Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/1159047.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      My_Chemical_Romance, MCR_-_Fandom
  Relationship:
      frerard_-_Relationship, Frank_Iero/Gerard_Way, Frank/Gerard, Gerard/
      Frank, Gerard_Way/Frank_Iero
  Character:
      Frank_Iero, Gerard_Way, Jamia_Nestor, Mikey_Way, Ray_Toro, Lindsey
      Ballato
  Additional Tags:
      Frerard, mychem, rival_high_schools, highschoolAU, choirs, rival_choirs,
      Rivals, Rivalry
  Stats:
      Published: 2014-01-29 Updated: 2014-01-30 Chapters: 2/? Words: 4714
****** When Two Rivals Sing ******
by aellae_mcr
Summary
     Senior Gerard Way is the new president of Belleville High's choir.
     His rival, Frank Iero, is a senior at Belleville High's rival school,
     Queen of Peace, and is president of their choir. What happens when
     the two get to know each other?
***** Chapter 1 *****
Wednesday afternoons have been Gerard Way's favorite time of the week ever
since he joined Belleville High's choir his freshmen year. He didn't know if it
was the fact that he had the best choir teacher ever, who helped him develop
his voice and stretch it to be able to go even higher and lower then he'd been
able to make it go before, or if it was the fact that when he was in choir
people respected him and asked for help when they couldn't quite figure out how
to manipulate their voices to fit a song. Even those who shoved him against
lockers any other time of day respected him more when he was in choir.
Either way, Gerard Way loved Wednesday afternoons.
It was the first Wednesday of his senior year of high school, and Gerard was as
excited as ever to get back to choir. The day seemed to quickly go by; math,
English, science, and P.E. were all a blur. His last class, art, left him in a
happy mood, and now he was heading to the Belleville High's music department so
he could go to choir.
"Hello, my lovely choir," Mr. Weaver, the flamboyant music director said once
the students had filed into the classroom, "Did you all enjoy your summers?"
The only reaction the teacher got were daring glares from students who had
heard that question one too many times over the past few days.
"Good, good! I'm happy to see all of your faces today," he said as he clasped
his hands together and began to pace the front of the room, "Now, as you know,
auditions for new students to be accepted into the choir are in two weeks.
Also, since it is the first day back, I need to pick a senior to be choir
president. The president's duties will be to help out with auditions, help
organize and plan practices and performances, and to help with picking the
wardrobe for performances. Every year I appoint a senior who has been in the
choir since their freshmen year as president because they have the most
experience. The person I pick always has an amazing voice and real talent, with
potential to be ever greater. Being president is a great responsibility, and I
hope the person I chose is up to the task."
Mr. Weaver was looking directly at Gerard. Gerard felt a nudge from his right
and turned his head to look at Lindsey. She was smiling at him, gesturing with
her head towards Weaver to indicate that she thought it was him. Returning the
smile, Gerard rolled his eyes and shook his head, indicating that no, it
probably wasn't him.
"Gerard Way," Mr. Weaver called, "would you step up and become choir
president?"
Gerard turned front, his mouth open and eyes wide. Despite his friend's
insisting, he honestly wasn't expecting to be the president. He was shocked, to
say the least. Honored, but shocked.
"Um... I.... Um.... Yeah, I-I'd love to!" Gerard answered, stuttering in
surprise. A smile creeped its way onto Mr. Weaver lips.
"Fantastic! Well then, let's get started! Come, come, get your books and open
to page twenty-three, I want to practice singing 'Blackbird'!" Mr. Weaver cried
as he rushed his students to the cabinets to grab their books.
"Told you so," Lindsey said as she shoved Gerard a little.
"Shut up," he replied, blushing. Lindsey giggled as she took off to grab her
book. As he followed to get his book, his younger brother and their best friend
approached him.
"Gee! Congrats!" His younger brother, Mikey, said as he gave Gerard a giant
hug.
"Yeah, man, now I can say I'm best friends with the president!" Ray Toro agreed
while promptly slapping Gerard on the back.
"Yes, because being president of a choir strikes fear into the hearts of so
many helpless citizens," Gerard replied sarcastically, smirking slightly and
trying to hide his giggles at Toro's ever-growing fro as it bounced when Ray
spoke.
