FicWad

12th April 2006. 25.

Gerard Way does not know the meaning of ‘packing light.’ In any situation. On nearly every trip we go on he’ll always bring the most stuff. The bottom of the case will be lined with several paperbacks, half of which he’ll have already read but will ‘bring along just in case.’ On top of that will lay the art materials; sketchpads, brush pens, pencils and paints in a variety of colours and all waiting to be used for the first time because ‘honestly, there’s nothing better than the smell of fresh acrylic.’ That will then leave the last, but certainly most essential items to cram in along with everything else, jackets. Gerard is one of the biggest sluts in the jacket industry, and he knows it. Whether we’re travelling for two months or two days, the man will spend hours in a pre tour dilemma over which jackets to select. It’s surreal, I’ll be standing in the bedroom door watching him list out the pros and cons of each one in order to somehow select the ‘ultimate top five,’ before we have to leave. He never makes it down to five as it is, eight is the bands record and even then he bought another on our day off round the city. The decision making is crazy, last year it was actually a choice between a silver or black zip. A zip. These are the inevitable traumas our vocalist has to face when packing for a tour. How any of his other clothes fit in is a real mystery. Sometimes, when we’re back home, he’ll wait until I’ve left the room before shoving a load more of his rubbish in my case. Then when I return, he’ll spend up to twenty minutes trying to convince me that ‘yes Frankie, you did buy those skeleton pyjamas, don’t you remember?’ It’s just ingenious, I tell ya, the man could be an actor. He hasn’t actually worn those pyjamas at all this year, but they’re here, in the case, the skeletal yet fleecy goodness just waiting to be unfolded and slipped on like old times.

I sighed to myself and shook my head, wheeling the thick plastic suitcase along with my own black fabric one along the short wooden lobby. Again, Gerard, captain of all things subtle would own the largest, shiniest cream suitcase known to man. His excuse; ‘no one will ever steal it, cos you’ll always see where it is.’ The debates over whether anyone would actually ever want to steal it between him and I are seemingly endless. I stand my ground though, and still say that thing is an absolute monstrosity. An embarrassment to all case related items. It’s clear to see the even he is in agreement, as ninety percent of the time he’s run off and left one of us to carry it. Namely me. I grumbled to myself as I lugged the white piece of crap up the staircase, my own little case in tow next to the massive eyesore. Seriously, how on earth much stuff does he need?! It’s not like we’re even touring at the moment, but I can guarantee you inside will be his show boots accompanied by a vast array of ties and makeup all still in there from ‘Revenge.’ I know, it’s baffling to me too. Of course, I wouldn’t care really if I wasn’t the one dragging it around everywhere, if Gerard actually took the time to carry his own things then it’d all be fine. But no, that’s not the way his mind seems to work. In the world of our vocalist, you pack whatever you like in your suitcase, then scarper from the premises whilst your friends take it for you because you know, that even after serious threats to leave it behind, someone’s gonna cave. Because someone always does in our group now we’ve seen what he’s like if we don’t. My frown started to grow increasingly more as I hauled my luggage on to the wooden paradise that was the first floor, and heaved Gerard’s case up after it. I had a look at the directions to my room scribbled on my hand and groaned. Another whole flight of stairs left to go. My arms already felt like two dead weights, and I sighed, sinking down until I was resting on the hard plastic. My fingers wrapped round the opposite bicep and rested there as I took a look round the corridor I was perched in. I started to feel a fraction better as I took in the old portraits on the walls, the slightly damp, peeling wallpaper and old light fittings with bulbs that seemed to constantly flicker on and off. This place had character, and that’s exactly what we needed. It looked like the kinda house you could draw a lot of ideas from, and I knew just instantly that the others would be rushing around right now to explore. Ray actually got us into ‘The Paramour’ via a few connections, and we were mad about going as soon as we heard. Gerard couldn’t wait to get some ideas flowing over there; over the couple weeks leading up to this he’d been sharing some of his thoughts for our latest album with me. We were all up for a contrast to ‘Revenge,’ to create a whole new image, something to get people’s heads turning, but seemed to have picked the complete wrong time to do it, as every other artist out there seems to be trying to think of the same thing. This has not fazed us though; we’ve decided the five of us just need to find a way to think harder, think deeper about what’s going on around us. We want to create something that will just captivate people.

