When We're Both Thirty

Something

"I cannot believe you're making me do this," Gerard groans, as he's pulled by the arm. He feels like a dog on a leash, except the weird thing is that he's the one being pulled on. Mikey seems to think he can drag Gerard every which way and he won't fight back. He should, because it's unbelievable how much of a pushover he can be, but still, he doesn't. He trusts Mikey but he doesn't really trust him. He trusts Mikey not to push him off a bridge or stab him in the back, but he does not trust Mikey to listen to a word he says. 'Mikey' and 'listening' are two words that are very rarely spoken in the same sentence.

"You want to, we both know it," Mikey replies.

"I don't want to be here," he says, as he's hurried up the steps in the apartment he hasn't been inside of in what feels like forever. He's only ever even been here a couple of times and yet somehow, it's familiar.

"Yeah you do," Mikey says.

"No, I really really don't!" Gerard says. "Do you know what day it is? Do you know?"

"I do know what day it is thank you for asking. My phone is set up to automatically tell me the dates of the most important holidays. Like I need a fucking reminder though. Of course I know when Christmas is. I know what day these things are, but my phone thinks I'm a dumbass."

"It's not Christmas though, it's a different day," Gerard says when they reach the landing at the top of the stairs.

"Yes, I know. It's October 31st. Halloween. Frank's birthday."

"Exactly! And you know who lives in this building? You know what tenant here is someone I'm trying to avoid at all cost. You told me we were going to a Halloween party!"

"We are going to a Halloween party!" Mikey groans.

"You did not mention that the party was at Frank's apartment," Gerard hisses.

"You didn't ask."

"I didn't know I was supposed to ask! How am I supposed to know to ask something if you don't ask me to ask you?"

"Okay so first of all, I have no idea what you just said, and second of all, it's too late to turn back."

"No it is not! All I have to do is turn around and then there's nothing you can do to make me come back."

"You're right," Mikey halts, and turns to him, "there is no way I can stop you. So go ahead. Walk away. Walk away right now, and don't come back here ever again. I'm not going to even try to stop you, so just go."

"But I-" Gerard starts before realizing that Mikey is an evil genius. He knows Gerard doesn't want to leave. He knows that with certainty. Of course Gerard wants to be here! Where else would he want to be? It's Halloween. It's Frank's birthday. All he wants is to be here, and here is where he is. Mikey, the son of a bitch, is a mind reader. He knows that Gerard is not going to leave, especially not when he's so close to Frank, and Gerard is astounded that he didn't see this coming. He narrows his eyes at Mikey who grins back because he knows that Gerard sees right through him.

"So?"

"Alright fine," Gerard replies, shaking his head. "I hate you."

"You always have."

"Ugh," Gerard says as Mikey drags him the last bit of the hallway that he'd been lagging as slowly down as he could. Mikey was trying to pull him faster, but Gerard is stalling.

"Alright, so I need you to stand here," Mikey says, putting his arms on either of Gerard's shoulders and positioning him behind the wall adjacent to Frank's room. There's a turn in the hallway right next to Frank's door so if you stand to the left of his door and behind that bend, you're completely invisible from the apartment.