Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“Hey you guys, stop fucking running!”, a voice yelled from a distance. The two kids didn’t care and continued to run down the hall, booking it towards the entrance of the fancy bistro. 

“Bert, what is wrong with you? This place is way too fancy for you to be yelling like a neanderthal for everyone to hear”, Gerard said sternly, “Your parents were already nice enough to pay for our trip, don’t get us kicked out.”

“Well, sorry, Gerard. Maybe if our kids weren’t screaming like fucking banshees I wouldn’t have to yell”, Bert retorted sharply.

Gerard was already regretting coming on this trip. They knew that Bert’s family already didn’t approve of their relationship, but they were still kind enough to book them a room at a way too fancy hotel for their annual family reunion. Bert’s family had always been rich, but never gave Bert any money after the “selling meth at Subway” incident. This was one of the few luxuries Gerard got to enjoy from the McCracken family. But still, Gerard hated being with Bert. Everything about him just made Gerard realize what a failure their life has become. It’s times like these when they wished they were still getting sexually harassed at the nursing home. 

“Hey! You two! Get over here”, Gerard said sternly once they finally caught up to the kids at the front of the restaurant. The two obliged and sulked back toward their parents. 

“Uh, hi how can I help you!”, the hostess asked. 

“Yeah, hi, table for four”, Bert said bleakly. Gerard side-eyed him, he was always rude to the wait staff. 

“Of course, right this way!”. The hostess led them to their table and then politely said, “Your waiter will be right with you!”. Right after they sat down, and before the hostess could even leave, Bert instantly asked, “Can we just order now?” 

The hostess looked at him, taken aback, then calmly said, “Well don’t you want to look at the menu? I can go get your waiter right no-”. The hostess couldn’t even finish her sentence before Bert says, “I’m gonna get the Chef’s Pizza. I don’t care what’s on it, just bring it. My kids are gonna have the chicken strips and… Gerard? What do you want?”. Gerard glared at Bert, “I don’t know, Bert . Maybe if you let us look at the menu then I would know.”, they said in a sour tone. Gerard looked up at the hostess, smiled, then calmly said “I’ll have a Coke Zero”. 

The hostess, still shellshocked, just nodded her head and said, “Alright… I’ll make sure your waiter gets that”, before quickly walking back to the host stand. 

“This food better get here fast, I’m fucking hungry.”, Bert grumbled. Gerard could only look at him with disgust. God, they hated him. The only reason why they ever got back with him was after the HIPAA violation nightmare. They used to have the world at their fingers. Patients bending over to their every will, literally and figuratively. They missed being wanted, but most of all, they missed being loved. 

Bert was just a means to an end– but he was a double-edged sword. On one hand, Gerard enjoyed the familiarity. They knew that Bert had seen them at their lowest, so they felt like they had nothing to be ashamed of. But that’s also what Gerard hated the most. Bert reminded them of their worst. Ten-dollar blowjobs and five-dollar handies were a thing of the past, but that past still haunts them. Gerard could have run out by now, but they had to stay for the kids. Even though the kids weren’t biologically theirs, they knew that if they were left with Bert then they’d never have a future. With Bert as their father and absent baby mamas as their mothers, Gerard knew they didn’t stand a chance without their help. 

“Hi guys! So who had the pizza?”, the blonde food runner asked. This snapped Gerard out of their thoughts. Wow, the food was already here. Had they really been thinking about how much they hated Bert for that long?  

“That would be me!”, Bert raised his hand. The food runner set down the pizza then said, “the rest of your food will be out shortly!”, before heading back to the kitchen. 

Bert instantly started eating the pizza that only sat in front of him. “Daddy, can I have some?”, one of the kids asked. “No. You have your own food. Wait your turn”, Bert snapped, mouth full of pizza. “Wow, Bert. Some dad you are. You care so much about taking care of your kids, someone should give you dad of the year award”, Gerard said sarcastically.

“Oh, like you’re such a good mother, Gerard?”, Bert retorted, “What are you gonna teach ‘em? How to suck dick in order to get free Xanax?”. Gerard gasped, but knew fighting wasn’t worth it in a place like this. All they could do was cross their arms and pray that this lunch went by quickly. 

The same food runner came back, this time with everyone else’s food and drink. After setting everything down they asked, “Alright, is everything good? Do you guys need anything else?”. 

“Yeah, how about a muzzle for my wife!”, Bert said, before letting out an obnoxious laugh. Gerard’s mouth flew open but continued to just glare at Bert as the food runner awkwardly laughed then said, “Alrighty then.. Enjoy your food”, and walked off. 

While Gerard was busy doing everything they could to ignore Bert and his obnoxious comments, they suddenly felt something squirt on their face. They looked over to see one of the kids holding a ketchup bottle up to them, squeezing it all over Gerard. 

“Oh my god, stop!”, Gerard yelled, “Why would you put ketchup all over my white gown!”. Gerard was furious, but the two kids only laughed, then proceeded to throw fries at each other. 

Gerard turned to Bert, in shock, but the only assurance Bert gave was, “Well, maybe you shouldn’t wear a 1950s nursing gown to a regular restaurant. You ever thought about that?”

“Bert, you know it’s been hard transitioning from the nursing home to this life! Let me just have one thing! Like your fucking ugly kimono is any better!”, Gerard exclaimed. 

Bert looked down at his pink kimono, studded with purple flowers, then looked back up at Gerard before saying, “You know it’s not just some kimono , Gerard… it’s my zen robe! And you of all people should know I only wear it when I’m stressed and need comfort, which I clearly don’t get from you!”. 

“Whatever, I wasn’t the one who said yes to this stupid trip. And I also wasn’t the one who knocked up random girls either”, Gerard stated, crossing their arms and looking away from Bert. 

“Well at least I’m not the one who got fired from my job for fucking some old man”, Bert countered.

Gerard’s eye’s darted to him. Making fun of their prostitution past was one thing, but to bring Frank into it was another level. Gerard bubbled up with fury before yelling, “Well at least he loved me! Unlike you, you ungrateful piece of shit! He wasn’t just some old man! He was Frank, my Frank! And he was a hell of a lot better lover than you, and his dick was bigger too!” 

Gerard didn’t care that the whole restaurant could hear them, they had never felt this disrespected in their life. And as someone who had worked with Old Man Wentz, that was saying a lot. Gerard stood up, ketchup falling from their lap, and ran out of the restaurant, holding back tears. 

Bert just sat there, unphased, and when the manager concerningly walked over, all Bert could ask was, “Could we get the check? The service was horrible today”.

Chapter Text

Gerard fumbled with the hotel keycard trying to get inside the room before the tears rolled down their cheeks. They’d had enough at this point – they already hated Bert, but when thinking about Frank in comparison, something stung in a more personal way. After they finally got inside the room, they took a deep breath and let themself fall back onto the bed, holding their face in their hands. Finally, the tears that had been building up this miserable day flooded down their cheeks and they let out a quiet, choked sob.

“Frankie, oh Frank! Why, why did I have to get caught? My life was so good with you, being your Sweetpea, but now… What am I even doing here?” Gerard wailed. They opened their mouth to cry out again but promptly shut it when hearing a rustle at the door handle. They couldn’t let Bert see them like this, not after the comments he made today about Frank. The door swung open, hitting the wall with a loud thud as Bert stormed in, looking angrier than usual.

“Are you going to explain what the FUCK that little outburst was back there Gerard? Are you on your period or something? That was fucking pathetic,” Bert hissed at his spouse, who was lying on the bed. They turned over, not wanting to even acknowledge the other presence in the room. Bert slammed his hand down on the dresser across from the bed, the loud noise causing Gerard to flinch.

“Answer me, bitch! And don’t worry about the kids, even though I know you don’t give a fuck based on your ways of mothering. I sent them to my parents' room, like a responsible father would do,” He sneered, taking his kimono off and tossing it onto the bed before approaching Gerard. Gerard scoffed in response. Even the thought of Bert being a good parent was pure comedy to them.

“That little outburst was because you can’t be kind to me for even one second of the day! You know how it’s been trying to adjust to this life with you Bert, and my apologies if all I want is just an ounce of sympathy!” Gerard replied as they sat up on the bed, brushing the wrinkles out of their gown. 

“Well, Gerard, while you were slutting yourself out in the nursing home, I was here, waiting for you! And you expect me to be kind to you, a gerontophiliac who spreads their legs for anyone who gives them the time of day! I am a loyal husband, and you’re just a filthy skank!” Bert growled, approaching Gerard with a gaze Gerard could only describe as dangerous.

“God, could you even try to be more original for once? Slut-shaming me is getting pretty redundant, Bert. Let’s not forget that it was you who whored me out in the first place to pay for your fucking heroin!” Gerard spat back, standing up from the bed to meet Bert at eye level. Bert looked taken aback by this comment, and it was clear that Bert blocked out his own faults from their past endeavors. 

“Always the victim, Gerard, always the victim. Well let’s see, were you the victim when you were fucking a senile, old man, huh? ‘He sexually harassed me, I swear!’” Bert mocked, putting his hands up as he pretended to mimic Gerard with a girlish tone. “Get real Gerard. You’re not a victim, you’ve never been the victim. You’re a fucking useless whore, and you deserved to get fired. And, to be frank with you-” Bert said with a smile at the pun, “You’re lucky that even I took you back after something like that.”

Gerard was at a loss for words. They knew Bert was a terrible human being, but they never knew he was capable of such cruel words. Bert knew everything about them, but he only cared enough to remember when he weaponized those facts against them. Gerard felt like they were stuck in a nightmare, and wished to wake up in their old life, cuddled beside Frank with his wrinkly arm draped around them.

“Fuck you, Bert,” Gerard murmured, grabbing their keycard off the bed before attempting to walk towards the door. Before they could reach it, Bert grabbed their arm, his nails digging into Gerard’s.

“Where do you think you’re going? Just gonna run off and cry again?” Bert laughed, tightening his grip. Gerard tried to pull their arm away from Bert’s grasp.

“Bert, stop, you’re hurting me!” Gerard whimpered, still resisting Bert’s hold. Bert only chuckled in response, a wild look in his eyes.

“Come on Gerard, let’s fucking talk this out like adults. Sit back down,” Bert said in a low voice. Gerard hesitated – maybe they could talk this out? They’ve had similar arguments before, and they were still here, so it was possible. But Bert had never used Frank against them until now, and for that, Gerard couldn’t stay.

“No, Bert. Fuck off,” Gerard stated firmly, pulling against Bert’s grip again. This time, Bert’s grip loosened for a moment, and Gerard successfully freed their arm, rubbing their hand over the red marks left by Bert’s long, unkempt nails. As Gerard looked up at Bert, they were met with the back of Bert’s hand colliding with the right side of their face, knocking them over until their face hit the side of the bed and their knees on the hotel floor.

“If you’re gonna act like a child, then you’re gonna get treated like one too, bitch! Tryna run out like that during an argument, fucking pathetic. I’ve been so mature about this too, Gerard, trying to work through all the shit you put me through, but the second your old man toy gets brought up it’s like your world has ended!” Bert said through gritted teeth. He approached their spouse who was still kneeling against the bed, quietly weeping with a hand against their face. He put his hand in their hair, taking a fistful and pulling, seeing Gerard’s face wet with tears, the right cheek extraordinarily red.

“And now you’re crying ? Really, Gerard?” Bert smirked, letting go of their hair and seeing their face go back onto the bed.

“Of fucking course I’m crying, Bert! Y-you just backhanded me!” Gerard said in a shaky voice before letting out a full sob. Bert rolled his eyes. 

“Yeah, you must be on your period,” Bert chuckled, making Gerard’s sobs grow even louder. They never thought they’d end up in a situation where they would be hit by their husband. How did their life turn into this ? This wasn’t about being wanted anymore. They weren’t even being treated like a human being at this point. They wiped away their tears, hissing slightly from the pain as they touched their face. That was sure to leave a bruise, which was fantastic , because Bert would probably get mad if his family saw and blame Gerard. They stood up shakily, turning to face the man despite the developing headache from the strike. 

“Yeah, and you’re a fucking piece of shit!” Gerard spat, grabbing Bert’s kimono and ripping a sleeve off, throwing it at Bert. Whatever composure Bert still had, was gone in an instant. 

“That was my fucking zen robe, you cunt!” Bert gasped, clutching the pink and purple fabric like it was the most precious thing in the world. He looked back at Gerard, who stood there smugly, even with the red handprint on their face. Gerard’s smugness only fueled Bert’s rage, and before he could think, his hand was around Gerard’s neck, pressing them against the wall.

“B-Bert, st-stop! I-I can’t-” Gerard choked out, trying to claw away Bert’s iron grip on their neck. Bert didn’t register anything Gerard said, he only saw red. He hated Gerard at this moment, they went too far touching his kimono. Gerard banged their fist against the wall, trying to desperately alert anyone of their situation.

Suddenly, there was a knock on the door, and Bert quickly let go of Gerard, who began coughing and holding their neck, gulping up the air they were deprived of. Bert walked to the door, and swung it open, only to reveal the blonde waiter who served them earlier.

“U-um, hello. Sorry to bother you sir, but we have been getting some noise complaints. Is everything okay in here?” The waiter asked. Bert narrowed his eyes and looked at the nametag on the waiter.

“Syd, is it?” Bert asked. The waiter nodded.

“Well, Syd , everything is fine. Maybe you should mind your business,” Bert said, shutting the door before Syd could even open his mouth. Bert turned back to the mess of his spouse, who was still holding their neck and catching their breath. 

“W-who was t-that?” Gerard coughed. Bert sighed, putting a hand in his greasy hair.

“Just the waiter from earlier. Guess he also does hotel rounds too. And since you couldn’t shut the fuck up, we are getting called for noise complaints now!” Bert grumbled, kicking the hotel trash can over. Gerard rolled their eyes, they couldn’t believe Bert right now. They grabbed their phone off the bed and discreetly slid it into their skirt pocket before heading into the bathroom, locking the door quickly behind them. As they looked at themself in the mirror, they let out a deep breath, pushing the strands of hair behind their ears and forcing a smile. They delicately ran their hand along the red mark on their face, then examined the slight bruising in the shape of fingerprints on their neck. When they looked down, they saw Bert’s nail marks still littered over their arm. They felt sick. Bert was all over them in the worst way possible. They turned the bathroom fan on, and then the tap water on to try and drown out any noise.

“Babe, hurry up in there. I wanna talk more, I-I might’ve taken it too far,” Bert muttered, putting a hand against the bathroom door, making Gerard flinch in surprise. Gerard didn’t respond, too busy fumbling with their phone as they looked for their brother’s contact name and hit the call button. After only a couple of rings, Mikey picked up.

“Gerard? Hey… H-how are you?” Mikey asked cautiously. Mikey and Gerard haven’t spoken too much since Gerard got fired. Gerard moved out pretty suddenly, and they knew Mikey was disappointed in them. But at the sound of their brother’s voice, every emotion came flooding out. They missed him so much.

“Mikey, oh my god. Mikey I-I’m sorry for everything. But please, please listen to me. I want to, no, I need to stay over at your place for a couple of days. I can’t be around Bert he’s-” Gerard pleaded, but was cut off by a loud slam against the door. Bert .

“Gerard, who are you talking to?” His voice growled over the sounds of water and the fan.

“Gerard? What’s going on? What’s Bert doing?” Mikey asked, concerned. He knew his brother and Bert had problems, but he never heard Gerard so scared before. This was serious.

“Gerard, get out here now, honey. Let’s talk,” The voice outside boomed again. Gerard looked around the bathroom, panicking. Okay, they could call Mikey later. 

“Mikey, I gotta go, I-I’ll talk to you later,” Gerard said quickly, hanging up before Mikey could reply. They turned their phone off and slid it back into their pocket before shutting the water off. They smoothed their dress out before approaching the door, letting out a deep breath as they unlocked it and stepped out, immediately greeted by Bert’s wild gaze.

“Who were you talking to, Gerard?” Bert asked, in a superficial calm tone. Gerard swallowed.

“No one. I mean, myself. I was just talking to myself, Bert. It’s none of your business, okay?” Gerard snapped, trying to wedge past Bert, who grabbed Gerard’s arm and pinned it against the wall before using his other hand and rummaging through Gerard’s pocket, pulling out their phone.

“Just yourself?” Bert sneered, dangling the phone in front of Gerard. Gerard attempted to grab it with their free hand, but Bert held it out of their reach.

“Give me my phone Bert,” Gerard said in a hushed voice. Bert laughed, before throwing the phone as hard as he could back into the bathroom, the screen shattering as it collided with the ground.

“You fucking cunt!” Gerard yelled, using their free hand to slap Bert across the face as hard as they could. Bert yelped in pain and used his hand to snatch Gerard’s to pin it alongside their other arm. Gerard and Bert both stared at each other, a cocktail of hatred, fury, and years of pent-up rage bubbling within both of them. Gerard struggled against Bert, but it only made Bert press harder against their wrists, making Gerard gasp in pain.

“I hate you, Bert,” Gerard hissed, looking at Bert through their bangs. Bert glared back.

“I hate you too, Gerard,” He said, before slamming his lips into Gerard’s, catching them by surprise. The adrenaline and anger didn’t cause Gerard to move away but instead fueled Gerard as Gerard kissed him back. They hated him, god they hated him so much. Bert’s grip finally loosened, and Gerard ran their hands through Bert’s greasy strands, trying to get as close to him as possible. They hated that this is what it always resorted to. Gerard used sex as a coping mechanism, they knew that. And unfortunately, Bert knew that too. Bert knew Gerard wanted this and needed this more than any lame, empty apology he could give.

Bert and Gerard moved towards the bed, tangled up in each other before Bert pushed Gerard down onto the mattress. He pulled off the red tank top he had on, revealing his chest, before unbuckling his belt.

“Take your dress off Gerard, what are you waiting for,” Bert said in a breathy voice, and Gerard nodded hurriedly, trying to avoid any voice telling them this was a bad idea. They unbuttoned their nurse gown, feeling a twinge of guilt at the thought of the times they did this for Frank. Frank . Frank and them never would’ve fucked after a fight like this. Frank never would’ve fought with Gerard in the first place, he was too sweet. Senile, yes. But they knew even before the dementia kicked in that he was probably still a sweetheart. Gerard was snapped out of their thoughts of Frank when Bert spoke up.

“God, Gee. You’re so fucking hot, I can’t want to fuck you, slut,” Bert whispered as he crept onto the bed where Gerard was sitting, still undoing the gown. Gerard mustered a smile. They wanted Bert, they did, but sometimes whenever Bert spoke, they wanted to throw up. They never thought they would miss being called “Jamia” or miss hearing “This is just like old times!” until having sex with Bert. Once Gerard was out of their dress and left in their dusty rose-colored bra and matching panties, Bert pulled Gerard on top of him, grabbing a fistful of their hair and pulling, causing Gerard to let out a light gasp.

“B-Bert, f-”

“Shut the fuck up,” Bert growled.

And it all came back. Desperate kisses against chapped lips, wrinkly skin against Gerard’s lotioned hands, Frank’s limp dick growing hard against Gerard’s nurse gown. 

“Jamia,” Frank would whimper.

“Shut up,” Gerard would moan. 

Gerard could feel tears welling in their eyes, burning in the back of their throat, but choked them back, gazing up at Bert through fluttering lashes. 

“Good girl,” Bert murmured. He raised his hand only to gently caress Gerard’s cheek, a strangely gentle action after so much violence. “Now you’re listening, huh? Doesn’t that feel better? I don’t want to fight you.” 

“Yes,” Gerard breathed, desperately pressing against Bert’s body, grinding their dick against his thigh, precum dampening their panties. “It does.”

“You want me to fuck you?”

“Yes.” It came out as a choked whisper.

“What’s that, whore? You want me to fuck you or what?”

“Yes, Bert, fuck me, please, fuck me!” Gerard cried, their head tilting back as they let out a loud moan, grinding faster and faster against Bert’s leg.

Bert slid his hand under Gerard’s bra, grasping at their chest, pinching one of their nipples, already hard and perked. Gerard let out another whimper, biting their lip until they could taste salt and feel blood dribble down their chin. Bert swiped his thumb over Gerard’s face, rubbing off the blood, before sticking it in Gerard’s mouth, who sucked the liquid off obediently. Bert’s rough hands continued to paw at Gerard’s chest as they wriggled and squirmed, cock uncomfortably erect, begging for Bert’s touch. 

“Come on, touch me,” Gerard complained. Bert glanced up at them, eyes dark and dangerous, and brought his hand back to hit Gerard’s cheek with a loud smack .

“That’s what you get for not saying please.”

The touch, as rough as it was, just made Gerard more desperate. Heat was pooling in their lap, their dick throbbing, almost pained at this point. But, instead of arguing, Gerard just quickly nodded, breathing heavily. “Yes, I’m sorry. I mean, please. Please.”

Bert didn’t respond, instead slowly dragging his hand down Gerard’s stomach, tracing their happy trail before palming Gerard’s cock through their panties, rubbing at the head, continuing to ooze through the fabric. 

Gerard’s breath hitched, and they wrapped their arms around Bert’s waist, dragging him closer to them, both of their skin hot and slick with sweat already. Bert leaned down to lick at Gerard’s neck, his unbrushed tongue against Gerard’s perfumed body. And Gerard loved it. Gerard needed it. Gerard desired it like a dying man desires the sweet release, anticipation thrumming under their skin, their head spinning.

Bert abruptly grabbed Gerard’s panties and shoved them down their thighs, exposing Gerard’s cock, pink and flushed and embarrassingly hard, twitching against their stomach. Gerard noticed the tent in Bert’s pants, the dark desire in his eyes, and spread their legs further, excitement sparking in their chest. 

Bert’s fingers fluttered over Gerard’s hole, which puckered at the touch. Gerard whined, a high, guttural sound rising from the back of their throat. “Please, pl-”

“You shut your mouth. Talk one more time and you aren’t getting any of this .” Bert gestured to his pale chest. 

Gerard whined again but kept their mouth shut. Bert struggled out of his underwear, and he sat fully naked over Gerard. 

“You know what?” Bert murmured. “You’ve been a bad little girl. I didn’t think you deserve to be prepped. What do you think, slut?”

Fear and anticipation hit Gerard like a truck. Gerard hadn’t gone unprepped since their prostitution days, and it always hurt like hell.

But with Bert, it hurt so good. 

“Okay,” Gerard said. Bert spat onto his hand, slicking down his cock. 

“Big Daddy Bert is gonna put it in,” Bert growled, before, quick as a flash, he slammed into Gerard.

White hot pain seared through Gerard like a knife, and though they tried not to, they let out a scream. But they wanted this. They needed this. They deserved this. And no level of pain was going to change that.

Gerard sucked in a gasp of air, trying to slow their breathing, trying to search for pleasure in a sea of hurt. The saliva had helped, but only barely. Thankfully, Bert hadn’t started thrusting yet. Gerard shakily reached up their hands to hold onto his shoulders, to steady themself as they trembled uncontrollably. 

Facing Bert, Gerard could almost catch a glimpse of humanity in Bert’s eyes. They were reminded of better times, the two of them huddled together in the night, searching for warmth in each other’s bodies, something like love found in the sleepy kisses they shared. 

The pain was starting to dull, and Gerard was able to focus more on Bert’s cock inside of their asshole, teasingly close to their prostate. 

“Can I?” Bert asked, and Gerard’s heart ached at the quiet tenderness of the question. 

“Okay,” Gerard whispered. They wanted it so badly, although they couldn’t help but remember that it had never hurt with Frank–whether that hurt be physical or emotional. Of course, it didn’t last. Painless, gentle sex wasn’t meant for people like Gerard. And they’d be lying if they said they didn’t like the pain. If they said they didn’t like the bruises, the marks, even the empty feeling they felt after Bert was done with them.

A storm was thundering inside of Gerard, and they barely noticed when Bert started to slowly pump in and out of them. That is, until Bert hit Gerard’s prostate.

A moan tumbled out of Gerard’s mouth, and their entire body writhed. Bert slapped the side of Gerard’s asscheek, and Gerard moaned again. Bert was picking up pace, now, and he moved his hand to grip Gerard’s cock. They let out a sigh of relief at the touch, bucking their hips toward Bert desperately.

Bert let out a grunt, the sound of his balls smacking against Gerard rhythmically echoing around the room. His greasy hair dangled down on top of Gerard’s face, and they moved to kiss. It was a rough, sloppy kiss, Bert biting at their lips, shoving his tongue down their throat. And Gerard kissed him back, loving the taste of Bert’s disgusting mouth, tasting of cigarettes, phlegm, and stale spit. 

Gerard was getting close. They could feel their orgasm starting to build, heat pulsing through their body. “Bert, I-”

“I know,” Bert groaned. “Me too.”

It hit Gerard suddenly, their whole body going rigid as girly moans filled the air. They felt their cum gushing onto their chest, hot and wet, as Bert continued to jack them off, until Gerard finished, and Bert moved his hand away. 

Bert came moments later, filling Gerard up, stuffing them with his cum. The thrusting grew slick and Gerard could audibly hear Bert’s dick sliding in and out of them, much louder than before, as his semen spilled out from Gerard’s hole onto the sheets. 

“Wish I could get you pregnant,” Bert breathed. “Knock you up. Make you mine forever.”  He pulled out of Gerard and collapsed at the foot of the bed. Gerard stayed in their original position, catching their breath as Bert’s residue continued to ooze out of them.

Gerard closed their eyes as Bert started to move, shuffling around, hurriedly shoving on his clothes, before quickly leaving the hotel room, and slamming the door shut.

Their dick softening, Gerard turned over to their side.

And finally, they let themselves cry. Tears streaming down their face, cum drying on their pale stomach, Bert nowhere in sight. It felt so wrong, not being held. Not being cuddled up next to an old man, Jeopardy playing on the small, outdated TV. But at the same time, this was true familiarity to them. A quick, rough fuck, and then abandonment. Over, and over, and over. This was Gerard’s life. The nursing home, Frank, that was just a taste of a life they knew they’ll never truly achieve. But at this point, they couldn’t blame anyone but themself for their position. Bert was right, and that fact sickened Gerard. Gerard wasn’t the victim, they never were. This thought sunk in, Bert’s harsh words repeating constantly in Gerard’s head until they couldn’t bring themself to deny it. 

They sat up to get their phone, realizing they never contacted Mikey back, but sat back down slowly as they remembered Bert smashing it. No Mikey, no Ryan, and no Frank. That was the hardest fact to come to terms with, living in a reality where they won’t see Frank again. And it was at this moment, that they knew they were completely, and utterly alone in this miserable world. Well, besides Bert McCraken, their doting, abusive, kimono-wearing freak of a husband. They still had him.

Chapter Text

“Jesus Christ Gerard, could you take any longer to get ready?” Bert groaned from outside the hotel bathroom, trying to make sure the kids don’t run out the door anytime soon. Gerard rolled their eyes, dabbing the concealer carefully over the many bruises and marks that littered their body. It was the day after their fight, so the marks were either bright red or deep purple. Luckily, they covered up the scratches on their arm and bruised wrists with a long sleeve blue dress they had brought, but their neck and right side of their face were still exposed. 

As much as Gerard wished they could walk out to the Mcckracken family reunion with clear evidence that Bert was abusive, Bert already made it clear to Gerard he was not going to let that happen late last night – fucking Gerard’s throat roughly as he listed off what he’d do to Gerard if anyone saw the bruises.

Gerard didn’t realize that once Bert passed the threshold of emotional abuse into physical, he would become completely unhinged. A few hours after Bert left Gerard alone covered in cum, he came back, grumbling about the stupid kimono again. When Gerard made a snarky comment in response, Bert didn’t even hesitate to grab Gerard’s jaw with his strong hand, forcing Gerard to look at him, snapping about how Gerard shouldn’t talk back anymore.

“Bert, I’m doing this as fast as I can. It’s not my fault my neck is purple, you know,” Gerard muttered but regretted the comment when they remembered the kids were still there. God, they felt so bad. The kids shouldn’t have to witness their mother getting hurt by their father, but unfortunately, their father was Bert, which meant these kids were doomed from the start.

“Heh, honey, stop making such, uh, peculiar jokes! Just, um, hurry up. I can’t be late for this,” Bert huffed, and Gerard noticed the threatening undertone of his sentence. Gerard finished applying some power over the makeup and looked at themself in the mirror. Nothing seemed noticeable, and if anyone questioned anything, Gerard was a good enough actor to come up with something on the spot. 

As Gerard walked out of the bathroom, Bert raked his wide, icy eyes all over Gerard, and they felt their cheeks heat up. It wasn’t like Bert was looking at them fondly, no, of course not, he was looking at them like they were prey that he was hunting.

“Kids, head down to the lobby, we will meet up with you two in a few minutes,” Bert said, eyes not leaving Gerard for even a moment. The kids excitedly ran out of the room, footsteps, and yelps echoing through the halls. As the door shut, Bert approached Gerard slowly.

“God Gerard, can’t even show up to a family reunion without announcing to the entire world that you’re a whore, huh? That dress… Hugging every inch of your body, barely covering the tops of your thighs. It’s like you’re just asking me to fuck you, right here, right now,” Bert growled sensually, grazing his hands along Gerard’s waist. Gerard’s breath hitched, and a nauseous feeling began pooling in their stomach as they backed away slightly from the man.

“Bert, t-this was all I had, my nurse gown wa-” Gerard started, but was cut off by Bert placing his sweaty hand over their mouth.

“God, and there you go ruining it! I don’t want to hear anything about your stupid fucking nursing gown! That was your old life, Gerard. That shit doesn’t matter anymore. You’re with me. You’re mine. You’re not a nurse, you’re my fucking whore and you’ll dress like it from now on. You understand me?” Bert hissed, and Gerard slowly nodded, before Bert removed his hand and stormed out the door. Gerard didn’t want to be late, so they grabbed the extra keycard and hurried out the door, catching up with their husband. 

As the couple walked into the lobby, they were met with about fifty faces that all resembled Bert’s. Bert grew up Mormon, a fact that puzzled Gerard to this day, and with his four siblings who all had kids of their own, and Bert’s own cousins and extended family, it was no surprise the McCracken family was so large. 

A taller man who seemed to be a bit younger than Gerard walked up to the couple, giving Bert a firm handshake. “Bert, so great to see you again. God, you’ve changed a lot since I’ve seen you! And this must be your…” The man started, and Bert quickly interjected. “My wife, Gerard. I’ve been married to them for a few months now, but we’ve known each other since our early twenties. It’s great to see you again Dallon,” Bert replied. Gerard smiled at Dallon, who nodded in response before leaving to go talk to another couple.

“So, is he your cousin, or?” Gerard asked quietly, making sure no one but Bert could hear. Bert nodded, taking Gerard’s hand in his as he pulled them through the crowd of people to the bistro’s bar. 

“I’ll take a scotch on the rocks, and they’ll have a vodka coke zero,” Bert ordered coldly, not even looking at the bartender. Gerard raised an eyebrow at Bert.

“What? I’m not going to get through this sober, and you shouldn’t have to either,” Bert smirked, squeezing Gerard’s hand. For a moment, Gerard’s stomach fluttered, and they blushed as they looked down at their husband’s fingers interlocked with their own. That giddy feeling subsided though, as they remembered those same fingers wrapped around their arm, nails digging into the skin, Bert ignoring any pleas Gerard made for Bert to let go. Bert took no notice of Gerard’s reaction, instead, he grabbed his drink and motioned for Gerard to grab theirs. He then dragged them back through the crowd, Gerard’s drink spilling slightly over the edges of the cup from how fast they were moving. Finally, they reached a corner that had a table by a window at the bistro.

The McCracken, as wealthy as they were, had booked out the hotel restaurant for this event and ordered an open bar. This luckily made things easier for Gerard, because they could avoid Bert having to interact with that hostess again from yesterday that he clearly scared of. They both took a seat down at the table, and Bert raised his glass to Gerard.

“To your new life with me!” Bert cheered loudly and smiled, a cruel look in his eyes. Gerard froze, as about twenty heads turned over to look at the couple with raised eyebrows. “What was that Bert?” An older woman asked. Bert smiled again and cleared his throat.

“My lovely spouse here recently quit their job as a nurse to become a full-time stay-at-home mom for our two lovely children who are, um, around here somewhere, and I just want to congratulate them and make it known how wonderful I think it is that I’ll get to see Gerard as often as I want to now!” Bert exclaimed, grinning at Gerard with that same, wild gaze. Gerard forced a smile on the crowd and raised their glass since everyone else did too.

“Cheers, Bert!” Gerard said warmly, and when everyone else began cheering, Gerard leaned closer to him and whispered, “I don’t know what game you think you’re playing Bert, but I will never become your trophy wife. The second I can find a new job with a lot of hours, I’m taking it,” Gerard snapped in a whisper. Bert responded by kicking Gerard’s shin under the table, his heavy boot digging into the thin skin on their leg. Gerard yelped from the surprise pain, and Bert drowned the noise out by coughing a few times. He looked at Gerard with a dark, violent stare, before saying in a low growl, “I don’t think that’s in your best interest, Gerard .”

Gerard was appalled, and their leg hurt badly. They looked under the table and noticed the skin on their shin was broken, a trickle of blood running down their leg.

“I’ll be right back Bert, I’ll have you know I’m bleeding now,” Gerard said, biting down on their bottom lip to suppress any shakiness in their higher-pitched voice. Bert simply smiled, a wide, devilish grin spreading on his scary face. Gerard got up swiftly, rushing to the nearest bathroom to clean off their shin, but ended up colliding with one of the wait staff, who spilled a tray of water on Gerard with shocked, horrified eyes.

“Oh, oh my god Miss I’m so sor-” The voice started, and when Gerard looked up, they noticed it was the blonde waiter from yesterday, the one who came to their room. If Gerard could remember properly, Bert called them Syd. Gerard looked at his nametag, which confirmed Gerard’s suspicions.

“Oh, no no don’t worry that was completely my fault! You’re just trying to do your job, I’m so sorry I ran into you, I, uh,” Gerard stammered, their shin still throbbing with pain and even more blood coming out of the wound now that Gerard has been running on it. Syd followed Gerard’s eyes to their leg, mouth parting at the sight of the gash.

“Um, are you okay? D-do you need a bandaid or something?” Syd asked, but his eyes grew with worry as Gerard felt a hand snake up against their waist, pulling them close to a warm mass. Bert.

“Ahh, if it isn’t Syd! Such a doting member of this hotel’s staff! My little lady here just bonked their leg into a chair, nothing else. Why don’t you run along. Actually, you know what, while you’re on the clock, can you grab me one of those pizzas I had yesterday? It was fantastic!” Bert grinned, and Gerard wiped the water from their face, which earned another scared glance from Syd.

“U-um, Miss, you, you have, um,” Syd whispered, and Bert spun Gerard to look at them directly. Bert’s eyes widened, and immediately pulled Gerard closer and whispered, “That little punk made your makeup come off and now he saw the bruise on your face, so nice fucking going Gerard! God, can’t you do one thing right?” 

Syd just stood there, eyes darting from both Bert to Gerard, before landing on Gerard, who was looking back at him. Gerard just nodded to Bert and headed to the bathroom. Before Syd could leave, Bert placed a hand on the waiter’s shoulder. 

“Listen here kid, I don’t know what you’re doing right now. If you think that something is going on here, you’re wrong. And it definitely has nothing to do with you, so keep outta this,” Bert snarled at the waiter. Syd raised an eyebrow at Bert, almost questioning his authority, but both of them turned their heads when they heard screaming at the kids table. Bert’s children were busy dumping fries and condiments on the other kids, making a huge mess. A frantic waitress ran over to Syd, and said in a tired voice, “Syd, can you help me out? We need to clean up around that table!” Bert simply chuckled, glancing at Syd. “Looks like you got a task to do, well, one other than meddling in my business. Get a move on, Syd,” Bert laughed, and Syd glared at him, before being dragged off to the mess of a table. 

Gerard held the damp paper towel to their leg, cleaning up the blood. They couldn’t wait to get out of this stupid hotel, this stupid situation. Once they were done with this weekend trip, they were heading straight to Mikey’s house. They felt a twinge of guilt, knowing they still haven’t gotten the chance to even reply to Mikey with their phone being broken. He was probably so worried about them, and once again Gerard was making Mikey’s life harder than it already was. They sighed, looking at themself in the mirror, examining the now-visible mark on their face from Bert’s backhanded slap the previous day. They realized the best option would be to just go back to the hotel room and reapply makeup, but at this point, nothing mattered that much. They couldn’t continue being scared of Bert - that wasn’t getting them anywhere. If anything, it was making Bert more comfortable with the idea of hurting Gerard. 

They smoothed out their dress, and walked back out, the reddish-purple mark visible for any McCracken to witness. As they walked through the crowd of blue-eyed adults and kids, something caught their eye. Well, someone caught their eye. There was a girl, around Gerard’s age, holding onto the arm of the man they met earlier, Dallon. She looked so… familiar. She had these big, hazel eyes, dark lashes, and a square, chiseled jaw. She was short, which wasn’t that unusual, but combined with all the other features, meant something. She looked almost identical to the pictures Gerard saw of Frank from back in the day, and before Gerard even realized it, they found themself walking up to the woman. 

“U-um, excuse me?” Gerard asked, their voice shaking from a whirlpool of emotions. This was so stupid, so stupid. The chances of this were little to none, but Gerard had no other options. The woman turned to look at them, a soft smile on her face, her eyes making Gerard’s stomach drop. Those were his eyes. 

“Hi! Do I know you?” She asked, cocking her head to the side. Dallon turned and faced Gerard, smiling, and rubbing his hand along the woman’s arm. 

“Ah, Gerard! Nice to see you again! Gerard, this is my girlfriend, Pansy. Pansy, this is Gerard. They are my cousin Bert’s spouse,” Dallon introduced. 

“Pansy Iero. Great to meet you, Gerard!” She said warmly, extending her hand. At that moment, Gerard forgot about everything else in the world. Pansy Iero. This was no longer some weird coincidence, this was fate. The mention of Frank’s last name had Gerard startled, making Gerard shuffle through all the memories associated with that name. Gerard was knocked out of this daze when they realized her hand was still extended, and they quickly shook it. 

“This is such an odd question, but, Pansy, are you by chance related to, er, Frank? Frank Iero?” Gerard asked, breathing shakily. Pansy beamed, and nodded. 

“Yes! That’s my father! How… How do you know him?” She responded. She seemed confused. Confused that a random person at her boyfriend’s family reunion knew her elderly father. 

“Well, uh,” Gerard started, unsure of how to explain this. They cleared their throat and restarted, spinning a lie of some sort. “My brother, he, he uh, he works for the nursing home that your father is at. I visit my brother every now and then, and your dad, he’s a great guy. One of the kindest patients there. D-Do you, er, know how he’s doing?” Gerard asked, desperate for any information at this point. Pansy smiled sadly. 

“Oh, that’s very kind to hear. He’s always been a firecracker, but so kind. Never yelled at me once. I visited him last week, and you know how dementia is. It gets hard, seeing him like that. Usually, he isn’t too bad, but I couldn’t stay for long this visit because he kept asking every nurse where Jamia, my mom, was. That made me sad, that he doesn’t remember her death, and instead thinks she just left him,” Pansy said in a quiet voice, trailing off. Gerard’s heart clenched. Gerard knew that Frank must’ve been asking about them, and Gerard felt their throat closing knowing how confused and sad Frank must be that Gerard left so suddenly, with no goodbye. 

“Oh, I’m, I’m sorry to hear that Pansy. Well, just know, your father is one of a kind. Truly, I… I’ve never met anyone like him. You are very lucky to have him in your life. Mr. Iero always brightened my day whenever I had the chance to be around him,” Gerard said, biting down on their lip, before flinching as a firm hand was brought down on their shoulder. 

“Mr. Iero? What are we talking about here?” Bert asked, his voice clearly showing a strain. 

“Oh, you must be Bert! Hello! I’m Pansy Iero, Dallon’s girlfriend. It’s very nice to meet you. I was just talking to Gerard, whose brother works at the home my father lives in. Isn’t that funny?” Pansy grinned, her eyes crinkling the same way Frank’s did. Bert’s grip on Gerard’s shoulder tightened. 

“That is quite funny! Gerard, honey, I seemed to have lost my keycard. Do you mind running upstairs to our room with me so I can put my jacket back?” Bert said in a monotone voice, turning to Gerard. Gerard didn’t want to do that. Gerard wanted to stay here, with Pansy, and talk about Frank, their Frank until this reunion was over. But they knew they couldn’t. They couldn’t risk Bert telling Pansy about what Gerard did. 

“Of course Bert. It was, really nice meeting you Pansy. Next time you see your dad, please let him know that, um, Gerard says hello,” They breathed, and Pansy smiled and nodded as Bert put his hand in Gerard’s and walked off with them silently. Bert didn’t say a single word until they were in the elevator, where he turned to look at Gerard, eyes dark and dangerous.

“Save it, Bert. I’m fucking done with you. If you lay a hand on me, I’m pressing the elevator emergency button and getting you fucking arrested,” Gerard snapped before Bert could even open his mouth. This shocked Bert, he was getting used to and enjoying the ever-growing power he held over Gerard. He was not letting go of this as easily as Gerard thought, a grin forming on his face as he faced the elevator doors, staying silent next to his spouse. Gerard held back a smirk, feeling almost high from the confidence they suddenly possessed. If Gerard didn’t say anything, they most likely would’ve gotten slapped, or worse, right in the elevator. Bert was too stupid to know that elevators have cameras, so he wouldn’t have hesitated to be violent. However, that confidence didn’t last when the elevator doors opened, and Bert let out his hand, gesturing Gerard to leave first to head towards the room. 

When the pair reached the door, Gerard moved their hand to get the keycard, but Bert already had his in hand as he unlocked the door. Gerard scoffed, because, of course, Bert was lying. He didn’t lose his keycard and he didn’t want to set his jacket down, he wanted to talk to Gerard. Bert held the door, motioning for Gerard to enter. Gerard obeyed, slowly walking in before they heard a loud slam from the door closing behind them.

“So, can’t get your mind off the old man even when surrounded by my entire family, huh?” Bert laughed, shuffling himself out of his jacket. Gerard, feeling the boldness creep back, nodded exaggeratedly. 

“How could I? He was kind to me, sweet, and gentle. He cared about me, he dedicated a talent show performance to me, he fucked me better than you ever could, and he called me kind names!” Gerard responded, a desperate tone indicating the yearning for Frank in their voice. Bert stared at Gerard, laughing again.

“What? Like the name of his dead wife? You’re sick. Getting off on that, pretending to be something you’re not. Do you know why the only names I use for you are ‘whore’ or ‘slut’? Because at least I tell it like it is. I call you the names that really display who you are,” Bert growled, causing Gerard to get nervous. Gerard stopped themself from backing down though – this time they were holding their ground. 

“No Bert. Shut the fuck up,” Gerard growled back, taking a couple of steps closer to the black-haired man. “You act like you know everything about me and that’s why we belong together when in reality, you only care about any shitty thing I’ve done so you can use it against me. Believe it or not Bert, but I know every shitty thing you’ve done too. I know about that time you told a guy he could fuck me if he paid you without asking me if I was okay with it first, I know about that time you held a gun up to that woman when she realized she was a few grams short of the cocaine you paid for. How about that, huh Bert? You proud of those things? Are you proud of the time you genuinely considered trading me off for a big supply of heroin when your withdrawals were bad?”

Bert scoffed and turned around before Gerard took his shoulder and spun him back around to make eye contact. “You’re no better than me, Bert. In fact, you’re so much worse. You’re an abusive, disgusting, deadbeat loser who only wants me because I give you an actual sense of self. You’re the pathetic one, Bert. Not me,” Gerard stated firmly, never breaking their rage-filled gaze on their husband. Bert stood there, silent. Gerard smirked, and opened their mouth to talk again, but were cut off by Bert’s fist coming in contact with their jaw, knocking them over. Before Gerard could even begin to react, Bert’s boot collided with their stomach, and Gerard let out a gasp from the pain.

“Stop fucking talking!” Bert’s voice boomed through the room, his hands frantically running through his hair, not even looking at his partner who was crumpled up in a heap on the floor. Pain seared through Gerard’s abdomen, not to mention the fact they could taste blood from Bert’s punch to their face. If Gerard wanted to talk, they couldn’t. Everything hurt too much.

Bert kneeled down beside Gerard, grabbing their hair and pulling it to meet Gerard face-to-face. He looked terrifying, like something out of a horror movie. Gerard took this opportunity to spit in Bert’s face, and Bert dropped Gerard’s hair and shouted from surprise.

“You filthy fucking cunt!” Bert roared, grabbing ahold of Gerard’s arm and lifting them to their feet, but Gerard used this opportunity to scratch Bert’s arm roughly, breaking the skin and causing Bert to yelp from pain.

“Don’t. Fucking. Touch me,” Gerard said between breaths. They stood a few feet from Bert, trying to ignore the searing pain in their jaw and abdomen. Bert started laughing, a hysterical, menacing laugh.

“God, look at you! You’re a fucking mess! And to think I actually made money off you,” Bert said in between his laughs, and Gerard felt their stomach sink.

“Wh-What? What does that mean?” Gerard asked in a hushed voice. Bert continued to laugh.

“It means what I said! You’re so fucking worthless, it’s a surprise anyone ever wanted you, especially wanted you enough to pay for you,” Bert huffed, tears forming in his eyes from the laughing. Gerard stayed silent, their heart in their throat. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, a guy’s gotta get laid, but you’re not worth a fucking penny! I really scammed all those guys, didn’t I honey?” Bert continued to laugh. Gerard felt their eyes begin to water.

“Awh, baby, don’t cry. You said it yourself, that old guy wanted you! ‘He was kind to me, sweet, and gentle!’ Oh… Wait! He didn’t want you! He thought you were his dead wife! Ahh, heh, I guess you were wrong, never mind,” Bert said, a pitying frown on his face, his tone sickenly patronizing. Gerard felt the tears run down their face, their vision getting blurry, unable to speak.

“Must be hard knowing you’ve never been loved by anyone in this world for who you truly are,” Bert sighed, leaning against the hotel wall, ignoring his crying spouse. “Always seen as a pretty mouth to fuck, an ass to fill, or some replacement for a senile man’s wife. Gerard, did Frank ever call you by your real name?” 

Gerard just shook their head in defeat.

“Oh, baby. That’s hard. I can’t even imagine,” Bert chuckled, letting his head back to rest against the wall. “His hands on you, caressing you, treating you like you genuinely meant something. And the way you clung onto that, thinking that maybe, just maybe, he’d whisper a sweet ‘Gerard, sweetie, I love you!’, before kissing you. That never happened though, did it, Gerard? Not once were you ever given that love and care you so desperately desired, even though you ruined any chances of a career for it?” Bert asked. Gerard stayed silent, so Bert turned his head to look at them. “Answer me, Gerard.”

“No, it never happened,” Gerard whimpered quietly. 

“Such a shame, Gerard. I would never even consider taking advantage of an old, senile man who missed his wife just for a chance to feel loved. You must feel fucking awful, baby,” Bert approached Gerard, taking them into his arms and sitting them both down on the bed. Gerard simply nodded, quietly crying as they stared straight in front of them, not wanting to look at Bert.

“I know I’ve been hard on you lately, Gee. I-I’m sorry baby. I don’t like fighting with you, and I don’t like hurting you. But you need to learn to listen to me, okay? I’ve loved you for so long, I love you,  Gerard. Not any sort of idealized version of you, I swear. So, please, Gerard. Let me love you the way I know you deserve to be loved, but to do that, you have to listen to me,” Bert purred, stroking Gerard’s hair softly, and this pushed Gerard over the edge. They began sobbing, turning their face into the crook of Bert’s neck, and he felt the tears of his spouse begin to soak through his shirt. He smiled to himself – Bert finally had Gerard exactly where he wanted them, and he had Gerard’s broken self-esteem, Frank, and Frank’s old mind to thank.

Chapter Text

Bert pulled Gerard’s mouth off his cock, looking down at his spouse who was on their knees, staring at their wide eyes and swollen lips with his dark, lust-filled gaze.

“Such a whore for my cock huh? Can’t get enough of me, can you baby?” Bert grunted, shoving his cock back into their mouth, feeling them gag against him. He held their head in his strong hands and began fucking Gerard’s throat roughly, moaning loudly as Gerard whimpered and slobbered around his cock. They looked at him, eyes begging for Bert to touch them. Bert slid himself out of Gerard’s mouth, grabbing them by the hair to pull them off their knees.

“Get on the bed slut, don’t make a sound. I’m going to prep you for being such a good girl for me,” Bert growled, shoving two fingers into Gerard’s mouth, which Gerard sucked on, lubricating as much as possible. Bert smiled as he watched Gerard take his fingers, playfully shoving them deeper into their throat, watching as Gerard choked and sputtered against Bert’s long digits. He loved seeing them so wrecked, so in pain, and loving every second of it. 

He roughly pushed Gerard onto the bed, watching as they obediently got on their knees for him. He pushed a finger into Gerard, hearing a moan exit their lips, and he pushed their face down into the mattress.

“I said, don’t make a sound . What about that do you not get?” Bert smirked in a low tone, as he roughly shoved another finger into Gerard, their moans muffled now. He continued to stretch out Gerard, before pulling out, hearing them whine at the emptiness. Bert gave Gerard’s ass a quick slap, before spitting in his hand and slathering it over his cock, still somewhat damp from Gerard’s mouth earlier. He lined himself up with Gerard’s entrance, grabbing their wrists and holding them with one hand, the other steadying itself on Gerard’s hips. 

“Alright, I’m putting it in now,” Bert grunted, pushing himself into Gerard, letting out a low grunt as he felt himself bottom out. Gerard felt so good around him, and hearing Gerard’s unsteady breathing, he smiled, feeling himself grow even harder.

“Pl-please move Bert, I, I need you,” Gerard begged, and Bert rolled his eyes, letting go of their wrists and grabbing a fistful of their hair, shoving their face back into the pillow.

“You’re so fucking impatient, whore. You take what I give you, this isn’t up to you Gerard!” He growled, fucking Gerard with quick, erratic thrusts. He was so close already.

Gerard clenched their eyes, biting the pillow their face was shoved in to suppress their moans as they felt a cold, clammy hand slap their ass. 

“Yeah, princess? Does that feel good? Do you like when Big Daddy Bert fucks you?” Bert grunted, slamming repeatedly into Gerard from behind. Gerard moaned an inaudible reply, due to Bert holding Gerard’s head face-down in the pillow, but judging by their hard cock and the way their legs shook, Bert knew they were loving this. 

Bert let go of their hair, watching as Gerard’s ass bounced with every thrust, and he gave it another hard slap. He gripped their hips with both hands now, thrusting as fast and hard as he could, chasing his orgasm without even a second thought about Gerard. He shut his eyes, feeling his climax wash over him, cumming deep inside of his spouse. He leaned down, placing a kiss on Gerard’s back, hearing a slight whine from Gerard.

Bert pulled out of them and ran a hand through his greasy, sweaty strands of hair. Gerard collapsed onto the bed before rolling over to face their husband, looking for Bert to make them finish. But Bert was busy pulling his pants on, struggling with the button.

“B-Bert?” Gerard asked quietly, and Bert looked up, making eye contact with Gerard. He smirked, eyes widening as if he forgot something.

“Oh, yeah baby you can get yourself off. I gotta head out, I’m meeting my parents for brunch. Gonna get the kids off their hands, plus they want to have a conversation with me about something. Keep yourself busy or something, I don’t really care. I’ll be back in a couple of hours,” Bert stated casually, giving Gerard a quick kiss on the forehead before pulling a shirt over his head. They watched in silence as Bert grabbed his phone and keycard off the dresser and left in a hurry. Gerard sighed, letting their head fall back onto the pillow they were previously moaning into. 

They wrapped a hand around their cock, but let go as they felt sick instead of turned on. After their second fight this weekend, Gerard hasn’t wanted to leave the hotel room. They felt dirty, and they hated themself more than ever. Bert was right, everything he said the day prior was true. What they did to Frank, it wasn’t okay. They didn’t deserve to miss him. They didn’t even believe they deserved Bert at this point, they felt lucky that Bert was giving them a second chance. 

Gerard sat up, and with the help of the nightstand, they stood up, legs still wobbling from the rough sex they just had with Bert. They walked into the hotel bathroom, feeling a sharp pain shoot through their foot. 

“Fuck! What the hell?” Gerard gasped, quickly placing a hand on the counter as they lifted their foot, revealing a small shard of glass wedged in their heel. That must’ve been from when Bert broke their phone, the screen shattered pretty badly. Gerard pulled the glass out, biting on their lip as the pain continued. They threw the glass into the trash can and proceeded to turn the shower on.

When the mirrors began to fog up, Gerard stepped into the shower, letting out a sigh as they felt the hot water wet their hair and trickle down their face and back. Deep down, they knew they were being mistreated. They knew Bert was being manipulative, using their fears against them to make Gerard stay. But for some reason, for some twisted, sick reason, that made Gerard feel wanted. That Bert was doing this just so he could keep Gerard around. 

Gerard washed their hair with the small, sample-sized shampoo bottle, humming to themself as they tried to ignore the events of the past few days. When they were done, they got out of the shower, careful to not put too much pressure on the foot where the glass cut them. They didn’t want to look in the mirror at their naked body, they didn’t want to see the bruise from where Bert’s boot collided with Gerard’s stomach. 

Gerard walked out to the room, grabbed one of Bert’s shirts from a pile on the ground, put it on, and slipped back into bed. There wasn’t much else to do, so they decided to just go back to sleep until their husband was back from brunch.

–––

“Bert deary! How are you doing?” The older woman grinned as she pulled her son into a hug. Bert didn’t get a chance to spend time with his parents yesterday because of Gerard’s outburst, so he was happy that they wanted to meet with him for brunch. He also felt a little bad, constantly leaving them to deal with his insane children. “I’m doing great mom, so glad I finally get to catch up with you and Pops,” Bert replied with a simple smile. He felt something wrap around his leg and looked down to see his younger son. He laughed and rustled the boy’s hair.

“Shall we get a table then?” Bert’s dad asked, before walking towards the restaurant, and the rest of the group followed. They were greeted by a hostess Bert hadn't seen before, which was great because he didn’t like the one who helped him before. Bert also prayed that the waiter who seems to be onto him wasn’t working today, he didn’t want to have to deal with them the last day he was here. 

The hostess led them to a table and handed them all menus. Bert was about to order, but his parents were too busy chatting, so he took a look at the menu, scanning for any vegetarian options he could find.

“Bert, when was the last time you showered?” Bert’s father asked, nose wrinkling. “You don’t smell good at all!” His kids howled with laughter, and Bert self-consciously looked around and down at himself.

“Um, I showered before we got here on Friday,” Bert mumbled, keeping his eyes locked on the menu. His parents laughed – they always made fun of his hygiene. He was about to give up and order the pizza again when his eyes landed on a vegetarian sandwich, closing the menu before even reading what was on it. A few moments go by, and low and behold, Syd appears with a pad of paper and pen in hand.

“Hello! I’m Syd, and I’ll be your waiter today. How can I help... You?” Syd greeted, trailing off slightly when making eye contact with Bert. Bert smirked and talked over his mother immediately.

“I’ll take the garden sandwich and a coke. The kids want chicken tenders,” Bert demanded. He looked at his parents, gesturing at them to order. Bert’s mother cleared her throat and smiled at Syd.

“I’ll take the caesar salad please,” She requested, and Bert’s dad ordered a burger. Bert felt a buzz on his phone, and quickly checked who it was from. Brent . Bert grinned, eyes darting around to make sure no one was looking at his phone, before opening the text. Brent was sending pics of the stashes Bert had ordered, and everything looked good. Bert quickly replied, then set his phone back into his pocket. He watched as Syd wrote down the orders from the rest of the family, before turning to Bert.

“We’ll have your food out soon, sir,” Syd grumbled, then turned to smile at his parents before heading away.

“Damn Bert, whaddya do to that kid?” His dad asked, laughing before taking a swig of his water. Bert shrugged, annoyed.

“I don’t know. Sometimes servers are bitches!” He replied. His mother quickly covered the ears of the younger child. “Robert! Watch your language!” She whispered, the kid wriggling out of her hands before laughing with their sibling. He slumped back into his chair, he hated being treated like a child sometimes.

“So, Bert, we wanted to catch up. How are you? How are things with…Gerard?” His dad asked, the corner of his mouth lifting when saying the name of his spouse. Bert knew his parents weren’t particularly fond of Gerard, which made sense due to Gerard’s whorish nature. He was sure they would’ve liked them if they were still working the nursing job, having an actual reputable career, but Gerard was a slutty idiot as usual and lost that. Not to mention Gerard wearing either a 1950s nursing gown or a nightclub dress to a family reunion.

“They’re fine. We, we are fine. You know, typical marriage troubles sometimes, but that’s about it,” Bert yawned, grabbing the napkin off the table and twirling it through his fingers. Well, typical marriage problems that are followed by physical fights and kinky sex. Perfectly normal.

“It’s just, are you sure about them? We don’t want our son, to, settle for someone,” His mom whispered, and Bert couldn’t help but laugh. Bert knew he was honestly doing charity work taking Gerard back, but thought it was humorous how almost everyone agreed.

“Yes, yes mom, I promise. They’re a great person and wonderful mother. By the way, thank you for taking care of the kids this weekend, sorry I’ve been so busy,” He replied, and his parents smiled and nodded. Shortly after, Syd returned, carrying a load of plates before setting them down on the table. Bert noticed Syd side-eyeing him, but before Bert could make a comment, Syd was already headed back to the kitchen. Bert looked down at his sandwich, realizing he should’ve read the menu a bit closer because once he saw the atrocity in front of him, he regretted ordering that damn sandwich.

“So, we have another thing we want to ask,” Bert’s mom said, sounding a bit more serious than usual. Bert pushed a piece of zucchini out of the sandwich, grimacing at the slimy texture, before raising his eyebrows at his mom.

“We’ve been told your room has received a lot of noise complaints this weekend, and Dallon mentioned to us that he saw Gerard had a few, um, bruises on them. What’s going on Robert?” His father asked in a stern voice, and Bert audibly groaned and rolled his eyes. He had to come up with an excuse, fast.

“Kids, go to the bathroom,” Bert murmured. The two children obeyed, getting up from their chairs and running towards the bathroom, screaming some sort of song from a show they like. Bert stalled for time, remaining silent as he pretended to nibble on his sandwich, which by the way, made his stomach churn. He had no idea why this was on the menu. When he almost gagged after biting into a huge piece of mushroom, he cleared his throat and faced his parents. He had an idea to make them stop questioning him. 

“Listen, mom, dad, I didn’t want this to be weird. In fact, I tried to be discreet about this shit for a reason, for the sake of you both. But, if you really want to know, this is your final warning,” Bert declared, and when his parents remained silent, he let out a long, dramatic sigh. 

“Gerard has been crazy horny since they quit their job. And, I’ve been stressed out. So we have been having a lot of sex, and since I’m a great parent, I don’t want my kids witnessing that!” Bert explained, and his mom put her fork down before breaking eye contact with Bert, and his father sighed and shook his head.

“Alright Bert, okay. We understand. But, what about the bruises?” His father asked, and Bert smirked. Well, they brought this upon themselves now.

“You wanna know? Alright, fine. Gerard, is like, crazy kinky. They love being slapped and hit and shit while I fuck them. You wouldn’t believe it! Well, maybe you would. They look like a slut. But I mean, wow, this one time, I was taking them from behind and-” Bert explained, on the verge of breaking out into laughter at the sight of his horrified parents. He was not helping Gerard’s case right now, but he didn’t really care. It was Gerard, so, it didn’t really matter.

“Enough Bert! That’s, that’s enough. You did not need to be that specific. But, thank you. For explaining, that is,” Bert’s dad replied loudly, and Bert’s mom looked like she was about to throw up. Bert’s dad put a hand on her shoulder before saying in a tired voice, “You can go now, we will take the kids with us for the rest of the day so Gerard and you, can, um, have your privacy.” 

Bert chuckled, nodding before standing up, and he placed a kiss on his mother’s cheek before shaking his dad’s hand. He walked towards the bar. He definitely deserved a beer after this, and also was excited to be heading out because now he could pick up his drugs. He decided to get a few beers, as a gift for Gerard, so they could drink together after Bert bought (and sampled) some of his drugs. He was semi-hard talking about sex with Gerard, even if it was in a conversation with his parents, and he couldn’t wait to fuck them later. After he grabbed the beers, he downed one quickly at the bar, before heading back upstairs to his room. 

–––

Gerard woke up at the sound of the door opening, yawning and stretching before looking at the intruder, who happened to be their husband.

“Hey, babe! Great time with the parents, and here I grabbed us some beers to have later! I got three, so you can even have one right now if you want!” Bert said in a rushed voice, smiling. Gerard raised an eyebrow and held their hand out as Bert shoved a beer bottle into it, before pulling his keys out and opening the bottle for them.

“Thanks, Bert. Is, is everything alright?” Gerard asked, before taking a sip of the cold drink. Bert nodded, taking his phone and wallet out of his pocket. He didn’t respond though, and Gerard watched as he quickly changed out of the dress shirt he was wearing and began scanning the room for something.

“What are you looking for?” Gerard asked, suddenly intrigued, and sat up on the bed. Bert ignored them, starting to throw clothes around and appearing to get less excited and more frustrated. He then fished out a piece of pink fabric, smiling for a brief second, before his eyes filled with fury.

“God dammit ! Fuck! I fucking forgot you ripped my zen robe!” Bert shouted, causing Gerard to sink back into the bed. Before Gerard could apologize, Bert shook his head, choosing a red tank top out of the mess of clothes on the ground and throwing it on.

“I gotta run some errands, I’ll be back soon, I promise,” Bert said, his eyes bright and excited again. He approached Gerard, and ran his hand through their semi-damp hair before leaning in and whispering, “I’ll also make it up to you that I couldn’t finish you off earlier, I want to fuck you so hard my pretty girl.” Gerard nodded, unsure of how to even comprehend what was happening right now. Bert grabbed his wallet and keys off the dresser in a hurry, before scrambling out the door. Gerard turned the tv on and began flicking through the channels as they sipped on their drink. Then, they froze at the sound of a familiar voice. 

“Welcome to Jeopardy!, America’s new game show of trivia. On this program, we give out the answers, or clues, and our contestants must come up with the questions!” 

Gerard immediately changed the channel after they heard that classic opener for the show they haven’t touched in months. Images of Frank sitting on the bed, answering the questions excitedly with Gerard in his arms raced through their mind. One moment Gerard clung onto specifically. 

“What category would you be best at, Mr. Iero?” Gerard asked, looking up at the old man as they sat in his lap. Frank smiled, his wrinkled lips looking more chapped than usual, and Gerard swiped the Aquaphor off the side table and smeared some on his lips before he responded.

“Oh! Well, thank you Jamia darling, always so considerate. But hmmm…. Hmm hmm hmm… That’s a tough one!” Frank pondered, one hand stroking his chin and the other on Gerard’s head, playing lightly with their hair. Gerard watched as the old man thought intensely, continuously repeating “Hmmm” before his eyes widened and he looked at Gerard with glee.

“Music, definitely music! Back in my day, my rockstar days, I was friends with every big name out there! Oh Jamia, I was friends with the Travis Stever!” Frank bragged, and Gerard gave frank an excited smile while squeezing his arm. They had no idea who Travis was, but they loved seeing Frank so passionate. It also made Gerard happy to hear Frank share little details of his life. 

“Jamia, can you grab that picture frame from the drawer? I don’t think I’ve shown it to you yet… Oh, sweetpea, you’re going to love this!” He asked, and Gerard nodded, sitting up and opening the drawer on the side table, fishing out a picture frame. They turned it over to see the picture, and their jaw dropped. 

It was of Frank. Young Frank. Like, Frank when he was their age. 

He was playing guitar on stage, wearing a black tank top, jeans, fingerless gloves, and a black armband. His tattoos were as vibrant as ever, and with no wrinkles, Gerard could make out a lot of the designs that have disappeared over the years. His face was more chiseled, and he had a slight smile on his face. The most shocking thing was seeing Frank with hair. He had thick, long dark hair that was hanging in his face, slightly damp from sweat. 

Gerard looked back at the man and felt butterflies in their stomach as they saw all the same traits in him. He aged beautifully, and Gerard felt luckier than ever. They planted a kiss on his forehead, before saying affectionately, “So handsome Frankie, you were handsome then and you’re handsome now!” which made Frank chuckle, before turning back to the TV as Gerard snuggled up to him once again.  

Gerard attempted to block the thoughts out as some Food Network show played. They finished the first beer after they got halfway through the cooking show, before grabbing the second one on the nightstand beside them. They watched some more TV, trying to flood their mind with empty entertainment as a distraction from their thoughts of Frank. After they were done with the second beer, they got up to throw the bottle in the trash. Once they stood up they realized they were definitely tipsy, probably due to the fact they basically slept all morning and hadn’t eaten. When approaching the bin, they noticed Bert’s phone, alone on the dresser. Gerard placed the bottle down beside the phone, and looked around the room, before grabbing Bert’s phone and sitting back down on the bed.

Now, Gerard wasn’t the type to snoop. They didn’t even care what was on Bert’s phone, but it had been almost three days since they had access to the outside world, and also wanted to contact Mikey to let him know to not worry about them. When Gerard opened the phone though, they were greeted with a text conversation with some guy named Brent. Gerard’s jaw dropped, as they started scrolling through the texts.

For the past five days, Bert has been planning on meeting up with “Brent” to buy a variety of drugs – cocaine, oxys, xanax, and, to Gerard’s horror, heroin. Gerard was shocked, they knew Bert was a lot of things, but they did not think Bert was an addict again. They thought that they’d both gotten clean a couple of months after their breakup, and they haven’t noticed any signs of relapse since they have gotten back together.

Wherever Bert was now, he was with Brent, buying a ton of drugs and deliberately keeping it a secret from Gerard. 

They screenshotted the messages, and even though their physical phone was broken, they knew that their number still worked fine, and they quickly sent the photos to themself, before going to Bert’s camera roll and carefully selecting the screenshots to delete. All of a sudden, Bert slams the door open, holding a black bag. His eyes go immediately to Gerard, then to the phone that they were holding. Bert’s bag falls to the ground. 

“What. The Fuck . Do you think you’re doing?” Bert snarled, rushing up to Gerard and snatching the phone out of their hands. Before Gerard could reply, Bert’s eyes darted over the screenshots and began clicking around. Gerard decided to keep their mouth shut as Bert navigated through his phone. 

“Really? Really Gerard ? Wh... What are you doing all this for huh? Trying to get some leverage against me? Gonna turn me in to the police? Huh?”

Gerard stayed silent as Bert approached them, shaking his phone in front of them.

“What? Pleading the fifth?” He sneered, hands shaking. Gerard couldn’t tell if he was angry, scared, high, or all three.

“Sending yourself screenshots… And to think I finally could trust you. God, was I wrong. You’re so selfish, you’re so fucking selfish Gerard!” Bert yelled, hitting the wall next to him, the loud noise causing Gerard to jump. “Fucking respond to me now!” He cried.

“B-Bert, stop, y-you’re scaring me,” Gerard said quietly, slowly getting up. They were sure he was high at this point, and they didn’t want to be around him for this outburst. They had to leave.

“I’m ‘s-scaring y-you? Oh, cry me a fucking river, Gerard!” Bert howled as he threw his phone across the room, watching it as it hit the wall and fell onto the floor. 

“You’re high. I need to leave,” Gerard stated, fully standing now. They moved towards the door but were blocked by the dresser and Bert. Bert smirked as he approached them, pupils scarily large and a dazed look in his eyes.

“No, you don’t,” Bert replied simply. Gerard took another step forward. “Yes, I do. Move out of my way Bert.”

This made the black-haired man chuckle, and Gerard used both hands to shove Bert, the man tripping into the dresser. Before Gerard could open the door, they felt a hand in their hair, followed by an aggressive tug as they stumbled backward. They heard a smash as they were pushed against the wall with Bert’s hand on their shoulder.

When they looked at Bert, they were met with a view of their husband holding something to their throat. It clicked for Gerard – the smashing noise. Bert broke the bottle and was holding the sharp edge to Gerard’s throat.

“You’re not going anywhere ,” Bert whispered, his hand shakily on the bottle, inching it closer to Gerard. Gerard held their breath, there was no way this was happening right now. They wish they were dreaming, they really did, but even their nightmares were never this terrifying.

“B-Bert, please,” Gerard said softly, unsure of what they were even begging for. To be let go? For Bert to stop? For their life? Gerard settled for all three.

“Why? Why should I?” He replied, moving his face into Gerard’s neck. “Shhh, baby. It’s okay,” Bert coaxed as Gerard began to cry. Gerard was trembling at this point, watching as the ragged glass inched closer to their neck. They felt a small kiss being pressed just below their jaw and felt as more tears rolled down their cheeks.

“I need to know that I can trust you, Gerard,” Bert insisted, moving his face back to meet Gerard’s eyes. He always thought Gerard was pretty, but this Gerard almost weakened Bert. Their flushed cheeks were stained with tears, wide, horrified eyes, and trembling lips. Bert could moan at the sight of his spouse and felt drunk off the power. Gerard stared back at him.

“S-stop, Bert pl- ah !” Gerard was cut off as they felt the edge of the glass press into their neck, knowing if they even moved a millimeter they could get cut. They felt like something was crushing their lungs, and they couldn’t stop hyperventilating. 

“Can I trust you?” Was all Bert said, watching his shaking, crying spouse wince as the bottle’s sharp edges touched their neck. Gerard didn’t respond, they felt like they couldn’t even hear Bert properly, they were too focused on the bottle.

“Answer me! Can I trust you?!” Bert hissed, moving his hand accidentally and causing Gerard to sharply inhale, and Bert saw a thin red line appear on their neck, a small bead of blood appearing out of the scratch. Gerard stayed put, they didn’t even want to speak with that glass poking them but knew they had to.

“Yes, yes fuck Bert you can trust me! I promise! God, I swear please, god please Bert yes,” Gerard cried, their hands holding the wall behind them as they looked up, praying to anyone or anything this would stop. “Just please, please don’t k-kill me, Bert! Please!” They begged. Bert seemed satisfied, one hand falling from Gerard’s neck and the other releasing Gerard from the wall. Gerard fell to their knees, sobbing uncontrollably. Bert hunched down and put a hand on their back, which Gerard flinched and moved away from.

“Don’t! Don’t you dare touch me, Bert! Stay away from me! Pl-please!” They sobbed. Bert complied, lifting his hand off Gerard. He still had the bottle in hand, he didn’t want Gerard to grab it and use it against him, so he decided to take it into the bathroom with him, and locked the door behind him. Bert turned the hot water on for the shower, humming to himself as he stripped. His parents did say he needed a shower, and he had free time now, with Gerard a mess on the floor.

Gerard heard the water and the humming, but couldn’t even bring themself to get up, let alone run out of the hotel room. They traced their neck and saw the small drop of blood accumulate on their finger. They couldn’t stop shaking, they couldn’t stop crying. They knew Bert, when high, could be violent and didn’t have remorse towards strangers. But Gerard never knew Bert could be like this – to them. And they were truly terrified finally knowing what Bert was capable of.

Chapter Text

Gerard couldn’t really tell if life was better when they stayed at the hotel, or now. When they stayed in the hotel, they didn’t have to worry about cooking, cleaning, or taking care of their kids (God bless Bert’s parents). However, they were basically shut in a room with a man who had beaten them relentlessly with no remorse. Being back at home, they had more freedom. They had their car and the landline phone. And even though the apartment was absolutely shitty and gross, Gerard enjoyed having multiple rooms they could be in, it made Bert more bearable. 

Bert and Gerard hadn’t spoken about the bottle incident yet. Gerard was too scared, worrying that it would make Bert think they were untrustworthy, and Gerard didn’t want to risk anything. They weren’t quite sure why Bert never mentioned anything, but it did make things easier, like they could just brush it under the rug. Or, at least Gerard attempted to brush it under the rug.

In all honesty, it fucked up Gerard pretty badly. They didn’t get off the hotel floor for two hours, crying until there were no more tears left, and after that they sat in silence, too scared to move. When it was time to go to sleep, Gerard couldn’t stand the thought of sharing the bed with Bert, scared that at some point during the night they’d wake up, and he’d be on top of them with that same terrifying look in his eyes as he plunged the glass into their throat. Bert was annoyed though, so Gerard laid on the bed as far away as they could from him, and stayed awake the entire night, watching Bert’s slow breathing and counting to a hundred, then restarting. The repetitive actions calmed Gerard down and gave them something to do other than think about what their husband did to them just hours prior. 

Gerard was trying their best to ignore it, it wasn’t like they could get professional help, they couldn’t afford therapy or any bullshit that could help them work through their feelings, especially without Bert knowing. And by ignoring it, they meant either busying themself with household chores, going on walks around the apartment complex, or drinking themself to a point of numbness so they could interact with Bert without feelings of dread, anxiety, or fear. 

Since it was only 11am, Gerard was busy ignoring their feelings by doing laundry, desperately still trying to get rid of the ketchup stain on their nursing gown. They considered taking it to the dry cleaners, but the stain was almost gone, and they couldn’t bring themself to waste money when they were so close to having the dress back in perfect condition. As they scrubbed bleach into the dress, they heard a knock at the door.

“One second, I’m coming!” They yelled, dropping the gown into the sink, and wiping their hands on a nearby towel. They ran to the door, and carelessly opened it, and their mouth dropped in surprise.

“Jesus fucking Christ Gerard! Where the fuck have you been? I’ve been worried sick, I thought you died or something, and I tried texting and calling you but you never replied or picked up, god Gerard I was so worried! Are, are you okay? Is Bert her-” Mikey rambled as he grabbed Gerard’s arms so tight they felt like he wasn’t ever going to let go. Gerard raised an eyebrow at Mikey when Mikey suddenly paused his question. “Gerard, wh-why are you covered in bruises? What, what the fuck happened this weekend?” Mikey’s eyes grew wide, as he examined Gerard’s arms, then pushed their chin slightly left seeing the fading bruise on the right side of their face. Gerard was at a loss for words and silently broke free from Mikey’s hold to close the door. Gerard turned back to face Mikey, looking at their hands as they traced over their nails. Mikey pulled Gerard into a tight hug, smoothing his hand through their hair, and Gerard felt like they could finally breathe. They let out an exhale, looking for words, before breaking out into tears into Mikey’s shoulder.

“Gerard, oh my god Gerard, I’m so sorry. I’m so sorry,” Mikey whispered, holding his sibling tight, feeling a pit form in his stomach. “It was Bert, right Gee? Bert… He did this to you?” Mikey asked quietly and felt a small nod from Gerard. Mikey felt like he was going to throw up. Even though Mikey was mad at Gerard for the Frank situation, he felt guilt wash over him as he cursed himself. He knew Bert wasn’t a good person, and he knew Gerard wouldn’t be happy with him, but he was so caught up with his own issues with Gerard that he didn’t think to check in as often as he should’ve. 

They stayed in that position for a while, Gerard crying into Mikey’s shoulder, Mikey apologizing as he held Gerard. Mikey wasn’t sure what he was apologizing for, but he just knew Gerard needed an apology – from anyone. An apology for this mess of a life they were forced into. 

A few more minutes passed by, and Mikey felt Gerard finally begin to pull away, wiping their face with their hands. “Gerard, let’s go sit on the couch, we can talk,” Mikey said softly, and Gerard nodded, and they headed to the couch. 

“If you feel okay to talk about it, what happened this weekend Gerard?” Mikey asked, pushing his glasses up because they were sliding down his nose. Gerard took a deep breath – they haven’t said anything out loud yet. Even the thought to tell Mikey anything scared them because it made everything so real .

“Yeah, yeah I can talk about it. Um, okay. Friday. So Friday we got to the hotel, and, t-things were normal. Well, shitty, but that’s our normal. We went out to lunch, and he kept being mean and saying rude things, and then he brought up Fr-” Gerard explained, before pausing. Mikey just nodded. “You can say his name Gerard, it’s okay.” Gerard smiled softly, before continuing.

“Frank. He brought up Frank, and that set something off within me, and I stormed out of the restaurant. I, I just needed to be alone, you know? But he followed me, and we started arguing, and I tried to leave again, but he grabbed my arm, and before I knew it he h-hit me. He hit me,” Gerard continued, growing quieter as they admitted the violence. They felt sick, reliving the weekend. Mikey stayed silent, but he reached a hand out, taking Gerard’s hand in his, and giving it an encouraging squeeze. Gerard took a deep breath.

“I, um, was upset. Obviously. So, I took that ugly fucking kimono and ripped a sleeve off,” Gerard said, breaking out into a slight smirk, and Mikey began laughing, which caused Gerard’s smirk to grow into a smile, and the siblings laughed for a few seconds together. It might’ve been Gerard’s first, genuine laugh for weeks at this point. When Mikey caught his breath, he looked back at Gerard. “You did everyone a favor destroying that thing, it was so fucking hideous,” he smirked, and Gerard smiled back.

“Well, he really didn’t like that. Like, at that point, I’ve never seen him more mad at me. And, he grabbed me by my throat, and held me against the wall. Mikey, it was so terrifying. I genuinely couldn’t breathe, and I was fighting back and clawing at his hands but nothing would stop him. And, okay, TMI, but he’s choked me during sex before, but it’s never been like that. I thought I might’ve died, but then a staff member from the hotel came to the door, so he stopped,” Gerard explained, running their hand over their neck, tracing the exact spots Bert’s fingers dug into. They remembered it so clearly now, how terrified they were. They noticed Mikey’s grimace when they mentioned their sex life with Bert, but Mikey was trying to hide it, which Gerard appreciated. They didn’t need to be kink shamed at the moment. 

“Did the staff member see you?” Mikey asked. Gerard shook their head, to Mikey’s disappointment.

“No, I felt so weak, and my throat hurt too badly to talk. I was mainly trying to catch my breath, and unfortunately, I was in a corner that couldn’t be seen from the door. The staff member seemed suspicious of Bert though,” Gerard said. “That’s when I grabbed my phone and locked myself in the bathroom and called you. I hung up so abruptly because, he, he sounded like he genuinely wanted to talk over things. He sounded sorry! But, when I opened the door, I knew I made a mistake. He took my phone and broke it, that’s why I haven’t been able to contact you. I was going to call you today, believe it or not, because I have the landline, but I’ve been scared. I don’t want you to be angry with me Mikey,” Gerard said quietly. 

Seeing Gerard like this broke Mikey’s heart. He’s never seen his brother so fragile. Gerard’s always been outspoken, stubborn, independent, and the center of attention whenever they walked into a room. Mikey’s always admired Gerard for that, but Mikey admired Gerard for almost everything they did. They were so special to him, and seeing them so… unlike themself made Mikey’s heart ache.

“Gerard, no matter how it may seem, no matter what you do, I could never actually be truly angry with you. The Frank situation, yeah, that was fucked up and stupid, but that would never make me cut you off or anything. I love you Gerard, I’m here for you. You’re my favorite person, you know that?” Mikey replied, and Gerard did their best to refrain from crying again at those words. 

“Thank you Mikey. You’re my favorite person too, always,” They replied, before brushing the hair out of their face and continuing the story. “Basically, the next day, things did not get better. He was already being fucked up during the family reunion lunch, I mean he kicked me really hard in the shin, but things only got worse. I, I ran into someone. Pansy Iero,” Gerard stated. Mikey nodded, and Gerard knew they were on the same page – Mikey knew Pansy.

“We began to talk, and she told me about Frank. How he keeps asking for Jamia, and I just, I… Mikey is it true? Does he ask for Jamia?” Gerard suddenly asked, a surge of desperation in their voice. Mikey sighed. As much as he didn’t want to feed into this, he felt compelled to tell the truth.

“Yeah, he does. And it’s clear he isn’t referring to his old wife. He talks about your dress, and how you’d take care of him really well. The doctors aren’t happy about it, especially because… Frank has been refusing to take his medicine. Without you there. So, it’s been getting difficult to get him to comply,” Mikey replied. Gerard’s eyes grew wide, their stomach feeling like it flipped over, their heart in their throat. Frank was asking for them. Frank misses them. But they soon felt guilty, knowing how they fucked up was now affecting Frank’s health. That broke them internally, but they quickly changed the subject back to Bert, knowing that Mikey didn’t want to talk about Frank.

“Well, Bert, he… He walked in. When we were talking about Frank, which pissed him off, and we went back to the room. Mikey, I tried. I stood up for myself, and I yelled at him, I stood my ground. He uppercut me and kicked me in the gut and I still held my ground. But, he then started saying things… Hurtful things. But the worst part is, they were so hurtful because they were true,” Gerard swallowed, continuing before Mikey could ask what the things Bert said were. “I stayed in the hotel the rest of the day, and then in the morning, he went to brunch with his parents. When he got back he, he was acting really weird. He brought beers for us though, and then he left for a little and-” Gerard suddenly stopped, causing Mikey to raise an eyebrow, encouraging Gerard to continue.

“Can I trust you?” Was all Bert said, watching his shaking, crying spouse wince as the bottle’s sharp edges touched their neck. Gerard didn’t respond, they felt like they couldn’t even hear Bert properly, they were too focused on the bottle.

“Answer me! Can I trust you?!” Bert hissed, moving his hand accidentally and causing Gerard to sharply inhale, and Bert saw a thin red line appear on their neck, a small bead of blood appearing out of the scratch. 

Gerard took a deep breath.

“And he came back, letting me know that he got his parents to watch the kids for the rest of the day. I, I spent the rest of the day in bed, and he did some final meetups with his family,” Gerard stammered. Mikey looked relieved, and Gerard felt horrible for lying. They couldn’t risk losing Bert’s trust though, even if Mikey was trying to help them. It was too dangerous, knowing what Bert was capable of. 

“Gerard, fuck, I… I don’t know what to say. I’m so sorry, can you, can you pack your things right now? We can go back to my house, and you can stay with me till we figure things out–” Mikey was cut off as the door handle shook. Mikey’s jaw clenched, he knew the person outside the door is the one who hurt the most important person in his life.

“Gerard? You home? I’ve been thinking about that ass of yours all da-” Bert greeted, but cut himself off when he saw the siblings on the couch, Gerard’s face stained with tears, Mikey’s face full of rage when looking at Bert. “Oh, Mikey. I didn’t think you were visiting today,” Bert continued, entering his house but leaving the door open. “You can leave now though,” He said sternly. Gerard’s eyes grew with fear, and they looked at Mikey, almost pleading.

“I haven’t seen Gerard in a while, so I can go if you want, but I’d like to continue my conversation. Gerard, wanna head out?” Mikey said, trying to sound as calm as possible. The last thing he wanted was for Bert to get angry at Gerard because of Mikey. Gerard stayed on the couch, looking at Mikey, and then Bert, then back to Mikey, and so on. Bert grinned.

“Gerard, honey, you don’t have to go. Mikey, how about you come back some other time? We can all go out to dinner, my treat,” He smirked. Mikey scoffed, before looking down at his sibling, who was avoiding eye contact now. “Gerard?” Mikey said softly. 

“I’ll call you tomorrow or something Mikey, dinner sounds good,” Gerard replied quietly. Mikey stared, shocked. “Gerard, come on, we-” Mikey pleaded, but Bert cut him off. “Mikey, it’s best if you left,” He said in a low, almost threatening voice. Mikey looked at Gerard again, but they refused to meet his gaze. Mikey’s heart sank. He knew he couldn’t leave them here, he couldn’t.

“No, Gerard. Come on. Now, get up,” Mikey begged, grabbing Gerard’s arm, causing them to flinch. Mikey suddenly remembered Gerard’s story, of when Bert grabbed their arm. 

“Mikey, please, I-I can’t,” Gerard whispered, barely audible. Mikey sighed and simply nodded. If he couldn’t stay in the apartment, then he’d wait in the hallway. He wasn’t leaving Gerard. Bert smiled at Mikey, stepping out of the way so Mikey could exit. “Thanks for stopping by Mikey, always great to see you,” Bert smirked, and before Mikey could reply, the door was slammed in his face. Mikey sighed, and sat against the wall facing the door. All he could do was wait, because he needed to be there for Gerard.

“Gerard… What the fuck was that?” Bert asked, not very loudly though. He knew Mikey was probably still around, he wasn’t stupid. 

“N-nothing Bert. Mikey, he stopped by out of nowhere. I didn’t contact him, y-you can check the call history on the landline. I swear,” Gerard replied, still sat on the couch, eyes glued to their hands.

“Look at me when I talk to you, bitch,” Bert hissed. Gerard lifted their head, moving their eyes until they reached Bert’s wide, menacing glare. “I’m going to ask you something, and you better be honest Gerard, or I won’t be happy . What were you and Mikey talking about, and why were you crying?” He questioned, approaching Gerard by the couch, standing over them. 

“He showed up, because he was concerned when I didn’t pick up any calls or reply to his texts. Then, he, he saw the bruises. If I knew he was coming, I swear I would’ve covered them Bert, but I didn-” Gerard stammered before Bert grabbed Gerard’s jaw in his hand.

“Stop changing the subject. What did you and Mikey talk about?” He interrogated. Gerard nodded, and Bert let go of his spouse.

“He asked about the bruises, how I got them. And, I lied! I didn’t tell him it was you, I, I-” Gerard fumbled with their words, trying to make up a believable excuse. “I told him that, um, we went bike riding that weekend at this trail nearby the hotel. And I said that I fell off, and the ground was really rocky,” Gerard finished, however Bert wasn’t satisfied.

“Why were you crying then, Gerard?” Was all he asked. Gerard scanned through everything in their mind, and settled on the one thing Bert would believe. Frank.

“He, he told me about Frank. Said he wasn’t doing well, wasn’t taking his medicine. T-that, that was hard to hear, which I know doesn’t matter to you, but it made me sad. That’s why I was crying, because of Fr… him. I’m sorry Bert,” They apologized, meeting Bert’s gaze, who was surprisingly smiling. He ran a hand through Gerard’s hair, and crouched to meet them at eye level.

“So proud of you baby, you really are trustworthy,” Bert praised, and Gerard froze. Trustworthy . Gerard knew he was referring to the bottle incident, and felt their throat constrict as they started panicking. Bert was too close to them, and he was touching them, he could easily pin them to the couch and hurt them, or worse. Gerard tried their best to focus on their breathing, and centered their attention on Bert’s praise.

“Such a good girl for me, aren’t you?” Bert whispered, and before Gerard could react, Bert pulled them into a kiss. The gentle act calmed Gerard down, and Gerard felt themself kissing back, and moving into Bert’s touch. They felt hands slide around their waist, pulling them closer. Everything about Bert’s movements were soft, and nothing felt rushed, desperate, or angry. This was a cause for concern, because Bert was never a gentle partner when it came to sex, but Gerard didn’t want to question it. They wanted to feel loved, and Bert’s fingers tracing every curve on their body as he kissed Gerard passionately made Gerard’s stomach tingle and heart beat faster.

They felt themself be supported by Bert’s hand as he laid them down on their back, climbed on top of them, and broke the kiss, grabbing Gerard’s hands in his as he stared at them.

“So beautiful, god Gee, I’m so lucky. So gorgeous… You’re so good, so good for me. Better than I could’ve ever imagined,” Bert smiled, and pulled Gerard back into a kiss and Gerard swore their heart stopped beating for a second. This all felt like too much. On one hand, all they wanted was to kiss Bert for years. Take him into their mouth, holding eye contact as Bert moaned, hand petting Gerard’s hair. Bert holding Gerard’s legs open, mumbling out spews of “I love you!” as he entered them, soft and slow, letting Gerard decide the pace, making sure Gerard was the priority. They felt like he would do that, he would take care of Gerard like that today. On the other hand, they were frozen. They didn’t want to move, or look at Bert, or do anything besides lock themself in a bathroom, cry, maybe rip their hair out, and punch the mirror. 

Those words, Bert wasn’t allowed to say them.

"So gorgeous, sweetie... Oh, this is better than I could have ever imagined. Just like old times." Frank praised. And with that, Gerard only grew more desperate. 

Those, those were Frank’s words. He said them to Gerard, he made it clear how beautiful he thought Gerard was, how Gerard exceeded all of Frank’s expectations. Gerard shut their eyes, continuing to kiss the man on top of them, but all they could think about now was the man they used to be on top of almost every day. Gerard used their hand to trace Bert’s thigh up to his hip bone, imagining they heard the crinkle of the diaper. They began exploring Bert without touching his cock, picturing their hands on dark grey slacks instead of the sweats Bert was wearing. They felt the black-haired man smile against their mouth, before he pulled a few inches away from Gerard’s face.

“Are you being a tease right now Gerard?” He whispered, and Gerard kept their eyes closed as they pulled Bert back into the kiss without responding – they didn’t want to disrupt their imagination right now. Gerard thought about all the times they sat on Frank’s lap as they gave him his medication, his adoring eyes on Gerard, smiling and trying to kiss them. Gerard smiled into the kiss, Frank’s eyes in their mind.

They started kissing their husband more intensely, putting their hand on the back of Bert’s head, but not running their fingers through his hair. They pet his head, pretending it was Frank’s hairless head, whining into the kiss as they pictured the bald man on top of them. Gerard bit Bert’s bottom lip, and Bert let out a noise that was somewhere between a moan and grunt, sending shivers down Gerard’s spine. It sounded so similar to those old man grunts Frank let out. Gerard felt themself grow harder, as they viciously kissed Bert, trying to get as close as possible. They felt Bert’s hand cup their cock, and bucked their hips into the touch, picturing a hand covered in wrinkles and faded tattoos on them instead of their husband’s hand.

Bert was a little confused, but loved how much Gerard wanted this. He knew he frightened Gerard, especially after the bottle incident, so it didn’t make sense that Gerard was so willing, so needy right now. But, Bert was being so careful, so intentional. He knew he needed Gerard to be happy, to enjoy this. But most of all, he needed Mikey to leave the fucking building.

Bert broke the kiss, earning a whine from their spouse, who finally opened their lust-filled, green eyes, meeting Bert’s intense blue ones. He sat up onto them, grabbing their hands and holding them to his chest. He could feel Gerard’s erection under him, smiling to himself. Gerard was so easy . He cleared his throat, then let go of one of Gerard’s hands, extending his arm towards Gerard’s face. He delicately stroked Gerard’s cheek, before holding the side of their face, tracing his finger over their bottom lip. Gerard didn’t flinch once, and though that was beneficial for what Bert was planning, he couldn’t help but feel disappointed and annoyed that Gerard wasn’t a little scared right now. Bert thought it was so hot when he got to stare into those green eyes and see some fear, it made him feel so powerful. It made him feel in control.

Bert cleared his throat. All that delicate touching, the sweet names, those were necessary for Bert to get Mikey away from his apartment. As much as he’d love to call the cops and get Mikey forcibly removed from the property, he could easily turn the cops on Bert, or worse, Gerard would turn the cops on Bert. So, he had another plan in mind, a plan that clearly worked when it came to his parents. Bert knew Mikey wasn’t a prude though, so Bert was willing to do whatever it took to get that scrawny, pathetic, autistic, girly brother of Gerard’s off the premises. 

“Gerard, baby, don’t hold back your moans for me today. Don’t even hold back any words, any requests for me. I want you to be as vocal as possible, I want to hear that beautiful voice of yours honey. I want every gorgeous sound you make to fill up this whole apartment, you understand me baby?” Bert said, in a loud voice, almost breaking Gerard out of their daydream that Frank was sitting on top of them. Almost . Gerard nodded, their mouth parted slightly, those wide eyes showing signs of desperation for Bert.

“Come on baby, you can answer me,” Bert spoke again, in a quieter voice. Gerard ran their hands up Bert’s waist, his shirt fabric familiar to Frank’s pajamas. The pajamas that Gerard used to put their hands under, stroking Frank when it was after hours, both huddled in bed. Gerard let out a desperate whine, picturing Frank saying Bert’s words, bucking their hips into Bert for some sort of friction. 

Bert raised an eyebrow, Gerard must really love getting to make noise.

“God, fuck, yes! Thank you, oh, fuck I’ll make as much noise as you want!” Gerard yelled, throwing their head back as they continued to grind up, feeling Bert’s ass against their cock. Bert smiled, and backed up till he was between Gerard’s legs. He pulled Gerard’s sweatpants down slowly, watching Gerard. They kept their eyes shut, hands grabbing at the couch under them. Bert couldn’t help but watch his spouse, mesmerized. He’d never seen them this turned on so easily before, and it made Bert eager for more. He eyed Gerard’s underwear, which was blue and had a lace trim. 

“God, so gorgeous sweetie,” Bert gasped in a breathy voice, digging his fingers into Gerard’s pale thighs, and Gerard arched their back and let out a breath-taking, loud moan, and Bert swore that Gerard could’ve been a top-selling porn star if they pursued it with the sounds they made. The moans were all the better when he remembered who was outside the door, and Bert continued to touch Gerard as he watched them turn to putty in his hands. 

Gerard didn't know what was going on, how Bert was doing this. How Bert was saying the phrases Frank said, calling them the names Frank did. Gerard needed more, they needed Frank inside them. Wait, they needed Bert. Right, they needed Bert inside them. Gerard felt their underwear being pulled off, and a hand grip their cock, slowly stroking. They heard a low grunt, and Gerard rolled their hips into his hand. Bert’s word choice, the gentleness of this interaction, the control Gerard had, the noises Bert was making, and Gerard’s fantastic imagination made Gerard a shaking mess, it felt so familiar. This sex, this feeling, they remembered it all too well. 

Bert knew Gerard’s mind was somewhere else, so when he heard a familiar voice yell some swear word outside the apartment, followed by fast footsteps, he didn’t have to worry about Gerard noticing it. All he had to do was focus on pleasing the desperate slut in front of him, and make sure Mikey stayed the fuck away from him, Gerard, and this apartment.

