Chapter Text
Greta mentally prepares herself for the lock-in. She knows she has to be extra careful tonight, and catch Frank precisely at the right time to come out. Despite the faint buzz of anxiety at the back of her head and her increased heart rate, just knowing that MikeyandPete, RyanandBrendon, and Melanie will have her back, she manages to keep it to a dull roar, and it morphs into bubbly excitement.
After running a straightener through her fiery red hair, she crosses the strands into a French Braid at the back of her head. A perfect eyeliner cateye and a touch of vanilla scented lotion later, she leans back in her chair and exhales, releasing some of her dysphoria into the air around her. She decides to bring her makeup and hair products, because she heard Ryan complaining to Brendon earlier in the week that they stil have yet to give each other makeovers, and she packs it in with her hammock and sleeping bag. She knows it's slightly risky to bring her fleece space sweatpants, but she's feeling brave and hyped today, and she refuses to let her anxiety get the best of her. Sure, she's still afraid of what could go wrong, but again, thank god for Mikey Way.
Frank is internally screaming the entire way to the gym. He no doubt knows he's falling hard for Greta, and is still so captivated by the mystery surrounding her, that he is afraid that he will never be enough. No doubt she is so different from any other girls, not that she has a boyish demeanor similar to some boys he was attracted to, but he knows she is definitely something special. His stomach is churning both with dread and butterflies. Not to mention he wasn't so sure if he would be comfortable sleeping around so many people; he's never felt this self-conscious about his body before, and he knows its stupid and doubts anyone would try to get naked or some shit, but still.
9pm. The doors are locked. Which means Brendon literally squeals because he already downed two cans of grape fanta, and he almost falls on top of Ryan as he struggles to take down the trapeze. Everyone except him is playing freeze tag, and Metallica is blasting through the speakers.
A half hour later, Frank gives up because of his shitty lungs (he really needs to stop smoking), and takes down the highest aerial hammock. He decides he needs to work on his pullovers, but it's kinda hard when he's 5'5" and he can barely reach the sling on his toes. Then he feels someone wrap their arms around his waist and lift him with a small giggle. Frank looks down to see Greta smirking at him.
An hour later, Greta and Melanie are talking about bands and fandoms and the third captain america, painting each other's nails, Ryan has somehow ended up trying to wrestle Brendon, who son't stop squirming and giggling, and Mikey and Pete are being semi-productive trying to put together a lyra and hoop routine, and Frank is chilling up high in the sling, the fabric wrapped around him multiple times, about twenty feet up, yelling at everyone from up high and laughing at his idiotic friends. And also sneaking glances at Gee. Mikey tumbles out of the hoop and lands facefirst, grumbling. That's when he gives up trying to be productive and turns the music down. "HEY GUYS LETS PLAY TRUTH OR DARE!"
Whoops and cheers erupt from everyone, and Frank gracefully does a sling drop to the ground, catching Greta's hazel eyes for a second. She blinks and turns her attention towards Pete, who literally just jumped off the lyra and onto Mikey, and also Ryan attempting to give Brendon a piggy back ride and failing (because seriously, Ryan weighs like 100 pounds, wtf).
Our friends huddle in a circle in the center of the main room. Greta finds herself between Frank and Melanie, and beside Mel, Brendon is in Ryan's lap, and next to them, Pete and Mikey are leaning on each other. Mikey exchanges a glance with Greta and winks at her. She doesn't know whether to be terrified, pissed off at him, or hella excited, because OHMYGOD DID FRANKS HAND JUST BRUSH HERS OMFGS
"Okay i'll start," Mikey murmurs. Brendon for some reason thinks this is a great time to sing, so all of a sudden the air is pierced with "I CHIMED IN WITH A HAVENT YOU PEOPLE EVER HEARD OF CLOSING THE GOD DAMNED DOOR", and he's bouncing on Ryan's lap; Ryan, who looks simultaneously amused and irritated, clamps Brendon's mouth shut with one hand wraps his other around his waist, muffling Brendon's giggles.
The whole group simultaneously cracks up, because seriously, Brendon can get high by just living, and as Greta squeezes her eyes shut as she is overcome with belly laughs, she feels Frank's head lean on her shoulder. And she swallows her anxiety and decides to bury her face in his blue hair.
"OKAY" MIkey bellows. "Hey Brendon, truth or dare?"
Brendon takes a deep breath to stop the giggles and answers, "Truth."
"Have you and and Ryan done it yet?" Ryan's cheeks turn crimson and he buries his face in Brendon's back, which is shaking with unsuppressed laughter.
"Yes!!" The whole group erupts into cheers and whistles.
Brendon suddenly gets up and starts circling the group, leaving Ryan to wrap his arms around his knees.
An evil smirk creeps into his face and he stops by Melanie and Greta.
"Hey Melanie, truth or dare?"
Melanie doesn't skip a beat and smiles sweetly up at him. "Dare."
