I reluctantly let my eyes flutter open, not willing to be awake when the light shining through the front room window made me squint. I reached out an arm hesitantly, expecting to feel Gerard's presence, but I could only feel the blankets that surrounded me. I reached out to the other side and felt something else. It moved, and I peeled my eyelids open to see Gerard's feet by my head. Glancing up, he was standing over me, a faint smile on his face.

"Morning," he greeted me, and I felt my heart start to speed up. I lay, staring absently at his pale white face that seemed to be illuminating from the reflection of the sun and I found myself sitting up.

"Morning," I choked out, realizing I hadn't replied when he raised an eyebrow curiously at my strange behaviour.

"You have school in an hour," he stated. Damn, I wish I could have stayed off. It was exam season, however, and I was already about a million lessons behind on my work.

"Oh, school," I muttered, and rolled my eyes when he smirked at me playfully. "I guess I better go get ready."

"Sure, I'll make you a tea?" He offered, turning but glancing over his shoulder at me.

"Coffee," I corrected him, and the corners of his lips twitched up into a smile as he walked towards the kitchen.

"Yes, boss," he laughed to himself.

When I was upstairs I began rushing around my room, tripping multiple times over the mountain of clothes I had left on the floor, and trying to find my best Iron Maiden shirt.

"Mom!" I yelled through the wall, banging with my fist. Her bedroom was backed onto mine. "Where's my Iron Maiden shirt?" I heard her snoring stop and the bed creaking as she rolled over before her snoring started again. "Ugh," I grunted, pulling in a relatively clean pair of jeans and my converse, my shirt non-existent.

"Knock knock," Gerard said rather cheerily, as he couldn't actually knock due to the two cups of coffee in his hands. He kicked the door open gently and then froze, his eyes skimming over my bare chest for a split second before moving back up to my face and smiling, holding out the coffee cup for me to take.

"Mm, thanks," I mumbled, taking the cup from him and inhaling the steam coming from it. I took a sip, hissing as it burned the back of my throat but continued to sip it until I was warm again.

I set the cup down after breathing in the warmth one more time and turned to look for my Iron Maiden shirt again when I heard a faint gasp coming from behind me. I turned on my heel, throwing a curious glance his way before catching a glimpse of myself in the mirror. I forgot about the marks.

"Frank," Gerard started, moving swiftly towards me. His hand reached out and brushed a faded bruise on my chest before holding my shoulder gently and spinning me around slowly, examining my back. His breathing was coming out in stutters and his hands started to shake as they brushed over my skin. His touch left burning sensations all over my body; it was a strange feeling that didn't feel wrong. I turned around to face him, meeting his eyes.

"Are those what he did to you?" Gerard choked out, and I nodded sadly, my eyes flickering to the floor. "I'm so sorry," he told me, yet I smiled.

"Why are you sorry?" I questioned, tilting my head to the side. I shoved my hands in the front pockets of my jeans.

"I'm sorry that I couldn't be there for you." He put a finger under my chin and tilted my head up to meet his gaze. "But I'm here for you now, you know that right? I'm not going anywhere."

A smile stretched across my face, causing my cheeks to ache. "Yeah, I know."

"Remember that. I'm not going anywhere."

"Good," I whispered, and he pulled me into a quick hug before letting me hunt for my Iron Maiden shirt again. I finally found it shoved in between the pile of dirty clothes. It seemed clean, what's the harm in wearing it?

As I slipped my shirt on, Gerard stood from my bed where he was sat and collected our mugs, then slowly followed me down the stairs towards the kitchen where he insisted on washing them up.

"Only if you wear this apron," I laughed, and he pouted when he saw the pink, frilly, floral pinafore that belonged to my mom.

"Fine," he muttered and reached out to take it off me, but I pulled it away, holding out a finger and wiggling it in his face.

"Ah, only the apron," I told him, and his mouth dropped slightly, his eyes creasing in confusion and his cheeks turning a flushed shade of red. He was about to speak again after a few seconds of stuttering and mumbles, but my mom walked in.

"Morning, boys," she greeted us, the same cheery smile on her slightly aged face. My mom, despite being forty, was surprisingly youthful and childlike. "Sleep well?" She asked, glancing between the two of us.

"Yup," I replied, smiling and kissing her cheek. I glanced at Gerard who was staring absently at me, his mouth still slightly open and strange mumbles coming out of it.

"What's the matter, Gerard? Cat got your tongue?" She laughed and waved a hand in front of his face, snapping him out of his daze.

"Uh, what? I mean, yeah, I slept great." He sneaked a look at me and I smirked quickly at him before my mom turned to face me again.

"Frank, you have school in fifteen minutes," she told me as if I didn't know, and I rolled my eyes.
"Yeah," I sighed. "Can I have a lift?"

She was about to answer as Gerard cut in, pulling his keys out of his pocket and jingling them in front of me. "I'll take you. My car's out front."

"Great," I smiled. "I'll just go grab my bag."

Gerard nodded as I turned and I heard him start to talk to my mom about something I wasn't sure about. Grabbing my bag from the back of my door, I checked I had everything I needed in it for school.

I was about to make my way back to Gerard for him to take me to school before it hit me. Gerard and I had gotten so close since he came back from wherever he went that it was actually quite scary. I got the same feeling when ever he was around; my tongue was tied, stomach in knots, my knees became weak. Was this normal for friends? Surely not. Was I missing something?

"Frank, are you okay?" I heard Gerard call to me from the bottom of the stairs, causing me to jump from how deep in thought I was. "You're taking a while."

"Y-yeah," I replied, sounding a little unsure myself. "I'm coming now." I stumbled my way out of my room, then realization hitting me out of nowhere and making none, but also perfect sense all at the same time. It was clear that Gerard could like me, but did I like him back?

