Disenchanted (Frerard + Petekey)

This Is The Best Day Ever

Gerard hadn't returned to class.
He had however, made a promise to Mikey to come home Tuesday after school, and Gerard would rather die than break a promise.

He'd slunk back to school just in time to get on the bus, making sure to steer clear of the vice principal who was monitoring the loading of students.

As the bus half-full of high schoolers pulled into the middle school to fully load itself Gerard found himself unceremoniously squished by a newcomer to his seat.

Who the hell..?

Mikey.
Gerard had been staring angstily out the window, music blaring through his headphones, his school bag taking up any remaining space on the seat.

Mikey had angrily shoved his brother's bag into him, squeezing into the seat hastily as the rest of the kids filed on.

"Jesus dude, could've warned me." Gerard paused his music and reorganized his space to make room for his brother. They didn't normally sit together.

Mikey sat holding his backpack on his lap. He had both arms wrapped tightly around it, staring intently down at one of the buttons he'd pinned to it. He looked like he was wrestling with his thoughts.

"...I'm glad you're back." He spoke without looking up, "Are you okay? Cause, I know you're not... but I want you know," he looked over abruptly at his brother, "I'm not some little kid anymore. You can tell me things. You can trust me. You can talk to me about it, whatever it is. You know that right?"

He was practically pleading with Gerard, and people were starting to shoot the two of them quizzical looks.

Gerard managed a half-smile as he replied, "I know Mikes, but it's okay. I'm okay. I'm sorry I scared you, I'll try not to do that again, but it's okay now."

God could you say 'okay' another time, I don't think he got the message.

The younger brother just nodded, returning his attention to his bag. "Okay, if you say so. I just wanted you to know."

Gerard turned back to face the window, resuming his music.

Shit I really must've scared him for him to come out with that... you're slipping Gerard. First Bert, then Ray, now Mikey's catching on? It's amazing I've made it so many years honestly...

He watched out the corner of his eye as Mikey dug his own headphones from his bag and turned on his music. Closing his eyes and leaning his head back against the seat.

He still looked so young to Gerard, he sometimes had to remind himself his kid brother wasn't so much a kid anymore. He was now a teenager in his own right, hell he maybe even had a girlfriend or something!

He huffed out a laugh, Mikey? A girlfriend? He's a nice guy but come on, look at him.

Gerard regarded his brother sneakily, trying to be subjective about the boy's appearance.

Wait, what even do girls like? Not me. He doesn't look like me... maybe they do like him? Hah. Good for you kid.

And he had to admit despite his bespectacled face, and the awkward length shaggy hair that clearly needed a trim and a shampoo, Mikey was a pretty average looking human. At least to Gerard.

He made a mental note to maybe try to actually talk to his brother about his life.

It might be safe to talk about Mikey's life, heck maybe Gerard could even help steer him down a better path than he'd taken. If he ever got a handle on the voices that is. He couldn't risk infecting his brother with his own illness, even though he knew it didn't really work that way.