"Totally. You could sing in some secret choir code, and immediately a bunch of
singing soldiers would back you up in a war, especially if the war is against
Queen of Peace," Ray retorted.
"Ew, don't even say that name," Mikey said, scrunching up his face at the
mention of the Catholic school that harbors Belleville High's rival choir, "a
bunch of fucking holy rollers who all think they're better than us just because
their mommies and daddies have money."
"Come on, guys, Queen of Peace isn't that bad," Lindsey said once the four had
made their way to their seats.
"You're just saying that because Jamia Nestor goes there," Gerard retorted,
saying "Jamia Nestor" in his girliest, dreamiest voice.
"Fuck off," Lindsey replied, "besides, you know I don't roll that way, Way. We
were drunk and playing truth or dare. It was one fucking kiss. Honestly, Gee,
you're obnoxious with this. It was funny at first, but now it's just annoying."
"Don't worry, Lindsey. Gerard is just excited that he's not the only one who
barely gets any action unless it's in a drunken game of truth or dare," Ray
said.
"Not true! I get plenty of action," Gerard sneered back.
"Gee, I don't think your right hand counts, even if you're gay and a man,"
Mikey answered coolly, not looking up from his book as he flipped it over to
the correct page. Gerard was about to answer, but Weaver decided to begin with
the warm-ups listed on the page to go along with "Blackbird" and all
conversation ceased until after the practice.
**
Two weeks later, Gerard was again walking from his art class to choir, this
time with a notebook and pen handy so he could take notes on the different
people who were trying out. There were ten people trying out for four potential
spots. This was going to be hard.
**
Three hours of Mr. Weaver and Gerard comparing notes resulted in the decision
to accept two girls and two boys, freshman Samantha Drexal, junior Phoebe
Masion, sophomore George Davenport, and freshman Travis Taylor.
When the results were posted the next day, Gerard desperately hoped his
decision wouldn't hurt the feelings of the other six students who had tried
out. Sure, they were all dicks to him, but Gerard wasn't heartless like most
people seemed to be.
That day, Mr. Weaver called Gerard into his office at lunch.
"Gerard, I have an important announcement to make at the next choir meeting
that I think you should hear about first," Mr. Weaver informed Gerard.
"What is it, sir?" Gerard asked.
"We're participating in a chorale competition in two months," Weaver replied,
"I'm going to need help picking out songs and a wardrobe."
"Really!? That's awesome! Can we do some kind of punk-y rock 'n roll theme?"
Gerard asked excitedly.
"I like the way you think, kid. Now, go pick out some music," Weaver said with
a smile on his face, dramatically shooing Gerard out of his office. Gerard
found himself beaming. For once, he couldn't wait to get to math class so he
could share the news with Ray and Lindsey.
**
"Dude, that's awesome!" Ray whisper-yelled once Gerard had told him the news.
"Yeah, and the whole rock theme thing, that's fucking epic, Gee," Lindsey
whispered in agreement.
"I know right!" Gerard whispered loudly, earning him and his friends a glare
from Mrs. Daniels, the cruelest being in existence, ever. The three immediately
shut up and did their work for the duration of the period.
**
When school let out, the three seniors met up with little junior Mikey and told
him the news, he gave a giant grin that made it all the way to his eyes,
something that would be a giant-ass hug from someone who showed more emotion
than a block of wood.
"That's awesome! I can't wait to see music you pick out, Gee! Man, we could do
Misfits, Iron Maiden, the Beatles, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, the Rolling Stones,
Paul Revere and the Raiders, the Eagles..." Mikey started to list.
Surprisingly, Gerard had picked songs from every one of those bands.
"Well, I already started to pick music. We need eight songs, all from different
bands and artists. So far I've picked 'Yellow Submarine', 'Paint it Black',
'Stairway to Heaven', 'Birds of a Feather', 'Hotel California', 'The Loneliest
of the Long', 'We are 138', and 'Rock 'n Roll Train'. So, Mikey, you must have
read my mind in some kind of weird brother way," Gerard answered.
"You Ways are always reading each others' mind," Lindsey stated.
