FRERARD ONE-SHOTS

THE MUSE

'I went to this party,' he says, giggling. That explains the booze smell coming out of his breath. 'It was rad. You should come with me one of these days.'

'Thanks, but no. You know I don't like that kind of stuff.'

'C'mon! You need to have some fun!'

Gerard can't help rolling his eyes at him. Who says he doesn't know how to have fun? He's having fun right now! Not everyone needs to party and do drugs in order to enjoy life. He loves Mikey, and they have so many things in common, but when it comes to things like this, he can be so obtuse.

'I'll think about it.' He already knows his answer won't change.

***

When Gerard comes home a few days later, he can't help noticing the noise. For a second, he thinks it must be his next door neighbors, but the closer he gets, he hears some familiar voices.

Shit.

He just wanted to take a nap after work, and now his apartment, which he pays half the rent for, is full of people. Not only are his plans ruined, but he's already hyperventilating just thinking of all the people he's being forced to socialize with. He hates Mikey so much right now.

Just as he's considering walking away and going to his parents' house, the door opens, and his younger brother is standing right in front of him. Mikey doesn't say a word, but his face is enough to know what he's thinking. Gerard knows he's judging him.

'Hey, what's going on?' Gerard asks with a shaky voice, not making eye contact as he walks in. He looks around, evaluating the scene. 'You didn't tell me we were having a party –' He makes sure his tone tells him Mikey should have asked him first.

'Nothing much. Just invited some friends over.'

Some? There must be at least twenty people in this tiny ass apartment, Gerard notices. 'What is the occasion?'

'The cops interrupted our party at Alex's place, so I told them they could come here.'

'Are you fucking kidding me?' Gerard whispers, even though he's angry enough to scream right now. 'I have to work tomorrow. Don't you have anywhere –'

But before he finishes his sentence, someone approaches him from behind, wrapping an arm around Gerard. 'Hey, man!' It's Ray, one of his and Mikey's childhood friends, and he's drunk as fuck. 'I haven't seen you in ages!'

All Gerard can do is nod and fake a smile. 'Hey, dude.'

Meanwhile, Ray plays with his black hair, and notices the logo on Gerard's shirt. 'You work at Subway? I didn't know that!'

'I do.' Gerard tries not to laugh, because he's never seen his friend this intoxicated and it's sort of funny.

'C'mon! Let's get you a drink.' And how can he say no to his dear friend?

The gathering is nothing crazy. Everyone's smoking pot or drinking cheap beers, laughing at dumb jokes or talking about some of the bands they work with. And it's not that Gerard doesn't like to drink, he just prefers to do it on his own. So, he just listens as Ray tells him about tonight's show. 'We should totally start a band, Gee!' his nerdy friend says excitedly, then proceeds to introduce him to some of the other guys, who are apparently in a band called Pencey Prep. The two guys who have been talking about comic books with them are Shaun and Hambone, while another one just sits on the couch, high as a kite, laughing at whatever they say.