On your knees // Bandom

16. It's Almost Halloween

The night before Halloween, Ryan and Dallon were at Dallons, playing his playlist through his speakers, eating chocolate and talking.
"So, why do you never tell people about your family?" Ryan took a Malteser.
"I don't like having strings attached, I guess. Then again, why do you never tell people about your family?"
Ryan bit his lip.
"You really want to know?"
"Yeah."
"Because I hate my circumstances. Because I get emotional when I bring it up because I don't want people to look at me differently."
"We all have shit, Ry, I'm not going to force you to tell me but..."
"My mum left my dad when I was four. My dad got paralysed a year later. I've had to grow up looking after him and getting the blame for all of it. My mum sends financial support from an automated, untraceable account and has not seen either of us in fourteen years."
"Sounds like a spy novel."
Ryan grinned at him.
"That's my favourite reaction."
"Thank you."
"What about you?"
"I... have another sister"
"Wait, what?"
"Yup."
"You told me about Ella and Layla, though, what's so different?."
"For starters, she's uh... actually my twin."
"You have a twin?"
"Yeah and she's... incredible."
"So why act like she doesn't exist?"
"She goes to a ballet school out of state. Definitely my parents favourite."
"That's the big secret?"
"Also my mum has two jobs, my step-dad has none, there's no big story to my biological dad, they divorced a couple of years back, so I don't love discussing it, but yeah, Taylor."
"Taylor."
"Uh huh.
"Sounds like a bad YA novel."
Dallon rolled his eyes, but stopped mid-roll and gasped.
"This- this is my song."
"What?"
Dallon motioned towards the speaker, which was playing 'A Little Respect' by Erasure.
"This is my song."
"Your song?"
"Yeah, like, I was super into Erasure when I was figuring out that I was gay, and basically every important moment has happened to this song. My first kiss, my first boyfriend. The aftermath with my step-dad after the first fight about whether homosexuality was okay."
"Breath, Dall, calm down." But Ryan was smiling.
"Everything important has happened to this song. When it plays its a sign."
"It's called shuffle."
"Shut up and dance with me, Ryan Seaman. I want you to be an important thing too."
"Thats sweet but I can't dance."
Dallon pulled him to his feet anyway, and swayed them slightly around his room, Ryan was obviously exasperated, but here they were, dancing around his room to his song. This may have originally been about Brendon, but who was he to ignore fate?

~

Gerard and Jamia arrived at Franks on the morning of the 31st of October with massive bags. They contained party decorations, costumes, and, most importantly, Franks birthday present. Frank was not, however, allowed to open them until the others arrived hours later, but who cares, still exciting.

Frank greeted them at the door with one hand full of various fabrics.
"I need your help." He proclaimed.
"Go ahead," Jamia replied, pushing past him into a house she knew almost as well as her own.
"What should I be? I have three options."
"Three options?" Gerard repeated, pulling off his coat.
"Yeah, Lobster-"
"Why do you have a lobster costume?" Jamia should probably be used to Frank by now, but, lobster???
"The real question, Jamia, is why don't you?" She laughed and he smiled at her and continued listing his options.
"I also can be a ware-wolf," he paused to sent an unsubtle look in Gerard's direction, Jamias eyes widened as she understood it. "Gerard. Arther. Way." He flinched slightly. "Are you a furry?"
"No..."
She raised her eyebrows.
"I'm.... interested in the subculture."
"Ohmygod you're a furry."
Frank had stayed quiet until then, but this was the final straw and he lost it, falling onto the couch and laughing almost to tears.

"Okay." Jamia took control of the situation "what is the third option?"
Frank took a deep breath, "Chuck-e-cheese..." then he was laughing again, collapsing into Gerard.
Jamia shook her head. "I hate it. Please do it."
"Wait you actually think I should show up to my own birthday-come-Halloween party in a chuck-e-cheese costume?"
"Overalls are hot," Gerard commented and Frank lightly shoved him, keeping his eyes on Jamia.
She grinned. "Yes."
It was settled.

"Decorating first or costumes first?" Gerard asked, and although it was Franks party, he just turned to look at Jamia.
She grinned "Costumes, please, I wanna see chuck-e-cheese as a four-foot New Jersey emo."
"I'm taller than four foot," Frank complained. Jamia responded with a 'really??' face and he sighed.
"Also," she added as he turned to go. "You and Gee are not getting changed in the same room."
"Fine, mom."
Gerard laughed. "I'll take the bathroom."
"Jamia, you can have my mums room."
"Cool."

