Gerard decided that he was going to commit a murder. Of course, he wasn't entirely serious, but he was pretty damn close.
At eighteen-years-old, Gerard Arthur Way was significantly less than average. For one thing, he radiated social-awkwardness. His skin was white enough to blind a vampire, and his hair was so messy that it was reaching the point of Ray Toro status. For another, teenagers rarely found themselves flying down the street like a bat out of hell after an iPod-thieving midget. Unfortunately for Gerard, normal seemed pretty uncomfortable around him.
So, with his lungs burning and his legs flailing, Gee prepared for war. The midget mentioned beforehand was none other than Frank Iero; Gerard's best friend and 'secret' crush. Okay, maybe it was an obsession, but hey, it wasn't like he sat outside the Iero home late at night with a pair of binoculars and the latest issue of Playgirl.
Yet.
When Mikey had brought Frank home with him on the first day of the school year, Gerard had been a goner. Everything about the sixteen-year-old had boy captivated him. From the way his hazel eyes flashed in the September light to the brand-new Doc Martens on his tiny feet, Frank Iero was cute enough to put Jared Leto to shame.
The eight months after that had been spent with Gerard slowly developing the personality of a fourteen-year-old girl. Everything was always: 'Frank is so adorable when he does this', or 'why won't he notice me?!' Mikey had taken to calling him Gina, much to Gerard's annoyance. Once, the younger Way had caught his brother sketching a life-sized portrait of Frank in a ruffled schoolboy outfit.
After that, eye-contact between the brothers was considered a very rare and precious thing.
Angst and hormones aside, Frank's decision to steal Gerard's iPod had been a cruel one. School had dragged on for what seemed like an eternity before the bell rang, leaving Gerard in an almost zombie-like state. Honestly, sometimes he swore that the teachers were running the clocks backwards just to annoy him. He had been outside for no more than ten seconds before a certain fun-sized boy with floppy hair tracked him down and demanded that they walk to the Way house together.
Looking back at this, Gerard decided that being alone with Frank was a pretty stupid idea in the first place. That kid had some serious evil in him, no matter how hot he was. But Gee had been exhausted, and since Mikey had detention (something about a paint-missile in Art; Gee had forgotten to ask), he needed someone to drag his body home if he passed out on the way. Besides, alone time with Frank Iero was way too tempting to pass up.
He should have seen it coming. He really should have. Maybe the heat had disabled the part of his brain that made rational decisions, and maybe the lack of caffiene had been a factor, but surely there was at least a shred of common sense in him. A sliver? A freaking crumb?
Apparently not. By the time Gerard realized that his precious iPod wasn't in his pocket anymore, Frank was halfway up the street and giggling himself into fits.
Oh, that fucker was gonna die.
Frank, however, had other plans. Instead of doing the right thing and surrendering the device, he quickened his pace and made a beeline for his own home at least three blocks away.
Three. Fucking. Blocks. Gerard wasn't fat or anything, but a few years of smoking meant that even a short jog left him wheezing and begging for a priest. And Frank moved fast. Short legs or not, when he wanted to, he was a blur of dark clothing and a pink belt. Before Gerard could even coax himself into a decent sprint, Frank was hopping over fences like the Flash on crack.
As soon as he was out of sight, Gerard panicked. He had secrets on that iPod. All of the embarrassing stories he'd written, the pictures, strange music, the web history-
