Chapter Text
Gerard could feel that familiar burning of his skin and bones he sometimes got after shows. At first, he thought it was just muscle pains from being on stage, but over time, he realised that wasn't the case. Everything ached and burned and the only way to squash this feeling was his blanket. He didn't want to admit it, but it did.
"Hey Gee. You alright?" Said Ray
"Yep. Absolutely fine" replied Gee, looking somewhat confused "why you askin'?"
"You just looked a little spacey" replied Ray, knowing perfectly well that Gee was not in fact fine "and you've got that blanket. It's almost 20 degrees out there."
With that Gee rearranged said blanket to further dampen the almost boiling feeling that he could feel rising in his chest. Said blanket was noticeably heavy although not quite weighted and somehow followed Gee anywhere he went, even though he denied all knowledge of it being his.
"Right I'm going to get some snacks. Want anything in particular?" Asked Ray as he stepped out the hotel door and Gee just shook his head.
By the time Ray had returned, 20 minutes later, Gee was starfished on the ground, covered by all the duvets in the room and his blanket. Although he looked like he was sleeping peacefully, Ray could hear the cursing coming from his friend who wiggling around is efforts of comfort.
"Hey Gee, you alright?" Asked Ray, slightly raising his voice when he saw the headphones secured over his head.
"Do I look alright to you?" Snapped Gee, now cursing the heat of the 3 duvets and a blanket that enveloping him.
"Alright. Clearly not" he said as he placed the snacks down on the table infront of him. "What's the problem anyway?"
"My bones.... feel like..... they're on fire" he replied, gritting his teeth.
"I'll be back in two seconds" said Ray, slipping out into the hallway.
"You better be" said Gee to Rays back.
Unfortunately for the group, the band had been split up, so Ray now had to go down 2 floors and to the other side of the hotel. Ray walked across the hotel as quick as he physically could, eventually reaching his destination and knocking heavily on the door.
"Come in. It's unlocked" came a voice from inside the room. Ray made his way inside the room and then learned against a door frame.
"Oh hey, Ray. What's up?" Said Mikey as he plugged his phone in to charge.
"So I've just come back from grabbing some snacks to your brother starfished on the floor covered in 4 different layers of duvets and when I asked him why he said, and I quote, his 'bones feel like they're on fire'".
Almost as soon as Ray started speaking, a look of both annoyance and concern spread across his face.
"For the love of God. Why can't he listen to anyone?" Said Mikey as he shoved his feet into his shoes, not even bothering to do up his laces.
In the time that they had been gone, Gerard had stripped himself of his blankets and was now sitting in nothing but his pants againts the cold, hard tiles of the bathroom , eyes closed tightly and hands pressed over his ears. Both of the other men were slightly surprised when there was a trail of duvets leading from where Gerard was laying towards the bathroom.
"Gee? What's happening?" Asked Mikey even though he already knew perfectly well.
"my bones feel like their on fire and I can hear the fridge from like three doors down and my skin feels too tight and-- and--" said Gerard as tears began to stain his already soaked cheeks, eventually causing him to choke on his words.
"Well how about, we fix that" replied Mikey as he went through the list within his mind.
"Ray, will you go back to my room for a bit, the less people in here the better" he said towards Ray, giving him an apologetic smile. Once Ray was put of the way, Mikey pulled his brother by the wrists and guided him slowly, making extra effort to only touch his wrists.
"Right, here are you headphones and here are some pyjamas. I'll turn around. Tell me when you've done" said Mikey as he began to turn around to go get his phone out of the bathroom.
When Mikey returned, he grabbed the blanket that definitely didn't belong to his brother and placed it over Gee. With that Gee layed down in the centre of the bed and resumed his starfish position once again. "Lay" Wispered Gee as he tapped the centre of his chest and closing his eyes."You sure?" Asked Mikey."Sure. Now lay." Said Gee, almost pulling his brother on top of him. With that, Gee let out a humm as he could feel the tension and the fire dissolve from his body.