FicWad

Gerard closed his eyes, the arm around Frank falling back into his own lap.

‘It’s not my fault.' That’s what he was telling himself, but honestly he just didn’t want to face the truth. Gerard tried to convince his inner mind that this whole thing wasn’t his problem, that this awesome, sweet, adorable guy hadn’t lost his job because of him. But inside he knew, he knew it was completely and utterly his doing. Somehow he was going to have to make it up to Frank, but how? He couldn’t go and talk to his boss because surely he wouldn’t listen to someone like Gerard, a small and slightly odd looking teenager, and he really didn’t think Frank would be too enthused to accept the lonely dirt stained twenty residing in his wallet as an acceptable apology.

Gerard bit his lip, “Frankie, I... I don’t...”

‘Know what to say.’ He really didn’t. What could he say to Frank? Nothing he did would change anything, and Frank would most likely still be upset with him, but why did knowing that he couldn’t do anything to help him make Gerard feel so awful? He barely knew Frank, so why did it matter so much to Gerard that he help him?

“It’s okay, Gerard.” Frank said levelly, and it really sounded like he was trying not to sound like he’d just been bawling his eyes out. His sniffles weren’t really helping the dilemma. “You don’t have to say anything. It wasn’t your fault. I-I shouldn’t have flirted with you –I don’t know what I was thinking –I shouldn’t have-”

“Stop.” Gerard held up his hand, and tried not to grimace.

Frank shut his mouth, blinking rapidly. His shoulders just sort of caved in on themselves slowly, and Gerard found himself physically restraining his body from putting his arm back around the kid’s shoulders. He really couldn’t stand hearing Frank blaming himself over this. It was just too much, not to mention it was making Gerard feel as guilty as he would have if he had kicked a puppy. Just, no.

Frank opened his mouth again, “—But what am I going to do, Gerard?” and he looked so miserable that Gerard just swallowed his guilt and the overall feeling of assholeness that was looming over him and made himself think clearly. He was going to fix this, he was going to find a way to get Frank a new job and pay him back.

“Listen Frank,” Gerard said firmly, or as firmly as he could considering the situation. “I know it sucks right now that you don’t have a job, but don’t fucking blame yourself for anything. It wasn’t your fault at all.”

Frank raised his eyebrows. Maybe Gerard had said that a little too intensely.

“And if Jamia was the one who tipped you off she wasn’t a good person to work with in the first place. You should be glad to have time off from her; the stupid bitch can go fuck a cow.”

Frank snorted, and Gerard took that as a good sign. A light bulb went off in his head just then, and his insides did a happy little flip flop. He had an idea.

He smirked with purpose, and abruptly got up from the table, taking his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder. He pulled Frank up as well, tugging on his wrist until the boy had no choice but to follow, and tromped his way through the airport, leaving their crappy coffee and pathetic confections behind.

Frank struggled to catch up, tripping once on his feet. He looked perplexed, and maybe a little like he thought Gerard was crazy.

He wasn’t that far off on that one.

“Gerard? What, -where exactly...?”

Gerard didn’t seem to be listening to him though (or more like he couldn’t hear him.)since the airport lobby was already buzzing with chatter. His grip on Frank’s wrist tightened as he led them through the crowded areas of the local shops. When they got to the exit, Gerard slipped through the sliding doors before they closed, and Frank had to let go of his hand and wait until they opened again. His eyebrows pulled up. Gerard seemed to be in a sort of ninja mode. Why was he slinking around like that?

“Come on, Frankie! This could decide your future!” Gerard said impatiently, hands flailing about. He managed to smack a man in the face, but ignored the angry outburst in favour of Frank. Why was he just staring at him like he was some kind of demented leprechaun? Had Gerard not explained to him, that this was all part of amazingly awesome plan to get Frank a job, and that they needed to be fast?

Frank blinked.

...Oh.

Well, there wasn’t any time to explain right now anyways.

Gerard’s arm shot out quickly, and he managed to hustle Frank through the door, all the while ignoring Frank as he squawked out protests. Did this make Gerard a kidnapper? People were looking at them strangely, as Frank struggled in his arms. Wait, he was struggling?

