Born and Broken Every Single Time.

I left Mikey slumped on the floor with his photo album as I scampered down the hall back to Gerard's room. He wasn't back yet, but I decided I'd wait on him. I walked into his room and sat on e edge of his bed, taking my spare time to just look around at all the boxes. I smirked to myself as I saw how many boxes were labelled with "comics", feeling a genuine smile grace my face when I saw a box marked "art."

Art was of course the reason this was happening. It was his passion and creative talent that allowed him to have this opportunity. It was that passion that had captivated him his whole life and now, now it was happening. Like Mikey said, it's almost over. The first chapter of Gerard's life. It's strange to think your first chapter can lead into your twenties, but I deemed living with your parents the first chapter. Obviously, it had it's own twist and turns within it, but him leaving to finally follow his dreams, this was the next chapter that he seemed unable to write for so long.

I leant over to I could see out of the door as I heard someone walk upstairs. It was Mr. Way. He met me with a silent smile as he picked up another box and headed back downstairs. I giggled quietly as I heard him yell to Gerard that I was randomly sitting in his room. Footsteps echoed as I heard Gerard traipse up the stairs, strolling casually into his room with his hood up and his hands dug into his pockets.

"Some might say you're obsessed," he began quietly as he crashed down beside me.

"Maybe I am," I mocked, smirking as he smacked his lips to mine for a brief thank you of my joking sentiment.

"I can deal with that," he whispered as he rested his forehead against mine, smiling as he just looked at me. I don't know why he'd just look at me. I mean, I could look at him, even just getting lost in his eyes, but I honestly believed that couldn't be reciprocated. I was nothing special. That wasn't body loathing, that was just believing that there was nothing amazing.

"I need to talk to you," I began, leaning back and forcing him to do the same. "You going is starting to hit Mikey pretty hard."

"I doubt that," he smiled. "He'll love having the place to himself, well the only brother."

"He's in his room with the old photo albums out," I stated plainly, watching as his smile dropped.

"They're in the attic Frank," he said calmly.

"He took them down," I countered. "He thinks you going is going to be the end of everything, well you being his brother sort of."

"But that's just stupid," Gerard laughed awkwardly, his eyes seeming to search mine to find a reassurance that I was kidding. "He knows he'll still see me."

"Yeah," I reassured. "But I said maybe you two could have like a goodbye before the actual one, kind of like we did."

"I don't know," he said warily. "Me and Mikey, it'd be too awkward."

"I could be there," I suggested. "But like it could be your night."

"I don't know…" he repeated, seeming to consider it a bit more this time around.

"Gerard," I began sternly. "If you don't do this, your brother is going to be fucking crushed. He thinks he's going to lose you as a brother when you go, and you're saying no to this night because you think it's going to be awkward? That's just pathetic. How old are you?"

"Age doesn't matter," he smirked. "I'm just a little immature."

"I'm not joking," I frowned. "This is serious, none of this immature crap, are you going to do this for your brother, and you, or are you just going to be a wimp and leave it?"

"You don't know what it's like to have a brother," he mumbled.

"Yeah, but I know my best friend," I stated plainly. "Whatever."

I stood up, leaving him to his own devices as I walked out of his room without a second word or glance back. When I walked into Mikey's room I found him still as he was previously, sitting flicking through photo albums. He looked up expectantly as I walked in, but didn't press the matter when I didn't say anything. I think he knew what was said, we weren't particularly quiet.

"At least you tried," he mumbled without looking up. He turned the page to another array of photos as I sat down beside him.

"This was my seventh birthday," he smiled as he pointed to one of the pictures. Mikey was stick thin in the picture and clutching a toy car as if it was his world. His grin was as it was today, cheesy and childish. In the background you could see Gerard sitting cross legged on the sofa, he must have been about 12. He was pouting at Mikey, which made me giggle as I noticed it. I guess he wanted some presents too. I smiled as I saw, on the sofa beside him, a sketch book and packet of felt tip pens. I guess art was always going to be his life.

"I was such a geek," he smiled. "I loved that car, but I was playing with it outside and a car ran it over a week later. It was great while it lasted."

"Who's that?" I asked as I pointed to a picture next to the one from his birthday. His eyes seemed to light up as a smile spread across his face.

"My grandma," he stated plainly. "This was on Gerard's 13th. She got him this easel and paint set. She always knew the best things to buy. She even got me this little Spiderman figure so I didn't feel left out with the presents." I could see his eyes lovingly scan over the picture. He was sitting admiring his new figure as Gerard hugged his grandma. He had the biggest grin on his face.

"What was her name?" I asked, wanting to keep Mikey happy. His brother may be a jackass now, but there was something that could keep his mind off it and truthfully, I wanted to know more. Maybe it was down to my problems with family. I just liked to hear of his happier times. I never met my mum's mother, and I hardly ever saw my dad's mum because she lived too far away.

"Elena," he said quietly. "But I always called her Nana. I always said grandma when I spoke about her, but that's what I'd say when I spoke to her. 18years old and saying Nana isn't good for my street cred," he smirked.

"It's cute," I smiled, looking back down to the photo album. He turned the page and pointed to another photo. Before he could say anything there was a chap on the door. We both looked up to find Gerard looking in anxiously. I smiled broadly, happy that he had actually bothered to come through. Mikey couldn't see my smile seeing as he was behind me, but I was pretty sure that he was grinning a replica of my own smile at his brother. Either that or raising his eyebrow in that freaky curious way he does. I call it freaky, because really I'm jealous I can't do that.

"I-I was wondering if you two wanted to do something tomorrow night," he stammered. "I thought it would be cool."

"Sure," Mikey replied almost immediately. "What were you thinking?"

"Pizza and movies?" he shrugged. "I can't afford to go out."

"Sounds great," Mikey replied chirpily. Gerard smiled faintly before returning back to his own room. I looked back to Mikey who simply closed the photo album, signalling that all he needed was some closure from his family just now, and now that his brother was going to give him that, he didn't need to pour his heart out over the photos.