(A/n)
Request by yebroimemo :)
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"Camping? Fucking camping?" I raise an eyebrow at Ray, momentarily ignoring Gerard, who stands right beside him. "Sorry," I shake my head, reaching for the remote control - that sits behind one of the toss pillows - to resume watching my movie, "I've got a lot of things to do lately-"
"Do these include just watching TV and practically living in that music store?" Ray snatches the control from my hand, throwing it somewhere on the other couch. "Because it's what you do everyday. I'm sure you're free to go with us."
"You're very wrong," I pout sulkily, letting my hand fall to my lap, "I'm expensive, Ray."
While all I receive from Ray is a done look, Gerard laughs as sitting down next to me. "C'mon, (y/n)," he says with a smile which seems genuine, but does have a devilish tinge on it, "it'll be nice to, um, relax, I guess. It's something we don't do very often, so it'll certainly be fun. Or at least a new experience." He's so sweet that it's difficult to resist - I can't help but to crack a small smile though still not so keen for the idea.
"All of us are going, so it'll be really fun," Ray grins, noticing I'm starting to give in, "Gerard, me, Frank and Mikey." Though I make my best to not show my displeasure, they're able to catch the slight change on my humor when Frank's name is mentioned, observing me oddly. "Honestly," Ray breathes out, furrowing his eyebrows a bit in certain confusion, "I don't understand all the bad mood between you two. It's like if you've got everything to hit it off, but you insist in bickering the whole time. When we think you're going to have a nice conversation, you manage to fuck it up in ways even us can't understand, man."
Silence is everything he gets in response; I continue to look at Ray while the two gaze back at me. It takes a few seconds for someone to say something. "Won't you argue?" Gerard raises an eyebrow at me. "Say something?"
"I have nothing to say because I agree." I have to do my best to hold back my laughter at them scoffing in disbelief. "C'mon, I just don't like him. Do I really need to have a specific reason to not like certain things or people? It's like Gerard whenever he starts disliking a random comic in the bookstore just a second after laying his eyes on it," I extend a hand, vaguely, at Gerard.
Gerard immediately shakes his head in disapproval, crossing his arms over his chests, "of course it's not the same. I have reasons to dislike it, okay? Don't act like if you don't understand it." He pokes my arm - I end up nodding, chuckling at his cute manners.
Exhaling, I finally agree at once, making pleased smiles automatically show up across their faces. "Just because I don't want to be left out when you're talking about it later." Playfully, I shoot them angry glares, resulting in us breaking into chuckles.
~
"Wow, you were actually able to convince (y/n) into coming," Mikey says with a joking air once seeing me sitting beside Gerard, on a trunk. Gerard has his nose buried in his sketchbook, making some drawings of our surroundings - we kept a vague chat until his brother came around.
"Of course I wouldn't let you guys hang out without my illustrious presence," grinning smugly, I laugh with them at my own statement, signing the spot next to me for Mikey.
"So," Mikey cleans his throat lightly, sitting down, "happy that your best friend is here?" He teases, nodding towards Frank - he is talking to Ray about something, currently, far enough to not listen to us.
"Fuck off!" I slap his arm playfully, chuckling. "I bet he's as happy as me, don't get so excited." I raise my eyebrows, with a light shrug, "it's fine, I guess." It's not like Frank and I exactly hate each other - we had a few conversations in the long time we've known each other for, ones I can practically count on my fingers - but it's never completely peaceful when we're around each other.
"I won't say it, but you know what I'd say." Gerard says quietly, still focused on the sketchbook over his thighs. His words refer to one of his and Ray's often comments that's something among the words too much hate certainly means love. While Mikey stands there, a bit confused, I click my tongue in annoyance and rest an elbow over Gerard's bent back, earning a whine from him.
"Anyways," the silence is interrupted by Mikey, standing up from the trunk and throwing his arms up to stretch himself, "I'm up to hiking. Wanna tag along?" His gaze goes from me to Gerard, but, noticing his brother's disinterest, Mikey's question turns solely directed to me.
"Sure, I guess, why not," I shrug. Not like I'm really up to doing it, however, if I'm already here, I better enjoy it all. Standing up too, I stare at Gerard for a moment before kicking his shin lightly, "c'mon, you too. Who knows you find some nice view to draw, hm?"
Looking up at me, Gerard narrows his eyes thoughtfully, seeming to consider my suggestion. Throwing his things in his hoodie's pocket, he joins us. Turning to the others, he says loud enough to reach them, "we gonna hike, okay?"
"I wanna go too!" Frank runs to us in the same moment, practically ignoring everything he was doing seconds ago.
I sigh heavily, "no, no, stay here to watch our things with Ray. You can go later."
"You can deny all you want, babe," he says with all the smugness possible, placing a hand over his chest, "but I know you love my presence, okay? You can't live without me, admit it." He's got that characteristic devilish, chaotic energy of his in every manner, from the way he fidgets with his fingers to his wide grin.
