The Good Life by sinsense (NC-17)

[modillian.livejournal.com]

Fandom: BANDOM
Pairing: Frank/Brian
Length: 28,000 words
Author on LJ: sinsense
Author Website: Masterlist
Why this must be read:

There was a brief meme in 2008 for an especially asshole-ish characterization of Frank Iero, which spawned a few fics, and the trope has been lodged in my brain ever since. (The validity and/or appeal in this characterization due to recent events is variable and controversial at present.)

The characterization is unusual, but the quality of writing is excellent and the arc of Frank's journey to self-knowledge as he becomes slightly less asshole-ish is painful, honest, and satisfying.

Excerpt:
Frank scrubs his face down, first of all. He leans back against the wall after he's done, face still dripping. His lip is bleeding. When he looks down, he sees that his knee is scraped open, too.

Frank fumbles the tape and gauze out of his medicine cabinet. He tapes up his cuts, hands moving automatically. He catches sight of himself again when he goes to put the gauze and tape back in the medicine cabinet. He hesitates with his hand on the edge of the mirror. "That never happened," he says.

He opens the medicine cabinet, says, "What never happened?" and huffs out a humorless breath. He puts away the gauze and tape, flips the cabinet shut again. He puts the ripped-open gauze packets in the trash.

He looks at himself one last time. His torn lip is throbbing in time with his heartbeat; it's a gory red line in the mirror. He looks like shit.

"Fuck this," Frank says. He goes to bed.


The Good Life