FicWad

Author's Note: Hey y'all (har har, I am currently visiting family in Texas) - sorry for the delay in updates. I've been crazy busy lately! Anyway, I should be back on track with this once more! Anyway, let's get to it!

Four

So there they were, sitting in this dingy little diner on the opposite side of town from where they lived. It was around the time Frank realised that he'd managed to make friends on his first day that it struck him how odd this was. All those years of solitude, and suddenly he'd found a small collection of people who seemed to understand him, or at least, he thought perhaps they could someday. And then there was Gerard. Who got him most of all. Who he had known for less than a day, but seemed to just.. get it. Who could smile at him convey his understanding. Frank was pretty flabbergasted. And yet there was no time for reflection, because he was about to eat the world's best french fries with perhaps the world's best human. Dragging himself out of his thoughts, he looked back over at Gerard and smiled, just slightly. Gerard lifted his eyebrows in response, causing Frank to spiral into panic that Gerard was beginning to think he was weird.

In order to save himself, he asked Gerard questions, quizzing him on everything he'd been curious about all day long. What's your favorite movie? Frank asked.
Ohh... I don't know.. I'll watch anything if it's horror. But I really enjoy Nightmare on Elm Street. What about you?
No way, mine too! Frank laughed alarmingly loud, relieved that Gerard was into the same classic horror films as he was. It wasn't surprising, but it still made him giddy.
TV show? Frank fired back.
Definitely the Twilight Zone, as silly as that may sound.
No way, I love that show! Book?
Gerard grinned. That's tough. Well, the last one I read was the Boy Detective Fails by Joe Meno, and I liked that a lot. He pulled a face, scrunching up his nose and half-smiling. Frank was charmed and delighted.
People who read were interesting. People who didn't read were not. It was a very simple dichotomy that Frank understood quite well, and he was pleased that Gerard fell under his preferred category - although, to be honest, he would probably have adored him regardless.

They chatted like this for awhile, with few breaks, one of which when the waitress, Nina, brought them their fries. Here you go, guys. She said this while gazing strictly at Gerard. It was pretty unnerving, and Gerard laughed awkwardly to diffuse the tension - Frank was fixing a gaze on Nina that was quite as intense as the one she gave to Gerard, although for an entirely different reason.
He couldn't help himself. Nina, was it? Do you think you could bring us a couple more iced waters? He said as dully as he could, gesturing towards their table as soon as she directed her gaze at him. Her eyes lingered on their almost entirely full water glasses, but she wasn't one to dispute a customer, regardless of the distaste she might hold for them.
Despite what Frank might think, Nina wasn't stupid, either. She was fully aware of the sexual tension between Frank and Gerard and though she was confused by it, she still saw Frank as a threat. Therefore, she treated him with as much respect as she would treat a drunk guy who stumbled in at three AM - that was to say, not much.
Umm.. Whatever. She said, her way of compliance, apparently, because she whisked off to oblige his request.
At this point, Frank was willing to do anything to get her away from them.

Does she treat all of your friends like this..? Frank asked as politely as he could, looking back at Gerard. Gerard smiled wryly and shook his head no.
She's usually pretty friendly. Must have a stick up her ass tonight or something.
Frank didn't quite believe this, but he nodded in acknowledgement of the comment and sipped his coffee before turning his attention to the french fries. They did look pretty amazing - of course, fries are standard fare pretty much anywhere you go, and usually they're alright, but these truly stood apart. Frank took a bite and raised his eyebrows at Gerard, Fantastic. He said, grinning at Gerard.

I know! See, I know it sounds ridiculous to say a place has great fries, but they really do! Gerard responded with gusto, reaching towards the plate and munching on one himself. Nina returned with the water, sourly placing it on the table and stealing one long look at Gerard before she returned to whatever it was she had to do. Frank suspected his rudeness had given her the correct impression that she was not welcome.

So what do you want to do after this? Gerard asked brightly as their check came. He, of course, insisted on paying ("My treat. Consider it an apology that you had to move to such a shithole"). Frank was a bit shocked that their diner visit hadn't worn him out of his company, but pleased all the same. I dunno. Why don't we get in the car and see where life takes us? Gerard seemed keen on the idea, so he paid the bill and they exited. Frank cast a sidelong glance at Nina as they left. Gerard smiled and gave her a curt wave on their way out, and Frank did so with a sarcastic expression on his face. She scowled.

Frank was pretty certain how the night would go from there - he was a big fan of driving around, and he had hundreds of mixes compiled just for the occasion. Plus, he wanted to see if Gerard complained or not. Frank was not the type of person who always needed to do "something." He was content with casual conversation, tunes, and endless broken white lines. He loved the green tinge the streetlights cast on a contented face. He loved the vast expanse of night sky looming over the hood of his clunker. He loved exploring unfamiliar areas from behind the safety of glass.

so they got in the car, and Frank turned the ignition, and Gerard stepped in and smiled over and Frank, and away they went. Immediately the Cure's "the End of the World" blasted through the speakers, and Frank cranked it just a bit more. They both sang along.