Rolling my eyes, I shake my head, "don't get yourself blind in love with me, Frankie, it isn't returned." I smile lazily at him, watching his expression suddenly turning into a bored one as he observes me with a tinge of disdain. "Also, no way you're going with us. Don't leave Ray all alone here, c'mon."
"Then we just don't go too far, that's it," he shrugs then starts to walk without giving us a chance to answer. Mikey, Gerard and I quietly share a look before muttering a few words to Ray and doing the same.
None of us speak a lot among the walk, simply enjoying the peaceful atmosphere around us. It's basically the classic description - birds chirping around and all the woods sounds though it isn't too windy, so the pleasant sounds of dried leaves and sticks cracking under our steps are more noticeable.
Gerard and I just randomly start a 'game' of picking up some nice looking stones we find in the way, showing it to each other and keeping the nicest ones. It catches Mikey's attention at some point, "I can't believe you're literally carrying stones around. What's wrong with you?" No, he doesn't really mean it, it's more to annoy us.
"It's fun, Mikey, don't be so boring." Gerard furrows his eyebrows, throwing another stone somewhere among the small plants. "Did you know that, if you find a stone with a hole in it and look through it, you'll see the fairy world?" He shoots Mikey an exaggerated questioning look, earning a weirded out in response that makes him chuckle. "But we might've caught an extra special one because I'm able to see a fucking gnome over there," he points at Frank, making all of us burst out laughing, unless Frank himself.
Frank looks at us displeased, seeming kinda betrayed. "Sorry, Gerard, but if you keep seeing fairies and gnomes around, you're a real stoner."
"Ew, no bad jokes here, please." I wrinkle my nose, harmlessly throwing one of my stones at Frank. He sticks his tongue out at me and grins smugly after Mikey laughs, muttering something to do with his joke.
A few minutes later, we stop at some point to enjoy the place and also because Gerard saw, in his words, the perfect tree for drawing. Mikey decided to help him with some random comments while Frank and I, well, we ended up in some sort of game involving pushing each other around, not too hard, but enough to earn us some evil laughs at some weird or funny reaction earned.
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It's already night when everyone sits around the campfire. Mikey and Gerard talk with each other, making a few motions towards the sky, causing me to believe they're talking about the stars. On the other hand, Ray and Frank roast marshmallows, which's actually funny - Frank ended up getting some of his marshmallows on fire twice, snatching loud chuckles from Ray and I.
I stand up, some time later, to get my hoodie since just the fire ends up not being really enough, considering my back continues being exposed to the cold night breeze. On the way back, I notice Frank's attention is stuck at the marshmallows, staring at them in an almost hypnotized state, probably merged in thoughts.
The scene is enough for a devilish idea to pop up in my mind - I can't help but to open a wide grin as slowly walking towards him from behind, making sure he won't notice me there. Once I'm close enough, I grip his sides while screaming. Frank screams even louder, jumping on his place. Of course it attracts everyone else's attention and, like me, they also laugh at the scene.
My laughter, however, is quickly replaced by a squeal since Frank suddenly lets go of the stick to throw himself on me. Frank's mood is a whole contrast to mine that, nonetheless the situation, I continue giggling at his mad state and its reason. We practically go wrestling over the grass until I manage to push him away from me and quickly stand up, running back to the guys. He quickly does the same, sulkily looking at me with an undeniably cute pout after seeming to give up on attacking me.
"You're the worst, (y/n)," he mutters, grabbing his stick back from Ray and chewing on the marshmallows, sending me glares.
A minute of silence follows by until Gerard breaks it with a chuckle, shaking his head. "Okay, anyways," he cleans his throat, "there's two tents we could manage to get. One of them is for two people and the other is for three, so we're gonna split it up in a way Mikey, Ray and I are in one while you two are in the other."
"You can't put me together with this guy, Gerard," I dramatically gasp in disbelief, "he'll kill me in the second I shut my eyes."
"I'm not sharing the tent with you because you're always complaining I talk too much in my sleep," he says to me accusingly, "not to mention Ray does practically the same and Frank doesn't like it either, so Mikey it is." His bored gaze rests over Frank too, making the latter snort. And all Gerard said is truth - it pretty much happens in every sleepover we have, falling asleep over each other during movies or talks.
"C'mon, don't blame me, you narrate whole stories when you're asleep." Frank complains quietly - Mikey and I laugh, agreeing. "Sometimes you also laugh and-"
"Okay, enough," Mikey cuts him off, "it's not that I actually don't bother," he ignores the glare his brother sends him, "but I'm more used to it, so okay." He presses his lips together in a smile, throwing a random stick on the fire.
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"(Y/n)." My name being faintly called catches my attention, but I ignore it, thinking it may be just my imagination. On the opposite to my thoughts, my name is quietly called again, twice. I turn around and am met with Frank, staring at me through the dark - it's not completely dark because we agreed absolute darkness wouldn't be completely pleasant.
Groaning in response, I take a quick check on my phone while waiting for him to continue - it's almost three in the morning. "Why aren't you asleep," he asks. "Before you question it, I could notice you were awake because of the way you were shifting around."
