Heck Yeah Fire

Gerard was beyond nervous. Never before had he been to a group burn. Mostly because he'd never needed to. He had his own fuel, his own staff. He mostly just lit up in his backyard. But he didn't want to spin alone forever. He knew there were other fire spinners around, and he wanted to meet them.

He was currently sitting on a public bus, getting a lot of strange looks, as he was carrying a fuel container labeled 'White Gas' and something that to most people was just a large stick. Fortunately, though, no one had bothered to ask him about it.

He finally got to his stop, thanking the driver and hopping off the bus, heading towards the park. It was a pretty big park, perfect for a burn. There was an area in a corner that was just flat grass, which he assumed was where he should be heading.

The sun was starting to set, meaning he was right on time, and as he got nearer to his destination, he could see a few people already there with all sorts of tools. He could see staff, hoop, poi, devil stick, fans, even a dragon staff and a rope dart. He could feel his heartbeat speeding up, and was starting to feel a little nervous. He'd never met another fire spinner before. He'd found out about it online, learned from YouTube, and practiced it in his backyard, the only spectator being Mikey telling him he was insane.

He reached the group, setting his fuel and staff down near the edge of the grass and standing there awkwardly, unsure of what to do. People seemed to still be arriving, and he sat down in the grass, studying each new person that showed up.

Girl with nothing but fans, girl with a bag of poi and three different hoops, guy with nothing but a torch (probably a fire breather), guy with a fire hoop and a glow hoop...

Gerard spent a little more time looking at that last guy that had arrived. There was something about him that was undeniably interesting. Maybe it was the fact that he looked so confidant, like he knew exactly what he was doing. No, that couldn't be it. Gerard was pretty sure that everyone except him knew what they were doing. Could it be his hair? It was long and dark brown down the middle, hanging over his eyes, and short and dyed blond on the sides. But no, Gerard knew plenty of people with unusual hair, Mikey included. To be honest he had no idea what made him so interesting. But he did know he wanted to meet him.

He thought for a few seconds about a good excuse to start a conversation before taking a deep breath and heading towards the crowd. Reaching the guy, he tapped his shoulder lightly.

"Excuse me, I've never been to something like this before. How exactly does it...work...?" Not the smoothest conversation starter, but acceptable.

The guy turned around and smiled at Gerard, causing his heart to skip a beat. "Well, it should be pretty easy to figure out once we get started, but basically we have one safety and three or four people spinning. You just kind of wait for a spot. And it would be nice if you'd safety at least once."

"Safety?"

"Oh, yeah, the safety is the person who watches the spinners to make sure they don't catch themselves on fire and puts out their tools. With a piece of duvetyne."

Gerard nodded. "Okay. Thanks. Uh, what's your name?"

"I'm Frank. And you?"

"Gerard."

"Well it's nice to meet you, Gerard. I'm glad you came and I hope you have a good time." He smiled again and Gerard found himself staring after Frank as he walked away, probably to put down his hoops.

He was wearing an interesting outfit. Black shorts so short they might as well be booty shorts with a black Misfits sleeveless shirt. He also had on black converse and black knee-high Halloween pumpkin patterned socks. Gerard was surprised he wasn't cold. After all, the sun was now down beyond the horizon.

Gerard himself was dressed a little more plainly, in a pair of black jeans, black converse, and a duvetyne shirt. He had never actually caught himself on fire but hey, it was cool to say he had a fire resistant shirt. Plus it made Mikey feel better about him spinning lit.

Within five minutes, the first person had lit up, and soon there were three people spinning. Two spinning poi and one spinning double staff. The safety was watching intently, and Gerard realized it was Frank. He took a deep breath before going to sit down next to him.

"Mind if I take the shift after you?"

"Go for it." Frank replied, than remained silent. Gerard kind of wanted to talk to him, but it probably wasn't a good idea to distract the safety.

After about a half an hour Frank handed the large piece of duvetyne to Gerard, and Gerard settled into the chair. He was surprised when Frank remained by his side. Gerard decided a quick sentence couldn't hurt, so he spoke up, not taking his eyes off of the spinners.

