Death means that you can lie with the grass, float along the air or do as the Greeks did (I think it was them) and burn in a ship with all your favourite slaves, but nowadays that doesn’t happen. Would you not find it beautiful to listen to the silence compared to the chaos that once infected your life, with no tomorrow, yesterday and time?

You see the thing is that many people fear me, and that is a concept that I find slightly strange. You play a song and listen to all of your favourite/least favourite parts of it but when the outro to that song is playing you are not sad or scared of the silence that is to follow because you can appreciate the song that you just listened to. The only negativity that you may be feeling may be that you wished that you could replay the song, and that is because you couldn't enjoy the music because you were already thinking that the song was going to end. So please, do not concern or worry yourself about death when you are living because that is just wasting precious time.

Despite this I could (in some ways) understand why Frank was scared of me.

We return back to Gerard's flat in the early hours of the morning, the moon glowing gently behind grey clouds and the flat deadly silent. Gerard slept peacefully under the flowery blanket, his breaths frequent and calm.

But sleep wasn't as pleasant for Frank.

Images of his dead parents rose up and took over his mind as he struggled to breathe. Sounds crashed around his head, the sirens, the ambulance, his scream as he found out. Then the beep of a cardiac monitoring system as he sat in a blinding white hospital with his best friend barely breathing at his side.
"Frank…" Alfie muttered so quietly that Frank could only just hear him.
"Yes…" replied the young Frank, looking up from his shoes to stare at his best friend.
"It's all your fault…" His friend hissed at him, "You should be dying instead of me!"
"B-but…" Tears fell from Frank's eyes to the floor as he stumbled over his words.
"Everything is your fault Frank!" The voice yelled at him now, "you couldn’t save them Frank! And I guess you'd rather watch me die too! Fine! Just know that it's ALL YOUR FAULT!"
"Shut up! Shut up!" Frank cried, holding his hands over his ears and trying to rid himself of the nightmare.
"You're the only one to blame an-"
"Shut up!" Frank cried.

His eyes shot open and he looked around the empty bedroom that was consumed by the darkness. He breathed a sigh of relief but noticed that tears were still racing each other down his pale face. He sat up as he tried to steady his breathing and cleanse his mind, pulling the blankets up to his chin again. After debating with himself for a while he decided that he couldn’t stay in that room that night so he managed to drag himself (and the covers wrapped around his shoulders) from the bed. He stumbled to the door, opened it and made his way to the living room.

There he saw Gerard snuggled under a warm blanket fast asleep. Frank wasn’t sure whether he was jealous of Gerard or if he should have regretted his true feelings that he had for Gerard and had just so happened to have blurted out earlier that night. He smiled at the long red hair that covered up most of his face and the button nose that was hidden behind his hand, before he gently shook him awake.

"Gee…" Frank began.
"Mhm…just give us a minute…" Gerard yawned, rubbing his eyes before managing to pull himself into a sitting position. He tucked his hair behind his ear and gave Frank a small confused smile.
"What's wrong Frank?" He asked, tilting his head slightly to one side.
"I-I had a nightmare Gee…" Frank stuttered, "I had a really bad fucking nightmare and I was scared and didn't know what to do."
"Hey hey, Frank, it's fine…" Gerard reassured, tapping the spot on the sofa next to him gently. Frank almost leapt on the sofa next to Gerard with the bed covers still around his shoulders. He wrapped his arms around Gerard's middle and started sobbing into his chest as he shook slightly.
"I-I was there…" Frank stuttered, "I-I was fucking there. I heard it all Gee, I was there Gee and it's my fault…."
"Where were you?" Gerard asked, a little taken aback by Frank but he hugged him back comfortingly.
"I was on the road and I saw the crash. A-and then I saw mum and dad, and I ran over to them but they weren't breathing. And I-I was shouting and shouting for help and no-one was there."
"Hey, Frank, it's okay, it's okay. I'm here, okay?" Gerard soothed running his hand gently through Frank's knotted and greasy black hair, he made a mental note to make Frank get a shower later on that day.

