Marching band AU?
I was listening to the marching band version of 'Grand Theft Autumn' and was thinking that there really, really needs to be a marching band AU. Really.
Ray could be the music teacher at a school - he just taught guitar classes, okay? - but the regular band instructor quit because he wasn't getting the full support from the school he wanted (their marching band program is kind of a joke, anyway), so it's either Ray take over for him or they completely cut funds to the band program and give them to the sports programs instead.
Ray agrees, because he knows the only thing most of these kids have going for them is band, and he doesn't want to be responsible for taking it away from them. But then he realizes the old band instructor managed to alienate the color guard instructor so he calls Gerard up to come in and handle the color guard side of things - he went to art school! He knows about those kinds of things! (Gerard doesn't, and he tells Ray as much, but Ray isn't about to listen to reason! Besides, he's known Gerard for ages, he knows Gerard will be able to fake it well enough that no one will notice because seriously, it's Gerard.)
Frank's one of the other guitar instructors, maybe Ray's assistant or something, and he starts hanging around at the after school and night practices. First he watches Ray and the rest of the band because it's hilarious watching Ray lose his shit when the woodwinds tangle with the brass on some of the more complicated passthroughs, right?
But then he notices the dude instructing the color guard - and the way he has all the girls eating out of his palm, and, okay, so they're mostly watching his ass, but who wouldn't? Gerard's passionate and the girls are responding to it, they get really into the routines he comes up with and he's thrilled that they're doing so well! He spends breaks working with them one-on-one or sketching ideas for make-up and costumes -- he's still bummed Ray and the others totally voted down his Zombie Apocalypse theme because seriously Gerard, they're doing a pop-punk theme this year, not the Zombie Apocalypse.
(He's so keeping all his make-up and costume ideas in a special binder for next year, though.)
After Frank starts hanging around the color guard more and more the girls start trying to figure out if Gerard and Frank are actually married because they're adorable when Frank heckles Gerard and is always tugging on his pigtails. (One of the girls starts a betting pool when they realize Gerard is totally oblivious to Frank's massive crush on him, and vice versa and even the drum line gets in on it.)
At first Mikey's just there because Gerard dragged him along since he wasn't doing anything anyway, and if Gerard had to suffer Mikey should too. But then Gerard started getting into it and Mikey wandered elsewhere when Gerard got into this huge debate about what sort of fabric would be best for the flags - or if they should be revolutionary and do something with props or something - and ended up getting talked at a whole lot by one of the more...enthusiastic band moms. The really loud one with the shrill voice who was completely convinced she was top dog in the band mom hierarchy, but it's really just that no one cares that much, so she gets to be in charge.
Ray notices and makes up a title for him on the spot - interpersonal relations something, something - which basically means he stares at the band moms and pretends to listen when they bitch about who gets to do what and which fundraiser is really the best and they all go away satisfied/confused since they don't really know what to make of his complete lack of expression when they talk to/at him, but they leave Ray alone to deal with his kids. Mikey doesn't really pay attention to what the band moms are telling him, but all the kids love him and tell him their totally awesome ideas for fundraisers they know the other kids at school would go for, besides the ones that involve selling candy, and he gets those organized and everyone's happy.
Bob used to teach jazz band and drum class, but Ray drags him into the mess and tells him that if he doesn't help Ray out the kids would be sad, sad, Bob Bryar, and do you really want to see them sad? (And then he drags like the littlest drummer into it, this adorable little kid who loves the drums and marching band and is probably related to Tiny Tim, no joke, and Bob caves.) So he's in charge of the drum line and they're a little (lot) scared of him at first, except for Tiny Tim's cousin, who adores him to pieces, and they kind of suck, but Bob perseveres! They get really good, and he loves it!
And then they find out that unless they place in the top five at the big marching band competition the next spring the entire program is going to get cut, Ray or no Ray, and it's all very inspirational and hard work and there are a lot of montages reflecting this. And they work really, really hard and place maybe sixth or seventh, but only because there was a last minute SNAFU with their equipment, but they went on anyway and performed their hearts out! (Also, it's tough going from being the joke of the marching band circuit to placing in even the top ten in under a year!)
Everyone's sad that the program's going to be cut. But FOB has heard of their epic tale of marching band vs adversity and show up at school the next week and there's a big press conference! The kids get up and talk about how Mr. Toro, Mr. Way, Mr. Way, Mr. Bryar, and Mr. Iero totally saved their lives by working so hard for the marching band program and keeping them busy with something productive and worthwhile! The band program is saved! Everyone is happy!
Frank and Gerard hug a lot, and people are giving them looks, but they're so happy! (Also they maybe kiss at one point, or maybe two or more, but it's all because they're happy. Seriously. No, really. That's all.)
The girl running the betting pool gets approached by Pete and various members of the band who want in on the action. Also, the reporters are totally interested. Mikey eyes Pete and vice versa and Patrick pretends he's not seeing any of it. Ray and Bob are off being all “Good job!” at one another and Tiny Tim's cousin sidles over and is all, “You should totally hug now.” (He's the brother of the color guard girl and totally has a pool going for how long it's going to take Ray and Bob to get their act together.)