They felt Bert’s mouth on their cock suddenly and gasped. “F-fuck, oh my god! I, fuck, I want you! You feel so good, ” Gerard mewled, the couch underneath them feeling just like Frank’s bed, Bert’s mouth feeling just like Frank’s (with the dentures in of course, Bert wasn’t that talented), Gerard feeling like they had the power for the first time in weeks. 

Bert smiled, watching Gerard as he took their cock deeper in his mouth. He pulled off for a second, sucking on two of his fingers, then taking Gerard back into his mouth. He slowly pushed a finger into Gerard, and when he didn’t feel much resistance, he pushed the second finger in, earning more cries and moans from the spouse. This, this is exactly what Bert wanted, what he planned for. Mikey was definitely gone by this point, and Gerard was an absolute mess under him.

–––

Mikey put his ear against the door, desperately trying to hear something. He had his phone out, ready to record anything that seemed suspicious. He was upset, and almost mad at Gerard for not coming with him. But he knew that Gerard was scared and that no matter how much help Mikey tried to offer, Gerard wouldn’t accept it. Gerard accepted Mikey’s help once, taking the nursing job, and look how that turned out. Gerard was too stubborn, let alone terrified. Mikey sighed, almost wanting to give up, but was snapped out of it when he finally heard some sort of noise from the other side of the door. 

Mikey couldn’t make out any sentences being said, but heard the words “Gerard”, “Look”, “Subject”, “Crying”, and “Trustworthy” from Bert’s voice, and “Mikey”, “Landline”, “Lied”, and “Medicine” from Gerard’s voice. He had no idea what this meant, and tried to decipher the words in his head, before hearing Bert loudly clear his throat. Mikey frantically clicked the record button on his phone the moment he heard Bert speak up.

“Gerard, baby, don’t hold back your moans for me today. Don’t even hold back any words, any requests for me. I want you to be as vocal as possible, I want to hear that beautiful voice of yours honey. I want every gorgeous sound you make to fill up this whole apartment, you understand me baby?” The voice said, and Mikey’s eyes widened with fear and felt himself get nauseous. Oh fuck no. They were having sex. Gerard, who was just crying to Mikey about their insane, abusive husband, was about to have sex with said husband. And, thanks to Bert, Mikey would now hear everything if he stayed. 

Mikey stared at the door, trying to not vomit, before hearing his brother make some sort of noise. Out of instinct, he put his ear to the door to listen, forgetting about what Bert said seconds prior. He wanted to hear Gerard’s voice, hear real words and sentences, and he needed to know they were okay.

“God, fuck, yes! Thank you, oh, fuck I’ll make as much noise as you want!” He heard their sibling yell, followed by a loud, girlish moan. 

For the first time in Mikey’s life, he wished Gerard wasn’t as outspoken and bold, and he really wished Gerard was a little more modest. 

“Fuck this!” Mikey cursed out loud, immediately turning his phone off. Mikey backed up from the door, before sprinting down the stairs and out the apartment complex, barely making it past the door before throwing up. Mikey knew a lot about Gerard, and he’s heard about Gerard’s endeavors many times. But hearing his sibling moan about getting to speak during sex with Bert Mccracken , king of creeps and known abuser, was something he and his stomach were not prepared for. Mikey held onto the wall for support, steadying himself, as he took deep breaths, trying to settle his stomach.

Mikey felt conflicted. He honestly had no idea what he should do, because he could either listen to his sibling have very vocal and loud sex with the scariest guy Mikey’s ever seen, or he could leave. Both options made him want to die.

Mikey stood up, and decided that he was going to leave for about an hour, and then come back. Even though Mikey loved Gerard more than anyone, there was no way he was going to hear them get fucked. It was 11:30, so he’d come back at around 12:30. This gave the couple some time for them to get everything out of their system, and Mikey could still be there to be sure Bert didn’t do anything to hurt Gerard post-sex. 

Mikey walked back to his car, taking one more look at the apartment complex. Mikey sighed, gritting his teeth, and he couldn’t stop thinking about how much he hated Bert, the phrase ‘ Fuck Bert McCracken’ repeating in his head, over and over again. 

–––

“Fuck, Bert McCracken!” Gerard gasped, tears almost forming in their eyes, making sure to use Bert’s name before blissfully imagining him as Frank again. It had been around 40 minutes since Bert started giving them head, and Gerard couldn’t take it anymore. Their cock hasn’t received this much attention in weeks, with Bert either lazily jerking them off while fucking them, or leaving them to make them cum on their own. 

The only person who ever cared about their pleasure, besides this moment, was Frank. They kept their eyes shut, and let the image of Frank’s bald head bobbing up and down, his cracked and wrinkly lips on their cock, take over their mind. God, they were so close. They put their hand on Bert’s head, once again making sure to keep their hand from gripping Bert’s hair. They needed to pretend they were feeling a bald head. Quickly, they began pushing down on their husband’s head, bucking their hips up at the same rhythm, letting out a chain of obscene noises as they fucked Bert’s throat.

Bert’s eyes grew wide, and in any other situation, he would’ve pulled Gerard’s hand off him, and removed his mouth from their cock as he twisted Gerard’s arm in an abnormal direction, hearing as Gerard’s moans of pleasure turned into screams of pain. He would never let Gerard use his throat the way they were, but he was playing the long game here. And if the long game included Bert’s gag reflex being triggered every five seconds from Gerard’s thrusts, then so be it. Though he was pissed now, he was determined to keep his composure. He could punish Gerard later – he had priorities at the moment that were more important than the soreness he felt in his throat.

Gerard was drenched in sweat, caramel brown hair plastered to their forehead. They inched themself back a bit, still holding their husband’s head down on their cock, till their back was against the armrest of the couch, and they were sitting up, watching their husband from a better angle.

It wasn’t like Gerard cared about watching Bert though, and they closed their eyes again. This position reminded them of the time they laid on Frank’s chair, back against the arm rest, Frank’s denture-less mouth taking them like his life depended on it. Gerard could see it all so vividly, Frank sucking Gerard’s cock like he was a professional, Gerard calling him Mr. Iero just for the naughtiness of it all, Gerard muffling their moans with that adorable nursing cap they loved. They remembered how Frank looked as he watched them, adoration in his eyes. Gerard began spewing out desperate gasps and unholy, girlish noises, unable to control themself at this point.

“Ah, fuck, I-ah, I’m going to cum!” They whined, and Bert put his hand on their cock in place of his mouth, continuing to jerk them off.

“Yes baby, cum for me darling,” He whispered, putting his mouth back on Gerard, and it pushed Gerard over the edge.

“Oh fuck, oh… Ahh, f-fuck, Mr. Iero!” Gerard yelled, rolling their hips, holding the back of Bert’s neck, keeping his mouth down on their cock, feeling him take their cum into his mouth. Gerard was in a daze, sprawled out on the couch, feeling Frank swallow around their cock, which made Gerard shudder as they felt Frank take their orgasm so well. They felt the mouth leave their cock, and fingers exit them, which made Gerard whimper slightly at the emptiness. “So good baby, you’re so perfect. Want me to turn Jeopardy on now?” They felt themself ask in a slurred voice, eyes still closed. They laid there blissfully for a second, before inching their hand down to pet the bald head of Frank.

The second they felt greasy hair instead of a smooth head, reality set in, pleasure and lust no longer clouding their mind. They weren’t with Frank, they haven’t been with Frank for months .

Gerard opened their eyes and was met with the most vicious, violent blue eyes they had ever seen.

“Did you just call me ‘Mr. Iero’?” Bert growled, lips swollen and red, his voice hoarse and scratchy. Gerard was frozen. Bert sat up, wiping his mouth, before slapping Gerard as hard as he could, earning a shocked cry from them.

“Answer me you fucking filthy bitch! Did you, or did you not, just call me ‘ Mr. Iero ’!?” He yelled, hitting Gerard in the same place again, before taking a handful of their hair and forcing them to look at him.

“I, I– I don’t know what happened! B-Bert, I–” Gerard panicked, stuttering as they were unable to form a proper sentence. Their face stung, and they just called their husband the name of the old man that they fucked, the man who they fell in love with, the man they lost their job over. 

“You, you are fucking disgusting . I was trying to make you feel good, taking care of you, and you were pretending I was some old man this entire time? Fuck, that’s why your eyes were shut throughout this, huh? God, you’re fucking sick!” Bert laughed viciously, but it was clear he didn’t find any of this funny. Bert tightened his grip in their hair, keeping their head steady as he slapped them again. Gerard bit down on their lip, taking their punishment as they stayed silent, watching Bert with wide, apologetic eyes.

“Here’s what’s going to happen, Gerard . It’s almost 12:30, the kids aren’t out of school until 3:30. You’re going to shower, and clean yourself since you’re clearly some disgusting whore. You’re going to put on the prettiest undergarments you have, followed by that sexy blue dress you wore to the family reunion. You get 10 minutes to do this. Then, Gerard, you and I, we are going to go on a little drive. Don’t fucking argue with me. Don’t even answer me. If your ass isn’t in the shower in twenty seconds, I’m tying you to the fucking radiator and going on vacation, leaving you here by yourself to rot, you goddamn cunt,” Bert roared, letting go of their hair. Gerard nodded, barely processing everything Bert said before scrambling to their feet and running to the bathroom.

Bert set a timer on his phone and decided to close his eyes and think about what just happened in the short amount of time he had. He couldn’t believe Gerard, that unfaithful skank of a spouse. This was stone-cold proof that Bert shouldn’t be kind to Gerard, and he shouldn’t prioritize Gerard’s pleasure. Gerard was a whore, and needed to be treated as such. Gerard didn’t deserve any gentle treatment, Bert decided. He couldn’t risk being called a different name again, it was too humiliating – especially when Gerard was fantasizing over some ancient, bald, and wrinkly man who was probably older than Bert’s grandparents. 

Bert heard the shower turn off, and saw the pale body of Gerard sprint from the bathroom to their room with a towel around them. Gerard was obviously trying their best to follow Bert’s directions, and he chuckled and checked the timer, seeing five minutes left. He stood up, and walked towards the kitchen, opening the cabinet. He pulled out a big bag of Doritos and dug his hand around for a bit before finding the plastic bag full of a small wad of cash within a mass of chips. He smiled – Gerard hated Doritos, so they were a perfect hiding place. He quickly counted the bills, and he knew he didn’t have enough, but he slipped the cash into his pocket before checking the timer. Two minutes now, he had to hurry.

He opened his texts up, scrambling to conjure up a paragraph to send to Brent. He wanted to get high, he needed to get high, especially after that embarrassing disaster with Gerard. Bert included something about him bringing his partner, and mentioned his money problems. He felt a buzz, and Brent agreed, before sending another text. Bert read over it carefully.

Brent Wilson (12:26 PM): We can work out a discount ;) If you’re bringing someone, I am too. DW tho, it ain’t a chick like urs or sum sort of narc. He cool man. Here’s his number if ur sketched.

Brent followed up the text with a contact, the name being “Anthony Green” with a triangle and leaf emoji afterward. Bert didn’t mind that some random guy was going to be there, even if Brent’s contact name for him made Bert cringe. If Brent thought this Anthony guy was cool, then he was cool. 

Two seconds before the timer went off, Gerard appeared by the front door, blue dress hugging every inch of their body, their hair wavy as it air dried, legs wobbly as they attempted to stand in heels. Some messy black eyeliner was smudged under their eyes, and mascara was quickly applied. Bert smiled – Gerard looked exactly like they did when they worked the corner. A slutty, beautiful, messy fantasy of a fuck. 

“Let’s go,” Bert grumbled, trying to ignore any hints of excitement, lust, or nostalgia in his voice. They nodded, leaving the room, waiting for Bert, before following him down the stairs, out of the building, and into the car with him. Once they were both settled in and had their seatbelts on, Bert placed his hand on Gerard’s thigh, and he turned the car on. He turned towards Gerard, who kept their head down, not even daring to look up, the obedience making Bert softly smile. 

As Bert backed out of the parking lot, he saw a car entering from the other side. Bert put his hood on and peeked to look at the car. The driver had a thin, chiseled face, glasses, and straight hair that was tucked under the glasses. He was wearing black scrubs. Mikey . Bert hit the gas, praying that Mikey didn’t see them, as he whipped around the corner. Gerard didn’t look up once, to Bert’s relief. Bert continued speeding towards the destination, the couple sitting in silence with only the sound of car signals and squeaky brakes filling the space, Bert squeezing Gerard’s thigh every now and then. 

–––

As Mikey entered the parking lot, he prayed that nothing happened to Gerard. As much as it disgusted him, he hoped Gerard had wonderful sex, then continued on with their day. He pulled into the lot, grinning as he saw an empty parking spot and pulled into it. 

When Mikey approached the doors to the building, he saw his vomit in the grass next to the entrance and felt bad for the maintenance workers who will clean it up. He chose to ignore that though, he had more important things to worry about. 

Mikey ran up the stairs and felt himself breathing heavily as he reached the fifth floor where Gerard lived. He hurried to the door, pressing his ear against it. There wasn’t a single sound. Mikey knocked, not even caring if Bert answered. But nobody came.

Mikey was confused, walking back down the stairs. Did Bert leave? Did Gerard leave? Did they leave together? Mikey couldn’t figure it out. He walked back to his car, and scanned the lot. He didn’t see Bert’s car anywhere and remembered how tired and worn out Gerard looked, before any of the sex occurred. He came to the conclusion that they probably had sex, and Bert left Gerard alone. He remembered how often that happened when they were initially dating a few years ago, Gerard telling all the stories in the nursing hall during their lunch breaks. He sighed, and silently told himself Gerard was fine, to leave it for now. Mikey took a deep breath, as he drove out of the lot and headed to Turtle Creek, paging Dr. Saporta that he was able to work the afternoon shift. 

Chapter Text

“You know, you’re much prettier when you’re not in that fucking nursing gown,” Bert muttered, one hand on the wheel and the other on Gerard’s bare thigh. Gerard shrugged. “I mean, I feel good in that dress,” They mumbled, and Bert squeezed their thigh, laughing.

They’ve been driving for about a half hour, and tensions seem to have settled somewhat between them. Bert was still angry at Gerard, don’t get him wrong, but he didn’t want to get high while pissed off. Waste of drugs.

Gerard still had no idea where Bert was taking them, but when he turned into a private, dirt road, Gerard’s palms started to sweat. They stared out the window, watching as normal civilization disappeared and were slowly surrounded by hills and trees. It wasn’t until they reached a clearing in the trees, where Bert pulled on the steering wheel, making a sharp turn into a parking spot. Bert looked at Gerard, who was just staring out of the window, completely confused.

“Hurry up, you’re so slow,” Bert grumbled, he was already six feet ahead of them on the trail. Gerard hopped out of the car, cursing a bit when they remembered they were wearing heels. They caught up to Bert, and they walked down a trail for a few minutes, before they heard two voices towards their left.

“Bert! Hey Bert! Oh shit, is that ‘Gee’? Nicee… man!” A pale, brunette man shouted, slurring his words. He looked weird and uncomfortable, with small beady eyes and long hair that was similar to Bert’s. Gerard knew right away he was a skeevy guy. The guy next to him, might’ve been worse though. He had extremely big eyes, probably as big as Bert’s, if not bigger. They were also blue, and while Bert’s eyes carried a look of violence, this man’s eyes carried a look of something even more sinister, but Gerard couldn’t pinpoint what. Not to mention, he had this unsettling smile that he hadn’t broken once yet.

“Ahh, Brent! So good to see ya man. Yes, this is Gee, ain’t they something?” Bert grinned, his voice slimy as he ran his hands up and down Gerard’s back, causing Gerard to shutter in disgust. So the weird brunette was named Brent, okay.

“You really scored man, for real! Hard to find ones that are that hot but still complete whores,” Brent laughed, eyeing the skimpy dress Gerard was wearing, and Bert laughed with him. Gerard felt their cheeks heat up, and tried to pull their dress down slightly to cover their legs. They noticed the blue-eyed man was still staring and smiling at them, and Gerard genuinely wanted to sprint away. They inched closer to Bert, who wrapped his arm around them, clearly unaware of this weirdo who couldn’t take his eyes off Gerard. 

Gerard had to hold back a laugh, suddenly realizing the situation. If they felt safer with Bert , then this guy was a real freak.

“Oh! I almost forgot. Bert, Gee, this is my bud Anthony,” Brent introduced. Okay, the freak had a name now at least, which made him appear somewhat more human. Gerard watched as Anthony stood up, walking towards the couple, and extended his hand out to Bert, who shook it firmly.

“Great to meet ya, Bert,” Anthony smiled, and Gerard’s mouth parted in surprise. The smile was so much more sinister up close. Bert grinned, and nodded his head in response. Without moving his head, Anthony flickered his eyes over to Gerard, and licked his lips.

“You’ve got quite a lovely lady Bert,” Anthony purred, removing his hand from Bert’s, before taking Gerard’s hand and planting a kiss on it. Gerard jumped back and yelped in surprise, pulling their hand away. Anthony looked surprisingly annoyed, as if he thought it was normal for Gerard to just accept a kiss on the hand by a creepy stranger. 

“Sorry Anthony, they’re a little skittish. Thank you, though. They are truly stunning, aren’t they?” Bert praised, brushing Gerard’s hair behind their ear. Anthony stayed staring at Gerard, one eyebrow raised, like he was contemplating something.

“Bert, you ready to go? Anthony and I already did some lines earlier, and he’s got a lower tolerance, so he’s sitting out this round. I got the good shit though man, fucking addicting,” Brent asked, and Bert nodded, releasing his arm from Gerard.

“I’ll be back in a little, alright? Be a good girl and hang out with Anthony,” Bert said sternly, like it was an order, before placing a quick kiss on their forehead, and ran to catch up with Brent.

Gerard was genuinely shocked and extremely confused. Gerard moaned Frank’s name, so Bert took them to a random trail in the middle of the woods as company while he did drugs? As they tried to understand Bert’s motives, they felt a hand slither on their lower back, and jumped in surprise.

“Hey baby, come sit down over here. You don’t gotta just stand there, especially in those heels. Your legs must be sore, huh?” Anthony said softly, guiding them to the two camping chairs set up in the clearing that Brent and he were sitting on earlier. 

Gerard complied, sitting down, and Anthony joined them, taking a seat in the chair next to them.

“So, princess, what’s your story?” He questioned, and Gerard was certain that he hasn’t blinked once since they arrived.

“U-um, I’m Bert’s spouse,” Gerard responded, which earned a laugh from Anthony.

“Well, obviously. But I’m not asking about Bert. What’s your story?” He repeated, and Gerard blinked at him. In any other situation, they would’ve loved being separated from Bert. But when it was Anthony who was removing Bert from the conversation, Gerard felt very uncomfortable.

“Um, well, my name’s Gerard. I-I’m an artist, not professional though. Never could afford art school, ya know-“ Gerard started, before Anthony cut them off. 

“Wow, an artist! That’s funny, because here I was thinking you’d be the perfect model for any artist… Ever considered doing nude modeling for those college courses? I bet you’d be great at it…” Anthony smiled widely, eyes slowly looking Gerard up and down. Gerard had no idea how to respond to something like that, so they quickly continued with their story, 

“Um…okay. Well, uh, I was a nurse, for a few months. It was for a nursing home, I was in the dementia unit, but I–” Gerard paused, thinking of how to phrase the sentence. “I had to quit. It was hard when you got close with the patients, and then…” They trailed off, looking back at Anthony, who was still staring at them. 

“Yeah, it’s hard to lose people that you care about,” He replied, and it sounded genuine, empathetic even. Gerard smiled, and looked down at their hands, before standing up from the chair and turning towards Anthony. Gerard needed something to do because the silence was just too awkward.

“Um, do you guys have anything to drink?” They asked, and Anthony smiled, pointing to a cooler a few feet away from him. Gerard nodded, and they noticed that Anthony finally broke their strong eye contact, and had his gaze glued to Gerard’s hips. Gerard turned around begrudgingly, and walked to the cooler, feeling Anthony’s eyes on their ass as they leaned down and grabbed a beer. As they walked back to their chair, Anthony’s arm reached around them and pulled Gerard into his lap.

“Wh-What the hell?” Gerard squealed, Anthony’s arm tight around them, and they felt something stiffen under them. They immediately wanted to throw up at that moment. They attempted to pull themself off the creep, but Anthony wrapped both arms around them, keeping them on him.

“God, when I first saw you, I thought you’d be easy. I guess I was wrong though, but boy I do love a challenge,” He purred into Gerard’s ear, and luckily, Gerard saw a brunette and a black-haired man approach the clearing, and before they could even say anything, Bert was already sprinting towards them. 

Bert pushed Gerard out of the way, and they felt themself fall onto the ground, before hearing a loud crack . They turned towards the noise and watched as Bert pulled his fist away from Anthony’s face.

“Fuck, my, my nose! O-oh my god!” Anthony wailed, and Gerard saw blood start dripping onto his shirt. Bert grabbed Gerard’s arm, pulling him to his feet.

“What the fuck is wrong with you? Did I not make it clear that Gerard is married to me?” Bert growled and pulled them close to him. Gerard could feel Bert’s heart beating, and Gerard smiled to themself at Bert’s loyalty.

“Bert, you made it seem like you were bringing something in return for that discount on the coke… Anthony’s my supplier, and we all assumed that Gee was the thing you were bringing…” Brent said slowly. Bert suddenly remembered his texts to Brent during his fits of rage after the ‘Mr. Iero’ situation, and looked at Anthony with wide eyes, who was busy trying to stop his nose from bleeding. Gerard turned to look at Bert, and then Brent, then Anthony, and back to Bert.

“Wh..What? Is that why? Why you had me dress up? So you could fucking pimp me out again?” Gerard yelled, pushing on Bert’s chest to shove him away. Bert was a little embarrassed, to be honest. He needs to stop making such impulsive decisions when he’s mad. Bert walked over to Anthony, ignoring Gerard’s whiny outburst.

“Hey, man, I’m so sorry. Let me help ya, or something. I can, um, pay you in full for the coke, just gimme a few days to get the money,” Bert said, putting his hand out for Anthony to shake his. Anthony scoffed at Bert’s truce, then smirked and looked at Gerard.

“Your whore wasn’t even worth the coke I brought in the first place. They came onto me, and it felt almost too easy. Maybe you should train your spouse to not be such a slut,” Anthony spat at Bert, but kept his eyes on Gerard. Gerard’s jaw dropped, there was no way they were getting blamed for this. Before they could say anything in retaliation, they saw Bert turn around slowly, his eyes more dangerous-looking than ever.

“B-Bert, that’s not true!” Gerard yelled, and Bert knelt down, rummaging through the dirt. “Bert, please, Bert you have to believe me! He’s, he’s lying! You saw how he held me on him, I couldn’t get up!” They pleaded, which earned another scoff from Anthony.

“You didn’t want to get up, it was obvious. Leaning into me like that, so filthy,” He continued, smiling, holding eye contact with Gerard, who seemed to forget about whatever Bert was doing. Anthony raised an eyebrow, challenging Gerard. It was like he was saying “He’s not going to believe you” , and Gerard glared at him. They never wanted to kill someone as much as they wanted to kill Anthony. “It didn’t even feel like a payment Bert, with how willing they were. I swear, your bitch seems disloyal man, probably the type to moan someone else’s name during sex,” Anthony continued, and Gerard’s eyes widened, silently pleading for Anthony to stop. 

Suddenly, Bert came back into view, but before Gerard could say anything, Bert’s arm swung at them. Gerard’s head, right above the right eyebrow, felt like it just split open, and they fell backward, dizzy. The searing pain was accompanied by blood trickling down their face, getting caught in their eyelashes. Everything was sort of blurry, but they looked up at their husband, who was holding some sort of rock in his hand. Gerard noticed the rock had a little bit of blood on it.

“Jesus fucking christ! Fuck, fuck Bert! What the fuck is wrong with you? I’m, I’m getting the fuck out of here! Fuck the discount, come on Brent!” Anthony yelled, grabbing the cooler and his chair before running off to the truck nearby. Brent looked at Bert, before grabbing the other chair and following after Anthony.

Gerard laid on the trail, blood pouring out of the gash above their eyebrow, getting on the leaves under them. They felt so fuzzy, besides the pain, which caused them to start crying.

“Gerard, fuck. Oh my god, that’s– that’s a lot of blood. Fuck, okay. Come on,” Bert stammered, clearly panicking. He scooped Gerard into his arms, watching as the blood got onto his sleeve, and he walked as fast he could back to his car, buckling his semi-conscious spouse into their seat.

“B-Bert?” Gerard said softly, and Bert turned to face them instantly. “Yeah, Gerard? What’s, what’s up?”

“Can we go home? My head, it really hurts,” They slurred, bringing a hand to their head, accidentally smearing the blood around even more. Bert nodded, and grabbed Gerard’s hand that was covered in blood, giving it a tight squeeze. He started speeding back towards the house to clean Gerard up. He felt awful – he didn’t mean to bash Gerard’s head with a rock, but he was so mad, it was like he blacked out. Now that he thought about it, Anthony was probably lying due to Gerard rejecting him. God, Bert felt like an idiot. This wasn’t just a slap or a punch, even a threat of a broken bottle. Bert could’ve genuinely killed Gerard in that fit of rage, and as much as Bert hated Gerard sometimes, he didn’t want to murder them. 

When they got back to the apartment complex, Bert was panicking even more than before, because now he had to figure out how to get his bloody, semi-conscious spouse to their apartment on the fifth floor in broad daylight. He looked next to him, and saw that Gerard definitely was passed out now. So, actually, Bert had to get his bloody, unconscious spouse to the apartment.

He took a deep breath, and simply prayed that God was on his side today.

He got out of the car, and went to the other side, opening Gerard’s door up and unbuckling their seatbelt. He hoisted them over his shoulder, carrying them fireman style. He shut the door with a free hand, before walking as quickly and unsuspiciously as he could to the building. Somehow, there wasn’t anyone in the hall or elevator, and Bert thanked God, promising to go to mass on Sunday for the first time in 17 years. 

When he got inside, he brought his unconscious spouse to their bed, laying them down. Bert fetched a damp paper towel, a bottle of isopropyl alcohol, and a washcloth. He wiped the blood away and got off any visible dirt he saw on their wound with the paper towel.

“Gerard, I’m sorry for this, but it’s necessary,” He grumbled and then poured the alcohol slowly into the gash, which promptly woke Gerard up, who screamed in pain.

“Fuck, fuck! Oh my god, that hurts so bad!” They yelled, tears forming in the corners of their eyes, and Bert shushed them, patting the wound with the washcloth, before soaking the cloth in more alcohol, and washing everything off the cut, causing Gerard to hiss and cry at the pain even more. Bert ran to the bathroom, grabbed a box of bandages, fishing out a butterfly bandage.

He approached Gerard and quickly applied the bandage to their wound. He looked at them, brown hair sprawled out like a halo around their face, red and purple bruising forming around the white bandage, their eyes closed and cheeks damp with tears. He sat on the bed next to them, and let out a deep sigh. How did things turn out like this? Bert thought to himself. He had no answer to his question, so he took another look at Gerard. 

Bert felt guilty, he felt so sick with himself. Bert hated feeling this way, and he hated that Gerard was making him feel this way. Even though Anthony probably lied, he was right about one thing. Gerard was disloyal, they did moan a name that wasn’t Bert’s. None of this would’ve happened if Gerard didn’t say those things when Bert was sucking their dick, so technically, it’s Gerard’s fault that Bert hit them with that rock. 

Bert sighed again, and checked his watch. It was 3:45 pm, and he cursed himself, scrambling up from the bed. The kids were already out of school, and Bert didn’t have anyone to get them today. He looked at Gerard again, who was knocked out cold, breathing steadily. 

Bert grabbed his keys and wallet, before exiting the bedroom and shutting the door. He didn’t want the kids to see their mother as injured as they were, and Bert was bad at lying. He walked out the door and began heading back to the car. He got inside, turned on the radio, and began shaking off the events of the last couple of hours. 

When he arrived outside the school, he saw his two kids waiting by themselves. He unlocked the doors, and as they approached the car, he noticed the drops of blood on the passenger’s seat. He quickly rolled the window down.

“Backseat today guys. There’s a cop that's been hanging around the apartment building, and both of you are still too young to sit in the front,” He said sternly, lying, and the kids groaned, both piling into the backseat. 

Bert tightened his grip on the steering wheel as he drove back to their apartment, unsure of what to do at this point. When they woke up, was Gerard going to leave him? Was Gerard going to tell Mikey, or worse, the police? Bert’s hands started sweating, and he looked back at the blood on the seat. 

Bert was not letting Gerard leave him, that wasn’t an option. He needed to think of a plan, stat. He needed to get back control of his emotions, of Gerard, of this entire situation. He knew he needed to comfort Gerard, to make them feel safe with him again, because using fear would only last so long. 

He went over the things that comforted Gerard that he knew of, but he could only think of Mikey, and that was no good. Then it hit him. 

Frank Iero .

Bert took a deep breath. He had a lot of planning to do.

Chapter Text

“Syd! Over here!” A voice called out, and Syd knew right away from the accent who it was. He approached his friend, who was sitting at a table, cup of tea in hand.

“Ryan! God, it’s been so long! It sucks you’ve been so busy lately with that nursing job. How have you been?” Syd smiled, sliding into the seat across from Ryan. When Ryan asked to meet him for coffee, he couldn’t be happier. Ryan was his best friend since high school, right after Ryan moved to the U.S. from London, but ever since he started working at a nursing home Syd couldn’t see him very often.

“Oh, I know! I’ve missed you! And I’m okay, just really tired. The nursing home is understaffed now, they had to let this one nurse go, which was really hard. They were like, my mentor, and my best friend in that place. I miss them a lot, but like, I can’t really tell anyone at the home that I miss them. They are kind of a sensitive topic,” Ryan vented, and Syd raised an eyebrow. 

“I’m sorry to hear that, sounds like a lot. Also, how is there drama in the nursing home? What, did they fuck a patient or something?” Syd laughed, and then looked at Ryan. To Syd’s horror, Ryan was deadpan. “Wait… They fucked a patient?” He gasped, and Ryan looked around, as if he was checking to see if any co-workers of his were around, and then nodded. Syd’s jaw dropped in shock.

“Didn’t just fuck em either. Had a whole affair bruv. With one of the patients with dementia,” Ryan whispered, and Syd let out a scream of laughter before Ryan hit his arm slightly to get him to stop.

“Syd! Stop laughing! It isn’t, it’s not funny!” Ryan said sternly, trying to also not break out into laughter. Syd took some deep breaths, shaking off the giggles he was stuck in.

“Okay, okay. I’m sorry, but what the fuck?” He asked, and Ryan shrugged.

“I dunno. Their brother used to always mention to me how Fr- er, the patient would be creepy towards them, making all these suggestive comments and such, but they would always get really defensive and mad, saying how that wasn’t true, that the patient treated them really well. I guess the signs were there, we just never expected it,” Ryan told him, and Syd nodded. God, that nursing home must be weird .

“Anyway, how are things with you?” Ryan asked, trying to change the subject. Syd took a sip of his coffee, trying to think about something exciting enough that matched Ryan’s story.

“Oh! Oh my god ! Okay, so at work last weekend, there was this big family reunion happening. Like, huge . They were mormon I think, so already a fucking weird situation,” Syd began, and Ryan laughed at the mormon comment. Ryan never dealt with mormons in England, so when he found out about them after the move, he laughed at any mention.

“Oh, it gets insane. So, on Friday, I think everyone was arriving. This couple comes to the restaurant when I was working, and I was their waiter. Ryan, you won’t believe this shit. There were two insane children who kept making a mess, the husband looked like he hadn’t showered in two weeks and was wearing a pink and purple kimono, and the… uh.. Wife? Partner? I don’t know… But they were wearing like, a Florence Nightingale costume, full on 1950s nursing gown including the little hat!” Syd laughed, and Ryan’s eyes grew wide. “What…?” Syd asked slowly, unsure why Ryan reacted that way.

“What did they look like? Like, besides the gown?” He asked, and Syd paused for a moment to picture their face.

“Shoulder-length brown hair, green eyes. Probably in their early 30s? Really feminine looking, hence why I don’t know if they are that guy’s wife or like, ‘partner’,” Syd described, and Ryan’s mouth flew open.

“Syd! That’s, that’s… That’s the nurse who was my mentor! The one who was fired!” Ryan blurted out, and Syd felt like his world just flipped over.

“No fucking way,” Syd said quietly, shocked. 

“Wow, they had a husband this whole time? Fuck, and here I was thinking they were so great. My mentor was not only fucking a patient with dementia, they also were a cheater,” Ryan muttered before taking a sip of his tea.

“Nah, nah man. I don’t think they were a cheater. This marriage seemed… new. Not in a happy couple way, but in a way where it felt so off. It felt like some weird arranged marriage, ya know? Also, at that lunch, the nurse screamed something about a guy named Frank being a better lover than the husband ever was, so I think they weren’t cheating because it sounded like this Frank guy was an ex. Maybe it was just a quick marriage, like those drunk Las Vegas ones,” Syd proposed, trying to not disappoint Ryan about his mentor. Ryan sighed, looking relieved, and Syd continued his story.

“Okay, so, the husband is like talking over everyone and it’s so awkward, and then he asks me to get him a muzzle for the nurse, and they were silent that whole time. It was so awkward, I genuinely wanted to pull them aside and ask if they were alright. But then, when I was in the kitchen about to bring out another order, I heard some shouting. When I came back out, they were gone, and the husband was paying for the lunch before storming off after them,” He explained, and Ryan looked concerned, but encouraged Syd to continue.

After about fifteen minutes of Syd explaining the noise complaints, the bruises, the insane husband, and how scared the nurse looked at all times, he took a sip of his coffee before saying, “but yeah, that’s the craziest experience I’ve had recently.”

Ryan frantically pulled his phone out and then tapped on it a couple of times before putting it up to his ear.

“What are you doing?” Syd inquired. 

“Calling Gerar– oh, the nurse. Their name is Gerard,” Ryan explained, and Syd nodded. Syd waited patiently before Ryan took the phone away from his ear.

“Bullocks! No luck. They didn’t pick up,” Ryan cursed, and Syd could see that he looked genuinely worried.

“Hey, you should text their brother or something if you’re concerned. They had a brother, right?” Syd suggested, and Ryan smiled and nodded.

“Great idea!” He yelled, before typing on his phone. Syd was at a loss for words. He never thought he would ever need to think about that couple again, but here he was, learning that the person who showed up to a family reunion in a nursing gown was his best friend’s mentor, and that they also fucked a patient. It was certaintly a small world.

––––

Gerard threw their head back, pulling their hair away from their neck as the guitarist kissed and sucked on their neck, then moved lower, grazing his teeth along the collarbone. He bit down lightly, causing Gerard to gasp and put their hand into the long, dark brown hair that hung into both their faces.

“You touch my hair so much,” He grinned, and Gerard felt themself blush.

“Yeah, but you love it, Frank,” They responded, and Frank laughed, before pulling Gerard back into a kiss, his mouth tasting like mint and clove cigarettes. As they continued to make out on the small, twin-sized bed in the tour bus, Gerard thought about how lucky they were. Frank Fucking Iero was on top of them, kissing their lips, their neck, his hand grazing against their jaw. It felt unreal.

Gerard wasn’t sure how it happened. One second, they were at a Projekt Revolution concert with Mikey, and the next second, they were pressed against a bathroom stall door by the hottest guy at the concert, who just so happened to be the guitarist of one of the headlining bands. 

The best part though was that Frank didn’t just try to fuck them in the bathroom and leave. He kissed them for a while, and then invited them and their brother back to the tour bus to hang with the band. He had his arm around them the whole time, and Gerard just knew there was something special going on. Mikey looked disapproving though, but Gerard chalked it up to him being jealous that Frank didn’t choose Mikey, who had the hots for Frank. 

“Can I take this off?” Frank asked, motioning to Gerard’s red slip dress, and Gerard nodded. Frank slowly began to peel it off, kissing their body over and over again as more skin was shown. Before Gerard could ask, Frank pulled off his black tank top, revealing his tattooed chest, and Gerard almost passed out right there. How the fuck was this man so hot?

“God, I’ve never seen someone more beautiful. You’re unreal Gerard,” Frank said in a breathy, low voice, and once again Gerard blushed, feeling like a giddy, lovestruck schoolgirl. They pulled him back into the kiss, and let out a light moan as Frank grinded against them.

“Are you okay, if we like, go further than kissing?” Frank asked gently, and Gerard nodded as fast as they could. They couldn’t believe Frank was not only so hot, but so respectful. No one has ever checked in with them the way he did. It only turned Gerard on more, which they didn’t realize was possible after Frank took his shirt off a few seconds ago. Frank smiled, and planted a kiss on Gerard’s forehead before moving down lower on the bed. Even though the bed was small, it was somehow super proportional to Frank. They couldn’t tell when he was on stage, but Frank was absolutely tiny. Usually, Gerard would be horrified by this and feel super self-conscious with all their body image issues, but it didn’t feel that way with Frank. They felt comfortable, respected, and almost beautiful with Frank.

Gerard watched him as he pulled off their underwear, seeing him grin at Gerard’s hard cock. He took them into his tattooed hand, and Gerard gasped at the touch. They watched as he took them into his mouth, and noticed Frank’s hand was fumbling with the button of his own pants, before getting it undone and pulling down the zipper. Gerard watched as he put his hand down his boxers, slowly stroking himself as he sucked Gerard’s cock.

Gerard could not comprehend how this man kept getting hotter every second.

After a few minutes, he pulled off them, officially sliding himself out of his jeans, and Gerard finally got a great view of Frank’s full torso.

“Come here, right now,” Gerard said urgently, and Frank cautiously approached them, before being flipped over, sprawled out on the bed with Gerard on top of him.

Gerard traced their fingers over the words “Search” and “Destroy” on Frank’s hips, before moving them over the birds, and finally placing a kiss on the “And” in the direct center of his lower abdomen. Frank inhaled, watching as Gerard delicately explored every inch of him. Usually, Frank would be annoyed if some hook up took their time with him. But this, this was special. Gerard was special.

Gerard took Frank’s boxers off, moving their hands down from the birds to his hip bones, and then his cock.

“Fuck, Gerard, those hands work magic,” He moaned, and Gerard continued to jerk Frank off, before moving their hand away to take Frank into their mouth to get his cock wet, then putting their hand back. Frank was so beautiful, covered in ink, long, dark hair spread out on the pillow, a few strands plastered to his forehead. Gerard wished they could just take a picture of this moment, savor it forever.

“Can I, fuck, can I finger you?” He asked in between breaths, looking at Gerard with those big, hazel eyes, full of lust and affection. As much as Gerard wanted it, they wanted Frank under them for a little longer.

“Not yet,” Gerard responded, watching as Frank whined and let his head fall back onto the pillow. Gerard watched in awe as Frank’s hips bucked into Gerard’s grip, and Gerard used their other hand to hold Frank down as they jerked him off.

“Gerard, fuck, I’m getting close,” Frank groaned, and they pulled their hand off him, then moved down to place another kiss on Frank’s tattooed lower stomach. They moved on top of him again, and they felt Frank put his hands on their waist, holding them close as he pulled them into another kiss. Gerard bit down on Frank’s bottom lip, and Frank moaned into Gerard’s mouth, sending shivers down their spine. Fuck, they needed him now.

“Do you have lube? I want your fingers inside me, Frank,” Gerard asked, mouth an inch away from Frank’s, looking directly into his eyes. Frank simply nodded, trying to pull Gerard back into the kiss, but Gerard smirked.

“Okay, where is it dumbass?” They chuckled, and Frank blinked a couple of times.

“Under the bed in a box, condoms are there too,” He replied quickly, and when Gerard sat up to reach their arm under the bed, they gasped in surprise as they felt Frank’s hand on their cock again.

“F-Frank, fuck,” They panted, taking the lube and a condom out of the box shakily as Frank’s hand stroked them. “Fucking finger me, please, I love your hands,” They commanded, and Frank nodded obediently, pouring some lube onto two of his fingers.

Gerard moved to be on their knees, but Frank put his hand on their hip, pushing them a little. 

“Lay on your back, I want to be able to see your face, wanna be able to kiss you,” Frank suggested, and Gerard nodded, feeling their heart almost melt. There was no way they were making it through this hook-up without falling in love with this man. Gerard flipped over, and Frank quickly adjusted the pillow before Gerard laid back, causing them to raise an eyebrow at Frank.

“It looked flat, I wanted to fluff it up a bit. For you to be comfortable,” Frank explained, and Gerard’s stomach flipped over. Frank slowly pushed one finger into Gerard, and used his other hand to slowly jerk Gerard off. Gerard gasped at the initial stretch, but soon that gasp turned into a moan as Frank’s finger immediately brushed against Gerard’s prostate. 

“Fuck, Frank. More, now,” Gerard urged, and Frank immediately obeyed, pushing his second finger into them, meeting the other at Gerard’s prostate, causing Gerard to shake as their hands gripped the sheets. Frank watched as Gerard laid out before him, cheeks flushed, forehead glistening with sweat.

“You’re the prettiest person I’ve ever seen,” He said softly. Gerard opened their eyes, meeting Frank’s gaze. Gerard heard people call them pretty before, but there was always some motive behind it. When someone called Gerard pretty, they were trying to gain something from Gerard, trying to use them.

Not Frank though.

Gerard saw the way Frank watched them, his eyes adoringly looking at Gerard like they were the greatest thing he’s ever seen. The way Frank’s hands danced along Gerard’s body, worshipping every inch of skin Frank could touch. The way Frank smiled at Gerard, the sides of his eyes crinkling, as he listened to every one of Gerard’s requests. Gerard knew Frank wanted to please them, to make them feel good for the sole purpose of Gerard’s benefit.

Gerard believed Frank when he called them pretty. 

“I’m ready now Frank,” Was all Gerard could say, and Frank slowly pulled his fingers out of Gerard, careful to not hurt them in any way. Gerard thought they were a masochist, that they loved rough, painful sex, but they knew now that they only thought they liked that stuff because they never had a moment like this. A moment where someone treated you like a delicate vase, like you were too valuable to ever receive even a scratch. Gerard wanted to be treated like this for the rest of their life.

Frank put the condom on hurriedly, then poured some more lube into his hand, rubbing it on his cock and putting the extra against Gerard’s entrance. He lined himself up with Gerard, and leaned down to catch Gerard’s lips into a kiss as he pushed himself into them.

“Gerard, oh my g-” Frank moaned as he bottomed out, and Gerard cut him off by grabbing his hair and pulling him back into the kiss, biting on his lip as they moaned, feeling Frank fill them up. 

Frank was so gentle, he was always so gentle, and Gerard never knew how much they would love it.

Frank didn’t move for a couple of seconds, like he was allowing Gerard to adjust. Gerard put their hands on Frank’s hips, digging their nails into the words that Gerard traced earlier.

“Frank, baby, you feel so good. I need you to fuck me now, okay? God, you feel so good,” They commanded softly, earning a nod from Frank, and he pulled out of Gerard slightly, before thrusting back into them at a steady pace. 

“Oh my god Frank, fuck, just like that!” Gerard’s breath hitched as they wrapped their legs around him, and Gerard watched Frank’s face as Frank let out a string of beautiful moans and cries.

“Gerard, you feel amazing. So fucking tight, god, you’re perfect, I’d do anything for you,” Frank whined, and Gerard needed more . They grabbed Frank’s hips, slowing him down.

“I’m gonna ride you,” They said in a shaky, breathy voice, and Frank let out a “Oh, fuck yes,” with a smile as he pulled out of them, switching spots with Gerard.

Gerard adjusted themself over Frank’s cock, and Frank placed his hands on their waist as they slowly sat down onto him, both letting out moans and spews of curse words. Gerard wasted no time before bouncing on Frank’s cock, feeling his dick hit their prostate over and over and over again, the pleasure feeling almost unrealistic, like it was some sort of dream.

“Gerard, oh god, I’m so fucking close, can I cum inside you?” Frank asked, eyes looking into Gerard’s, wide and pleading. Gerard smiled, planting a kiss on his forehead, before nodding.

“Yes, fuck Frank, of course ,” They said, and Frank began jerking Gerard off as his other hand interlocked with theirs. Gerard tried to concentrate on Frank’s face, his mouth slightly hung open the same way it did when he played at the concert, but soon they felt their own orgasm approaching.

“Oh, oh fuck, Frank!” Gerard cried, “I, fuck, I love you!” They yelled, and Frank tightened his hand that was laced with Gerard’s as he pushed up into them.

“I love you too, Gerard,” Frank groaned while he came, and this pushed Gerard over the edge, feeling themself cum as Frank continued to jerk them off, riding out their orgasm until they were completely finished. He looked at Gerard in a blissful daze, whose red and flushed face and green eyes stared back at him.

“That, oh my god. Wow,” Was all Gerard said as they pulled themself off of Frank. Frank smiled, and turned to Gerard, placing a gentle kiss on their lips.

“I meant it, you know. I did,” Frank said softly, and Gerard kissed Frank back, feeling like they were on top of the world. Everything was perfect.

CRASH!!!!

Gerard suddenly snapped awake at the loud bang, feeling a sharp pain in their head that soon turned into a searing headache. They looked around, and felt disappointment and shame as they realized they weren’t in a tour bus bed, young Frank curled up next to them post-sex. They were in their shitty bed in their shitty apartment, alone.

“Fuck! God fucking dammit !” They heard a voice yell, presumably about the loud crashing sound that woke them up. More feelings of disappointment emerged – that was Bert’s voice.

Gerard chose to ignore whatever Bert was complaining about, and slowly got out of bed, feeling dizzy as they stood up, and they placed a hand to the part of their head that was currently throbbing from pain. When they got to the bathroom, they looked in the mirror, seeing a butterfly bandage placed a little over their right eyebrow, a large gash under it with dried blood slightly around the edges.

“Wh, what? What the fuc–” Gerard gasped, before it all settled in.

Brent, the drugs, Anthony, and Bert. Bert hit them, he hit them with a rock .

Gerard opened the mirror cabinet, taking out the bandaids and some antiseptic wipes. They took off the butterfly bandage that was caked with blood, and began dabbing their cut with the wipes, trying to be gentle around the fragile, broken skin, before smearing some Neosporin on it. They grabbed a new butterfly bandage, placing it correctly to actually close the wound as best as they could, then placed some gauze over, taping the edges to keep it in place.

Being an ex-nurse came in handy with an abusive husband.

“Fuck! This shit is fucking awful! Gerard needs to hurry and wake the fuck up already, I hate this!” Bert’s voice shouted, and Gerard rolled their eyes. Their husband knocked them out with a rock to their head, and is now complaining about having to do something without their help. Typical Bert behavior.

As Gerard walked back to the bed, headache still searing, the door opened, and there stood Bert, who’s big eyes widened at the sight of his spouse up and moving. He ran towards them, and pulled them into a hug, and Gerard stood there, arms at their side, as their husband held them.

“Oh, Gee, baby, I’m so happy you’re awake! You doing okay? You were pretty much asleep all day yesterday, and the day before that you were knocked out cold after I brought you home and cleaned your cut up,” Bert spoke quickly, and Gerard’s head spun as they tried to grasp Bert’s words. They blinked in confusion at him, taking a couple seconds to process what Bert was saying with such a horrible headache.

“Ummmm hello? Can you answer me?” Bert snapped, any concern gone, annoyance in his voice.

“Yeah, I’m fine. My head really hurts though,” Gerard replied, and Bert let out a laugh.

“Well, of course it does. It was hit with a rock,” Bert snickered, and Gerard looked at him with shock.

“What the fuck? Why are you laughing? You hit me with a rock!” Gerard yelled, before wincing as a sharp pain shot through their head. Maybe it wasn’t a good idea to yell.

“Okay? Well, you made a stupid comment, so I laughed,” Bert shrugged, and Gerard continued to just stare at him. Bert looked confused, so Gerard cleared their throat. “Oh! Um. Sorry, for hitting you with a rock. But, I mean, to be fair, you made me really mad,” Bert grumbled, and Gerard could not believe what was happening right now. They wanted to argue, but their head hurt too much. They got back into bed, turning onto the side where there wasn’t a gash in their head.

“Can you get me some advil Bert?” They asked, and Bert let out a dramatic sigh.

“Ugh, fine!” He groaned, leaving the room. Gerard, despite the severe situation they just went through, could only laugh to themself at whatever the fuck was going on right now.

Bert soon returned with a glass of water and three pills, and Gerard grabbed them out of his hand quickly, before taking them all at once and chugging the water. They hadn’t realized how parched they were, but after realizing they were basically asleep for 40 hours, they realized they probably needed to hydrate themself. 

Bert watched as Gerard took the pills, and smiled. He did give them two Advil pills, but he also chose to give them an ambien as well. He knew it would be best for Gerard to get as much sleep as possible, and since he was going to go out tonight, he didn’t want to have to worry about Mikey showing up again while Gerard was alone and awake. Especially while Gerard had a gash on their head. 

Suddenly, the landline phone began ringing, and Gerard froze. They hoped Mikey wasn’t calling, Bert would not like that. Bert looked at Gerard, who was laying down still, and rolled his eyes as he went and picked up the phone.

“McCracken residence. Who is this,” He answered in an annoyed voice.

“Um, hello! Is this, um, Robert speaking?” A british voice said on the other line, and Bert groaned in disgust.

“Fuck off, filthy Brit! Don’t ever call this number again!” Bert yelled and hung up. He hated british people, everything about them pissed him off. 

Gerard sat up in the bed, their mind suddenly racing. A british person? The only british person Gerard knew was Ryan, but he hadn’t reached out to them since they were fired, and Ryan also didn’t have the home phone number, unless Mikey gave it to him. 

“Who was it?” Gerard asked, and Bert rolled his eyes again.

“Some stupid british cunt. Called asking if it was ‘um, Robert speaking?’” He mocked in the worst accent Gerard had ever heard in their life. Gerard stayed silent – Bert didn’t know about Ryan, and Gerard was now determined to keep it that way in the slightest chance that Ryan did call.

“Anyway, it’s like 3, and I have plans at 5 that I need to head out for. Gotta pick up some stuff, be a good guest. Umm I tried making dinner for you, because I’m a great husband, but I forgot to put the oven mitts on when I was taking the pan out of the oven, so I dropped it and now there’s a mess in the kitchen. So, I don’t know. When you feel better you can clean it up. Alright, I’ll see you later Gerard,” Bert said in a casual tone. He grabbed the kimono off the ground, and Gerard saw as he slipped it on, a sleeve missing from the weekend at the reunion.

“Why are you wearing that? Wh-why do you still own that?” Gerard asked. Bert turned back towards Gerard. 

“Because Gerard , no matter if it’s missing a sleeve or not, it’s my zen robe . I’m trying to have a chill night, and with your whole mess right now, my apologies if I need a little extra comfort,” He snapped, and Gerard just rolled their eyes, which Bert was not happy to see. He slammed his hand against the wall, seeing as Gerard flinched and looked at him. 

“Cool it with the attitude, alright Gerard? Maybe I should’ve hit you harder with that rock,” He smirked, and Gerard was speechless. They didn’t care that their head hurt, and they got out of bed, and moved their way to the closet, and kneeled down. They pulled out a duffle bag and began throwing random clothing items into it. Bert looked at Gerard in horror, before running over to Gerard and grabbing their hair, and tugging to throw them away from the bag. Gerard, after being asleep for almost two days and still suffering a rough head injury, completely fell over, head hitting the carpet roughly and they yelled in agony, tears welling up in their eyes. 

“Fuck, oh fuck baby I’m sorry, I didn’t mean for you to hit your head again!” Bert apologized, helping Gerard off the ground and basically carrying them back toward the bed. He was lying, he did mean for them to hit their head. He still had to conjure up some plan to make Gerard never consider divorcing him, but so far he had nothing. If he could make Gerard bedridden and confused for a couple more days so he could produce a plan, then what was the harm in that? 

Luckily, Gerard’s wound didn’t reopen because there was no blood soaking through the gauze, so Bert filled up Gerard’s water glass, and put it on the side table. He brought the covers back over Gerard and began tip-toeing towards the door. 

“I’m not a…asleep…B. Ert!” Gerard said in a slur, and Bert remembered the Ambien he gave them was probably kicking in, working in combination with the head injury. 

“Mhmm, sure Gerard. I might see you later tonight, don’t count on it though if I’m having fun,” He whispered, before shutting the door and leaving the apartment, excited for the night that awaited him. 

––––

Gerard woke up to the sound of a phone ringing — even though they didn’t remember falling asleep in the first place. They looked over at the clock, seeing it was 5:30, and grabbed their water off the side table, taking a few sips before realizing the phone was ringing. 

They got out of bed, and walked over towards the phone, picking it up.

“Um, hello! Is this Robert? Please do not hang up this time,” the person on the other end said, their voice holding a familiar accent. Gerard almost dropped the phone out of shock. 

“ Ryan ? Oh my god, Ryan is that you?” They yelled, a surge of emotion coming over them. Gerard thought that after they were fired, they’d never hear from him again. That thought hurt them so much, Ryan was the closest friend they had in the nursing home besides Mikey, and they cherished him deeply and were very protective over him. 

“Gerard?” The voice asked slowly, before yelling “ Gerard!” and Gerard knew instantly that Ryan was on the other end. 

“Oh my god, I, I don’t know what to say, I, what’s going on? Why, why are you calling? Not that I’m upset, I’m so fucking happy to hear your voice, I’m just confused-“ Gerard rambled, before Ryan let out a soft laugh.

“Gerard, slow down! Okay, well, I’ve been meaning to reach out, I have, but it’s complicated with the whole nursing home situation you know, but um, anyway. Are you okay?” Ryan asked, and Gerard felt a pit form in their stomach. Was Ryan asking about Bert? How would he know their situation? Did Mikey tell him? Hundreds of questions began racing through Gerard’s mind before they realized they didn’t answer Ryan’s question. 

“I’m, um, I’m okay. Sort of. It’s a long story, I don’t know if I can tell you,” Gerard said quietly, but stopped as they heard whispering on the other end. 

“Is someone with you? Is that Mikey?” They asked, worried. Mikey would kill them if he knew what happened to Gerard after Mikey left, especially knowing that Mikey invited Gerard to leave the house. 

“No, no it’s not Mikey. Um, do you happen to know someone named Syd?” He replied, and Gerard was plain confused at this point. 

“Um, I know of a Syd. A waiter from a hotel I was staying at last week, but that probably isn’t relevant.” 

They heard some slight excited yelling on the other end. 

“Oh my god, okay. Listen. Syd is my best friend, and I’m with him right now, can we all go out to dinner or something? Tonight?” Ryan asked with an urgent tone in his voice. Gerard smiled, they haven’t seen Ryan in months , and even though they were skeptical about why Syd was there, they wanted to see Ryan more than anything. 

“Yes, fuck, of course! Um, I don’t have a car though, my husband took it for the night,” They answered, only for Ryan to immediately respond with, “Oh, it’s no problem. I can pick you up at 6, is that alright?”

“Oh, okay that sounds good! Um, I’ll see you and Syd at 6 then. My address is, wait, do you have a pen?” 

Ryan hummed, indicating that he did. 

“Okay, I live in the apartment complex at 123 Sesame St. I’ll just wait outside at 6, since I can’t receive texts at the moment. Um, okay, I’ll see you then!” They said excitedly, and they could hear Ryan and Syd simultaneously yell “See you soon Gerard!” that made Gerard smile. What a couple of crazy kids, those two. 

Gerard made their way to the bathroom to get ready. They quickly showered and brushed their teeth since they hadn’t done that in almost two days, and then reapplied a new bandage and some more gauze to their head. They were worried that the two would question it and attempted to cover the bandaged wound with their bangs as successfully as possible – which turned out to be not very successful. 

They walked over to their closet, and automatically reached for the nursing gown, before pulling their hand back. Since they were going out with Ryan, they probably shouldn’t wear the uniform from the job they were fired from, even if it was their favorite. They settled on their black coat and a band tee, before remembering their dream hours prior. 

The Frank from the photos they had seen, the concert where they saw Frank play, the sex. The way Frank said “I love you” with no uncertainty in his voice.

Gerard only wished they had met in another lifetime, thing’s could’ve been perfect.

They shook their head, trying to block out the ecstasy they felt in the dream, slipping on the shirt and jacket before rummaging through a drawer to find a black skirt. They checked the time, two minutes till 6. They grabbed their house key and wallet, which consisted of about $14 in cash and their driver’s license, and headed out the door to meet Ryan and Syd.

––––

“Bert! Oh man, I’m so glad you could make it! Sorry for running out the other day, man I was so high, and all that blood freaked me out. Hope the girl’s okay though, for real,” Brent greeted, pulling Bert into a tight hug. Bert patted Brent’s back in return, then pulled away and handed Brent a pack of beer.

“No worries man, I get it. And yeah, oh they’re fine. Nothing serious,” Bert replied. He knew Gerard was not fine, that their head was basically cracked open, but decided to not comment on it.

“Ahh, that’s great to hear. Well, come on in! The guys are all here, we just started drinking!” Brent opened the door all the way, and Bert walked in, seeing a few faces he didn’t recognize, but then stopped in his tracks. The bony frame, a creepy grin plastered to his face, and sickening huge blue eyes.

Anthony Green.

“Brent, what the fuck is he doing here?” Bert yelled, and Anthony turned towards him slowly, looking like he was an animatronic with the way his body moved. 

“Oh, hello Robert. Is it just you tonight, or did you bring your bloody slut to share with us?” Anthony sneered, causing a man wearing a bandana around his neck to chuckle. Bert felt a fire begin to burn inside him.

“Just me tonight, couldn’t risk you trying to get your greasy claws on them,” Bert hissed back, and Anthony laughed, a high pitched villanous noise filling the room.

“Cool it Bert, remember. You are the one who wanted to pay me with them, and conveniently forgot when it came time to hand them over. Just so you know, you still owe me. And I’m not talking about money,” He said, eyes looking into Bert’s, but Bert wasn’t backing down. He stared back, approaching the man who sat casually on the couch.

“What are you gonna do if I don’t pay up? What, gonna use those scrawny little arms to punch me? Gonna stare at me more with those fucking bug eyes? Get real, you’re a weirdo but you’re harmless,” Bert laughed, getting close to Anthony’s face, slightly regretting it because he had to stare at Anthony’s ugly, wrinkly face in very close proximity. 

“Bert, oh Bert. Harmless? Now, I don’t mean to diminish your accomplishments, but you’ve been arrested for the use and dealing of meth, correct? And, obviously, you have some domestic abuse tendencies. That’s cute, real cute Bert. I’m not trying to brag, but I was in federal prison for 10 years. I’ve beaten countless people to a bloody pulp. I’m a registered sex offender because some bitch ran her mouth after I fucked her. Oh! I almost forgot. When I don’t get paid for the drugs I deal, I’ll take my payment on my own terms. And in your case, my payment is Gerard. So, I’ll do whatever it takes to get my side of the exchange,” Anthony smiled, and the way he said it all so casually terrified Bert. He had no other option at this moment, and decided to swing his fist into Anthony’s jaw.

“ Bert ! Stop hitting Anthony you fucking violent freak! I invited you here to hang out, possibly have you and Anthony make up, and within minutes you punch him a second time in less than a week?” Brent screamed, running to Anthony, who rubbed his jaw and laughed, eyes glued on Bert.

“I’m fine Brent, I’m fine. Motherfucker has a shit punch, weak as hell. Probably just feels like a tap to Gerard when he beats them,” Anthony chuckled, and before Bert could charge at the blue-eyed psychopath again, Brent stopped him.

“Go take four shots, now Bert. I ain’t putting up with this shit, you and Anthony are going to get along tonight! I’m trying to have a boys night! Right guys?” Brent yelled, and the two other men in the room cheered. Bert rolled his eyes. If he had to be around Anthony, he was going to get trashed. He watched as Brent poured two double shots of whiskey in front of him, and Bert gulped them down quickly, feeling the warm feeling in his throat and stomach begin to build.

Bert took a seat in a chair across from Anthony, Brent, and the guy in the bandana, with the other guy in a chair next to him.

“Okay! Introductions. Guys, this is Bert. Good friend and customer of mine. Bert, you know Anthony, but next to him is Tucker. Sick guy, plays the drums. The guy next to you is Kenneth, though we all call him Kenny,” Brent explained, and Bert put his hand up, slightly waving at the other men.

––––

Before Bert knew it, he was fucking wasted . 

The guys were awesome. He learned that Tucker had a thing he did called ‘Tucker Thursday’, where he had a massive party every Thursday, and people thought of him as a god for it. He also always wore a bandana around his neck, it was like, his thing . Bert considered getting his kimono fixed so that could be Bert’s thing, especially after Tucker complimented it.

Kenny was cool too, he was funny and weird, but in a good way. He did mention something about a 16-year-old girl, which Bert didn’t fuck with. He wasn’t about that pedo shit. But other than that, he vibed with Kenny.

The more alcohol Bert consumed, the more tolerable Anthony became, even if his face still made Bert’s blood boil. But it wasn’t until Anthony pulled out a bag of coke and a dollar bill that Bert chose to fully ignore any bad blood.

“Okayyy boys, to celebrate such a great night, drugs on me!” Anthony slurred, before setting up a line for himself and snorting it. “ Fuck yes ! Ahh, this shit’s good. Premium,” He grinned, white powder at the base of his nose. 

The guys took turns snorting lines, and Bert couldn’t remember how many lines he did, but was sure it was around 8-10. Bert felt on top of the world, he hadn’t had a boys night in forever. Tucker grabbed Bert, shoving a dab pen between his lips, catching Bert by surprise.

“Hit it pussy!” Tucker laughed, and Bert inhaled deeply, before blowing the smoke back into the man’s face. Tucker cheered, throwing his arm around Bert, and Bert let out a howl before chugging the rest of his beer. Kenny and Brent finished theirs too, laughing as Anthony and Tucker sang along to the song blasting in the background, which Bert soon learned was called “Permanent Rebellion”. 

“How we feeling, boys?” Brent laughed, and the guys all yelled in response, before Bert cracked open a new beer and held it up.

“Party hardy!” He cheered, and Tucker clinked his glass to Bert’s beer, while all the guys grabbed new drinks and cheered along, gulping down the copious amounts of alcohol while “Permanent Rebellion” filled the room with noise. They all sat down in the living room again, chatting away with each other.

“Okay okay, ass or tits?” Brent asked the group, who all were silent for a moment as they pondered what their choice was going to be.

“Cock,” Tucker said simply, and Anthony laughed and playfully hit his arm.

“Tucker’s got the right idea, but imma have to say ass,” Anthony stated, still laughing at Tucker’s reply. Kenny nodded in agreement with Anthony, and the guys looked at Bert for his answer.

“Hmm.. I think I gotta agree. My girl doesn’t exactly have tits, like, woman tits. Like don’t get me wrong, I think they are still fine as hell, and they wear bras and lingerie shit for me too, but that ass of theirs… Another level,” Bert smirked, and noticed from the corner of his eye that Anthony was staring at him, licking his lips.

“Damn, yall are all fucking gay and boring, I’m a tits man till the day I die!” Brent howled, and the guys all laughed, before Anthony spoke up.

“So, Bert, how’d you meet Gerard? They’re definitely eye candy, and I bet their body in that lingerie looks fantastic,” Anthony said in a slimy voice, but Bert didn’t mind. At this point, he viewed Anthony as cool, and was perfectly content talking about Gerard with him.

“Met them when I worked at Subway. I could tell they were slutty right away, because I asked them to suck me off in the back room as another option to pay for their sandwich, and they did . We dated for a while, but they kinda fucked me over when they chose to quit drugs, but low and behold they came crawling back after a few months, and now we are better than ever! They do whatever I say now, it’s fucking awesome,” Bert chuckled, lying to make himself sound cooler, and Anthony smiled, lips curling upwards.

“Wow… You’re truly lucky you have such a willing, sexy, and submissive little princess… I wish that was me…” Anthony continued to say, his voice getting raspier and raspier. 

“Yep, definitely! Bert’s so lucky because he gets to fuck some hot bitch on the daily, blah blah blah. Can we not talk about this unless he’s planning on bringing them here for a fun group session? I’m getting jealous,” Brent groaned, and Tucker laughed as he nodded in agreement. Bert snickered, and noticed Anthony still looking at him. Tucker stood up, grabbing Bert’s arm.

“Come onnnn guys, this is getting boring. Let’s go take some more shots!” He yelled, and all the guys cheered as they got up and followed Tucker and Bert to the kitchen, downing even more alcohol. Bert knew he was definitely passed his limit of good decision-making, but he was having so much fun that it didn’t matter. He threw his arm around Brent and laughed along with his new friends.

About half an hour passed by, and the night was getting very fuzzy, and soon he found himself laying on the couch, Anthony’s arm around him, the other guys in the kitchen smoking weed out of Tucker’s new bong.

“Listen man, I’m sorry for that shit with your girl. No hard feelings?” Anthony officially apologized and put his hand out, and Bert shook it, completely over any issues he once had with Anthony. That was all in the past, and Anthony felt like he could be one of Bert’s best friends now.

“Of course man, sorry for punching you twice,” Bert replied, and the two laughed obnoxiously, before Anthony put his hand in Bert’s hair, stroking the greasy, long strands.

“I have a proposition for you,” Anthony stated, and Bert chuckled, looking at Anthony quizzically. 

“I was thinking… You, Gerard, and I could maybe… Have a threesome. Before you say anything, let me finish,” He explained, and Bert stayed quiet, letting Anthony continue.

“Alright, well. If we do that, I’d drop your debt, and also give you some brand new heroin I just received. You don’t have to answer just yet, you can totally think about it of course, but my god… That lady of yours is truly exquisite. I can’t even imagine how they are in bed, and especially with how aggressive you are, I can’t get the thought of how great the sex would be between us three… I want to do obscene things to your wife Bert, and I want to make sure you are well compensated,” Anthony purred, still petting Bert’s hair. Bert wasted no time, nodding his head. He wasn’t attracted to Anthony, in fact, he found him repulsive, but god, Bert would do anything for some free heroin.

“For sure man! How about, in a couple of days? I want their head to heal a little first, especially if we wanna get rough with them, ya know? Gotta get what you’re paying me for,” Bert grinned, and Anthony smiled back, the two pairs of blue eyes staring maniacally at each other. 

Bert just had to figure out how to get Gerard to agree to this because he was not taking no for an answer when free heroin was on the line. God, he had a lot on his hands when it came to Gerard – first the head-bashing and Frank stuff, now this – they were such a burden, it was honestly exhausting being Gerard’s husband. But Bert knew it was worth it, he’s known Gerard was worth it from the minute they entered that Subway.

Chapter Text

As Gerard approached the mini cooper, they were immediately tackled by a tall lanky brunette before they even made it to the door. 

“Gerard! Oh my god, it’s been too long!” Ryan yelled, pulling Gerard into a hug, and Gerard leaned into the embrace. They couldn’t believe they were finally seeing Ryan after so many months. 

“Ryan, thank you for calling me. Honestly, I was worried you wouldn’t want to ever see me again, especially after the whole, uh, patient situation,” Gerard mumbled, and Ryan shrugged, motioning to the door. Gerard nodded, taking the hint to get into what they presumed was Syd’s car. 

“Hey Gerard! Nice to officially meet you! I’m Syd, and this is what I look like when I’m not in my work uniform,” Syd greeted as Gerard climbed into the backseat of the mini cooper. 

“Hi Syd, it’s good meeting you when I’m not bleeding from my shin or have water spilled on me, haha!” They responded, laughing but trailing off when realizing how uncomfortable that joke was, knowing that both Ryan and Syd suspected something was wrong with Bert. Syd laughed awkwardly, and turned the car back on as soon as Ryan was settled in the front seat.

“So, where are we going?” Gerard asked curiously, and Ryan turned his head back towards Gerard.

“We were thinking this gay bar and grill, Ravenkroft. It turns into a full-blown club after 10, but they serve dinner and stuff before then. Plus, if I can get a few free pints from random men, I’ll take it!” Ryan laughed, and Gerard’s eyes widened in shock. They haven’t thought about Ravenkroft in almost a year or so, the last time they were there was with Mikey before the nursing job. Gerard used to frequent that bar all the time, especially in the later hours around midnight to 2 am. That was the best time for business, especially when closeted married men stopped there to cheat on their wives. Gerard didn’t remember it ever being an actual restaurant, things must’ve changed since then. 

“Sounds great! You know, I used to go there a lot when I was younger. Mikey and I had these horrible fake IDs, I’m surprised they would let us in,” Gerard laughed, reminiscing on the fond memories they made with their brother. 

“What kinda music do you like Gerard? I was just showing Ryan this new song I found, it’s fucking awesome. You wanna hear?” Syd asked, and Gerard hummed in agreement. He turned the song on, and Gerard saw on the Apple car play that the song was called “Bombsquad” by a band named L.S. Dunes. Gerard didn’t recognize it, but bobbed their head along with the music as the three drove to the all-too-familiar bar.

“Table for three?” The hostess asked, and Syd nodded and smiled. The hostess led them to a booth in the corner, and Ryan and Syd took a seat together on one side, Gerard on the other.

“Can I get you three anything to drink before your waitress comes?” She asked, and Syd was the first to speak up.

“Yeah, can I get an ice water and a strawberry daiquiri?” He asked, and the hostess nodded before turning to Ryan, who asked, “Um, water too please, and I’d fancy a mudslide, frozen if you are able to?”

The hostess turned to face Gerard last, who smiled and said, “Water is great, and… um… I’ll take a vodka coke zero?” They asked, before being interrupted by Ryan.

“Absolutely not! No boring drinks. Miss, they will take a cosmopolitan, and also a raspberry mojito,” The British boy smiled, and the hostess wrote the orders down and left.

“Ryan! Wh, why?” They asked in a frantic tone, and Ryan and Syd laughed together.

“You deserve to fucking party, that’s why! We weren’t letting you get some dumb, boring drink when we are both getting fun cocktails, are you crazy?” Syd laughed, and Gerard pouted, but couldn’t help smiling. It’s been too long since they’d gone out with some friends, and they missed just being able to relax and not worry about saying the wrong thing and getting slapped later.

A girl with dark brown hair and eyes scarily similar to Bert’s and Anthony’s walked up, setting down the drinks before pulling out a pad of paper and a pen.

“Hi, I’m Bri and I’ll be your waitress today. What can I get for you three?” She asked, sounding tense. Syd almost had to laugh, as a server himself he could tell when a waiter or waitress was uncomfortable, and with two trans people at the table he knew something was up with her. 

Gerard could feel their stomach grumble, and remembered that it had been two days since they had last eaten. They frantically looked at the menu, trying to find what they wanted before Syd spoke up.

“I’ll take the fish tacos please! Can I also get a side of garlic fries too?” He said smiling, and Bri almost let out a gasp of disgust.

“What?” He asked, and Bri rolled her eyes.

“Nothing, I just don’t expect to see people like you and the skirt-wearing one over there very often. It’s a gay bar after 10pm, just so you know for next time,” She muttered, and Syd let out a loud laugh, not even wanting to bother with this girl. She turned towards Gerard, who cleared their throat before taking one last look at the menu.

“Um, I’ll take the impossible burger, with all the toppings and extra mayo. Fries, as the side, and then a vanilla shake?” They asked, feeling their cheeks redden as they ordered more than Syd. It wasn’t their fault though, they were knocked out cold and desperately needed something in their system if they wanted to drink the cocktails Ryan ordered them.

“Oh… Um okay. You must be hungry… And you?” The waitress said, only smiling as she turned towards Ryan, and Gerard turned bright red. Syd smirked at the way she looked at Ryan, because of course this bitch was fine when talking to the one person at the table who wasn’t trans.

Ryan hummed to himself as he scanned the menu, tapping his chin while thinking. He finally put his menu down, turning towards Bri as he smiled at her.

“I’ll take the garden salad, the small size, please. No croutons, dressing on the side. Oh! And not ranch, I’d like just olive oil and lemon juice. I’d also love a side of the steamed broccoli, that sounds very nice,” Ryan ordered, and Syd rolled his eyes as Gerard stared horrifically at their hands in their lap. If they felt embarrassed at their order in comparison to Syd’s, they wanted to get up and leave after hearing what Ryan was eating tonight. The waitress nodded, writing down the last of their orders, before walking away.

“Ryan, come on. You’re drinking tonight,” Syd said quietly, and Ryan chuckled and rolled his eyes.

“Oh, I’m not that hungry, Syd. Besides, if I do get hungrier I’ll just snag some food off you and Gerard’s plates, you both ordered enough,” He snickered, and Gerard felt their cheeks begin to burn up. Ryan’s eyes widened as he realized what he said, knowing how Gerard was about food and their body occasionally in the nursing home, and turned towards them.

“Oh, Gee, I didn’t mean that. Don’t, don’t worry about such matters. You’re looking pretty thin anyway, has Bert been starving you or something bruv?” He asked, tripping over his words. Syd watched this, horrified. He was about to chime in to save Gerard, before Bri came back with the drinks, setting them down on the table, rolling her eyes.

“The food will be out shortly,” She muttered, before walking away.

“Um, cheers! To finally, um, getting together!” Syd yelled immediately, trying to change the subject for Gerard’s sake. Gerard grabbed the cosmopolitan first, clinking their glass to Ryan’s mudslide and Syd’s daiquiri before finishing it all in one go. Ryan and Syd watched impressively, sipping on their drinks as Gerard put the glass down.

“What? I’m like, six or seven years older than you both. I know how to finish my alcohol!” They murmured, and Ryan and Syd laughed, watching as Gerard began sipping on the mojito Ryan ordered.

As the night continued, the conversations stayed light, and the alcohol began to flow. At one point, they played a game where Ryan tried only talking in an American accent as Gerard and Syd tried not to laugh. So far, things were going well, until Ryan started rapping . Not just any song, Ryan chose to rap Hamilton . 

“I’m not throwing away my shot, ayo I’m just like my country, I’m young, scrappy, and hungry, and I’m not throwing away my shot!” Ryan rapped, and Gerard and Syd lost it at that point, tears forming in Gerard’s eyes and Syd slapping his knee from laughing so hard.

“Please, never do that again. Do us all a favor, if you sing Hamilton you gotta stick to King George ,” Syd replied, catching his breath as he took another sip of his drink, and Gerard continued laughing as they nodded in agreement.

After more conversations, one where Syd talked about this random guy named James Ransone (Gerard was a little too drunk to understand the story), the topic turned towards the family reunion weekend.

“Okay, okay, so, what the fuck was with all those people with huge blue eyes?” Syd slurred, finishing their fifth daiquiri of the night. Gerard chuckled, slapping their hand down on the table.

“Oh, don’t get me started. Imagine being married to someone with those eyes! Nightmare material!” They hollered, making Ryan and Syd laugh along with them as they all clinked their glasses together. 

“Um, I have to excuse myself. Gotta go to the lou to take a whiz,” Ryan smiled, before getting up from the table and leaving.

Gerard put their elbow on the table, holding their glass, before drunkenly throwing their head into their hand – except it was the hand they were holding the drink in. They yelped in pain, realizing what a drunken idiot they were for forgetting they were holding a martini glass in the hand they tried to rest their head in. They winced, pain searing through their head despite the blurriness of the alcohol.

“Hey, hey, are you okay?” Syd suddenly asked, worried at Gerard’s sudden state. He had noticed Gerard’s bandaged head the second they got into the car, but didn’t know how to bring it up until now.

“Yeah, just, fuck , okay. I’ll be right back,” They said, forcing a smile as they stumbled into the women's bathroom – they didn’t want Ryan to see them. When they looked in the mirror, they noticed a small drop of blood seeping through the gauze. They sighed, of course this was happening now. They tried their best to refix their bangs over the wound, before walking back to their table, slightly stumbling from the five drinks in their system.

“Gerard, woah, you’re bleeding . What happened? Was this… Was this Bert?” Syd asked, grabbing Gerard’s arm to stabilize them. Syd didn’t care if he was crossing boundaries at this point, he saw what Bert was like at the hotel, and he was not letting this slide again.

“N-no, no this, wasn’t Bert, pshhhh come on!” Gerard slurred, grabbing the martini glass and drinking the rest of the gin. Syd took the glass out of their hands, setting it down on the table before grabbing Gerard’s shoulders and making them face him.

“Gerard, I’m serious. Did Bert do this to you? You… You can be honest. I won’t tell anyone, I swear… I don’t know Mikey, this won’t leave this conversation,” He said quietly, staring into Gerard’s green eyes. Gerard sighed, and looked around. They hoped Syd was telling the truth.

“You can’t tell Ryan,” Was all they said, and Syd nodded. Gerard let out a deep breath, scanning the room one more time.

“Um, yes. Bert, he did this. That time you visited the room from a noise complaint, you kinda saved me from him strangling me. I owe you, for real Syd. Just, I know it looks bad. Bert, he’s, he’s complex. He’s gotten worse this past week, but I swear he’s–” Gerard stuttered, before seeing Ryan walking back to the table and closing their mouth. As much as Syd would like to ask for more details, he knew Gerard would hate admitting things in front of Ryan. He didn’t know why Gerard was so nervous about their real friends finding out about their situation, but Syd would respect their wishes.

“You lads wanna take some shots? I’ll buy!” Ryan shouted, before seeing blood under Gerard’s bandage. “Gerard, what happened? You okay?” He asked slowly, and Gerard felt a pit form in their stomach.

“You know, I should probably get going. My kids, they, uh, Bert’s parents are going to throw a fit if they have to care for them one more day. Um, Ryan, here’s some cash, it’s all I have, and I’ll give you the rest of the money the next time I see you. Um, this was fun you guys, hopefully we can do this again!” Gerard stumbled on their words, getting up from the table. Syd put his hand on Gerard’s arm, looking at them.

“Gerard, come on… You don’t have to go,” He smiled sadly, and Gerard paused for a second. They looked at Syd, a new friend who somehow knew more about their condition than anyone besides maybe Mikey, and their heart hung heavy with guilt.

“It was nice officially meeting you Syd, I hope we can hang out again soon,” They forced a smile, before walking out the door, and heading in the direction their apartment was. They wrapped their jacket close around them, teeth chattering as the cold winds hit them. They drunkenly staggered down the street, knowing they’d have to brace this weather for about fifteen minutes before getting to their apartment.

––––

“Heyy baby! What are you up to tonight?” A voice yelled at Gerard, and they turned to see a car slowly driving next to them, some guy Gerard didn’t recognize at the driver’s seat with the window down. Gerard shook their head and continued to walk faster, trying to ignore the man as thoughts of their past flooded through their brain. 

“Come on, baby! I’m complimenting you, stop being so shy!” The man yelled again, and Gerard could hear laughs from inside the car, indicating the man wasn’t alone. 

“No thank you, I’m trying to get home. And I have a husband,” They said sternly, staring ahead of them as they continued walking quickly.

“Awh, come on baby. With legs like that, and a husband that I don’t see anywhere, I think you and I should have some fun!” He scoffed, and Gerard tried to pick up their pace, even with all the alcohol in their system. They heard the car pull over, and immediately started running. They’ve dealt with men like these before, mainly in their prostitution days. Gerard used to be prepared, either having Bert with them or a pocket knife, but Gerard was empty-handed and utterly terrified at the moment.

“Baby, why are you running? Come on, you don’t gotta be afraid!” The voice behind them yelled, and Gerard could hear the footsteps growing closer. They looked behind them to see how far the men were, but tripped on the uneven sidewalk, falling and scraping one of their knees.

“Awh, sweetheart, are you alright? Here, let me help you up!” The main guy called out, approaching Gerard as he held his hand out, as if Gerard was some wounded animal. He was blonde, and was much larger than Gerard, his hand basically bigger than their face. He had a lip ring, and his mouth was curled into a smile. Gerard flinched, ignoring the man as they looked at their knee, which was slightly scraped but nothing too bad.

“No, please, please stay away from me. I-I’m fine!” They stammered, but the man continued to get close to them, his friends not too far behind.

“Shhh, it’s okay. Come here,” He said, grabbing Gerard’s arm, but something in them snapped. They let him stand them up, before kicking him as hard as they could in his crotch. The man screamed, and his friends ran up to him.

“Bob, what happened?” One of them asked, concerned. The main perpetrator, who Gerard now knew as Bob, glared at Gerard before hissing, “That cunt just kicked me!”

Gerard looked at the two other men with wide eyes, and they began to walk toward them, before a car that was driving by screeched to a stop.

“Gerard?” Someone from the car asked, and Gerard immediately recognized the voice. 

“Bert! Oh my god, Bert!” They yelled with delight, running away from the men as they approached the car. Gerard immediately opened the backseat door, not even bothering to see who was driving considering the car wasn’t Bert’s.

“Stay the fuck away from them, you fucking creeps! If I ever see your faces again, I’ll fucking shove your dicks into a shredder!” Bert screamed at the men, before whoever was in the driver’s seat sped away. 

“Gerard, what the fuck were you doing walking around by yourself this late?” Bert turned around in the passenger’s seat, staring at Gerard. He looked angry, but also extremely worried. He also looked extremely high.

“I, my old co-worker and I went out for dinner, and I decided to walk home, I’m sorry! I’m- *hic*! I’m drunk Bert!” Gerard confessed, hiccuping in the middle of their sentence, which caused them to laugh at themself. Bert laughed along with them – looks like Gerard was having fun on their own on the same night Bert was. 

“Well, don’t fucking do that shit again. If you’re going to go out, which I’d prefer you didn’t, but if you’re going to, don’t fucking go without a ride home you dumb bitch!” Bert growled, and Gerard nodded their head, before gaining some confidence.

“Well, what about y-*hic*-you! You just left me at home, saying you were going out, and then out of nowhere you pull up like a knight in shining armor smelling like whiskey and clearly high from the size of your *hic* pupils?” Gerard snapped, and Bert let out a low growl.

“Gerard, watch it,” He murmured, but Gerard wasn’t having it.

“No! No, I won’t stop! You, you *hic* fucking hit me with a rock , basically knocking me out for two days, and the one night I’m awake, you *hic* left me! So my apologies Bert if I desired some company considering the last people I’ve seen have been you and that fucking freak Anthony *hic* Green!” They yelled, ignoring the throbbing pain rushing through their head from a combination of yelling, alcohol, and running. Bert stared at them in shock, before turning towards the driver with wide eyes. Gerard completely forgot about the person driving, and their cheeks turned pink with embarrassment. That was, until the driver spoke, and the embarrassment turned into fear.

“Hello, Gerard. Nice to see you again, princess,” The sickening, high-pitched voice that Gerard never wanted to hear again spoke slowly. 

Anthony fucking Green.

“Um, I, I-” Gerard stuttered, and Bert cut them off.

“Gerard, Anthony here was kind enough to give me a ride home tonight because I’m actually responsible and don’t try to just wander off like a stubborn little brat. And clearly, he just helped you out too, considering you couldn’t even fend off some guys like a weak, pathetic whore,” He spoke sternly, and Gerard watched as Anthony’s eyes met theirs in the rearview mirror. Gerard saw Anthony’s eyes widen with intrigue, and Gerard felt like they were going to be sick.

“Can we, please, I... Please can we just *hic* go home,” Gerard begged quietly, and Anthony let out a deep, ragged breath.

“Oh Bert, I love hearing you put them in their place, the pleading tone in their voice… Truly superlative…” Anthony whispered, and Bert laughed nervously in response. Bert prayed Gerard didn’t hear Anthony’s comment, but when he turned to look at Gerard, he knew for a fact they heard everything.

‘What the fuck?’ Gerard mouthed at Bert, and Bert was frozen. He had no idea how to respond to Anthony or Gerard at this moment.

Luckily for the couple, Anthony pulled up to their apartment complex within a minute. Gerard hurriedly took their seatbelt off, and before they could even open the door, Anthony swung it open, peering at Gerard from his tall, boney frame. 

“Come on, Gerard. Let’s get inside, it’s cold,” Bert groaned, clearly annoyed. Gerard bit down on their lip, trying to slide out of the car while holding their skirt down as Anthony watched them, eyes raking over their body.

“I like the skirt, princess,” He grinned from behind Gerard, and they shuddered. 

“T-thanks, Anthony,” They replied quietly, running to catch up with Bert, not even daring to look behind them out of fear that Anthony’s huge eyes would still be locked on them. 

––––

“Are you going to tell me why the hell you’re buds with Anthony Green ? Did you forget how fucking insane that man is? He, he fucking came onto me and then blamed me for it!” Gerard yelled at Bert as soon as they both made it inside. Bert scoffed and turned away from his spouse.

“Oh, come on Gerard . Stop being so dramatic, sorry that a guy thinks you’re hot! You know, you used to be into that shit. Practically throwing yourself onto any guy who’d even glance at you!” He muttered, and Gerard watched as Bert took his kimono off, and then narrowed their eyes at him.

“Oh, fucking save it. I’ve said it before, the slut shaming is fucking old Bert. Like, can you be creative for once in your sorry life? And Anthony isn’t just some guy , he’s the scariest motherfucker I’ve ever met! Even scarier than you, Bert!” They yelled, running up to him and shoving him as hard as they could. Bert fell into the coffee table, shin banging against the wood as his hands hit the table, catching himself. 

“You fucking bitch! ” Bert growled, rubbing his shin as he noticed bruising beginning to form. He turned around to look at his spouse, who stood there, cheeks red, lips parted, eyes wild and angry.

“What are you gonna do about it, Bert?” They spat, and Bert furrowed his brows. He felt fuzzy, still drunk and high from the night with the guys, and Gerard looked so pretty, angry and nose still red from the cold air, hair messy and blood slightly trickling down their knee.

“This,” He grinned, before pressing Gerard against the wall, lips attacking theirs. Gerard moaned in surprise, feeling Bert’s erection press against their bare thigh. They felt his hot breath against their mouth and felt themself harden slightly as Bert sandwiched them between himself and the wall. They couldn’t let themself fall into this spiral again, as much as they wanted their greasy, black-haired, blue-eyed husband.

They put their hands against Bert’s chest, trying to push him away, but Bert grabbed Gerard’s wrists and pushed them above their head, feeling little-to-no resistance, and smirked into the kiss. Gerard felt the smirk and hated the fact that they gave into Bert so easily. They fought against Bert’s hold for a second, but when Bert pressed his thigh in between Gerard’s legs, Gerard simply melted into the touch.

“B-Bert,” They whimpered, and Bert moved his mouth to their neck, biting on the fragile skin, earning another moan from Gerard as he sucked a hickey into their spouse’s neck, just above the collarbone.

“Yeah, you like that, slut?” He whispered into Gerard’s ear, and Gerard nodded, feeling Bert’s hands leave their wrists, and they rested them on Bert’s shoulders.

“Use your words, Gerard,” Bert said firmly, before biting harder into Gerard’s neck, and they yelped from pain.

“Y-yes, Bert!” They breathed, and Bert pulled himself off their spouse, taking their chin into his hand, and turning their head to look at him. As Bert looked at them, he could already picture them on their knees for him, those needy and desperate eyes looking up at him, worshipping him . Bert stared in awe at the person he was able to call his spouse. They truly were something else, Anthony had great taste.

––––

“Bert, what the hell is taking you so long? I need to change!” Gerard groaned, standing outside their bedroom door. They needed to find a costume to wear for tonight, because Bert was taking them to some sort of party tonight. Bert virtually gave them no details, besides saying it was a costume party so Gerard needed to dress up. When Gerard asked why they were going to a costume party on a Thursday night, Bert rolled his eyes and yelled, “Because it’s Tucker Thursday , Gerard. God, try to be on top of things, okay?” as if Gerard was expected to know about some random party when they didn’t even have a phone.

Gerard was unsure why Bert was so frantic about this party, going grocery shopping a couple of hours ago to pick up a few cases of beer, and now taking his sweet time in the bedroom. The way he was so adamant about Gerard being dressed up was also slightly concerning.

“Almost done Gerard, chill the fuck out!” They heard the lower-pitched, slightly raspy voice yell back. Gerard leaned their back against the wall, and tried to think about what they could put together to wear, but when they heard the click of the door unlocking, they turned their head to look at their husband.

Gerard stifled back a laugh as best as they could – there was no way this view they were looking at was real.

Bert was wearing his kimono, except both sleeves were now cut off, making it a vest of sorts. There was a bandana tied around his neck, and he had on his favorite red tank top, and really, really tight black skinny jeans. He also was wearing a variety of bracelets on both of his wrists, and Gerard swore the jewelry was theirs when they saw the red band with the word “REVENGE” in glittery letters and the fake pearl bracelet around Bert’s wrists.

“So… Whaddya think?” Bert smiled, doing a turn so Gerard could see the full outfit. Gerard bit down on their lip, feeling the laughter begin to approach.

“What the fuck are you supposed to even be?” Gerard finally blurted out, laughing uncontrollably. Bert’s cheeks turned a bright shade of red, and his brows furrowed together while his eyes widened angrily.

“Why are you fucking laughing? I’m me , but Tucker-fied. It’s kinda an inside joke, Tucker will get it instantly, trust me . Gonna be fucking gold,” Bert brushed Gerard off, trying to hide his embarrassment. He knew Tucker was going to adore his costume, regardless if no one else understood it.

“Okay…? Sounds like you’re really trying to impress this ‘Tucker’ guy Bert,” Gerard replied slowly, raising their eyebrows. “Is that why you’ve been so stressed about today? Because of this Tucker guy ?” They continued, staring at Bert as they tried to get some answers. 

“Oh fuck off bitch. Stop trying to come up with excuses to be jealous just because you’re bored – he’s the host, it’s like, it’s normal to want to impress the host who I just became friends with,” Bert stammered, before saying, “Now, can you help me with my makeup? I, you’re really good. At, at makeup, I mean. I’d appreciate it if you put some red eyeshadow on me to match my shirt, Gee.”

Gerard couldn’t help but smile at Bert right now. He became so soft, so gentle all of a sudden, almost nervous-sounding. They also felt an ego boost at Bert complimenting their makeup – that was always something they loved about Bert, something that made them attracted to him in the first place. He made them feel so feminine , and always noticed the littlest details, like the time Gerard cut more face-framing layers in their hair or the time Gerard added a little more eyeliner than usual. He always complimented their skills, always told them how pretty they looked.

Gerard nodded, forgetting any issues they were having with their spouse, and they grabbed his hand as they guided him into their bathroom, patting the chair that sat at their makeshift vanity. Bert sat down, and Gerard ran their hands through the almost wet-looking black strands, moving the hair away from Bert’s face.

“Red is a good choice for you Bert. Especially this red–” They paused, pulling out their favorite eyeshadow, ‘Gash’ by Urban Decay, and showing it to Bert. “–Because this red has orange, rusty undertones. Since your eyes are blue, like, very blue, they will only stand out more because orange is opposite from blue on the color wheel,” They smiled, dabbing a brush into the eyeshadow, reminiscing on the art lessons their grandma put them in when they were younger. The color wheel was one of the first things they learned and they applied it to their paintings and drawings, but when they got into makeup they learned the rules were the same.

Bert shut his eyes, letting Gerard sweep the powder over his lids. It tickled slightly, and Bert felt Gerard’s body heat close to him. He didn’t exactly pay attention to anything Gerard just said, but he knew that they were good at makeup so he trusted them to do this. He was so excited for Tucker to see him, for Tucker to notice the effort Bert was putting into his costume, and he blushed to himself at the thought of his new friend. 

Gerard smiled at their work, feeling themself admire the beauty that was their husband. They thought that beauty left a long time ago, but this moment, this tiny moment between the two of them made Gerard feel warm and fuzzy inside. They noticed Bert blushing, his leg nervously bouncing up and down and Gerard beamed. 

“Open your eyes, and look up baby. I gotta do the lower lash line now,” They requested softly, and Bert’s eyes fluttered open, before immediately looking upwards. Gerard took a smaller brush, touching the eyeshadow pan to coat the bristles, and began smoking out Bert’s lower lash line. They felt like they needed to get closer to be accurate, and they took this opportunity to straddle Bert, sitting on his lap as they continued to apply the makeup. Gerard was fully expecting to feel Bert start to get hard under them, but by the time Gerard was done, Bert was still sitting there, cool as a cucumber as he waited patiently for Gerard to let him know when his makeup was complete.

“Um, I finished,” Gerard said softly, puzzled. Bert looked at Gerard and motioned for them to get off him. “Thanks, babe,” He smiled, planting a kiss on Gerard’s forehead, before turning around to look in the mirror.

“Oh fuck yes! Gee, oh this looks awesome! I look so fucking cool. Like, we are totally gonna be the hottest couple pulling up. I want all eyes looking at us, hence why I picked your costume for tonight… Check it out!” Bert grinned, eyes meeting Gerard’s, as he motioned for them to head towards their bedroom. When Bert said he wanted all eyes on him and Gerard tonight, he meant it, and he excitedly opened the door for Gerard.

Gerard walked through the doorway, and Bert followed them into the bedroom. They saw their costume laid out on the bed in front of them, and their jaw dropped.

It was a nurse costume. No, not their nursing uniform, but a sexy nurse costume , like the one seen on the Blink-182 album cover, complete with a low cut, skimpy dress, a little hat similar to Gerard’s uniform hat, latex gloves, and a red bra to go under it.

“No, n-no, absolutely not!” Gerard yelled, turning to Bert with wide, horrified eyes. “What, what kind of sick joke is this?”

“Not a joke. That’s your costume, and you’re going to wear it,” Bert stated firmly, his jaw clenching.

“No, I fucking won’t! I am not going to prance around in a revealing costume that mimics my old uniform , something you know I cherish deeply!” They argued, causing Bert to laugh and clap his hands together.

“Wh, what’s so fucking funny?” Gerard stuttered. The last time Bert broke out into laughter during a fight, it ended with Bert berating Gerard until they felt like they couldn’t breathe from crying so hard.

“Oh, ah, ahaha, oh man,” Bert wheezed, trying to catch his breath. “Your ‘uniform’ that you ‘cherish deeply’? God, Gerard you are funny. That isn’t a uniform, that’s a 1950s nursing gown you basically stole from the job you were fired from. And this?” He grabbed the little costume. 

