Poison (Frerard)

Mood Swings

Gerard was crashed face down on his bed when his phone emitted a sharp ping, startling him awake. It pinged again a few seconds later, Gerard groaning at the noise and fumbling to pull the device from his pocket. He blearily blinked his eyes, sliding his fingers over the buttons before answering the call.

"Where are you?!" Pete yelled through the phone, his tone impatient and frustrated.

"Fuck, sorry. I'll be there in ten," Gerard rasped, pausing after the first word to clear his throat.

"Are you okay, Gerard? This has been happening a lot lately," Pete asked sincerely, a hint of worry under the hard edge in his voice. "I don't want you coming in if you're sick."

"I'll be there, okay? I'm fine," Gerard grumbled, wiping around his mouth to rub away the dried drool.

"Okay, see you soon. And you better not be late!" Pete replied lightheartedly, making the redhead crack a brief smile.

He grabbed his shirt from where he'd previously abandoned it on the floor in the hallway, shoving on his shoes before heading out the door.

------

"Hello, Gee!" Ray happily said once Gerard emerged from his dressing room, dark purple lace adorning his pale body.

"Hey, Ray," Gerard sighed, smiling tiredly at his afro'd friend. "Sorry I had to leave so early this morning, I had stuff to take care of."

Ray briefly debated whether or not to press for more details, judging by Gerard's expression that he didn't want to elaborate. "It's fine," he said with a smile, Gerard returning it gratefully.

"You don't have late nights very often, do you?" Gerard asked, eyeing the dark circles under his eyes and his more languid movements.

"Not particularly... Though I'd have stayed up with you all night if you'd wanted me to," Ray said softly, genuinely meaning it.

"Thanks, Ray," Gerard replied, his voice cracking a little. He smiled at the afro'd man, his six inch heels making him barely above eye level.

"Hey, I'm your friend, and friends are there for each other," Ray replied casually, wanting Gerard to know it wasn't a big deal. "I'd like to believe you'd do the same for me."

"Of course I would!" Gerard said, lightheartedly ruffling his hair and making his fro puff up even more. "Unless it's girl problems, because I really can't help you there..."

Ray chuckled at him, Gerard grinning and going behind the counter with him. "I don't want to have to perform tonight. Maybe if I hide back here Pete won't be able to find me," he said secretively, squatting down beneath the edge of the counter.

"Just tell him that. He can't make you perform," Ray said, a troubled look coming across his face. "...Right?"

"No," Gerard sighed, licking his lips. "But he can chastise me for it and dock my pay..."

"He shouldn't be able to do that," Ray muttered, his movements angry and forceful as he polished the black marble countertop of the bar.

"That's kinda what I was hired to do, Ray... Of course I'd get in trouble for not doing my job," Gerard mumbled in reply, hanging his head.

"Still, you perform almost every night," Ray said, annoyance in his tone. "Shouldn't you deserve a break every once in a while?"

"Ray, I'm a fucking stripper. I can't get a decent tip from most of the customers and yet you expect proper workers' rights?" Gerard chuckled dryly, shaking his head. "Hell, Inferno's the best club I've worked for and Pete's a pretty good guy, but I still can't expect it to be fair 100% of the time... It's a hard life, Ray, but it's mine and I've had to get used to it."