Frank on a Leash

On Friday, Frank was planning on leaving school with Mikey and going to his house. Finally the day has come! That morning, Frank did something he never thought he would. He cared about his appearance. He put on a black wife beater layered under a red jacket, skin tight, slightly gay pants that made his ass look good, if he did say so himself, and a beanie over his messy dark hair. He just wanted that look. The appreciative look from Mikey that said 'wow'. The same look he gave Mikey everyday.

He packed some random clothes into his overnight bag and hooked the strap with his thumb, slinging it over his shoulder. The familiar weight settled around him, and he took a moment to breathe before going into the kitchen. His mom had already left for work. She was a nurse at a hospital downtown. Sometimes Frank worried about his mom working in the bad part of town. He always worried that one day he'd go home and wait for her, but she'd never show up. It pained him to think of him mom being in the local paper's obituary just because some fuck decided to go gun happy at the hospital, the one place that tries to help people.

He put a hand on the counter to steady himself. He just needed to get to school quickly and find Mikey. He has a way to make the world stop spinning.

Mikey leaned against the wall of the school building, waiting for Frank at their usual spot. Yeah, they had a spot now. Every morning Mikey waited, smoking a cigarette and flipping off whoever gave him dirty looks. Being around Frank had gave him loads of confidence that he never thought he'd possess. He saw Frank across the schoolyard, making his way to their spot with his head down. Mikey smiled to himself as he studied the way Frank looked. His hands were shoved in his pockets, his shoulders hunched, and he was taking long strides with his short legs.

Frank was still thinking about his mom, this time worrying if she'd be okay without him all weekend. He's not even going to be in the same town. He kept worrying until he felt Mikey's arm slip around his waist. That brought him back to reality with a jolt. He found his arms circling around Mikey automatically, settling into the hug comfortably. He rested his fore head against Mikey's shoulder.

"Hi, Mikey," Frank said pleasantly. He leaned up and pressed his nose into the hollow of Mikey's cheek, putting a lot of affection in the action.He didn't really care if Mikey read too much into the action. He'd be completely right if he did. Besides, what's the worst that can happen? Mikey would never ask if Frank liked him, he was too shy. He'd just mull it over in his brain for a long time.

"Wow, you seem cuddly this morning," Mikey mused. He slipped his other arm around Frank's shoulders in a proper hug. He saw people giving them odd looks, and would have flipped them off if his hands weren't busy. He didn't give a fuck if they judged him, they were going to any way. It as inevitable, with the way he dressed. But who were they to look down upon Frank? Frank was perfect, and they were jealous. "Stupid fucks," Mikey said to himself.

"Who is?" Frank asked. Mikey let his arms fall to his sides and shrugged. Society, he wanted to say. Everyone who wants to judge him, or everyone who wants to sweep him under the rug and forget about him. But, in a way, that was a stereotype in itself. Everyone's out to get him. Yeah, right. No one cares enough, do they? It makes him feel rather unimportant.

""Hey, Frank, you ever feel like no one cares? Like...you're there, but not? People see you as...just a waste of space?" Mikey asked quietly. He didn't want to dump his emo mood on Frank, but he needed to be comforted. He needed to hear Frank say he was important.

"Mikey, don't you dare think like that," Frank said sternly. He placed both of his hands on Mikey's cheeks and looked serious. "I care. So you can't go around moping about how everyone hates you because it'll never be true. So be happy, kay? Smile for me." He had to put on a cheesy grin before he saw Mikey's lips twitch at the corners.

"You're a grade A dork, Frank," Mikey said, outright beaming. He tugged at one of the dark lock curling out from under Frank's beanie. "Honestly, you remind me of my brother, and it doesn't get much dorkier than him. He dances round in his room to Ziggy Stardust while fantasizing about Star Wars and when the new issue of Fangoria will be out."

"Ah!" Frank scoffed. "I think you're brother sounds cool! Unlike you, Mikey. You're probably even worse than him when you think you're in the sanctity of your room. But we're never alone, really..." He lowered his voice down to a whisper and leaned up to Mikey's ear. "The aliens are always watching us. They stole all the cows from Jersey, and that's why you never see a farm round here."

Mikey chucked and pushed Frank away playfully. Frank pouted at the action but backed off anyway. Mikey wasn't the kind of guy that liked to be all touchy, and Frank had a feeling he'd used up all the physical contact he was getting for today. Ah, dammit, and the day just started, too.

"Hmp, I see you are a non-believer. Now disappointing." Frank pretended to regard key with contempt, curtly turning on his heel to walk toward the school entrance. His walk had a deliberate... swing to it, even if his overly tight jeans restricted movement. The lovely view was not lost on Mikey. He tagged along a few steps behind instead of speeding up to walk alongside Frank just to enjoy the sight.