As I looked at the clean white tips of my converse, I sighed, finding nothing particularly captivating about them. They were new as of a couple weeks ago, and made me feel horribly sterile. Until I have a bit of dirt on my shoes, I just feel naked and exposed to the world. I always have done. I took one last look around this floor as I got to my feet and hauled the cases up again. I could hear chatter from Ray and Mikey about how cold it was and frowned, suddenly noticing it myself. Actually, it’s really cold. I frowned and shivered as an army of tiny hairs stood to attention along my arms, goose bumps flaring up and making me look round in slight concern. Ray had told us some ghost stories on the way over here about ghosts in this house, but I shook those thoughts out my head quickly before I could get freaked out. As I wheeled the cases up to the second flight of stairs, I looked at the walls on either side, the wallpaper a faded coral colour that was peeling away at the top. There were some portraits of family members that used to live there, cobwebs lining the corners and making me squirm a little. Some parts of the wall were lighter than others where paintings had once been, and I bit my lip gently, forcing myself not to think about the ghosts Ray mentioned earlier. As I reached the end of the short corridor, I jumped violently as a loud ‘FRANKIE’ sounded behind me, making me whip round with a squeal to see none other than Bob Bryar grinning away. He went upstairs before any of us and I was beginning to wonder where he’d got to, when all of a sudden he appeared. Right when I was trying not to get creeped out. Great. I frowned and exclaimed for probably the millionth time today why, when going to stop in a haunted house, it’s not appropriate to jump out at people. As usual, he shrugged it off in his usual bouncy manner and grinned, dragging me in to his room to show me. I looked round with a grin and let out a slow whistle. It was magnificent, really. The large rug in the middle of the floor was so intricately decorated with rich reds and golds lining the border. Over by the dressing table was a mirror, a bit dusty but equally beautiful with a dark mahogany frame complete with little finials cast in wood at the top. More portraits hung on the walls, leading your eyes to the giant four poster in one corner of the room. It was so glorious, it made the rest of the room look modest.

‘This is where I’m sleeping,’ Bob explained proudly, telling me that Mikey and Ray were in a similar one opposite. I beamed and nodded, just in awe of the gorgeous room, my mood dramatically perking up now I knew what Gee and I would be sleeping in. Knowing Gerard, he’ll have raced up to pick the biggest bedroom first, and I smiled, all thoughts of being mad at him about the suitcase melting away. Bob could see I was daydreaming and tried nudging me, but it wasn’t really any use now I’d started thinking about the singer. I can’t help it, you only have to say his name and I’m spiralling off, his blonde hair and gorgeous hazel eyes swirling round my mind and leaving me completely mesmerised. It wasn’t until Bob actually pushed me over that I snapped out of it, picking myself up with a scowl. ‘Sorry man, you were having a Gerard moment,’ he smirked, making me blush and feebly try to protest that I was just gazing at a... erm... painting? I giggled when he shook his head fondly like usual, resting his hands on my shoulders to steer me out the room to go find him. Gerard suggested that the pair of us sleep on the second floor to check that out, whilst the other three took the larger floor below. As he took me out into the corridor, he laughed as he clapped eyes on the two suitcases in front of us both. ‘Wow Frankie, you my friend are whipped,’ he laughed, shoving me lightly over to them. That made me blush again, and I shook my head, denying that and retorting that I most certainly was not. Bob simply laughed and put a handle of each one in either of my hands, patting them like you would do to a small child. ‘You so are Frank, he asks anything and you do it, I’m telling ya kid. Now, off you pop to see Gerard.’ The way he said that made me scowl and flip him off, marching up the stairs and leaving the disgusting cream case behind. When I was sure Bob had gone, I raced back down to get it, not even realising I was doing it until about half way up the flight again. I groaned and clapped my palm to my forehead. Fuck, I... I am a little whipped...

