The Blade You Stained // Frerard // SEQUEL TO "NEVER COMING HOME"

• Chapter 1 •

I'd been on many dates. I wasn't new to the game. If it was any other person, I'm sure that I would've just thrown on the first button-up shirt in my closet, grabbed my coat, and left.

This wasn't just any other date, though.

This was Frank.

Goddamn Frank Iero had sent me a letter after 5 years of radio silence. 5 long, lingering years of not hearing a word from him, and then he just sends me a letter.

Well, he sent my home address a letter. My Mother, not knowing what my thoughts about Frank were after the breakup, called me and asked if she should have it redirected to my apartment. Of course, I said yes. And 3 days later, a crumpled envelope was handed to me from the front desk secretary. I rushed up the stairs to my apartment, slammed the door shut, and gave myself a paper cut as I viciously ripped it open.

The handwriting was so bittersweet and familiar. The way his words were scrawled out, the way they were long and thin, the way the red ink was darkest on the words that he had clearly thought about, it brought me back to the high school love letters slipped through the cracks of my locker or left in my Chemistry book.

9/1/17
Gerard,
God, even writing your name feels so weird to me.
I don't really know where to start.
I moved out. I left that hateful bitch's house right after I dropped out. I've tasted so many people since I left, but all of them remind me of you.
I want to make this right. I don't want us to be strangers anymore. Hell, I don't know anything about your life anymore. Did you graduate? What are you majoring in? Are you even alive? Is Mikey even alive?
Look, I'm going to Layla's Café on Halloween. If you want to come, please do. If you don't, I don't want to force you to. Do what you want. I won't be hurt if you don't come. I just... I guess what I'm trying to say is that I miss you.

Xoxo Frank

I didn't know what to feel. I was angry that he moved out, away from the reason that he left me, and he still didn't talk to me. I felt bad that he had to go through all of that by himself. I worried about what living with his mom did to him. I was happy that he finally felt safe enough to reach out to me again. 

I decided to write him back. I sat down at my desk, cleared my paintbrushes and charcoals off, and started writing. 

Frank,

Why wait that long? Let's do September 30th. 6:30. It's a date. 

And to answer your questions: yes, I graduated with a painfully average GPA. I'm majoring in Psychology. No, I'm actually writing this to you as a zombie. Mikey is also a zombie. This date is a setup so that we can eat you. 

I'm glad you wrote me, Frank. I missed you, too. I've missed you since the day you kicked me out of your house. I'm proud of you for leaving her. 

Xoxo Gerard

I sent the letter out the next morning. 

Today was the day. September 30th. Layla's cafe was only a short Uber ride from my house. I checked it online exactly 12 times to make sure that I had the right place. I ironed my shirt and tie twice. It was a black dress shirt. I buttoned it all the way and rolled the sleeves up. The tie was a deep blood red color. I wore the exact style of outfit to my senior prom. I went with Kitty, a girl who I met through Lindsay. She was a lesbian, and she didn't have a date. I wore that outfit because I knew that Frank would've liked it, if he was there.