“This is what you’re wearing. First off, the bandages on your forehead will fit in well, and second off, because it’s a fucking costume, just like your other dress. You aren’t a nurse, and you won’t ever be a nurse again. So put the goddamn costume on Gerard!” He yelled, eyes violently commanding Gerard as he threw the clump of white fabric at them.

“Ugh, fine ! I’m wearing my jacket with it though, it’s too cold for me to only wear this tiny piece of cloth. And I hope you know, the second we show up, I’m fucking ditching you. I don’t want to be seen next to your dumbass costume anyway,” They hissed, and Bert scoffed, slamming his hand down on the dresser.

“Oh shut the fuck up Gerard . Like I’d give two shits if you went off and did your own thing. You’d probably end up in another damsel in distress situation you keep getting into when you’re by yourself, leaving it up to me to save the day! Think about it, first when you were left alone with Anthony, and then that whole corny ass ordeal on the street last night,” He smirked, and Gerard felt embarrassed at Bert’s words. “Besides, as I said, this costume isn’t for you to understand, it’s for Tucker!” He shouted defensively.

Gerard tensed up, and they could feel a pit form in their stomach. They felt jealous for some reason, even though they knew Bert was just excited about his new friends. But, honestly, something seemed off about Bert’s behavior, because he never acted like this with his other friends. The stressing out, the defensiveness of his costume, the way he was so persistent about Gerard’s costume, it was weird . They knew Tucker was the host, and that Bert was just trying to fit in, but something about the way Bert said his name made it feel like Tucker was this god to Bert, and that made Gerard’s stomach turn with envy.

What was so great about this ‘Tucker’ anyway?

–––– 

Apparently, there were a lot of great things about Tucker, and Gerard could now see why Bert was so excited. When Gerard and Bert showed up to the address, Gerard stared in awe at the huge, modern mansion that stood in front of them. It looked like something one would see in Hollywood, and even though Gerard had never been to Hollywood, they pictured they’d see houses like this everywhere they turned. There were large windows on every wall, and the first floor almost being entirely made of glass. The structure of the house was intricate and stylish, and Gerard found themself wishing that one day they could have a big house of their own.

When they got inside, they could tell this was no joke of a party. There were probably a hundred people there already, and Gerard and Bert showed up a few minutes early . Bert held Gerard’s hand and pulled them as he shuffled through the crowds, trying to find the kitchen to set the beer down. When they were standing by the kitchen counter, which Gerard noticed was made out of quartz , Bert grabbed himself a beer, and raised an eyebrow at Gerard, silently asking if Gerard wanted one.

Gerard eyed the drinks around the counter, before locking their gaze on a blonde girl, a blonde guy, and a brunette guy throwing back shots of mystery alcohol and chasing it with various sodas.

“I’m not feeling beer, so I’m gonna take some shots and then I’ll come back,” They said over the music, and Bert nodded. Gerard walked over to the table, and as they got closer, their eyes widened in shock as the two boys turned around.

“ Gerard ?” They said in unison, one voice having an accent.

“Ryan? Syd? Wh, what are you guys doing here?” Gerard stammered, worried that the two were mad at them for leaving so hurriedly last night. Luckily, they both seemed pretty drunk, and Ryan laughed as he threw his lanky arm around Gerard while Syd hit what seemed to be a dab pen. 

“Syd’s friend here, Michelle, Gerard say hi to Michelle,” Ryan paused, and Gerard waved at Michelle, who seemed too busy pouring herself a tequila shot to notice. “Michelle here, knows the gracious host, uh, fuck, um,” Ryan stuttered, clearly forgetting the name. 

“Tucker. I know Tucker. His dad owns the law firm I work at, where Tucker technically works. He comes in about two times a week, but he’s the owner’s son so we don’t get on his case. Also, he’s such a lovely presence whenever he is at work, so we can’t complain. Anyway, hi, I’m Michelle. Syd’s been my neighbor forever,” Michelle spoke, and even though Gerard knew she was drunk, she was still so articulate, which made sense if she was trying to be a lawyer.

“Hi, I’m Gerard. Nice to meet you,” Gerard smiled, putting their hand out, and Michelle shook it firmly. They looked at the trio’s costumes and easily noticed that Michelle was dressed as Dani from Midsommar with her blonde hair, white dress, and flower crown. Syd and Ryan’s costumes were a little harder to figure out. Syd was in a white dress shirt, blue tie, black pants, and what looked to be a tan trench coat, while Ryan was wearing a green shirt, black pants, and had a beret on.

“Nice Dani costume Michelle, I love that movie. Um, Syd, Ryan, what are you guys dressed as?” Gerard asked, genuinely curious. Syd spoke up first.

“I’m Cas, from Supernatural,” He shrugged, and Gerard nodded. They didn’t know anything about that show but assumed Syd nailed the look. 

“Cas..? Is he, like, a detective or something?” Gerard asked, not wanting to seem like they were brushing Syd off. Syd let out a big laugh, and Gerard soon realized they must’ve been wrong about their guess.

“Oh man, that would’ve been funny, if Cas was also a detective. Nah, his full name is Castiel, and he’s an angel. The show’s really good, I’ve been trying to get Ryan to watch it for years now.” Ryan shook his head as if he was making it clear that the situation was never going to happen.

“What about you Ry?” They turned to Ryan, awaiting his response.

“I’m Spotify France,” He said casually, and Gerard let out a shocked laugh. Gerard did not have a clue how Spotify France was a costume, but of course Ryan was dressed as Spotify France.

“What the hell do you mean by ‘Spotify France’?” Gerard laughed, and Ryan scoffed.

“I mean , I’m dressed as Spotify France. I love Spotify France, it’s my favorite Spotify,” He replied, adjusting his beret before hitting his juul. He looked up and down at Gerard’s outfit, a frown settling on his face.

“And you’re… a nurse,” Ryan said, trailing off. Gerard was suddenly aware of their costume and felt awful as they realized how odd this must be.

“Oh, no, um. Bert, he, uh–” Gerard stumbled over their words before an arm was thrown around their shoulder.

“Is that Syd ? Oh man, I guess everyone is here tonight!” Bert laughed, his hand squeezing Gerard’s shoulder. Syd stared at Bert, too drunk to even care about being fake nice.

“Yeah, clearly they let anyone in here if I’m seeing your face tonight,” Syd snapped at Bert, and Bert rolled his eyes and let out a dramatic sigh, turning away from Syd. Michelle raised an eyebrow at the creepy guy who seemed to dislike her friend and grabbed his arm to turn him towards her.

“Hey, cool it with the agro shit. I don’t know who you think you are, but I’m guessing I know Tucker better than you do, so fuck off before I get a bouncer to throw your greasy, Tucker-wannabe ass out of here,” Michelle ordered, and Gerard took note that when Michelle was angry, she was fucking terrifying. Gerard looked at Bert, who looked genuinely taken aback, and pulled his arm out of her grip, and just nodded at her. Bert pulled Gerard close and watched as Michelle turned away to chat with Syd and Ryan again.

“Did you take your shots yet, Gee?” Bert asked quietly, and Gerard shook their head. They completely forgot they originally came to this table to get drunk. They let Ryan pour three shots of the vodka closest to them, which Gerard noticed was the brand Grey Goose . This Tucker guy must be really rich. Gerard threw the shots back one right after the other, and grabbed the Coke Zero from Ryan’s hand to chase the alcohol with. They shuddered, feeling their throat and stomach grow warm as the alcohol traveled through them. They felt a tug on their arm, and were pulled back into the crowd by Bert.

“Um, I’ll see ya guys soon!” They called after the trio, and Michelle raised a shot to them before taking it, Ryan waved, still looking disappointedly at the nurse outfit, and Syd watched them, his eyes worried. Gerard felt a twinge of guilt but was too focused on not banging their head into the cluttered groups of people Bert was dragging them through.

“Look, there’s Tucker,” Bert said, loud enough for it to be heard over the music, but still quiet enough that Gerard knew Bert was only talking to them. Gerard followed Bert’s eyes, before seeing a group of people sitting on a staircase. They knew instantly which was one the infamous Tucker.

He sat in the middle of the group, tight, tight , white skinny jeans hugging his legs, a black denim vest slightly unbuttoned at the top with nothing on under, and a red bandana tied around his neck – the same way Bert’s was. He was tan, toned, and fit, with slight stubble and hair that just seemed to be in perfect place. Gerard stared at him in awe. No wonder he was so popular.

“Bert! Hey man! I missed you!” Tucker yelled, motioning for Bert and Gerard to join him by the stairs. The two walked over, and Tucker put his hand out, dabbing Bert up before looking at his costume.

“Um, what are you dressed as?” Tucker laughed, and Bert shifted awkwardly.

“I, uh, I’m dressed as Bert, I mean, me, I’m dressed as me, but if I was like, Tucker-fied ! Haha, ah, get it?” Bert laughed, and Gerard could feel the nervousness radiating off of their husband. 

“But you’re wearing a bandana. That’s my thing.”

Bert choked on his drink, coughing slightly as he tried to conjure up a response.

“Bro, obviously. I wore this as a joke, was tryna set you off a little! You know me, always a wildcard! God, ah man I can’t believe you fell for it!” Bert forced out a laugh, as he frantically took the bandana off and threw it into his back pocket. Tucker laughed, clapping his hands together.

“Fuck, you had me scared there for a sec! Come on Bert, don’t do that!” Tucker smiled, and poked Bert’s leg with his shoe. “By the way, I love the eyeshadow. Really makes those blue eyes pop! And the kimono? Love what you did with it, looks sick,” He complimented, his shoe still lingering against Bert’s shin. 

“Ahh, haha, um, th-thank you! Thought it was kinda the move, you know,” Bert flashed him a toothy grin before asking, “So, what are you dressed as?”

“Oh! I’m Tucker Rule!” He smiled charmingly. He motioned towards the jeans, then ran his hands up the vest and tugged on the bandana. Usually, if Gerard saw someone just dressed as themself at a costume party, they would be extremely disappointed. But somehow, Tucker made it work. Like, it made sense he dressed as himself for a costume.

Bert let out an obnoxious, over-the-top laugh, trying to make sure Tucker knew Bert thought Tucker was a genius for that, before remembering Gerard was next to him. 

“Oh, Tucker, this is Gerard. My spouse,” He quickly introduced, and Gerard smiled at Tucker and held their hand out.

“Very great to meet you, Tucker, you have a lovely home,” They said, and Tucker beamed at them, taking their hand in his and giving it a light squeeze. “Pleasure is all mine! Now, I’m waiting for Anthony and Brent to get back with some, uh, substances , so meet us in the lounge if you two want to partake,” He winked at the couple. “Gerard, have you met Anthony and Brent yet? Great friends of mine, cool guys. Anthony’s a little intimidating at first, but he’s actually a sweetheart once you get to know him!”

Gerard froze. Not again.

“Um, I have met Anthony and Brent before, not for, um, long though. I’m excited to see them again,” Gerard said quietly, and Tucker nodded, raising his glass, and Gerard swore for a second he could’ve been mistaken as the fucking Great Gatsby. His phone buzzed, and he looked at the notification and smiled. Tucker got up from the ground, and Gerard could’ve sworn they saw Bert checking him out in those jeans, but brushed it off as just Tucker’s vibe being so captivating.

“Alright, the guys are here! Bert, Gerard, y’all coming along?” Tucker flashed a dazzling smile. Before Gerard could respond, Bert grabbed Gerard’s hand.

“Yes! Definitely! Um, but first, we wanna go drink so more, we both are basically sober, and this is our first Tucker Thursday so we want to get the full experience, you know?” Bert laughed, and Tucker nodded. “Sounds great! Alright, we are going to be in the lounge. If you go up these stairs, make a left, and walk all the way down the hall to the big room at the end with the double doors, we will be there. Oh! Bert, could you grab me a drink? I’d love one of those cocktails I had last night, do you remember how we made it?” Tucker asked, and Gerard watched as Bert and Tucker exchanged smiles, and their husband nodded in response. Tucker gave Gerard a wave and walked upstairs.

“So, that’s Tucker,” Was all Gerard said.

“Yeah, that’s him,” Bert replied, before pulling Gerard back into the kitchen to get drinks. Gerard looked back to the table their friends were at, but Gerard couldn’t see them anywhere. They frowned, they were hoping to hang out with them a little more. They turned back to Bert, who was frantically putting a drink together.

“Why do you know how to make this special cocktail?” Gerard asked, trying to hide any hints of jealousy in their voice. Bert never made them special drinks before.

“Oh, just, well last night I was chugging a beer in Brent’s kitchen, and Tucker wanted a new drink but couldn’t choose what to have, so we worked together to make a cocktail with whatever Brent had. It turned out pretty good, like, I wouldn’t order it, but I guess Tucker likes those super sweet drinks,” Bert mumbled as he poured pineapple juice into the glass, followed by some sort of gin.

“Um, okay, I’m gonna make a vodka coke zero and take some more shots, and I’ll meet you back by the staircase, alright?” Gerard asked, and Bert nodded at them dismissively. Gerard was confused, and a little hurt. They needed to get really drunk, right now.

They walked over to the table with the vodka and soda, and made a drink for themself, before taking three more shots. They felt the three shots they took earlier were already in their system, so they assumed this would be enough, but just in case, they took one more shot for fun. Gerard scanned the room, bobbing their head to the music that was blasting, and they easily recognized that the song was “Promiscuous Girl” by Nelly Furtado. Gerard looked towards the kitchen counter and noticed Bert wasn’t there. 

Well, fuck it.

Gerard chugged the rest of their vodka coke zero and set the cup back on the table before walking towards the crowd of people all dancing to the music. The room was dark, with only colored lights flashing around every now and then, allowing Gerard to see glimpses of faces every few seconds. 

As they danced, they felt themself get lost in the music, currently some song by Labrinth, and their surroundings. Everything felt euphoric, and Gerard felt all their worries wash away. Their head didn’t hurt, they didn’t care about their costume, they didn’t care about Bert. They shut their eyes, raising their arms in the air as they danced. They were so lost in the music and the vibes that they didn’t notice when a hand tapped their shoulder. Then, the hand tapped again, and again, before grabbing their shoulder and shaking it. Gerard finally opened their eyes and turned to see who was interrupting them.

If Gerard had been holding a drink, they would’ve dropped it at this moment.

“Dr. Saporta…?” Gerard asked weakly, looking up at the tall, handsome man who was once their superior. He was wearing a black button-down and had fake blood coming out of his neck. 

“Oh, fuck I knew it was you, Gerard! And please, call me Gabe. Um, how are you? Uhh, nice costume!” Dr. Saporta, or Gabe, said awkwardly, and Gerard was visibly uncomfortable at this point. They never would’ve thought they’d run into their old boss at something called ‘Tucker Thursday’, when they were drunk as fuck in a slutty nurse costume. Did Tucker just know everyone or something?

“Ah, Gabe. Okay, um, thank you. I’m, I’m okay! How about yourself? How do you know Tucker? And I like the costume too, much different than the usual attire,” Gerard replied, looking around the room for any excuse to leave the conversation. Gabe took a big swig of his drink before chuckling.

“That’s good to hear Gerard. And thank you! Yeah, Tucker is an old pal, was in undergrad with him. He lived in my dorm hall, we had some crazy nights together. Besides that, I’m surprised you didn’t know I was coming! Actually, come to think of it, I’m surprised that I didn’t know you were coming either,” He laughed, and Gerard had no idea what that meant.

“Why? It’s not like we have spoken since, um…” Gerard didn’t bother finishing their sentence.

“Yeah, but you and Mikey are brothers, so I’d assume he’d let you know that I’d be at the party I’m taking him to,” Gabe said blankly as if it was obvious. Gerard grew pale – no fucking way Mikey was here.

“M-Mikey? He’s here? Like, here. At Tucker Thursday,” Gerard stated, more to themself than to Gabe. Gabe raised an eyebrow at Gerard, who seemed to be tweaking out. Now Gabe always thought that Gerard was definitely the weirder sibling out of the two, but that thought was confirmed after the whole Frank ordeal, but Gabe thought Gerard was still tethered to reality by Mikey. Clearly, that wasn’t the case though – Gerard definitely had severe issues.

“Yeah, he’s here as my date. Did Mikey not tell you? We have been seeing each other for about a month now,” Gabe spoke slowly, before taking another sip of his drink. Gerard shook their head – this was definitely news to them. 

All of a sudden, a thin brunette in the classic black and white glasses that Gerard could recognize a thousand miles away came into view, heading towards Gabe with a cup that was insanely huge. Gerard almost laughed – where the fuck did Mikey find that cup? It was basically twice the size of Mikey’s head. He must be tanked .

“Gabe, I’ve been looking for you! You can’t just ditch me like that just because I was talking to someone! They kept asking me about the cup you got me, it was so funny! Who are you talking to?” Mikey drunkenly laughed as he stumbled towards the tall man, also wearing black but had vampire fangs on and blood on his mouth, sliding his hand into Gabe’s. He turned to face the person Gabe was in a conversation with, and the second he saw Gerard, his mood changed drastically.

“Gerard?” He asked slowly, eyeing his brother like Gerard was a figment of his imagination. Gerard was frozen, they had no clue how to approach this. Plus, seeing Mikey and Dr. Saporta together, like, romantically together, made the situation much more confusing than it already was.

“Why are you here? H-how do you know Tucker? And what the hell happened to your head?” Mikey asked, growing nervous at the sight of his clearly injured and drunk sibling. Again, Gerard didn’t reply, they just stood there, and it started to irritate Mikey.

“Gerard, seriously, what the fuck happened to your head? I know that isn’t a part of your costume. Did, did Bert fucking touch you again?” He asked more aggressively this time, feeling his blood heat up as he thought about Bert.

“I, no, I tripped, um. Mikey, I–” Gerard started, but Mikey wasn’t listening.

“Wh… Why haven’t you called me? Like, not even to let me know what happened that day after I left? Or to explain why you didn’t come with me? Gerard, I was trying to help you, and you let him just kick me out! Why? Why Gerard? ” Mikey couldn’t stop himself, drunkenly ranting at his brother. 

“Mikey, I know, I just, please, try to understand!” Gerard found themself pleading, their heart shattering at the sight of their brother in such distress.

“No, fuck you, Gerard ! You have me worried about you all the time, and you don’t let me help you! Am I not good enough? Is my care not good enough? Why won’t you let me help you, Gerard!” Mikey shouted, feeling tears form in the corners of his eyes. Gerard shut their mouth and felt their heart in their throat. When Mikey was drunk, Mikey was honest. Brutally honest.

“Mikey, maybe we should g-” Gabe began to say before Mikey started yelling. 

“Why did you fucking kick me out? Just so you could fuck Bert ? The man who beats you, who probably did whatever the fuck happened to your head? You chose him over me ? Fuck you, Gerard!” Mikey cried, and Gabe looked over at Gerard. They looked somehow more broken than Mikey, even without tears running down their face. The silence was the worst – Gerard wouldn’t even open their mouth to reply to their brother. They just stood there.

“Mikey, come on, you’re drunk and you’re saying things that you don’t mean,” Gabe said softly, holding Mikey up in his arms, who pulled away, getting closer to Gerard. 

“No! No, I mean them! I mean everything I’m saying right now. I hope you’re not too wasted or high or whatever the fuck you get up to now, but I hope you remember everything I said! I miss my big brother, I don’t know what happened to you Gerard,” Mikey snapped, and Gabe pulled Mikey back into his arms, mouthing an ‘I’m sorry’ at Gerard. Before Gabe could drag him away, Mikey turned back at Gerard and called out their name, causing them to meet their brother’s eyes.

“Hey, by the way – nice costume! Better cherish it, closest you’ll ever get to becoming a nurse again! Hey! Everyone! Watch your grandpas, that nurse over there might try to fuck them !” Mikey snarled, and a few heads turned to look at Gerard. Gabe, embarrassed at this point, grabbed Mikey’s shoulders and pushed him out of the room, away from his brother, feeling Mikey’s tears roll down his cheeks onto his hands.

Gerard felt like their chest was caving in on itself – they couldn’t breathe. They stood there like a statue, unable to move, look around, or speak, or take in oxygen. A few people around them started whispering, and they felt shaky, like they were going to pass out. Mikey never snapped at them like that before, not even when they were kids. Gerard always believed in the saying that drunk words were just sober thoughts, and knowing that was how Mikey saw them hurt more than any injury Bert had ever given them. Gerard was knocked out of their self-loathing as they heard a familiar voice to their right.

“Hey, woah… Gee, you do not look good, let’s go to the bathroom!” The articulate voice from earlier said kindly, grabbing Gerard’s arm as she pulled them over to the nearest bathroom, then turning and locking the door behind them.

“What’s going on? You okay?” Michelle asked, filling up her empty cup with tap water and handing it to Gerard, who sipped it slowly.

“Yeah, um. Kinda. I just ran into my brother, and he… He wasn’t happy. I don’t wanna talk about it though,” Gerard mumbled, trying to take deep breaths so they didn’t lose their mind in Tucker’s bathroom next to basically a stranger.

“Hey, I totally understand. Here, hit my juul, calms the nerves. You wanna go take some more shots with me, Syd, and Ryan? And don’t worry about Ryan, he’s trashed. He won’t bring up your costume, I think he got over whatever he was upset about, especially after Syd talked to him,” Michelle suggested, handing her juul to Gerard. They grabbed it from her hand gratefully and took a few inhales, feeling the menthol flavor in their mouth and the light buzz in their head. 

“I don’t know Michelle, I feel like a mess right now,” They replied, looking in the mirror for a split second. Michelle scoffed, and turned Gerard towards her.

“Listen to me. I’m really smart. Like, really smart. And I’m quite talented at realizing when someone is being stupid, and when someone is stupid it’s my responsibility to call them out on it. So, Gerard, no offense, but you’re being fucking stupid right now,” She expressed, and Gerard let out a pity chuckle, not sure how that was supposed to make them feel better.

“No, listen. You’re stupid for thinking you look like a mess, or that you don’t deserve to have fun tonight. You’re absolutely killing it tonight, you’re a million times hotter than your husband or whoever that guy was, and your brother clearly is a drunk idiot right now. You’re a hot bitch, and you’re coming with me, and we are doing tequila shots,” Michelle asserted, grabbing Gerard’s arm and leaving the bathroom with them before Gerard could even protest. She pulled them to a table in a room Gerard hadn’t been in yet, where a bottle of Patrón, lime wedges, and a bowl of what Gerard presumed to be salt were laid out. Around the table stood Syd and Ryan, and it looked like they just finished taking a shot, with Ryan still sucking on the lime and Syd shuddering from the alcohol.

“Hey guys,” Gerard greeted awkwardly, and Ryan leaped onto Gerard, lime still in his mouth as he mumbled what sounded to be a “Gerarddddddd!” Gerard laughed, feeling a little less awful, and roughed up Ryan’s hair, which seemed to be missing the beret at this point.

“Hey, we really missed ya,” Syd smiled, before pouring a shot and grabbing Gerard’s hand, sprinkling salt on it. “Alright, whenever you’re ready!” He yelled, and Gerard was very grateful for how easily distracted they were around this trio. They licked the salt off their hand, before throwing back the tequila, and grabbing the lime wedge out of Syd’s hand, sucking on it to relieve the burn of the alcohol. They felt the awful feeling in their stomach start to subside as the warmth spread through their body, and their friends cheered at them.

––––

“Jesus fucking Christ ! Where the fuck did you find this shit, Anthony?” Bert gasped as he threw his head back, blinking and sniffling after snorting a long line of coke. Anthony sat on the big, leather armchair, watching all the other men take turns doing the drugs he brought. He flickered his eyes to Bert’s and gave him a big smile.

“It’s good, right? Most expensive type I got. Tucker’s really doing a big favor for all you coke whores,” He laughed, eyes remaining on Bert. Bert nodded and felt an arm being thrown over his shoulder. He turned and saw as Tucker steadied himself on Bert.

“Dude, Bert, I’m so glad we are friends man. You, you’re fucking awesome! Hey, guys, cheers to Bert!” Tucker slurred, throwing his drink up as the other guys cheered. There were more people than there were at Brent’s, but Bert didn’t mind. The original crew was here – Brent, Tucker, Kenny, and Anthony, and Bert was quickly introduced to William, who was a thin, feminine-looking guy with long brown hair, Dan, a very tall, lanky blonde man, and finally Zack, a big guy with a beard. 

Bert looked down at the hand on his shoulder, and smiled with Tucker, clinking his drink with the host’s beverage as they both laughed and finished whatever was left in their respective cups.

“Anthony, we need to hear an explanation for your costume, man. I’m so confused, are you like, Charles Manson or something?” Brent asked out of nowhere, and Bert turned to examine Anthony. He hadn’t paid too much attention to Anthony’s appearance tonight, mainly because he didn’t like looking too closely at the man.

 Anthony was wearing a shirt with a devil on it, and some type of vest. Bert was guessing he was dressed as some sort of musician from his generation but was curious anyways.

“Um, wow you guys. You seriously don’t know?” Anthony asked, extremely shocked. Tucker raised his hand.
“I know! I know!” He cheered, and then laughed, leaning into Bert. One side of Anthony’s mouth curled into a half smile, and he nodded at Tucker.

“Besides Tucker, does anyone know? Or am I the only cultured one here?” Anthony asked, almost sounding mad. The guys all stayed silent, looking around at each other. Anthony took a deep breath, and then scanned the room, looking at every man present.

“Well, ever heard of a little show called Stranger Things ?! Like, the most popular Netflix show there is? Well, I’m the best character from the new season, well, actually, the best character in general . Eddie Munson,” Anthony grinned, eyes huge as he looked over his costume, clearly proud of himself. Bert gave a nod of approval – back when Gerard had a phone, he would sometimes see them watching that show from Mikey’s Netflix account, and he remembered seeing the character Anthony was dressed as. 

“Alright Brent, what about you, huh?” Tucker chimed in, smiling at everyone’s participation in the party's theme. Bert glanced at Brent, who was wearing all white.

“I’m cocaine, Kenny is matching with me as a dollar bill” Brent responded simply, and Kenny, who was wearing green, gave him a thumbs up while the guys laughed.

“This, this is so nice. Hanging out like this again, it just makes me really happy,” Brent smiled, and William rested his legs over Brent’s, nodding in agreement even though William was not at Brent’s house the day prior.

“God, you’re so sappy Brent,” Bert smirked, and Tucker high-fived him, chuckling.

“Hey, okay! I mean it! I have so much fun around you all! Last night was really great, man after you guys left I was so lonely. Genuinely wished I asked you all to sleep over! Okay, next time, next time you all are sleeping over! Oh, I almost forgot to ask. How was everyone’s rest of their night? Anthony, did you get Bert home okay?” Brent asked before he took a hit of Tucker’s dab pen, coughing after he didn’t inhale the weed properly.

“My night was good! I left pretty shortly after Anthony and Bert left. I came back here and was feeling pretty inspired, so I freestyled on the drums and recorded it, and sent it to my band. Turns out, they loved what I recorded, and tomorrow we are planning on writing a new song to release,” Tucker beamed, and Bert nodded at him, highly impressed. 

“I drove home, used snapchat for a little to talk to um, some girls I know, and then went to bed. Nothing too special,” Kenny yawned, before taking a sip of his beer. The guys turned to Bert and Anthony, and feeling Anthony’s eyes burning into him, Bert decided to speak up first.

“Yeah, well obviously I was pretty fucked up, and Anthony was basically sober at that point, so he drove me home, nothing crazy,” Bert tried to say casually, causing a laugh to burst out of Anthony.

“You’re missing quite an interesting detail, Bert,” He smiled, eyes shining at him.

“Ooohhh, tell us!” Brent squealed, and Bert rolled his eyes as Anthony spoke up.

“Well, we were driving down the road, right? I see this person, an absolutely beautiful person, being followed by three men. The situation downright intrigued me… So I slowed down, and when Bert and I caught a glimpse of the person’s face, Bert immediately called out ‘Gerard?!’ because that person, the poor thing, was Bert’s spouse!” Anthony explained, all the drunk and high men were captivated by the story.

“Well, Bert scared those guys off, and we had Gerard come into the car with us, and I had the pleasure of listening to quite an interesting conversation between the two… Unfortunately, I wasn’t invited inside after I dropped them off, so I went home and jerked off,” Anthony finished, letting out a deep breath at the last statement. Bert felt a chill go down his back – as cool as Anthony was most of the time, he was an absolute creep every now and then. Bert had no idea why Anthony would think it was normal to mention how he jerked off after listening to him and Gerard talking to each other.

While the other guys continued to chat, Bert examined the room, taking in his surroundings. Now, he knew Tucker was rich, considering what the house looked like. But this room specifically, blew Bert’s mind. All the couches and chairs were real leather and looked to be brand new. There were fancy paintings decorating the walls, and at one point Bert swore Tucker said one of them was an original, though Bert knew nothing about art so he just smiled and nodded. There were two pool tables, a huge plasma tv hooked up to some sort of gaming console, and a separate kitchen with a sleek fridge completely stocked with expensive alcohol. 

As Bert brought his eyes back to the center of the room, his gaze met Anthony’s, who nodded his head slightly towards the kitchen, as if he wanted to have a conversation with Bert. Bert swallowed, and nodded back, clinking his empty cup with Tucker’s as he walked to the other side of the room with Anthony.

“So, how come I haven’t seen that gorgeous creature of yours yet tonight? You hiding her from me? You know, I stayed up all night thinking about it, what it’s going to be like,” Anthony cackled, and Bert laughed nervously with him. Bert had no idea what Anthony was talking about, but by the sound of his voice and the face Anthony was making, Bert knew it couldn’t be good.

“Um… What? Thinking about what?” Bert asked cautiously, and Anthony’s smile turned into a scowl immediately.

“Did you forget or something? I’m talking about our threesome,” He snapped, and Bert’s eyes widened. He completely forgot he agreed to that – he was so fucked up when Anthony asked him. “I have the heroin with me, I’ll give you a small sample before you bring me Gerard, and then once we are, you know, finished , I’ll give you the rest,” Anthony continued, still looking pissed off that he even had to remind Bert.

“I, um, listen Anthony. Their head, it’s still not in the best shape, and I haven’t gotten the chance to ask them yet,” He stammered, before Anthony put a finger to Bert’s lips, and whispered a “Shhhhhhh…..” to get Bert to stop talking.

Bert was extremely close to biting this guy’s finger off – no one was allowed to just put a finger to Bert’s mouth.

“Bert, you already agreed, and a deal’s a deal. I have your heroin. I don’t mind that their head is a little messed up, I can give them some pain meds beforehand and after, for free . And I don’t see it as a problem that you haven’t asked Gerard yet… The element of surprise is truly a fun addition, wouldn’t you agree?” Anthony asked, licking his teeth as he stared at Bert, not blinking. 

“Um, I’m, I’m going to go and make some cocktails with Tucker downstairs and find Gerard, I’ll be back in a little,” Bert promised, before walking quickly away from the man. He grabbed Tucker’s arm, who laughed and leaned his head back onto Bert’s chest.

“Yooo, where are we going man?” Tucker giggled, and Bert watched as William and Dan stared at Tucker, clearly checking him out. 

“Let’s go make some more special cocktails, can you come with me?” Bert asked urgently, and Tucker nodded, standing upright and leaving with Bert, stumbling slightly as he walked ahead of him, guiding Bert through the house. 

––––

When the two made it down the stairs, a group of people cheered at the sight of Tucker.

“That’s the man! We fucking love you, Tucker!” Some guy yelled, and Tucker raised the empty glass he held back at the guy, flashing his dazzling smile as Bert followed him through the crowds, holding onto Tucker’s tattooed arm before they made it to the kitchen.

“Alright, you make the cocktails, I gotta go make sure the playlist is still set up. Can’t let the music turn to shit,” Tucker laughed, patting Bert’s back as he slipped into the crowd towards the mob of people dancing. Bert sighed, grabbing a bottle of whiskey by him and chugging it. Of course, Anthony Green took what was supposed to be a stress-free night for Bert to just have fun into a trainwreck. There was no way he’d be able to convince Gerard to fuck Anthony, but Bert could feel the scars of his old track marks begin to itch, and the single thought of getting his hands on those drugs he hadn’t touched in months made him question every single one of his morals.

As Bert poured a concoction of various fruit juices and alcohol into Tucker’s cup, he felt the excessive amount of whiskey and cocaine set in. Bert thought the drugs and alcohol would help with his stress, but he started feeling so much worse. The stress and anxiety turned into anger – and he didn’t even know what he was angry at. Anthony? Gerard? Himself? Bert tried to block the feelings out, finishing the bottle of whiskey, before heading towards the mass of people dancing, hoping to find Tucker.

Bert’s jaw dropped.

There Tucker was, “Super Freaky Girl” by Nicki Minaj blasting as he was grinding up against the ass of some hot guy with long black hair, hair that slightly resembled Bert’s, but if it was washed and styled instead of greasy and tangled. Tucker was leaning his face into the man’s neck, and Bert couldn’t decipher if Tucker was whispering something to the man or kissing his jaw. Bert felt all the anger, all the anxiety, all the stress he bottled up turn into rage, and he didn’t even know why . It’s not like he wanted Tucker or anything, he was married to Gerard, Tucker was just his friend. 

Seeing this, regardless of the meaning behind it, made something snap within Bert, and he wasn’t sober enough to take control of his emotions.

He threw the drink he made for Tucker in the sink, hearing the glass shatter, but he didn’t care. He stormed through crowds of people, before spotting a familiar brunette in a white dress and black coat. They were dancing with the three people he saw them with earlier, looking happier than he’s seen them in weeks. He watched as the lanky brunette held a juul up to their mouth, and they inhaled, smiling at the trio and laughing, smoking leaving their mouth. 

With Bert feeling so mad, he hated seeing Gerard having fun. It wasn’t fair, this was a party Bert brought Gerard to, and Gerard was here partying with two people Bert had never seen before, and one person being a random waiter who clearly despised him. 

If Bert wasn’t having fun, then Gerard wasn’t allowed to either. Marriage was about being there for each other, and Gerard was not there for Bert currently. He needed Gerard, and he needed a fuck ton of heroin too.

Bert stormed up to where Gerard and their friends were, slightly falling into people on his way over. He snaked his hand around Gerard’s waist, pulling them close so their ass was against Bert’s crotch.

“What the f–” Gerard yelped, but they saw Bert’s hair from the corner of their eye, and slightly calmed down. They noticed Syd’s, Ryan’s, and Michelle’s expressions change from excited to worried quite fast.

“Oh, hey Bert,” Syd scoffed, and Ryan laughed. Michelle leaned against the table, watching Bert with hawk eyes to make sure he behaved.

“I need you, baby, I need you. Come upstairs with me, please, Gee, now ,” Bert growled into Gerard’s ear, low enough so the others wouldn’t hear.

Now, if Gerard was sober, this would’ve scared them. However, Gerard was not sober. In fact, Gerard was probably the drunkest they had been in months, and the way Bert’s hands aggressively gripped their hips, his hot breath on their neck, and the desperation in his voice made Gerard feel weak. They looked at their friends, wiggling their eyebrows, causing Michelle to laugh, and even Ryan chuckled slightly. Syd raised his eyebrows at Gerard as if asking “ Is this a good idea? ”, but Gerard just gave a nod to Syd, before grabbing Bert’s hand and letting him pull them through the crowds to the staircase.

––––

Gerard almost tripped on every stair as Bert dragged them upstairs, laughing at the clumsiness of both them and their husband. Bert wasn’t laughing, and Gerard chalked it up to him being turned on, which flattered Gerard, especially after getting self-conscious about Tucker earlier. 

When they made it up the staircase, they were dragged into the hallway, and Bert pushed them against the wall, viciously kissing them. Gerard kissed him back, immediately running their hands through his hair. After a few seconds, Bert pulled off them, an inch away from Gerard’s face, his pupils huge and his eyes scarily wild.

“Do you love me?” Bert asked, and Gerard could almost taste the whiskey on his breath. Once again, Gerard was too drunk and too turned on to start a fight at the moment.

“Yes,” They breathed back, earning a scary, almost dangerous-looking smile on their husband’s face. They gasped as they felt Bert’s hand trailing down their chest, getting dangerously close to their crotch.

“Would you do anything for me, Gerard? If you love me, you’d do anything for me, right?” Bert asked as he slipped his hand under Gerard’s skirt, palming their cock through their underwear. Gerard moaned as they let their head fall back, but Bert used his other hand to bring Gerard back to face him.

“Gerard, answer me,” He asked again, more seriously this time, staring into Gerard’s eyes, not breaking eye contact even the slightest as he continued to touch Gerard under their skirt.

“Ye- fuck , yes, oh my god,” Gerard whined as they bucked their hips into Bert’s hand, and Bert placed his mouth on their neck, sucking and biting on the delicate skin, earning more moans from Gerard.

“Wow, this is truly a wondrous sight… Lady luck must be on my side today,” A voice that didn’t belong to either Gerard or Bert spoke out, and the two pulled away from each other in surprise. They turned to see where the voice was coming from, and low and behold, they were met with a pair of blue eyes that were basically the only visible part of this person who lurked in the shadows.

“An-Anthony?” Gerard asked quietly, biting down on their lip as Bert slid his hand up Gerard’s skirt again as if he was ignoring the man who was clearly watching them.

The man approached the couple, making himself more visible as the lights from downstairs shined on him.

“Oh, my dear, you recognized me from just my voice? Such a good memory… I’m impressed,” Anthony smiled, big eyes glued on Gerard. Gerard opened their mouth to respond, but any words were quickly replaced by a moan as Bert squeezed their cock in his hand. 

“Wow, oh that… That sound, like music to my ears…” Anthony purred, and he stroked Gerard’s jaw lightly, before turning their head to face him. Gerard felt their heart beat a hundred miles minute, watching as the older man stared at them, examining their face with those horrific, yet captivating eyes. They bit down on their lip, trying to hold back any sounds as Bert continued to touch them, still ignoring Anthony’s presence. 

“Anthony what, what are yo-” Gerard asked between breaths, but was cut off by Anthony.

“Shhhhh princess, you don’t need to question anything. Your only job is to stand there and look pretty while Bert has his way with you,” Anthony grins, swiping his thumb across Gerard’s bottom lip. Gerard tried to turn their head to look at Bert, for any sign they could get from their husband, but Anthony quickly pulled their face back, keeping his eyes locked on them. 

“Oh, it’s so cute the way you look at him like you are asking for permission… Such a good girl… And those eyes, wow… The fear and confusion in them… So mesmerizing,” Anthony said slowly, his high-pitched voice growing shaky and raspy, and Gerard was starting to become desperate, regardless if it was Anthony’s hand on them.

“Bert, c-can we, I want to get out of this hallway, I need you,” Gerard whimpered, and finally, Bert looked at them, and then at Anthony, and back to them.

“Anthony, where is the nearest bedroom?” Bert said in a low voice, and Anthony's grin spread from ear to ear.

“There, the room across from us right now,” He replied, and tapped the pocket on his vest. Bert saw the outline of a syringe, almost salivating at the thought of soon sticking the needle into his arm.

“Well, what are we waiting for, huh?” Bert smiled back, causing Anthony to nod and turn away from Gerard as he walked towards the door in front of them, and Gerard looked between the two men, eyes widening as they soon became aware of the situation that was taking place.

“No, n-no, wait, what is going on?” Gerard asked shakily, feeling Bert pull his hand off them. Anthony turned back towards Gerard, twirling two of his fingers through a strand of their hair.

“Oh, my dainty little girl, I think you already know what’s going on,” He chuckled, watching as Gerard’s expression shifted from worry and confusion to straight-up fear. 

Gerard, as scared as they were at this moment, didn’t have it in them to remove themself from the situation. Something about the way Anthony was handling them, his calloused, rough hands tracing Gerard’s jaw like they were a piece of art, the way he kept calling them such feminine pet names. Maybe it was the alcohol, or maybe this was some weird, subconscious want of Gerard’s that was buried deep away until now, until Anthony arrived. 

“Your silence is you saying yes, I presume?” The blue-eyed man inquired, and Gerard took one last look at Bert, but their husband was focused on something in Anthony’s pocket, so they looked back into the eyes of the older man.

“Y-yes,” They responded shakily. Anthony grinned, holding his hand out, and Gerard slipped their hand in his as they were pulled into the room. Anthony closed the door behind Bert and Gerard, locking it. He turned back around stiffly, almost unhuman-like, a wide, open-mouthed smile glued to his face. 

“Alright Bert, make it quick. I don’t know how long I can keep my hands off them,” He growled, handing Bert the syringe. Gerard could hardly see what Bert was handed in the dark room, but before they could ask, they felt themself be pushed backward, letting out a yelp of surprise as they fell back onto the bed. 

Bert immediately snatched the syringe from Anthony’s hand, ignoring the noise he heard from Gerard, as he sat down on a nearby chair. He shakily traced the track marks on his left arm, trying to find the best place to inject himself. He tapped the needle to a vein, and slowly pressed down, feeling the drugs enter his bloodstream.

“Ohhhh fuck ! Holy shit Anthony, I, oh my god ,” Bert groaned. He hadn’t felt this good for so long, he forgot how phenomenal heroin was. As he let it kick in, he felt Anthony’s hand graze his knee, before squeezing his thigh.

“Glad you like it, Bert. There will be a lot more where that came from, I always keep my promises,” Anthony assured, and Bert felt the previous rage of the night wash away.

“Alright, while Bert is letting it all kick in, I want to set up some guidelines… Now, originally I wanted to take Gerard on my own and do whatever I wanted with them, but Bert… The way you handle them, I think I’d like to sit back and just watch as of now…” Anthony declared and began undoing his belt. Gerard still sat on the bed, unsure if they were relieved, weirded out, or disappointed that Anthony wasn’t going to be participating. Anthony moved towards a dresser and began rummaging through the contents of the top drawer. Bert was laying back in the chair still, giving himself a couple more minutes to adjust to the feeling.

Gerard tried to peer at whatever Anthony was looking for, but Anthony quickly moved his head to look at Gerard, as if he sensed Gerard was watching him.

“Don’t fucking look at me. Lie down, bitch,” He growled, his eyes the most visible thing in the room. Any softness Anthony had towards Gerard seemed to disappear with that sentence, but Gerard was feeling bold from the alcohol and didn’t follow the orders.

“Weren’t you just gonna sit and watch? Cool it with the commanding, you’re just here for a show,” They smirked, causing Anthony’s huge, sinister eyes to somehow grow even wider , and before they knew it, Anthony had them pinned on the bed by their throat.

“What the fuck did you just say to me, princess? I’d like for you to repeat yourself,” He said with a wicked grin, face a few inches away from Gerard’s. Gerard opened their mouth to reply, but Anthony’s grip tightened, and Gerard felt light-headed as they were cut off from breathing, let alone speaking.

“Aww, you’re not gonna reply?” Anthony taunted, before turning to Bert. “Bert, come on , I’m getting impatient!” He groaned, hand still around Gerard’s neck, and they brought their hands up, trying to claw at Anthony’s grip.

Anthony was not having it. He saw how they acted with Bert, usually such a good listener, so he wasn’t happy that Gerard was resisting Anthony like this. He let go of their throat, and watched as Gerard gulped up the air they were deprived of.

“You like that, huh? You like it when a guy controls you, every part of you, even when or if you’re allowed to breathe,” Anthony smirked, running a hand through Gerard’s hair as they continued to catch their breath. Anthony saw Bert finally get out of the chair, and approach the two.

“Gerard, Anthony asked you a question. Answer him,” Bert said in a low voice, tracing his thumb over Gerard’s lower lip. Gerard turned to look at the older man, and chewed on their lip before saying with a smirk “Not when it’s you .”

A loud smack echoed through the room, and Gerard gasped as they held their cheek, which felt like it was on fire.

“Final warning princess. Keep up that attitude, and you are really going to regret it,” Anthony’s stare burned into Gerard, who was still in shock from Anthony’s slap. The way he did it with no hesitation, no second thoughts. Not even an ounce of sympathy or guilt in his eyes afterward.

“Alright Anthony, I’ll take it from here,” Bert murmured, annoyed. Anthony made this dramatic declaration that he would watch Bert and Gerard, yet immediately inserts himself into the situation, trying to get all handsy with Gerard. Bert wedged himself between his spouse and his friend, before giving one last look at Anthony, motioning for him to sit down.

Anthony licked his lips as he backed up, slowly sitting into the chair Bert was previously shooting up in. He wanted to see Bert absolutely wreck Gerard.

Bert felt a little uncomfortable with an audience but pushed the discomfort aside as he remembered the reward Anthony promised. He looked at Gerard, who was sitting up on the bed, simply looking at Bert, and then Anthony, and then back to Bert. 

Well, too late to back out now.

Bert roughly shoved Gerard’s shoulders against the bed, and got on top of them, looking down at their spouse, sprawled out on the bed under him. Even though it was dark in the room, Bert had every feature of Gerard’s memorized, and smiled, stroking their face before pulling them into a kiss as he grinded his hips against them, earning a whine.

“Missed you, missed fucking you Gee,” Bert growled as he planted kisses up Gerard’s neck, and Gerard grabbed a handful of Bert’s hair, tightening their grip and letting out a moan as Bert bit down.

“Oh, yeah, that’s good. Bite them more,” Bert heard a voice say behind him, and Bert had to stifle back a laugh. Did Anthony just order him to bite Gerard?

Bert chose to ignore him, returning his attention back to Gerard, who was smiling at him with a dazed look in their eyes.

“So pretty, fuck , my pretty little whore,” He groaned, adjusting himself so Gerard was now on top of him. Bert moved so his back was leaning against the headboard, and desperately tried to get his tight jeans off as quickly as he could. He needed Gerard’s mouth on him now .

Once Bert got his jeans and boxers off, he looked at Gerard, who was sitting on their knees, looking at him.

“The fuck you’re staring at me for? Suck my cock, slut!” Bert commanded.

“Yes Bert, fuck,” Gerard moved, their ass in the air as they brought their head down towards Bert’s dick. They slowly took him into their mouth, trying to tease Bert as much as possible, but Bert wasn’t in the mood for slow sex. He took Gerard’s hair in his hand and pushed Gerard’s head down all the way till he felt his cock hit the back of Gerard’s throat, holding their head there as he felt them choke around him.

Bert pulled Gerard a couple of inches up, letting Gerard have a break, before beginning to fuck their throat, grunting and letting out deep, erratic breaths.

“Wow… I knew Gerard would make such exceptional noises, but I never expected your moans to be so miraculous as well… Such an astonishing duo..” Anthony sighed heavily, and Bert didn’t even want to think about what Anthony was doing in the corner at the moment. He shut his eyes, focusing on the feeling of Gerard’s mouth on him before he heard a loud slap followed by a muffled cry from Gerard, who still had Bert down their throat. Bert looked up, seeing Anthony standing behind Gerard holding his belt that was folded in two, eyes looking ravenously at Gerard’s ass, their dress fully pulled up.

Gerard felt tears forming in their eyes – the pain that coursed through their body making them shake. Gerard had no idea what Anthony just hit them with, but it hurt like a motherfucker, yet at the same time, Gerard felt themself get harder.

There was something extremely wrong with them, that was for sure.

“Anthony, did you just hit Gerard with your belt? What the fuck happened to you just watching?” Bert snapped, still holding Gerard’s head down on his cock. Anthony laughed wickedly, the two men staring at each other.

“I saw an opportunity, and I took it . Maybe if you weren’t being so soft on them, I would be satisfied just watching. If you want me to sit back and relax, let me see that aggressive, angry Bert I know is in there,” He replied, and Bert took a deep breath. If Anthony wanted aggression, he’d show aggression.

He pulled Gerard off them and looked at Gerard’s face, which was absolutely wrecked . Their makeup was running, lips red and swollen, drool lingering on their chin from Bert pulling them off him so unexpectedly.

“You want me to prep you?” Bert asked, and Gerard began to nod before Bert saw Anthony tug on Gerard’s hair harshly , pulling them back until their back was leaning against Anthony, who stood at the edge of the bed. Gerard’s head hurt like hell now, from all the hair-pulling and rough treatment, let alone the gash from three days ago.

“What the fuck did I say, Bert? What the hell happened to the dominant, violent man I met at the campgrounds? The one who didn’t even hesitate to collide a rock into this whore’s head? You growing weak or something, Bert?” Anthony taunted, pulling Gerard’s arms behind them, holding them in place against him. Gerard struggled against Anthony’s hold, but he wouldn’t budge.

“You said you were going to just watch us, Anthony ,” Bert snarled. The man holding his spouse let out a cackle, sounding like a witch.

“Hit them, Bert. I need it, I need to see you hit them,” Anthony breathed out, and Bert took one look at Gerard, and then back at Anthony. Usually, Bert would have no problem hitting Gerard, he did it quite often. But for some reason, it made Bert’s blood boil to be ordered around like he was Anthony’s bitch.

Before he knew it, his fist was colliding with the center of Anthony’s face.

He doubled over, hissing and swearing at the pain, and Gerard scrambled off the bed, about to run over to Bert, before Anthony grabbed their arm and spun them around, pulling them close, before aggressively making out with them. Gerard immediately melted into the kiss and cursed their body for being so turned on right now that even Anthony Green was a worthy candidate.

Bert watched in horror as Anthony passionately kissed Gerard, one hand against their jaw, the other making its way to grab a handful of their ass. Gerard moaned into the kiss, grinding their hips into Anthony’s, causing Anthony to break the kiss and slap them across the face.

“You don’t get to touch me unless I say so,” He ordered, and Gerard rubbed their cheek and nodded. Anthony turned back towards Bert, arm around Gerard, and he raised his eyebrows.

“See Bert? That didn’t look too hard, right? If you can hit me with no remorse, let’s see you get violent with your pretty spouse…” Anthony purred, cupping Gerard’s face in his hand, which Gerard relaxed into, before Anthony slapped them again, much harder this time.

“You know, last time I was in a situation like this, I got arrested!” Anthony laughed, and Gerard and Bert glanced at each other. They both had no idea what that meant, and they really didn’t want to find out. 

Anthony pushed Gerard back onto the bed, a sinister look in his eyes.

“Now… Bert… I am going to ask you one more time. Let’s see that dominant side, or I’m going to have to show the both of you how it’s done,” He smiled widely, literally resembling the joker. 

That officially convinced Bert – there was no way in hell he was letting Anthony get all up on him. 

“Then let me do my fucking thing and stop interrupting me! And I don’t care that you are against it, I’m going to prep Gerard. They are injured enough already,” Bert scoffed, and Anthony rolled his eyes, slumping back in his chair. 

“Ugh, fine ! God, everything’s about you !” Anthony rolled his eyes dramatically, and Bert just about had it. He turned to Gerard, who was somehow turned on still.

Sick fuck.

“Gerard, strip, and then get on your knees,” Bert whispered, and as soon as he saw Gerard take the dress and undergarments off, he forgot Anthony was probably jerking off behind them. 

He smacked Gerard’s ass, hitting the mark left from Anthony’s belt, and Bert had to admit – that whole belt thing was pretty hot. He’d consider adding that to his rotations of things he does with them.

Bert turned his head, making eye contact with Anthony, and the two stared at each other as Bert roughly shoved two fingers into Gerard’s mouth, catching them off guard at first, before wetting the fingers as best as possible, knowing that’s the only form of lubricant they were getting tonight. Bert held eye contact with Anthony, and Anthony just slowly began to nod at Bert.

Bert took this as a sign to continue, and as he pushed a finger into his shaking mess of a spouse, he felt a body press against him and a hand slither around him, lightly stroking his cock. Bert jumped in surprise – but let out a grunt as Anthony picked up the pace.

“You like that Bertie? Feel good? Heh, it’s crazy someone would ever report me to the police for something like this – I just want to make people feel good…” Anthony whispered into Bert’s ear, quiet enough that Gerard couldn’t hear. Bert was grateful for that – he knew Gerard would probably not want to have a threesome with a registered sex offender. Bert added the second finger, before growing desperate. He wanted to be inside them immediately.

Bert spat in his hand and coated his dick in it, and before giving Gerard any time to adjust, he slammed into them, his fingers digging into their hips. Anthony stood there, watching in awe as Bert fucked his pretty spouse, who was a moaning wreck at this point. Anthony couldn’t help himself any longer, and he ran back to the drawer he was shuffling through earlier, grabbing his favorite item.

Anthony walked back over to Bert, who was sweating profusely as he repeatedly slammed into Gerard, grunting as he fucked them. Anthony snapped, causing Bert to meet his eyes.

“Can I use this on them?” Anthony whispered and smiled as he held up a switchblade. Anthony sounded way too casual about that, and Bert immediately shook his head and yelled a firm “No!”

“Bert… Tsk tsk tsk… Why not? Wouldn’t a little blood look so pretty against their pale complexion? Also, as I mentioned earlier, I love an element of surprise… Seeing the fear in their eyes as they endured the pain… That would push me over the edge Bert,” Anthony continued to whisper – it was clear he didn’t want Gerard to know his plans. 

As fucked up as Bert was, this was too far. He stopped his thrusts and pulled out of Gerard, who whined, face in a pillow and blissfully unaware of the situation taking place.

“Gerard, get up. Grab your clothes, we are leaving,” Bert instructed, and Gerard continued to lie there.

“Bert, Beeerrrtttt… Why?” They whined, and Anthony flashes a smile at Bert, eyes more dangerous than ever.

“Yeah Bert, why?” He asked, copying Gerard. He ran his leathery hand up and down Gerard’s back, and Gerard leaned into the touch, clearly desperate for anything at this point.

“Gerard, let’s go, you fucking whore. Get up, grab your clothes, now ,” Bert clenched his jaw. Gerard let out a slight laugh, and Anthony placed a kiss between their shoulder blades.

“Listen to me, you filthy fucking cunt!” Bert felt his nails digging into his palms, he was so mad. So mad at Gerard for being so disobedient, so mad at Anthony for this whole situation. As Gerard continued to stay put, something came over Bert, and he grabbed the belt off the floor, folded it, and hit Gerard as hard as he could, aiming for their ass but mainly hitting their lower back.

Gerard screamed , but was shortly cut off as Anthony just grabbed their head and shoved it back into the pillow. 

“There he is, that’s the Bert I wanted to see, oh, that scream of yours Gerard, and fuck, look at that mark ,” Anthony took a deep, unsteady breath, and immediately jerked himself off quickly over Gerard’s unmoving body.

“Ohhh fuck –” Anthony groaned as he came on Gerard’s back. He slapped Gerard’s ass one last time, earning another cry of pain from them before he slipped his pants on and snatched the belt from Bert’s hands.

“Your supply is in the third drawer of the dresser, thanks for this exhilarating experience… I can only dream of our next time together, I’d love to see Gerard tied up for it, maybe we can use that switchblade for real…” Anthony sighed, a satisfied smile still plastered to his face. He patted Bert’s shoulder before grabbing his face and kissing him as hard as he could, and Bert immediately pushed him off, still in shock at what just happened.

“Goodnight, my lovely little girl, truly an exquisite being you are Gerard… and it was fun doing this with you Bert,” Anthony waved before exiting the room, shutting the door behind him.

Bert turned his eyes to Gerard, who was shaking, and crying as they remained in the same position, laying on their stomach on the bed. Bert grabbed a blanket that fell off the bed, delicately wiping off Anthony’s cum from their back. His jaw dropped as he noticed the bruised and swelling mark that started at Gerard’s mid back and ended at the top of their butt.

Bert had no idea what to say to Gerard. Apologies wouldn’t matter at this point. Bert gently laid himself down next to them, delicately stroking their hair as they continued to cry into the pillow.

If Anthony didn’t pull that knife out, didn’t agitate Bert, didn’t encourage Gerard’s disobedience, Gerard couldn’t be in the pain they were in. Bert hated Anthony. Any bonding that happened between them before this didn’t matter. Bert wanted, no, needed to murder him with his bare hands, fantasizing a scenario where he could watch the life slowly leave Anthony’s psychotic eyes. Bert took another look at Gerard and swallowed.

Maybe he was being too dramatic. Maybe Bert just needed some time to cool off. 

Gerard was the one asking for it in the first place.

Chapter Text

Honestly, Gerard didn’t know what the big deal was.

Yeah, the belt hurt like hell, and they didn’t expect it, but Bert’s done much worse things than that before, considering he did bash their head in with a rock and threatened them with a broken glass bottle. If anything, they were really only upset that Bert hit them out of anger rather than in a sexy way. Gerard didn’t even mind the mark it left, considering it helped straighten out the fuzzy memories of the night.

Gerard could tell something was up with Bert after the party. He was more passive than usual, isolating himself, and hardly even touching Gerard – acting like he’d break Gerard just by laying a finger on them.

Honestly, Gerard was over it. They somehow preferred their loud, mean, and aggressive husband over whatever the hell this was.

“Okay, let’s talk about this. What the hell has been going on with your sorry ass?” Gerard rolled their eyes as they plopped down on the couch next to their husband, who was currently licking the orange dust off his fingers after shoving a handful of cheese balls into his mouth. Bert avoided their eyes, staring into the television even though nothing was on. 

“Bert? Hello?” Gerard asked again, waving their hand in his face to get his attention. Bert sighed, and put the bin of cheeseballs down before facing Gerard. He looked like a complete mess – greasy hair all over the place, dark circles under his eyes, the same red tank top he wore to the party because he hasn’t taken it off since.

“God, just leave me alone,” Bert grumbled, and Gerard rolled their eyes.

“No, I won't. You’re being fucking weird, and it’s getting annoying at this point,” Gerard cracked their knuckles as they stayed put next to Bert. Bert let out a deep sigh and ran a hand through the black strands.

“I’m just, I don’t know. I’m not over what happened with me, you, and Anthony. The way you were all into it, but also so in pain. Like, usually seeing you hurt would turn me on, but I hated being bossed around like that. Bossed around by Anthony , out of all people. He caught me off guard, trying to push me into being violent towards you, it was fucking weird. If he just, like, let me do my thing, it could’ve been a fun night. And the way you cried, god, the way you shook and just laid there after I hit you. It wasn’t a normal reaction for either of us. It happened because of someone else, not because of something you or I did, and I think that’s what shook me up,” Bert admitted, putting his head in his hands. He hated admitting this, but the second he started talking, everything just came out. He couldn’t help it – it’s been two days since Tucker Thursday and he’s been trying to bottle it all up, to ignore everything, but it’s been eating away at him. And Gerard noticed that.

Gerard was shocked at Bert’s honesty and vulnerability at the moment. It was appalling, seeing their husband open up about all his feelings.

“Bert, I was extremely drunk. It’s, it’s not like I find Anthony attractive or anything,” Gerard laughed nervously. Obviously, Anthony was the definition of creepy, and Gerard was not attracted to his looks at all. But since that night, Gerard couldn’t help but think about how Anthony treated them. The combination of the adoration, the pet names, the need for control. The way Anthony would kiss them, and then slap them, even if Gerard did nothing wrong. It was confusing, demeaning, intriguing. However, they knew he was dangerous, and now that Gerard was sober, that thought scared them. Gerard still had no idea why Bert freaked out at the end – they were too out of it and also had their head being shoved into the mattress so hearing was a little difficult. But if Bert was afraid of something Anthony was doing, they knew it couldn’t be good.

“Besides, the belt wasn’t that bad. I think it just shocked me more than anything, and the fact it hit my back and spine made the pain a lot worse. Plus, I was so overwhelmed by the situation, and all that rough treatment, so it kinda just pushed me over the edge – hence the breakdown at the end. I’m sorry if that scared you,” Gerard continued to explain, placing a hand on Bert’s knee. As much as they hated Bert sometimes, they’d known him for basically a decade. They didn’t like seeing Bert so distraught, so out of character. 

“I guess. I also think the situation made me so insane because man, I was so drunk and high, especially after doing that heroin. Also, something about that night set me off, too many things happening all at once,” Bert forced a smirk, but felt his throat constrict as he thought about the catalyst of the situation. He still doesn’t know why seeing Tucker with that guy made him so angry, so confused. He also didn’t know why Tucker consumed half his thoughts nowadays too. He looked at Gerard, who was staring at him with their mouth open in shock.

“You, you were high? And you were on heroin ?” Gerard gasped, before grabbing Bert’s arm and seeing a fresh mark over the white scars of the previous track marks. “Where the fuck did you get heroin? Did Brent sell it to you? Bert, I cannot be around you if you’re going to become an addict again. You, you become someone I hate being around.” 

Bert shook his head. He was not feeding into this – he didn’t need to hear Gerard nag him for using again, and he especially did not need to hear about Gerard getting cold feet when it came to their marriage because of some stupid drug. 

“Anthony got it for me. Don’t fucking give me that look, like I’m some terrible person for shooting up again, even going as far as to suggesting you want to leave me. At least my coping mechanism of choice is a drug, not being beaten during sex or fucking some old man as you pretend like he cares about you,” Bert snapped, pushing Gerard’s hand off his knee and standing up. Gerard closed their mouth and stared at him with wide eyes, bottom lip trembling. 

“Stop. Stop bringing him up, Bert,” Gerard mumbled, their voice shaky. Bert clenched his jaw. He hated this, he hated how Frank Iero was some sensitive topic, how Gerard still had these intense feelings towards him. He hated knowing that if Gerard had the chance to go back to Frank, they would leave Bert immediately. 

Suddenly, it clicked. He’d been thinking for days about how to make Gerard believe they should stay with Bert after the rock incident, and he knew Frank had to be apart of the equation, but didn’t know how. He knew Gerard would either cry or freak out at any mention of his name, babbling about how Frank treated them so perfectly and how they only went back to Bert because they had to, and how they regret being with Bert but never regretted being with Frank. 

But now, in this moment, Bert realized that could work in his power, and he sat back down.

“Who? Frank Iero ?” He responded, a glimmer of humor in his voice as he emphasized the old man’s name. He watched as Gerard stiffened.

“Stop it, Bert. Don’t, don’t say his name. You don’t get to say his name, acting like you know him. You would never deserve to meet him, to be in his presence,” Gerard snarled back, and the passion that fueled Gerard’s voice as they defended Frank sickened Bert.

“Sure, I believe you. He’s just some old guy, probably seems sweet and caring. Some old guy who would hit on you, who groped you, and fixated on you because of the outfit you wore. Some guy who caused you to make the worst decision of your life. Some guy who was the reason you were fired, the reason you don’t talk to Mikey anymore, the reason you still are getting denied from every job you apply to. Sounds like someone I’d love to be around, for sure!” Bert laughed as he watched the cocktail of emotions swirl around in Gerard’s eyes. 

“You don’t get it,” They stood up abruptly, but Bert reached for their wrist, gently locking his fingers around it. Gerard turned to look at him, blinking the tears back. They looked shocked that Bert’s grasp wasn’t painful, feeling like a suggestion rather than a command for them to stay. They looked around, as if considering their options.

“You don’t have to defend him so intensely, Gerard. Deep down, you know that man ruined your life. You had such a bright future, working in the medical field and making enough money that you could’ve gone back to art school or something when you wanted to. You were probably close to affording your own apartment, getting back on your feet after struggling for so long. You were probably at the point that you were considering going on dates with new guys you’d meet at fancier restaurants and bars you frequented with Mikey. But then Frank happened. Would you have been with him if it wasn’t for the advances he would make towards you? Why’d you do it baby?” Bert asked, no hints of condescenion or snarkiness, just sympathy and curiosity. Bert made sure of this, he intentionally removed the judgement from his voice.

“I, you don’t know what you’re talking about. He, um-” Gerard stammered, looking down at the hand on their wrist. They didn’t know how to reply – it felt like they lost the ability to form words.

“Why did you do it?” Bert repeated, slightly pulling on Gerard’s wrist, silently encouraging them to sit back down. Gerard complied, hesitantly taking a seat next to their husband.

“I, I don’t know how to answer that.”

Bert let go of their wrist and turned towards Gerard. He pushed a loose strand of hair behind their ear.

“You can tell me, Gerard.”

Gerard shifted in their seat, and Bert could feel a nervousness that he’d never seen his spouse deal with before. This was foreign, this was a question no one had asked them before. A question they had never answered before.

Gerard finally looked up to meet Bert’s eyes.

“I, I love him, that’s why I did it. I’d do anything for someone I love,” Gerard whispered, looking away from Bert immediately. That wasn’t the answer Bert was looking for, and he brought his hand to their chin and pulled their face back to look at his.

“No, Gerard. Before that. Why did you get involved with Frank? Because I know you weren’t automatically in love with an old man you took care of,” Bert spoke slowly, trying to hide any hints of annoyance in his voice. Gerard was trying to avoid the question, trying to avoid telling Bert the truth. 

“Why… Why I got involved with F-Frank?” They repeated, and Bert nodded. He watched them intensely, trying to pick up on Gerard’s emotions as they sat there, gathering their words.

“Do you promise to not use this against me the next time we fight? Please, please , Bert,” They suddenly asked, eyes wide and craving for validation. Bert didn’t want to verbally agree, so he sat there, and slightly nodded his head. He made sure to cross his fingers behind his back – a juvenile action, but at least now Bert wasn’t contractually obligated to abide by this false promise.

Gerard chewed on their bottom lip, leg bouncing up and down, before they took a deep breath. Bert was on the edge of his seat, anticipation clouding his vision as he waited for Gerard’s answer. Gerard’s real, honest answer.

“Frank, he was a patient I worked with regularly. There were only a handful of people with dementia in the home, so I was familiar, if not close with all of them. Everyone knew Frank liked me the most, so to make everyone’s jobs easier, I was assigned to be his caretaker more often than not. One day, um, I lashed out at him. I was so over his advances, his strange comments. I don’t know why I was so fed up, but I said some harsh things. But, he– he didn’t react. It was weird, because I was panicking, but he just, sat there. I left, I think I had to get him water or something, I don’t know. It was a while ago. But, I remember that when I was alone, I started considering how maybe if I fed into his antics, just a little, it’d make things easier. Like, the work, it’d be easier for me. So I went back, letting him flirt, not correcting him when he called me Jamia, even sitting down on his lap. Everything just kinda escalated at that point – it was like I blacked out. One second I was giving him his medication, and then the next second I was, um, riding him. Things kinda just, continued like that I guess. I don’t know if I was just really horny at first, or maybe there was something deeper going on, I don’t know. But I do know that I began to fall in love with him. It all happened so fast, the love. Something just, I don’t know. It just fell into place. It’s, it’s hard to explain, I guess,” Gerard ranted, forgetting that the person they were opening up to was their husband. They didn’t like explaining or justifying the love Frank and them shared, it was too personal. Too special. 

Bert watched Gerard as they spoke, taking in every word that left their mouth. He tried to push aside any feelings of jealousy, even though a part of him wished Gerard and him fell in love that easily. The love Gerard and him shared was built on adrenaline, childish rebellion, drug addictions, and was reduced to an affair. Even though Frank was an old man who Gerard initially gave into because of the prospect for an easier workload, their love was still more sacred and untainted than him and Gerard’s. He saw the way Gerard’s eyes shined whenever they thought about Frank, the way Gerard spoke like he was the only person in the world who truly mattered. 

Bert knew he’d never be the reason for Gerard’s eyes to shine like that, and he knew Gerard would never talk about him the way they talked about Frank.

“Um, Bert?” Gerard asked quietly, and Bert blinked a few times before realizing he didn’t reply to Gerard’s entire monologue. Bert put a finger up, displaying the need for a couple seconds to gather his thoughts.

“Oh, I see. So, you were trying to make things run smoother with your job?” Bert questioned, and Gerard looked away from him.

“Gerard, look at me.”

Gerard reluctantly turned back to meet their husband’s gaze.

“You wanted to be a more efficient nurse, so you fucked your patient?” Bert continued, and Gerard remained silent, so Bert took that as an opportunity to finish his thoughts.

“You gave into the guy who shamelessly harassed you for months ? Did you ever consider the consequences, Gerard? Or did he just seem worth it?”

Gerard didn’t bother answering – and they stood up and left the couch quickly, to avoid Bert grabbing their arm again. Bert watched as they hurried to the bedroom and slammed the door. He heard the familiar click of the door being locked, and the sounds of badly muffled cries.

––––

Gerard put their head to their knees, covering their mouth as the tears poured down their cheeks. They didn’t want Bert to hear them crying – it wasn’t like he’d show any sympathy towards it or anything. 

The things Bert said hit something deep within Gerard, and their heart ached thinking about what their life could’ve been if they never got involved with Frank. Art school, their very own apartment, a sustainable job in a field they never thought they’d end up in. 

But it was Frank . The man Gerard fell for, the man Gerard knew they were still in love with, the man who showed Gerard was true love actually was. Frank and their love is what they traded all that for.

Still, Gerard couldn’t help but replay Bert’s words over and over again in their head. “Did you ever consider the consequences, Gerard? Or did he just seem worth it?”

Gerard found the line between Frank being worth it and not worth it getting blurrier by the second, and guilt bubbled up in their stomach. They shook their head, trying to push away all the ‘what ifs’, knowing Bert was just trying to get into their head. They didn’t know why Bert was bringing all this up now, it all felt so sudden, especially considering Frank has been a sensitive topic since they fantasized about him while Bert went down on them. 

They bit down on their hand as more sobs escaped their throat. Why was this the life they were given? They knew so many people with such perfect lives, people who were so happy. Where did they go wrong? Gerard thought back on their life – meeting Bert, the affair, the drugs, the prostitution, the nursing home, and now this. 

And Gerard realized that the only common denominator that could explain Gerard’s unluckiness in life was them. 

They made the choice to stay with Adam for so long, even though they knew they were growing bored and coming to terms with the fact they were not Adam’s boyfriend, because they weren’t a boy. 

They made the choice to cheat on the man who loved them unconditionally, just because of some external validation and the prospect of a more exciting sex life.

They made the choice to stay with Bert through thick and thin, letting their body be used as a form of payment, letting themself be led astray by the man they thought they loved.

They made the choice of ruining Mikey’s opportunity for them to start anew, falling for a man they knew deep down could never be anything more than a forbidden romance to them.

And they made the choice to return back to Bert McCracken, the man who will never see them as someone worthy of proper treatment, of kindness, of empathy, of love. 

Gerard’s thoughts were promptly interrupted by the door handle shaking, an indicator that Bert was outside, trying to get in. They inhaled, holding back any further cries.

“Gerard, I know you’re there. Let me in,” They heard the voice call from the other side of the door. Gerard wiped the tears from their cheeks, before getting off the bed and walking towards the door. They unlocked it, and immediately Bert swung the door open, taking the sight of Gerard in.

“What were you thinking about? I heard you crying,” Bert asked, his eyes staring into Gerard. They didn’t want to be interrogated right now. In fact, they wanted nothing more than to just keep all thoughts inside their brain, unreachable to anyone but themself.

“I don’t need to tell you everything,” Gerard murmured as they tried to pass Bert in the doorway, but were stopped by Bert’s hand wrapping around Gerard’s upper arm, and he swung them around so they were face to face.

“You are lucky I was here for you after you were fired, you know that?” Bert said in a low voice, bringing his face closer to Gerard’s. They glanced at the arm that was holding them, and noticed fresh bruising and a little blood next to the other scars.

“Are you high?” Was all they replied with, and Bert’s eyes flickered with anger.

“Yeah, why? Does it matter? I was high when I fucked you with Anthony, and you clearly didn’t mind then,” He smiled smugly, and Gerard couldn’t help but feel heat pool up in their stomach. 

“Maybe I didn’t mind because I had no idea you were high, you fucking relasping junkie,” Gerard snapped, trying to pull their arm from Bert’s grasp, which was only growing tighter around them. “You know, the sex probably would’ve been better if you weren’t there in the first place. You were sloppy trying to fuck me while you were on heroin.”

Bert stared at Gerard, mouth opening in shock. Oh, they were going to regret saying that.

“Oh, really , Gerard? You think? You honestly believe that you would’ve more fun with Anthony Green ?” Bert stiffened up – he tried to make it seem like Gerard’s comment didn’t bother him, but he felt absolutely sick at the moment.

“Honestly, yeah! At least he wouldn’t berate me about how awful I am afterwards!” They smirked, not even wincing as Bert dug his nails into their arm. “Honestly, I think I’d rather get fucked by anyone besides you at that stupid party. Anthony, Brent, Tucker–”

Gerard was cut off with Bert’s fist colliding with their right cheekbone, almost falling over if it wasn’t for Bert’s grip on their arm stabilizing them. They turned to look back at him, pain searing through their face. Bert looked like an utter mess – tears in the corners of his eyes, forehead glistening with sweat, face bright red from a combination of humiliation and anger. And, to no surprise, Bert’s gaze was deadly .

“What, did I strike a nerve with that one? Don’t wanna imagine me getting pounded by all your new friends, huh? God, especially that pretty boy, right? Can’t even imagine how fantastic Tucker would be, maybe even using that bandana- ah !” Gerard continued to taunt, before they were met with both of Bert’s hands wrapped around their throat against their windpipe, holding them against the wall with force Gerard didn’t even knew Bert had. 

“You need to learn when to shut the fuck up, you utter waste of a wife!” Bert roared, hands tightening around Gerard’s neck. Gerard couldn’t even get a sound out with the hands constricting around their neck, and they desperately tried to pull Bert’s clammy hands off them.

“You wanna keep this up? Huh? Wanna keep talking about my friends like that, you filthy fucking slut?!” Bert yelled, eyes widening with each word. Hearing Tucker’s name out of Gerard’s mouth like that, it was disgusting .

“Tucker wouldn’t even consider touching something as used up and dirty as you, hell, I’m surprised Anthony even wanted to touch someone like you,” Bert growled next to Gerard’s face, who was bright red at this point from the lack of oxygen. Their eyes were hazy, and Bert could feel their body begin to grow weak. Good .

“If you really want to get fucked by Anthony, how about I invite him over right now, huh? I’d tie you to the bed, letting him do whatever he wanted to you without even a second thought about you. I could fulfill his fantasies while I get paid in hefty amounts of heroin, how about that? Honestly, sounds like a great fucking idea, Gerard!”

Gerard’s eyes grew wide with fear, and they frantically clawed at Bert, before kneeing his stomach as hard as they could. Bert let go of Gerard as he doubled over in pain, spewing a variety of curses. Before Gerard could even take a much needed breath, they sprinted out of the bedroom and locked themself in the bathroom, where they begin to cough and sputter as they inhaled desperately to refill their body with oxygen. They knew that if it wasn’t for the adrenaline coursing through their veins at the moment, they would’ve passed out by now. They heard staggering and heavy footsteps approach the bathroom, before flinching as Bert began banging on the door.

“Open the fucking door, Gerard! Get the fuck back out here, you goddamn bitch!” The voiced boomed, and Gerard stood there, taking deep breaths as their neck ached. The banging continued, and they backed up till the back of their knees hit the bathtub and shower curtain.

Bert was fuming . He took back any guilt he had surrounding the Anthony situation from the other night, in fact, he wished he let Anthony use that fucking switchblade. Though he didn’t get off on seeing blood and hearing screams like Anthony did, Bert smiled at the idea of seeing Gerard writhe and cry out in pain after all the shit they just said to him.

“You wanna play these stupid games, Gerard? Fine! Let’s fucking play ,” Bert yelled, before walking into the kitchen, grabbing a chair from the table and pressing it up against the door handle, shutting them inside the bathroom. He pulled his phone out, and found Anthony’s contact, hands shaking as he tapped on the number. He put the phone on speaker as he stood next to the door.

Gerard heard the dial tone ringing through the door, and their stomach flipped. What was Bert thinking?

“Bert… I was expecting your call… I knew you couldn’t stay away from me long,” The slimy, high-pitched voice spoke slowly, and Gerard felt goosebumps form on their arms.

“Hey, Anthony! You know, I’m sorry for how I acted the other night, that was immature and disrespectful of me. I was thinking, and I’d love it if you gave me a second chance, especially after giving me all that heroin. Whaddya say, you want Gerard? Wanna do whatever you want to them, no limits? I know they’d be interested, could get them all prepped and ready for you while you’re on the way over,” Bert smirked, speaking loud enough for Gerard to hear every word. Anthony started chuckling on the other end.

“Oh, Bert. If only you contacted me just minutes ago, I’d be speeding over at this very second. God, I can’t even verbally describe how suburb that situation would be, in fact, I’m already hard at the single thought of getting to use all my toys on them, without even a single ounce of resistance…” Bert heard Anthony breathing heavily over the phone, and tried to hide his disgust, letting Anthony continue.

“However, disastrously, I’m on my way to meet with a handful of dealers who are buying from me today, and I’m late as it is already. Any chance we could possibly, reschedule? I’d cherish the opportunity to handle your wife in the way I deem fit,” The high-pitched voice exhaled, and Bert’s stomach tightened as he was turned down. He ran a hand through his hair, frazzled.

“Yeah, I’ll let you know,” Bert grumbled as he hung up the call, not even letting Anthony reply. To make matters worse, he heard a slight giggle from the bathroom.

“What’s so fucking funny ?” He snarled, and the giggles turned into laughter.

“Nice plan, you fucking idiot . Really had me worried, too bad it didn’t work out, huh? I was looking forward to it,” Gerard snickered, coughing slightly as their throat still felt like it was on fire. “How about you call up Tucker now, huh? I’d love for him to have his way with me too, you know.”

Bert was appalled at Gerard’s behavior – even almost choking them till they passed out didn’t scare them into shutting their mouth. He grabbed the chair that was blocking the door, and in his fit of rage, he collided the legs of the said chair with the bathroom door.

Dust and wood clouded Bert’s vision, before he was able to make out the brunette just a few feet in front of him through the new hole in the door.

“What the actual fuck is wrong with you?! You, you’re a fucking psychopath! Get away from me!” Gerard cried, grabbing one of the pieces of jagged wood from the ground and stepping into the bathtub, holding the wood out like it was a stake.

Bert, still in a trance from the rage, humiliation, and jealousy, stuck his hand through the hole and smugly turned the lock on the handle, before opening the door and stepping inside. He took a few steps toward Gerard, who shakily pointed the wood at him, tears running down their face.

“Not so big and tough now, are you, Gerard?” Bert sneered as he loomed over his spouse. He watched as any smugness and confidence they once had disappeared. “You still gonna about how you want all my friends? Huh? Or are you gonna keep your fucking mouth shut ?!” 

Gerard stayed silent besides the crying, and Bert smiled widely, satisfied at their reaction. He took a few steps closer, and watched as Gerard flimsily held up that piece of wood, and Bert easily grabbed it out of their shaky hand, and tossed it to the other side of the room before entangling his hand in their hair, bringing their head to look at the door.

“You see what you did, Gerard? Nice fucking going, we got a goddamn hole in the door because of you !” Bert shouted, keeping his eyes locked on Gerard, who was currently looing at the broken door with tears still running down their face. 

“I-it wasn’t my fault,” Gerard whimpered, and Bert slapped them, earning a gasp.

“It is your fault. You ran that fucking mouth of yours and look where it got you. How long is it gonna take for you to realize you need to shut the fuck up?”

Gerard kept their eyes on the broken, jagged hole in the bathroom door. They weren’t surprised that Bert would do something like this, but they were definitely scared. Gerard attempted to get off their knees, to get out of the bathtub, but Bert’s hand in their hair pushed down.

“What? Tryna leave again?” Bert turned Gerard’s head towards him, and Gerard winced as their scalp ached.

“I just, I want to stand up, my knees hurt,” Gerard tried to explain, causing Bert to scoff.

“Oh, that’s cute. I would’ve thought that you would’ve been used to being on your knees by now,” He laughed at his own joke, and Gerard grabbed Bert’s wrist, trying to get him to let go of their hair, but he just tugged harder as the obnoxious chuckles left his mouth.

“Awh, how adorable, Gerard . It’s honestly funny how fucking weak you are,” Bert wheezed as he tried to catch his breath. Gerard needed to just get out, now. They used one hand to dig their nails deeply into Bert’s arm, and used the other hand to punch Bert hard in the side of his thigh. Bert hissed in pain and felt his leg go slightly numb from the dead leg, and he let go of Gerard as he noticed the broken skin and nail marks left on his arm.

Before Bert could even say anything, Gerard was out of the door, running to the kitchen.

“ Gerard ! What the fuck do you think you’re doing? You fucking cunt!” They heard Bert shout as he walked out of the bathroom, but Gerard ignored him as they frantically searched for the car keys. They finally found them on the floor by the kitchen counter, and swiftly picked them up, not even bothering to get their wallet. They didn’t care if they got pulled over without their license, they needed to leave. Bert was already fucking crazy, but he was so much worse when he was on heroin.

“Baby, come on! What are you doing?” Gerard turned and saw Bert walking up to them, hands out in front of them, like he was offering peace. Gerard was not falling for it, not this time.

“Get the fuck away from me, you fucking sociopath!” Gerard yelled, but Bert continued to walk towards them. Suddenly, out of pure survival instincts, Gerard grabbed the nearest object – which happened to be a mug that was on the counter from Gerard’s coffee earlier – and threw it at Bert before running out the door, not stopping even to take a breath before they were in the car and had the doors locked.

Gerard knew they weren’t welcome, but they only had one place to go, and quickly they drove out of the lot, not even looking back once to see if Bert was there.

––––

“Y’know Ryan, it’s probably best if you start bringing more food to your shifts. I can’t even imagine how you are able to get through those eight hours with barely a salad as your only source of fuel,” Mikey laughed, and Ryan rolled his eyes, biting into an apple slice, before holding up the bag and shaking it in front of Mikey.

“I literally packed apples, and I also have celery for a snack later. Stop acting like my mom,” Ryan chuckled, and Mikey snickered as he took a bite out of the peanut butter and jelly sandwich he had. Mikey enjoyed having lunch with Ryan, it was a nice break from dealing with the patients, plus Ryan was funny and Mikey and him have grown close since Ryan began working here. Suddenly, Dr. Toro walked into the breakroom, looking much more serious than usual. Both Mikey and Ryan perked up, smiling at the doctor, but he didn’t smile back. Instead, he looked at Mikey.

“Nurse Way, you need to go to the front desk right now. There’s, uh, someone here to see you. We’d prefer if you took care of it,” Dr. Toro stated, and Mikey felt anxiety creep up in him. This sounded serious, but Mikey had no idea what was going on. He looked at Ryan, who gave him a nervous, concerned smile, and mouthed ‘good luck’. Mikey gave a slight nod, and walked past Dr. Toro as he exited the break room and headed toward the reception room.

His jaw almost dropped when he saw what – or rather, who – was waiting for him. 

“Gerard, what the hell are you doing here?!” Mikey asked, shocked and almost angry at the sight of his brother. Gerard was in a dusty tshirt and sweats, the right side of their face red with hints of purple on the cheekbone, bandage still on their head. Their hair was disheveled, brown strands everywhere, and it looked like they’d been crying, nose and eyes red. In other words – they looked like an absolute mess.

“Mikey, I, I-” Gerard stammered, trying to find the right words as they picked at the skin around their fingernails. They looked back up to meet Mikey’s eyes, and looked around the waiting room they used to be so familiar with.

“I’m sorry, this was a mistake, I can go,” Gerard exhaled, and Mikey almost rolled his eyes with annoyance. This was so like Gerard to show up dramatically with no explanation, and then brushing it off, even though clearly something was wrong.

“No, Gerard. Let’s talk outside, come on,” Mikey sighed, putting his hand on his brother’s shoulder and guiding them out the main doors, before they walked to the smoking section outside, which was cornered off and pretty private. 

“Gerard, what is going on? Why are you here?” Mikey asked Gerard immediately, and Gerard brushed the strands of hair away from their face and took a deep breath.

“I needed to leave, and I knew you were working. I know you’re mad at me and you probably hate me at this point, but this was the only place I could go. You are the only person that I want to see right now,” They stated, and Mikey noticed a hint of urgency and fear in their voice. 

“What? Wh– why did you need to leave? Also, I don’t hate you, Gerard. I’m sorry for all the shit I said at the party, I was drunk and angry, and I didn’t mean to hurt you. But you have to be completely honest with me, Gee. What has been going on with you? What happened to you that you decided to drive to the place that fired and basically banned you? You need to help me understand Gerard. I can’t do anything unless I know what’s happening,” Mikey vented, grabbing Gerard by the shoulders as he talked. He needed Gerard to know that he wanted to help them, but he can’t unless Gerard lets him help them. Gerard’s eyes watered, and Mikey could tell they were close to breaking down. They let out a shaky breath.

“I don’t know what’s happening to me, Mikey. Everything keeps getting worse, I’m a fucking failure of a human being. My husband just broke a hole in the bathroom door like he was fucking Jack Torrance because of dumb shit I was saying, I ruined my chance of a career because of Frank, I was a fucking prostitute , I cheated on Adam for no fucking reason, I just. What the fuck is wrong with me, Mikey?” They started crying, and Mikey pulled them into a tight hug, rubbing their back soothingly. 

To be honest, Mikey agreed with Gerard. They did fuck their life up, and they made a lot of stupid, selfish decisions without ever considering the consequences. It was once a fun, spontaneous trait of Gerard’s, but after they moved out, that trait became their downfall. But Gerard didn’t need to hear any of that, they needed comfort and support right now.

“Gerard, listen to me. You’re not a failure. You’ve made some shitty decisions, don’t get me wrong. But you’ve also gone through a lot of things that aren’t your fault, and deep down you know that,” Mikey replied, trying his best to calm Gerard down slightly. Gerard pulled away from the hug, wiping the tears from their face.

Before they could reply, Mikey’s pager went off.

“Nurse Way, please come to room 112, it’s time to administer Mr. Iero his medicine,” The voice on the pager stated, and Mikey and Gerard immediately made eye contact with each other.

“No, no , absolutely not, Gerard,” Mikey said firmly before Gerard even had the chance to open their mouth.

“Mikey, please ,” They replied, and Mikey felt himself fill up with guilt. His brother looked so small, so broken, so defeated, but when Frank’s name was spoken, Mikey swore he saw their eyes glimmer with hope.

“I, I can’t, you know that!” He defended, and Gerard exhaled deeply. They just stood there, going back to messing with their nails, and Mikey sighed. He checked his watch, and knew that Dr. Toro was off by now, so the only authority figure he had to worry about was Gabe. 

Fuck it.

Mikey grabbed Gerard’s hand, pulling them around the building to the entrance only accessible by staff. He swiped his ID card, and when he heard the lock click, he hurriedly pulled Gerard inside, and put a finger to his lips as a sigh for Gerard to be quiet. Gerard could feel their heart racing, it felt like it was about to burst out of their chest.

The two brothers shuffled through the halls, which were luckily pretty vacant, only passing by a patient Gerard didn’t recognize. 

When they reached the all too familiar room, they felt like they had just been punched in the gut.

“Mikey, I, no! Fuck, what am I doing ? Gerard whispered, clearly panicking. Mikey squeezed their hand, assuring them that things were okay. He turned the handle to the door, and slowly pushed it open, revealing the inside of the room Gerard never thought they’d ever step foot into again.

The crummy television on, a raiders game playing. The desk they sat at when they helped decorate Frank’s walker for the talent show. The arm chair they were fucked on countless times. The dresser contained all of Frank’s clothes, which Gerard used to fold neatly and organize when they’d spend time in Frank’s room while he slept.

Gerard shifted their gaze to the bed, and they felt like they were going to pass out at any second.

There he sat, brown cardigan over some faded band shirt. His bald head was leaned back against a couple of pillows, hazel eyes glued to the TV, his glasses slightly falling down his nose. His lips looked chapped and dry, and he looked so lonely. So depressed. There was a cheer from the TV, and the announcer mentioned something about the raiders scoring a touchdown, but Frank didn’t even smile. The sight broke Gerard’s heart.

Mikey motioned for Gerard to come into the room, and they slowly walked inside behind their brother.

“Hello Mr. Iero! I’m here to give you your medication today, and you, um, you have a visitor!” Mikey greeted in a cheerful, upbeat voice. Frank perked up, looking towards the nurse who was currently unlocking the cabinet that contained the man’s medicine. Frank shifted his focus from Mikey to the other body in the room, and his eyes widened as he looked them up and down.

“Jamia?”

Gerard almost collapsed at the single word spoken from his lips. Mikey wanted to die at the moment, he had no idea if he made the right decision bringing Gerard in here.

“Frankie,” They replied, choking slightly on their words, every emotion racing through their body. Frank began to smile, and he reached out his hand. Gerard couldn’t help themself any longer – they sprinted to the man, grabbing his outstretched hand and holding it close to their heart before burying their face into his chest, unable to hold back the tears.

“Jamia, sweetpea, it’s okay, beautiful! Don’t cry!” Frank let out a soft chuckle, followed by a few coughs. Gerard nodded against the warm chest, the soft fabric from the cardigan brushing against their nose. 

“I’m so sorry Frankie, I’m so fucking sorry,” They cried as Frank stroked their hair with the wrinkly, tattooed hand they’ve missed so much. 

“Oh Jamia, why are you sorry? Only thing you should be sorry about is the fact that you aren’t in uniform today!” The old man said, throwing his arms up in outrage, causing Gerard to let out a laugh. 

“I know, I know. I just, fuck, I missed you so much!” Gerard put their hand on Frank’s bald head, rubbing the smooth surface, admiring his wrinkly face. They wanted nothing more than to kiss him, but with Mikey in the room, they knew that wasn’t a good idea.

“Wh, what happened to you, my dear? Why are you all scuffed up?” Frank asked, confused, and he reached up to stroke Gerard’s bruised cheek, before grazing his fingers over the bandage on their forehead. Gerard froze for a second, and remembered their current situation – they were not a nurse taking care of Frank. They were married to Bert McCracken, and they basically broke in to see Frank. 

“Oh, um, this? Oh, you know me hun, always been clumsy,” They forced a laugh, and that seemed to convince Frank enough for him to calm down.

“Alright Mr. Iero, I have your medicine! Gerard, can you scoot over a little? I gotta give him the water and pills,” Mikey asked, and Gerard just held their hands out in response.

“I can give them to him. I’ve done it countless time,” Gerard smiled as they thought about all the times they’d administer his meds, usually ending in sex and Jeopardy. Mikey looked at Gerard with a glare of annoyance.

“Come on Gerard, don’t push it. Just move over,” Mikey sighed, before Frank chimed in. 

“Hey, nurse, let my wife gimme the meds! She’s better than any of you at taking care of me! She’s had plenty of experience, taking care of me and my fellow soldiers during the war,” Frank insisted, sounding frustrated at Mikey. He watched as Gerard smiled fondly at the senile man, who delicately stroked their back.

“Fine. I swear to god, Gerard, if I get in trouble for this, I’m killing you,” Mikey grumbled, handing the glass of water and pill organizer to his brother, who was grinning at Mikey, wide eyes shining with excitement. Mikey couldn’t help but smile as well – not because of Gerard’s deranged relationship with this old man, but because they looked so hopeful, so happy . It was like all the anger, sadness, and frustration they had when they arrived was gone, and Mikey wished they could see Gerard like that at all times.

However, he knew Gerard. And he knew this happiness was temporary, because the second they part ways with Frank, Mikey was sure they would spiral.

“Alright, Mr. Iero, open up,” Gerard purred, and Mikey felt himself grow tense, and turned to see what Gerard was doing, and his jaw dropped.

Gerard was sitting on Frank’s lap, individually putting a pill in the senile man’s mouth, lingering their fingers against his chapped lips, and putting the glass up to Frank’s lips for him to drink, both of them making strong eye contact. Frank’s hand was running up and down their thigh, and Gerard’s cheeks were pink, a sickeningly sweet smile plastered on their face as they watched him.

Mikey almost threw up on the spot. What the fuck was wrong with them? How did they think this was an appropriate thing to do, not only because Mikey was right there, but also because they literally got fired for this?

“ Gerard !” He shouted, which seemed to snap Gerard out of their Frank-induced trance, and they quickly jumped up from the old man’s lap, returning back to crouching next to his bed.

“Uh, I, whoops,” Was all they replied with, face now bright red, and it was clear they were holding back laughter, as Frank stroked Gerard’s hair now that their thighs were off-limits.

“Jamia, I’m not done yet! There two more pills left, that nurse is trying to sabotage my health!” Frank shouted, glaring at Mikey, who rolled his eyes at the man. He really wished he left Gerard outside right now, but he had to admit – he’d never seen the senile man comply so easily when it came to medication. Frank had been resistant about taking his meds since Gerard left, always putting up a struggle, but it was clear that Gerard had a method that worked wonders. 

“I know Frankie, but Mikey here thinks it’d be best if I, uh, didn’t give you the medication that way,” Gerard apologized, petting the bald head as they handed the next pill to Frank, but Frank gave Gerard a devious smirk in return.

“For a kiss?”

Gerard blushed profusely.

Mikey froze.

“Well, don’t mind if I do,” Gerard leaned in, pressing their lips against the mouth they missed so badly, the mouth they’d been fantasizing about for months , the mouth of the man they were still so desperately in love with.

Mikey almost had a heart attack right then and there – there was no way he was witnessing this.

“ Gerard ! Enough! You need to get the fuck out of here!” Mikey yelled, completely blown away by his brother’s behavior. He had to end this, considering he was now complicit in not only sneaking Gerard back into Turtle Creek, but basically letting Gerard get all up on Frank again. Gerard’s head jolted around toward Mikey.

“I haven’t given him all his me–” Gerard started, but Mikey wasn’t having it.

“I don’t care. I’ll give him the last two. I can’t believe I’m repeating myself, leave now !” Mikey interjected, voice stern and commanding. 

Gerard stared at Mikey, eyes wide, silently pleading. Mikey clenched his jaw. This was a terrible mistake, letting Gerard accompany him to see Frank. He had to stop prioritizing Gerard’s short term happiness over what was actually best for them.

“I mean it, Gerard. I’ll meet you back outside in a couple minutes – just, get the fuck out of this room,” He stated, making it clear he wasn’t putting up with this any longer. Gerard looked to Frank, who was too focused on the raider’s game to notice the brothers fighting.

“I–I have to go, Frankie,” Gerard mumbled, voiced shaky and strained. Frank perked up at Gerard’s words, grabbing a handful of their shirt.

“What? Jamia, why? I haven’t seen you in so long, why are you already leaving?” Frank asked sadly, confusion growing on his face. Gerard looked down at the hand holding onto their shirt, and took a deep breath.

