Chapter Text
Gerard waited until he heard Bert’s car drive away before throwing the blanket off him on the couch and sprinting up the stairs. He’d had enough of all the bullshit that he and Bert put each other through constantly, and last night was the final straw.
Bert had been so unreasonable and just wouldn’t let Gerard talk. He'd shoved a blanket in his direction and slammed their bedroom door shut in his face. Gerard had stood there for a couple of moments, seething, and wanting to kick the door down. But he didn’t. He quietly trudged down the stairs and lay on the couch, pulling the stale smelling blanket around him, all the while making plans in his head to get the fuck out of there in the morning. He’d had enough. Had enough of this shitty relationship that had lost its way a long time ago. There was no point in the two of them continuing. They just seemed to make each other miserable, so he reasoned with himself that him leaving would be the best for both of them.
Lying there this morning, pretending to be asleep as he heard Bert enter the living room, he knew the decision was the right one. He sensed Bert come to a standstill beside him. At first, he thought Bert was going to wake him and make some attempt to apologise, but when he heard him whisper ‘fuck you’ under his breath before spitting in Gerard’s direction, he knew he had to go. It had taken every ounce of strength not to lunge at him after he’d felt the disgusting splodge of spit land on his hand, but he forced himself to stay still, not wanting his leaving to be more of a drama than necessary.
Now he was frantically throwing his clothes into a suitcase, and all his other worldly possessions into black plastic bags. He stuffed his laptop, headphones, CD’s and comics into one, and other bits of crap into the other. Then dragging them all down the stairs in one go, tripping over his own feet in the process, he flung them into the trunk of his car. He returned to the house and collected up any money that was lying around, filling another carrier bag with food (in case he ended up sleeping in his car), and finally picking up his wallet and phone and heading for the front door.
He took one last look around before closing it. He’d expected to feel all emotional (like they do in the movies) at the prospect of leaving, but he didn’t. He felt nothing at all. Any happy memories that had been made in this house had well and truly been erased over the last couple of months, replaced with arguments and fights. He was doing the right thing. He knew that.
He’d driven around town aimlessly for the last couple of hours, stopping occasionally to eat or find a bathroom somewhere that he could use, and he was currently parked up thinking about his next move.
He knew where he was headed.
He hadn’t seen Mikey in over a year, although they did still regularly talk on the phone. He couldn’t bring himself to turn up on his parent’s doorstep, knowing that he’d have to deal with them being disappointed with him all over again. First of all, he’d let them down because he hadn’t reached his potential at college, then the fact that he’d ‘turned out to be gay’, and finally for being stuck in some dead-end job instead of becoming some highflyer that they could show off about to their friends. He did love them, and he didn’t doubt that they loved him too, but they couldn’t hide the disappointment on their faces every time they discussed where his life was headed. They managed to show off about Mikey a little more, seeing as he was straight, with a lovely girlfriend, and had a fairly well-paid job running the local book store (being in a ‘managerial position’ as his parents liked to tell people). What could they really say about Gerard? Other than him being some lousy assistant at a comic publishing company. In their eyes that meant making coffee and photocopying shit (which wasn’t far off in truth), but to him, it was a foot in the door, an opportunity waiting to happen. They just didn’t see that though, telling him art was just a silly hobby and that nobody would ever take him seriously.
The sky was getting darker now and he reluctantly started his engine and turned his car in the direction of his brother’s apartment. He practiced in his head what he was going to say, justifying just turning up on his doorstep without any warning. He hadn’t called him in case he said he couldn’t stay. If he just appeared, surely it would be harder to turn him away. He ran his hands through his hair, growing more nervous as he neared Mikey’s neighbourhood.
He parked up and sat for a little while, preparing himself for Mikey’s reaction. What if he wouldn’t let him stay? Told him to grow up and sort his shit out? He didn’t really think he would do that, but his head was all over the place at the minute and he couldn’t seem to think straight. Taking a deep breath, he stepped out of his car (leaving his bags in the trunk just in case) and walked up the path. He stood at the front door about to knock, when he heard laughter from within.
‘Shit’ he thought to himself. He hadn’t expected Mikey to have company. That was just his luck.
Still, he was here now. He couldn’t just walk away. Could he? No. He confidently knocked on the door and forced himself not to run away.
After a few seconds it swung open, and Gerard was met with Ray, whom he hadn’t seen in probably three years.
Ray just looked at him for a little while, before registering who it was standing on Mikey’s doorstep.
“Oh shit!” he exclaimed. “Gerard. Man, I haven’t seen you in so long. Come in, come in.”
