Frank and Gerard have been best friends since they could walk. They spent everyday together. They were the perfect duo, two peas in a pod. They were inseparable. So when Frank's parents sat him down one day and gave him some bad news, all he could think about was Gerard.

"Your flight leaves at nine tomorrow morning," his mom finished saying. Frank sat blank faced, staring at the wall across the kitchen table. He was sure his dad started giving him details, but everything was muffled at this point. He stood up abruptly causing his chair to scratch against the floor as it slid back.

"Frank? What are you doing? Frank! Get back here!" But Frank was already out the door. He didn't need to think about where he was going. His legs already knew where to take him and sure enough he was banging on the front door of a house.

His knocking was interrupted by the door swinging open. There stood his best friend, his other half, his secret crush.

"Frankie? What are you doing here?" It was Wednesday. Wednesday was the Way's family night. They've invited him in the past, but he always declined. He never wanted to intrude on the family's bonding time.

For a second, he forgot why he came, but only for a second. When it all came rushing back, he felt his throat tighten, tears formed in his eyes and his hands began to shake.

"Gee," he choked out before the flood gates opened. Gerard's eyes widened when he watched his friend's composure crumble. He quickly pulled Frank inside and into his arms.

"It's okay, Frankie. I got you. You're okay," Gerard cooed as Frank sobbed into his chest.

"Is everything alright?" Frank tried to hide in Gerard's embrace at the sound of Mrs. Way's voice.

"Yeah, mom. Frankie's just upset. I'm gonna take him to my room." And just like that, Frank was being led down the hallway to his safe haven. An arm was still wrapped around him as they made it to Gerard's room and sat down on the bed. Frank's crying had slowed to a few gentle tears crawling down his cheeks.

"Frankie, what's wrong?" Frank sniffed and looked around the room. He spent so much time looking at those posters and listening to the albums stacked in the corner that it felt more like home than his own house. "Frankie?"

"I'm leaving," Frank said bluntly. He hoped if he just ripped off the bandaid, it would be better and hurt less. He was wrong. His wound was now exposed and it was bleeding everywhere. It hurt more than he thought it would.

"What do you mean you're leaving? Like on a vacation?" Frank shook his head, unable to see the horrified look on Gerard's face.

"You're gonna move?"

"I'm leaving," Frank repeated.

"Did your dad get a new job or something?"

"I'm leaving," Frank said more angrily. "Just me. No one else. I'm the only one who has to go." The words were coming out more aggressively than he intended to, but his initial shock had worn off leaving nothing but rage in its place. He ignored the way Gerard flinched at his tone.

"My homophobic parents think it's a good idea to send their faggot son away to some gay school or whatever." Frank let out a sarcastic laugh. "They think that it's all just a part of my 'rebellious behavior'. I need to go away to an awful place to learn to be well behaved straight boy because of something that isn't my fault."

Frank shook his head with an ironic smile on his face. He balled his hands into fists as he let out another laugh.

"Frankie," Gerard started.

"Wait! You didn't hear the best part." Frank jumped to his feet and spun around to face Gerard. "They blame you! Funny, right?"

"Frankie." Frank shook his head and began pacing.

"They blame my straight best friend that I've known for as long as I've been alive. They blame you because I was stupid enough to leave my journal out. They read about how I feel about you in my private journal and they want to send me away."

Frank grabbed a plastic cup from Gerard's nightstand and threw it against the wall. Luckily, there was nothing in it because the cheap material broke apart from the impact. The small act of aggression was able to clear his mind enough to comprehend what he just said. He felt the color drain from his face and his mouth fell open. Reluctantly, he looked over at Gerard to see almost the same reaction.

"What do you mean you how you feel about me?" Frank shook his head slowly. He promised himself that he'd let that secret follow him to the grave. He never wanted to have feelings for Gerard. It only complicated their friendship.

Frank had to remind himself that every hug, midnight cuddle and kiss on the cheek was because Gerard was a very affectionate friend.

FRIEND!

friend..

That's all they'd ever be. Just friends. And now he just ruined that with his stupid feelings.

He quickly turned to run out the door, but Gerard read his mind and stopped him before he could leave.