He met me at the bottom of the stairs and greeted me with a smile. We both said our goodbyes to my mom and scrambled out of the door and into Gerard's car. I really liked his car.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Gerard asked me as we approached the school gates. We were headed to the parking lot where Mikey was waiting for me by the entrance sign.

I nodded, then pointed to Mikey. "Mhm, did you tell Mikey to wait for me?"

Gerard smiled sheepishly, then nodded. "He was texting me all night. Him and Lindsey were really worried about you."

"Oh." I turned to look at Mikey again. He was signalling for me to go over, so I held up a finger as if to say 'one minute'.

"Hey, uh, Mikey's getting impatient. I'm gonna get going. Thanks for the lift," I smiled and wrapped my fingers around the handle. "And thanks for staying the night with me. It really meant a lot," I added.

"No problem." He hesitated, then added, "maybe we could do it again sometime? You know, without me climbing through your window again. I've grown to love front doors."

I laughed, looking down at my lap and then back up at Gerard. "Sure," I smiled, nodding my head. "No more windows. My neighbors must seriously be getting concerned by now." I smiled awkwardly at him, fumbling with the handle still. He cleared his throat before speaking.

"Well, I guess you better go; Mikey looks like he's about to drag you out of the car."

I sighed heavily, reluctant to leave. "Okay. See you tonight."

"See you tonight," he agreed, and I climbed slowly out of the car, slamming the door and making way over to a very concerned looking Mikey. Before he could say anything however, I spoke first.

"Dude, I need your help," I started, my words seeming frantic even to me.

"Sure, what with?" I could see him growing worried by the second.

"I, uh-" I ran a hand messily through my hair, inhaling a deep breath. "I think I have feelings for your brother."

Mikey's face broke out in a grin and he folded his arms across his chest, his foot beginning to tap on the concrete. "Oh, really. I never would have guessed," he joked.

Scoffing, I flopped my arms by my side. "Oh, sure, because it's so obvious."

Mikey hesitated for a second, then spoke, his grin stretching even further. "Actually, it kind of is."

Grumbling, I turned towards the school and followed the crowd of people towards the doors, Mikey following behind me. I could hear his muffled laughter as I walked down the corridor towards homeroom.

Lessons flew by that day for some unknown reason. Maybe it was because the only thing I had on my mind all day was seeing Gerard again after school. I was so caught up in thinking about him that I began to wonder what he would be doing when I wasn't there.

I could imagine him drinking his coffee with Lindsey, sitting at the dining room table. Donna would walk in and ask how I was doing, and Lindsey would spring up a conversation with her when things got too uncomfortable for Gerard.

The shrill noise of the school bell snapped me out of my day dream and told me hell was letting me leave, so I quickly gathered up my things and made my way out of the classroom door, following the corridor down to Mikey's Algebra class to meet him. The first thing he did when he exited the classroom was grin at me, earning a not-so-playful punch in the arm from me.

"So, what's happening then? With you and Gerard?" He jumped up and down excitedly as we walked slowly along the concrete outside towards his house.

"Nothing," I sighed for the fifth time in ten minutes. I was slightly exasperated. "I told you, nothing is going to happen."

"Sure," he mumbled, smiling down at his feet.

"And stop doing that creepy smile. Seriously, dude, it's weirding me out."

Mikey laughed quietly as I tried to walk a little faster, subconsciously trying to leave him behind but knowing he'd just catch up with me. He did have longer legs afterall. Eventually, with me speeding up, we made it to his house faster and I could drown myself in conversation with Donna, ignoring the smirks Mikey was aiming my way.

However, the first thing Donna said to me when I arrived instantly gave Mikey a reason to make kissy faces behind my back.

"Oh, Frank. Gerard told me to let you know he's in his room. You can just go down," she smiled warmingly, slapping Mikey on the back of his head when he began to get immature.

"Thank you," I smiled, then turned to Mikey. "You coming?"

Donna flashed Mikey a quick glance before he replied. "Nah, you guys have some alone time," he smirked, and Donna tutted.

"You can help me with tea," she told him and he grumbled, about to protest before she threw an apron at him. "Put this on and start chopping the onions."

I laughed, smiling at Donna before turning towards the hall and dropping my bag by the bottom of the stairs. Just as I looked up, Gerard was coming out of his basement, clutching a sketch book. It took him a while to notice me, but as he looked up a smile stretched across his pink lips that made my insides flutter.

"Oh," he jumped slightly, stepping towards me. "I thought it was you I could hear."

I laughed, my mind seeming to scramble everything up and I couldn't form words.

"I'm just gonna go make coffee for me and Linds, do you want some?" He turned to put his sketch book on the small coffee table beside him and I nodded, pointing towards his bedroom door.

"Is she in there?" I asked, curious as to what Lindsey and Gerard would have been talking about when I wasn't there. Lindsey obviously had the idea that Gerard had feelings for me, so that could have sprung up in conversation.

"Mhm, why don't you go sit with her? I'll be right back." He began to turn towards the kitchen, but stopped suddenly, looking over his shoulder. "And, uh- never mind." He shook his head and hurried out the door, leaving his sketch book on the table beside me. I noticed corner of a piece of paper that seemed to stick out of the side.

Curiously, I began to open the book when someone cleared their throat by the doorway of Gerard's room, making me jump. I placed a hand on my chest, willing my heart to slow down to a normal pace and looked up to see Lindsey, a devious smirk on her lips.

"Jesus Christ, don't do that," I sighed and turned to face her fully, leaving the sketch book where it was.

"Do what?" She teased, then nodded her head towards the stairs behind her. "Come sit with me a minute. I want to talk to you before Gerard gets back."

Notes

Yeah sorry for the shit chapter