Chapter 3,5

Gerard was tapping his foot while he and Ray was staring at each other over the table in the common room.
"What's Frank's deal?" he was tired of beating around the bush.

"What do you mean?" Ray answered, picking at his sleeve, acting oblivious.

"I mean, we are all in here for a reason, but that kid is completely fucked up in the head. This isn't a fucking asylum" He didn't care if anyone could hear him.

"Don't fucking talk about him like that!" Ray's burst startled Gerard and he immidiately realized he had hit a sore spot.

He rolled his eyes, trying to cover it up. Ray was just overreacting, he was sure.

"What? Just tell me."

Ray didn't know where to keep his eyes, gazing all over the floor and to the painting on the wall of a badly copied Van Gogh. "I-I don't really know, to be honest."

Gerard raised and eyebrow and crossed his arms. "What the hell do you mean?"

"It's just... He has been here for as long as I can remember. He has just always been here, nobody remembers when he arrived." Ray took a long breath, preparing himself, "and it's weird, because no one is stuck here forever, it's a temporary institution. You stay here until the doctors think you're stable enough to be let out into society again. But Frank has been here for years." The words came tumbling out of Ray's mouth all at once, as if they had been waiting to be set free. And they had. There was this un-written rule that you don't ever speak of Frank Iero around here, everybody knew that, everyone except Gerard.

"And... Why is that?" he kept pushing the subject.

"I don't know. Nobody knows. All I know is that Bert tried to ask a nurse once, a few months back." Ray had already given up trying to hold back.

"Yeah, okay, and then?"

"They said that if he ever mentioned Frank again, he would be locked up in the isolation!" Ray choked back a few tears, he had no idea why he felt like crying, "have you ever heard something as stupid as that?"

Gerard nodded, " they can't fucking do that. Sounds to me like this whole inward is basically drowning in corruption."

Ray nodded frantically with him, "Yes, exactly! They have put everyone's dose down, cut our meals in half, and they don't bother filling the toilets with more soap and toilet-paper. And I haven't seen the cleaners here in forever."

"Yeah, I heard they cut out all the hormone-things-pills to that one tranny-"

"Don't call him that, it's rude!" Ray interrupted Gerard, snapping. If it wasn't for the fact that Gerard knew Ray wouldn't harm a fly, he would have been slightly scared.

He sighed, sitting back in the chair, trying not to roll his eyes, who the fuck cared what he called people anyway? It's not like that he-she was going to know anyway, "Okay, but seriously, back to the original topic. Frank. Do you know anything? I'm... I know I have just been here for soon a week, but I'm fearing for his safety."

Ray's mouth twitches into a caring smile, humming he said, "I didn't take you for a kind, caring guy, Gerard. Honestly, you come off as a massive asshole."

When Gerard didn't answer, it's not like he was already fully aware of that already, Ray continued, "I have known Frank for a while now, and he is honestly the sweetest kid I know, even though we are the same age, so don't take me wrong-" He hesitates, "but he can be really... Scary. Sometimes. I didn't witness this, but someone told me that a few days before I came here, he... He had an episode. Almost choked another patient here to death. They were going to put him in a padded cell, and the affected threatened with suing Frank, or at least this hospital, but when they spoke to Frank about it, he had no memory of it. He didn't even recognize the woman's face. Never seen her before. It's not the first time that has happened, and it's not just towards others, but also himself."

Gerard had so many questions, but he had no idea where to start. Frank, almost killing a woman? Several people? He would've never guessed. "What do you mean towards himself?" He was aware of Frank's self mutilation, he sure had but that on display earlier that day.

Ray looked directly at Gerard for the first time for a while, meaning business, "He has tried to kill himself. Countless of times. But the thing is, he can't remember it."

Gerard, for probably the first time in his life, was stunned into silence.

"I know, he could be lying, but he is incapable of it. Frank never lies"

Gerard nodded, starting to take this new information in. He was surprised this came as a surprise for him. Like, come on, this is a mental hospital, about 80% of the people here are in here for suicidal tendencies.

"Why are you in here exactly, Ray? I mean, you come off as a really chill, nice dude, I can't find any reason for you to be here."

Ray couldn't help but laugh humorlessly at that, "thanks, I guess. I was put in here for schizophrenic signs. It... It was just such a stressful month, I was driving up the walls in my small apartment, I thought I was going crazy. And I really was. I'm fine now though, I just needed a break. But I was fine months ago, I have no reason to stay here anymore. I've tried telling my doctor, but she won't listen, nobody fucking listens. I think they've just forgotten me, or they've stopped caring about the people locked up here long time ago. As I said, this place is so fucking corrupted, not even rats like it here." And he could swear to God, the moment he said that, he saw a rat leaping around the corner from the other side of the room.

He put his head in his hands, mumbling an "Oh my God." Ray looked up again at Gerard, suddenly feeling so exhausted. "Why are you in here for?"

And that's when Gerard decided he had had enough. He got up, turned around, and as he walked away, Ray swore he heard a bitter, "That's none of your fucking business.", before he put his head in his hands again, muttering "Jesus Christ, Jesus Christ." over and over again.

A/N 

fillers will come and go between chapters. they're basically this mini-chapter that's not in Frank's pov. I don't exactly like when fics switch povs but i think it's kind of neccessary in this particular one. mom just bought both me the new katzenjammer cd, we're seeing them live soon (first actual concert wo-ho) (even tho i dont think anyone know who katzenjammer are. they're great.). lil secret for you guys (unless some knew already), mirrorball is a song, and chapter titles are from there (i hate when fics does that, but im a lil hypocrite) and i think its a beautiful song so go check it out, its by Elbow. just thought the song captured the mood of this fic rlly good. also made playlist for this fic (made it before i started writing this book lmao) so you can check it out, link in my bio. its on spotify and you'll have to log in, but i'll make it available on 8-track when i feel like it. stop talking kristine nobody cares. okay this is getting too long ok byee.

pece out zoo