4th September 1998 - Friday
Gerard woke up for the first time in a long time excited to go to school. The previous day he had had a blast, turns out Ray was into the same music as him and just generally really kind, Ryan was kind of shy and moody, but once he got out of his shell he was a really nice person, and a great artist. He and Gerard had spent most of math, which it turned out they actually had together because Ryan was good at it so he had skipped his grade level to do Gerard's, talking about different artists and techniques. And Brendon, well Gerard was still trying to figure Brendon out but he was so cheerful and giggly that it was hard to not want to be around him.

So that's how Gerard Way got friends. And the best bit was it was because they actually got along and were interested in the same things, not because they pittied Gerard, even though that's why Gerard had thought they wanted to be his friend. When he asked Ray about it, the conversation took a turn he did not expect.

-Previous Day-
"So it's not that I don't appreciate this and all, and you're actually pretty cool dudes. But I don't really need pitty friends Ray." Gerard said calmly as they ate.

Ray sighed. "Dude it's not that, it's just I've seen you work at the comic store and you always wear pretty cool band tees. I mean, the fact that you're a loner and not popular sort of helped. Frank Iero likes comics and cool bands, but his head's so far up his ass because of popularity that I wouldn't want to be within 3 feet of him."

Gerard hummed understandingly. "Yeah, him and his friends."

Ray snapped his head towards Gerard when he said that and looked kind of confused. "Not really, you'd be surprised. His friends are actually really cool dudes. I'm friends with Bob and then he introduced me to Gabe, Andy and Pete. I mean they're against all the bullying shit Frank does. I think the only reason they do it is to save their asses, not for shits and giggles. I mean the worst thing with those guys is Gabe's tendency to oversexualize everything."
To say that Gerard was surprised was an understatement. "So what you're saying is that Frank's friends aren't complete assholes?"

"No, not at all really."

Gerard didn't know wether to be happy or sad from the news. Sure it meant that at least some people weren't getting off on seeing him sulking miserably. But it also meant that all of his little theories, that Frank had only been bullying him so that his friends wouldn't make fun of him, were wrong. In fact it had been the other way around. All of Frank's friends had bullied Gerard, so that they wouldn't get shit from Frank. It turned out that his ex best friend did hate him after all. How they got to this point he still had no idea.

--
Gerard was still pondering on that conversation, when suddenly he heard his little sibling banging on his door telling him that he was going into school earlier, so Gerard didn't have to walk with him.

"Jesus Mikes I didn't know you were that much of a nerd." Gerard shouted playfully at his brother.

"Shut up Gerard I'm meeting with some friends there."

"Yeah right, more like sneaking off with your girlfriend."

Good thing there was a closed door between them or Gerard would've been able to see how flustered Mikey became, even through his poker face. "Whatever Gerard, I'd love to stay here and chat but I kind of have to go."

"Bye Mikes, have fun, wear protection." And eww, totally a horrible thing for Gerard to have said because Mikey was 14, almost 15, but apparently everyone was losing there virginity at a young age nowadays. Gerard had heard that Frank Iero had lost it at 14 too, and why he was thinking of him at that moment, he had no idea.

He got out of bed and scratched his head whilst yawning. He started to get ready, and didn't hear when his mom called out that breakfast was ready. He was too busy wondering why he was thinking so goddamn much about Frank Iero.

---

Frank had barely fallen asleep last night. Not letting Gerard know how sorry he was for being the stupidest prick alive had been like a weight on his shoulders, and he had a feeling that if he didn't let Gerard know soon he would continue having trouble sleeping. He hoped he would get a chance to talk to him today, because if he didn't his only alternative would be knocking on his door or not talking to him until Monday. He didn't know what was worse, he was still contemplating it.

His friends seemed to have cheered up the past few days, and they also hadn't suggested picking on anyone which he guessed was still out of the normal. He still hadn't told them about wanting to be friends with Gerard again, and not bullying people. Not yet.

Of course his luck was the shittiest, because as he made his way into the caffeteria, he saw Gerard with Ray and the two other dudes he had been with the yesterday. He figured it must've been karma, being such a shitty person for so many years had bought him double in bad luck. But now he had a choice to make, and that was either talk to Gerard at home over the weekend, or wait until Monday.

It didn't take him long to make his choice. Considering this was Gerard's second day hanging out with Ray and the other guys, he figured he must've made some friends, therefore he would probably be hanging out with them at lunch. So, talking to Gerard at home it was.


Time Lapse
He got home briefly after Gerard, he would just give Gerard a few more minutes and then knock on his door. He was scared shitless that Donna Way would open the door, or even worse Mikey. Mikey would probably chop off his balls, Frank was 99% certain the younger Way hated him for what he did to Gerard, he had always been protective of his older brother. But he couldn't leave it for another time, soon Gerard would be off to work and he had no idea wether he would be spending the weekend with Ray or not.

He finally built up the courage and got up from the sofa, and made the short distance to the Way's house. He hesitaded for a minute before ringing the doorbell.

