Need Somebody to Love

Frank did sit with Gerard for the rest of the evening, giving a dirty look to any woman who tried to get him to leave. When one of the more persistent women would not move, Frank just raised his voice while talking to Gerard to drown out her complaining. “So, Gerard, what is it that you do?”

Smiling at the show Frank was putting on for the women, Gerard looked down at his now empty beer glass. “I am an artist, I run a gallery on the other side of town.”

Frank, now ignoring the woman, looked intrigued. “No way, that’s really cool! What in God’s name are you doing on this shitty side of town?”

Gerard explained that he lived with his brother and that they had been visiting their mother. They had been on their way to the nearby metro stop when Mikey saw the sign and dragged him in. “What about you?” Gerard questioned, “Is being a busboy everything you dreamed it would be?”

Realizing this was rude as soon as he said it, Gerard attempted to backtrack but Frank did not notice. “Oh, this? This is just temporary. I used to have my dream job, I owned a restaurant with my boyfriend. He did the cooking, I did the business. When we broke up, I had to leave, can’t have much of a restaurant with out the chef.”

Gerard hummed in agreement and they sat in a comfortable silence for a few moments. This was not long lived, however, the barstool lady who had yelled at Gerard to sit down had seen Frank and made her way over. “Frank? This does not look like clearing the tables to me. What have a I told you about bothering the customers? This man is trying to meet a nice woman.”

Gerard snorted and was instantly grateful that the lady did not hear him. Frank then pointed to the glass Gerard was holding. “But I am clearing the tables, Jane! This man will not let go of that glass, despite the fact the he is obviously done with it!” Frank winked at Gerard and smiled.

“Get back to work or don’t bother coming back tomorrow.” The scary lady (a.k.a “Jane”) walked away, probably to yell at someone else for something that did not really matter. Frank sighed dramatically and stood up.

Sad to see his new friend go, Gerard continued to tell each woman who sat down at his table that, no, he would not go meet her parents unless she had a hot brother who would be there.

A few minutes later, Frank walked by Gerard’s table and didn’t even look at him. Once he was gone, Gerard looked down at the table to see a wadded up napkin that had not been there before. He unfolded it to see a note from Frank.

Can’t talk, Jane has spies everywhere.
I get off at nine. Stay?

Gerard looked up at Frank, who was now standing behind the bar, pretending to clean a glass and watching Gerard. Smiling, Gerard nodded that he would stay. Frank broke out in a silly grin before ducking behind the bar as Jane walked by. Gerard assumed Frank was not allowed behind the bar.

After the last lady left Gerard’s table, he made his way to his brother. “If you ever do this to me again, Michael, I swear I’ll-”

“You’ll what?” Mikey interrupted, “Move out of the basement you have been living in, rent free? Shower a little more often? Be a nice brother?”

Gerard rolled his eyes at Mikey, too happy about meeting Frank to care what his brother said. “You don’t have to wait. I will be here till nine,” he checked his watch, he had half an hour to kill before Frank was off, “you should go home and be with that fiancee, Alicia, who is way too good for you.”

“You met someone! I told you speed dating worked! It lets people talk to you but not long enough for them to realize how much of an ass hole you are!” Mikey pulled out his phone, texting Alicia that he was victorious, Gerard would not be alone forever.

“Time for you to get lost, Mikey.” Gerard sat down in the stool where his brother had been the entire evening to wait until nine. He ordered a coke and watched as Frank meandered around the bar, picking up a stray plate or glass as he went.

It was not long until Frank slid into the stool next to Gerard and giggled, “You ready to go?” Gerard hummed in approval and the two made their way outside the bar.

They began to walk down the street, Gerard quickly noticed that he did not know where they were going. He voiced this question to Frank who responded that he too did not know. He stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, looking as if he were pondering something serious like the downfall of mankind.

“I know!” He turned to Gerard who had been watching him carefully, “Let’s go to your gallery! I want to see your paintings!” Gerard blushed at the thought of showing off his work, no matter how long he had a gallery, he never got used to people seeing his art.

They made their way to the metro station Gerard had been walking to earlier. Ever the gentleman, Gerard paid the whole dollar and a half of Frank’s ticket. This made Frank blush bashfully.

His gallery was only a block or so away from the metro line so they quickly made their way to the door and Gerard began to unlock it. As soon as the door was open, Frank pushed his way in, giggling as he tripped over the step down.

“Is all of it your work?” Frank questioned as he made his way along the wall, looking carefully at each piece.

“Uh, no. None of this work is mine.” Frank turned around, shocked at Gerard’s statement. He had thought he made it clear he wanted to see Gerard’s work, not someone else’s. “My work is all on the second floor.” Gerard had barely finished his sentence before Frank made his way up the rod iron staircase on the other side of the room.

Following shortly after, Gerard saw Frank was enamored with a comic style mugshot Gerard had done a few months ago. Frank heard the other man on the stairs and turned to look at him.

“You’re brilliant!” Gerard blushed at the compliment. “No, it’s true! It’s so much better than the crap downstairs!”

Gerard shrugged, deciding not to tell Frank that it was the ‘crap downstairs’ that paid the rent on this place. He walked over to Frank and stood next to him, pretending to look at the piece. Frank was still facing Gerard, watching him carefully.

As he felt Frank’s eyes on him, Gerard turned to face Frank, their faces mere inches from each others. Before Gerard could chicken out and turn back to his piece, he leaned down and placed his lips softly against Frank’s.

Frank did not move, he did not kiss back. Gerard quickly panicked, thinking he had read Frank's signs wrong. What was he thinking? Why would someone as adorable and funny as Frank want to kiss him?

He was about to pull away, to apologize profusely, and offer to give Frank cab money to get home. Frank pulled back first, he opened his eyes and looked at Gerard, taking a deep breath. Gerard opened his mouth to apologize but Frank crashed his lips back into Gerard’s, giggling as their teeth clanked together and he wrapped his arms around the taller man’s neck.