G
I watched Frank as he sat next to me, eating lunch quietly. All the other guys were laughing and joking, and Frank just sat there silently, staring at nothing.
I couldn't blame him, the protective shield he'd built up around himself over years of torture had been torn and broken apart, and he was left floundering and scared. Chris's choice to adopt him had helped, I could tell. They seemed to be getting on better, and Frank seemed more relaxed around him, but it wasn't enough. I touched Frank's shoulder lightly and jerked my head towards the door. He nodded slightly and we both got up, walking outside into the much brighter light. Frank glanced around furtively, then lit a cigarette, winking at me. I rolled my eyes.
“Frank, are you okay? You seem quiet.”
He shrugged, taking a long drag. “I guess. None of the other guys like me so..”
I frowned and shook my head, leaning back against the wall next to him. “That's not true. Mikey likes you. The other guys just don't know how to talk to you, that's all. They'll warm up, I promise. But something else is going on..”
Frank flicked the ash off his cigarette and looked away sharply. “I'm just tired.”
I groaned quietly, rubbing my eye. “Fuck. You're taking three steps back, Frank. What did I do?”
He sighed, still not looking at me. “Nothing. You didn't do anything. I just...don't want to talk about my past anymore. I'm sick of it and I don't want to think about it. I don't want you to know how fucked up I am.”
I couldn't help the laugh that escaped. Frank stared at me in shock. “Sorry, Frankie. I just...I know how fucked up you are, and I don't need to know what happened to you to know that. I know it from the way you act and how you push people away and have so much trouble opening up. And it's okay. You're getting better and I'm proud of you. But don't push me away, Frank. I'll fight back.”
He smiled slightly, staring at the ground.
I leaned over and kissed his cheek as he took another drag off the cigarette. “Did you speak to Ricky?”
Frank nodded and I leaned back as he blew the smoke out. “Yeah. They're meeting up on Friday. I just hope it goes okay.”
“Me too,” I hummed, kicking at the ground lightly.
Frank sighed. “At least Chris is happy at the moment. He's letting me get another tattoo.”
I blinked, staring at him. “I didn't know you had any.”
He chuckled and nodded. “Yeah, he knows a guy he trusts who’ll tattoo me. I’d show you the one I've got, but I'd have to take my shirt off. Anyway, Chris is letting me pick one of his so we have matching ones.”
I grinned, watching Frank flick his cigarette again. “That's really cool. What're you gonna choose?”
Frank smiled at me, his eyes soft. “Chris has 10 31 on his thumbs, like for Halloween, but it's actually my birthday. So yeah, I might get that.”
“Seriously? That's fucking cool. But on your hands? He’ll let you?”
Frank nodded slightly. “I have the worst grades you've ever seen, Gerard. I've missed out on so much of my education, and it sucks but I can't change it. I'm going to community college next year and taking music classes. Chris is gonna help me and I'm gonna go to uni for music, one day. So I'll be fine with tattoos.”
I tilted my head, my hair falling out from behind my ears. “That's a really good plan. What kind of music?”
Frank blushed, putting his cigarette out on the brick wall. “Piano and guitar. I sing sometimes, but I'm not that good.”
I grinned and nudged him gently. “Me too. Except for guitar, I tried it once and I sucked. But I can sing and play piano.”
He smiled at me, jumping as the bell rang. “We should go to class.”
I nodded and squeezed his shoulder before running off.

