"Frank, it shouldn't take you ten minutes to do your eyeliner."
"I keep messing up!" he whined back. I chuckled and walked up behind him, wrapping my arms around him and resting my chin on the top of his head. He had been trying for a while to do his eyeliner, and it was really cute whenever he gave a defeated sigh when he messed up.
"When did you start wearing eyeliner, anyways?"
"I always had all these eyeliner pencils," he answered, "I just never used them."
"You look really hot with makeup." He did. He blushed instead of replying. I watched him in the mirror until he finally gasped in happiness.
"I'm done!" He smiled and set the black pencil down on the sink. "We should probably get going now." I nodded and grabbed his hand, dragging him downstairs. I gave him a peck on the lips before leading him outside. I remembered the directions from when Kitty drove us, so I knew exactly where to go.
"Frankie, were you serious about me taking you to get a tattoo?" I asked him after about 10 minutes or so of silence.
"Well, yeah."
"What would you even get a tattoo of?"
"I want a scorpion on my neck."
"Wouldn't that stop you from, like, ever getting a job?" I said, laughing. He shrugged in response.
"Why are you scared of needles?"
"I don't know. I just... always have been." I shrugged. "I would get a tattoo with you if it wasn't for that." He smiled.
"Matching tattoos?"
"Maybe," I replied, and smirked at him. I looked away to see we were already here. I grabbed his hand and walked with him up to the door. When we walked in and the same thing greeted us as before: stench of alcohol, people pumping their fists into the air, and shouting. I looked over to the stage to see Jimmy, who was talking to the crowd of people. It's only 4:45, how are there so many people here already? Probably just-got-off-of-work drunkards. I stood up on my tip toes, hoping maybe Jimmy would see us. My prayers were answered as Jimmy waved at us, excused himself from the crowd, and walked offstage. He was walking over to us a minute later.
"Hey, Gerard and Frank, right?" We both nodded. "Nice to see you. Why're you here?"
"Our friends are performing here tonight."
"Oh. The chubby blonde guy and co?"
"Mhmm."
"Ah, Fall Out Boy. Yes. In about... 10 minutes or so. Wanna see 'em backstage?"
"Yeah, sure!"

---

"It seems you guys have groupies from your first gig!" Jimmy announced as he led us backstage. I, along with the rest of the guys, laughed. Jimmy went back onstage and left me and Frank to the band.
"So," I started, "Fall Out Boy...?"
"Yeah!" Patrick answered. "After the Simpsons character." I nodded. There was a loud crash, which made me jump.
"SORRY!" Andy yelled.
"We hate to cut our little reunion short," Pete butt in, "but we're playing in two minutes." I nodded and gripped Frank's hand as I walked outside with him.

The part outside the stage had been completely cleaned up. Instead of just having a littered floor covered with gum, tables had been arranged. It looked more like the bar it was meant to be than a venue. I sat down at one of the tables, right next to Frank, and snaked my arm around his waist. He gave me a kiss on the lips before snuggling into m side resting his head on my shoulder. I smiled as he reached over to my freehand to intertwine our fingers. We stayed like that a few minutes until Jimmy walked on stage. "Welcome, welcome," he said into the mic, "I am proud to present some newcomers. This is their first gig, so let's be really shitty, 'kay?" The crowd muttered in response. "So, here's... Fall Out Boy!" We clapped as Jimmy walked behind a black curtain. Patrick, Pete, Andy, and Joe came up shortly after, all taking their respective spots. Pat coughed and counted the beats before the music started and he sang.

She says she's no good with words but I'm worse
Barely stuttered out
A joke of a romantic stuck to my tongue
And weighed down with words too overdramatic
Tonight it's "it cant get much worse"
Versus "no one should ever feel like.."
I'm two quarters and a heart down
And I don't want to forget how your voice sounds
These words are all I have so I write them
I need them just to get by

Patrick was visibly sweating and shaking. I didn't blame him. He was probably scared out of his mind. Frank and I cheered in encouragement as there was a break in the vocals.

Dance, Dance
We're falling apart to half time
Dance, Dance
And these are the lives you love to lead
Dance, this is the way they'd love
If they knew how misery loved me

I pulled out a cigarette and quickly lit it, not wanting to draw attention to myself. Frank rolled his eyes and took it from me and took a drag, then handed it back to me. I inhaled the smoke and blew it out in small o's. A waitress with blonde-white hair with blue tips came up to our table, a notepad in hand. "Anything I can get for you guys?"
"A bottle of beer, please," Frank said. I raised an eyebrow at him, but he didn't say anything.
"Um, nothing for me, thanks." She nodded and walked away. As soon as she was out of earshot, I said to Frank, "beer, really?"
"I've never had it before. I just wanna try it."
"My boyfriend is such a rebel." I kissed the top of his head and he smiled, directing his attention back to the stage.

