Bookworms Anonymous

The gruesome heat seemed to settle into the pavements and make the cement melt and bubble as it simmered in the intense sunlight. This almost unbearable heat seemed to mimic the atmosphere and tension that surrounded the two boys when the older one finally caught up to the other. Gerard’s heavy footing was light and unfathomably quiet as he followed the emotional and loud foot steps of his friend. Frank wasn’t running anywhere specific and that was illustrated through his zigzagged getaway and his unprepared escape plan from the awkward situation he found himself in moments ago.

Keeping in mind that Frank Iero hadn’t actually done any physical activity since he was twelve years old he had made it five minutes until he had to lean over and casually cough up his lungs onto the bubbling pavement and wipe the sweat from his pale forehead. He walked a little further into an alley and the shade where he was sure Gerard wouldn’t find him. But Frank had been wrong before so he closed his eyes and hoped to every god he could name in that moment, which consequently only consisted of Zeus, that Gerard wouldn’t come after him and he could avoid that interesting conversation for another day.

Gerard could run a little further than his friend without becoming totally incapacitated and he heard the heavy breathing before he even saw the little shaded alley way and the boy leaning against the brick work wall. Gerard smiled walking up to him and coughing awkwardly.
Frank peered his eyes open slightly praying to Zeus once again that it was some hobo who’s pissing spot he stood in or even better a mugger who was holding him a gun point. But, to Franks disappointment when he finally opened his eyes he was greeted by the very pretty picture of a flushed Gerard smiling down at him with a hint of concern in those beautiful hazel eyes. Frank sighed inwardly still feeling like his lungs were filling with blood, but that doesn’t matter when your heart is shattering into millions pieces.

Gerard placed his hands on either side of the smaller boys face leaning case to him panting slightly from the running, but still smiling slightly. Frank could feel the heat from Gerard’s body around and him and he wanted to be closer to the man, but he couldn’t not after what he’d just heard.

‘What was that, Frankie?’ Gerard whispered his voice barely registering in Franks mind as he stared dumbly at the man in front of him. Gerard was utterly confused as the boy beneath him panted and stuttered barely there as his eyes had glazed over. But Gerard just did what he does best he smiled his best smile and acted as if everything was going to be okay. He acted like whatever Frank had heard on the phone and whatever Frank was upset about he could solve.
‘I knew it was too good to be true.’ Frank muttered his voice fluctuating between upset and angry in just a simple sentence. Gerard smile disappeared in that moment and his eyebrows netted together underneath is thick hair. ‘What…was it some kind of joke? were you both bored?’ Frank would scream if he could but his voice was barely a whisper. ‘Thought you’d just lead me on?’ Gerard placed his hands of Franks cheeks slightly and frowned.

‘What are you babbling on about?’ Gerard whispered in utter confusion as Frank closed his eyes quickly and inhaled a short shaky breath. Gerard could feel that Frank was uncomfortable, but he dint move he had to do whatever he could to make Frank better.

‘Don’t touch me.’ He spat. His words full of anger. Gerard flinched but didn’t move his hands.
‘Frankie. Who was it on the phone?’ He said calmly stroking his cheeks and trying to hold eye contact.

‘Your mother.’ Frank whispered. Gerard didn’t react, he just seemed intrigued. ‘We had a lovely chat. I say ‘chat’ but she mostly just spoke at me..’ Frank trailed off trying not to get too angry. If he showed the emotion he was feeling right now he would feel embarrassed after it all. It all seemed like one big joke.

‘She does that a lot.’ Gerard muttered looking around in the dark alley and then back and Frank who looked like he was going to burst into tears. ‘What did she say?” He asked cautiously. The skied grew grey like clouds were forming over them both and maybe the breathtaking heat was about to be broken by a well needed summer shower.

‘You know, the usual mom stuff, pilates, next time you’re gonna visit, your girlfriend…’ Frank muttered casually.

‘Girlfriend?’ Gerard laughed at the inaccuracy, but when Frank didn’t return his lightheartedness he pushed away from the wall and they stood a foot apart.

‘Remember, G, you and Lindsey can share a bed, but no funny business under your mothers roof!” he shouted sarcastically seething slightly as Gerard flinched pushing himself back onto the brick wall behind him. ‘What was it? Saw me looking all pathetic and lonely and thought ‘you know what will keep me busy for a couple of weeks ill pretend to be into this guy and then rip out his heart and stomp on it?”Frank moved closer to Gerard his eyes full of anger, but still not letting himself get too upset.

‘My mother…she…’ Gerard couldn’t seem to get her words out and so Frank interrupted him.
‘She? Wasn’t in on the plan? Oh what a shame, i honestly thought we had something G, but obviously you are just winding me up. I hope and and Lindsey are very, very happy together and….’ This time it was Gerard who interrupted Frank.