I sat with Frank on the bus, resting my head on his shoulder. I'd had a big test and I was exhausted. Frank gently nudged me as the bus pulled up at our stop and we got out, hurrying through the drizzling rain to my house, which was marginally closer than Frank's. I stood on the porch with him, fiddling with my keys.
“Are you sure it's okay if I stay with you for a while?” Frank asked nervously, shifting from foot to foot. I looked up at him and smiled.
“Of course. Chris is still out, right? Mum will be fine with you being here, she'd probably rather you were here than on your own.”
I finally found the right key and unlocked the door, kicking it open. I tugged my shoes off and dumped my backpack in the hall, hurrying into the living room. “Fuck! It's cold..”
Frank snorted. “Maybe if you wore something a little warmer than a miniskirt-”
“Shut up,” I snapped, but smiled at him. “Do you wanna watch a movie until Chris picks you up?”
He nodded and followed me to the living room, sitting down on the couch. I threw myself down next to him, curling up against his side as I turned the tv on and started scrolling through Netflix. Frank took his phone out, sighing. “Shit.”
“What?” I asked quickly, looking up at him. He was frowning, his lips pursed slightly.
“Chris is meeting up with Ricky today and he's not gonna be back until after dinner. He's asking if it's ok for me to stay with you and for your mum to drop me home.”
I smiled and leaned my head on his shoulder. “Of course it's okay. I'll text my mum and let her know what's going on. Now just relax. Chill out. You keep worrying about stupid stuff.”
He rolled his eyes and tucked his phone in his pocket again. “Whatever. Maybe you should chill.”
I giggled and gestured to the tv. “Wanna watch this?”
Frank shrugged, fixing my hair gently. “Sure. I don't really mind,” he murmured as he ran his fingers through the tangled red strands. “You need to brush your hair more often, Gerard Way.”
“Well then don't touch it, Frank Iero.”
“But I want to touch it.”
“So brush it for me.”
“But you're perfectly capable of doing it yourself.”
“I know.”
Frank sighed dramatically and I laughed, kissing his cheek. “Am I annoying you?”
“Yes, but it's cute,” he smiled, a little color rising in his cheeks. I grinned and started the movie, pulling a blanket over us as I cuddled closer to Frank. He wrapped an arm around my shoulders, his eyes fixed on the tv as I curled up tightly. I yawned and he smiled, brushing his thumb over my cheek. “Take a nap if you're tired.”
“I'm not that tired,” I mumbled sleepily.

Frank was shaking my shoulder gently. “Come on, Gerard. Dinner’s ready, you gotta wake up.”
I followed him into the dining room sleepily, smiling at Mum. “Happy Birthday, Gee. How does sixteen feel?”
I blushed as Frank suddenly glared at me. Dad walked in and sat down, followed by a sullen looking Mikey. “Not much different,” I admitted quietly. “But thanks.”
She smiled and I sat down next to Dad, across from Mikey. Frank sat on my other side, still looking slightly pissed off. Mum dished up four plates, then froze. “Oh shit. Frank, I'm so sorry, hon, but I didn't make anything without meat..”
Frank blinked and smiled slightly. “It's okay. I'm not that hungry.”
Dad shook his head. “No, you can't be the only one without food. Gerard, why don't you take him in the kitchen and find him something?”
I nodded, brushing my hand over Frank's shoulder as I stood up. He followed me nervously, looking horribly embarrassed as he stood in the middle of the kitchen. I smiled at him and kissed his cheek.
“Salad okay?”
Frank nodded, hugging himself tightly. I frowned and shifted closer to him, cupping one side of his jaw in my hand. “What's wrong?”
“You didn't tell me it was your birthday,” he mumbled, looking away. I rolled my eyes and sighed.
“I forgot, Frankie. Don't look at me like that, just listen. I don't really celebrate my birthday, I celebrate the day I was officially adopted every year instead. So I'm not really bothered with my birthday, I don't get gifts or cake or anything until next month. I would have told you, but I didn't remember.”
Frank took a step back from me and I felt my gut wrench. “Frankie, please..”
He shook his head, backing away a few more steps. “I'm gonna...I'm gonna go home,” he muttered.
“No, Frankie...no, please,” I murmured, walking towards him slowly, my hands shaking at my sides. He didn't look at me, darting around me and through the kitchen door, slamming it behind him. By the time I'd run to the hall, he'd already left, a vacant spot where his backpack should have been.

Notes

This is kind of a little bit of filler and set up for the next chapter, so sorry it's a little shorter again. Hope you enjoy it anyway :)