Ain't That Tuff Enuff?

***Time Stamp: One Year Later***

"And the winner is....Patrick Stump for his Infinity Collection!"

Patrick nearly choked on his Champagne...he couldn’t have heard right, could he? He looked to his right...to Ryan who was grinning back at him.

"Did...did she really say...me?"

"Yes baby she did!"

Ryan excitedly kissed his cheek. Patrick smiled, shakily looking round the table at his friends as they all started clapping and cheering for him to go accept his award. He stood from his seat on slightly trembling legs and made his way through the tables, shaking offered hands and accepting the odd hug along the way. When he finally made it to the stage, he had visions of tripping on the steps and falling flat on his face...but he didn’t, and a moment later he was walking across the stage to meet the woman who had inspired him to create in the first place...Collette Dinnigan. He held out his hand with a wide smile as he reached her, despite how scared he was that he was about to make a fool of himself in front of his idol.

Frank watched from the company's table as their best designer made his acceptance speech. Although it was Ryan that modeled the Infinity collection, he knew that everything started with Gerard. He also knew something that Gerard didn't. That he was up for an award tonight as well. Frank asked Brian not to tell him and intercept all the letters from the organisation. He wanted it to truly be a surprise.

Gerard smiled wide as he watched the man he’d grown to think of as a friend, receiving his award and somehow managing to talk without tripping over his own tongue...Gerard wasn’t sure he would ever be able to do something like that. He looked to his left as he felt Frank take his hand. He laughed happily as he felt the effects of maybe a drop more Champagne than he should’ve had.

"He won."

He giggled.

"He did and you are drunk my sweet one."

Gerard giggled again.

"I think you might be right."

"Oh I know I am right and I am going to take full advantage of it when we get home tonight."

Frank slid his hand up Gerard's thigh under the table. Gerard shivered with excitement...he was past being embarrassed by public displays of affection now, even when he was sober.

"We could sneak away now. I don’t think anyone would miss us."

He said quietly, leaning into Frank and biting his bottom lip enticingly. Frank wanted to so badly, but he knew what was next.

"I tell you what baby, after this next award we can."

Gerard pouted, fluttering his lashes as he slid his own hand into Frank’s lap.

"Aww...please?"

”And now, we have the award for Best Billboard of The Year. And the nominees are..."

Frank fought to not grab Gerard and throw him down on the table and have his way with his supple body. He waited till the moment happened.

"...and Gerard Way for the Billboard in Time Square for the Cooperstown Swim Line by Patrick Stump."

Gerard’s eyes widened, his head snapping toward the stage.

"What the..."

He looked at Frank, shocked.

"You knew!"

He accused. Frank laughed as he pulled his boyfriend into his lap. Gerard had chosen to wear a dress from Patrick's new collection. He decided to branch out into more women’s wear and created a collection of evening gowns. Gerard chose a beautiful red velvet dress with a black brocade inlay up the back. Patrick let Ryan name the collection. Northern Down Pour was doing quite well in its first month to the public and has already been eyed for next year’s awards. Gerard took a shaky breath as they waited for the result.

"And the winner is...Gerard Way!"

Gerard nearly fell off of Frank’s lap in shock.

"Oh my...I can’t go up there!...I...I don’t have anything to s-say. Frank...what do I..."

He felt like he was on the edge of a panic attack. Frank grabbed Gerard's hand and held it tightly against his chest.

"You can do it baby, I believe in you..."

He looked around the table at everyone.

"We all do."

"Yes, of course we do..."

Brendon said, reaching a hand over to squeeze Gerard’s shoulder.

"Now get up there and accept your award."

Gerard saw all his friends grinning and nodding so he took a breath and stood up. He walked carefully through the tables, holding his dress up a little so he wouldn’t trip and make a fool of himself. He smiled and thanked people as they congratulated him along the way, until he finally made it up on stage. He walked over to the man who had announced his win...he wasn’t even sure who the man was. He smiled and held out his hand as he reached the podium.

"You can do it Gee!"

Both Mikey and Bob shouted from table. Gerard wanted to flip them off, but there were way too many eyes and cameras on him right now...so he settled on smiling and waving. He turned back to the man who he thought was called Neil or Nial...or something, and smiled sheepishly as he accepted the award in one hand while shaking the man's hand with his other for the cameras.

"Thanks..."

