Chapter Text
The September sun was bright and warm despite the chilly wind which softly blew as if to remind everybody that summer was indeed over and that it would only be getting colder from then on. It was a nice morning, but it wasn't any old morning for Gerard, because it was his five-year-old girl's first day of kindergarten, and he was just as excited as she was, holding her hand and walking the short distance from their home to the preschool.
Actually, looking at her then, he seemed to be more excited. Isabella seemed totally chilled. Her hair was in pigtails, lovingly done by Gerard that morning, because of course he wanted her to look fresh for her first day; she was going to be so much cooler than the other lame-ass kids. She was also wearing her tiny Doc Martens that Frank had bought for her a few weeks ago (with special heel protectors fitted in them to make sure her young, delicate feet wouldn't get completely destroyed just yet). Frank had never stopped buying expensive shoes for Isabella, and he never gave a shit about their immense cost even though she would grow out of all of them eventually—he was just that kind of parent. Isabella loved him for that. Whenever she wanted something that Gerard refused to give her, she'd ask Frank instead, and he'd always get it for her: she had it all worked out. She was a devious little kid and her dads adored her.
"How are you feeling, baby?" Gerard asked, looking down at her, but her face showed no signs of worry or excitement. She seemed as calm as ever, as cool as a cucumber. She looked up at him, confused.
"I feel fine," Isabella said. Abruptly she stopped walking, so Gerard stopped, too, and then she hopped up and down and said, "Fine fine fine fine."
"You're feeling so fine," Gerard said, grinning.
"Absolutely fine. Really fine," Isabella said. She grabbed Gerard's hand and started walking again, tugging her father along. "I hope they have a puppy there. I hope he's as cute as Willow."
Willow was the dog that Frank had adopted soon after Isabella's first birthday. Isabella had grown up with him and she and he were best friends. Frank loved him, too, obviously, because he loved most dogs, but ever since Willow had chewed one of Gerard's Batman action figures to death, Gerard had been on bad terms with the dog. And he had started to keep all his action figures high up on the tallest shelf in the house.
"I don't think they're gonna have a dog there, sweetie," Gerard said, squeezing Isabella's hand. "But you're gonna meet lots of other kids who you can be friends with."
They got to a road. Gerard told Isabella to look left and right before crossing. Isabella told him that she always looked left and right before crossing. They both looked left and right before crossing.
"Other kids aren't as fun as a puppy," Isabella continued once they were on the other side, frowning. She started walking less purposefully, as though her motivation was declining. "Is it just gonna be other kids?"
Gerard understood Isabella's point of view. Through being a father, he'd been forced to meet a lot of other children Isabella's age, at nursery and birthday parties and stuff, and he really didn't give a shit about any of them. They were all so dull and boring. Nothing like Isabella, who was the smartest person he knew and who was definitely going to be the president one day. Or the ruler of the galaxy. Whichever one she'd prefer.
"Yes, but you like other kids, Isa," Gerard explained, because he wanted his baby to be excited, even though if he were in her shoes he'd be just as disappointed as she was. "Alice is gonna be there. And Ruby. You like Alice and Ruby."
"Yeah," said Isabella, and she looked a little more happy now. "Oh, by the way, before the summer break Alice told me her daddy is a superhero. So I told her that my daddy is really a superhero because my daddy is really strong and he's famous because he writes stories and songs and her daddy doesn't do anything and she started crying."
Gerard's jaw dropped. He laughed softly in amazement, crouching down all of a sudden in the middle of the pavement to wrap Isabella up in a hug. "Isa, oh my god."
"I don't think Alice likes me anymore," Isabella said proudly.
Gerard pulled back, his hands on Isabella's arms, and he earnestly looked his daughter deep in the eyes, but he was smiling widely.
"Thank you, baby," he said, and he stroked her hair gently. "But you shouldn't tell people that their dads don't do anything, okay? That's rude, and you don't want to be rude."
"But Alice's dad doesn't do anything," Isabella said, puzzled.
"I'm sure he does lots of things," Gerard said, standing up and taking Isabella's hand again. "You just might not know about it."
Isabella thought for a moment. And then she nodded her head. "Okay."
Kindergarten was in sight, then, just down the street, and other kids with their parents were filing inside the building to get dropped off. Gerard smiled down at Isabella and she smiled up at him. Once they got to the door where a happy-looking teacher lady was welcoming all the kids, Gerard took Isabella aside.
"You're sure you're okay?" he asked in a low voice, staring down at her concerned face.
"I'm so fine," Isabella answered. She paused for a moment and then she reached up, so Gerard leaned down so she could wrap her arms around his neck. "Are you sure you're okay, Daddy?"
Gerard felt tears prick his eyes. His caring daughter. He loved her so much.
"I'm okay," he promised her, hugging her, and they hugged for a very long time.
"I'm ready," Isabella said after a while, pulling back, and Gerard nodded, kissing her forehead.
"Good luck, sweetie," he said, watching her walk away from him with her pigtails and her Docs.
She looked back at him and grinned, waving at him, and he waved back, and then she was gone, and Gerard was so proud, but he also felt like he had a giant hole in him now. His baby wasn't a baby anymore. But that was okay, because he'd always have her no matter what.
His daughter was growing up. And he was so proud.