Chapter Text
"GERARD ARTHUR WAY! If you don't get up in five minutes, I will pour coffee on your head!" Mikey bellowed up the stairs.
Groaning, Gerard slid off his bed and proceeded to lie in the middle of the floor making noises like a dying whale.
"We're gonna be late if you don't get ready."
"So?" Gerard pulled a face.
The elder Way looked up at his brother who was leaning against the doorway, sipping a cup of coffee. Sighing reluctantly, he found the motivation to move his limbs and stand up. Glaring at Mikey and ignoring the eye roll he got in return, Gerard started to gather some vaguely clean clothes to wear.
"If you're so impatient, why don't you ask your boyfriend for a ride?" Gerard asked in a sarcastic tone.
"For the last time, Pete is not my boyfriend! Plus he is busy."
"You guys are practically dating, just suck it up and ask him already," He huffed and pulled on his Smashing Pumpkins T-shirt.
Mikey just stared daggers at him in reply and traipsed out the room; muttering some sarcastic comment.
When Gerard finally came downstairs he found Mikey texting someone (presumably Pete) and drinking a second cup of coffee.
"Okay Mikes, Allonsy." Gerard called while stuffing his sketchbook in his bag.
"You're a dork," Mikey replied halfheartedly.
"Aren't you gonna have breakfast Gee?"
"Nope."
Mikey raised his eyebrowsbut said nothing.
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Pete was waiting for Mikey at the school so Gerard decided to let them make heart eyes at each other in peace. Anyway, he wanted to draw that tree.
Behind the school was a dead apple tree; the kind that in the right light can create warped and twisted shadows. With its rotted wood and withered leaves, Gerard felt it was a perfect metaphor for himself. The tree represented how people saw him: something ugly and different from the norm. Gerard thought the tree was beautiful.
There was ten minutes until class starts so he wanted to sketch the outline before first bell. Students weren't actually allowed in this place but Gerard was the only one who went there so he was sure that he wouldn't be caught.
Today there was someone sitting under his tree. The boy looked around Gerard's age and was plugged into his headphones with his eyes closed. One thing Gerard noticed was that he had the perfect bone structure for drawing; he had been subconsciously sketching the boys face without realizing. The earsplitting peal of the bell rang through his ears and before the boy could open his eyes, Gerard was already sprinting in the opposite direction.
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When lunchtime finally came and Gerard was released from the claustrophobic prison they called a classroom, he had a pounding headache.
Unfortunately, waiting for Gerard in the hallway was a forehead. To say that Brendon Boyd Urie was dramatic would be a drastic understatement.
"Geeway! How is the elder Way brother doing?" Brendon yelled down his ear.
"I'd be a lot better if you weren't trying to burst my eardrums," Gerard winced, bringing a hand up to his throbbing head.
Ignoring what Gerard had said, Brendon continued talking excitedly.
"Come along Way, do you know where Dallon is? Oh whatever, he'll find me," Brendon chattered away happily, dragging Gerard down to the lunch hall.
Sometimes Gerard thought that Brendon had a severe case of verbal diarrhea; other times he thought he was just on a constant sugar high.
As they entered the lunch hall, Brendon and Gerard made their way over to their usual table of slightly insane friends. Today the group was composed of Dallon, Pete, Mikey, Patrick, Ray and a person Gerard hadn't seen before.
When they took their seats, Mikey introduced the mystery stranger.
"Guys, this is Frank, he's new and in a couple of my classes. Frank, this is Brendon and Gerard."
Glancing up at the stranger - Frank - Gerard's blood ran cold. He was the person who had sat under the tree that morning. Gerard hoped he hadn't seen him sketching Frank like a creep.
"Um hi, you can call me Gee if you want," Gerard mumbled without looking up. Brendon just flashed Frank a grin before returning to his conversation with Dallon. With a sigh, Gerard lay his aching head on the table and let the jumble of voices wash over him It wasn't until an elbow in the ribs from Patrick that he was brought out of his stupor.