Jamia was changed first and then sat at the top of the stairs waiting, her white, wine-stained, wedding dress spread aesthetically over her knees. Frank burst out of his room a moment later, a red wig covering his hair and wearing oversized red dungarees over a striped top.
Jamia had to do a double-take.
"You like?" He asked.
"I'm traumatised."
"By how good I look?"
Jamia was about to respond when Gerard's voice called out from the bathroom.
"Jamia?"
"What's wrong?" Frank replied automatically.
"Can Jamia come in here and, uh, help me for a min."
"Can I help?" He asked.
"Frank she's a lesbian there's no need to be jealous."
"Fine." He grumbled. Jamia shot him a 'shut-up' look and the bathroom lock clicked open.

When Jamia slipped into the room it took her eyes a moment to adjust. Gerards look was unexpected. He was wearing a black baggy top and matching leather miniskirt with fishnets. His eyeliner was perfect but he was obviously struggling with the other half open makeup containers.
She grinned at him and started to sort through what he had. "So, Gerard..." then she stopped, noticing, once again, that he flinched at her calling him that. Last time she had put it down to the faux anger in her voice, but she suddenly wasn't so sure.
"Why don't you like the name Gerard?" She asked.
"What?"
"You obviously don't like people calling you that."
"I- it doesn't feel that me."
"You prefer 'art boy'."
"I.." he paused carefully, weighing his answer. "I prefer art-person."
Jamias eyes first furrowed then widened as she got their meaning. "Oh."
"But I haven't said anything and I didn't mean to say that I just... I'm confused and this isn't a thing or maybe it is I just..." They were fumbling.
"Hence the skirt?" She asked.
"I don't know. I don't know why I wore this. I just wanted an excuse to see how it felt."
"And how does it feel?"
"Right."
"That's why you brought it up."
"I guess."
Jamia nodded, then started to calmly do their makeup. "You should talk to Frank."
"I know, but he's gay, right?"
"Yeah, but he likes you far more than he's certain of his sexuality."
"I'm just scared."
"When he first told me he liked guys, my immediate response was 'Gerard Way guys?' Because I don't think you made him realise he was gay, but I'm almost certain you were the last straw."
"I didn't know that."
"Look," She searched for a name, "Gee, it's your choice who you talk to, how you treat it, and when you do that. But you need to talk to Frank at some point."
"Probably."
"Definitely."

When they emerged from the bathroom, Gee was looking perfectly made up and Frank was laughing at his phone.
"Hey," Gee started and he immediately looked up.
"Holy fuck."
Gee smiled.
"Hey, Jamia?" Frank asked, keeping his eyes on his boyfriend. "How straight is finding miniskirts hot?"
"I'm gonna just go check what cupcake ingredients you have..." Jamia went downstairs and Gee nervously pulled at the bottom of their skirt. Frank shook his head slightly. After a moment of almost awkward silence, he spoke up. "I'm sorry for just staring, wanna switch to making out?"
Gerard laughed. "Usually, although you kinda look like a clown on drugs..."
"I thought you liked overalls?"
"Yeah, because you can do this." Gee grabbed the straps and pulled him closer.
"Yeah okay, I agree." Frank breathed out.
"You really think the miniskirts hot?"
"I think you're hot, no matter what you're wearing."
"Good save, babe."
Gee kissed him softly.
"You taste like chocolate."
"I found Aeros in my room."
"How many months old."
"They were unopened, who cares."
Gee laughed and leaned in to kiss him again, and if they didn't mention anything important, then that was probably the right thing to do. Because today was Franks day, and he wanted to eat chocolate and make out and host a spooky Birth-ween party. (He also chose the name).
"So? Cupcakes?"
Frank laughed slightly. "She just used that as an excuse to leave, we don't have time for cupcakes."
"Decorating, then?"
"Hell yeah!" Frank pumped one fist into the air and grabbed Gee with his other hand, pulling them both down the stairs.

Jamia was waiting for them downstairs.
"Frank? We have five hours. Graveyard theme?"
"We could do the longer version."
"We worked this out. We don't have time."
"We have three people, though." Frank motioned towards his boyfriend.
"Okay," Jamia turned to Gee. "Will you help or will you just stare at Frank Because it's usually reciprocated but we have been planning this our whole lives and we cannot screw this up."
"Yeah, I can probably just help Frank."
"Sounds good, Come on."
Frank pulled them off into decorating

An// im sorry this has taken ages I have like 6 things in writing it's traumatic.
Also the pronouns thing, so Gees gonna be referred to as they/him.
Xx