Hello! vampirexchild here. We're kicking this off with my segment, you're welcome to comment as you please, as always, and I hope you enjoy this.

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The colors of Spring burst through the chilled caskets of winter encasing the quivering leaves once dangling from the thin branches twisting outwards like pallid fingers, now budding in swells of green and blooming flowers spreading their petals open to welcome the mist and the sunshine spreading liveliness through the earth. Spring rain inflicted humidity into the rising temperatures and layers of frost still crystallized rooftops from the remaining cold of the dawn and the decaying evenings leading to the resurrection of the moon. The contrast of a fading season and one rising through the reviving blades of grass caused the birds to sing in celebration as they perched on the palms of open branches connected at their stems, cradled in the makeshift nest inhabiting round eggs promising the arrival of a new round of the birds' song to the earth.

Cursing underneath his breath, Gerard hunted for his keys lost somewhere in the pile of various art supplies he recently purchased the previous day. They'd been swallowed up by receipts and secretly lost within the sea of paper bags pooled onto the floor because of the variety of shops Gerard was required to visit whenever he restocked— one store didn't have the right shade of blue he needed, the other carried better brands for brushes, and the paper quality tended to run richer from one shop's personal brand he couldn't see being belittled in comparison to other pages he'd used. To top it off, Gerard was as picky as an artist could be much to the frustration of the poor employees generously offering their help when they caught him pacing the aisles.

With a cry of triumph, Gerard dangled the keys from his fingers and held them up, as though to show off his discovery to an invisible crowd despite living by himself in the nearly below average sized apartment paid off from the dollars he earned through commission paintings. He cleared his throat awkwardly at his own actions and placed everything back into their rightful bags, almost losing his keys again in the process of stuffing brushes inside one paper bag leaning against the plain colored wall.

Gerard took a moment to rake his fingers through his freshly washed dark hair he'd been growing out ever since the previous year where he'd sported a cropped look in both snowy white and the pitch black coloring his locks in the present. Shadows began to sink in subtly underneath his eyes from the lack of rest, his artistic drive and internal fire when it came to perfecting commissions ignited to the point where morning arrived when he'd just sworn it was only midnight mere seconds ago. His fingers brushed along the fading bruise underneath his jaw from the time he'd struggled opening a jar of paint, resulting in his hand slipping and clocking himself in the exact spot still throbbing from tenderness as his fingertips grazed the darkened patch of skin. A normal person wouldn't bruise, but his skin was frustratingly delicate, Gerard noted with a grumble. 

There were similar results during one fateful evening where a jar of pickles slipped through his incapable fingers and shattered onto the ground, his swears and the sound of glass being broken alarming his neighbors.

Heading outside, Gerard climbed into his car and set off onto the familiar roads that would lead him to the comforting cafe he stepped foot in plenty of months ago when the line at Starbucks surpassed the doorway and his patience ran on the thinnest line awaiting to snap. The welcoming atmosphere and the decorative hues of red and white splashed into the walls and various surfaces provided the unique feeling of homeliness a place like Starbucks couldn't provide when Gerard sought out to soothe stewing nerves and cravings with freshly brewed coffee. The prices weren't as outrageous, he also noticed upon his first visit, so he lingered for the following days and hardly remembered the appeal to the more widely known coffee shop filled by those who didn't trust the humbler spaces in the strings of stores lining up the Los Angeles blocks humming with traffic and pedestrian life.

The inside of the shop circulated a pleasantly cool push of air fluttering from the vents when Gerard entered. The bittersweet scent of various coffee brews and smoothies blended together as a cafe specialty welcomed his nose breathing in the familiar aroma to lighten his mood disturbed by the distress he experienced rummaging for his keys. A Stephen King book and his laptop were tucked into the recesses of his book bag clinging to his shoulder by its thick black strap lighting digging into his skin.

Gerard's favorite barista, Lindsey, welcomed him the moment she noticed him striding over to the counter.

"Good afternoon, Gerard." Lindsey's lipstick coated lips split into a welcoming smile. "What can I get for you today?"

"Uh, just the usual black coffee." Gerard's eyes flickered over the menu. "I'm sad you only serve the white Christmas chai drink during the holidays."

"Aw, it'll be back in no time. Time flies by faster every year." Lindsey moved in front of the register. "Large, right?"

"Yeah."

"Got ya. Oh man, what's that shiner on your jaw?" Lindsey pinned her gaze to the bruise on Gerard's face and wrinkled her forehead with concern.

Gerard blushed. "Oh, right. I managed to hurt myself again."

"How so?"

"I, um . . . couldn't open a jar." Gerard scratched the back of his head and slid his hand around to rub it awkwardly against his cheek. "My hands slipped, I guess, and the whole thing just—" Gerard mimicked the incident with a sound similar to an explosion slipping through his clenched teeth.

Lindsey laughed brightly. "Only you, Gerard."

"Only me." Gerard slipped his wallet out from his pocket and collected his card he handed to Lindsey to pay for his drink. Once he was finished up and he was bidding his thanks to the kind barista insisting to come to her if he wanted a refill, Gerard retreated to the seat nearest to the window, angled towards the tables stretching out near the coffee bar. He'd only plucked a single packet of sugar for the assortment there, enjoying the bitter and smoky flavor of coffee dancing across his tastebuds longing for the intake of caffeine he learned to grow dependent on as an artist with an overactive mind.

Gerard looked out at the pleasant view of planted trees and shrubs lining the long sidewalks stretching along the front of other shops, the greenery blooming at the embrace of spring awakening them from their winter hibernation. Gerard quite enjoyed nature and the beauty presenting itself through the warmer seasons. He found peace in the spread of petals and the fluttering sound of leaves brushing against the branches through the breeze warmly traveling through the atmosphere. The smell of the earth underneath his nose brought a wave of serenity whenever he strolled through the paths of public parks welcoming his mission to ease the stress compiling in his cluttered brain. Gerard rarely caught breaks unless he decided he'd overworked himself and his hands would shrivel and detach from his wrists if he didn't ease up.

