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Gerard & Mikey are hugely rich because Elena was hugely rich and left a hell of a lot of money to them when she died. The parents Way departed to travel the world and live in their vacation home in wherethefuckeverIDEK, but Mikey & Gerard talk to them all the time, though they never see them even on holidays. Gerard hates traveling because even though he was brought up with manners and all those things rich people do to their kids, he'd still prefer to stay in and draw or write than go out and be with PEOPLE because people make him nervous and he doesn't know how to talk to them and it's uncomfortable. And Mikey doesn't like to leave because all his friends (and his brother) are in New York and they had to travel a lot as kids and he's just tired of it. He wants to hang out with people he knows and likes, or meet new people he could potentially see over and over again.
And since they're rich they can pretty much do whatever they want, which for Gerard means art and comics. And he totally had enough money and Mikey enough networking skills for them to start their own small comics company and it's not pulling in huge profits, but they don't care because Gerard can do his thing and aspiring artists/writers send in their stuff hoping to get published and he picks what he likes (or what Mikey likes, but it's usually the same stuff) and then has His People call Their People and do contracts and whatever. And Gerard is proud that he gets to do his own stuff and support other artists.
BUT there have been some weird letters lately. Gerard and Mikey get fan letters and why won't you publish meeeee ;__; letters all the time, but they're always directed to the office address, and these letters are coming to their apartment instead. (And their apartment is in Manhattan and is giant and penthouse-y, but they still have their family ~mansion in Jersey, which Gerard holes up in when he's on deadline or has had a bad breakup or just needs some headspace, and Mikey visits if he needs to drag Gerard out of his funk and/or back to New York.) And the letters are also not so much YAY or WOE but RAGE RAGE RAGE I HATE YOU I WANT YOU TO DIE STABNATION and Gerard and Mikey are pretty freaked out. But of course, the cops can't find out anything because ragey letter sender apparently watches CSI-type shows and knows how not to get caught and the cops pretty much tell Gerard and Mikey that a security system on the apartment and mansion isn't good enough and they need actual security STAFF.
Gerard and Mikey don't like this idea because (1) other people in their space! :/ and (2) someone following them everywhere! D: and (3) this can't actually be happening, can it? O.O and (4) we don't know anything about security who are we even gonna call anyway? :(:(:((((
And they're bemoaning this while at the office and their CEO Jamia says, "You know, my husband is in personal security."
And Mikey and Gerard give her BIG PUPPY EYES and she laughs and ruffles their hair and says she'll go call Frank for them and that they need to make a decision between these two comics TODAY thank you, get on that please, and sails out of the room.
So Frank shows up and he's not the hulking tough guy they expected (because Jamia DOES have pictures of him in her office but Gerard and Mikey respect the Sanctity of her WorkspaceTM and have never been on that side of her desk and never saw the photos), but he's got badass tattoos and a badass attitude and Gerard can totally see him taking down some asshole. And he and Mikey recognize each other because of Pencey Prep and talk a mile a minute about bands. Frank says he'll get Ray in as the other main guard, and have some of the others on a rotating schedule. And Gerard knows everything's going to be fine.
--
The next morning, Frank shows up at oh-dark-thirty, right around the time Gerard is having coffee in the kitchen. Gerard lets Frank in. Frank, Gerard notes with a sigh, is AWAKE and dressed and has a gun holstered under his jacket and is almost bouncing on his toes.
"You don't seem worried," Gerard says as they walk into the kitchen. He makes a beeline for his coffee.
Frank laughs. "This is what I do, man. Bring it." And then he gets a huge grin on his face. "Plus, when you guys go to the office I can work and see J at the same time."
It's adorable how in love with his wife Frank is. Gerard sighs a little. He wants that. He wants to be so in love with someone that he gets dopey grins on his face at the thought of being close to them. But he hasn't been out in months, and his last few relationships have ended pretty badly, and he's not sure if he's in the right headspace for a new one, and anyway, it's not like His Guy is going to come walking in the door, for fuck's sake.
