The Hue of Autumn is Blood (Frerard)

Chapter 3 - Nightclubbing with the Vampire Hunter

Blown out fairy lights spiralled around the nightclub bar's columns and dangled around the wine glasses. Whenever the club bought replacements, Gerard broke, smashed, fried them. Flashing lights hurt their brain. The bartender's red rag wiped down the beer taps, and he threw it over his shoulder.

To Gerard's surprise, Frank still held their hand. He didn't even attempt to let go—such fucking boyfriend material, why weren't they dating already.

In front of the line of vodka bottles, Gerard leaned against the bar and caught the bartender's eye.

The goth is back with their boyfriend, Gerard suggested. If only that was true.

The bartender smiled and approached them, "What can do for you, miss?"

Pain stabbed through their chest. Why did the bartender need to keep reminding them of this? Being perceived as a woman almost sucked the fun out of clubbing.

What drink were they in the mood for... Gerard tapped a finger to their lips, "I'll have a whiskey." They turned, "...And Frankie?"

Frank death glared at the bartender, licked their lip ring. He only looked at Gerard that way—was Frank mad?

Wines, liquors, and spirits lined the shelves behind the bar. Frank had never drunk alcohol in front of them, in fact, Gerard was unsure if Frank had tasted alcohol. Gerard tapped their lip again and added, "And a beer."

Beer seemed like the safest option.

The bartender nodded and retrieved a bottle of whiskey off the shelf.

Frank tugged their hand as his eyes followed the bartender. They were dying on the inside—well, in the way a vampire could die. Unsure of the status of their mortality, they assumed vampires were immortal with the stake in the heart the only exception. Despite all Frank's threats of staking, he never actually attempted to.

Frank said, "Why didn't you say anything?!"

Gerard spun around on the heel of the platforms, "Huh?"

Frank pointed to the bartender who dropped ice cubes into Gerard's drink, "He misgendered you."

"I look like a hot goth girl," Gerard sighed. "Don't remind me."

Why didn't the testosterone gel work like it did on humans? Vampires weren't that different, sure they were dead and all, but it's not like their organs vanished.

Frank frowned, "But you don't look like a girl."

If only Frank was right, his transgenderism coloured his view of Gerard. He couldn't see them as a cis person would. They never passed as a man, in fact, the only person who never misgendered them was Frank. Another reason why Frank radiated boyfriend material.

This topic of conversation seemed far too gloomy for a clubbing night. Gerard smirked, "Are you saying I'm hot?"

Frank flinched, and with his free hand curled his fingers and scratched his palm, "What—No... I..."

The sound of the glasses tapping against the bar made Gerard turn. The bartender smiled, crossing his arms.

You will give the hot goth free drinks, you might have a chance with them, Gerard suggested.

The bartender winked at them, "On the house."

At the opposite side of the bar, a woman in a white suit called for the bartender attention, he turned and walked towards her.

Gerard grinned and grabbed their whiskey as Frank continued to glare at the bartender.

Frank pressed his chest against the bar and slammed his fist on a coaster, it flew behind him and hit the back of a man with a mesh shirt.