"Sorry Mikey, what did you say?" Gerard asked blearily.
"I said, where's your lunch?" Mikey replied with a slightly annoyed expression.
"I don't feel like eating. Not hungry," Gerard yawned, massaging his temples.
Before Mikey could say anything else, Frank spoke up for the first time.
"Hey, um can you show me where the music room is?"
"Yeah, sure. Gerard can take you," Mikey said distractedly.
"C'mon Frankie, it's this way," Gerard lead Frank down a hallway.
Frank laughed quietly and shook his head.
"What's so funny?" Gerard asked, slightly confused.
"It's nothing, you just called me Frankie that's all."
"Oh I'm sorry, I won't do it again."
"No it's okay, I kinda like it actually," Frank blushed furiously and became suddenly interested in his worn out converse.
"Alright, um this is the music room," Gerard scratched his neck awkwardly and gestured to the door in front of them.
Frank looked a little relieved and hurried in.
"So what do you play?" Gerard asked, sitting down on the piano stool.
"Mainly guitar, but mine needs new strings so I have to use the school's." Frank picked up a guitar and strummed experimentally.
"That's cool, what music do you play?"
Five minutes later, Frank and Gerard were in deep conversation about their favorite bands.
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"Gerard should of been back by now, where is he?" Mikey asked Pete.
"I don't know, I guess he's still with Frank. Anyways, what where you saying?" Pete replied dismissively.
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"What else do you do? Apart from music and everything."
Frank and Gerard were sitting on the floor and leaning against the wall; sharing a pair of headphones.
"Art and stuff. I really love comics so I do a lot in that style," Gerard was drumming his fingers in time with the music.
"Can I see? If you don't mind."
"Go ahead. My sketchbook is in my bag," Gerard said nonchalantly.
Frank opened it carefully and flipped through the pages in stunned silence.
"Hey Gerard..."
"Hm?"
"Is this me?"
Gerard's eyes snapped open and he sat up abruptly. Frank had the sketchbook open on the most recent page with the rough sketch of him sitting under the tree.
"Uh w-well, I just- I mean i-it's not really-" Gerard's face burned and he stuttered, trying to find the right words.
"It's amazing, you're really talented!" Frank laughed at the look of surprise on Gerard's face.
"You're okay with it?"
"Why wouldn't I be?"
"Well I thought you might be - I don't know - creeped out or something."
"I think it's really cool, I swear!" Frank and Gerard were both laughing by this point.
"We should probably go back."
"Yeah, Mikey might of sent a search party," Gerard got to his feet and offered his hand to Frank.
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"Look who finally showed up," Mikey had his arms crossed, faking irritation.
"Gerard, your mother and I were very worried," Pete said in a stern voice, struggling to keep a straight face.
"Sorry...Mom," Gerard sighed before they all burst into hysterical laughter.
At that moment, the bell rang to signal the start of class.
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School had ended and Gerard was about to start walking home by himself as Mikey was going to Pete's house. He was going to put his headphones in when someone stopped called out to him.
"Hey, Gee wait up!"
Gerard turned around to see Frank running after him.
"What's up Frankie?"
"You left your sketchbook back in the music room," Frank handed him the book and his cheeks were tinged with pink.
"Thank you so much for bringing it back," Gerard mentally slapped himself, how could he forget his sketchbook?
"So I guess I'll see you tomorrow then."
"Yeah, thanks again for everything..."
"No problem, see you later," Frank walked of down the street and Gerard was left clutching his sketchbook with a dazed look on his face.
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When he got home, Gerard immediately sat down at his desk and opened his sketchbook; he was determined to finish the tree picture.
But when Gerard found the page, he froze with his pencil poised over the paper. Next to the sketch of Frank was a phone number and a note that read:
I'd be happy to model for you sometime - Frankie :)