That was where the caffeine dependency stuck the most, although tea was another necessity in Gerard's life he mostly took up every other day rather than a daily basis. Whenever something boosted Gerard's energy or his mood, he attached to it in an instant and he couldn't see parting with it anywhere in the future. It was a rare occurrence to confide in people— in fact, it was difficult for Gerard to attach to human beings passing through his life because he was so used to drawing lessons from the smallest encounters and closing windows soon after he'd learned everything needed from them. He wasn't a careless lover or a terrible friend, Gerard summarized it as not finding people who grasped his attention forcefully enough to make him believe they weren't merely there to place a thumbprint in the pages of his developing life story.

Which was exactly the reason why he was further more flabbergasted when the most beautiful man on the planet fell into his line of vision and seized his heart in a chokehold.

It wasn't the matter of someone being so perfect that they were the book definition of the word alone. It was that he was so peacefully unaware of himself from the way he slightly hunched over the pages of his book, his expression open and softened without a line of tension creasing his delicate features. The man's thin and nearly perfectly shaped brows weren't unconsciously tensed above his large eyes the way Gerard's brows and forehead tended to do whenever he wasn't focusing on the expression he was making. His lips falling not too thin and not too plump flushed an appealing shade of bright pink silently mouthed the words he absorbed through tawny eyes saturated by a diluted film of green laying beneath the earthy and jewel-like filters lying so clearly in his irises that the sunlight shone through the circular pools as though they were marbles sitting inside the beautiful face of a porcelain doll. His jawline was sharp, but not as wide as Gerard was used to seeing in a man. His nose, rounded at the tip and giving off the impression of a button, sloped thinly, positioned at just the right space for his face shape. His dark hair matched with his light complexion enriched by golden hues and his shortened bangs swept softly across his forehead.

Gerard was nearly knocked to the floor the longer he drank in the young man's features from afar. From the looks of his hands cradling the book, coincidentally a Stephen King book, he was heavily tattooed, more evidence peeking out from his shirt collar and higher up on his smooth neck. Gerard couldn't see his arms because of the long sleeves covering him up, but he was willing to bet there were more tattoos underneath, filling in the bare spaces of all of his flesh. It was so fitting for a man so beautiful to be covered in art. It made a masterpiece of a person. Gerard couldn't believe he was fortunate enough to be staring at someone so obliviously gorgeous.

His entire world took a pause and tore at the seams when the man felt Gerard's heart eyes drilling into him and looked up, confused when he sensed the intensity of a stare. Their eyes met and Gerard's heart dropped into the pit of his stomach. He physically stammered, picking up his book only for it to slip from his hands and slam back onto the table. A few pairs of eyes landed on him strangely, as did the beautiful stranger's. Longing for a quick death, Gerard slumped into his chair and pried the book open, staying hidden behind the pages and pretending to be engrossed in the fictional universe written in every line. He kept his eyes averted until he felt there were no longer any stares piercing into him.

Peeking wouldn't hurt, Gerard decided, if he was discreet enough about it. He kept glancing up at the stranger occasionally, drinking him in over and over and turning away when the man lifted his eyes to either glance over the cafe quickly without a particular reason or when he felt Gerard looking and made more uncomfortable eye contact. Gerard couldn't stop himself from looking no matter how much of a creep he felt like for practically staring at a man he'd never seen in his entire life. He believed he'd been missing out if he'd never seen the stranger around before. Los Angeles was a large place, he kept in mind, he rarely saw the same face twice.

There was an urge bubbling inside him, a strange burst of wanting. There wasn't a chance Gerard would allow himself to walk out of the cafe that afternoon and risk never having the chance to see the stranger again. His heart stuttered in a strange way when he imagined never having the opportunity to drink in his beauty at least one more time after the first encounter. Attraction sparked so quickly in him that he wondered if it was a dangerous fire, too good to be an opportunity for him to take, but he'd never know if he didn't try.

Gerard took in a deep breath. He was a good looking man, he could say with confidence. He might've been clumsy and far too close to being a starving artist than he would've liked, but he had potential and some skills he could dust off to wrangle in the interest of the most beautiful specimen to walk the earth. He liked to think so in order to not lose his nerve.

When the stranger was rising from his seat, Gerard experienced a flare of panic. It was crushed down when he realized he was only walking up the counter to order a coffee, his mannerisms polite. Gerard hadn't realized he was getting up until the world swayed a certain way and he was on his feet, moving up to the counter that was void of Lindsey for the time being and run by another employee with an attitude far too chipper for food service. He tried not to stand so close to the stranger and not focus on the way his dark hair started to wave, although it was barely beginning to grow out, it seemed. Gerard's heart pounded as he waited until the stranger moved off to the side to wait for his order.

Gerard requested a simple refill and patiently waited on the opposite side from the beautiful man to make it seem as though it was a mere coincidence that they craved a drink at the same time. He realized it wouldn't be as simple as he planned for it to be when they both received their drinks at the same time and moved over to the coffee bar holding the assortments various flavorings for their drinks and other condiments for the food items available on the menu.

It was tense when they stood closeby, Gerard dumping a packet of sugar into the dark roast steaming inside of his paper cup, and the stranger poured a single pod of creamer inside of his own. They stirred in silence, darting eyes glancing at each other from the corners of their eyes. Gerard had never experienced anything so nerve wrecking in the entirety of his life. His throat tightened and refused to relent, making words impossible, and he wouldn't doubt the tension in his shoulders and the wideness of his eyes was odd to the stranger.

Gerard couldn't find his confidence soon enough even as the stranger mistook a packet of salt as sugar. Alarm whirlpooled in him, tingles spreading through his hands and the back of his skull watching the man pour salt into his coffee, too tense and anxious looking to realize what he was doing. Gerard's lips fell open as the stranger stirred it into his drink and took a sip.

Almost immediately, the man's face scrunched into a look of disgust, his nose wrinkling at the foul flavor of sodium ruining the taste he'd initially anticipated.

"Um," Gerard choked out. "You . . . you put salt in your drink."

