Nightlife.

It was inevitable, Frank decided, wandering the streets of his small city, sighing loudly, his breath making smoky gray swirls into the pitch black sky. He looked up and noticed just then that – despite the fact there wasn’t a star in the sky, the moon was still pale and full, shining down on him.

Marriage; that was what was inevitable. Maturing, marrying, having kids, settling down – all unavoidable – they all had to happen someday. ‘You’ll fall in love someday,’ his mother’s voice echoed in his head, and he shook it away, taking out a cigarette; his sudden need for nicotine had become unbearable.

Quitting things was never his strong point, he thought, sighing.

Like his job – his stupid job. What had he been thinking when he applied for a job at the firm; a suit? On him? Frank Iero, resident high school rebel, the Boy Who Caused All The Trouble, in his old city – all the sudden, Frank Iero: Successful Lawyer.

Oh, that was right, he remembered, a bitter smile gracing his features. He managed to look handsome even in the gravest of situations. A family. A wife. ‘Settling down.’ That’s what he’d been thinking. Making his mom proud: that’s what he’d been thinking.

He took a drag of the smoke, letting it calm his nerves easily, taking his time before blowing excess smoke out of his lungs. The phone rang shrilly into the night, and he growled a bit loudly, flipping it open. “What?”

“I was just wondering where you were,” Jay’s cold voice floated out of the line almost all too easily. Her breathing was soft, barely heard, as Frank leaned against a random building wall, tapping his fingers against his bare arms. “It is late.”

“It’s just a walk, Jay,” he sighed irritably. “’S not like I’m off fucking around.”

“Do you need to be an asshole about it?” She snarled, her temper settling in again. Jay was never one to take her time and talk it out. She liked to throw things, she liked to yell and scream when things got irritating. No, it was never talk-it-out-like adults here.

What happened to mature? He wondered, rolling his eyes. “Sorry,” he muttered, sighing; he wasn’t up for it tonight.

“Whatever,” she growled angrily, and there was a click on the line, before the dial tone took over monotonously, drilling into his ear painfully. He shut the phone, rolling his eyes once more, and flicking the cigarette out.

… Sex. That was inevitable. Everybody needed sex. Really, it was just a mindless act, there to release hormones when they got too much to handle on your own, Frank thought, sighing. He stared up at the ceiling while a pair of lips trailed their way down his neck.

He could have had sex with Jay, he supposed. But she was already pissed off at him, and if he was distracted during sex, he knew she’d be even more pissed off. So he didn’t. He had sex with Gerard, instead.

It wasn’t always the most enjoyable thing in the world; sometimes they were both too wasted to feel, and other times, their minds were just off somewhere else, their eyes focusing on the stars outside, or the empty design on the white tiled ceiling. Like tonight. Only, Gerard noticed.

“There’s something wrong,” Frank realised this wasn’t a question; a statement instead. Frank sighed again, and sat up, while Gerard moved over next to him. The older man took out a cigarette and lit it, offering one to Frank.

He shook his head, “Did you ever get tired of the movements, Gerard?” he finally questioned his worries aloud. Gerard pushed his eyebrows together in curiosity, topaz eyes shining with wonder.

“Of the movements? Of sex?” Frank rolled his eyes.

“No. Of life.” Gerard chuckled at this, blowing excess smoke from his mouth and into the dark room.

“Sure. Doesn’t everybody?” he shrugged.

The reason Frank was even friends with Gerard was a mystery to himself. He was not exactly first person in line to ‘want a normal life,’ or ‘settle down.’ And he sure as hell wasn’t like my other friends, white houses on street corners with three children and a dog, working in a law firm and buying a new car yearly. He was just… Gerard. The guy with the mysterious topaz eyes. Gerard: The Guy With The Topaz, Frank guessed.

They’d met in a bar, a few years ago. He was working there; liked the night life, he told Frank. Frank had just walked away from yet another fight with Jay, who, this time was almost positive he was on drugs and that was the reason he was slipping off so late at night.

That was another problem with Jay. Thoughtless little thing. And so fucking ineloquent when they were fighting. She liked to use the word ‘fuck’ a lot, when screaming. And throwing things; he cringed, remembering the poor crystal plate that had gotten smashed that night.

He walked into the bar and ordered just a soda, flitting his eyes around the scene tiredly, and then he saw his eyes. They were first. Golden – almost honey-coloured, questions and curiosity swirling around in them. He moved his eyes across his every detail. Papery white skin, almost so fragile you could see the blood rushing to different parts of his body underneath it – could see the blue veins protruding from underneath quietly. His face was sculpted perfectly, like he was Michelangelo’s David with marble, sculpted skin. His lips were dusty pink, a smirk twitching in the corners of them.

Frank saw right then what he knew he would see all along. He was so fucked up. It was the way the smirk was playing with him, it was the way his fingers drummed against the countertop, staccato, bored, waiting for Frank to say the word, and then they would leave. And they hadn’t even talked; no names, even. Gerard was simple, he didn’t need names, then or now.

Frank left. The boy’s eyes were too drilling, to fucking scary and beautiful at the same time.

And then he came back the next night. And the night after that. It was only after he was trashed that he said anything to him, finally introducing himself in the highest slurred fashion possible. It was truly a miracle Frank had even remembered his own name. They’d barely talked before he led Frank to his house, just a few blocks away.

Sex was just a mindless act, anyways.

… Now, Frank heaved another sigh from his lips, and stood up. “I should go,” he murmured softly, pulling his jeans over his slender hips. Gerard stared at him still, eyes hardening, waiting for him to say something. He didn’t, so Gerard did.

“You want another line before you –“

“No, Jay will confirm her own suspicions,” Frank rolled his eyes, leaning across the bed and pecking Gerard’s lips. “Maybe tomorrow?”

“I have deliveries tomorrow.” Gerard muttered.

“I could come…” Frank trailed off, still hoping. Gerard sighed loudly, exasperated, and nodded, smiling.

“Okay. Eleven sharp, no later or I’m living without you, got it?” Frank nodded happily, pecked his lips and walked out, heading towards Jay, as the sun was just starting to come out of the shadows finally.

He figured he could get two hours sleep, before waking up and starting the day all over again. It was worth it, he thought. Nightlife was so much better anyways.