The Phoenix (Frerard)

Chapter Five

Frank's POV (Mel)

The door opened, and Frank could've sworn his brain imploded. Standing there, in all his sexy, redheaded glory, was the fucking Phoenix.

"What are you doing here?" They asked simultaneously.

"Excuse you?" The Phoenix said, his eyebrows pulling together. "I live here."

"You do?" Frank was completely dumbfounded.

"Why are you here?" The redhead asked, crossing his arms. He sniffed, and that's when Frank finally noticed his puffy eyes and blotchy face.

"I was invited." Frank scanned him over with a confused frown. "Are you okay?"

"Gerard, just let him in." Mikey called in a complaining tone, walking up the sidewalk.

"Gerard?" Frank looked at Mikey, then back to the redhead. "You're Mikey's brother?"

"In the flesh." Gerard muttered, stepping out of the doorway.

Frank awkwardly stepped inside and looked around the warmly lit room. It was just as he expected. It looked bigger inside than on the outside, and homely and messy. On a large coffee table, a medium-sized TV sat in front the couch with a dusty, ancient Xbox beside it, next to a small pile of books and comics, with coffee cups of various shapes and sizes stacked on each other. 

Finally, Frank moved his eyes back to the Phoenix, who was just staring at him inquisitively.

"Nice house." Frank said, tucking his fists into the pockets of his shorts.

"Thanks." The Phoenix said, looking down and rubbing his still-red face.

He looked like he'd just been interrupted in the middle of a major cry session, like he wasn't quiet finished with it. Frank suddenly felt a little bad for being there. Having company on a bad day just sucked.

Mikey brought all the things in into another room that Frank assumed was the kitchen, and then he came back to the living room.

"Okay. Now that you two have met again, I say we order food and play video games."

"You didn't tell me that The Phoenix was your brother." Frank said, looking to the lanky blond.

"I didn't?" Mikey asked, tapping his chin. "Huh. That's funny."

"Hilarious." The redhead sighed, rolling his eyes as he walked away.

"Why didn't you?" Frank asked.

"Because you would have never come over if I did." Mikey said, going to the Xbox and turning it on. "Am I correct?"

"Well, yeah. But I almost feel lied to." Frank sat on the couch with his arms crossed. "You could have at least said you knew the Phoenix."

"You're right, I could've." Mikey tossed a controller to him. "But then you'd never shut up with your questions about him."

"Wow, can you guys call me by name?" The redhead spoke up from the kitchen he'd disappeared to. "I'm trying to at least feel like I exist."

Frank looked to Mikey and Mikey shrugged and waved him off.

"Sorry," Frank said, looking up at the older brother as he walked in. "Gerard."

Gerard stared at him for a moment, a hint of a smile ghosted his lips, then he turned away, picking up his phone. "I don't feel like cooking. I'm gonna order pizza."

Frank looked back to Mikey with a questioning glance and Mikey just shook his head dismissively, but he was smiling, something Frank never saw him do often.