The stranger shut his eyes tightly. Mortified, he screwed the lid back onto the paper cup. "Yeah. I know." He turned to walk away, his shoulders hunching.

Gerard scrambled, thinking of ways to make an approach. He brightened with an idea. "Hey!"

The man turned around, puzzled by Gerard calling out to him.

"I don't think you can fix your coffee after you did . . . that. Let me buy you another one." Gerard offered, his voice higher pitched than usual. He cleared his throat, putting a fist over his mouth and waiting for the man's response.

The stranger's eyes widened in surprise. "It was my fault. You don't need to do that."

"It's okay." Gerard said in a more normal tone of voice. "I'd like to. Uh. Just stay there, I'll get it for you."

"But—" The man wanted to protest, but Gerard quickly turned onto his heels and returned to the counter, explaining quickly to the cashier about the incident and ordering another coffee the same size as the one still gripped tightly in the stranger's hand.

When the drink was finished brewing and warmly gathered into Gerard's hands, he returned to the stranger's table, his eyes nervously flitting between the cup and the stranger's shocked face. 

"Here. It's on me. Remember the smaller white packets are salt, not sugar." Gerard smiled faintly, handing the paper cup towards the man.

It took him a moment to respond, but he soon slowly wrapped his fingers around the cup, his expression softening. "That's really nice of you."

Gerard's face burst with color. "I'd fucking hate it if I accidentally did something like that to my drink. It's no problem at all."

"I should pay you back. I think this is about four dollars."

"No!" Gerard exclaimed, startling the stranger. "I'm sorry. I meant it when I said it's on me. Don't worry about it at all."

The stranger appeared as though he wanted to say something in addition to that, but he merely shared another word of gratitude and slowly sank down onto his seat, starting at the lid of the cup in his hands like he couldn't believe he was living in reality. Gerard was almost saddened. Was it a rare occurrence for him to have an act of kindness committed towards him?

Retreating to his table, Gerard tried to focus on his reading, but he couldn't prevent his eyes from wandering, finding the handsome stranger across the shop. He'd gotten up to prepare his coffee correctly and was now slowly sipping, turning the pages of his book every few minutes after soaking in every line there was to read. Gerard hoped he enjoyed his drink without guilt. There was a lingering curl of yearning that didn't settle at the back of his brain. He wished he'd said more, done more if he'd been allowed to. He came to the conclusion that he wouldn't settle until he got the satisfaction of knowing whether or not the beautiful stranger was interested in him as well.

Gerard moved out of his seat as naturally as possible and approached Lindsey who reappeared at the front counter as she doodled on the new tip jar.

"Lindsey, I need your help." Gerard said in a low voice to prevent his conversation from drifting over to the stranger.

"You want a refill?" Lindsey asked, her words coming out odd due to the marker cap she tucked into the corner of her mouth. Both of her hands were busy.

"No, I already got one— well, maybe in a little bit, not now." Gerard cleared his throat, raking a hand through his hair. "That guy over there. The one by the coffee bar."

Lindsey discreetly glanced over the counter at the stranger peacefully absorbed in his book.

"Steve?" Lindsey whispered.

"That's his name?" Gerard hadn't expected such a simple name.

"I don't think so. Sometimes he tells me his name is Fred, other times it's Frank."

"Oh," Gerard bit his lip. "I think he's the most gorgeous man that's ever lived."

Lindsey's eyes lit up. "That's fucking adorable."

"Yes. And that's why you're going to help me out." Gerard tucked his wallet out with slightly shaky fingers. "Can you whip him up a strawberry milkshake and tell him it's from me?"

"You're serious?" Lindsey's eyes widened.

"Dead serious. Um, should there be an extra cherry or is that too much?"

"Everyone loves an extra cherry." Lindsey beamed. "You know what, no charge. This is cute."

"Shit. Let me tip you?"

"Not a dime out of you, Gerard. But, I can't give you anything else free, so if you want a refill later, you'll have to pay then."

"I have no complaints." Gerard managed to sneak a dollar into the tip jar Lindsey set down when she turned away, unable to step away from the counter without paying her somehow.

Gerard slipped back nervously into his chair to wait. He took a large gulp of his coffee as fuel and held his book carefully, yet again sharing a fleeting look with the stranger. His heart rose into his throat as he stared at the words printed onto the pages without concentrating on them and felt the young man's eyes linger on him, quietly observing. Gerard swallowed hard and tackled every instinct in him urging him to look up again to catch the stranger staring.

When Lindsey came out from behind the counter with the milkshake in tow, Gerard watched as discreetly as he could. Lindsey set down the tall glass topped with whipped cream and two cherries onto the stranger's table, earning a confused glance and the beginning of a protest, but Lindsey smiled widely and informed him that it had been sent to him through the "secret admirer" sitting a few tables away from him. Her eyes directed to Gerard who tensed up at the use of her words and the man's eyes flew towards him, perplexed and in awe over the action. Their gazes linked and the stranger's face glowed bright red in an instant.

Gerard gave a short little wave, sheepishly pursing his lips through a faint smile. The stranger with many names pointed to the milkshake, then towards his chest, and landed on Gerard. Gerard nodded, sliding deeper into his seat trying to keep a wide smile hidden. At the sign of his own curling lips, the stranger began to smile back, flustered by the complimentary drink Gerard sent to him to make his blooming affections known. The stranger didn't seem appalled, which could've meant he was kind enough not to be rude and crush Gerard's hopeful heart, or he also shared an interest in men, maybe Gerard in particular. His blushing cheeks and soft lips curled into a content smile were so inviting that they instilled deeper confidence in Gerard, almost a rush of adrenaline granting him all the encouragement he needed.

Gerard quietly shut his book and lifted up to his feet. Only another kick of hesitation slowed down his movements when he scooped up his drink into his hand. He shed his insecurities, because what was the worst that could happen when the stranger hadn't been standoffish for him to take a hint? Gerard sucked in a deep breath and brusquely walked over to the stranger's table, meeting his eyes lighting up at the sight of him.

"Hi." Gerard sounded embarrassingly breathlessly.

