Somebody Out There Loves You After All (Gerard Way x Reader)

(Chapter 19) Pancakes and Panic

A/N: This chapter may seem like filler at first, but it gets to a plot point in the end. Idk why I needed to say that but I felt like I should. 

After that faithful evening when I received the earth-shattering news that we were moving away from everything I loved, I was constantly downcast. The next day I had to harness my acting skills to disguise my dejection. I felt sluggish, giving minimal effort as I was exhausted from the severe lack of sleep I suffered from lying wide awake in my own depressive bubble for the majority of the night. Thankfully this kind of worked in my favor as I could hide my occasional gloomy staring off into space as I was tired. 

The next week crept by slowly dragging its feet; The days were shrouded in internal anguish and I became increasingly restless about how I was going to let the cat out of the bag and tell the guys. It was going to kill them to hear, but they would have to find out eventually. I would never come to terms with it enough to tell them without any worries, so delaying the inevitable would only strengthen the blow. 

We had just left school and were walking to Frank's house, somehow the thoughts looming over me had retreated just for a little while. We were all in a chorus of laughter as we usually were as we approached his front door, opening it and letting ourselves in from the frosty outside air and into the warmth of his living room.  I rubbed my hands together vigorously to heat them as I moved over to the couch, of course sitting next to Gerard with his arm slithering around my waist instantly. "Scooch it, I'd like to sit down," Frank announced, motioning with his hands for us to move. I simply replied by tapping him ever so lightly on the shin, causing him to fall to the floor.

"Ouchie, that hurted," he said like a two-year-old. 

"Good," I smiled down at the boy. "So what's on the agenda for this afternoon?" I asked into the open air. 

"I'm hungry and my shin hurts!" Frank exclaimed, still lying on the floor. 

"Oh, you're always hungry, Dingus," Ray responded, kicking the small man's shin yet again just for fun. Another audible yelp was sounded in reply. 

"Actually, I got an idea," Mikey piped up unusually. He was the type to just go along with whatever the group was doing, rarely if ever did he have an idea of his own. "How 'bout a pancake-making competition? We can tackle both Frank's hunger and our boredom." He vocalized his thought. 

"Now that's something I can get behind," Gerard said, the rest of us agreeing, especially Frank. 

We scurried to the kitchen, pulling out the boxes of pancake mix and other necessary supplies. Once everything was set out, Mikey asserted himself by declaring the rules, "So, basically, you two are gonna simultaneously cook pancakes and we will be the judges to see who can do it better," he pointed to Frank and me to be the two to cook. 

"Why me? I just want to eat the damn things," Frank pouted. 

"Entertainment." He said flatly. 

"Pffft okay then," he dismissed as we both walked over to where the pancake mix was, both starting the competition. 

"Frank, what in the fuck are you doing?" Gerard exclaimed toward the small rat boy who had somehow managed to spill the powder all over himself while doing the simple task of pouring the stuff out of the box and into the bowl. I chuckled as I cranked the stovetop on medium and I placed the pan on top. 

"Cooking, what the hell does it look like?" He replied sassily. 

"Looks like you're cosplaying as Casper the Ghost not makin' pancakes," Gee laughed at Frank. 

"I may be, but you're gonna scarf these pancakes up, I'm the pancake master," he said wiggling his eyebrows while doing the same steps haphazardly subsequently after I finished them. 

"Oh, yeah? Can you do this 'pancake master'?" I taunted as I diligently tossed a pancake up in the air, flipping it expertly as it fell back into the pan with a sizzle.

"Sure I can," he declared, tossing the pancake up, a look of uncertainty as it came hurling back down, landing halfway on the pan halfway hanging off the edge. We all laughed at the mangled part-cooked pancake carcass that was hissing sadly against the pan's edge. "See? Perfect." 

We both served up the pancakes to the guys, placing them on the table side by side. First mine was tried, earning content hums from the boys. Then it was Frank's. "What- What in the hell!?" We all cackled in disbelief at the sight on the plate. "Why is it uncooked in the middle but burnt on the edges?" I laughed pointing. We all took a bite, spitting it out immediately. 

"Well pancake master, we need to sharpen your skills, this doesn't even taste like a pancake. It's goopy," Mikey commented. 

"How have you made it this far in life without learning how to cook something so simple? You're almost a senior in high school Franklin." Gerard questioned, wiping a tear of laughter from his eye. He shrugged in reply as he sat down at the table next to Mikey. 

"Wow, we're gonna be seniors next year, that's fuckin' crazy man." Ray thought aloud making a ping of panic and sorrow ring through my mind as I remembered. 

I tried my best to not let my expression drop, but, of course, I failed miserably. Before I could catch myself, my face morphed into an ugly crying face, a few tears slipping before I could shield myself with my hands. I sniffled a whine as Ray's hand placed itself on my shoulder. With this action, I could tell without looking up that all the boy's attention was on me. "Y/n what's wrong?" They asked, all phrased a bit differently but getting the point of concern across. 

"I-" I began before letting out another weep. "I'm- I'm moving!" I exclaimed the excruciating word that had been festering and gnawing away at me for the past while. With the word uttered, I couldn't help but heave another sob, catching myself in a couching fit in the process. 

Some gasps were heard as they swiftly huddled around me, squishing me in a comforting group hug. They detached themselves after I alerted them that I in fact needed to be able to breathe, but Gerard still held me as we moved over to sit on the couch rather than back at the table. 

I collected myself a few minutes later, sighing as I ran my hand through my hair. "So yeah, I'm moving... Dad got a new job and we have to move down to Florida," I finally explained fully. More sounds of shock ensued as  I looked up at the gaping expressions on the faces of my best friends. 

"You're serious? Please tell me you're fucking with us," Frank asked. I couldn't say anything, only biting my lip as I nodded. Gerard held me tighter as I did this. 

"I don't even get to leave at the end of the school year, we're going in a month." 

"That cruel fucking man..." Frank shook his head, spitting the phrase with venom. 

"How can he do that? You've lived here all you're life, what's the deal?" Gerard asked with a swarm of outrage overtaking his tone. 

"Money." I said simply. "People will do anything for a dollar, including relocating his daughter from her life for some shabby job that only pays a little more than his other," I expanded. 

"Well I'll be damned, what is he thinking? He can't do that. It's vile," Mikey spoke up, pushing his glasses up furiously, eyebrows sunk to a scowl. 

"I know! I can't believe him," I shook my head, leaning further into Gerard as I crossed my arms.

"How much time do we have did you say?" Ray asked for confirmation. 

"A month," I repeated.

"Well, we're sure as hell gonna have to make it count," and with that, we all agreed to make the absolute most of the appallingly brief amount of time I had left in Belleville, and that's exactly what we did.