"Don't feel as if you're obliged to stay here you know. I'm hopeless, but I can manage for an hour in a music room." Ray tossed a light-hearted smirk complete with the raised eyebrows in my direction, the Gibson in his arms letting out off pitch sounds as he attempted to tune the thing for his guitar demonstration next lesson.

How he even thought that he could enthuse any of these kind of kids with an old acoustic guitar was past me, but I wasn't going to stop him from trying at the very least, seeing as it made him just so happy to simply have his fingers down the strings. He was definitely a guitar person; his fingers gave it away.

He had guitar players fingers; worn down and padded at the tips from excessive contact with steel strings, which had probably reduced those same padded finger tips to a bleeding mess the first time he played.

It was kind of weird to think of Ray ever being a novice at anything vaguely musical, because despite his youth and inexperienced demeanour, simply spending a few lunchtimes with the guy had led me firmly set in the belief that this guy was a Jimi Hendrix in the making.

"What else would I do? Do I look like the kind of guy who has friends?" My comment didn't come off quite as jokey as I had intended, gaining a pitiful look from my music teacher and now apparent friend. It was probably kind of sad to consider your music teacher to be your friend, and in a situation like mine, quite possibly my only friend, but really, I didn't care at all.

"Yeah, you do." He reassured me, his fingers lifting from the strings as his gaze locked with mine. "Some people are just jerks, Frank."

"Yeah." I sighed, biting down on my bottom lip, finding peace and security in pressure upon the skin.

"I think Mikey was my friend, but I said something and he's avoiding me now..." I confessed, maybe it wasn't the best of ideas, but I was kind of just far too dead-set upon convincing Mr Toro that in one point in my life I had had a friend, but as my mind delved deeper into just what had happened with Mikey, I couldn't stop a blush creep upon my cheeks.

"That guy's just kind of off, you know." Ray's words came out warily, almost as if he was scared he might offend me within his opinion, but really I was awfully indifferent to Mikey Way, and awfully bad at being so.

I let out an exasperated sigh, wanting to agree with Ray, but not quite letting myself. Maybe just for the little paranoid voice in the back of my head that claimed that somehow, somewhere, Mikey was listening in on this conversation.

"He has his reasons... I guess." I sighed out, setting upon an awfully mediocre answer, but one I hoped I could pass off.

"Frank, I'm just saying he's a douche- well in my doubtful, overwhelmed music teacher opinion anyway." I chuckled a little, however the smile eradicated itself from my face as soon as I plummeted back down into reality; face first into the matter at hand, releasing a loud groan.

"Some of the best people are the biggest douchebags though." Ray chuckled, and I wanted to stop myself but I couldn't, and I thought of Gerard and his smoking and the way he hates everyone in the world and the way I fell in love with him, and of course, the mess the two of us are in now, because somehow Mikey has deemed it his business.

"Funny how things work out like that, isn't it?" Ray mused, running his fingers up and down the frets of the Gibson he held on his lap - it was pretty much in tune now, and he was just trying it out with a few simple chord shapes.

"Greatness makes egos like dominos, leaving them to topple over and wreck personalities." He let out probably the most influential sentence I'd ever heard between the dodgy stretch into an F chord with tired fingers.

"And yet you're the nicest and probably wisest guy I know. "I grinned at him, but he simply shrugged, that modesty of his taking charge once again.

"I disagree." He played a few chords maybe just to fill the silence, or perhaps he was practicing and I was overthinking. I did that a lot - overthinking, and I even began to think myself quite good at it.

"You would." I grinned and he looked up, raising his eyebrows. "You've got that nice guy thing."

"Hmm..." He murmured, strumming out a perfect E chord. "It annoys me - my apparent inability to be horrible to anyone."

"No, how can it? I wish I could do that - would make things a lot easier and I really wouldn't fuck as many things up..." Fucking things up was unfortunately nothing short of my speciality, and to be honest, I'd trade with Ray any day.