And then Mikey opens the front door and Ray walks in. (Hee.) And Gerard can't look away. Ray kind of looks like a rock star -- white T-shirt, black jeans, boots, and a fantastic leather jacket. And his hair is long and curly and Gerard wants to bury his hands in it. And speaking of his jeans -- my god those THIGHS holy shit. And his hands are HUGE and giving him all kinds of IDEAS and Gerard whips his eyes up because he is seriously staring and SERIOUSLY turned on and this is not professional or polite AT ALL and he can feel Mikey's little smirk from here.
Frank introduces them all. "What's the plan for today?" he asks.
Mikey and Gerard look at each other. It's Wednesday. They usually go in to the office on Tuesdays and Thursdays, since they don't want to be a nuisance. Gerard knows (because Jamia came right out and told him) that having them at work is usually a distraction. And Gerard prefers his studio at the apartment because it has better light and all the fancy art stuff he got because he could but feels guilty about having, sometimes, and so doesn't ever let anyone into his studio EVER (except for Mikey) and also he has a lot of other art he's done that he will NEVER SHOW ANYONE EVEN MIKEY and Gerard abruptly realizes Mikey has said something and everyone is now looking at him.
He looks at the floor and feels his face flush and rubs the back of his neck and looks up through his hair (he has NOT practiced in front of the mirror, shut up).
"New story idea?" Mikey asks.
No, but -- "Yeah," Gerard says, grateful for an out. He flashes everyone a smile. "I'm going to get started on it before I forget it."
Mikey waves him off, turning to Frank and Ray. "He's like that," Gerard hears him say as he heads for his studio. "Off in his own world a lot of the time. Don't take it personally."
Gerard snorts to himself. Right, like Mikey doesn't do it, too?
He locks his studio door behind him and leans against it. Okay. So Ray is smoking hot and is going to be HERE every day for the foreseeable future and Gerard needs to GET A GRIP.
He spends the rest of the day holed up in his studio, drawing and writing and chain-smoking. And although he ends up throwing away pretty much everything he creates, at least it gives him some time to think and to convince himself that he's capable of holding himself in check around Ray. He ventures out when he smells pizza sometime after sundown.
Mikey laughs at him. "I knew this would get your attention," he says. Gerard ignores him and snatches a slice. He stands over the box so he doesn't have to get a plate and absently takes the Coke that's held out to him. He's in the middle of a long swig when he sees that it's Ray who gave him the Coke. He very nearly chokes, but manages to get the soda down.
"Hi," he says. And feels stupid.
"Hi," Ray says back. He smiles brilliantly before edging around Gerard to get his own slice of pizza.
Oh, man. Gerard is so awful at small talk. "All quiet?" he tries, looking down at his pizza.
"As it should be," Ray replies. "We're hoping nothing happens, but we're here just in case."
"Okay." Gerard takes a big bite of his pizza so he can think. Damn it, what else can he say? Why is talking so difficult? "What did you guys do all day?"
"Video games, movies, nothing exciting."
"Oh, cool." And then Frank and Mikey wander back into the room, thank God, and the conversation shifts and Ray turns away a bit. Gerard sighs. What the hell is with him? He's not usually this shy. He forces himself to stay in the kitchen and join the discussion, and it gets a little easier and he does actually converse like a normal person.
--
The next day they go to the office and do office-y things and Gerard is charmed by Frank and Jamia for those few times they both let themselves be distracted from work to be adorable together. ♥
Things go pretty well for a few days, but on Monday there is another RAGE DIEDIEDIE letter. Ray and Frank are hyper-vigilant, as are Alicia and Dewees when they come in for their shifts, but Mikey is very clearly getting twitchy about not going out with his friends, and to be honest, Gerard is starting to go a little nuts. Little things keep catching his attention and making him irritable. Other people's shoes in the foyer. Other people's jackets draped over kitchen chairs. Other people's music playing in the den. HE KNOWS PEOPLE ARE THERE. And it's not like he doesn't LIKE the people -- he definitely does! But he wants at least a few hours completely alone. Is that too much to ask? :(
By Thursday night Mikey is seriously getting on Gerard's nerves. They snap at each other. Which they NEVER do. And then they look at each other all :( ): and Mikey declares:
"I'm going out tomorrow night."