‘I haven’t come out yet.’ Frank took a step back and his shock was evident on his face. Gerard closed his eyes feeling embarrassment wash over him and his hands shake. He felt sick to his stomach and full on unexplainable anger.

‘You…You…What?’ Frank mumbled totally confused as all anger seemed to flush away and he was just staring dumbly at his friend.

‘My mom thinks I’m straight.’ He said plainly. ‘She is quite a conservative woman. She will always love me unconditionally, but she never liked that i wanted to do art and she never liked me and Mikey being into rock music and smoking and you should’ve seen her face that time Mikey came home with that spider tattoo. I’ve disappointed her too much to dump this on her when I’m like 24 and she thinks I’m in a relationship with my best friend.’ Gerard ranted on uncontrollably until Frank grabbed his hand and started to rub his thumb over Gerard’s palm to calm him.

‘You told your mom that you and Lindsey were dating?’ Frank questioned him.

‘No! No, of course not. Its just that me and Linds are close and, you even admitted it yourself that you thought we were a couple, so mom just assumed and we never corrected her. It was easier that way.’ Gerard shook his because now that he was saying it all out loud it seem outlandishly stupid. Frank laughed slightly shaking his head causing Gerard to relax slightly.
‘And what was going to happen when you got into a serious relationship, G, what happens when you meet someone you want to marry and adopt four hundred puppies with?” Gerard opened his eyes and looked at Frank sincerely.

‘I always said that i would cross that bridge when i came to it. But, i guess I’m at the bridge now and its all just fucking me over.” he sighed leaning back against the wall and banging his head slightly.

‘Don’t say that.’ Frank muttered sternly. ‘We have being seeing each other for a week you can be saying bold things like that.’ The smaller of the two whispered as if he was trying to make sure no one else heard what Gerard had just said.

‘But its true.’ Gerard said dumbly. ‘I have dated guys for months. I even dated Bert for a year and i have never, ever felt this way about anyone else. Accept maybe Han Solo, but i was like 10 then so it doesn’t really count.’ Frank laughed and Gerard physically felt his chest tighten at the sound of the beautiful mans giggles.

‘So, what are you going to do then?’ Frank laughed moving closer to the man in front of him and sighing feeling all the bad atmosphere lift as he left a drop of water on his cheek.

‘I am going to come out.’ He said shakily as a summer shower started to sprinkle down of them.

‘When?’ Frank laughed huddling closer to the other body as the rain fluttered around them.

‘Next weekend, in New Jersey. You can come with me.’ Gerard shouted a little to be heard over the heavy rain as they both were drenched. ‘Come with me and you can meet Mikey again properly and Kristen and my parents and I’ll come out and i can finally be…me.’ Gerard smiled down at the man currently huddled into him as he started up at him in shock. Frank only nodded in response and then grabbed Gerard’s face kissing him passionately. Exploring his mouth and tasting him and they were soaked to the bone as the summer shower continued to pound down onto the pavement and their frail bodies. Frank pulled away slightly giggling against the older mans lips and smiling up at him. Gerard moved in for another kiss addicted to the way he tasted and felt against him, but Frank pulled away and shook his head.

‘It’s pouring of rain Gerard!’ he shouted as the rain was drawing out all sound. Gerard shrugged and held his hand pulling him out of the small enclosed alley way onto the still desolate streets now filled with busy raindrops and whipping winds. He dragged him through the swarming rain and the drizzly air and they laughed as they tripped through the quiet streets. Just the two of them all alone as a down pour attacked New York and gave the grizzly and burning air a small break distinguishing the heat wave and hardening the bubbling pavements.

Gerard stopped suddenly in the middle of the street causing Frank to fall into his arms and giggle as he looked up at the drenched boy. His black hair sticking to his pale skin and dripping onto his exposed neck. The juxtaposition between his porcelain skin and jet black just made his eyes sparkle more as he looked down at Frank.

‘You’re going to catch your death.’ Frank shouted giggling at Gerard in his summer clothes dripping wet and shivering slightly.

‘What?’ Gerard looked down on him pushing his brown wet hair off of his face making a quiff and giggling at how ridiculous the smaller man looked.

‘You are going to catch a cold!’ He shouted a little louder and this time Gerard heard him. The whole street was dim and full of this little droplets of summer rain and only they stood in the middle of the road staring at each other and giggling.

‘Do you wanna share?’ Gerard mumbled into Franks ear, causing his to shiver slightly and move closer. Frank grabbed a hold of Gerard’s soaked face and and kissed him passionately again. They kissed and kissed until the rain trickled into nothing and just the two of them remained as the sun was exposed again and the rain was nothing but a memory.

Notes

So so guys...they made up wooooo

I mean it wasn't going to last an along and now you guys finally know what the secret was that Gerard and Lindsey were talking about in the first chapters.

I found this easier to write and even though i don't fell 100% i feel better. Anyway, what did you think????

Oh and shoutout to Originality-At-Its-Finest who somehow i followed on twitter and didn't know!

-C