I felt triumphant in reaching the top of the stairs, annoyed at Gerard once more as that case had done more harm than good on this journey. It had stubbed my toe a number of times, trapped my fingers when getting the handle up and made me realise about the position I was in in my relationship. Three things I just do not need. I couldn’t wait to collapse on yet another wonderfully soft bed, and sighed, my glare melting just a fraction when the very man himself came dancing along the corridor. He was grinning, as usual, his eyes positively sparkling as they landed upon my own. I sighed and smiled fondly, yelping as all of a sudden, he grabbed my hands and spun me round. I grinned up at him as he chatted to me about ‘what a great place this is,’ and how he’d found a room with ‘so much inspiration, it’s unreal Frankie!’ I smiled and rested my hands on his shoulders, stopping us so I could lean close and kiss his lips slowly.

‘I’m telling ya Frankie, it’s just so- mmm...’ His eyebrows raised a little in delight, before lowering again as he got more into the kiss with me. I sighed and smiled, working my lips over his as I just indulged myself for a moment. Kissing Gerard is definitely one of my favourite things to do, he’s so soft and gentle when we’re just relaxing together, and I smiled as I couldn’t think of anything better to do right now than that. ‘Frankie...’ He smiled when we broke and I chuckled, cupping his cheek for a moment as the elder man just sunk into me gently. I loved having this affect on him, it feels so nice when he just melts in my arms.

‘I wanted to calm you down, silly boy,’ I chuckled, pecking the tip of his nose and giggling. He was adorable, and I smiled as I gazed into his eyes and just didn’t feel mad at all anymore. ‘Now, what’s say you and me go check out this room you’ve found huh? I’d love to test out the bed in there...’ I smirked slowly and winked, Gerard laughing and kissing me gently again, before he took my hand with an excited ‘oh yeah!’ I couldn’t wait to see what the bedroom was like, I was exhausted from the early start to the morning, and the journey up to this floor left me completely shattered and in need of a nap. I smiled and snuggled up as we walked off together, our cases left behind in the corridor.

‘Here we are!’ Gerard grinned. I was eager to open the door as he pointed at it, and put my hand on the brass handle. We’d just passed about five more bedrooms, each one more elaborate and magical than the previous. They were all opened to show Gerard had looked in them and had obviously been unsatisfied, which made me really curious and excited to know what was behind here. We’d had to turn off to get to this room, and the corridor down here was much like the one on the floor below. There was barely any wallpaper on the walls around us, and by the door he’d chosen, some of the plasterboard was crumbling away and the wooden supports were now exposed. That didn’t bother me though, I could see why Gerard had been intrigued by it, but was sure that this room would be the best one of them all. He always does it, even when we’re booking a hotel; he’ll ask what the best one they have is and get that one for the pair of us. I beamed as he pecked my lips quickly and we opened the door, a thin, eerie ‘creak’ sounding as the light flickered on. My smile and excitement just dropped as soon as I could see the inside of the room. The light kept short circuiting and switching off, but would then flicker on again, showing me the room Gerard was convinced I was just ‘going to love.’

I murmured a soft ‘Gerard?’ as I stepped inside and frowned, wondering if for a moment, he was joking. The room was clearly like one of the others, but hideously run down and derelict. The four poster was, instead, a grey double with a lumpy looking mattress and intimidating iron bars at the foot and head. The walls were now a grubby pale cream colour with large grey and black smoky marks on, making the room look bruised and wounded. The cause of this dirt was standing on the wall opposite the bed, a crumbling old fireplace, completely blackened from ash and soot that had obviously flared up once and set this room alight. I looked back at the man as he walked inside and looked around, his mind whirring away with thoughts and ideas that this room was clearly giving him. He was clearly in love here, but as I stood next to the grubby, cracked mirror and saw my distorted reflection, I could think of a million other places I’d much rather be. This room freaked me out beyond belief, and I turned round to him, wanting to just get out of here. I walked past the dressing table to him and grimaced, it just leaning partly on the floor as one of its tall, spindly legs was snapped off. As he walked around the room exclaiming how inspired he felt, how none of the other rooms were really doing it for him, I stood in front of where he was going to walk next.

