I had curled up in my bunk to get away from everyone. As soon as we had come offstage, I'd made a path straight for the tourbus. Ray had given me a worried glance, but he didn't ask me any questions. Mikey had been too busy talking to his brother to notice me, although Gerard had seen me, though he didn't seem to care in the slightest. Why should he? I was just a game; just something to make a joke with. I'd run into the cramped bunk area and tugged off my tie and bulletproof vest, throwing them to the floor before the tears started and I lay on my bed and cried myself into a light sleep. I hadn't even taken my makeup off.
I couldn't say how long I was napping there for until I was woken by the sound of the curtain being tugged back and a warm figure shuffled in behind me. I kept my eyelids closed and didn't move to turn to the body that was invading my personal bubble. I wasn't too sure who it was, but whoever it was, I did not want to talk to them.
"Frankie? I know that you're awake."
It was him. What did he want now? I carried on pretending to be sleeping. There was no way that I was going to start to talking to Gerard. Not a chance. He placed a hand on my waist and continued to softly whisper to me, even though it was only us two on the bus.
"Frank, I'm gonna stay here until you talk."
He could stay as long as he wanted; I wasn't going to speak. His body shifted away from me ever so slightly and my vision grew a little brighter as the tiny light flashed into life. I felt his soft fingers brush over the short, blonde sides of my hair. It was a very comforting feeling, but I wasn't going to give in to him. Not after what he'd done earlier that night.
"I'll stay all night if I have to, Frankie."
I continued to ignore him. It's not like he was apologizing. He pressed his body against my back again. I shuffled into him a little, without really noticing, but it was only because he was really warm and I was frozen. The hand that had been stroking my head trailed down to rest of my cheek.
"Your crosses are all smudged. You've been crying, haven't you?"
I could hear the concern.
"What's the matter?"
I bit my lip lightly. I couldn't just say he was the matter because he'd get up and wouldn't talk to me for days. Guilt began to creep in.
"Has something happened?"
I half opened one eye and looked over my shoulder at him. His hazel eyes were full of worry, but he was completely oblivious to what I was so upset about. Of course he was; we weren't in a serious relationship and he didn't know my feelings for him.
"Frankie, please tell me what's happened."
I turned my head back and mumbled into my pillow, dropping my act.
"I can't hear you."
His hands moved off of me for a moment, then he crawled over me to lay in my line of sight and tried to get me to meet his gaze.
"Look at me."
It was a gentle command, but a command nonetheless. Gerard had taken hold of my hands and was moving his thumb in a circle over the skeleton gloves. I uncurled a little and stared into his eyes. I didn't really know what was happening as he crushed his lips to mine. It wasn't an innocent or passionate kiss. It was just protective, and I felt safe. As he pulled back a little, he slid both his arms back around me, keeping me close. I watched his face for a brief moment before I broke into tears again and burying my head in his chest. I allowed him to cradle me and rest his head on mine.
"Shh... It's okay. It's okay..."
I could not contain my hurt any longer.
"It's not and it never will be!"
I sobbed. How on earth did he stay so calm?
"Why won't it be? What isn't okay?"
"Because to you, it's only a game; we're just a game."
My feelings were all jumbled up. I wanted to hit him, kiss him and just cry into him all at the same time. Gerard did things to my mind.
He was silent for several minutes as his own mind processed my angry response.
"Oh."
It was all he managed to say. I sniffed back more tears.
"Exactly. You don't care about my feelings at all, do you?!"
I squirmed in his arms. Cue another long pause.
"If I didn't care, then I wouldn't be here."
He let me go, sensing the fury building inside of me, but he continued to lay there.
"I do care. In fact, Frankie, I care too much."
"Then why didn't you say something earlier?"
He flicked away one of my stray tears.
"Because I didn't think you felt that way, Frank. I didn't think you thought I was 'playing' you."
"You didn't think I'd realise?!"
I pushed him back and crawled out of the bunk and I was about to storm off back inside to Ray, Bob and Mikey, when he whimpered quietly;
"I'm s-sorry."
"Sorry for being a player?!"
I roared at him. He shrunk back and I instantly felt a wave of guilt crash over me.
"No, sorry for making you think that. I t-though you knew..."
Still furious, I snatched up my lighter and smokes that were on the floor.
"Knew what?"
I spat the words out as if they were venom.
"That I..."
He paused for a second and took a deep breath.
"That I like you."
I stood there, stunned for a little while.
"You. Like. Me?"
He nodded and blushed.
"That's why I did it. Kissing you earlier this evening. I-I'm sorry. I know you don't feel like that and-and..."
Gerard rushed the words out and he honestly looked like he'd start pouring tears out any second.
"Gerard, shut up for a minute."
He did so, very obligingly.
"Of course I like you, dumbass. Why else would I be so upset that I thought that it was a joke?"
I received a small shrug in reply. Rolling my eyes, I sighed and let the anger flow away from me. I looked down at him and waited for a proper response.
"So..."
"'So...' what?"
He moved over to the very edge of the bed and moved into a very hunched sitting position.
"Are you going to kiss me again or not?"
I dropped the things in my hand back to where they'd come from and pulled him up. It was quite a difficult task considering he was taller than me and I had to avoid him banging his head on anything. I tilted my head upwards and met his mouth again with mine. It slowly became more passionate until a loud cough broke us out of the dream-like state we were both experiencing.
"Can you not do that elsewhere at some other time?!"
Mikey's disgusted voice growled. Gerard looked down at me and started giggling.
"Can't you go elsewhere since we were here first?"
The younger Way turned around and yelled over his shoulder.
"I'll lock the fucking door for you both!"
Me and Gerard looked at each other for a moment before I offered a non-sexual entertainment for us.
"Video games and coffee?"
He practically ran to grab us two mugs of coffee.
"I'm gonna whoop your ass, Iero."
"Will you hell!"
This was going to be a pretty fun night after all.

Notes

This was my first ever fanfic so critise away!