FicWad

I went back to school this week so chapters are going to be pretty slow (exams soon ;_;) but I've got the next one already written so that's okay. I'm ~USELESS~ at replying to comments but I will soon and thank you so much for them! Hope you enjoy!

*

Gerard was exhausted the next day when he got into school. He had had to make Mikey his dinner yesterday and then find something to occupy him while he did his own homework. He put Mikey to bed at eight and fell asleep himself pretty early at ten, but was woken up in the middle of the night by a presence in his room. He opened his eyes blearily.

“Hey, Mikes. What’s up?”

“Nightmare.” Mikey muttered, lingering at the doorway. Gerard sighed and shifted in his bed.

“Get in. I’ll make sure you don’t have any more.” He said, helping Mikey into the bed and kissing his hair.

“Don’t be silly. You can’t promise that.” Mikey muttered. Gerard smiled to himself. Such a weird kid.

He then had to be up earlier than he ever had been before for a school day to pack Mikey’s bag and lunch and make his breakfast. He got dressed while Mikey was eating his breakfast and chucked all his things in his bag before driving Mikey to school.

So, yeah. Pretty tired. And it was only the second day back. He slumped down in his seat during Math next to Ray who looked at him with concern.

“Are you okay?” He asked. Gerard rubbed his eyes and shrugged.

“It’s pretty much as I thought it would be.” Gerard said, with a tight smile. “Tiring.”

“If we can ever do anything to help, like, look after him after school or anything then we’re here.” Ray said, worry etched into every line on his face. Gerard smiled and let the tension drain out of his shoulders.

“Thanks.”

The teacher gave them a look from the front of the class, but didn’t reprimand Gerard. All the teachers had been told about his loss and were treating him gently. Gerard would have complained, but to be honest, he kind of needed it right now.

*

By lunch he was feeling a little less exhausted and was able to engage in conversation basically normally. Frank was sitting with them again, them being Ray, Bob and some more of his friends. Gerard was glad that his friends weren’t talking to him slowly or anything.

Frank was really awesome - he was into the same music as Gerard and the same films, which kind of did it for Gerard. Completely. He talked to him pretty much the whole of lunch , just getting to know him and the school he went to before.

“I went to a Catholic school and I hated it.” Frank rolled his eyes. “My mom sent me there at first because she thought the education would be superior, but she started to realise when she was getting about a call a week about my behaviour that I was a lost cause anyway.”

Gerard laughed. “Right. Well, I’ve always gone here. Nearest to where I live. What was the worst bit about Catholic school?”

“Definitely the praying.” Frank said vehemently. “But, I did learn a few useful things. Like doing up a tie, and which passage of the bible’s the dirtiest.”

Gerard smirked. “Oh yeah, superior education.”

“Totally.” Frank agreed, cracking a grin. “Oh yeah, before I forget, my friend’s band is playing this Saturday in town. Did you want to come? I’ve asked Ray and Bob and stuff.”

Normally, Gerard would have been totally up for it. “I can’t, sorry. I have to look after my brother. Really wish I could go though.”

“That must suck. I’m an only child so I don’t have to babysit.” Frank said. “But next time though, right?”

Gerard could see two ways to go about this. He could pretend that, yeah, he was babysitting Mikey and turn Frank down every weekend, or he could nip this in the bud now.

“It’s kind of- I don’t-” Gerard struggled. “I don’t babysit my brother. I, um, look after him.”

Frank frowned. “Right. Do your parents work abroad or- ah, am I prying? Tell me to stop talking if I’m being irritating.”

“It’s fine.” Gerard sighed heavily. “They died in the beginning of June in a car crash. I look after my brother now.” He shrugged, hoping to convey a just-one-of-those-things mentality to Frank. It was still weird saying that his parents were dead out loud.

“Oh- wow, I’m-” Frank stuttered, shock all over his face. “That’s awful.”

Gerard shrugged again. “Yeah. It’s kind of- yeah.” He could feel his throat tightening again. He really stop to getting upset whenever anyone mentioned his parents, but he just couldn't help it. He could feel tears obscuring his vision and he desperately tried not to cry, even though ever part of him just wanted to curl up and sob. He felt Frank gently wrap him up in a tight hug. He exhaled slowly and used his sleeves to press against his eyes until all he could see were flashing colours.

“Sorry.” He mumbled. Frank smiled at him.

“It’s fine. If you ever want to cry on me...”

“I’ll turn that one down, for now.” Gerard said, drying his eyes completely and smiling weakly, pulling away from the hug. Frank gave him a tentative smile in return.

“Have you talked about it much or is it still hard?”

“Definitely still hard.” Gerard said. “And I have to look at my five year old brother so I don’t really have much time to. Well, today he’s six.”

Frank stared at him. “I- if you ever need any help or anything then seriously- you know, need to copy my homework, bring you in chocolate, make you mix tapes. I can do that.”

A laugh bubbled up Gerard’s throat, escaping and popping. “I will. Thanks.”

Frank nodded. “I make the best mixed tapes. Seriously.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Gerard smiled. They stared at each other for a few moments before the bell rang.

“Biology.” They groaned in unison, and then grinned.

“You have biology now?” Frank asked, picking up his bag. Gerard nodded. “At least it sucks a little less now.”

Gerard smiled and ducked his head, picking up his bag and following Frank out the lunch hall.