Here's to the Heartache (Frerard) *Discontinued*

40: Curiosity Killed The Cat

Frank sighed softly as the brief encounter came to an end. It was so odd seeing people from that part of his life now that he no longer needed that sort of validation. In a way, it was exactly what he needed to remind himself of how good things were. Not even a year ago, he'd have let that man take him home and do whatever he liked to him in a pitiful attempt at feeling loved, but now he had the real thing. His relationship with Gerard was nowhere near perfect, but it was so much better than the dismal place Frank had been in before he had met him.

"Frank!" Brendon shouted, breaking him out of his thoughts before they could go off on another tangent. "I thought you forgot about us."

"Never, just been busy," Frank grinned, allowing Brendon to pull him into an awkward one-armed hugged that almost toppled Frank to the other side of the bar. "How are you?" Frank asked once Brendon released him.

"Amazing actually, but first, do you want a drink?" Brendon offered.

"Yeah just give me a jack and coke, then tell me what I've missed out on when you get a minute."

"Will do," Brendon promised, his head whipping to the left as another patron called his name loudly. "I'll be right back."

Brendon quickly made and delivered Frank's drink before he returned to serving the other people at the bar, but it wasn't long before everyone seemed satisfied for the moment. Brendon wiped his hands on the towel tucked into his waistband before making his way back over to where Frank was seated, leaning his elbows against the tarnished wood so he was on eye level with Frank.

"So, you seem happier than usual," Frank mentioned.

"Well aren't you the astute little observer," Brendon grinned widely, "and you're right, I am. Ryan proposed to me last week!"

"Really? Brendon that's amazing!" Frank replied enthusiastically. "Where is he anyway?"

"He's out of town tonight visiting his mom," Brendon pouted, "but since he's not here I can gush about him as much as I want without him trying to shut me up."

Frank laughed freely at Brendon's statement; his joy was contagious, Frank could feel it seeping into his skin and erasing his own worries with every passing second, so he encouraged Brendon to keep talking about how the proposal had gone, wanting to bask in this feeling for as long as possible.

Brendon rambled on about exactly how Ryan had proposed to him, explaining in detail the day they had spent in New York together and how Ryan had popped the question in a beautiful, secluded area in Central Park. Brendon has been shocked when he'd gotten on one knee, mostly because Brendon had actually been planning to ask Ryan to marry him soon as well, but he wasn't sure how to go about it. Ryan had beat him to the punch though, and Brendon couldn't be happier. Frank oohed and ahhed appropriately, especially when Brendon showed off his ring which was a simple silver band with one red stone in it which seemed to suit him very well.

"I am invited to the wedding right?" Frank asked when Brendon finished his long explanation about the perfect proposal.

"Hell yes you are, you and Gerard both. Speaking of, where is the boyfriend tonight?"

"Oh...it's sort of a long story, I'd rather not go into it right now honestly," Frank grimaced. He felt like shit for ruining Brendon's cheerful mood, but he honestly couldn't think of Gerard right now without his heart twisting painfully in his chest.

"I'm sorry," Brendon apologized instantly. "You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to, but are you doing okay?"

"Sort of...I will be I think. Just a lot of shit is happening all at once and I'm not entirely sure how to deal with it," Frank shrugged. He knew he could talk to Brendon about what was going on, they had discussed worse problems after all, but Frank didn't really think speaking about his problems would help anything, it would only remind him of everything he was attempting to temporarily forget.