You Can't Push it Underground

Forgive and Forget

"Why is he sitting with us?" Frank whines when Gerard makes his way back to them looking smug.

"I don't know, I'll ask him," Brendon says, but he doesn't get the chance before Frank kicks him once again.

"Don't you fucking dare," Frank says.

"Lovers quarrel?" Gerard asks with a sinfully fake voice of interest.

"That would imply that Frank and I are lovers. Think your idioms through before you voice them or someone will end up hydro pumping all over your old white converse."

"Where's your date?" Frank asks.

Gerard looks uncomfortable and frowns, "he left."

"Because you're a judgmental prick?"

"I will pull out your fucking hairs one by one if you start on that, Frank," Brendon says calmly.

"What did I do?"

"You're being a dick," Brendon says. "Calm the hell down, and treat Gerard like a human being."

Gerard makes an arrogant face and directs it at Frank, making Frank squint his eyes at him unhappily.

"Don't you give that face, Gerard. I may barely know you, but I am not afraid of scolding you out either. You treat Frank like a human being too. Fucking apologize to him for judging his lifestyle!"

"But you just said-"

"Never forget where my allegiance lies, Gerard," Brendon says firmly, "I'm mad at him too, but you've got to bear in mind that I'm more likely to take his side."

Frank shrugs, not necessarily in a self-satisfied sort of way, but because Brendon is telling the truth.

"I'm sorry. It was out of line of me. I didn't realize that what I said had that much of an effect on him," Gerard says, looking to be actually fairly truthful.

"That was adequate. Now honestly, I'm sorry that it didn't go over well with you two, really I am, but that is not an excuse to hate each other. You're both good people, and I think it's unjust to try to compare yourselves to each other."

Frank opens his mouth, "but he was being conde-"

"Yeah, I get it. Gerard was condescending, you were disrespectful, I know how it works. That's not a good reason to dislike each other. Everyone has a character flaw, I spend way too much time on my hair and I'm hopelessly impatient. Frank is egotistical, and Gerard is judgmental," he says, "are we good then? Everything is out on the table now!"

"I guess its fine," Gerard shrugs, "I mean it wasn't actually that bad. The date I mean."

Frank blushes, because he'd honestly thought that Gerard had hated it. He'd thought it was just him.

"No it was just that bit at the end there," Frank says, "I came on a little too strong, and I shouldn't have. I'm sorry for that, and for just now."

"I'm such a good influence on you," Brendon says smiling to himself.

"Shut up, Frank punches him.

It happens again to Frank. He starts talking to Gerard and he forgets to hold a grudge. It's not like he really wanted to apologize, but he's not afraid to admit that he probably should, and he did. Well he did as much as he's willing to anyway.

"If you don't mind my asking, why did you have a second date?" Frank asks after almost an hour of conversation.

"Well I'm trying to get over my ex, but that thing at the coffee shop was honestly just so awkward, I guess I crawled right back," Gerard answers.