It didn't occur to Mikey until he realized his eyes had been glued to Frank for a good five minutes that he was checking him out. He was leaning against the wall, watching Frank open his locker, his breath catching in his throat when Frank leaned up and his shirt rose, exposing a gorgeous glimpse of his olive-colored hip. But then it was over, and Frank was pulling his shirt back down. Mikey retreated back to his own locker before Frank realized he was being admired.

The whole way to his locker, down the senior hall and past all the stares, he thought about how...wrong his mind worked. Frank is his friend, not...anything more. They do not have the potential to be anything more. Mikey wasn't even gay! He...wasn't anything. He could look at a girl and find her attractive, but not want to date her. He knew he'd never get a chance anyway, but if he magically turned into a hot guy, one that girls would actually want to date, he wouldn't do it. He couldn't see himself dating anyone. But he wanted Frank. He wanted to know Frank belonged to him, as Bob-like as it sounds. It wasn't even the fact that he wanted to own Frank, because that's not it. It's complicated.

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It was the end of the day, right after the final bell had rung, and a sea of people crowded the halls. Mikey hated the halls, hated the way everyone bumped up against each other. It was claustrophobic and hot and sweaty. Chaos at its worst. Mikey wove his way around all the other students, keeping a look out for Frank's red jacket. He saw the boy leaning over a water fountain, once again leaving a piece of skin right above the waist of his jeans visible. Mikey stood next to him and waited to be noticed.

Frank saw from the corner of his eye the mass of black he knew to be Mikey. He raised up fully and wiped his mouth on Mikey's sleeve. "Oh, hello there my goth napkin. How was your day?" Frank asked. He delighted in the laugh he got from Mikey.

"Just fine, Frank. By the way, I have upgraded you to ultra-dork," he said. Frank scoffed and bent don to pick his bag from where he'd deposited it. As he was down there, he noticed a long chain hanging from Mikey's pants. He pulled on the chain but got his hands batted away, "C'mon, Frank. Are you ready to go?"

"Yup!" Frank jumped to his feet. He pushed and shoved his way through the crowds to get to the door, with Mikey following closely behind. They let out identical sighs of relief when they reached the parking lot. Frank felt his excitement increase when he recognized Mikey's black car, and bolted for it. He reached out his arm to pull the door handle. He jerked back, but nothing happened.

"Mikey!" he whimpered, trying again to open the door. Mikey sighed and pushed Frank away from the door gently. He got his keys out to unlock the door. He opened it and went round to the driver's side and got in. "Y'know, this doesn't make you smarter than me, Mikey. It just means you're better with cars. But you're not supposed to know shit about cars, so you are ruining the stereotype!"

Mikey rolled his eyes at Frank's outburst. He'd been like this all day, talking non-stop even if Mikey didn't say anything. He had the ability to have conversations with himself. A skill he showed off when he realized, once again, that Mikey didn't want to talk. He waited until Mikey had already started up the car and they were on the road before speaking, just in case Mikey felt the need to leave his ass at school.

"Ah, the sky. Radio, my dear, do you like the sky? You see, Mikey doesn't wanna talk because the aliens have scrambled his brain, but you'll talk to me, right? Right? Yeah, well fuck you too!" Frank crossed his arms and glared at the radio. It was playing a song he didn't know, and that was just another strike against it. He pushed one of the buttons on the radio, the one he knew skipped channels, until he found a song worth listening to. The Unwinding Cable Car by Anberlin. Mikey smiled at the song choice. It was secretly one of his favorites. Hey, it was fucking beautiful, and Mikey didn't have to listen to metal like everyone seems to believe.

"Don't you believe that you've been deceived, that you're no better than...the hair in your eyes, it never disguised what you're really thinking of," Frank sang softly. He looked over over at Mikey and wanted to push the black bangs covering his eyes to the side. But he'd probably get pushed away...not to mention that Mikey was trying to drive. So he kept on singing to himself. "This is the correlation of salvation and love. Don't drop your arms. I'll guard you're heart with quiet words I'll lead you in. You're so brilliant. Don't soon forget. You're so brilliant. Grace marked your heart." Frank sighed and laid his head back on the headrest. This song must have been written specifically for Mikey. How else could it be so perfect, so fucking true? He glanced up at Mikey and saw him mouthing the words.

"You like this song too?" Frank asked, raising his eyebrows. Mikey nodded, and that was it. That's all the communication Frank got for the rest of the way to Belleview, an occasional nod. He didn't get it, was Mikey unhappy? How can Frank fix it?

Mikey was still disturbed by the way he was starting to think about Frank. When he'd heard Frank sing, although softly and to himself, it was lovely. He was entranced with the slightly, low timbre of his voice. He could almost feel Frank's vocal chords throughout the car, bouncing off the window shield and bathing Mikey in warmth that made him shiver. If he could speak (which he couldn't, he was utterly blown away), he probably would have blurted out that Frank was beautiful.