Music To My Ears (Oneshots)

Get Used To It/This December

song(s): get used to it & this december by ricky montgomery
.....
5500-6000 words!
frerard!
prorev!frank
prorev!gerard
~~~~~~~

Life is full of mysteries and coincidences, like discovering your new favorite band by randomly listening to the radio one day or running late for work and missing a 3-car pileup on the highway.

Gerard was still trying to wrap his mind around this one: how on Earth his high school boyfriend had come into his life again. They grew up together out in California, practically inseparable all those years. Finally, near the end of their junior year, they shared a kiss at prom—unable to keep their feelings secret anymore.

But everything changed so fast... Frank's parents finalized their divorce before summer vacation even ended. They spent the last weeks of August packing Frank's things to move to Jersey with his mother, too devastated at how quickly the end was approaching to cherish what little time they had left. On his last day in California, Gerard spoke the ten most difficult words of his life during a painfully quiet drive to the airport.

"I love you. But don't wait for me, Frankie. Please." Frank stiffened in his seat, the silence growing even colder between them. It was minutes before he finally replied, a single tear sliding down his cheek. "I just wish we had more time... I love you, Gerard."

"Promise me, you won't wait."

It wasn't until they embraced at the gate that Frank said those fateful words, clinging tightly to Gerard's shoulders as he whispered, "Promise me you'll do the same, and I'll do it. I'd do anything for you."

Gerard just nodded against his neck, giving him one last kiss before walking out the doors, unsure if they would ever see each other again.

——————

Fifteen years later, in his rundown apartment building in South Chicago, they came face-to-face again.

Gerard almost dropped his groceries all over the lobby floor, the short man he once knew, like the back of his hand, leaning on the counter and chatting up the girl at the desk. "Leave the poor girl alone, Frank. She's just watching the counter until her dad comes back; she's barely out of high school."

The tattooed man snapped his head around, a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes fitting itself on his lips. "Holy shit! I barely even recognize you, Geebear."

"Fifteen years is a long fuckin' time," Gerard chuckled, the sound coming out more breathless than he'd like. Probably because the jug of milk was slowly slipping from his fingers. He shrugged the many bags in his arms, adjusting his grip. "I'll see you around, yeh? Gotta get this upstairs."

"Right, yeh, of course," Frank agreed, his smile faltering. "It was good seein' you, Gerard."

Gerard's mind was positively whirling as he trudged his way up the stairs, fumbling to get his key in the lock as he finally reached his apartment. He tried to piece together every detail of Frank he'd noticed in their much-too-brief conversation, wondering how many more tattoos disappeared under his clothes and if he still had callouses on his fingertips from his guitar. He didn't know why fate had decided to bring them together again, the shorter man not even crossing his mind in at least eight years. He was 32 years old now; he had a long-term installation at the Art Institute... his high school sweetheart just didn't neatly fit into the mix.

But he just couldn't get Frank off his mind.

——————

It only got worse in the coming months.

The top floor was due for renovations, all the tenants getting relocated to vacant apartments throughout the building. Gerard had been neighborless for nearly two years, and now it was occupied by his biggest distraction. His sleep schedule had always been erratic--even in his youth, but once he began to truly pursue art, inspiration often struck in the wee hours of the night. It was this habit that drove his old neighbor away, his incessant rambling to himself and rustling around in the closet for supplies at 4 AM enough to drive the previous tenant mad.