"Hmmmmm. okay. I dare you to switch clothes with someone in this room for the rest of the night."
Laughter erupts from the entirety of the group, except Melanie, whose cheeks flush deeply. She turns to her side. "Gee, do you mind? I think we're about the same size."
Greta suddenly breaks into a cold sweat and the ringing in her ears gets violent. Her fingertips and her fucking flat chest tingle, her vision tunnels. No. Greta refuses to let a panic attack happen because of some silly little dare Brendon invented. It's not like he specifically targeted her.
So she manages to squeak out a yes and the two get up and go to the bathroom to get changed.
Before they change, Melanie pulls Greta aside. "I'm sorry, Greta, it's just that.... I really didn't wanna exchange clothes with anyone, i didn't think Brendon would think of something like that, but if this makes you uncomfortable..."
"Mel, it's okay. Just... Do you have sweatpants?"
"Yes, i do."
"Okay."
Greta feels proud of herself for being able to fight off her panic attack, and she undoes the braid in her hair to start changing. They turn away from each other to change, and she thanks every god in the world that Melanie also accepts her for who she is. Just Frank left now.
When they get back, Melanie takes a stand against Petekey.
"Hey Pete, truth or dare."
"Dare, obviously, who are you talking to?"
An evil, catlike grin spreads across her face. "I dare you swing off the sling from where it is."
Pete of course does it, and he calls down to his boyfriend: "MIKEY BOO CATCH ME" and drops, and crashes onto the pile of crash pads under him with Mikey standing over him.
"Nice fucking try Pete, but no."
Pete just yanks MIkey's feet out from under him.
The two of them come back to the group, who is literally dying on the floor of laughter. Greta seemed to forget completely about her dysphoria. Frank too.
Pete sweeps his gaze around his friends. Leave it to him. "Frank, truth or dare?"
Frank feels his entire face turn pink as the whole room turns to look at him. "Dare."
Pete claps his hands together like a seal, and soon Brendon joins in (and actually starts making seal noises, so Ryan slaps his ass).
"Okay. I dare you to let Greta do your makeup and you have to wear it until 2am."
Frank throws his head back and laughs a beautiful angelic sound. "Way to set a fucking curfew or shit, Wentz."
Greta throws a gummy worm at Pete. "Yeah, yeah Pete, I'll just do you, and blindfolded, and you have to wear it all day tomorrow."
Frank and Greta disappear into the bathroom. "Okay Frank, prepare to be a fabulous killjoy."
"You hesitant little alien, just paint my face already," he giggles.
Greta starts with foundation for his fair skin. Frank then allows himself to blush, because it's hidden behind the powder. He can't tell if he's imagining it or not, but he thinks Greta's breathing has quickened. Then she moves to work on his eyes. She's leaning in close enough for their noses to touch. "Smokey eye," she murmurs. Her breath tickles his skin. "Close your eyes." He does, and he feels the brush softly spreading powder over his eyelids. He mentally notes that her wrists smell faintly of vanilla. When she's done, she asks him to open his eyes. Greta pulls out blue mascara, and starts applying it to his lashes. All Frank can do is drown in her hazel eyes. She tells him to smile slightly with his mouth closed. He does, and she outlines his lips with pink coral lip liner, and fills them in with a pale pink lipstick, and while she does this, her other hand is resting on the back of his neck, sending shivers down his spine. They don't speak the whole time, save for Gee's instructions for Frank. Her hand holding the lip gloss falls away from his face and she leans back a little to survey her work, but her other hand doesn't move from the back of his neck.
Frank has never felt so nervous or at home in his entire life. He's only known Gee for a few months, but it feels like it's been years. How will she react when he tells her about his own bouts of dysphoria? That he doesn't feel like a guy all the time? A million thoughts of what could go wrong pour through his head, but then he remembers how she literally wrestled him to stop him from overdosing, when she sat with him on his bathroom floor for an hour straight as he released all of his emotions.
"Gee," he whispers. "I... need to tell you something--"
He is cut off by a knock at the door and Pete's voice. "Hey lovebirds!! you've been in there for like 20 minutes, we wanna see it!!"
"PETE SHUT UP WE'LL BE RIGHT OUT, DID YOU FORGET I'M A FUCKING PERFECTIONIST?!!!" Greta booms at the door.
Frank can't help the giddy laugh that falls out of his mouth. He looks back up at Greta's forest eyes. "I have something to tell you too.... later, i suppose?"
"Okay."
Frank, feeling slightly bold, reaches for Gee's hand and squeezes it. To his surprise, she squeezes back, and they exit the bathroom hand in hand.
When the group sees Frank, the whole room goes silent, their gazes drawn to Greta's perfect work. Then Mikey starts clapping, and Brendon yells "YAAAAAAAAAASSSSSSSSS" loud enough to draw the police to the building, and the room erupts in applause.
Both Frankie and Gee, however, know this isn't over yet.