Street Kid

Alex felt eyes on him as he walked down the seemingly empty corridor, he turned slowly and noticed a figure leaning on the wall.

He smirked a little before stopping completely and facing the boy who had seemingly come out of nowhere.

"Hey Quinn."

"Alex." he nodded.

"Didn't see you there."

"Yeah? I saw you."

"Obviously." Alex grinned cockily, totally glad that he was wearing his best outfit.

"So... you and that Iero kid."

"Frank."

Yeah, him. You together or...?" Quinn's cool guy image faltered for a brief moment, but reappeared as soon as Alex answered.

"Nah, just buds."

"Good."

"Not that it's any of your business." Alex joked.

"Owch. Well what if I wanted it to make it my business?"

"Well then we would need to discuss this further."

"You free tomorrow?"

"Maybe. What time?"

"Be ready at 7."

"Deal."

Alex wanted to dance his "happy dance" but that would be totally mortifying and would make him un-datable for the next 5 years.

But before Alex could think of anything else to say somebody rapidly ran up the stairs and past him, which attracted Quinn's attention as well as his own.

Even in the blur of motion Alex could see clearly that it was Frank but even more clearly he could see the tears running down his best friends face.

Frank was hurt.
He was supposed to be with Gerard.
Something went wrong.

Worry built up in Alex within milliseconds, something or someone had hurt his best friend.

"Frankie?" he yelped.

The smaller boy didn't even fault as he continued his journey and was soon bursting into his room.

Alex quickly turned back to Quinn.

"I gotta get this man." he said, throwing his thumb back in the direction that his distressed best friend had just disappeared in.

"It's cool, go. I understand"

Alex nodded, he knew Quinn wasn't lying, he'd had to deal with Bert many a times when he'd been down.

"See you tomorrow."

"Cool."

+

Alex didn't know what he was going to find when he walked into Frank's room, he hated being out of the loop - especially when it came to the feelings of his friends.

The curtains were drawn, casting the room into twilight. Flicking the light switch, Alex looked around nervously before his eyes set on a figure, curled up on the bed and shaking with silent sobs.

"Frankie?" he whispered softly.

"I..I fucked up Al." Frank croaked.

"How come?"

Nothing, just sobs.

"Frank? It can't be that bad."

"I ruined his life!"

"Gerard's?"

"He's miserable and it's all my fucking fault!"

Alex watched as Frank got more and more upset, unsure of what to do.

He soon stepped in though, as soon as Frank began ripping hair out and scratching himself in anger and despair.

"Hey now... shush" Alex sat next to Frank and pulled him into his lap.

"I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding."

"He's fucking leaving." Frank sat up now, clenched fists rubbing at the tears.

"What? Why?"

"They kick the shit into him all the time in the Academy- he doesn't belong there."

"He could come here?"

"He's too fucking good to come here. He... He's too good for me." Frank's anger melted away on the last sentence.

"You're too good for him Frankie."

"No... I'm not, I'm really not."

Alex let out a sigh as more tears fell from Frank's eyes, he reached out and wiped them away, leaving behind only a salty trace.

He knew there was nothing that could mend this mess, if Gerard really was gone then it would take hell of a lot more than words and friends to mend Frank's broken heart - so for now he would wipe away the tears, after all.

What more could he do?