And Frank and Ray start working out a plan. "One of us here should be good, but if there's any going-out I think there should be two," Frank says.
"I'll go with him," Ray says immediately. Gerard is a little hurt that Ray was so quick to go, but mostly relieved.
Frank nods, then gives Ray a sly look as he puts the phone to his ear. Gerard isn't sure what's going on with that; he hopes one of them explains.
"Wait, no, Frank," Ray says just as Frank says, "Alicia? Need you tomorrow night. Club wear." There is a pause. Frank looks at Mikey. Mikey stares back at Frank, expression not changing. "Yeah, I think so." Another pause. "Great. See you then."
Ray groans, but doesn't say anything. Gerard still has no idea what's going on.
--
Gerard is too worried to sleep while Mikey, Ray, and Alicia are out at the clubs. Gerard tries to hang out in his studio, but he can't focus and ends up pacing circles. What if something happens? He paces and paces and finally throws up his hands in frustration. He needs a distraction.
So after Dewees relieves Frank late in the evening, he gets Dewees to watch both Ghostbusters movies and snark at the screen with him. Dewees is cool. Gerard doesn't have a massive crush on Dewees, and Dewees doesn't seem to care if there's a lull in the conversation, and he seems to get a real kick out of Gerard's comments, and he keeps cracking Gerard up with his own. It's all good. But in the quieter moments of the movies, when they're not talking, Gerard can't help but worry.
He finally relaxes when he hears the key in the lock and Mikey and Alicia walk in with their arms around each other. And Gerard finally gets what had been going on yesterday. He's so blind. How had he missed THIS?
And he has to laugh inwardly. Oh, God. He and Mikey are falling in love with their bodyguards. What a cliché. :/
--
Mikey moves a lot faster than Gerard. By the following Friday he's taken Alicia out twice, with Dewees going along to keep an eye on things. But Gerard is talking to Ray now. They find out they each have Opinions on music and movies and things, and Ray easily keeps up when Gerard rambles down some rabbit-trail of a conversation topic. And Ray doesn't cut him off, ever, even when he's talking about topics most people think are supremely weird or morbid. ♥ He just keeps smiling and looking at Gerard while Gerard talks and occasionally nods or makes some gesture with those HANDS dear God and sometimes Gerard has to stop rambling and pay attention to what he's saying so he doesn't start rhapsodizing about Ray's EVERYTHING and seriously, Gerard knows that if he could just muster up the courage to ask Ray out it would be MAGICAL but he can't right now. That idea is just too stressful and he's already stressed out about the ragey letter sender and having people in his space 24/7, so he just keeps putting it off. And Ray could ask him, right? Ray would ask him, if he was interested. They're both grown men. They can ask each other out.
But they don't. ;__;
--
Another week passes. Gerard is really glad that their apartment has great insulation because Alicia is hanging out when it's not her shift, and she and Mikey keep disappearing and Gerard just KNOWS they're having wild monkey sex and HE DOES NOT WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT. D: And he definitely never ever EVER wants to HEAR it, so thank God for insulation. And having a studio on the far side of the apartment from the bedrooms.
But Gerard can't help but feel safer knowing Alicia is there in addition to Ray and Frank because from what he's heard, she is a crack shot even when she's hungover and half-asleep. And he kind of likes her. :)
--
They get another I HATE YOU I WISH YOU WOULD DIE >:( letter and turn it into the police, but still nothing. Detective Ballato promises to keep looking into things, though she doesn't seem hopeful.
Otherwise, the next few weeks go all right. They go to the office and do their publishing thing, Mikey and Alicia go out with his friends and hers, Gerard gets some art and writing done. And Gerard and Ray continue to be smitten but don't do anything about it. Even though Gerard is almost to the breaking point. Ray's hands and thighs just DO things to him, God.
And then one day Ray brings his guitar. Gerard knows he plays, because he's talked about it a lot, has talked about jamming with Frank, has even brought in some CDs of bands he's played with. But he's never played For Gerard. (And it is absolutely clear that he's playing For Gerard this time because he gets all flustered when Mikey makes a comment about it and Frank just has this LOOK on his face.) Ray plays. And Gerard is entranced.
