A Lifetime with a Demon | Frank Iero x Reader

⛧the nostalgia⛧

"I'm not mad. If anything, I was more disappointed and frustrated." I furrow my eyebrows. How my heart sank when it happened is now just a weak sensation lingering in my chest. "Like, you guys could've taken it differently, y'know, without crossing any boundary." I try my best to not mind all the guys having either their attention on me or looking down guiltily, letting my eyes fall to the ground. I hope this ends soon.

Bert hums softly, frowning even if he's got nothing to do with Jepha and Quinn's issues. He leans forward against the counter with his arms folded over the surface whilst Jepha leans back against the wall, not too distant from Quinn, who does the same against the counter.

"We're really sorry," Jepha sighs, running a hand through his hair. "We couldn't think really well. Not gonna lie, the situation got us desperate."

"We tend to be impulsive as fuck and we were really afraid the situation would get worse," Quinn adds, voice tight and tense, words coming out forcedly. Though his eyes never meet mine, I'm aware he's telling the truth. "We know what the guys can be like. Or at least what they used to be and that wasn't nice. We had already gotten attached to you when we noticed their presence around, then learned about your past with them and we couldn't let anything happen to you. Of course, we ended up getting carried away by our own past with them and unsolved issues, but... yeah, you shouldn't have been involved."

I nod, remembering what Bert said, his explanation being pretty similar. "Mhm, that's understandable, even, but... still. I mean, I'm not going to hold any grudge towards it because I'm completely tired of this whole story. I just came here for clarification. To let you guys know that I don't want our friendship to end..." Saying this feels weird, weirder than it should, making me want to simply jump to the afterwards, when we're all fine and happy. "Tell Dan I said hi."

Seeing that blue Corvette waiting for me the moment I left the campus after the last hour had a wave of nostalgia running down my body, not a really pleasant one, but I didn't let that stop me. Even if this sentimental longing continues following almost every act, I try my best to bury it in the back of my mind as we walk down the mall, having left the bookstore with a couple of bags in hand.

"Let's eat something!" Frank gives my hand a squeeze, nodding towards a bakery. A not too fancy, but still nice and comfortable one.

"Sounds good." I press a kiss to his hand.

Not a lot of people crowd the place, which isn't a wide one, anyways. The wooden tables and chairs match the place well, with some plants for an extra charm.

Frank tells me what he wants before heading to one of the booths by the wide glass windows while I place our orders on the counter and head back. A smile tugs on my lips as I sit across from him, about to speak up when Frank is widening his eyes and quickly moving to my side, sitting close. "Oh my," I mutter with a chuckle, wrapping an arm around his waist and kissing his cheek.

Even if he says nothing, only leaning against me, it's Frank's wordless way to say 'I missed this,' and I can't help but to internally melt at it, running my hand up and down his side lightly.

A waiter comes by with what we wanted, leaving as fast as they approach. Frank pretty much continues glued to me, warm against my side as he munches down on a mini strawberry pie, occasionally sipping on the same flavored milkshake. He looks genuinely happy for the first time ever since we met again, not in that constant worry and tension, as if someone had a knife held to his throat the whole time.

"I love you." I take a hold of his jaw to pull him closer, pressing a kiss to the side of his face.

Frank pauses and goes almost as red as the filling of the pie, looking at me with wide eyes. Not wide of surprise, but the real reason isn't exactly clear either, free hand clenched into a fist over his thigh. He swallows. "I love you." His voice is quiet, shaky.