“I’m sorry, it’s just–it’s complicated hun. I, I promise to see you again. I love you, Frank. Goodbye, for now,” They bit down on their lip, trying to stifle back the tears. They never had the chance to say goodbye when they were fired – and every night they dreamed of getting the chance to have one final word with him. But right now, saying goodbye was the hardest thing in the world, and they wished they weren’t in this situation.

“Oh, okay… I love you too sweatpea, come back to visit soon! Bring your uniform next time too! Alright, goodbye beautiful!” Frank smiled sweetly, letting go of the hold on Gerard’s shirt. It was clear that Frank didn’t understand what this goodbye really was, and Gerard pulled the old man into a tight hug, never wanting to let go. Mikey cleared his throat as a final warning to his sibling, who reluctantly pulled away, before placing a light kiss on Frank’s bald head. They stood up with slightly shaky legs, before glancing at Mikey with deep hurt in their eyes. Mikey was too pissed off to care – he was not giving into Gerard’s pity party. He watched as Gerard approached the door, turning back one last time to look at Frank.

“Bye, Frank,” They said softly, but Frank didn’t hear, too busy on watching the game as Mikey was trying to hand him the pills for Frank to take. Gerard slipped out quietly, walking quickly down the halls until they were back at the staff door. They took a deep breath as they exited the nursing home, and put their back against the wall. 

As amazing as it was to see Frank, it was also possibly the worst thing they could’ve done. Not only did they immediately fall back into their old habits with him, they risked getting Mikey in trouble, and worst of all – Gerard had to leave Frank, had to goodbye to him. They knew there was basically no chance they’d ever get to see him again, and that broke Gerard’s heart.

But, Gerard promised Frank. They promised they’d see him again – they just had to hold onto some hope.

But for now, Gerard needed to just focus on the main issue in their life, Bert .

“Oh, fuck. Fuck, fuck !” Gerard suddenly shouted, frantically running a hand through their hair. They were so caught up with Frank, forgetting the world around them as they felt like they were in their old life, that they completely forgot they were married .

Gerard was a cheater once – with Adam, and they swore to themself they’d never do it again. They can’t believe they were so stupid , letting themself get swept off their feet by Frank without even a second thought about Bert.

If Bert found out about this, Gerard was certain either he would kill Frank, or them. Luckily, the only people who knew were Gerard, Mikey, and Frank – so there wouldn’t be any John Nolan situations this time. Still, Gerard was a little worried, and felt pretty guilty.

It wasn’t like it was a surprise though – even Bert knew that if Gerard had the opportunity to be with Frank again over him, they’d take it. That’s Bert’s fault for choosing to marry them knowing the potential consequences. 

Gerard shook themself out of their thoughts, and realized it’s been a few minutes since they left the room. They wondered what was taking Mikey so long, considering he just had to make Frank take two pills – but Gerard quickly remembered what Mikey and Pansy told them, about how Frank was really resistant when it came to the medicine after Gerard left. Gerard began thinking about how Mikey reacted to Frank and them, and felt a pit of nervousness form in their stomach.

This entire trip was clearly a mistake, and they felt bad they put Mikey through all of it. They took one look at the door, still not seeing their brother anywhere through the window, and immediately booked it back to the car. They didn’t want to trouble Mikey anymore today, and after their fight with Bert earlier, they didn’t want to get yelled at either. Leaving Turtle Creek was a win-win situation for both of them, and Gerard sped off, feeling okay enough now to face their husband.

––––

The second Gerard opened the door to the apartment, they were met with Bert wrapping them in a tight hug, basically lifting them off their feet as he held them.

“Gerard!” He exclaimed in a voice that sounded like he was relieved.

“Gerard, oh baby, I was so worried. You ran off so fast, I didn’t know what to do, you scared me so badly, Gee,” Bert continued, squeezing his arms tighter around Gerard, who just stood there, extremely confused.

Bert finally let go, and put his hands on their waist, bringing them closer to him.

“I’m, I’m so sorry for breaking the door, baby. I just got so angry, you know me. You were really hitting me where it hurts, and I was high– um, yeah. I’m sorry for scaring you like that,” Bert apologized, staring into their eyes, and the apology felt so sincere, that Gerard couldn’t help but drape their arms on his shoulders, leaning into his touch.

“I kinda fixed it, like, not with wood or anything, but I cleaned up the mess and put duct tape over the hole as a makeshift solution. We can deal with ordering a new door sometime in the future, I’ll ask my parents for some money or something,” He smiled, and Gerard was genuinely confused why he was acting like an entire new person. The cleaning, the problem-solving, that was not normal Bert behavior. 

“Um, it’s fine, I guess. I’m sorry for all the stuff I said, like about your friends. That wasn’t cool of me,” Gerard said quietly, a little embarrassed as they remembered all the comments they made about Anthony, Brent, and Tucker. Bert smiled and nodded, pulling Gerard back into a hug.

Bert felt Gerard lean into the hug, and was surprised at how quickly they forgave him. Bert did not feel great about their fight earlier, especially about all the shit they said regarding Anthony and Tucker – he didn’t really care about the Brent comments. He got so jealous , but not jealous over Gerard. Jealous over Tucker .

Bert thought about what Gerard said, about how good Tucker would be, and his mind began to wander. Bert hasn’t been with a man in so long – and he sure as hell never bottomed before – but as he pictured Tucker in his head, he only saw himself underneath the man. 

Bert felt himself starting to get hard, and he pressed himself into Gerard, rolling his hips against them for some friction.

“W-woah,” Gerard chuckled, surprised. They didn’t expect Bert to come onto them like that, especially after the fight, but hey – Gerard was always in the mood for some make-up sex.

Bert took that as a sign to pull them into a kiss, running his hands through their hair before he quickly realized their hair was about the same length as Tucker’s. He kissed them roughly, biting down on their bottom lip, and a slight moan escaped Gerard’s mouth.

Bert’s sudden advances reminded Gerard of how long it’s been since they’d had sex, the last time being two days ago at the party, and it didn’t help that they got to sit on Frank’s lap today either. As they kissed their husband, his hands tugging on their hair, they couldn’t help but replay the events of the night with Anthony and today with Frank. Bert moved his lips down to kiss Gerard’s neck while simultaneously moving his hand against Gerard’s cock, and they bucked their hips into the touch.

Gerard swore the hand felt like Frank’s, and the kisses and bites felt like Anthony’s, and they cursed themself for even having thoughts like these – especially about Anthony Green .

As Bert touched Gerard’s cock, he found himself growing more and more desperate and broke the kiss as he immediately got on his knees and pulled Gerard’s shorts and underwear off. He smirked at Gerard’s erection. Gerard was bigger than him by a few inches, which was perfect for Bert – he had a hunch Tucker was big too. Bert closed his eyes, taking Gerard into his mouth, knees on the hardwood. As he sucked Gerard’s cock, he pictured a man in a tight, black denim vest and a red bandana in place of his spouse. He pretended all of Gerard’s moans and gasps were Tucker’s, because fuck, he knew Tucker would be loud and vocal. He felt a hand grip his hair and pull Bert’s head down on the cock further, but it didn’t bother Bert in the slightest – he wanted Tucker to be rough with him, and he moaned around Gerard as he reached his hand down to begin jerking himself off.

Gerard was more confused than they’d been in their entire life – Bert was on his knees for them, letting them guide his head on their cock, and enjoying it enough to moan and get himself off. However, they were not going to complain, because this felt all too familiar to the times Gerard would have Frank suck them off, Gerard’s hand on his head as he bobbed up and down on them.

“Fuck F–uck,” Gerard gasped, catching themself before almost letting Frank’s name slip out of their mouth again, considering they knew the consequences. They were grateful that Bert immediately turned things sexual the second Gerard walked through the door – they knew if they had time to sit with their thoughts, they’d spiral over the Frank interaction today, but as of right now, they were too engulfed with lust to think of anything but sex.

The issue though was that thinking of sex made Gerard think of not only Frank, but also someone they recently had sex with – the man who was about fifteen years older than them, with huge, terrifying eyes, robotic movements, and the creepiest voice they’ve ever heard. Gerard had no idea why they couldn’t get their mind off Anthony at the moment, and why the fuck they were still hard while thinking about him.

Gerard brushed it off, chalking it up to the fact that it was because they were primarily thinking about Frank, and it was difficult to not be turned on with Bert’s mouth obscenely sucking their cock. 

“Fuck, Tu– ah , haha, tastes so good baby,” Bert groaned as he pulled off Gerard, feeling his heart stop for a second after almost moaning a name that did not belong to his wife, trying to play it off. Bert wrapped his hand, lazily jerking Gerard off as he watched them, wondering how a bandana would look tied around their neck.

“God, fuck , ah–” Gerard’s breath hitched, and they bit down on their lip to stifle back any loud moans as Bert brought them closer to orgasm. Bert got up from his knees, hand never leaving Gerard, and he pulled them back into a kiss, his other hand on their jaw.

Gerard was basically jelly in his hands at this point, and they needed him desperately.

“Please, ah, fuck me,” They whimpered against Bert’s hot mouth, and Bert smiled as he nodded. He considered leading Gerard back to their bedroom, but he wanted them just as badly, and decided the kitchen counter would suffice.

Bert grabbed Gerard’s forearm and yanked them over to the counter before roughly placing a hand on the small of their back, inches away from the mark left by him just a couple days ago, and shoving them against the cool tile. Bert looked at Gerard – their pale, marked up back, the left side of their face resting against the counter and the right side blissfully content in this position, the bruises in the shape of Bert’s fingers on their hips and thighs. 

Regardless if Bert preferred to think about someone else, he did have to admit that he was lucky to be married to someone so desirable, so hot, and so easy and willing , as Anthony once put it. 

“How badly do you want it?” Bert growled in their ear as he shoved his pants off, taking his cock in his hand as he lightly stroked himself. He kept his hand on their back and watched as they wriggled with impatience under his touch.

“B-Bert, come on ,” They whined, and Bert slapped their ass, earning a yelp of surprise from Gerard.

“I’ll ask you again. How badly do you want it?” He asked in a deep, raspy voice as he finally managed to get his pants off – it was difficult using only one hand. He heard Gerard let out what seemed to be an annoyed sigh.

“Just fuck me already before I get bored,” They snapped, and Bert’s eyes widened. When did Gerard become so bold and demanding?

Bert was not going to let this slide, and he knew a slap to the ass would not make Gerard desperate enough to beg. Then, he remembered their reaction to when Anthony hit them with the belt, and quickly removed his hand from Gerard’s back to pull the belt out of his jeans.

Gerard was confused as they felt Bert’s hand leave their back, and worried for a second that Bert was just going to leave them high and dry, before a loud smack echoed through the room, and Gerard let out a mixture of a yelp, cry, and moan from the harsh leather striking their ass.

“If you want me to fuck you, then tell me how badly you want it, Gerard ,” Bert hissed, and Gerard couldn’t even put up a playful fight anymore – they needed his cock inside them now.

“Fuck, I–I want you so badly, need you right now baby,” They whined, and Bert smiled, tracing his fingers over the redness that covered their ass.

“I don’t have the patience to prep you honey, I’m just gonna grab some lube so make things easier,” He chuckled, giving their ass one final slap before running to the bedroom and digging around the beside drawer for the lube they rarely used. Once Bert grabbed the bottle, he noticed a flash on red on the ground next to the piles of dirty laundry that coated the floor, and he grinned, eyes massive as he snatched the red cloth before running back towards Gerard.

Bert poured some lube onto his hand, putting some on Gerard’s entrance which caused them to gasp at the coldness, before Bert spread the excess onto his cock as fast as possible. He lined himself up with Gerard, barely pushing in, before grabbing a handful of Gerard’s hair and tugging their head up.

“Hold still,” Bert commanded as he let go of their hair, and thankfully, Gerard listened – straining as they tried to hold their head while Bert’s cock was slightly pressing into them. Bert took this opportunity to swiftly tie the bandana around their neck the same way Tucker has it – except the knot was at the back of the neck, with the two ends being held by Bert. He tugged, and Gerard gasped as whatever Bert put on them restricted their breathing slightly. 

Bert wasted no more time, slamming himself into Gerard, who let out a choked moan as he pulled hard on the bandana.

“Oh, fuck !” Bert groaned. “You feel so good baby, can’t get enough of you.”

Gerard was too out of it to reply to Bert at this point – they weren’t able to tell what Bert tied around their neck, but they weren’t complaining. In fact, the treatment was exciting, Bert had never done something like this before, and they loved the sudden spontaneous behavior. Plus, they couldn’t help but imagine it was Frank’s cock inside them, while Anthony choked them out. Bert kept one hand on Gerard’s hips, stabilizing them as he pulled on that bandana.

Bert wasn’t exactly thinking about Gerard at the moment. That bandana had Bert picturing Tucker in his mind, but instead, Bert was imagining himself in Gerard’s position, fantasizing over Tucker using that bandana on Bert as he pounded into him. Bert knew it was a little wrong to think about his new friend in that way – but he didn’t feel guilty about it when it came to Gerard. If Gerard can think about a senile old man with dementia during sex, Bert could think about possibly the sexiest and coolest man he’s ever known.

“You like that? You like big daddy Bert filling you up?” Bert pulled extra hard, yanking their head up as he continued to ram into them. Gerard shuddered at the dirty talk, mainly because it took away from Gerard’s imagination of a threesome with Frank Iero and Anthony Green. Bert scoffed at Gerard’s silence, and pulled again as he thrusted directly into their prostate, causing them to let out a loud, choked moan.

“Answer me you greedy slut!” He growled and slapped Gerard’s ass. 

“Y-yes!” They managed to say, and Bert was satisfied with that. He was so close, but he closed his eyes and imagined Tucker being as rough with him as he is Gerard, and that pushed him over the edge. He dug his nails into Gerard’s hips and pulled Gerard into him by the bandana as he came inside them, letting out a loud, loud moan. Before he pulled out, he let go of the bandana and reached around to jerk Gerard off.

Gerard had their eyes shut tight, and was in another state of mind. They were completely hallucinating that it was Anthony’s rough, leathery hand on them with Frank’s cock inside them, filling them up with cum, and they felt their approaching orgasm.

“F-fuck, ah, I’m gonna cum, oh An-” They yelled in a scratchy voice, a loud, pornographic moan cutting off their sentence, orgasming all over Bert’s hand and the edge of the kitchen counter. Bert shoved his fingers into their mouth, watching as Gerard was forced to clean Bert’s hand off.

Bert pulled out of them, and Gerard was basically limp at this point, so Bert pulled them into his arms and brought them back to the bedroom. He laid them down, and cleaned off their stomach with a random shirt on the ground. He grabbed a glass of water from the nightstand, one that has been there for about four days now, and took a few sips before handing it to Gerard, who gratefully finished the cup. Bert joined them on the bed, pulling a pack of cigarettes and a lighter from the drawer next to him, and lighting one as he recovered from the mind blowing orgasm he experienced.

“Th-that was really gr-great,” Gerard managed to say between huffs, trying to catch their breath. Bert nodded and hummed in agreement as he took another inhale. Bert felt a little guilty that some of the best sex he’d ever had with Gerard was when he was thinking about Tucker Rule, but he brushed it off as he took another drag.

Gerard felt a little guilty knowing that the sex was so fantastic when they used their imagination to picture Anthony and Frank using them, and decided that the next time Bert and them had sex they would imagine Frank and Anthony eiffel towering them.

Gerard shut their eyes, relaxing into the bed as the room filled with the smell of cigarettes. Bert ashed the cig on the nightstand before pulling his spouse into his arms. The two hadn’t had this kind of intimacy in god knows how long, this non-sexual, affectionate closeness. Both Gerard and Bert felt the intake of oxytocin, and Bert lightly stroked Gerard’s hair and kissed their forehead as he watched the beautiful person in his arms slightly drift off, breathing slowly.

––––

Suddenly, Bert was snapped out of his post-sex daze and Gerard has woken up abruptly when Bert’s phone went off, the song “Permanent Rebellion” by L.S. Dunes blasting throughout the room. Bert smiled at the sound of the song – it always reminded him of the first night he met Tucker, and always brought back great memories.

  Bert reached towards the nightstand to grab the phone, seeing Anthony’s name as the caller ID. Bert tensed up, he totally forgot he offered Anthony a chance to basically have his wife for the night. Bert reluctantly picked up the phone, noticing that Gerard was watching him curiously.

“Hello?” Bert asked slowly.

“Ahhh… Bert! So delightful to hear your voice again today, I’d consider myself quite fortunate indeed,” The skeevy voice said on the phone line, and Bert forced a laugh out.

“Um, yeah, great talking to you too. So, um, why are you calling?” He heard Anthony take a few deep breaths on the other end, before he cleared his throat.

  “Well, I was wondering if you wanted to come to a little kickback that Tucker is hosting tonight at 7. Nothing crazy, this isn’t a Tucker Thursday or anything, but definitely wear something nice, Tucker made it clear he wants to take photos tonight for his Instagram. Just the guys, maybe a few plus-ones, all chilling together… Drinking, doing drugs, you know. Spending some much-needed quality time together…” Anthony proposed, and Bert’s nervousness disappeared, and he smiled, eyes lighting up with excitement. He was a little disappointed that Tucker didn’t invite him personally, but he knew Tucker was probably just busy prepping for the night.  

“Oh, fuck yes! Shit, I’d love to. I’ve been missing everyone hella, should I bring anything?” Bert asked excitedly, feeling butterflies in his stomach. He did miss the other guys for sure, but more than anything he missed Tucker. He got over the shit he saw at the party, convincing himself that Tucker was drunk and high and probably thought he was dancing with Bert, even though the man was about a foot taller and his hair was more on the dark brown side than black, but Bert knew the lack of lights probably skewed Tucker’s vision.

“Oh, how utterly splendid , I’ll message the other guys right away. And hmm.. Let me ponder for a second about what you could bring,” Anthony stated, and Bert could hear Anthony whisper to himself.

“Hmmm…. Hmmmmmmm…. Hm hm hm… Um, tsk tsk. Aha! How about you arrive with that gorgeous, remarkable being I’ve grown so fond of, my dearest Bert,” Anthony finally said, and Bert felt a chill run up his spine at Anthony’s voice. He could literally envision Anthony’s eyes staring horrifically into the phone, probably licking his lips while he’s at it.

“Um, okay, sounds good. I’ll bring Gerard as my plus one, anything else?” Bert replied, and he began hearing unsteady breaths and another sound Bert couldn’t register.

“Fuck, ah , ahaha. Um, I don’t think so, just bring that marvelous creature and yourself, and that will be more than sufficient for the night, fuck , oh god– “Anthony exclaimed, breaths going shakier, letting out a few groans and growls, and the unrecognizable groans because clear to Bert all of a sudden.

“Anthony, are you jerking off right now?!” Bert asked, horrified, and Gerard, who’s been paying attention to Bert’s replies, jaw dropped, and they began laughing.

“What was that delicious, sweet noise I just heard? I presume it was Gee… So lovely, ahhh…. And to respond to your concerns, I am. Is that a problem for you, my sweet boy? You know, it shouldn’t be a surprise , I am getting the pleasure of hearing that voice of yours Bert, and also reveling in the future prospect of seeing my favorite little princess in an hour, oh fuck !” Anthony explained before groaning loudly, and Bert could only assume he finished, which simultaneously relieved Bert and also nauseated him.

“Um, okay! I gotta go get ready, great talking to you! See you soon, Anthony,” Bert laughed nervously and hung up before the older man could respond.  

Bert turned towards Gerard, who was sitting crisscross applesauce on the bed, waiting patiently for Bert to explain the content from the call.

  “We are heading to Tucker’s place for a chill kickback in 45 minutes, go put on something nice and get all pretty, make sure you eat a snack or something too. I don’t want you drinking on an empty stomach and getting sick in front of my friends,” Bert ordered, and Gerard stifled back a laugh. They still didn’t know why Bert got so stressed out when it came to his friends nowadays. Gerard didn’t argue though, and nodded as they got up from the bed and headed to the bathroom.

Gerard was really excited for the night – it was another well-timed distraction from having to think about their day with Frank. They couldn’t wait to get wasted, have a care-free night, and for some reason Gerard wasn’t ready to acknowledge, they were eager to see Anthony again, curious as to how he was going to act now that he’s technically been with Gerard sexually now.

Gerard looked in the mirror, and pulled the butterfly bandage off as they washed their face. It’s been almost a week since Bert hit them with a rock, and since Gerard had been taking good care of their injury – besides all the rough sex and beatings – the actual wound was closed. It was still bruised and scabbed over, but Gerard was happy to not have to worry about wearing a bandage now. They moved on to brush their teeth, before working on their hair, styling it the typical way they did when they went out – they knew Bert loved their hair that way.

Gerard sat down at the makeshift vanity and began to do their makeup, spreading on their favorite eyeshadow and eyeliner. For some reason, they wanted to look really pretty tonight. At Tucker Thursday, they didn’t care about their appearance as much, considering they were basically forced to wear that slutty nurse costume, but mainly because they knew it was a party with a lot of people, so no one would be examining them too closely. But tonight, it was a tight circle of friends, and Gerard loved when they walked in a room and all eyes went to them. Not only did it boost their confidence, but they knew it put Bert in a good mood – he loved knowing he was married to the prettiest person in a room.

  As Gerard finished up, applying a light reddish-pink color to the center of their lips, Bert walked into the bathroom, smiling as he saw Gerard. He walked up to behind where they were sitting, and placed his hands on their shoulders, looking at Gerard in the mirror, before planting a kiss on the top of their head. Gerard blushed and looked down.

“So pretty, my pretty girl,” Bert flirted as he rested his chin on Gerard’s shoulder, leaning his head against theirs, his greasy hair brushing against Gerard’s cheek.

“You’re cute, you know that?” Gerard chuckled as they shimmied away from Bert to stand up. Bert grinned, eyes wide and looking fondly at Gerard, before pulling them close to him by their waist and kissing them.

Gerard kissed back, but broke away as they realized they still had to conjure up an outfit.

“Lemme finish getting ready, then you can go back to complimenting and kissing me,” Gerard laughed, and Bert rolled his eyes as Gerard left him in the bathroom.

  Gerard decided on a classic outfit – their favorite blue dress and leather coat. They knew Anthony and Brent have seen the dress, but didn’t care because they knew that they looked the best when wearing it. Gerard slipped on the pair of doc martens they’ve had since they were 18, and walked out of the room, Bert whistling at the sight of his wife.  

“Looking sexy, baby. I’ll be dressed in five, then could you put some more red eyeshadow on me? We can leave right after,” He said, and Gerard nodded, watching Bert enter the bedroom, and they went to the bathroom and got out the eyeshadow that they used last time on Bert. Gerard heard a noise through the bedroom door, and quickly walked towards the room and pressed their ear against the door to listen.

Bert was… talking to himself?  

“Oh, oh yes Bert. You look so good. All eyes will be on you and Gerard. You are the main character,” They heard Bert express confidently, and they covered their mouth to hold back laughter. What was going on?

“Tonight is going to be so good. There will be no issues, no disappointments, nothing will upset me tonight. I am so grateful for the wonderful night at Tucker’s house,” They heard Bert state, before hearing a deep sigh. Gerard ran back to the bathroom to make sure Bert didn’t know they were eavesdropping.

Was Bert manifesting ? Where did he even learn to do that? Gerard was shocked, confused, and genuinely impressed that Bert knew how to do that. Even if Gerard thought it was cheesy, it was kind of cute that Bert did it.

“Okay Gerard! I’m dressed, where are you?” Bert yelled.

“Bathroom, lemme see the outfit and put the makeup on you!” They called back, and seconds later Bert arrived in the doorway.

Gerard didn’t know what they were expecting, to say the least. Bert wasn’t known for dressing for fancy occasions, everyone knew that. They bit down on their lip to make sure they didn’t laugh, and instead smiled and nodded their head at him. They knew he was excited, and didn’t want to ruin his mood.  

Bert, oh Bert. The man was wearing black jeans, a white button up long sleeve dress shirt (Gerard had no idea he even owned that), a red tie, and the kimono overtop.

One day they’ll teach him how to dress himself – this was just getting embarrassing.

“Looking good sweetie! Okay, come here and I’ll quickly do the eyeshadow.”

Bert took a seat next to Gerard, who sat on the makeshift vanity and quickly applied the red shadow to Bert’s eyes. When they finished, Bert looked at them, and Gerard almost flinched from fear at how scary his eyes looked up close – gash really made his already-haunting eyes pop.

“Alright, you ready?” Bert asked, and Gerard nodded. Both of them felt a new feeling of comradery between them from the sex they had, even if Gerard pictured Frank and Anthony and Bert pictured Tucker – they were clearly a great team. The two walked out of the apartment, hand in hand, before heading to the car and leaving for Tucker’s.

––––

“Well well well, if it isn’t the bewitching duo that occupies my mind scape… Welcome!” Anthony greeted as he opened the door, pulling Bert into a tight hug before grabbing Gerard by the waist and hoisting them up, twirling them around, causing them to let out a nervous laugh.

Well, he was certainly in a good mood.

Bert smiled and patted Anthony on the back. “Great seeing you bud. Where’s everyone at?” He asked, peering into the massive home.

“The lounge – Brent brought some coke and Tucker broke out his expensive alcohol from the fridge. Come on in, we’ve been waiting for you both… I can definitely attest I’ve been anticipating the arrival of such a ravishing duo,” He smirked as his eyes shifted from Bert to Gerard.

Anthony originally didn’t give a fuck about Bert – but now he found himself absolutely hooked . Bert was so pliable – could be convinced to do almost anything if drugs were involved. Anthony also loved how angry Bert got, and how it occurred so easily and so often. Anthony adored being around Bert, studying his reactions, choices, and decisions to calculate how he should go about interacting with the man to get what he wants.

As for Gerard, Anthony didn’t view them as Bert’s hot wife – not after the threesome. Gerard was not a person, Gerard was the tastiest four course meal from a five star restaurant, and Anthony wanted to absolutely demolish the dish that was Gerard.

Truly an astonishing duo.

Anthony stepped away, letting Bert and Gerard enter the house, before brushing his fingers against Gerard’s clothed ass as he shut the door behind them. Gerard let out a small gasp of surprise, turning towards Anthony, but he simply held up a finger to his lips, indicating for Gerard to stay quiet about it. Gerard smiled slightly and Anthony could swear they blushed, and Anthony had to hold back from grabbing them and taking them right then and there.

He knew that was not the right decision – he had already conjured up what their first time together was going to be like. He wanted to fuck Gerard so badly, maybe having Bert fuck their throat, and the things he wanted to do to Gerard the first time he gets to be in control of them made his mouth water. It was worth the wait. 

The three made their way upstairs, and Anthony smirked as he nodded his head towards the bedroom that once was the location for the threesome and Gerard turned bright red with embarrassment, and Bert rolled his eyes.

When they reached the double doors, Anthony pushed one of the doors and held it open, gesturing for the couple to enter. The second they got inside, Bert was tackled by someone.

Before he could punch his attacker, he saw the tufts of brunette hair and a piece of a red bandana, and smiled widely, his cheeks growing pink.

“Tucker, you fucking rascal, get over here!” Bert laughed, and Tucker let go of Bert and spun him around, pulling him into an official hug.

“What’s up man! I’ve missed you, it sucked I couldn’t see you before you left the party the other day!” Tucker flashed his signature smile, and Bert automatically forgave Tucker for dancing with that guy – because Tucker missed him. 

“I–I, missed you too!” Bert stammered, feeling giddy as he raked his eyes over his friend.

Tucker looked stunning, as usual, wearing a pair of tight black jeans that hugged his thighs perfectly, a leather jacket, and a black tank top. Bert knew it was a tank top because Bert saw a glimpse of his torso when Tucker’s jacket moved as he spun Bert around. Bert swallowed at the sight of the bandana, which looked tighter than usual. Bert took a deep breath as he tried to push away the thoughts of his sex with Gerard earlier.

Tucker patted Gerard’s shoulder lightly and squeezed it, lightly tracing his finger against the edge of Gerard’s collarbone – and Bert clenched his jaw.

“Glad you could make it Gerard!” He grinned, and Gerard just nodded in awe and smiled back. Gerard wasn’t immune to the Tucker trance either, clearly. 

“Hey guys! Don’t forget about me!” A voice shouted, and Bert looked towards the couch, seeing Brent hanging out, holding a beer and waving it around. 

“Brent, my man!” Bert cheered, and Gerard, Anthony, and Tucker followed as Bert headed towards the couch. Tucker returned to his seat on one of the couches, and Bert took Gerard’s hand to join Tucker on the couch. Tucker was currently immersed in a conversation about music with William, and didn’t seem to notice Bert or Gerard slowly taking a seat. As soon as they settled down, a voice Bert didn’t recognize, but sounded familiar to Gerard, spoke up.

“Hey guys, sorry, I was sitting there,” The voice said sheepishly, almost apologetic. Bert and Gerard turned their heads to see who the voice belonged to, and Gerard felt like they were about to have a stroke.

Adam fucking Lazzara was standing there, beer in hand. 

Gerard was absolutely speechless – this was not the Adam that they dated for six years back in the day. This Adam had long, messy, dark red hair, a black nose ring, smudged eyeliner, black nail polish, and an assortment of rings on his fingers. He was wearing a tight black dress shirt that had the first few buttons undone, the sleeves rolled up, showing off his toned forearms. Paired with this were tight, ripped black jeans that hugged every inch of his body, and a black belt. Gerard looked down and saw him in a pair of doc martens that matched his exact hair color, not a single scuff or crease anywhere on the shoes. Tucker sprung up and ran over to the man.

“Ah, you guys! This is Adam, he’s my, uh, good friend,” Tucker smirked, raising a suggestive eyebrow, and Adam playfully slapped Tucker’s arm.

“Good friend? Man, gimme more credit than that, asshole!” Adam laughed, but kept his eyes locked on Gerard. 

“Alright, alright. I’ve been seeing Adam for a couple weeks now, he was at the party, but man he’s a fucking animal . Only time I got to see him was when he’d pull me into the dance floor!” Tucker grinned, and Adam wrapped a hand around Tucker before the two went back towards the couch and Gerard and Bert stepped out of the way so they could sit back down in their respective seats. 

Bert and Gerard were both speechless, standing there, dumbfounded at the situation they found themself in. It was clear Adam was acting unbothered, casually accepting this, but Gerard saw that deep within Adam’s eyes, there was a cocktail of emotions that weren’t being expressed.

“So, how’d you guys meet? We never got to hear the story!” Brent asked, excited for his friend.

“Well, my band and I were booked for this gig in New York, and saw on the setlist that Thursday was going to be there. We all have heard of Thursday before, since we were both from here, so we were excited to have a local band with us there. Obviously, we clicked when we all met. We partied together, played kickball and shit, had jam sessions together. At one point we shuffled up the band, me and John and Tucker and Geoff, and made an imaginary band called Taking Back Thursday, putting on a little show at a nearby club. Since then, Tucker and I grew really close, and things just kinda… escalated,” Adam explained, smiling proudly. Gerard noticed he kept glancing over at Bert and them, and everytime he did, Gerard felt nauseous.

First off – Adam Lazzara was in a band? 

Second off – Adam Lazzara was this confident, sexy, punk man?

Gerard felt like they were about to die, and they wanted nothing more than to get hammered. They jumped up and grabbed Bert’s hand, who was glaring at Adam and Tucker’s bodies pressed against each other in the most menacing way possible. Gerard had to pull Bert up, finally getting his attention off the sight of the two.

“Excuse us, we are going to get some drinks!” Gerard excused Bert and them and basically ran towards the kitchen.

“Bert, what the fuck !” Gerard panicked, pulling out a bottle of fancy vodka before chugging it, not even thinking about the burn in the back of their throat.

“I, I don’t know,” Bert replied. Bert was fucking pissed . Tucker had been seeing someone this whole fucking time? Was Bert misinterpreting everything? And the fact that the person Tucker was snuggling into was Adam fucking Lazzara, his wife’s ex-boyfriend of six years that hated Bert’s guts, due to Bert being a homewrecker after the infamous six-month Subway affair. Bert felt like a fucking idiot, how dare Tucker play him like that? 

“Hey guys, long time no see,” Adam stated in a monotone voice as he approached the couple, opening the fridge to grab another beer.

“Adam,” Gerard said softly, unsure of what to even do in this situation. They hadn’t spoken to or even had seen Adam since he broke up with them. After the past couple weeks, all the self reflection, Adam appearing in front of them brought up so many emotions, and they felt like their heart was in their throat.

“You look good, Gerard. Glad to see you’re doing well. Bert, excuse me. I need to grab some napkins behind you,” Adam gave a forced smile to them, and Bert backed up so Adam could grab the napkins, before turning around. He was about to head back towards the couch, before Gerard jumped over to him and grabbed the back of his shirt. Bert’s jaw dropped at the sight, what the fuck were they doing?

“Adam, wait!” Gerard said desperately, their voice shaking, and Adam stopped in his tracks. Gerard held onto Adam’s shirt, clutching the fabric.

“I, I’m s–sorry, I–” Gerard started, feeling tears begin to well up in their eyes, and Bert felt a fire begin to burn inside him. He roughly grabbed Gerard’s arm, pulling them away from their ex. Adam turned towards the couple, eyes widening at the rough treatment Bert was putting Gerard through.

“Nice seeing you, Adam ,” Bert growled, and harshly pulled Gerard away from the man, digging his fingers into their arm until the couple reached the pool table where Anthony stood. Anthony seemed to be feeling the material of the table, but Bert was too overwhelmed to question it.

“Anthony I– we need you. Badly. Desperately. Please, fuck some sense into Gerard,” Bert pleaded, and Gerard looked with wide eyes at Bert, opening their mouth to speak, before Anthony put a hand to their mouth and meeting Bert’s eyes with his.

“Oh my darlings, you don’t know how long I’ve been waiting to hear those words. Follow me,” Anthony grinned a sickening, sinister smile, and pulled his hand away from Gerard before walking towards a strange door in the far corner of the room that Bert had barely noticed was there.

Bert and Gerard followed him, and Anthony licked his lips at the two of them as he pulled a key out and opened the door, motioning the couple to enter.

Gerard and Bert glanced at each other. They didn’t want to think about Tucker or Adam or any bullshit that was taking place right now. Bert knew he’d get violent, and Gerard knew they’d spiral out of control. The eye contact shared between the couple reflected a mutual understanding and agreement that this is what they both needed – a distraction. 

A distraction in the form of Anthony Green.

Chapter Text

“Where are we going?” Gerard asked nervously, peering down at the dark staircase before them. Bert joined Gerard, feeling slightly uneasy at this whole situation. He didn’t care though, because he knew he needed this more than anything. He couldn’t get his mind off Tucker just openly admitting him being with Adam, of all people. 

He wanted this adrenaline more than anything right now. Anything to take his mind off Tucker fucking Rule. 

“Don’t worry princess, you have nothing to fear. In fact, I simply wager that we will all have quite a gratifying, well-needed experience together,” Anthony whispered into Gerard’s ear from behind them, and they felt his hot breath against the back of their neck. Gerard took a deep breath, and looked at their husband, who seemed to just be staring into the dark, unrecognizable setting that lay before him.

Gerard felt a slight push against their lower back, and they stumbled forward, almost tripping on the first step. 

“Don’t be shy, angel. You and good old Bertie are in good, well-trained hands,” The man behind the couple encouraged, and Bert decided he’d make the first move. Bert started stomping down the stairs, and Gerard quickly grabbed onto the back of his shirt to guide them down the dark passageway. 

When Bert didn’t feel any upcoming steps, he moved out of the way to allow the two behind him to finish their journey down the mysterious staircase. Suddenly, Bert overheard a slight click, and a dangling lightbulb flickered on, revealing their surroundings.

Gerard and Bert both slowly turned toward each other in utter shock.

The walls were made up of complete concrete, with about four support beams made up of exposed, slightly eroding brick. There was a large boiler in the far left corner, and Bert could swear that attached to it, was a pair of rusty handcuffs that laid on the ground. 

Gerard’s eyes immediately went to the large contraption that stood in the right corner closest to them. It looked to be some sort of workbench, but also a storage bin at the same time. The bench was on wheels, and was entirely made of metal, besides the wooden plank at the top. There were nine drawers, with the top one being shut with a padlock. Gerard peered at the top of the bench, and noticed that the wood was not new or clean by any matter. It looked like there were faded, dark red marks smeared across it, and accompanying those stains was a rag that also had the same red color splotched on it. They felt their heart rate increase rapidly at this notice.

And finally, the couple’s attention was brought to the center of the room, where the light bulb was hanging, and underneath it, stood a king-sized bed laying on a metal, barred bed frame. The rest of the room was barren, only lit from the single light bulb, and immediately the two had questions.

“Wh–Why the hell does Tucker have this place? Like, I get it’s a basement, but like, the bed?” Gerard immediately blurted out. They attempted to sound overly scared – but in reality, they were more intrigued than anything. Never once in their life had they been in a situation like this when it came to sex – and they literally were a prostitute for years .

“Well, my dear, it started off as just a simple basement and storage room for the lovely, lovely lounge – Tucker’s favorite room, as you might’ve noticed. Tucker though, as much as he loves the lounge, he didn’t enjoy this room being directly connected to it. Kept saying it freaked him out, made him uncomfortable. I, well… I stay at his house quite often. Quite actually, the room we visited a couple nights ago is my designated place to abide within his glorious home. However, as I was saying, he told me that I’m welcome to do as I please with this territory. So I cleaned it up, and made it my… Workspace,” Anthony explained as he approached Gerard and put his hands on the back of their shoulders, massaging them. Gerard’s stomach flipped – as innocent as the story sounded, Gerard knew this was not a typical workspace , considering the bed.

“So, what? You do construction and sleep in here?” Bert questioned, a hint of sarcasm in his voice. Bert was utterly shocked – he had no idea why Tucker and Anthony were close. To hide his fear currently, he thought cracking a joke would ease the tension of the room. That was not the case, as Anthony left Gerard and walked towards Bert, pushing a hair out of his face and staring directly into his eyes.

“Hmmm… I wouldn’t exactly call it construction… And well I don’t sleep down here, some people do end up sleeping in that bed,” Anthony chuckled breathily, pulling Bert’s hand in his and then bowing his head to kiss it. “Would you like to feel this bed, my king?” He smiled, and Bert looked over at Gerard. Bert knew Gerard was much more experienced with weird and uncomfortable sex situations – due to their prostitution days – so he tried to read how Gerard was feeling. 

Gerard was eyeing the whole room again, mouth slightly parted in what Bert could only assume was shock, their cheeks flushed. 

“I’d like to feel the bed, Anthony,” They suddenly whispered, then brought their hand to their mouth in surprise, eyes widening. Bert’s jaw dropped – what ?

“Gerar-?” Bert started, but was met with Anthony’s finger being pressed against his mouth – feeling all too familiar to the last time Anthony did this. Bert’s emotions toward the action didn’t change, and he felt anger bubble up in his stomach.

“Bert, let the lady have her autonomy, please. Oh my, princess, your eagerness is unequivocally delectable,” Anthony exhaled shakily, before basically floating towards Gerard and taking their hand, guiding them towards the bed. Anthony turned around and motioned for Bert to join them. Bert looked towards the staircase, questioning if this was the right decision. He knew how their last encounter played out, and this time, Bert wasn’t even being bribed with heroin. Out of almost nowhere, Anthony pulled out a small bag of pills and a syring from his back pocket.

“I know what you’re thinking, Bert, and I can assure you that you will be receiving not only a mind-blowing orgasm, but some lovely substances in exchange,” The blue-eyed man assured, before turning towards Gerard and tracing their jaw with his fingers, that felt somewhat greasy for some reason.

“And for you, angel, I can assure you that this experience will be breathtaking beyond question.”

Before Gerard could even open their mouth to reply, Anthony whipped his head around to look at Bert, who was still standing by the staircase.

“Bert, I’m not going to ask you again. Join us, or leave. Gerard has already made their choice – they are staying here with me regardless if you’re here or not,” He said through gritted teeth. Bert met the menacing stare. He knew this was probably not a good decision, but his mind wandered back to Tucker and Adam. 

He imagined Adam’s hand on the small of Tucker’s back, Tucker laughing at Adam’s jokes. The way Tucker’s eyes look when Adam leans in to kiss him – and how Tucker definitely smiles into the kiss with that dazzling smile. He knew now that Tucker was definitely a switch – Adam was about six inches taller than him, and overall just had a bigger frame. There was no way Tucker topped in that relationship, and somehow that pissed Bert off even more. Tucker was letting this guy fuck him and his perfect, fantastic body – probably using that bandana, knowing Tucker. Bert knew it should be different, Tucker should be in Adam’s position, and Bert’s in Tucker’s. 

Bert felt the nervousness wear off and get replaced with a cocktail of anger, jealously, and lust. He nodded at Anthony, and walked over to his spouse and the bony man.

“You two stay here, I’m going to bring over my supplies… Feel free to engage in whatever way you resplendent pair desire,” Anthony ordered, his eyes shining with an unreadable emotion as he backed away from the bed, continuing to face them until he was next to the work bench contraption. Bert turned to Gerard, who was running their hand along the bed with a confused look on their face.

“What?” Bert asked, raising his eyebrows. Gerard turned their head towards him.

“They are plastic. The sheets are plastic,” They explained in a whisper. Bert walked closer to the bed, next to Gerard, and placed his hand on the bed. Gerard was right – the sheets felt like a tarp almost.

“Probably just for, um, sanitary purposes. I wouldn’t worry too much,” Bert laughed, trying to normalize the situation, even though he’s never once known someone who uses plastic sheets . He brushed this aside, grabbing Gerard’s arm and spinning them to face him, before pulling them close.

“You promise you’re okay with this?” He whispered, staring at them with his huge eyes. Bert knew his own motivation was rooted in Tucker, but he wasn’t sure why Gerard was so willing as well. It’s not like Gerard even cared about Adam back in the day – considering they first cheated on him for a free sandwich. And yeah, Adam was objectively gorgeous now, but he was always attractive.

“Oh, yes Bert. I need this as much as you do,” Gerard whispered back. They meant it – they had so many mixed emotions surrounding seeing Adam again. He was stunning, he was in a successful band, he was romantically seeing Tucker Rule, he didn’t even flinch when he saw Gerard and Bert for the first time in basically a decade. Also, the timing made things so much worse. Just earlier this day, Gerard was thinking about Adam and how the decisions they made have affected where they are now – and suddenly he just shows up, unannounced, and acts like nothing ever happened. That hurt Gerard more than they ever expected, and that hurt turned to pure guilt for what they did to Adam, who was nothing but loving and kind to them.

Also – Gerard couldn’t get their mind off Anthony. Something about him drew them in, and even though there was a fifty percent chance they’d get murdered if they got too close with him, the risk of it all excited them. With Bert – the ferocity, the fear – that wasn’t out of lust or desire. It was abuse, control, manipulation.

  There was no excitement when it came to Bert’s instability. Gerard never knew what would set him off, and his violence was ruthless. His escalation was unpredictable – it almost makes Gerard laugh when they think back to that first physical fight in the hotel room. Being backhanded is child’s play in comparison to having broken glass against their throat, a rock colliding with their head, the door they were hiding behind being smashed open. The physical violence didn’t even compare to the things Bert did to Gerard emotionally. He would constantly put them down, slut shame them, make them feel worthless no matter what they did. It didn’t matter if they were on their best behavior or if they completely fucked up – it was all the same to Bert. But, somehow, it was more complicated than Bert just hating Gerard no matter what. It was like Bert had expectations for them, but never explained what they were until after Gerard already fucked up their chance of meeting said expectations. 

It fucked with Gerard’s head more than they could explain – and for some horrible reason, they felt like they were constantly trying to keep up and one day reach those expectations. That there would be a day where they would be good enough , be the person that was deserving of proper treatment. Even though deep down they knew there was no reward for them at the end of the day, no promise that things would ever get better for them.

Anthony, on the other hand, even within just a simple sexual context, was so vastly different than Bert. Anthony, as scary as he was, had a simple pattern. He wanted to control a partner, and the only expectations he had were for someone to submit to him. There were also no legalities tying them to him – no matter what happened between them sexually, Gerard didn’t have to worry about sleeping in the same bed and waking up next to him the day after. If they got hurt, they could leave, and never see him again.

Plus, being roughed up by Anthony almost felt like a punch in the face to Bert. They knew Bert used physical pain as a fear tactic, so Gerard giving into another man using the same pain but in a sexual context with no ulterior motives was a sure way to make Bert insecure, to cause even just the smallest bit of emotional damage towards the man who has broken them down beyond repair.

“God, always a whore, huh? Guess you meant what you said earlier about wanting to be fucked by Anthony, heh. Well, what are we waiting for then? Come here baby,” Bert smirked before pulling Gerard into a rough kiss. His hand immediately went to grope their ass, which was barely covered in the first place by their blue dress. Gerard put their arms around his neck as they kissed back, hearing the sound of wheels being pushed towards them.

The two broke away from each other, and turned towards Anthony who was wiping drool from his chin. He pulled a key out from his pocket, and unlocked the padlock on the top drawer. Gerard had absolutely no idea what to expect – how insane were the contents of the drawer that they needed to be locked away in a basement?

“First things first, I’d be forever grateful for the gift of obedience tonight. Bert, I love your feisty, aggressive nature, so I don’t mind any pushback from you. In fact, I find it rather heavenly. However, my ambrosial princess, I hope you realize how disappointed I’d be if you weren’t being good for me,” Anthony declared, and before Bert or Gerard could give their opinions, Anthony continued.

“Since you’ve given yourselves over to me for the night, I want this to be a transformative night. I can sense a tension that hangs heavy within the atmosphere, and it’s quite bothersome. Please, release yourselves from the looming issues that consume you both, and let’s all take this time to enter different roles.”

Bert’s jaw dropped, he had no idea what Anthony just said.

“What?” Gerard asked, also dumbfounded. Anthony grinned a wide, toothy smile, the sides of his mouth almost touching his eyes. He slowly opened the drawer, and pulled out three, neatly folded outfits and placed them on the bed in front of the couple. Bert recognized one of them, but was confused by the others, meanwhile Gerard burst out into laughter.

“I, what ?” They cackled, trying to catch their breath as they slapped their knee. Bert felt uncomfortable so he just joined in, forcing out a slight chuckle.

“What?” Anthony said in a low voice, and Gerard took a deep breath and turned towards him.

“You want to all dress up as Stranger Things characters? Why, why do you own these?” Gerard asked, before laughing again. Bert understood the situation, and fully joined Gerard in the humor.

Anthony glided over to Gerard and slapped them across the face before shoving them by the back onto the bed, holding their face down against the cold, plastic sheets. They felt his body heat press against their backside, and froze, halting the laughter.

“Yes, I want us to embody the roles of these characters. You will be dressing as Chrissy, my sweet girl,” He growled, and looked towards Bert. “Bert, you have the honor of being Steve Harrington. And I, of course, will be Eddie Munson!” 

Anthony let go of Gerard and snatched the eddie costume off the bed. He immediately ripped his shirt off, and pulled his pants down, and Bert bit down on his lip to hold back laughter when he saw Anthony was wearing Spongebob boxers. Anthony was genuinely the most unreadable human being Bert has ever come across – that’s for sure.

Bert watched as Anthony threw on the eddie costume as fast as he could, getting his foot stuck in the leg hole of the jeans and almost falling over, before stabilizing himself as he placed his hand on Gerard’s ass, who was still casually laying against the bed.

When he was dressed, he viciously slapped Gerard’s ass as he glared at Bert.

“Well, what the hell is everyone waiting for? Chop chop!” Anthony yelled as he clapped his hands together, and Bert grabbed the red, white, and blue outfit from the bed. He quickly realized it was some sort of sailor uniform, complete with a little hat and everything. He rolled his eyes – he was gonna look like some Gerard wannabe in this white cap. 

Gerard also stood up, slowly taking the green, yellow, and white pile and examining it. It was a cheerleader uniform, so Gerard wasn’t too opposed. They actually wanted to join the cheer squad in high school, but was never the most flexible or confident when they were younger. They slowly slid their jacket off, looking at Bert who was trying to figure out the scoops ahoy outfit. 

Bert took the kimono off, and slowly undid his tie. He met Anthony’s eyes, who were glued on him as he pulled the tie off and let it fall to the floor. Anthony quickly grabbed the tie off the ground and set it on the top of the workbench.

“We could use this,” Anthony explained, and Bert only nodded as he unbuttoned his white shirt. Anthony began to lick his lips as Bert’s chest became exposed, tattoos showing. Bert didn’t take his shirt off at Tucker Thursday when they were all together, so it was Anthony’s first time seeing him fully naked – which made him a little nervous. 

“You’re teasing me, Bert. If you don’t get that shirt off, I’ll have to get over there and tear it off, my monarch,” He exhaled, and Bert immediately rushed to unbutton his shirt as fast as possible to avoid Anthony ruining his only nice shirt. He began to take his pants off, with Anthony just staring and nodding at him with gargantuan eyes that seemed to be glowing in the dim light. 

Gerard took the opportunity of Anthony’s attention being on Bert to turn away from the two and take their dress of fast – they didn’t want to do some weird strip tease for Anthony like Bert was being subjected to. However, as soon as their dress was off, they felt a hard slap against their ass, causing them to yelp.

“God, look at how that underwear clings onto that supple ass of yours, Gerard. Did you pick a blue pair to match my eyes, sugarplum?” The raspy voice behind them asked, and Gerard, to avoid conflict, just nodded, even though they didn’t plan on that at all. They simply grabbed the only clean pair of underwear they had left. They turned around slightly, and they noticed that after the slap, Anthony backed up so he could have a full view of the two. Gerard quickly slipped the skirt and vest on as fast as possible before turning to Bert.

Bert was clearly struggling with the costume, making Gerard smirk.

“Would you like some help with that, Steve?” Anthony grinned as he approached their husband, and before Bert could decline, he took the red ascof in his hand and tied it in the front of his costume, before fastening the apron around his waist. Bert reluctantly placed the hat on his head, rolling his eyes as he turned towards Anthony and Gerard. Gerard almost started laughing again – their husband looked so funny dressed as Steve Harrington.

“Absolutely heavenly… I will be taking a picture in my brain to savor this view forever,” The older man nodded approvingly as he raked his eyes over both Bert and Gerard.

“So, um, what now?” Bert asked, scratching his face as he looked between his spouse and Anthony. 

“Anthony do you have any alcohol? I, I want to be able to, um, relieve my nerves,” Gerard requested, and Anthony nodded, opening another drawer next to him. He pulled out a bottle of mango smirnoff, which Gerard grabbed happily from his hand and begin to take pulls from. They knew they’d enjoy this more if they were intoxicated, and they did have intentions of wanting to enjoy this.

"Oh, nice! Mango! I love this kind!"

Bert glanced over at them, silently asking for the bottle, but Anthony pulled out a small bag and a pill from the drawer and turned to Bert.

“Some cocaine, my purest and most refined quality for you. Also, since I do not know you’re stamina, I’d like for you to take this. Iero viagra, the highest-rated male performance drug on the market. You can take it with the vodka, and I’d like to see you snort the coke off Gerard.”

Gerard almost choked on the vodka when they heard the word Iero leave Anthony’s mouth. Their mind immediately wandered to their first time with Frank, how they used the viagra together, before Gerard learned that Frank had zero issues keeping it up, even at his age. Gerard remembered being surprised that not only was he a successful rockstar and a war veteran, he also was a direct family member of the Iero legacy, a famous brand that created a variety of pharmaceutical products.

Bert raised an eyebrow, but realized that was probably smart – he didn’t last long and usually couldn’t get hard again right after. He was a bit weary hearing the word Iero, but he didn’t think the two were related – considering Frank was just some old Italian guy, Iero was probably a common last name. He grabbed the bag and pill out of Anthony’s hand, and waited for Gerard to finish their intake of vodka, which was about a fourth of the bottle.

Bert put the pill in his mouth and washed it down with the sweet, fruity vodka, grimacing as the artificial mango flavor trickled down his throat. He took a few more large gulps, matching Gerard’s intake, before handing the bottle back to Anthony.

“Thirsty, aren’t you guys?” He grinned, slipping the bottle back into the drawer, then turning towards the two. “Gerard, lay down on the bed, stomach on the mattress, and pull the back of the vest off. Bert, you’re gonna snort the coke off their back, here’s a dollar,” Anthony directed, and Bert wasn’t going to argue when it came to free coke, especially Anthony’s coke – which Bert has come to learn is fucking amazing . Gerard did as they were told, and laid down. They shimmied the vest up a tad, so the small of their back was visible, and Anthony almost started drooling again at the sight of their dimples that grazed their lower back. 

Bert sprinkled a line on Gerard’s pale skin, and tried his best to use his finger to straighten it out properly. He made four more lines, deciding to offer one to Anthony after he was done. Bert rolled the dollar up and snorted the first line, blinking and sniffling as the white power was inhaled.

“You like that?” Anthony whispered, and Bert nodded. He went and did three other lines, before handing the dollar to Anthony and gumming the extra power on Gerard’s back.

“You take the last line,” Bert stated, and Anthony nodded with an open mouth smile. He walked over to Gerard, placing his hand on their arm, and Gerard almost flinched at the touch – his hands were absolutely freezing . Anthony snorted the final line, before licking any extra coke off their back, causing Gerard to shriek.

“Shhhh my little butterfly, your taste is absolutely tantalizing. If I could just consume you alive, I would,” He said, before placing a kiss on Gerard’s back. Gerard had no idea how Anthony’s words were meant to soothe them, but they decided to go with it.

“Thanks for the coke, Anthony. I’m feeling good, real good now,” Bert reached his hand out to give the other man a firm handshake, who happily obliged as if this was a business deal. Gerard slide the vest back down their back, and turned around, sitting upright on the bed with their legs dangling off. 

The alcohol was making them feel more bold, and their skin was buzzing with excitement after the men did coke off them.

“Eddie, baby, come here,” They purred, and Anthony turned his head towards Gerard, then shifted his eyes onto them. He seemed to let out a shaky breath at Gerard calling him Eddie, so they hoped to use that to their advantage tonight. He slowly walked towards them, limbs moving robotically, and Gerard moved their legs apart so Anthony could stand between them, and Gerard pulled him into a kiss.

Anthony’s lips and mouth tasted like blood, which was slightly concerning, but they ignored that and deepened the kiss, biting down and tugging at his bottom lip. They could basically feel Bert’s possessiveness begin to build, and soon heard Bert’s heavy stomps approach the two and pull them apart.

“What the hell, Gerard ?” Bert yelled, pushing Anthony out of the way and grabbing Gerard’s jaw in his hand. Gerard smirked and looked towards Anthony, who was standing there, massive eyes glued to Bert, an angry look on his face.

“Bert. Now, why would you interrupt us like that? So rude… Have you forgotten your position? Have you forgotten about the things I can do? The things I am known for?” Anthony asked calmly, and Bert couldn’t tell what Anthony was even referring to. The prison thing? The sex offender stuff? The kinky basement?

“Well, sorry, Anthony, that I want to be the first person to kiss my fucking wife!” Bert retorted, before slamming his lips into Gerard’s, pushing them fully onto the bed and climbing on top of them, pinning their arms to the crinkly plastic on top of the mattress. Gerard moaned into the kiss, bucking their hips up into Bert, who smiled. Bert knew that out of Gerard’s extensive list of sexual partners, he was the only one that could reduce Gerard to a whiny, pathetic mess. At least that’s what he hoped – he knew their sex life with Adam was mundane based on what Gerard said, and Bert knew that Frank, a senile old man, could not physically overpower Gerard as he could.

The two felt another weight join the bed, and Bert looked up to see Anthony sitting crisscrossed applesauce against the bed frame, watching the two intensely. His lips were in a tight, thin line, and his eyes were absolutely massive, pupils were blown out. His hands were by his side, and he looked like he could be a statue with how still he was. Bert looked back down towards Gerard and continued to kiss them.

“Chrissy, lay down and place your hands by the headboard,” Anthony suddenly spoke, catching the two by surprise. Gerard looked up at Bert and Bert shrugged, getting off them. They followed Anthony’s rules, holding their wrists up slightly near the black bars at the edge of the bed. Anthony smiled at Gerard, and got off the bed, walking over towards the cart. He motioned with one finger for Bert to come towards him, so Bert obliged, getting close to Anthony.

“Zip ties, or handcuffs?” Anthony whispered, in a low, barely audible voice. Bert pondered for a second – he had never used any restraints on Gerard, surprisingly – but he knew Gerard would probably not enjoy the zip ties due to the kidnapping connotations behind it.

“Cuffs,” Bert settled on. Anthony licked his teeth and nodded, pulling the restraints out of a drawer and placing them behind his back as he walked around the bed, out of Gerard’s view. Bert walked back towards Gerard, leaning over them and begin kissing them again. He was getting really turned on now – he liked how experimental everything was at the moment. Plus, he had to admit – Gerard looked great in a cheerleading outfit. 

Suddenly, Bert heard some muffled noises under his lips, and felt Gerard squirming a little under him. He pulled away, raising an eyebrow at them.

“W-what are you doing?” Gerard asked, sounding slightly panicked, as Anthony secured the cuffs to their hands and around the bars on the headboard, immobilizing them from using their hands or getting off the bed. The handcuffs were not typical sex cuffs, they were heavy, strong metal, and Gerard could feel there was no safety tab, just a keyhole. Anthony also put them on pretty tight, and they could feel the sharp edges slightly digging into their wrists.

“What I want. Stop thrashing around like that, Chrissy,” Anthony simply replied, ignoring the nervousness in Gerard’s voice as he walked back toward his toolbox. Bert turned to Gerard, who was nervously chewing on their lip, and Bert could tell that their boldness and confidence had severely diminished. Anthony returned, holding something behind his back once again.

“Bert, return to kissing them. I do believe my princess finds your touch quite soothing,” He requested in a blank, authoritative tone. Bert wasn’t going to object – Gerard’s nervousness was making him even more turned on, and in combination with the viagra kicking in, he was getting extremely hard. He walked back over to Gerard, and put his hand on their jaw as he started roughly kissing them, biting on their lip, and basically shoving his tongue down their throat as he stood at the side of the bed.

“Now, Chrissy, it’s time for the fun part. Let’s say goodbye to that adorable cheerleading costume – truly served me a fantasy I will choose to think about at a constant rate. Now, stay still, my princess,” Anthony grinned, and Bert and Gerard were unsure of what he was insinuating but continued to kiss anyway. Bert moved down to suck and bite at their neck – and knowing how Anthony liked it last time – he bit down hard on their collarbone till he tasted blood, and Gerard let out a gasp from the combination of the pain and pleasure, before feeling something being pressed against the edge of their skirt. They strained their head, leaning further into Bert’s kiss, but they were able to catch a glimpse at the action taking place by their skirt. 

Anthony was currently using a switchblade to saw through Gerard’s cheerleader skirt, and a bit of saliva dripped out of Anthony’s mouth and fell onto their bare leg from his open mouth.

Gerard froze, completely tensing up underneath Bert, feeling their heart begin to beat a million miles an hour. They didn’t want to freak out, and they took deep breaths as they tried to focus on Bert continuing to assault their neck, collarbones, and visible parts of their chest. It wasn’t until Anthony crawled onto the bed, and began cutting off Gerard’s vest, the edge of the blade lightly touching their skin as Anthony sawed through the fabric. 

“W-wait, hold on, I–” Gerard’s head began to spin – this felt too familiar. 

“Shhh, I didn’t ask to hear your voice right now,” Anthony cooed, pressing the tip of the blade a bit harder into their stomach, as if he was warning them. Bert stopped kissing Gerard, pulling away and looking at his wife. Gerard felt like they were losing their breath, and began to feel tears form in the corners of their eyes.

“I, Anthony – I mean Eddie, wait please let me explain!” Gerard began to plead as tears fell from their eyes. The memories were fully vivid now – this exact scenario happened before. A new client back in their prostitution days brought them back to his house, and Gerard knew that wasn’t a good idea, but they were desperate for money because Bert refused to work more than two days at Subway. When they got there, the guy handcuffed them to the bed, which Gerard was already weary about, but then he began cutting off their clothes, no matter how much Gerard protested against it. When he was finished stripping them, he fucked them roughly with no protection, which wasn’t uncommon, but it was always scary. They were crying and considered telling him to stop, but, they needed that money. 

However, when he was done, he fished through Gerard’s jacket, stealing whatever cash they made that night and their last bag of coke, and left Gerard cuffed to the bed, naked, alone in the room for what felt like hours. Sometime after, a different guy walked in, who was much taller and bigger, uncuffed them and simply handed Gerard their now-empty coat and told them to get out of the house. 

The worst part of that whole experience was how Bert treated them after, how he talked to them even though they just went through one of the most terrifying experiences of their life.

"What the fuck do you mean, he didn't pay? You take payment first, then you fuck! God, you're such a useless fucking whore! Too excited to hop on some dick, you don't even remember you're doing it for money! You're fucking blinded by cock like some mindless bimbo!" Bert roared, yanking at Gerard's arm to pull them closer. Tears were streaming down their face, choked out sobs making them struggle to respond.

"I-I did, Bert, I swear! He... He fucking robbed me! Took everything! I-I was fully... fully naked! Cuffed me to the bed and... and rummaged through my jacket. Bert... Bert, let go!" Gerard begged.

"Thanks to you, I have to move up to four days at Subway! Get real, Gerard. Not everything is about you. I hope you're fucking happy!" Bert snapped. Gerard's heels scraped the pavement as they struggled, Bert yanking harder at their arm, bringing them closer. Their arm was burning from the grip. Gerard already bruised so easily with such pale skin, they knew the redness would take hours to fade.

"I'm... I'm sorry, Bert... Honest!"

Anthony paused, examining Gerard’s face. They were teary-eyed, cheeks red, and their lip was trembling. 

“You look positively divine right now, Gerard,” He replied, before returning his knife to the vest, which was halfway cut at this point. Gerard began tugging against the handcuffs, not being able to think about anything besides one of the worst sexual experiences of their life. They began crying uncontrollably, and Bert looked at Anthony with concern.

“Anthony, do you think, maybe, we can just untie them and let them take their clothes off on their own?” Bert asked, feeling uncomfortable. He didn’t know why Gerard was acting like this – they’ve never been against Bert pinning them down by their wrists or anything – but he was starting to get somewhat worried. Only issue was – that viagra was had him rock hard at the moment, so the sight of his spouse tied to a bed and slowly becoming more and more naked, regardless of their emotional state at the moment, was making his judgement cloudy with lust.

“Yes! Yes, please, please let me out, please!” Gerard began to sob, and Anthony rolled his eyes, before slapping Gerard roughly across the cheek.

“What the hell is wrong with you? Shut the fuck up and stop the whining!” Anthony suddenly yelled, and Gerard looked at Bert with pleading, wide eyes. 

“Okay, Anthony, um, just get off them for a second. Let them take a few breaths, I’ll – I’ll talk to them. Give us like, sixty seconds,” Bert asked in a serious tone, and Anthony groaned loudly.

“Sixty seconds. That’s it. God, I’m with a bunch of fucking amateurs ,” He let out a deep, annoyed sigh, but agreed nonetheless, to Bert’s relief. Anthony got off Gerard and stomped over to the far corner of the room, and just stood there, facing the wall. 

“Gerard, what’s wrong? Talk to me, okay?” Bert crouched next to Gerard, placing a hand on their head as he lightly stroked their hair. Gerard was still crying, trying to catch their breath, and Bert placed a light kiss on the side of their face that Anthony slapped. 

Bert was not used to this form of panicking from Gerard during sex, and he had no idea what could’ve triggered it. He tried thinking through his memories of Gerard other the past couple months, but nothing added up. He looked at them as they tried to catch their breath – and finally it clicked.

Gerard was reacting like this because of something that happened to them back when they were a prostitute. Bert almost felt bad – he was always so high back then that he barely remembers any of the stories Gerard would tell him. But the fact that they are reacting like this even though the men they are with aren’t strangers means they were really shaken up.

“I– I don’t want to be left in here, please, pl-please! The knife scares me Bert, and the handcuffs, it’s all too much! I, I just need a sec, I can’t have the knife near me, fuck , Bert, get the knife away and I won’t complain again! I’m sorry, p– please don’t be mad at me!” Gerard sobbed, their nails digging into their hands as they struggled against the handcuffs, almost inching away from Bert’s hand in their hair. 

“Baby, honey, it’s okay. I’m not mad, god Gee, I would never be mad at you for something like this, I promise. Don’t worry love, you’re safe, you’re safe with me,” Bert assured, pulling Gerard as best as he could into his arms, securing them in a tight hug. He felt them bury their head into his shoulder, and he lightly stroked their back, whispering a variety of “it’s okay,”s and “don’t worry Gee,”s to them.

Bert pulled away, and took Gerard’s face lightly in his hand.

“No one is going to leave you, no one is going to hurt you. I’m here – I’ll always be here,” Bert stated, and he meant it. He was never going to let anyone hurt them – well, anyone that wasn’t them. Gerard’s fragility belonged to Bert, no one else.

“Alright, the timer’s up. Let’s continue, shall we?” Anthony said in an annoyed tone as he approached the couple again, twirling the switchblade in his hand. Bert took a step in front of Gerard, blocking Anthony.

“Put the switchblade down Anthony. That’s a hard no . I don’t care if that pisses you off, I’m done with that shit. Gerard was visibly uncomfortable by it, and they just told me they don’t want it near them anymore. Alright?” Bert stated firmly. As horny as Bert was, thanks to that viagra, he’d rather call it quits right now than let their spouse have a prolonged panic attack because some freak likes cutting their clothes off. Anthony’s eyes flickered with some unrecognizable emotion, and he immediately turned and threw the knife across the room as hard as he could while letting out a full on scream of fury, and Bert watched the knife as it hit the wall and broke, the blade flying off the handle.

“ Fine ! There! Are you all fucking fine and dandy now? Doing good? Gerard feel comfortable enough now? Hey Bert, you feel like a fucking white knight now? ‘Oh! Look at me, I took down the big bad Anthony so now I deserve husband of the year award!’ As if you don’t treat them like shit constantly , beating them and saying the most atrocious words to them!” Anthony roared, kicking the foot of the bed frame, not even wincing as his foot collided with the metal. He turned toward Gerard.

“And you , heh. You’re the biggest fucking tease I’ve ever met, you know that? Always trying to seduce me, acting like the precious little girl I know you can be for me, but the second I start getting into it, it’s all tears and whines and ‘Oh no! Pl-please, s-stop !’. If you had issues with knives, maybe fucking disclose that shit before I get excited!” He hissed at Gerard, who was still recovering from their previous breakdown. They were visibly shaking at this point, and Bert couldn’t stand it any longer. 

“Alright! Gerard doesn’t want a knife removing their clothes, Gerard doesn’t want to be ignored when they make it clear they aren’t comfortable with something, Gerard wants to feel like they won’t get beaten or killed if they say no to you! There! There are the fucking boundaries! Is that clear enough for you?” Bert growled, and Anthony’s round eyes flicked back to Bert’s. Right after Bert spoke, it was like Anthony’s wrath vanished . He went from looking like he was ready to murder someone, to how he looked when he was simply stroking the pool table.

“Thank you, Bert. Now, are we ready to continue? Gerard, please tell me when you are ready. The knife is broken, and will not be used anymore,” He responded in a simple, well-mannered tone. Bert was taken aback – how did Anthony control his emotions so well? Bert turned towards Gerard, who caught their breath by this point, and looked shocked as well.

“Um, yes, I think I’m good. I– I’m sorry, for that whole thing. Something happened to me very s-similar in the past, and, um, this whole situation just brought back scary m-memories,” They swallowed, and Anthony just smiled at them and walked over, placing his hand on their inner thigh, stroking it lightly.

“Don’t worry my princess. You are lucky you’re so beautiful, you know that? God, it’s so worth it, tolerating these requests. However, I’m going to have to just rip the rest of the vest off now, is that okay?” Anthony purred, and Gerard looked to Bert, then back at Anthony, and nodded. Anthony grinned and eagerly tore the remainder of the vest off, admiring Gerard’s body. 

“Bert, feel free to use whatever you want from the drawers on them,” Anthony mumbled to Bert, before climbing on top of Gerard and kissing them roughly while palming Gerard’s cock through their underwear. Gerard immediately melted into the touch, feeling the recovery from their freakout approach after being heard out. They moaned into the kiss as they bucked their hips into Anthony’s touch, and Anthony snickered.

“Gerard, princess, you are the most earnest and enchanting creature I’ve ever laid eyes on – you know that? Simply mouthwatering,” Anthony breathed into Gerard’s mouth, and Bert watched as Anthony took control of his spouse. Bert immediately felt turned on again – it was like Anthony’s mood changing back to normal automatically changed the entire situation back to normal. 

“Anthony, I, um, don’t need to use anything?” Bert mumbled awkwardly. He didn’t ever use outside objects on Gerard – it wasn’t like he was against it, he just didn’t ever see a need for it.

“Anthony, you can use what you’d like on me! Just, fuck , just not a knife!” Gerard whined, desperately trying to gain more friction from Anthony’s hand as he grazed them. Anthony looked utterly delighted, and peeled himself off the brunette.

“Bert, fuck their throat, get them prepped, do what you want” Was all he said before going back to his toolbox and frantically rummaging through every drawer.

Bert got on top of Gerard and immediately shoved his extremely hard cock into their mouth, feeling them gag as it hit the back of their throat. He fucked their mouth, as Anthony recommended, before realizing he’d probably be fucking them soon, so he pulled out. Before Gerard could take in air, Bert replaced his dick with his fingers in their mouth, letting Gerard slobber all over them. He moved back till he was between Gerard’s leg, and began stretching them out with his slicked up fingers, earning moans as he grazed their prostate every now and then. He didn’t even bother to look at Anthony and what was taking him so long, he was too focused on watching Gerard.

“God, so fucking sexy. You’re such a slut, you know that?” Bert growled, fucking them roughly with his fingers.

“Ugh, yes! Yes B-Bert!” Gerard moaned, and Bert smirked. The two were suddenly broken out of their trance when Anthony cleared his throat dramatically.

“Princess, I’m taking your cuffs off to move you into my, heh, ideal position. You don’t have to worry about doing any work, we will be responsible of that delicacy. Someone as delicate and dainty as you should exist solely for the purpose of taking cock. Now, angel, who would you like to fuck your mouth while we Eiffel tower you? Mr. Harrington, or your Eddie Munson?” Anthony questioned, raising an eyebrow. Gerard almost moaned right then and there – today they were fantasizing about going to Paris with Anthony, it was perfect timing. Almost immediately, Gerard had an answer.

“Anthony, p-please. I need to suck Anthony’s dick!” They blurted out, and Bert was caught off guard. The response was so fast, it was like they had thought about it before now.

“Oh! My dainty little flower, I feel like utter royalty at this moment! Such an honorable position you’ve given me, I cannot wait to fulfill the desire you have for me… Fuck ,” Anthony breathed raggedly as he unlocked Gerard’s cuffs. He let them rub their wrists, and get on their hands and knees for the two men. Anthony still had one more offer though, this time, for Bert.

“Bert, my Adonis, would you like to use your tie or a bandana I have? Whatever way you’d like, I just wanted to offer,” He smirked, and watched as Bert’s eyes grew wide. Anthony could tell Bert had a thing for Tucker – it was obvious. He purposely brought a bandana with him to see how Bert would use it – because he knew Bert wouldn’t be able to resist a treat that reminded him of Tucker.

“U-um, heh, um… Can I get the bandana? Um, I want to choke Gerard with it,” Bert stuttered, his cheeks bright red and on fire . He was not going to question why Anthony carried a simple bandana in his toolbox, he was too excited and way too turned on at this point. Anthony smirked, and tossed Bert a bright red bandana – one directly stolen from Tucker’s room. 

When Bert caught it and brought it closer, he was hit with the familiar scent of Tucker’s cologne, and it took everything in him to not shove his face in the bandana, taking it all in. Instead, he brushed Gerard’s hair away, and tied it around their neck, creating a handle that was similar to the one he made earlier when he fucked them. He was painfully hard now, and he desperately needed to fuck them, especially after smelling Tucker’s cologne. He spat in his hand and coated his cock in it.

“Okay, you two can, um, start whenev– Ah, fuck !” Gerard gasped as Bert roughly shoved himself into them, not even letting Gerard adjust before pulling out slightly and thrusting back in. Anthony assumed position, looking down at Gerard, who stared back up at him through their eyelashes.

“You want me to use you, sweetheart?” Anthony purred, and Gerard nodded.

“Yes, I do, Anthony,” They replied, and Anthony watched as they parted their lips. Anthony couldn’t hold off any longer, and he slid his cock into their mouth. Gerard took note that Anthony was bigger than Bert, yet smaller than Frank. They felt as his cock hit the back of their throat, causing them to choke a little, but the choke turned into a muffled moan as Bert hit their prostate.

“Fuck, Gerard !” Bert grunted, tugging hard on the bandana.

“Bert! High-five me!” Anthony suddenly yelled, and Bert looked up to see Anthony using one of his hands to hold Gerard’s head on him as he thrusted down their throat, and Bert used the hand not holding the bandana to reach up and high-five Anthony. 

“Can you stare at me, Bert? I want to make eye contact with you this entire time,” Anthony requested, and Bert would rather not if he was being honest, but he didn’t want anymore more problems.

“Fuck, sure Anthony.”

While Gerard was making obscene, choked-out, muffled noises from the combination of being choked with a bandana and a dick down their throat, both Bert and Anthony focused on chasing their orgasms, spewing out curses, grunts, and moans as they held intense eye contact with each other. Somehow, the situation was hot as fuck for Bert, and he felt himself getting closer, and obviously, Anthony was on cloud nine with his two favorite people having sex with him.

“F- fuck ! Oh god, Gerard, I’m about to cum, gonna take it up the ass like a good girl?” Bert groaned, and when he heard some estranged throat noise, he took it as a yes and pulled hard on the bandana as he came deep inside them, letting out a loud, deep groan. Seeing Bert unravel pushed Anthony over the edge, and he pulled Gerard's face as close to him as possible, definitely cutting off any chance of breathing, and came down their throat as well. He heard Gerard cough and choke around him, which made him smile.

As soon as Anthony let go of Gerard, they collapsed onto the bed, and Bert rolled them over and jerked them off for about a minute before they gripped tightly onto Anthony’s arm, clearly very close.

“O– oh, fuck, Anthony, Bert, I–I’m gonna,” Gerard whined, their voice raw and scratchy, and Bert grinned. 

“Yes, baby, come on,” He encouraged, and Gerard immediately finished at Bert’s voice. Before the couple could react, Anthony grabbed Bert’s hand and licked it clean. Bert’s jaw dropped in horror as Anthony sucked on each individual finger of his, dragging his tongue all over the entire surface of his hand. He ripped it away from the older man and wiped the saliva on the plastic sheets.

“Ew, dude, what the hell?” Bert yelled, and Anthony just looked at him with sinister eyes whilst simultaneously smiling and licking his lips.

“Th– that was, ah, fun,” Gerard slurred lazily, still trying to catch their breath and regain proper consciousness after getting fucked from both ends by two sadists. 

“Ready to head back upstairs, my pristine twosome?” Anthony asked, and Gerard and Bert nodded. Bert tossed Gerard their coat, dress, and underwear, and then took off the rest of the costume he had on and put his normal attire on again. When everyone was dressed, the three headed back upstairs, all three quite pleased with themselves. 

––––

Adam was currently hunched over, desperately trying not to vomit in the toilet in one of the many bathrooms in Tucker’s house. He could not believe the sounds he’s been overhearing the past hour, it was something straight out of a horror movie. 

He knew Gerard and Bert were disrespectful, considering the affair, but he had no idea they would do something like this! Maybe when they were all 20, but it’s been ten years. Adults should not be acting like this. 

As Adam exited the bathroom, pretty confident he wasn’t about to throw up, he re-entered the lounge and was greeted with a wave and smile from Brent. 

“Hey man! Hope you’re feeling okay! You made it just in time for photos, since Anthony and the gang are back!” Brent smiled, gesturing for Adam to come join them. 

His eyes moved towards the trio walking towards the couches, and he almost laughed at the sight. 

Gerard looked like an utter mess – their hair was everywhere, makeup smeared, marks all over their neck, dress barely on. 

Bert was looking rough too, his already-greasy hair soaked with sweat, red eyeshadow nonexistent at this point.  

The strangest part was, Anthony looked completely normal. He looked like he did when Adam first arrived, only difference is that he was wearing a hellfire club shirt from Stranger Things. 

“Woah, um, nice you guys… Sounded like that was, um, fun!” Tucker laughed uncomfortably. Adam cocked an eyebrow at him. Tucker wasn’t the type to sound like he wasn’t having fun 100% of the time, so Adam was a little confused. He went back towards Tucker and sat back down, throwing his arm around him, seeing Bert and Gerard run – well, Gerard limped – to the bar, and they immediately began taking copious amounts of shots.

“You okay?” Adam whispered, and Tucker nodded, though his eyes seemed unsure. Adam watched as Anthony walked over and took a seat in the big, leather armchair, looking deeply pleased with himself.

“So, Anthony! What were you three up to, heh?” Brent chuckled, wiggling his eyebrows at Tucker, who laughed softly and took a sip of his drink. Adam squeezed Tucker’s shoulder, but instead of Tucker usually leaning into his touch, he tensed up, and looked over at Bert. Adam could tell at this point that something suspicious was going on.

“Oh… Brent, what a curious cat you are! Wanting to know all the gory details… Heh, well I can’t blame you! However, for the lady’s sake, I’ll keep it somewhat tame,” Anthony laughed, before continuing his sentence.

“Well, let’s just say, that mouth on Gerard’s, oh wow , unreal! And the way Bert can always get them excited, it’s so exhilarating!” Anthony smirked, keeping his eyes locked on Adam’s. Adam was taken aback – not just because of hearing about Bert and Gerard’s sex life – but also because he didn’t know why Anthony was so focused on him. However, his question was answered very shortly.

“Adam, you can attest – Gerard’s mouth is downright remarkable, isn’t it?” He smirked, and Adam’s jaw dropped – what the fuck . Tucker looked over at Adam, puzzled, and Brent leaned in, intrigued by Anthony’s comment. 

“What is he talking about, babe?” Tucker asked quietly, moving away from Adam’s arm, leaning to place his drink on the coffee table in front of him. Adam heart stung – he knew he should’ve mentioned to Tucker that he dated Gerard the second he saw them enter the room, but he hated talking about that part of his life. As much as he liked to pretend it didn’t affect him, Gerard broke not only his heart, but his trust. He hasn’t been able to get into a real, stable relationship in a decade out of pure fear that he’d get cheated on again. Tucker was something lovely that came out of nowhere, and since Tucker was – well, Tucker – he was totally okay with not having labels. 

“Can I, um, talk to you privately?” Adam whispered back, and before Tucker could reply, Brent cleared his throat loudly.

“Um, secrets secrets are no fun unless they’re shared with everyone!” Brent laughed, and then looked over at Bert and Gerard who were now walking back toward the group.

“Hey, Gerard, Bert, go sit on the couch Tucker and Adam are at! It can be the couple’s couch!” Brent suggested, and it felt like Tucker, Adam, Bert, and Gerard all grew silent – but no one protested. The married couple took a seat next to Tucker and Adam, with Gerard being squished next to Adam, causing Anthony to laugh.

“Adam, what’s it like being back next to the ass you used to fuck?” Anthony cackled, and Adam and Gerard turned to stare at each other, absolutely shocked.

“Anthony, stop ,” Gerard murmured, and for once, Adam was grateful for Gerard.

“Anthony, stop messing around. Gerard, he – um, they , sorry, they don’t mean anything, can you cool it?” Adam stammered, trying to reassure Tucker even though Tucker didn’t even know the story. However, Adam’s comment clearly pissed Gerard off, and they swung towards him.

“Don’t mean anything ? Huh, that’s funny! Didn’t think I’d be just insignificant after dating you for six years !” Gerard suddenly shouted, turning bright red. The alcohol they consumed was fully kicking in at this point, and they couldn’t stand hearing Adam talk so lowly about them – even though they cheated on him and left him for Bert.

“Okay, really? You’re the one who feels insignificant? What about how I felt when I found out you were cheating on me with that meth head, Subway worker? Oh, lemme not forget, the meth-head Subway worker who is now your husband ?” Adam snapped back, unable to bite his tongue. He was too drunk to have control over his words, and he was infuriated at how hypocritical his ex was being. 

“What the hell are you guys talking about?” Tucker asked quietly, and Bert realized it was his time to shine. Bert stood up quickly and stepped over both Gerard and Adam, holding his hand out.

“Tucker, hey, I can explain. Come with me,” Bert smiled, and Tucker smiled back as he took his hand, allowing Bert to pull him up. Before Adam could protest, Bert was hand-in-hand with Tucker, leaving the lounge to go who knows where.

“It’s not my fault you were fucking boring,” Gerard rolled their eyes, and Brent audibly gasped.

“What the hell is happening? Someone fill me in!” He chirped, looking at Anthony, and Anthony got up from his chair and joined the exes on the couch, throwing a long arm around Gerard whilst simultaneously playing with Adam’s red locks.

“These two presumed strangers dated. For six years,” Anthony smirked, and Gerard and Adam both turned towards him with confused looks on their faces. “What? I do background checks,” He explained. 

“You guys dated ? For six years?” Brent repeated, completely shocked. Adam and Gerard looked at each other, before turning back to Brent. Before Gerard could reply, Adam took control of the conversation.

“Yeah. We were basically middle school sweethearts, but one day, Gerard walked into a fucking Subway , and began cheating on me. With Bert fucking McCracken. For six months. Then, after I found out and broke up with them, they just, they didn’t care. They left, and never tried to reach out. This is the first time I’ve seen them in ten years,” Adam confessed, and Gerard felt the guilt emerge, no longer wanting to argue, and they stayed silent.

“Ya know, I’ve heard that cheaters and homewreckers never change. I wonder what Bert’s up to right now?” Anthony suggested, his huge eyes flickering with devious energy. Gerard and Adam looked at each other, and suddenly things clicked for Gerard.

“Holy shit , Bert wants Tucker,” Gerard blurted out. Adam didn’t even ask for more information – he believed Gerard, and he jumped out of his seat and held his hand out, pulling Gerard off the couch. 

“Truce?” Gerard asked, holding out their hand, and Adam took a deep breath.

“Truce.”

Chapter Text

As Bert pulled Tucker down the hallway, he couldn’t help but blush as he felt the way Tucker’s fingers interlocked with his. He didn’t know what he was going to tell Tucker yet, all he knew was that Adam could not be the first person Tucker spoke to about the situation. Adam was not particularly fond of Bert – and Bert wasn’t ready for Tucker to know all of his worst characteristics yet. 

“Here – we can go in here,” Tucker said, stopping in his tracks and motioning towards the room next to him. Bert stopped with Tucker and looked towards the room.

“It’s my bedroom,” Tucker explained, and Bert’s heart skipped a little. Tucker was bringing Bert to his bedroom. Tucker opened the door, and Bert was hit with the smell of Tucker’s cologne, almost getting Bert more intoxicated just from the smell. The two entered the room, still holding hands, and Bert felt like he was going to pass out. Tucker quickly broke away though, and Bert’s hand and heart soon were replaced with an empty feeling.

“So, what’s going on? What was all that shit with Adam and Gerard?” Tucker asked as he sat down on the bed, looking down at his hands. Bert took the opportunity to sit down next to Tucker and pulled his hands in his, squeezing them. Bert’s heart was racing – he had to come up with a story fast.

“Okay, so I’m not sure why Adam never told you – but they used to date. For like, six years. Started dating like, eighth grade if I‘m correct, and were together till they were like, twenty. You didn’t know about any of that?” Bert asked slowly, and Tucker shook his head.

“No, I mean, we only started seeing each other a couple weeks ago so I don’t exactly expect him to like, tell me his entire dating history. But the fact Gerard came over, and he didn’t say anything to me – I don’t know. He was acting all strange too the second you guys showed up, so now knowing this, it just feels off. Am I being overbearing, or is this kinda weird?” Tucker sighed, and Bert immediately squeezed his hands again, looking at the side of his head with wide, serious eyes. He wished he could just turn Tucker’s head towards his, but he didn’t want to be too much. Not yet.

“No, no, oh my god, not at all. You’re not being overbearing in the slightest – that’s like, suspicious – which brings me to my, um, next point,” Bert stammered, trying to think of any way he could make Adam look bad. Luckily, Bert knows what it is like to be a bad boyfriend, so it came pretty easily to him.

“Okay, well, I met Gerard while they were with Adam. We, um, became friends, good friends. They started telling me all this shit about how unaccepting Adam was – kept calling Gerard his boyfriend, never respected their pronouns. I mean, you heard it – even to this day, Adam referred to them as a ‘he’. It was so awful, and, um, it came to a point where Gerard, um, ran into my work, with a bruise on their cheek. A-apparently, they stood up to him, and he, uh, he hit them,” Bert stumbled over his words, his leg bouncing up and down. He didn’t like lying, and he especially didn’t like lying to Tucker, but he couldn’t let Tucker know that Adam was basically perfect to Gerard when they dated.

“Wh- are you serious? Adam hit Gerard?” Tucker asked, taken aback. Bert just nodded, and before he could continue, Tucker spoke up again.

“Don’t you hit Gerard though? Anthony’s joked about that before, and, um, I never wanted to believe it or bring it up, but…” He trailed off, and Bert felt his blood run cold.

“Um, oh, god no! Haha, no I would never lay a finger on Gerard. I’m just, um, rough during sex. Gerard really, uh, haha, likes it. Sorry, that’s a little tmi, I guess. Feels weird talking about that with you,” Bert immediately responded, lying through his teeth. Tucker raised an eyebrow, but stayed silent, so Bert persisted with his story.

“Um, anyway, I basically had to convince Gerard that they needed to get out of the relationship. So, um, they tried to break up with him, but he was really weird. Like, he was obsessed. Later on, Gerard and I started dating, and we dated for a long time, you know the brief story. I think I talked about it at Brent’s. But yeah, Adam did not get over Gerard. I mean, it was weird,” He explained, unsure of how to give the fake details, and he hoped Tucker wouldn’t ask for specifics.

“Oh, um. Okay,” Tucker said quietly, looking up at Bert finally. “That’s, really great. Of you, I mean. It’s really great you were such a good friend to Gerard, it’s clear you both love each other a lot,” He smiled sadly. The two stared at each other, and Bert swore he felt Tucker’s hands squeeze his back.

This was it – Bert could feel it. Maybe it was all the alcohol, maybe it was the Viagra still in his system, maybe it was the smell of Tucker’s cologne and body heat so close to him. But, he knew this was the moment.

He closed his eyes, and brought one hand to the back of Tucker’s head, and pulled him into a kiss – before hearing a loud slam.

––––

“Where do you think they are?” Gerard asked, worried, hand clenching Adam’s as they moved down the hall quietly. They felt like they were going to be sick – they couldn’t believe they just put it all together.

The way Bert got so nervous about how he looked for Tucker, how much he wanted to impress Tucker, the whole thing with the fucking bandana. It hurt Gerard so much – realizing that all the times that Bert was excited to dress up, to have Gerard do his makeup – was not for Gerard, but for some random hot guy Bert had just met.

“Probably in one of the rooms in this hallway, I’m guessing they haven’t gone that far. It’s not like they are hiding from us, they are just talking,” Adam replied in an annoyed tone. He hated the fact he was currently holding hands with the person he used to think he was going to marry, searching for his sort-of-boyfriend who was with the homewrecker of said past relationship. The two quietly walked down the hallway, before hearing some hushed voices a few feet ahead of them. Adam stopped, causing Gerard to bump into him.

“Hold up, I think they are in there – Tucker’s room,” Adam whispered, feeling his heart sink. He tried to tell himself they were just talking, but his mind always went to the worst-case scenario – thanks to the person who was currently holding his hand.

“Should we, like, knock?” Gerard asked, and Adam rolled his eyes.

“I don’t know Gerard, when you were cheating on me, would you have liked a warning before someone walked in on you?” He snapped, and watched as Gerard’s face fell. Adam felt a twinge of guilt, which upset him. He knew he shouldn’t bother losing any sleep over Gerard anymore, but no matter what, he never wanted to see them hurt.

“Fuck, I’m s–“ Adam started.

“No, don’t apologize. Just, swing the door open. Catch them off guard,” Gerard mumbled, eyes glued to the floor as they cut Adam off. Adam nodded, before turning the door handle and swinging it open, hearing it slam against the other side of the wall.

Both Gerard’s and Adam’s jaws dropped.

Tucker pulled off Bert’s mouth.

“Tucker, what the fuck?” Adam gasped in disbelief, watching as Bert turned towards them, not noticing Gerard who was standing behind Adam’s tall frame.

“Adam, I–,” Tucker started, but Adam shook his head.

“Why are you kissing Bert? Are you fucking kidding me? I, I can’t believe this,” Adam was bewildered, and he ran his hands through his hair frustratedly.

“Really, Adam? You’re really telling me you can’t believe this?” Bert snickered under his breath, and before Adam could even think, he was grabbing a handful of Bert’s shirt and tie and punching him as hard as he could in the face.

“Adam!” Tucker and Gerard yelled in unison, and if Bert wasn’t doubled over with a hand on his face, he would’ve frozen in fear at the high-pitched squeal that came from Gerard.

“Fuck you, Bert. You’re a fucking piece of human garbage, you know that? Do you just relish in ruining any chance of a relationship I get? What the hell is wrong with you?” Adam snarled, grabbing a handful of Bert’s hair, and spitting in his face. He was so mad, so fucking mad.

“Adam, stop!” Tucker yelled, standing up and pushing him off Bert. “I never expected you were the violent type, but first with what Bert told me, and now this, I-“ Tucker babbled, and Adam felt like he was going to throw up.

“What do you mean ‘with what Bert told you’?” He murmured, and Tucker glanced at Bert, who averted his gaze.

“When you hit Gerard.”

Adam felt dizzy. There was no way, this wasn’t happening. Adam opened his mouth in an attempt to defend himself, but no words came out. He felt like he was about to faint.

“What? Adam has never hit me. Adam was a fucking amazing boyfriend, never did a single thing wrong! Bert is a fucking liar, he’s the one who hits me!” Gerard yelled from behind Adam, and he finally felt like he could breathe after those words left his ex’s lips. He turned towards Gerard, and they met his eyes.

“Hold on, but Bert-“ Tucker stuttered, looking towards Bert again, who now had his head in his hands, clearly embarrassed.

“Bert is a liar, Tucker. Whatever he told you, it isn’t true. I, I cheated on Adam. With Bert. For six months. Adam was fucking perfect, so good to me. He didn’t deserve anything I put him through,” Gerard continued to stand up for Adam, finally stepping into the room next to him, and Adam felt a flutter in his stomach. He had never heard those words leave Gerard’s mouth – he never thought he would.

For the last decade, Adam had blamed himself for how things went down between Gerard and him. He was convinced he did something to push them away, to make them cheat on him with the lowlife that was Bert McCracken. None of it made sense – so Adam figured he was some sort of awful boyfriend, someone undeserving of a relationship.

Hearing Gerard say that Adam wasn’t the problem made Adam feel things he never thought he’d feel again.

“I–I’m sorry Adam,” Tucker said quietly. “For kissing Bert.”

“Don’t be. We didn’t have a label, you can do whatever you want,” Adam bit down on his lip, his voice trembling. He felt as Gerard’s hand wrapped around his forearm, providing a light squeeze of comfort.

“Adam, I-“ Tucker pleaded, walking closer to Adam, who looked away.

“Just, stop. We can talk about this later. I think Gerard and Bert need to talk now, considering you just helped Bert cheat on his spouse,” Adam snapped, and Tucker lowered his head, walking past the two and leaving the room. Adam turned his head and watched as Tucker left, his heart twisting, and he felt the tears suddenly fall down his face. Gerard’s hand never left his arm.

“Gerard, are you okay?” Adam asked, looking towards them. He saw their makeup was running, tears staining their cheeks, and knew immediately what they were feeling. He felt the exact same way when Gerard did the same thing to him.

“Bert, w-why?” They managed, everything hitting now after Tucker left. Bert turned, still rubbing his face which was now bruised, and scoffed.

“Really, Gerard? You’re the one who still moans that fucking vile name during sex, don’t get all fucking whiny with me,” Bert hissed, and Gerard’s whole body tensed.

“You were fucking kissing Tucker! And you’ve been wanting to do that this whole time you’ve known him – the bandana shit? You’re fucking sick!” Gerard screamed at their husband.

“Gerard, do you want me to go?” Adam whispered, and Bert whipped his head to look at him.

“Yeah, get the fuck outta here. Fucking pathetic ass loser, can’t even keep a single person to stay loyal to you. How does it feel to lose 0-2, Adam?” Bert sneered, and before Adam could launch at Bert again, Gerard tugged on his arm.

“Stay nearby,” They whispered, almost pleading. Adam took one look at Bert, and remembered what Gerard said – about how he has hit them. He swallowed, and nodded. He turned away from the two, and walked out of the room, shutting the door behind him. He exhaled as he pressed his back against the wall next to the room, sinking down to the floor.

––––

“Can you not be a dick for once in your fucking life? You just cheated on me, ruined a new relationship, and you are acting like you’re the victim? You are truly the worst person I’ve ever met!” Gerard yelled as they approached the man who was still sitting on the bed, now avoiding Gerard’s eyes. Gerard used Bert’s signature tactic and grabbed his jaw in their hand, jerking it to force him to look at them.

“Fucking look at me!” They hissed, and Bert grabbed Gerard’s wrist immediately, pulling it off his face and twisting it, causing Gerard to gasp from the pain. He stood up, Gerard’s wrist still in his grasp, and took a few steps towards them, causing them to stumble backwards slightly.

“Don’t fucking touch me. You’re trying to intimidate me, is that it? Fuck off,” Bert smirked, tightening his grip on their wrist, and they bit down on their lip to shift their focus from the pain on their wrist.