"A-and then I was at the hospital and Alfie was there…"
"Oh." Gerard stopped suddenly, "that's why you didn't want to go to the hospital…because that's where you saw Alfie last?"
"Mhm…" Frank nodded as he continued speaking in between sobs, "and h-he was dying and he told me that I should be dead instead of him, he's right, isn't he Gerard?"
"No Frank, you shouldn't be dead and don't ever think that, okay? That wasn't really Alfie, because he'd never say that, would he?"
Frank shook his head before hugging Gerard even tighter.
"But it's my fucking fault that they're dead!" Frank cried.
"How?"
"B-because…" Stuttered Frank, "because they were travelling to see me."
"That doesn't make it your fault Frank…" Gerard squeezed his hand to try and comfort him, wrapping the flowery blanket around them both for comfort.
"But I thought tha-"
"No Frank," Gerard interrupted, "none of it was your fault, don't let your mind trick you. It wasn't your fault. It was never your fault."
"Okay…okay…" He sniffed, wiping the last tears from his eyes. "Thank you…" He whispered quietly.
"It's fine Frank. I understand, I've had nightmares too."
"You have?" asked Frank, shuffling so that he could look up to Gerard through his messy hair.
"Of course." Gerard smiled weakly.
"What were they about?"
"They were about my mum and dad and my brother Mikey, it's the same dream though all the time."
"W-what happens?"
"It was about the day that they kicked me out and left me on the streets, I was only 17. And I just remember all the horrible things that they said to me, the punches, the shouting, and of course being left to fend for yourself. And my brother is there, he is always there: not sad or angry at me, no, he is just confused at mum and dad. Every time he tries to run towards me and hug me but dad shoves him to the floor and tells him that he shouldn't associate with such filth. I haven't seen Mikey since, I doubt they'd let him."
"Why did they kick you out?" Frank asked, sounding genuinely concerned for Gerard.
"Because I wasn't straight."
"Oh…" Frank stumbled over his words, "that's really fucking tight."
"Tell me about it."
"But how did you survive?"
"Stayed with a friend for a few months, until I got a job and my own place."
"Listen Gerard," Frank muttered as he took Gerard's non-inked hand in his, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry that I just assumed that you had a perfect life, now I understand. I'm sorry."
"It's okay Frank, don't worry yourself about it."

Frank managed to shuffle (despite the masses of blankets that were wrapped around him) so that he could sit up. He slowly started to shuffle closer to Gerard until his head was resting on his shoulder.
"You know earlier?" Frank whispered, as his eyes began to close.
"Mhm…" Gerard hummed back.
"Well," Frank paused to choose the correct words, "earlier when I was drunk."
"You're probably still a little drunk now Frank, it probably hasn't all worn off just yet."
"Yeah, but I'm less drunk now," Frank laughed, "I'm sorry if I'm grumpy in the morning from this mega shitty hangover I'm gunna have."
"Frank, it's already morning."
"Okay, okay smart arse…"
"Anyway, you were saying-"
"Well," Frank continued, "earlier when I was drunker, I said that you were kinda cute. I wasn't lying Gee…"
"Frank?" Gerard asked, peering down to the figure that had fallen asleep on his shoulder mid-sentence.
"You too…" Gerard whispered, before he too allowed his eyes to close as he too fell asleep.

---

It was late morning when Frank eventually woke up, his eyes could barely open and his hair was covering up most of his face. After a few minutes he managed to open his eyes but cursed as the bright sunlight mocked him and made his headache seem even worse. From the sofa and beneath the flowery mess of blankets he could see Gerard pottering about in the kitchen, probably making coffee or something like that.
"Morning sleepy…" Gerard smiled, walking over towards him and placing two mugs of coffee on the low table in front of them. He sat down next to Frank who managed to pull himself up into a sitting position.
"Piss off Gee…" Frank replied grumpily, although a small smile could be seen spreading itself across his lips.
"How are you?"
"Great!" Frank replied sarcastically, taking a drink of coffee before placing it back on the table and hiding himself from view with all the blankets.
"Shitty hangover?"
"No shit…" Frank laughed weakly.
"Dude, you should probably get a shower. I'll get you some paracetamol and then I'll get us pizza…"
"But it's not even 12 yet."
"And…" Gerard laughed, standing up and pulling Frank to his feet, "I always find that pizza helps with hangovers, almost soaks up all the alcohol."
"Now, you're chatting shit Gee…"
"Do you want pizza or not? Would you rather have alphabetti spa-"
"Pizza!" Frank cried.
"Well get yourself in the shower then…" Gerard laughed shoving him into the bathroom before ordering pizza.

