The Friends Who Stuck Together, And Wrote Their Names in Blood

8th September 1998 - Tuesday
Frank was lying down on Gerard's bed having a movie marathon with him. It had been the second day they all hung out together at school, and Gerard's trust was being easy to win back. Now Mikey was the real problem, Mikey wouldn't even look at Frank unless he had to, and Frank really liked the kid, he was hoping he'd warm up to him.

Then the idea hit him like a brick.

"Hey Gerard," Gerard made a noise of acknowledgement which Frank took as a sign to carry on. "Isn't it your brother's birthday on Thursday?"

Gerard looked at Frank then started to count the days on his fingers, which Frank did not find incredibly cute.

"Oh shit," Gerard said. "You're totally right. How could I almost forget my brother's birthday?"

"You did forget you dick, you would've never remembered if it weren't for me." Frank said playfully, even though it was kind of true.

"So I was thinking," Frank carried on. "That maybe we could throw him like a surprise party. Like have all the guys here when he gets home from school and then we'd order pizza and play video games and watch movies till the early hours in the morning."

"Yeah that would be a great idea if we didn't have school the next day. Besides, how are we even meant to get home before Mikey and set everything up?" Gerard asked.

"Well we'd skip last period on Thursday and then skip school Friday." Frank stated simply grinning at gerard madly.

Gerard snorted. "Yeah right, I'd like to see you try to get Patrick to skip school."
"I'm serious Gerard, it would be totally cool."

Gerard hesitated for a second. "Look Frank it would be totally awesome but," he sighed. "I don't have enough money to throw him a party." He murmed quietly, look down at his hands and oh, Frank thought. Yeah, he almost forgot how Gerard and his mom had just enough money to stay in this house and put food on the table.

"Hey I know about your dad and how your mom is struggling, but how about this. Everyone pitches in just a bit, like ten bucks each, considering there's ten of us, that gives enough money to buy pizzas and decorations, and everyone can still buy Mikey a little present. How about that?"

"Yeah I mean, it could work. How are we gonna organize it all though? I mean we only have two days." Gerard replied.

"Oh easy, I heard Mikey say something about going to a friend's house tomorrow and we can invite all the guys over here whilst he's out to plan it."

"How is Mikey going to a friend's house, his only friend is Patrick and I know for sure he's not going to Patrick's house because Patrick said he was hanging out with Pete tomorrow." Gerard said.

"What about those friends from middle school you told me about?" Frank asked.

"Oh they're not really friends anymore, kind of drifted apart y'know?"

And Frank winced a bit because yeah, he did know, he had done the same to Gerard.

"Well who the hell cares where Mikey's going after school. Maybe he's getting some but as I said, who cares? We just have to grab the opportunity of him not being home and plan this thing." Frank said enthusiastically.

Gerard scrunched up all his features to the middle of his face and Frank did not think about how cute his nose looked like this.

"Eww Frank," Gerard said and Frank almost panicked for a bit, wondering if Gerard could read his thoughts. "Do not ever mention my brother getting some ever again okay? That's not cool." Frank let out a breath he didn't know he was holding and giggled a bit at Gerard.

"Yeah ok, sorry man. So tomorrow after school we all head here?" Frank asked.

"Yeah sure." Gerard replied, turning back to the movie marathon they had abandoned.

Notes

Ok so I just realised I kind of forgot to warn you guys that this fic does not have frerard, it's just their friendship. It will have frerard in the sequel though but I didn't really want them to become friends again and then instantly fall in love because the plot would move way to fast and it would be a tiny bit unrealistic, and also because I wanted to focus on Gerard forgiving Frank and beginning to trust him again and Frank having a sort of self realisation that what he did was wrong and also trying to forgive himself.
But yeah, actual frerard is only in the sequel.