"They really are and it's scary," Ray agreed.
"Shut up!" the Way brothers replied in unison, earning themselves snickers from
their two friends.
"Well, I'd love to stay and chat, but I'm going to the mall with Jamia, so see
you guys!" Lindsey called as she began walking to her car.
"I really can't believe you hang out with that Queen of Peace loser," Mikey
called.
"Fuck off," Lindsey replied before getting in her car and leaving the school.
Meanwhile, across town in Queen of Peace high school, choir president and
senior weirdo Frank Iero was excitedly leaving the choir room with his one and
only friend, Jamia Nestor. She was into bands, never judged Frank for being
gay, and was all around awesome. Overall, she was definitely a Frank Iero best
friend material.
"I can't believe we convinced Ms. Mellor to not only NOT do choir music at this
competition, but to also let us do some punk music!" Jamia exclaimed.
"I know right! I can't wait to tell the rest of the choir!" Frank replied,
"Hey, come to my house today?"
"Can't, I'm meeting with Lindsey at the mall today," Jamia answered.
"You mean that Belleville High trash?"
"Shut up, she's fucking awesome. Well, see you later," and at that, Jamia was
walking to her car and leaving, ready to go meet her friend.
**
"Oh, they have a new Smashing Pumpkins t-shirt!" Linsey said to Jamia as she
excitedly unfolded the shirt she saw.
"God, Frank would love that," Jamia commented as she looked over the shirt.
"Frank Iero, the short kid with the tattoos and piercings?" Lindsey asked.
"Yeah. You know, the school doesn't let him wear his piercings and he has to
cover up his tattoos with a scarf and gloves, even in August," Jamia said.
"What? Dude, that sucks!"
"Yeah, so in retaliation the scarf and gloves that he usually wears are rainbow
for gay pride."
"Frank is gay?" Lindsey asked, genuinely curious.
"Yeah, why?"
"No reason. You know, Gerard is too."
"Oh God, really? Knowing those two, they'd probably try to see who the gayest
of the two is if they ever found out," Jamia snorted, remembering how ever
since the two tied in a singing competition freshman year they have
passionately hated each other. In every competition that both boys participated
in, one always tried to best the other. Usually, they tied, but sometimes one
would win first place while the other won second. Overall, the two were pretty
evenly matched. Of course, their personal rivalry wasn't made any better by the
rivalry of the schools they attended.
"Ugh I can see it now, 'I shit rainbows and glitter!', 'Well I sparkle because
a rainbow shat me out!'" Linsey joked. The two friends giggled as they went to
check out, Lindsey with the new Smashing Pumpkins shirt in hand.
"Oh, Gerard was chosen for choir president!" Lindsey happily told her friend if
her best friend's accomplishment.
"Seriously, if we're asked what we talked about today just say tampons because
Frank doesn't need to know that not only is he Queen of Peace's choir
president, but Gerard is Belleville High's choir president," Jamia answered.
"Oh my God, seriously, if these two don't end up killing each other eventually!
I'm going to be surprised. Please don't tell me you guys are going to be in
that chorale competition in two months."
"...We kinda are..."
"Well, fuck."
Author's note:
So I mentioned a few songs and I decided to list the bands in the same order as
the songs so if anyone isn't familiar with a band or two they won't be left
completely in the dark. The bands are listed here in the order that their songs
appeared: The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Paul Revere and the
Raiders, The Eagles, Iron Maiden, Misfits, AC/DC.
***** Chapter 2 *****
Two months later, the winners for the singing competition were about to be
announced, and Gerard was thoroughly pissed.
"You douchebag! You found out what we were doing and copied us!" Gerard yelled
as he stormed towards Frank.
"I copied you? You copied me! I bet you sent a spy!" Frank retorted. Both boys
started to go at each other, trying to get in as many punches as possible, when
two people broke them up.
"No one fucking copied," Jamia said calmly.
"You two knew, didn't you!?" Gerard spat at Lindsey and Jamia. Frank joined him
in a death glare, and the two immediately tried to out-glare each other.
