Tw: mentions of self harm

Knock, knock, knock!

The knocking comes in at exactly 5:23 am, Gerard definitely hasn't been staring at the clock for the past hour trying to discern where the buzzing of the phone in his house is. It certainly isn't his because he called Mikey fifteen minutes ago and it's back in his back pocket again.

Knock, knock, knock! "Gerard? I'm letting myself in!"

Sure thing, the front door opens and shuts. The buzzing gets louder.

"Gerard?" Mikey is looking around, confused, but soon enough he sees Gerard out of the corner of his eye, staring at the microwave, obviously very content on the clock.

"Gerard, hey buddy. What's up?" Mikey asks, pressing a hand to Gerard's shoulder. Gerard pulls away and looks at Mikey with wide, wild eyes.

"Shh," he stands from the chair he's placed. There's blood, dried, Mikey's heart leaps, "Listen."

Mikey listens, nonetheless, staring at his brother, at the wild red hair and the tear stains on his cheeks and the bags under his eyes. He hasn't gotten sleep. He hasn't gotten any social interaction. Mikey swallows, theres nothing.

"The buzzing, there's a phone ringing. And I dunno where it is. But it's their phone."

"They?" Mikey repeats, confused, but after a second he clears his conscience, "Gerard, we need to get out of here, you need to sleep."

"Shh," he limps, Mikey notices, through the kitchen into the pantry where he keeps his food. It's a mess, it looks like a hurricane came through and threw everything to the floor, "I looked but I couldn't find it, I don't know where it is. I-"

He goes silent and looks to his right. The wall. He looks fascinated, fixated on whatever it is.

"It's in the wall," Gerard places a hand and his eyes widen, "it's in the wall." He scratches at the wallpaper, and repeats, "Their phone is in the wall."

"Gerard-" Mikey is really worried, the blood, the limping, the hallucinations: auditory and possibly through touch, too.

"Shut up," he's clawing harder, his fingers getting irritated, he's getting desperate and Mikey realizes he needs to stop before he hurts himself. He immediately seized Gerard by the waist, Gerard yells out, distressed, "No! I need to get their phone, their phone it's in there!"

"Whose phone?"

"Their phone! Mikey, stop it, stop it! Let me in!" Gerard kicks, scratches, punches at Mikey. His life depends on finding this phone.

"Come on, let's sit down for a second, okay?" Gerard is crying, whimpering, his legs are shaking, Mikey sees blood on his jeans and his heart leaps, "Just for a second and then we can find their phone, okay?"

Gerard looks hesitant, distressed, he very obviously want anything but this, but when Mikey replies, "I promise," he gives a staccato nod.

"Great! Can I see your leg, Gerard?"

Gerard doesn't reply, he's staring at the wall, so Mikey just pulls down his jeans anyways, to his ankles and that's when he sees the harsh cut into his thigh, it's bleeding. Bad.

"Shit," Mikey whispers, "Where is this from?"

Gerard shrugs, still staring at the wall.

Mikey runs for a second to under the kitchen sink, snatching the first aid kit as well as his phone from his pocket. "Gerard, did you cut yourself?"

Gerard shakes his head, and keeps staring. Mikey dials 9-1-1 and promises himself this is the last time he lets Gerard stay alone for more than 72 hours at a time. This is the last time he won't be there for him before it gets too bad.