Furrowing my eyebrows at the nothing for a moment, I give up on trying to think further about it. "Um, because of the place, I guess. Different from the usual." I slowly release a breathe I didn't notice I have been holding, adjusting myself on my new position. "And you?"
"Same, I guess." He says in a soft tone, practically completely differently from earlier. "It's actually reminding me of the last time we slept at Ray's and everyone spent the night up because we couldn't sleep."
"It was so crazy," I laugh, shaking my head to myself, "I bet the soda bottle exploded cuz the delivery guy was mad we made him work in plain three in the morning and shook it as revenge." The memory of Gerard desperately trying to close the bottle again while Ray and Mikey freaked out makes me laugh more, probably a thought shared by Frank because he laughs too.
"Everyone was dying in the next day, but we did have a lot of fun," his smile is practically audible. "Then you didn't show up to watch the band practice in the next day, what's actually a good thing because we practically spent the whole time as zombies there. Less Gerard, but I don't think he sleeps at all."
I can't help but to chuckle at the last statement, falling silent right after as his words play in my mind once again. He noticed I wasn't there in the following day? Damn, I thought he never noticed what I did. In my defense, he never said anything to make me believe otherwise either.
"Well," I try to throw back an equivalent remark, "I could imagine. You weren't sending your crazy messages in the chat group that day and I've seen your sleep deprived state once, I believe." My mind goes back to one time he showed at Gerard's house paler and with dark circles around his eyes, annoyed and grumpy while looking like he'd doze off in any second.
No response comes from him for a moment, just a quiet hum. Noticing he won't speak up again so soon, I continue, "and, bruh, random, but do you like these old, classic goth movies? I guess I saw you wearing a shirt of one once and you've got no idea on how it's difficult to find someone who likes or understands it properly."
"Oh, my God," he shifts, propping himself up on his elbows to look at me with a grin, "have you ever seen my DVDs?"
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"I've been to a few concerts. Just local ones, unfortunately," I twist my mouth, "that's what I can afford." A breathy chuckle leaves my lips, almost awkward because of my statement, though it's nothing but truth.
"Same, I've never been to a one of these grands, from festivals or shit," Frank shrugs, tilting his head to the side, "Ray almost killed me when he thought I had spent the money for the band in some concert tickets when Black Flag was around, so I don't think it'd be a good idea either." He chuckles, stopping since we reach a good stop in the woods, one we found yesterday; I do the same, facing him. After eating breakfast, we decided to go around for a walk - we let Mikey know about it, but I think his answer was more of an automatic one, considering his sleepy state. Frank and I just couldn't stop talking until we fell asleep then since we woke up this morning; for once, without any bickering.
"It'll be good in the future," I smile, tilting my head at him, "you guys are awesome. You'll certainly be one of these bands which the ticket's more expensive than a minimum wage," I say quoting something Ray commented some time ago about one of these extremely famous bands. They could announce a show in the sewers and I bet the tickets would still sell out in seconds; he added, making all of us laugh.
"Oh, wow." Frank's a bit without reaction at first, sheepishly laughing as watching his feet kicking the pebbles on the ground. "Uh, I guess? Who knows, I hope so." He bites down on his bottom lip, his face heating up when his eyes meet mine again. "And will you stick around? Will you still be with us then or will you abandon us after the first no we get from a record company thinking your hopes were wrong?" His words make me chuckle, but I can notice some seriousness on his tone.
"Would I, in my right mind, abandon you guys knowing I have the chance of becoming rich because of you?" I joke, earning a shy laugh from him. "Okay, but, seriously, y'all can count on me. I'll always be like these crazy fans who follow the bands wherever they go. You guys need to take me with you in the tours and wherever, okay?"
His eyebrows raise a bit, showing something between surprise and relief, as he slowly nods. Maybe Frank's really happy with my answer or maybe I'm just too excited with suddenly talking with him properly.
A comfortable silence hovers between us as we gaze at each other. None of us can stop smiling, however, certainly for different reasons - Frank has that smile over his face which he isn't able to stop no matter how much he chews on his lower lip and I literally have no reason rather than believing his smile is contagious.
The atmosphere suddenly changes and there's this peculiar feeling; it feels like both of us are suddenly being attracted to each other by some invisible force and I'm just able to notice it when his lips are softly placed over mine. Both of us grow more secure of it after some seconds, deepening the kiss - I just can't explain the sensation it brings me; it feels just right, like if it was supposed to happen all the time. Frank's warm hand cups my face while his other hand rests over my hip and I have literally no clue of what to do with mine, gripping on his wrist and just resting the other over his chest.
We're probably too caught up in the moment to notice footsteps approaching and just Gerard's voice brings us back to reality. "Oh, 'thought I'd find you here, Mikey said-" He cuts himself off once noticing what's going on, at the same moment Frank and I pull away, observing him with wide eyes and red faces. Gerard, however, seems unimpressed. "Damn, Ray owes me fifteen bucks."
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