“Why, Bert?” They managed to say, and Bert’s grip loosened.

“Why?” He repeated, and Gerard nodded.

“Why did you cheat on me?” They asked quietly, and Bert let go of them before turning away.

“I don’t know.”

Gerard wanted more than that.

“Explain, please. Please Bert, I need to kn-“ They continued, and Bert rolled his eyes.

“There! That’s why! You’re so fucking dramatic, whining all the fucking time, causing me every fucking problem known to man. You’re the most draining person I’ve ever met in my entire life!” He shouted, unsure of why he was so angry, but he couldn’t help himself. “Meanwhile, Tucker is calm, collected, he’s fucking normal! He’s attractive without being obsessed with himself, he’s outgoing, he’s actually likable! Is it really that big of a surprise that sometimes I’m fucking tired of your bullshit?”

Gerard swallowed audibly, biting the inside of their cheek. Their hands were shaking – and the words spilled out like vomit.

“Man, I’m so fucking glad I visited Frank today. At least I know someone fucking loves me,” They snarled, and before they could even blink, Bert’s hand was wrapped around their throat, banging their head against the wall behind them.

“You. Did. What?” Bert growled, face inches away from Gerard’s.

“You fucking heard me,” Gerard said in a hoarse voice, fingers tight around their neck, before spitting directly in Bert’s face.

Bert didn’t respond. Instead, Bert pulled Gerard a foot away from the wall, and slammed their head as hard as he could back into the wall. He wiped the saliva off his face, and looked back at Gerard.

“Let go of me, you fucking asshole!” Gerard yelled, but Bert only squeezed harder. Gerard began banging their fist against the wall as hard as they could, and Bert used his free hand to pin it to the wall alongside their head.

“Shut the fuck up!” Bert growled. “No one is gonna be your knight in shining armor, when are you going to understand that? What, your ex that you cheated on? Anthony? No one in this house gives a fuck about you!” He yelled back, squeezing Gerard’s neck to the point where he knew Gerard couldn’t respond. He watched as Gerard broke eye contact to look behind him.

“I care about them. So, get the hell away from them, you sick fuck.”

Bert froze at the voice, but soon registered it was Adam’s. He kept his hold on Gerard and turned his head to meet Adam’s.

“Awh, still trying to win them back? ‘Oh Gerard! Look at me! I’m going to save you, now can we get married and live happily ever after? I’ll be the perfect husband, all kind and gentle! We’ll have the most boring, simple sex known the man, I’ll bring you breakfast in bed, let’s be middle school sweethearts again!’ Get real, Adam, it’s been a fucking decade. Move on,” Bert laughed. Gerard winced as the grip around their neck crushed their windpipe, and began to panic at the lack of oxygen they were experiencing.

“Jesus Christ, Bert, they can’t breathe!” Adam yelled worriedly, running up to the couple and forcing Bert’s hands off them, shoving him backwards as Gerard fell into Adam’s arms, coughing as they tried to take in air.

“Yeah, that was the fucking point,” Bert grumbled as he steadied himself. He turned back and watched as Adam stabilized Gerard, arms locked around them.

“What the fuck did I say, Adam? Move on, let go of them!” He growled, peering around the room. He knew Adam could beat him in any sort of physical fight, considering he was half a foot taller and was made of pure muscle, so he had to get creative and be prepared if something were to go down. Luckily, his eyes caught a glimpse of something shiny next to a couple packages on Tucker’s desk.

“No, Bert! You were just strangling them, this isn’t about me trying to win them back or whatever the fuck you’re on about! I’ve known Gerard since they were 14, I’m not just going to stand here and watch as you almost kill them!” Adam yelled back, arms holding Gerard close to him, feeling them take deep breaths against his chest, before they slightly pulled away.

“Thank you, Adam. I think, I think I’m good now. Please, don’t leave, I need you here,” Gerard whispered, eyes wide as they stared at Adam. He smiled softly and pushed a strand of hair out of their face.

“Don’t worry, I’m not leaving you alone with this monster,” He replied, and Gerard nodded. Bert smirked as the two were too focused on comforting each other to notice him take a few steps over to Tucker’s desk. He picked up the shiny object he noticed earlier, turning it around in his hands a few times.

It was a box cutter.

Bert smiled to himself, rage coursing through his veins – how convenient.

Gerard took a deep breath and turned towards Bert, who was standing a little too close than Gerard would like, but they definitely felt a lot safer with Adam here.

“Bert, I fucking hate you. You’re the biggest asshole I’ve ever met. I don’t know why you’re so screwed up, I really don’t, but honestly, get some fucking help!” They exclaimed, their voice raspy, and they coughed a few times afterward.

“Got it all out? Great! Adam, that’s your cue. Get out of here,” Bert chuckled, ignoring any of the words that left his wife’s mouth. All he could think about were the words Gerard spoke just minutes prior, the words that told Bert that Gerard had been with Frank again.

“Bert, stop! He isn’t leaving!” Gerard said sternly, taking a few steps closer to Bert so they were face to face, before Gerard turned their head to look at Adam.

“Yeah, I’m not going anywhere,” Adam affirmed, and the two stared at each other, causing Gerard’s heart to flutter – Adam was always so loyal.

Bert couldn’t stand it any longer – he needed Adam to get the fuck away from this room, and he needed Gerard to face the consequences of their actions. While Gerard was making ‘fuck me’ eyes or whatever at Adam, Bert realized it was his chance.

Bert swiftly grabbed Gerard’s arm and tugged them close to him, their back against his chest, then shifted his hand around their mouth, holding their head into him whilst simultaneously shutting them up. With the other hand, he pulled out the box cutter, slid it open, and held it to their throat.

“Bert, what the fuck!” Adam cried out, running up to where Bert and Gerard stood, but stopped in his tracks as he watched Bert inch the weapon closer to Gerard’s neck. Gerard was trembling, watching the box cutter with wide, watery eyes, their pleas and cries unintelligible and muffled from Bert’s hand pressed tightly against their face.

“Stay the fuck back! You understand me? Take one more step, I fucking dare you! You wanna see what happens when you mess with me, Adam?” Bert roared, and Adam put his hands up, taking a couple of steps back.

“Come on, please, drop the weapon. Bert, you’re mad, I get it, but please, don’t take it out on Gerard, don’t hurt th-“ Adam tried to say soothingly, but was cut off from Bert’s loud laughter.

“Don’t try to talk me off the ledge! I’m so serious, I’m so fucking serious Adam! Take one step closer, and I’ll fucking slash this whore’s throat right in front of you. You wanna know what they did?” Bert then shifted his focus towards his spouse, “Huh, Gerard? Want me to tell him about Frank? Want me to explain why you visiting Frank upsets me so much?”

Gerard mumbled a slight variation of a ‘no’ from under Bert’s hand, crying as they watched the box cutter in fear. They had no idea how Bert went from the doting husband, protecting them from Anthony earlier, to holding a box cutter to their throat. They looked to Adam, who was frozen in fear.

“I’m, I’m not stepping closer, I swear Bert – please, let them go,” Adam asked quietly, hands still out in front of him, making eye contact with Gerard. He had never seen them so scared before, so defeated.

“Leave. If you want me to let go of Gerard, leave the fucking room!” Bert yelled, voice echoing through the bedroom. Tucker’s walls must be pretty soundproof – considering no one has even attempted to check in on whatever commotion was taking place.

“Bert, I–I can’t!” Adam replied, a desperate tone in his voice as Gerard pleaded with their eyes for Adam to stay. Bert smirked and jerked Gerard’s head upwards, their neck on display for Adam to see. He slowly pressed the blade against the thin skin, and Gerard whimpered against Bert’s hand, shutting their eyes tightly and Bert felt their entire body tense up.

“Yes, you fucking can. And you will,” Bert said in a low growl, the side of his mouth curling up as he relished in the power he had in this situation. He felt Gerard’s hands begin to move to his hand cupped around their face, attempting to tug it away. He responded to this by briefly jerking the blade of the box cutter slightly, causing a muffled cry to leave Gerard’s mouth.

“Don’t fucking move you cunt! Pull that shit again, and I’ll make damn sure to cut you a lot deeper than that!” Bert bellowed, watching as a small drop of blood rolled down their neck, and he felt Gerard grow completely still in his grip, the only motions were the shakes of their body from the crying.

“What the fuck are you waiting for? Get the hell out of here!” He turned his attention back towards Adam, who was teary eyed at this point, fists clenching.

“Gerard, I–“ Adam started, taking a step towards the two without even thinking, before hearing Gerard attempt to shout at him an incoherent string of words Adam could only assume was them saying, “Adam stop! Get back!”

Bert chuckled, looking between his mess of a spouse and the pathetic ex who were both powerless at the moment. He felt drunk off the amount of control he possessed, he missed this. He missed having Gerard at his mercy, he missed the violence, and he missed using Gerard as his punching bag.

“You heard them. Get. The fuck. Out,” He grinned as Gerard only made a pathetic cry under his hand.

Adam was at a loss for words – he had no idea what to do. At first, he thought Bert was bluffing – there was no way this 5’6 lowlife was capable of actually killing someone. But after Bert cut Gerard as a warning, and how Gerard was basically pleading for Adam to stay away at this point, he knew he had no choice. As much as it pained him, he knew he needed to leave the room. He just prayed that by the time he got help and came back – Gerard would still be alive.

“Okay, okay, fuck. I’ll leave. Bert, please, be rational–“ Adam begged, but was met with another booming fit of laughter.

“Rational? This is the most rational thing I’ve done the entire time I’ve been married to Gerard. God, if only you fucking knew, Adam. Gerard is not the same person you dated, I’ll have you know. They are a fucking sick, twisted, freak. You know they fucked an old man they were supposed to be taking care of? Yeah! Got fired from their first real job in ages because they couldn’t keep their filthy hands off some poor, senile, dementia patient!” Bert hissed, and Gerard was only sobbing loudly under Bert’s hand in response.

“W–what?” Adam asked, and Bert just nodded.

“Went from a cheater, to a prostitute, to a nurse who fucked their patient. You really think they are worthy of some good treatment? Honestly, Adam, I think they deserve everything I put them through. Now get the fuck out of here.”

Bert stared at Adam with huge, angry eyes, and Adam took one look at Gerard. He had no idea Gerard got into prostitution after he broke up with them, let alone took advantage of some old man. He took a deep breath – regardless of the shit Gerard has done, he knew he still had to get help. Adam turned around and begin to walk out of the door, not wanting to look behind him out of fear he’d meet Gerard’s terrified eyes, the eyes that made Adam want to stay in that room and knock Bert out. He knew he couldn’t do that – it was too dangerous, and Adam also couldn’t stand to look at the shell of the person he used to love at the moment.

“Stay out, motherfucker!” Bert called out after him, and Adam shut the door. He wasted no time, running back towards the lounge as fast as he could, horrific images of what Bert could be doing to Gerard flashing through his mind.

––––

Bert finally pulled his hand off Gerard’s mouth and the box cutter away from their throat, before walking to the door and turning the lock on the handle. He knew Adam was probably going to come back with some sort of posse, and Bert was not in the mood for his friends to see him at the moment. He turned back towards Gerard, who was still standing in the same place. They were shaking, one sleeve of their dress falling off their shoulder, makeup basically gone at this point – besides some lipstick smeared down their chin, and Bert looked down at his hand, which shared the same color on it.

“Your ex is very persistent,” Bert smirked, walking closer to Gerard, who took a few steps back from him.

“S–stop,” They begged quietly.

“When are you going to understand that you can’t tell me what to do?” He replied, flipping the box cutter around in his fingers, and watched as Gerard’s eyes grew wide with fear at the sight.

“Please, I can’t – I need to leave,” Gerard whimpered, and it seemed like they were talking to themself rather than Bert. Bert chuckled.

“No, you need to learn that your actions have consequences, Gerard,” Bert took a couple steps closer to his spouse, who continued to back up before Bert seized their arm, halting their movements.

“I can’t believe you tried to give me shit about kissing Tucker, when you went out and did something a thousand times worse. Does the nursing home know about this? Does Mikey know about this? What the fuck is wrong with you?” Bert growled, getting directly in Gerard’s face and glaring into their eyes.

“I–“ Gerard started, but Bert shook his head. “I don’t want to know, actually. I’d rather fucking kill both you and Frank at the moment. You fucking disgusting, repulsive, waste of fucking oxygen!” Bert yelled before backhanding them across the face. Bert smiled as they yelped in pain, reminiscing on the first time he hit them – it felt like they were just at the hotel together.

“You know this is all your fault, right? If you weren’t such a disloyal cunt who was obsessed with some old loser who never actually loved you, I wouldn’t have ever hit you in the first place,” Bert struck Gerard again, who was struggling to stay on their feet at this point, only standing upright from Bert’s hand steadying them.

“Apologize to me,” He said strictly, but Gerard had their eyes glued to the floor, biting down on their lip. Bert exhaled frustratedly and slapped them across the face once again. “Apologize you fucking bitch!”

“I’m sorry!” They cried, looking up to meet Bert’s eyes, and Bert let his grip soften before letting go of them. They fell into his chest, sobbing into the fabric, clutching onto the white, wrinkled dress shirt. Bert lightly stroked their hair, letting them hold onto him for a brief moment as they cried, before pulling them off him, hands on their shoulders as he made direct eye contact with them.

“Go sit down, I have a phone call to make,” He ordered quietly, motioning towards the bed. Gerard looked confused, but silently obeyed as they walked towards the bed and took a seat. They watched as Bert pulled his phone out, and began typing frantically.

“W–who are you calling?” Gerard asked softly, and Bert just held up a finger to them, before smiling at his phone.

“Thank god businesses have public numbers, makes things so much easier,” He grinned in response, and Gerard’s stomach dropped. Bert put the phone up to his ear, and the room was completely silent except for the slight ringing coming from the phone.

“Hello? Is this the Turtle Creek Retirement Home?” Bert asked calmly, and Gerard sprung up frantically.

“No, no! Bert, stop – fuck, please stop!” Gerard begged, but Bert covered the phone with his hand and turned to them, shushing them.

“Gerard, please shut the fuck up, it’s rude to talk to me when I’m clearly on the phone,” He uncovered the cell and put it back up to his ear. “Yeah, hi! Who am I speaking to? Oh, well hello Dr. Toro! I called to ask, is there record of Mr. Frank Iero having any visitors today? No? Hm, that’s odd,” Bert spoke in a clear, loud voice. He seemed so amused with himself, and Gerard was frozen on the bed, their heart in their throat.

“Yeah, I mean it’s odd because I’ve been informed that a disgruntled ex-employee saw Mr. Iero today. Did you know about this?” He continued, and Gerard couldn’t control themself – they jumped from the bed and tackled Bert to the ground – his head banging against the hardwood floor loudly as they both crashed on the floor. Gerard wrestled the phone out of his hands and clicked the red button to disconnect the call before anything could get worse for them, then threw the phone onto the far side of the bed away from the two. They looked down at their husband under them.

“Oh, you are fucking in for it!” Bert shouted, but Gerard grabbed Bert’s wrists and pinned them by his head, putting their entire weight into holding him to the ground, heart racing. Bert thrashed under Gerard’s weight, kicking erratically.

“Let go of me right fucking now, you understand me? Get the fuck off me you little tramp!” He commanded, fuming with anger.

“Shut the fuck up, you pathetic little man,” Gerard hissed, digging their nails roughly into Bert’s wrists as they held him down. They were using every ounce of strength they had – they were truly in survival mode at the moment. This was their flight or fight instinct kicking in, and Gerard realized flight wouldn’t work this time.

“I’m going to fucking kill you, Gerard Way. I want to break you down till you are absolutely nothing but a goddamn wreck, and then kill you. You are the most undeserving person of a life, truly a waste of a body,” Bert gnarled, and Gerard let go of one of his wrists and slapped him as hard as they could across his face, catching him off guard. Before Gerard could resituate, Bert grabbed their hair and yanked, causing them to lose balance and stumble off him. Gerard immediately tried to stand up, but Bert took a hold of their leg and pulled them back to the ground. Bert frantically climbed on top of Gerard, assuming the position that Gerard was once in.

“Get off me, now,” Gerard struggled underneath Bert, and Bert tightened his grip. Before he could respond, he saw the door handle shaking.

“Hey! Open the door!” A voice shouted, and Bert froze, Gerard still pinned under him. Bert and Gerard looked at each other, Bert’s face filling with worry while Gerard grinned.

“Someone hel–Mphmm!“ Gerard began to scream before Bert used one hand to cover Gerard’s mouth.

“Gerard? Is that you?” The voice shouted, and Bert immediately realized it was Adam.

“Heh… What’s going on? Bertie, princess, why is the door locked? Everything alright in there? If not… How about you open the door so I can come explore the situation a little closer?” A higher pitched voice asked slowly, and it was clear that Anthony was with Adam at the moment.

“Hey guys, everything is fine! Gerard and I, um, we are currently, uh, busy, y’all can come back later,” Bert stammered, trying to hold down the flailing Gerard.

“Mmghmm–“ Gerard fought against Bert before they bit down on his hand suddenly, causing Bert to pull back. “He’s busy trying to ki– Ow! Fuck!” Gerard was cut off by Bert slapping them with his hand that was just bit. He took his tie off as fast as he could and shoved it into Gerard’s mouth before they could draw more attention to themself. He returned his other hand to their free wrist now, and Gerard glared at him with a deadly stare. Bert responded to this with a patronizing grin.

“Just, I mean, I don’t want to be crude – but I’m currently inside Gerard right now. Can we get some privacy right now?” Bert laughed nervously, and Gerard rolled their eyes under Bert, still struggling against his grip.

“Well, you simply must let me entire the premises Bert… I’d be utterly grateful for decades if I can get in on the fun for the second time tonight…” Anthony said through the door, and Bert exhaled frustratedly.

“No, Anthony. Just, um, husband and wife time now. Thanks for the offer though!” He replied quickly.

“Bert, I’m not buying that shit, open the fucking door before I call the cops on you!” Adam yelled, banging against the door. Bert began to panic at that moment – he could not get the cops involved. He looked at Gerard, who seemed to be trying to push the tie out of their mouth unsuccessfully, and made his mind up.

Bert moved his knee to between Gerard’s legs, and began pressing against their crotch, moving his thigh up and down. Gerard immediately stared at Bert, eyes wide, full of anger, uncertainty, and – to no surprise – lust.

A stifled “Bert!” came from Gerard, but it was soon replaced with the sound of a slightly muffled moan of pleasure, so Bert continued. He was eternally grateful that Gerard was the biggest slut he knew at the moment.

“Ohhh, I could recognize that sound anywhere. Does Bert feel good right now, princess?” Anthony said in a raspy tone. “Bro, stop, ew. What the hell is wrong with you? Ugh, Bert, this isn’t going to work on me. Open up right now! Or else I’m getting the key from Tucker and walking in on my own!” Adam interrupted the older man. Bert was very glad it was Adam threatening, because luckily, he knew how to hit Adam where it hurt the most.

“I’m very sure you don’t wanna do that, Adam. Are you tryna relive the time you watched those security cameras or something? Hey, if you wanted to get in on this, you could’ve just asked, pretty boy,” Bert laughed loudly, still grinding his thigh against Gerard, who was barely fighting back at this point, only letting out quiet moans against the tie.

“Wh– what? Stop, don’t–“ Adam started, causing Bert to laugh more.

“I mean, I’m trying to look out for you right now. We all know how you reacted to seeing me fuck Gerard on those silver tables at the Subway, so I was putting your best interest in mind – you probably don’t want to see your ex a moaning mess under me again, right?” He snickered, and removed a hand from Gerard’s wrist, moving it downwards before hiking their dress up and palming their cock through their underwear, causing a loud shriek of pleasure to erupt from them.

“O–Oh, um, I–“ Adam stuttered, and Bert was certain Adam heard Gerard. He smiled, and gave one final warning.

“Now, if everyone could give us some privacy, I’d greatly appreciate it!” Bert yelled. He heard some footsteps, and then someone clearing their throat.

“Come on, Adam. Nothing crazy is happening, we can come back if we hear anything… I’ll be sure to pay good attention to the sounds echoing throughout this lovely manor in case I am needed at this room again…” Anthony exhaled, and Bert could hear a slight hum of agreement, before the footsteps quieted. Bert removed his hand from Gerard’s cock and brought it back to their wrist, and Gerard hazily looked up at Bert, shaking themselves out of being turned on as they realized their situation once again.

“You are so stupid, my dumb little slut. They were right there, some saviors stood right outside that door, but you are too much of a whore to pick freedom over pleasure. God, you’re the most pathetic person I’ve ever laid eyes on,” Bert smirked as he looked at Gerard, whose cheeks reddened from the humiliation.

“Okay? You’re stupid too!” Gerard snapped before kneeing Bert as hard as possible in the crotch, and Bert let out an ear-piercing, girly scream, rolling off Gerard and clutching his lower regions with his hands as he laid on his back.

“Oh my god, fuck fuck fuck! Gerard what the hell is wrong with you?” Bert cried, and Gerard stood up, looking at Bert as he writhed in pain on the ground.

“Who’s the abusive one now, huh? Kneeing me like that, are you trying to make me infertile?” Bert groaned, and Gerard laughed.

“You are still the abusive one, you fucking idiot. It’s called self-defense, duh. And I’d be doing the world a favor if I made you infertile, considering your two kids in the first place are in your parents’ custody, and I have no say over it because I’m not their legal guardian. So, I’m sure it wouldn’t be a bad thing if you weren’t able to reproduce again,” Gerard laughed, before kicking Bert in his side, to prevent him getting up to attack them again. Bert cursed as Gerard’s shoe collided with his ribcage, continuing to cry.

“Huh, you on your period or something?” Gerard snickered, thinking about how Bert treated them when he first beat them. “Doesn’t feel great, does it?”

Bert looked up at them and despite the discomfort coursing through his body, he flashed a wide, toothy smile.

“We really belong with each other, don’t we? You and I, we are the exact same. We love hurting each other, we both crave controlling each other. You’re sick in the head, and so am I. Soulmates, Gerard. Soulmates,” He spat at them, and Gerard stiffened.

“We are not the same.” Gerard turned around to face the door, and ran a hand through their hair.

“Yes, we are. Think about Gee – we unconsciously did the exact same thing today, basically cheated on each other – before getting horrendously upset at the other. We both physically fought each other out of anger, we say hurtful shit to get a rise out of the other. We are hypocrites, we are violent, and we are fucking meant for each other,” He replied, watching Gerard with an intense gaze. They still weren’t facing Bert, so he gathered himself to sit normally instead of laying down, even though his body ached.

“You love it – the fighting, and I love it too. We are always getting even with each other; our score is tied at this point. You seriously think we aren’t destined to be together? You fuck up, we fight, we makeup, I fuck up, we fight, we make up. You’ve done horrendous shit Gerard, you don’t deserve someone like Adam, or whatever your made-up version of Frank is. You deserve me, and I deserve you. It’s a fact, and deep down, you know it. That’s why you haven’t left me. You know we belong together, and you know that no matter how much you hate me, you still love me and you won’t ever stop loving me.”

Gerard turned their head back to look at Bert.

“You are the last person I could ever love,” They said in a monotone voice, before briskly walking to the door. They unlocked it, stepped out, and slammed it shut without even checking behind them.

––––

“So, you wanted to talk more,” Adam tried to sound as uninterested as possible, but he knew his façade was crumbling as Tucker sat next to him in some sort of office. After Adam overheard Gerard and Bert having sex when he came back to help them – he gave up again. He wanted to just leave, and block Tucker so he’d never have to deal with this again, but he couldn’t deny that he was developing intense feelings for him, and generally had so much fun with Tucker.

“Okay, well. Here’s the thing – I shouldn’t have believed Bert. Obviously, I knew deep down you would never hurt Gerard, but I’ve never seen you so angry before, and it kinda just convinced me that Bert was telling the truth, which is stupid, but I had no idea Bert was like that. Every time I hung out with him, he was so friendly, and outgoing, but also a little insecure and humble. He became a close friend of mine really fast, but I didn’t really, know him, I guess. And, I swear to god, Adam, Bert kissed me out of nowhere. Before I could even push him off me, you guys walked in. It looked a lot worse than it was – but I’m not attracted to him, like, at all. I didn’t even realize he liked me in, um, that way,” Tucker explained, and Adam couldn’t help but relive experiences. He remembered trying to justify Gerard’s actions before he confronted them about the affair, staying on the phone with John Nolan for hours, mainly trying to convince himself that Gerard was being manipulated into this – that they never wanted this and whoever that employee was, he was forcing them. Of course, he had to accept that he was being delusional, thanks to John Nolan’s help and blunt honesty.

Now, he feels like it’s Tucker being delusional, lying to Adam, just to brush off suspicions. Adam thought about how he would’ve normally reacted if it wasn’t for his past of being cheated on – and his stomach tightened as he felt the anger he felt towards Gerard bubble up again.

How could they have done what they did? Especially with how they described him tonight – it didn’t make sense. What was it about Bert that was so much better than Adam? He replayed Gerard’s words over in his mind.

“Adam was a fucking amazing boyfriend, never did a single thing wrong! Adam was fucking perfect, so good to me. He didn’t deserve anything I put him through.”

If that was the case – why did they do what they did to him? Adam ran his hand through his red, mess of hair, and he knew he probably looked like a wreck from all the insanity that has happened. He looked up to Tucker, who was patiently awaiting a response.

“Listen, Tucker. I should’ve told you about Bert and Gerard when they walked into the room, so that’s my fault. But, I had every right to get angry at Bert – and I didn’t think that expressing anger would automatically be used as ‘evidence’ for me being abusive. I thought you trusted me better than that, and I thought I treated you good enough for you to never believe shit like that. Was I wrong for thinking that? Help me understand, Tucker. Help me understand why you gave into Bert so easily, why you trusted him with ease while you denied the same privilege to me, why you thought it’d be okay to leave with him in the first place. You chose Bert to be the one to explain the situation, I mean, I asked you if we could talk about it! But you chose to listen to Bert and left with him instead!” Adam vented, feeling himself grow more upset as he continued to think out loud. “And, what was that shit in the lounge when Bert, Gerard, and Anthony came back upstairs, huh? You got all weird – you were quiet, tense, leaning away from me. I know that isn’t because of Anthony or Gerard, so don’t give me that bullshit that you have no feelings for him. Because if he was just a typical friend, like Brent or Anthony, you wouldn’t have reacted that way, you wouldn’t have held onto his hand as you ran out of the room to let him ‘explain everything’ to you!”

Adam felt like his heart was in his throat, and he realized that he was right the second Tucker’s face fell at his words. Tucker looked down at the ground, silently gathering his thoughts.

“Okay, fuck, okay. I never once considered anything with Bert, like, ever, but for some reason I just felt weird after they had that threesome. I don’t know how to explain it! And, I think I was just mad that you kept shit from me, like, Gerard and Bert were downstairs for basically an hour, you had so much time to tell me. But you didn’t, so my bad if I chose to let my friend tell me instead!” Tucker exclaimed, getting defensive, and Adam just let out a pity laugh.

“What is it about that guy? First, the person I dated for six years, the person I thought I was going to spend the rest of my life with, and then the first guy I felt romantically comfortable with in years. Both of you guys, both of you would rather have him over me! You know what, Tucker? I’ll see you later, or around, or whatever that shit means. I need space. Do what you want, I don’t care at this point. I’m just not cut out for this kind of shit,” Adam exhaled, standing up, brushing the wrinkles out of his shirt. Tucker stayed seated, watching him with the bluish green eyes Adam would always compliment.

“Adam, come on,” Tucker urged, but Adam made up his mind as of now. He placed a kiss on Tucker’s forehead, then turned and left the room, heading back to the lounge to get his stuff and go home. He originally had plans to spend the night with Tucker, but obviously now, that wasn’t going to happen. He shut the door behind him, and as he began walking back towards the lounge, he heard running behind him, before something tugged on his arm.

“Adam!” Gerard shouted, pulling his arm a little harder, turning him around to face them. They were battered with bruises, the small cut on their neck crusted with dry blood, their dress barely on.

“Oh, hey Gerard. Good to see you, are, um, okay. Seems like Bert and you made up,” He replied quietly, hearing Gerard’s moans replay in his mind. Gerard raised an eyebrow at him, and then widened their eyes as if a lightbulb went off in their mind.

“Oh, oh my god, no! Bert, he was lying. He had me pinned to the ground and I couldn’t talk but he didn’t want you guys to, like, get involved in our fight, so he started saying that shit so he’d convince you to leave,” They replied simply, as if it was somehow a normal experience.

“But, I heard you moan, like, twice,” Adam chuckled nervously, still not fully buying Gerard’s story.

“Yeah, well, tmi, but he started, like, um, you know, while he was talking to you guys so he could get vocal evidence. It wasn’t my fault, we weren’t actually having sex or anything. Here, look at my wrists,” Gerard held their wrists out, which were bruised in a way that looked like someone’s hands were wrapped around them, pressing hard. Adam sighed and took their wrists into his hands, delicately moving his fingers along their injuries.

It was heart-wrenching seeing how normal this seemed to be for Gerard – that they were being held down and hurt by their husband, and then being sexually manipulated just for the sake of the husband wanting to seem like a good guy. Adam didn’t know how Gerard got stuck in a marriage like this, and it broke his heart knowing this is what happened to the person he used to love with his whole being.

“Want to walk to the lounge with me? Where’s Bert?” Adam asked gently, and Gerard looked behind them.

“In the room. I, um, I said some harsh stuff. I think I really shocked him, and I feel like, I don’t know. I feel free at the moment. Where’s Tucker?” Gerard replied, and Adam saw a sort of light glimmer in Gerard’s eyes. Adam chuckled, beginning to walk down the hall with Gerard, motioning his head behind him as well.

“The office. We tried to talk about stuff, didn’t go too well. I’m taking a break from him, I don’t know for how long, but I just need space.”

Gerard nodded – they knew exactly what Adam was feeling. After Bert tried to say they were exactly alike, something snapped in them. They knew they were messed up – but they were not fucked up in the same way that Bert was.

The two approached the lounge, and Adam opened one of the doors, holding it with one hand as he let Gerard in first. They were met with stares from Anthony, Brent, and William, and it was silent until Brent spoke up.

“Um, what the hell happened?” He asked, and Anthony immediately stood up and glided over towards Gerard, wrapping his spindly hands around their waist and picking them up, spinning them around like he did when they first arrived. Gerard gasped, and Adam put his hand on Anthony’s shoulder.

“Hey, man, they just went through some shit. Maybe don’t just, do whatever it is your doing, right now,” Adam said awkwardly, and Anthony turned his head to look at Adam, slowly returning Gerard to the ground as he maintained eye contact with him.

“Heh, look at you. I like how protective you are – first you providing aid for my princess in a time of need, now looking out for them even when I was utterly harmless – has anyone ever told you that your height is outright appealing? And that red hair… eye-catching, truly eye-catching…” Anthony responded, and Adam looked at Gerard, puzzled, and Gerard shrugged, almost laughing at Anthony obviously hitting on Adam.

“Are you guys, gonna get Bert and Tucker back out here? We gotta take those photos still, I didn’t dress up for nothing! Also, Gerard, no offense, but you might wanna redo your makeup. It’s a little smudged – not that it looks bad or anything! It’s just, heh, I know Tucker wants these to be, like, really good, and I just want to make sure we look our bests. I’m planning on getting some of these pictures framed, maybe a small print too for my wallet!” Brent spoke quickly, sentences only breaking for him to take breaths. Adam shook his head and exhaled.

“Nah, photo shoot won’t be happening – not with us at least,” Adam replied, and Brent let out a loud, exasperated sigh, which Adam ignored as he turned towards Gerard. “Um, since we are, still truced – do you need a ride home? Or like, to a hospital? I know you must be in pain, so it’s the least I can do, I mean–“ Adam stammered, and Gerard laughed softly.

“A ride home would be great, thank you.”

Adam nodded, and walked quickly to get his bag. He knew he shouldn’t engage with Gerard at all – it was a terrible idea – but after what he witnessed Gerard go through today, he didn’t want to just leave them here, he couldn’t. Adam walked to the barstools and grabbed his bag off chair, before walking back to Gerard.

“Ready?” They asked, and Adam smiled and nodded.

“See you guys, hopefully you get the photos you want,” Adam stated, and Gerard hummed in agreement. Anthony approached the two again, and grabbed Gerard’s jaw, pulling them into a ferocious kiss, then pulling away as he licked his lips.

“Goodbye for now, my saccharine morsel,” He grinned, and Gerard stared at him, dumbfounded and unsure of how to respond. Adam looked between the two, feeling extremely uncomfortable at what Anthony just did – he felt bad that Gerard hardly had autonomy over their own body.

The two turned away and walked out of the lounge, immediately turning down the staircase to leave the house. Once they were outside and most likely out of Anthony’s hearing range, Adam turned to Gerard.

“Hey, are you okay? That, that wasn’t cool of Anthony right there,” He asked worriedly, but Gerard shrugged.

“I’m used to things like that,” They replied quietly, and opened the car door after Adam unlocked it. He must’ve gotten a new car, this was not the dark red Honda civic they remembered they shared back in the day.

“Oh, that’s… Not right. I’m sorry, you know that? You shouldn’t have to be used to things like that,” Adam replied, getting into the driver’s seat, and everything felt too familiar – Gerard in the passenger’s seat, looking out the window.

“Can you give me directions? Also, what music are you thinking? Here’s my phone – play whatever you want. Password is the same,” Adam smiled sadly, and handed Gerard his phone. Gerard turned the phone over their hand, before turning it on. His lock screen was a picture of Adam next to a guy that looked somewhat familiar to Gerard, but they couldn’t exactly figure it out.

“Is this a friend from college?” Gerard asked, and Adam chuckled.

“Yeah, that’s John Nolan. He’s my best friend to this day – he, uh, he’s the one. Who, ya know,” Adam said awkwardly, and Gerard coughed, unsure of how to respond, so they just nodded. The two drove in silence as they drove down Tucker’s long, private driveway, before Adam finally spoke up.

“Left or right? Also, um, you can play music, you know,” He laughed uncomfortably, and Gerard shifted in their seat, remembering what they were supposed to be doing.

“Left, get on the freeway going south – you know where the Walmart is? It’s kinda by there, and yeah, sorry. Getting on Spotify now,” Gerard replied nervously, embarrassed of their address now. They were glad Adam just asked for verbal directions, they did not want to have to tell Adam that their actual home address was 123 Sesame St. They unlocked his phone – Adam was right, the password was 0922, his birthday. Gerard remembered how they used to have somewhat matching passwords; Gerard’s was their birthday too. They set up those together.

They opened up Spotify, briefly smiling to themselves as they remembered Ryan’s Tucker Thursday costume – they still couldn’t get over how Ryan went as Spotify France. They clicked on his profile, but quickly realized he was not logged into a personal account, but his band’s profile. Gerard’s eyes grew wide, and they smiled as they scrolled through it, clicking on the first out of three albums, and playing the first song.

“Oh my god, stop right now, you little fuck!” Adam laughed, trying to grab the phone from Gerard, who held it out of his reach, laughing along with him.

“Come on! You seemed really proud of your band; I need to hear some of your music! Also, I like the title of this one, ‘You Know How I Do’. Did you come up with that? What, what instrument do you play?” Gerard asked, nodding their head to the beginning of the song, before quickly realizing the answer to their question. It was Adam singing. Before Adam could reply, Gerard turned in their seat excitedly.

“Adam! You, you’re the lead singer? No fucking way! Okay, sing along right now!” Gerard exclaimed, and Adam chuckled, his cheeks growing red with embarrassment.

“Fuck off, oh my god,” He laughed, and Gerard blushed.

“No, I mean it! That’s, that’s really fucking cool. I’m, really happy for you, Adam. Maybe next time you play a show, I can stop by,” They smiled, and Adam smiled as he made a left turn onto the freeway. Gerard noticed Adam started humming along to the melody, and Gerard sat back in their seat as the two continued to drive.

“Um, take this exit – there’s an apartment complex if you turn right, pull up to that and um, that’s my place,” Gerard spoke up after two songs played, and Adam nodded, following Gerard’s words. The two pulled up to the building, and he pulled into one of the vacant parking spots.

“Alright, I’ll, uh, see you around. This was nice, it was good seeing you, Gerard. I mean, besides like, the insanity that happened tonight. I’m glad you’re okay – please, please take care of yourself,” Adam said softly to Gerard, and Gerard looked up at Adam as they opened the car door.

“Yeah, thank you. Like, seriously, thank you Adam. I’ll see you around,” They replied, before getting out and shutting the door, walking quickly to the entrance of the building to get out of the cold as soon as possible. Adam watched as they walked to the doors, and they turned and met Adam’s gaze, smiling and putting their hand up as a slight wave. Adam smiled in return, and turned his car back on. After Gerard got inside the building, Adam pulled out of the lot, the music Gerard selected still playing as he turned down the street to head back home.

Chapter Text

Bert was completely shocked.

The fight with Gerard – things had gone way too far, even for them . Bert knew he made some pretty bad mistakes during that fight, but he never once expected the response Gerard gave.

 There was always an unspoken promise between the two, they could throw the words “I hate you!” around as frequently as they wanted, but denying the love they shared was forbidden – at least that’s what Bert thought. He knew he would never say he didn’t love Gerard, because not once in his life had he ever fallen out of love with them. 

It crushed him inside to hear that Gerard and him aren’t on the same page, and clearly haven’t been for a long time now.

 As much as Bert hurt – both mentally and physically – he needed to get up, he needed to get drunk, he needed something that he couldn’t place his finger on. He staggered up to his feet, grunting and wincing as he still recovered from the kick in the ribs he faced earlier from Gerard. He considered going to the lounge to drink, but he guessed that Gerard was there, probably with Adam, and he knew their pattern.

Cry, avoid any questions, cry some more, break down, victimize themself. It was tiring.

Bert left the room, choosing to head towards the kitchen instead to down some alcohol in privacy. As he walked out of the room, he noticed a familiar frame also exiting a different room. It was pretty dark in the hallway, but he caught a glimpse of red around the figure’s neck.

Tucker.

“Hey!” Bert called out, and Tucker turned, and Bert smiled sheepishly at the sight of his friend. Quickly, the smile turned into a wide-eyed look of embarrassment as he remembered their last interaction.

“Bert?” Tucker asked, walking closer until they both were clearly in each other’s view. Tucker gave a soft smile, and his eyes were red and watery, it looked like he’d been crying. His hair was disheveled too, he probably was running his hands through it.

Bert had to admit – he looked fucking hot .

“Hey, are you okay?” Bert asked timidly, unsure of where the two stood. He shifted on one foot to the other, patiently waiting for Tucker to reply.

“Eh, um. I don’t know. Adam wants space from me,” He said quietly, and Bert’s heart began racing.

“Hey, I know how you’re feeling. Gerard – they, um – they also asked for space. I’m, I’m here for you,” Bert said nervously as he patted Tucker’s shoulder awkwardly. He was not that good at comforting people, especially when he was distracted by how sexy Tucker looked at the moment. Suddenly, those thoughts took over, and Bert blurted out, “You look hot when you’re upset.”

Tucker glanced at him and raised an eyebrow, and Bert felt his cheeks heat up with embarrassment – what was wrong with him?

“I, um. I don’t know why I said that, uh. Wanna go make some drinks downstairs? We can make our special cocktails,” Bert stuttered, and Tucker gave him a smile and a nod. Bert smiled back, and the two began walking down the hallway before reaching the stairs.

“So, you and Gerard… Weren’t ‘just friends’. You were cheaters. And you lied to me about Adam,” Tucker asked out of nowhere, breaking the silence as they walked down the stairs. Bert gulped – he didn’t want to have to acknowledge this stuff.

“Um, fuck. Yeah, I just – I knew if Adam got to you first, he would talk horribly about me. And, I, I really love being your friend. I didn’t want to risk losing you, so I was an idiot and lied as my first instinct. It was really stupid, and I’m sorry,” Bert said softly, and Tucker grabbed his hand in his and gave it a light squeeze.

“Thank you – for the apology. I really like being your friend too,” He beamed, hand lingering in Bert’s for a second too long for it to be friendly. Bert nodded, mouth open as he tried to feel normal about the situation. 

“Do you think I could crash here tonight? I’m not exactly in the mood to spend the night with Gerard right now,” Bert suddenly brought up, and Tucker nodded. For a brief moment, Bert could swear he saw a twinge of pink flush over Tucker’s cheeks. 

The two finally reached the kitchen, and Tucker began taking a variety of ingredients out of the fridge while Bert got bottles of various liquor off the bar shelves.

“Dude you just poured way too much orange juice, it’s supposed to be a splash!” Bert laughed, grabbing the bottle out of Tucker’s hand, shaking his head. Tucker grinned, and lightly punched his arm.

“Okay asshole, since you’re such an expert, let’s see you make me the most perfect drink! If it’s up to my standards, I’ll whip out some of my coke and we can share it,” Tucker smirked, crossing his arms as he took a step back, allowing Bert to take over the kitchen. Bert nodded, and started getting to work.

Bert was no bartender – in fact, he knew virtually nothing about fancy alcohol – but he knew Tucker liked fruity cocktails, and he had some great motivation. He also had some practice after making cocktails for Tucker in the past.

Bert grabbed the shaker, and started combining a variety fruit juices, simple syrup, and some very fancy-looking gin he found. He shook it up, and poured it into a glass for Tucker. He topped the drink off with some sort of sparkling water he found.

“You’re like my 1950s housewife right now, getting all crafty in the kitchen,” Tucker began to laugh as Bert wiped the counter down after he finished making the drink. Bert blushed, and chuckled along with him.

“Fuck off, I’m only doing this for coke, duh. Now tell me how it is,” Bert did a dramatic spin all of sudden before handing Tucker the beverage. Bert just grabbed the bottle of whiskey and started taking a pull of it as he watched Tucker examine the drink. Tucker took a sip, and smiled.

“Fucking amazing,” He grinned. Bert beamed.

“Up to your high and mighty standards?” Bert chuckled, and Tucker gave him a nod and a wink before taking a few more sips. Tucker reached into his back pocket and pulled out a small bag of white powder, and shook it in front of Bert’s face.

“You down?” He asked, and Bert stopped to think. The alcohol was kicking in, and for some reason, he didn’t want to get all hopped up on coke, he wanted to be calm – calm with Tucker by his side.

“What if we, um, just hung out for now? I’d be down to snort some later, I think I just want to chill – today was kind of hard,” Bert stuttered. Tucker looked a little confused at first, but smiled nonetheless.

“Sure, I’m gonna finish this cocktail really quick, and then I’ll grab a bottle of wine, that sound good? I, uh, I don’t wanna go back to the lounge in all honesty. Would you, I don’t know, be down to hang in my room?” Tucker asked, and Bert’s heart skipped a beat.

Was Tucker initiating something, or was Bert betting on wishful thinking?

––––

Tucker didn’t know what he was doing, in all honesty.

Maybe he was too drunk, maybe he missed Adam, maybe he was angry, hurt, and upset. Probably all of those.

But he knew Bert wanted him, and he couldn’t deny the fact that Bert had something about him that was captivating – maybe the big, bright blue eyes, maybe the devious smirk he always wore, maybe the overall dirty, greasy look he rocked. Tucker always played it safe, fucking and dating the men who were just as attractive – if not hotter – than him. With Adam, he was standardly gorgeous, anyone would want to fuck him. And even though Adam was a little grunge, he was clean, pretty, talented, and put together.

Bert was nothing like anyone he’s been with – and that thought simultaneously terrified him and drew him in.

So when the two immediately began making out the second they reached Tucker’s room, barely pulling off each other to shut and lock the door, he had mixed feelings.

“Fuck, fuck, Tucker! You’re so fucking hot, oh my god,” Bert gasped as Tucker pulled away from the kiss to take a breath – and Tucker remembered why he was doing this. Bert clearly wanted him, hell – he was already showering him with compliments after just a couple minutes of kissing. Bert grabbed the ends of the bandana and tugged Tucker back into the kiss, sucking and biting at his lips.

Tucker didn’t know how to feel about the way Bert touched him – sloppy and desperate – it almost felt like he was making out with someone who had only kissed someone maybe twice before. But, Tucker couldn’t help but play into it, he enjoyed this dirtiness, the complete opposite of the classic, well-practiced, smooth partners he’d been with sexually. 

“Can I, fuck , can I please take this tank top off? You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to see you shirtless,” Bert whined, and Tucker had to hold back a laugh – Bert clearly had some grey morals regarding fidelity. Tucker didn’t mind, it felt good hearing that someone thinks about him like that.

“Yeah, let’s get that kimono and shirt off you too,” Tucker grinned, and Bert immediately raced to pull off Tucker’s tank, struggling with getting it over his head as he desperately tried to see Tucker’s bare chest.

“Oh, fuck . Fuck it, I can’t wait, can I please blow you? Like, right now?” Bert begged the second Tucker was shirtless, his toned body being everything Bert could’ve imagined and more. 

Now, Tucker typically didn’t just jump into sex like this, he liked to take the process of sex slow at first – he wanted mutual satisfaction. 

But Bert’s big, pleading eyes and desperation was extremely hard to pass up.

“Fuck yeah,” He gasped, and Bert dropped to his knees as fast as he could, throwing his hands to remove Tucker’s belt before sliding those tight, tight white jeans down his legs. Tucker stepped out of his pants, almost tripping when Bert rushed to pull Tucker’s boxers down at the same time.

“God, you’re eager,” Tucker laughed, a little shocked at Bert’s behavior. Bert didn’t even reply – he immediately took Tucker’s cock into his hand and began stroking it.

Bert was in awe, Tucker was big . The only person who was as big as Tucker was Quinn, the first and basically only guy Bert had ever been with. Before he could think too deeply about the blonde he used to be fucked by, he looked up at Tucker, and his stomach flipped at how hot the man who stood above him was.

Bert took Tucker into his mouth and immediately moaned around his length. He was absolutely flushed with bliss – and he opened his eyes to watch Tucker as he bobbed up and down. Tucker looked down and locked eyes with Bert, giving him a soft smile and running his hand through Bert’s greasy strands. He was surprisingly quiet, only letting out a few breathy sounds, but ultimately keeping composure.

This deterred Bert a bit – considering whenever he gave Gerard head, Gerard would be loud and obnoxiously pornographic. Bert wasn’t exactly sure why, but he pictured that Tucker would be louder for some reason. 

Whatever the case, this didn’t stop Bert. He began putting his all into this – determined to show Tucker what he was missing whenever him and Adam were together.

Tucker continued to rest his hand on Bert’s head, watching as Bert’s blue stare pierced into him. He wouldn’t say this was the best head he’s ever gotten before – it was actually probably within one of the worst times – but he could tell Bert was trying really hard, and that was endearing. 

Bert moaned around Tucker’s cock, and the vibrations from that as well as something new that Bert did with his tongue caused Tucker to let out a gasp and grip tighter into Bert’s hair. Bert smiled as he continued bobbing up and down.

“Fuck,” Tucker breathed out, and Bert felt on top of the world – the praise and encouragement exuding from that one word made Bert painfully hard. He brought one hand down to himself to relieve some of the pressure, and he pulled off Tucker’s cock as he continued to use one hand to jerk him off.

“You’re so fucking perfect, is this good for you? I bet Adam’s got nothing on this,” Bert smirked, about to put his mouth back onto Tucker, before feeling as the man softly pushed Bert’s head away as he stumbled back. “What? What’s wrong?”

Tucker ran a hand through his hair, his cheeks flushed, and his cock hard as he stood there. He opened his mouth for a split second before saying, “Why did you bring Adam up?”

Fuck. Bert must’ve messed up. He sat there, sitting back on his heels as he wiped the spit off his chin.

“Um, I– I don’t know. You seemed mad at him, I thought it was a good idea. If you brought up Gerard I wouldn’t have cared,” Bert shrugged, shifting uncomfortably. He didn’t know why that upset Tucker, he would make references like that when Gerard was cheating on Adam with him and it only seemed to turn Gerard on even more. 

“Um, well I wouldn’t do that. Fuck , Gerard. Bert! You just, you just cheated on Gerard. And, I helped you!” Tucker said in a distressed tone, and it sounded like he was talking to himself rather than Bert. 

“I’m sorry, fuck. Can we, can we just go back to the lounge?” Tucker continued before Bert could reply, and Bert’s stomach dropped. He felt like an idiot , not only for saying that comment about Adam but for even believing for a second that someone like Tucker would ever want him. He stood up from his knees, eyeing Tucker as he pulled his boxers and pants back up. Bert tossed Tucker his tank top since it was on the floor next to him, and he smiled in response. The smile wasn’t the typical trademark smile for Tucker, it was awkward, and that simultaneously broke Bert’s heart and made him mad. 

Bert chose to not wait for Tucker, and he just walked out of the bedroom without a word. He was pissed and felt betrayed. Every emotion was running through his head right now, and he wasn’t looking forward to running into Gerard and Adam when he got back into the lounge – but he didn’t have any other choice at the moment.

However, when he opened the doors, he was greeted by the faces of Anthony, Brent, and William – no Gerard or Adam to be found. He felt Tucker’s presence behind him arrive, so he continued forward into the room, looking around for the two.

“Um, where’s Adam?” Tucker asked from behind Bert, and the three guys on the couches looked at each other. 

“He left, sorry man. Him and Gerard took off, like a half an hour ago,” Brent shrugged, and Bert clenched his fists. Before Tucker could reply, Bert cut him off.

“What do you mean? Why did Adam and Gerard leave together ?”

Brent looked over at Anthony, who stifled back a laugh as he took a swig of whatever drink he was holding, his eyes wide. 

“I mean, I think Adam offered to drive them home? It was no biggie, they seemed chill,” Brent replied. Bert dug his nails into his palms, taking a deep breath.

“You mean to tell me that you guys just let my wife , who was drunk, leave with their ex boyfriend that they dated for six fucking years?” Bert growled, and Tucker put a hand on his shoulder, but Bert shrugged it off, not even bothering to look at him.

“Um, it isn’t like we let them, but like, they are an adult. It’s not like we could’ve done anything? You’re overreacting, Bert,” Brent stated, and Bert could swear he heard a hint of condescension in Brent’s voice.

“Brent, dude , you’re my closest friend here – I’ve known you for years! And this is just ‘no big deal’ to you? What the fuck!” Bert shouted, eyes turning to Anthony, “Did you say anything to them?”

Anthony let out a high pitched laugh before taking another sip of the drink, maintaining eye contact with Bert the whole time. He smoothed out his hellfire club shirt and then interlocked his fingers, resting his clasped hands on his lap.

“Oh, mi amor, you know I’d do anything for both you and Gerard.”

Bert blinked a few times at the man.

“Okay, um, is that a yes or a no?” He asked, puzzled, and Anthony looked over at Brent, before turning back to Bert, his movements stiff and strange.

“Personally, I think Brent is the one to talk to. I need to go jerk off, I’m still absurdly aroused after listening to you and Gerard’s sexual intimacy earlier. Pardon me,” Anthony explained, standing up and walking past Bert and Tucker to leave the room. Bert felt a piece of his hair being twirled as Anthony walked by, and he caught a glimpse of Anthony’s long fingers leave his hair as he exited the lounge. 

The room was silent for a few seconds, and it was clear that everyone was extremely confused at Anthony’s decision to just get up and leave. Bert was hoping Anthony wouldn’t take long, because he wanted answers. However, within a minute, the guys heard the front door open and close, before hearing a car start. Bert ran over to the window in the lounge, looking out and seeing Anthony’s car pull out of the driveway and speed away. He sighed, running a hand through his greasy hair frustratedly. He turned back to Brent and walked closer, till he was a few feet away.

“Bert, calm down ,” Tucker began, but Bert whipped his head around and stared at him.

“Tucker, your ‘boyfriend’ is literally apart of this, and some of your closest friends let him leave with Gerard!” Bert turned back to Brent. “So much for being able to count on you, Brent . I’m fucking pissed.”

“How is it my fault that you can’t trust Gerard? Them being a whore has nothing to do with me!” Brent blurted out, and before anyone could do anything, Bert ran up and threw a punch at Brent, hitting him square in the jaw. Tucker immediately grabbed Bert and threw him off the man, who was spewing out a string of curses, with William just watching the scenario in silence.

“Bert, get the fuck out. I’ll talk to you later, but this? This isn’t okay – what’s gotten into you?” Tucker yelled, and Bert rolled his eyes and scoffed.

“Fuck off, don’t touch me, Tucker . Have fun you three, sounds like a grand rest of the night. Good luck with Adam, if he’s currently fucking my wife in my bed, I’ll let you know,” Bert snapped, before stomping out of the lounge, his hand starting to ache as he made his way out of Tucker’s house.

––––

Bert could feel his hands shaking as he turned the knob on the door. He wasn’t sure what he was expecting – for all he knew, Gerard could be bent over the couch, getting fucked by Adam, or on their knees the same way he was earlier with Tucker. The thing is, Tucker and him felt different than if Gerard was with Adam, and Bert was sure Gerard would know that too.

He stepped into the house as silently as he could, holding his breath so he could pick up on any sounds of skin slapping or Gerard moaning. However, the house was completely silent as he walked in, and he let out a deep exhale.

If they were having sex, it was clearly bad from the lack of noises – Gerard was very vocal in bed.

Bert tiptoed through the house until he reached his and Gerard’s bedroom, and his stomach felt like it was in his throat in that moment. He had no idea what he was about to witness, so he braced himself, and grabbed the handle, turning it slowly before pushing the door open and accepting his fate.

Except there wasn’t anything happening.

Gerard was curled up in bed, makeup off, hair damp and everything. They looked to be deep in sleep, clutching Bert’s pillow like they usually did to Bert’s body when they were asleep. Bert’s heart slowed for a second, and he smiled softly at his sleeping spouse in front of him.

Adam didn’t come over, they didn’t have sex with him, they came home. They took their makeup off, they showered, and they got into bed. He even noticed a half full glass of water on the bedside table, so Gerard must’ve even gotten themself that to settle the alcohol before they fell asleep. 

He sighed, feeling guilty that he expected the worst from Gerard, yet he was the one who committed one of the worst things someone could do to a partner. However, he knew Gerard. He knew they were capable of doing something like that to Bert, so it isn’t like Bert was wrong for assuming that Gerard would betray him like that.

But they didn’t. 

Bert softly closed the door, leaving Gerard to sleep as he paced back through his hallway. He wanted to wash his face, it was covered in smeared red eyeshadow, sweat, and most likely some blood from the amount of times he was hit today, but he was stopped by the light flashing from the home phone. There were three missed calls, and one voicemail.

As he got closer, he saw the caller ID and froze. His parents were the ones who called, and who also left the voicemail. He picked the phone up and pressed the button to listen to the message.

“Hi Robert, it’s Mom. I’m not sure where you have been these past couple weeks, but as you know, we have taken custody over your two children. I hope you know I’m extremely disappointed in you for just abandoning these kids the way you that did, and I’m fairly certain it has something to do with that wife of yours… Anyway. That’s not the point. The point is – Vince and Shia miss you and Gee, and we don’t really have any excuses left to give them as to why you have been absent. Edward and I decided that this upcoming weekend, we are going to let you and Gerard take care of them for a few days. We will meet you at the Union Bank slash McDonald’s parking lot off Easy St at 9am on Thursday to bring them to you. Alright, take care of yourself, okay sweetie? Bye bye.”

Bert gulped. Alongside the many conversations Bert was going to have to have with Gerard tomorrow about what happened tonight, he was also going to have to start preparing for his two young kids to come back and stay with him for a weekend in five days . 

Bert walked over to the bathroom and splashed some water on his face, before grabbing the bar soap and vigorously scrubbing all the makeup and grime off. He used the nearby hand towel to dry off, before quietly walking back into his room, stripping into his boxers. He looked at Gerard, who was still clutching onto Bert’s pillow, pretty much taking up all of the bed, and sighed. He grabbed the one extra blanket they had and watched over to the couch, crashing into it and falling asleep almost instantly. 

––––

“Come on, come on, John, pick up ,” Adam murmured as he paced around his apartment. It was the day after the whole Tucker/Gerard/Bert situation, and he had so much on his mind. He knew John Nolan was the one person he could talk to about all of this, and he had a lot to get off his chest.

“Yooo, wassup Lazzara,” A voice said over the phone, and Adam let out a sigh of relief, silently thanking God for this.

“John! Oh man, I need to talk to you. So much shit went down last night. You know how I went to Tucker’s thing? Well, you won’t even believe what happened,” Adam spoke quickly, and he heard John laugh.

“Um, okay? What, did Tucker ask to use handcuffs or something? NO! Let me guess – you finally found something seriously off with that Anthony guy, right? Man, I’m betting he’s some sort of sexual predator, that guy is not normal,” John chuckled, and Adam was too desperate for advice to even laugh. “Um, okay, that’s not it. What happened? Are you okay?”

Adam swallowed, unsure of where to even begin – but decided to start with Gerard. “Well, first off – Bert and Tucker are, um, friends. And he’s married to Gerard. They were at the fucking kickback.” Adam heard John gasp in shock.

“Yeah, I know! It gets worse – some shit happened, and I didn’t tell Tucker about how I knew Gerard and Bert, and then Anthony had a threesome with them, I think I heard Gerard crying? I’m not sure, ugh, anyways. That’s not the point. Bert and Tucker left together and Gerard and I walked in on them kissing . Tucker also basically admitted to me that he kinda had some sort of feelings for Bert, which is like, fucking bullshit , right?” Adam explained, and before John could talk, Adam continued. “So, I told Tucker I need some space, and he left, but then Bert started going insane . And I don’t mean like, yelling or whatever, he grabbed a fucking box cutter and was holding it to Gerard in order to get me to leave the room so he could beat them or something.”

“ What ?!” Was all John said, so Adam proceeded with his story.

“I know! Bert also like, lied to Tucker about me, was telling him about how I was some bad boyfriend and shit and would abuse Gerard, but, um,” Adam hesitated, before realizing it was essential to say. “Gerard defended me. Told everyone I was like, a really good guy – am a really good guy. It was, um. It was nice.”

“Um, okay. Continue,” John stated, sounding a little annoyed at how Adam spoke of Gerard. Adam swallowed, knowing John won’t like the next part.

“Well, uh, after the whole box cutter thing happened, and Gerard got free somehow, I ran into them after having this big conversation with Tucker. I didn’t and still don’t know where I stand with him, but I was pissed, and just needed to leave – you know? So when I was leaving, Gerard came up to me. We talked for a little, and they were pretty badly beat up, so I offered to drive them home to get them away from Bert.”

“Wait, you drove Gerard home? Gerard? You mean to tell me the piece of shit boyfriend who cheated on you and then ghosted you?” John questioned, and Adam felt the guilt he had build up.

“Okay, forgot to mention – definitely not a boyfriend anymore, man. That’s besides the point though. They literally were almost killed by their husband, my bad for trying to make sure they weren’t stranded at that mansion.”

John made a sound of acknowledgment and Adam rolled his eyes. 

“Anyways, so I drove Gerard home. We talked in the car, they listened to some of our music, it was. It was nice,” He finished. Adam wasn’t sure how to continue, but John was still silent, so Adam took a deep breath and decided to just let it all out.

“It made me remember how good it was sometimes for us, it felt natural. Made me realize how even after all these years, I miss them. I miss them a lot.”

John clicked his tongue and Adam braced himself.

“Adam, dude. What? You’re fucking delusional ! This bitch not only cheated on you after dating you for six years, they were also the worst boyf– um, parter, basically ever. Let’s not forget they cheated on you with a methhead from Subway and then after you confronted them, they literally didn’t care and ghosted you. Don’t let one night in a ten minute car ride make you suddenly think they are some angel who didn’t do the things they did – regardless if Bert fucking McCracken is a bad husband or not. You shouldn’t even be surprised he’s so shitty, considering he was a fucking weirdo who would cheat with Gerard inside a fucking Subway!” 

Adam sighed, he knew John was right. 

“Plus, you were just telling me how happy Tucker makes you, and you also stressed that you had no labels because you weren’t ready to enter a committed relationship. So what if Tucker kissed Bert? Bert is probably just as ugly as he was, and Tucker was probably just upset. Also, it’s Tucker . You’ve heard about what he’s like within the scene – if you’re gonna set the boundaries of not having any labels, you shouldn’t be shocked if he got with other people. Most adults aren’t nonmonogamous because they were cheated on, most adults are nonmonogamous because they wanna fuck multiple people. I think you’re assuming Tucker is this villain, and now you’re choosing to idolize Gerard all over again,” John continued, and Adam sat there, absorbing everything he was saying. He knew John was right, and it definitely made more sense when everything was laid out like that. 

“Fuck, yeah. You’re right,” Adam said, defeated. 

“Hell yeah I am, I ain’t letting you fall into the Gerard Way rabbit hole man. You’re my best friend, I don’t wanna see you hurt by them again.”

Adam smiled, he was so glad he had John Nolan in his life – he always gave such great advice.

––––

Geoff was finishing folding his laundry when he felt his phone buzz in his pocket. He pulled it out, seeing a photo of Tucker flashing on the screen, and immediately picked up the call.

“Hey Tucker! What’s up?” Geoff said cheerfully on the phone. He’d been so busy with the book he was working on lately that he hadn’t had a real conversation with Tucker since the last Thursday rehearsal, and he missed his best friend a lot.

“Geoff! Oh, thank god. Are you free right now?” Tucker sounded a little panicked, and Geoff realized something was wrong.

“Um, yeah? What’s going on?” He replied, confused. It’s a Sunday morning, what could possibly be going on in Tucker’s life? He knew Tucker got up to some crazy things, but he also knew Tucker had a chill time with some of his friends the night prior. He had invited Geoff, but Geoff was stuck in calls with his editor for hours that he couldn’t make it for the photo session and hangout. 

“I kinda fucked up last night. Like, not good.”

Geoff waited in silence for Tucker to continue.

“So, Bert kissed me – and I didn’t push him off me. I was kinda upset because Adam actually knew Bert and Bert’s wife the whole time and didn’t tell me, and then that happened, and Adam walked in, oh man it was not good!” Tucker rambled, and Geoff had to really concentrate in order to follow the story.

“So, then Adam and I talked, and he was mad , like really upset. Which is lowkey bullshit, because we weren’t exclusive and didn’t have any label, and I didn’t know he had a past of being cheated on so I didn’t know how would expect me to realize that because he never told me!” Tucker continued, and Geoff was a little lost by this point.

“Okay, so you kissed someone else. Have you had another conversation with Adam yet? That isn’t like, that bad. You made it sound like you murdered someone,” Geoff chuckled, but Tucker immediately began talking again.

“Okay, well, yeah . The kiss was only the beginning. After Adam and I talked, he just ditched me, and then. I ran into Bert, who was also alone because Gerard also ditched him.”

“Oh no,” Was all Geoff said.

“I don’t know what was wrong with me, I swear . But, Bert wanted me, like, really wanted me. And don’t get me wrong – Bert’s awesome! He’s funny, and cool, and I really love being his friend! But I really didn’t love getting my dick sucked by him. Especially because he brought up Adam, and then I realized I was helping this guy cheat on Gerard who he’s married to, and I freaked out. Luckily, he got in a fight with Brent and then left. I’ve been spiraling since, Geoff. I like Adam, like, a lot , and I like Bert as a friend, but instead I fucked Adam over and hooked up with Bert, who Adam hates . Oh, yeah! When Gerard and Adam dated, Gerard cheated on Adam with Bert! Did I, did I mention that yet?” Tucker paused.

“No, you didn’t,” Geoff replied, and Tucker jumped back into his story.

“Oh! Yes, Adam and Gerard dated for like, five or six years? I think? Well then Gerard cheated on Adam with Bert , and then Adam found out and Gerard dipped. Now Bert is married to them, and like, of course Adam hates Bert because Bert stole Adam’s partner. So, I was an idiot and now Adam probably wont ever take me back!” 

Geoff chewed on his bottom lip as he took in everything his friend just told him. 

“You really like Adam, right?” 

“Mhm,” Tucker replied.

“Then, give him a little space for now. Same thing with Bert – let him be for now too. You’re doing Tucker Thursday this week, right?” Geoff asked, and Tucker let out another sound of agreement.

“Alright – invite Adam in a couple days. Apologize to him, and say you’d love to see him at the party or even beforehand. Make him a priority, and really spend time with him. I can tell you really like him, and that’s worth something. I’ve never once seen Tucker Rule so distraught over someone before, so, that’s telling,” Geoff started, and Tucker stayed silent, so he continued. “As for Bert, invite him too! Invite him later though, like the day of. You can say hi and be friendly, but make it clear you’re prioritizing Adam, you know? Bert needs to stay platonic, he’s clearly the main boundary Adam has, so just don’t overstep. And make sure Bert brings Gerard, ya know? Keeping things platonic is important!”

“That’s some good fucking advice man! Ugh, Geoff, what would I do without you? Also, make sure you pull up this week, you deserve a damn break from all that work. I better not see you putting more work into No Devotion than Thursday!” Tucker laughed, and Geoff joined him, knowing that Tucker was just messing around – obviously their band came before Geoff’s side project. 

“Of course I’ll be there – I’ll probably pull up with Tim if he’s free. Is there a theme this time?” Geoff asked.

“Fuck yeah! And dude, of course there’s a theme! I know it’s close to Valentine’s Day, but I thought a Vday party would be way too cliche, so I got to thinking. What’s a party that’s so out of the category of winter and Valentine’s Day?” Tucker paused. 

“Uh, summer?” Geoff replied.

“Exactly! The theme is Fourth of July! How sick is that? Everyone will show up in their best America shit – perfect ironic and funny take, I’m hella proud!”

Geoff laughed – only Tucker Rule could throw a Fourth of July party in the beginning of February and get away with it.

“Oh man, that sounds like a ton of fun! I’m excited! Alright, I gotta get back to picking the author photo for the novel, will you be alright if I dip?”

“Oh! Send me the options you have – I gotta help you, I’m really good with picking photos from a photoshoot. And yeah, I think I am. Thanks so much Geoff, you’re the greatest best friend a guy could have,” Tucker said, and Geoff smiled. As wild as Tucker was, he was definitely Geoff’s favorite person – there was a reason they had stayed friends since high school, and even started a band together. He was really looking forward to seeing him soon and finally getting to take a break and party again.

––––

From the moment they woke up, Gerard’s whole body ached. They looked over at the clock on the bedside table and saw that it was about a quarter till noon, and they let out a sigh. So much had happened the day and night prior – and they didn’t know where to begin. The fact that they didn’t wake up beside Bert also rose some concerns about what he did last night after Adam took them home, but they had a lot more to worry about than Bert possibly cheating on them again.

For example, Bert wielding a box cutter to their throat and basically holding them hostage so Adam would leave, Turtle Creek possibly knowing that Gerard snuck in and visited (and kissed) Frank, Mikey hypothetically getting caught for letting Gerard into Frank’s room, the duct-taped hole on their bathroom door (thanks to Bert), and possibly the most confusing thing of all.

The fact that they couldn’t get Adam Lazzara out of their mind.

Gerard felt like their mind was going a million miles an hour, and they didn’t realize it was even possible to have feelings for as many people as they did at the moment. The combination of their love for Frank, their lust and legal obligation to Bert, whatever weird sex thing they have with Anthony, and this sudden spark they feel for Adam were extremely overwhelming. But, they couldn’t help themself – not after last night and how Adam treated them.

Adam was not only gorgeous – tall, muscular, handsome face, messy red hair, and that fucking nose ring – he was so kind . That was probably the worst part because that kindness was always a primary trait of Adam’s, and Gerard used to brush it off, take it for granted, and even use it as an excuse to cheat on him with Bert, who was (and still is) the polar opposite. Yet, they find themself craving that kind, caring, and gentle treatment, craving to be respected and listened to. Gerard sighed, smirking at how the grass truly is greener on the other side. 

Before they could even get out of bed, they heard a knock on the bedroom door.

“Gerard?”

Gerard threw their head back onto the pillow. Here it comes – another fight before they even had time to get up. 

“Yeah, Bert?” They replied. Gerard was unsure why Bert knocked, usually he was the type to barge in anywhere he goes, so this was a little out of character for him.

“Can I come in?” Bert asked, and Gerard hummed with agreement. They desperately wanted to say no, but they lived with him so they knew they would have to talk at some point.

Bert slowly opened the door and peaked in, before stepping all the way into the room. He was in his boxers, his stringy hair all over the place, and he had a bit of a bruise on his cheek – probably from when Adam socked him in the face. He was shaking a little, which wasn’t a surprise considering it was cold in their apartment and he was basically naked.

“Hi,” Gerard said slowly, unsure of why Bert was just standing there, silent. He shifted from one foot to the other, and Gerard could tell he was looking for the words to say. This surprised them, they were expecting Bert to start yelling and blaming them the second he entered the room. This was different.

“I’m sorry,” Bert sighed, and Gerard raised an eyebrow. 

“For what?” They asked tentatively, this felt like a trap.

“Um, I don’t know. Yesterday, I guess I can start there. The things I did to you at Tucker’s, that – that wasn’t okay. Like, at all . I don’t know what came over me, why I just went into this rage. And even though you fucked up, it wasn’t right of me to do what I did,” Bert said quietly, and Gerard was in no way satisfied. What Bert did the night prior wasn’t just not okay , it was straight up psychotic.

“What situation are you referring to?” They asked, and Bert looked at the floor. 

“You know what I’m talking about, Gerard,” He laughed nervously, but Gerard wasn’t laughing back.

“I need you to say it. I need you to admit what the fuck you did to me last night, Bert. Look me in the eyes, and fucking tell me,” Gerard’s voice was wobbly, and they blinked back any of tears they felt forming.

Bert looked back up at them, and his huge eyes didn’t look wild, they didn’t look violent, but rather they looked glassy with tears, and guilty. Gerard was glad this was the case – finally seeing Bert have remorse for once in his sorry life.

“I – I, um. I put that box cutter to your throat, and threatened you. I never would’ve done anything though, I swear Gee–” Bert began, but Gerard wasn’t having it.

“You cut me! You held that fucking blade to my neck, and cut me just because I was trying to get you off of me! So don’t give me that ‘I never would’ve done anything!’, because you did do things. You relished in it too, holding my fucking life in your hands. You don’t get to do that, Bert! I don’t care if I genuinely did something horrible to you, you have no fucking right to take my life into your own matters, as if I’m some possession of yours. You’ve already taken almost everything from me, but I never thought you’d also think you’d have the final say over whether I live or die.”

Bert stood there, and Gerard could tell a couple of tears were rolling down his cheeks. Gerard didn’t feel an ounce of sympathy. They could tell he was waiting for Gerard to continue, for Gerard to yell and cry and pour their heart out. But they didn’t want to talk any longer, they wanted to hear what their husband had to say.

“I said I’m sorry,” He finally said, his voice small. “I don’t forgive you,” Gerard replied. Bert looked into their eyes, silently pleading for Gerard to change their mind. He took a couple of steps further inside the bedroom, his foot landed on Gerard’s jacket which was a crumpled heap on the floor, and he quickly moved as if he somehow hurt the inanimate object. They kept their stare on him, watching as he pulled a t-shirt off the ground. It was wrinkled and definitely dirty, but Bert slipped it on. He did the same with a pair of sweats, Gerard’s sweats, shuffling them on over his thin, pale legs and over his boxers. Gerard noticed he stopped shaking as much now that he was clothed. 

“The kids are coming on Thursday. My parents are making us take them for a weekend, just letting you know.” Bert spoke up, and Gerard was not only confused at the sudden change in conversation, but also the fact that they were going to see the children they haven’t seen in a while. They nodded in response to Bert, staying silent. Bert walked over to them, getting closer and closer until he was next to bed Gerard was currently in.

“I’m sorry, Gerard,” Was all he said before planting a soft kiss on their forehead, and then he turned and walked out of the room. Gerard sat there for a few seconds before they reached their hand up and touched the spot on their forehead that Bert just kissed. A warm feeling grew in their chest, but before that could go anywhere, they lowered their hand to their neck, lightly tracing the small scab on their throat left by Bert. 

“Bert!” They called out, and in a few seconds, Bert was back in the room, looking concerned.

“Yeah?”

Gerard looked down at their hands, seeing the picked skin surrounding their nails. They looked back up towards Bert, who was waiting for Gerard to talk. “I’m sorry for what I said at Tuckers. I still love you. Don’t get me wrong, I fucking hate you, and I hate how you treat me. I like to tell myself that I don’t even know why I am still with you – but deep down, I know why I’m still here. I do love you, and I’m sorry.”

Bert stared at Gerard for a few seconds, before running up to them and pulling them into a deep kiss. Gerard let out a noise of shock, but kissed back. Bert pulled away, and threw his arms around them, pulling them close into a tight embrace. 

“Please don’t hate me for what I’m going to tell you,” Bert said slowly, still clutching Gerard, and they felt a pit in their stomach begin to form. “What is it? Why, why would I hate you?”

“I was so angry, I was so upset last night after you said you didn’t love me. I believed it, I believed every word, and that broke me, Gerard. And then, I ran into Tucker. I – I hooked up with him. It meant nothing , I promise, Gee. We were both sad and upset and we stopped before anything actually, you know, happened . Plus, he’s a guy, I’m not into guys – you know this!” Bert tripped over his words, talking so quickly, and Gerard felt sick. They’ve heard this same excuse before, they knew Bert was lying.

“I don’t believe you.”

Bert looked shocked. “Why not? Gerard, I swear , it was stupid and neither of us cared or enjoyed it!”

“That’s exactly what you said about Quinn.”

Bert’s apologetic stare soon turned into something deeper, and Gerard could tell they struck a nerve.

“Quinn?” He replied slowly. Gerard nodded.

“You always told me you and Quinn were just good friends, the only company you had when I was out with Jepha. And that one night, that night I came back early after a horrible night of work, you were with Quinn. I caught you, cheating, and you brushed it off as nothing, that you two weren’t even into guys and you were just friends and too drunk and high to even know what was going on. And even though I had my doubts, I trusted you, and maybe that was because you gaslit me enough to believe your lies, or maybe because I still wanted to believe there was some good in you. Of course, that fucking backfired when Quinn told me about your past with each other, and it was fucking clear that you were in love with him, and that’s exactly what’s happening right now with Tucker. Guess what, Bert? Tucker will never be Quinn, and it’s not like you’d ever run into Quinn again. Not like he’d even want you after what you did to him!”

Gerard felt their voice crack a few times, and the longer they spoke, the louder they got. Bert’s eyes were watery, and his fists were clenched. Gerard knew Bert was digging his nails into his palms – it was habit of Bert’s whenever he was too overwhelmed. 

“Don’t talk about Quinn.”

Gerard scoffed. “Really? Why not?”

“I don’t need to say why , Gerard. Show an ounce of empathy, please ,” Bert begged, and Gerard couldn’t stop themself. “Empathy? Where the fuck was your empathy when I was pleading, begging for you to stop mentioning Frank? Huh? Were my feelings just that insignificant to you? I don’t give a fuck if Quinn’s name brings up all these emotions, you brought this upon yourself for repeating the exact same shit with Tucker, so I will not believe any of those fucking lies about being upset or sad or whatever the fuck you said. Next time, if you’re going to be honest about something with me, be completely honest. I’ve known you for too long Bert, I can detect your bullshit from a mile away.”

Bert turned and walked out of the room, clearly upset and unable to respond to Gerard. They watched as he slammed the door, and they sighed, looking around at the bedroom they shared with him. It was a mess, which wasn’t out of the ordinary, but Gerard knew the kids were coming over and they didn’t want them stealing the clothes and random junk all over the ground. They got out of bed, and began picking up the clothes and tossing them into the plastic bin they used as a hamper. As they were moving stuff around, they noticed a piece of pink fabric studded with purple flowers under a pair of baggy shorts. They moved the shorts, and they picked up the fabric, noticing it was the torn off sleeve from Bert’s kimono. They didn’t know if this was the sleeve they ripped off at the hotel, or the other sleeve Bert cut off more recently for the his Tucker Thursday costume. They bit down on their tongue – they hated that fucking kimono. 

They didn’t know the full origins of it, but they knew it had to do with Quinn. Bert avoided any conversation regarding Quinn when they first got back together, and with everything going on in their life recently, Gerard hadn’t even thought about Quinn until the Tucker situation happened. However, it was clear that Bert still held him close to his heart, knowing how committed he was to that ugly kimono – it was the same with Gerard and the nursing gown. Gerard sighed, and tossed the sleeve into one of their drawers of the shared dresser, and turned back to cleaning up the floor of the room. As they tossed one of Bert’s many red shirts into the hamper, they heard a loud slam, and they sighed. Bert definitely just left the house, and Gerard knew it was because they brought Quinn up. They grabbed the full laundry basket and headed towards their washing machine, the images of Bert cheating on them with both Tucker and Quinn stuck in their mind. 

––––

“Did you really have to take the one extra blanket we have and put it on the couch for the kids? It gets too cold at night, I like sleeping with both of our blankets,” Bert grumbled, watching as Gerard set up the couch as a bed for the kids to sleep on. They had to leave to pick them up in ten minutes, and Gerard was just trying to make sure everything was decent before they got here. 

“Yes, Bert. The kids deserve to sleep under a blanket,” They chuckled, and Bert just rolled his eyes. He kneeled down to put his shoes on, almost falling over in the process, and Gerard had to stifle back a laugh.

Things weren’t perfect between them at the moment, but they weren’t terrible . Gerard wasn’t sure where Bert went the day they had the conversation about Tucker and Quinn, but they didn’t ask. The two of them have been keeping to themselves, and the space was somewhat nice – but Gerard couldn’t deny that they missed the intimacy with Bert. As insufferable as he was sometimes, they missed the sex. 

“Alright, you good to go?” Gerard asked, and Bert nodded before looking at Gerard.

“You are not wearing that to see my parents in. Not after you already whipped out that hooker dress at my family reunion.”

Gerard looked down at their outfit, unsure of the problem. They were in their nursing dress, and they specifically chose it to look put together for his parents.

“What? Why not? I look professional in my uniform,” They replied, and Bert scoffed. 

“That’s not your uniform anymore! You were fired – you look crazy , Gerard. Just fucking change,” He grumbled, and Gerard didn’t want to have a huge fight – not before the kids came back. They rolled their eyes and went back to their room, stripping out of the dress and throwing on a pair of jeans and Bert’s hoodie they found that said “Hollywood” on it. They walked back out, and Bert nodded approvingly. The two left the apartment and headed over towards the Union Bank/McDonalds parking lot – not exactly happy for this upcoming weekend.

––––

“Daddy!” The older child yelled, running up and hugging Bert, and he laughed and hugged her back. 

“Shia! How are you, honey?” He smiled, and she stepped back and twirled, showing off her outfit.

“Grandma got me a new dress! She got Vincent something too, but my dress is better!” Shia replied, and Bert laughed and rustled her hair, causing her to stick her tongue out at him. She moved over to Gerard, and they knelt down and pulled her into a hug as well. 

“Shia, I missed you! Were you being good for Grandma and Grandpa?” Gerard asked, and Shia nodded, before saying, “Of course I was, but Vincent? Not so much.”

Gerard chuckled. “Come on, be nice,” Was all they could say before the younger child ran up to them and jumped onto them. “Vincent! Awh, great to see you buddy!”

“I missed you Mum! When Grandma told me I was gonna see you, I got so happy! Grandma and Grandpa don’t let me stay up as late, my bedtime was 8!” Vincent grinned, and Gerard laughed.

“That’s because seven year olds shouldn’t stay up past 8, you need your sleep,” Bert’s mother said as she approached the couple and the kids. “Vince, go say hi to Daddy.”

Vincent groaned and rolled his eyes, walking over to Bert, who also groaned and rolled his eyes.

“Did you get him to lose that accent yet?” Bert asked, and even though it sounded like a joke, Gerard knew it wasn’t. Vincent’s mother was from England, and since he was raised by her for the first four years of his life, he grew up with a British accent. Bert hated it. 

“No, sorry, Robert. Don’t blame me, that’s Kelly’s fault,” His mom sighed, and Vince suddenly punched Bert in the leg, causing Bert to hiss in pain.

“The fuck is wrong with you?” He growled, and Vince laughed and ran back to hide behind Gerard.

“Language, Robert! Anyway, we have to go. We are getting brunch with the Weekes, they are in town. Have a great weekend kiddos, be good!” His mom smiled, before turning and getting into her car and leaving. Bert and Gerard looked at each other, and then at Vincent and Shia. 

“Alright, everyone in the car,” Gerard ushered, and the kids piled in, each of them holding a small backpack that most likely contained their things they needed for the weekend. 

“Shotgun!” Vincent yelled as he ran up to the front seat, but Bert put his hand on Vince’s shoulder, pushing him back slightly. “No way, Vince. You will sit in the back. Whenever I’m here and I’m not driving, I’m not letting you take my seat in the front, when are you going to get that through your skull?” Bert scolded, and Vince stayed silent, sulking back until he was next to Shia, waiting to get into the car.

Once everyone was in and had their seatbelts on, Gerard turned the radio on, and immediately the kids began singing along to a song Bert and Gerard had never heard before.

“Into the unknownnnn… into the unknownnnn!” Vince sang at the top of his lungs, and Shia joined him with the high note, basically screaming at the top of her lungs. Bert turned the radio off and turned to look at the kids, who continued singing the song even with the radio off.

“What the hell are you guys singing?” He asked, and the kids looked at him like he was crazy.

“Um, Into the Unknown, from Frozen? Brendon Urie did a cover of it and we listen to it all of the time. It’s like, really popular,” Shia explained, and Vince demonstrated by singing another line of the song, before the two broke out into laughter.

“I love Brendon! I hope I get to marry him one day!” Vincent screamed, and Bert banged his head against the head rest. Gerard and him were in for a long weekend. 

––––

“Alright, you guys get the couch, like normal. Keep your stuff in the living room, don’t go into our bedroom, and ignore the hole in the bathroom that’s covered up with duct tape – that isn’t important. Tell Gerard if you’re hungry, they will do something about that like a good mother would,” Bert explained, and Gerard rolled their eyes at Bert’s comment. The kids ran to the couch and threw their backpacks onto the ground. Bert’s phone began ringing suddenly, Permanent Rebellion filling the room with noise (causing Vincent to start singing even though he didn’t know the song) and he pulled it out, seeing the caller ID was none other than Tucker . 

“Alright everyone shut the fuck up, I’m taking this call in the bedroom but no screaming !” Bert yelled, before stomping off to the bedroom and slamming the door. Gerard was confused, they didn’t see who called and they didn’t know why Bert was so stressed. They went and took a seat next to the kids on the couch.

“So, what have you both been up to?” They asked.

“I started learning about triangles!” Shia yelled, and Gerard smiled. Shia was in third grade, and she took a lot of pride in her education, she used to always show Bert her grades on her homework back when the kids lived with him and Gerard. 

“I’m learning how to write the alphabet! Vince said immediately after. “We get to do a Valentine’s Day party soon, I am so excited!”

Gerard laughed. “Well all of that sounds very fun. It’s good knowing you two are having fun!”

Before the three could continue any more of the conversation, Bert let out a loud groan as he walked back into the living room.

“What’s going on? You okay?” Gerard asked, and Bert’s eyes were wide and angry-looking, so Gerard knew he was definitely not okay.

“Gerard, can we talk in our room, really quick?” He said through gritted teeth, and Gerard nodded slowly. Whatever this was, it couldn’t be good. They got up from the couch and walked with Bert into their room, before they took a seat on the edge of the bed as Bert shut the door.

“We just got invited to Tucker Thursday tonight.”

Gerard looked at him, mouth open, shocked. “What? Even after everything that happened on Saturday?”

Bert nodded and ran a hair through his stringy hair.

“Are you saying that you want to go?” Gerard asked, and Bert shrugged.

“Um, yeah. I do wanna go. The theme is Fourth of July,” He replied, and Gerard couldn’t exactly disagree with Bert. They wanted to go too, especially because Syd, Ryan, and Michelle were most likely going to be there and they hadn’t seen them in a week. 

“What about Vince and Shia?” Gerard asked.

“That’s why I’m pissed. We don’t know any babysitters, so I don’t know who the fuck would watch them. So now, we can’t go have fun at a party and instead, we have to sit here with a couple of babies.”

Gerard bit down on their lip, trying to think of anyone who would babysit, but no one came to mind. Bert was right, there was no way they could leave the kids alone. Then, suddenly, it clicked. 

“Bert, what if – and hear me out, what if we didn’t leave the kids home alone tonight, but still went out?” 

Bert raised an eyebrow at them. “You mean, like take them with us to Tucker’s?”

Gerard nodded, and Bert smirked.

“Well, looks like Vince and Shia are gonna experience their first ever Tucker Thursday – we better tell them the theme,” He said, a grin on his face. The two walked back out to the kids, ready to tell them the news. 

––––

“Gerard, can you hurry up? I need to change!” Bert yelled from behind the bedroom door. Gerard sighed, tying the front of the flannel into a knot. They stepped into their cowboy boots, and placed the cowboy hat on. Gerard was pretty grateful for their prostitution days at the moment, because the main piece of the costume was the American flag bikini top they were wearing with the flannel, a staple piece they would rock whenever they worked the corner on summer nights to pick up conservative men. 

“Alright, I’m done,” Gerard said as they unlocked the door, and Bert immediately barged in. 

“Can you get out? I need to change,” Bert ordered, and Gerard put their hands up in defense, walking out of the room in silence. As they got to the living room, they saw Shia in her first communion dress, playing with two forks as if they were dolls.

“Shia why are you wearing your communion dress?” They asked, sitting down next to her. She looked up at Gerard and let go of the forks. 

“You said it was a party, and I wanted to dress fancy!” Shia replied, a bit defensively, so Gerard wasn’t going to say anything about the theme. “Well, you look beautiful,” They said simply, and Shia smiled. “Where’s Vincent?” 

Shia looked around the room, before yelling out Vince’s name in a high pitched scream.

“What do you want?!?” Vincent called back, voice coming from the bathroom. 

“Vince, are you getting ready?” Gerard asked, and Vince replied with a simple “Yes!”, so Gerard left that alone. They luckily did their makeup before they got dressed, so they didn’t have to worry about getting that done – once Vince and Bert were ready, they could leave for Tucker’s house. 

“What the heck is that?!” Shia suddenly screamed, and Gerard turned to look where Shia was pointing, and their jaw dropped at the sight.

There Bert was, walking down the hallway in his costume – except the costume was not what Gerard was expecting. As he came more into view, Gerard couldn’t help but break out into laughter at their husband.

Bert was wearing his long camo shorts and high white socks, except over top of those shorts, he was wearing a giant hot dog costume. Not a suit with hot dogs on it, not a hot dog shirt, no. It was a straight up hot dog he was wearing. Over top of the hot dog costume was his kimono and a picture of Mickey Mouse with an American flag pattern on it taped to the center of the hot dog. 

“Bert, genuinely what the hell?” They asked, feeling tears form in their eyes from laughing so hard. Bert looked extremely embarrassed for a split second, obviously nervous from Gerard’s reaction.

“Okay, well hot dogs are like, the most American thing ever . I wanted to wear this, I bought it years ago but never found a use for it until now,” He replied, and Gerard raised an eyebrow. 

“Why did you buy a hot dog costume years ago if you never had a use for it?” They asked, and Bert rolled his eyes and sighed heavily.

“God! Stop with the questions! You look sexy, by the way. I like the bikini top, reminds me of those nights in the tent,” He smirked, and Gerard blushed, before remembered their daughter was sat right next to them. 

“Vincent, hurry up or we are leaving without you!” Bert yelled, knocking loudly on the bathroom door, which soon unlocked. Bert stepped away as the door opened, and out came Vincent.

Gerard swore that Bert and Vincent didn’t get along because of how similar they were – and this definitely contributed to that idea.

Vincent was wearing a tank top that had the French flag on it, neon multicolored swim trunks, a beret, and cowboy boots. Alongside that, Vince was wearing a variety of all too familiar bracelets on his wrists – and the ripped off sleeve of the kimono around his neck like a scarf.

“Are those my bracelets?” Gerard asked, and Vincent nodded, grinning proudly as he spun around in his outfit. Gerard usually would’ve been mad, but there wasn’t time for that. They turned to Bert, who looked mad .

“What the fuck are you wearing? Who said you could touch my kimono sleeve? Did you steal that from my room, you fucking British thief?” Bert growled as he snatched the sleeve off Vince. 

“Looks better on me than it did on you, bruv ,” Vince mumbled under his breath, and Bert slapped Vince across the face, causing him to start crying.

“Bert! What the fuck!” Gerard yelled, running up to Vince. “Are you okay, honey?”

Vince nodded, wiping the tears off his face. “Daddy is mean.”

Gerard couldn’t agree more. 

“Okay, what’s everyone waiting for? Get in the car, we are going to be late if we waste anymore time! I’ll drive, and this time – no singing . I can’t concentrate when you two are screeching like that in the backseat,” Bert ordered, clapping his hands together to get everyone moving. Shia and Vince ran out of the house, racing each other down the stairs, Bert and Gerard following behind him. They got in the car, and Bert immediately began speeding towards Tucker’s house, excited for the night that awaited the family.

––––

“Bert, Gerard! So glad you could make it!” Tucker smiled as he opened the door, and the sight of Tucker almost made Bert drop the handle of whiskey he was holding. He was wearing a white tank top, his signature tight, tight white jeans, and his usual bandana was replaced with a bandana that was an American flag pattern. He also had a pair of black sunglasses on.

“Thanks for having us,” Gerard said simply, eyeing the man who Bert cheated on them with. Gerard had to admit – they’d fuck Tucker too, but that wasn’t the point. “Excuse me, I’m going to go drink!” They pushed past Tucker, leaving him with Bert, but surprisingly, Bert trailed after them, running through crowds of people to catch up.

“Not gonna hang with Tucker?” They asked, and Bert shook his head and looked down. “He said he had to go meet up with some people, and then left,” Bert frowned. Gerard rolled their eyes as they poured themself a shot, throwing it back and swallowing, feeling the vodka run down their throat. 

“You think the kids made it inside alright?” Bert asked, and Gerard looked around, before spotting a small boy wearing a beret and a girl in a white dress by the backdoor. “Yeah, they got in okay. I’m glad that Tucker’s backdoor was open, that was a smart idea, making them go in through the back,” They said. Bert nodded, smiling, before taking some large swigs out of his bottle of Jack Daniels.

“Gerard!” A voice called out, and they turned and saw Michelle, who was wearing a variety of red white and blue, and her shirt said, “Freedom for everyone, or freedom for no one”. 

“Michelle! Hey! How are you?” Gerard smiled, pulling her into a hug. She smiled, before glaring slightly at Bert. “I’m good! Excited for another Tucker Thursday, you know the deal! Syd and Ryan are just around the corner, I’m just waiting for this creepy guy to leave them alone so I can join the conversation again.”

Gerard raised an eyebrow, so Michelle continued with an explanation.

“This guy, John Feldmann, he works at the law firm I’m at – the one that Tucker’s dad owns. No one invited him, he’s like, 60, and he won’t leave me alone. I had to ditch Syd and Ryan because I needed a drink and wanted to get away from him for a bit. He’s so weird,” She explained, and Gerard laughed.

“God, that’s awful. What a freak, I’ll tell him to fuck off when we go over there, if he’s still there. Nice shirt by the way, what does it mean?” They asked. 

“Oh! Well, I hate America, so I wanted to make a statement about the institutional inequalities seen within our society, and how celebrating or preaching about freedom only creates a societal notion that there aren’t people constantly under the weight of oppression from those in the ruling class,” Michelle stated as if it was obvious, and Gerard barely understood any of the words that left her mouth, but nodded and smiled anyway. 

“Wow! Cool! Let’s find Syd and Ryan!” Gerard smiled, and Michelle and them linked arms, turning the corner. Bert watched as they left, and he looked around self consciously now that he was alone. For a split second, he caught a glimpse of a tall guy, platinum blonde hair with the underside dyed black, and then the man disappeared as he walked into another room.

Bert’s stomach dropped. There was no way. Before he could process anything, he felt someone tackle him, and he turned around, bursting out into an obnoxious laugh at the sight.

Brent was the one who tackled him – and he was dressed as Donald Trump , blonde wig and everything.

“Wow! Hello President Trump!” Bert laughed, and Brent laughed with him.

“Hello, um, hot dog!” Brent replied. “Listen, I’m sorry for letting Gerard just run off like that with Adam – I should’ve been a better friend. I really hope you’re not mad at me.”

Bert pulled him into a hug. “Nah, we cool man. Sorry for punching you.”

“All good! Anyway, crazy turn out tonight, right? Tons of people I’ve never seen before, crazy costumes, oh! I forgot to tell you! I reconnected with an old customer, I think you might know him. He’s here right now, and he’s pretty hard to miss, so, keep an eye out. Alright, I gotta go refill the punch bowl, I’ll catch ya later!” Brent rambled, before scurrying off towards one of the tables across the room. Bert blinked a few times, confused – he didn’t know who Brent could be referring to. 

Bert took a few more swigs of the whiskey, and he began feeling the alcohol kick in. He stumbled slightly through the crowds, trying to find any sort of familiar face, when he collided face-first into a mix of red, white, and blue.

“Bert! What a darling, miraculous surprise! Look at you, absolutely delectable looking,” The thing Bert ran into said, and he immediately knew who it was. Anthony. He backed up a bit, and took in Anthony’s costume, which he was not expecting in the slightest.

“Anthony, hey man! Are you, um, Uncle Sam ?” Bert asked, and Anthony smiled widely, his eyes glowing before letting out a slow, menacing laugh.

“Call me Uncle Tony,” He grinned, and then knelt down, taking Bert’s hand in his and kissing it. “Here to dedicate my life and services to the greatest country there is.”

Bert quickly moved his hand away, laughing nervously. “Aha, nice man! I’m a hot dog.”

Anthony raked his eyes over Bert, licking his lips, and Bert felt a shiver run down his spine.