‘Gee... You’re not serious, are you? Us, sleeping in here?’ I asked, biting my lip. He looked at me with a smile that slowly faded as he registered what I’d said, and it slowly became apparent to me that yes, he actually was serious.

‘What’s wrong with it? Frankie don’t you have ideas? Don’t you think it’s great?’

‘I think it’s creepy, Gerard I really don’t want to sleep in here, that bed looks like it’s from some sort of morgue or somewhere,’ I frowned, the metal bars looking like those of a prison. He turned to me and folded his arms, clearly put out by my reaction. Before he could say anymore, I sighed. ‘Look, I’m exhausted, I just wanted to sit down and relax for a bit okay? Not come to some grotty little room up here when there are such better ones right down the hall!’ I whimpered. Gerard frowned and pouted, sitting on the bed.

‘I don’t see what the problem is, we’re coming here for ideas Frankie and this is where I’m getting all of mine. I’m just thinking about the record.’ He said a little bitterly and I sighed, running my fingers through my hair.

‘Gee, come on, there are other places you can get ideas, if you looked a little harder, I’ve seen some places downstairs we c-’

‘Frank we said we would do this floor and I’ve been looking all over here, if you’d been here earlier then you’d have come to the same conclusion I have.’ I frowned and turned round to him, feeling angry at those words.

‘Hey, you listen, if I hadn’t been carrying your stupid case then I would have been able to join you okay? Now, I’m not sleeping in here, and that’s final. I’ll come here with you in the day but if you wanna stay here at night then that’s your choice.’ I said a little snappily, Gerard sighing with a scowl and nodding. I nodded back and took another look around, before leaving to go and get my case. I felt annoyed, angry that he didn’t even acknowledge why I was late, why I was freaked out or anything to do with me at all. I threw my case down in the nearest room and snuggled up on the bed, watching the setting sun outside and trying to push the thoughts of ghosts, spirits and Gerard out my mind. When I had nothing left to really think about, I fell asleep surprisingly quickly, my face nestled in the gorgeously soft pillow of the luxurious room I was settled in.

-

‘Tick, tock, tick, tock.’

My eyes flickered open again at the irritating sound of the clock in my room and I groaned. I’d been sleeping fine until Mikey or Ray or someone started walking about downstairs and woke me up, and now I couldn’t get back to bed for the life of me due to this wretched ticking. I snuggled down and sighed, trying to imagine Gerard’s arms around me like they normally were when we settled off to sleep. I wasn’t mad at him anymore, infact; I really just wanted to be with him. I smiled as I started to picture those warm, toned arms resting round my waist, those slender hands stroking my back, those lips on my forehead, and thought I could actually drift off here. But no. As soon as my brain quietened down to relax, the faint, yet petulant sound of the clock soon had me awake and sitting up. I looked at my bedside table to find a lamp to flick on, a little unnerved by how dark it was, and smiled as I eventually found one. It was dim, but cast the room in a warm, yellow glow. I sighed and rested back down in bed, before noticing a little piece of paper next to the base of the lamp. I had noticed that when I settled down here, and picked it up, turning it over in my hands to see a little note that made me smile widely. ‘Frankie, love, I’m really sorry about earlier, let me join you tomorrow? You know I hate being alone xxx’ I sighed and bit my lip gently, just melting like usual at the lovely little note he’d written me. On the back, in his beautiful hand writing he’d scribbled how ‘gorgeous’ I look when I’m sleeping, making me chuckle softly and just melt even more. I sighed and closed my eyes, imagining his own sleeping face and wanting to just snuggle up in his arms. Closing my eyes made me feel more comfortable, too, as the more I woke up, the more my surroundings were beginning to scare me. I looked around to find the source of the clock after a moment, wondering who on earth could be rattling about downstairs, and hoping they calmed down after a moment. They seemed to be looking for something from the way their footsteps were going past the same places over and over. I bit my lip and told myself it’s only Mikey sleepwalking, or Bob or Ray getting up to calm him down, but as the footsteps continued, I started to feel less and less convinced by that idea. Soon, I was just unable to close my eyes without seeing some terrifying bloodthirsty figure my imagination had conjured up for me. I rolled over, and over again until I was on my back, wishing Gerard here so badly.

