A Fine Line (Frerard)

Happily Ever After?

"See? Painless! Took a little longer because you knew a little too much for my liking, but it's all gone now." Brendon glanced over at Frank who was pretty much passed out on the pitch black floor. "What's the use of trying to monologue when your audience is out cold? Ah.. he should should come to soon enough. In the meantime.." He smirked and snapped his fingers, bringing Ryan into his dark realm.

"Well!" Ryan was obviously quite royally pissed off at Brendon, with good reason, but Brendon couldn't care less, "I don't know what changed your mind about locking me in a cage and dangling me mere inches away from a fiery death, but I'm glad it did."

"Sorry you got caught up in my business, Ryan, but I needed an incentive to get things back on track."

"You have hundreds, thousands, of people to catch in your little web of 'business.' I don't understand why it's always me.."

"You know how I feel about you, Ryan."

"Sometimes I think I do, other times I don't."

"Well, I hope you know all the time that.. I feel pretty strongly about you. You know how hard it is for me to say that without choking on sentiment."

"I know. I love you, too, I guess." Ryan let his gaze fall onto Frank, "Is Frank okay?"

"And that leads me to why you were in a cage, well.. part one of that explanation. See, I know Frank cares about you because you're a friend of his. Frank has developed feelings outside of ruthlessness and things of that manner, including.." He paused to shiver, "love, and I can't have that. So, I made him an offer that worked in everyone's favour. You live, Gerard lives, Frank lives. Catch is Frank goes back to normal."

"Normal meaning?"

"Back to the way things were like a month ago. Good times."

Ryan looked at Frank sadly, kneeling down next to him. "Before Gerard?"

"Precisely."

He cradled Frank's upper body in his arms, "What's so wrong about being in love with someone? I mean, you deal with me and my lovey emotions, so why can't Frank feel that way about someone?"

"I deal with lots of things, but if it starts to really get in the way of my plans, then I can't allow it. Which brings me to part two of my explanation. Ryan.."

"Yes?"

"I'm gonna need to you stop telling people about every little thing you hear from me, got it? I mean, I already put you in a cage, so you'll have to give a moment to think of something worse. I probably could, but I know you wouldn't want that or like that, and I want my Ry to be happy. Or, y'know, at the very least, not in absolute despair. So, for your sake, just.." Brendon walked over to Ryan and softly pressed a finger to his lips, "Shh. Okay?" Ryan nodded quickly, "Good." Brendon sighed contently, returning back to his desk, "Isn't it great when things just work in my favour?"

"I suppose.." Ryan's voice was quiet as he mumbled his words. Soon after, Frank started to stir in his arms, "Um, Brendon?"

"Yeah?" Brendon looked over and saw Frank waking up, cracking a small smile.

"Mm..." Frank blinked a couple times a couple times before looking up into Ryan's kind, brown eyes, "R-Ryan?" His voice was groggy as if he had been sleeping.

"Feel alright?"

"I guess..? What happened, I feel I just crashed or got knocked out cold?" Frank held his head and groaned a bit in pain while Ryan looked over at Brendon, only receiving a silent hush for an answer.

"Guess you must've fallen asleep somewhere.." Ryan chuckled awkwardly and looked away in remorse. He hated lying to people. "Your headache should wear off soon."