“Absolutely gorgeous,” He said in a raspy voice, before whipping his head back up to meet Bert’s eyes. “Where is Gerard? I miss my beautiful princess.”

“Oh, they’re around here somewhere. I think they are hanging out with their friends… Wanna go find Tucker and hang out with the guys? We can find Gee later,” Bert proposed, and Anthony nodded slowly, and the two wandered off, heading towards the stairs together.

––––

“Ryan, I cannot get over your costume,” Syd laughed, and Ryan spun around, showing off his look at every angle. Ryan was wearing a full suit that was covered from head to toe in British flags – it was insane.

“I had to represent the lads, you know me!” Ryan laughed, and Gerard clinked their red solo cup to Ryan’s, and they both finished their drinks. Ryan was definitely the one who went all out out of him, Gerard, Syd, and Michelle. Syd was wearing a typical outfit that was a mix of red, white, and blue, with a few of those beaded necklaces in the same colors around his neck, and of course Michelle was in her political statement shirt and an awesome pair of red and blue booty shorts. Gerard felt a little slutty, considering they were showing a lot of skin, but they didn’t care that much – Michelle was matching their vibes since they were both wearing shorts.

“Hey, speaking of outfits, who the hell is that?” Ryan asked, pointing over the crowds. Gerard strained their neck to meet where Ryan was pointing, but couldn’t get a good view.

“Oh my god, that person went all out. They are so formal!” Syd laughed, and Michelle rolled her eyes. “Clearly they’re a newbie to Tucker Thursdays – everyone knows to not dress like it’s junior prom,” she sighed. 

Gerard took a few steps towards Ryan, and they finally saw the person of conversation – they weren’t facing the group, but the outfit was visible. They were wearing a fancy red dress, with a white sash, and Gerard noticed a pair of blue high heels paired with it. Their dark brown hair also had a bow clipped on the side, and Gerard couldn’t tell what the pattern was, but based on the red white and blue look, they assumed it matched that.

“That’s so tacky,” Gerard scoffed, and the three others laughed. “Are you jealous that someone pulled up in such an extravagant outfit?” Syd teased, and Gerard lightly punched his arm. 

“Shut up, god no. I’d never wear something as cheap looking as that,” They replied.

“Cheers to that!” Syd smiled, raising his cup, and Ryan quickly poured two shots – one for him, one for Gerard – and Michelle, Ryan, and Gerard joined Syd in his toast, all of them throwing the drinks back. The group all got back into conversation pretty quickly, and Gerard tuned them out, looking over at that person again. Their body and frame seemed familiar, and Gerard swore that they have seen those exact shoes before – they just couldn’t remember exactly where they’d seen them. 

“I’ll be back in a little,” Gerard told their friends, and they nodded, before Syd tapped their arm. 

“Imma come with you, we’ll see you guys soon!” Syd said, and linked arms with Gerard. Puzzled by this, Gerard and Syd began walking through the crowd before Gerard stopped and turned to Syd.

“Why’d you come with me?” They asked, and Syd shrugged.

“I’m worried about you, everytime we see you, you have a new wound. Where’d you get that cut on your neck?” He asked, and Gerard touched the mark on their neck, looking away. 

“It’s nothing. I’m just clumsy,” They replied, and Syd rolled his eyes. “No, it’s not nothing , it’s Bert. That’s why I’m coming with you, I’m not tryna let Bert beat you up again . This night should be fun!” He stated firmly, and Gerard laughed, and they continued walking through the crowd. Gerard finally made it close enough to see the person in the dress, and it all clicked.

The person in the dress was Jepha. Fucking. Howard.

He was dressed in drag – a common occurrence back when they lived in the homeless camp together. Jepha had an assortment of dresses, he’d let Gerard borrow some of them when they would go out together to work. 

Gerard knew Jepha hated them – after Jepha got Gerard into prostitution to make money, all of Jepha’s clients left him for Gerard. That resulted in a big fight between Bert and him, and also ended with their tent being ripped. Gerard hadn’t seen Jepha since.

As they were about to turn around and get the fuck away from Jepha, he turned, and they locked eyes with each other. His eyes went from a calm, intoxicated glance to a wide, shocked, pissed stare. Gerard stood there, face blank, and they turned to Syd.

“Syd, let’s go. Now,” They said, and Syd raised an eyebrow. “Why?” 

Gerard sighed. “I can’t explain it all right now – but I think we should g–”

“Gerard? Long time, no see. Nice bikini top, didn’t know you were still working the corner,” A voice said from behind them, cutting them off. They took a deep breath and turned around, meeting Jepha’s face.

He was definitely the most glam Gerard had seen him – sparkly eyeshadow, red lipstick, gems around his eyes, and Gerard had to admit that they were kinda jealous of his makeup skills. 

“Jepha! Wow, hi! And, um, no. I don’t do that anymore, just pulled this out for the party. I like the dress! It’s giving, um, Forever 21,” They replied, not being able to hold back any bitchiness after he basically told them that they look like a prostitute. Jepha’s jaw dropped in shock, but he promptly shut it and took a deep breath.

“Where’s Bert?” He asked, looking around the room, before locking eyes with Syd. “Who’s that?”

“I’m Syd, Gerard’s friend. You said your name was Jepha?” Syd asked, putting his hand out, and Jepha took it into his, giving Syd a firm handshake. “Yeah, I’m Jepha. Nice to meet you, Syd.” He then turned back to Gerard, waiting for the answer to the question about their husband. 

“I’m not sure, probably with the host and his friends. What are you doing here? Are you alone?” They asked, and Jepha smirked.

“Bert is friends with Tucker? Huh, that’s funny. Brent invited me – we reconnected recently, I used to be a customer of his. And no, I’m not here alone. I brought my best friend, you might remember him. Hey, Quinn!” Jepha called out, and Gerard swore their heart stopped as a tall, toned blonde came into view. He took one look at Gerard, and immediately walked the other way. 

“Dude, that guy does not like you,” Syd whispered, and Gerard was frozen in shock. 

They couldn’t believe Quinn Allman was at Tucker Thursday. With them. And Bert. 

“I’m gonna go to the bathroom,” Gerard mumbled as they tried to steady their breathing, and they ran away from Jepha, pulling Syd with them until they reached a bathroom. The two went in, and Gerard leaned against the wall and sunk to the floor. They couldn’t believe this was happening, it felt surreal.

“What the hell is happening?” Syd asked, concerned, and he sat down next to Gerard. “Don’t you dare cry, you’ll ruin your makeup.”

Gerard let out a laugh, blinking any tears away. “I used to live with those guys when I was homeless with Bert. That blonde one, god. That’s Quinn. Bert and him, they knew each other from way back – used to fool around together. One time I caught Bert cheated on me with him, and then I found out Bert was attached emotionally to him and the relationship was much more than physical, and then we got back together and I haven’t seen Quinn since. The other one is Jepha, he’s kinda irrelevant but he’s the one who got me into prostitution – it’s a long story.”

“Jepha’s kinda cute,” Syd chuckled, and Gerard rolled their eyes. “Ew, gross!” They laughed, and Syd clinked his cup to theirs. “Wanna go back out there and find Michelle and Ryan again?” He asked, and Gerard nodded. They both got up, and headed back out into the party, making their way back to Ryan and Michelle, who were happy to see them, handing them both shots of vodka. 

––––

“Gabe, you’re so corny. That shirt reminds me of Mr. Peanutbutter,” Mikey giggled, taking a small sip of his Truly, and Gabe leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.

“I’m very Mr. Peanutbutter though, so it’s fitting. Plus, it’s ironic ,” Gabe laughed, proudly showing off his tshirt that had a fake red, white, and blue tuxedo print on it. Mikey rolled his eyes, the smile not leaving his lips. He looked down at his shirt – bright blue, tight, and littered with white stars. Gabe and him went shopping together for this a few days ago, and Mikey was very happy with how they looked, even if Gabe’s shirt was cheesy. He was happy that he got invited by Gabe to Tucker Thursday, considering the drama that occurred at the last one with Gerard. However, he made it apparent that there would be no drama tonight – even if Gerard was there.

“Let’s go dance, I miss your moves,” Mikey laughed, pulling Gabe’s hand as they walked towards the dance floor. Once they made it, Mikey felt Gabe’s hands move onto his hips, and felt as the front of Gabe pressed against his back. 

“Are you trying to grind against me, Dr. Saporta?” Mikey teased, and Gabe chuckled.

“I wouldn’t exactly call this ‘grinding’,” He replied. “But if you insist!”

Mikey giggled, pressing himself against his boyfriend. He was so worried after Gerard’s shenanigans that Gabe would find out and break up with him, but, luckily, nothing ever came up. He loved being official with Gabe – he had a fat crush on him since the second he began working with him, and the fact that they were dating now still boggled Mikey’s mind. 

The two continued dancing, and Mikey turned around so he was facing Gabe, having to stand on his tippy toe in order to be anywhere close to Gabe’s face.

“Hi,” Mikey said, and Gabe kissed him before pulling away. “Hi Mikes.”

“I like you a lot, thank you for inviting me.”

“I like you a lot too, Mikey. Thanks for being my date,” He replied, and he leaned in to kiss Mikey again, but before Mikey could reciprocate, he saw two familiar children run past the couple on the dance floor.

“What the fuck?” Mikey yelled, shocked, and Gabe turned to meet Mikey’s gaze.

“Are those children?” Gabe asked, and Mikey nodded. There were two young kids, a boy and girl, dancing next to each other, and one of them – the boy – was holding what looked to be a vape in his hand. Mikey turned back towards Gabe.

“Why the fuck are there two tiny children at Tucker Thursday? Does Tucker have kids or something?” Mikey asked, and Gabe shook his head. “No, not that I know of. He’s been dating this guy, Adam, but they are way too early in a relationship to get married, let alone adopt children,” Gabe replied, shrugging. Before Mikey could turn and look at the kids again, he felt something wrap around his waist.

“Uncle Mikey!” A british voice said, and Mikey’s eyes grew wide, and he looked down. There they were – Gerard and Bert’s kids. Vincent was wrapped around Mikey, hugging him tightly, and Shia was standing close by, smiling at him and Gabe.

“Um, Vince! Shia! What a surprise!” Mikey said awkwardly, making eye contact with Gabe, who looked as surprised, if not more, as Mikey. “What are you two doing here?” 

Vincent and Shia looked at each other and laughed.

“Daddy and Mummy brought us! My first party, it’s so cool! I wish they played more Brendon Urie, though,” Vincent sighed, and Mikey felt sick. Of course Gerard and Bert would think it’s okay to bring two young kids to an adult party unsupervised. 

“Um, where are Gerar–, I mean, um, your parents?” Mikey asked. Vince pulled away from the hug, and ran over to Gabe, punching him in the leg.

“Ow! What? Why did you do that?” Gabe yelped, touching the part of his leg where Vince punched him. 

“You’re tall,” Vince said, and then he did a cartwheel, almost kicking someone nearby. Mikey rolled his eyes – Gerard and Bert’s kids were absolutely insane . Mikey looked at Shia for a response to his question.

“I don’t know, we lost them when we got here. I think I saw Mom with someone in a full red, white, and blue suit though!” Shia said, and Mikey nodded. He was unsure of what to do – he couldn’t just leave these kids alone, but he had to find Gerard. 

“Gabe, I’m so sorry,” Mikey sighed, and Gabe put a hand on his shoulder.

“Babe, it’s okay. I’ll help you. Hey, Vince, Shia, let’s go hang out in the backyard. We can play games!” Gabe said in a cheery voice, and the kids looked at each other, and then back at Gabe, smiling.

“Can we play house?” Shia asked, and Gabe chuckled and nodded. 

“Yes, of course. Come on you two, let’s go!” He smiled, and then planted a kiss on Mikey’s cheek. Mikey watched as Gabe led the two little kids through the crowd, and out the door to the backyard. Mikey smiled – he was so in love with that man.

He quickly snapped out of it, motivated to find Gerard and ask them what the fuck they were doing. He began wandering around the entire first floor, trying to keep an eye out for a red white and blue suit, when suddenly – he saw someone in one. The man was wearing a suit that was covered in American flags, with short sleeves and shorts instead of an actual suit. Mikey had to admit – it was pretty funny. He ran up to the man, and tapped on his shoulder.

“Can I help you?” The man said, and Mikey didn’t recognize him in the slightest – but then again, he didn’t know who Gerard was friends with.

“Have you seen Gerard?” Mikey asked, and the man’s face fell.

“Gerard? As in Gerard Way? Wait, who are you?” He asked.

“Yes, Gerard Way. I’m their brother, Mikey. Now, can you tell me where they are?” Mikey was getting impatient at this point.

“I don’t have any idea where they are, I didn’t even know they were going to be here. If you find them, tell them to leave Adam alone ,” The man said sternly, and Mikey’s eyes widened. 

“Adam? Wait, who are you?”

“I’m John. John Nolan – Adam’s best friend. You know Adam Lazzara, right? Your sibling’s ex?” John replied, and Mikey almost fell over.

“Um, I gotta go. And yes, yes I’ll tell Gerard to stay away from Adam,” Mikey replied, immediately turning around and running back through the crowds, trying to process what the hell was going on. Adam was here? And Gerard was back in contact with him? Mikey was so confused, and it didn’t help that he was drunk. He just knew he needed to find Gerard, and fast . 

––––

“Have you ever done coke before?” Bert asked Geoff, who was staring worriedly at the white powder in front of him. 

“Okay, not, but it’s fine! I swear, I’m chilling. You just, um, snort it right? Like breathe it in?” Geoff asked, his voice clearly showing signs of worry. 

“Yes, just breathe through your nose – or don’t! No one is forcing you to do cocaine, Geoff!” Gerard laughed as they walked up and leaned into Bert. Tucker wasn’t in the lounge, but Gerard, Bert, Geoff, Anthony, and one of Anthony’s friends – someone named Justin – were. Geoff was a little worried – he wasn’t too fond of Anthony, and he knew about Tucker’s drama with Bert, but he was actually having a lot of fun with Gerard.

“Alright. Count down from three, please?” Geoff asked, and Bert and Gerard nodded. 

“Okay, 3… 2… 1… Go!” Gerard cheered, and Geoff snorted the line, before rubbing his nose and blinking.

“That kinda hurt,” He chuckled, and Bert and Gerard laughed with him. “Do you want the second line, Gerard?” He asked. Gerard shook their head.

“Nah, they don’t do that anymore. Back in the day though? God, they were the biggest coke whore in the world,” Bert laughed, and Gerard rolled their eyes. 

“Oh, my princess… I’d love to help you out if you ever choose to re-enter the position of a coke whore… Providing you with substances in exchange for some intimate time with a delicacy such as yourself would be a dream come true!” Anthony said suddenly, approaching the three. Geoff looked and made eye contact with Bert and Gerard, and they both stared back. No matter how often they were around Anthony, they were never prepared for the comments he would make. 

“Um, thanks Anthony!” Gerard said, too drunk to actually try and defy Anthony’s weird comments. Bert looked at them and chuckled, knowing exactly what they were thinking. 

“I’m gonna go get some more vodka, Bert, wanna come?” Gerard asked, and Bert sat up, shocked that Gerard would even offer. Bert nodded, feeling a little bad that they were leaving Geoff alone with Anthony. The two stood up, and Bert took Gerard’s hand in his. Gerard felt their cheeks heat up – Bert hans’t touched them like this or even interacted with them like this for a week, and they had to admit, they missed being close with Bert.

As the two walked down the stairs, hand in hand, Gerard could feel some sort of spark between them, some sort of understanding. Gerard knew Bert has done a lot worse to them than they have done to him, but for some reason, things felt equal. Maybe it was the alcohol, or in Bert’s case – the coke and alcohol, but things felt okay between them at this moment. Like, no matter what happened, they loved each other, and that’s all that mattered.

“Woah! Watch where you’re going!” A man shouted as Gerard accidentally tripped into him.

“Don’t talk to my wife like that, asshole!” Bert immediately snapped back, but as soon as it was clear who Gerard ran into – things changed.

“Adam, what are you doing here?” Gerard asked, and Bert felt heat build up in his stomach. He pulled Gerard close to him, eyeing the tall man.

“I’m here because Tucker invited me… What are you two doing here?” Adam asked slowly, and Gerard and Bert looked at each other.

“Tucker invited us too,” Gerard replied simply, and they could feel Adam’s disappointed gaze burn into them. They quickly pulled away from Bert, and looked at Adam in his entirety. He was wearing a tight white tshirt, and some American flag printed swim trunks – and he looked fine as hell. Gerard had to hold themself back from drooling over him, considering their husband was right next to them. 

“Anyway, good seeing you Adam. We are getting drinks now. Come on, Gerard,” Bert ordered, flashing a fake smile at Adam as they dragged Gerard down the stairs, and Gerard looked behind them, mouthing an ‘I’m sorry’ at Adam before they were pulled into the crowds on the first floor. Adam smiled sadly at them – he really had no idea what was going on in their head, and why they stayed after the shit Bert pulled. 

“Hey! Gerard!” Adam suddenly called out, and Gerard turned their head, meeting Adam’s eyes before they were enveloped by the mass amount of people on the first floor.

“Let’s hang,” He yelled, and Gerard looked at Bert, who was too busy trying to tie his shoe. Gerard looked back at Adam, and nodded. They felt butterflies in their stomach, and as guilty as it made them feel, they didn’t care. Adam was their first love, he was an exception, Gerard was allowed to feel so conflicted about him. 

“Gerard, go refill your drink. I, um, need to go to the bathroom,” Bert suddenly said, and he looked frantic, so Gerard assumed it was pretty serious, so they nodded. They headed over to the kitchen, pulling out a can of coke zero from the bar and some vodka, and they began to make their drink.

Bert basically sprinted through the crowds of people. He thought he was tripping when he saw that platinum blonde hair earlier in the night, but now, things were different. He definitely saw him, there was no doubt . And Bert didn’t care about anything but finding him at this moment, seeing his face, nothing mattered but this moment.

“Bert?” Someone asked, grabbing his arm and pulling him aside. Bert turned his head and made eye contact with a guy in a red dress, pounds of makeup on, and dark brown hair.

“J-Jepha?” He replied, stumbling over his words. “What, what are you doing here?”

Jepha laughed, and put his hand on Bert’s waist, pulling him close.

“You’re looking good, I like the hot dog costume,” Jepha whispered, and Bert pulled away from him. “Get away from me Jepha, I’m not letting you cop a feel or whatever the fuck you’re doing. Is– is Quinn here?” Bert asked, not even caring about how desperate he sounded.

“Yeah.” A voice said. Bert turned around, and he looked up to meet the voice that just spoke. 

“Quinn?” Bert said slowly, his big, bright blue eyes meeting a pair of light brown ones.

“Hey, Bert. It’s been a while,” The tall blonde said slowly, and before he could reply, Quinn spoke up again. “I’m gonna let Branden in and then grab another drink.”

Bert stood there, unsure of what to do, and he watched as Quinn walked through the crowds, tight red shirt clinging to his body, blue jeans hugging his legs. He turned back towards Jepha, but Jepha was already gone. Bert stood there, alone in a crowd, and he felt like he could barely breathe. The music was blasting, and Bert recognized the song – Under Pressure, by Bowie and Freddie Mercury. He let himself fade into the crowd, focusing on the song, all the drugs and alcohol coarsing through his veins, and he tried to convince himself that the interaction he just had wasn’t real – he must’ve imagined it. Maybe the drugs he did were laced, or maybe he was too drunk, or maybe it was all wishful thinking after he thought about Quinn when he was with Tucker, and then when Gerard brought Quinn up. 

He danced through the music, ignoring anything around him as Under Pressure blasted through the speakers, and suddenly he spotted Gerard walking up the staircase. He knew at that moment they were planning on meeting with Adam – he wasn’t that stupid – he heard their interaction in its entirety. Bert couldn’t go anywhere though, he was trapped within the massive dance circle, and he didn’t even care at this moment. The music kept on blaring, Bowie and Freddie’s vocals filling the room up, and he could feel himself shaking his hips, he could feel himself really getting into the groove of things. He felt like he was catching his breath when suddenly a pair of hands landed on his hips. He paused for a second, and he slightly turned his head, catching a glimpse of platinum blonde hair.

Bert felt the blonde press against him, and he didn’t stop moving his hips to the music. He stayed silent – there was no reason to talk at the moment. He continued grinding his ass into the man behind him, because he knew it was Quinn, and he knew this was a bad idea, but he didn’t care. Nothing mattered. Gerard was most likely with Adam, Tucker was nowhere to be found, or maybe he was with Adam – it was a blur to Bert. But those hands, those strong hands gripping his waist, that wasn’t blurry. 

In that moment, everything in that world felt like a haze, and Quinn’s hands around Bert’s waist, and Quinn’s body pressed against his was the only clear thing he could focus on. 

If Gerard saw him right now, he’d be completely screwed. 

“Fuck you,” Quinn whispered into Bert’s ear, and his breath caused Bert’s skin to raise with goosebumps.

“Quinn, I–” Bert started, but the body moved away from him, and the hands left his waist. He turned around, and watched as the tall blonde moved his way through the crowds of people, away from Bert. Bert knew he deserved it. 

“Bert? Wh–what was that?” A high pitched voice asked shakily, and Bert whipped around, face to face with Gerard. His eyes grew wide, and he felt sick.

“Gerard! Um, I–” Bert started, but was cut off as an arm was thrown around him. Bert turned to look at the person, and saw Brent slinked over him.

“Bert, you, you’re my bestest friend!” Brent slurred, and before he could reply, Brent took another arm and swung it over Gerard, pulling them close. Gerard and Bert stared at each other, and Gerard felt sick. So did Bert.

“My favorite couple, you guys… You guys should totallyyyy kiss!” Brent laughed, before widening his eyes. Gerard and Bert both felt as another arm went around the both of them, and they turned to see who it was. 

“Ugh, my favorite couple too! I’m so glad you invited me, Brent. I just am obsessed with these little lovebirds. Come onnn, kiss for us!” Jepha sneered, moving one of his arms off Gerard’s back and onto their head, pushing them towards Bert.

“Jepha, s-stop,” Gerard mumbled quietly, and Bert knew he was the only one who heard it. He looked at Gerard, and his stomach twisted with guilt when he saw the way they looked at him. 

“Jepha, stop , you fucking freak!” Bert yelled, pushing him out of the way. Jepha threw his hands up, laughing. 

“Don’t hit a lady, Bert,” Jepha smirked, throwing his hands up as if he was innocent. Bert flipped him off, and Jepha laughed, rolling his eyes as he walked away. Bert turned back towards Gerard and Brent, but Brent was awkwardly looking between them.

“I’m gonna go,” Brent said slowly, pulling away from the two and immediately disappearing into the crowd.

“Gerard, I can explain–” Bert stuttered, watching as Gerard’s eyes were studded with tears.

“I’m gonna find Adam, leave me alone Bert. Have fun with Quinn and Tucker, you fucking asshole, ” Gerard whimpered, before running off into the crowd. 

Bert stood there, shocked. 

“Bert! I’ve been trying to find you – how are you man?”

Bert turned towards the voice.

“Oh, hey Tucker!” He smiled, blue eyes shining. “Can we talk?”

Tucker looked around the room, before turning back to Bert.

“Of course – let’s go to the lounge.”

Chapter Text

“You know, I’m really glad you asked to talk. There’s definitely things we need to go over,” Tucker smiled as the two took a seat on the leather couch. The two were alone in the lounge so they could talk, Tucker having to kick William and Dan out of the room, getting dirty looks in the process.

“Um, yeah. Agreed. Listen, I’m sorry for being so harsh last week, I was just really fed up over the whole Adam shit. Nothing ended up happening, so that’s good I guess, but I just kinda freaked. It wasn’t your fault. And, um,” Bert paused, taking a deep breath. “You stopping me mid blowjob really shook me up – it made all these insecurities pop up. I’m not used to having such, perfect guys want me, and you ending the hook up was just a reminder of that.”

Tucker looked down at his hands, and Bert leaned back into the couch, watching him. He was still on edge after what just happened with Quinn, Jepha, and Gerard, and he was close to breaking down at any moment. Usually, he’d find comfort in Tucker, but everything just felt like a mess. Bert still couldn’t get what Gerard said out of his head – how everything with Tucker was just a repeat of what he had with Quinn. He lightly touched the kimono that felt like it was burning into him through the hotdog costume. 

“Listen, I never intended for it to be mean, or to hurt your feelings. I just, I got freaked out after you brought Adam up. I know Adam and I weren’t ever exclusive, but I really do like him. And I don’t ever wanna be a homewrecker, and then I was. I helped you cheat that night, and that did not make me feel good. It had nothing to do with you, I promise Bert. You’re a catch,” Tucker chuckled at the end, and Bert met Tucker’s eyes, smiling softly.

“You mean it? You, uh, think I’m attractive?” Bert’s eyes sparkled.

Tucker looked Bert up and down – the hot dog suit, the kimono, the mickey mouse picture taped to the front of the costume. 

“Yeah, of course,” Tucker smiled. Usually, Tucker would never find anything remotely attractive about an outfit like that, but it was Bert. And Tucker couldn’t deny that Bert pulled it off. “You landed Gerard, who’s a hottie, and, um, obviously I hooked up with you too. Of course I find you attractive.”

Bert grinned. Regardless of the Quinn bullshit, Bert still had a huge crush on Tucker. He was so cool, and incredibly handsome. Tucker always made Bert feel so at ease, and he couldn’t help his feelings.

“Thanks, man. And, uh, right back at you. I think it’s crazy, I mean you could have any guy you want, so it was just shocking that you chose me, even if it was for a little,” He said. Tucker shifted in his seat, leaning back so he was next to Bert. Tucker rested his head on Bert’s shoulder, and he felt Tucker’s shaggy brown hair tickle his cheek.

“I think we should stay friends, Bert. But, if you were single, and I was too, I think we’d definitely make a great couple,” Tucker sighed, and Bert felt his breath get caught in his throat. 

“Yeah, I think friends is good. And I agree, I guess things could’ve been better for us in another lifetime,” Bert sighed, and Tucker lifted his head up, smiling at him. As heart breaking as it was, Bert knew it was only right – he was married to Gerard, and there was no doubt that out of everyone, Bert would still choose Gerard in the end. 

“Another lifetime, exactly. Listen, I gotta go meet up with Geoff. I promised I’d perform with him, Tim, Steve, Tom, and Norman tonight, and we gotta figure out what songs we wanna do. Have fun for the rest of the night, I hope I get to see you,” Tucker smiled, standing and rustling up Bert’s hair. Bert nodded, watching as Tucker left. As soon as he was out the door, immediately William, Dan, Kenny, and Zach barged in, laughing.

“Ayo, Bert! Sup man! Wanna do some drugs with us?” Dan asked, and Bert perked up.

“Whitesides! I haven’t seen ya since last Tucker Thursday, how are you doing? And to answer your question, fuck yes. After the night I’ve had, this is like a dream come true,” Bert grinned, walking over to the four men, chuckling as William threw an arm around him.

––––

Gerard gasped as their back hit the wall, feeling the hand run through their hair and tug slightly.

“Jesus, Adam . What’s gotten into you? You’ve never been so rou–” Gerard was cut off as Adam pressed his lips against theirs, and they moaned into the kiss. He pulled off again, running his thumb against their bottom lip.

“Mm, maybe I wasn’t rough with you because I never knew you wanted it like that,” Adam said in a low, breathy tone. He moved to Gerard’s neck, planting kisses up and down it, and Gerard melted into the touch.

After Bert cheated on them twice with Tucker, and then seeing him dancing like that with Quinn , they only had one thing on their mind: Adam. Not only did they need to get revenge on Bert, they desperately wanted Adam. He was so fine, especially in those swim trunks and the tight white shirt. 

“Do you know how gorgeous you are? Fuck, I’ve never in my life seen someone like you. Since the day I met you, Gerard, I’ve always believed you were the prettiest person in the world,” Adam breathed against Gerard’s neck, and Gerard felt chills run up their spine. Adam pulled them back into a kiss, his mouth tasting strongly of alcohol. 

The way Adam’s mouth moved against theirs felt so natural, and they bit down slightly on his bottom lip and tugged. He moved his big hands from their hair, one going to delicately hold their jaw, while the other snaked around their waist. They leaned into his touch, wrapping their arms around his neck, feeling the red hair touch their hands. They loved how they had to get on their tippy toes to put their arms around his shoulders, he was so tall , and Gerard hadn’t been with a man taller than them in so long. Well, besides Anthony, but Gerard didn’t count that.

“You sure this room is alright, to, um, be in?” Gerard asked, and Adam nodded.

“Yeah, definitely. This is a random guest room, there’s no way Tucker or Bert would come in here,” He replied, moving back in to kiss Gerard, but they hesitated. “What’s wrong?” He asked.

“Don’t get me wrong, I want you so fucking bad, Adam. But, you’re drunk, I don’t want you regretting this. You sure you’re okay with this?” They bit down on their lip, looking up at Adam with wide eyes, and Adam smiled, planting a kiss on their forehead.

“I’m drunk, yeah, but so are you. We are two adults, at a party, and we want each other. I’ve wanted you forever, fuck, I never stopped wanting you even after we broke up. The alcohol has just gave me confidence,” He smirked, and Gerard let out a deep breath, smiling as they pulled him back into the kiss. They felt as Adam’s hand moved from their waist to slide under the flannel, his cold touch against their bare skin, fingers grazing the fabric of the bikini.

“Kinda funny we both have swim suits on,” Adam grinned into the kiss before biting their lip, and Gerard let out another moan. The two continued kissing, and Gerard was getting a little desperate at this point. They pushed him off of them, before grabbing his hand and guiding him to bed. Before they could do anything, Adam pushed Gerard onto the bed, causing them to let out a light gasp of surprise, and they grabbed a fistful of Adam’s shirt and pulled him on top of them.

Just as the two began kissing again, Adam’s muscular arms on either side of Gerard’s head, the door opened.

“Adam! I’ve been looking everywhere for you, wait, shit I’m sorry man!” A voice shouted, and Adam perked up, pulling off Gerard frantically. Gerard looked over at the door, and saw a man that they somewhat recognized – before it all hit.

That was the guy from the Subway, the guy that was on Adam’s lockscreen, Adam’s best friend. The guy who told him about Gerard and Bert.

“What. The. Fuck, ” He said slowly, and Adam jumped off the bed, running a hand through his hair.

“John, um, fuck. It’s, it’s not what it looks like!” Adam said frantically, and John scoffed, walking into the room and shutting the door. 

“Not what it looks like? Bullshit! You’re hooking up with Gerard ! What about the things we talked about earlier? Dude, what the hell!” John shouted, and Gerard looked at Adam, eyes wide.

“What? What did you guys talk about?” Gerard asked quietly, and John turned to them, his face angry.

“Shut the hell up, Gerard. Get the fuck away from Adam, you cheating, rude, selfish bitch!” John growled, running up to Adam and grabbing his arm. 

“John, hold up! Don’t be mean to them, I initiated this!” Adam explained desperately, and John rolled his eyes, facing him.

“I don’t care, Adam. They are manipulative, they literally cheated on you and ghosted you! And now, because of their shitty husband who they cheated on you with, they came crawling back because they know you can’t say no to them!”

Adam looked at John, then over at Gerard. Gerard watched Adam, and they knew this was wrong, and they knew they hurt Adam in the past, but John was making them look a lot worse than it actually was.

“John is wrong! I’m not manipulating you, I’m not crawling back because of Bert. I want you, Adam!” They argued, and before Adam could say anything, John spoke up again.

“Really? So, when the party is over, you’re gonna go home with Adam? Gonna file a divorce with Bert, and start dating Adam again? Gerard, I’m sorry your husband is a piece of shit, but you’re just as bad. You want Adam so you can use him, I can see right through your bullshit. I’m not letting you hurt him again. Adam, let’s go.”

Gerard stayed silent, mouth open in shock. Adam turned towards them.

“John’s right, isn’t he? You were just going to go back to Bert after this, huh?” He asked sadly, and Gerard looked at him with wide eyes.

“Adam, I, fuck. Marriage is complicated, I couldn’t just divorce him right away! It’s a process, I–” They stammered, and Adam shook his head, looking back at John.

“This was a mistake, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have tried to hook up with you. I’ll see you around, Gee,” He sighed, and John nodded at him. Gerard watched silently as the two left, Adam turning one last time to meet their eyes. They both stared sadly at each other, before Adam officially left the room, turning down the hall. Gerard sighed, leaning back onto the bed, head hitting the pillow. Everything was going terribly tonight – Gerard’s luck was definitely not working out in their favor. They waited a few minutes to be sure Adam and John were out of the hallway, before getting up, adjusting their bikini and flannel before putting their hat back on. Gerard stood up, sulking out of the room, turning the corner to head back to the main party area.

As they got closer, they saw Syd, Ryan, and Michelle in a circle talking in the middle of a huge crowd that was forming by a stage. They walked over, pushing their way through the mass of people, until they were with their friends. Ryan noticed them first, and threw an arm around them.

“Golly, Gerard! Where have you been, bruv? And why are you so flushed?” Ryan asked, squeezing Gerard close to them. They laughed softly, feeling a little self conscious that it was physically obvious that they were up to something with someone.

“Ah, I get red when I drink. Speaking of drinks, I need another one. Or five,” Gerard smirked, and before they could blink, Syd held up a bottle of red wine.

“Grabbed this outta the wine fridge – I’m pretty sure my hotel sells the exact same one, and it’s nice . Have as much as you want,” He offered, handing the bottle to Gerard.

“Oh!” They said, surprised. “I don’t know, wine kinda makes me, um…” Gerard trailed off, embarrassed. 

“What?” Michelle asked slowly, and Gerard shook it off. They might rarely get wine drunk, but it didn’t matter. They smiled and grabbed the bottle from Syd, taking the stopper off and taking a few large swigs, shivering a bit as the alcohol went down their throat.

“What’s going on right now?” Gerard asked, watching as a few people set up some instruments on the stage. “Since when was there even a stage there?”

“Thursday is performing in little, it’s so exciting! They haven’t done this at a Tucker Thursday in months , everyone is so pumped!” Michelle exclaimed. Gerard smiled at this – even though they weren’t on the best of terms with Tucker after the whole Bert situation, they did enjoy their time spent with Geoff tonight. They were eager to see how the nervous, scrawny guy was a performer, and they were genuinely curious what kind of music Tucker and Geoff made. 

“Oh, sick! Can I watch with y’all?” Gerard asked, and the three nodded, before Syd tapped Gerard’s shoulder, so they leaned closer to him.

“I saw you earlier leave with that tall guy, how was it? He looked cute, even if I only saw him from the back, def hotter than your husband in every way,” He smirked, and Gerard laughed awkwardly in response.

“That’s, um, my ex. Adam. Nothing happened, I just wanted to, uh, catch up,” They stammered, and Syd gave them a look that clearly said he didn’t believe them, but wasn’t going to pry at all. Both Syd and Gerard’s attention was quickly turned back to the stage when someone tapped on the mic, causing the crowd to quiet down.

“Hey guys! I’m Geoff, but you all might know me as the lead singer of Thursday! I wanna give a big thanks to Tucker, our drummer, and the fabulous host of this Tucker Thursday! Everyone give it up for Tucker Rule!” Geoff smiled into the mic, and the crowd erupted into a cheer. Gerard watched as Michelle, Ryan, and Syd clapped and yelled out Tucker’s name, so they joined in, cheering on the host.

“Awh, thank you everyone! And thank you , Geoff. I’m glad everyone’s having such a good time tonight! Tucker Thursday wouldn’t be the same without all of you, so I appreciate you all for being here!” Tucker replied, and Gerard didn’t even notice he had a mic in front of his drum set until he spoke. 

“Now, we are gonna play a few songs tonight for you guys, how does that sound?” Geoff grinned, looking at the other members of the band rather than into the crowd. Everyone began yelling again, and then Tucker hit the symbol, causing the crowd to quiet down a bit, and Geoff leaned back into the mic.

“This first song is called Division Street, it’s from our album ‘War all of the Time’, we hope you guys like it,” He said, before the music began playing, clear, crisp bass filling the room. Gerard turned to Syd, tapping on his shoulder.

“Do you listen to Thursday? Like, how popular are they?” They asked, and Syd chuckled.

“I listen to them casually, but Michelle and Ryan are big fans – Ryan has been going to their shows since they started. They aren’t crazy popular, but they are a well known name in the scene around here. Have you heard of Taking Back Sunday? I really love them!” Syd explained, and Gerard froze at the name. 

Adam’s band.

“Yeah, yeah. That’s, um, my ex’s band! They’re good, he has a really good voice,” Gerard replied. Syd’s eyes widened in surprise.

“No fucking way you dated Adam Lazzara ! Oh shit! That’s the Adam from earlier? He’s here right now? What’s he like? Oh shit, hold on, this song is one of my favorites,” Syd paused, and Gerard turned back to Geoff to listen.

“Lights out, on Division street, and all the hate that rises through the cracks of the pavement…” Geoff sang, and Gerard looked at Syd, who was singing along. Ryan was pushing his way through the crowd, obviously trying to get to the front, dragging Michelle along with him. They had to admit, Thursday was really good, and Tucker’s drumming was absolutely flawless. They couldn’t take their eyes off the way Geoff performed though, eyes shut tightly, putting his all into singing and screaming each lyric. If Gerard still had a phone, they definitely would check out the rest of the band’s discography sometime. 

As the song came to a close, Gerard desperately wanted more to drink – the wine wasn’t kicking in quick enough, and they needed some shots to speed up the process. They turned back to Syd, who was currently hitting a dab pen. 

“Listen, I’m gonna go grab another drink, you want anything?”

Syd smiled, but shook his head. “Nah, thanks though! I’m gonna push my way through to catch up to Michelle and Ry, so come find us after!”

Gerard nodded before turning away and heading over to one of the many drink stations, Geoff’s voice booming through the room. Once they made it to a table consisting of a variety of alcohol, Gerard began pouring a shot for themself. They quickly took it, the taste of vodka strong in their mouth. They poured three more, taking them in succession, before grabbing a half open can of sprite that was just sitting on table, and then took a few sips. After Gerard’s third sip, they felt someone loop a finger into one of their belt loops on their shorts. Before Gerard could turn to see what was happening, they were tugged backwards, their back meeting the mystery person’s chest as they choked slightly on the sprite, coughing.

“Gee, baby, ugh I’ve been looking for you. I gotta explain what was happening with me and, um, that blonde guy, it wasn’t what it looked like, I swear Gerard!” A familiar, slightly raspy deep voice whispered onto the back of Gerard’s neck. Gerard pulled away and turned around to face their husband.

“That blonde guy ? Are you fucking for real right now, Bert? That wasn’t just any blonde guy, that was Quinn . I literally saw him before you danced with him, and Jepha made it very clear that it was Quinn!” They snapped, and Bert rolled his eyes and kicked the corner of the leg of the table.

“And so what if it was Quinn? God, Gerard , can’t a guy dance with his friends without it being a big deal? Knowing you, you probably danced with Adam or whoever the fuck you’re interested in at the moment, I can’t ever keep track considering you’re a fucking whore,” He growled, and Gerard took a step back, mouth opening in shock.

“Because Quinn isn’t your friend ! What is wrong with you? Are you just that delusional?” Gerard yelled, and before they could say anything else, Bert slapped them across the face.

“Don’t you dare call me delusional. That’s a fucking joke coming from you! Get real, Gerard ! You literally are in love with some old man who doesn’t even know who you are, you reconnected with your ex who you cheated on as if he isn’t gonna drop your ass at any moment, and you pretend like you hate me yet you would let me fuck you anytime, anywhere. You are the delusional one,” Bert sneered, and Gerard looked around the room, trying to see if anyone noticed Bert slapping them. His eyes were huge and angry, his cheeks red from a combination of the alcohol and adrenaline. Gerard opened their mouth to respond, but was quickly interrupted by an all too familiar voice.

“Well, well, well… What do we have here? Is my delicious couple not getting along on this fine night? What seems to be the problem? Oh, by the way princess, it’s quite phenomenal to see you again… I’ve been thinking of you non stop since our last interaction. How are you, my enigmatic, exceptional darling?” Anthony said, grinning, eyes basically glowing in the dimly lit room. He reached his bony hand out to touch the ends of Gerard’s hair, and both Bert and Gerard watched the man in silence, before Bert finally spoke up.

“Um, yeah. We are fighting right now, Anthony,” He stated simply, and Anthony slowly turned his head towards Bert. 

“Oh, trust me, I know . I saw you slap Gerard, and immediately rushed over. I haven’t been able to see you act like that in a long time, Bert. It gave me quite the erection, would you like to feel, my king?” Anthony asked, reaching out for Bert’s hand, but Bert took a few steps back, shaking his head to indicate that he definitely did not want to feel Anthony’s dick. Anthony glared at him, narrowing his massive eyes, before he turned towards Gerard.

“Well, what about you, my lovely little girl?” He offered, and Gerard pondered for a few moments, considering the options. They looked down, seeing his cock hard through his pants, and debated if this was a good idea, but decided against it.

“Um, I’m sorry Anthony, not tonight! Listen, Bert and I were kinda in the middle of something, so maybe you coul–” Gerard started, but was cut off immediately as Anthony placed a finger to their lips. 

“I’d like to stay and watch, actually,” He stated simply, his eyes piercing into Gerard in a horrifying, commanding way. They opened their mouth again to reply, but Anthony’s finger didn’t move.

“Ah ah ah! I stated my needs, Gerard. No need to argue, you already know how this works,” He said firmly. Gerard was unsure of what to do, so they nodded slowly in agreement, which caused Anthony to finally retract his hand away from their face.

“Okay, um… Well, back to the conversation, I guess. Um, well, if you’re not delusional, then why were you dancing with Quinn as if he’d actually want you after what you did? You really think it’s normal to call the two of you ‘friends’ when he literally said ‘fuck you’ to you?” Gerard tried to sound stern, but with Anthony there, it was a bit difficult to get back into the argument.

“God, you’re so stupid , Gerard! He was obviously, just, um, kidding around! You make everything so serious, it’s fucking exhausting!” Bert scoffed.

“Oh, that was quite good. I liked how Gerard’s eyes widened like that when you called them stupid, Bert. Keep doing that,” Anthony smiled, and the couple turned their heads to look at the man.

“Anthony, what the hell?” Bert questioned. He was clearly over this, his eyes as big as Anthony’s, except they were filled with clear anger and annoyance, in comparison to Anthony’s lust-blown, almost unreadable eyes.

“Oh, grow up . Don’t act like you aren’t doing this on purpose, like you aren’t actively trying to turn me on with this conversation,” Anthony grinned, licking his lips as he furrowed his eyebrows. Bert groaned and rolled his eyes.

“I’m not trying to turn you on right now, when will you understand that? I’m literally trying to fight with Gerard, I didn’t want some fucking audience!” He yelled, and Gerard accidentally let out a laugh at this entire situation. Bert and Anthony both whipped their heads around to look at them, the gaze of four huge, blue eyes burning into them.

“What’s so fucking funny, Gerard ?” Bert hissed, and Anthony took a few steps closer towards them, causing them to back up until they felt the drink table hit their lower back.

“I–I, um, nothing!” Gerard insisted as they tried their best to hold back a smile and an upcoming laugh.

“It seems as though something is humoring you, my dearest little doll. Mind sharing with the class?” Anthony asked slowly, clenching his jaw. Gerard felt the wine and the many shots they took earlier fully kicking in at this point, and they looked from one man to the other, before bursting out into a full fit of laughter.

“Oh man, I can’t. I–I’m sorry, are you both being for real right now? This situation, is the funniest, most outrageous shit ever . I can’t have this conversation with Anthony right here! This is too much, even for me . I’m gonna excuse myself, I promised Syd I’d meet him back in the pit, so, um, I’ll talk to you later, Bert,” They said between laughs. Anthony and Bert both opened their mouths in shock and looked at each other, unsure of what to say in response. Gerard took this opportunity to sneak past Anthony to head back to the crowd, moving as fast as they could. Luckily, they slipped through a few people, and Gerard was pretty confident that they were out of Anthony and Bert’s sight at this point. 

Now, they just had to somehow find Syd, Ryan, and Michelle. They began pushing their way forward, trying to see if they could spot two blondes in red, white, and blue, and a lanky brunette dressed in a suit covered in British flags. 

“Syd! Ryan! Michelle!” Gerard began shouting, and some guy next to them immediately shushed them, grumbling about how disrespectful they were being. Gerard rolled their eyes, not caring that they were shouting during a concert. As they pushed their way through, they noticed Syd, dancing with someone towards the front of the crowd.

“Syd! Syd! Oh thank god I’ve been looking for y…. You,” Gerard said, voice trailing off at the end as they saw someone in a red dress emerge next to Syd.

“Gerard! Oh, hey! Did you get your drink?” Syd asked, acting completely normal. Gerard’s eyes signaled over to Jepha, trying to understand the situation.

“Gerard, good to see you again. Syd and I were just dancing together, I don’t know why you’re so surprised,” Jepha smirked, and Syd laughed as Jepha threw an arm around his shoulder.

“Um, why?” Gerard replied, extremely shocked at this entire situation. 

“Well, I saw him in the crowd, and we kinda just gravitated towards each other. Instant chemistry, one would say,” Jepha explained, and Gerard just stared at the two, open mouthed. There was no way this was happening.

“Okay, honestly, I don’t care. Can you please leave, Jepha? I’m trying to enjoy my time with my friends,” They grumbled, rolling their eyes.

“Gerard, come on. Jepha’s not bothering anyone, why are you so mad that he’s here?” Syd asked, and Gerard met his eyes. Syd looked so calm, confused at Gerard’s sudden outburst.

“Syd, can we talk?” Gerard said, a hint of urgency in their voice. Syd looked at Jepha, then back to Gerard, and nodded. The two walked a bit away from Jepha, making sure he couldn’t hear.

“Did you forget everything I told you? Like, about him, Bert, and Quinn?” They questioned, and Syd’s eyes widened a bit.

“Oh, shit! I didn’t realize you had like, actual beef with Jeph! You just told me he knows Quinn, and he got you into prostitution. Listen, I was chatting with him, he’s actually really cool. Maybe you’re being a little overdramatic about this?”

Gerard stared at Syd in shock. 

“Syd, you talked to him for like, five minutes. I lived with him for years! I know him a lot better than you do, and he’s a fucking weirdo! He hates me! I thought my friend would have my back here!” Gerard tried to hold back their yelling, but it was hard. Syd, the only person in the world who Gerard thought they could count on was gonna choose Jepha Howard over them. “You know what? If you wanna have fun with Jepha, so be it. I don’t even care anymore!”

Gerard ran away, pushing through the crowd before Syd even had the chance to reply. They didn’t wanna hear anything about how good of a person Jepha was, because they knew it wasn’t true. They weren’t sure where to go, or who to even be around, so they headed to the bathroom and locked the door behind them. The tears started to pour down their cheeks, and they leaned against the bathroom door, before sliding their back down it, curling up on the floor as they cried.

––––

“Well, thanks a lot, Anthony . I was trying to have a conversation with Gerard, and you show up and make everything seem too ridiculous, causing Gerard to leave. Now, I don’t know where the hell they are, and I’m just stuck here with you,” Bert grumbled, pouring himself a shot of the whiskey that was on the table next to him and the older man.

“You act like you are ungrateful for my presence… Shameful, in all honesty, Bert. After the nights I gave you last week, I expected better from you. Alas, I cannot blame you, I too am deeply saddened by Gerard’s absence, even though I don’t believe their choice to leave was due to my affectionate actions in the slightest,” Anthony replied, leaning his back against the table next to Bert. Bert sighed, and poured another shot.

“You want one?” He offered, but Anthony held up a hand and shook his head.

“I better not… I like to keep a clear, sharp perspective during nights like these. You never know what could happen with this many people around… Who could be listening… I have my suspicions,” He stated, and Bert looked up at him, raising an eyebrow.

“You seem to have a lot of suspicions about a lot of things, Anthony,” He chuckled, but stopped as Anthony turned to him, looking down at him with huge, serious eyes.

“Tis not a bad trait to be cautious, Robert. Recklessness will only get you so far. I don’t even want to know about your preparation for the Tidal Wave, I’m sure you don’t even have a proper bunker.”

“What? What the fuck is the tidal wave? What are you talking about?” Bert exclaimed, completely confused at this point. Anthony chuckled, and leaned in extremely close to Bert, his concerningly wet lips almost touching the side of his face.

“Oh, how lucky you are to be so naive, Bertie. You and Gerard are welcome at my bunker when the Tidal Wave comes, because there is no stopping it,” Anthony smirked, and before Bert could reply, he felt an arm wrap around his shoulder. He turned, and saw a sweaty Tucker, drumsticks in his hand.

“You talking about the Tidal Wave?” Tucker smiled, and Anthony nodded. “Yeah, better fill Bert in on that. Anyway, did either of you hear my set? I wish we could’ve played more than five songs, but I also really wanted to party a bit more. Plus, it was hard for people to see my outfit from behind the drums, and I needed to get some pics of me taken for my instagram that weren’t just of the band,” Tucker sounded super cheerful, and Bert felt a little guilty that he only heard Tucker’s band as background noise. 

“I wasn’t able to get into the crowd, but I’ve been here listening the whole time. You’re, uh, really good, Tucker. Geoff is a great singer, too,” Bert smiled, before continuing the main thing on his mind. “Okay, what the hell is the tidal wave? Why does everyone know about it but me? Who started this thing?”

“Anthony told us about it,” Tucker shrugged, before leaning in and whispering to Bert. “Trust me, I was confused at first too. He’s been on about it for years, and he seems pretty sure it’s gonna happen.”

“The shadows. They know, Bert.” Anthony said slowly, and Bert was completely lost by this point, but he couldn’t ask any more questions because shortly after, he turned away stiffly, and walked away.

“What the fuck are the shadows?” Bert asked frantically, and Tucker laughed.

“Man, I wish I had an answer for you. Oh shit, there’s Mikey! Hey man!” Tucker called out, and Bert froze. Mikey? As in, Mikey Way?

When the guy came into view, Bert was right. It was Mikey. Fuck, how did Tucker know Mikey ?

Mikey’s eyes widened a bit as he saw Bert, but he came up and hugged Tucker. “Tucker! amazing party, I’m so glad I’m here!”

“Awh, thanks. Okay, so… How are things with Gabe? I love that guy, and I think you’re a great fit for him. You really got that guy on a leash, he’s totally obsessed,” Tucker laughed, and Mikey kept looking at Bert, before meeting Tucker’s eyes again.

“Gabe and I are great! You know, it’s funny, I didn’t know you were friends with my sibling and their husband! Bert, how are you? How are your kids ?” Mikey asked in a slightly passive aggressive tone. 

“No way! You’re Gerard’s brother? What a coincidence! Also, you have kids , Bert? How did I not know that?” Tucker asked, voice a little panicky, and Bert knew Tucker was now feeling even worse about hooking up with him, considering that he was not only married, but a father too. Something about the way Mikey asked Bert the question though made him nervous, but he couldn’t exactly figure out why.

“Yeah, Tucker is very popular. I didn’t know he was friends with, um, your boyfriend, I’m guessing? And, um, my kids are great. Vince is seven now, Shia is eight. They, uh, are currently at home with a babysitter, probably asleep. They’re good kids, you should totally meet them sometime, Tucker! I’m sure they’d love to meet someone who’s basically a celebrity,” Bert laughed nervously.

“You know, that’d be so fun! Maybe the guys from Thursday and I could play some songs for them. I’ve been trying to grow the audience of the band, I want our brand to not only be for people in their twenties and thirties, you know.”

Mikey perked up, and Bert watched him tentatively.

“Oh, that would be so fun! Especially because I’m sure they loved your set tonight, Tucker.”

Tucker cocked his head to the side, confused. Before he could speak, Bert butt in.

“Mikey, what are you talking about?” He said slowly, an edge to his voice. Mikey stared at Bert, not breaking eye contact.

“I’m talking about the fact that you brought your fucking kids here tonight.”

Tucker gasped slightly, and looked at Bert, who was silent.

“Bert, what ?” He asked in shock. Bert didn’t turn to look at him, and instead kept his stare on Mikey.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, Mikey. If you’re trying to make me look stupid, then you clearly failed because there’s, uh, no way in hell that I’d ever bring my kids here!” He growled, and Mikey scoffed.

“Really, Bert? Because Gabe is currently watching them outside on Tucker’s deck.”

Tucker frantically poured himself a shot and took it before grabbing Bert’s arm and spinning him around to face Tucker. “Bert, what were you thinking ? I can’t have two little kids at this party, this shit is hardcore! Plus, if anyone posted photos and there are two children in the background, I’d be screwed ! The band could be screwed! I need to go, I gotta go talk to Geoff. He’ll know what to do. Bert, please get your kids out of here, as soon as possible!”

Bert watched Tucker ran off, seeing as he ran his hands through his sweaty hair, clearly stressed. He had to admit – he never thought about how Tucker could get in trouble if photos were to be posted. To be honest, he assumed the kids were playing in some room, not walking out and about.

“Bert, I know you hate me, and I hate you too. You’re a terrible person, a terrible husband, but I didn’t know you were this terrible of a father! I mean, bringing two tiny kids to a massive rager, where there’s an insane amount of drugs, alcohol, and adults?” Mikey yelled, and Bert rolled his eyes.

“Listen, Mikey. Don’t blame this shit on me, I was actually against this. It was all Gerard’s idea, which makes sense because they are a horrible mother. Oh! Another thing, don’t come storming up to me and telling me how to be a parent, because you don’t know what it’s like dealing with those fuck ass kids. Besides, it’s not like they would get into any alcohol or drugs, they know not to do that shit,” Bert snapped back, lying through his teeth about this whole thing being Gerard’s idea. To be fair, it was Gerard’s idea, but Bert was very happy to go along with it. Mikey didn’t have to know that though.

“Um, not true! I saw Vincent holding a fucking vape in his hand! Bert, he’s seven , why the fuck does he have a vape? Where the hell did he even find that?” Mikey protested, and Bert waved a hand, brushing it off.

“I got that for him. He wouldn’t stop asking for one, and I didn’t want him stealing mine. It doesn’t have nicotine in it, because I’m a good father and I don’t want him getting addicted. Maybe don’t assume things, Mikey,” Bert looked around the room, and saw Gerard walking out of the bathroom..

“Listen, man. I gotta go, tell your boyfriend that I’m thankful he’s watching the kids. I’ll let Gerard know you verbally harrassed me for literally no reason,” Bert smirked, and Mikey’s jaw dropped.

“ No reason ? I think I had a pretty good fucking reason! Where are you going? You need to get your kids–” Mikey pleaded, but Bert just laughed, walking away. He was here to have fun, and if Mikey’s boyfriend was taking care of them, Bert didn’t see a problem with continuing to party. He sped up to Gerard, who was busy grabbing a half empty bottle of wine off of a counter, and taking large swigs. Their flannel was slightly falling off their shoulders, and as Bert got closer, he noticed that their makeup was smeared, eyes red, and their cheeks were slightly damp. They were crying in that bathroom.

“Gerard, is everything okay?” Bert asked as he approached Gerard, who took one look at him, and then went back to the wine bottle, chugging the rest of the contents. He rolled his eyes, they were so dramatic. He got closer and clapped his hands together in front of their face to get their attention, causing them to turn towards him.

“What the hell do you want?” They snapped. “I need more wine.”

Gerard began walking away, but Bert grabbed their arm to stop them, pulling Gerard back to him.

“No, you definitely do not need more wine, Gerard. What’s going on? You were crying. Are you okay?” He repeated with slight concern. He didn’t know why they were so upset, and Gerard rarely got wine drunk, considering it made them even more emotional, if that was possible.

“No! I’m not okay ! Nothing’s okay! Syd is dancing with Jepha, you cheated on me with Tucker and then you were dancing with Quinn, I don’t know where Michelle or Ryan are, Adam doesn’t want to see me, and his mean best friend hates me! Tonight is awful !” They yelled, tears forming in their eyes once again. Someone walked past holding a tray of jello shots, and Gerard grabbed two, immediately taking them, wiping away their tears after.

“Oh, um. That explains why you’re so upset, I understand,” Bert replied awkwardly. He knew he was slightly at fault for their mood at the moment, but it was clear there were a lot of other factors. Bert didn’t like the fact that there were other people here making Gerard upset, because it was one thing for Bert and Gerard to fight, but it was another for their friends to ditch them. He watched as they started crying again, and he pulled them into a hug.

“Hey, hey, Gerard! It’s okay, shh. Don’t cry, you worked hard on that makeup, baby! Listen, fuck Jepha, fuck Adam, fuck all those assholes. You deserve to have fun tonight, do you wanna come dance with me? We can show Syd and Jepha how much fun we are having on our own, without them!” Bert said quietly to them, and they pulled away, wiping the tears from their face, being careful to not ruin their eye makeup anymore than they already had.

“Yeah,” They replied, smiling at Bert. “I’d like that.”

Bert reached out and took Gerard’s hand in his, before leading them to the dance floor. Bert shoved his way through, keeping a tight hold on Gerard’s hand as he pulled them into the crowd. As soon as he saw a short blonde guy dancing with someone in a red dress, he smirked, tugging Gerard up to him. They were only a few feet away from Syd and Jepha, and Bert used that opportunity to spin Gerard in front of him, putting his hands around their waist. 

“Your hands are cold,” They giggled, and Bert pulled them closer to him. He mad eye contact at Jepha, who was now watching the couple as him and Syd danced.

“Ugh, I love dancing with you, Gerard. You’re the sexiest person at this whole party, you know that? And your outfit is so perfect, not tacky or stupid at all, unlike some people here,” He grinned, raking his eyes up and down Gerard’s body before locking eyes with Jepha, and smirking.

“Mm, Syd. I love how we clicked almost instantly. We should definitely hangout sometime outside this party,” Jepha said loudly, still looking at Bert and Gerard. Syd noticed Jepha’s eyes weren’t on him, so he turned and saw Gerard and Bert.

“Gerard! Hey! Why did you run off like that? What did I do?” Syd asked, and it was clear that he felt bad.

“Listen, Syd , you’re dancing with Jepha, how about you leave me and Gerard alone?” Bert snapped, and Syd looked taken aback, before he turned towards Gerard.

“Gerard, come on! What the hell?” Syd pleaded, and Gerard pulled away from Bert, before turning to face Syd, keeping their ass against Bert, moving their body to the music. They felt Bert’s hands touch their ribs, before trailing down and resting on their waist, right above the hips.

“You defended Jepha so easily , acting like I was crazy for not liking him! So my bad if I didn’t want to be around that. Jepha and I used to be really close, but he went insane out of nowhere and ripped Bert and I’s tent! We literally had to move because of him, because he decided to be a cunt and ruin our place for no reason!” They yelled at Syd, unable to hold back. Gerard felt Bert press his lips against the back of their neck.

“Proud of you, baby,” He whispered, his breath hot against their skin. They smiled, and turned their head, to pull Bert into a kiss, placing their lips against Bert’s, before they turned back to Syd and Jepha.

“Wait, what the hell do you mean I was acting like a cunt and being insane for no reason? You know what you did to me, Gerard, don’t act all innocent,” Jepha hissed, and Bert looked over at him, butting in.

“Oh, come on , Jepha! Get real, we didn’t do shit ,” He snapped back, and Jepha pushed Syd to the side, taking a few steps closer until he was a few inches from Gerard and Bert.

“Get real? I am being real. Gerard ruined my fucking life for a while! I lost all forms of income because of you, goddamn skank! Just because you are all pretty and girly, you think you can just walk all over everyone. You stole all my fucking clients from me, remember that? After I got you into the business, aka I was trying to help you and I saw some potential in you, you used that goddamn slutty charm of yours to steal every client I used to work with! I was barely able to afford any form of food because of your whore ass!” Jepha growled, before shoving Gerard backwards, and they fell into Bert’s chest, who caught their fall.

“Jepha, what the fuck! Don’t do that!” Syd said worriedly, rushing to Gerard’s side and helping them back up.

Before Gerard could say anything, Bert pushed Gerard to the side, meeting Jepha face to face.

“Don’t you dare ever lay a fucking finger on them, ever again. Or I’ll fucking kill you, you hear me? Just because Gerard is prettier than your cake face will ever be, doesn’t mean you have the right to say that shit to them, let alone fucking touch them! Get the fuck out of here, I don’t ever want to see your face ever again, because if I do, I’ll break that fucking nose of yours!” Bert roared as he punched Jepha square in the jaw, and Gerard’s heart swelled with a cocktail of emotions – but the primary feeling was love. The way Bert stood up to them was heroic, and they were in awe of their husband.

“Jesus, what the fuck is going on here? Awh, is Bert trying to be threatening? How cute!” Someone said, and everyone turned to look at the person who spoke up.

“Quinn,” Was all Bert said, and Gerard narrowed their eyes at the blonde in front of them. 

Chapter Text

10 years ago

“Quinn I’m coming inside!” Bert yelled as he opened the door, holding a six-pack of beers. 

“Lock the door behind you, I’m getting out of the shower now! And could you maybe text me or something before you show up? What if my parents were here?” A voice called from upstairs, and Bert grinned, shutting and locking the front door as he set the beers down on the kitchen table. He noticed an opened envelope addressed to Quinn with the rest of the mail sitting there, and he picked it up, turning it over in his hand before setting it back down.

“Well, good news Quinny, they aren’t here! No texts needed,” Bert grabbed a beer and cracked it open, before taking a seat on the couch. Shortly after, he watched as the tall, skinny, platinum blonde shuffled down the stairs, hair wet and hanging in his face, and the only thing he had on was a towel around his waist. Bert wolf-whistled at him, causing Quinn to roll his eyes and laugh.

“Where’d you get the beers?” He asked, grabbing one and opening it.

“Stole 'em from the 7/11 down the road,” Bert shrugged, and Quinn shot him a glare.

“What? I asked like, four different people if they could buy them for me, and they all said no. I had to do what I had to do,” Bert protested, and Quinn rolled his eyes and moved his way over to Bert, before plopping down on the couch next to him.

“I don’t know why you don’t just get a fake ID. You have a job, your parents are rich, you could totally afford one – and then you wouldn’t have to worry about getting the cops called on you,” Quinn suggested before he took a swig of the beer. “It’s good by the way, I like this one better than the last beers we had.”

“Because, Quinn ,” Bert smirked as he emphasized the other’s name, “Too much work. Besides, then I’d actually have to spend money, and I’d rather save that shit for like, drugs or something. How else would I be able to afford Blackbear’s prices, even with the discounts?” 

Quinn shrugged, leaning back onto the couch, and Bert rested his head on his. 

“Are you gonna go to college?” Bert asked, and Quinn looked at him in surprise. It might’ve seemed like it was out of nowhere, but he knew it had to be brought up. 

“What? Why are you asking me that?”

“I saw the letter. You got accepted, didn’t you?” Bert said softly. Quinn sighed and took a sip of the beer.

“Why were you going through my mail, Bert?” He groaned, shutting his eyes as he rested his head back on the couch.

“Can you just answer the question?”

Quinn set the drink down on the coffee table before turning back to Bert, his brown eyes unreadable. Bert always had trouble trying to read Quinn – he was so unpredictable, he never knew what was going on in Quinn’s head.

“I got accepted, yeah, but I don’t know yet. I got a pretty good scholarship,” He replied, and Bert smiled, eyes wide.

“Quinn! That’s amazing! Wh–why would you not go? You finally have the chance to get out of this shitty ass town, I mean the state school is only like an hour away, we could go to college parties together, I could sleep over in your dorm every night–” Bert’s words spilled out excitedly, but he was quickly cut off by Quinn.

“It’s not the state school that I applied to.”

Bert looked at him, eyes still wide but not from excitement anymore. “What?”

“I got into a school in California,” Quinn said quietly, avoiding his gaze. Bert took a sip of his beer.

“Oh,” He replied. He wasn’t expecting that in the slightest.

“I don’t think I can do it, Bert. Move across the country, all by myself? I mean, yeah, I have a partial scholarship and stuff, but where am I gonna get the money to afford the rest of tuition? It’s not like my parents will help me, and I’ll miss my brother, and–” Quinn stopped for a moment. 

Bert held his breath.

“And I’ll miss you. How the hell am I gonna survive without my best friend?” Quinn sadly laughed as he finally looked at Bert. He could tell that Quinn was trying to mask being upset, but it was pretty obvious based on the tone of his voice.

“Hey man, it’ll be okay! California is like, so fucking cool! And knowing you, you’ll get a job somewhere sweet, and you can call your brother, and…” Bert trailed off. He was trying to be encouraging, he really was, but he knew he would miss Quinn more than anything if he left.

“And I’ll visit you, and we’ll go to all those crazy parties and get wasted every night! And when I’m not there, you’ll be home for every summer, winter, and spring break. There’s no way you can pass this up, Quinn. I know how badly you want to study music, and you’re crazy talented. You deserve this,” Bert bit down on his lip, trying to hide any shakiness in his voice. As much as he wanted to grab Quinn by the shoulders and beg him to stay, there was no way he’d let his best friend stay in their shithole town just because of him. 

Bert watched as his eyes grew watery, and before Quinn said anything, Bert tackled him. Quinn’s back fell against the couch, with Bert on top of him.

“You fucker,” Quinn laughed as a small tear fell, and he wiped it away. 

“You were getting too sad, I had to do something to cheer you up!” He grinned, and Quinn moved one of the strands of black hair that was hanging in his face to behind Bert’s ear.

“Alright, get off me so I can actually put some pants on! You jumping on me caused my towel to come undone, and now my dick’s out,” Quinn pushed Bert gently off of him, and Bert caught a glimpse of Quinn’s dick before he quickly wrapped the towel back around him.

“Personally, I think you should keep the towel off and not wear any pants,” Bert suggested, wiggling his eyebrows. Quinn scoffed and softly hit the side of Bert’s head.

“You’d just love that, huh?”

Bert rolled his eyes as he nodded. “It’s been like, a week since we hooked up, so, yeah I’d love it.”

“Fine, fine. Come upstairs with me and bring the beer, just in case my parents come home. I don’t want them walking in on us, cuz they’d never let you sleep over ever again,” Quinn replied with a grin, and he turned and began walking towards the staircase. Bert scrambled to his feet and grabbed the rest of the beer before following Quinn up the staircase. With Quinn going up the stairs in front of him in just a towel, Bert couldn’t help himself, and he slapped Quinn’s butt with a wicked laugh.

Quinn whipped his head around to face him, and in return, Bert gave him a flirty smile.

“You’re gonna regret that,” Quinn narrowed his eyes, and Bert waved his hand, brushing Quinn off. 

“Just hurry up so we can get to your room already, Quinny.”

––––

“Fuck, I don’t know how you’re so fucking good at this,” Quinn moaned, hand tightening in Bert’s hair. Bert wanted to reply, but he currently had Quinn’s dick hitting the back of his throat. He loved giving Quinn head, and usually, he liked to do the work himself, but he couldn’t deny that holding onto the backs of Quinn’s pale thighs and getting his throat fucked was very hot.

He looked up at Quinn with big eyes and tried to focus on his breathing as Quinn held Bert in place, forcing him to just take it, and even though Quinn already got him off fifteen minutes ago, he felt himself getting hard again just from the way Quinn handled him.

Bert tried his best to match Quinn’s thrusts with his mouth, hollowing his cheeks at each movement of Quinn’s, and he could tell Quinn absolutely loved it by the way he hung his head back, his cheeks flushed, and the deep breaths. Quinn wasn’t very loud, not like Bert, but he would gasp and swear under his breath, and he’d talk dirty to Bert, especially because Quinn knew Bert liked it so much.

“Ah, fuck , Bert, you’re gonna make me come,” Quinn said breathily, and Bert dug his nails into the back of his thighs, looking at him. Quinn looked down and met his eyes, before tugging Bert into him as far as he could by his hair. Bert felt his cock hit the back of his throat, and he choked slightly, but he was in no position to pull away. Within a second, Bert was met with Quinn’s cum in his throat, and he swallowed around his cock, not breaking eye contact or pulling away until Quinn removed his hand from his hair. 

Quinn put his hand out, securing Bert’s hand in his grip as he helped him off his knees. Once Bert was on his feet, he felt Quinn’s hand ruffle his already messed-up hair. 

“Hey! Knock it off!” Bert giggled, swatting Quinn’s hand away, and he laughed along with Bert as he moved to his closet to grab a pair of boxers and pants. Bert watched him as he slid on his clothes, and by clothes, Bert meant a pair of plaid pajama pants and nothing else. “Are you ever gonna get that stomach tattoo you want? You’re doing the crown that I drew, right?”

Quinn smiled and nodded. “Yeah, I want it hella bad, and my parents can’t say no because I’m nineteen, but I don’t got any money right now. Hey, you think Blackbear would let me work at Subway for a bit?”

“Hmmm, I can ask? I’m not the best reference for a job though, considering it’s me,” Bert laughed, and Quinn tossed him a beer as he opened one himself. Bert grinned as he flicked the tab on the can open, and took a sip of the slightly cold drink.

“Oh shit ! Speaking of Subway, I never told you!” Bert perked up, and Quinn looked at him with raised eyebrows.

“Huh? Told me what?” He replied, taking a seat in his bed, and Bert walked over and joined him.

“Okay, craziest fucking story! Yesterday, I was working, right? And this person walked in – looked around our age. They had like, shoulder-length black hair, and they had a Smiths shirt on, and this really old leather jacket that was falling apart–” Bert began, but Quinn cut him off.

“Yeah? What did this person do?”

Bert laughed – he was glad Quinn reminded him to get to the point, he always strayed too far off whenever he told stories. “Well, I thought they were really hot, so I just started mindlessly flirting, you know the deal. I didn’t expect anything to come from it, but they started flirting back, and then one thing led to another, and…” Bert trailed off, smiling as he thought about it. Quinn punched his arm to get him to continue.

“They sucked my dick in the back alleyway and I gave them a free sandwich after.”

Quinn stared at him, mouth open in shock.

“ What ?”

Bert fell back into the bed in laughter. “I mean it, man! It was so fucking hot, you probably would be totally into them. I’ll text ya next time they come in.”

Quinn exhaled through his nose in an attempt to laugh before taking a drink from his beer.

“What? Why are you all mad all of a sudden?” Bert rolled his eyes. Quinn glared at him.

“I’m not mad, I just. I didn’t know you were suddenly hooking up with random guys, didn’t think you were gay.”

“First off, they were hella feminine, I’m literally like, 99% sure they were a girl. So, clearly , I’m not gay,” Bert said defensively, but Quinn gave him a look.

“Don’t you think what we do is a little gay?” Quinn asked.

“No! I mean, a little , but neither of us are gay, so. It doesn’t make it gay. Besides, what we do is just like, friendly, ya know? We just get each other off, it’s not like I’m racing to take you on a date, no offense Quinny. And I know I hooked up with them, but I find myself wanting to see them again – which doesn’t happen that often when I hook up with people. I think there’s something special about them, and as I said, I’m really hoping they come back to Subway, and not just so I can get another blowjob – so I can talk to them more. Their name was Gerard.”

Quinn let out another forced laugh after he finished his beer. The two sat in silence, Bert was unsure of what to say, and it was clear that Quinn was refusing to speak up at all. 

“Okay–” Bert started, but as soon as he began speaking, Quinn interrupted him.

“I think I’m gonna do it.”

“Do what?” Bert looked at the boy next to him.

“Do it. Go to college.”

Eight years ago

Bert hated how cold the water was in the public bathroom, and Gerard basically shoving his head under the sink didn’t make it any better.

“Stop moving so much or I won’t be able to get any of the hair dye out,” Gerard grumbled, and Bert rolled his eyes. He would respond with a snappy comment, but he didn’t want to risk getting a mouthful of water mixed with black hair dye. 

Even though they were homeless, Gerard would still steal black hair dye from the Sally’s they worked at so they could dye their hair together, and Bert’s roots were starting to grow in pretty badly, so he needed a touch-up. At first, they dyed their hair together in the nearby creek, but then they realized it was a much better option to just use the random public bathrooms scattered around the town to avoid getting a disease from the polluted waters of New Jersey.

“Alright, you’re done. Looks much better already, so handsome!” Gerard smiled as they helped him out of the sink, and they planted a quick kiss on his cheek. He smirked and wiped some of the drops of water rolling down his forehead.

“Thanks, baby. Can we go back to the camp now? I’m hungry, and I know Quinn was gonna make dinner tonight,” He replied as he put his shirt back on, careful to not get it wet, considering it was pretty cold out. 

“Yeah! Can you tell Quinn to be fast with the cooking? Jepha and I have plans to go out to Ravenkroft tonight to work. Since it’s a Friday, we know business will be great. I’m gonna wear one of his dresses that he’s lending me, he says that I’m not making as much money because I’m not putting myself out there like he does,” Gerard said as the two left the bathroom together and began their way back to the camp. Bert simply nodded – he didn’t like telling Quinn to do things for Gerard, but Jepha and they were their primary sources of income at the moment, considering Quinn didn’t have a job and Bert only worked two days a week at the Subway. 

By the time they got back to the camp, Quinn was heating up cans of soup over a small fire, and Jepha was sitting on the ground applying copious amounts of makeup.

“Hey! Nice hair Bert, looks good,” Jepha shot him a flirty smile and a wink, and Gerard narrowed their eyes and lightly shoved Jepha as they sat next to him.

“Flirt as much as you want, but he’s mine ,” They teased, grabbing one of Jepha’s brushes and applying some highlighter to his cheek. He batted their hand away, laughing.

“Hey, knock it off! I already put some on, I’m not trying to glow in the dark here.”

Bert watched as Jepha and Gerard messed around with the makeup as he headed over to Quinn, who was eyeing him the entire time.

“Your hair has gotten so long,” Quinn smirked, touching a strand that was still damp, slightly hanging in his face. Bert reached up and ruffled Quinn’s hair in retaliation, grinning at him.

“Look at your hair! It’s constantly in your eyes, I don’t know how you even see behind that mess of blonde!”

Quinn laughed as he stirred the soup, before taking the spoon out and holding it up to Bert’s mouth. “Is it warm enough?”

Bert watched the steam come off the spoon, and he let Quinn feed him the soup. It was hot, but it was cold out, so it was perfect. 

“Yes, definitely warm enough. Thanks for making dinner tonight, by the way. I still have half a bottle of whiskey left that I hid from Gerard, do you maybe wanna crack it open and hang out tonight while Jepha and Gerard are out? It feels like it’s been a while since we spent time together, just us,” Bert met Quinn’s eyes, and he could see the sides of them crinkling as he smiled. Bert loved when Quinn smiled at him because it was so different than the way he smiled at anyone else.

“Yeah, definitely!” Quinn replied before he turned to look at the two who were still doing makeup. “Hey guys, come eat. Gotta be fueled up since you both got a long night ahead of you.”

Bert laughed, and Jepha shot the two of them a glare while Gerard blushed. They set the makeup down and joined Bert and Quinn, who started filling up some disposable cups with the soup and passing them out. Gerard and Jepha quickly went back to where they were sitting, going back to applying makeup in between sips of their soup. 

It wasn’t long before the sun officially went down, and Jepha and Gerard were ready to head out. Gerard was right, they definitely looked like they were putting themself out there a lot more with their look – they were in a tight, teal dress and heels, and they had a lot more makeup on than usual. Meanwhile, Jepha was in one of his signature little black dresses, sheer tights, heels, and makeup that Bert was sure weighed about ten pounds.

“Are you gonna wear your jacket? It’s cold out, Gerard,” Bert asked, already noticing them shivering, but Jepha scoffed.

“No way! They gotta show off the goods! Plus, we’re gonna try to get a few gentlemen to buy us some drinks first, so the alcohol should warm them up. Alright, you ready, Mandy?” Jepha turned to Gerard, and Bert and Quinn looked at each other, confused.

“Mandy?” Bert asked, and they both nodded.

“Jepha told me I should start using a fake name, since ‘Gee’ was boring, according to him. I don’t really know how we thought of it, I think we were high, but Mandy is what we decided on. Jepha has been going by Jephanie for like, a while now,” Gerard replied, and Bert and Quinn both laughed.

“ Jephanie ?” Bert repeated, and Jepha scoffed and rolled his eyes.

“Come on, Mandy. Let’s go,” Jepha said, ignoring Bert as he grabbed Gerard’s hand and led them out of the camp in the direction of Ravenkroft. Once the two were out of sight, Bert headed to his tent and dug through a pile of clothes, pulling out the half-empty bottle of cheap whiskey.

“Sweet, wanna chill in my and Jeph’s tent? It’s too cold to just sit out here,” Quinn asked as he eyed the bottle. Bert opened it and took a swig, before nodding and handing the bottle to him. The two walked over and got into the tent, which was much neater than his and Gerard’s tent. Bert knew this was due to Quinn, he liked keeping things organized, and he was constantly cleaning up after Jepha.

Bert was surprised that Quinn got along so well with Jepha, considering Jepha was pretty out there, but then again, Quinn and Bert were friends. Bert remembered when he first met Jepha at a bar back when he and Gerard were first homeless, trying to find a place to settle down. Jepha was interested in Bert, much to Gerard’s distaste, but he helped them out, telling them which tent to get, what necessities to have, and what clothes to have for the weather. It wasn’t long before Jepha asked the two to join him and his friend at the camp they had set up, and when they showed up, Bert was shocked beyond belief.

Because Jepha’s friend that he lived with, was Quinn.

Quinn Allman – the overachiever, the musician, always the smartest in the room. The same Quinn who was supposed to be in his second year of college, out in California, living his life as a music major and partying his heart out, was in the exact position as Bert was. It broke Bert’s heart the second he saw his former best friend who was always better than him brought down to his level.

Bert remembered how taken aback he was by this, and Quinn basically refused to speak to him for the first week or so of them living in the same camp. He had so many questions for Quinn – the first one being about why Quinn basically cut him off the second he went off to California. Quinn finally came around to talking to Bert again, and he answered every one of Bert’s questions except for that one – every time Bert would bring it up, Quinn would change the topic.

Bert learned that Quinn couldn’t keep up with academics while he was working constantly to afford tuition, and he was forced to drop out. When he came home, tail between his legs, the only response from his parents that he was given was that they didn’t want a failure in their house, and he could find somewhere else to live. That led to Quinn couch-surfing for a month or so before he met Jepha, and decided to just give up and live with him outside.

It didn’t take long for the two of them to get back into their old dynamic of being best friends, and this time, they were even closer than before, considering they basically lived together. Plus, once Jepha got Gerard into prostitution, they became very close, and the group setting was pretty peaceful.

Except, Bert couldn’t help but feel guilty. He didn’t know why, but he simply refused to tell Gerard that he used to know Quinn. He never brought him up when Gerard and him first started seeing each other, and when Quinn ghosted him, Bert was too upset to ever address it, so he pretended like that part of his life never existed. And when they reconnected, it was something like fate – Bert didn’t want Gerard spoiling that. Not in a mean way, but getting his childhood best friend back was personal and private, and he knew Gerard would never understand what it meant for him. Quinn had no problems agreeing with Bert to not tell Gerard, and mentioned how he kept it from Jepha as well.

There were times when Quinn would attempt to make a move on Bert when they were alone, and Bert would have to kindly deny him, knowing how it would hurt Gerard. Quinn was always really cool about it on the surface, but Bert knew something was up with Quinn whenever Bert made it clear that Gerard and he were together. 

“Weren’t you guys just fuck buddies? They literally sucked you off for a free sandwich,” Quinn grumbled as he kicked a rock over.

“You were gone, Quinn! You don’t know about me and Gerard because you refused to speak to me, so don’t go making assumptions about my relationship when you have no clue what happened, because you won’t even let me tell you shit,” Bert growled back. Quinn turned to him, his fists clenched.

“Well, I’m very happy for you, Bert. I’m glad you were so much better off without me, huh? Found the love of your life, right? You know, you could’ve reached out too. You could’ve booked a flight and visited me. But you didn’t. You were probably too busy trying to get into Gerard’s pants every day.”

Bert prepared himself for the upcoming fistfight – it was bound to happen, because it was them.

But things were better now. A lot better.

Maybe because now, Bert and Quinn would occasionally fool around, just like old times. And Bert knew that they were going to be fooling around tonight, drunk off whiskey in Quinn’s tent, feeling like 18-year-olds all over again.

Three years ago

“They left! They just fucking left me!” Bert yelled, tears in his eyes as he stormed onto the campground he used to live at. Jepha and Quinn looked up from where they were eating, and both of their eyes widened.

“Bert? What the hell are you doing here?” Jepha snapped. Bert knew Jepha didn’t like him – it’s been a year since Jepha ripped their tent and banned them from the camp for some reason, but Bert wasn’t here for Jepha. Instead, he just stormed over to Quinn and threw his arms around him, tears rolling down his cheeks. Quinn hesitantly hugged back, and Jepha got up and headed to their tent, zipping it up, leaving the two in privacy.

“What do you mean?” Quinn asked softly, stroking Bert’s hair as he cried into him. Bert hated feeling so small next to Quinn, he hated feeling so small next to everybody, but in this moment, all he wanted was to be held by his best friend’s big arms as he let the tears fall against Quinn’s chest.

“Gerard – they, they left me, Quinn. They found out about the kids, which is fucking stupid because it isn’t like they live with me, and they said some shit about how they wanted to get off drugs and get clean, and that Mikey was suddenly gonna help them! Gerard just packed their shit up and left , like I was nothing to them. Seven years, and none of it fucking mattered!” Bert sobbed, and he clung to Quinn. He lost Quinn once, and then he lost Gerard. He couldn’t bare any more loss in his life. 

Quinn tightened his hold on him. Bert braced himself for Quinn to tell him ‘I told you so!’, or some variation about how Gerard was never worth it.

“I’m so, so sorry, Bert. What do you need? Anything, and I’ll get it for you. I’m so fucking sorry, Jesus Christ,” Quinn said softly, and Bert only began to cry harder, because Quinn cared. He hadn't seen Bert for a year, but he was there and he wasn’t leaving, and the comfort and kindness were all Bert could’ve asked for.

“Listen to me, Bert. I’ve been working for a few months now, and Jeph and I have been saving up. We will get an apartment together, all three of us. We are gonna get out of here, and we are gonna be okay. You are gonna be okay, alright? I’m not gonna let anything happen to you,” Quinn promised, and Bert nodded against Quinn’s warm chest. Neither of them said anything else after that, the silence falling onto them as Quinn held him. 

The two sat there like that for a long time, and Quinn didn’t loosen his hold on Bert once, and Bert didn’t let go of Quinn’s shirt. 

Eight months ago

Bert could see that Quinn’s hands were shaking, his fingernails digging into his palms.

“What?” He finally said, his voice low and quiet. Bert took a few steps closer to him, but Quinn took a few steps back.

“Listen, Quinn, I–”

“No! No more listening! I’m not going to sit here and listen to you justify why you think this is a good idea? Do you have short-term memory loss, or something? I cannot fucking understand why you are doing this to yourself?” Quinn cut Bert off, and Bert could tell that Quinn was avoiding his eyes.

“You don’t get it! Gerard, they apologized for what they did, and they want to get back together. Yeah, the apology came two years late, but it could’ve come earlier if you didn’t hide that shit from me!” Bert yelled, and finally, Quinn made eye contact.

“Hide what from you?”

Bert scoffed. “Gerard told me that you ran into them, like four months ago. They said you were rude and aggressive and brushed them off even though they were trying to be nice! Why did you never tell me about that, huh? I could’ve gotten closure, I could’ve reached out!”

“Rude? Aggressive ? Are you fucking serious? Gerard asked me about you, Bert. I told them that you’re doing good, things were good , and that you were better off without them. Was I wrong? I mean, look at you! You’re sober, you have a steady job, and you aren’t homeless . I was looking out for you, like I’ve been doing for you basically our entire friendship!” Quinn took a few steps closer to Bert now, putting two hands on his shoulders and shoving him backward. Bert stumbled a bit but caught himself.

“Oh, didn’t realize I needed to be looked out for, that I can’t take care of myself, that I’m such a burden! You know what I think? I think you like it when my life is a mess, because you get to come in and try and fix me, because you know that I’d accept your help over anyone else,” Bert shoved Quinn back, and his blonde hair moved into his eyes. Quinn brushed his hair away, and Bert saw how angry he looked.

“Jesus Christ , how is it a bad thing that I want to be there for you, that I want to help you? That’s what we do, that’s what we have always done for each other! And you’re just dropping that and making me the problem, for what, huh? For Gerard ? The same person who got up and left you heartbroken and homeless? I seriously cannot understand why you would ever want to get back together with them!”

“I’m in love with Gerard, that’s why! Clearly, you’ve never been in love before–” Bert was cut off when Quinn’s fist hit his cheek.

“I know what love is, Bert. Don’t ever fucking say that to me again.”

Bert touched the side of his face that Quinn struck, and he looked up at the man, who was watching him intensely. “Get real, Quinn . Hitting someone you love? And you wonder why I want to be with Gerard,” He scoffed. Quinn stared at him, and Bert stared back.

“Well, clearly what I thought we had wasn’t ever love, since you’re willing to drop it all so quick to run back to Gerard.”

This time, it was Bert’s turn to throw a punch, and he hit Quinn up the jaw. “What is your problem? Why does it have to be you versus Gerard constantly? Why can’t I have my best friend and Gerard?”

“Because we’ve never been just ‘best friends’, Bert! When will you understand that? Even when we were dumb teenagers, we were cuddling and fucking and it was so fucking clear that I liked you! Why do you think I left for college so quickly, huh? You told me about Gerard, and you sounded serious. I couldn’t watch whatever we had just change just because you started seeing someone, I needed to just get the fuck out of there. And then when we met again, why do you think we hid shit from Gerard? Not even just us hooking up, we hid everything from them. You know why? Because it was never platonic. We have never been platonic. And I was stupid enough to think that this ,” Quinn gestured to him and Bert, “This was actually working. It was going somewhere. We were living together, we, fuck , it seemed so fucking real. I’m a fucking idiot!” Quinn ran his hands through his hair. Bert tried to breathe, but it felt like all air left his lungs.

“Is that why you told Gerard about us?” Bert said slowly. Quinn stayed silent.

“You conveniently left that part out, you know. You told Gerard everything,” He continued.

“Yeah, I did tell them everything. They needed to know about us, because I’m so much fucking better for you than they are, and they needed to just fuck off and go back to wherever they came from.”

“Better for me? Last time I checked, I never got into fistfights with Gerard!”

“Bert, they left you–”

“You left me first.”

Quinn and Bert stood there, looking at each other, the silence holding both of them in a chokehold. Bert felt like his limbs were being weighed down, and Quinn’s stare had him paralyzed. 

“I’m getting back together with Gerard. I’m sorry, Quinn,” Bert finally said with a sigh, and he moved his hand to touch Quinn’s shoulder, but he took a step back, avoiding Bert’s hand.

“Don’t touch me, Bert. Just, fuck , just get the fuck away from me. I never, ever , want to see you again. I don’t want you in my life anymore, and I fucking mean that. We’ve been doing this shit, the back and forth, the circles that lead nowhere for too long now. I’m fucking done. Get the fuck out of my life, go play husband and wife or whatever the fuck you think is gonna happen. I’m done being your second choice when things don’t go your way, and I’m done loving you with every inch of my body when you’ve never loved me,” Quinn spat, and Bert saw tears building up in his eyes.

“Quinn, that’s not true! I do love–”

“No, you don’t. You never have, and now you never will. You’re dead to me, Bert McCracken. I hope you’re pleased with yourself.”

Present day

“Jesus, what the fuck is going on here? Awh, is Bert trying to be threatening? How cute!” Someone said, and everyone turned to look at the person who spoke up.

“Quinn,” Was all Bert said, and Gerard narrowed their eyes at the blonde in front of them. 

“Quinn, you’re not a part of this,” Gerard said, and Quinn paid no attention to them, keeping his eyes on Bert.

“It’s fun to see you’re still putting up a fight, even though you always lost ours. You ever miss it, Bert? Ever miss the violence?” Quinn said slowly. Gerard looked at Bert, and they had never seen their husband look so lost, so powerless. They moved closer to him and wrapped two hands around his arm in support, but he didn’t even look at them. He kept staring at Quinn.

“You said you never wanted to talk to me. Why are you doing this?”

Quinn let out a light laugh. “It’s hard to ignore someone who used to be your favorite person in the world when they’re at the same party as you.”

“Just get out of here, Quinn! Bert doesn’t need this, he doesn’t need you –” Gerard began to shout, but Bert turned and sharply slapped them across the face.

“Will you just mind your fucking business for once , Gerard? God! I don’t need you to stand up for me, do you think I’m weak or something?”

Quinn looked taken aback, but that shock turned into a smirk. “So much for never hitting someone you love. I guess you never had to miss the violence. It just follows you, huh? I’m a little jealous, I thought romantic fistfights were our thing.”

Gerard narrowed their eyes at Quinn as they held their cheek. They weren’t even mad at Bert for hitting them, they just couldn’t understand why he is even bothering with this guy – it was obvious Quinn was just trying to get a rise out of him, and Bert was falling for it.

“They stopped being our thing the second you kicked me out because you got jealous,” Bert said through gritted teeth.

“No, they stopped being our thing the moment you chose Gerard over me.”

Gerard pushed Bert back and stepped close to meet Quinn face-to-face.

“You chose to leave him, Quinn. That was you . Because you couldn’t handle always coming in second place to me, right? Always the role of the best friend, even though you were hopelessly in love with him the whole time. And you just couldn’t stand that, so you kicked him out of your life time and time again. Don’t try to come back like you’re the victim now, you look pathetic ,” Gerard hissed, and Quinn looked at them. And then laughed . 

“Oh, I never claimed to be the victim. And I’d watch who you’re calling pathetic, Gerard. Weren’t you fired from your nursing job for fucking some old patient?” Quinn said, smirking, and Jepha began laughing alongside him. Gerard’s eyes widened, and their cheeks heated up.

“H-how do you know about that?” They asked, their voice a lot quieter than before.

“I told him, Gerard. Quinn and I were still living together when you told me about that,” Bert replied, before placing a hand on Gerard’s shoulder and pulling them backward, so they were no longer between him and Quinn. Just as he was about to open his mouth, Tucker ran up to the group with Mikey, looking even more frazzled than before. 

“Mikey?” Gerard asked, confused about why their brother was with Tucker.

“Bert, Gerard, you guys need to go. Now . Gabe is waiting by the front door with the kids, and you guys are going to get out of here and take them home. This can’t go on any longer, Gabe literally saw Vincent try to grab a Truly off the counter!” Mikey said sternly, and Gerard looked at Bert, who was visibly embarrassed. 

“Tucker, I, I was going to find them, I swear , I just got caught up with shit–” Bert stammered, and Tucker just gave him a disappointed look.

“Gerard, I’m gonna call you later. We have a lot to fucking talk about, and Bert?” Mikey turned to face him. “It’s not about you, so don’t pull some weird abuser shit that you like to do to scare Gerard from talking to me. This is about my fucking job , okay?”

Gerard just nodded slowly, and Mikey put their arm around them, walking them out of the house. Tucker walked back into the crowd. Gerard turned their head around, to see if Bert was following them, but there were too many people in the way, and Bert lost sight of them. Before he could push his way through, he felt a hand clasp around his wrist, and pull him back. He turned around, and Quinn was face to face with him. 

“I told you that you’d be better off with me, Bert. I fucking told you,” He whispered to Bert, before shoving him away, and Bert didn’t know how to respond. He just shoved his way through the crowds of people, hurrying to meet up with Gerard, his stomach twisting in knots as Quinn’s words played over in his head. When he finally got outside, he saw Mikey, Gabe, Gerard, Vincent, and Shia waiting by their car.

“Ugh, I can’t believe we are leaving already! This was sooooo fun!” Vincent complained, before taking a hit of his elf bar. Bert grabbed the vape from his son’s hand and threw it down the large hill that Tucker lived on top of. 

“Bruv, what the hell!” Vincent shouted, but Bert ignored him, unlocking the car and getting into the driver’s seat, slamming the door after he was seated. He watched as Mikey said something to Gerard, but he couldn’t hear since he was in the car. Vincent and Shia quickly got in after.

“Seatbelts,” Bert said plainly, and he heard the two clicks behind him, and he sighed in relief that he wasn’t getting any pushback from his kids currently, it would’ve been too much. Bert turned the car on and rolled down the window on the passenger’s side.

“Gerard, get in or I’m leaving without you.”

Mikey gave Gerard a hug, and Gerard quickly walked to the car, got inside, and adjusted their flannel. As Gerard was buckling their seatbelt, Bert began to drive, and he was driving fast , because he didn’t know what to feel or how to feel, and all he wanted to do was grip the steering wheel tightly and press the gas pedal.

“Honey, slow down, this road is a 25,” Gerard said, pointing at the speed limit sign ahead of them. Bert ignored them and pressed harder on the gas pedal, increasing the speed from 40mph to 60mph.

“Bert, seriously!” They urged, and they put their hand on his arm, but he shrugged away from their touch. 

“Shut the fuck up,” Bert grumbled, and he pressed even harder, watching as the speedometer increased to 80mph. With his eyes on the dashboard, he began accidentally swerving into the other lane, but quickly readjusted himself. Gerard stared at him with fear in their eyes, and he looked in his rearview mirror. The kids even looked a little scared.

“Daddy, why are you going so fast? Are you okay?” Shia asked, her voice worried, and Vince scooted close to his sister, holding her arm. His eyes were big and blue, he had Bert’s eyes. They were filled with fear. Bert took another look at his kids, and his heart began to hurt. What was he doing? He released his foot from the gas pedal, letting the car slow down, and he bit down hard on his lip to stop it from quivering. He met his kids’ eyes again in the rearview mirror. 

“I’m sorry, fuck, I’m sorry. I didn’t realize,” He said quietly, and Gerard shook their head before turning away from Bert slightly and leaning their head against the window. The rest of the drive home was silent, and for the first time, Bert wished he was being bombarded with Vincent’s obnoxious singing and Shia joining him to scream the high notes, Gerard’s laughter: the sounds of a family that was happy. 