"Making sure I don't fuck it up?"

He thought he saw Frank smile out of the corner of his eye. "Maybe. And maybe I just want to sit by you."

Gerard could feel his face heating up, and it wasn't from the fire. He decided that attempting to say anything else would result in stuttering and further blushing, so he kept his mouth shut until someone else came to take the duvetyne at the end of the half hour.

Standing up, he turned to Frank. "So, you come to these things often?"

Frank nodded, and started heading towards where he'd set his hoops down. "Every week."

"Wow. That's cool. I've never spun with other people around before. Well, besides my brother anyways."

"Oh, does your brother spin too?"

Gerard chuckled. "Nah, I could never get him to try it."

Frank smiled. "Yeah, it's not for everyone, that's for sure." He picked up his fire hoop. "Hey, you should go get your tool so we can go on together." He grinned as he started dipping his five wicks in fuel.

"Oh! Yeah, sure." Gerard went to pick up his staff, fueling it up and going back to find Frank, who was waiting at the edge. There were only three people spinning, so when the next person was done they both went up, lighting their tools from a candle set at the edge of the spinning area.

Gerard was still a little nervous. He'd never had so many people watching him before. But...it would be okay. He knew his staff, he knew how to spin it. Everything was going to be fine. He closed his eyes, listening to the music while he spun his staff in a simple circle to make sure no fuel was dripping. Once he was sure it was done dripping, he started to really spin, trying to just go with the music. And it felt good. He was up here with three other people spinning to great music, and he couldn't help but grin. It was a great feeling.

But before too long he ended up paying a lot more attention to Frank than himself. Frank was...well, amazing. He'd seen other people spin hoop before, but nothing this great. The bigger the hoop, the easier to spin, and Frank's was pretty dang small, but it didn't look like he was having trouble with it at all. He hooped around his knees, brought it up over his head, did a few twists reminiscent of staff spinning, isolations, and it all looked perfect. Just the way his body moved with the hoop was amazing. Gerard suddenly found himself wishing that it was possible to look that sexy spinning staff.

One of Gerard's wicks went out and he stopped spinning, letting the safety put the other wick out with the duvetyne. He sat down on the sidelines, just watching Frank. Maybe he should learn how to spin hoop. Maybe he should ask Frank to teach him.

It wasn't too much longer before Frank's wicks started to go out too, and he put the rest out, going to sit next to Gerard. "Hey, you're really good at staff."

"Thanks." Gerard gave him a small smile, not really believing him but enjoying the compliment anyways.

"Do you do any contact staff?"

He shook his head. "I couldn't figure it out. The videos are a little confusing."

Frank nodded. "Yeah the internet isn't always the best way to learn. To be honest, I've never been able to figure staff out."

Gerard grinned. "Well I've got no fucking clue how to spin hoop."

Frank grinned right back. "You teach me I'll teach you?"

Gerard nodded. "Sure thing. But I've only got my fire staff with me tonight."

"Well, I could always visit your house."

"Uh." Oh shit. "Yeah, sounds good. Whenever you're free. I never have anything to do over the summer. Actually you could probably just come home with me tonight. Mikey brings people over all the time and our parents don't seem to care."

"Sounds good. Is Mikey your brother?"

"Yeah."

"Hm..."

"What?"

"Do you mind if we stop by my place before we go to yours? It's only a few blocks away."

"Not at all."

Frank gave him a knowing smirk. "Some people aren't meant to be spinners. But some just haven't found the right tool yet."

Gerard shrugged. "I dunno he seems pretty put off by the idea of fire in general."

"No biggie, I'm pyrophobic."

"Seriously?"

Frank nodded. "Trust me. It's worth a try."

"Alright, I believe you. Are you thinking poi or something?"

"I was actually thinking devil stick but I'll bring all I've got."

"Awesome. How many tools have you got, anyways?"

"Uh..." He paused to count on his fingers. "About...eleven, I think.

"Wow. That's impressive."

"Wait no, twelve."