"Hi." The stranger blushed, frozen and staring up at Gerard.

Gerard rocked back on his heels. "Do you mind if I sit here?"

The man blinked a few times, absorbing his question sluggishly. "Uh— yeah! I mean, no, I don't mind, that's not— yes. You can sit here." The stranger turned away when he thought Gerard wasn't watching him as he sank down, mouthing sharp words at himself and lightly knocking at the side of his head. Gerard held in laughter, pursing his lips together tightly. He was adorable.

"Is it good?" Gerard asked, nodding to the shake. "The drink."

The stranger wrapped his hand around the drink, nodding quickly. "Yes, it's — it's so good. Thank you. No one's ever really . . . treated me like this."

"I'm surprised." Here we go. "You're gorgeous, did you know that?"

The pretty man sputtered. His face glowing bright red moved into an expression of shock, and Gerard supposed he flattered him to death with a single compliment. He silently applauded himself, smiling softly at the stammering man across from him.

"No?" The man squeaked. "I — I'm so sorry, I have no clue how to take compliments."

"That's okay. It's difficult sometimes." Gerard casually shrugged despite how wired up he felt.

"Yeah." The man's eyes fell onto the milkshake on the table, still wide with surprise.

"I didn't come off as creepy, did I?" Gerard asked, unsure of himself all of a sudden.

"I thought it was a little odd I caught you staring a lot," He smiled timidly, "But I think I caught on soon enough."

"I really didn't want to give off that impression. I couldn't, um, take my eyes off of you."

"Oh." The man hid an embarrassed chuckle behind his hand, looking down. Gerard felt the urge to know everything about him.

"What's your name?" Gerard leaned his cheek onto his fist. "I asked the barista, but she said you have many names."

The stranger released a small giggle endearing Gerard to infinity. "I use different names sometimes just to entertain myself. My name is Frank."

One of the names had been his real one. It still wasn't exactly what Gerard envisioned it would be, but it was oddly fitting as Gerard observed him for a small moment, clicking the name into place with the person.

"I like it. Mine is Gerard." Gerard considering holding his hand out, but he didn't want to make this encounter too formal.

"Like the dude who was in that movie 300." Frank sounded like he spoke to himself rather than to Gerard. It was entertaining, not the mention his comment pulled a short laugh from Gerard.

"Yeah. Gerard Butler." Gerard nodded.

"Oh, I said that out loud." Frank blushed. "It's a really cool name. Sorry."

"It's fine, why are you sorry?" Gerard smiled to tranquilize Frank's worry.

"I don't know." Frank bit his lip. "Uh."

Rescuing them from an uncomfortable silence, Gerard curiously asked, "How old are you?" Judging from the piercings ringing through his nose and lip and the youthful softness of his glowing skin, he couldn't be older than his twenties.

"Twenty-two." Frank toyed with the ring in his lip with the tip of his tongue. "You?"

Surprised by just how young Frank was, Gerard's eyebrows shot up. "Wow. I'm twenty-five."

"Don't look so surprised by my age. You're young, too." Frank's cheeks colored, and he wrapped his lips around the straw inside his milkshake, sipping shyly. Something about the innocence of that action left Gerard with a suppressed wanting to snap a photo of Frank. He refrained for obvious reasons.

"I dunno, I feel seventy years old sometimes." Gerard crookedly smiled.

"Oh, ditto to that." Frank fiddled with his thumbs. He watched Gerard through his lashes, red splashing through his cheeks and filling in the top of his neck. "You . . . you don't look seventy. You're— you're very handsome."

Gerard's cheeks flushed in turn, having not expected a compliment to escape from a seemingly shy individual looking as though he was ready to burrow his head into the ground after the words moved from his pretty lips. Was that Gerard's heartbeat making that pounding noise echoing through his head?

"Thank you." Gerard was suddenly unaware of how to receive a compliment, but he managed to answer as awkwardly as possible, eliciting a cringe from him. "Aw shit. I'm sorry I'm kind of bad at this?"

"At what?" Frank's eyes widened slightly.

Gerard rubbed the side of his face, chuckling through the redness glowing in his cheeks. "Flirting. The talking part of it."

Frank jerked somewhat in his seat. His eyes flew open to a large size making Gerard freeze up in a panic until Frank was stammering, shaking his head.

"Flirting!" He cried, drawing several pairs of eyes over to their table. He ducked his head and lowered his voice. "Flirting. I— you— you're not. Bad. At this. Not at all." He clapped his hands around with a helpless expression. "Fuck, I think I'm the one who's terrible at it."

"No," Gerard quickly reassured, resisting the urge to reach across the table and clasp one of Frank's flailing hands in his own. "You aren't. I'm just surprised you don't have people coming at you left and right."

Frank made a soft noise, burying his blushing face into his hands. "Nope, this is . . . the first time anyone's been so forward and nice."

"Really?" Gerard asked softly. He was appalled to say the least.

"Mm." Frank muttered. He dragged his hands down his face, cupping them around the sides of his neck instead. "I don't know how you can think you're bad when you've flattered me to heaven and back with all of this." He gestured to the drinks and to Gerard sitting across from him.

Gerard's heart gave a kicking flutter rising into his throat. It had been so long since a person came along and made him feel as though he was not only floating, but fearful of smacking back down to the ground once that person left.

"Frank," Gerard gulped, "I'm just gonna shoot my shot. I'm really interested in you."

Frank's eyes turned hopeful in an instant. He leaned forward, listening intently.

"It . . . it's kind of rare for someone to catch my attention like this." Gerard stuttered out, then quickly caught himself. "I don't mean that as in I think I'm, like, too good for anybody, no. I'm just really reserved and I stay up way too many nights fueled on caffeine to worry about that stuff."

"I didn't think that's what you meant." Frank twiddled his thumbs, smiling so softly that it melted through the last of the armor protecting Gerard's heart.

"Fuck it." Gerard mumbled to himself and went straight to the point. "I would like it a lot if you agreed to go out on a date with me."

Frank pressed his hand against his chest. "Like . . . a real date like in the movies? Not a suspicious taco truck at eleven at night?"

