Bad Idea! ✐ FRERARD

✩ "ROTTEN CAKE" EPIDEMIC ✩

He had definitely not been expecting anyone to really... congratulate his return.

He figured he'd come back and everyone would subtly say they missed him or something along those lines. Not bombard him with applause and banners and- cake? Frank's eyebrows furrowed as he saw the cake they had put on his tidy desk.

And Frank barely had a second to register it when he felt an arm wrap around his shoulders, making him flinch as he looked at Brendon. His sling now gone as he smiled widely.

"Welcome back, dude," He grinned, "We missed ya. Also, just a side-note, don't trust that cake. I think Wentz dropped the batter on the precinct floor."

Frank winced when he heard Pete's loud protest, "Hey! I didn't... just a tiny bit of the frosting fell on Ross' case file."

Brendon just dismissed him and walked Frank to his desk, not leaving any room for protests. Not that Frank had the energy or capacity to really form any.

"Since you're gonna be benched for a while, we got you a new chair and one of those foot stools. Way told me not to tell you but he build it himself from Ikea." Brendon smiled, making Frank smile a little at that.

"You're such a dumbass, Urie." Mikey grumbled as he glared at him. Brendon just shrugged him off as Frank looked at Mikey hesitantly.

"Um... thanks, Sergeant." He muttered, making Mikey simply nod. Frank looked back down at the cake and his new chair, feeling his mood shift slightly to one of mainly gratitude.

Gratitude always felt like such a tiny word to Frank, but he supposed so was love, and the emotion behind them was infinite he had heard. But Frank didn't really let himself feel them a lot, so when he did it felt a lighthouse guiding him.

In every storm Frank guessed maybe there was a makeshift lighthouse that shone the direction where he had to swim. Sure there were days where he just wanted to drown and get it all over with, but somehow it still lit up his belief that maybe he would want to swim again when his strength returned. That he'd regret drowning.

It never fashioned him a boat, or took him from the waves, but its warmth was oxygen in his lungs and maybe that was enough.

So he grew stronger he supposed, became a good swimmer, and made it to the rocky shores. So internally he thanked the lighthouse for its help, for it's graceful persistence when he had lost my way. When he had forgotten to be grateful.

"Take it easy today, Iero. Feel free to take as many breaks as your body needs." Hurley said to Frank once Brendon had left to start to venture back to his own desk.

Frank sighed, "With all due respect, I don't think I'll need 'em."

Hurley let a small smile take over his face as he pat Frank's back. "Everyone does, Frank. You're not weak for needing a little time to adjust."

Frank looked down and nodded weakly, not really convinced by his words but figuring it was best not to argue.

✩ ✩

When Frank got back to his apartment, via Ryan, he got a call from Gerard.

It was short, with way too many abbreviations, but essentially Mikey had told Gerard about his first day back so Gerard wanted to stop by and see if he was alright. He had insisted it even after Frank had told him he was fine, which eventually resulted in Gerard telling him to "shut the fuck up and be grateful."