Gerard woke up in a bed that wasn't his. He rubbed his eyes and recognized Frank's bedroom and he slowly recalled what happened last night.

He went downstairs with his red morning hair and saw Frank on the couch listening to music. Frank took his earbuds off when he saw Gerard walking in, in yesterday's clothes.

"Good morning, sunshine! Well, good afternoon, it's already 1 pm... You're lucky it's Sunday." Frank greeted.

"Yeah, sorry. I might have... Fallen asleep during the movie..."

"It's okay, you must've been exhausted."

"No actually I just need a great amount of sleep... Like, all the time."

Frank snickered. "By the way don't worry, we warned Mikey you'd stay the night."

Gerard thanked him, not bothering to wonder how they did so.
"Thanks for the bed too..."

"Don't worry, you can sleep in my bed whenever you want." Frank winked. "I can even join you if you want..." he said seductively. Gerard didn't bother replying, he got used to Frank's constant flirting.

"Anthony's out. Hey, you must be starving. Want some pancakes?"

Gerard nodded, thanking Frank for the hundredth time of the day and sat at the counter where Frank put a plate of pancakes. Gerard never ate in the morning, but he had skipped dinner yesterday so he could make an exception.

He spread maple syrup on his pancakes and hungrily took a spoonful of the thick sugary liquid in his mouth, silently humming from how delicious it was.

Frank sat across him and watched him, his cheek resting on his fist and his eyes filled with lust.

If only he could take something else than a spoon in his mouth and swallow something else than maple syrup... Frank thought.

He felt a throb in his jeans and his heartbeat quicken, and he bit his lip. Now isn't the time for a hard-on, Frank. Get yourself back together.

"Frank, not that I feel uncomfortable with you staring at me while I eat, but... I kind of do..."

Frank smirked. "What, you don't like me looking at you? But you're so nice to look at..."

"I- what? No, it's-"

Frank laughed. "Don't mind me, I'm just teasing you. You are nice to look at though."

Gerard blushed. He looked at his phone.
"Shit, 5 missed calls from my mom..."

"That's never a good thing." Frank shook his head.

"Yeah... You warned Mikey, didn't you? Silly bean probably forgot to tell her. At least I can blame him." Gerard giggled, though he wasn't planning on ratting on his brother.
"I should go before my mother decides to rip my head off my shoulders... Thank you for everything Frankie, and thank Anthony for me. Bye!" Gerard hurried out of the house, waving at Frank.

'Frankie'... Frank smiled. Things were progressing.

Of course Frank's goal was to get in Gerard's pants. He didn't know that Gerard was waiting for a prince charming. Or maybe he did - but he didn't really care.

______

Gerard hated Monday mornings.
Who didn't?

He sat at a table in the cafeteria with Brendon, Mikey and Ray.

"Gerard !!!" Brendon attacked him as soon as his butt was on the bench.
"I want you to tell us everything that happened since the fight."

"You're still on that?" Gerard rolled his eyes. "It was just an accident..."

"Yeah, I know, but what about what happened next? How did they apologise? Did they hug you, or kiss you? Oh my god, did they offer you a threesome??" Brendon got carried away as the hormonal teenage fangirl he was.

"No, not a threesome, they never share anything so forget about that... And Anthony would probably never be up for it anyway." Brendon corrected himself, prattling to himself and evaluating in a low voice the probabilities of a threesome between his friend and the twins.

"Brendon, EWW," Mikey made a face while Gerard flushed and Ray frowned in disapproval.

"What? Mikey told us you loved them equally, a threesome is the best way to solve the problem! Plus, that'd be extremely hot..."

"Mikey you- You're such a fucking gossip, damn it! I thought you wouldn't tell anyone!" Gerard harshly hit Mikey's shoulder, causing his brother to squeak and rub his achy shoulder.

"No really, what happened?" Brendon asked again.

"They invited him to watch a movie and he stayed the night," Mikey explained.

"And?"

"And what?" Gerard shrugged in annoyance. "I stayed the night."

"And what happened?"

"Nothing happened, I just- well... I might've... Slept in Frank's bed..." Gerard admited, blushing like crazy.

Mikey almost choked on his toast, and Ray and Brendon widened their eyes.

"WHAT?! You didn't tell me that!" said Mikey.

"You would've told Mom." Gerard rolled his eyes.

"Gerard, don't you think it was the first thing you should've told us??" Brendon's eyes were ridiculously wide open.

"Uh... No? Besides, nothing happened I told you, and he slept on the couch."

"Yeah, but Frank never lets people sleep in his bed, not even people he just had sex with, I should know that. He must like you a lot, way more than I thought. Jesus Christ, I already ship you guys so fucking much !"

"Oh no, please don't." Mikey hid his face in his hand with what might be called a facepalm.

"I don't know if it's relevant but the next morning, he was acting weird. Like, he was staring at me while I was eating pancakes, that was a little creepy."

"He was watching you eat because HE wants to eat YOU !" Brendon winked, grinning triumphantly for coming to this conclusion that seemed oh-too obvious to him.

Gerard - and Mikey, too - couldn't feel more embarrassed, because maybe Brendon guessed right.

"If I'm right, then Frank might like you more than most of his hookups. And since Anthony probably has a massive crush on you, all hopes of a threesome are not lost !" Brendon gloated, carried away by his emotions.

"There's an unanswerable logic in all that..." Mikey sarcastically let out in a dull voice, done with everybody's shit.

Gerard rubbed his eyes with his thumb and index in pure despair for Brendon's hopeless case, and looked at Ray for some sort of emotional support.

Ray was thoughtfully looking elsewhere with his face resting on his fist. Gerard followed his gaze and recognized the girl they saw at the infirmary the other day.

"She's so perfect..." Ray mumbled.

"Who is?" Mikey asked.

"Christa?" Gerard just remembered her name, and Ray nodded.

"She's amazing..." Ray kept muttering thoughtfully.

Brendon whistled. "Looks like someone has a serious crush... I've never seen him like that." he confided to the Way brothers.

"You should talk to her, she seems nice" Mikey advised. "Speaking of talking to crushes..."

"Hey!" Frank arrived and immediately turned to the redhead. "Gee, I was wondering, could I borrow your biology book, I forgot mine at home..."

"Sure, it's in my locker." Gerard indicated.

"Thanks, you're the best. I'll put it back there then."
Gerard nodded and Frank left.

"Anyway. Ray, go talk to Christa !" Brendon encouraged.

"T-To tell her what?"

"How much you love tomato soup..." Gerard mumbled.

"Try to compliment her, girls like that." Mikey suggested.

"How would you know?" Gerard snickered.

They all burst into laughter at Mikey's vexed face, except Mikey himself who blushed in embarrassment. Gerard awed and ruffled his hair.

"Try to find out what she likes..." Brendon advised.

"... And common points you may have." Gerard completed.

"Thanks guys, I'll try that." Ray's eyes started shining with hope. "Just... Not now. I have to mentally prepare, except I have no idea of how to do that."

Gerard giggled. He was feeling great these days. In fact, he had never felt so well. He had incredible friends and family and everything was for the best.

Things couldn't be any better.

That's why they had to deteriorate.

______

I'm so sorry for what is about to come acjvjbl