On your knees // Bandom

14. Folkin' around

The hall wasn't packed, but it was the day of Romeo and Juliet auditions so neither was it empty. It was the end of lunch, and the teachers running it stood in one corner, talking and gesticulating with their pens. Pete, Patrick and Gerard were nervously congratulating each other, Frank and Jamia there for support. Ray had even cancelled his secret band practice for this, or at least it wasn't on because they were also auditioning, and Ryan and Brendon were making out against a wall, ignoring the slurs thrown casually at them. They'd been doing this long enough to at least pretend they didn't care.
Across the hall, Dallon and Ryan were also standing under the overhang of the upper level, 'secretly' holding hands.

As the bell for the end of lunch sounded, the head of drama looked them all over, a sort of tired disapproval carved into his face.
"The cast list goes up on Monday, but we have decided our leads, if you guys want to know?"
There was a chorus of nervous yeahs and he looked down at his clipboard.
"Romeo will be played by Dallon Weekes, and, despite controversy, the best audition for Juliet was by Gerard Way."
"Oh my god," Gerard turned around and threw his arms around Frank, "I can't believe it!"
"I can." He replied. "You were incredible,"
"Thanks babe, wanna get pizza tonight to celebrate?"
Frank grinned. "Hell yeah."
"If your mums okay with it?"
"Always."
Gerard pulled him back into a hug and buried his face in his hair. "I love you."
"Love you too, Juliet."

~

Pete and Patrick were walking back to Petes. Patrick with his uniform perfect and his hat pulled down low and Pete tightrope walking along a low wall, his tie hanging low and his shirt untucked. His arms out for balance.
"Sorry you didn't get Romeo, dude." Patrick offered.
"Its chill, I wanted Mercutio more."
"You're definitely gonna get him. Dallon and Gee though?"
"Apparently. They used to be close anyway it probably wont me awkward."
"Frank and Ryan'll get annoyed though."
"Ryan?"
"Seaman. Dalls new boyfriend, Im assuming."
"Really?"
"Blue hair? They were holding hands."
"Damn."

Pete jumped neatly to the pavement as they reached his house and opened the gate for Patrick. "M'lady."
Patrick stuck his middle finger up and him and walked to the door, opening it.
He was instantly jumped upon by Ash, Petes ten year old brother.
"Paddy!!!" The kid hugged him, he'd been like a big brother to him since forever but they hadn't seen each other for a few months.
"Ashley," Patrick teased.
"I got a girlfriend!" He exclaimed.
"Good for you, Ash, what's she called?"
"Alex! Shes so pretty,"
"Aww, well, can me and Pete steal the living room to watch a movie?"
"Can I join?"
Patrick glanced across at Pete, and perhaps he would have let him join, because he loved Ash, but Pete obviously didn't want him there. "No, sorry, its a princess film, you wouldn't like it."
"Can I try it? I might like it."
"Nope. But I'll see you later, I'll sneak away from Pete and come to your room."
"Okay, see you later, Paddy." He didn't give Pete a second look as he walked upstairs.

Patrick walked into the living room, and Pete was already setting up Netflix. "mcu or non-mcu"
"Mcu." He replies, setting into what had become his usual spot on the left hand aide of the sofa.
"Avengers or spinoff."
"How does deadpool sound?"
"Perfect."
Pete joined him on the other side as the mock credits begin.

About half way through, Patrick glances over at his best friend and all his dreams seem to vanish. Its not hot breathing and whispered sins but just Pete. Pete his best friend.
"I love you," he murmurs.
"Who doesn't," came the cocky reply.
Patrick rolled his eyes.
"Seriously, though," Pete looked him in the eye, "Im sorry that we don't do this more, and that stuff with Mikey has changed us. It shouldn't have."
"S'okay. Promise we'll be us more, though."
"Definitely." Pete grinned at him, Patrick returned his mind to the movie.

~

Frank and Gerard had gone round to Franks, but then Frank had been called by his dad to take Daisy out, and somehow they wound up wondering along the cliff-face in the midst of golden hour.

Below them, the salty spray of the sea turned rocks to sand, but neither boy were thinking about anything but each other, and these precious moments that felt all too much like love.