Actually, any noise would be better than the silence, anything to drown out Quinn’s words in his head.

“I told you that you’d be better off with me, Bert. I fucking told you.”

Bert turned the radio on. Into the Unknown was playing, and the kids began singing, and Gerard began laughing. Quinn’s words began to lower in volume in his head, replaced with the sounds of his family.

He was happy, he was happy with his life, his wife, and his family.

 Bert looked at himself in the side-view mirror. Maybe if he told himself that enough, then one day, he’d actually believe it.

He was happy, he was happy with his life, his wife, and his family. 

Chapter Text

“Mmmm, yes! Oh, right there Bert!” A loud gasp escaped Gerard’s lips. Bert was on top of them, legs wrapped around theirs as he bit down on Gerard’s nipple, earning a moan.

Gerard arched their back, pushing into Bert, desperate to be closer. Bert grunted and smacked their thigh, slobbering over Gerard’s right tit as he grabbed the other roughly. He drew his tongue over Gerard’s chest before moving down to give Gerard’s nipple another nibble, and then went back to sucking on it loudly.

Gerard’s dick was hard against their stomach, leaking and dripping down their ass. They felt sticky all over; sweat clinging to their skin, precum wetting the sheets beneath them. They loved it. They loved Bert’s saliva slick all over their body. They loved the heat in the air between them. They loved Bert’s mouth on their chest, slobbering over their nipples. Bert was making obscene, wet sucking noises, grinding against Gerard’s inside thigh in an almost animalistic manner, his hot cock aggressively rubbing against their skin.

“Love your tits,” Bert grumbled, his voice thrumming against Gerard’s body. Gerard felt their face go hot, despite themself.

“M-my-? I don’t have,” Gerard stuttered, but Bert interrupted them.

“Yes you fucking do, Gee. Shut the fuck up,” he said, his voice growing louder. He used his arm to spread Gerard’s legs wider, exposing their throbbing hole, dick twitching above it.

Gerard turned their head to let out another high-pitched moan. They felt so exposed with their legs open to Bert. He could do anything to them right now. And Gerard would take it like the good wife they were.

As if reading Gerard’s thoughts, Bert panted, “That’s a good girl.” He lifted his head from Gerard’s chest, and continued, “You want to be a good girl for me, don’t you, Gerard?” 

“I-I,” Gerard whimpered, their hands twitching at their side. They wanted to reach up and grab Bert, ask him to kiss them, beg him to fuck them. But they didn’t. “Yes, Bert, I do.”

“That’s Daddy to you.” 

Gerard felt red hot heat blossom in their stomach, moving down to their cock, causing their already painfully hard dick to jump against their hip. “I’m sorry, Daddy. Yes, Daddy.”

“Well…” Bert ran his hand up Gerard’s thigh, teasingly close to their asshole. “You’re going to have fucking listen to me, then. If I say you have tits, you have fucking tits. You fucking hear me, Gerard?” 

“Yes, I hear you! I-I think I like it,” Gerard whispered, their face burning up. They closed their eyes, avoiding Bert’s sharp blue gaze.

“You like it?” Bert growled, his voice low and dangerous. Gerard kept their eyes closed.

“I like it. I like it so much.” They whined as Bert grabbed one of their tits, fondling it between his rough hand. 

Bert didn’t reply, but moved both his hands to spread Gerard’s asscheeks apart further. Gerard’s asshole fluttered in anticipation. They bit their lip, opening their eyes to meet Bert’s gaze, dark and dripping with want. Gerard shivered underneath it. 

Bert’s fingers were slimy with what Gerard assumed was his own saliva, prodding at their asshole. Gerard released a guttural groan from the back of their throat, shuddering with pleasure. Bert inserted a finger into Gerard, who gasped.

Gerard moved their hand to wipe a sweaty strand of hair off their forehead. Bert was almost jabbing at Gerard’s insides with his fingers, and they let out a cry, curling up in a desperate attempt to get closer to their husband. Bert slapped Gerard’s ass lazily, earning another moan from them.

Bert abruptly removed his finger, and Gerard cried out again, this time in protest. Their hole clenched around the spot where Bert’s dick should be. Thankfully, he was quick to fill it, not quite with his dick, not yet, but with three fingers, rather than just one.

These were the moments when Gerard felt truly whole; a good wife getting filled up by their husband. The rest didn’t matter. 

Before long, Gerard felt Bert’s cock against them, probing at their entrance. Gerard’s head was spinning as they gazed up at Bert, their lips parted as they panted softly.

“I want you to have my fuckin’ babies,” Bert growled. “Want to pump you full of my cum, so you can get pregnant with our goddamn kids.”

Gerard whined. Bert slapped the side of their face, and, embarrassingly, it only made them harder. They wrapped their hand around their cock, feeling heavy and hot in their hands. 

Bert’s hand slapped over Gerard’s. “You wanna get yourself off, you whore? Taking Daddy’s big cock as you do?”

“Yes,” Gerard whimpered. “I do. Please, Daddy.”

“You wanna get totally fuckin’ pregnant for me?”

Gerard nodded quickly, and just a moment later Bert slammed his hips forward, smacking against Gerard’s ass as he filled their hole, finally, fully and completely. Bert slid his hands down to Gerard’s hips, and they wished he would fondle at their tits again, but said nothing. They would have to deal with the implications of that later.

Meanwhile, Bert was pumping steadily in and out of them, grunting aggressively above Gerard. Gerard leaned their head back and moaned loudly, running their thumb over their slit, moving their hand to pump their cock to Bert’s admittedly unsteady rhythm. 

Gerard could make out Bert groaning, “My wife, my wife”, and they registered it through a lusty haze as slightly odd. Not that it was unusual for Bert to have some fucking weird kinks, but they’d never tried this before. Gerard was Bert’s wife, of course, but it never had seemed to be a turn-on for Bert before, or, at least, not that they had noticed. 

It wasn’t like Gerard didn’t like it. They really, really did. 

Gerard’s attention was aggressively snapped back to the sex they were having when a drop of sweat rolled off of Bert and landed on their back. A moment later, Bert’s finger swiped it aside.

Gerard’s asshole was throughly fucked at this point, making squelching noises around Bert’s dick. Their cock was twitching in their hand as they got closer to cumming, and they let out a high moan.

“God, shut up,” Bert growled, and slapped their ass, earning another moan from his spouse. He was so overly emotional after the whole Quinn interaction the night prior, and he just needed to relieve some of that stress. Meaning, the moment him and Gerard woke up, he immediately pulled them into a kiss, which led to their current state: Gerard on their hands and knees and Bert fucking them from behind. 

“That feels so good, Daddy,” Gerard continued to moan, and Bert rolled his eyes as he took a handful of their hair and shoved their face down into the mattress. “Vincent and Shia are literally right down the hall, you fucking whore!”

Gerard could only moan louder at that, biting down on the pillow next to their head to muffle it slightly, face still half-pressed to the mattress. 

“Damn, baby, I’m lucky, aren’t I?” He grinned, and when Gerard didn’t reply, he yanked their head upwards. “Answer me when I ask you a question, bitch!”

“Mhm, you’re lucky!” Gerard gasped, and Bert smirked before pushing their face into the mattress again.

“So full of yourself,” He chuckled. He missed this – the rough, uncomplicated sex he always had with Gerard. Ever since Tucker and all that bullshit, he hasn’t felt as confident during sex, but this moment felt normal for the first time in a while.

It felt like the only thing he had control over at the moment was how he could treat Gerard during sex. Bert felt like an idiot for the way he acted with Quinn and Tucker, for those men who he’d give up any control for. As he watched Gerard get fucked by him, he silently promised to himself that he’d never let himself end up in such a pathetic position again – including Tucker and Quinn. 

Bert thrusted upwards and Gerard let out another moan as he hit their prostate. “Oh fuck , big daddy Bert is gonna cum, baby. Can you take my load like a good girl? My good wife?” He grunted, fucking them fast and sloppily. Gerard lifted their head off the mattress, wincing as Bert dug his nails deep into their hips.

“Yeah, mm , I can take it!” Gerard whined, and that was it for Bert – he came deep inside of them, letting out a loud groan, and wiped the sweat from his forehead. His hair basically felt wet from how sweaty he was, and he looked down at Gerard who was collapsed on the bed, and pulled out of them slowly. 

“Can you get yourself off? I wanna shower. I haven’t taken one in like, four days,” Bert said casually, and Gerard looked at him with a confused look on their face.

“Bert, really?” They sighed, and Bert shrugged. He didn’t know what the big deal was – he just wanted to shower.

“Um, yeah? You know yourself, go get it on, baby! Or just wait till later and I can get you off then.”

“We aren’t having sex later if you’re literally just going to leave me hanging like this!” Gerard protested, and Bert slapped their thigh.

“Can you lower your fucking voice? I told you – the kids are literally a room away. You’re being obnoxious. I’m gonna shower now, do what you want, but stop complaining about it, Gerard !” Bert rolled his eyes, and he got up, grabbed a towel from off the ground, and headed out of their room. He saw Vincent and Shia sitting on the couch working on some sort of worksheet, and then he remembered that it was a weekday. 

“Oh, fuck , you guys had school today, right?” Bert said in a panic, and Shia looked up, setting down a crayon. 

“Yeah daddy, we did! We woke up in time, and we wanted to knock on the door to ask you or mom to drive us, but you guys seemed to be fighting, so I made Vincent breakfast and we have just been working on homework,” Shia explained, and Bert laughed awkwardly.

“Fighting, heh, yeah! We are okay now, you know us. Thanks for taking care of Vincent, how about I take the whole family out to dinner tonight? My treat, since I forgot to take you guys to school today,” He offered, and immediately the two kids began cheering and jumping up and down. Vincent ran up and hugged Bert’s leg, and Bert froze uncomfortably.

“Wow! I’m so excited! Daddy, what do you fancy?” Vincent asked, glued to Bert’s leg. He tried to shake the kid off, but Vince wouldn’t budge.

“Okay, first off, can you get off me? I don’t need your grubby little hands on me, Vince. Second, how about Applebee’s? Pretty fancy, huh?” Bert grinned as he finally pried his son’s hands off him.

“Bert, have you showered yet?” Gerard said, walking into the living room wearing only a large tshirt and hopefully some form of underwear. Bert couldn’t exactly tell – the shirt covered the majority of their ass, but they still had a pair of slippers on, despite them forgetting pants.

“Gerard, what the fuck ? Can you put some more clothes on?” Bert said, eyes wide in shock. Gerard looked down at themself and then back up at Bert, confused.

“I am wearing clothes? Cool off, Bert.”

“Who’s shirt even is that? That isn’t mine, and last that I’ve checked, you didn’t go to Rutgers University,” Bert asked, squinting his eyes to read the text on the front of Gerard’s shirt. Gerard quickly covered their chest by crossing their arms, and avoided Bert’s gaze, looking towards the kids.

“Kids, go play outside!” Gerard said cheerfully, and Vince and Shia looked at each other, before getting up and leaving the apartment. Bert took a few steps towards Gerard and set his hands on his hips, waiting for an answer.

“Hello? Can you respond, or are you brain dead? What is that shirt?”

“It literally doesn’t matter, Bert. Stop obsessing over my clothes, get a hobby or something,” They rolled their eyes, and Bert had enough. He connected his palm to their face and a loud crack echoed through the room, followed by a gasp of shock. Bert watched as Gerard turned back toward him, their cheek impressively red, and Bert slapped them again, earning another shocked cry. 

“Why are you so shocked that I slapped you for that, bitch? Maybe if you didn’t run your dumbass mouth, then your face wouldn’t be red right now!” Bert grumbled before grabbing a handful of Gerard’s shirt as he tried to examine the text across the chest.

“Did you thrift this?” Bert got close to Gerard’s face, and they simply looked away, so Bert took their jaw in his hand and forced them to turn back towards him. “I said , did. You. Thrift. This?” 

Gerard clenched their jaw and stared back into Bert’s huge, menacing eyes. “No, I didn’t. I’ve had this shirt for forever, someone gave it to me awhile go. It’s none of your business, why are you so insane about this random shirt?”

Bert paused – considering Gerard’s words. They were right, he was being a little insane about this shirt considering the little information he had about it. However, his intuition was right – he knew exactly who gave it to them.

“Why the fuck are you wearing your ex’s shirt after we just had sex ? What the actual fuck is wrong with you?” Bert growled, squeezing Gerard’s jaw tightly, digging his nails into each side of their face. 

“I, um–” Gerard started, but Bert cut them off before they could continue.

“You know, it’s funny – when we first got together, you couldn’t give a single fuck about Adam. Now, you’re flirting with him at parties, he’s driving you home, and you’re wearing his fucking shirt ? Did he fuck you last night or something?”

Gerard stayed silent. Bert’s eyes narrowed. 

“Did he fuck you?” Bert said quietly, his breath held in his throat.

“No.”

Bert kept his hold on their jaw. They were hiding something from him.

“Bert, we didn’t fuck!” Gerard repeated themself, and Bert stayed silent, trying to get them to continue. Gerard stared at him, green eyes narrowing as they chewed on their bottom lip.

“Then what the hell happened, huh? I know you did something, and I know you’re not telling me what it is. Don’t make this harder than it has to be, Gerard.”

Bert watched Gerard hold eye contact with him, and he widened his eyes menacingly. If Gerard wanted a fight – he’d give them a fight. He squeezed their jaw a bit tighter, digging his long nails into their pale skin, watching as they winced slightly from the pain.

“What do you want to know? I already told you – we didn’t fuck. You hooked up with Tucker and then you get mad when I wear a shirt that I’ve had for ages?” Gerard spoke slowly, and it was clear they were being condescending. Bert hated it when Gerard treated him like he was childish.

“Mum?” A british voice asked quietly as the front door opened, and Bert immediately let go of Gerard, moving his hand to his hair awkwardly as he watched his son walk into the room.

“Vincent, I thought your mom told you and Shia to play outside, what the hell are you doing here?” Bert snapped, and Vincent stepped inside, his hair dusted with snow as he rubbed his arms that were covered in goosebumps.

“It’s really cold out, and it started snowing. Shia and I didn’t bring our big coats, so we wanted to come back inside….” Vincent turned towards Gerard, running over to them and hugging them. “You’re coming to dinner tonight, right? 

“Yeah, of course honey,” Gerard smiled at their son, before looking back up at Bert, glaring at him. “I’m gonna go change, how about you take that shower already?”

Bert scoffed, kicking the wall in frustration. Gerard rolled their eyes and headed towards their room, slamming and locking the door. He wasn’t surprised in the slightest by how Gerard was acting – if they were being secretive, of course they were going to be defensive and closed off.

“Go do whatever you want, I’m taking a shower. Don’t bother your mother and I either, we are currently dealing with some stuff,” Bert grumbled towards his kids, barely looking at them as he picked the towel back up from off of the ground and headed to the bathroom. He was pretty glad the duct tape on the door was still holding up, considering its been a week since he broke the door and tried to cover it up. 

As Bert stripped out of his clothes, he watched himself in the dirty mirror stained with Gerard’s makeup, fingerprints, and whatever the hell the kids have done to trash the bathroom. Bert couldn’t help but think of Quinn now that he was alone. The sex with Gerard helped mask it for a moment, but the fight only reminded him of the blonde once again. 

Gerard standing up to him like that, being secretive and passive aggressive, it bothered him. It always felt like the people he loved kept things from him, holding off and pulling away more and more until they choose to finally leave him. It happened with Quinn, and it happened with Gerard once in the past. Bert never expected to even get married, he never believed someone would actually want to be around him for long enough, to keep him in their life forever. He’s never once had a constant in his life – and with how Gerard and him are, he’s pretty certain he never will. 

He stepped into the shower, the warm water hitting his back, and he let his head fall, water now rushing through the strands and down his face. He closed his eyes, wondering what drew him to Gerard, and what drew him to Quinn. It wasn’t like they were similar – Gerard was almost the opposite of Quinn, and maybe that’s why Quinn was so hurt when Bert chose to date them. 

He had fun with the both of them, and dating Gerard took away so much of the pain Quinn caused when he left Bert for college. Gerard was so kind, thoughtful, and fell for Bert so quickly, but always denied what their relationship was during the affair. Bert would remember when Gerard would pick him up in Adam’s car, and the car smelled like another man’s cologne, and they’d drive somewhere, talking and laughing and holding hands, only for Gerard to make it clear that it was just a hook up, that they couldn’t leave Adam, and what Bert and them had wasn’t love. To this day, it was the same. 

“I’m gonna find Adam, leave me alone Bert. Have fun with Quinn and Tucker, you fucking asshole,” Gerard whimpered, before running off into the crowd. 

“Oh fuck, oh… Ahh, f-fuck, Mr. Iero!” Gerard yelled, and Bert blinked as the name registered in his brain. 

“Bert, I fucking hate you. You’re the biggest asshole I’ve ever met. I don’t know why you’re so screwed up, I really don’t, but honestly, get some fucking help!” They exclaimed, their voice raspy, and they coughed a few times afterward.

“You’re no better than me, Bert. In fact, you’re so much worse. You’re an abusive, disgusting, deadbeat loser who only wants me because I give you an actual sense of self. You’re the pathetic one, Bert. Not me,” Gerard stated firmly, never breaking their rage-filled gaze on their husband.

“You are the last person I could ever love,” They said in a monotone voice, before briskly walking to the door. They unlocked it, stepped out, and slammed it shut without even checking behind them.

And Bert could only wonder what Gerard told other people, probably justifying why they stay with him through some financial bullshit or something about the kids, which Gerard didn’t even care about in the first place. He really missed the days when Gerard remembered his favorite things, when Gerard would cuddle him in bed, and when Bert was able to love Gerard without any sense of uncertainty. But those days were long gone, and he knew it.

He’d never leave Gerard though, that was one thing he always promised himself. He’s cheated so many times, he’s hurt them, he’s broken their self esteem, but one thing he’s never done is leave them, alone, homeless, with zero word of where he’s gone. 

Bert could say they were even now – both having hurt each other countless times, yet still holding onto the string that has tied them together for so long, but he knew Gerard didn’t view it like that at all. Gerard still doesn’t even know to this day how badly Bert was broken when they left him, and he’d never tell them that. He couldn’t let them know how weak he’s been because of them. 

Bert finished shampooing and conditioning his long hair, the soap running off his body as he rinsed himself off one last time. He stepped out of the shower, drying himself off with the towel as he tried to push back every negative thought plaguing his mind. He wrapped the towel around his hips, fingers grazing over his hip bones, and remembered the way Quinn would touch him. Even when he was disgusting, covered in sweat and dirt from a lack of a shower when he was homeless, Quinn wouldn’t care. He’d pin Bert to the ground in his tent, digging his nails into the hip bones that protruded upwards. He’d graze his teeth and tongue along Bert’s sensitive skin, whispering about how beautiful Bert was, how much he wanted him, and how he wished he could have Bert forever. 

Gerard never told Bert those things.

He opened the door to the bathroom and headed to the bedroom, knocking on the door to get Gerard to unlock it. When there was no response, he knocked a little louder.

“Gerard? Can you open the door? I need to put some clothes on,” He sighed, and a few moments passed before he heard a click on the handle. He slowly opened the door, and saw Gerard heading back onto the bed. They were dressed in their blue dress, and though Bert didn’t know why they were so dressed up for a trip to Applebee’s, he had to admit that they were still breathtakingly beautiful. The way their dark brown hair curled around their cheeks and hung above their collarbones, the dark blue velvet contrasting against their pale, smooth skin, the light trail of freckles that ran across their nose. He was certain that when people looked at the both of them, they wondered why Gerard even bothered being with someone like him – long, messy black hair that was somehow always greasy even when he washed it, blonde, unkempt eyebrows, and his big blue eyes that he knew were slightly offputting. He never felt very attractive next to them, and considering Gerard never told Bert that they found him beautiful, it made it hard for him to not be insecure. He wasn’t insecure back in the day around Quinn though. 

“Did your shower help make you less angry?” Gerard chuckled, and Bert whipped his head to look at them as they smiled smugly. 

“Cool it, Gerard,” He growled under his breath. Gerard raised an eyebrow at him, as if they were challenging him. 

“Or what?”

Bert took a deep breath. “You think you’re clever, don’t ya, huh? Is that it? All I asked was why you were wearing your ex’s shirt. I think that’s a pretty valid question.”

“Huh, I find that pretty ironic, considering you wear that fucking kimono that Quinn gave you every single day. You’re even putting it on right now,” Gerard said through their teeth, and Bert paused for a moment, the flowery fabric resting on his arm. 

“It’s different,” Was all he said.

“No it isn’t.”

“We never dated, Gerard ,” Bert mumbled. Gerard rolled their eyes.

“Bullshit – you would’ve if you had the chance. You loved him, and you probably still love him to this day,” They countered, and Bert slammed his hand down onto the dresser. 

“I don’t love Quinn, Gerard! I love you! Why the fuck do you think I’m still with you? Why I got back with you immediately when you came back to me? You’ve always been my number one, even when you’ve messed with my head over and over again!” He yelled, looking at them, who met his gaze with wide eyes. 

“Messed with your head? Are you fucking kidding? Are you really playing the victim right now?” Gerard snapped, and Bert shook his head. Of course they would say that.

“I’ve done some shitty things to you, Gerard – I really have. But I’ve stated countless times how much I love you, how much I’ve always loved you, and how I’ve wanted to be with you from the moment I laid eyes on you. You’ve never been able to say the same.”

“It’s a little hard to consistently love someone who’s so fucking mean to me.”

Bert slid the kimono on, not replying to Gerard. Gerard didn’t say anything either, just sitting on the bed watching Bert get dressed, their gaze burning into Bert’s back. 

“Can you help me with my makeup?” Bert asked, and Gerard exhaled, nodding as they got off the bed. The two walked to the bathroom, Bert’s eyes on Gerard’s hips as they moved in front of him. Bert sat down on the chair, watching as Gerard pulled out the eyeshadow and began brushing it over Bert’s eyes. He could feel the brush hairs tickle his eyelids, and he could picture Gerard’s facial expression at the moment – brows furrowed, eyes narrowed as they concentrated. He knew they looked beautiful without even having to open his eyes. 

––––

“You think I change up my hair? I’m thinking that I sh–” Bert started, driving out of the parking lot with Gerard in the passenger seat, and the kids in the back.

“That you should cut it to your chin and dye it back to blonde, yes Bert, I know. You’ve been talking about getting that fuck ass bob for months now, and I tell you every time that it wouldn’t look good. The long black hair is sexy, there’s a reason you’ve had it for so long,” Gerard cut him off, and Bert frowned as he turned the corner.

“But I’m a natural blonde, I think it might suit me better! Shia, honey, what do you think?” He asked, looking in the rearview mirror at his daughter.

“If you go blonde then you’ll match me! Except I look nothing like you, I look like my first mommy. We should dye Vincent’s hair blonde, then he will be a mini you!” Shia laughed, ruffling her brother’s dark brown hair, who hit her hands away.

“I don’t want to look like him!” Bert and Vincent yelled at the same time, causing Gerard to burst out laughing. 

“No one is dying their hair right now, you guys. Oh! Bert, turn left!” Gerard laughed, nudging Bert’s arm. Bert nodded as he turned, seeing the Applebee’s a block ahead.

“Alright, we’re here. Everyone out!” Bert smiled as he parked the car and turned it off. His family and him got out of the car and headed into the restaurant, the cold air making him shiver slightly since he was just in a tank top and shorts even though it was February. In the past, Gerard would always question why he didn’t bring a jacket anywhere, but soon they got used to the cold after going out in so little clothing when they worked with Jepha. 

“Uh, hi. Table for four?” He coughed, and the hostess smiled and nodded, leading them to a booth. The air smelled strange, and he looked over at the rest of his family, but they all seemed to be oblivious to it. 

“Does it smell weird in here?” Bert asked Gerard, who raised an eyebrow at him.

“No? Can we sit down now?” Gerard replied in a whisper, and Bert narrowed his eyes a bit before sighing and nodding. The kids slid into one side, Vincent immediately jumping onto Shia who yelped in pain, and Bert got into the other side of the booth first. Gerard sat down next to him, and the hostess set down the menus before walking away. 

“Ooh! Look at all these different five dollar cocktails, honey!” Gerard grinned, pointing to a variety of colorful cocktails. Bert smiled and nodded, but quickly turned back to his menu as he felt a twinge of pain in his heart – he knew Tucker would’ve loved those cocktails. 

“Hello! Welcome to Applebee’s, my name is Cove, and I’ll be your waiter this evening. What can I get started…” The waiter began to say, but trailed off as Bert lifted his head to look at him. “Bert?”

“Cove? Jesus! It’s really you, man! I haven’t you in so long, how are ya?” Bert grinned. Cove Reber was one of his first co workers at Subway, the first Subway he worked at. Cove and Blackbear helped train him, and unfortunately after a couple of months Cove transferred to a different location after moving across town. Bert occasionally would hang out with him and Blackbear outside of work, but he hasn’t seen him in about ten years by this point.

“Ah, this is bonkers! How are things? I’ve missed you, man!” Cove said, glee in his voice. Gerard looked the man up and down, examining Bert’s so-called friend. He was tan, with round brown eyes and long dark hair. Gerard has never heard of anyone named ‘Cove’ before in their life, so this interaction was confusing, to say the least. 

“Honey, who is this?” Gerard smiled as they looped their arm through Bert’s, pulling him close as they stared at Cove, who was completely ignoring them.

“This is Cove, Cove Reber. Old co-worker of mine, from the Subway where I met you,” Bert replied, and Cove let out a laugh.

“Is this the gal you told Blackbear and I about all those years ago? Damn, didn’t expect it to last this long. Always thought you and that Quinn guy were gonna get together in the future,” Cove shrugged, and Gerard’s stomach churned. They felt Bert tense up, and his already-massive eyes widen.

“Ahh, yeah, um… Quinn was just a friend, nothing else.”

“Bro, do you not remember that party at Bear’s place? 11 years ago? You told us about that one time, you must know what I’m talking about. Where he fucked you on top of our prep tables in the back?” Cove laughed, completely oblivious to the fact that Gerard and Bert’s kids were sitting right in front of him as he announced all these facts to the world. Gerard dug their nails into their palms – they never knew that. Bert always told them that Gerard was the first person that he ever had sex with in the backrooms of the Subway, and they suddenly felt a lot less special – even if that all happened a decade ago. 

“Cove! Dude, I’d love to catch up, but I’m with my family, so maybe you shouldn’t just talk about my past hookups!” Bert said sternly, and Cove let out an apologetic, awkward laugh.

“You’re right, you’re right. Listen, I’m sorry. What can I get started for everyone? Drinks? Food?”

Bert opened his mouth to reply, but paused as a familiar voice entered the room.

“The veggie chicken patties here are so good, Syd. You’re vegan too, right? I saw you got oat milk when we went out for matcha lattes this morning, so I’m just assuming, of course,” The voice said, and both Bert and Gerard turned their heads at the sound of the voice and the name Syd . 

And there the two stood: Jepha in a simple black dress, smokey black eyeshadow on his lids, and shiny, sparkly gloss on his lips, and Syd next to him, wearing just a simple button down and some jeans. Syd’s eyes widened and a smile grew on his face as he noticed the family, but Syd and Jepha’s attention was taken by the hostess who led them to a seemingly identical booth across the room.

“Um, I’ll just take the veggie burger and a beer. Gerard, what do you want?” Bert asked, trying hard to focus his eyes on either Cove or Gerard, rather than on his old friend and a waiter who hates him. 

Gerard glanced over at Jepha, who was looking extra slim and toned in his sleek black dress. They looked down at themself, and felt a wave of insecurity as they wondered how they looked in comparison to him.

“I’ll take the house salad and a coke zero. Oh, and the strongest cocktail you guys have, with an extra shot in it, please,” They forced a smile towards Cove, who nodded and looked towards the children. 

“Burger and fries,” Vincent and Shia said at the same time, and Cove wrote down all the orders. He began collecting the menus off the table, and Gerard noticed that his fingers lingered for a little too long over Bert’s, and when they looked up at the two men – Cove was staring at him. Gerard gave him a fake smile and basically threw the menu at him, suspicious of this random old friend. 

“Be right out with those drinks,” Cove gave the couple a soft smile before turning and heading to the back kitchen. Gerard turned to face Bert, who matched their movements at the same time.

“What the hell is going on right now?” Gerard whispered, and Bert only shrugged, just as shocked and confused as they were. As if on cue, Gerard saw from the corner of their eye as someone who was not Cove approach them.

“Well well well… Look what we have here! Gerard, what a cute dress! Well, cute might not be the best descriptor – considering it was the dress that earned you the most money!” Jepha sneered, before leaning over to meet Bert’s eyes. “Bert, the red is hot, and I’m loving the quinnmono – I gotta text him to let him know you still wear it! Awh, so cute!” 

Gerard’s mouth opened in shock, and they turned to Bert, who did not look happy. Before either of them could reply, Cove manuvered his way to the front of the table and set down their drinks.

“Got you that extra shot with no charge, since you’re with my old pal!” Cove grinned at Gerard, and they smiled – maybe they were overreacting, he seemed nice enough. Cove slid the beer down the table at Bert, who caught it, smirking back at Cove.

“That one’s from me,” Cove winked, and Gerard’s hand froze on their drink. They turned towards Bert, who was absentmindedly drinking the beer, and elbowed him lightly to get his attention.

“Um, thanks man!” He replied, and Cove flashed him a smile that Gerard could only describe as sultry, except it wasn’t sexy – it was embarrassing. Bert was here with his wife , they were right there in front of this guy, and he wasn’t getting the hint. But, Cove wasn’t the issue here at the moment – considering Jepha was standing in front of them. 

“Jepha, can you go back to your table? I’m trying to have a nice dinner out with my family, I don’t need you over here showing my children first-hand what a bad influence is,” Bert rolled his eyes, and Jepha’s jaw dropped.

“Thanks for the compliment about my dress, by the way. I know you hated it when we would work together, considering every guy wanted to pick me up instead of you. I don’t know, I guess men prefer actually feminine looking people who aren’t drenched in makeup,” Gerard added, and Jepha turned his head to face Gerard, looking pissed. 

“You shut it, you fucking whore!” Jepha yelled, and Gerard smirked. Bert and them looked at each other, knowing that they had the upper hand here. Out of nowhere, Jepha pulled out his phone and snapped a pic of Bert, the flash causing Bert to blink and wave his hands around.

“What the fuck?” Bert yelled, and Jepha tapped on his phone a bit before turning his phone around and showing the couple his screen. It was a conversation with Quinn, and Jepha sent a photo of Bert in the kimono, along with the caption, ‘Guess who’s still obsessed w/ u, LOL wearing this out in public ?? I mean I got it kinda for Tucker Thursday, but this is just weird xx!’

“Hmm.. I wonder how Quinn is gonna feel about this…” Jepha grinned a bitchy smile, and Gerard turned their attention to their drink, chugging the cocktail down as fast as possible, blocking out anything that had to do with Quinn or Jepha at the moment. 

“Why the fuck would you do that, Jeph? What’s the point? You’re clearly on a date, go pay attention to him instead of bothering us!” Bert yelled, and Jepha just grinned before turning on his heels and strutting back to his table with Syd, who looked embarrassed, typing on his phone. 

“Hey mum, why is that woman so weird looking?” Vincent chimed in suddenly, and Gerard almost choked on their drink. Bert burst out into laughter immediately.

“Oh, Vince, that might’ve been the best thing you’ve said in your entire life! Well, that’s not a woman, first off. He’s an old friend – he just dresses like that to get attention. You do not wanna be like him when you grow up, bad bad man,” Bert laughed obnoxiously, clapping his hands together. Gerard snickered alongside their husband, finishing their drink. The alcohol was kicking in at this point, and Gerard was happy to see as Cove walked back over with their food.

“Alright, burgers and fries for the kids, a salad for the miss, and the veggie burger for you, Bert. By the way, I’m loving the makeup – really brings out your blue eyes. You think we could grab a drink sometime together? Ya know, catch up?” Cove set down all the food, eyes looking Bert up and down. Gerard tensed up, now completely convinced Cove had other motives when it came to their husband.

“Um, Cove? We’re married, if you couldn’t tell. How about you stay in your lane,” Gerard mumbled, and Bert turned to them, eyes narrowing in annoyance.

“Gerard, calm down. Cove is my pal, he’s not flirting with me!” Bert assured, but Cove quickly chimed in.

“Actually, I am flirting. Here’s my number, in case you wanna take me up on the offer. I’ll be back later with the check, and I’ll grab some new drinks for everyone!” Cove grabbed Gerard’s empty glass and Bert’s empty beer bottle as he turned away and headed to the bar. He was quick to bring back refills, winking at Bert one more time before disappearing into the back again.

“See? I told you! He was flirting with you! God, everyone wants you all the time, and you never shut it down!” Gerard complained, taking another sip of their drink before shoving a few leaves of lettuce into their mouth. Bert huffed and ignored them, digging into his veggie burger in silence.

“Uh, daddy? The weird guy and a friend of his are coming back!” Shia spoke up, before grabbing a bottle of ranch and pouring it onto Vincent’s hand, who started wiping it on Shia in response. Bert sighed in annoyance as he turned and saw Jepha and Syd walking over to them, hand in hand. Syd looked cheerful, and Jepha looked mischievous.

“Gerard! You look gorgeous, as always! It’s so funny to see you here, how are things? I was thinking you, me, Ry, and Michelle should all get together and go out to dinner sometime! Last time we went out, it was cut short, and Michelle definitely would wanna come this time. What do you think?” Syd smiled as he stood next to them, before glaring at Bert.

“I don’t know, Syd . You’ve kinda been a bad friend, considering you’re on a date with Jepha , who’s a dick to my wife,” Bert replied before Gerard could even open their mouth. 

“Huh? Are you really trying to say I’m the bad thing in Gerard’s life? What about that time I went out to dinner with them and they had a butterfly bandage on their head from when you beat them?” Syd snapped, unable to hold back. Gerard turned back to Syd, cheeks heating up as the two argued.

“Wow, Syd. Bringing up such violent acts in front of their two young, innocent children?” Bert growled, eyes staring violently at him. Syd was about to reply, before he was cut off by the man next to him.

“It’s not like those kids are actually Gerard’s in the first place – too busy impregnating random women you ran into when Gerard was out working. Gerard’s just too pathetic to actually care,” Jepha hissed, and that’s when Gerard slammed their hand down on the table, whipping their head to look directly at Jepha.

“Jepha, what the hell? Do you have any decency?” They yelled, before turning to Syd. “What the fuck do you see in him? He’s an absolute cunt!” 

Syd stayed silent, looking down at his hands, before turning back to face Gerard. “He told me about the stuff you did to him, you know. You went behind his back, taking all his regular clients instead of finding your own, using his makeup without asking, taking his dresses, undercutting him on prices so people would choose you more often. It’s pretty fucked up, Gerard. I knew you had your problems, but Jepha really helped you financially, and you screwed him over. I don’t blame him for being mad at you, and sure, he is a bit harsh, but you can’t be surprised he holds resentment towards you.”

“ What ?” Gerard said slowly, absolutely taken aback by the words that came out of their friend’s mouth. “I didn’t do any of that shit! It isn’t my fault if guys wanted me more than Jepha, I was doing this for survival! I didn’t know who his regular clients were, I pretty much took every opportunity I had to make money! Don’t act like you can understand what my life was like, Syd , you have no fucking idea what I’ve gone through because of that job. You know why I charged less? Jepha fucking told me to! He said that I can’t just have huge prices when I’m starting out, so the fact that he framed that as me undercutting him to steal his clients is fucking bullshit! And all the times I wore his dresses or used his makeup, he was the one who told me to do that! Everything I apparently ‘did’ to him was never because I had it out for Jepha, it’s because I was trying to fucking survive!”

Bert gave the kids a quick look, and the two nodded and headed to the bathroom. Bert knew Gerard was ready to go off – and he didn’t want the kids hearing about Gerard’s prostitution days anymore than they already did. 

Gerard took a breath and a sip of their cocktail before continuing, turning to Jepha. “You should be fucking grateful, you know. Some of those jobs that you wanted to take, but I ended up going for – I saved your ass so many times. You remember that one customer – Feldy? Fucking psychopath. He was your regular for quick blowjobs, but chose me one night for sex, and you were so pissed at me, yelling at me and calling me a whore or a skank for it when I got back to camp, already visibly upset! Did you ever think to ask me what happened that night? Why this guy randomly chose me for sex when he always went for you for other stuff? Because he had a lot more in mind that night, and didn’t want to hurt you. I came back with straight up bruises and cuts on my ass and lower back from him using a belt that I wasn’t prepared for, and cuts on my wrists from being handcuffed so tightly. So don’t go acting like life was all fine and dandy for me, running around purposely stealing clients and having the time of my life doing it – because that was not the fucking case. You had it easy, you were an established name in this line of work, clients respected you to an extent. You have no idea what I went through, Jepha.”

Syd’s face was bright red, and it was clear that he felt terrible for what he said, based on his wide, apologetic eyes, and the way he was nervously playing with his hands. Gerard took a deep breath as they took another large gulp of their drink and stabbed a few more pieces of lettuce before putting the salad into their mouth. 

“Gerard, I’m sorry, I had no idea–” Syd started, but Bert quickly cut him off.

“Yeah, you should be fucking sorry. Just because you take shots with Gerard and spend time at a Tucker Thursday with them does not mean you know their whole life story. The fact you even attempted to defend Jepha, a guy you met yesterday , and blame Gerard for something you don’t know anything about – really shitty move there, Syd,” He stated, finishing his beer right after. Syd nodded, looking one last time at Gerard, who was still avoiding eye contact.

“Can we still be friends?” Syd asked, his voice nervous. Gerard sighed and met Syd’s eyes. 

“Of course, I just – You don’t really know me, Syd. You know about Bert and I, to an extent, but that’s it. Don’t assume things about me just because some shady guy who you wanna fuck said it,” They said, and Syd nodded, placing his hand on top of Gerard’s and squeezing it lightly.

“Thank you – I’m really sorry, Gerard. I’m gonna go back to the table, I hope I can see you again soon, for real. You’re a good person, and I like being your friend,” Syd smiled, and Gerard smiled back. They did really like Syd, he was a great person – they just didn’t understand why Jepha had to be intertwined with this. Syd turned to Jepha, who was on his phone, ignoring the situation in front of him.

“We will talk about this later, Jeph, okay? How about you stop bothering Bert and Gerard and come back to the table with me.”

Jepha smiled at Syd, putting his phone in his pocket. “I’ll meet you back there in a second, babe.” Syd nodded slowly, and walked back to the table, leaving Jepha alone with the couple. He leaned against the table, and the two watched him, unsure of what was going on. 

“Hello? Can you go?” Bert said in an annoyed tone, waiting impatiently for him to leave Gerard and him alone. Jepha looked at Bert and scoffed.

“You know, Gerard, you can play the victim all you want around new friends of yours, like Syd, but everyone who actually knows you can’t be fooled that easily. I know what you’re like during sex, honey, I bet you were begging for it and arching it into Feldy – so stop with this whole ‘poor me!’ act, it’s embarrassing, babe. Everyone in that business knew what a desperate little cockslut you were, so they treated you like how you wanted to be treated, simple as that. It’s funny that you would actually attempt to turn this around and make yourself seem like the victim here – as if you weren’t getting on your knees for any guy who had a five dollar bill or a half gram of coke. You know, you’re lucky Bert has no standards, because I’m certain no normal person would ever actually want to be with the most ran through bitch in all of New Jersey,” He snapped, and Gerard stared at their old friend in shock, but before they could say anything, Bert chugged his beer, slammed the bottle on the table, and stood up. He shoved Gerard out of the booth, who fell onto the floor, only catching themself slightly so their face didn’t slam against the dirty ground. Bert stepped over them, and went to meet Jepha, staring at him with the angriest eyes Gerard had ever seen.

“What. The fuck. Did you just say to them?” He said through gritted teeth. Gerard put a hand on the booth seat and pulled themself back up, taking a seat again and brushing the dirt off their knees, which hurt slightly from banging against the floor. Jepha looked down at Bert, a few inches taller than him with his heels on. 

“You heard me, Bert. Your wife is a pathetic whore and a bad person. I have no idea why you’d still even be sexually attracted to them after so many dicks have been in their ass and mouth, especially when they are mid at best when it comes to sex. You remember your nights with me, right? Maybe you should shuffle some cash over and indulge in someone who’s much better with their mouth than Gerard,” Jepha smirked, running his fingers along Bert’s arm, who moved his arm away from Jepha’s touch in disgust. 

“You listen to me, Jepha. First off, anything that ever happened between us was a goddamn mistake , I never even enjoyed hooking up with you in the first place – I really only did it because Quinn would offer. Second off,” Bert paused, before punching Jepha as hard as he could square in the face, hearing a sickening crunch and seeing blood as he pulled his fist away. “And finally, do not ever say Gerard is a bad person, especially after they just confessed to being basically assaulted and saving you from bad treatment. Let’s not forget how the moment you started bringing Gerard around when you worked, you started bringing in much more money, just because Gerard’s beauty drew new customers in – and they were kind enough to let you capitalize on those customers rather than take them all for themselves. Get fucked, honestly. Oh and since we’re such bad people, how about you don’t butt in and mess with our lives ever again! Seriously, you used to be so different, Jepha. I don’t know what happened to you, but clearly life turned you into some fucking jealous asshole. Fuck you, and don’t ever speak badly about Gerard again.” 

Jepha covered his nose with his hand, and Gerard watched as blood spilled down, getting on his lips, matching his already bright-red lipstick coated mouth. Gerard looked up at Bert, eyes wide, and he looked like a superhero at that moment – standing tall, his fist up, hair pushed back and eyes staring intensely. Gerard swore he’s never looked better than that exact moment.

“Bert, what the fuck ? My nose!” Jepha squealed, crying as he registered what just happened, the pain definitely sinking in at this point. Bert smirked, leaning against the table and watching as blood dripped onto the floor from Jepha’s broken nose. 

“Don’t fuck with my GeeGee, you fucking cunt,” Bert reached his hand down, and Gerard placed their hand in his, and he helped them out of their seat, before dipping them and kissing them, earning a surprised gasp from Gerard. 

“Bert… Oh my god, my hero, my knight, my moon, my other half, my everything… My Bert… Thank you, thank you, thank you! You are literally my superman!” Gerard said in an exhale, looking up at Bert as he held them in his arms. He leaned down and kissed them intensely, and they moaned into Bert’s mouth, before the two broke away and Bert stood Gerard back on their feet.

“Um, excuse me? Bert, we are going to have to ask for all of you to leave… I’m sorry, but we are getting complaints from everyone in the restaurant, and we don’t tolerate any fights. Both of your groups are gonna have to leave, I’m sorry man. Let’s catch up sometime though, okay?” Cove said awkwardly as he walked up to Jepha, Bert, and Gerard. Jepha wiped some of the blood off his face and ran over to Syd and his table, whispering to Syd, who looked shocked and confused. Bert rolled his eyes in annoyance, but he understood that Cove was just following the rules. He whipped out two twenty dollar bills from his wallet and set it on the table, before grabbing Gerard’s arm and pulling them through the restaurant. He stopped by the bathroom and banged on the door.

“Kids! Time to go!” He yelled, and shortly after, Vincent and Shia ran out of the bathroom, Shia’s hair covered in soap and Vincent wrapped in toilet paper like a bad costume of a mummy. The four moved to the door, and Bert turned back, meeting Jepha’s eyes, and flipped him off with a smirk as he watched Syd try to blot some of the blood off his face. 

“Well, that was quite an eventful dinner, even though none of us really got to eat. Y’all wanna swing by McDonald’s and grab some food?” Bert sighed as he opened the car door, and the kids cheered in response. He looked at Gerard, who was still staring dreamily at him, and his heart fluttered. He loved being the strong, protective husband, and he especially loved the way Gerard acted afterward – and this was the best reaction he’s ever seen. 

––––

“Why do you keep showing up, Quinn? You disappear, and then come back, and disappear, and come back, I don’t get it! What the fuck do you want from me?” Bert yelled, throwing a rock into the water, watching it splash. He was sitting on the shore of the beach, and they were the only two people there. Quinn tossed a rock into the waves as well.

“You miss me, and you need me, and I need you. That’s why. We are never going to truly separate ourselves from each other, Bert, and you know it. Why do you think you still have feelings for Tucker? Why you wear the kimono every day? Why you’re so angry and frustrated all the time? You don’t feel complete unless I’m there to make you whole.”

Bert turned to Quinn, slapping him across the face. “I don’t need you, Quinn! I can live without relying on you, I can live by myself without relying on anyone! Stop acting like your life purpose is to fucking save me!”

Quinn brought his hand to his face, before balling his fist and punching Bert in the right cheek, and Bert gasped as he fell into the damp, cold sand. Quinn climbed on top of Bert, and the blonde hair was all messy and Bert knew his hair now had sand in it. Quinn, as if reading his thoughts, brought a hand to comb through Bert’s hair, which was curly from the salty air. 

“I’ve never tried to fix you or save you or whatever the hell you view me as, Bert. I’m not trying to be your hero. In terms of helping you, I just wanted to always be there in case one day, you might need someone to lean on. But, more than anything, I just want you. I always did, and I always will.”

Bert slowly opened his eyes, the sounds of waves crashing and seagulls squawking fading into sounds of Gerard banging pots and pans around in the kitchen, and the kids basically screeching along to some song that he didn’t recognize. His head hurt, and as he slowly began to wake up, he realized that the beach, Quinn, his curly hair and Quinn on top of him were all apart of a dream. His stomach hurt now too. 

Bert yawned, trying to think of anything but the dream, but there was a voice in his head that kept nagging him, and even though he’d rather die on the spot than look an idiot, he grabbed his phone off the nightstand. He felt his bottom lip tremble, and he didn’t know why he was doing this – maybe it was because he still felt half-asleep, and he knew he was going to regret it, but he couldn’t stop his fingers from scrolling through his contacts until he reached the ‘Q’ section. 

10:23am – Bert McCracken:

“Hey, Quinn.”

––––

“Gerard, it’s for you. Mikey,” Bert said in a flat tone as he held up the home phone. Bert had been in a weird mood all morning, and Gerard wasn’t too sure why – but they chalked it up to the Jepha incident that happened two days prior, as well as the fact the kids were leaving today. Gerard slowly walked over towards Bert, taking the landline out of his grasp, and shakily bringing the phone to their ear. Bert gave Gerard a small wave as he headed into the living room, helping the kids pack their things. It was Sunday, and since the kids had school the next day, Bert and his parents agreed that it would be for the best if the kids went back to their grandparents. As annoying as his kids were, he did have somewhat of a good time with them this weekend, and it really showed him what a nuclear family could be – this could really work out, especially now that Gerard wasn’t so focused on Frank and the nursing job

“Hi Mikey,” Gerard said slowly, unsure of where they stood, considering the last interaction was at Tucker Thursday, and before that – when they convinced Mikey to let them visit Frank. 

“Gerard! Is Bert around? He’s not like, listening to the conversation or hovering by you, right?” Mikey asked cautiously, and Gerard almost chuckled at Mikey’s paranoia – they were happy he cared so much.

“No, don’t worry. He doesn’t really do that anymore – I mean like, I don’t think he cares if I talk to other people anymore. Kinda a weird phase for him, ya know,” Gerard said casually. It was true – Bert might’ve had some intensive aggressive fights with Gerard lately, but ever since they both began to make friends, they have been less on each other’s case, but obviously Mikey didn’t know that, considering the last time Mikey and them actually talked for a while was when Bert kicked him out of the apartment. 

“Um, okay. Well, I’d love to hear about everything with Bert sometime when you’re not in a house with him, but this isn’t about your shitty husband. I need to talk to you about Turtle Creek, specifically the incident about a week ago,” Mikey replied, and Gerard’s stomach dropped. They knew this conversation wouldn’t be good. 

“Alright, I understand. What’s up?”

Mikey sighed, and Gerard heard it through the receiver. “Well, someone called in about it later that day. Obviously, they didn’t state the full situation, or say your name, but–” Mikey started, but was quickly cut off by Gerard.

“Bert. It was Bert, who called.”

Mikey paused for a moment. “Huh? How did Bert find out? And how has he not killed you for it yet?”

“Well, I told him. He cheated on me that night though, it’s a long story. Big fight, box cutter, Adam Lazzara was there – confusing as hell. I’ll fill you in on the whole thing another time,” Gerard whispered, trying to make sure Bert didn’t hear anything, and they were pretty certain that he didn’t. 

“ What ?” Was all Mikey said, clearly confused, but Gerard didn’t reply, so Mikey just cleared his throat to continue.

“Okay, well, Bert called in and told Dr. Toro about you. He didn’t say your name, like I mentioned, but he did say that a disgruntled ex-employee–”

“Yeah, I know what he said. I was there. Then the call got hung up because I grabbed it and threw the phone across the room.”

Mikey sighed deeply, and Gerard returned to silence, slightly embarrassed that they interrupted again – they just didn’t need to be retold a story that they were apart of. 

“Okay. So yeah, phone call happened. Obviously , Dr. Toro knew immediately who he was talking about, considering he was the one who told me to talk to you, so he came to me first. Started asking me a ton of questions, like if you snuck in, or what the hell you were even doing there in the first place. I lied, about everything – I said you showed up because of something that happened with your husband, and I talked you through it, and sent you to my apartment. It’s a good thing that Gabe loves me so much, because he believed me without even a second thought and then backed me up to Toro,” Mikey explained, and Gerard let out a deep sigh of relief – they weren’t going to jail, or getting fined, and Mikey wasn’t in trouble.

“However, you can’t do that shit, Gerard. Ever again, okay? I don’t care if that old man is on his death bed and is asking for you, you are never allowed to step foot inside that place again. Just, call or text me next time you need help or someone to talk to, okay?” Mikey continued, and Gerard sighed.

“I don’t have a phone, Mikey,” They explained.

“I know, which is why I bought you one. It’s being shipped, it’ll be here today. It’s supposed to arrive in an hour. Nothing fancy – just something so you actually have access to the outside world that isn’t through Bert.”

Gerard gasped, completely taken aback – Mikey bought them a phone ? “Mikey, I can’t accept that, that’s too much!”

“Yes you can, and you will. I’m trying to make sure that you keep good people close to you, Gerard. I want to be close with you again, I miss you. Like, a lot . We used to be best friends, telling each other everything. Now it feels like I don’t even know you, and you don’t even know me,” Mikey said softly, and Gerard felt their heart began to hurt – they hadn’t even noticed how far apart Mikey and them have grown until hearing his voice, and it felt terrible knowing that the boy who they grew up with, their best friend in the whole world, suddenly felt so far away.

“I miss you too, Mikes. So much. You’re my little brother, and I shouldn’t have been acting the way I have been lately towards you – you’re so important to me. I love you Mikey, thank you.”

“I love you too, Gee. Text me when you set your phone up, okay? We should schedule a time to hang out soon, which will be a lot easier to do now that I don’t have to rely on your home phone. You remember my number?” Mikey asked, and Gerard grinned.

“Of course, I’ve had it memorized since you got it. 973-091-0980, right?” Gerard chewed on their lip, hoping that they got their brother’s number right.

“Yup, you got it. Alright, I gotta go check in on Mr. Wentz, so wish me luck,” Mikey groaned, and Gerard could basically see how annoyed Mikey looked. They laughed, thinking about the things Mr. Wentz would say to them or Mikey – especially with the crush Mr. Wentz had on Mikey and the obvious distaste he had towards more, feminine people, like Gerard.

“Damn, good luck! Make sure you don’t leave Ryan with him,” Gerard chuckled, and Mikey laughed along with them. “Alright, love you Mikey, and thank you – seriously. I couldn’t ask for a better brother than you.”

“Awwh, shucks. I am a pretty great brother, aren’t I? Love you too Gee, I’ll talk to you soon.”

Gerard smiled as they hung up the phone. They were happy that the conversation went so well – especially considering what Gerard did to warrant a phone call from Mikey. Gerard walked into the living room to find Bert and the kids finishing up packing, Vincent trying to shove some clothes into his bag as Bert tried to take them out.

“Vincent McCracken! These shirts are not yours!” Bert yelled as he held a red shirt up, shaking it angrily in front of his son.

“Awh bloody hell, you have a ton of those red shirts – lemme just have one!” Vince argued, and Bert rolled his eyes and sighed deeply.

“No. If I see that my shit is missing after dropping you off, I’m gonna speed over to my parents’ place and stealing everything you own. Okay, are you guys ready yet? I’m getting a little impatient – oh, Gerard! You might wanna check Vincent’s bag, he might’ve stole your jewelry.”

Gerard laughed as they walked over to their family, ruffling Vincent’s hair and taking his bag. They opened it and sifted through the contents – and sure enough, they found two of their bracelets and one of their necklaces at the bottom. 

“Alright, stop taking my jewelry, Vince. You can ask to borrow them, but stealing is bad,” Gerard scolded, and Vincet laughed and nodded, zipping his bag up and throwing it over his shoulder. Gerard heard Bert’s phone start vibrating intensely, and they looked at the table where his phone rested, but Bert quickly snatched it and turned the vibrate off. 

“Parents – they are asking where we are. I guess they are there already,” Bert laughed nervously. Gerard brushed it off – they had no reason to really be suspicious, plus Bert always got anxious before seeing his parents.

“Okay, are we all ready? Everyone say bye to your mom, we probably won’t see you two for a couple of weeks again,” Bert said as he slung both bags over his shoulders. Shia ran up to Gerard first, wrapping her arms around Gerard’s waist.

“Bye bye mom! I love you, can’t wait to see you again soon!” She smiled, and Gerard hugged her back. The second Shia pulled off, Vincent replaced her spot and began hugging Gerard too.

“Farewell mum, I’m gonna miss you! Please let us visit soon, I love you!” Vincent said, and Gerard nodded as they hugged their son. They were really going to miss the kids – even though they were a lot to handle, the kids provided a sense of stability and unity within the family, and the domestcitiy of it all made Gerard feel like maybe this was meant to be their life. 

“I love you both, be good to Grandma and Grandpa, okay? I’ll see you both soon, I’ll miss you guys!” Gerard smiled, waving at the kids and their husband as they left the house. They headed into their bedroom to change out of their pajamas, and as they took off their shirt, they heard the doorbell ring. 

“Coming!” They called out, throwing on Adam’s shirt that was on the floor as they ran over to the door. When they opened it, it was the mailman, holding a box and a clipboard.

“Gerard Way?” He asked, and they nodded. “Can you sign for this package?”

Gerard smiled in response as they took the pen from the man and signed their name, before taking the package and letting the man leave. Gerard assumed this was the phone Mikey bought them, and they were definitely excited, but they couldn’t help feeling guilty. Mikey going out of his way to buy them a phone was such a kind gesture – and they still didn’t know how they were going to repay him. Gerard tore the box open, and pulled out the new phone. Mikey was telling the truth – nothing fancy, just a standard android phone that had internet access, but they were shocked that they even had the chance to text, so internet access seemed unbelievable. 

“Alright… Mikey’s contact…” Gerard mumbled to themself as they inputted Mikey’s number into their phone, shooting him a text that they got it all set up. They knew Mikey was working his shift at the moment and most likely wouldn’t reply right away, so they scrolled through the phone, creating a password that Bert wouldn’t guess if he ever found the phone, setting up any general system processing requirements, and finally downloading some apps they wanted, Spotify being the first. Gerard has been wanting to listen to Taking Back Sunday – Adam’s band – ever since they listened to it in the car with Adam the other week. Suddenly, they remembered something important .

Gerard jumped to their feet and sprinted to the bedroom, digging through the laundry that covered the floor until they found their cut-off shorts that they wore to the last Tucker Thursday. They shoved their hand into the back pocket, finding the tiny slip of paper they were looking for. Gerard pulled it out, unfolding and flattening the crumpled scrap, revealing the three words and ten numbers they forgot about until now.

Text me -Adam (973)-092-2981.

Gerard held their breath as they typed in Adam’s contact with shaky hands. His number was the same as it was a decade ago, and Gerard remembered when they both got phones for the first time, when they were 16. Whenever they couldn’t see each other, they’d talk for hours over the phone, and Gerard sighed as they remembered how happy they were when they were with him – zero complications, zero fights; just young love that Gerard took for granted. They knew this wasn’t a good idea, but this wasn’t cheating – they just wanted to be friends again with Adam. They looked down at the shirt they had on and sighed. Gerard thought of Bert, remembering the way he stood up to Jepha for them, and debated if this was worth it. They looked back down at their screen, their fingers moving involuntarily.

11:28am – Gerard Way:

“Hi Adam, it’s me, Gerard. I finally got a phone – thanks to Mikey.”

Gerard bit down on their lip as they waited for a reply. For all they know, Adam could’ve been fucking with them – getting their hopes up only for Adam to message them to tell Gerard he never wanted to see them again. The phone buzzed, and Gerard quickly opened the message. 

11:30am – Adam Lazzara:

“oh shit, didn’t think you’d ever actually txt me, lol. im happy you did tho, and im sry i ran out so quickly the other night. john is lowkey a hardass when it comes to me and you, lmao. i wanna b friends, g, and im hoping u do 2”

Gerard smiled – they were on the same page. This was good. 

11:33am – Gerard Way:

“I agree. I’d like to be friends, especially because you’re with Tucker and I’m, well, married to Bert. Haha. Anyways what’s up?”

11:35am – Adam Lazzara:

“currently tryna figure out an outfit. wanna help?”

Gerard laughed to themself and continued typing.

11:36am – Gerard Way:

“I don’t know if I’ll be good fashion help, considering I’m in just a big baggy tshirt, Lol.”

11:37am – Adam Lazzara:

“hey, big tshirts are the epitome of fashion, u can ask anyone. what shirt is it?”

Gerard froze, realizing that they were in Adam’s shirt that they kept from when they dated. At first, they considered lying, but hey , they were friends, right? Gerard walked over to their mirror, and took a picture of themself in Adam’s shirt. Gerard’s legs looked long, and they noticed that they were looking extra pale – they really should invest in some fake tanner. They quickly typed up a caption and sent the picture.

11:42am – Gerard Way:

1 IMG

“Lol, maybe you recognize it? ;)”

11:43am – Adam Lazzara:

“ahhhh omg now i know where that shirt went! looks better on u than it ever did on me soooo u can keep it officially now… ur legs look good btw, lol… im saying that as a friend, obviously ;)”

Gerard chewed on their bottom lip, unable to hide their grin, even though they knew they were trailing into dangerous territory. They quickly shifted the conversation back to Adam’s wardrobe issue. It wasn’t long till Gerard and Adam got into a long conversation, and Gerard was having such a fun time – laying on their stomach in their bed, kicking their feet in the air as they replied the second Adam texted them – not having a phone for so long really made them forget how fun texting was. 

1:47pm – Adam Lazzara:

“wait omg i forgot 2 tell u! my band and i r playing a show w/ thursday tonight at that bar downtown ravenkroft, u should totally come! doors open at 7, costs only $10 for entry. u down?”

Gerard’s smile only grew wider, and they rushed to text back immediately. 

1:48pm – Gerard Way:

“I’ll be there. What’s the dresscode?”

1:49pm – Adam Lazzara:

“ofc tucker wanted a color scheme, so the theme is red. other than that, just show up in whatever u usually wear to a bar lol :D cya then g!”

Gerard blushed, immediately opening Spotify up and shuffling Adam’s music – and they still couldn’t believe just how good Adam was. The one issue with this was the fact that the theme was red, and Gerard was pretty certain they didn’t own any red, unless they somehow managed to find something in their closet from their prostitution days.

Luckily – they did. Gerard pulled out a red slip dress from behind a variety of Bert’s clothes – all tshirts or tank tops and baggy shorts – revealing the satin and lace dress that they forgot about until now. Bert was pretty adamant about red being “his” color, and though he never stated it outloud, Bert always made sure to tell Gerard that they didn’t look as good in red, and looked much better in blue or black. The funniest thing about that though was that they earned the most money dressed in either the dark blue dress, or any red outfits they borrowed from Jepha.

Gerard quickly stripped, and for no reason at all , changed out of their typical briefs and put on a more, scandalous pair of underwear. Gerard stepped into the dress, pulling it over their curves and tightening the straps, before grabbing a pair of nylon tights, since it’ll be cold later. 

Gerard headed to the bathroom, bringing their phone with them so they could listen to music as they did their makeup. The second they sat down, they heard the door unlock and open, and that made Gerard realize that Bert was gone for about two hours , which was much longer than it normally took to drive ten minutes away and drop the kids off. 

“Hey Gee, are you home?” Bert’s voice called out, and Gerard quickly paused the music and slid the phone into their makeup bag, covering it with a few brushes and a palette. 

––––

“Alright, I’ll see you two in a week or two. Be good, and Vincent –” Bert paused, turning to face his son directly. “No nicotine, alright? If you get a vape, get zero percent.”

Vincent chuckled and nodded, and he pulled the two kids into a hug, before letting them run towards his mom, watching as they immediately got into the car. Bert’s mom waved at him through the window and quickly sped away – leaving Bert in the parking lot. He pulled his phone out, his heart beating extra fast as he repeated the address in his mind. He got into his car, and quickly began driving to the destination – he didn’t need directions, considering he used to live there. 

As Bert drove, he couldn’t help but feel like he was going to throw up, pass out, or even die from how nervous he was. His hands were sweating so much they were slipping on the steering wheel, and he was very glad he wore his black ‘Hollywood’ jacket, because if he wore any other color – he definitely would’ve sweat through the shirt by now. 

As he pulled up to the apartment, his blood ran cold. Bert debated immediately turning around and driving back home, but at the same time – he knew he wouldn’t be able to convince himself to leave. He got out of the car, and ran a hand through his hair as he walked to the front of the complex and opened the door, navigating through the building to the apartment as if he never moved out.

The door loomed in front of him, and he watched as his shaky hand moved to knock against it. He continued to take deep breaths, and waited for one minute. Two minutes. Three minutes. Bert started to worry – what if he was being messed with? But then, the door unlocked, and opened.

“Hey.”

And there he stood – most of his hair hidden by a beanie, but tufts of blonde peaking out above his eyes, and black hair around his ears, brushing over his neck. His eyes watched Bert, brown with flecks of hazel and gold and Bert already felt like he could get lost in them. 

Quinn was wearing the green flannel Bert got him for his birthday a few years ago.

“Um, hi,” Bert said awkwardly, and Quinn looked him up and down. 

“You’ve had that hoodie for years, I remember when you would wear it in high school,” Quinn said in a monotone voice – he wasn’t insinuating anything with his comment, just stating a fact. Bert swallowed audibly and nodded.

“You’ve had that flannel for years,” He tried to laugh, but it came out as more of a nervous cough. Quinn opened the door wider, signaling for Bert to come in. In silence, Bert stepped past Quinn and entered the apartment – and there were things that stayed the same, like the random puzzles Jepha would hang up on the walls, or the dark red couch that Bert and Quinn spent a lot of time on. There were some things that changed though, there was an actual kitchen table instead of one of those fold out ones, the house was actually clean, and the framed picture of Bert and Quinn that used to sit on the kitchen counter wasn’t there anymore – replaced with a photo of Jepha, Quinn, and a guy with a mohawk and a bridge piercing.

“No one else is here, by the way. Jepha is out shopping, and Branden is at work,” Quinn commented as he noticed Bert looking around. Bert turned to meet his eyes, nervously playing with the hem of his hoodie.

“Branden?”

“Our roommate. His name is Branden Steineckert, I met him in college way back when – he’s a drummer, and we became pretty good friends. We realized we both grew up here, and he followed me on Instagram about six months ago, and we reconnected. He needed a place to live, Jeph and I needed a new roommate,” Quinn explained, opening the fridge and pulling out a beer. “You want one?”

Bert nodded, and Quinn tossed him a can. “Thanks,” Bert said quietly, and Quinn looked up at him, before opening his drink. He circled back around to where Bert was standing, before walking over to the red couch and sitting down. Bert took that as sign to join him, and he hesitantly sat down a few feet away from Quinn. It felt weird – considering Bert and Quinn never sat so far apart whenever they used to share the couch.

“So, you texted me. I didn’t realize you still had my contact saved,” Quinn said before taking a sip of his beer.

“I didn’t realize you didn’t have me blocked,” Bert replied quickly, and his cheeks reddened as he realized he might’ve come off as defensive. “I mean, like, after what happened. I assumed you wouldn’t have given me the option to contact you, even if I wanted to, after what you said.”

Quinn stared at him, and Bert sat there, waiting for Quinn to reply. He always found it interesting – Quinn never liked to reply for the sake of replying, he always listened to someone, and waited until he could form a response that was thought out and rational. Bert never understood how he did it – because even when Quinn was mad, his words were always so organized and chosen carefully. It was a blessing and a curse for Bert, because Quinn was a fantastic listener and always seemed to know what to say if Bert needed help, but at the same, it meant that Quinn could pick and choose what to say in order to hurt Bert the most when they fought.

“I said that you were dead to me, I never said that things couldn’t ever change, or be repaired if you reached out to me.”

Bert shifted in his seat, taking a large swig of the beer. “I wanted to apologize, for, um, everything.”

Quinn raised his eyebrows, and for a split second – his deadpan face showed some type of emotion, but Bert couldn’t tell what it was. Quinn was clearly the same – a master at masking his emotions.

“Why should I believe you? Why are you saying this after eight months of silence?” Quinn questioned, and Bert bit down on his lip. Gerard was so simple during fights, they’d forgive each other so easily when one of them fucked up. He never had to actually explain himself, and if Gerard asked him to, he would usually just change the subject and they wouldn’t notice. He could not do that with Quinn though.

“I’ve missed you, like, a lot. I wanted to reach out, I did, but you hate me, Quinn. You said I was dead to you, you said you never wanted to see me again. And then, here you are suddenly, out of nowhere! And you talked to me, you danced with me, you fought with me. The craziest thing is, I’ve been crushing on this guy for a few weeks now, Tucker. The host of the party on Thursday. He’s really attractive, and funny, and super likable. He’s in a band, and he’s really talented, and I started getting along with him so easily, and he was so different from Gerard. He complimented my kimono a lot too, and things felt so easy and natural – and I never knew why. Then, Gerard of all people made it clear to me: I fell for this guy so easily because he reminded me of you. No matter where I go, no matter who is in my life, you still manage to weave your way into it. I can’t escape you, Quinn, and it seems like you can’t escape me either.”

Quinn stared at him, and Bert noticed his eyes looked a lot glossier than normal, and his cheeks were pink. He watched as Quinn finished his beer, crunching the can in his hand like he always did, and then set it down on the coffee table in front of him. Quinn turned back towards Bert, and Bert noticed the way Quinn’s hands were shaking. 

“I still love you, Bert.”

“I know,” He replied, his voice fading out as he tried to register the words Quinn said. 

“You still love me too.”

Bert shook his head, feeling tears begin to form in the corners of his eyes, and he blinked them away. “Don’t – I’m married, Quinn. I love Gerard.”

Quinn moved closer to Bert, and he felt like he was paralyzed. Bert knew he shouldn’t let Quinn get any closer to him, but he couldn’t control his limbs at the moment. 

“You didn’t deny it though, Bert. You love me, why else would you look for me in someone else?” Quinn softly brought his hand to Bert’s jaw, and turned his head slightly so Bert could meet Quinn’s eyes. Bert blinked and a tear rolled down his cheek, but Quinn’s thumb wiped it away.

“Quinn, I–” Bert started, but was quickly cut off as Quinn pressed his lips against Bert’s. His whole body immediately felt like it was fire, and Quinn’s lips were not as soft as Gerard’s, and the way he kissed Bert was strong, desperate, and Bert couldn’t help but kiss back, trying to block out every single voice telling him that this was a horrible idea. Quinn broke the kiss, before placing his lips along Bert’s jaw, moving lower and lower, planting soft kisses on his neck, his breath sending chills down Bert’s back. Bert was taking deep breaths, and he felt like he was on the verge of crying, throwing up, or grabbing Quinn and pulling him on top of him so they could make another memory of them together on this stupid, cheap, red couch. 

Somehow, Bert managed to push Quinn off of him, resisting the flaming desire to let Quinn take him right then and there. Quinn looked at him, confused, but stayed put.

“I can’t, Quinn.” 

Quinn chuckled sadly and removed his hand from Bert. “Why’d you kiss me back?” 

“I don’t know, fuck. All I know is that I need you, Quinn. I need you in my life, and I know that for a fact because if you weren’t meant to be here, you wouldn’t keep showing up again. Can we just, can we work on this? Can we be in each other’s lives and just be friends for now?” Bert stammered over his words, because he didn’t know what he wanted, but he knew what the right thing to do was – and that was to set the boundary of staying friends.

Quinn’s eyes crinkled a little, and though he wasn’t smiling on the outside, Bert knew that those little eye crinkles meant that Quinn was smiling on the inside. 

“Yeah, we can be friends again, Bert,” Quinn said softly, and before Bert could even exhale in relief, Quinn grabbed Bert’s shoulder and turned him roughly to meet Quinn, and they were so close to each other, noses only a few inches apart. Bert could taste Quinn’s breath – beer, menthol cigarettes, and just the overall taste that was Quinn Allman. 

“Just know that every time we talk, or see each other, or play this game of us being friends, the main thing on my mind will be how badly I want to kiss you.”

––––

“Hey Gee, are you home?” Bert called out as he walked inside, still trying to shake off what just happened. He knew he was gone for a while, and he knew his hair was messier than usual, and he really hoped that it wasn’t obvious that he smelled like Quinn’s cologne.

“Yeah! In the bathroom, doing makeup.”

Bert was quick to arrive at the doorway, and his eyes immediately widened at the sight before him – Gerard in a short, red dress, and tights was definitely something he wasn’t expecting to see, and he instantly had questions. 

“What are you getting ready for? It’s like, 3pm, and you’re dressed like a hooker,” Bert laughed, and he could feel his hands were still trembling, so he shoved them into the pockets of his hoodie. Gerard turned to look at him, eyelids glitter and green eyes standing out more than normal since they were surrounded with eyeliner. 

“I’m going to a concert tonight, so I’m getting ready for it,” Gerard said casually, turning back to the mirror as they put some blush on their cheeks. Bert stood there, trying to understand how Gerard heard of a concert, but then remembered they were on the phone earlier with Mikey, and he assumed Mikey invited them. 

“Oh, cool. Who is playing at the concert?” Bert asked.

“Taking Back Sunday, and Thursday. They are playing at Ravenkroft tonight.” 

Bert perked up at the mention of Thursday, and he vaguely recognized the name of the other band – but he couldn’t quite figure it out. “Can I come?”

Gerard sighed and put the makeup brush down, turning back to look at him. “Can’t I just do something on my own? Why do you always have to show up with me?”

Bert furrowed his brows as he listened to what Gerard just said. “Um, because, Gerard , I’m your husband, and I literally bring you to any party or Tucker Thursday I have gone too. It’s not like we have to be glued at the fucking hip tonight, I just wanna check out the bands. Plus, I still gotta apologize to Tucker for bringing Shia and Vincent to his house.”

Gerard was silent for a minute, chewing on the end of the makeup brush as they contemplated Bert’s words. “Okay, fine. The theme is red, so you should be good. Let me know if you want your makeup done.” Bert nodded, before heading to the bedroom to get dressed. He felt his phone buzz in his back pocket, and immediately opened the text, which was from Quinn. All he sent was a picture of Bert’s beer can, with the caption, “Hey, throw ur shit away next time, lmao.” Bert grinned, and before he could stop himself, he was replying.

3:08pm – Bert McCracken

“Hey, you’re going to a concert tonight. Ravenkroft, 7pm. Wear red.”

3:10pm – Quinn Allman

“sounds good. cya there.”

––––

The second the couple arrived at the bar and paid $20 for the two of them, Gerard immediately began running towards the bar, Bert trailing behind them awkwardly.

“Gerard, fucking slow down!” Bert said sternly, and Gerard just huffed with annoyance before reaching the bar. They ordered two shots of vodka and two shots of whiskey, as well as a vodka coke zero and a jack and coke. Bert smirked, and he and Gerard took their shots – Gerard taking the vodka shots, Bert taking the whiskey ones – before the two grabbed their cocktails and began walking into the crowd. Gerard looked at Bert, and noticed he was distracted by the flashing lights, and took the opportunity to book it, running and pushing their way through people to get to the front of the stage. When they reached barricade, they noticed a familiar lanky brunette who was next to them, holding onto the gate that was in front of them.

“Ryan?” Gerard asked, and Ryan turned to them, smiling and immediately pulling them into a hug.

“Oh my goodness, golly me! I didn’t expect to see you here, Gerard! Are you a fan of Taking Back Sunday too? I know you saw Thursday at Tucker’s, but I didn’t expect you to come to an actual concert of theirs,” Ryan grinned, and Gerard laughed awkwardly, taking a sip of their drink.

“I actually really liked Thursday’s music, but I’m here to see Taking Back Sunday more than anything. Adam, the lead singer, he’s uh…” Gerard trailed off, before coming up with an answer. “He’s a good friend of mine, I’ve known him since middle school.”

Ryan looked shocked, putting his hands on Gerard’s shoulders and shaking them. “Bloody hell, are you serious, mate? That’s fucking insane, oh I just love Adam!”

Before Gerard could reply, they felt their phone buzz in their pocket, and they quickly pulled it out, revealing a text from Adam.

7:30pm – Adam Lazzara

“u look v pretty tonite g! look behind the drum set :D”

Gerard stood on their tiptoes and peered over the drum set, immediately meeting Adam’s eyes, who winked at them. They giggled, and looked down at their phone.

7:31pm – Gerard Way

“Very sweet of you… You don’t look too shabby yourself. Actually, to be honest, you look hot as fuck.”

The alcohol was kicking in at this point, and before Adam could respond, they typed out another message.

7:31pm – Gerard Way

“Wanna hang out with me after your set? Or will you be watching Thursday? ;(“

Gerard looked up, and noticed Adam was blushing as he took a swig of his drink. He looked at Gerard, and they felt their cheeks heat up. 

7:32pm – Adam Lazzara

“i’d love to hang after the show. u should meet me backstage, i’m thinking we should hang somewhere less loud and a little more private, g”

Gerard bit down on their lip – this, combined with the amount of alcohol they’ve had, was not very good. But they looked up at Adam, who was patiently waiting for their response, and they nodded. He grinned at them, and Gerard smiled back. 

As if on cue, the lights dimmed, and people began cheering as Adam, John, and the other members walked onto the stage. Adam met Gerard’s eyes immediately, and he smiled at them. John Nolan also saw Gerard, and looked at Adam like he was disappointed, but Adam just waved his hand.

“Hey guys, I’m Adam, and we are Taking Back Sunday! Thank you all for coming tonight, we love playing here for y’all. I remember the first time I came to this bar, and I saw a guy dressed as a wizard!” Adam laughed, and the crowd laughed along with him. “I remember being shocked, telling him that he ain’t no wizard, but I’m pretty sure he casted a spell on me, and I’ve been a changed man ever since!”

Gerard laughed with the crowd – they had never seen Adam so confident, and he looked so natural up there. 

“This first song we are about to play is real personal to me. Now, I don’t wanna call anyone out, because things aren’t as rough as they were when I wrote this song, but I wrote this song about someone who is here tonight. They know who they are, but I don’t none of y’all going around trying to figure out who it is. Anyways, this song is called ‘Cute Without The E’, from our first record. Hope you all enjoy.”

Gerard’s cheeks grew red – they knew they were the person Adam was talking about, and they couldn’t take their eyes off Adam as the band began to perform their first song.

Bert rested his arms on the counter of the bar, waiting for the bartender to bring him another shot of whiskey, before he felt a pair of hands rest on his shoulders. He turned around, seeing Quinn standing behind him in what looked to be the same red shirt he wore to Tucker Thursday.

“You made it!” Bert said cheerfully. He was pretty tipsy at this point, and by the looks of it – Quinn was too. His hair was messy, and his face was bright red. He also was balancing himself on Bert.

“I’ve been here for about an hour now, looking for you… You look sexy, Bert,” Quinn smirked, his fingers pressing deep into Bert’s shoulder. Bert grinned, Quinn’s touch shooting sparks through his skin.

“I could say the same thing about you.”

“Do friends call each other sexy?” Quinn laughed, sitting down next to Bert, and Bert chuckled along with him.

“Definitely. Wanna take these shots with me?” Bert motioned towards the shots of whiskey the bartender handed him, and Quinn nodded. The two each grabbed a glass and clinked them before throwing the glasses back. Quinn coughed slightly, and Bert began laughing.

“Bro, you went to college – how can you not take a shot?” He taunted, and Quinn narrowed his eyes, a smirk on his face, even though he was trying his best to look offended.

“Fuck off, whiskey is gross. I’m a beer guy, you should know this by now.”

Bert smirked and waved his hand at the bartender. “One Coors Banquet, please.” She grabbed it and slid it over, and Quinn gratefully accepted it, immediately chugging the beverage.

“Do you know the band who is playing?” Quinn asked when he was done drinking, and Bert looked over at the stage – to be honest, he hadn’t really paid attention until now. And when he saw the lead singer, his jaw clenched, and he really wished he never looked.

The lead singer was Adam Lazzara.

“No fucking wonder Gerard wanted to go to this alone,” Bert growled, feeling a pit form in his stomach. Quinn looked at him, one eyebrow raised. 

“That’s Gerard’s ex. They’ve been sketchy lately about him, and now all of a sudden they came here to see him perform. Fuck, I need to go find them–” Bert began to get out of his chair, but Quinn stood up with him and grabbed his arm. Bert turned to face him, and he could tell Quinn’s eyes held some sort of plan. Quinn leaned in close to Bert, his lips grazing the edge of Bert’s ear.

“Wait – fuck that, fuck them. You’re here with me, and I think we should go dance,” Quinn whispered, and maybe the alcohol was causing Bert to be stupid, or maybe this was what Bert wanted all along. He simply nodded at Quinn, and within a second, he was being dragged through the crowd of people until they reached a dimly lit corner to the right of the stage. He felt Quinn’s hands snake around his waist, pulling him close, and Bert was no longer thinking about Gerard. 

And when Quinn’s mouth was on his, he was definitely not thinking about Gerard.

Chapter Text

Gerard felt like they were on fire . 

Adam was fucking amazing live. The song he opened his show with was a bit brutal, and Gerard wasn’t expecting any sort of love song about them, but they definitely weren’t expecting to hear Adam’s perspective of Bert and their affair through a song tonight. 

None of that mattered – what mattered was how fucking fantastic Adam was live, and by the time his set ended, Gerard was already rushing to get backstage.

“Sorry, they aren’t meeting fans right now,” A bald guy mumbled as he stood by the door, and Gerard narrowed their eyes. They recognized the guy, but weren’t sure how. Suddenly, it clicked.

“Aaron?” They asked slowly, and the man looked up to meet their eyes.

“Gerard? Holy fuck! It’s been forever, how are ya?” Aaron said with a smile. Aaron was a bartender at Ravenkroft, and Gerard used to get free drinks from him all the time whenever they came here for work years ago.

“I’m good! You know, living life and stuff. How are you? Do you still work here, or are you a security guard or something now?” Gerard grinned, resting their arm on the barricade as they ran a hand through their hair. Aaron looked them up and down, and Gerard blushed as they felt his eyes on him. He always had a thing for Gerard, and they knew that. Maybe they could score a free drink if they kept this up.

“Yep, still a bartender here! The bands playing tonight are just a bit bigger than we are used to getting here, so they wanted a bit more control around security and stuff. Plus, I’m kinda friends with Tucker Rule, so he wanted me to be the security guy tonight. If you want, I can get you backstage to meet the guys after Thursday plays, since I have connections and stuff,” Aaron winked, and Gerard giggled.

“I’m actually friends with Tucker too! I’ve never seen you at Tucker Thursday, next time you’re there we gotta party together–” Gerard replied, and before they could continue, Aaron immediately cut them off.

“No fucking way, you’ve gone to a Tucker Thursday? Like, the Tucker Thursdays, aka the most legendary parties of New Jersey? No fucking way! How do you know him?” 

Gerard laughed and bit their lip. They were getting impatient, they wanted to meet up with Adam already. “Yeah, I’ve been to a couple now. My hus– I mean, my friend, he is good friends with Tucker so we always go together.” Gerard wanted to think Aaron had a chance, so the Bert mention was unnecessary. Aaron nodded, eyes wide as he waited for Gerard to continue.

“Anyways, I’m trying to get backstage to meet up with Adam, lead singer of Taking Back Sunday, the band that just played. He’s a good friend, and he invited me to hang with him after his set. You think you could let me through?” Gerard batted their eyelashes, and Aaron grinned and nodded, stepping to the side. “Thank you Aaron, I’ll let Tucker know to invite you to a Tucker Thursday next time. It was good seeing you!”

“Oh Gerard, that would be fucking awesome. Wait! Before you leave, take this – gift from me. You should come here more often on the weekends, I work every Friday and Saturday, and I’d love to see you,” He winked, and handed Gerard a couple shooters of vodka. Gerard smiled and took them gratefully as they walked past Aaron and headed backstage. 

“Adam! You did amazing !” Gerard cheered as they ran up to the red headed man, who quickly turned around. He was looking extra good up close, and Gerard’s stomach fluttered as they realized he was even taller with the boots he had on tonight.

“Gerard!” Adam smiled, pulling Gerard into a hug. He pulled away first, putting his hands on Gerard’s shoulders as he looked them up and down. “ Jesus Gerard, this dress… How come you never wore shit like this when we were together?”

Adam smelled like beer, and Gerard smiled as his compliment. They took out the two mini bottles of vodka Aaron gave them and held one out for Adam. “I didn’t think you’d like my feminine side.”

Adam took the bottle and grinned. “Gerard, I dated you for six years. Regardless if you wore jeans and band shirts, you have always been feminine. Hell, do you not remember that time we went as Brad and Janet from Rocky Horror for Halloween in 10th grade? God, it was so hot, I remember how I had to restrain myself from dragging you to one of the bedrooms at that party we went to and taking you then and there.”

Gerard swallowed audibly, eyes widening as they processed the words that just came out of Adam’s mouth. He must be very drunk – they had no idea Adam was so direct . They cracked open their shooter and held it up. “Cheers to that!”

The two clinked their bottles and took the shots, and Gerard grimaced at the taste of the plain vodka running down their throat. When they opened their eyes, they saw John Nolan walking up to the duo, guitar still strung over his shoulder as he gave Gerard a dirty look.

“What the hell are they doing here?” He asked Adam bluntly, and Adam laughed nervously.

“I invited them,” He said simply, and John rolled his eyes.

“Tucker goes on in fifteen minutes, and you’re backstage with Gerard right now. Are you insane?” John grumbled, and Gerard had to admit – John’s bluntness would’ve been impressive if it wasn’t directly against them.

“John, chill out. Of course I’ll watch Tucker’s set, I’m just hanging with Gerard for a little,” He said, and then looked at Gerard. “Come on, I’ll show you the backroom where we are allowed to hang.”

Gerard nodded, and Adam took their hand as he dragged them away from John and through the dark maze of the bar. They finally reached a room Gerard hasn’t ever seen before, with a sign on the door that read ‘Employees Only’. He opened the door for them, and they walked inside, with Adam following closely behind. He flicked the lights on, and Gerard turned around facing him. Before they could say anything, Adam’s hand was tangled in their hair, and they were pressed against the back of the door with his lips on theirs. 

––––

“God, you’ve always known how to work those hips, huh?” Quinn exhaled on the back of Bert’s neck, his hands gripping Bert’s waist as Bert danced against him in the midst of the crowd. Bert blushed as his ass brushed against Quinn’s crotch, feeling Quinn’s half-hard dick as he danced. Adam was currently singing some song that was probably about him and Gerard, but that didn’t matter at all. It was music, and Bert was drunk, and Bert loved the feeling of Quinn’s strong fingers pressed against his body. Suddenly, he caught a glimpse of a red dress at the front of the crowd next to a tall lanky brunette and panicked.

“Shit, shit! There’s Gerard, we need to move,” Bert said hurriedly, grabbing Quinn’s hand and pulling him through the crowd as fast as he could until he accidentally rammed straight into someone’s chest.

“Hey watch where you’re goi–” Bert started, before bony hands landed on his shoulders, straightening him out. He looked up at the person touching him, and met a pair of glowing blue eyes.

“Oh, my dearest Bert… How absolutely splendid it is that I’ve gotten the chance to bump into you… It’s good to see you again friend,” Anthony smiled a wide, menacing smile, eyes wide and staring directly into Bert’s. 

“Um, who are you?” Quinn asked in a tone that was a combination of confused and worried. Anthony quickly whipped his head to face Quinn, and looked him up and down.

“Quinnton Scott Cody Allman, I presume? Wow, I can see why Bert is infatuated with you… Strong build, tall but not too tall, approachable brown eyes, gorgeous hair…” Anthony lifted a hand and moved it to twirl a piece of Quinn’s hair in his fingers, and Quinn immediately backed up and swatted his hand away. 

“What the fuck? Get away from me you freak!” Quinn shouted, and Anthony chuckled and turned back to Bert. 

“Bert, I find it quite rude you haven’t introduced me to Quinnton here yet.”

Bert looked between the two men, extremely shocked at how Anthony knows Quinn’s full name, but proceeded with Anthony’s requests. “Um, Quinn, this is Anthony. He’s Brent’s supplier, and Tucker’s best friend.”

Anthony raised an eyebrow and grinned. “My my Bertie, you forgot one important thing.”

“What?” Bert replied, annoyed. 

“Your dearest Eddie Munson, of course!” Anthony said with a wicked smile, and Bert rolled his eyes. 

Quinn made eye contact with Bert, and Bert shrugged in response. The trio were silent for a few moments until Quinn finally spoke up. “How the fuck do you know who I am?”

“Oh, my blonde beauty, it’s quite unnecessary to ask such pointless questions,” Anthony smirked, and turned back to Bert. “Now, where were we? Oh! Yes! That’s right… Where are you two going? I don’t see Gerard anywhere, and I find that quite intriguing… Are you being unfaithful once again, my lovely, delicious king?”

“Anthony, I really don’t have time for this. Can you just move out of the way? I’m, uh, I’m trying to get some drinks with my friend, okay? Gerard is here, they are wearing a red dress so, I don’t know. Go find them or something, I’m sure they’d be happy to see you,” Bert stumbled over his words before squeezing past Anthony, Quinn’s hand in his as they rushed through the crowd once again. They reached the bar, and Quinn ordered them two beers as Bert adjusted his kimono that was beginning to fall off his shoulder.

“So, um, what the fuck was that?” Quinn asked, and Bert let out a tired laugh. 

“Anthony Green, that’s what that was. I have no idea what is wrong with that guy. Next time you see him, just ignore him, and if he ever tells you that he will give you drugs for free in exchange for something, do not say yes.”

Quinn smirked and took a sip of his beer. “Good to know.”

Bert took a seat on the stool nearest to him, and Quinn followed his movements. Bert watched as Quinn clinked his beer to his, and the two locked eyes as they both took a drink, a silent cheers between them. Bert felt his heart beat a little faster – they used to do that all the time back in the day. 

“Hey, it’s pretty loud, do you wanna go to my car to hang out and chat? I’m getting pretty tired of listening to Gerard’s ex sing about them,” Bert suggested, and Quinn’s eyes twinkled as he finished his drink. Bert matched him, chugging his beer until the glass was empty. In silence, the two stood up and left the bar, walking hand in hand to Bert’s car. 

“Backseat,” Was all Quinn said, and Bert’s stomach flipped, nodding as he unlocked the doors and got inside. 

Almost immediately, Quinn had Bert under him, their lips colliding and Quinn’s hands roaming Bert’s body, with Bert bucking into the touch desperately.

“So much for staying friends,” Bert exhaled with a smile against Quinn’s mouth, and Quinn bit down on his lip and pulled, earning a girlish whine to escape Bert’s lips.

“That was never gonna last for long,” Quinn replied in a low, breathy voice, before moving to kiss and bite at Bert’s neck. Bert felt Quinn suck on his collarbone, and he was almost certain that he was leaving hickeys on him. “God, I wanna fuck you so bad.”

Bert tangled his hands in Quinn’s hair, trying to get as close to him as possible. “Then do it.”

And with that, Quinn sat up, and pulled his shirt off. Bert watched in awe as his body came into view. Quinn used to be so scrawny and lanky, but now, he was toned and muscular. Bert immediately placed his hands on Quinn’s bare abdomen, raking his nails down the tan skin, before his hands reached the crown tattoo in the center of his stomach.

“You got it,” Bert looked into Quinn’s eyes, and Quinn looked down at the tattoo Bert was gesturing to. Quinn’s lips curled up into a soft smile.

“Of course I did. There was no way I couldn’t.”

Bert smiled, and then he felt Quinn’s hands playing with the bottom of his shirt. 

“Can I take this off?” He asked, and Bert nodded frantically, desperate to have his skin against Quinn’s. He manuevered himself a bit, and shuffled his kimono off before Quinn tugged the red tank top over Bert’s head and threw it to the front seat. Quinn was back on Bert immediately, and his skin was hot, and Bert wanted more .

“Please,” Bert gasped, and Quinn smirked, sitting back up and taking his pants off as fast as he could. Bert did the same, keeping his eyes on Quinn as he took his boxers off, revealing his hard cock that Bert knew well.

“Usually, I’d want your mouth on me, but right now, I just want to fuck you,” Quinn said watching as Bert took his boxers off as well. “Spread ur legs.”

Bert nodded eagerly, moving his legs apart, and Quinn pulled Bert back into a kiss. Bert gasped as Quinn’s hand brushed over his cock, which was soon muffled as Quinn placed two fingers in Bert’s mouth, brown eyes locking with his own. Bert sucked on them hard, getting them as wet as possible, especially considering the fact that he hasn’t bottomed in a long time, and was going to need all the help he could get. Quinn smiled as he removed his fingers from Bert’s mouth, and spit into his own hand, covering Bert’s hole. He kissed Bert as he slowly pushed one finger into him, and Bert shuddered and gasped at the feeling – it had been so long since Quinn was inside of him. Way too long. Quinn deepened the kiss as he pushed another finger in, slowly stretching Bert with graceful, well-trained fingers.

“Okay, I’m ready,” Bert exhaled, and Quinn nodded, slowly pulling his fingers out. He spit into his hand as much as he could, covering his cock and wiping any excess on Bert’s hole. Quinn lined himself up, and Bert closed his eyes as he felt Quinn slowly push into him.

“Fuck, you’re so tight. Taking me so well, god, I missed this,” Quinn moaned in a low voice against Bert’s neck. The stretch was painful, but the way Quinn filled him up perfectly made any pain worth it. Bert caught Quinn’s lip in his teeth, biting down as he adjusted to Quinn’s length inside of him. 

“Tell me when I can move,” Quinn said, and Bert took a deep breath. He opened his eyes to meet Quinn’s, but was distracted by a stuffed animal-like object that was peaking out from under the front seat. 

“What? Is everything okay?” Quinn asked, and Bert held a finger up as he studied the object. It was some doll that he’s seen Vincent carry around everywhere – a weird looking guy with big lips and a gold jacket. 

“Jesus Christ! What the fuck am I doing?” Bert suddenly yelled, reality hitting him like a truck. He was a husband, a father , and he was currently fucking his old best friend in the backseat of his car. Quinn raised an eyebrow at him, and Bert pushed Quinn off him gently, wincing as his cock left his ass. 

“What is going on?” Quinn sat on the leather, his cock still hard, as Bert frantically grabbed his boxers and put them back on, ignoring his aching hard on. Bert looked at him and sighed – Quinn’s cheeks were red and flushed, and his forehead was slightly sweaty. He looked so hot, and Bert couldn’t have him.

“I can’t do this, I’m sorry Quinn. I, I need to go. I’ll text you, okay?” Bert rushed to throw on the rest of his clothes, and Quinn watched him before running a hand through his hair and sighing.

“It’s Gerard, isn’t it?”

Bert turned and made eye contact. “It’s everything. This, this was a mistake. We were supposed to be friends.”

Quinn scoffed, grabbing his own clothes and putting them on. He turned back to Bert, eyes dark and clearly upset. “Yeah, you’re right. This was a mistake.”

Bert opened his mouth to respond, but Quinn quickly got out of the car and slammed the door. Bert watched as he walked through the parking lot, getting into a car and quickly driving out of the lot. He sighed and ran a hand through his greasy, knotted hair. He pulled his phone out and saw that it had been about twenty minutes since they left, and he realized that Adam’s set was most likely done by now. 

He reached under the seat and pulled out the doll, turning it over in his hands before he tossed it into the back of the trunk. Fucking Vincent.

Bert got out of the car and walked back over to Ravenkroft. He flashed his wristband to the bouncer, who nodded at him and let him inside. He felt awful about what he just did to Quinn, but he also just felt horrible about what he was doing to Gerard and his family. Quinn was the number one person who Gerard was worried about, and he went and betrayed their trust again. 

As he walked further into the club, he was hit with the sound of Geoff Rickly’s voice booming through the room. Ever since he first heard Thursday play, he has been listening to them non stop. He immediately recognized the song and began singing along as he pushed his way through the crowd of people.

“I don’t want to feel this way forever… A dead letter mark return to sender–” He mumbled to himself in time with Geoff. Bert looked around, trying to spot someone in a red dress with brown hair. “Man, where the fuck is Gerard?” 

He was quickly cut off as he got closer to the stage and caught a glimpse of someone in a bright red bandana behind the drumset. 

Bert stood there and watched Tucker in awe – sweaty, hair flying around, arm muscles flexed as he banged his sticks on the drums. He was so talented, and Bert felt himself getting lost in the music and the sight before him. That was, until, he felt a hand on his lower back.

“So you’ve come back solo, I see… Interesting situation. I’m guessing you were passionately ravaged by your secret lover. Have you moved on from Tucker already?” Anthony whispers against Bert’s neck, hot air sending shivers down his spine. He took a few steps away from Anthony and out of his grasp, then he finally tore his eyes off Tucker faced Anthony.