He said quietly, then turned to the microphone when the man indicated that it was time for him to speak. Gerard smiled shakily, licking his lips and wishing he hadn’t had so much Champagne.

"Wow. Err..."

Everyone quietened to listen to him and he suddenly wished he’d drunk more.

"This is honestly a surprise to me, as my friends and colleagues neglected to give me a heads up..."

A ripple of laughter went round the room. Gerard smiled.

"I’ll be waxing off their eyebrows while they sleep for that..."

A louder round of laughs made Gerard grin.

"But seriously...just over a year ago I couldn’t have imagined any of this. I was working as a welder for my then partner's building company...which I still do from time to time by the way..."

A cheer came from his table and he looked over to see his friends all waving their glasses at him, and Frank blowing him a kiss. He chuckled and gave a small wave back before continuing.

"To be perfectly honest with you, back then, I barely knew this world even existed. So I’d like to thank my brother, my wonderful boyfriend, my friends, my colleagues, and our wonderful and talented designer, Mr. Patrick Stump..."

Another huge cheer and wave of applause spread, and Gerard had to wait for it to die down before he could be heard again.

"...without whom I probably would never have even dreamed of wearing half the things I do now..."

He looked down, indicating his beautiful gown...and gaining more than a few whistles. He giggled and looked back up.

"Thank you, and thank you to anyone I’ve forgotten and to whoever decided that I deserve this award."

He held up the award to loud cheers, mostly from his table...then shook the man's hand again and shakily left the stage. It took him a good five minutes to make it back to the table with all the congratulations, kissed knuckles and business cards he received...but when he did, he flopped rather ungracefully into his seat, looking around at all his friends' smiling faces.

"You’re all dicks for not warning me!"

He exclaimed with a pout, crossing his arms over his chest like an angry toddler.

"Awww, Gee needs group hugs."

Everyone at the table got up and hugged him tight. Gerard rolled his eyes, but after a few seconds he hugged back, giggling happily.

"You’re still dicks..."

He mumbled against someone's shoulder, though he wasn’t sure who's.

"...but I love you all."

The rest of the award show seemed to move quickly. They didn't win any more, but they were fine with that. After the show was dinner and dancing and an open bar. Frank proudly led Gerard to the dance floor and twirled him around holding him close.

"I love you in your jeans and dirty flannels, but tonight you look gorgeous baby."

Gerard laughed, his cheeks pinking a little as he looked into Frank’s eyes.

"Why thank you kind sir..."

He winked.

"But you’ve seen nothing yet..."

He leaned in to whisper in Frank's ear.

"You should see what I’ve got on underneath...hint..."

He licked his tongue into Frank’s ear slowly.

"...it’s nothing."

Frank stopped dancing and looked at his boyfriend.

"Right."

Without any other words, Frank picked Gerard up and hauled him over his shoulder as he passed a startled Mikey and Brendon dancing next to them.

"Um...should I be worried about my brother, Bren?"

Brendon laughed.

"Only if you're concerned about his hole, babe..."

He said with a smirk.

"Do you think of your brother's ass often?...is this a kink I should know about?"

Mikey turned and looked at Brendon. He got like this when he felt upstaged or the need to prove himself. Mikey got it after being with Brendon so long.

"Bren..."

Brendon smiled innocently.

"Yes my sweet?"

"You don't need to do that. You don't need to be extra..."

Mikey touched Brendon's face lightly. He looked into the man's eyes that he got to really know in the past year. Brendon was very smart and could be witty when he wanted to. He blushed when Mikey complimented his cooking and loved to share control in the bedroom. In short he was the perfect package.

"You look just as beautiful as my brother in your suit. You don't need anything else to turn me on."

Brendon blushed pink, looking down for a moment before meeting Mikey’s eyes again.

"I love you Mikes, you know that?"

"Yeah, yeah I do..."

Mikey smiled and took Brendon in his arms as they moved across the dance floor in a slow circle.

"I love you too."

Brendon leaned in to press a soft kiss to Mikey’s lips.

"So, you wanna get out of here too?...it’s just gonna be dancing and increasingly drunk models from now on."

Mikey looked at the ceiling as if he was trying to decide.

"Well I did rent someone's favorite movie and I did have their favorite popcorn shipped in from Chicago..."

Brendon’s eyes widened.

"The almond caramel crisp?!...but that’s so expensive baby. You didn’t have to."

"Yes I did cause you deserve it..."

