Names Hands and Faces

Gerard-
I pull on my shirt after getting it stuck around my ears. I should be able to put on a shirt by now but apparently not. It wasn't even like this was an extremely special occasion or anything, this was just another family dinner where I would be asked if the name on my hand had appeared yet. And I would say no. As usual. This time it was for Uncle Jeff's 52nd birthday so of course the whole family had to be there. Including myself and my brother. I really needed to get back to New York, a few of my pieces were being shown in one of the galleries and it was a pretty big thing for me. Especially since they would be next to the likes of Grant Morrison and Dave Gibbons. Two of my hero's from the comic book world. This exhibition was to showcase that particular part of art, and a few of my panels had been chosen. Just a few sketches to maybe advertise my new novel. The Umbrella Academy. It was pretty unknown, but hey somebody thought it was good. And my brother Mikey was acting as an agent for me while we were there. His ability to talk when I couldn't was a life saver while talking to the right people.

I push a hand through my hair and smile sarcastically at myself in the mirror before scratching at my right hand. I don't think anything of it as I call for my brother and go outside to the car instead of waiting for him. I get into the drivers side of the Trans Am while I wait, running my hand over the steering wheel. This car was my baby and I kept her in the best condition.
"Hurry up asshat!" I call out of the rolled down window. And on que my brother drops his money as he shambles from the apartment building. "You don't even NEED to bring money!"
"I was going to act like the perfect son and offer to pay. I could get a dessert out of it if I did that, and be in mums good books for the rest of the month!" Did I also mention that he's a giant five year old sometimes?
"You're living with me now Mikes, you don't need to be in mums good books!" He gets in the front seat with a chuckle
"I would be able to give puppy eyes and get out of awkward family meals"
"You're not getting out of this one. Buckle up" I tell him, he does so with a roll of his eyes. But I wasn't the safest driver and I would rather have an alive brother than a dead one thank you very much.
"What's up with your hand?" He asks and I finally address the itching. I had a few scabs on my hand and I didn't know where they came from. But at least I knew the source of the itching then.
"I'm using a new paint, might be corrosive or something I dunno" I give my hand a brief shake before putting the car into drive and speeding to the usual restaurant around the corner a few blocks down.

"Hey Ma" I greet and manage a full three seconds before wiping the lipstick smear off my cheek. Mikey doesn't last as long and that earns him a glare. My mother takes my arm in hers as we go up to the podium for our reservations. This was a really fancy restaurant and I was regretting not brushing my hair thoroughly, or washing it. But I had some eyeliner on so that should make up for it. We get seated and I get sat next to Uncle Jeff's bratty little princess, and instantly she starts to rag on me. She got away with far too much for a seven year old. Blonde pigtails or not.
"Why are you wearing eyeliner?"
"It's guyliner"
"No it's not you look like a girl"
"I know"
"Why is your hair greasy?"
"It's shiny not greasy"
"No it's greasy"
"Whatever you say Lisa" I try and blank her out and join in the adult conversations but I was still seen as a kid. Mikey too luckily. I couldn't cope if he was seen as an adult and I wasn't. He was way more immature than me! Lisa get's stopped when we both hear a voice
"Hey i'm Frank and i'll be your server tonight" My heart stopped as I looked up at our waiter. Then I promptly blush and look back down at my place, hiding behind my hair. The guy was gorgeous, and he was staring right at me. If I wasn't mistaken
"I'm Lisa!" The brat pipes up and I manage to stop a laugh from escaping my lips.
"Hey, so any drinks? Or are you ready to order your starters"
"I'll have three cokes for the kids, and two white wines with two beers"
"I'm not a kid! I'm 21 for goodness sake!" I growl before sitting up straighter, glaring down at my Uncles small frame from across the table. "But yes, i'll have a coke please" I turn to the smirking waiter and he winks at me
"Coming right up" I turn to Lisa with a shark like grin
"You have a crush on our waiter" I sing and she blushes bright red "You totally have a crush on our waiter" Just because I wasn't a kid didn't mean I couldn't act like one. Mikey joins in my chanting and she covers her ears
"Boys, stop it" My mother smirks. She wasn't fond of Lisa either
"FINE!" We huff and in unison fall back onto our chairs, kicking out our feet.

I sit up, pulling my chair back in once I feel my back crack and then Auntie Mindy asks the dreaded question
"So, do you have a name yet?" I look at my hand and look back up, ready to drawl a 'No' before doing a double take. There WAS a name on my hand. The scabs had fallen away or I had itched the away to reveal a name.
"Er yer, Francis Anthony Iero Jr" I read out and the females around the table squeal. My mother even claps her hands.
"Ohh I wonder when you're gonna meet him?" At least they were okay with the fact that I was gay then. That was a worry for me in earlier years. I stare down at my hand, the name a little red around the edges. But the name itself looked like a tattoo. Much like my mothers and fathers matching ones.
"When did you guys meet?" I find myself asking.
"Oh, we were around your age. We got our names as we were meeting each other. Pretty unexpected"
"I was repulsed by her at first" My dad jokes, earning a slap around the head. "But no, honestly I was willing to go out with her despite the names. Screw 'em"
"True love then?" I ask, my chin slipping into my hands. My brother and the brat had done the same next to me though, we were all pretty hopeless.
"Yer, the names are never wrong."

"How did that come about anyway? The name thing?" I ask
"Oh I know! I know!" The princess pipes up and I turn to her slightly.
"Go on" I prompt
"It was years ago, Like millions of years ago. There were a bunch of gods all asking after Meena, the goddess of love at the time. And there was this one god who loved her more than the others his name was Jacob and he was the god of thunder or whatever, a bit like Zeus but not. But he was really possessive. They were in love and he was jealous of the other gods. So one night, he branded her with his name, and he branded himself with her name. And then that was it. That's how it came to be"
"That's actually really interesting" I muse
"Your drinks" I get startled from my daydream to look up at Frank
"Thanks" I take Lisa' drink off him to pass to her before he passes me mine
"Lemon and Lime huh?" I look at the two pieces of fruit in the drink
"You look like a lemon and lime kinda guy"
"You would be right" I grin before he walks off, a grin of his own gracing his face
"You have a crush on the waiter, you have a crush on the waiter!" Lisa sings and Mikey joins in. I thump my head on the table before letting out a groan. I could tell tonight was going to be a long night.