Gerard couldn't believe Frank hadn't been exposed to anyone being forward with him or romantic, leaving him to believe dates were only fictional outings seen in television and the pages of books. It also concerned him to some degree that Frank's initial thought was a strange taco truck in the late hours of the evening.

"Yeah. I can't afford a five star restaurant, but .  . ." Gerard chuckled self consciously.

"I'm not fancy like that. Actually, I'd probably hate a five star place." Frank bashfully grinned, chuckling softly.

"Thank god." Gerard sighed in relief. "It's not as great as you'd think. The only cool part is the fancy ass wine and the people with fresh towels in the bathrooms. It's awkward as shit trying to piss with people standing there, though."

Frank giggled. "I'd imagine . . . Well, to answer your question. Yes. I'll go on a date with you."

Joy burst in Gerard's chest like fireworks setting off resonating sparks bouncing through his insides. A wide grin split across his lips, and his hands were practically shaking from the emotion circulating through him.

"Oh wow." Gerard breathed. "I was worried you'd tell me to fuck off."

"I wouldn't." Frank's smile dropped and he shook his head. "I'm never rude to people who don't deserve it."

"That's sweet. God, you're sweet." Gerard gushed, not even sure what to do with himself anymore. He reached into his pocket and fumbled for his phone. "Look, do you think I can get your number so I can text you?"

"Of course." Frank gingerly plucked Gerard's phone from his hands after he punched the passcode in and opened his contacts. He typed in his number and name, handing the phone back with a blush the color of the cherries topping his milkshake. Gerard then realized he'd typed in an ice cream and coffee emoji beside his name. They shared a glance and a quiet round of laughter, ending in smiles lingering on their lips.

"When are you free?" Gerard asked.

"When are you free?" Frank asked in a way that would've sounded flirtatious if he didn't genuinely look concerned about timing.

"Tomorrow night." Gerard answered. "Is that okay with you?"

"It's perfect. I don't have work on the weekends." Frank smiled, stirring his straw through his drink.

"Okay. Do you like thai food? I know this place, I think you'd like it."

"I love tofu pad see ew." Frank gushed, and caught himself. "Um, so. That's a yes."

"You don't have to be so shy around me." Gerard told him gently, fondly smiling.

Frank ducked his head and ran his fingers through his hair. "That's just how I've always been."

Gerard was in the middle of gazing on at Frank with hearts reshaping the formation of his pupils before his eyes briefly flitted towards the clock and he realized he was a half hour behind on his next project.

"Shit!" Gerard cried. He scrambled to his feet, grabbing at his hair.

"What's wrong?" Frank asked, taken aback.

"I'm behind on my next commission." Gerard scrambled to gather his things. "I'll text you so we can set up a time, okay? I'm sorry, but I have to go."

"Okay," Frank was unsure of whether to sit or stand, but he decided to rise to his feet. "I'll text you later. Thank you, for—for everything, Gerard."

Gerard fleetingly smiled, keeping it warm enough to ease Frank on any insecurity that he was scurrying away because he truly wanted to. He wished he could spend hours talking to him if it weren't for his job requiring his time. 

"I look forward to that, I mean it." Gerard wished he didn't have to scurry off so fast, but the clock was against him and he gathered his things before speeding out of the café

——

Gerard was nervous after making arrangements with Frank and agreeing to pick him up when seven in the evening the next day arrived. He spent an entire hour showering and scrubbing at every single pore, cleansing himself to his best ability so assure the scent of his body wash would penetrate deeply and linger. Perhaps he'd get a compliment out of Frank about his scent, it was only wishful thinking convincing him to take longer during his preparations. He selected a leather jacket to go over his shirt and a fitted pair of jeans he only wore when he wanted to impress. Freshening his breath and fixating on the way he held himself in the mirror, Gerard was ready after two hours of putting himself together.

Pulling up to Frank's apartment building, the place was a bit neater than Gerard's, recently renovated from the looks of the fresh paint and the shining lettering going across the building. Frank was outside lingering by the parking lot closest to the smooth pillars at the final floor of the building. Gerard drove over to him and rolled down the windows for Frank to see it was only him.

"Looking for a ride?" Gerard leaned towards the passenger side and catapulted a joke dressed in a rising smirk.

Frank looked startled at first, but realization melted the expression off his face and his cheeks glowed a delicate shade of red. He walked up to the car and grinned.

"Depends. Are you my date?" Frank giggled softly and Gerard's heart skipped as though it was a stone sailing across a lake.

"I think I am." Gerard popped the door open for Frank and tried to keep himself as collected as possible the second he looked Frank in his eyes.

Frank slid into the car and the scent of his cologne filled the space so richly that Gerard wished there was a way to take a deep inhale. The darkness of his jeans and the button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up revealed his sleeves of colorful tattoos contrasting with the subtle golden brown settled into his skin. The appeal of the first few buttons being undone was the cause of Gerard's fingers tightening around the steering wheel underneath his hands.

"You look really good." Gerard breathlessly let out a soft laugh as he observed Frank.

Frank bit his lip and ducked his head, running his tattooed fingers through his hair and moving his bangs away from his forehead. "Thank you, so do you. Is that real leather?"

"Oh, no. I wouldn't kill an animal to make a jacket, nor would I buy one an animal died for." Gerard tugged the sleeve of his jacket before he began driving out of the parking lot.

"Okay, that's good to hear. That may have been a test. I'm a vegetarian." Frank settled for comfortably into the seat after one worry was alleviated. Gerard was glad to have chosen the correct response and Frank wasn't turned off by even the smallest notch.

"I am, too. For a few years now." Gerard smiled and took his eyes off the road for a split second to drink Frank in all over again. He truly was a sight for sore eyes.

"I'm super glad to hear that. Hey— speaking of food, are we still going to that place you mentioned?"

"Yes, you've gotta try their food. You hungry?" Gerard knew his own appetite was building, he held off on lunch that afternoon to make room for what he'd be ordering during his date with Frank. That and he wanted to squeeze into his best pair of pants without struggling much.