"Nice guys finish last." And I couldn't disagree, dating Gerard Way and all. "People are drawn to people that shock or astound them, people that bring excitement... and nice, polite, normal guys just don't do that. I'm the ordinary, society's standard."

"I don't think you're ordinary. Hey, look at you, you're Ray Toro, you're spending your lunch breaks talking to this weird kid with no friends and a mopey life." I reassured him, grinning a little at the flattering description of myself.

"Frank you have something though, because even Mikey was intrigued by you enough to consider at least being mildly friendly in a time of loneliness towards you. You have this kick; you're determined and strong willed, and rebellious... there isn't a doubt that you're nervous at times, but you're brave and very much yourself."

"Bullshit. Why would you say that?" I found myself blushing a little.

He chuckled to himself, his hair shaking a little. "Here you are in your eyeliner and jeans tight enough to cut off your blood circulation, swearing at and befriending your music teacher in your lunch break. I don't see many kids like you at all- in fact, I don't see any."

"You don't mind though... that I'm here." It was a statement, but a statement badly disguised as one, because deep inside it was a question, because inside I was nothing short of an insecure little shit.

"Of course I don't, Frank. You make interesting company." I smiled a non-verbal thanks, glad that someone was nice to me, even if it was just my music teacher.

"I always seem to end up befriending people I shouldn't... you're my music teacher and Skully and I were actually quite close in pre-school... and Mikey... that just sort of happened - he ended up giving a damn I guess. I'm not sure how, but he's not exactly the best of guys... and..." Gerard. My boyfriend; Mikey's brother.

I didn't say the last part; the most important part, and yet the words still didn't leave my lips.

"You have a brain ten times the size of the majority of the kids in this dump and I suspect that's why you're choosing me. Older company can be insightful I guess... but messy."

"You're right about messy." There wasn't a doubt that I was thinking about Gerard, because well, I was.

"I presume you're not talking about me there." Damn, Ray was fucking psychic.

"No, I'm not-"

The door burst open before I could even piece together my next words, which I guess was a gift considering what they very easily could be. However, what was not a gift was who the door opened to reveal.

"Frank - we need to talk." Mikey Way's angered figure stormed into the music room, catching Ray by surprise.

Ray appeared almost like a deer caught in the headlights as he came to the realisation that the guy he'd just been telling me to avoid was now asking for me, leaving me amidst a decision that he most definitely influence, and couldn't help but end up feeling guilty about, whatever the outcome.

"Mikey just fuck off." I knew what it was about and I didn't want to hear it at all. I didn't want to hear him talk about my sexuality anymore; I regretted telling him like hell already and I didn't need that regret consolidating further.

"Stop hiding from me at the very least." He protested, clearly seeing through my shit.

"I'm not - I'm talking to R- Mr Toro." I half lied, because I was talking to Ray, but I still was hiding from him at the same time.

"In your lunch break?" He raised his eyebrows, clearly unaware of just quite how sad I was.

"Yeah."

"Bullshit." He snapped, almost forgetting that Ray sat barely a metre away from me.

"Mikey, if he doesn't want to talk to you then I suggest you leave." Ray finally intervened in his best teacher voice which did make me chuckle a little to tell the truth. Mikey ignored him; maybe he couldn't even hear Ray over the sound of his ego.

"Come talk to me now or I'll say it in front of Mr Toro." Oh, an ultimatum! I'm scared. Scared of just how fucking sarcastic I can be.

"Fine." It was a bold move, but he wouldn't be homophobic in front of Ray - in fact, Ray wouldn't let him. "Go ahead." His eyes widened and I caught Ray shooting me a look out of the corner of my eye.

"Fine." He exhaled, glancing between the two of us for a few seconds. "You sure?" He looked uncertain, almost apologetic, but I blinked it off, because Mikey didn't do apologetic, or any sign of compassion for that matter.