"Don't go." Frank hesitantly looked up into the hazel eyes he found himself falling in love with. "Frankie?" His voice was smooth and cautious. Frank's eyes shifted down to Gerard's lips for a second. He really wanted to..

No! He couldn't. Gerard didn't think of him that way. He already messed things up by spilling his secret feelings.

"Frankie." Unless he didn't. What if Gerard did... He could be wrong, but what did he have to lose now?

Frank grabbed the sides of Gerard's face and pulled their lips together. A fire erupted in his chest as the soft lips he always dreamed of pressed against his own. Everything around him stopped. He couldn't breath. Everything was just so... Gerard jerked away and stepped back from Frank's hold.

"Frank, I.." He didn't finish the sentence. Not like he needed to. Gerard's face said it all.

Disgusting.

Embarrassing.

Pity.

That's all Frank needed to fuel his escape.

"Frank, wait!" But he was gone. That was it. There was no 'goodbye'. No 'see you later'. Nothing. Just a kiss Frank would regret for the rest of his life.

˜˜˜

1 and a half years later...

"Frank, you're home." Frank gave his mother a hug and a kiss on the cheek.

"Hello, mom."

"How are you feeling, son?" He looked up at his dad with a smile.

"Never better." He got a pat on the back before going into the house.

"I made your favorite dinner."

"You shouldn't have gone through all that trouble."

"It was no trouble at all. It's nice to have you back home, sweetie."

"It's nice to be back. I missed you guys." For the first time that night, the Iero family ate without anyone fighting or storming out. Frank's parents were in shock over how proper their son now was. His posture alone was much more acceptable, back straight, elbows off the table, napkin in lap. He offered to do the dishes after they'd finished eating.

His parent's were beyond surprised at the change. But then it was time for their real test. As they sat, watching a movie in the living room, Frank's dad spoke up.

"So are you going to visit that Way boy now that you're back?" Frank gave a second of thought before shaking his head, not looking away from the screen.

"No, I don't believe so. We haven't spoken since I left and he was a bad influence." His parents breathed a sigh of relief. They continued watching the movie for another ten minutes before Frank excused himself to his room.

"I'm tired from the flight. I'm going to my room. I'll see you at breakfast tomorrow. Goodnight mom, dad." He walked up to his room, surprised to see that it was left alone during his absence. He sat on the edge of his bed and dropped his face in his hands with a sigh.

He hated this. He felt fake. He felt like a shell of his former self. The last year and a half were the worst of his life. The school was beyond worse than he imagined. The staff was horrible, literally beat him into behaving how they saw to be correct. He lost all former traits of himself to make it through the year all while dealing with a heartbreak.

This robot they turned him into was now the new "improved" Frank Iero. This was how he was preferred, especially by his parents. He guessed that at least now someone would want him.

˜˜˜

After a pleasant breakfast with his family, Frank went out for a walk in the park. He sat on a bench in front of the pond, watching an older couple feeding the ducks. It was nice, the morning sun, fresh breeze. It was peaceful.

"Frankie?" Frank's body tensed at the voice saying the nickname only one person ever called him. He fought the urge to look up at the person walking up to him. "Frankie," Gerard repeated more quietly.

Frank swallowed the lump in his throat and turned toward ex-best friend. He looked different. He was much thinner. His hair wasn't a greasy mess. It was cut shorter and made him look some how younger. He was still wearing his favorite leather jacket.

"You're back." There was almost the sound of relief in his voice. "When did you get back?"

"Yesterday." A pained look flashed over Gerard's face.

"Oh, I didn't know that." Gerard looked awkward standing while the conversation started dying. "How've you been?" Gerard continued to force their interaction.

"I've been good. You?"

"I've been better. I'm okay, just.. I've been better," he finished off in a mumbled voice. Frank nodded in reply. He didn't know what to say. He hadn't expected to see Gerard. It's not that he didn't want to, it was just harder now than it was before.

"I should probably head back home. I told my mom I would help her make dinner tonight." Gerard's eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Since when do you help your mom with anything?"

"She's my mother. I should be there to help her whenever she needs me," Frank recited the dialogue he'd been taught.

"But you hate your mom."

"We've had our differences, but that's in the past now." Gerard looked him up and down.

"Who are you and what have you done to my Frankie?" He said with a small chuckle. Frank just stared at him with a practiced blank face. "Frankie, what -"

"My name's Frank," he said firmly. Gerard took a step back.