"Yes, we fucking knew we were both going to be in the competition, but we
didn't know we'd use the same theme, much less the same songs!" Lindsey replied
from behind Gerard. Frank and Gerard looked at each other angrily before
breaking from their captors and standing up straight. They both retreated to
opposite sides of the stage without saying a word. Lindsey let out a sigh and
turned to Jamia.
"God, what if we tie or get disqualified? They'll get even worse," Lindsey
whispered.
"What if we tie for first?" Jamia asked, "The first place winner goes on to
state. If we tie for first there might be another round to determine a winner."
"I don't even want to think about that," Lindsey replied. People started
running to get to either wings of the stage, so the girls turned to each other,
each wishing the other luck, and went on to their sides.
"I can't believe you didn't fucking tell me," Gerard spat at Lindsey.
"Jamia and I thought that if you two didn't know that both schools were going
then you'd have a clear head and wouldn't get carried away with your rivalry,"
Lindsey replied, "Besides, how were we supposed to know you and Frank would
pick the same songs?"
At that, Gerard looked up with an eyebrow quirked. "Why was fucking Iero
picking their music?" he asked, now intrigued. Lindsey let out a huff before
continuing.
"Because he's their choir president..."
**
"HE'S WHAT?" Frank yelled.
"Gerard is Belleville High's choir president," Jamia answered.
"I can't fucking believe this..."
"Why does it matter? It's not like it affects you!"
"But it makes us equals, and I refuse to be equal with that asshole!"
"Frank, listen to yourself! Gerard's position in. Belleville High's choir has
nothing to do with you!"
"But that means he picked the music, doesn't it?" Frank asked. Jamia's lips
stretched into a taut line, and Frank knew he was right.
"You fucking told Lindsey and she told him," Frank said.
"What? Listen to yourself, you're accusing me of something I would never do!"
Lindsey retorted, "Face it, you have the same taste as the guy. Maybe if you
two could get over your rivalry you'd actually be friends."
"I will never be friends with that scum," Frank answered before turning away.
**
Everything was silent as they listened to the announcer call out the winning
schools. Neither Frank nor Gerard cared who the second or third place winners
were, all they knew is that they didn't hear their schools' names. When the
first place winner was being announced, both held their breaths.
"And for first place, a tie, between Queen of Peace High School and Belleville
High!" the announcer called. Frank and Gerard glared at each other from across
the stage. Mr. Weaver had to drag Gerard onto the stage, and Ms. Mellor had to
do the same to Frank. The two boys continued to glare at each other, even as
the crowd applauded them. They only looked away to watch the announcer as he
said what was going to happen since two schools had won first place.
"Two months from now is the state competition. The judges have decided that
instead of having another round to determine an overall winner, both schools
will enter state representing our district together. You got to choose your
themes for this competition, but the state's theme is broadway. You may choose
whatever play you like. Now, let's give it up for Queen of Peace and Belleville
High, the two schools representing district 124B!"
The crowd again cheered and the boys continued to glare at each other, now more
fervently than before. The two choir directors glanced at each other before
directing their choir presidents off the stage in opposite directions. On
Belleville High's side, Mikey, Ray, and Gerard were all bitching about having
to work with "snooty Queen of Peace" trash, while on Queen of Peace's side
everyone, except Jamia, was complaining about having to work with "Belleville
High scum." Lindsey looked across the stage to Jamia, who sadly shook her head
as she looked at the riled up crowds of teens.
**
"Frank, you and Gerard have to work together today. It's already been a week
and you two haven't even picked out what play to do yet!" Ms. Mellor told Frank
at the end of choir.
"Why can't you and their choir director do it?" Frank asked, unwilling to
associate with Gerard more than necessary.
"Because that's what we appointed you two for. Mr. Weaver spoke to Gerard
already and called me to tell you that Gerard will be expecting you at his
house when you leave. I've already called your mother, so no need to tell her.
Here's the address," Mellor said as she handed Frank a piece of paper. He
looked at it and was shocked to find that it was only a few blocks away from
his house. Frank looked up at Ms. Mellor, mumbled his consent, and went on his
way to the dreaded Way household.
**
Frank drove up to the Way house to find Gerard smoking on the front porch.
Frank got out of the car and walked up to Gerard.