“Gerard!” Frank squeaked out, face red. “I can walk on my own! Let me go!”

Gerard hadn’t realized it until Frank’s butt was all up in his face, but he’d managed to pick the boy up and throw him over his shoulder. The kid was a shrimp, so he was about the same heaviness as a baked potato (Gerard really didn’t know why that was the first thing that came to mind. Maybe he was hungry.), and he was impatient to get going.

Sometimes Gerard's ideas made him a little screwed up in the head.

Gerard set him down, and it was kind of funny, really. The look Frank was giving him, (he had the impression that Frank was even more convinced that he was a lunatic.) was priceless. Gerard couldn’t help it that he got eager about things sometimes...

“Okay,” Frank huffed, and really it was the most hilarious thing Gerard had ever seen. Frank wasn’t good at trying to look intimidating. An intimidating shrimp? Was that possible? “What’s going on? Where are you taking me?”

So maybe Gerard should have told him at least a little about what they were doing. He probably seemed like a crazy (well, crazier) person to Frank, but really he just wanted to fix this stupid problem that he had caused, and make Frank smile again. Then everything would be nice again.

Gerard let out a frustrated breath. How was he supposed to help Frank when he kept asking so many questions? They had to hurry, and Frank just didn’t seem to get that.

“Okay, here’s the thing.” Gerard said excitedly, “I know a guy a little way’s away who owns this freakin’ awesome record shop down by the mall. It’s pimped out to the max, man. Seriously. I think I can get you a job there. Ray’s been looking for a new manager, --He’s totally hard core, by the way, -and if we get there before closing, I can definitely get you the position.”

Frank blinked at him some more. Maybe he’d said that a little too frantically?

But no, because Frank was grinning now, wide and excited. He jumped up and down a little, his eyes glittered. He had apparently not decided to call the cops on Gerard for being a total weirdo, and instead looked at him like he was a god.

“Seriously? Fuck yeah! I’ve always wanted to work in music!” Frank beamed at him, and really, that was so much more attractive on him than a frown.

Gerard felt elated.

Frank bounced around, nearly sparking at the feet, and hailed down a cab. (Though Gerard wouldn’t really call what Frank was doing hailing, it was more flaily hand gesturing than anything else. Had he already inherited that from Gerard?) When one pulled up, Frank and Gerard quickly got in.

“To Ray’s record shop!” Gerard demanded, squishing in next to Frank and nearly bowling him over with his enthusiasm.

The cabby looked at him like he’d grown a third head.

“Give him the address.” Frank snorted, looking at Gerard like he was the stupidest person on earth. And well, he sorta was.

“OH! Right!” Gerard exclaimed. His eyebrows furrowed for a second. “....I actually don’t know where it is, though. By the mall?”

Frank nodded, then, “To the mall!”

Silence.

This cabby was did not look entertained. His moustache kept moving. Were moustaches supposed to move like that? His face was also turning a rather horrifying shade of puce. That definitely wasn’t normal.

“Okay, which mall?” he asked them. He wasn’t even trying to act calm. He looked like he was seconds away from tossing them out on the curb, which Gerard actually found kind of insulting. They weren't total idiots...

Gerard pointed left. “The one that way?”

He really hoped that was where it was. If not, he was convinced it had to be in that general direction.

Frank outright laughed at that, even though in all honesty he should have been freaking out by now. He’d lost his job, had nowhere to go, and was sitting in the back of a cab with a total stranger that didn’t even know where they were supposed to be going (not to mention, a little crazy!). But. Well, he might have been just a little enamoured with Gerard. He was kind of adorable when he was excited, and that made Frank excited as well.

The cabby nodded, grunting out something that was probably an insult, and pulled out of the roundabout drive.

Where they would end up, Frank didn’t know, but he couldn’t help but feel that he didn’t regret meeting Gerard that day.

Not at all.

[[A/N: I know, I know, right? WTF! That's what you're all thinking. This was totally cracky, but it was so fun to write. I know the details in this chapter are scarce... I apologize, it was four in the morning when I finished it...guh.]]