"Yeah, spit it out - I wouldn't waste the time you could be spending getting your stupid friends to beat me up." That was probably far too bold, leaving the younger of the Way brothers with a fuming expression.

"Alright then, prick." He paused but only momentarily, only long enough let a full grown smirk ride onto his lips. "I know. Don't lie to me. You fucking lied, Iero. You know I hate liars. I asked you several times and you still lied."

"What?" I blinked out, his words being exactly what I didn't expect.

"You're in a fucking illegal relationship with my brother - that's what." Silence.

Because really, I did not expect that... at all.

"Hey, don't be homophobic." Ray watched Mikey through narrow eyes. "Being gay isn't wrong or 'illegal'."

Mikey just laughed, turning to me, because Ray didn't quite know the extent of this dilemma I was stuck in the middle of. "I'm not. This is illegal though, isn't it, Frank? You're seventeen - he's twenty two... twenty three soon, as well. You're a kid and he's an adult. Illegal. And you lied to me about it!"

"What-" Gerard told him?

"You think you were the only one who went after him yesterday? I walked to the graveyard just as I saw you two leaving. Why did you even bother going home or did you just want me out of the way so you could shag my brother?" I just sat there breathing; I couldn't even imagine my vocal chords working in a state like this. "I followed you to the park too."

"I-"

"Grow up, Iero. To date him you'll need to- not that it's going to last. I've warned you about him, and what he's like, Frank, and yet you don't listen to a fucking word I say or even a fucking word the law says either, apparently."

I couldn't speak, and I wasn't even sure I wanted to.

"He's closer to Mr Toro's age than yours. Try Thinking about what you're doing and maybe even a damn thing I've ever said, Frank, but since you lied to me I doubt I'll be giving you any more advice now. I'm not being responsible for your fuck ups, Frank, because quite frankly I don't give a damn." And then he was gone, leaving shatters and cracks in my heart, mind, and just everywhere.

I just sat there in an almost paralysed state for what felt like forever, because with something like this out, the world was crumbling apart.

"Frank... are you okay?" Ray's words came out in a tentative whisper, almost scared of how I could possibly react after this.

"No."

He chuckled. "Thought so."

"You probably hate me now."

"I don't Frank. That's your life and your decision - I'm not saying dating someone with a five year age gap when you're in high school is right, but it's not my decision to make. I'd guess it's very typically you."

"Huh?" I raised my eyebrows, wondering as to what kind of assumptions Ray could possibly be making about me.

"Compatible with older people, rebellious. 'Befriend the wrong people'." I shrugged, blushing a little.

"Be safe though, Frank. Mikey doesn't seem very keen upon the idea, almost worried about you." I scoffed at that. "Almost." He emphasised and I nodded in agreement. "I'm not sure how much of that is Mikey just being Mikey though."

"I- uh... He's on medication..." I said with a sigh, letting the truth be out there, because Ray was nice enough to deserve to know, possibly not understand but deserve to know at the very least. "Not like paracetamol or sleeping pills. That kind of medication. Head medication..."

"Oh." Ray tried to remain as indifferent as possible but I watched as his expression shifted slightly. "Has he ever hurt you, Frank?"

"No." I lied. Not recently.

"Good. It stays that way, okay?" His words were firm now; leaving Ray Toro to be the only teacher who'd ever actually cared.

"Okay." I exhaled the entire contents of my lungs at once. "His name's Gerard."

Ray grinned; knowing the sappy in love with him part was coming. "Is it now? Let me guess your type... let me guess... he's a bit of an asshole, kind of weird, with like a brooding stare, and this misunderstood vibe."

"Shut up." I blushed because he was kind of right.

"He's got red hair and then hazel eyes and he's really fucking cute... and... I... I think I love him." The last few words just stumbled out like word vomit, their impact only hitting me once they had become a part of reality.

Surprisingly Ray didn't give me any of that 'are you sure - you're seventeen, you're a kid and you know nothing' bullshit and just nodded. "Can I ask what Mikey saw?"

