MY CHEMICAL ROMANCE ONESHOTS

solo

(trigger warning for mild mild MILD swearing)

(ahahha i'm venting jeez. is story-version frank going through the same stuff that i am? yes. except this one comes with a nice resolution.)

(oh, and if you know me and you're reading this, no you're not. go away /lh but seriously go)

           Four years ago, Gerard joined his middle school choir in an attempt to hone his singing skills. Also because he liked the teacher. She was very sweet, plus she promised a bunch of parties and even a trip to an amusement park at the end of the year if Gerard joined. So he did.

           Gerard hadn't stopped being in choir. It was now one of his electives in high school. He planned to sign up for it next year, and the next year... and the next year til graduation. The songs weren't always his taste, exactly, but it was fun to sing nevertheless.

           One year, he met a newcomer named Frank. To be blunt, he wasn't awesome at singing chorally. He had a certain edge to his voice that would sound great in a punk or metal band, but it wasn't very smooth. It didn't blend at all. Frank didn't quit, though, and for that, Gerard admired him a ton.

           They were in separate class periods, so they didn't see each other much other than in math and at concerts. Frank always made sure to give him some finger guns and a loud "Heeey, Geraaaard!" whenever they crossed paths, though.

           "We're going to have a spring concert," announced Miss Roberts in class. "During rehearsal today, I'll pull you aside to fit you into your formal uniforms: dresses for girls, tuxes for guys. The three songs we've been practicing will be performed, as well as the other classes' work."

           Gerard remembered how certain people had been asked to do a solo in one of the songs. Gerard hadn't been, so he guessed he wasn't that great. He was creating a list of names in his head that were maybe soloists when Miss Roberts instructed the class to stand and warm up.

● ● ●

            Frank clipped on his bow tie and messed with the sleeves of his suit, pulling his hands in and out, when he saw Gerard walking by with his classmates. Frank grinned and did his silly finger guns.

            "Heeey!" he greeted. 

            "Hey, man, looking sharp," Gerard nodded.

            Frank's brain wrinkles smoothed briefly at the comment. Compliments were great, but from someone as cool as Gerard? He couldn't even reply properly.

            "Yeah," he said. "Thanks. I feel like a butler."

            "I was thinking more like... Bond. James Bond," Gerard jested.

            "Yeah!" Frank laughed. "Coming to school in dress shoes was a little weird." He'd worn a baggy shirt and baggy pants with his dress shoes, which made it much weirder.

            "Oh, I didn't wear mine," Gerard replied. "I was carrying around a paper bag with them in it all day."

            Frank laughed again. It wasn't even that funny. 

            Without any warning, Gerard pinched the corners of Frank's bow tie and adjusted it. Apparently, it had been lopsided. "Good luck with the concert, dude," he grinned.

            Frank gaped. "Uh, yeah. You too!"

            Gerard then realized that his chunk of the choir was escaping and he should probably try to catch up. He ran to them, looked over his shoulder, wiggled his fingers at Frank, and walked away with the rest of the choir kid horde.

           Wanting to punch himself for being so damn awkward, Frank wiped his sweaty palms on his pleated pants and turned back to his own choir gang.

● ● ●

            Though the three songs felt like a lot when they were being learned and practiced, performing them went quickly. Soon it was Gerard's turn to sit in the audience and listen to his fellow singers. It was nice and all, and the choir was definitely super talented, but it got pretty boring. Gerard was thinking about going home, and sneaking out to get his water bottle, and sleeping, and Frank, and his math homework... double-take: Frank?

            Gerard kept his sleepy eyes peeled for Frank and his choir group to come onstage, and after what felt like a thousand eternities, they slowly and quietly (mostly) crawled onstage. Frank, of course, landed on the bottom riser. It was a little hilarious.

            The piano lady began to play an intro for the piece. The choir teacher/conductor cued the kids to come in by raising and dropping her hands, motioning for more sound from the sopranos or pointing at the basses if it was their turn to sing. 

            Gerard thought he'd been wrong when he saw it as the choir kids walked on, but it was really there: a microphone in Frank's hand that was now shakily rising to his mouth. He inhaled deeply, then sang alone without the rest of the choir.

           Gerard had been sucked in. He rested his elbows on his knees and leaned in to hear Frank's singing. He'd clearly practiced, and he sounded incredible. It was short, and soon the rest of the choir was singing in unison once more, but after hearing the solo, Gerard kept his ears perked for Frank's voice amongst the other singers. It was angelic.

            After the performance, Gerard went into the hallway in search of Frank. He had to let him know how well he'd done.

● ● ●

            Frank bit at a hangnail on his thumb. Had he done well on the solo? Giving him the part had been a last minute decision because the soloist had their schedule changed and were no longer in the school's choir. Frank had practiced long and hard to sound as good as his peers — as good as Gerard — and still, he felt like he did poorly. He sighed, dissatisfied, and shoved his jacket back into the garment bag.

            All of a sudden, someone slammed the door open against the wall and came running up to Frank. It was Gerard.

            "Dude, you were so awesome!" Gerard nearly yelled.

            "Wh... huh?"

            Gerard took a breath and talked more calmly. "Your solo was so rad. I didn't even know you were doing one."

            Frank shrugged. "Me neither. They just kind of told me to do it," he replied quietly.

            Gerard shrugged back and looked down at Frank's tie again. He fixed it again and sighed dramatically. "That's really bothering me," he muttered. "...like it won't stay up." 

            Frank stared holes into Gerard's face, which was staring at Frank's stupid bow tie. Gerard didn't take his hands off the tie immediately, but he did take his gaze off and onto Frank's face. He smiled his signature smile with his little teeth and kissed Frank's nose, leaving him dumbfounded.

            "See you in math," Gerard said as he walked away.

            Frank, with his mouth open like an idiot, brought his fingers to his newly-kissed nose and beamed. He didn't know he had a crush on Gerard til just then, but he was definitely willing to accept it.