Welcome to the Pride Parade [Frerard AU]

Part III: Chapter 8

CHAPTER 8 – THE TAKE OVER, THE BREAK'S OVER

From Mikey Way: can we all just look outside and appreciate how nice it is

From Frank Iero: Why look outside when you can BE outside?

From Mikey Way: you make a good point, i'll be biking to scarecrow park to enjoy the rarity that is perfect weather on the east coast

From Frank Iero: That's where I am right now!

From Ray Toro: we should all meet there!!!

From Frank Iero: Agreed – it's been too long since I last saw all of you

From Mikey Way: hasn't been long since you last saw my brother ;)

From Frank Iero: Lol, that's different

From Gerard Way: I don't see a problem

From Frank Iero: Nor do I <3

From Ray Toro: gay

From Frank Iero: What tipped you off?

Chuckling at the conversation going off on my phone, I pocketed it and hollered to Mom where we were headed. Mikey and I hopped on our bikes and headed over to the park.

It was a spacious area, though usually abandoned. It had been years since the grass was last cut and even longer since the flowers lining the brick paths had been watered. All the same, the desolate nature of the park made it feel more isolated, one of those places where it was easy to appreciate being alone. It was a wonderful place for thinking but not one I went to often. I wouldn't be surprised if I found out that this was practically Frank's second home. It consisted mostly of greenery, with a tiny playground meant to entertain children who visited it and couldn't yet appreciate the visual beauty the place once held. But now that playground was rusting and falling apart.

We spotted Frank sitting on a swing, staring at the lit screen of his phone. Leaning our bikes against a tree, we looked around for a sign of life. Ray was nowhere in sight. Only Frank, looking quite alone but peacefully so, occupied any space in the wide area of the park. I watched the rhythm of his feet pressing lightly on the ground to propel him forward a few inches, swinging him gently, almost imperceptibly.

We began to walk in his direction. Mikey was staring at me, shaking his head.

"What?"

"Look at the way you look at him. You are so in love."

I smiled, trying to hide the heat rushing to my face. "Shut up."

He laughed quietly, then without another word whipped out his phone to read whatever group chat messages he had missed.

I approached Frank from behind, completely unnoticed by him until I grabbed his waist, interrupting the pattern of his swinging and causing a sharp intake of breath.

"Got you," I laughed, kissing the side of his head. He smiled, leaning into me.

I let go of him and sat on the rusty swing to his right. Mikey followed close behind.

Mikey kicked off conversation without missing a beat, eager to tell Frank about his mission trip. Ten minutes later, Ray showed up with a dark shiner on the underside of his jaw.

"Whoa there, what happened?" I dared to ask as soon as I noticed it, gesturing to the equivalent location on my own face.

"What?" Ray gingerly felt his jaw, as if just now noticing it there. "Oh. Lots happened. Don't worry about it." He then tugged on the chains of the last open swing and commented on the amount of rust, no doubt as a brief excuse not to have to say anything else about himself.

"Did I tell you guys about the girl who was definitely flirting with me at band practice the other day?" Mikey asked, trying to find new conversation.

"Do tell," I encouraged him.

"Yeah, she showed up out of the blue – one of Dallon's friends, I think. Kristin."

"Ooh, cute name. Cute girl?"

He cracked a smile. "Yeah. Very. She kept asking me to show her how to play bass, and every time I played something for her she acted like it was the best song she had ever heard. She gave me her number at the end of practice, but I haven't seen her since then."

At that, we all groaned in disappointment.

"Don't let her get away! She sounds like she's actually interested in your music."

"I texted her on her birthday. Does that count for anything?"

We all shrugged. "Hopefully."

"Oh hey, that reminds me, I told Gerard about this already, but if you guys want to come over for my birthday next week, that'll be awesome," Ray mentioned. Both Mikey and Frank enthusiastically agreed.

"Will you be eighteen?" Frank asked excitedly.

"Yeah," Ray grinned. "It's weird."

"That is weird," I said. To think, he was the first of us to become a legal adult and that the rest of us weren't that far behind.

I decided to visit Ray at the mall a few days later, partially because I promised I would visit him at work a long time ago and I was running out of time to actually do that, and also partially because I enjoyed his company.

He was working the cash register when I spotted him in the back of the retail store. I waited for his line to shrink down to nothing before messing with him.

"You don't sell nearly enough drugs in this store. I'm suing you for it," I said casually.

"Hey, Gerard!" His face lit up upon seeing who it was. "So sorry to disappoint. You'll have to ask my boss about the drugs."

I laughed. "How goes the checkout counter today?"

"A bit slow," he admitted, "but I'm enjoying the down time. I get the place to myself some days, so I can really dictate my own breaks, and they trust me."

"As they should. You've always been overly obedient."

He chuckled. "Always intimidated by authority, more like."

"Maybe so." I glanced sideways to see a line was forming behind me. "I'll let you get back to your work. Just thought I'd stop by."

"Sure thing, Gerard! Thanks for coming in. It means a lot." He smiled. I waved as I left.