Chapter Text
Gerard checked the time again, 20 minutes until he was being picked up. 20 minutes and he had absolutely no idea of what to wear. Great, he thought to himself. I’ll just have to turn up naked. At least Dave would like that…
Instead of not dressing at all, he opted for asking his boyfriend.
16.39 To: Dave <3
Hey what should i wear??
He continued to stare at his wardrobe while waiting for an answer. After five minutes without a reply, he decided to ask Ray.
“Ray?” he called, making his way to the TV, where he knew Ray would be playing some game.
“What’s up?” Ray asked when Gerard entered his view, pausing the game.
Gerard fiddled with the cuffs of his hoodie, looking down. “I don’t know what to wear…”
Ray turned fully to his friend. “I’m sure it doesn’t matter that much, just wear something nice,” he said.
Gerard frowned. “But I don’t know what he would like. I asked him,” Gerard checked his phone again, “but he hasn’t answered yet.”
Ray raised an eyebrow. “Just take a pair of jeans and a button-down. And the red tie, I know you like it.”
Gerard smiled timidly. “Yeah… That would work, right?” He turned to his room again, looking relieved. “Except the red tie, he doesn’t like that one,” he added under his breath.
Ray shrugged and turned back to his game.
---
Ten minutes later Dave knocked on the door. Gerard opened it up for him, ready to go.
“Hi, babe,” Dave said, looking tired. He gave Gerard a once-over, scrunching his nose slightly. “I told you ages ago you should have cut your hair, you look like a girl. At least you showered.”
Gerard’s smile turned into an insecure grimace, his shoulders slumping down. “Sorry…”
Dave rolled his eyes. “Don’t apologize. We better get going, don’t want to be late, do we?”
“Of course,” Gerard said, straightening up and waving goodbye to Ray.
Gerard closed the door behind them and they went down to the car in a comfortable, albeit somewhat nervous, silence.
---
The ride wasn’t long, and soon they were parked outside a relatively big, white house. Gerard unbuckled himself and went to get out of the car when his boyfriend placed his hand on Gerard’s forearm, holding him back.
“Wait a minute,” he said. “Just… Act normal, okay? They don’t expect...you. So don’t be weird, okay?”
“Um…” Gerard said uncertainly.
Dave rolled his eyes again. “Don’t talk too much, and don’t wave your hands around like you do. It makes you look gay.”
Gerard frowned, thrown off. “What?” he asked, confused. “Bu-but I am gay.”
“Well, they don’t have to know that, do they?”
With that, they stepped out of the car and up to the house. Gerard was very confused as how he should act if he couldn’t act like he normally did. He shrugged. I’ll just not talk, and we’ll be fine.
As soon as Dave raised his arm to knock, the door opened to reveal a tall woman. She looked nice, soft features and warm eyes. Gerard relaxed.
“Dave! How nice of you to bring…” His mother trailed off.
“Gerard,” Gerard supplied.
“... Gerard to dinner today,” his mother said. “Nice to meet you.”
Gerard smiled and offered his hand, “Nice to meet you, too.”
Dave gave him an approving smile when his mother turned and showed them into the house.
“Dinner’s on the table, follow me,” she said, and showed them to a table full of food. At the head of the table sat a man, Gerard assumed it was Dave’s dad. “John, this is Gerard, Gerard this is John.”
---
Half-way through dinner Dave’s mother turned to Gerard. “So, Gerard,” she began. “I haven’t seen you before. How long have you known each other?”
Gerard was a bit stunned with the question. “Um…” he started, unsure of how to answer.
“Not very long. Half a year or something,” Dave cut in.
Gerard looked down at his food. ‘ Or something ’, didn’t Dave know how long they’ve been together?
Dave’s mother nodded. “Mutual friends?” she asked.
“Something like that…” Dave said, wisely not telling her that they met at a house party.
“So, do you live far away? Here to visit Dave?” John asked.
Gerard started and looked up. They didn’t know they were together . “Um, no. I live at the University campus,” Gerard said.
John raised an eyebrow. “Oh. What do you study? Science?”
“Art,” Gerard said proudly. Not noticing Dave’s pointed glare. “I’m in my second year. It’s so much work, but totally worth it. I hope to be a full-time artist one day. I really love drawing, especially with charcoal. But the course at the university really got me into painting, as well. I can’t believe I neve-” he abruptly stopped talking with a pained gasp when Dave kicked him rather hard in the shin. His eyes burned almost as much as his leg and he looked down, not wanting to show his wet eyes.
John cleared his throat disapprovingly, his eyes rather icy. “Art. I’ve heard a lot about that course. Homosexuals and transsexuals. No real work. Drugs.”
Gerard’s eyes shot up, unsure. “Actually, it’s trans gender . And there is a lot of work to do. The drugs is just a superstition against creative people who aren’t doing very well in more academic subjects,” he defended.
“I don’t care what they call themselves!” John spat out, at the same time Dave’s mother said:
“But you don’t deny it?”
Gerard looked confused and appalled at their words.
She added, “You don’t deny that everyone is homosexual?”
Gerard, too caught up in their homo- and transphobia, didn’t notice Dave’s death-glare directed at him. “ Everyone isn’t gay,” he said, trying to keep calm. “There are LGBT people in all courses, but yes, there are a lot of people from the community taking art.”
John’s face turned red, a cruel smirk upon his face. “So you’re one of them.” It wasn’t a question.
Gerard turned rigid. How did he know? “So what if I am?” he said defensively.
Dave’s mother turned to Dave, her face a mix of disgust, surprise and hurt . “You brought a homosexual into our house?!” she asked, clearly upset.
Dave looked just as surprised as his mother, but his expression also looked eerily similar to his father’s. “I didn’t know! I wouldn’t have talked to him if I’d known!”
Gerard stared at his boyfriend , for god’s sake. He couldn’t keep his tears to himself this time. Not even his boyfriend would defend him, defend himself .
“I should’ve known,” John gritted out. “That hair . And your jeans are far too tight for being appropriate.”
“Dave..?” Gerard tried between his tears.
“Don’t speak to him!” Dave’s mother snapped, keeping a protective arm around her son. “What are you still doing here?”
“Dave, baby?” Gerard tried again, flinching when John abruptly stood up.
“How dare you imply a relationship with my son, you disgusting fag!” he roared. “Get out of my house! Now!”
Gerard scrambled up from his chair, hurriedly thanking Dave’s mom for the food, before stumbling to the door, John’s hot gaze on his back.
“And don’t ever come back here again! Do you hear me?” John yelled.
Dave stood at the end of the hallway looking at him when he opened the door, eyes cold. “Don’t ever try to contact me again. If I see your face again I’ll bash your fucking teeth in, okay?”
Gerard whimpered and fled the house, not stopping until he didn’t know where he was anymore. He sat down on the sidewalk, hugging his legs to his chest. He couldn’t even think about what happened, he could only cry.
---
Someone touched his shoulder and he flinched away, letting out a scared screech. “No!”
“Hey, it’s okay. I won’t hurt you,” said the person.
After Gerard had made clear it wasn’t Dave or his parents he let himself be helped up.
“Do you have someone to call?” the woman asked.
Gerard nodded, drying his eyes with his hands.
“I’ll wait here until they pick you up, okay?”
Gerard nodded again and made to call Ray.
---
In the car home Gerard couldn’t help but think about how his mother had immediately disliked Dave, and asked millions of questions about him. He made note to never
ever
dismiss her judgement again.