It took a few minutes, but I decided I couldn’t take it anymore and would rather any night in that room with him than another minute alone in here. I sat up and held the note in my hand, pushing myself up off the bed and feeling hideously vulnerable. The ticking clock and footsteps downstairs were doing my head in, and I slowly crept towards the door to the landing. On my way over, however, I heard a sound that scared the absolute living daylights out of me. I knew there were only five of us in the house, so it must have been one of the others, but nevertheless, the loud, pained groan from below sent my imagination on some sort of joy ride, the ghost I’d dreamt up from earlier was quickly becoming all too real for my liking. I squealed in surprise and flew the door open, racing down the landing as my heart pounded erratically in my chest. I burst through the door to Gerard’s room at the end, feeling weirdly safer even though the footsteps were still out there and still audible. It took around three seconds for me to complete my journey by making one quick jump into his bed. My face was buried in his chest as the man gasped and snapped awake, his once peaceful expression now a mask of fear as he was clearly wondering who on earth was jumping on him. Quickly, those strong arms were wrapping round me as I whimpered and clung to his body, terrified.

‘Gee, oh Gerard, did you hear that?’

‘Frankie? Frank are you okay?’ He asked frantically, before asking what I’d heard. I whimpered and explained in a tiny voice, snuggling up to him so I was practically crawling all over the poor guy. As I told him about the footsteps, it became apparent that actually, I could hear them now. And they were louder still. ‘Oh Frankie, baby it’s okay, I got you, I got you...’ He comforted, tilting my face up to press kiss after long, comforting kiss to my lips. ‘Mmm, Frankie, baby...’ I sighed and started to relax a little, before breaking sharply and shaking my head.

‘No, no Gee babe can you hear it?’ I whispered, my voice hoarse as we both looked at the door. I had flicked the light on in my fury to get to his room, and we could just see the crack in the bottom and side of the door flickering dark, then lighter with the broken bulb outside. Gerard’s eyes widened as the heavy clunk of footsteps had clearly reached the second floor now, and a soft whimper escaped his lips as we both snuggled up together. Seeing him scared made me feel even more uneasy, and I curled up as small as I could in his arms, trying to hide away from whatever was nearing the door. ‘Gerard... What is it...’

‘Probably... Probably just nothing, this is an old house Frankie,’ he murmured as the sound of doors opening was heard down the hallway. They were checking for something, whatever it was. Door after door creaked open and to our horror, the thing just didn’t stop. I knew there were five rooms before this one, and after the fifth click had sounded, the pair of us could hardly contain ourselves with fear. Soft murmurs of ‘oh God,’ and other incoherent noises were shared quietly and I whimpered, squealing silently when I heard the door rattling a little.

‘Gerard... Gerard what if it’s-’

‘AAAARGH!’
Suddenly, everything seemed to stop in my brain as the door flew open and the pair of us just screamed. Three black figured burst in yelling and heckling and brandishing pillows to throw at us. My heart was hammering at a million miles an hour as Gerard’s piercing scream nearly burst through my ear drum. He’d gone paler than ever, the flash of something white nearly blinding the both of us in the dark. It quickly became apparent that it was Mikey and the others, Ray stepping up as camera man to capture every second we were having the shit scared out of us. I clung to Gerard even after the three of them sat down in fits of laughter and started tickling us, finding the best picture of us both screaming our heads off to print and save as ‘the cover of our album.’ To make me feel better, Gerard did say we looked totally cute, even as a petrified couple. My thoughts?

My friends are bastards.