April 25th, Sunday
As the days went on, the Iero household (including Mikey) had learned something very important about their friend.
Gerard was possessive as all hell.
After years of being isolated from almost all human contact, he had become incredibly in tune with his instincts. When they had brought him home that first day, he proceeded to touch everything in his room and make a viable nest on his bed. The family didn't find much wrong with the boy's unusual habits. Quite on the contrary; they found it cute as a rabbit.
...Christmas has ruined me.
Like now, for instance, Mikey and Juliet were conducting an experiment. Gerard and Frank were sitting on opposite ends of the couch, watching some mindless movie on the television that Gerard was obviously not paying attention to. The tallest boy inched closer to Frank's side of the couch, keeping his eyes on his day-dreaming brother, who had his head now turned to the side slightly, watching him out of the corner of his eye. He shuffled closer, Frank seemingly oblivious to the lanky boy approaching him from the side.
Mikey reached his hand out, almost brushing Frank's hair, eliciting a deep, animalistic growl --fucking growl, man -- from the back of Gerard's throat, startling the two "scientists" from their musings and Frank from the TV. Gerard scooted closer to the shorter boy, staring his brother down with intense eyes, as if daring him to continue. Mikey tried again, gaining another growl and a closer Gerard.
Closer.
Growl.
Scoot.
Closer.
Growl.
Scoot.
Closer.
Growl.
Scoot.
Minutes went by of the same, repetitive motions, to the point where Gerard was sprawled out over Frank, glaring at his younger brother and growling when he got closer. Juliet did the same, turning Gerard's attention on herself rather than her self-appointed son.
"Gerard," she said slowly, a cautious smile on her face, "you know I'm not a threat to my own son, right?"
He blinked, appearing to have snapped out of his maniacal state. He glanced from a chuckling Juliet, to Mikey, who looked thoroughly entertained, to Frank, who was wearing an amused smirk with bright eyes.
He laughed good-naturedly and wrapped the boy up in his arms, kissing the top of his head. "I cannot explain to you how adorable that was," he crooned, receiving another blink.
"That was great!" Mikey wheezed, bending over and holding his gut. "Who are you, Gollum?!"
"Er, who?"
"Pop-culture reference."
"Ah."
Juliet nodded thoughtfully, gazing at the ceiling, and then at Gerard. "You know, I saw this once, in a small, Asian village while I was on duty. A man, one who had lived in his village for sixteen years, got lost in the forest. When his former fellow villagers found him again, almost thirteen years later, he had reverted back to carnal ways. He remembered how to speak, considering the part of his brain that controlled speech was fully developed when he disappeared, but was basically ruled by instinct. I've seen this kind of thing happen. It's kind of endearing; he's claimed you as his."
Frank giggled and ruffled Gerard's hair affectionately. He leaned his head into the touch, smiling happily and releasing a giggle of his own. Mikey beamed and flopped onto the space his brother had previously inhabited. Gerard wiggled out of Frank's hold and sat in between the two boys, enjoying the adoration sandwich he had wedged himself into. Juliet laughed at her sons -- by blood or no -- and retreated farther into the house to gather laundry and other Mom-like things.

Notes

Next chapter is gonna have some real, fuckin' facts. Like, hard Wikipedia shit.
I gotta say though, the world seems to be out to get me. Everyone but you guys seem like they're out to get what's left of my dignity, pride, self-confidence, and self-respect, ya know? But you try to make my ego grow, which makes me feel pretty good. So thanks for not trying to rip me apart from the inside out, guys. I appreciate it.
Comment and subscribe and rate and shit.
-Stitches