---

There were three normal days before things started to get strange for Gerard and Frank. These days were filled with pizza, watching crappy tv, talking about music and playing guitar but also talking of their past. They still slept separately and Frank still cursed at Gerard but they seemed to becoming what could have been described as friends, and I was too blind to see (for my job is a busy one) that the colour behind their eyes were now both a wintery grey.

It was on the third day that two figures stood knocking at the door before wandering past a shocked Frank who had opened the door. It was late afternoon when the two figures sat themselves down on the sofa (one of them asking for a glass of water) and peered at the confused Frank and Gerard who sat opposite.
"Hello…" One of the figures smiled.
"Oi!" The other one cried, "I wanted to say hello first, this is so unfair!"
"Sorry…" the other replied, "I am of course Narcissism (as you should probably already know) and this here is Jealousy."
"Hello Frank and Gerard, I'm Jealousy…" She sneered, flicking her green hair over her shoulder and placing her handbag on the floor. She adjusted her short tie and threw her blue blazer onto Narcissism. He placed it gently onto the floor and ran a hand through his curly brown hair and re-adjusted his crown of olive leaves. His purple cape and robes surrounded him like a throne and he took one last look into his purple golden-shell-clasped mirror before dragging his attention back to the two humans sat in front.

"I guess that you two are like Spite then? Where is Spite?" Gerard asked.
"And who the actual fuck are you?" Frank butted in, apologising to Gerard but staring at the two figures opposite.
"I of course am Narcissism an-"
"I want to talk!" Jealousy butted in, "Yes, we are from the same world as Spite! Spite is manning the bar because he got to come into the human world without me a few days ago and I wanted to go with him so now I have left him, as payback."
"Okay good." Frank replied sarcastically peering up at Gerard who smiled weakly at him.
"Why are you here?" Frank asked.
"To tell yo-" began Narcissism.
"To tell you that you are ready!" Jealousy butted in.
"Ready for what?" Frank asked.
"Ready t-"
"Shut up Narcissism!" Jealousy cut him off again, "go and look in that stupid mirror of yours or gaze at your reflection and pretend you're on a catwalk. Let me do the talking!"
"Gladly," Narcissism smiled, "I'd rather do that than have to look at your ugly faces, everywhere is a catwalk for me darling!"
"Hey! Gerard isn't ugly!" Frank cried defensively.
"Just ignore him Frank…" Jealousy replied, signalling to Narcissism who now sat gazing at his own reflection in the glass of water. "Anyway all we need to tell you is that you are ready, if you work together then you can overthrow Death. That filthy pig needs to be got rid of!"
"Really?!" Frank cried excitedly, "What do you say Gee?"
"Um…" Gerard muttered, "um, well, I suppose, but what if, um…"
"Please Gee..." Frank pleaded, "you know that Death has ruined my life and he's being a dick towards Evil and Innocence and Jealousy here and all the others. Don’t you think it would be so much better without Death?"
"You know what Frank," Gerard muttered, ignoring Jealousy who sat listening intently, "that night when I found you on the bridge I saw your parents and Alfie's graves in the cemetery and now I understand. I think Death should pay for what he has done."
"So you'll?" Frank asked excitedly, jumping from his seat and bouncing around the room.
"Yes…." Gerard smiled, "We'll get rid of Death…"
"When?"
"Tomorrow," Jealousy smiled, "we'll make sure that Death doesn't want to be with us. Tomorrow…at sunset. Be ready."

Notes

Hello again! I have returned with (what I think is) the longest chapter so far! I hoped you liked it! Thank you all for over 500 views! Ahh! And hello to le new subscriber, thank you :). *waves at computer screen*.
I somehow ended up being (kinda) forced to play bohemian rhapsody on guitar at 12 o clock last night in front of like 5 people (I never like played in front of that many people) and it was great-apart from the several mistakes and mind blanks that I had. Anyhoo, enough about me (because who honestly wants to hear about that): next update will probs be Monday when all the action starts to happen. Thanks for reading. :) :D
-lou