---

Gerard was down drawing in his basement, his mom was at work and Mikey had gone to his friend's house, so when the he heard the doorbell ring he had to be the one to get it. He got up from his bed with a sigh and made his way upstairs, while the doorbell rang again.
"I'm coming one second." Gerard shouted.

When he opened the door, he would've slammed it right back in the person's face, if he hadn't been frozen in shock. Standing there in his doorway was a very nervous looking Frank Iero. Gerard couldn't even speak, he was just waiting for some insult to come his way.

"So," Frank started. "can I come in? I need to speak to you and it will take a while."

Gerard seemed to still be frozen in place but he managed to vaguely answer. "Um sure, just uhh, I don't know, we could go down to my basement?"

Frank's eyes went wide with alarm when Gerard asked if they could go to the basement, and Gerard picked up on it. "I mean, it's my bedroom now. It's more spacious and it has a bathroom."

Frank visibly calmed down after that, he nodded his head quickly and Gerard waved the way to the basement, as if Frank didn't know after being over so many times, and Gerard then shut the door after Frank had entered.

They made their way down to the basement and Frank immediately sat down on Gerard's bed, he gestured for Gerard to sit next to him and he did, keeping as much distance as possible and fiddling awkwardly with his sleeves.

"So." Frank said.

"So." Gerard replied

---

Frank was scared shitless, it didn't really help when Gerard suggested to go down to the basement. He thought his karma had finally got him real bad and Gerard was going to hold him captive and torture him for months before killing him as revenge. Thankfully it all came down to it being a change of rooms.

"So." Gerard mimicked him.

He looked around and saw various posters of bands and movies on the walls and pieces of artwork scattered all over the place that were most likely Gerard's own. What got to him the most was how it was all so much like the Gerard he remembere. Little stains on the carpet and walls, dirty clothes and comic books scattered all over the floor, the bed unmade and sporting a few stains of its own, a desk somewhere beneath all the clutter that had been thrown onto it. This was so much like the Gerard he had once known. The memories had him breaking down crying.

"Oh God Gerard," He hiccuped. "I'm so stupid, I've been such a dick to you all these years. You were so alone at school and you were already being bullied by jocks. The last thing you needed was to have your ex best friend treat you like scum. And even before that in middle school when I'd just abandon or ignore you to hang out with more popular people. I called you childish and a nerd when in fact you were and still are a much better person than I ever expect to be. You're the greatest person I've ever met and I want to make it up to you. I spent 4 years treating you like shit. I want to be your friend again and if you don't forgive me then it's fine, I totally get it." He was a slubbering mess by now, he had wiped some snot on his hoodie and he didn't even care. He had no idea how he had even said all that without stuttering.

He didn't expect to feel Gerard's arms to wrap around him and pull him into a tight hug. It made him cry even harder, here was Gerard, the guy he had tormented more than anyone else, being nothing but kind to him, like he had always been. He didn't even deserve the silent tears that Gerard had falling down his face, he didn't even deserve to be in Gerard's presence.

Finally he had calmed down, but nothing could ever prepare him for the speech Gerard gave him next.

---

It broke his heart seeing Frank like this, sure the guy had been horrible to him these past years, but Gerard would always have a soft spot for him in his heart. Here was Frank Iero, the guy that was tough and never let anyone talk shit about him, crying and breaking down in Gerard's arms. And he would've never expected it when he saw the face of his bully standing outside his door.

"Frank," Gerard sighed. "I hated you for so long after what happened in middle school, when you would leave me abandoned and ignored me. But when I got home and all I would think about was being with you reading comic books or pretending to be superheroes, I realized I never hated you, I just missed you. I could never hate you Frank Iero, and you are not a bad person, you just made stupid decisions, but you're young and you can still change yourself for the better. And yeah, it's going to take me a while to forgive you and to fully trust you again, if I ever can," Frank let out a tiny whimper at that. "but," Gerard emphasized. "I'm not going to shut you out. I missed being around you so much these last years. I just wanted to be with you, even for 5 minutes. We were attatched by the hip, and I've missed being like that with someone so much you have no idea. And I know for a fact I'd only be able to be like that with you. You hurt me so, so much. But I'd hurt myself and you even more if I turned you away. I don't want to do that, you're here apologizing for hurting me, it'd be pretty damn hypocritical of me if I hurt you by neglecting you just like you neglected me. Like I said, it's going to take time, but, patience is a virtue, and all good things come to those who wait. So I'm willing to give our friendship another shot, and I'm not going to sugarcoat it for you, it's not going to be like it used to be after what you did, it was pretty bad, but I am going to become friends with you again, and we'll rediscover each other, and if it takes ten years for us to trust each other fully again, then I will wait ten years."

By this time Frank was sobbing again, and Gerard was leaking a few tears of his own. He had no idea what he was signing up to, but Frank seemed pretty sincere, and he was always a firm believer that everyone deserved second chances. Besides, he had gone through the pain of being pushed away, and he didn't want anyone else to go through it, not even someone who had hurt him as much as Frank. So he just held him in a hug while they both cried themselves out.

Notes

hey look it's a double update