Heaven's Gate - A Geetrick AU

Two: Putting On A Show

[A.N.] This scene was inspired heavily by the attached scene from the movie Jersey Boys. I recently watched this movie again and I realized I completely forgot how much I love Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

Anyway, enough of that.
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"Frank, where've you been? You said you'd be back half an hour ago!"

"Ray, I'm sorry, I-"

"Got caught up looking at guitars again?" Ray chuckled. "Yeah. Been there."

Ray tilted to see around Frank and noticed Patrick.

"Hi. What's your name?" He asked, softly.

"Oh, hello, Ray Toro," Patrick blushed, coming forward. "I'm Patrick! I'm a big fan of yours! It's so great to meet you!"

"You too, Patrick," Ray grinned warmly as he firmly shook Patrick's hand. "Thanks for coming!"

"Ray, were out of-" A skinny, brown-haired, young-looking guy opened the backstage, only to stop talking as he noticed Patrick was there. "Who's this?"

"Patrick." Frank shrugged. "He's a fan."

"Frank," the brown-haired guy sighed. "You brought another fan back here?"

"Mikey, be nice!" Ray spat back.

"It's not like he's a grievance," Frank argued. "Can't we just let him stay with us for a couple hours? He's gonna be at the show later tonight anyway."

"It's okay." Patrick didn't want to intrude and possibly ruin the plan. "I wouldn't be offended if-"

"No, I didn't mean it like that," Mikey interrupted Patrick apologetically, pushing the backstage door open all the way and shutting it behind him as he walked into the room. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to come off as a jerk. I'm Mikey, by the way."

"Oh, I know who you are," Patrick gushed. "I-I mean, not in a creepy way... I'm a big fan."

"I'm flattered," Mikey chuckled. "I was actually just talking to Gerard about how nobody ever knows the bass player. Thank you for that."

"Where is Gerard?" Ray looked around. "Is he still back there?"

"Here I am."

Patrick turned and looked at Gerard, taking a moment to take in what he was looking at: Gerard was very pale, obviously as the result of his makeup. is eyes were ringed with black eyeliner, making them seem more skeletal and deep than they really were. He wore all black clothes, and his hair was short and white-blonde, like the color of white sand on a beach. His eyes were the kind that someone could look into and learn everything.

Patrick nearly lost his balance as he laid eyes on his subject for the first time. None of the files he'd read had ever said that Gerard had white-blonde hair, or that he was so... beautiful. Patrick was completely caught off guard: if he hadn't seen it for himself, he wouldn't have believed Gerard was a real person.

"Hi," Gerard said, smirking slyly and extending a black-gloved hand gracefully for Patrick to shake. "I'm Gerard."

"I... I... Oh, wow..." Patrick stammered, feeling his heart pound in his chest as his hand touched Gerard's. "Hello... I know who you are... I'm... I'm a big fan..."

Patrick took the split second he and Gerard were touching hands to briefly read the taller man's thoughts and emotional aura. He shut his eyes for a moment, seeing pictures of Gerard's thoughts in his head. He couldn't make them out quite clearly, but he felt a beautiful and happy aura, right alongside a sad one. He knew immediately that Gerard was a complicated and unique individual. Perhaps that was one reason he was so hard to find a match for even though he was so... perfect.