Beautiful Tragedy

"Hey Bert, will you go find Gerard for me? I need to talk to him about the merch sales." Paul stood patiently at our tourbus door, explaining the situation.

"Yeah, cool. I'll just grab my jacket and I'll go." I smiled, waving him off. I'd offered him to come in for a cup of coffee, apparently he had too much work to do. I often wondered what I'd be like if I had that job. Nothing would ever get done. I shook my head, laughing at my laziness and grabbed my spotty hoodie from the back of the sofa.

"Finally you move it!" Beth rolled her eyes as she came out of the bathroom. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go find Gerard," I told her, to a smirk and a raising of the eyebrows.

"Oh really?" She asked.

"Yeah really!" I answered, pulling the door open and jumping down the steps, pushing my hair out of my face.

"Have fun," She grinned, "Wear protection. Toodles!" She pushed the door shut and left me scowling at it from the outside. As if that would ever happen; she didn't have to tease me.

I walked past the our bus, and stood outside My Chems, knocking twice on their door and standing back as i waited for an answer. I could hear Frank and Mikey shouting over who was going to get it, and footsteps down the bus.

The door flew open and Frank stood there, grinning, Mikey standing directly behind him, pouting.

"Sup Bert!" Frank grinned.

"Yo. Is Gerard in?"

"Probably in the back. Go look," Frank opened the door and let me in, Mikey put on the kettle and got out a tub of coffee. As i walked down the bus, I let my mind wonder how I was going to get Gerard to like me, how I was going to get his trust.

I tapped on the door at the end that led to the studio, after I didn't get an answer I opened the door slightly wondering if he hadn't heard me. I stepped into the room, taking a quick look around. It was empty. I started walking back towards the door, but as it clicked shut something laying on the desk caught my attention. I took a couple of fragile steps towards it, glancing at the door, listening for footsteps and picked up the piece of paper.

It was a painting; one of gerards. There was a boy in center of the page, his face distorted in pain, clawing at his hair with pale, tiny hands. Around him were nightmarish drawings - a grim reaper standing at a grave, a family sobbing behind it; apparently unaware of the monster standing a few feet away. Wolves stood at another grave, staring at the mourners, a sense of laughter in their eyes, whereas a lone boy - different to the main boy in the painting, was standing in the corner, looking over in sympathy. The bottom of the page was littered with flames, and hidden between the licks of colour stood dark, devilish gates.

In the top corner of the painting, he had signed his initials.

I stared, open mouthed at the painting for a long time, taking in every single detail. It was amazing. I didn't think anyone could draw like this; let alone Gerard.

The door slammed open, and I could feel someones eyes on me, but I couldn't take my eyes off the drawing, my mouth probably still gaping open.

"What the hell?!" The drawing was snatched from my hands, and my eyes followed it to meet Gerards.

"This is private! Who gave you permission to do this?! Get out." Gerards eyes shone true anger, and I suddenly felt intimidated and overwhelmed with guilt.

"Get out!"

I looked to the door and then back at Gerard, his anger replaced by disapointment. I still couldn't move, almost as if i'd been hypnotised by the drawing. I hadn't said anything the whole time he'd been in there, and my hand still frozen where I'd previously been holding the paper.

"Gerard..." My voice was hoarse, whispering. "That's amazing...."

His eyes lifted to mine from the drawing; suprised. He shook it off quickly and pushed the painting into a drawer, tidying away brushes and pencils.

"Please get out, Bert. I didn't want anybody to see those," He paused, as if deciding whether to continue with his sentance. "Especially you."

"But seriously," I continued, as if i hadn't heard him. "I haven't seen anything like that before...It's the best thing I've seen in my life...How do you do it? Actually, I don't want to know. It's amazing. You're amazing!"

"I know what you're doing. I know you're trying to get me to like you, I'm not giving in, Bert. It's not going to work. Just....Just leave me alone, okay?"

"What have I done?" I looked over his face as he spoke, he seemed angry - but at himself, sad; disappointed. "Why can't we be friends?"

Suddenly, he grabbed my arm and shoved me against the back wall, pressing his lips against mine. After a moment of complete and utter shock, I started to respond, placing my hand on the back of his neck to deepen the kiss. Our mouths worked against each other, a rough yet passionate kiss; full of emotion, full of meaning.

He pulled back, and shoved himself away from me. His eyes portrayed some kind of fear as they searched my face, backing into the tiny desk.

"That's why."