Nestyverse by cimorene and bexless (NC-17)

[iamtheenemy.livejournal.com]

Fandom: BANDOM
Pairing: Ray Toro/Bob Bryar, Frank Iero/Gerard Way (Mikey Way/Alicia Simmons-Way)
Author on LJ: cimness, bexless
Author Website: Strange Delight and cimorene.net
Why this must be read:

Week three of my recs are going to be AUs. There's an abundance of absolutely fabulous AUs in this fandom, so I'm not sure how I'll be able to narrow it down, but I'll do my very best. I'm cheating here, because this is actually three amazing stories all in the same universe. cimness wrote the first and second, both of them Ray/Bob stories. bexless wrote the third, which is a Gerard/Frank story.

This is a real world AU, where the band members are just guys living in New Jersey. The first story takes place in 2003, and shows Ray and Bob getting together. There's lots of misunderstanding (I won't give it away, but Ray makes one of the most hilarious and awkward mistakes I think I've ever read) and lots of sex, and it's basically awesome. We meet college-aged Frank Iero in this story. The second story is the continuing adventures of Bob and Ray, which kicks off two years after the end of the first one. Frank is the main character of the third installment, which takes place in 2006. Frank now heads an indie record label, and Mikey Way is his right hand man. Frank needs a roommate, and Mikey hooks him up with his basement-dwelling artist brother, Gerard. What follows is one of the most adorable courtships ever textually rendered. There's more misunderstanding - it wouldn't be a romantic comedy without people being stupid - and lots of cuddling.

If you don't want to dedicate your whole day to these stories, know that the first and third ones can be read on their own. The second story is pretty dependent on the first one, though, so that you understand Ray and Bob's relationship. You should totally dedicate your day to them, though.

"Gerard?" Frank sits down and holds his hands out for the coffee. "Didn't you just say last week he was never ever ever going to move out of the basement?"

"Yeah, it turns out Mom has different ideas." Mikey puts the coffee down on the desk and hands Frank like twenty-four more post-its, all covered in his weird scratchy writing.

At least the phone numbers are legible, Frank thinks, unsticking the top one and squinting at it while he gulps down some - ouch, too hot, fuck - coffee. "I don't know, Mikey. You work for me. Wouldn't it be weird?"

Mikey shrugs. "Not for me."

"Let me rephrase that." Frank sits back in his chair and looks at Mikey over the rim of his cup. His hair is particularly insane today. Speaking of insane, "Isn't he weird?"

"He's not weird!" Mikey doesn't glare, exactly, but he does sort of stand more intensely, or something.

"Uh huh." Frank has only met Mikey's brother twice, because apparently the dude never leaves his house. Once was at a show for one of Frank's bands, and once when he came in to Skeleton to drop something off for Mikey. Both times he was twitchy, both times he was wearing a scarf with red stains and Care Bears on it, and both times he stared at Frank when he thought Frank wasn't looking. "Sure, he's just a regular guy."

Mikey folds his arms. "He's not a regular guy. He's awesome."

Frank says, "He's a recluse. And anyway, art isn't exactly a steady income, you know what I'm saying? I can barely pay my own bills, never mind taking on freeloaders."

He hopes that'll be the end of it, but of course it isn't. Mikey sits down in the other chair without being asked - Frank makes a mental note to rethink his Regular Joe managerial style - and says, "Money is no problem, okay, he's got like, patrons. He works all the time, like you. And you like the same music. And the same movies. And the same-"

Frank cuts him off with, "You think he's so great, why can't he move in with you?"

"There's no space. And anyway, I kind of, you know." Mikey breaks off and looks around the room, breathing in deep through his nose. Finally he says, "I kind of think he should live with someone he's not like, related to by blood. You know?"

Frank switches his computer on - the thing takes like a week to load so he starts peeling the post-its off the screen while he's waiting. "Explain to me again how this is my problem?"

"You need a lodger, he needs a place," Mikey says, and then he holds one long finger up in the air like a victory salute. "And he's not afraid of spiders."

"Yeah, that's right up there on my list of qualities to look for in a lodger." Frank clicks impatiently at the fucking welcome screen.

Mikey digs a crumpled piece of paper out of his pocket. "It's number fifteen."

Frank stares. "You stole my list?"

"Smokes," Mikey reads aloud. "Likes dogs in case ever get one. Likes rock music. Likes loud rock music. Is interesting. Does not hog bathroom." He looks at Frank over the top of his glasses. "Dude, it's like you're meant to be."

1 - ABSENCE SORT OF DOES MAKE THE HEART by cimness

2 - WORTH IT by cimness

3 - CONCLUSIONS by bexless