"B-but... I always call you Frankie."

"That's a childish nickname that I've out grown long ago already."

"But Fra-"

"I need to go home now." Gerard looked to slouch forward, trying to curl into himself. That was always something he did when he was upset. He let out a small puff of air when his mouth fell open. His eyes were swimming in pain and rejection.

Frank needed to get away. He couldn't witness this and be expected to pretend he didn't still have feelings. When he got up and went to walk away, Gerard spoke in an almost panicked voice.

"Can I get a hug?" Frank turned to him. His ex-best friend was looking away. He looked like he was more than uncomfortable. "Just one goodbye hug, like we used to do." He was unsure of his request, Frank could tell.

He couldn't remember the last time Gerard acted so nervous and uneasy around him. It was strange. Gerard peered over at him when he hadn't answered. Of course he wanted to say 'yes'. He missed being wrapped in those arms. What he would do to get that warm, safe feeling again.

"Men don't hug." Gerard dropped his head and nodded.

"Right. Yeah, okay." Frank heard the boy sniff and pushed down the instinct to embrace him. Gerard looked at him through teary eyes and a forced smile on his face. "I guess I'll see you around then?" Frank only nodded before turning away and heading back home.

˜˜˜

2 weeks later..

After running into his ex-best friend too many times to count, Gerard managed to beg Frank into meeting up with him at a coffee shop. They sat silently across each other. Gerard was staring down at his cup, not drinking it. He hadn't spoken since their initial greeting.

Frank was anxiously tapping the side of his own cup. The patience he'd been forced to have was being thrown out the window the longer he sat across from Gerard.

"Is there a reason you wanted to get coffee with me or are you just gonna watch your drink get cold?" Gerard's lip curled into a small smile before settling back into a trained line. Out of nowhere, he started laughing down at his cup.

"What's so funny?" Frank frowned. Gerard shook his head and brought the cup to his lips to have his first drink. He finally looked up with an amused smile playing his lips.

"That's the first time you've sounded like the Franki- Frank I know."

"Not it's not," Frank felt himself getting more frustrated. What was Gerard doing? Was there a point to all this?

"You're different now. You can't tell I'm wrong because I know you." He broke eye contact and looked back down. "I miss you." Frank wasn't expecting to hear that. He didn't think about how he'd react to a comment like that either.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Frank was on his feet, fists clenched. All his suppressed anger came bubbling to the surface. "You can't fucking tell me that." Gerard was quick on his feet also.

"Why can't I say it if it's the truth?" His voice was much softer.

"You're fucking lying. You really expect me to believe that you missed me. As if you cared about me at all."

"Of course I cared. I still care. I've been worried sick about you for over a year now. I thought seeing you again would help me feel better, but it just made me feel worse." Frank just scoffed and rolled his eyes.

"I'm serious. I can't stop thinking about the last time saw each other before you left. I know what happened is a part of why you're acting the way you are now and I don't like it. This isn't you. You're not this proper, uptight robot. You don't have a good relationship with your parents because they're assholes. You loved being affectionate. What? All that just suddenly disappeared?"

"This has nothing to do with the last time we saw each other. I'm this way because I wanted to be. I wanted to fix things with my parents. I didn't want to feel like some asshole delinquent anymore. I like myself this way."

"Bullshit." Frank dropped his jaw. He never heard Gerard cuss before. The boy didn't mind being around it, he just never felt comfortable using that language. "You can't fucking stand there and expect me to take you seriously. Are you really starting to believe all the crap you're saying or is that what they told you to believe?"

Frank just stared at Gerard. He swore he had steam coming out of his ears. How dare this boy just waltz back into his life and mess everything he's worked toward. It didn't matter that he was right. What matter was that things were easier this way. It was easier without Gerard there.

"Excuse me, but I'm gonna have to ask you two to leave." The two turned to the waitress, who looked between them nervously. "Your shouting is disturbing the other customers." Frank knew she was only doing her job, but she was only fueling his fire.

Luckily his school training allowed him to force out an apology through gritted teeth and storm out of the café. Much to his dislike, Gerard was right on his tail. When they were halfway through the parking lot, Gerard stopped and yell.

