The Tattoo Guy (MCR FIC)

Chap 4- Age 23

Chapter 4

Aged 23

I was late to pick up Ivy, again, only this time she wasn’t sat outside on the steps like she normally was. I rushed inside and to her class room to see Mr. Iero and Ivy sat at one of the craft tables colouring.

“Hey!” the teacher smiled at me standing up from the table after noticing me stood awkwardly in the door.

“I’m sorry I’m late, again, it’s just this morning being late and stuff made me behind and I got too absorbed in work I totally didn’t check the time.”  I walked into the classroom looking at my fiddling fingers.

“No problem we were totally having a good time, she’s been drawing something for you actually.” Mr. Iero pointed back to Ivy who was still scribbling away with her tongue poking out as she concentrated, as soon as she looked up and spotted me she grabbed her drawing and charged at me jumping up for me to lift her... little light weighted midget... she presented me with the paper and I looked at it.

“It’s for your new comic book see... it’s me and you and Frankie and that’s Frankie’s dog Peppers she’s a chitchywawa.” She pointed to the stick drawings with capes on resembling who she said and I presumed who they were.

“Who’s Frankie?” I asked looking at the stick figure with his hand on his hips.

“Mr. Iero silly.” She rolled her eyes before yawning and clinging to my neck.

“Seeing as it’s after school hours she can call me my real name.” Frankie/Mr. Iero nodded with a sorry expression.

“No problems... wait... are you Frank Iero?” I asked looking over the fairly unchanged resemblance of my daughter’s teacher matching it with the 17 year old I drew a tattoo for... yup that was him. And I was still as awkward and embarrassed as I was all those years ago.

“Yeah and you’re Gerard Way... I was wondering how long it would take you to figure it out.” Frank smirked and all of a sudden I didn’t feel sick with myself for lusting over my daughter teacher but kinda baffled and dreamy over the Frank Iero I once knew.

“Oh my god, I totally had no clue, dude, that’s amazing you haven’t changed a bit... man this is awesome I can’t believe I didn’t meet you sooner.” I beamed and Frank touched my arm sending it tingling again and my eyes darted to those plump red lips drawing me in.

“I know man, I would say the same about you but man look at you dude!” Frank reflected my beam and I took all my strength to remember I was holding Ivy.

“Dude we have to catch up... why don’t we go get coffee at this diner I know down the street if you’re not busy?” I asked shifting Ivy’s weight seeing her eyes flash open either at the mention of coffee... little coffee addicted light weighted midget... or a diner where there would be food not burned or bought and made 3 days ago.

“Sure.” Frank nodded and grabbed his jacket.

“You two can get coffee as long as I get some fries... no fries no deal got it?” Ivy mumbled into my neck so I could feel her small cool breath against it.

“Don’t worry little monster you’ll get your fries.” I smirked and we walked out of the class room into the empty hallway with Ivy making little monster noises and claws at Frankie who couldn’t take his big dilated eyes off of mine.

We sat at one of the tables by the window with Ivy sat opposite me and Frank eating her 2nd basket of chips Mandy gave her while Frank and I caught up.

“You look amazing now you lost all that weight Gee, it’s like wow good on you man, and no one from school would recognise you.” Frank smiled behind his coffee sneaking in a glance at me from the corner of his eyes looking me up and down appreciatively.

“Well after graduation I kinda had to fend for myself and for Ivy too, it was hard at first so by the time I found a place for us I was getting thinner and I had no time to actually eat between work and Ivy and the house and more work that I didn’t... after things settled down I had to walk everywhere and I ran and I went to the gym a lot and I got to this... I didn’t want to be that fat kid anymore and I didn’t want that for Ivy either.” I sighed and glanced at Ivy making splat noises as she dipped her chip in the already pointed out blood looking ketchup.

“But it was worth it right... I don’t know how you found the time... you’re like Wonder Dad or something.” Frank laughed at kept his gaze on me admiringly whilst I watched my little girl thinking back over the times where I didn’t think I could cope on my own or where I thought I hated her as a baby but the smallest simplest of things changed it and made my day from a little giggle or smile to a smack in the face with a building block.

“Well when I was at work and stuff I either dropped her at the closest day-care or asked Mandy here if they could look after her for a while.” I looked down wondering what the bottom of my cup looked like through the black liquid I lived for.