"Jeez. I've only got two. Oh, speaking of tools, I was wondering what that glow hoop looks like."

Frank got up, and Gerard followed him over to the hoop, watching him pick it up and turn it on. Holy shit it was one of the patterned ones. He'd turned it on a blue and pink heart pattern and just hooped around his waist, grinning.

"It wasn't cheap, but it was worth it."

"Yeah, I bet it was. Hm. Maybe I should get a glow staff."

"They're great for raves."

"Yeah that makes sense. Not that I really go to many raves."

"They're fun. You should go sometime."

"Yeah maybe once I get a glow staff I will."

Frank put the hoop back down, and they watched other people spin until midnight when the meet ended. They walked together to Frank's apartment, enjoying the night air. When they got there, Gerard watched him gather together a few hoops, a rope dark, a devil stick, fire fans, and a few pairs of poi. He put everything except the hoops in a bag, adding what Gerard assumed were pajamas and a toothbrush.

"Alright, let's go."

They caught one of the last buses back to Gerard's house. The upstairs of the house was dark and quiet, so Gerard knew that his parents were already asleep. Mikey might be awake though.

He unlocked the front door, tiptoeing quietly downstairs to the basement, where their rooms were. Sure enough, Mikey's light was still on. Gerard leaned on the door frame.

"Hey Mikey. My friend Frank is over, just so you know."

Mikey smirked at him. Oh no. Oh no, he'd already assumed Gerard had a crush on Frank. Sometimes he really hated Mikey.

"Don't -"

"Bringing your boyfriend home to meet mom and dad?"

"Oh my god, Mikey. Shut the fuck up." Gerard turned away from the doorway, blushing, to find Frank obviously trying not to laugh.

"He seems friendly."

"Yeah, if by friendly you mean a pain in the ass." Gerard grumbled, but quickly forgot about the incident.

He led Frank into his bedroom. "Er, I've only got one bed but it's a queen so.... I mean, I can always sleep on the couch if you want."

"Nah don't worry about it, I don't take up much space."

Just then Mikey appeared in Gerard's doorway. "So...how'd you two meet?"

He knew that tone of voice. "Mikey, he's not my boyfriend."

Mikey smirked again. God, Gerard hated that look. "I didn't say that, I just asked how you met." Fuck.

"You just. Ugh. We met at the burn I just got back from."

Mikey glanced at Frank, looking him up and down, the smirk still lingering on his face. "Nice outfit." And then he just left.

Gerard growled under his breath. "I'll be right back." He said to Frank, following after Mikey. He closed the door to Mikey's room behind them.

"Dude, seriously, just leave us alone."

"Why, so you can fuck?"

"Mikey."

"It's really obvious that you like him. Why not act on it?"

"But I don't." He wasn't lying. He didn't have a crush on Frank. He just thought he was really cool. And who wouldn't?

"You totally do. Come back to me in a day or two and try to tell me again that you don't."

"Okay whatever. Just leave us alone, okay?"

"Whatever you say, bro." Mikey went back to whatever he'd been doing on the computer and Gerard went back to his own room, flopping down on the bed.

"I'm exhausted." He lay there a few more seconds before laughing. "But I really don't want to sleep."

Frank grinned. "Then don't. I see you have a TV in here, we could always watch a movie."

"Great idea. What do you want to watch?"

"Oh, oh, how about Sharknado?" Frank grinned, seeming really excited.

"But I heard it was a terrible movie."

"Oh my god you haven't seen it? Okay, okay, no, you have to see it man it's fucking hilarious."

Gerard shrugged. "Alright, if you say so." He turned the TV on, finding Sharknado on Netflix. He got comfortable on his side of the bed, propping himself up against a bunch of pillows and waiting for Frank to do the same before starting the movie.

Frank was right. It was fucking hilarious. But he ended up only paying attention for about ten minutes before he found himself getting distracted by Frank. He was just kind of...well, really fucking attractive. Stupid Mikey, knowing who he had a crush on before he did. He made a small sound of annoyance and Frank turned towards him.

"Something wrong?"

"No, just- ugh, Mikey."

