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"This is getting old really fast," Mikey says dryly, when Gerard comes back to the car. Gerard's face is red up to his eartips, he can feel it, and when he slides into the driver's seat next to Mikey he doesn't look at him.
"Shut up," he remembers to mumble, between getting the car running and trying to back out of the gas station without hitting anything with the rear end of the car and setting the whole place on fire. That would be unfortunate.
"Seriously. Not only is it the third time this week we had to get gas, it's also the third time this week you managed to forget your keys inside. Right on the counter." Mikey makes a dramatic pause and Gerard steels himself for the inevitable punchline that's bound to follow. "Right on the counter where the cute gas station guy's standing. Who, by the way, you've been sketching all over my homework assignments for the last three weeks."
Gerard's head whips around so fast he swerves the car into the other lane for a brief moment. "Homework?" he gets out before focusing back on the road. Lucky for them there's no oncoming traffic in this part of nowhere.
"Yeah. Alicia's been teasing me for weeks about my new boyfriend." Mikey doesn't sound like he minds too much.
"Boyfriend?" Gerard croaks out.
Mikey just looks ahead, but Gerard can tell from the way the corner of his mouth twitches that he's making fun of Gerard.
"He's not my boyfriend," he says defensively.
Mikey raises an eyebrow.
"Fine. I want him to be my boyfriend."
Mikey tilts his head a little.
"But he's too hot. With all the tattoos and his lip piercing and his badass hair and--" Gerard has to bite his lip to keep himself from talking even more stupid shit.
After a moment of silence he says, "I'm just a little distracted sometimes. But I'm so over that." Gerard tries to sound like he's so very much over it. Ridiculous crushes on ridiculously cute gas station employees are what the old Gerard would've had. The new Gerard is not a bumbly teenager and also doesn't forget his keys on a gas station counter because he's too busy trying to memorize the way the hair falls into Cute Guy's face or the way his lips stretch around his piercing when he smiles and how Gerard would just really, really like to kiss him and maybe do some other things too.
Mikey gives him a sideways glance and even though his face doesn't change at all, Gerard knows he's smirking when he says, "You forgot my Dr. Pepper, didn't you?"
Gerard would rather not talk about the frantic way in which he pulls the car around, nearly landing them in the ditch by the side of the road or how Mikey is in fact now smirking, but in the way that's more I knew it than condescending. Which is why, deep down, and maybe not right now, but usually, Gerard really does like his little brother.
He manages to get them back to the gas station without crashing the car, but as soon as he's standing outside the car in the sunshine, he realizes he has absolutely not thought this through.
Gerard makes two steps towards the door that leads into the gas station and freezes, when he realizes that Cute Guy has looked up from his magazine and is looking right at him through the window.
"Shit, shit, shit," Gerard mumbles under his breath. If he goes back in now he'll seem like an even bigger idiot than when he forgot his keys, just minutes ago. If he gets back to his car, Cute Guy will probably think he's a crazy stalker.
The sound of the car horn makes Gerard almost jump out of his skin.
He turns around but Mikey's busy texting someone on his phone. Gerard sends him a death glare even though Mikey probably can't see it. Maybe he hates his little brother after all.
Then he takes a deep (last) breath and makes his way into the gas station.
The little bell over the door is the loudest thing Gerard has ever heard in his life. Cute Guy behind the counter is smiling at him and even though it's probably not meant to be nice, Gerard still feels himself blush. Again.
"Hello again," Cute Guy says.
Gerard's not sure if his answering hello is audible at all.
He makes his way back to the counter, where Cute Guy is looking expectantly at him.
"I, uh, forgot to get Mikey some Dr. Pepper," Gerard says. "He's, ah, my brother. In the car." Gerard waves his hand in the general direction of outside and nearly takes a display case of magazines down in the process.
Cute Guy's smile widens, as if that is even possible and before Gerard can say another embarrassing thing, Cute Guy goes to the far end of the counter and around. He grabs a can of Dr. Pepper from the fridge and then walks right up to Gerard.
