Devil's Work (Frerard / Priest!Gerard)

Twelve

Twelve

"This is nice" Lynz commented from where she sat perched on the ground, a cigarette balanced between her bright red lips and her boot-clad legs crossed underneath her as she watched me paint, her eyes following my every move in a way only artistic people truly appreciated. "It's therapeutic to watch you paint." 

"It's even more therapeutic if you're the one painting" I turned to her and held out the black can "Here, try it." She got to her feet and took the can, looking wearily at my work. I had nearly finished my drawing of two hands reaching out to each other, but being held back by a whole horde of arms that seemed much more grey in colour. Underneath I was going to write 'society prevents growth' but there was still plenty of space on the opposite wall of the underpass for Lynz to create something. 

"Go on Lynz" Jimmy added from behind his sunglasses "You know you'd be good at it" he turned to me "Linds is an amazing artist, just wait until you see her sketchbook." 

"Shut up before you make me blush" She chuckled, turning back to the wall as the three of us watched her. She slowly and gracefully started to spray, and I could already tell that she was a natural. At first we didn't know quite what she painting, but it soon became clear that she was drawing a bass guitar, held by the silhouette of a woman who was obviously meant to be her. She finished it off and stepped back, smiling at her work. 

"That's great" Oli grinned from where he was perched on an overturned shopping trolley. We'd come to a not so nice area of the town to avoid suspicion and getting caught, plus Oli knew the area pretty well and easily found a good spot for me to tag in. "We should probably make a move though, someone's bound to come down here at some point." 

"Yeah" I started to pack away my cans, catching the one that Lynz threw back to me at the same time, "I guess I should go home and get it over with." None of them knew exactly why I was so unwilling to go back to my family, but i was sure they could all make an educated guess and figure out that we'd probably just rowed again. 

"Okay, well good luck man" Oli gave me a somewhat encouraging smile "If you need me i'll be at home so just call me or something." 

"Me and Lynz might have a Breaking Bad marathon later at mine, if you wanna come over then you're more than welcome" Jimmy stood up and re-adjusted his jacket. 

"Thanks guys, and I guess it depends on what it goes like back at the house" I was going back to referring to it as the house instead of home, because it had never felt like somewhere I could exist happily. "But if it goes to complete shit then i'll give you a ring." 

"Okay, well good luck" Lynz gave me a brief hug before we all walked out from under the bridge, and proceeded to go our separate ways. Part of me just wanted to run off with them, back to Jimmy's where we could just watch TV and forget about my problems, but a bigger part of me knew that the longer I left it, the more the anger would build up inside me and eventually spill over. 

I looked up at the house with a long, unimpressed sigh, knowing I would have to go in and face them. Even if I had to live with them, I knew that unless they were respectful then I wouldn't speak to them. I wasn't going to put up with any sort of insults based on my sexuality or any insults in general, and i was going to make that clear. 

When I stepped inside the first person I saw was Ray coming out of the kitchen. He smiled when he saw me, looking almost relieved. 

"Frank - you're back" He stepped closer towards me, seeming genuinely happy with my presence which was probably more than could be said for his parents when they realised I had arrived back. "I was worried."