"Aw, come on, he's just being a dick to be a dick. That's how brothers are."

"No he's-!" Wait. No. Telling Frank that Mikey was right would be a terrible idea. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Just don't let him get to you."

Gerard nodded, turning back towards the TV and hoping Frank would do the same and drop the conversation.

No such luck.

"But...would it be so bad if he was right?"

Okay, not what he'd been expecting. "What?"

"I mean-" for once Frank looked a tiny bit unsure of himself. "I just meant...uh...if he'd been right, I mean, at least he's...accepting, right?" Something told Gerard that that really hadn't been what he meant.

"Yeah well, I am pretty gay so if he was homophobic we'd have a problem." Gerard laughed a little, wondering if maybe Frank wasn't straight either.

"Just pretty gay?" Frank raised an eyebrow.

"Well, I mean, I'm not gay. Not really. I mean, I'm pansexual, but within that I'm pretty gay. I kind of lean towards guys."

"Ha! That means I'm gayer than you!" Frank grinned.

Gerard rolled his eyes and playfully punched him in the shoulder. "It's not a competition, fuckmunch."

Frank leaned onto him, looking up at him with a mock-serious face. "It could be."

"Uh..." Was he...implying something? Gerard wasn't sure what to do.

Frank suddenly seemed a little worried, and quickly went back to his side of the bed, laughing, although it sounded like a nervous laugh to Gerard. "I'm just kidding!" Or was he...? Gerard was starting to think maybe he wasn't the only one in the room with a crush on the guy he was about to share a bed with. Maybe he should...maybe he should say something.

"Just kidding?"

Frank nodded, looking at him innocently.

"Didn't sound like you were just kidding." Gerard tried smirking a little, trying to look like he knew something when he really didn't. "Sounded like you were trying to say something."

Frank shook his head. "Nah. Nope, nothing to say. Nothing at all." There was that nervous laugh again.

Gerard shrugged. "Alright, if you say so." He'd get Frank to say something before the night was over.

They went back to just watching the movie, and as Gerard got more tired, he started to feel more confidant, more bold. Though it was a cheesy, overdone move, he gradually scooted closer to Frank, putting an arm around his shoulders to see if he'd react. He thought he saw the corner of his mouth twitch upwards a little, but other than that, nothing.

As they got closer and closer to the end of the movie, Gerard starting searching his imagination for a way to get Frank to say something. Or do something. Anything.

The credits started to roll and he did the first thing he could think of. He leaned over and lightly bit Frank's neck, kissing it.

Frank gasped and Gerard suddenly thought of something good to say, feeling proud of himself. "Who's gayer now?~"

Frank's face went from confused to determined. "Oh, it's on." He pressed his lips against Gerard's, pushing him down on the bed and tangling his fingers in his hair, kissing him deeply.

Gerard gasped, surprised at how enthusiastic Frank was. But he definitely was not complaining. His hands seemed to want something to hold onto, and one found Frank's ass, the other reaching around to the back of his neck.

Frank broke the kiss to bite and suck sloppily at Gerard's neck, and Gerard let out a rather loud moan, only realizing a few seconds later that the walls of the room were the exact opposite of soundproof and Mikey was definitely still awake.

He sat up suddenly, listening intently. Maybe he had headphones on? But no, he could hear Mikey laughing.

"Dude, shut up." He half-shouted at Mikey.

"Told you!" Mikey called from the other room, laughing so hard he was making weird squeaking noises.

"Ugh." Gerard flopped back over, wrapping his arms around Frank and snuggling against him.

"Why's he have to be such a dick?"

"Eh, let him have the satisfaction of being right. We get the satisfaction of, well, other stuff." Frank smirked at him and Gerard laughed.

"Yeah, you're right. Although right now we should probably get some sleep." It had gotten pretty late.

Frank nodded, and Gerard rearranged the bed for sleeping, laying down next to Frank and pulling him close again. They exchanged lazy, sleepy kisses until they both fell asleep, dreaming of tomorrow.

Notes

Don't ask, man, because I have no clue. Enjoy, I guess.