"So that's it? You're just gonna walk away?" Frank ignored him and kept walking. "You know you were never the one to run away, Frank. You always stood up for what you wanted. Never took shit from anyone. Look at you now. You're a fucking coward." Frank stopped at his tracks and spun around.

"I'm a coward?" Gerard nodded as Frank closed the distance between them. "I'm a coward. Gerard, I was being sent away because my parents didn't accept me for who I was. I went to my best friend's place and accidentally told him I liked him. I was so fucking in love with you and I was desperate to see if you might possibly have felt the same. I took a fucking chance." He shook his head as his voice got shaky and louder.

"The look on your face after I kissed you said everything I needed to know. I ruined our friendship because of a stupid decision. I needed to leave. They made me this way and now guess what? My parents are actually caring about me. Things are better. I might not have any friends, but things aren't as complicated anymore." Frank was breathing heavy as he finished his rant. Gerard stared back at him with big eyes.

"Was?" Frank stepped back and raised a confused eyebrow.

"What?"

"You said 'was' as in you were in love with me. You're not anymore?" Frank shook his head in disbelief and laughed.

"Does it matter? You were disgusted with me. I saw it. So who cares if it's 'was' or 'am'."

"I wasn't disgusted."

"Stop lying to me. You don't need to lie. I'm a big boy, Gerard. I don't need you to protect my feelings."

"I wasn't disgusted," Gerard repeated. "Surprised? Yes. Caught off guard? Majorly. Confused? Extremely. I never expected that to happen. You know I'm completely fine with you being gay. You always came to me with boy troubles. You were always either dating or talking or something with some other boy, so I never thought you ever that of me in that way."

"I was trying to get over you. I thought maybe one of them would help me do that, but they only made me want you more. Gerard, it was fucking torture to be around you sometimes knowing you could never be mind."

"You never asked," Gerard said softly.

"What?"

"You never asked if I wanted more too."

"You're straight," Frank stated what he had to constantly tell himself. Gerard was not into boys. Right?

"I never said I was straight."

"You're not gay though." Gerard chuckled.

"No, I'm not. I'm bi, Frank."

"You're what?"

"I means that I-"

"I know what it mean," Frank rushed out. "I just don't understand..." He trailed off. He looked away quickly.

"Frankie." He shook his head, trying to ignore the butterflies he'd been trying to kill for years. They resurrected with just the sound of his nickname. "Frankie," Gerard repeated. Frank took a step back. His heart was beating so fast. An arm wrapped around his waist, halting his retreat.

"Frankie, look at me." Frank's breathing was erratic and he couldn't will himself to calm down. A hand hooked under his chin and tilted his head up. He locked eyes with his ex-best friend, feeling more confused than he ever felt before. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Frank's voice was just above a whisper.

"I didn't do what I should've when you came to my house over a year ago."

"And what was that?" Gerard licked his lips as his eyes darted down to Frank's lips for a second.

"This." Before Frank knew it, Gerard tugged his body forward as he connect their lips. Frank felt himself melt into Gerard's body. One arm came up to grip onto Gerard's arm and the other pressed against his chest. He could feel the other's heart pounding as fast as his own under his palm.

With a small sigh, Frank began moving his lips more surely against Gerard's. The arm around his waist tightened and the hand under his chin moved to the side of his neck. They pulled away, breathless and grinning at each other.

"I hope you're not still over me because then this would be really awkward." Frank let out a soft giggle and shook his head. Gerard had both his hands on Frank's waist to pull him impossibly close.

"I was never over you to begin with." Gerard breathed a small laugh.

"Good because I want to do that again." They pressed against each other in a longer, deeper kiss before pulling away after a minute.

"I wonder what your parents would think if they saw you with me like this right now." Frank leaned back from his hold and frowned.

"Who gives a shit what they think," Frank said with a smirk. He leaned back in and buried his face in Gerard's neck. He let out a soft sigh and placed on a small kiss on the taller boy's skin.

"Fuck, I love you Frankie." Gerard sounded relieved as if he'd been holding that secret captive for years, which it might have been possible. Frank began to wonder how long Gerard felt that way. It didn't matter much though because the phrase would make his stomach flip no matter what. He grinned against Gerard's neck.

"I love you too, Gee."