Mikey leaned in and kissed his boyfriend.

"So...Netflix and...Garret?"

Brendon chuckled.

"Yeah, Netflix and Garrett sounds good to me...and as a thank you, I’ll even give you a foot massage."

"Now I know you love me."

Mikey never realised he had a foot...anything till Brendon introduced him to a pedicure and he practically came in the chair at the salon. Needless to say, Brendon never brought him back there again, but he did buy out the Elizabeth Arden Spa's foot care collection and now Brendon gives Mikey's feet attention in their apartment and then usually Brendon gets the attention to his cock afterwards. Brendon smiled wide.

"Of course I do, I have pretty much since the day we met...even though you hated me then."

"I never hated you. I hated how you acted when I know you are a much better person in here..."

Mikey touched Brendon's chest lightly.

"Now come on baby, let's go cry to your favorite Rom Com."

Brendon smiled wide.

"You’ll watch Steel Magnolias with me?!...is it my birthday and I forgot or something?"

Mikey rolled his eyes.

"I said Rom Com, not movie where you can't watch for more than 15 minutes before you are crying your eyes out over how you know Julia Roberts is going to die."

Brendon pouted a little, then grinned.

"Then you must mean that seminal classic...Clueless."

"Yup, and you are truly my Cher."

Brendon laughed.

"I can drive better than her...Hell, even Pete can drive better than her."

"Please don't mention his name or..."

"You called?"

Pete cheered brightly and slightly drunkenly, throwing an arm around both of their shoulders and putting most of his weight onto them. Brendon chuckled.

"Oops."

Mikey huffed annoyingly. Brendon still hadn't learned that Pete had this weird way of knowing when someone was talking about him or hearing his name if he was in the same room. He used to find it cute when they were dating just like he used to find Pete cute.

"How much have you had Pete?"

"Only two..."

Pete giggled.

"...bottles."

"I helped."

An equally drunk Gabe lumbered over to them. He leaned in and smiled at Brendon.

"Hey, how come I can't blow you anymore?"

Brendon raised an eyebrow.

"Cause you’ve got Pete’s cock to suck now, and I’m with Mikey...that’s why. Geeze...you two really are hammered, ain’t you."

Mikey patted Gabe's face lightly and turned to Pete.

"Pete, go blow your boyfriend in the supply closet will you?"

Pete’s face lit up.

"Aye aye cap'n."

He grabbed Gabe's hand and dragged him away across the room. Brendon laughed.

"I’ll remember that one."

"Come on, let's get out of here before he realises he needs a key."

Brendon laughed and nodded.

"Yeah, but you do know they’ll probably just go to the men's room instead...and get themselves arrested for public indecency."

Mikey took Brendon's hand and with no more words, pulled him out of the room just as someone was calling his name.

"Oh man, I guess they didn't hear me."

Ryan slumped back in his seat. He felt like he was drifting away from his friends. He was the only one that stopped working for Bob to be a full time model.

"I think they have other things on their minds right now baby..."

Patrick said softly, taking Ryan’s hand in his and bringing it up to his lips.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah, I'm alright..."

Ryan gave a small smile to Patrick. He felt bad cause Patrick had done so much for him. He felt ungrateful.

"I'll be fine."

Patrick smiled softly at him, gently pulling the boy into his lap.

"I love you baby...your friends do too, you know?"

"I know, I just...I miss them. I miss working with them."

"You could go back to the job you know...Bob said there was a place for you any time you want..."

Patrick stroked Ryan's hair from his face.

"And you see them at the studio...I try to schedule their shoots for when you're there."

Ryan started to cry without realising it.

"I feel like I am letting you down. You revolved the next campaign around me solely and that means you need my undivided attention and..."

"No baby!..."

Patrick interrupted softly.

"You could never let me down, even if you went back to construction full time. I just want you to be happy my love, that’s all."

"I don't want to do it full time. I like modeling for you, but...I miss my jack hammer."

Ryan blushed. It sounded stupid saying it out loud. Patrick chuckled, smiling fondly.

"That’s fair...why don’t you go back part time?...we can make it work if that’s what’s gonna make you smile again."

"I would really like to."

Patrick smiled wide, pressing his lips to the boy's soft cheek.

"Then it’s settled. I think you should wait til tomorrow to talk to Bob though."

He nodded to where Bob and Brian were dancing drunkenly together...Bob was definitely not up for a serious conversation right now.

