Lie To Me (Frerard)

16: In Which Mikey Is Not An Asshole (For Once)

"Something's wrong, isn't it?" Mikey had noticed the very moment he'd seen Gerard today, and the awkward ten minute silence they shared eating breakfast only served to consolidate such a fact. If Mikey knew anything, it was that his brother definitely wasn't acting himself today, because even though they may absolute loathe one another at times, Gerard would still always be Mikey's brother.

"Mmm?" Gerard jerked up a little, blushing under Mikey's glare - that kind of 'don't even try and lie your way out of it, I know something's up and you are going to tell me' look that Gerard had grown to fear.

"Look, don't even try and bullshit me, Gerard - something's wrong and it's something serious, because look, you haven't even made one stupid sarcastic joke about how my hair's sticking up a little in the back and you haven't mentioned anything- you haven't said anything, Gerard."

"I hadn't noticed your hair." Mikey was utterly unconvinced. "Honestly." Gerard's words made no change to Mikey's skepticism and by the glare he sent his brother, he made sure that he was well aware of that.

"Whatever, just tell me what's wrong - you're upset and you're my brother, it's just unnerving, I guess... I don't like it." Mikey shrugged it off, trying with all he had not to get too affectionate, because well, he had an angsty facade to up keep: it was just rather apparent that Gerard was making it more than just a little difficult to do so today.

"Nothing's wrong." Gerard promised him, and yeah, it was the worst excuse for a promise Mikey had ever heard, but it wasn't like it really mattered, because it wasn't like Mikey was giving up any time soon.

"Yeah, Gerard, and I'm the president of Iraq." Mikey rolled his eyes, getting up and making himself a third cup of coffee: Mrs Way had to leave early for a business meeting, and Mikey was making sure to fully exploit her absence in the form of having just as many cups of coffee as his bladder could cope with, which wasn't something that his mother was usually very fond of.

"Maybe you are the president of Iraq." Gerard suggested, shrugging a little, and Mikey was just astounded as to how this shitty liar was the guy who'd managed to convince Frank Iero that he was female (and worth speaking to) for months on end.

"Gerard..." Mikey exhaled loudly, turning back to face his brother. "Tell me truthfully, and I'll make you coffee, how about that?" And with the awkward smile on his brother's face, Mikey knew he had won.

"Fuck, why do you know me so well- coffee should be off limits, you know? Coffee's like the one way to convince me of anything - it gives you far too much of an advantage, and it's not far." Gerard groaned, pushing his hair behind his ear and meeting his brother's gaze.

"Well maybe your coffee addiction is something you should consider dealing with then - it's not my problem, Gerard." Mikey shrugged it off, grabbing a second coffee mug from the cupboard and boiling the kettle. "Now, I do believe you owe me an explanation."

"Mikey, please, look... this is more than a manipulate me into telling you with a cup of coffee kind of thing- fuck, this is a serious thing... this is... this is something that's bothering me and this is something I've been thinking about pretty much non-stop for the past few days. In fact, I'm kind of scared to tell you: to let it out of my head and well, let it be real." Gerard sighed out, struggling to verbalise just how he felt and how important one fucking stupid thing had managed to become: it was ridiculous and Gerard knew it like he knew he hated Frank Iero.

On the topic of Frank Iero: the two hadn't spoken in days, and Frank hadn't shown up at school either, leaving Gerard to conclude that maybe, just maybe, this had affected him just a little more than he was at all willing to let on, but whatever, Gerard didn't care- he wasn't supposed to care - he was supposed to hate Frank, and maybe, Frank deserved this.