Telegraph Avenue Kiss

We waited at the park for Mikey. I guessed he would be coming on foot, because he knows better than to tell anyone about us. Or so I was hoping, but he was a smart kid and I trust him. While we were waiting, Gerard and I sat on the hood of his car, looking up at the stars. He was smoking, as well, and that meant that he was stressed out. He tried not to show it, I knew he wanted to be brave for me, but he didn't have to be. I wasn't afraid. I knew we would make it, I refused to let anything get in my way. The world never got in my way before, right? I somehow got Gerard to love me back, I got Mikey to accept us, I got rid of my girlfriend, I jumped out of my window, and this was all my fault. I'm not a person to just let things go badly. Sure, things always seem to gravitate that way, but I manage to pull myself out of the muck before I'm sucked all the way down and can't get out. I just assumed the same would happen in this instance. But right from the start, things started veering from how I imagined. Mikey showed up after we had waited for nearly half an hour. In that time, Gerard had four cigarettes and I found the time to bitch about how he was going to get lung cancer and leave me alone with Mikey in New York, which wasn't something I was looking forward to. The boy's a genius, but as dumb as me. The argument didn't turn into a fight or anything, he just out the cigarette out and resigned to looking up at the stars again. I was relieved, because it was just too good of a time for something bad to happen, like Gerard and I to get into a huge fight and hate each other.

Mikey came lumbering out of the bushes with a big black bag that I later found out was a trash bag thrown over his shoulder. He was biting down on his lip and looked a little sad the closer he got to Gerard's car. With a sigh, he handed the bag to his brother. He ran a hand fretfully through his hair. I already knew what he was going to say next. This whole thing was too good to last, and I knew it. "Guys...I can't go," he mumbled. It was almost like he thought we would be mad at him, because he flinched. When neither of us lunged out to attack him, he went on. "I can't leave New Jersey. I'm sorry..."

I slid off the hood of the car and I wrapped my arms around his shaking shoulders. He wasn't crying, but he looked like he might. I'm surprised I wasn't crying yet. I really wanted him to come with us. But if he couldn't, or if he didn't want to, there was no way in hell I was going to try to make him feel bad about it. "It's okay, Mikey," I assured him. He shook his head and clutched to me tighter.

"No it's not. I won't get to see you! Because....well, if you guys try to go back home now, Frankie's mom is going to go through with sending him to Utah, and she's going to send Gerard to jail for 'kidnapping'. Ugh, I swear.." He wiped at his eyes with the back of his hand. "They are so retarded. They have no idea why you two are doing this. It never even crossed their minds that Frank wanted this, or that you two were going out. They think it was Gerard who planned all of this. And I am way too scared to set them straight." He gave a bitter little laugh. Gerard slid off the hood of the car as well and came to engulf both of us in a hug.

"Mikes, it's gonna be fine, okay? When Frank turns eighteen we'll come and visit you," Gerard promised. Mikey made a little sniffing sound and looked up at us. He seemed so sad that I just wanted to stick him in my pocket and take him with us so he'll never be alone. I mean, sure Gerard and I were the ones having to uproot ourselves and move to New York, but we were going to be together. Mikey won't have either of us.

"Promise you won't forget me when you're in New York," he told us.

I could never forget Mikey. He knew that. Neither of us could forget him, and neither of us wanted to. We love Mikey. We love him just as much as we love each other, maybe even more, albeit in a completely different sense of the word. His request just made me and Gerard hug him tighter. We pretty much crushed him in between us and it made him smile.

"You know we can't do that, Mikes. We love you too much. And no, I'm not going to get all pissy just because I know Frank loves you," Gerard said, making all three of us laugh. He leaned up to plant a kiss on Mikey's cheek while Mikey tried to push him away without success. He wrinkled his nose at the assault on his cheek and acted disgusted.

"Ew, Gee, keep your lips to Frank. I don't want my brother kissing me!" Mikey exclaimed, wiping at his cheek after Gerard pulled away. Gee grinned cheesily and made a kissy face at his brother.

"Oh, you know that you love me! And I love you too, baby brother!!!" Gerard laughed and kissed Mikey's cheek a few more times in quick succession. Mikey squirmed in the hug that we were pinning him in, squeaking about how gross Gerard was and that he didn't want any of that incest shit happening.

"Ugh!! Frank, get him away!!" Mikey groaned. I giggled and started kissing Mikey's cheek while Gerard continued on the other side. Finally, after almost three minutes of nothing but kissing Mikey and giggling when he tried to get away, I stopped and tugged on Gerard's arm. He stepped away from Mikey and closer to me, where he slipped an arm around my waist. I smiled pointedly at Mikey.

"See? We really really love you, Mikey! And there's no way that we could possibly forget you."

"Yeah, well...I always have Rebecca and...Dexter." Mikey shuddered at the very name of his gay stalker. I giggled, wondering if he was actually going to hang out with Dexter. I don't know if I exactly trust Dexter to keep him paws to himself. I mean, he really likes Mikey, like...obsessed with him or something. But who's not? Mikey is hot.

