FISH WAYURIE

Day Three (1)

Cupcakes laced with sea salt. Yeah, that'll do the trick. Gerard's panel was first up anyhow. With this, Ryan would finally have Brendon all to himself.

Ryan slipped through the cracks of the people flooding the halls to make it to the backstage room labeled MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE in what was definitely a crazed fan's period blood and forced himself through the jammed and destroyed door with a plate of cupcakes covered in foil.

"Hi, sorry. Hope you don't mind my intrusion. Here's the cupcakes as promised!"

"Oh, no shit!" Gerard quickly grabbed his own cupcake and ate it, the rest of his group following. Ryan smiled. "Just wanted to wish you good luck on the big third today. You know how it is, getting those merch sales and all."

"Yeah, thank you for that. I hope you guys do well too." Gerard smiled genuinely, prompting the others to break into a grin and thank Ryan. A few more empty words of encouragement were exchanged before Ryan excused himself back to his own backstage room, laying the plate down on a table with a sigh.

"Hey. Didn't go well?" Brendon asked, detecting his since-forgiving boyfriend's almost dejected sigh.

"No, no, it went fine. Just a low social battery. Nerves, all that." Ryan sighed and sat next to Brendon, their hands finding themselves intertwined. "I'm sorry. Really."

"I know," Ryan said.

"You'd better be," Spencer grunted, his eyes on Brendon, who shot back a look.

"You're lucky I don't smash your head in with a sledgehammer."

It was about an hour later. Ryan and Brendon were alone in the room, and things were getting steamy- that was, until Frank ran in, his face in an expression of bewilderment.

"Oh, my god, guys, get your hands off of each other and look at this."

Brendon pulled away, him and Ryan both meeting eyes with Frank- who was holding a fish tank, a medium sized bass inside.

"Guys. It's Gerard."

"Why did you name the fish Gerard?" Ryan stifled a laugh in asking the question. Frank didn't laugh.

"No, you don't understand. This is literally Gerard. Like, Gerard turned into a fish."

Ryan paused. "What? Are you going crazy?"

"No. He's not," Ray said, forcing himself in. "I saw it too."

Brendon's jaw dropped as he realized what had happened. Gerard must have eaten sea salt.

"He.. what?"

Ryan's face turned sour, almost defensively so. "He's lying to you," he said sharply. "Gerard is fine, that whole sea salt turning people into fish myth is just that. A myth."

Brendon looked at Ryan, his face turning stiff. "What if it really did happen?"

"You're looking at it! It did! I can ask the security to pull up the room camera footage," Frank said sternly, his voice threatening to become a shout.

"Then show us," Ryan said, pulling himself up from how he was laying with Brendon, then helping him up.

"So it was true," Ryan forced out a gasp at the tape he was watching. Gerard, once a man, now just a singing fish, sat in front of him on the desk in a big tank.

Brendon was silent. Something was on his mind. Obviously the weight of the situation was eating at everyone, but Brendon's silence was unique. The only one taking it worse than Brendon was MIKEY FUCKIN WAY, who was currently curled up crying on the security room floor, using the carpet as a blanket, and as tissues at the same time.

"Mikeyyy, don't you cryyyy," Fishrard sang to the tune of bohemian rhapsody, his voice shrill and hardly discernible from the water.

"Shut the fuck up!" Mikey tossed around on the floor, tears streaming from his eyes." Ray puffed air into his cheeks and slowly blew it out through his mouth, looking away with wide eyes.

"Wow," Frank said, seemingly impressed by how emotional MIKEY FUCKIN WAY was.

"Well.. what are we gonna do about this?" Ryan met eyes with Frank.

"I have no fucking clue. We can't go on our panel with a fish." Frank ran a hand through his hair and sighed. The smell of sweat made Ray and Brendon gag.

The panel was just over, and the band of sweaty dudes piled back into the backstage room to wind down after the show. But this time, it was just Brendon and Ryan. Jon and Spencer had already left, they were going out to get donuts. Brendon didn't feel good, so he stayed behind, and Ryan stayed back because of Brendon. They were waiting on the boys to come back with the go-cart.

And Brendon was mad.

"Why didn't you believe Frank?!" He shouted. Ryan tensed, once again playing the victim.

"I was always taught it was a myth!"

Brendon shook his head disapprovingly. "It's scientifically backed up. You can't say it's not real. That's about as stupid as.. like.. flat earthers! Or anti-vaxxers!"

Ryan scoffed with a shocked smile. "Are you that close-minded that you just don't like it when people don't have all the facts?"

Brendon stiffened, suddenly slapping Ryan without thinking. Ryan stumbled back against the dresser, Brendon's eyes filling with a look of shock. "I'm sorry, Ry, I-"

Ryan stepped back to the side of the dresser, sort of moving into the corner, shaking his head somberly. "I can't believe you, Bren."

Brendon felt tears form in his eyes. "Ryan, I didn't mean to. I promise."

"Brendon, please. Save it."

Brendon paused, hurt eyes piercing into Ryan's soul. And in that moment, Ryan forgave him. With a quick start, he ran to Brendon and pulled him into a close kiss. The world seemed to freeze, the tempo of their heartbeats syncing as they both relaxed, just living together.

Until something hit the floor. A crisp thud of a corked glass bottle, threatening to break against the hard tile floor. Brendon pulled away, leaning down to pick it up, but froze when he saw what it was.

Sea salt.