"So, Joshua Joseph, or Tyler Robert Dun?" Frank queried, rubbing Hesitant's hands softly from across the table.
"Joshua Joseph has a nice ring to it," Tyler answered matter-of-factly. He winked at Spooky, who smiled sheepishly in response. "And it's my last name too, and who doesn't not want my last name plaguing their identity?"
A waitress handed them their drinks, in which Frank had ordered a light beer and Hesitant a coffee—which, they'd showed a fondness over. Tyler and Spooky had ordered a soda to share, and two straws peeked from out of the cup.
Thank you, Hesitant signed, moving their hand in a blow-kiss motion. Frank smiled, jumping to translate the act.
"They said thank you," and the waitress smiled, nodding and making a thumbs-up sign. It took a moment for Hesitant to process the gesture.
Tyler then motioned to her a polite dismissal, and looked at Frank again.
"So, what sounds better—Frank Anthony Way, or Gerard Arthur Iero?"
Frank thought, for a moment.
"Frank Anthony Way—it sounds absolutely badass. And, not to mention that it's a signal of our imaginary marriage."
At the response, Hesitant signed to Frank excitedly, their motions a blur of movement. Frank signed back, making slight facial expressions. Hesitant giggled.
The four had decided to sit at a booth near the center of the restaurant. It was Spooky's idea to go—in which they communicated through texting. Each alien had a different way of talking, and it had been a while before the friends could teach their companions how to talk on Earth.
Even if it didn't require vocal chords. The duo wasn't even sure if speaking was within their alien capacity—but thank God that they could analyze other ways of talking.
It was simple.
Spooky texted.
Hesitant signed.
And sometimes, they'd even use code, if necessary.
Spooky—or Josh, the name Tyler chose for them after Josh Ramsay, an idolized vocalist of Tyler's—was a beautiful creature. They had dyed red hair, similar to Hesitant's—or Gerard, the closest resemblance of the alien's home name—and also carried irises that reminded Tyler of Jupiter.
Gerard was an entirely different kind of beauty—as Frank would describe them. They had a sort of feminine grace on their masculine traits, and was strikingly gorgeous. Their face was framed with greasy red hair, which matted itself against their chubby face.
"Frick," Tyler murmured. "This place has the best sodas." He sipped happily, Josh smiling as he did so.
They fiddled with the phone Tyler had gifted them, and typed quickly before showing Tyler the finished message.
Tyler giggled, gesturing an okay sign at Josh. "Sick as frick indeed."
Frank laughed, and so did Gerard. Gerard's hands flew into a flurry of motion as Frank analyzed the movements.
He signed back quickly before replying with, "They say that you two are cute, and that you're dorks."
Gerard slapped Frank's arm before they signed to him again, intense facial expressions marking their words.
"Oh, well, they said that you guys were nerds, and that I need to improve my signing." Gerard smiled as Frank grinned, planting a brief kiss on the alien's cheek. They blushed a deep red, beaming sheepishly.
