else, I don’t even fucking know. “And we can start moving your things tomorrow and now we need to sleep because for some fucking reason the restaurant is up for four in the morning breakfast and we have been fucking drafted and have to work that shift.”

The only proper response was the long drawn out groan I gave to that.

“Satan made your schedules.” Mikey mumbled where he leaned on the wall somehow directly behind me. Again. Sneaky blonde bastard.

“Yeah.” Gerard agreed smiling widely. “Means we can’t stay up much longer. So let’s get you settled in.” Opening the door he gestured for me to go on in and check it out.

The room was so much bigger than I had thought it would be with such a tiny hallway. Black walls and band posters everywhere, comics and clothes were strewn about on the floor but obviously the comics had priority because they looked pristine while the clothes looked…. Worn and abandoned where they were taken off.

It was amazing and so….. Gerard. The bed was humongous. Who the fuck would ever need a bed that big? We all three could fit on the bed easily and have room to maneuver. “Holy shit, Gee. Your bed. Like….. what? How did you fit the damn thing into your room?”

“Magic.” His eyes glittered as he said it.

“Uh-huh.” I rolled my eyes.

“You like? The bed is also really fucking comfortable. Like…. Fluffy clouds and cuddling in mattress form.”

Walking the four feet from the door to the black sheeted bed I laid down on this bed that was so well described. I could feel myself sink into the bed a bit and surrounded and cuddled by the blankets and pillows.

“I’m dead, Gerard. This bed is heaven. I am never getting up again.

Neeeeeeevvvvvvvvvvvverrrrrrr. It’s my soul mate. Don’t take me away from my new lover.” I burrowed under the blankets like some kind of really big echidna.

“The alarm is set for three in the morning so you don’t have to worry about it. And I guess that is all for tonight. Showers and stuff tomorrow. Any questions?”

“Nope.”

“Take your jeans off at least, man. That can’t be comfortable.”

“Tis not.” I fumbled with the button and pulled them off under the covers before throwing them to the floor.

“Frankie?” I barely heard him. The stress of the day was draining out and sleep hit me like a master boxer.

“I think he is asleep. Or almost there. His heart rate is slowing to sleep.” Mikey’s voice cut through sleep but didn’t rouse me.

“Let’s go, Mikes.”

“I’m never getting up again.” I muttered into the pillow that smelled like fucking the epitome of Gerard.

“I wish I could let you. Goodnight Frankie.” And the door shut.

Notes

Echidnas are super adorable and everyone should love them and they remind me of Frank.

I am sorry for another short chapter and please don't hate me for being late.
Love,
RedRomRomance