turps

Brendon is wearing a ridiculous shirt (baddest baby) even for Brendon, Gerard thinks. He is sure Gabe will like it, not that Gerard is admitting to listening to Gabe's band. Not that Gerard thinks he's too cool for that, you like what you like, but well...Gabe could get ideas. And Gabe is so full of himself already.

“I'm surprised you even wear anything except underwear these days,” Gerard says.

“That? Oh, you know the underwear is for the stage only,” Brendon answers grinning, but Gerard knows him, there is uncertainty under that grin. Brendon's still pretending.
Gerard wants to sigh, but he lights a cigarette instead – it is a copping mechanism. He takes a deep drag and catches Brendon staring at his lips. This would be such a bad idea, but Gerard won't lie to himself, he was thinking about it, he knows Gabe was thinking about it too. “So...where's Gabe anyway?”

“The hell I know. He's late because he thinks everyone can wait for him.”

“He thinks everyone will wait for him.”

“Yeah, that too,” Gerard answers, exhaling slowly. He is a sadist deep at heart. Brendon glances away from his lips as they hear the footsteps. “You're late.”

“I knew you would wait, Way.”

Gerard huffs. “Fucker.”

“I like your shirt,” Gabe grins at Brendon, ignoring him.
Brendon grins back. Such a bad idea, Gerard thinks.

~+~
It's the seventh not-date they're having – because, you know three guys getting together for dinner, movies and karaoke at every opportunity isn't dating. In what world that possibly could be true Gerard has no idea, but well, he is good at pretending.

“This is all your fault,” Gabe says, his hair a mess and it doesn't get better when he runs a hand through it to get it away from his eyes.
Gerard is pushing his sketchbook under his hoodie. Thank god he wears hoodies in summer too.
Brendon is shivering in his thin t-shirt, that Gerard is pretty pleased about. (Kiss me you animal).

“I didn't know it would rain like that!” Gerard gives back, pushing closer to the tree they're hiding under.
Gabe glares at him, but it looks ridiculous too. Gerard grins.

“What?” Gabe snaps.

“You look ridiculous and water is supposed to make people look hot,” Gerard sniggers.

“Your face looks ridiculous,” Gabe gives back with a grin. “And I don't need cheesy rain-water to make me look hot,” he adds. And that confidence is pretty sexy, Gerard has to admit. He bites his lip and Gabe zooms in on that.
Gerard is pretty sure Gabe's going to do something stupid that will end their not-dating, but in that moment Brendon snuggles into Gerard's side. His wet hair a shock to Gerard's system as it touches his skin.

“Sorry, sorry...I'm just freezing to death while you two are eye-fucking each other,” he mumbles into Gerard's shoulder.

“We're not-”

“Yeah, we so are,” Gabe interrupts him.

Gerard looks up at him and feels Brendon do the same. “It's kind of stupid,” Brendon says softly.

“What?” Gerard asks.

“Taking me with you so that you don't have to deal with the attraction...” Brendon mumbles.
Gabe laughs out loud.

“Gabe!” Gerard says sharply.

“What? Could he get it more wrong? Is he stupid?” Gabe gives back with a grin.

Gerard sighs. “Not helping!”

“Well, let me do this so everybody gets what I mean,” Gabe answers, grabbing Gerard by his hoodie and kissing him hard and messy. There is a strand of Gerard's hair in his mouth that tastes like rain-water and chemicals because he just re-dyed it two days ago. It's like Gerard would've imagined it if he would've imagined it happening at an old graveyard somewhere in the middle of a summer-storm.
He realises he is clutching at Gabe and that Brendon is breathing heavy beside him when Gabe grins and pushes Gerard away carefully.

“Your shirt isn't subtle,” Gabe says, leaning in and kissing Brendon. Gerard watches the rain run down Gabe's face and onto Brendon's lip. Licks his own lips like he could taste them that way.

“Okay...” Brendon breathes awed. “Okay...so, can I kiss Gerard now?” he asks.

“I'm declaring this a date and hell yeah!” Gabe answers.

~end~