He's really kind of small, Gerard realizes, old faded Misfits shirt a bit too tight, black faded jeans hanging loosely on his hips. Gerard does not look at the strip of skin that's visible just between his shirt and jeans, because Gerard is not a creepy stalker.
Face, face, look at his face, he tells himself.
Cute Guy holds out the Dr. Pepper can to him and Gerard belatedly realizes he's supposed to take it.
"Thanks," he says, but trails off at the end, when Cute Guy doesn't let go of the can.
Gerard dumbly stares at where they're both holding onto the can in midair and wonders if he missed something. Was he supposed to pay before taking the can?
Before Gerard can think of anything to say, Cute Guy says, "Hold on," and fumbles a Sharpie out of his pants pocket. He pulls the cap off with his teeth and before Gerard can blink, Cute Guy's hand moves from the can to wrap around Gerard's wrist.
His fingertips are cool but warm up fast against Gerard's overheated skin and okay--yeah.
Gerard swallows.
And then Cute Guy starts writing on his arm.
Gerard feels like he stepped into some surreal alternate reality. All he can do is watch as Cute Guy scribbles some numbers up the inside of his arm, then writes the name Frank underneath and then makes a little drawing. The drawing looks a bit like a monkey with cute hair until Gerard realizes that that is probably supposed to be Cute Guy.
Cute Guy puts the cap back on the Sharpie and lets go of Gerard's arm. He's still smiling but he also looks kind of nervous.
"Frank," he says and gestures at Gerard's arm, where Gerard's still holding it out, Dr. Pepper in hand and all, like he froze in time. "I'm Frank," he says. "And, uh, that's my phone number. Let's hang out sometime or something. I'm not really good at drawing, but that's supposed to be me, so you remember who Frank is." Like Gerard has cute guys write their phone numbers on his arm all the time.
Slowly, he lowers his arm, the can sweating in his warm hand.
"I'm Gerard," he finally manages and Frank's smile brightens considerably.
"Nice to meet you, Gerard."
Gerard looks down at his feet, then back up at Frank who is watching him. Waiting.
"Can I have your Sharpie?" Gerard asks and Frank hands it to him without even asking why.
Gerard's not sure how he overcomes his nervousness, but he puts the Dr. Pepper aside and grabs Frank's wrist. He tugs a little and Frank steps a lot closer than necessary, his hip briefly brushing Gerard's side.
Without thinking too much about anything, Gerard's pretty sure that his brain has checked out right now, he starts drawing on Frank's arm. It's a little difficult, because the Sharpie runs on Frank's skin, making small details impossible, but Gerard's not going to stop now.
It seems like hours with the fan slowly turning around above them, stirring the hot air and the hum of the wall of fridges behind Frank, but it probably only takes a few minutes until Gerard is finished.
Frank who's been watching Gerard intently looks at the inside of his arm.
There, in black, slightly smudged Sharpie lines, a tiny Gerard with long black hair is holding a phone. From the phone a black uneven line goes up the inside of Frank's arm to a tiny drawing of a Frank holding a phone as well.
"That's amazing," Frank says and smiles right at Gerard.
Gerard's pretty sure he's in love.
"So, does that mean you'll call me?"
"Yes," Gerard says.
"Awesome. I actually have today off, so when Ray gets back I can get out of here and we can hang out? Just call me."
Gerard blinks at Frank's enthusiasm but nods and says, "Sure."
As he walks out, he nearly trips because, wow, there is a big difference between calling someone and actually hanging out together and Gerard's not sure he's ready for this.
On the way to his car Gerard tries very hard not to look at his arm or back around, but pathetically fails.
When he turns to look back, Frank is looking right at him and Gerard blushes furiously.
And then Frank raises an arm and waves at Gerard and Gerard has to smile and waves back, feeling a lot less dorky about turning around like girl in a romance movie.
Gerard gets into the car and pulls the door shut.
For a moment Mikey is quiet and Gerard dares him, dares him to say something.
Finally, Mikey looks over. There's something in his eyes Gerard hasn't seen in a while, something like genuine happiness maybe.
And then Mikey says, "You forgot my Dr. Pepper. Again," and Gerard remembers that he hates his brother.