Romantic Notions (Frerard)

Seventeen: Celebratory Dancin'

The Friday night after Frank got his stitches out, Jamia, Lindsey, Frank, and Gerard were running down the stairs of the nearest subway station so that they could find somewhere to celebrate.

Quite a few things had happened in the previous weeks, almost all worth celebrating. First, and most prominent, Frank's forehead had finished healing, and only a small pink line was left behind. The only one disappointed when he got his stitches out was Jamia, his new nickname of Frankenstein a little less funny now that he didn't quite look the part.

Second of all, Frank didn't make any mistakes in his performance that night. No more directional flips during the Time Warp at curtain call, or fumbled lip-syncing. Frank was becoming a star; well, at least Gerard saw it that way.

Thirdly, Jamia and Lindsey finally admitted they had feelings for each other, their first date the week prior only solidifying their budding relationship.

And lastly, the blood work conducted while Frank was in the E.D. showed that the virus was still within an undetectable level. The tattooed man still was a little anxious to make out with his boyfriend; every time the blonde man would tug on his lip with his teeth, he would panic, worrying Gerard would break the skin, and he'd get blood in his mouth.

It was irrational how much the tattooed man worried about it, but for the most part, Gerard found it endearing how much he cared.

Only the blonde knew that piece of good news, but it still felt worth celebrating.

"Where the fuck are we even going?" Lindsey laughed, staring up at the signs above her head listing the track information.

"Fuck, I don't even know," Frank sighed, leaning on Gerard and giggling softly.

"Let's go fuckin' dancin'," Jamia squealed, taking Lindsey's hands and spinning her around in a circle. "I know this awesome gay bar near Washington Square Park, we'll just have to take the 1, and we'll be right there."

"You alright being around alcohol?" Frank and Gerard whispered to each other at precisely the same time, flushing pink with embarrassment and adoration.

Gerard didn't know if the tattooed man really drank anymore after that night in college, and Frank still remembered from all those weeks ago in one of their first conversations where Gerard said he didn't drink.

They chuckled softly to themselves and followed after Jamia and Lindsey, the two women already halfway up the stairs at the end of the platform that led to the track they needed.

"Hurry up, lovebirds! You almost got us separated," Lindsey laughed as they stepped onto the subway car, the doors whooshing closed right behind them. The noise startled Frank slightly, too caught up in the adrenaline and joy of the night to pay close attention to his surroundings. Half of his brain focused on how sweaty his hand felt in Gerard's, and the other was bubbling over with excitement.

They could already hear The Monster before they saw it, the pulsing rhythm of the music blasting inside making Gerard's heart race. They each flashed their IDs at the bouncer and headed inside, Jamia heading straight for the bar as Gerard and Frank were swept out onto the dance floor by the crowds of people.

"I don't even know how to dance!" the blonde man shouted, his laughter being swallowed up by the pounding bass and the bodies writhing around him.

"Just have fun with it!" Frank yelled back, pulling Gerard closer to him by the waist and moving their bodies together. They swayed and spun with the rapid beat, sweat shining on both of their foreheads by the time the song was over.

"You having a good time?" Frank asked, the closeness of his lips to the blonde man's ear making him shiver. He just nodded in response, wrapping his arms around Frank's neck to keep him closer.

"I like dancing with you," he said, something in his tone sending tingles all across the tattooed man's skin. He tried to ignore the way his heart skipped a beat and his skin felt electric, Gerard's body this close to his and the sweat shining on both of their faces messing with his head.

When the next song ended, he slipped free of Gerard's hold, feeling as if he'd been holding his breath with how much tension left his body. He could feel his body aching to betray him, desire creeping through his veins as he looked at the blonde man's parted lips and hair slightly stringy with sweat.

"I need some air," he mumbled in a noncommittal way, pushing his way off the dance floor to find Jamia and Lindsey at the bar. Gerard quickly followed after him, his joy and passion from a few moments before now clouded over with worries about what was bothering his boyfriend.

"Frankie, is somethin' wro—"

"No, Gee, don't worry, it's just... It's hard being that close to you," the tattooed man admitted, his mouth quirked into an embarrassed smile. "I-I, it's messing with my head."

"Whatcha mean, baby?" Gerard asked softly, gently placing his hand on the tattooed man's arm. His expression was so tender it made Frank's heart swell, the hormones and emotions coursing through his body only making his mind spin even more.

"You know..." he mumbled in response, pointedly looking down at his lower body. "It's been so long since I've been with someone, it's like I'm some hyperactive schoolboy again or somethin'."

"Are you trying to tell me you couldn't keep dancin' with me because I was turning you on?" Gerard giggled, quickly kissing his boyfriend's cheek and mumbling an apology when he saw the grimace and simultaneous blush on his face.

"It's not just the dancing; it's the sweating and the excitement of tonight and your fuckin' pink lips—"

Gerard interrupted him with a kiss, his own thrumming pulse getting the best of him. He did effectively stop the tattooed man's babbling, the fire and intensity in the kiss something Frank had never let show before. There was something almost desperate to it, as if the tattooed man wanted to cling to the moment just as badly as he needed it to end.

"I don't know, Frankie; I think I like dancin' with you," he giggled as he pulled away, his heart fluttering in his chest and his pupils full and dark as he stared into his boyfriend's eyes.

"You know what? You're just a tease," Frank laughed, playfully hitting his arm as he put a few steps distance between them again.

Gerard giggled a little in response, linking his arm through Frank's as they continued their search for their friends. He knew from the tattooed man's body language he'd pushed far enough for tonight, his anxieties about intimacy not something the blonde man could contend with quite yet.

It wasn't as if he was impatient to jump his bones—it had only been three weeks since their late-night confessions after the ice skating fiasco—he just wished that it didn't always feel like Frank was holding back.

He trusted Frank, and he just wanted to show him that, whatever he had to do to get to that point.

Even if it meant taking every opportunity he had to mess with his boyfriend's hormones and making a trip to Planned Parenthood to figure out his options for protection.

Being with Frank was worth it.

~~~~~~

not v edited bc i should be sleepin' rn oops
-Bren xo

p.s. i think this is the only chapter to not have a 'jump-cut'/time-skip in it lmao