"I am." Frank said quietly and rested his hands across his stomach. He smiled and the glow from the fading sunlight being enveloped by the shades of a later time sparkled in his hazel eyes softened by the serene way about him. There was something about his beauty that left Gerard wondering was laid inside, past the stunning color of his irises and the intriguing art laid out across his skin.

Snapping out of the momentary daze seizing Gerard's attention, he focused on the road to avoid crashing. He remembered the route to the restaurant he planned to take Frank to for their evening out and sought out the paths until they were parked neatly in front of the illuminated building decorated in outdoor lighting inviting visitors to walk towards the glass double doors in the front. 

On the inside, the place was bathed in warm lighting dimmed down to accommodate to the peaceful atmosphere radiating from the tranquil music leaking through the speakers building inside of the smoothly painted walls. The setting was romantic depending on who stepped foot inside, perfection for Gerard's plans. The fountain settled in front of the podium where they'd find an employee awaiting to seat them bubbled water gliding over the three tiers made of patterned marble. About a dozen of colorful Koi fish paddled along through the accumulation of water and rustled the lily pads floating along the surface, an imagine of zen. 

"They're so cute." Frank excitedly peered into the fountain, glee sparkling in his large eyes following the wriggling fins of the fish circling through the water.

"I like to look at fish, but I couldn't take care of one. The only goldfish I had as a kid died because I unintentionally neglected it." Gerard sheepishly grinned, flushing in spite of himself — making conversation about being a fish murderer wasn't exactly a flattering choice in topic for a date. 

Thankfully, Frank didn't take to the brief story unkindly. He giggled quietly and displayed his disapproval  by shaking his head. "I hope you take better care of your pets now." 

"I don't have any, so there's no need to worry about that." Gerard grinned, brushing his fingers discreetly against Frank's as he passed by to acknowledge the young woman approaching the podium to assist them. Frank shyly held his hands behind his back, pursing his lips to contain a smile dancing across his eyes filled in hypnotizing shadows from the lighting fixtures. 

The hostess guided them to a table closer to the end of the restaurant for more privacy as she realized they accompanied each other in a romantic fashion. The tablecloth was rich gold laid out over the surface and their silverware was wrapped in a dark lap napkin, neatly settled beside empty wine glasses inviting them to leaf through the alcohol selection for the evening. Gerard politely declined when a specific sample of wine was offered to him; alcohol hadn't always been so friendly to him and he was content avoiding it. Frank agreed to test it and eventually asked for his glass to be filled with the deep red substance as Gerard insisted he was welcome to. 

"You don't drink?" Frank asked, hesitant to pass the question over as he wasn't sure if the subject should be touched. Gerard admired the way Frank's eyes swept all across his expression to decipher it, meaning he had empathy. 

"No, not really. I'll have a few sips every few months, but I don't drink anymore." Gerard took a sip from the iced glass of Diet Coke fizzing in the smooth glass the waitress carried over. 

"I respect that. I only drink on occasion." Frank's cheeks glowed a shade of pink found inside the petals of cherry blossoms come the springtime. "I guess this counts as a special occasion." 

"I'm honored that you count this as special." Gerard's smile lifting the corners of his lips slid across his mouth gently, eliciting a similar curve of Frank's soft lips burrowing quickly into Gerard's heart to enamor him for a second. His smile was a sight none could do anything other than adore in an instant. 

"What do people usually talk about on dates?" Frank's chuckled underneath his breath, tucking as strand of his hair behind his ear like a nervous habit he developed over time. 

"About themselves?" Gerard wasn't exactly sure when he was asked so specifically. 

"Oh, shit, right. Duh." Frank's high pitched giggle breathlessly escaping from slightly parted lips rose an octave and stunned Gerard with how endearing it sounded. "Um . . . earlier, you said you had a — a commission to take care of?"

"Yes! I did. I'm a full-time artist, I sell my portraits." Gerard explained, hoping Frank knew now he was being truthful if he encountered any doubts between then and now. 

Frank's eyes rounded over the rim of his wine glass he tilted towards his lips to guide the velvety liquid to his anticipating tongue. He waited to swallow the sip filling his mouth to speak. "An artist? That's . . . wow, that is so much cooler than what I do." 

"Thank you." Gerard bashfully ran a hand through his hair, carefully working through the knots with wriggling fingers. "What do you do?"

Frank folded his fingers together atop of the table, twiddling his thumbs. "I work at an animal shelter. I love animals of all kinds." The softness of his smile enriched the sentiment of his latter statement. 

"Frank, that's cool, too. It's pretty adorable." Not to mention fitting for the gentle person Frank seemed to be, although every human being carried multiple different layers, and Gerard's intention was to be met with as many of Frank's as he'd be allowed to see. 

"I just like to help. I don't think it's necessarily adorable." Frank pressed his pink cheek into his palm, turning his face towards it and refraining from releasing another giggle Gerard wished he'd allow to escape to be graced with it. 

"It's adorable because it's the perfect job for you in specific." Gerard would've explained his reasons to believe his statement, but his eyes captured a detail in Frank's hand cradling his cheek, and it ensnared the movement of his tongue. "Why do you only have one fingernail painted black?"

The coat was evidently fresh from the lack of chipping around the corners and the glossy sheen glistening in the medium lighting catching the surface. It was Frank's middle finger, an odd choice if he happened to be testing a color earlier in the day. 

Frank moved his hand away from his face to examine the fingernail Gerard pointed out. His lips parted over his teeth and stretched into a mischievous grin.

"Oh, well. That's so I can flip off rude people in style." Frank waggled his middle finger and lowered it onto the table to stick it out while the others folded down. He did it discreetly so he wouldn't offend any innocent person glancing everywhere as eyes did when in a public space. 

Laughter bubbled to Gerard's lips. "That's genius. I didn't take you as the type to flip people off so fashionably." 

"You've got a lot to learn about me." Frank slid his hand into his lap after his display was finished and he snapped back into a sheepish person, appearing embarrassed by what he'd shared. "Actually — sorry about that. I really don't want you think I'm like . . . an asshole who flips people off for the fun of it. I'm sorry." 