"Yeah, I think so. Are you up for a dance with me?"

Ryan smiled shyly and demurred a bit fluttering his lashes. Patrick grinned.

"I thought you’d never ask baby..."

He lifted Ryan up off of his lap, standing him on his feet before standing and holding out his hand.

"Accompany me to the dance floor?...let’s show how these idiots how it’s done, yeah?"

"Speaking of idiots, we might want to suggest to Bob and Brian that dirty dancing to a waltz really isn't proper."

Ryan giggled as he pointed out to where the other couple was. Patrick laughed loudly.

"Well at least they’re not doing the Macarena."

"Dude that's soooo 90's!"

Bob laughed as he pulled away from Brian.

"Wait...hang on, I need a drink."

"Drink water!"

Ryan shouted as he watched Bob stumble over to the table with Brain in tow. They collapsed in the seat and Bob grabbed...his glass of champagne.

"Man, who knew you guys had this much fun!"

He looked over at Brian and gave a dopey grin.

"I'll regret it in the morning, but I love you Bri."

Brian raised an eyebrow, a smirk on his lips.

"You’ll regret loving me in the morning?"

He teased.

"No stupid, I'll regret telling you, cause it's too soon..."

Bob took a long drink, draining his glass and grabbing someone else’s.

"I did that with Gee and well look..."

"Hey hey..."

Brian placed his fingers to Bob's lips to silence him.

"I’m not Gee...and you wanna know something?..."

He leaned in closer to rest his forehead against the other man's and gaze into his eyes.

"I love you too."

"You do?"

Bob looked at the man in front of him. Sharp suit, thin, suave, beautiful and then there was Bob. Muscles, but not in the good way, beer gut, five o clock shadow he could never get rid of and no sophistication. What could Brian possibly see in him that makes him love Bob?

"Of course I do!...I’m surrounded by pretty boy models day in, day out...and they’re all lovely if you like that sort of thing..."

Brian chuckled, shaking his head a bit.

"But I’m much more attracted to a man who looks like a man...I’m much more attracted to you.”

"I thought models dated Rockstars."

Bob mumbled as he polished off the glass and reached for another. Brian put his hand over Bob's to still it.

"I’m not a model, Bobby...and Rockstars do nothing for me."

Bob looked up at Brian. He was beautiful and more than Bob could have hoped for.

"Can we get out of here and get pizza and wings?"

Brian grinned wide, reaching up to stroke Bob's hair from his face.

"Of course we can sugar, then...if your up for it..."

He smirked at his own joke.

"I’ll let you fuck me into the mattress...or the wall...or floor..."

He wiggled his eyebrows and winked.

"Your choice."

Bob grinned as he pulled the younger man closer.

"How about I fuck you over the arm of the sofa till you are screaming my name and painting it white with your cum from not even being touched once."

Brian’s breath hitched, his pupils dilating with lust.

"Do...do we have to get the food first?"

Bob ran his thumb over Brian's bottom lip.

"Maybe we can wait till after. I will work up an...appetite with you."

Brian nodded quickly, wide eyes staring at his boyfriend as his tongue slipped out to lick softly at the tip of Bob's thumb. Bob groaned a bit.

"Come on baby, let's go."

Bob stood up. He had to get out of there before his pants showed how excited he was. Brian nodded again, downed the last mouthful of his drink and stood, taking Bob's hand and letting himself be pulled toward the door.

Ray watched all his friends leave. Couples that weren't in existence a year ago and now they couldn't be apart. He smiled as he picked up his fiancee's hand and kissed it. In a few months they were to be married and all his friends were in the wedding party. Brian was his best man though cause he had known the guy since he started taking pictures. Still all the friends he made over the years, the models, designers, and even Gabe made his heart swell. Now he could add Bob's crew to that list. It was sure to be a day to remember with them. He rose and led Christa to the dance floor. As they twirled around watching Brendon and Mikey dance and Patrick dip Ryan, he wondered what the next few years would bring for them all, but he knew that after everything this year, they would all be tough enough to handle anything else that came their way.

Notes

Hi there chipmunks, how’s you?

So we've come to the end of another fic and we really hope you enjoyed it. But you know what this means, right? Yes, that’s it...a new fic will be joining our lineup soon...we hope you’ll like that too...when we figure out what it’s going to be ;)

Until then though...PLEASE COMMENT and peace out babies!
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