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

Twenty One

Chapter Twenty One

I woke up the next day with a hangover that wasn't too bad considering how good last night had been. I remembered dancing with Gerard, him probably leaving around midnight and then the party continuing till about 2am, which was when Kellin turned down the music and people started to either book a taxi home or shotgun a sofa.

I was lying in my bed, and when I opened my eyes I saw Ray was passed out on the floor, a pillow propping up his head.

"Morning" I groaned.

"Mppf" was the response I got as he squinted up at me "why the hell did I decide to sleep on the floor? My back kills."

"You were pretty drunk" I giggled, "I seem to remember you singing the whole of bohemian rhapsody at about 1am".

"You can't talk - you couldn't walk up the stairs properly so it's a miracle you made it to your bed. I think you and Jimmy were drinking tequila after Gerard went home." His words triggered a vague memory of downing shots.

"Sounds about right."

"Oh here" he passed me a stack of Polaroid photos "I put these up here for you for safekeeping."

I thumbed through them, looking at all the various photos of my friends before coming to the ones of me and Gerard. I traced his outline with my finger, loving how he was looking at me in them and how happy I looked to be there. I placed them down gently on the bedside table, figuring I'd raid Kellin's kitchen for some blue tack later to stick them up with.

"Come on" I stretched "lets go find some breakfast before the others eat it all."

When we got downstairs Kellin, Vic, Oli, Lynz and Kitty had already started clearing up the mess. Kellin was mopping, Vic was hoovering, and the others were collecting up any plastic cups and cans into bin bags. Jimmy was awake too, but he didn't really seem to be contributing much to the clean up.

"Need a hand with anything?" I offered.

"I think we're all good" Kellin replied "there's coffee on the side and toast on the dining table."

"You ready my mind" I grinned, jumping over the patch he was mopping to grab a slice. "Did everyone else go home?"

"I hope so."

"Any damage?"

"Nothing that can't be fixed or cleaned before my parents next get home" he shrugged as I ate "besides, it was worth it - that was one of the best parties I've had."

"It was nice to finally meet Gee too" Vic added "you guys seem really happy together."

"Thanks, we are" I grinned.

"So how did you guys meet?" Kitty asked, not noticing Ray gulp beside her and catch my eye.

"Oh, we just er, met.." I could feel my mind going blank.

"Through me" Ray quickly jumped in "I know Gee through my job at the record store, he comes in and lot and one time him and Frank got talking and the rest is history."

"Yeah, I'm a sucker for a guy with good taste in music" I added, shooting him a grateful smile.

"Cute" she turned back to cleaning the sofa, and luckily the conversation swiftly moved onto a debate over who everyone thought had been the drunkest at the party, and well away from my relationship.

I excused myself and walked out the back door into the garden, lighting up a cigarette and leaning against the garden table. The November air was cold but refreshing, definitely helping to clear my head but also making me wish I had grabbed my jacket on the way out instead of just throwing on a hoodie.