Ashes To Ashes (Priest!Gerard Frerard) [SEQUEL]

Twenty

Chapter Twenty 

The next two weeks before my birthday passed in a blur of college, the odd errand for Ian, and staying round Gerard's almost every other day. Now that Kellin's mum had jetted off again I didn't need to hide where I was going at night, and he didn't really mind me going as he was spending as much time as he could get with Vic, working around their very hectic writing and recording schedule for the band. 

My birthday itself started by being woken up by a Kellin parading into my room, singing happy birthday at the top of his lungs whilst holding a present. 

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" he cheered, making me groan and blink myself awake. 

"what time is it?" 

"You don't get to be grumpy today!" he declared, handing me my present "you're officially an adult! Now be happy and open the damn thing!" 

"You didn't need to get me anything" I frowned, beginning to tear off the paper. A record player stared back at me, brand new and amazing and way too expensive for my liking "Kellin! This is awesome!" 

"You said you used to have one back home, and so I figured you'd appreciate having one here. I've also got you these" he held up a massive '18 today' badge and a packet of plastic shot glasses "but I figured they'll come in more useful tonight." He'd been planning the party like mad, and was probably more excited about it than I was. 

"Thank you so much" i hugged him "man, I need to get using Ray's discount at the record store now." 

"Don't worry - I think the others are already onto that" he grinned "now go have a shower and get dressed - you need to go get out the house and spend time with loverboy so I can get it all set up for when you return." 

"Yes sir" I placed the record player down and got out of bed, heading in search of coffee. 

My parents phoned my mobile when I was eating breakfast, and I reluctantly picked up, hearing the usual 'happy birthdays' from them both before they tried to ask me where I was living or what I was doing - was I still going to college? How long till I came home? My dad even tried to convince me to go and apologise to James as he was 'sure he'd take me back', to which I told him very bluntly that there were not many places in the world I'd rather live in less than I would like to live under James and Isabel's roof again. He did seem to back off after that to be fair to him, and instead said they'd transferred me some money to spend on a present from them. 

When the post arrived I found Pete had posted me a birthday card, signed in his usual scrawly handwriting, and even signed from Patrick too. There was also a birthday card from Mikey, which made me smile. He must've asked Gerard for my address. Along with the card he'd also sent me a book on tattoo art, with a note inside reading 'now that you can legally get some more! As long as you take Gerard with you so you can see him squirm at the needles first hand!'

I chuckled, placing the book and the cards to one side as I heard Gerard beep the horn from outside. When I headed out he was stood leaning against his car, smoking. 

"hey" I grinned as he threw the cigarette away. 

"Hello, fellow legal adult" he grabbed me and kissed me right there and then, in broad daylight. for the whole world to see. And I loved it. "Fuck, I've been wanting to do that for a while." 

"You still have a potential job to loose if someone sees us doing that."

"Shut up, it's your birthday and we're celebrating our newly-legal relationship."