Oh, man, his HANDS. Gerard watches his fingers move on the neck of the guitar, quick and sure, and he gets sidetracked watching Ray's forearms as he strums the guitar, and then he notices how the muscles in his upper arms bulge as he plays.
He is going to implode if he doesn't do something. Now.
He stands abruptly and grabs Ray's arm. "I need your help with something," he blurts out, and practically drags Ray from the room.
Behind them, Mikey and Frank lose it, both laughing their asses off. Gerard is going to kill them both. Later. Right now, all he can think about is Ray. Gerard pushes Ray up against the wall and kisses him. And it is so RIGHT. Ray's hands come up to cradle Gerard's head and his fingers are moving through Gerard's hair and yes, yes, this is exactly what he's been wanting. They kiss until Gerard can't breathe, until he has to pull back and gasp for air. He leans in to kiss Ray again, presses closer and--
"Holy shit." Gerard pulls his head back just a smidge and grinds in with his hips. Oh, yeah. Yeah, that's Ray's cock. "Why hello, Ray," he says.
"Oh God, Gerard," Ray gasps.
Gerard pulls his hips back and runs his fingers along Ray's cock. Damn he's big. Gerard looks up. He's going to be so sore later.
Fuck yeah.
Ray grabs his hands. "Bedroom?"
Gerard smiles. Now that he took the first scary step, this is surprisingly easy. And so, so worth it. Why didn't he do this weeks ago? He bites Ray's earlobe.
"That's my boss and your brother out there," Ray says. His eyes roll when Gerard grinds in again. "Fuck, not out here."
Gerard lets up, tugs on Ray's hand. "This way."
They stumble into the bedroom and Ray shuts and locks the door behind them.
--
Hahaha no I'm not writing the porn! *blush* Use your imagination. I'm sure it's just as dirty as mine!
--
Gerard almost lets himself forget why Ray and Alicia and Frank and Dewees are always around. He is really enjoying having Ray as a boyfriend. He's sweet and funny and so very skilled. >:) Gerard doesn't even care that Mikey and Alicia are being sickeningly lovey-dovey because he's certain he and Ray are just as bad -- certain because Frank and Dewees have commented on it. A lot. Like, multiple times per day. Sometimes every hour on the hour, just to make sure they've been heard. And of course Gerard takes that as a CHALLENGE and Ray kind of blushes as he goes along with it because hey hello THAT IS HIS BOSS, GERARD! UH, WHAT ARE YOU -- HNGH OKAY BEDROOM NOW. X__X
Frank complains that he's going to quit paying Ray and Alicia because they spend their time macking on Ways during their shifts. Dewees notes that it would be smarter to have Ray swap night shift with him, since he's going to be around anyway. But Frank does care about doing his job right.
"We gotta talk about this," Frank says one Monday while they're eating lunch. Everyone looks up at him. He sighs.
"I am aware that there's magic in the air or some shit. But seriously. If you're on shift"--he shoots Alicia and Ray vicious glares--"you have to be not fucking or necking or doing anything else that makes you COMPLETELY UNWARE of your surroundings." He turns on Mikey and Gerard. "You two! We're trying to keep you safe. So when they're on shift, let them work." He leans right over the table, getting all up in Gerard's face. "And for the love of God PLEASE stop trying to upset me or gross me out or whatever the hell you think you're doing. You won't win." He slams his hands on the table once, glares at everyone in turn, and stalks out of the room.
There is silence for a long moment. Alicia leans back to look at the ceiling. Mikey sighs and slumps in his chair. Ray, who's blushing furiously, lays his head on the table and groans. Gerard fiddles with his fork. He'd thought it was funny, trying to rile Frank up, and he'd been so happy to have a boyfriend again and had been enjoying random sexytimes during the day. But now Frank is actually pissed and it's no longer funny and Gerard isn't feeling so giddy. Mostly, he feels ashamed and guilty and wants to apologize and kind of wants to go paint something to distract himself from feeling like shit.