---

Trade Baby Blues, for Wide-Eyed Browns
I sleep with your old shirts
And walk through this house in your shoes
I know it's strange
It's a strange way of saying that I know I'm supposed to love you
I'm supposed to love you

"Thank you all!" the guys yelled in unison once they finished their last song. Most of the crowd just mumbled, obvious not enjoying their presence, but me, Frank, and Jimmy (who decided to sit with us after a while) were practically screaming. Patrick smiled in our general direction before him and the guys walked off stage. I grabbed Frank's hand and led him backstage.
"That was really good!" I said as I softly shut the door behind me. I turned around to see all the guys sitting in the various couches about the room, all looking somewhat distressed. "What happened?"
"They hated us," Patrick said.
"You don't hear your genre a lot," Frank told him, obviously sympathetic. "they're not used to it. What matters is that at least someone liked it. I loved it. Gee and Jimmy did too."
"Really?"
"Yeah, of course!" I replied. He smiled.
"Thanks."
I came over and hugged him, rubbing his back a bit (despite how sweaty he was). "Well, it's only 7 and I'm super tired, so let's get home!"
"I'm taking Andy and Joe," Pete said, "so have a nice afternoon-slash-night-or-whatever." He chuckled and walked off with the two band members, leaving it to me, Frank, and Pat.
"So, what happened with you and Pete?" I blurted.
"Ah. We made up. Simple as that." I quirked an eyebrow, expecting a more detailed answer, but didn't want to force it out of him. He stood up and we followed him to his car, clambering into the backseat. The drive to my house was silent, but he was tired, so we didn't want to disturb Pat.
"How was your beer?" I asked Frankie.
"Blech." He winced to prove his point of hating it. I laughed.
"I, for one, like the taste."
"How?" I shrugged. I scooted over next to him and brought him into my lap. He giggled. Our lips crashed together and I wrapped my arms around his small build. We were just making out in the backseat until Patrick cleared his throat. "A-Ah... s-s-sorry," Frank stuttered. He was blushing again. God, he was cute when he was flustered. He sat next to me in the seat, and held my hand on the way home. Eventually, Patrick pulled up to my plain house and unlocked the doors for us. I congratulated him one more time before climbing out and watching him drive away. "What's with you kissing me all the time?" Frankie asked as we walked up to my door.
I shrugged. "Just making sure that you're real."
"No, really? I mean, I don't mind it, but it doesn't seem like you."
I sighed and turned to him. "I wanna have the world record for most kisses before I die."
He laughed. "And that, Gee, is why I love you." He stood on his tiptoes to kiss my nose. I finally unlocked the door and we stumbled inside.
"Hi Gerard," my mom said. She looked up and gritted her teeth. "... and Frank." I had taken a certain liking to pissing off my parents lately, ever since they cut me off from talking to him about a week and a half ago. They're gonna have to deal with having possibly the gayest man on the planet as their son. I gave Frank a peck on the lips before intertwining our fingers once more and running upstairs with him. Once we get to the top step, I can hear my mom slam her coffee cup down and sigh out of annoyance. I stifle my laughs until we get to my room. Once I calm down, I collapse on my bed, Frank following soon after. He snuggles into my chest, our arms wrapped around eachother.
"How long are you planning on staying here?" I asked him after a few minutes.
"Well, however long I feel like it or until I get kicked out. We only have one more year of highschool, remember?"

My heart sinks. I suddenly realize that I won't graduate high school. I won't see Frank graduate. I won't get to see him happy.

And then I realize I'm crying.

"Shh, shh," Frank cooed in my ear as I sobbed into his shoulder. "Babe, why are you crying?"
I sniffled and took a deep breath. "Frankie, I'm not gonna be graduating."
"Oh." He kissed my cheek. "I-I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said anything."
"No, it's... it's fine."
"I..." He sighed. "Just know that I will be with you until the very end, alright?" I smiled weakly. "Now how about we turn on some music?" He reached past me to my phone, grabbing it and unlocking it. He swiped a few times before turning the volume all the way up and clicking a song. I immediately recognize it.

I'm coming out of my cage
And I've been doing just fine
Gotta gotta be down
Because I want it all
It started out with a kiss
How did it end up like this?
It was only a kiss
It was only a kiss

I smiled and softly kissed Frank after he set my phone down, pulling him closer to me. He rolled me over so I was on my back. He chuckled into the kiss and we both softly sung along.

Now I'm falling asleep
And she's calling a cab
While he's having a smoke
And she's taking a drag
Now they're going to bed
And my stomach is sick
And it's all in my head

I laugh as we get closer to the chorus, memories of grade school flooding back to me. He laughs as well, burying his face in my chest. I stroke his hair as the song goes on.
"Frankie?"
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you too, Gee."

And with that, I drift off to the sound of Brandon Flowers's voice.

Jealousy, turning saints into the sea
Swimming through sick lullabies
Choking on your alibis
But it's just the price I pay
Destiny is calling me
Open up my eager eyes
Cause I'm Mr. Brightside

Notes

i still don't know how this is gonna end
i have two endings in mind, one is a very happy ending while the other, well... i would probably break down several times while writing it.
if anyone is willing to hear the two ideas and have the entire story spoiled for them, feel free to message me asking me about the two possibilities

xo