Frank's POV. "Hey Frank, what's up with your lips?" I was asked as I went about my manager's duties

"Hey Frank, what's up with your lips?" I was asked as I went about my manager's duties. Erica and Mimi had noticed straight away.

"I had chili soup for lunch. It was hot and spicy. Gerard had the same. It fully burned our mouths and our lips. But it was good. I highly recommend you try it some time," I lied.

"Oh. Well, you know sometimes if I kiss a guy for too long my lips look like that too," Erica pointed out. She was so onto Gerard and I.

"Oh really?" Gerard asked, appearing beside her with a tracing in his hands.

"Yeah," Erica spoke, exchanging looks between Gerard and I.

"Well, clowns have the same look as well. And so do people who eat fire," Gerard replied.

"Oh. How do you know that?" Erica asked.

"I fuck fire duh," Gerard joked, walking off to begin tattooing his client. I couldn't help but giggle at how Gerard was so nonchalant with how he said he fucked fire. I was glad that he was coming out of his shell and was joking around with us. A couple of months ago, everything would've turned out so much different.

"So Frank. I was wondering if you wanted to come partying with Mimi and I on Saturday," Erica suggested.

"This Saturday?" I clarified. I noticed Gerard's head snap up from the other side of the room.

"Yeah. This Saturday," Erica said.

"Oh, I can't this Saturday, I have a date," I told her.

"So you've moved on from Gerard then?" Erica asked, her eyes boring into me.

"Uh, sure," I replied not very confidently.

"Well then, if I were to ask Gerard out, you wouldn't mind?" Erica asked.

"You got a cock Erica?" Gerard shouted from across the room.

"No. Of course not!" Erica exclaimed back to him.

"Well then not interested. Sorry babe," he replied. He'd taken to calling her babe a lot these days. And she didn't seem to mind.

"So, if you're not over Gerard, why are you dating someone else?" Erica asked.

"Ok, enough questions about my dating life. You've got a client you're supposed to be tattooing," I informed her.

Erica walked away and I went over to 'manage' Gerard. We were just talking and I was helping him. I knew Erica would find out some time, but I wasn't sure exactly when. I didn't want to tell her right away. She would be a pain in the ass about it and constantly ask me about everything. She was a good friend, but I just didn't want to have to put up with the staring and questions.

By the time Gerard and I were due to finish, Mikey walked into the parlor without his girlfriend. He also had a sad look on his face.

"Mikey! What's the matter? And where's your girlfriend?" Gerard asked him.

"She dumped me," Mikey spoke as Gerard wrapped his arms around his brother. And that's when I came up with a brilliant plan.

"Erica, come into my office for a moment," I said to her. She eagerly followed me inside while Gerard was consoling his brother.

"So what did you wanna tell me?" she asked me.

"What do you think of Gerard's brother?" I asked her. Erica peered out of the door and looking at the guy in Gerard's arms.

"He's pretty cute. Where can I get one of him?" she asked me, making me giggle.

"Well, I was kinda thinking that you've not had much luck with asking guys out, so what if I introduced you to Mikey? Just take things slow and be friends with him first. You can hang out with Gerard, Mikey and I tonight at say 7 o'clock at their apartment," I suggested.

"Really? Frankie, since when were you Mr. Matchmaker?" she asked me.

"Well you are my best female friend. I can't just shut you out completely all because I'm dating Gerard-- oh shit!"

"I knew it! I knew it!" she exclaimed excitedly, jumping up and down on the spot.

"Shhh! You can't tell anyone. It's only early days still," I voiced to her.

"Ok. Can you introduce me to Mikey now?" she asked.

I grabbed Erica's hand and brought her over to Mikey and Gerard who were talking about what happened. Mikey's girlfriend finally got asked out by some guy she liked in high school and so she dumped Mikey for the other guy.

"Hey Mikey," I said, acknowledging him.

"Hey Frank," he said. We hugged one another.

"Mikey I want you to meet Erica. She's one of my good friends," I said to him.

"Hey," she spoke. Mikey couldn't take his eyes away from her.

"Hi," he replied. "I'm Mikey. It's nice to meet you."

"Erica's coming over to your apartment tonight at 7 to watch DVDs with us," I said. "Oh and Gerard. She knows. But she has promised not to tell anyone," I told him. Gerard raised his eyebrows.

"Everyone will know by lunch time tomorrow," he pointed out to me.

"I don't care. Erica's my good friend," I told him. He nodded as though to understand.

"It's ok. As long as they don't stare at us I am happy," Gerard replied. "Because it means I can touch you whenever I please."

"Shut up now please brother," Mikey said. "So, those boobs... they look amazing. They almost look real. What cup-size are you?" he asked Erica. Gerard put his hand over his brother's mouth.

"Mikey Way! Even I know not to say that to a girl! And I don't date them." Gerard exclaimed.

"No, it's fine. I don't mind telling people about my assets. They're double-D, just so you know," Erica informed him.

"Well, we should get going. I have to see my Mom," Gerard explained. "We'll see you tonight. Frank will text message you our apartment's address," he said to Erica.

And with that we were off to Gerard's apartment to see his Mom.