Telegraph Avenue Kiss

Gerard opened the door to the basement and I swear to bob, it was pitch black in there. How he sees anything is beyond me. Maybe he is a drow and has night vision? (p.s., sorry if you don't get the drow reference, but if you do, vendui!)

He stepped into the darkness, and I was forced to follow him. I dreaded the moment when we reached the bottom and he lights the candles and shit. It sounds cool, but it freaks me out. And I seriously didn't want to break down in front of this beautiful creature again. Once was enough.

I did great for the first few steps until one of the boards I stepped on creaked underneath my weight. I squeaked and latched onto Gerard's arm. He laughed and put an arm around my waist.

"Are you okay?" he asked. I simply nodded, too embarassed to talk.

"Here, c'mere." He hoisted me into his arms. I wrapped my arms around his neck, which was probably the girliest thing I could have done. Every time I'm around Gerard I end up doing something either very girly or very childish. It's just really bad timing. Or, like, god hates me.

Well, maybe not, since Gerard was carrying me down the steps, which was a complete thrill for me. My face was pressed against his neck and I could smell his shampoo. Ahh, he smelled like fruit. It was exactly how I wanted him to smell. None of this Axe nonsense, just different. He has his own Gerard-ish smell, and I know the next time I smell....papaya?....then I'll think of him, if I'm not thinking about him already.

When he reached the bottom of the steps, I was placed on the floor while Gerard turned on a lamp. He was done with the candles, thank bob. I brought my knees up to my chest and tried to hide my face. I didn't want to see the smirk that I knew would be on his face. I shivered when I felt his fingers run through my hair, pulling a bit at the ends.

"Frankie..." he cooed. He has such a sweet voice.

"What?" I mumbled without looking up.

"Look at me."

I tilted my head up and saw Gerard grinning down at me.

"I guess you think I'm just a kid, huh?" I asked. I winced when he nodded.

"Yeah. You are a kid. It's not a bad thing. Being an adult sucks. If I had the chance to go back about five years....well, I wouldn't take it because I was fat and alone, but you're not. Be happy."

I would be ecstatic if you'd just lean down a little bit closer so I can atack your lips.

I sighed and scooted back so my back was against Gerard'sbed mattress. Gerard walked over to a desk sitting in the corner. He rummaged around a bit until finding a sketchbook, then sat down on his bed. He propped his legs up and started drawing. Of course.

No, don't start drawing, talk to me, please!

I stood up and looked around his room. All the old drawings were still there, the one's that I'd seen in my nightmares. I reached a hand out tentavely to touch one of a zombie in the act of chewing a lady's head off. I shivered.

"Something wrong, Frankie?" Gerard asked, letting the first hint of annoyance creep into his voice. He was rather sensitive about his drawings, and must have interpreted my disgust as criticism.

"This is the zombie that chases me in my nightmares. I'd forgotten where it came from. Now I remember." I said quietly. Making Gerard feel guilty wasn't my objective, but it was obvious that he felt bad for me now.

"But it's not your fault, Gerard." I added quickly. He sighed.

"Yeah, it is. I scare people, and I know it. But I didn't mean to scare you. Frankie. I just...draw things. And I keep it dark down here so I don't have to see the things I draw. They come from my brain, but drawing the evil things kind of...exorcises them out of me. It's a dark and demented form of therapy. But, hey, it's cheaper than real therapy, and I don't have to become a slave to the wallpaper corporations."

He's so weird. I thought he'd lost all of that creepy goth boy weird-ness, but nope. He refined it.

"Do you ever draw things that aren't...emotionally scarring?"

He stared at me unblinking for several seconds before he looked back down at whatever he was drawing. He ripped it from the notebook, crumpled it up, then threw it against the wall. I gave him the 'are you crazy?' look. He shrugged and patted the spot next to him on his bed. I slowly moved closer and sat down lightly on the edge.

"Frankie, I don't have cooties." he said indignantly. I smiled and scooted closer to him. I just wanted to cuddle up to him, but didn't.

"I dunno, Gee, you might. Seriously, if I catch anything..."

Like mono?

"Then you can sue me. In the meantime, I'm gonna draw something for you. And it won't be scary, I promise." he said. My heart fluttered and I didn't bother to hide me enormous grin.

"What are you going to draw me?" He looked up at the ceiling, then started biting on the end of the pencil. He started to make a cute 'mmm' sound.

"I shall draw somthing that describes you."

"And what would that be?"

"Well, you're cute, innocent, and don't seem particularly evil, so....an angel." he told me. I blushed and flashed him a shy smile.

"An angel..." I repeated. He nodded and started to draw. I was looking over his shoulder, entranced, when my cell phone went off.

"Frankie, dear, I do believe that your ass is playing music." Gerard said dryly, not taking his eyes off of his paper. I took my phone out of my back pocket and answered it.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Frank!" Kali's distinctive voice greeted me.

"Hey, Kali. What's up?"

"Ah, not much. I'm about to go to a concert and just wanted to talk to you."

"What concert?"

"Lily Allen. A bit girly, I know.."

"But you are a girl, so it works. I'm at Mikey's house. We were supposed to be practicing for our band, but he's too busy talking to his girlfriend..."

"So are you." I winced when she said that but tried to sound upbeat.

"Hm, true. But he started it." She laughed.

"Well, I've got to go. Bye, Frank!"

"Ditto."

I flipped the phone shut and rubbed my temples.

"Frankie, I know it's none of my business, but you and...Kali, is it? Well, you don't seem like a happy couple." Gerard said. I smiled grimly.

"It...it's my fault. I'm no good in relationships. I always feel smothered when I date someone. But when I'm single I feel lonely. Am I weird?" I asked, tilting my head to the side.

"Nah. She does call quite a bit. If it makes you feel any better, I'm shod at relationships too."

"Mmm...nope, that doesn't help. But thanks. I'm just a neurotic kid, I guess."

"Obviously. So, you said that you and Mikey are in a band? This is new. Little bastard never mentioned it to me before..."

"Well, we're in the process of making a band. I'm teaching him the bass. I play guitar. And I know this other guy Matt that might play drums with us, but I dunno. Maybe we'll have a band. I hope so, because it's all I've ever wanted in life." I said. Besides you.

The basement door opened and Mikey walked halfway down the steps.

"Hey, Frankenstein, we can go play now." he announced. I groaned.

"But I'm watchin' Gerard draw..." I whined.

"Well, boo hoo. Come on, you lazy ass."

I sighed and ran up the steps, wanting to believe that Gee was checking out my ass, but I'm sure he wasn't. He's probably already crushed my drawing and started on a new one. I followed Mikey upstairs to his room, where he already had his bass and my acoustic that I keep here out. I picked the guitar up and ducked my head under the strap. I hit a few strings to make sure it was in tune, then turned to Mikey.