"No!" Gerard's rush to reassure Frank burst out louder than he anticipated and a few glances were shot in his direction. He slid his hand to the back of his neck and hunched over slightly to deflect the unwanted attention, leaning in closer to Frank and using a quieter voice. "No, I didn't think that. I—  I can tell you're a nice guy. Who doesn't feel like flipping some asshole off sometimes?" 

The clouded look dancing over Frank's eyes quickly cleared away like the remnants of a storm being chased away by the uprising of a new day. A relieved smile softened the oncoming frown lowering the corners of his lips and he sighed, rubbing his hand along his forehead. 

"I'm sorry for overreacting. I'm just . . . I guess I don't want to mess this up." Frank sighed and slid his fingers down his face, gazing up at Gerard through thinner lashes fanning out over honeyed hazel eyes.

Captivated by Frank, Gerard couldn't find any reasons for their evening to catch the kiss of fire and disintegrate in a terrible blaze. He found all of Frank's characteristics to be appealing, and if anything, Gerard should've been the one petrified of ruining his chances with someone as impeccable as the younger man across from him. 

"I think you're doing a pretty fucking fantastic job so far. Not that dating is a job or  . . . anything like that." Gerard bit his lower lip and honestly carried Frank's gaze to accentuate his meaning. "I'd like to know more about you." 

Frank threaded his fingers together and rested his chin atop of the backs of them, his smile silky as his eyes, circular pools of honeyed green tea simmering in rings of white porcelain. "I'd like to know more about you, too." 

"I'll break this in by giving another trivia fact. I'm a huge mess of a person. I trip over the air. So, if I keep dropping things or I somehow injure myself, don't worry; that happens a lot." Gerard laughed, the sound hardened slightly by a touch of fear that he'd somehow make a fool out of himself. 

"Is that how you got that bruise on your jaw?" Frank tapped his own jawline in a spot mirroring the location of Gerard's.

Gerard's fingers flew to the tender spot on his skin and he internally cursed himself for not remembering to cover the flaw in concealer to avoid alarming Frank. He knew how it must've looked to outside eyes. 

"Ugh, I can't believe I forgot to — yeah. That was me." Gerard breathed, keeping the bruise hidden underneath his hand. "I, uh. Tried to open a jar, but it wouldn't budge 'cause I have the upper body strength of a small hamster, so my hand slipped and I just. Clocked myself in the face." 

Frank, who was taking sip of his wine, snorted heavily and nearly spat out what was inside his mouth. He covered his mouth quickly and felt around for the fabric napkin resting on the table, taking it and pressing it to his lips to muffle his laughter. Gerard smiled as well, color blossoming underneath his pale cheeks. He was relieved Frank found his tendency to be a danger to himself hilarious rather than overly concerning or flat out idiotic. 

"Did you just compare yourself to a hamster?" Frank dropped the napkin and revealed a glittering smile indicating he was deeply entertained. 

"They have tiny little hands and arms! We have the same amount of strength, I swear to god." Gerard grinned back, lightly pinching the skin at his upper arm. 

"I almost spat this out." Frank tapped the side of his wine glass. "Thank you for that." 

"You're so welcome." 

A waitress rushed over to their tables and apologized for the wait, but neither man had noticed when they'd been consumed by their conversation. They ordered their food and made small talk in  between their wait for it to arrive, discussing Frank's working position at the animal shelter and Gerard's struggle working as an artist and getting by with abnormal payments compared to that found at a more stable job.

When their food arrived, the waitress set down chopsticks beside their china plates. Gerard unwrapped his own and broke the thick wooden sticks connected in the middle, positioning them above his drunken noodles and gathering a pile between them. 

"How do you do that?" Frank curiously inquired, staring in intrigue at Gerard scooping his food with practiced grace. 

Gerard looked up from his plate in surprise, quirking an eyebrow. "You don't know how to use chopsticks?"

"I never learned how." Frank blushed, slowly peeling the paper wrapper away from his own pair. 

"Here, I'll show you. You've gotta hold the first one kind of like the way you hold a pencil." Gerard demonstrated and patiently waited for Frank to break apart his chopsticks and mimic his movement with narrowed eyes concentrating on the placement. 

"Like — like this?" 

"Yeah! Now for the other one, just slide it next to the other one and rest it on your ring finger. Let your thumb rest across it." Gerard performed the next step, which Frank struggled with at first, but he managed to find the balance. 

"How do you get them to work?" Frank giggled, his hand stiff around the chopsticks. 

Gerard smiled kindly, demonstrating how to maneuver his fingers to get the utensils to successfully grip whatever he reached for. He grasped a bite of food between the tips of the chopsticks and popped it into his mouth, smiling with closed lips as he chewed. The flavor began to alleviate his hunger and he was reminded of the reason why he enjoyed this place so much.

Frank couldn't get the chopsticks to cooperate with his movements at first and he shakily fumbled with the contents on his plate, but he managed to grip onto a cube of tofu without it slipping away. He gasped and guided it into his mouth. His made a sound of triumph and waved a fist in the air, laughing internally as he chewed. 

Gerard held his glass up to Frank in a way one did at the end of a toast and grinned. "You got it! Now you can show off to all of your friends." 

"Honestly, I'll probably forget how to use them next time." Frank shook his head and set down his chopsticks. 

"I'll reteach you. If you get good enough, you can pick up a grain of rice like me." 

"Oh shit, I can imagine how my hand would cramp trying to do that now." Frank winced, but it melted away into a smile as he clumsily gathered more food with his chopsticks and guided it to his mouth. 

"Practice makes perfect." 

"My mother used to say that to me all the time. I was in band class when I was in high school and I played the tuba, just because it was shiny. It frustrated me because I didn't really know how to play it, but I was stuck with it." 

Gerard smiled in amusement at Frank's reason to pick up an instrument. "Because it was shiny. That's a pretty legit reason. Did you drop the class?"

"I got through an entire year before I dropped it, only because I didn't have a choice." Frank reached over for the soy sauce, sprinkling a thin stream over his food. "I kind of know how to play the tuba now." 