Frank walks back in and leans against the doorway. "We clear?"
They all nod.
"Okay. Now, one more thing." Frank folds his arms and glares. "When exactly were you going to tell me about your company party?"
"Um..." Gerard looks at Mikey, who rolls his eyes at Gerard.
"I was going to mention it when it got closer," Mikey says. "It's a week from Friday."
"It is?" Gerard asks.
Mikey sighs, the most epic long-suffering sigh Gerard has ever heard. And Mikey's sighed some pretty epic sighs before. Gerard would be impressed, except that the sigh is directed at him, so it just makes him feel even worse. "It's on the calendar, isn't it," Gerard says quietly.
"Has been for a month," Mikey says.
"Oh." Gerard looks down at his hands. He doesn't have anything to do with scheduling. He just has to sign the checks and show up. And Mikey always tells him morning of if there is something important going on. And, okay, well, he's been kind of... distracted lately. Like, more than usual. He has legit reasons not to remember the party!
But Frank is glowering at him like THIS PARTY IDEA IS YOUR FAULT WHY ARE YOU SUCH AN IDIOT? >:| and Mikey is giving him this exasperated look of WHY CAN'T YOU REMEMBER SHIT, EVER? :/ and Gerard can't look at them because he and Ray were pretty obnoxious and he gets why Frank is frustrated about that, but this party thing isn't his fault -- he's not in charge of it! He didn't even remember it was coming up! /o\ -- and this guilty feeling really, really sucks. He just sits, heart hammering, starting to panic, and when he feels Ray's hand on his shoulder he just can't handle it and bolts from the room.
--
Gerard can't even remember whose idea the party was, originally. Hell, it might've been one of their interns who suggested it. Whatever the case, though, as soon as the idea was out there, people glommed onto PARTAY WAHOO! and Gerard resigned himself to funding it and attending it. At least he just had to write the check and show up. Jamia had a party-planner friend who took care of everything, and Mikey had a DJ friend to handle music, and they convinced even the most antisocial of the writers and artists to show up, and for three years now Gerard has been hanging around the edges of the party watching the interplay between the socially awkward and the socially adept: the butterflies flitting from conversation to conversation, the awkward turtles twitching near the buffet, the chatty geeks having srs bsns shouting matches on one end of the room, the new-found bffs having an intense discussion on the couch.
But since Gerard doesn't have anything to do with the PLANNING, ever, and to be honest he often forgets what day it is, much less what MONTH, he can't honestly be surprised he'd forgotten about the party. But Frank had just AMBUSHED him with it after YELLING at him earlier and he didn't forget on purpose, it just happened. There was no reason for Frank to be so MEAN about it. People forget things!
So he's sulking brooding, okay? He knows he's not the best at keeping track of things, but it's not like he MEANT to make Frank's job harder by having the party. It wasn't even his IDEA, he doesn't even want to GO, and why is Frank mad at HIM, anyway, when Mikey could've told him about the party, too! UGH, WHY CAN'T THINGS GO BACK TO NORMAL? /o\
And so he stays in his room that evening, doesn't even open the door for Ray. And the next morning when Mikey knocks on his door to ask if he's going to the office with them he doesn't answer, just pulls the blankets over his head and continues staring at the wall, sulking brooding.
He gets up eventually because he has to pee and really needs a cigarette (and coffee, but he can live without it, he is sulking brooding and is making a Point and if he ventures out for coffee his drama llama statement will be ruined, so there). He hangs around his room for most of the morning even though he gets bored because there's nothing on TV and he doesn't want to read and all his art stuff is in his studio, but he finds a notepad and a pen and writes and doodles and there is maiming and bloodshed in the doodles but it's not nearly as satisfying drawing hacked-off limbs and things when he doesn't have a red pen, *sigh*. He makes it until nearly noon, when hunger and his caffeine headache finally get the better of him and he sneaks into the kitchen for sustenance. He eats a quick sandwich and downs some much-needed coffee, then snags the open bag of Doritos and another cup of coffee before he turns to head for his studio.
