F*ck and Run

There was an incredibly long, awkward pause between Frank and Gerard.
Gerard stared at Frank with a curious expression. Frank glared right back.
“Do I… know you from somewhere?” Gerard asked. He was completely puzzled.
“You could say that.” Frank snorted, rolling his eyes. He didn’t return his gaze to Gerard’s.
“I’m sorry, I just don’t…” Gerard trailed off.
“You don’t even remember me, do you?” Frank said under his breath, mostly to himself. “Of course you fucking don’t.”
Gerard just blinked at the beautiful, angry, obviously uncomfortable man across the table from him. He looked kind of familiar in a vague sort of way if Gerard really thought about it.
Frank slid his chair back and stood up. Gerard’s heart leapt in panic, as he thought the guy was about to leave. Instead Frank just lifted up his sweatshirt, showing off his tattooed hips over his low-cut jeans.
“How about now? Remember me now? You said you liked these…” Frank muttered darkly.
Gerard stared at the beautiful stretch of inked, pale skin. Swallows.
Then it hit him.
Swallows.
Rare Misfits records.
Black coffee.
The guy he’d talked to way too much...
“Oh…” Gerard mouthed, as details from that night trickled to the forefront of his mind.
“That’s really all you have to say to me?” Frank spat, sitting back down and pulling his chair back in. He didn’t pull it as close to the table as it had been before, Gerard observed.
“I’m sorry. I just.... what are the odds?” Gerard breathed, not knowing what the fuck he was supposed to say.
“I know, right?” Frank sighed, rolling his eyes. “Hundreds of guys in this city with the same stupid fucking name and somehow I ended up sitting across from the only one I never wanted to see again.”
Gerard swallowed hard. Not only was this guy incredibly hot and incredibly mad at Gerard, he was also incredibly good at comebacks.
Frank scrubbed his hands over his face.
“Whatever. You know what? What. Ever.” Frank muttered. “I gotta go…”
Frank pushed his chair back again and stood up. Gerard made a grab for his arm.
“Frank, wait! Just… wait a minute. We should talk about this.”
“There’s nothing to talk about.” Frank snapped, pulling his arm away. “See you in hell, asshole.”
With that, Frank was pushing out the door and storming off down the street. Gerard could see him making his way down the block. The coffee Gerard had gotten him still sat on the table, steaming, waiting for the kind of almond milk Frank liked.
That “date” had gone as poorly as it possibly could have, Gerard thought.

Before he could think about it, Gerard was getting up out of his chair, pushing through the door and running down the street after Frank.
“Frank! Stop!” He called out.
Frank didn’t look back, but he didn’t take off running either, which Gerard took as a sign that he was listening. Gerard easily caught up to him.
“Frank! Just… listen for a sec. Can I just say one thing?” Gerard panted.
“Make it quick.” Frank snapped. He didn’t stop walking or turn to acknowledge the guy chasing him down the street.
“Fucking- Stop. Stop walking away.” Gerard breathed, reaching after Frank, who continued his quick, angry stride.
“Why?” Frank shot back, turning on his heels. Gerard narrowly avoided walking right into him. “What more could you possibly want from me?”
Frank stood in front of Gerard with his arms crossed. He didn’t look like shit, contrary to what he had said on the phone. He was completely stunning. Breath-takingly so.
It was all such a bizarre contrast to the last time Gerard had seen Frank. Last time they’d been together, Frank had been all over him, flirty and romantic, pressing his body against Gerard’s and moaning into his mouth.
“Well?” Frank prompted.
Gerard realized he’d been staring and snapped his gaze away for half a second to recompose.
“I… Look, if I’d known it would hurt you this much I never would’ve gone home with you in the first place.” Gerard said softly.
Frank gave him an incredulous look.
“...Well that was a fucking terrible apology.” Frank snorted.
“Frank…” Gerard sighed. “I really am sorry, okay? …I thought you were cool with just hooking up or whatever. If I’d known you expected more I wouldn’t have left like that.”
Frank looked so fucking done with Gerard’s shit. The sad thing was that Gerard didn’t blame him at all. He totally got it.
“Was your brother lying when he said you were cool or does he just not know how much of a fucking asshole you are?” Frank asked.
“...A little of both, probably.” Gerard chuckled in spite of himself, he stared down at his scuffed up shoes on the gum-covered pavement.
“Nothing’s funny about this.” Frank whined. “ Like, at all.”
When Gerard looked up Frank was trying his hardest not to smile. Gerard’s heart fluttered at the sight.
They stared at each other silently, both at a loss for words in their shitty situation. If he hadn’t fucked everything up already he could’ve had a normal coffee date with the sad, pretty punk before him. They would’ve hit it off. They would’ve been great together. Gerard already knew that.
Frank was completely different once you got his clothes off… the attitude was all just an act. From what Gerard remembered, Frank loved being pinned down and fucked hard. He was shamelessly submissive and a bit of a talker. He’d told Gerard exactly what he wanted and why.
Gerard stared at Frank’s pale lips, which were pressed in a tight line. He remembered the way they had hung open when Gerard had been-
He was staring again.
Frank’s smile had faded. He hugged himself tightly and stared back at Gerard with this sad, confused frown.