"At least I know you'll be taken care of," I said, smirking. I leaned forward to kiss his cheek once more before he could think of pushing me away. I know Gerard wasn't bothered by it, because he just giggled as Mikey scrunched his face up and gave me a nasty glare. After that, the three of us just stood there in the little circle that we made, staring at each other and knowing this was the last time we'll get to be together like this for a while.

"This is so surreal. You're going to be living together," Mikey said, shaking his head. And yeah, I agree that it is surreal. Gerard and I are going to be each other's everything. There's no one to get in our way and tell us that we can't be together, but that also means that we're going to have to sort out all of our problems on our own. Which is something we're not that good at. Mikey was always making us apologize to each other when we were too stubborn to. He kept us from getting pissy with each other. Now, if this relationship doesn't work, we have no one to blame but ourselves.

"Are you scared?" Mikey asked. I gave a little half cough, half laugh and smirked.

"Terrified," I admitted. Gerard looked over at me with his eyebrows raised. He obviously didn't expect me to be so outright with my emotions. But I didn't want him to think that I didn't want to go with him anymore. I grabbed his sleeve and pulled him closer so I could kiss him. Mikey didn't protest at all as we reached the brink of making out right in front of him. We were both afraid, Gerard just didn't want to admit it. He just wanted to stay brave for me. He's so sweet. When we parted, I laid my head against his chest. I played with the collar of his shirt and stood up on tip toe to kiss at his chin a few times.

"Gerard, I love you so much. And yeah, I'm scared. This is a big change. But it's nothing compared to what I would be feeling if I had to go to Utah and leave you behind. That would fucking kill me. And I am thrilled to get to live with you. I mean, I even said that night we went to New York that I wanted to live there, and now it's happening! You...you've given me everything that I've ever wanted in life. I..." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "I don't even know how to communicate how grateful I am for you," I told him.

I found my feet suddenly leave the ground, Gerard's lips pressing against mine and his hand at my back holding me close to him. He nibbled lightly at my bottom lip before pulling away to look at me. He grinned while pushing my bangs out of my face. His grin was contagious and I felt my lips pull at the corners. Soon we were both beaming like the idiots we were.

"I love you too, Frankie." He kissed the side of my face. "So, so much. I actually didn't think it was possible for me to fall in love. It just never occurred to me that it could happen to a freak like me, but...well, here we are. You proved me wrong, you butt."

I snickered. "Butt? Is that the best you could come up with?" I asked, kissing the tip of his nose. He smiled cheesily and nodded.

"I can't think of anything nasty to call you while I'm looking at your pretty face. Oh wait, yes I can, Francis," he said. I giggled and he nipped at my jaw.

"That's not nasty, it's just annoying. Hmm...now what can I call you? Oh yeah, dorky vampire-pumpkin face! And THAT is the best comeback in the world!" I announced dramatically. I heard Mikey snort in the background, and remembered that he was still here. Oh well, he probably just thinks that me and Gerard were retarded. It's not like he didn't already think that. He walked up to us and flicked both of us at the same time. I thought it was cool but painful.

"Jesus, you are both idiots. Now...the sun is almost up, so I'm gonna go back home before they notice that I'm gone and...kill me." He leaned forward to give me a peck on the cheek, then did the same with Gerard.

"I love you both, and I had better see you two down here when Frank turns eighteen. Oh, and he had better not be pregnant, or I'll have to murder you, Gee. I'm serious, don't knock up my wife. That shit don't fly with me," he warned. Gerard laughed and hugged Mikey.

"I'll try, kay? But I'm not promising anything...y'know, things happen..."

"Ew, ew, ew, Gerard, don't say that!! Ew...I'm leaving! I hope you're happy!" Mikey stepped back from Gerard and waved at us both. This would be a great time for some sad music to be playing harmoniously in the background, while watching my best friend walk away and knowing that I won't get to see him tomorrow.

Gerard put an arm around my shoulders and pulled me into his side. He kissed the side of my head and sighed. "Are you okay, baby?" he asked softly. I nodded and leaned against him. I swallowed the lump in my throat and tilted my face up to kiss the underside of his chin.

"Yeah...I'll just miss him, that's all. Well, I guess we should....what? Can you drive? Neither of us have slept in two days. Maybe we should find a place to sleep, cause I don't want you nodding off while driving. I don't want to die before we reach New York," I said a bit ominously. Gerard chuckled at that, since he had a just as morbid sense of humor as me. He nuzzled into the crook of my neck, and I could feel his smile pressed against my skin.

"Are you tired? We can just get a hotel room if you'd like."

I nodded. "Mhm, I think we should. Plus, hotel rooms are sexy," I said, wiggling my eyebrows suggestively. He giggled and leaned down to press a kiss against my lips.

"Ooh, thinking nasty thoughts, Iero?"

"Always, Way."