Short fic writing trip

Adoption Fic 6

Ha ya'll thought I was gone huh? Yea well so did I so we're both surprised. Honestly I probably wouldn't have come back if it wasn't for a writing server I joined and I finally let the plot bunnies free. I'm kinda riding off a high of inspiration so who knows when I'll stop and disappear for a year again. We'll see how invested I get.

"Name's Frank."  

Like it was the most casual thing in the world. Like it's not only possible but common to meet a more or less super star after sneaking into a festival. She had to have been dreaming, none of this was real. This is the stuff of fan fiction, there's no way it could happen in real life.

And yet here he stood, hand out in greeting as if he was just a regular person on the street, and looking expectantly at her.

"H-Hi, um, sorry to bother you, about that earlier, um, M-Mr. Iero?" She cringed at how she stumbled over herself, not at all the kind of impression she wanted to make in front of a quarter of one of her most beloved bands.

He laughed, "God please never say that again, makes me sound old as fuck. Just Frank's fine. And don't worry about it, those guys can be assholes sometimes. Though, can I ask what you're doing sneaking into the venue this close to the stage? Security's much more lax behind the food trucks y'know."

Still reeling from the absurdity of the encounter, she found it difficult to maintain her usual composure. But if The Frank Iero was going to treat this casually, then she at least owed him the same. She tried her best to steady her voice, "I-I didn't even know there was a festival going on, I just, followed the noise from a bit away and just looked for the easiest spot to get through, I was hoping I-I could get to the crowd before anyone noticed." Nailed it. Not.

He chuckled slightly at that. "Okay well I gotta respect the balls that takes, you were pretty quick with that bracelet lie. What's your name, kid?"

She opened her mouth to respond, but realized she didn't have anything to tell him. She had been so used to everyone calling her Sis or Sissy she'd forgotten what her back up names were.

"Wait you heard that?" She hoped it was enough to distract him for long enough to make up a name.

"I couldn't help but laugh at it, I saw you try to slip through and get caught and had to know what your cover was. We get a few people trying to get back stage sometimes and the things they say are some of the best ice breakers at a party. Yours is definitely going to be a hit."

She was left with so many questions she'd forgotten a name, again. If he keeps talking maybe he'll forget.

He didn't.

"Still didn't tell me your name kid, I gotta know the hero of my next awkward gathering story y'know."

"Uhh," fuck it. "I usually go by Sis, it's what all my... friends say."

Frank raised his eyebrow a bit but seemed to go with it. "Nice to meet you, Sis, say let me see if we've got leftover weekend passes and I can give you one so you don't have to keep running to security and getting jumpy. If anyone gives you shit you can just say you're with me." He waved for her to follow backstage, but paused as he realized she hadn't moved.

She cleared her throat and shuffled a little awkwardly, "I don't even have enough money for a general admission for one day, I can't afford a weekend pass. I can just leave and not be a bother anymore. It was really nice to talk to you, and thank you for getting that guard off my back."

"Nah, c'mon, no charge, I'd hate to see a kid walk away and not enjoy some good music." She remained in place, this time confusion rooted her in place.

"Why? I mean you said you get people like me all the time, and I'm just another ice breaker right? Why are you going through all this effort for me?"

Frank paused, he looked almost sad. "You look like you need the break. I mean, I would've thought that guy was roughing you up the way you jumped back from him. Something tells me this is a much needed escape. In case you forgot, our band is supposed to be for people like you. Seems a little against our message if we don't use what power we've got to help out where we can," he shrugged to emphasize his point. "Obviously a weekend pass isn't going to fix whatever you've got going on, but we know how much we can mean to people, so the memory of a few days with us and all the other great bands here can get you through some tough times. So don't worry about the money, if management's up my ass about it I'll cover for you."

She didn't know what to say, no one had ever been so kind to her, though she wasn't sure what to expect from the short guitarist. They say never meet your idols, many tell of the times they'd come to realize that who they thought were the best people in the world were actually total assholes, and she almost expected as such during this encounter. Maybe not to a level as some of the stories she's heard, but at least a little disconnected. At no point did she expect such open and seemingly unconditional kindness. Of course, she hadn't expected to meet Frank at all, so she should've kept her mind a little more open.

Finally she moved, and they walked back to a table set up with all kinds of papers and laminated sleeves strewn about, and Frank fashioned a pass for her and led her back to the edge of the stage, just before the crowd. She noticed the prior band say this was their last song, and Frank smiled.

"That's my queue, we're up next. I better see you singing your lungs out, we can call that your payment huh?"

She nodded and excitedly ran into the hoard of people, pushing her way up to the front despite groans and complaints from the people around her. She didn't know what kind of luck befell her today, but to hell if she was gonna waste it. She wanted to make sure Frank saw her wholeheartedly appreciating his generosity.

She'd never cheered so loud at the sound of a single piano note.