"Iero," Gerard said with a nod. He was pissed that Weaver had called Queen of
Peace to have Frank go to his house to work.
"Way," Frank answered, also giving a nod. The two awkwardly glared at each
other before Gerard scooted over and beckoned for Frank to sit. When Frank sat
down, Gerard offered him a cigarette. Frank took it and lit it with his own
lighter before taking a long and much needed drag from the cancer-stick.
"Forced to come here?" Gerard asked, for once trying to be civil seeing as to
how there was no way for them to get out of the situation.
"Yep," Frank answered before taking another drag. The two continued to smoke in
silence, Gerard glancing over at Frank every now and then. The boy might have
been his rival, but he could appreciate a good looking guy when he saw one. He
eyed up Frank's tattoos and piercings before pulling out of his trance to
finish his smoke.
"We should probably get started," Gerard said at Frank. Frank nodded and
finished his smoke, then followed Gerard inside.
"So I was thinking 'Rent'," Gerard said as he led Frank to his basement
bedroom. There were two doors, one at the top of the stairs and one at the
bottom so Gerard could have his privacy. It's hard to hear knocks coming from
the top of the stairs, after all.
"Sounds good. We need to pick the ten songs, right?" Frank checked.
"Yeah, that's the thing, I don't know what songs to do," Gerard replied.
"Um, well, we definitely need to do 'One Song Glory'," Frank said after a
moment of contemplating.
"Yeah, and we need to do 'Rent' because, well, it's 'Rent' and that's a big
song it in. I mean, it has the same name as the play," Gerard said, mumbling as
he got closer to the end of his sentence.
"Yeah, yeah. So, um, that's two songs down, eight more to go, haha," Frank
tried to chuckle towards the end, trying to be at least somewhat friendly. He
was in this guys house, and no matter how much he hated Gerard, he was going to
be civil...somewhat.
"Um, let's look up the soundtrack and listen to some songs, see how'd they
sound in a choir. It might help. Oh, and one song has to have solos," Gerard
said as he looked at the rules paper for the competition. Frank nodded along,
mumbling his agreement as he stood awkwardly in his rival's room. Gerard turned
on the computer and started to wait for it to boot up.
"So, uh, you have a brother, right?" Frank asked.
"Yeah. He's not here, probably at some party or something," Gerard replied. The
two were again met with an awkward silence.
"It takes a while to boot up," Gerard said, "so, um, do you want to listen to
music? I have some CDs we could play."
"Um, yeah, sure. What do you have?" Frank asked.
"Um, Green Day, Black Sabbath," Gerard began to list as he shuffled through his
collection before being interrupted by Frank.
"Black Sabbath. Not that Green Day isn't great, but I haven't listened to Black
Sabbath in a while," Frank rushed out. Gerard smiled as he popped Black Sabbath
into the CD player.
Once the CD was in, "War Pigs" began to play. Frank's and Gerard's eyes met,
and huge smiles spread across their faces as a silent agreement was made.
"Generals gathered in their masses
Just like witches at black masses
Evil minds that plot destruction
Sorcerers of death's construction"
Both boys were screaming the lyrics at the top of their lungs, smiles spread
wide across their faces.
"As the war machine keeps turning
Death and hatred to mankind
Poisoning their brainwashed minds... Oh Lord yeah!"
Frank looked into Gerard's eyes. He looked at the bright green hazel, a few
shades lighter than his own hazel eyes. 'I could get lost in his eyes,' Frank
thought as he sang along with Gerard. Frank immediately caught himself,
mentally scolding himself for thinking such a thing about Gerard motherfucking
Way, his biggest enemy.
And so, the two continued to sing, only looking each other in the eyes every
now and then because, believe it or not, when Frank looked into Gerard's eyes,
Gerard thought the exact same thing.
**
Two hours later, with the computer taking an hour to boot up, the two had
chosen seven more songs. The song they were trouble with was the one for the
solos.
"Whatever, Way. I'm going home. I've spent way too long here and I'm starting
to smell like Belleville High trash," Frank yelled as he stormed up the stair
and out the door. He noticed it was raining, but that didn't bother him until
he got in his car and flipped the ignition, only to realize that the car
wouldn't start.