"Go if you want to, I'd never try to stop you now there's a reason, for all of this you're feeling whoa, it's not my call you couldn't ever love me more you couldn't love me more..."

Frank was interested to hear that Gerard's voice, sultry and full-bodied, sounded almost better than Robert Smith's on the recording. He immediately felt embarrassed about his own voice, so he lowered his singing volume and absently continued singing along, but really he just listened to Gerard. He couldn't help but wonder if the swelling in his chest was what falling in love felt like, or if there were something in the fries he was allergic to. When the volume dimmed, he looked over at Gerard and said, That's my favorite Cure song.
Mine too. Gerard seemed frightened when he said this. Apprehensive, more like. Frank was puzzled - he had been so giddy and excitable all night, and yet this simple admission turned his mood darker. Frank didn't understand it.

Gerard was unreachable for several minutes, and Frank understood silently that he needed to leave Gerard to his thoughts. The next song kicked in and they listened to it in stony silence. Finally, Gerard reached for the volume and spoke. We're pretty similar.
Yeah, I noticed. Frank tried to say this lightly, in hopes of combatting the darkness in Gerard's tone.
It's freaky.
I'm sorry.. Frank said, rounding a corner and looking sideways at his passenger, still puzzled.
No, no! Gerard laughed. Sorry, I tend to be really melodramatic. It's a good thing. I've never met anybody like you before. With this said, he turned the volume back up and resumed singing along, seemingly returned to his previous mood.

Their journey to nowhere ended somewhere around four in the morning, when they reluctantly agreed that they were both tired and probably needed to rest for school in the morning. Frank drove to Gerard's house as slowly as he could manage, making quiet conversation with him, hanging on every word and wishing that sleep weren't necessary. He pulled into the driveway, killing the lights on his car.

Hey, get out of the car! Gerard said suddenly, opening his own door and bouncing around to meet Frank on the driver's side. Frank obliged, lifting his eyebrows in confusion. Before he fully knew what was happening, Gerard had wrapped his arms around him, buried his head in his neck and was giving him an extremely tight bear hug.
Frank returned the hug, also pressing his nose against Gerard's neck and inhaling his scent - Gerard smelled like cigarettes, some cologne he couldn't place, and that indescribable clean of laundry detergent. It was a whopper of a combination, especially when juxtaposed with the butterflies in his stomach. He wishes the moment would never end. And true, the hug lingered perhaps longer than was normal.

When they finally broke apart, Gerard left Frank with a smile and a polite good-evening. He trotted up the steps to his house, opened the door, and turned around, I had a lot of fun with you tonight. He called out, before disappearing behind the door. Gobsmacked, Frank stood in the driveway, the scent still fresh in his nose as the tingles disappeared from his body.

He drove home and went inside, quietly heading up to his room. He flopped down on his bed and fell asleep almost immediately, only to be plagued by dreams of Gerard.
In the first, they were at the diner, but his mother was their waitress, and she was yelling at them about trans fats when they ordered fries.
In the second, they were at a beautiful, elaborate funeral for a loved one. Gerard was the priest and Frank was mourning in the first pew, but he couldn't see the casket and had the sneaking suspicion that there had been a body switch.
In the third, and final, they were alone in Frank's room. Gerard insisted that they leave the door open, and Frank was uncomfortable about this idea because his parents were home, but he did as Gerard asked.
They sat on his bed and talked about comic books. Suddenly, Gerard turned towards Frank and scooted closer to him. Frank leaned in and their lips met. They kissed long and hard, and suddenly their tongues were exploring eachother's mouths. Gerard's tongue was small and dainty, and soon the sweetness of their kissing was overpowered by lust. They began pawing at each other's clothing. Frank removed Gerard's shirt and kissed his neck and chest. He traced his fingers along Gerard's sides, and Gerard shuddered and moaned, begging him for more. Frank tugged down Gerard's pants, leaving him only in short black boxers. He leaned back up to kiss him. Gerard took off Frank's shirt. They kissed again, and Frank stuffed his hand into Gerard's boxers, feeling around for what he knew was waiting for him.
Instead of what he expected, he was surprised to feel a thick, gooey substance - he removed his hand from Gerard's underwear and looked at it. His hand was covered in clotted blood. He screamed. Gerard was grinning at him, stretched out across the bed with his perfect, alabaster body taunting Frank. Blood began to drip from Gerard's mouth. Frank watched, horrified, as blood trickled down Gerard's lips and rolled down his chest.
Frank screamed.

He woke up, soaked in sweat and hard as a rock.

He grabbed his pillow and bit into it to keep from screaming, but as soon as he removed it a word escaped anyway.
Fuck!