Frank sat on the floor, leaning against Gerard's bed. He opened up one of Gerard's sketch books and started flipping through them. Gerard sat across from Frank, fumbling with his camera. Frank paused at one sketch. It looked recent, like it wasn't even done yet. It was of two boys, sitting one behind the other. The one behind the boy was hugging the second one, and it looked like he was whispering something in his ear. The second one was gazing looking straight ahead. It was of Frank and Gerard.
Just before he could say anything, he felt a blinding flash as the camera popped. Gerard grinned, looking at the picture.
"I finally got a new camera." He said happily. Frank smiles back and Gerard took another picture. Then he frowned.
"What's wrong?" Frank asked. Gerard paused. "Don't pose." He said. "I want to take more natural shots."
"How can I not pose? Now I know your gonna take a picture!" Frank laughed.
"I'll find a way."
Frank sifted through the pages of the sketchbook, looking at Gerard out of the corner of his eye. Just as Gerard was about to take another picture, Frank quickly held the book over his face, making sure it was opened on the picture of them.
"Hey!" Gerard objected. "I was about to get a really good one."
Frank smiled. "When'd you draw this one?"
Gerard walked across next to Frank. He looked at the picture.
"I did that last night. It's not done."
"Oh."
Just then, Gerard took another photo. Frank laughed. "Stop it! I'm gonna go blind!"
In response, Gerard took another picture. Laughing, Frank reached up and tried to grab the camera. Gerard held it high over his head but Frank managed to grab his wrist. Before he could grab the camera, Gerard quickly switched hands and then, before Frank could move for it, he kissed him.
They kissed again, and Gerard quickly put the camera down. They put their arms around each other, both getting up together just quickly enough to fall back down onto the bed. Laughing, they kissed again, longer, deeper, as they laid down until the laughing stopped. They paused and then Frank locked his arms around Gerard's neck, running his fingers through his hair. He kissed Gerard on the neck, and then suddenly Gerard threw his arms tighter around Frank, practically crushing him as he started kissing Frank's neck, his lips, his hair, anything, savoring the salty taste of his skin. Frank quickly unbuttoned Gerard's shirt, yanking it off as he threw his arms around Gerard's body, yanking him closer to him the kisses grew so long and hot they could barely breathe when suddenly, they felt something thrown at them.
A stuffed unicorn bounced off of them. They both stopped, confused, before they realized it was Mikey. Mikey stood against the wall, his arms filled with stuffed unicorn toys. As he threw the toys, he declared "Unicorns, attack!".
Gerard looked up.
"What the actual fuck, Mikey?" Frank looked back at Mikey and then he and Gerard quickly pulled away from each other.
"Unicorns, attack!" Mikey repeated.
"Mikey!" Frank whined. Finally, he ran out of stuffed animals.
"I can barely deal with the fact that you two are... I don't know. But come on! I'm home! Do you have to do this now??" He complained.
"We weren't even with you!" Frank argued.
"I have asked you on multiple occasions to not do this when I'm home!" Mikey whined. Gerard awkwardly looked from Frank back to Mikey. It was way too obvious he was trying not to laugh.
"I'm sorry, Mikey." They said in unison.
"Seriously, I have!" Mikey exclaimed. "I even offered to leave the house when you two want to be alone. I am so considerate! And attractive! Lord, I'm so friggen attractive."
"Mikey, are you going anywhere with this?" Frank asked.
Mikey paused. "Yes." He said. He paused, and then leaned down and picked up a stuffed unicorn. "Unicorn's exist!" He threw the stuffed animal at them and ran.
Frank and Gerard turned to each other. They paused and then they both burst out laughing.
"Did that really just happen?" Frank asked. In response, Gerard took another picture.
"Hey!"
Frank moved to grab the camera, but just like before, it didnt last very long.
******************************************************************************
#4
Frank stretched out on his roof. It was freezing outside, and he was terrified of how high up they were, but he still felt safe. After all, Gerard was right next to him, holding onto him. He knew that Gerard wouldn't let him fall. Gerard took a long drag from his cigarette and then turned back to Frank.
"Do you ever?" Gerard began. Then he paused. "Do you ever get really scared, because you have no idea what's gonna happen?"
Frank sat up. "What do you mean?"
"I mean, like, what's gonna happen in five years, or where you're gonna be, or any of that."
"Not really." Gerard exhaled and looked down. Frank quickly took Gerard's hand.
"I mean, I don't understand." He added. "I don't want to sound like I'm just writing this off or anything. What do you mean? Are you?"
Gerard looked at him for a moment, and then looked away, taking another drag.
"Yeah." He finally said. "I- I don't want to be like my father."
"Oh." Frank paused. Finally he said "Is he back or something?"
Gerard shook his head. "He's still gone. I just... I've always been afraid that I would turn out like him, you know?"
"You won't. You're not him."
Gerard didn't say anything. He shivered, wrapping his arms around himself. His teeth chattered and Frank quickly hugged him.
"Hey, it's okay, it's okay." He said soothingly. Gerard leaned against Frank, shutting his eyes tightly for a moment.
"I'm bad, though. I really am." His voice sounded tight, and high pitched. He sounded like a little kid. "I know I am."
"No, you're not." Frank soothed. He hugged Gerard closer to him, brushing back Gerard's hair. Gerard hugged Frank tighter.
"God, no I am. You don't understand, Frank. He raped my mother! She was gonna leave him, so he raped her and that's how she had me!" He shook harder, but his voice was oddly calm. It scared Frank, but he forced himself to just hold Gerard even closer to him, pressing his cheek against Gerard's hair.
"How do you know that?" He managed to ask.
"She told me- a long time ago. She told me that's why she stayed, because she couldn't support a kid on her own. God, Frank! How can I be anything good, if that's why I'm here? What if I do the same thing? What if I'm just like him? What if-"
"You're not, though!" Frank said quickly. "That's not what makes you who you are. You aren't like him- I've seen the way you treat Mikey. I've seen the way you never let anyone hurt him and the way you always stop to comfort him when he's upset over anything. You're not gonna turn into that."
Gerard didn't say anything for the longest time. He still shook in Franks arm and Frank kissed his head about a dozen times, hugging him tightly, until he calmed down. Finally, he felt Gerard nod. Gerard put his arms around Frank's neck, resting his chin on Frank's shoulder.
"Thank you." He finally said. Frank nodded.
"You're the only one I ever told this too." Gerard added. "I've never even told Mikey. I was too afraid to tell him."
"Afraid of what?"
"Afraid he'd ask me how he was born, because I don't know. But I know if he was born because of rape, he'd never get over it. And I know if he knew he wasn't, he'd feel horrible that I was. I just wanted to protect him from it."
Frank nodded slightly. They hugged tighter. Frank knew something about Gerard that Mikey didn't know. He'd almost feel happy if it wasn't for how horrible what he knew was.
But still. Gerard trusted him.