"Kissing..." I guessed, not entirely sure as to how much of Gerard and I's intimacy was a memory in Mikey's head now... "Holding hands... and then on the swing- shit..." I flushed red. "Kind of... uhm... making out yeah..."

"I don't blame him for being a little pissed off then," I couldn't help but chuckle a little; seeing your brother making out with your friend mustn't be a great experience. "And the lying?"

"I told Mikey I was gay and then he reacted badly... and he asked me if I liked Gerard and I said no, because we weren't a 'thing' and I thought when we kissed was just a fluke or something and I just brushed it off because maybe I didn't want to believe it myself either."

I inhaled what felt like a whole planet's worth of air. "Do you think Mikey will ever forgive me?"

"For lying to him or dating his brother?" I shrugged, because the two of them were kind of intertwined. "In my own opinion, I don't think you should forgive him-"

"Yeah, he's kind of my only friend though so yeah..." I hated this, but I had very little choice regarding it.

"I'm offended." He winked at me.

"You're a teacher - it doesn't count."

"My heart is broken." He joked.

"I'm glad to hear it." I sighed, my tone changing drastically as my train of thought wandered. "So do you think he will? I mean he's stubborn to hell, but now The Killers want to hunt him down it's not as if he can go back to them."

"If he doesn't then he isn't worth your time." Ray smiled at me.

"Mmm..." I agreed, my head pounding with too many thoughts and littered with desires revolving around Gerard and the way his eyes catch the light and the way he smokes so elegant as if he isn't grasping his own death between two long, ivory fingers.

"I'm going to go." I finally said into the silence.

"The bell hasn't gone yet- oh." And there was that sad little 'o' he formed with his lips as he pieced everything together.

"No, I'm going to leave school now - I have maths with Mikey and I'm not that keen upon it. They unlock the gates during lunch and now no one's there so it's easier to get out... not that in a school like this anyone particularly cares."

"You're awfully experienced in the matter." He noted, with his eyebrows raised.

"Yeah, I probably shouldn't be telling you this." I admitted without a care, because Ray was awfully lax about pretty much everything with me.

"Who knows - one day these kids might drive me insane enough for me to need it." He joked and I sent him back a small smile in response.

I grabbed my bag, heading for the fire exit that would lead me directly out near the back gate, turning back at the last minute. "Bye Ray."

"See you, Frank." He smiled at me. "Stay safe - wear condoms."

"What-"

"I know you're going to see him."

"Damn." I muttered, rolling my eyes at him as I made my way out the fire exit, shutting it carefully behind me as if I was never even there.

-

Getting through the gate was easy, and perhaps walking down the street towards the woods was even easier, but certainly a great deal tenser, because there was the possibility than anyone could appear from anywhere.

In the street I felt like a victim - totally out in the open.

And I soon found myself speed walking to the point I was breaking into a light jog at moments in order to reach the woods as quickly as possible, because in the woods I felt safe and in the woods I knew I'd find Gerard, because in there he knew he'd find me and there was sort an unspoken need for one another now the situation with Mikey had arisen.

Because to Mikey's utter horror, right now I needed Gerard more than ever and nothing, not even Monday afternoon algebra could get in the way of that. Mikey would surely notice my absence from his class, as he'd be left without someone to glare at as he passed the hour away dismissing every word that left the teacher's mouth.

But I was there now; the leaves of every colour, regardless of season, sprawling forwards like outstretched hands, leaving the forest to look awfully like something out of a fairy-tale. So when I stepped inside the forest's threshold, I almost jumped right out of my skin as I felt a cold hand tap on my shoulder as light as a sprinkle of fairy dust.

My immediate shock of fear was soon safely contained by the reassuring rub of my back and the whisper, the words that departed from his lips; a boat sailing out on a sea of smoke.

"Frankie."

Hey guys:) I hope you enjoyed reading this chapter and if you did then as usual your comments and votes are greatly appreciated:) Love you guys<3