"Enough to give me lessons?" 

"You want to play the tuba?" Frank paused, genuinely confused by the thought that Gerard might have wanted to learn how to play that instrument. 

Gerard laughed, shaking his head. "No, I'm kidding. You seemed concerned." 

Frank's cheeks colored red, glowing as he looked down with a small smile, his lashes fanning out as he giggled quietly. "It's not every day you hear someone say they want to learn how to play the tuba." 

"I'd like to play the piano." Gerard said thoughtfully on the note of music. 

"That I can teach you how to play." Frank diffidently pursed his lips, tucking his hair behind his ear. "I'm not the best at it, but I know enough to teach someone." 

"It's amazing that you can play even if you say you're not the best at it." Gerard's eyes widened. 

"I — I guess it is kind of cool." Frank bit his lower lip, fluttering his lashes in a manner unintentionally wooing Gerard. Gerard was never found of that word, wooing, but he couldn't find a more fitting word to describe what Frank was doing to him. He was beginning to take an affect on Gerard's breath and the sound beating of his heart, sprinting at the sight of Frank's smile now that he knew the sheer beauty of it. 

After dinner, Gerard paid the entire bill despite Frank's protests and he didn't allow him to see the total printed onto the receipt. When the bill was paid and they made their way out into the crisp nighttime, Frank stopped Gerard there on the sidewalk and stamped a quick kiss onto his cheek before he scrurrtied off to the car to slide inside. Gerard's cheeks blazed red and he drew the conclusion that he wasn't ready for the night to come to a close so soon. 

He offered to take Frank to see a movie, which he joyfully agreed to. They selected a suspenseful movie from the list they searched up on their phones and made their way to the theater, purchasing popcorn to share and drinks since they couldn't stomach much else after such a fulfilling dinner. 

It turned out the movie wasn't as adrenaline pumping as the reviews stated it was and it fell flat at many points where it could've thrived enough to be memorable to the viewers. It might've been a matter of opinion, but nonetheless, Gerard enjoyed his time with  Frank, relishing the breath of fresh air he was able to take when he discarded his insecurities halfway through and reached around the armrest to take Frank's hand into his own. They only parted when their palms grew too clammy for comfort, but even then, Frank rested his head on Gerard's shoulder for the rest of the time. 

Unfortunately, all good things needed to come to an end. The hours of the evening bled into a later time frame and tiredness began to creep onto the pair. Gerard drove Frank to his apartment building and parked in front of it to walk his date safely to towards his place as a polite gentleman would do. Gerard wouldn't admit he took notes from movies in his earlier days to prepare him for moments such as this, but no amount of preparation could ease the fluttering of his heartbeat echoing through his chest, the gentle sensation of butterfly wings soaring through his insides each time his gaze flickered over and met Frank's doing the same. 

"Thank you so much for tonight. I had a lot of fun." Frank said in earnest as they stood before the building, turning around to face one another. 

"I'm glad it wasn't a bust." Gerard breathed a laugh, flicking away a strand of his hair falling towards his forehead. 

"I mean, if . . . if you'd like to do this again. I -- I'd like to go out with you some other time." Frank shuffled anxiously on his feet, unsure of the response he'd receive. He held his hands behind his back and expectantly gazed up at Gerard's face, rolling his lower lip into his mouth. 

"I was gonna ask you out again if you didn't say anything first." Gerard's lips stretched into a wide grin eliciting a similar one from Frank, and the softness of their laughter collected between them so no other soul would pick up on the sound.

"Sure. I like you." Frank's glowing blush taking after the smooth skin of a seasonal apple seeped into the rest of his face, a rush of shy blood bringing the most delightful hue to his soft skin. Gerard wished he could reach out to feel the warmth beneath his fingertips, but he wasn't sure if it would be taken as strange considering they'd only been out together once. Frank was a lovely soul on the inside and the outside thus far. 

"I like you, too, Frank. You're a real cutie." One side of Gerard's smile quirked higher than the other, drawing Frank's eyes to his lips curving at the sight of him. 

As silence pooled between them, there was an undeniable wanting manifesting between them. The hushed hum of crickets resuming in the freshness of the evening blanketing over the earth set a tone between them as they gazed on longing, stapling the decision Gerard made into his mind the moment he couldn't refrain from glancing down at the softness of Frank's flushed lips setting their appeal the moment he first laid eyes on him across the cafe. 

Gerard moved in first. One hand came to rest at the side of Frank's neck, brushing against the very tips of silky dark hair he'd tunnel his fingers through once he was given the opportunity. His index finger from his free hand came to gingerly press underneath Frank's chin to tilt his head back, but it wasn't fully necessary as Frank eagerly did so and lifted onto the tips of his toes to press their lips together. 

Frank's mouth was a warm sensation covering Gerard's lips, arriving in a surprisingly quick motion. Gerard expected to be the one to initiate the entire kiss, but he was proven wrong by the pliancy of Frank's lips, the hands gripping onto the tops of his arms and digging slightly into the leather jacket capturing the chill of the night on its surface. Gerard's eyes fluttered shut and he lost himself in the gentle yet yearning movement of Frank's lips at his own, tasting the sweetness of Coca Cola staining the smoothness of them. His heartbeat set off in a hammering rhythm rushing blood through his veins, flushing his skin with a deep blush mimicking the same heat radiating from Frank's cheeks. His fingers slipped along Frank's skin and dipped into his hair, curling through the soft strands thickly sliding through the cracks in each direction his hand glided at. 

They parted after a finalizing peck sealing the aftermath of a kiss. Breezy laughter was exchanged before they pulled apart, following Frank taking steps backwards without removing his eyes from Gerard's stare. 

"Goodnight, Gerard." Frank's gentle smile lived on in the colorful hazel eyes Gerard wouldn't be able to shake from his mind until the next time they crossed paths. 

"Goodnight, Frank." Gerard said, dizzy from the kiss and the way Frank Iero seemed to render him astoundingly breathless after only a handful of hours.