"You can't be serious, you fucking piece of shit!" he yelled as he slammed his
fist onto the dashboard. He sat there for a minute before deciding to get out
and walk. After all, it wasn't far.
"I could drive you," Gerard called from the door of the house. He had gone
upstairs to get coffee when he heard Frank's outburst after he left and decided
to see what the scumbag was doing now.
"As if I'd accept a ride from you, Way," Frank called, "besides, I don't live
far, I can walk." Just as he finished that statement, lightening cackled and
the rain poured harder.
"Iero, you may be acting immature because we can't agree on a solo song, and I
may hate your guts, but I'm not letting you walk home in this weather. Even I
know about your shitty immune system."
"Stalker."
"Hey, Lindsey is close to Jamia and is constantly talking about what Jamia says
about you. Apparently, the two are convinced we'd be friends if we didn't hate
each other so much," Gerard said as he grabbed his coat and locked his front
door before walking over to Frank and pulling him to the car.
Frank couldn't argue, though. Jamia often talked about what Lindsey said about
Gerard. It was almost obsessive how she tried to convince Frank to talk to
Gerard sometimes.
**
When they pulled up to Frank's house, he was surprised to find Jamia's car in
his driveway.
"You live here?" Gerard asked, surprised by the house that was no better off
than his own. With a hairdresser as a mother and a mechanic as a father, they
didn't have a lot of money. He was surprised Frank wasn't some rich kid like he
always suspected Queen of Peace students to be.
"Yeah, well, my mom is a nurse and my dad walked out not too long after I was
born, so money is tight. As if you have room to judge, though," Frank snapped.
"I'm not judging you, at least not for that. It's just, you go to Queen of
Peace. I thought you all were rich kids."
"Yeah, well, you thought wrong," Frank said before turning back towards his
house.
"I wonder what Jamia is doing here," Frank wondered out loud. Gerard shrugged
before practically shoving Frank out of his car. He waited until Frank was
safely inside before driving off back to his house.
"Was that Gerard you were just with?" Jamia asked once Frank was inside.
"Yes, and how did you get in my house? My mom is still at work," Frank
questioned.
"You have a key under your doormat. Anyway, why were you with Gerard?" Jamia
asked, stats in her eyes. Frank couldn't help but eye her suspiciously.
"Mellor and Weaver made us meet up to discuss the concert," Frank answered.
"How'd it go?"
"It was okay at first. We listened to Black Sabbath while we waited for his
computer to load, then picked out some songs from 'Rent', but we need a song
for solos and we can't agree on it, so we ended up arguing, as always, and when
I went to leave my car wouldn't start and apparently you told Lindsey about my
crappy health because he knew about it and wouldn't let me walk home, so he
drove me."
"And you totally loved the look in his eyes when you were both singing to Black
Sabbath," Jamia stated.
"What?" Frank asked, genuinely shocked.
"I know you, Frank, you don't just listen to music without singing along. You
both sang to Black Sabbath and you totally fell for his eyes, because from the
sounds of it, you didn't start arguing until it came to the solo song. If
something hadn't happened you would have started arguing much earlier, knowing
you two."
Frank wanted to retort, he really did, but he couldn't deny that Jamia, as
always, was right.
**
Meanwhile, at the Way household, Gerard was just getting home. He saw that his
parents' car was in the driveway, and he yet again thanked his lucky stars that
his parents' shops are right next to each other, which is why he had a car of
his own. He got of the car and walked into the house.
"Gerard, whose car is in front the house?" his mother asked.
"Frank Iero's. Our choir directors made him come here so we could work on our
joint performance. When he went to leave his car wouldn't start, so I gave him
a ride home," Gerard answered.
"It wouldn't start?" Gerard's father asked.
"No. You think you can look at it for him?" Gerard asked.
"Well, sure, but I thought you two hated each other," his father replied.
"Yeah, well, even enemies can be civil sometimes," Gerard answered before going
to his room.
Once in his room, Gerard took out a sketch pad and began to draw an image that
had been stuck in his head ever since he and Frank sang to Black Sabbath
earlier.
Gerard drew dark, hazel eyes. He drew Frank's eyes.
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