Cigarettes and Sass (reupload)

Chapter 6

Gerard returned to the table with a sheepish smile, Brian staring at him with a mixture of concern and irritation. Gerard took his seat beside him with a soft apology for being gone so long, Brian sliding Gerard's drink over to him with a small frown.

"Is everything alright?" He asked quietly, Gerard nodding quickly as Frank sat opposite him with a playful grin on his face. His eyes were sparkling with mischief and Gerard couldn't help but feel nervous. What was that man planning?

"What were you and Frank talking about?" Brian pushed, his voice lowered so that Frank wouldn't hear but Gerard only shrugged off the question and took a sip of his drink.

"Has the food been ordered?"

"Yep. I got you the chef special, I've been here loads so I know it's good." Matt smiled, answering Gerard's question before Brian could try and steal his attention again. Matt was a good friend of Frank's and he knew him well enough to know he wasn't the kind of guy to steal another man's boyfriend. Or potential boyfriend... As much as he felt bad for Brian who was obviously trying to get with Gerard, he knew Frank would leave them to it if he thought the guy stood any sort of chance.

Matt was good at reading people and he could tell Gerard was feeling a little uncomfortable around Brian. He was obviously incapable of telling the poor guy that he wasn't interested, and Brian apparently wasn't taking the hint. Frank had been talking about Gerard all week so Matt knew he was interested in him, and from what he had seen in the bathroom it was now clear Gerard felt the same. Clearly if Brian could be tempted away then all would be well, and Matt was sure he would be able to think of something to get the dark haired beauty away from Frank and Gerard.

"So, Brian... You work with Gerard?" Matt asked conversationally as he took the bottle of wine from the centre of the table and topped up Brian's glass for him. Brian was still scowling at Gerard when Matt spoke, but eventually he managed to force himself to turn and look at Matt.

"Uhuh... I'm an artist for Cartoon Network." He said softly, his tone a little sulky. Gerard glanced apologetically at him, really not wanting to upset him but as Matt started to ask him questions about the kind of work he did and sucked him into a friendly conversation Gerard found himself being distracted by Frank.

Frank knew that Matt was working to secure Brian's attention, and he was grateful to him. He could always rely on Matt, he wasn't just his agent, he was his best friend and Frank grinned as he slowly slid his foot across the floor to nudge against Gerard's. The older man was concentrating mostly on Brian and that simply wasn't good enough for Frank. He wanted him looking at him.

Gerard jumped when he felt Frank's foot rub alongside his own, it clearly not an accident. He looked away from Brian and met Frank's gaze with wide eyes as the younger man grinned playfully at him, his foot starting to slide up the back of Gerard's leg.

Gerard felt his breath stutter and he had to bite his tongue to stop himself from demanding to know what Frank was doing. He shuddered involuntarily as Frank slowed his foot right down, sliding it back down Gerard's calf before sliding back up again. Gerard stared at Frank with doe eyes as he pulled his leg back, hoping it would take it out of Frank's reach.

"-Because I'm new still I'm just working on old character designs, but just a few more months and maybe I'll get to help with the designs for new characters." Brian seemed to be relaxing now, and he smiled sweetly at Matt as he took a sip of his wine. "Who knows, in the time it'll take to sort the pilot episode and then get the ratings for Gerard's cartoon I might be allowed on the team on that when it goes into full production." Brian looked hopefully at Gerard, quirking an eyebrow when he saw the older man was looking a little flushed.