Chapter Text
Frank iero wanted to kill himself.
There surely had to be more than working a shit job for 9 an hour, it wasnt even enough to live with. The in and out of folding clothes, putting back shoes, hanging up dresses…. The noose was looking real nice. He could go to college, sure, but the idea of being trapped in a classroom while also working made him want to slit his wrists. So, jcpenny would have to do.
He placed the folded shirt back onto the stack, sighing as he reached for another crumpled tee. His shift ended in 3 hours.. that was too long. Frank glanced down at his phone, checking for any updates on the baseball game. It seemed, just like him, they were losing. He put his phone back in his pocket, rubbing his eyes.
“Frank, could you come to the back, over,” rays voice cracked over the radio. Frank sighed, rolling his head back and staring at the ceiling. He tidyed up his station, reaching for the cord that connected to his ear piece.
“On my way, over,” he grumbled, walking down the tile walkway.
As he walked down, he avoided customers at every turn. It didnt matter if it took longer, he wasnt exactly thrilled to talk to his manager when he knew he had done something wrong. Being rude to a dumbass grandma wasnt company policy. Of course the clothes arent gonna fit her fatass grand daughter, its the kids section and that girl was definitely over the age of 10. He slowly meandered through the bedding, the back door of the stock room propped open with a shoebox. He stepped over the box, the warm sticky air of the back room instantly making him nauseous.
“Frank, over here,” ray called out, catching franks attention. He stepped into the small office, leaning on the doorway while picking at his nails.
“Sup,” he said, looking up at ray. There was someone sitting across from ray, a black haired, thin, pale..
“Gerard??” Frank exclaimed, catching gerards attention. How could frank forget those hazel eyes? That was his former classmate, the one who drew all the time, hunched over a notebook as the class moved around him. He went to art school, why was he in this shit hole?
“You know him?” Ray asked, leaning back in his chair. “Hes the new hire,”
“Hey frank, hows.. hows it goin’?” He smiled, a nervous air about him. Frank didn't expect that to make his heart skip a beat, yet the smile sent his heart racing.
That was gerard, the boy he always had a crush on.
“Eh, im alive despite the odds,” he laughed, quickly quieting as the room went stagnant. He glanced around, clearing his throat. “So, whats up?”
“Hes the new hire, i want you to show him around and train him,” ray said, glancing between them. “Since bob quit we needed another guy in mens and kids clothing, you cant do it alone,”
Frank scoffed, crossing his arms. “So now you acknowledge that,” he grumbled, looking at gerard. He looked so nervous, almost like he had never been in a store before. He was shaking a bit, legs trembling as he wrung his fingers.
“Soooo…. youll train him?” Ray raised his eyebrow.
“I mean, yeah, i guess. Do i get a pay raise?” Frank said, but the silence that filled the room answered. “Ok damn, lets go dude i need some help, a kid decided he was a fuckin’ tornado in the boys section,”
Gerard stood up, following frank out the room. Frank glanced over his shoulder at him, noting he was already in uniform. He clearly was nervous, fuck, anyone would be nervous on a first day at a store this big. Frank was scared on the first day, but that was so long ago that it almost didnt seem real.
“So…” frank said, opening the breakroom door. “Art school didnt work out?”
“I mean, it did, i just needed to get some extra money. Im working part time.” Gerard murmured, glancing around the empty break room with its faux motivational poster. Frank untangled the wires of the walkie, passing Gerard the earpiece.
“Yeah i feel that, shits tough,” frank looked over at gerard, his face in a nervous wash. “Dont be scared, the customers can smell fear,” frank smiled, looking into gerards hazel eyes. Gerard laughed, tucking a hair behind his ear.
Shit…. this is gonna be bad.
Frank cleared his throat, glancing around the room before quickly walking out. He could be normal, he could be straight and calm around this guy he had fantasized about kissing for a good 3 years, he wasnt gay.
He wasnt gay when he tucked that hair behind his ear, when he laughed, when he stood so nervously with his hand on his hip.. jesus christ, he was fucked.
“So… what do i do?” Gerard asked, pulling frank out of his head.
Frank paused. He had never trained anyone in his life, what was ray thinking?? Not even for a pay raise, this was bullshit.
“Honestly, i dont know how to train you, just watch what i do. Ask questions too.” Frank said, walking through the aisles of clothing racks. He weaved in and out of the clothes, silently noting where he would have to go clean later.
“Jesus is it always this messy?” Gerard whispered, glancing around. Frank sighed, grimacing as he went to straighten a stack.
“Ask a different question, i dont like that one,” frank teased, glancing over at gerard. He laughed nervously, muttering a small apology. “Im joking, your fine dude. Yeah, im not exactly good at my job. Its easy to get away with shit if you know where to hide. But still, what else do you wanna know.”
“Ok, uhhh… am I allowed to have my ipod?” Gerard asked, pulling the player from his pocket. Frank slowed as he reached where he had left off, turning to him.
“No, i wish,” frank muttered, picking up a crumpled shirt. “What kind of music do you listen to?”
“The smiths, Iron Maiden, weezer, stuff like that,” Gerard smiled, picking up a shirt. “How do you fold it like that?”