stronger together//frerard

chapter one

And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. — 1 Corinthians 13, 4-8
May.

"Maybe you should go," Gerard says, in a deep voice. He sounds hurt by his own words, but they can't hurt him more than they do Frank.

It's Friday night and they've just come home from the club where Frank's band, Broken Thoughts, played at. This band started out as a group of friends in college, after Frank realized that his band back home would never be the same again since the five of them pursued different paths and lost interest in their high school band. Frank was a little heartbroken after that, but he was the only one to apply to a school that wasn't too far away from home while Lukas had moved across the country and Jonas had traveled abroad. So Frank joined another band, and they're actually making it pretty big right now.

They recently put out a second album and it has helped them gain a lot of new fans, and now they have their own shows with bands opening for them and not the other way around. There are a few tour dates for the summer and Frank is proud to be in a band that is working hard to succeed and is turning out well in the music business.

Gerard, however, seems to have a problem with the shows they have been playing. After every single one of them, Frank comes home with him without fail, but Gerard either goes to bed immediately or starts fighting with Frank about the band and the show and the after parties that Frank should be attending. "I mean it, Frank. Go back to that party; it's your party and your friends are in there, your fans are in there. It's where you belong."

"I don't want to. I'm tired and I wanna be at home, with you," Frank argues back for the umpteenth time. He's sick and tired of discussing this.

"We're gonna have three weeks off this summer. That is plenty of time to be with me," Gerard retorts frustratedly, gesturing high with his hands and pulling the most intricate faces to pass his message. "It's Friday night, your band had an awesome show and your manager arranged a huge party for everybody. However, you're at home, doing nothing when you should be out there having fun. How does that make sense to you?"

"I didn't want to stay, what's the big deal?" Frank rolls his eyes, but not because he's annoyed. He just doesn't want to do this again or say these things again. Gerard keeps repeating himself and it's frustrating Frank to a point where he'd rather be an ass to Gerard and get this over with. "What's wrong with you? Lately, we haven't done anything together, because you've been so fucking distant. Is it the new place, or your new job? Or is it about you and me?"

Gerard seems to hesitate at this and Frank tilts his head, starting to think that he may have hit a nerve. He hopes so, actually, so they can finally get somewhere with this argument. It's getting repetitive. Gerard looks up at the ceiling and says, lowly, "It's definitely me. I'm too old for you."

Frank groans. He has heard this before, but he hoped that Gerard had stopped worrying about it. Frank isn't bothered that Gerard is past the forty years barrier. If so, he hopes he can get to that age and still have as much energy as Gerard, except he wants to use that energy to work and be a good boyfriend instead of fueling depressing fights. "Our age difference was never a problem when I was eighteen, so why is it a big deal now?"

"Look Frank, look at the two of us now. I'm forty-two years old, I'm a high school teacher and I do crappy art during my free time, while you're a twenty-five year old college student who sings in a rock band. We don't...." Gerard sighs and drops his arms at his sides, his expression strained as he searches for the right words to say. Then, he rubs his face and concludes, "We're not compatible."

"Are you serious?"

"You should be living your life, collecting the goods of playing music in a band that has a bright future ahead. You should be letting loose," Gerard continues. "That's what people your age do."