“Yeah, I wish,” Bert sighed. “Everytime I look at him, I want him all over again. Which is just so fucked up! I mean, I’m married , and I love Gerard! Of fucking course I love Gerard, because why wouldn’t I? But here I am, falling for some guy who doesn’t want me, and another guy who used to be my best friend. God, I wish I could just go back to the life I had where I didn’t know Tucker, and Quinn wasn’t back in my life. It’s so fucking stressful!” 

Bert’s eyes widened at his own words, not meaning to just vent like that, especially not to Anthony , of all people. Anthony stared at him, and took a few steps closer, before sliding his hand along Bert’s jaw. He leaned in close and pressed his lips against Bert’s ear. “You know, Bertie… I could help you forget about Tucker and Quinn if you’d like… After I’m done with you, you’ll fail to ever remember ever loving someone that isn’t Gerard or myself.”

Bert stared at Anthony, dumbfounded. “Yeah, um, no thanks, Mr. Tidal Wave. I, uh, gotta go.”

Bert immediately continued to zoom through the crowd, desperate to find Gerard. All he wanted was to pull them into a hug, and kiss them, and take them home so he could fuck them hard into the mattress. He needed to remind himself who he is, he is not someone who cheats on his wife with some guy, and he definitely is not someone who gets fucked in the ass by said guy. 

At one point, he spotted someone – it wasn’t Gerard, but it was that kid they were always hanging out with… The british one… Ryan? Bert jogged over to him and tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around and raised a confused eyebrow at him.

“Robert? What the bloody hell do you want?” He asked. 

“Um, hey man, do you know where Gerard is? I lost them, and I really need to find them!” Bert asked hurriedly, and the kid rolled his eyes and put a hand on his hip.

“And why should I tell you , huh bruv? You’re a twat, and Gerard deserves better,” Ryan spat, and Bert rolled his eyes and shifted from one foot to another. He did not want to deal with this right now, the British accent was pissing him off and the fact that he called Bert bruv made him automatically think of Vincent, which pissed Bert off even more. 

“God, you’re no fucking help! Whatever, you filthy brit, go have fun! Get out of my way, I’m outta here!” Bert growled, shoving Ryan to the side as he continued to look for Gerard. Luckily, after about ten more minutes of looking, he spotted Gerard walking out from backstage. They looked messy, their hair all over the place, makeup smudged, and the strap of their dress was barely hanging onto their shoulder. 

Bert was confused. Very confused.

Suddenly, Gerard locked eyes with Bert, before they quickly turned back around. Bert began walking closer, and soon saw Gerard batting someone away, before turning back to Bert.

“Bert! Um, hey!” Gerard greeted, their voice scratchier than normal. Bert pursed his lips and tried to examine them.

“Hi Gerard… What were you doing backstage?” He asked slowly, and Gerard pushed a strand of hair out of their face and laughed awkwardly.

“Nothing, just chatting with some of the band members and playing, um, beer pong with them.”

Bert cocked his eyebrow. “ Beerpong ? Since when have you played beerpong, Gerard?”

“I went to college, Bert! I played all the time!” Gerard protested.

“You went to art school , Gerard. Art school kids don’t play beerpong!”

Gerard rolled their eyes and approached Bert. They looked him up and down, and Bert suddenly felt self conscious – could they tell he was just with Quinn?

“I’m tired, do you wanna go home?” Gerard asked suddenly, and Bert just nodded. He felt relieved, and he raked his eyes over his wife – god, he was lucky. Before the two started to walk, Bert grabbed Gerard by the hips and pulled them in close, kissing them roughly. Gerard let out a muffled gasp of surprise, but soon kissed back. They tasted like beer, and they smelled like cologne. Cologne . And it definitely didn’t belong to Bert.

Bert almost laughed to himself – they were at a concert, Gerard was in the pit, of course they’d smell like other people here. He pulled away, and watched as Gerard’s eyes were wide, and their cheeks were pink from blushing. He winked at them and they giggled. 

“Come on babe, let’s go,” Bert grinned, and Gerard nodded, putting their hand in his as they walked through the crowds of people to their car.

––––

As soon as the two got home, Bert was desperate to fuck Gerard, and Gerard was clearly in the mood as well. The second the door was shut, Gerard was pressed against it, face against the wood as Bert ground his hips against their ass.

“Want you so bad, Geegee. Wanna fuck you right here against the wall,” Bert growled into Gerard’s ear, and they whined in response. Bert slid their dress down, and Gerard stepped out of it eagerly as they turned around and pulled his kimono and shirt off as well. 

Bert noticed Gerard’s eyes widen for a split second at his bare chest, and it suddenly clicked – the hickey. The hickey that Quinn left on him tonight. Bert watched as Gerard opened their mouth to speak, so he quickly spun them around and pressed them back against the wall.

“Bert, I–” Gerard started, and Bert grazed his teeth along the back of their neck, causing their breath to hitch.

“Shhh, baby, I got you. Do you want me to fuck you?” He exhaled, and Gerard nodded slowly. Bert grabbed a handful of their ass roughly, earning a soft gasp from them.

“Use your words, baby.”

Gerard bit their lip, and Bert quickly smacked their ass, hard , causing Gerard to yelp. “Yes, yes Bert! Please fuck me!”

Bert smirked, satisfied, and held Gerard against the wall as he palmed himself through his jeans for a few moments, letting out a let groan. He removed his hand and turned back to Gerard, who was still patiently waiting against the wall.

"Bend over, hands against the wall," Bert stated, and Gerard obeyed. Bert coated his fingers with spit, before bringing them to Gerard.

“Good girl,” He grinned, before slapping their ass with the hand that wasn’t covered in spit. Gerard moaned softly, and he smiled to himself.

“Spread those legs a little more for big daddy Bert, baby,” Bert directed, and Gerard nodded as they spread their legs wider, eagerly waiting for Bert's touch. Bert traced his fingers around Gerard's hole, teasing them with gentle touches before pushing one finger inside. Bert cocked an eyebrow in confusion at the touch – it felt like there was lube on them, which was odd, because he didn’t use lube on them the last time they had sex. Gerard gasped, their body shaking with pleasure as Bert moved his finger inside them.

"More, please," Gerard moaned, and Bert slapped their ass and added another finger, scissoring them inside Gerard's body. At this point, regardless if there was lube, he couldn’t wait. 

Bert quickly shed his own pants, positioning himself behind Gerard. He wrapped his arms around Gerard's waist, digging his nails into their skin and pulling them close as he pressed his cock slowly inside of Gerard.

Gerard moaned loudly, their body trembling as Bert began to move inside them. Bert's thrusts were slow at first, but soon he picked up the pace, slamming into Gerard with increasing force.

“Yeah, you like that, huh? You love it when I fuck you like this, fucking you so hard that you won’t be able to walk for days ,” Bert grunted as he slammed into Gerard, who was moaning uncontrollably as they writhed in pleasure while he took them hard and fast.

Finally, Bert felt himself getting close to the edge. He reached around to stroke Gerard's cock, and with a few quick strokes, Gerard came hard all over Bert’s hand. Bert followed soon after, his own orgasm ripping through him as he emptied himself inside Gerard.

They collapsed against the wall, both panting heavily. Bert wrapped his arms around Gerard, holding them close as they caught their breath. Gerard winced as Bert slowly pulled out of them, before turning around and leaning in for a kiss. Bert smirked and pushed two fingers covered in Gerard’s cum into their mouth, catching them by surprise.

“Clean off my hand, bitch,” He commanded, and Gerard rolled their eyes as they sucked on Bert’s fingers, before pulling their mouth off him. 

“Can you kiss me, now?” They asked, and Bert grinned, pulling them closer as he kissed them. Gerard’s hand moved up his chest, nails grazing his skin lightly, before stopping on Bert’s collarbone, pressing down lightly. Bert froze for a second – they were pressing down on the hickey . Bert almost pulled away, but then he remembered there was lube on their asshole . He continued to kiss them as he brought a hand up their chest and lightly wrapped his fingers around Gerard’s neck, squeezing gently. Bert pulled off their lips, watching Gerard look at them with wide eyes. 

“I’m tired, let’s go to bed,” He smiled softly, planting a kiss on their forehead as he let go on their neck.

“Mmm, already?” Gerard batted their eyelashes at him, and Bert smirked, grabbing their hand. He began dragging Gerard down the hall before they reached their bedroom. Gerard was laughing and their hand was squeezing his in a comforting, kind way. 

Bert liked the way Gerard was holding his hand, he liked it a lot. He squeezed back. Gerard giggled.

“Can you cuddle me tonight?” Gerard asked softly as they both slid into bed, and Bert looked at them. Gerard was smiling, and they looked so fucked out. Bert pulled them into his arms, planting kisses on the back of their neck. 

“Goodnight, Gee. I love you,” He said softly. Gerard’s hair still smelled like cologne. 

“I love you too, Bert. Goodnight,” Gerard responded, sinking back into Bert’s arms. Their hair grazed his collarbones. Bert closed his eyes.

He wasn’t sure what was happening, and he knew Gerard was feeling the same. But, right now, that didn’t matter. What mattered was that Bert loved Gerard and Gerard loved Bert. They loved each other. Bert opened his eyes and kissed the back of their shoulder. The room was dead silent for a few moments before Bert heard Gerard’s breathing get slower and deeper. He knew he made the right choice denying Quinn. 

This was the life he was meant to live, the person he was meant to be with.

Chapter Text

Gerard woke up to Bert’s arm and leg thrown around them, trapping them in the bed as he snored loudly. Gerard blinked a few times, groggily trying to push Bert off of them so they could go shower, considering they had sex multiple times yesterday, and went to a bar to see a concert, and forgot to take their makeup off when they got home. Bert stirred slightly, but didn’t wake up as Gerard slid out of bed and walked over to the jacket on the floor – which currently had their new phone in it. They turned it on, and immediately say the date. 

February 14th.

“Fuck, it’s Valentine’s Day,” Gerard whispered to themself. Of course they cheated on Bert the night before Valentine’s Day, but then again, Bert did have a hickey on his collarbone. Gerard wasn’t shocked, it was Tucker’s concert and it wasn’t like Adam was spending time with Tucker. 

Gerard just hoped it wasn’t Quinn. Things would be different if Bert had sex with Quinn.

Gerard quickly put the phone back in the pocket of their coat when they heard Bert rustle, and they turned around, seeing as their husband slowly opened his eyes, stretched his arms out and yawned.

“Mmm, good morning, Gerard,” Bert greeted sleepily, and Gerard smiled before heading back over to the bed and planting a kiss on Bert’s cheek. Bert wrapped his arms around them and pulled them forward, and Gerard yelped in surprise as they fell on top of him. Gerard giggled as Bert brushed their hair out of their face.

“Happy Valentine’s Day, Bert,” Gerard said sweetly before kissing him gently. Bert smiled into the kiss.

“Oh, heh, yeah! Valentine’s Day…” Bert trailed off for a second, looking nervous. Gerard could tell Bert forgot, but to be fair, they also forgot. Bert cleared his throat and continued. “Well, um, I obviously have a lot planned for today, gotta spoil my beautiful wife.”

Gerard beamed. Maybe he didn’t forget! “Really? Like what?”

Bert ran a hand through his hair and laughed awkwardly. Gerard stared at him, waiting for an answer. 

“Well, uh, gonna take you out to dinner, obviously. I, uh, ordered flowers, gotta pick them up real soon. And, um…” Bert went quiet for a minute, before grinning a wicked smile as he trailed his eyes up and down Gerard’s body. “Gonna give you the best sex of your life, duh .”

Gerard giggled. They couldn’t tell if Bert was lying or not, but even if he didn’t have any of those things planned, he still had to do them all now. “Can’t wait! I’m gonna go shower.”

“Without me?” Bert laughed, winking at them as he let his hand move down their waist and settle on their ass. 

Gerard rolled their eyes as they smirked. They stood up and batted Bert’s hand away. “Yes, without you. We can save this –” Gerard gestured between them, and then to Bert’s half hard dick, “–later. I wanna look pretty for all our plans today, babe.”

Bert watched as Gerard walked away to the bathroom, their hips swerving as they walked. Bert let out a deep sigh as soon as he heard them shut the door to the bathroom and turn the shower on. He totally forgot it was Valentine’s Day today, and it didn’t help that he basically cheated on Gerard the night before with Quinn . He quickly grabbed his phone off the nightstand, considering he had to book reservations somewhere for dinner tonight fast. When he turned his phone on, he was suddenly bombarded by texts from Quinn.

Yesterday 11:30pm – Quinn Allman

fuck you

Yesterday 11:33pm – Quinn Allman

i hate u please dont talk to me again u fucking asshole

Yesterday 11:38pm – Quinn Allman

i should’ve known it was too good to be true. you would never pick me over gerard. go to hell bitch

Yesterday 11:50pm – Quinn Allman

im sorry i didnt mean it… i was just angry

Today 12:00am – Quinn Allman

hello?? did u go 2 sleep

Today 12:36am – Quinn Allman

can’t sleep. thinking of u right now

Today 2:40am – Quinn Allman

gnight i guess. Thank yo yao much for hanging with me tonight. i hope i see u soon

Today 2:41am – Quinn Allman

thank you so much** lol autocorrect ://

Today 10:32am – Quinn Allman

happy vday lol… remember when g and j went out to work for vday like 6 years ago and so u bought me a case of beers and i picked flowers for u and made u dinner? that was fun. hope u have a good day. 

Today 10:38am – Quinn Allman

okay whatever dont reply i guess idc

Bert checked the time – it was currently 11:35am, so he frantically replied to Quinn so he knew that Bert wasn’t ignoring him.

Today 11:36am – Bert McCracken

Hi haha um ya Happy Valentins day Q. I do remmember that it was awesome. Do you remember when we got carmel maccheatos that one vday in high school Lol i miss it. Im Sorry for not replying last night I fell asleep sorry

To no surprise, Quinn replied almost immediately.

Today 11:37am – Quinn Allman

oh of course i remember… that was rly fun. hope to see u soon bert, have a good day.

Bert smiled at the text and then opened Google to look for a restaurant to take Gerard to later. He wanted to take them someplace kind of nice, considering it was a special occasion, but he also didn’t want to spend too much money, considering he wanted to buy some coke off Brent soon. Suddenly, Bert got the best idea that was both crazy romantic and also inexpensive. Plus, he didn’t need to make reservations.

Bert got out of bed and walked over to the bathroom and knocked loudly on the door. 

“What?” Gerard shouted over the sound of running water.

“I’m running some errands, I’ll be back in a half hour baby,” He shouted back.

“Okay!”

Once Bert heard the response, he headed to the kitchen and grabbed the car keys off the counter, immediately walking to the car. He got inside, and turned the radio on. 

“Holy shit!” Bert yelped in surprise when he heard the familiar song blast through the speakers. He scrambled for his phone and immediately called Tucker. 

“Hello?” Tucker finally answered after a few rings. Bert cranked up the volume and held his phone to the speaker, making sure Tucker heard the music.

“If this is another prank call or fan, please stop. My dad owns a law firm, and I don’t want my personal information getting leaked–” Tucker began to say, and Bert quickly cut him off.

“No! Um, it’s me, Bert. Sorry, I thought you had my number,” Bert said sheepishly. Tucker laughed and Bert’s heart skipped a beat.

“Oh man, you scared me, Bert! And I do have your number, but since I’m pretty well-known, people know the names of my friends and often call me under fake caller IDs. One time, someone kept spam calling me telling me I won a radio show under a fake caller ID that was labeled as Geoff, and then it said my dad’s name, and then Brent! So I never know, man. Why’d you call and play my music?” Tucker rambled, and Bert laughed at his story.

“Oh! Well, uh, I turned on the radio and it was playing, and I wanted to tell you that’s awesome, and congrats!” Bert smiled, and Tucker chuckled. 

“Ah, thanks man! Yeah, it’s pretty crazy! I heard the other day I was being played on the same station that LS Dunes gets played on, so that was pretty crazy. Is that all you called for? Also, I saw you for a brief moment at my show last night! I wish you would’ve stayed long enough to say hi!” 

Bert started the car and put the phone on speaker mode. “Well, yeah I called to let you know about that. And I know, something came up so I, um, had to leave. You think we can hang soon? I feel like it’s been forever.”

“Ahh, don’t worry. I understand. And hell yes, man! This Thursday I’m throwing a Tucker Thursday, Valentine’s Day edition. If you’re free, I’d love for you to come,” Tucker said, and Bert grinned, eyes widening in excitement as he began driving out of the parking lot to the nearest store. 

“Fuck yeah, sounds awesome! Is there a theme, or–” 

“It’s all on the flyer, I’ll text it to ya. Alright, I gotta go. Adam is coming over in a bit, and I gotta get ready. See ya on Thursday, alright?” Tucker cut Bert off.

“Um, okay, y-yeah! Perfect! I can’t wait!” Bert stuttered, and then Tucker hung up. Moments later, Bert felt his phone buzz, and it was the flyer for the party. Bert pulled into the parking lot of the local grocery store, and turned the car off. He opened up the flyer and examined the details.

Tucker Thursday – Valentine’s Day Edition

Theme: SLUT FEST!!! ;)))) Wear pink, red, and white, but don’t wear too much clothing. Lingerie, partial nudity, and/or sexy attire required.

MUST BRING A DATE; NO SINGLES ALLOWED (Date can be platonic if you can’t get an actual date)

Starts @ 8:30

Cya there ;)

Bert let out a sigh. Of course the theme was risqué, but Bert wasn’t going to protest. He just needed to conjure up an outfit that fit Tucker’s insane theme. He decided to ignore all of that and hurry to pick up some flowers first – he could deal with the party attire after getting the things he promised for Gerard.

––––

“Oh, Bert! They are beautiful! Dahlias, my favorite! You remembered!” Gerard beamed as they took the bouquet from Bert. He smiled and nodded, giving them a kiss on the cheek. To be honest, Bert had no idea those flowers were Gerard’s favorite, he just picked the bouquet that had pink flowers. 

“Well, what can I say… I’m just the best husband, I guess!” Bert laughed awkwardly, and Gerard wrapped their arms around his shoulders and pulled him close, kissing him on the lips for a couple of seconds before pulling away. Before Bert forgot, he wanted to tell Gerard about Tucker Thursday, so he pulled out his phone and clicked on the flyer. He turned his phone around and held it up to Gerard’s face.

“Tucker Thursday, Valentine’s Day party. That’s the theme, and I have no fucking clue what to wear. Obviously it has to be red, pink, or white, but, what the hell am I supposed to wear that’s ‘slutty’? You gotta help me,” Bert pleaded with wide eyes, and Gerard pushed Bert’s phone away from their face and laughed. 

“Bert, you’re a guy . This is easy. Your kimono is pink, so you already have that going for you. I’d say just rock being shirtless, and wear the kimono and some shorts,” Gerard smiled, before brushing a stray piece of hair out of their face. “ However , finding an outfit is going to be a lot harder for me… I definitely wanna do some sort of lingerie, obviously , but the only thing I have that fits the theme is pink, and I feel like everyone is gonna be wearing pink.”

Bert slipped his phone back into his pocket as he thought alongside Gerard. A few minutes went by of them standing next to each other in silence, before they both turned to face each other with wide eyes.

“What if–” Gerard began, but at the same time, Bert also spoke.

“I was thinking–” 

“Okay, you go first,” Gerard interrupted, and Bert nodded.

“What if we went to a… Um.. A sex shop?” Bert asked sheepishly. “I mean, it’s a slut fest , right? So, why not, uh, get a little slutty?”

Gerard smirked. “You read my mind, Bert.”

––––

Gerard was no stranger to sex shops or lingerie stores, that was for sure. 

Bert watched as Gerard immediately smiled when they opened the door to the closest store by them, their eyes shining with excitement as they ran up to the neatly displayed lingerie. 

“Bert, oh my god! Look at this one!” They yelled, holding up a red bra lined with lace. Bert approached them and ran his hands over the fabric, nodding his head. 

“Oh, fuck yeah babe, this is hot,” He grinned as he bit his bottom lip. 

“Is it perfect? Do you think this fits the theme?” Gerard turned to him, and Bert could tell they were waiting for his approval. Bert nodded simply, and Gerard squealed with excitement before running off to another corner of the room.

Bert decided to browse the wall to the left of him, which was currently covered in a variety of sex toys in a variety of shapes and sizes. 

“Why hello there, can I help you with anything? Is there anything you’re looking for specifically?” A raspy, high voice suddenly said behind him, and he rolled his eyes as he turned around.

“Anthony? I– Do you work here?” Bert asked, extremely confused as to why Anthony was currently trying to help him at a sexy shop.

“No,” Anthony replied simply, and Bert raised his eyebrow.

“Then why were you–” Bert started, watching as Anthony was just smiling a wide, open-mouthed smile. Bert cleared his throat awkwardly. “Um, you know what, nevermind. And, no. I don’t need any help. I’m just looking at stuff while Gerard picks out an outfit for Tucker Thursday. What are you doing here?”

Anthony held up a bag to Bert, which was filled to the top with a variety of objects. Bert caught a glimpse of rope, lingerie, a dildo, another dildo, a gag, and he didn’t even want to know what items could be hiding under the array in front of him. 

“Wow, um, big haul!” Bert laughed nervously.

“Oh, I know… I’m quite excited for these… Unfortunately, a lot of items in my toolbox have diminished in quality over the years… You know, the typical wear and tear… It’s always such a pain when the restraints don’t hold, so it’s important that I replace them every so often,” Anthony said slowly, eyes locked on Bert’s. Bert was pretty certain Anthony hadn’t blinked once since they ran into each other. 

“Yeah, sure I guess. Okay, I got to go Anthony, I need to find Gerard and buy their clothes for them, so, if you’ll excuse me,” Bert attempted to shuffle past Anthony, but a bony hand landed on Bert’s shoulder and gripped tightly, holding him in place.

Bert watched as Anthony backed up a few steps so he was parallel to Bert, and slowly leaned his face until he was an inch away from Bert’s ear. 

“I have a proposition.”

Bert stiffened as he turned to look at Anthony – he knew what proposition meant by this point. 

“Lemme guess… You wanna fuck Gerard on Thursday and in exchange, you’ll give me free drugs. Is that it?” Bert asked quietly. He didn’t need the whole store overhearing the weird sex deals he has made with Anthony.

“Oh Bert, you truly know how to make a man feel so carnal… And though that deal sounds just lovely, I was rather proposing if you simply wanted to have a wondrous threesome, with your lovely lady,” Anthony grinned, before flickering his eyes to the left of him. He quickly flicked his eyes right back to Bert and licked his teeth. “Speaking of the devil…”

“Anthony? What are you doing here?” Gerard asked, and Bert saw them come into view, holding the same red bra they had earlier. “Bert, I tried on some other stuff, but this was the cutest. Wanna check out now?”

Anthony stared at the bra in Gerard’s hand, before turning his head robotically to face them. He looked them up and down, before letting go of Bert’s shoulder and gliding over to them.

“Wow, just this? So it’s safe to say you two own your own pair?” Anthony chuckled as he raised his eyebrows and widened his eyes even more , if that was even possible. Bert and Gerard looked at each other, before looking back at Anthony.

“Own what?” Gerard asked, and Anthony grabbed their chin between his fingers and pulled them close to him. Gerard let out a slight gasp of surprise and gently tried to pushed Anthony off of them, but Anthony’s grip was strong, and Gerard didn’t want to risk their face getting scratched by Anthony’s long nails.

“You two clearly didn’t read the fine print…” Anthony deeply exhaled, letting go of Gerard before he pulled out his phone, and began scrolling frantically until he pulled up the Tucker Thursday flyer. He began zooming in to the bottom of the picture, right under the main party information. Anthony turned his phone around, and Gerard walked over to Bert. The two stared at the photo, reading the smaller text on the screen. 

Just to be sure that no one gets their heart broken this vday, there will be a relationship code in place! Those who are with their dates platonically but are actually single must wear a blue bracelet. Those who are romantically/sexually involved with their dates but are not exclusive/are in an open relationship must wear a green bracelet. And, because we don’t want our lovely couples getting into issues, those who are dating/married to their dates must be handcuffed together. No exceptions! Can’t wait -Your friend Tucker ;)

Both Gerard and Bert looked at each other.

“No way,” Gerard whined.

“Absolutely fucking not,” Bert growled. 

Anthony looked amused. “Mmmm, don’t be mad at me, I am solely the messenger. Now, why is my favorite couple so against being cuffed to each other for the night? You both seemed pretty in love last night…”

Bert scoffed and opened his mouth to respond, but Gerard cut him off. “Thanks, Anthony. For letting us know. Bert, let’s go find some handcuffs, I guess.”

Bert looked at them in shock. “Why are you being so calm, Gerard ? I don’t wanna be fucking handcuffed to you for the whole party!”

“It says ‘no exceptions’, Bert! It’s either this, or no party. Can you stop making a scene?” Gerard spoke calmly, almost patronizingly. Bert hated when Gerard spoke like that. 

“Ugh, fine ! Have it your way Gerard, fucking bullshit,” Bert snapped, before turning to Anthony. “Where are the handcuffs?”

Anthony grinned a wide smile, and plunged his hand deep into his shopping bag, before pulling out a pair of shiny metal handcuffs. 

“Take mine. I just bought these, so consider this my treat .”

Bert and Gerard looked at each other, and then back to Anthony.

“But, you just bought them! You’re just gonna have to get a new pair right now for the party,” Gerard commented, and Anthony stared directly at them.

“Oh, I’m not going with a romantic partner. I just needed a new, sturdy pair of handcuffs. The last pair… Well, they got a little dirty, and they weren’t holding well…” Anthony trailed off, and Gerard looked at Bert. That might’ve been one of the scariest sentences Gerard had ever heard – but, Bert seemed to be distracted by the fact that he didn’t have to spend even more money for this party, so Gerard grabbed the cuffs from Anthony’s hand and the two headed to the register to check out. 

“Alright Gee, let’s hurry up and check out now so we can continue with our day,” Bert said, grabbing Gerard’s arm and dragging them alongside him as he walked to the register.

––––

“Okay, you’re gonna have to trust me – this is gonna be worth it,” Bert grinned as he walked into their bedroom holding a bandana. Gerard tensed up.

“No, no ! Absolutely not! I will not roleplay as Tucker with you while we have sex, Bert! You already did that twice now!” They immediately protested, earning a loud, annoyed groan from Bert.

“How about you let me explain for a sec before you open your mouth and start yapping, Gerard !” Bert slammed his hand on the dresser, and Gerard bit down on their lip as they tried to restrain themself from talking back. 

Bert stared at Gerard, and when he was sure they weren’t going to interrupt, he took a deep breath. “Okay. I’m going to blindfold you so you can’t tell where we are going to dinner. I want it to be a surprise, considering how fucking romantic this shit is.”

“Bert, I–” Gerard started, but Bert wasn’t having it.

“No! I’m not arguing this! I’m literally taking you out to dinner, and I have this whole romantic night planned out, so you can suck it up and wear the fucking blindfold, Gerard!” Bert yelled, and Gerard put their hands up in defense, sighing as they accepted their fate. Bert walked over to Gerard, and quickly tied the bandana around their eyes. He began waving his hand in front of their face frantically, but they didn’t react, so Bert was certain they couldn’t see.

“Alright, I’ll guide you out,” Bert stated as he grabbed Gerard’s hands and pulled them off the bed, setting his hands on their shoulders to steady them. He began walking them through the apartment until they were both at the front door.

“Bert, I don’t see why you couldn’t just put the blindfold on when I got in the car . I have to walk down multiple of stairs! I’m going to die!” Gerard complained. 

“Can you just shut the fuck up, please? I’m getting pissed,” Bert groaned, pushing Gerard out of the door. Gerard was most definitely right, but Bert didn’t want to admit that he didn’t think about how he’d have to navigate them down three flights of stairs and then all the way through the parking lot. As he considered how suspicious it would look for him to be pushing someone who is blindfolded into his car, he didn’t even realize they were already at the top of the stairs. Or, rather, Bert was at the top of the stairs.

“Bert!” Gerard squealed as they tripped a few steps down. Bert quickly grabbed their arm before they fell completely down the staircase and pulled them to their feet. 

“Can I please take this off until we get to the car?” Gerard whined. Bert went silent for a moment and thought to himself. 

“Nah. Just walk more carefully from now on! It’s not that hard, Gerard .”

––––

“Okay, okay, are you ready?” Bert whispered against the back of Gerard’s neck. Gerard wasn’t quite sure as to why they couldn’t take the blindfold off in the car , because as of now, they were being forced to stand outside of an unknown restaurant in the freezing cold. But, the sooner they acknowledged Bert, the sooner the two could go inside.

Gerard nodded, and Bert slowly untied the bandana before removing it from their face. Gerard blinked a couple times as they adjusted to the brightness, before registering the building in front of them.

“Is this…” Gerard started slowly. Bert clapped his hands together excitedly.

“It is! The exact one, too. The Sally’s is a twenty minute walk that way,” Bert pointed across the street in the opposite direction, before turning back and pointing a little to the left from what Gerard was looking at. “There’s the secret shortcut to get to the back alley without having to go through the store.”

Gerard turned to face Bert, looking at his wide, hopeful eyes. “Bert, you took me to Subway ?”

Bert looked confused. “I took you to our Subway, Gee. It’s where we first met, where we first fell in love, baby. Come on, let’s go inside.”

At first, Gerard was really underwhelmed that their husband took them to dinner at a Subway , but they had to admit – the concept, the thought behind it, it was all very sweet. Bert was usually never sappy about anniversaries or Valentine’s Day, and the fact that he was so excited about taking Gerard somewhere that meant something to the both of them made Gerard’s heart beat a little faster. 

“This is so romantic, Bert,” Gerard smiled as they put their hand in his, before being tugged over to the entrance, Bert clearly eager to get inside. Right before Bert opened the doors, he peered through the glass. 

“Oh fuck yes! I fucking knew it!” Bert grinned to himself, and before Gerard could ask anything, Bert swung the doors open and stepped inside. “Ayo, Bear! The fuck is up?”

Gerard, shocked as ever, immediately burst out into laughter – unsure of how to even process the scene in front of them.

“Bert, my man ! And, holy shit , is that fucking Gerard ?” The man behind the counter yelled, and Gerard could not believe that Blackbear , aka the old manager when Bert worked there who basically let Bert do whatever he wanted – that included Gerard – on the clock, was here . 

Not even just here, but he was working behind the counter.

“Bear! Hi! It’s been forever!” Gerard greeted as the two walked to the counter hand in hand. 

“Ah man, it’s so good to see you both! Man Bert, I thought you died or something for real, I hadn’t heard from you in years! And Gerard, you’re looking good… So you two are still together, I’m guessing?” Blackbear asked, and Gerard nodded and squeezed Bert’s hand.

“Yup. Married,” Bert smirked, and Blackbear chuckled.

“Damn straight – if I had the chance to tap that, I’d put a ring on them too.”

Gerard blushed and looked down at the ground, waiting for Bert to continue the conversation. Luckily, Bert got really close to the counter, and Blackbear leaned in.

“Listen, can I ask you for a favor?” Bert whispered, and Blackbear’s eyes widened.

“You back on the hard shit? I don’t deal that stuff anymore man, I’m sorry. I know a guy though – his street name is ‘The Skunk’. I can give you his contact info if you want,” Blackbear replied, and Bert laughed.

“No, no, not that kind of favor. I was wondering…” Bert trailed off, and looked at Gerard. “If my special lady and I could take a trip to the backroom, since it’s a special holiday today. I know that goes against health code shit, but, you know… Sentimental purposes.”

Blackbear smirked and nodded. “It’s for love man, I get it. Go right ahead – I’ll chill up front.”

Bert grinned and immediately grabbed Gerard’s hand and pulled them behind the counter and through the hallway until they reached the prep and storage room, metal tables and all.

“Bert, I, I don’t know what to say… This is so romantic, so thoughtful…” Gerard said softly. They couldn’t believe Bert even thought of this – it was so different from how he usually acted. Bert wasn’t exactly the romantic type. 

“Okay, take your clothes off,” Bert smiled, eyes wide with mischief. Gerard blushed and giggled.

“B-Bert, right now? I mean–” Gerard started, but Bert quickly pushed them against the table, grinding his hips against them, earning a light gasp from Gerard.

“Yeah, right fucking now, Gee. I wanna bend you over this table so fucking bad,” He growled, and began kissing their neck as he tugged their shirt over their head, and Gerard moaned as he bit down on their collarbone. “You’re gonna have to be quiet, baby. Blackbear and other customers are right outside that door, we can’t let them hear us. Can you do that for me, Geegee?”

Gerard nodded, and then they leaned in and planted a soft kiss on Bert's lips. Bert's heart raced as he leaned in and returned the kiss, their tongues dancing together in a fiery passion. Gerard began to grow desperate, tugging Bert’s shirt up. Bert immediately complied, breaking away from the kiss and pulling off his shirt, and Gerard immediately put their hands on his chest. Bert pulled Gerard closer, his hands tangled in their hair as they continued to kiss.

Bert bit down hard on Gerard’s bottom lip, and they whined. The metal table beneath them began to rattle slightly as they began to lose themselves in the moment. 

“Fuck, Bert, please , touch me,” Gerard begged, and Bert smirked – he could feel Gerard's need for him growing with every passing moment. Bert then reached down and started to stroke Gerard's half-hard cock through the jeans. Gerard let out a gasp of pleasure and arched their back, giving Bert more access. 

“Shhh, quiet Gee,” Bert reminded as he continued to stroke them, and they bit down on their lip, nodding at Bert with wide eyes. Bert continued to stroke them, his hand moving faster and faster. He could feel Gerard getting closer and closer to the edge, but Bert wasn't ready to let them come just yet. He stopped abruptly and sat up, watching as Gerard whimpered in frustration.

Bert got up from the table and pulled Gerard up with him. He whispered in their ear, "I want you to beg for it. Quietly ." Gerard looked at him, a smile forming on their lips. They got down on their knees in front of Bert and looked up at him. 

"Please," They begged, "I need you." Bert smiled and pulled his pants down, revealing his own hard cock.

Gerard took him in his mouth and started to suck. Bert moaned, enjoying the feeling of being in control. He grabbed Gerard's hair and pulled them closer, feeling himself hit the back of Gerard’s throat. Gerard choked slightly, moaning around his dick.

Bert could feel himself getting close, but he didn't want to finish yet. He pulled away from Gerard and spun them around, their stomach hitting the cold metal. 

"Bend over, baby," Bert growled into Gerard's ear. Gerard obediently bent over, and Bert wasted no time and pulled down Gerard's jeans, revealing their bare ass. He gave it a hard smack, causing Gerard to gasp. 

Bert leaned in and whispered in Gerard's ear, "You like that, don't you?"

Gerard nodded, feeling themself grow more and more desperate, the whole situation being so intense. It felt like the times during their affair, having to stay quiet and sneaky. Bert continued to spank them, alternating between soft and hard smacks, until Gerard's ass was red and stinging.=

Bert then reached down and grabbed Gerard's cock again stroking it hard and fast. Gerard moaned, feeling themself getting close to the edge once again.

But just as they were about to reach their orgasm, Bert stopped. He pulled away, leaving Gerard hanging and frustrated.

"What's wrong?" Gerard asked, turning to look at Bert.

Bert smirked, "I didn't say you could come yet, baby. You have to earn it."

Gerard whined, and Bert grabbed their hair and yanked, causing Gerard to cry out slightly in pain. 

“Don’t fucking complain, whore. You should be grateful I’m fucking you, filthy slut,” He growled. When Gerard didn’t respond, Bert smacked their ass again hard , and Gerard yelped in pain.

“I’m sorry! Thank you, Bert!” 

Bert smirked in satisfaction, before spitting in his palm and coating his cock in it. Then, he positioned himself behind Gerard and pushed his cock inside them in one smooth motion. Gerard cried out in pleasure, and Bert started thrusting, hard and deep. He grabbed Gerard's hips and pulled them back onto his cock, making them take every inch. Gerard was moaning and whimpering, completely at Bert's mercy.

Bert continued to pound into them relentlessly, not letting up until he was sure Gerard was on the brink of orgasm. He felt himself extremely close, and he slapped Gerard’s ass before coming deep inside of them. Then, he pulled out and spun Gerard around, jerking them off with his hand. 

“Oh, fuck !” Gerard moaned, and then they came with a loud cry. Gerard’s cum coated Bert’s hand, Gerard’s stomach, and the metal table, so Bert pulled out of them before grabbing a rag from a shelf nearby and wiping his hand off, before tossing the rag to Gerard.

“Clean yourself and the table off, when you get the chance,” He smiled, before pressing his lips against Gerard’s, giving them a quick kiss before he pulled away. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Geegee. I love you.”

Gerard blushed, and wiped the cum off their stomach before wiping down the table. They turned back to him and Bert swore they had never looked more beautiful.

Gerard smiled sweetly and gently placed a kiss on the tip of Bert’s nose. “Happy Valentine’s Day, Bert. I love you too.”

––––

“Bert, can you please hurry up? I want to curl my hair,” Gerard complained, knocking against the bathroom door. 

“Jesus, Gerard , I’m trying to get ready!” Bert yelled back, and Gerard leaned against the wall.

“What are you even doing in there?”

Bert stayed silent, so Gerard knocked on the door again. “Hello? Can you answer me?”

There wasn’t a need for an answer, because a second later, Bert opened the bathroom door and stepped out. “So, how do I look, baby?”

Gerard covered their mouth with their hand, stifling back laughter. Bert currently had bright pink eyeshadow smeared around his eyes and the same shade of pink lipstick all over his mouth. He looked like a mess .

“No, absolutely not. Take that off right now,” Gerard said simply, and Bert let out an exasperated sigh.

“What the hell, why? Is this not cute?”

“No, it looks atrocious. I’m not going to be handcuffed to you if that’s the makeup you’re choosing to wear. Take it off and I’ll put the red eyeshadow on you instead. And, let me do it, please ,” Gerard ordered, and surprisingly, Bert complied. Gerard headed to the bedroom, choosing to change into their outfit while Bert takes his god awful makeup off. 

Gerard already had the red bra, and they paired it with a white skirt and fishnets. It was really cold out, so they grabbed their favorite black coat and slipped it overtop the outfit. When they finished putting their clothes on, they walked back to the bathroom, and Bert was standing over the sink, vigorously scrubbing his face to get his awful makeup off.

“Okay, that’s probably enough, go dry your face off and let me do your eyeshadow,” Gerard said, walking up to Bert and handing him the nearby hand towel. Bert, with his eyes still closed, reached out and snatched the towel from Gerard’s hands. After he was done wiping his face on the towel, he looked over at Gerard.

“Oh wow… Gerard… You look fucking hot, babe. You know, maybe I’m not so pissed that I have to be handcuffed to you this entire night,” Bert smirked, and Gerard playfully shoved him. 

“Oh, shut up. Okay, sit down, let me do your makeup,” Gerard laughed, and Bert sat down immediately. Gerard grabbed the eyeshadow palette and a makeup brush, and quickly got to work. 

“Okay, you’re done! So handsome, baby. Red is your color, that’s for sure. Your eyes are truly stunning,” Gerard said sweetly, mezmerized by how handsome their husband is sometimes. Bert blushed and looked down at his hands, before looking back up into Gerard’s eyes.

“You really mean that, Gee?”

Gerard gently kissed Bert, before pulling away and smiling. “Of course I do, Bert. Now, go take that shirt off and grab the cuffs, and let’s head over!” 

Bert ran his hand down Gerard’s waist, before grabbing a handful of their ass and squeezing before grinning widely. “Oh, fuck yes, babe. I cannot fucking wait.”

––––

“God, stop fucking moving so much! This is going to hurt if you keep twitching your arm like that,” Bert yelled, jerking Gerard’s right arm towards his as he secured one of the cuffs. 

“Ow! You just pinched me!” Gerard whined, and Bert just tightened the cuff a few extra notches in annoyance. 

“Okay, help me put mine on,” Bert stated, and Gerard quickly secured the other cuff on Bert’s left wrist. Bert tugged his arm slightly, testing out how secure they were – and they held up perfectly. Anthony must’ve chosen a good brand or something, because this shit felt industrial. 

“Okay, ready to go inside?” Gerard asked, and Bert smiled and nodded.

“Hell fucking yes ,” He replied, and the two walked through Tucker’s frontdoor and were immediately greeted with loud music, and a sea of red, pink, and white. Almost immediately, a bouncer looked at the two and asked for their names. 

“Bert, and this is my plus-one, Gerard,” Bert replied. The bouncer flipped through a stack of papers, before highlighting two names. He glanced at the pair being cuffed together, and held out his hand.

“Um, what?” Bert asked, and the bouncer rolled his eyes.

“Give me the keys to your cuffs. I’ll attach a name tag to it, and you’ll get it back when you leave for the night.”

Bert groaned and dug in his pocket to pull out a small metal key, handing it to the man. The bouncer nodded and waved his hand, allowing them to roam the party freely.

“Wow, this one is like, extra serious,” Gerard mumbled.

“It’s probably because the last time he threw a party without a bouncer, two little kids snuck in,” Bert laughed, and Gerard laughed along with him, before their eyes widened.

“Look, there’s Ryan, Michelle, and Syd! Let’s go!” Gerard cheered, and immediately began running through the crowd, dragging Bert along behind them. 

“Jesus, Gerard, you’re gonna rip my wrist off!” Bert hissed, the cuff digging into his wrist with how fast Gerard was moving. Finally, they stopped, and Bert was suddenly surrounded by the tall, lanky British kid, the blonde girl who hated him for some reason, and the waiter who also hated him. Great, what a fun group.

“Gerard! It’s so good to see you! God, I feel like it’s been forever, girl! How are you?” Michelle smiled, pulling Gerard into a hug, before shooting Bert a glare. He scoffed and decided to try to examine the crowd around him rather than pay attention to the group of losers in front of him.

“I’m good! Excited to be here, I just love Tucker Thursday, because I get to hangout with all of you!” Gerard squealed, and Bert rolled his eyes. 

“Gerard, I gotta ask. What is up with you and the lead singer of Taking Back Sunday? I’ve been bloody puzzled about it, ever since we saw them together,” Ryan asked.

“Wait, you guys saw Taking Back Sunday without me? What the hell!” Syd complained. Meanwhile, Bert was glaring at Gerard, who was currently frozen in guilt.

“Uh, there’s nothing happening, you guys. I saw the concert and then, uh, played beer pong. Um, anyways, how are y’all? Did you guys like, come as a platonic throuple?”

The trio immediately burst out into laughter, and held up their wristbands. Ryan and Michelle both had green bracelets, and Syd had a blue one. 

“Syd..? Blue ?” Gerard asked slowly. Just as Gerard processed what that meant, an all-too-familiar voice joined the conversation.

“Look who it is… Bert and Gerard! Wow, you guys look, um…” Jepha trailed off, a smirk on his face, before he turned to Syd and interlocked his fingers in Syd’s, pulling him close. He was in all black, with a big pink and red bow in his hair. 

“Didn’t really choose to adhere to the theme, I see” Gerard giggled, and Bert let out a loud, obnoxious laugh.

“Bruh why are you even here ? Who are you with?” Bert added, and Jepha rolled his eyes and faced him, looking at him directly in the eyes.

“I’m here with Syd, and based on our blue bracelets, it’s clear that our relationship is only getting stronger! Isn’t that right, babe?” Jepha grinned, and Syd looked at him and blushed. 

“Yeah, it is,” He replied, squeezing Jepha’s hand. Gerard looked at Bert, and Bert shrugged. Just as Gerard was about to turn to Ryan and Michelle to avoid having to converse with Jepha, Bert started dragging them through the crowd. 

“Bert, where are we going?” Gerard winced as their wrist felt like it was about to ripped out of the socket.

“Alcohol, I need fucking alcohol ,” Bert shouted over and the music, and soon, they reached the main kitchen, piled high with liquor upon liquor. 

“Hand me that whiskey over there, babe,” Bert requested, and Gerard grabbed the bottle of Jack Daniel’s closest to them and passed it to Bert, who immediately unscrewed the cap and began chugging the whiskey. Gerard scanned the table, and their eyes focused on the vodka. They immediately poured three shots, and then took one after the other in succession. Right after, they poured about three more shots into a red solo cup, before taking a Coke zero off the counter and pouring it into the cup as well. When they were finished, they looked back over to Bert, who drank about half the bottle by now. 

“Bert? Gerard? Holy shit, it’s been fucking forever! How are you two? I’ve missed you both so much, for real,” A man with shaggy brunette hair said as he approached the couple. Bert looked up, and his eyes widened as he recognized the man. 

“Brent! Holy shit! How the fuck are ya?” Bert smiled, dapping Brent up. 

“I’m good, I’m good! Listen, me and the guys were about to go do some drugs in the lounge, are you both down?” Brent offered, and Bert nodded immediately, without even acknowledging that Gerard was also going to have to be subjected to this. 

“Um, Bert?” Gerard asked cautiously, but Brent put a hand on their shoulder. 

“Hey, it’s all chill. It’s just coke, nothing serious. It’ll be all good, Gerard,” Brent assured, and they smiled at him. 

“Thanks, Brent. I appreciate that.”

Bert rolled his eyes and groaned. “Alright, um, can we hurry up and go already? I’m getting pissed just waiting here.”

Brent laughed and nodded, leading Bert and Gerard through the maze of people, before the three headed upstairs and to Tucker’s lounge. As they walked through the doors, Bert slightly regretted agreeing to do this.

There, in that room, stood Tucker and Adam handcuffed together, Anthony, Cove , and Anthony’s friend from that one Tucker Thursday – Justin. Adam looked at Gerard, and they looked back, neither of them breaking eye contact as the couple walked into the room.

“Alright boys! Bert and his lovely lady will be joining us tonight, if that is okay with everyone,” Brent said, and it felt like almost all eyes were on Bert and Gerard at the moment. Anthony and Adam were staring intensely at Gerard; and Tucker and Cove at Bert. Neither of them could tell where Justin was looking though – he just seemed to be staring off into space. 

“Alright, where’s that coke?” Bert rubbed his hands together eagerly, which caught Gerard off guard, and they slightly tripped from their arm being pulled. Tucker laughed at the interaction, and Gerard looked at him, raising an eyebrow.

“Weren’t the handcuffs such a good idea? I just think it’s so funny – this definitely hasn’t been done before. I can see the posts already, ‘Tucker Thursday once again starts a new party trend!’” Tucker grinned, and Bert started laughing loudly.

“Oh, oh fuck, Tucker, that was good! God, you’re so funny. Also, I like the outfit,” Bert gestured to Tucker’s current outfit – shirtless, tight white pants, a pink bandana around his neck, and red sneakers. He looked fucking hot . Tucker winked at him, smiling as he took a sip of his beer.

“I like yours too, very classy and fitting.”

Bert looked down at his bare chest, only slightly covered by the kimono, and baggy shorts. He ran a hand through his hair sheepishly, before realizing Gerard was glaring at him. He cleared his throat, and Brent began digging through a backpack before pulling out a bag of white powder. 

“This is Anthony’s, by the way. So you know it’s good,” Brent smirked, and Bert immediately moved to the table Brent was setting up lines at, dragging Gerard over. Gerard could feel all the alcohol kicking in, and seeing the lines being set up suddenly seemed much more appealing than before.

“Can you set one up for me?” Gerard asked timidly, and both Bert and Adam shot them a look.

“Gerard, are you sure that’s a good idea?” Adam asked softly, but Bert brushed Adam off as soon as he could, turning to Gerard.

“Oh Geegee, once a cokewhore, always a cokewhore, isn’t that right?” He sneered, and Gerard felt their cheeks heat up in humiliation. When they didn’t reply, Bert jerked his hand, causing the metal to dig into Gerard’s wrist. They gasped in pain, and met Bert’s eyes – which were wide and a little frightening.

“Yeah, haha!” They forced a laugh out, trying to make light of the situation. The worst thing was – Bert was right . It used to be a thing for Jepha and Gerard to do coke in the bathrooms at Ravenkroft, and then go work. Sometimes, Gerard would even work for coke, and Jepha would sometimes split the money he earned with Gerard if he was able to do a few lines from Gerard’s stash.

Brent finished setting up the lines on the pool table, and motioned for people to join him. Adam watched Gerard cautiously, giving them a worried look, but they just tried to ignore his stare as Bert and them approached Brent. Tucker dragged Adam over to the table as well, and soon Anthony, Cove, and Justin joined them as well. 

“Man, Bert. That kimono is fucking hot, I love the shirtless part of it the most,” Cove winked, and Gerard tensed up a tad, but Bert quickly interlocked his fingers in theirs and squeezed their hand.

“Thanks, Cove. By the way, why are you here? How do you know Tucker?” Bert asked, and Justin perked up, speaking for the first time tonight.

“I brought him, as my date. Anthony invited me to my first ever Tucker Thursday, and so I’ve gotten to know Tucker since then,” Justin explained, but Bert wasn’t satisfied yet. He nodded at Justin and then turned back to Cove.

“Are you guys dating, or something?” Bert asked, and Cove and Justin laughed. 

“Nah, but we fuck. Justin’s a good lay,” Cove winked, and Justin playfully hit his arm,

“Alright, everyone stop flirting, and let’s get fucking high!” Brent yelled, and handed Gerard the rolled up dollar. Gerard walked close to the pool table, and bent over a tad as they brought the dollar to the line. 

“Mmmm, yeah, snort it up my gorgeous princess… Your ass looks phenomenal right now, my delectable angel,” Anthony exhaled breathily, and Gerard tensed up, pulling their skirt down a tad as they snorted the line. Bert quickly snatched the dollar out of their hands, and snorted a line himself.

“Ohhhh fuck yes, god, Anthony, you really do find the good stuff!” Bert basically moaned . Anthony smirked and walked up to the couple, placing both hands on the lower backs of the couple, moving his fingers up and down.

“God, you two… You guys make me crazy. Please come find me later, I need some alone time with my favorite, enchanting, effervescent duo,” Anthony breathed shakily onto the back of their necks. Gerard shivered slightly at his words, but, something about the situation, the alcohol, and probably the coke made Anthony’s request seem a lot more enticing than normal. Gerard turned to face Anthony, biting their lip as they batted their eyelashes at him. 

“Sounds good, Anthony,” They purred, and Bert gave them a shocked glance, unsure of what was happening. He assumed he’d be getting heroin though, so that was always an added bonus.

The group continued to do coke, and by the time Gerard did four lines, they were out of it, pupils blown up, and Bert was the same once he hit seven lines. Bert pulled Gerard close and began making out with them, feeling a surge of adrenaline. Gerard whimpered into the kiss, before Adam loudly cleared his throat. 

“Um, Gerard? Bert? We are all here…” Adam said slowly, but his eyes were locked on Gerard. They felt their heart ache at the sight of how Adam was looking at them, but were quickly interrupted as Bert slapped their ass and laughed.

“You all, are a bunch of fucking prudes !” Bert laughed loudly, slapping his leg. “Not you though,” He added, winking at Tucker, who laughed and raised his drink.

“Amen to that, bro.”

Brent snorted the final line, rubbing his nose before he turned to the group. “Alright, everyone done for now? Shall we head back to the party?”

“Nah, I want to take some,” Adam chimed in suddenly. This was shocking – the only drug Adam ever did was weed, and even then, it was rare. Bert coughed loudly and rolled his eyes.

“Alrigjt, I need a drink. I’m outta here!” He announced, immediately turning around and pulling Gerard by the wrist back to the main party.

By the time they reached the kitchen, Bert turned to Gerard, who was already grabbing a new bottle of Jack Daniels to give to him. He smiled and backed up a few steps away, before bumping into someone.

“Jesus, watch where you’re going–” Bert started, before he quickly clamped his mouth shut as he made eye contact with the person behind him.

“Quinn?” He asked softly, and that caught Gerard’s attention. They immediately turned around, and there he was – Quinn Allman, standing far too close to Bert. 

The odd thing was, he had a cuff on his wrist, which was directly connected to a short, blonde girl who had eyes suspiciously familiar to Bert’s. 

“Bert, what a surprise! You look nice, I like the kimono,” Quinn said slowly, and Bert’s stomach tightened at the subtle flirting Quinn was doing. Before he could reply, the girl immediately chimed in.

“Hello, good evening! Or, should I say… Good night. The sky is the most beautiful when it is the darkest. Almost as beautiful as my superhero, my love, Quinn,” The girl spoke in a strange, slow voice, almost reminiscent of Anthony’s. Quinn turned slightly and looked at her, and raised an eyebrow, before turning back to Bert. 

“This is Megan, she’s my date.”

Bert bit down on his lip. Date .

“Megan Joy, Quinn’s girlfriend, soon-to-be wife. And who are you both? I assume my beautiful Quinny’s friends…” Megan said, and Bert was immediately against whoever this bitch was. He used to call Quinn ‘Quinny’, and hearing this weird looking woman use that nickname made him sick. Bert cleared his throat, ready to ruin this girl’s night.

“I’m Bert. Bert McCracken. I’ve known your date since ninth grade, and I’ve never heard of you before. How’d you guys meet?” Bert sneered, and Quinn’s eyes twinkled at Bert’s comment. Gerard looked between the two, unsure of what was happening.

“Introduce me to this girl next to you,” Megan suddenly stated in a low, serious tone. Gerard pursed their lips. 

“I’m Gerard, I’m Bert’s wi–” Gerard started, but Bert pushed them out of the way and cut them off.

“Gerard. That’s who they ar,” Bert growled, before turning to Quinn. He bit down at his lip, looking the man up and down.

“I like this outfit, Quinny,” Bert smirked, and he watched as Quinn’s cheeks turned a bright shade of red.

“I told him to wear it, because he is stunning. He is perfect,” Megan yelled, getting in Bert’s face. She glared at him, four blue eyes violently staring at each other. Megan turned to Quinn, and, using her free hand, she caressed Quinn’s jaw, turning his face to look at hers.

“My man, my king, my lover, my clown, my hunk, my boom boom, my knight, my hero, my hogan, my hubby, my moon, my half, my partner, my soulmate, my magician, my rockstar, my lumberjack, my mountain man, my best friend, MY EVERYTHING. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you. You save me,” Megan exhaled slowly, and Quinn sighed, pulling his face away from Megan’s grasp.

TO BE CONTINUED

Chapter Text

“Alright, everyone stop flirting, and let’s get fucking high!” Brent yelled and handed Gerard the rolled-up dollar. Gerard walked close to the pool table and bent over a tad as they brought the dollar to the line. 

“Mmmm, yeah, snort it up my gorgeous princess… Your ass looks phenomenal right now, my delectable angel,” Anthony exhaled breathily, and Gerard tensed up, pulling their skirt down a tad as they snorted the line. Bert quickly snatched the dollar out of their hands and snorted a line himself.

“Ohhhh fuck yes, god, Anthony, you really do find the good stuff!” Bert basically moaned. Anthony smirked and walked up to the couple, placing both hands on the lower backs of the couple, moving his fingers up and down.

“God, you two… You guys make me crazy. Please come find me later, I need some alone time with my favorite, enchanting, effervescent duo,” Anthony breathed shakily onto the back of their necks. Gerard shivered slightly at his words, but, something about the situation, the alcohol, and probably the coke made Anthony’s request seem a lot more enticing than normal. Gerard turned to face Anthony, biting their lip as they batted their eyelashes at him. 

“Sounds good, Anthony,” They purred, and Bert gave them a shocked glance, unsure of what was happening. He assumed he’d be getting heroin though, so that was always an added bonus.

The group continued to do coke, and by the time Gerard did four lines, they were out of it, pupils blown up, and Bert was the same once he hit seven lines. Bert pulled Gerard close and began making out with them, feeling a surge of adrenaline. Gerard whimpered into the kiss, before Adam loudly cleared his throat. 

“Um, Gerard? Bert? We are all here…” Adam said slowly, but his eyes were locked on Gerard. They felt their heart ache at the sight of how Adam was looking at them, but were quickly interrupted as Bert slapped their ass and laughed.

“You all, are a bunch of fucking prudes!” Bert laughed loudly, slapping his leg. “Not you though,” He added, winking at Tucker, who laughed and raised his drink.

“Amen to that, bro.”

Brent snorted the final line, rubbing his nose before he turned to the group. “Alright, everyone done for now? Shall we head back to the party?”

“Nah, I want to take some,” Adam chimed in suddenly. This was shocking – the only drug Adam ever did was weed, and even then, it was rare. Bert coughed loudly and rolled his eyes.

“Alright, I need a drink. I’m outta here!” He announced, immediately turning around and pulling Gerard by the wrist back to the main party.

By the time they reached the kitchen, Bert turned to Gerard, who was already grabbing a new bottle of Jack Daniels to give to him. He smiled and backed up a few steps away, before bumping into someone.

“Jesus, watch where you’re going–” Bert started, before he quickly clamped his mouth shut as he made eye contact with the person behind him.

“Quinn?” He asked softly, and that caught Gerard’s attention. They immediately turned around, and there he was – Quinn Allman, standing far too close to Bert. 

The odd thing was, he had a cuff on his wrist, which was directly connected to a short, blonde girl who had eyes suspiciously familiar to Bert’s. 

“Bert, what a surprise! You look nice, I like the kimono,” Quinn said slowly, and Bert’s stomach tightened at the subtle flirting Quinn was doing. Before he could reply, the girl immediately chimed in.

“Hello, good evening! Or, should I say… Good night. The sky is the most beautiful when it is the darkest. Almost as beautiful as my superhero, my love, Quinn,” The girl spoke in a strange, slow voice, almost reminiscent of Anthony’s. Quinn turned slightly and looked at her, and raised an eyebrow, before turning back to Bert. 

“This is Megan, she’s my date.”

Bert bit down on his lip. Date.

“Megan Joy, Quinn’s girlfriend, soon-to-be wife. And who are you both? I assume my beautiful Quinny’s friends…” Megan said, and Bert was immediately against whoever this bitch was. He used to call Quinn ‘Quinny’, and hearing this weird-looking woman use that nickname made him sick. Bert cleared his throat, ready to ruin this girl’s night.

“I’m Bert. Bert McCracken. I’ve known your date since ninth grade, and I’ve never heard of you before. How’d you guys meet?” Bert sneered, and Quinn’s eyes twinkled at Bert’s comment. Gerard looked between the two, unsure of what was happening.

“Introduce me to this girl next to you,” Megan suddenly stated in a low, serious tone. Gerard pursed their lips. 

“I’m Gerard, I’m Bert’s wi–” Gerard started, but Bert pushed them out of the way and cut them off.

“Gerard. That’s who they are,” Bert growled, before turning to Quinn. He bit down at his lip, looking the man up and down.

“I like this outfit, Quinny,” Bert smirked, and he watched as Quinn’s cheeks turned a bright shade of red.

“I told him to wear it because he is stunning. He is perfect,” Megan yelled, getting in Bert’s face. She glared at him, four blue eyes violently staring at each other. Megan turned to Quinn, and, using her free hand, she caressed Quinn’s jaw, turning his face to look at hers.

“My man, my king, my lover, my clown, my hunk, my boom boom, my knight, my hero, my hogan, my hubby, my moon, my half, my partner, my soulmate, my magician, my rockstar, my lumberjack, my mountain man, my best friend, MY EVERYTHING. Thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you thank you. You save me,” Megan exhaled slowly, and Quinn sighed, pulling his face away from Megan’s grasp.

“Okay, Megan – that’s great,” Quinn turned away from Megan before looking down at himself and back up, meeting Bert’s eyes. “And, um, thanks, Bert. I think it’s funny how every time we seem to run into each other, it’s at some sort of ‘themed’ party or something. I swear to God I don’t only own this red shirt.”

Bert immediately began laughing at Quinn’s joke, and Quinn chimed in, leaving Gerard and Megan to stand there in silence. Gerard made eye contact with the woman, but almost immediately regretted it. Her eyes were like a perfect combination of Anthony’s and Bert’s – and they were fueled with the most unreadable yet sinister energy Gerard had ever seen. Suddenly, Quinn’s words registered for Gerard – and they perked up.

“Wait, what do you mean every time you guys meet? I thought you guys saw each other at the last Tucker Thursday…” They looked at Bert, who awkwardly looked between Gerard and Quinn in silence. Bert then raised his eyebrows at Quinn as a signal for help – and Quinn immediately understood, taking a step closer to Gerard.

“Sorry, I’m a little drunk. I meant just that one time,” He said casually, and even though he sounded like he was genuine, Gerard couldn’t help but be a little suspicious. They took another glance at Bert, who immediately looked the other way and began whistling as if he was trying to distance himself from the situation. 

“Um, okay. Well, we were currently in the process of grabbing drinks, so–” Gerard began, but was quickly interrupted. 

“Why are you so keen on leaving this conversation, Miss ‘ Gerard ’?” Megan asked slowly, before using air quotes around their name. 

“Why did you just do that?” Gerard asked, puzzled.

“Do what?” Megan replied, zero emotion backing the question. Gerard looked at Bert, who was currently staring into Quinn’s eyes whilst drinking out of the bottle of Jack Daniels.

“Use air quotes for my name. That made no sense because that’s actually my name…” They stood their ground, and Megan just stared blankly at them, looking at Gerard as if they were crazy.

“Okay, what the hell! Bert, come on !” Gerard yelled frustratedly as they pulled Bert as hard as they could. Bert immediately stumbled into them, and Gerard frantically began walking over to the stand of drinks, dragging Bert behind them.

“What the hell was that for?!” Bert growled, and Gerard rolled their eyes.

“That was just fucking weird . I wanted to get out of that situation and away from that freak that Quinn is dating.”

Bert’s eyebrows furrowed. “I doubt Quinn is actually dating her. He probably just brought her because he needed a date for the party.”

“Bert, the handcuffs mean it’s a serious relationship. I’m pretty sure they are together if they chose to be handcuffed together,” Gerard insisted, but Bert just rolled his eyes.

“Can you just hurry up and get your drink already? God, Gerard , you’re taking forever!” Bert grumbled before taking another swig of his whiskey.

Gerard narrowed their eyes at Bert, but quickly turned to the drink table and pouring a few shots of vodka into a red solo cup, followed by a half-empty Coke Zero on the table. They brought the cup up to their lips and took a sip, before noticing that Bert’s eyes were on them.

“What?” They asked from behind the cup. 

“Nothing, you’re just looking sexy,” Bert wiggled his eyebrows as he spoke in a low, seductive voice. Gerard blushed and giggled, before taking another sip. They held eye contact with Bert for a few moments before they heard a familiar voice call out at them.

“Gerard!! There you are!!”

Gerard turned and saw Syd running up to them, followed by Ryan, and Michelle. Gerard assumed for a moment that it was just the trio, however, it soon became clear that Jepha Howard was also with the group. 

“Oh, hey guys!” Gerard smiled and attempted to hug their friends, but it proved to be a bit difficult when they were handcuffed to Bert – considering Bert stood completely still and refused to budge. 

“What have you two been doing? I feel like I haven’t seen you guys anywhere!” Michelle laughed, and Ryan nodded in agreement. Bert and Gerard looked at each other before looking back at the group.

“Doing drugs,” Bert shrugged. Jepha perked up, pushing Michelle to the side to get closer to the duo.

“Drugs? What kind of drugs, huh?” He smirked. Gerard opened their mouth to reply with some sort of lie, but Bert cut them off.

“Coke. Bet you’re jealous, huh? Too bad so sad!” He laughed, and Gerard giggled along with their husband. Jepha stiffened, and Syd turned to him.

“Why would you be jealous?” Syd asked, and Jepha crossed his arms in front of his chest.

“Ugh, I don’t wanna talk about it!” He yelled, before taking another step, getting directly in Gerard’s face. “You know, it must be quite an upgrade to get coke for free at a party instead of having to suck some dick for some.”

Gerard rolled their eyes – here Jepha goes again. 

“Jepha, you’re so bitchy! Can you just get a life or something? You’re literally the only person who brings up my past as some sort of insult, which is ironic, because you literally were the one who got me into prostitution. You have sucked way more dicks than I have for cocaine, that’s for sure!” They countered, and Jepha rolled his eyes before looking at Bert and smirking. 

“Bert, you look quite handsome tonight. Did you see Quinn was here? He brought his new girlfriend, Megan. She’s a little crazy in my opinion, but I think he’s really into her. God, you should be glad you don’t live with us anymore… I had to start sleeping with earplugs because of how loud they are every night when they have sex,” Jepha sneered, and Bert froze.

“So, he is dating her,” Bert said in a quiet voice, looking down at the bottle of whiskey and then back up at Jepha. “Whatever. I literally don’t even care. I’m married .”

Gerard looked at Bert and beamed at him. “Oh, baby, you’re so sweet!”

Bert looked at Gerard for a split second with huge eyes. He wanted to pull them in and kiss them, considering they were staring at him through their lashes and looked absolutely stunning, but his heart felt like it was in his stomach at the thought of Quinn having sex with that girl. He turned back to Jepha, who was currently brushing a strand of hair behind his ear, waiting patiently for Bert to continue talking.

“Listen, Jeph. I’m not sure why we have to have this bad blood. I’m trying to have fun tonight, and I’m sure Syd and his friends don’t wanna be dealing with all your drama. It’s actually really annoying,” He said bluntly, and Jepha looked shocked at Bert’s words.

“Oh, um, okay,” He replied awkwardly. Gerard let out a huff of laughter at Jepha’s current state of shock, and then turned to their friends. They took a step closer, and Ryan, Michelle, and Syd leaned a few inches toward them.

“By the way, I got a new phone you guys,” Gerard whispered as quietly as they could, trying to make sure Bert didn’t overhear them. Just to be safe, Gerard glanced back at their husband to see if he was listening, but he was just bobbing his head to the music and humming to himself as he drank from the whiskey bottle.

“Oh golly! That’s so bloody exciting! Can we get your number? I’d love to give ya a ring sometime!” Ryan whispered back, and Gerard nodded. They motioned for the trio to lean in a few inches closer, and they followed Gerard’s hand.

“Okay. My number is 973-197-7409. You guys got that?” They whispered, cautiously looking back to make sure Bert didn’t hear. Syd, Michelle, and Ryan all nodded as they added Gerard as a contact. Gerard smiled at the knowledge that they could now text their friends whenever they wanted to, but their smile broke when they felt their wrist being tugged by Bert.

“Does that guy look familiar to you?” He asked, and Gerard looked to where Bert’s eyes were, and they froze.

“Oh my god,” Was all they said, before Michelle scoffed.

“Ugh, I hate that guy. He was at the last Tucker Thursday, I don’t even know who lets him in. He’s so creepy,” She rolled her eyes. Jepha now looked at the guy of attention, and his jaw dropped in shock.

“Oh my god , Feldy! Over here!” He cheered, jumping up and down, waving his hand. The man slowly turned and locked eyes with Jepha, grinning as he made his way over. 

“Oh man, what a surprise! Jephanie, my beauty, how are you? I haven’t seen you in quite a while!” Feldy laughed, pulling Jepha into a tight hug before locking eyes with Gerard. He pushed Jepha off of him, and took a few steps closer to Gerard.

“My my, look who it is. I haven’t seen you in ages Miss Mandy… Though I will admit, I think about that night we spent together every evening. Are you still offering your services? I’d be willing to pay any price,” Feldy licked his lips as he stared Gerard up and down, completely ignoring everyone else around him. Gerard nervously looked around at their friends, who were all standing there, confused. Michelle exhaled loudly and stepped in front of Gerrad, crossing her arms.

“John, can you leave my friend alone? You’re so creepy, and if you don’t stop, I’m going to report you to HR!” She shouted, a sharpness to her voice that would’ve scared Gerard if they were the one being scolded. 

“Wait, how do you know Feldy?” Gerard whispered to Michelle, and she raised a questioning eyebrow.

“Feldy? I don’t know what nickname that is, but this is the guy I was telling you about last Tucker Thursday. The one who works at Tucker’s dad’s law firm I work at. His name is John Feldmann.”

Gerard nodded with wide eyes – they were finally connecting the dots. John peered over Michelle’s shoulder, meeting Gerard’s eyes once again.

“So, what do you say, Mandy? What’s your price?”

Gerard stayed silent – they hadn’t seen this guy since that night with him, and he was even creepier and scary-looking than he used to be, if that was even possible . Bert looked at them, and then back at John before he sighed and rolled his eyes. 

“They’re not for sale. Come on, Gee, let’s go,” Bert grumbled, pushing his way through Jepha and John, dragging Gerard behind him. He overheard a slap, followed by a squeal of surprise from Gerard, and he whipped his head around. 

“The fuck was that?” He asked sharply. Gerard looked between Bert and John, eyes wide and nervous. 

“He, uh, he just slapped my ass…” Gerard trailed off, their voice small. Bert stared with massive, angry eyes at John, who just stared back at him with a wide, open-mouthed smile.

“Don’t touch them unless you want to be buried six feet under, you fucking weirdo! They shouldn’t call you Feldy , they should call you Creepy John instead!” Bert snarled, and before John could reply, Bert began racing through the crowd, Gerard desperately trying to keep up with Bert without falling as he pulled them by their wrist. 

As he pushed through people, he suddenly stopped in his tracks, Gerard awkwardly bumping into him. Bert didn’t notice though, or even care , due to the sight in front of him.

There stood Quinn and Megan, slow dancing, happily smiling and looking into each other’s eyes, laughing and talking about something Bert couldn’t hear. 

Quinn’s blonde hair was a little sweaty, and his bangs were hanging in his face. Megan brushed the hair away from his eyes, before standing on her tiptoes and planting a kiss on his lips. Quinn blushed and pulled Megan in closer. 

Bert felt sick. 

“Why’d you stop?” Gerard asked quietly, but Bert ignored them. Instead, he focused on the way Quinn’s hands lingered on Megan’s lower back, holding her tight. He looked… happy . Happy to be there, dancing with her. Happy to be with someone who wasn’t Bert. 

Even though Bert wanted to look away, he couldn’t bring himself to take his eyes off the couple. All of Jepha’s words began running through his head, and he felt dizzy. 

“Did you see Quinn was here? He brought his new girlfriend, Megan. She’s a little crazy in my opinion, but I think he’s really into her. God, you should be glad you don’t live with us anymore… I had to start sleeping with ear plugs because of how loud they are every night when they have sex.”

Bert originally thought Jepha was lying to cause issues, but now, he couldn’t be sure. Not with the way Quinn held her or looked at her. 

Suddenly, Quinn looked away from Megan, and Bert watched as Quinn’s eyes soon met his. Quinn’s smile quickly turned to a frown as he registered Bert’s expression, and he let go of Megan slightly, continuing to hold eye contact with Bert. 

Bert felt his eyes begin to water, and soon, a tear began to roll down his cheek. He quickly brushed it away, breaking eye contact with Quinn as he frantically began moving through the crowd again. He shoved people as hard as he could away from him, feeling Gerard get pulled along for the ride as he tried to get as far from Quinn and Megan as possible. 

“Ow! Bert, slow down! It feels like my wrist is going to be pulled off!” Gerard whined from behind him, but he ignored them until he reached the stairs, taking a deep breath. Gerard steadied themself, rubbing their wrist as much as they could under the tight cuff. 

“What the fuck was that about?” They snapped, and Bert scoffed, running a hand through his hair. 

“It was nothing! God! I was just trying to get out of the crowd – it was getting too hot!” Bert lied, anxiously looking around at the people by them. He wanted to make sure Quinn didn’t follow him – he didn’t want to address the things he felt when he saw Quinn with that freak of a woman. 

“Baby, I can tell something is wrong! Just talk to me!” Gerard insisted, but Bert was not in the talking mood. 

“I want more drugs,” He mumbled, and began walking upstairs, Gerard following behind him.

––––

“Bert! My man!” Tucker grinned, sprawled out across the leather couch. He had on a pair of sunglasses that he didn’t have before, and his bandana was barely on. Bert sucked in a breath – God damn did he look sexy.

“Uh, heyyy Tucker!” Bert smiled sheepishly, brushing a stray piece of hair behind his ear. Gerard cleared their throat and looked at him and Bert gave Gerard an apologetic look before turning back towards Tucker.

“Y’all got any drugs left?” He asked nervously, eyeing the people currently in the lounge. Adam was currently chatting with Brent, Cove, and Justin by the bar, Kenny, Willian, and Dan were playing pool at one of the tables, and Geoff was messing around with a guitar on a chair near Tucker. 

Tucker pushed his sunglasses down, grinning at Bert and Gerard before nodding slightly to the right. 

“Anthony’s gotchu!” He smiled, and Bert followed where Tucker was motioning. 

There stood Anthony, standing in the corner behind the curtains, peeking his head through, staring at the couple, and smiling maniacally.

“Why is he standing behind a curtain?” Bert laughed nervously, and Tucker shrugged. 

“I don’t know. He went over there a half hour ago and hasn’t moved since,” He laughed before taking a swig of his beer. “So, did y’all come up here solely for drugs, or… Did y’all wanna hang?”

“I mean, I want drugs, but like, I’d never pass up an opportunity to hang out, haha!” Bert blushed, and Tucker waved his arm toward the couch beside him, motioning for the duo to join him. Gerard looked around nervously, staying silent as Bert pulled them over to the couch. 

“How’s the party for y’all so far? I’ve kinda just been chilling here the whole time, so I haven’t experienced it yet. Plus, if I went down there, Adam and I would have to put our handcuffs back on, and neither of us are in the mood to deal with that right now. Maybe in a little… Who knows. I’m thinking of getting into the business of modeling, and I’d rather not have any weird scratches on my wrist, ya feel me?” Tucker said casually, and Bert stared at him with wide eyes.

“You’d make the perfect model!” He blurted out, and Gerard shot him a dirty look. 

Tucker laughed, his sunglasses falling down on his nose slightly. “Thanks, Bert. You know, you could totally model too. Have you ever considered it?”

Bert shook his head, and Tucker leaned forward, slapping his hand on Bert’s thigh and squeezing the flesh. Bert sucked in a breath at the sudden contact.

“ Dude , come on! You’d be such a good model. I wanna do stuff for clothing brands, but I could totally see you as a runway model, man. You’re thin, you got a really chiseled face, and striking features. You know what? I’m gonna book you some headshots with my manager!” Tucker smiled, letting go of Bert’s thigh as he leaned back onto the couch again. Bert exhaled, his body buzzing from Tucker’s brief touch.

“M-me? A runway model? Tucker, I don’t know…” Bert stammered, but Tucker waved his hand, smirking at Bert’s nervousness.

“I’m not saying you’re suddenly gonna walk for Gucci tomorrow, Bert. Just, if you get a call from a number you don’t recognize tomorrow, don’t ignore it!” He laughed, and Bert felt like his cheeks were on fire from how hard he was blushing. 

“So, if you and Adam don’t have to wear the handcuffs, can Bert and I take ours off too?” Gerard suddenly spoke up. Tucker looked over at them, and then back to Bert.

“No can do! The bouncer has the keys for you two. The only reason Adam and I took ours off was because I kept the spare key on me in case of an emergency. Sorry guys, I wish I could help!” Tucker sighed, and before Bert or Gerard could say anything, Tucker looked over at Adam.

“Hey, babe! You wanna check out the party?” He flashed a dazzling smile at Adam, who turned to meet Tucker’s eyes. Adam smiled softly, before flickering his eyes over at Gerard for a brief second, and then looking back at Tucker. 

“I’m down! Did you wanna set up karaoke soon?” Adam replied, and Tucker brought a finger to his lip, contemplating his options.

“Nah, let’s wait for a little,” He stated. Suddenly, a Thursday song started blasting out loud, causing Bert to jump in surprise.

“What the hell is that?” Bert asked, his voice loud in a combination of fear and shock. Tucker laughed as he pulled his phone out, shaking it in front of Bert.

“My phone, don’t worry bro,” Tucker smiled, before looking down at the screen. His smile quickly turned into a frown, followed by an exasperated sigh as he rolled his eyes. Adam walked over towards him, a concerned look on his face.

“Dude, she won’t stop !” Tucker groaned. Adam laughed as he ruffled Tucker’s hair. 

“Just block her!” Adam suggested, but Tucker shook his head as he declined the call.

“Who was that?” Bert asked, confused. Tucker and Adam looked at each other before Tucker looked back at Bert.

“This crazy ex of mine. Her name is Lexie – She’s fucking weird ,” He said, and Bert cocked an eyebrow.

“I thought you were gay,” Bert stated simply, and Tucker laughed.

“Yeah, I am . I dated her, like, five years ago when I thought I was into women. She recently saw how big Thursday has gotten, and hasn’t stopped trying to hit me up since. She’s so annoying, I’ve told her to leave me alone, like, five times by now. She also knows I’m dating Adam, so I’m not sure what her issue is,” Tucker explained, and Bert nodded in understanding. 

“Well, Lexie sounds like a fucking bitch. I never thought I’d say this, but, I agree with Adam. You should block her,” Bert replied, and Adam shot him a look. Bert held eye contact with Adam and flashed him a slight smile. Adam rolled his shoulders back, trying to hide any sort of smile but failing miserably as he held out his hand to Tucker. 

“Come on, let’s go dance!” Adam smiled, and Tucker nodded, putting his hand in Adam’s and letting himself get pulled off the couch. Tucker and Adam walked hand in hand over to the kitchen, and Bert watched as Tucker grabbed a pair of handcuffs off the table. He secured a cuff onto Adam’s wrist, before placing the other on his own wrist. 

“Alright, we’ll catch y’all later! I better see y’all when we start karaoke, by the way. I can just tell y’all would go hard during it!” Tucker smiled at the couple as him and Adam walked out of the room. Bert waved at the two of them, a big smile plastered on his face, before he turned to Gerard.

“Okay – here’s the plan. Drugs, then we stay up here, and then when karaoke starts we go back down. Thoughts?” He asked, and Gerard bit down on their lip and nodded.

“Sounds good to me! Also, what was up with you and Adam? Y’all seemed to be, like, getting along . It was weird,” They laughed nervously, and Bert shrugged. Before the two could say anything else, they each felt a bony hand land on top of one of their shoulders. Both Gerard and Bert turned their heads quickly toward the person, and Bert let out a sigh of relief.

“Oh, hey Anthony! Wanna do some drugs with Geegee and I?” Bert smiled, and Anthony’s eyes widened, his mouth stuck in a smile, his tongue licking his teeth.

“Sounds splendid. There’s nothing in this entire world I’d like more at this very moment… Sike! I’m sure you both can guess what I’d rather be doing with the both of you…” Anthony said slowly, and Bert rolled his eyes while Gerard blushed.

“Um, well, I’d rather just do drugs right now,” Bert chuckled, and Anthony leaned over the couch, his lips grazing Bert’s ear. 

“I’ve obtained some intriguing information,” He whispered, and Bert felt shivers run down his spine. He stayed silent, waiting for Anthony to continue.

“Quinnton and his date are currently in one of the spare bedrooms right now… I was shocked to see such an attractive man bring a woman such as herself as his company to this, but I was even more shocked once I personally witnessed their romantic exchanges…” Anthony exhaled into Bert’s ear. Bert felt his stomach drop at Anthony’s words, and he nervously ran a hand through his hair.

“I just saw them dancing, and then I came here. How in the hell would you have seen them go into a room together?” Bert snapped in a hushed tone, trying to make sure Gerard wasn’t overhearing any of this. Anthony chuckled, his voice high-pitched and offputting. 

“Does my king not believe me? I’ll have you know, I always know what is happening in this house at all times. In every single room ,” Anthony stated sternly, and Bert chose not to question what that meant. He decided that he believed Anthony about this, and the idea of Quinn fucking someone that wasn’t him just a few rooms down made his blood boil.

“Anthony, screw the drugs! Are you down to–” Bert started, but was quickly cut off.

“Oh, Bertie… I’d love nothing more,” Anthony grinned widely, eyes almost bulging out of his head. Bert and him both turned to look at Gerard, who was currently picking at the nail polish on their fingernails. They looked up in confusion, meeting Bert and Anthony’s gaze. 

“What?” They asked.

“Do you wanna have sex with Anthony and I?” Bert asked quietly, and Gerard looked confused.

“LIke, right now?”

Anthony nodded slowly and pet Gerard’s hair. “Yes, my sweet girl… Now.”

“Um, okay,” Gerard smiled, their voice holding tones of nervousness and excitement. Bert smiled at them, and Anthony exhaled loudly. 

“How absolutely splendid… This evening is like a dream come true… And I didn’t even have to wish upon a shooting star… How marvelous!” He squeezed both Gerard and Bert’s shoulders, before standing up straight. “Now, shall we?” 

––––

Two weeks later

Bert awoke with a jolt – his heart beating and a smile already on his face. He turned over to meet Gerard, but was greeted with an empty side of the bed instead.

“What the…” Bert murmured, groggily yawning and stretching. “Hm… Gerard must be in the shower.”

Bert reached over to the nightstand and grabbed his phone. He turned it on, and held his breath as he waited for texts to come in.

Today 12:00am – Quinn Allman

happy birthday b. i miss u. hope ur doing well and that g treats u extra special today… i know i would

Today 3:33am – Anthony Green

Heheh… Look who just turned the big Three Zero… One year closer to my age… I hope your birthday is celebrated at the most bewitching level, it is what My King deserves… I am choosing to contact you at the true Witching Hour... It will bring the best of luck to you. Oh! Here is my gift. 

VENMO FROM ANTHONY-GREEN-666:

$1000

Bert blinked a few times, quickly responding to Quinn before moving on to Anthony’s text and generous gift. He accepted the venmo payment eagerly, though he was a little confused as to why Anthony gave him such an insane birthday present, but – he wasn’t going to question it. 

“Gerard!” Bert called out. 

“In the shower!” Gerard replied with a yell. Bert smirked – they were probably getting ready to give Bert some amazing birthday sex. He leaned back into the pillows, smiling to himself as he pictured what his birthday would be like. He wanted to see if Tucker wanted to host anything, so he quickly dialed Tucker’s number into his phone and waited for Tucker to pick up.

“Hello?” Tucker finally picked up after five rings, and Bert grinned.

“It’s my birthday!” He yelled excitedly. There was silence for a few moments, and then he heard Tucker lightly chuckle.

“Ahh, happy birthday brotha! Um, what are you doing to celebrate?” He asked. Bert paused for a moment – he had zero plans.

“Um, nothing’s confirmed yet. I’ll probably spend some time with Gerard, but other than that–” He began, but Tucker quickly cut him off.

“Bro! What do you mean you don’t have any plans? Well, let’s change that. Wanna go bar-hopping tonight?”

Bert felt butterflies form in his stomach, and he blushed. “That sounds so fun! I’ll let you know in a little after talking to Gee, but, I’d be down!”

“Cool. Text me around 7 if you wanna link up. Have a great birthday, man!” Tucker exclaimed before hanging up the phone. Bert felt his body buzzing with excitement – today was off to a fantastic start. 

Suddenly, he heard a ding come from the corner of the room – and he perked up at the sound.

“Huh? What was that?” Bert mumbled to himself, and soon there was another ding. Bert groaned and got out of bed, walking over to where the noise came from – Gerard’s jacket on the floor. Bert raised an eyebrow as he lifted the jacket up, finding nothing under it. 

“That’s… weird,” He sighed, ready to abandon the mystery, until a ding came from inside the jacket. Bert’s eyes widened and he fished around the pockets, before pulling out a black cell phone that he didn’t recognize in the slightest. 

He clicked it on, and was immediately greeted with a flood of texts from people – people he recognized.

Syd.

Ryan.

Michelle.

Adam.

Bert gasped – this was Gerard’s phone. 

He immediately swiped up, and of course there was a password. Bert chewed on his lip, contemplating on what Gerard would use as a password.

He typed in 1234 , and in a blink of an eye – he was in. He immediately went to the conversation between Gerard and Adam, and his eyes widened ass he scrolled through the messages.

Today 8:04AM – Adam Lazzara:

hiya g! haven’t seen u in a while – u free anytime soon?

Today 8:10AM – Gerard Way:

Adammmm !! Yes I’m actually free today haha why? 

Today 8:13AM – Adam Lazzara:

well, how abt i pick u up and take u out? ;) 

Today 8:20AM – Gerard Way:

Oh haha that sounds like fun :) Pick me up at 5? I’ll tell Bert I made plans with Syd or smth lol

Today 8:22AM – Adam Lazzara:

sounds great :P ill tell tucker i’m going to band practice. ill see ya at 5

Today 10:32AM – Adam Lazzara:

any specific restaurant u wanna go to? 

Today 10:33AM – Adam Lazzara: 

also there’s this hella cool lookout spot i’d love to take u lol 

Today 10:33AM – Adam Lazzara:

just lmk :)

Bert almost dropped the phone in shock. Gerard was not only cheating on him – but they were cheating on him with their ex, and cheating on him on Bert’s birthday . He heard the water shut off, and soon after, Gerard walked into the room, a towel around their body and their hair dripping wet.

“Hey,” Gerard mumbled, searching through the clothes on the ground – most likely trying to find an outfit to wear. Bert stared at them, eyes wide and his face feeling hot.

“Gerard, do you know what day it is today?”

Gerard paused and looked up at him. “...Friday?”

Bert slammed his hand down on the nightstand, causing Gerard to jump at the noise. 

“Jesus, what the hell is wrong with you?” They asked, their voice filled with a mix of annoyance and worry. Bert ran a hand through his hair, trying to take deep breaths.

“It’s my fucking birthday, Gerard .”

They stopped in their tracks and slowly turned to face Bert. They gave him a weak smile, and let out an awkward laugh. 

“Of course it is! I was just messing with you Ber–” They began, but they shut their mouth the second Bert held up their phone, dangling it in front of himself.

“You forgot. You forgot my fucking birthday, and you made plans to cheat on me with Adam fucking Lazzara!” Bert growled, his vision getting red from how angry he was. Gerard stared at him with wide eyes.

“Fucking say something!” He shouted, and Gerard flinched, biting down on their lip before looking back up at him. 

“Bert, I, I swear I can explain!” They stuttered, and Bert tossed the phone onto the bed, before crossing his arms. 

“Really? You really think you can explain this shit? Fuck you, Gerard. Fuck. You .” Bert felt his bottom lip trembling, his nails digging into his palms. 

“Bert, I’m sorry!” Gerard said in a shaky voice. They hesitantly took a few steps closer to Bert, who just stared at them with huge, angry eyes. 

“To be fair, you forgot about Valentine’s Day and tried to play it off–” Gerard began to say, and before he even knew what he was doing, he grabbed the vase off the nightstand – and the rest was a blur. 

He blinked a few times, and suddenly – Gerard was laying on the floor in front of him, broken glass scattered around them. Bert’s hand began to sting, and he looked down, seeing little cuts on his hand, most likely from the shards of glass.

“Oh fuck !” Bert yelled, beginning to panic. He just hit Gerard with a vase. He knocked them out. They were laying unconscious on the floor in front of him under a layer of broken glass. 

He slowly picked the pieces of glass off of them, before grabbing Gerard as best as he could and lifting them up to their feet, steadying their body against his own. He lugged them over to the bed, struggling as he rolled them over onto the mattress. Their towel began falling off, so he grabbed it and wrapped it around them again. 

Bert started feeling a tad guilty, but then he remembered what was happening. 

Gerard forgot his birthday. Gerard was cheating on him with Adam. Gerard was cheating on him with Adam on Bert’s birthday .

“Yeah, fuck you!” Bert spat at them, turning around and stepping over the remnants of the vase to grab his phone. He stomped over to his drawer and pulled out his favorite outfit – red tank top, kimono, shorts – and headed to the bathroom. Bert splashed water on his face and brushed his teeth before grabbing Gerard’s eyeshadow palette and rubbing red eyeshadow around his eyes. He stared at himself in the mirror for a brief second, before turning away and leaving the bathroom. He grabbed his keys off the counter and stormed out of the house, angrily slamming the door on the way out. 

––––

“Quinn, can you get it? New episode of Drag Race is on, and they are showing off their runway looks right now!” Branden called out. Quinn rolled his eyes and got off his bed, heading through the living room and to the door – which apparently someone was at. Branden was sitting on the couch, a sparkling water in one hand and his phone in the other. The TV was currently blasting RuPaul’s Drag Race, but that wasn’t a surprise. Since Branden moved in, Quinn grew pretty accustomed to seeing that show on the TV.

“You really couldn’t have gotten up to open the door?” Quinn sighed, and Branden shook his head.

“Do you see what is happening right now? Alaska’s runway look is Lil Pound Cake ! This is like, insane!” Branden argued, and Quinn just smirked before turning the door handle and swinging it open.

Quinn’s eyes widened at the sight before him.

“Hey,” Bert said simply. Quinn looked him up and down – he was dressed, his makeup was done, his hand had scratches on it, and he looked like he had been crying. 

“Um, hey. H-happy birthday,” He managed to get out, tripping over his words slightly as he tried to register why Bert McCracken just showed up to his house unannounced.

“I need you, now , Quinny,” Bert looked up at Quinn – his big blue eyes staring deep into Quinn’s. Quinn stayed put, unable to process the words Bert just said. 

Bert wasted no time, grabbing Quinn’s hand and pushing his way into the apartment, dragging Quinn behind him as they headed to Quinn’s room. Bert immediately shut and locked the door behind them, before shrugging his kimono off and tossing it on the floor. Quinn watched as Bert pulled his tank top over his head and let it fall next to his kimono. 

“Bert are you oka–” Quinn began to ask, but Bert’s lips were on his, and any other thought in his brain immediately disappeared. 

Bert just showed up to his house, pulled him into his own room, and began kissing him. Quinn felt like he was dreaming.

He kissed Bert back, letting his hands fall onto Bert’s waist, pulling him close as the kiss continued. Bert was kissing him roughly, biting on Quinn’s lip and desperately moving his tongue into Quinn’s mouth. He felt himself getting hard embarrassingly fast, and he reached one of his hands into Bert’s hair, grabbing a handful of the black strands and pulling slightly, causing Bert to gasp. 

“What do you want right now, Bert?” Quinn whispered into the kiss. Bert exhaled against Quinn’s lips, sending shivers down Quinn’s spine.

“Anything. You.”

And with that, Quinn tugged his own shirt off before he began undoing his belt. “Take your shorts off,” He ordered, and Bert nodded, pulling his shorts that were far too big on him down and kicking them away. Quinn frantically pulled his jeans down, almost tripping on them as he stepped out of the pant legs. He looked up, and Bert already had his boxers down, so Quinn followed, taking his boxers off as well.

“God, you’re so fucking hot,” Quinn exhaled, and Bert blushed, moving back in to the kiss. Quinn smiled against his lips, and Bert began to move his lips down, biting at Quinn’s neck and collarbones. Quinn was rock hard at this point, and he needed some sort of friction or he felt like he was going to die . 

“Can you give me head?” He asked, and Bert looked into his eyes. Quinn felt like his heart was going to pound out of his chest – he almost forgot how much he loved the way Bert looked at him. 

Almost.

“Not now – I just, please fuck me, Quinn,” Bert whined, and Quinn swallowed audibly, nodding quickly as he pushed Bert onto the bed. Quinn turned around and walked over to his nightstand, earning a groan of annoyance from the other man.

“I’m gonna grab some lube,” He explained. “You’re so impatient.”

Bert scoffed and ran a hand through his hair. “You’re so slow.”

Quinn flashed him a grin, pulling out the small bottle of lube from his nightstand. He didn’t have sex with guys very often, but on the days that he was down horrendous , sometimes he’d seek out guys who looked similar to Bert and brought them back here to hook up with them. He hadn’t done that since he started seeing Megan though, but right now – Megan was the last thing on his mind. 

Quinn lubed up two of his fingers, and joined Bert on the bed. Bert smiled at him as he spread his legs. Knowing how desperate Bert was at the moment – he immediately began fingering Bert, earning soft whines and moans from him. Quinn watched as Bert threw his head back in pleasure, pushing himself onto Quinn’s fingers, his hands clinging onto the sheets. 

“Fuck it, that’s e-enough. Please, fuck me now , Quinny,” Bert choked out, and Quinn nodded, slowly removing his fingers from Bert. He grabbed the lube and slicked his dick up, before climbing on top of Bert. He slowly pushed himself inside of Bert, watching as Bert bit down on his own lip, staring up at Quinn with watery eyes. Bert reached his arms around Quinn, digging his nails into his back as Quinn pushed himself deeper and deeper into Bert until he felt himself bottom out.

“Jesus Christ,” Quinn groaned, trying his best to stay still so Bert could adjust to the feeling. He had barely prepped him, and he knew there was no way in hell Bert ever bottomed for Gerard, so he wanted to be sure that Bert was okay.

“Move,” Bert ordered, and Quinn smiled widely.

“Oh, you’re just happy as a damn clam, aren’t you!” Bert scoffed, causing Quinn to roll his eyes.

“Shut up,” He smirked, and as Bert opened his mouth to reply, Quinn began thrusting in and out of Bert, causing any potential words to turn into moans. 

“ Fuck !” Bert moaned loudly, and Quinn winced as Bert’s nails continued to scratch Quinn’s back. He was pretty certain Bert had broken the skin at that point – but he didn’t mind one bit. He was too busy enjoying the fact that he was fucking Bert McCracken to care about a few lousy scratches on his back.

“You feel so fucking good, Bert. Missed this, missed you,” Quinn gasped, and Bert nodded in response, pulling Quinn back into a kiss, tongues and teeth hitting each other as Quinn fucked Bert into the mattress. He continued to fuck Bert for a few more minutes, before pulling out gently. Bert looked at him with a raised eyebrow, and Quinn met his eyes.

“I want you to ride me,” Quinn stated, and Bert smiled. 

“ Fuck yes.”

Quinn moved to lay down, and before he could even breathe, Bert lowered himself onto him, causing the two to simultaneously let out a string of curses. Quinn brought one hand to Bert’s ass, the other delicately stroking Bert’s cock. Bert began bouncing up and down on Quinn, and he felt like he was seeing stars from the way Bert felt around him.

“So fucking close,” Quinn moaned in a low tone, and Bert nodded.