One Shots (Emo Trinity)

gen z luv (frerard)

Frank never thought a simple like could change his life, but there he was. It all started one sleepless night when he found himself mindlessly scrolling through Instagram. His thumb moved out of habit, liking posts without much thought, until a particular one caught his eye-a black-and-white ink drawing of a figure sitting alone, lines etched with emotion that screamed pain, obsession, and something beautifully raw. The artist's username was simple: itsGerardWay. Without overthinking it, Frank tapped the heart icon.

"What are you doing?" Ray asked from across the room, his eyes still glued to the video game he was playing.

"Nothing important," Frank muttered, locking his phone and pretending it didn't matter. But it did. Later that night, he reopened Instagram. Gerard had posted a story: a dimly lit shot of a sketchbook, page after page filled with macabre but intricate drawings. The background music was Helena by My Chemical Romance.

Frank, terrible with words but unable to resist, swiped up and replied, "Nice drawings. They're kinda intense, though. Who hurt you?" He immediately regretted it, staring at the screen as if willing the message to disappear.

Seen. No response.

"Cool. Great. I just embarrassed myself to some emo stranger on the internet," he groaned.

But hours later, a reply came through: "Everyone. But mostly me."

Frank laughed, more at his own relief than the message itself. He typed back: "At least you're honest."

What followed were weeks of messages, starting late at night and spilling into the early hours of the morning. Gerard's dry humor and self-deprecating charm kept Frank hooked, while Frank's chaotic energy and relentless teasing managed to make Gerard smile, even through a screen. Their relationship grew in DMs, evolving into calls that lasted until their phones died, and eventually, Gerard made the bold suggestion:

"Let's meet."

Frank didn't hesitate.

The first meeting was chaos. Gerard showed up twenty minutes late to the coffee shop, wearing a wrinkled shirt that looked like it hadn't been washed in days, clutching a sketchbook as if it were a lifeline. He tripped over the threshold, muttering a quiet "Sorry" as he spotted Frank sitting by the window.

"I thought you'd be taller," Gerard said as he slid into the seat across from him.

"And I thought you'd have your life together," Frank shot back, raising an eyebrow.

Gerard laughed, a short, self-conscious sound. "Fair point."

They talked for hours, barely noticing the café emptying around them. Gerard showed Frank his drawings-dark, detailed pieces that he claimed were "just doodles," though Frank was convinced they belonged in a gallery. In return, Frank shared stories of his band days and his tendency to cause chaos wherever he went.

By the time they left, it was clear neither of them wanted the day to end.

"What now?" Gerard asked as they stood awkwardly outside the café, the evening air wrapping around them.

Frank grinned. "Let's see where the night takes us."

That night, they wandered aimlessly through the city, talking about everything and nothing. Gerard filmed parts of it on his phone-Frank making stupid faces under a streetlamp, both of them laughing so hard they nearly fell over. When they reached the river, Frank dared Gerard to dip his feet in. Gerard refused, but Frank pushed him anyway, sending him stumbling into the shallow water.

"You're an asshole," Gerard laughed, dripping wet but grinning like a fool.

"And you love it," Frank shot back.

When Gerard posted the video of their escapade to TikTok, he captioned it: "When the FYP gives you more than you bargained for."

The video went viral. Overnight, their followers doubled, then tripled, with comments flooding in:
"This is what love looks like."
"When's the wedding?"
"Gerard, don't let this man go."

Frank wasn't sure how to feel about the sudden attention. He liked that people saw how happy Gerard made him, but there was a nagging fear in the back of his mind-a paranoia that something so perfect couldn't possibly last.

"Do you think this is... stupid?" Frank asked one night as they lay on Gerard's couch, the TV playing some old rom-com neither of them were paying attention to.

"What? Us?" Gerard frowned, his brow furrowing in that way Frank found both adorable and frustrating.

"Yeah. I mean, we met online. Our whole relationship is practically built on algorithms and likes."

Gerard shifted closer, resting a hand on Frank's cheek. "Maybe it is stupid. But who cares? It's real to me. Isn't it real to you?"

Frank didn't answer with words. Instead, he leaned in and kissed him, pouring all his fears and feelings into the moment.

Later, as they scrolled through the latest round of comments on their newest video-a montage of their chaotic adventures set to a cheesy pop song-Gerard turned to Frank and said, "What are we going to tell people when they ask how we met?"

Frank smirked. "Something ridiculous, obviously. Like, I bought you off eBay."

Gerard rolled his eyes. "Be serious."

"I am serious. Or... we could just tell them the truth."

"The truth?"

"That I found you on my Explore page and decided you were worth the risk."

Gerard smiled, his eyes softening. "I guess that works."

And maybe their love wasn't conventional. Maybe it was messy, impulsive, and, yes, a little childish. But for Frank and Gerard, it was everything.