And almost drops his coffee because Ray is leaning against the doorway, watching him. Gerard freezes. They stay like that for a long moment, then Ray walks forward, takes the coffee and Doritos from Gerard and puts them on the counter, and wraps Gerard in a hug.
Gerard sighs, leaning in, burying his face in Ray's shoulder. "Sorry," he says.
"Tact is not Frank's strong suit." Ray rubs Gerard's back with one hand, anchoring him close with the other. It feels nice. Damn it, Ray's been here all morning. They could've been doing THIS all morning. Gerard sighs. He's so stupid sometimes.
"Sorry," he says again. Ray doesn't reply, just runs his hand up to Gerard's neck, stroking his thumb back and forth under Gerard's ear. It tickles a little, but this all feels too nice, so Gerard just leans against Ray and lets Ray pet him. Eventually, Gerard leans back.
"How are you so nice?" he asks.
"You make it easy," Ray says, then tips Gerard's chin up and kisses him.
It's so sweet and right and exactly what Gerard has been needing and didn't realize. He closes his eyes and goes with it, basking. God, how did he get so lucky?
When they finally break for air, Ray leans his forehead against Gerard's and just... grins this big sweet grin. "Hi," Gerard says.
"Hi," Ray replies. "Better?"
"Yeah. Sorry."
"It's okay. As long as you're not going to go hide in your room again," Ray says, pinching Gerard's side. Gerard twitches away from him, laughing.
"No, I'm good." He pinches Ray back, and then there is more kissing, and when they break apart again Gerard says, "So... movie?"
And they end up spending the rest of the afternoon cuddling on the couch watching whatever made-for-TV movies are on Syfy, making fun of the crappy dialogue and so-so special effects, muting the TV and kissing during the commercials and not caring at all if they miss the five ten minutes after the commercials because of KISSING, and it is sweet and comforting and seriously, BEST AFTERNOON. ♥
And then Mikey and Frank come home and Gerard apologizes for being So Dramatic and Frank apologizes for being an asshole and Mikey hugs Gerard without saying anything and Gerard hugs him back (because they don't NEED to say anything, they both get each other and they are totally fine) and Ray looks pretty relieved and EVERYTHING IS OKAY AGAIN. :)
--
So. The party. Frank figures it all out. He and Dewees and Ray and Alicia are all going to be there keeping an eye on things, and Frank calls in Jarrod and Jimmy and Steve and Kitty (just in case). So there is a plan and Frank's going to actually be able to hang out with Jamia at this party for once, because of course everyone at the company was allowed to bring guests, but Frank's always had some work thing on party night before and so couldn't go. But this time his work thing IS the party, so... yay?
And Gerard is maybe a little more excited about the party this time than he ever has been before because this time HE HAS A DATE :D and someone other than Mikey to rescue him from conversations when he wants to escape. And yeah, he's nervous, too, because ragey letter sender of course mails them ANOTHER letter on Thursday all THIS PARTY WILL BE YOUR LAST YOU WILL PAY. They pass the letter on to Detective Ballato and give her a heads-up about the party and she agrees to come to keep an eye on things, too. And Gerard relaxes a little. This many people with guns and sharp eyes around? Should be fine, right? And maybe they'll catch the guy and things will go back to normal! Except that he's keeping Ray and he wants to keep hanging out with Frank, just maybe not every minute of the day and maybe when Frank can actually stop being on alert and just chill. 'Cause Gerard has a feeling that not-on-guard!Frank will be a pretty awesome friend.
