Thank You For The Venom (Frerard)

21 - To The Stage

21 - To The Stage

Gerard had slept pretty well, but when he woke up it was to a pounding headache and more heart palpitations. Frank had pulled him closer, running his fingers through his hair and wrapping himself around him like some sort of human shield. It had helped, especially when Gerard could keep his eyes shut and just pretend like nothing outside of their hotel room existed, but eventually Brian came knocking on their door, reminding them that breakfast was only on for another half an hour and then they needed to get going.

"Do you wanna shower?' Frank had asked as he stretched his arms above him, the covers slipping down to reveal his inked chest.

"Nah" Gerard shook his head "you go ahead."

The moment Frank left the bed Gerard felt ten times worse, and even shuffled over into the space he'd previously been lying in just to try and get a few more moments of quiet. Eventually he dragged himself out too, and shoved on the same jeans and hoodie he'd been wearing the day before. He shoved his sunglasses on the top of his head, half to hold back his hair in some sort of presentable manner and half because he knew he'd probably need them later on when the lights got too bright.

By this point Frank was out of the shower and pulling on his clothes. He'd actually packed properly, so was wearing a fresh pair of jeans and a black flag t-shirt. He still had the same scuffed up converse and worn leather jacket though.

"Hey" he laughed suddenly from where he was stood next to the bed, picking something off the pillow "my lip ring totally fell out last night and I didn't even notice."

"Oh" Gerard blushed a little "good job you found that before we left."

"Yeah" he grinned, heading over to the mirror so he could put it back in "always a sign of a good night..."

"I hope so" Gerard closed the distance between them and wrapped an arm around his waist, nuzzling the side of his neck. Frank turned around and kissed him.

"It was the best" he grinned "now come on, Mikey just text to say there's pancakes."

They headed down to breakfast hand in hand, only letting go when Gerard headed in search of the coffee machine whereas Frank headed straight for the food. He grabbed a coffee and by the time he got to the table he saw a plate of food was already waiting for him.

"You're going to need to eat properly" Ray shrugged, pushing the plate towards him "plus Brian told us we had to keep you fed and watered."

Brian was stood in the doorway on the phone, but still pointed at Gerard and then at his food and mouthed "eat up."

"It's like I'm a fucking house plant" Gerard rolled his eyes, but started to eat anyway.

"Remember when we tried to keep plants back home?" Mikey laughed "and they'd always die and you'd always be so bummed out by it."

"Didn't you live in the basement?" Ray frowned.

"Yeah, it was a lack of sunlight that always finished them off" Gerard sighed, thinking back to how he'd even managed to kill a cactus once, which really was saying something.

"What did I miss?" Frank asked as he sat down with a mountain of pancakes.

"Gerard's ability to kill plants" said Mikey.

"My houseplants always die when I'm on tour" Frank nodded "even though I specifically ask the old lady next door to water them for me, and she swears she does and yet each time my succulents are falling apart by the time I get back..."

Gerard zones out of the conversation, noticing how much his toast tasted like cardboard as his body ached for something more, something to take the edge off and make the commotion around him more bearable. He gritted his teeth and pushed through, eventually managing to finish his food just as Brian came back over.