Barbed Wire Love

"Frank? I'm home" Gerard called, shoving his keys into his back pocket and stumbling into the kitchen, weighed down by shopping bags.

Frank let out a sigh of relief and followed Gerard's voice.

"Hi- wait, did you go shopping?"

"Yeah? Where do you think food comes from?"

Frank blinked. "I just thought you had people to do it for you... I've never seen you do it"

Gerard scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I know, I usually do. I just felt like doing it myself today"

"Okay" He began rummaging through the bag, happily pulling out a box of chocolate pop tarts and sliding a couple under the grill. "I missed you this morning"

Gerard gave him a small smile over his cup of coffee. "I missed you too. I tried to leave you a message but Mikey picked up. He didn't bother you did he?"

Frank smiled weakly back. "Didn't know he was here. What were you doing this morning?"

"Uh, taking Leanne back"

Frank froze up. "Leanne? One of the girls?"

Gerard took a swift gulp of his drink and a small sigh "Yes. That's the last of them returned to their families"

"Oh" Frank turned his attention to the ground. They had all been taken back, apart from him.

"And you got your price for them?" He said hoarsely.

"Yes"

Frank looked up at Gerard's composed expression. Hands in pockets, watching Frank closely. Frank looked away first, never able to beat him.

"Your pop tarts are burning" Gerard said quietly.

"Oh" he slowly reached up to turn off the grill, not bothering to save them.

"Do you want more?"

"No, it's okay"
"So..." Gerard sat down, still clutching his coffee. "What about you?"

Frank's stomach tightened uncomfortably. "What about me?"
"Don't you want to go back?" He asked calmly. Frank met his gaze.

"No" he said firmly.

"Frank-"

"We've been over this. I'm staying here. My mother doesn't even want me"

"That's not true"

"Yes it is!" Frank exploded suddenly, throwing down the plate he had been planning to use for the pop tarts. It smashed into a hundred pieces with a loud crash. Frank flinched, but Gerard didn't even blink, his expression hardening as he looked at Frank.

"Frank" Gerard warned, sensing that Frank was about to do something impulsive and honestly couldn't be bothered dealing with it.

Frank took an angry, shaking breath and took off up the stairs. Gerard gave a slight roll of his eyes and ran after him. He quickly caught up with him nearing the end of the corridor, slamming himself and Frank into the wall. Frank growled and tried to wriggle free, Gerard simply spun him around and held his wrists tight, his face inches from Franks. Frank tried to glare back, eyes watering as he felt Gerard's grip getting tighter.

"Frank!" Gerard barked, making Frank freeze and suddenly cower, feeling the breath on his face and the sharpness of his voice. "Stop that ridiculous charade this instant. You are not a child"

Gerard let go of one of Frank's wrists and grabbed his chin, forcing him to look him in the eye.

"Stop it, let go of me" Frank said, trying to sound as assertive as Gerard, but ended up cracking. "Let go"

"Your mother fucking loves you, okay? ...That phone call. She said she can't afford to pay the money, not that she didn't want to! Didn't you see she was just scared? Scared for her life, and even more so for yours" Gerard shouted, giving him a little shake.

Frank blinked his tears away. He didn't have the time to be crying right now.

"I wanted you to be happy here. And I think you are. But you were happy at home" Gerard said, softer. "You belong at home with your mother. It's dangerous for you here, and probably pretty scary half the time. I know you think she doesn't care, but she does. You know she does. Pick her"

Gerard's death grip had melted away, sliding down to gingerly hold Frank's hands.

"It's been so long" Frank whispered. "Months. I gotten used to being here, with you. Don't make me go back"

"You've got a mother who loves you. Mine abandoned me, knowing I was in danger" Gerard said flatly. "I'm not going to make your mother pay us. It's not fair, she can't afford it and I want her to have enough money to support you both. It's not like any of us need it anyway" he scoffed, looking away. "So on Friday I will give you some money, drive you to the train station and you will meet your mother there"

"No... Not yet. Please"

"You can go home" Gerard continued. "And hopefully not tell the police more information than you need to"

"I wouldn't do that" Frank said honestly. "But I don't need to promise, because I'm not going"

"If you don't go now you'll never go" Gerard argued. "God, Frank, it was only a month ago when you tried to escape. You need to go. Have a real life while you still can" Gerard looked down at their tangled hands. "You can go back to a normal life and I won't be distracted from my job"

"What future do I have anyway?" Frank muttered dully.

"You'd go back to school, get a job, find someone, get married... A life you deserve. Not being stuck in a strange house with a murderer the rest of your life. Now... No more about this today" he blinked and abruptly dropped Frank's hands. He managed a wry smile. "I'll be busy today. Go play"

"I don't want to play anymore" Frank said quietly, pushing his hands into his pocket and slowly making his way to Gerard's bedroom.

Notes

2016 has been a pretty sucky year so far. Hope everyone is alright.