“Hey Ray” Gerard managed to reply.
He followed Ray into the house, hearing him announce to everyone that Mikey’s brother was here.
As he stepped into the living room, he was met with a wall of faces looking at him. There must have been at least eight people all sat around, drinking beer and wondering who the fuck this guy was standing in the doorway.
“Gee?” he heard his brother say as he walked in from the kitchen area. “What are you doing here?” he asked, looking honestly excited at the sudden appearance of his bother.
Before he realised it, Mikey was pulling him into a tight hug, again asking what he was doing there.
“Hey Mikes” Gerard answered quietly, knowing that everyone was listening in. “I, um, I just needed somewhere to crash for a little while. If that’s ok?”
“Of course it’s ok Gee” Mikey replied enthusiastically. “Fuck I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve missed you too Mikes” Gerard replied sincerely.
“But why do you need a place to stay?” Mikey asked.
“Um” Gerard looked around, conscious that everyone was still listening. “I’ve left Bert” he simply said.
“Oh shit” Mikey replied, then sensing that now wasn’t the time to talk about it, ushered his brother further into the room and began making introductions.
“You remember Ray right?” he asked him, not realising they’d already been reacquainted.
“Yeah. Course” Gerard smiled genuinely.
“And Kristin, obviously” Mikey smiled over at his girlfriend.
“Yeah” Gerard replied. “Hi Kirsten.”
She offered Gerard a friendly wave as Mikey continued the introductions.
Honestly, Gerard couldn’t have given two shits about who these people were. He just felt so self-conscious at being the centre of attention, that he just wanted the floor to swallow him whole.
“That’s Dave” he continued, “And Adam and his boyfriend Frank…..”
Gerard smiled politely at everyone and hoped they would now just carry on as they had before he’d made an appearance.
In the corner of the room, Frank felt Adam’s grip on his hand tighten as they were being introduced to Mikey’s brother. Looking up at Adam, he saw him forcing an uneasy smile in Gerard’s direction, all the while squeezing Frank’s hand harder and harder. He tried to pull his hand free, but Adam held it in place before finally releasing it and instead putting his arm around Frank’s shoulder and pulling him closer, letting everyone know that he was his.
Frank felt sorry for Gerard. He looked like a rabbit caught in the headlights. He clearly needed his brother’s help, and Frank had heard him whisper that he had left whom he presumed was his boyfriend, but he had ended up being faced with all these strangers wondering who the fuck he was and why he was here.
Adam was pissing him off too. Honestly, they couldn’t go anywhere or do anything these days, without Frank feeling like Adam’s prized possession. He would instantly pull him towards him and even speak for him when they met anybody new. He was becoming more and more jealous and it was becoming overbearing for Frank.
He went to stand up from the couch when Adam’s strong hand pulled him back down.
“Where are you goin’?” Adam asked Frank suspiciously.
“I’m going to the bathroom” Frank snapped back. “Fuck’s sake…….” He muttered under his breath before removing Adam’s hand and getting to his feet.
Adam eyed him sceptically as he made his way out of the room.
Frank was actually going to the bathroom, but couldn’t help but notice Mikey and his brother in the kitchen as he passed by. He hovered in the hallway listening in to their conversation.
“I’m sorry for just turning up” Gerard was apologising. “I just couldn’t stay there any longer.”
“Hey it’s fine Gee” Mikey replied. “You wanna talk about it?”
“Not right now Mikes” he replied sadly.
“Ok. Well come in and get to know the guys a bit more then, and we’ll talk about it tomorrow” Mikey suggested.
“No Mikes, please. I don’t wanna. Can I just get my stuff and go to your spare room? Please?” he almost begged.
Frank headed off to the bathroom, again feeling bad for Mikey’s brother. He’d obviously had a shitty day. He could hear Mikey trying to persuade him to just spend a bit of time with his friends before he locked the bathroom door.
As he left, he was met with Gerard walking along the hallway coming from the opposite direction, heading to Mikey’s spare bedroom. Frank was glad his brother hadn’t made him sit and play happy fucking families with everyone. He knew he would have just wanted his own company too if he was in the same situation.
As he approached Gerard on the narrow hallway, he offered him a small smile which he hoped came off as friendly. It clearly did as Gerard smiled back at him as he squeezed past, brushing shoulders as he did, and mumbling an awkward apology to Frank.
‘Adorable’ Frank found himself thinking to himself, before quickly putting the unexpected thought out of his head and making his way back grudgingly to his boyfriend.