Anyway, when Frank and Ray show up the morning of the party, they're both pretty casual. Like, Frank's in jeans and a Steelers shirt and Ray's in his jeans and boots and white T and leather jacket (which Gerard will never TELL him but is his favorite outfit on Ray ever because rock star! and hot! and first meeting! and hngh he's just looking damn fine, okay, don't judge). Gerard kind of wants to send them home to change before the party because... party? But then he and Mikey exchange a look and Mikey shrugs at him and Gerard cocks his head a little and shrugs back. And so Gerard doesn't wear the flashy suit he'd gotten for the party but wears jeans and a T shirt and a white jacket he picks for the sole reason that he thinks it looks nice next to Ray's leather jacket (don't tell Ray) and Mikey wears a promo shirt from Gerard's comic with jeans and a green hoodie that Gerard hates and thinks looks silly (DON'T TELL MIKEY). But whatever. Alicia looks fantastic in this sleeveless shirt that shows off her tattoos. And her gun holster. *__*
So they leave for the party and Frank and Ray and Alicia are On Alert but everything goes fine, and then they're hanging out at the party, which is more fun than usual, as Gerard had predicted. He dances with Ray and talks to people and watches Mikey dance with Alicia, and Frank with Jamia, and eats the amazing food Jamia's caterer friend makes, and it's good. Maybe nothing's going to happen after all?
Except as they're getting ready to leave, this wild-eyed crazy guy comes busting in through the small crowd, waving a gun around. There is screaming and panic as the guests bolt around the guy or try to find somewhere to hide. Gerard freezes where he is, everything seeming to slow down and go quiet. He sees Mikey by one of the buffet tables, two drinks in his hands, alone. Spots Alicia near the front door, signaling to Kitty and Jarrod, her hand on her gun as she tenses up. There's Jamia ducking behind a table as Frank and Jimmy edge toward ragey letter sender. Steve pushing guests behind a table, Mikey dropping to the floor, Kitty flipping the table in front of them as she reaches his side. And then Ray's stepping in front of Gerard, gun pointed right at ragey letter sender's face. And everything snaps back to normal, volume turning up all at once.
Ragey letter sender is ranting about this idea of his and how he's always been shot down and Gerard and Mikey are just like everyone else, can't see his VISION, what is wrong with society, what is wrong with THEM, he will take over and SHOW THEM who is the best. He stares at Gerard, bringing his gun around.
"You're through, Way," he says, and Gerard grabs Ray around the waist when he sees the guy's trigger finger start to squeeze, hauling Ray sideways with him to the floor. He hears gunshots and thuds and frantically flips Ray over, running his hands all over him to be sure he hasn't been shot. Ray pushes him back, getting to his knees.
But it's over. Frank is sitting on the guy, knees on his upper arms, pushing his face into the floor. Frank must have tackled him because he is BADASS like that. Gerard can't hear what he's saying, but he looks PISSED. The guy's screaming and thrashing around. His hand is bleeding from a bullet wound, and when Gerard looks around he isn't surprised to see Alicia putting her gun away. And then he looks back to ragey letter sender as he almost bucks Frank off him, but Dewees is there and sits on ragey letter sender's legs and tells him to shut the hell up, he's not going anywhere, they'll break his arms if he doesn't cool it.
Detective Ballato cuffs the guy and carts him off. Jamia calms down the party guests and catering crew and sends them all home. Jimmy and Jarrod and Kitty and Steve wave and depart, and Dewees takes one last look around, whispers something in Alicia's ear that makes her laugh and slap him upside the head, and heads out, too.
"We can get them home," Ray says. Alicia nods. Both of them are still in full Protective Mode, and Gerard is okay with that. He's still a little shaky from the adrenaline crash.
Frank looks around at all of them. "Okay," he says. "Be careful." Then he stops for a minute. "I guess you won't need us hanging around now, huh?"
"Not while you're being paid, no," Mikey says.
"But come over Friday, both of you," Gerard says.
Jamia reaches up to ruffle his hair. Frank folds his arms and smirks. "Sounds good," he says.
And then everyone goes home to have WE DIDN'T DIE I LOVE YOU sex with their partners. \o/
And they all hang out all the time, and during the investigation and trial and stuff they get to be good friends with Detective Ballato Lindsey. And it's great. And eventually Ray moves in and Mikey moves OUT -- but just downstairs because they buy another floor of their building and make it into another giant awesome apartment and Mikey and Alicia move in together and everyone’s happy having their own space and most importantly Gerard and Mikey never ever EVER have to worry about hearing each other have SEX thank GOD. But everyone hangs out at Gerard's place all the time anyway and sometimes they play music together but mostly THEY LIVE HAPPILY EVER AFTER. THE END.