ONE: Vanilla on My Hands

15: The Sensitive Tissue of Its Organs and Its Sturdy Bones

"Frank?"

"Yes, sir?" Frank jumped and turned to see Gerard standing in the doorway of the kitchenette of their building, leaning casually against it as Frank stirred milk into his second mug of coffee. It had been hours since he had returned from his coffee run where he had handed Derek and Gerard their drinks and had shown his banana-nut breakfast muffin to his boss. He had also forgotten his pancakes at home, remembering them sitting on the counter by the door in his Power Rangers lunchbox.

"Do you have prior plans tonight?"

"Tonight?" Frank frowned, thinking quickly, noting that it was definitely not Tuesday, "Nope. No, sir."

"Good. I need you tonight. I need you to help me out after hours. Is that okay with you?" Gerard raised an eyebrow and Frank swallowed at the way he was being looked up and down.

"Perfect, sir." Frank nodded as he tapped his spoon on the rim of his cup and set it aside, lifting the mug to his lips, "Nothing else to do."

"Good." Gerard trailed off, looking at him once more, "Good."

He disappeared swiftly afterward, leaving Frank alone and pondering on his words; it must have been important. Frank glanced over at Derek, who was busy typing away with his earbuds in his ears. Obviously Mr. Way didn't mind music in the workplace and Frank needed to remember that. He looked at the clock, realizing it was literally almost time to go home, and then he realized that was for everyone else but him. He slid further into his chair, taking another sip as the coffee warmed his hands. He had finished his assigned tasks ages ago, much to Derek's dismay, and was told to at least try and look busy until Gerard gave him something else to do. Frank was the King of looking busy; he had perfected that maneuver in high school already. He watched as Derek began to pack away his things, putting his travel mug and lunch box back in his backpack along with the rest of his stuff.

"What?"

"Nothing." Frank shrugged, "Checking out your shirt. It's really cool."

"Thanks." Derek smiled awkwardly, pushing his glasses up on his nose, "My girlfriend got it for me when she went to Philly."

"Ah, nice." Frank smiled, "You still together?"

"Yeah, Lindsey and I've been together for almost two years now." Derek stood up as he logged out of his computer.

"Lindsey?"

"Different Lindsey." Derek remarked and Frank chuckled, setting his coffee down, "Definitely different. Both blond, actually."

"Right, yeah."

"What about you?" Derek asked, "Dating?"

"I-" Frank was about to answer when someone he didn't recognize poked their head into his office, making them both stop. A burly man, with strawberry blonde hair and a lip-ring, eyed Frank up and down before turning his blue eyes on Derek with a small smile.

"Who's that?" He asked in a bored tone.

"Oh." Derek cleared his throat, "New guy. Frank, that's Bob."

"Sup." Frank nodded with a friendly smile as Bob looked him over yet again.

"He dresses like a spaz." Was Bob's only comment before he looked at Derek again, leaving Frank overly-disgruntled and pink in the face, "You coming to Gibsons with us tonight, Dez?"

"We going straight after work?"

"As always." Bob grinned and Frank frowned between the two of them, watching Derek pack up.

"Excuse me, gentlemen." Gerard purred softly from behind Frank, making them all turn and look at him, seeing the Congressman standing yet again in the doorway to his office with a smile on his lips, "Am I interrupting?"