Trick or Treat

Frank isn’t sure what to say as Gerard all but lets himself into his house.

His friend looks terrible and tired, and Frank guesses that he’s probably just fresh from another drinking binge.

“Sure…I guess?” Frank agrees as Gerard is already climbing up the stairs to his bedroom. Frank follows him, shutting his front door behind him.

So much for going out.

Gerard plops down on his bed like its his own, and takes off his boots. He’s dressed in one of his pairs of black jeans and a poncho, but he throws the poncho off too. Underneath is an under shirt, and skin that looks to be covered in bruises.

“Gerard, what happened to you?!?” Frank gapes.

“I had a date the other night.” Gerard sighed. “It didn’t go so well.”

“Oh my god, are you okay?” Frank comes closer, inspecting Gerard for more severe injuries.

“Calm down, I’m fine.” Gerard grumbles but he doesn’t sound all that fine. “I just want to crash at your place tonight.”

Frank looks at him with pitying eyes. While Gerard doesn’t elaborate further, he figures coming back from a date that must have gone terribly wrong after all Gerard’s been through in the past month must hurt way more than a terrible date on its own would.

“Yeah, you can stay.”

“Thank you.”

Gerard falls back into the mattress and then roves his hands over his face. He groans. Frank sits down next to him awkwardly.

“I’m sorry G.” Frank pats his leg. “Do you want to talk about it?”

“No, I’m sorry…” Gerard turns his head to look at his friend. “Were you doing something?”

“Well, I was going to go get some food, but honestly I’m not sure what I would have done after.” Frank shrugs. “What do you want to do? Are you hungry?”

“Not really…” Gerard replies. Frank frowns at him.

This is another recent problem with Gerard Way as of late… he’s never hungry.

Ever.

Even at times when the entire band and then some unanimously agreed that could all hear Gerard’s stomach growling to the high heavens, Gerard would insist that he was definitely not hungry, and would then refuse to eat so much as a bite of candy.

Unless it was alcohol.

For alcohol, he was always thirsty.

But it has been such an over-discussed issue, Frank doesn’t bother to push it. If Mikey couldn’t get that to budge, no one could.

“You can go eat.” Gerard suggested, “I’ll just watch TV here if that’s cool with you.”

“Alright, babe.” Frank nods. He wonders if he should call Mikey, but he figures Gerard’s already talked to him.

Frank resigns to make a penne pasta dish at home and eats it as he sits next to Gerard in bed, and they watch Hocus Pocus together in silence for a small while.

“Lindsey never texted me Bandit’s Halloween pictures.” Gerard says suddenly, about a quarter into the movie.

“Oh, I’m sorry…” Frank is unsure as to what else to say.

“She was a tiger this year, I think.” Gerard continues, and Frank wonders if he’s actually talking to him or more just mumbling to himself. “I sent money for their costumes, but I was excepting at least a few pictures back…”

Frank nods.

He speculates to himself that maybe Gerard didn’t get pictures because they all include Lindsey’s new husband. Or maybe the pictures were taken by him.

It was no secret that the man Lindsey left Gerard for didn’t think much of him. He has sent nasty emails, detailing in length exactly how much he disliked Gerard, and all the reasons he should stay away from his new wife.

Ray had offered to beat him up, but Gerard had declined.

Personally, Frank is completely clueless as to why anyone in their right mind would choose that jackass over Gerard.

This is Gerard fucking Way we’re talking about.

Not only is Gerard gorgeous, with his porcelain white skin and eyes of hypnotizing hazel – he’s a legend.

He has been deemed a worthy Freddie Mercury by Brian May of Queen, and praised by hundred of others as a hero in every way.

He has talent that blows so many other of today’s musician’s out of the water. His ideas never cease to amaze and amuse Frank, who has been there through many of Gerard’s brainstorming sessions. Watching Gerard go to work whenever that light, that spark, goes off in his mind is awe-inspiring.

And on top of everything else, Gerard is downright sweet.

He’s always making sure the other members of the band and crew are comfortable and satisfied whenever they’re on tour. He tries his best to meet his fans and indulge their requests, despite how rude they often are. He always found time to call Bandit and Lindsey when they were out and about.

Why do the nicest people always seem to find the most pain?

Its only then that Frank realizes he’s been staring at Gerard for who knows how long, judging by far they’ve gotten into the film since he last paid attention to it.

And then his heart skips a beat when he suddenly realizes that Gerard is staring back.

Gerard’s eyes are searching him, looking for something. He has the same expression he had the last time he relapsed into alcoholism, all those years ago. The same, pleading expression that screamed “Help me!”, but of course, just like then, Gerard never verbalizes it.

Without thinking much about it, Frank tries an old remedy.

He leans down and goes in for a kiss.

But Gerard moves away.

“Wha –“ Franks about to ask whats wrong, but he stops mid sentence.

What a stupid question.

Everything’s wrong, obviously.

Gerard’s life is falling apart in every way imaginable, and just the other night someone even dared to put hands on him. And here was Frank, screwing things up even further. Frank, who is married, and happy, and trusted by a loving wife, and everything Gerard is not.

That’s whats wrong.

“Sorry.” Frank ends up saying instead.

Tears are spilling out of the corner of Gerard’s eyes now, and Frank is suddenly overwhelmed with guilt.

“It’s too late for that now.” Gerard mutters. “It’s too late, Frankie.”

“I don’t know what I was thinking, I –“

“Well you should have thought earlier!” Gerard almost screams and Frank flinches.

What the hell is Gerard even talking about?

In the confusion of the moment, Frank fails to notice that his phone has not stopped ringing.

Currently, his phone displays 9 missed calls.

TBC

Notes