Staring through the demons (unholyverse )

12

"We're not going to find out anything real unless we can get them to open up," Gerard sighed, rubbing his forehead when they were having a meeting the next day. "But I don't see that happening. They don't trust us."

"They don't have any reason to," Frank said. "They don't know who we are."

Gerard sighed. "Frankie, we've been over this. We agreed."

"No, you decided. I still think it's best to tell them-"

"What, Frank, that we watched you almost bleed to death from stigmata so we know our shit?"

"If we have to! Do you think I would have told you shit if I didn't know you were a priest?"

Mikey rolled his eyes, willing Gerard to back down so they could get on with what they were doing.

Of course, he didn't. "You didn't tell me shit anyway; as I recall you tried to throw me out of your apartment and then neglected to give me any information that might help you."

"Fuck you, I did not, you're such a-"

"Guys!" Brian cut in sharply. "There isn't time for Frank and Gerard's Great Debates right now, okay? We're going to be in Chicago in two days."

Gerard raised his hands in apology. Frank looked mad, but he went quiet, staring grumpily out of the window.

Brian went on, "We have to have this figured out by then because I don't think Bob's folks will be thrilled to put us all up indefinitely."

"Are you kidding?" said Bob. "It's my mom, dude, that's like her dream come true."

"Well, even so," Brian said, smiling slightly. "Father, are you coming to watch the show tonight? You haven't yet."

Gerard shook his head. "I actually thought I'd hang out in the lobby or whatever, see if any more kids get sick."

"Right," Mikey spoke up. "Because you're such a master of blending. You're wearing a collar."

Gerard rolled his eyes. "It comes off."

"Are we going out tonight?" Frank said suddenly. Everyone looked at him and he shifted in his seat. "What? Everyone's going out after the show to celebrate...I don't know, staying in one place for five minutes. I thought there might be a few loose tongues worth listening to after a drink or five."

Ray eyed him suspiciously. "You just want to go out and get wasted."

Frank scowled. "What if I do? It's been forever. And besides, we're invited. Cortez asked me if we were going."

"Cortez asked if you were going," Bob leered at him.

Frank flipped him off. "I'm just saying, there's no better way to gain someone's trust than getting them completely bombed."

"It certainly worked on that kid from the coffee shop," Bob said mildly, and then ducked, laughing, when Frank tried to punch him in the head.

"Oh my God, I'd forgotten that," Ray snickered. "That wasn't even a seduction, okay, that was a military campaign. The kid never stood a chance!"

"Shut up!" said Frank. "Shut the fuck up, Toro."

"But Frank, I'm straight!" Ray squeaked.

"Sure you are, baby," Bob boomed in an exaggerated pantomime of Frank's voice. "Another beer?"

Mikey couldn't help laughing, even though he knew it would make Frank mad. Frank's efforts to convince the kid from the coffee shop that a trip down the Kinsey Scale would be a healthy life experiment were legendary; it had gone on for months, seriously months of Frank going to the coffee shop every damn day and hanging over the counter and wearing all his cutest clothes and convincing the kid to go to shows with him and getting him wasted enough that he didn't mind Frank getting handsy. It had worked in the end.