“Can we just… go back to the cafe and start over?” Gerard asked, crossing his fingers behind his back. “Our coffee is still sitting on that table by the window.”
Frank seemed to consider the idea for a half a second.
“No way.” Frank answered, a little too quickly, shaking his head.
“Why not?” Gerard asked. “You said you’re not busy.”
“Cause I don’t like you very much.” Frank shrugged, “And I’ve got better things to do. ”
“You’re lying.” Gerard pressed. He was half-flirting, half-trying to figure out how to keep Frank with him, even if it was just for another 20 seconds.
“I’m not lying.” Frank shot back, venom quickly returning to his features. He started walking away again. Gerard tagged along beside him. Dead leaves crunched under their feet as they walked.
“You lied earlier?” Gerard pointed out.
“About what?” Frank asked.
“On the phone. You said you looked shitty today. You don’t.”
“Don’t flirt with me, Gerard Way.” Frank muttered. “Guys like you are alwa-”
“Guys like me?” Gerard interrupted.
“Yeah. Guys like you. You’re a fuck-and-run.” Frank explained.
“I’m a what?” Gerard gasped. He looked like he’d been slapped. Frank felt a small pang of remorse when he glanced over at Gerard’s face.
“A fuck-and-run? It’s exactly what it sounds like it is. No one’s ever called you that before?”
“Don’t say it like that.” Gerard mumbled, hesitating before taking his next step. Guys weren’t usually so direct in calling Gerard a slut. It hurt his feelings and caught him off guard.
“Like what? Exactly what it is?” Frank repeated.
“Don’t say it like you’re somehow better than me because of it... I’m not saying you’re not better than me, Frank. You probably are. I’m just saying that the number of people I’ve fucked isn’t what makes you better than me.” Gerard elaborated.
Frank had stopped walking again. He didn’t say anything, he just stared at Gerard.
“I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to be rude… I just hate when people make assumptions about me like that...” Gerard sighed.
It wasn’t even that close to the moon and Gerard could already feel the uncontrollable mood swings coming on. That was probably why he’d followed Frank down the street.
Frank continued to stare at Gerard. He looked uncomfortable and desperate to get away from Gerard.
“Well… Frank. I’m sorry… for following you…” He chuckled, realizing how psycho he must’ve seemed, “and for leaving you that night. All of it.”
“Good.” Frank said softly, swallowing hard. “I’m glad.”
Gerard was about to turn and walk away when he remembered the whole reason he’d even run into Frank...
“Shit. Mikey’s going to ask how this went… What the fuck am I going to tell him?”
“The truth?” Frank suggested, raising an eyebrow.
“Yeah… Probably a good idea.” Gerard sighed. “He’s going to ask you too, just so you know …He said I’d be able to cheer you up after what happened with your apartment and shit. I feel like I’ve done the opposite.”
“It’s good in a way. I think I needed the closure” Frank shrugged.
Another awkward silence fell over the two. Gerard couldn’t explain why he didn’t want to let Frank go. Frank couldn’t explain why he was so intrigued by this asshole who’d loved him and left him.
“Well… Friends?” Gerard asked, awkwardly extending his hand out to shake Frank’s.
Frank eyed Gerard’s outstretched hand but made no motion to shake it.
“I don’t want to be friends with you.” Frank said blankly.
“I don’t blame you.” Gerard snorted, before he could stop himself. “Well, uh…”
With flushing cheeks Gerard slid his hand in his pocket and turned to walk away, only glancing over his shoulder when he was half a block away. Frank had disappeared into the night, around some corner.

Frank had turned and headed in the opposite direction. His apartment was only another couple of blocks away.
He couldn’t stop thinking about how things would’ve gone if he’d been on a date with anyone else. They would’ve walked to Frank’s door and the guy would’ve kissed him goodnight. Frank wouldn’t have invited the guy upstairs… Frank didn’t invite guys upstairs anymore.
Not since he’d met Gerard.

Notes

ughhhhhhhhh. this fic is so fun to write.

T.G.I.F!!!!! (Thank God It's Frerard) ~*~*~*~*~*~*

-m