Even if Mikey wanted to – which he didn't – there would be no denying that he and Gerard were probably closer than most brothers. They talked about things other siblings didn't discuss (they talked about things other siblings didn't have to discuss, like Hell and psalms and whether or not Bob was temporarily possessed last week or he was just really angry with Frank) and had no secrets, but that wasn't the same as them telling each other everything. There were some things Mikey didn't tell Gerard, and there were some things Gerard didn't tell Mikey.
Apparently, one of those things was that Gerard liked to ogle Frank's ass during working hours. Which – okay, Mikey could have worked that one out on his own, if he'd thought about it. He'd spent enough hours 'helping' Ray harvest ingredients when really he liked to sit on a log and watch the muscles in Ray's arms while he worked. Even better if he got hot and took his shirt off. What, wrestling roots out of the ground was sweaty work.
But understanding in an abstract way that Gerard probably didn't hate looking at Frank's backside if it happened into his line of sight was not the same as peering through the window to Gerard's office and seeing him standing there staring while Frank was bent over double with his ass in the air.
Mikey blinked, and considered going away. But then he kind of wanted to see what would happen.
"It's not here," said Frank, muffled with his head and shoulders disappearing into the lowest shelf on the bookcase. "What color is the cover again?"
Gerard chewed on his thumb a little, then sighed, "Green," in a dreamy voice when Frank bent over even further.
Mikey looked at Frank's ass too. He didn't really see the appeal – not that Frank had a horrible ass, or anything, just that he didn't really have one at all. He wasn't lanky like Mikey, but he was all straight up and down like a cereal box. Not like Ray. Ray totally had an ass worth looking at.
"Wait," said Frank, reaching back to tug at his shirt where it was riding up. The minute he let go it pinged back even higher, and Mikey saw Gerard hide a smile behind the books in his arms. Frank rummaged some more, and said, "The Apostolic Conundrum?"
"No," said Gerard. His cheeks were a little pink. "I think maybe it's even further in the back."
"Gerard, seriously, it's not down here and I am two breaths away from Death by Dustball, okay, just-" Frank looked awkwardly back under his arm, and when Gerard didn't drag his gaze away from Frank's butt in time Frank made his eyes hugely round and his mouth dropped open in an exaggerated pantomime of shock.
Gerard cracked up, burying his face in the books he was holding, and Frank straightened up, went over to him, tugged the books out of his arms and replaced them with himself. Gerard was still giggling when Frank kissed him, when Frank pushed him back against the desk, when Frank grabbed his hands and reached behind himself to put them firmly on his ass.
Mikey decided then that he would go away after all, but when he turned away he saw Ray, leaning in the doorway to his workroom, arms folded and a little smile on his face.
"What are you looking at?" he said.
"Nothing," said Mikey, which wasn't true, but it was nothing he wanted to talk about, which was the same thing. He went over and touched Ray's forearms, tracing the long tendons on the side with his fingertips before Ray unfolded his arms and put them around Mikey.
"I'm working on something cool," he said, and kissed under Mikey's ear. "You want to help?"
Mikey nodded yes, and followed Ray into his room. Ray handed him a beaker with red liquid in it. "What is it?" said Mikey, sniffing it warily.
"Just a dye," Ray said, and so Mikey reached out and very deliberately emptied the whole beaker over the front of Ray's shirt.
"Oh no," he said, while Ray stood there dripping and gaping at him. "Now you'll have to take your shirt off."
"Mikey!" said Ray, yanking the shirt off and staring at it sadly. "Why would you do that? I don't have a spare here!"
"That is terrible news," said Mikey, moving in and sliding his hands up over Ray's chest. "And you would think that I would know that, wouldn't you?"
"You, Ray started, and then gave up and pulled Mikey up against him, kissing him hard.
"Mmm," Mikey said happily, and put his hands in Ray's hair.
"We're not supposed to bring couple stuff to work," Ray mumbled against his lips. "Brian made a rule."
But Mikey was used to taking his lead from Gerard. "Perk of the job," he said, and kicked the door shut.