The End!
...It's entirely possible I've watched one too many of those inspirational sports movies.
Ray could be the music teacher at a school - he just taught guitar classes, okay? - but the regular band instructor quit because he wasn't getting the full support from the school he wanted (their marching band program is kind of a joke, anyway), so it's either Ray take over for him or they completely cut funds to the band program and give them to the sports programs instead.
Ray agrees, because he knows the only thing most of these kids have going for them is band, and he doesn't want to be responsible for taking it away from them. But then he realizes the old band instructor managed to alienate the color guard instructor so he calls Gerard up to come in and handle the color guard side of things - he went to art school! He knows about those kinds of things! (Gerard doesn't, and he tells Ray as much, but Ray isn't about to listen to reason! Besides, he's known Gerard for ages, he knows Gerard will be able to fake it well enough that no one will notice because seriously, it's Gerard.)
Frank's one of the other guitar instructors, maybe Ray's assistant or something, and he starts hanging around at the after school and night practices. First he watches Ray and the rest of the band because it's hilarious watching Ray lose his shit when the woodwinds tangle with the brass on some of the more complicated passthroughs, right?
But then he notices the dude instructing the color guard - and the way he has all the girls eating out of his palm, and, okay, so they're mostly watching his ass, but who wouldn't? Gerard's passionate and the girls are responding to it, they get really into the routines he comes up with and he's thrilled that they're doing so well! He spends breaks working with them one-on-one or sketching ideas for make-up and costumes -- he's still bummed Ray and the others totally voted down his Zombie Apocalypse theme because seriously Gerard, they're doing a pop-punk theme this year, not the Zombie Apocalypse.
(He's so keeping all his make-up and costume ideas in a special binder for next year, though.)
After Frank starts hanging around the color guard more and more the girls start trying to figure out if Gerard and Frank are actually married because they're adorable when Frank heckles Gerard and is always tugging on his pigtails. (One of the girls starts a betting pool when they realize Gerard is totally oblivious to Frank's massive crush on him, and vice versa and even the drum line gets in on it.)
At first Mikey's just there because Gerard dragged him along since he wasn't doing anything anyway, and if Gerard had to suffer Mikey should too. But then Gerard started getting into it and Mikey wandered elsewhere when Gerard got into this huge debate about what sort of fabric would be best for the flags - or if they should be revolutionary and do something with props or something - and ended up getting talked at a whole lot by one of the more...enthusiastic band moms. The really loud one with the shrill voice who was completely convinced she was top dog in the band mom hierarchy, but it's really just that no one cares that much, so she gets to be in charge.
Ray notices and makes up a title for him on the spot - interpersonal relations something, something - which basically means he stares at the band moms and pretends to listen when they bitch about who gets to do what and which fundraiser is really the best and they all go away satisfied/confused since they don't really know what to make of his complete lack of expression when they talk to/at him, but they leave Ray alone to deal with his kids. Mikey doesn't really pay attention to what the band moms are telling him, but all the kids love him and tell him their totally awesome ideas for fundraisers they know the other kids at school would go for, besides the ones that involve selling candy, and he gets those organized and everyone's happy.
Bob used to teach jazz band and drum class, but Ray drags him into the mess and tells him that if he doesn't help Ray out the kids would be sad, sad, Bob Bryar, and do you really want to see them sad? (And then he drags like the littlest drummer into it, this adorable little kid who loves the drums and marching band and is probably related to Tiny Tim, no joke, and Bob caves.) So he's in charge of the drum line and they're a little (lot) scared of him at first, except for Tiny Tim's cousin, who adores him to pieces, and they kind of suck, but Bob perseveres! They get really good, and he loves it!
And then they find out that unless they place in the top five at the big marching band competition the next spring the entire program is going to get cut, Ray or no Ray, and it's all very inspirational and hard work and there are a lot of montages reflecting this. And they work really, really hard and place maybe sixth or seventh, but only because there was a last minute SNAFU with their equipment, but they went on anyway and performed their hearts out! (Also, it's tough going from being the joke of the marching band circuit to placing in even the top ten in under a year!)
Everyone's sad that the program's going to be cut. But FOB has heard of their epic tale of marching band vs adversity and show up at school the next week and there's a big press conference! The kids get up and talk about how Mr. Toro, Mr. Way, Mr. Way, Mr. Bryar, and Mr. Iero totally saved their lives by working so hard for the marching band program and keeping them busy with something productive and worthwhile! The band program is saved! Everyone is happy!
Frank and Gerard hug a lot, and people are giving them looks, but they're so happy! (Also they maybe kiss at one point, or maybe two or more, but it's all because they're happy. Seriously. No, really. That's all.)
The girl running the betting pool gets approached by Pete and various members of the band who want in on the action. Also, the reporters are totally interested. Mikey eyes Pete and vice versa and Patrick pretends he's not seeing any of it. Ray and Bob are off being all “Good job!” at one another and Tiny Tim's cousin sidles over and is all, “You should totally hug now.” (He's the brother of the color guard girl and totally has a pool going for how long it's going to take Ray and Bob to get their act together.)
The End!
...It's entirely possible I've watched one too many of those inspirational sports movies.