Phobia

Ani.mo.pho.bia

Noun

The irrational fear of having reoccuring or ordinary emotions as they are seen as being vulnerable.


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"I cannot even fathom this behavior, Frank!" Linda screeched as she tightly gripped the color of Frank's button up shirt, dragging him out of the Town Hall at a pace that was too fast for his short legs.

This is it, I'm going to die at the hands of my angry mother, Frank thought. He wasn't scared of his mother, he was fucking terrified of her. If Frank didn't know any better, he would've described his mom as the real life embodiment of the Wicked Witch of the West. She was just that awful most of the time.

Frank rolled his eyes and squirmed out of her tight grip, then stopped dead in his tracks to add to his already long list of disobedience. "Mom, calm down. I didn't do anything wrong."

Of course he was lying through his teeth. He knew exactly what he did.

Linda's eyes widened so much that Frank thought they would actually pop out if she kept going. Waving her boney finger in his face, she began to shrill her voice like a vulture, "How dare you talk to me like that? You deliberately disobeyed me tonight! Do you even know how embarrassing this is for your father and I? I can't even believe you!"

Frank hugged his arms around himself to keep warm from the freezing outdoor air, "I don't see what I did wrong." He lied.

"Have you really become this blind?" Linda spat with her face only inches from her son's, "What have they been telling you in school? Is speaking with Diffs suddenly something that should be taken lightly and laughed about over supper?"

Frank bit his lip to hold back the chuckle he so badly wanted to let escape from the depths of his vocal cords. This was funny to him. His mother was in fact pissed over Frank sitting with the Way brothers and having a full fledged conversation with them. The other thing that was funny to him was how bad his mother was taking his attitude, she didn't know how to handle it since he'd been biting his tongue for seventeen years straight. He'd talked back to her a total of nine times already. And damn, was he proud of himself.

"Ohh," Frank leaned his head back with a defiant smile across his face and nodded, "You're talking about Gerard Way, arentcha?"

"Of course I am! I'm beyond disappointed in you, Frank Anthony."

Frank internally cringed. He knew he was in deep shit when his mother whipped out his middle name, but his unbothered appearance never vanished. "Just get the hell over it!" Frank blurted out more loudly than needed. He wasn't even thinking. God, he couldn't express how much he regretted saying that.

"What in God's name has gotten into you?" Linda screamed and took two steps away from her son. She didn't even want to look at him at this point, "Just go home."

"Wh..what?" Now Frank was taken aback.

"Go. Home." Linda enforced sternly, her teeth gritted and her eyes still bulging from their sockets.

Frank squinted his eyes and stared at his mom in disbelief, "You..you want me to walk home in the freaking dark? In the cold?"

"You brought this upon yourself. I can't even believe you have the audacity to disrespect me." Linda retorted. She sounded so nonchalant, it almost brought Frank to tears. His mother never acted like this, but to be fair, Frank never usually disrespected her either.

"You can't just do that!"

"I'm the mother. I can do as I please."

"And what if I don't walk?" Frank shouted, testing his mother's limits.

"Frank, it's just walking! For fuck's sake, just do as I say!" Linda shouted.

"Okay. Okay! F-fine!" Frank sputtered, throwing his arms up and turning away from his mother harshly. And then he started walking. He was horribly pissed now, utterly, excrutiatingly searingly pissed. This should've been considered child abused because it was 11:30pm, it was most likely thirty degrees out and indoor curfew from minors was 9pm. So yes, Frank was terrified of being mugged by a homeless, violent Diff.

Not all Diffs were as kind as Gerard.

Frank hugged his arms around him tighter as he continued to walk down the darkened road of the section, the only light coming from the headlights of the few cars that passed by him every other second or so. He had no regrets though, and that terrified him even more. He shouldn't have enjoyed talking with Gerard as much as he did, and he shouldn't have been happy that they were actually friends now. For some reason, it'd been the highlight of Frank's week and he was glad he was forced into that dumb banquet.

That stupid flower-boy. Why did he have to be so nice?

Frank still couldn't get over the fact that the blond little pixie even made sure the band-aids had Obi Wan on them. Do people get any kinder than that? Was it even humanly possible? Maybe Gerard was a figment of his imagination. That of course wasn't the case though, Gerard was very real. Frank was the type of person who couldn't comprehend the idea of enjoying someone else's company. The amount of denial Frank was in would be overwhelming for anyone who wasn't him.

Frank shook his head at himself and kept walking. The faster he got home the quicker he'd get warmth. He couldn't wait to get home. All he wanted was ten blankets, a pile of comic books and a whole pack of double-stuffed Oreos. Then, 12 hours of interrupted sleep. Nevertheless, he walked and walked for minutes on end and he still had more to go. It felt like it would never end.

He laughed rancorously under his breath as he realized that this was his mother's form of punishment. Walking? Really? What a way to be the most brutal mother ever. It could've been dangerous though. Someone could kidnap him. Maybe even steal his shoes. Those were only things that Frank would think up though. Nobody wanted his shoes. Or him, to be honest.