Gerard was explaining his comic universe, and he kept interrupting himself to check that Frank was okay, because no one else had listened like this. Not Mikey, not even Bert. Ray tried, but Gerard got it, it wasn't as interesting to other people.

"So, how many killjoys are there?" Frank was asking, and he seemed confused, because Gerard had spent far too much time world-building and his explanations weren't great, but he was trying.
"Technically four. But also they have helpers like Dr D and show pony."
"What about Blue and Red? The pornbots?"
"Porndroids," Gerard corrected. "And they're not killjoys, they're story happens way after, they are just victims of Bl/ind."
"So the killjoys basically do nothing?"
"They do something, just not much."
"Thats kinda pathetic but also totally unexpected and I love how real it is."
"Really?"
"Yeah, oh my god yeah, I've just been asking questions and stuff, but I really love it."
"Thanks," Gerard mumbled into his collar, blushing.

The sun sank lower. They didn't notice.

~

On Monday, the cast list was up.

Romeo - Dallon Weekes
Juliet - Gerard Way
Mercutio - Pete Wentz
Benvolio - Patrick Stump
Nurse - Lindsey Ballato
Paris - Jimmy Urine
Tybalt - Ray Toro
Friar Lawrence - Brendon Urie
Lord Capulet - Ryan Ross
Lady Capulet - Jamia Nestor
Lord Montague - Gabe Saporta
Lady Montague - Hayley Williams
Everyone else who auditioned will be extras and will probably have a speaking part. So show up!

Pete was studying the cast list Intensely when Mikey came up to him and hugged him from behind, resting his chin on Petes head, because he was just that tall.
"You got Mercutio, babe."
Pete hummed in agreement.
"What's wrong?"
"Lord Montague."
"Oh." Mikey paused for a moment. "Its okay, he'll have moved on. He's not that bad, right? You thought he was great at one point."
"True, what a mistake."
"He might have repented."
"Repented? Sounds like catholic bullshit to me."
"Hey, Catholic bullshit gets you good grades."
Pete laughed softly and turned around in his arms. "Love you."
"Love you too."

The corridor quietened as Lindsey and Jimmy walked in.
Jamia instantly spun around to face them.
"Jamia?" Jimmy asked.
"Yeah. And before your girlfriend says shit, I don't want to hear it."
Jimmy glanced across the others, looking for Ray, who had gone to the bathroom.. "She's not my girlfriend."
"Whatever."
Brendon stopped his conversation and came over. "Lindz? Jimmy? What happened."
Jamia pursed her lip then turned to Brendon. "Remeber how I said my friends were homophobic pricks? Meet my 'friends'"
"I was never homophobic." Lindsey sighed.
"So 'dyke' is complimentary now?"
"I...."
"Just fucking leave." Brendon stepped in front of Jamia, and Jamia moved back slightly in shock.
"Bren.." Jimmy tried, but Brendon just shook his head.

They passed Ray on the way back to the hall, and Ray grinned at them, unaware. Jimmy grinned back, but Lindsey remained staring at her feet, like she couldn't relax a muscle or she'd fall apart.

Brendon turned around to face Jamia.
"You okay?"
"Yeah, thanks for that."
"No problem. She can be a bitch."
Frank made his way over to them and put one arm around Jamia, who automatically relaxed into him and put her head on his shoulder.
He leaned down to her ear, close enough that no one else could hear what he was saying.
"Its okay to still like her."
"What?"
"Just because shes a homophobe and a bitch, you can still have feelings for her, doesn't make you a bad person, its just a complicated relationship."
Jamia half laughed into him "Why do you know me this well?"
"Im just lucky, I guess."

Ray appeared in the doorway.
"Why do I feel like I've missed loads."
"Jamias ex-friends stopped by." Frank supplied "Guess they're my ex-friends, too, but I was always the other guy."
"Damn, sucks."
"Its okay." Jamia replied. "I'm over it."
Frank and Brendon shared a look, but Pete started a conversation about some irrelevant, and all was forgotten. For now, at least.

An// A little disjointed and a little short I apologise