the way they fly (frerard) || repost from mrsronweasley on ao3

The Way They Fly

"Open your eyes."

Gerard watched as Frank's eyelids fluttered open. Gerard beamed.

"Good! That's excellent."

Gerard sat back and took a drag of his smoke. He'd based his droid's appearance on an old photograph he'd seen in the university archives, back when photographs were 2D. Something about the primitive image spoke to him. Sure, he'd tweaked it a bit – he thought this droid needed shorter hair, and it really did look better dark. He'd guessed on most of the body, since the t-shirt and jeans were so baggy in the original image.

Gerard twitched with the feeling of success, the wheels of his chair squeaking underneath him. "Who are you?"

"I'm Frank, prototype of Android 2300-D." Frank's voice was slightly nasal, just like Gerard had imagined it when he'd built the voice-box.

Gerard laughed and nodded. "You sure are, Frank." He squinted and tilted his head this way and that. Sitting on a bench in front of him, Frank was perfect. Gerard had left the upper left portal open for now, just to see if Frank needed tweaking, but once he was ready to close it, nobody would be able to tell, apart from him.

But first, some preliminary tests.

"How old are you, Frank?" Gerard ashed into his abandoned coffee.

"Born today, although it's taken you a year to complete me." Frank paused, and even Gerard found himself surprised by how realistic that blink was. "Also, it would have taken anybody else roughly two and a half to three years to do what you have done in one."

Gerard laughed in delight. "That's right! You're a quick learner, Frank."

"Thank you, Gerard." When Frank smiled, Gerard found himself mesmerized with joy.

He had done it. He had done it. He had completed Frank, and Frank was perfect.

Gerard reached out and touched the warm portal of Frank's left pec before pressing it closed. "How do you feel?" he asked, wheeling himself back so he could look at Frank's entire body. He'd done a hell of a job on that, too, if he did say so himself. He tried not to look below the waist, as if Frank had a modicum of modesty, anyway.

"What do you mean?" Frank tilted his head.

"How," Gerard repeated, watching his face carefully, "do you feel?"

"Cold," Frank responded immediately and Gerard watched, his mouth dry, as Frank raised his hands and crossed his arms over his bare torso. "Clothes would be awesome."

Gerard's ridiculous giggle echoed over the walls of his lab for what felt like forever.

He'd done it. He couldn't wait to tell Mikey.

*

"Did you build yourself a boy-toy?" Mikey asked from a safe distance where Frank couldn't overhear them. Although, Gerard had given Frank one hell of a range. He probably could, but he appeared too busy tucking and untucking his shirt. It took Gerard's brain a moment to catch up with Mikey's words, then he smacked him.

"Fuck you. Seriously, are you watching this?"

They both stood and stared as Frank finally seemed to settle into untucking his shirt once and for all. Gerard had forgotten to buy clothes that would fit the droid, and his t-shirt strained at Frank's shoulders, wider than his own, and the pants drooped at the bottom. It was easier to make Frank shorter than have to reach too far while building him, and there he stood, all 1.7 meters of him, blinking at his own reflection.

"I can't believe you finished him, man," Mikey breathed and Gerard bounced on his toes beside him.

"Fuck, right? I'm a motherfucking genius."