---




Mikey and Gerard dragged their tired feet to the car, leaning against each other as their parents chuckled at them from behind.

"I'll take it that you boys are tired?" Donald sighed happily as the family settled themselves in the car and began to pull out of the pitch black parking lot.

"Exhausted." Gerard groaned and leaned his hooded head against the window of the car.
"We'll be home within time." Donald replied, turning his neck to smile at his Diff son. Mikey smiled when he saw his mother's hand be taken into his father's, one hand on the wheel the other clasped to hers.

"I'm proud of you, Dad." Gerard said suddenly. He was proud of him too, it wasn't a fib by any means. He hated his father's job but he was hardworking, Gerard respected that immensely.
Donald felt his heartstrings tug at themselves and he gripped the steering wheel a little tighter, "Thank you, Gee."

The mood in the car was uplifted after that, everyone seemed rather content with themselves and everyone around them. Mikey's eye's eventually began to droop closed and his head slowly tilted onto Gerard's shoulder, which wasn't an issue for Gerard at all. They were both tired and Mikey deserved sleep, he was too young to be up this late

The car suddenly screeched to a stop at the dim glow of a red light. Gerard peered his bored eyes out of the window to the sidewalk beside the street, squinting as he saw something moving along. It couldn't have been a person, nobody in their right mind would dare walk alone this late at night.

"Mom?" Gerard spoke softly, catching her attention.

"Yes, dear." Donna hummed.

"Do you see that person on the sidewalk?"

Donna turned her head and looked through the passenger window, she squinted her eyes as well the make out the blob that was slowly trudging in the darkness. Donald was completely taken aback when his wife began rolling down the window, Gerard was a little shocked too, to say the least.

"What the hell, Donna?" Donald yelled in a whisper, trying not to wake his other son in the backseat.

Donna turned to him quickly, "The Iero boy, that's him! He can't be walking alone this late? He's too young!."

"Same age as Gerard." Donald muttered. Donna ignored him.

Gerard raised his brows. He was a little confused, maybe even completely perplexed. Why the heck would Frank be walking alone? Surely his family would never let him out of their sight. And why did his mother care so much? She despised the Iero family just as much as they despised her.

Donald tapped his fingers on his knee, "And what are we supposed to do? Just offer the kid a ride?"

Donna rolled her eyes quickly and poked her head out of the lowered down window, "Frank? Is that you."

Frank, who was still walking and freezing his balls off, nearly jumped out of his converse. He turned around slowly, tensing when he met the eyes of Donna Way, a cheesy smile on her aged face. Frank hesitated, "Um, yeah?"

"Donna, the damn light is green!" Frank heard Mr. Way yell from the driver's seat.

"Oh, would you hush for a second!" Donna snapped and brought her attention back to the short Iero boy in the blatant cold, "What are you doing out here alone? It's nearly midnight."

"Uh, I got into a fight with my mom and she made me walk." Frank answered cautiously and simply.

"Hmph. Figures." Donna sighed, "Well your welcome to ride home with us."

"No, it's fine-" Frank began to say but was cut off by the backseat door opening, revealing no one other than Gerard Way who stepped out onto the concrete of the sidewalk.

"I'll walk him." Gerard stated proudly.

Donald punched his fist against the wheel, "Oh dear God. Gerard get your ass back in the car."
Gerard's mother instantly shushed him, "Leave them be, Don. For God's sake let him have some freedom!"

"Freedom? With an Iero?"

"Okay, I've had enough of you. Drive." Donna ordered her husband.

Frank awkwardly stood next to Gerard, watching the bickering between his parents.

Donald let out a angered grunt, "What? No! Gerard needs to-"

"Walk Frank home!" Donna interjected, "Get lost boys! And Gerard, come straight home!"

"God dammit! Keep your hood up!" Donald added as the boys simply began walking away.

"I'm sorry about that." Gerard said shyly as if nothing weird was happening.

"Um, it's fine." Frank replied. He stared up at the side of Gerard's face as they sustained walking. The Way brother looked worn out, bags were formed under his fawn eyes and his posture was staggered greatly. But he still somehow managed to look like a happy and magical little elf beneath the black hood of his sweatshirt.

"I just realized that maybe we should've gotten a ride from my parents." Gerard remarked.

Frank shook his head, "I would've much rathered this anyway. Your dad scares me."

"Really?" Gerard giggled, "He's actually very nice."'

"You must get it from him then."

Gerard felt his cheeks burn. He didn't know if that was a compliment or not.

"Frank?"

"Mhm."

"Why are you out here all alone?"

Frank still hadn't wrapped his head around the actuality that Gerard had just decided to walk him home without any major say from his parents. He didn't even as Frank if he wanted to be walked home. Frank wasn't complaining though, he sort of felt safer having another person with him instead of being straight up alone. As long as Gerard kept his hood up, they'd be fine.

"My mom got mad at me." Frank began to respond sheepishly, "And so, she just made me leave because he didn't want to deal with me, I guess."

Gerard bit his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood, "She was mad because you talked to me, wasn't she?"

Frank shrugged, "It doesn't matter."

Gerard didn't push any further and slowed his walking pace so Frank could keep up with him, their shoulders brushing faintly as they plodded along next to one another. There was a constant leer on Gerard's face that Frank noticed, and it was kind of annoying. Frank couldn't imagine that this boy was just happy all of the time, that would've been uncalled for. Nobody can manage to be happy just because they wish to be, constantly.

A bubble of confidence suddenly grew in the pit of Frank's stomach, a stream of questions rising in his throat. "Can I ask you something?"

Gerard looked to the shorter boy, "I suppose."

"What..what color was your hair before it changed?"

Gerard's soft smile disappeared from his lips and his face crumpled into a sad expression, his golden eyes going soft beneath his half lidded eyelids.

"I..I'm sorry you don't have to answer that." Frank stuttered. He wasn't trying to offend Gerard.
"It was black."

"What?"

"My hair was black, Frank. Is that not what you asked?" Gerard told him bitterly.

"I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't. I just don't like talking about it."

"I'm sorry." Frank mumbled.

Gerard exhaled deeply, "Don't stress it."

"I was just curious."

"I know. Everyone is." Gerard forced a smile back onto the edge of his lips and tugged at the front of his hood to bring it up farther, "There's a crosswalk coming up."

Frank dipped his head in a small nod.

They both stopped at the edge of the sidewalk, looking both ways. Frank was about the cross, stepping his foot out before Gerard stuck his hand out in front of his him. "Gerard, what?"

Gerard edged him with a look as if it were obvious, "We're about to cross the street.."

"I'm aware." Frank divulged.

"Take my hand."

Frank froze. He almost choked on the air he was breathing. What the fuck. "Your..your hand?"

"That's what I said. Stop making it awkward, it's a safety precaution." Gerard huffed. Frank blinked his tired eyes and slowly gravitated his hand toward Gerard's, he almost jumped when he felt his fingertips brush the taller boy's hand.

Their was a moment where the palms of their hands barely touched and they were both hesitating, because it was extremely awkward. Their hands finally clasped together and it was all well for minute before they both heard pained screams escape from each other's mouths at the exact same time. The ability to comprehend what was happening was almost impossible as a flash of white exploded in both of their eyes and pain shot through both of their skulls. They scrambled away from each other as images after images of two boys, most likely younger than the age of seven clouded their vision.

The moving images of the young boys were repetative, the two were never separated, always together. In a sandbox, playing with toy trucks, eating spaghetti and even sleeping side by side in a grassy field.

It only lasted a few seconds before Gerard and Frank were sitting on the cold concrete just staring at each other as if they'd seen a ghost.

"What the hell was that?" Frank gasped out, his breath in heaves and sweat pouring from his forehead.

Gerard was in a loss, "You..you saw it right? The two children?"

"What else would I have seen? What was that?" Frank spat. He rubbed his head that was still pounding.

On the other hand, Gerard looked as if he was about to cry. "I don't know who they were. Did you see what they looked like?"

"They both had dark hair. That's all I caught." Frank replied, "But that's not the fucking point! We both just had the same exact..I don't know? Vision type shit? And you're worried about what they looked like?"

"I just thought maybe it'd have some significance." Gerard thought aloud.

"Touch me again." Frank said suddenly.

"What?"

"Maybe it'll work again! Just do it."

They both stood up, Gerard facing the latter and reaching his hand out. Their palms hovered over each other's as they waited for someone to make the moved and press them together.
"This is a bad idea." Gerard breathed out.

Frank brushed away his words, "I don't care." With that, Frank smacked their hands together. And Frank's theory had been correct. The same pain shot through their brains again, the white flashed and the images appeared just as before. This time it showed the two children hugging each other tightly. The next showing them chasing one another in an empty dining room. Gerard concentrated, noticing that the boy being chased had slightly longer hair than the boy who was chasing him, the height difference was quite extreme too.They both seemed to be wearing plain school uniforms, showing that they were Sames. The images kept coming and going, showing things that were too vague to theorize until Frank had enough and ripped his hand away.

"What the fuck is this..?" He whispered, looking down at his sneakers.

Gerard bit his bottom lip out of reoccurring habit, "Frank..I think they're memories."

Notes

HOLY FUCKING SHIT HI
we're getting into the plot FINALLY but this isn't even half of what's supposed to happen oh gosh im excited.
i didnt edit this so excuse me but ill go back and fix it later cause i havent updated in three days and i wanted to get this out.
feedback is highly appreciated bc my self esteem is lower than donald trumps old man balls
take care of urselves ya fuckfaces xxx