Can't take it any more!

"Gee, wake up...come on babe..."


Frank patted the pale boy's cheek. Gee stirred slightly, a small moan escaping his thin, pink lips. Frank took a moment to study the boy.
Gee was very pale, almost paper-white, and far thinner than was healthy...Frank suspected an eating disorder...he'd have to keep an eye on that. He could also see that he was correct before; there were fingerprint bruises on the boy's pale throat, and they looked like they'd been there a while...they weren't from that asshole back in class, or at least, not from just now. He wondered how many other bruises littered his thin body...he'd said they bully him a lot, had they got to him during the break too?


Gee groaned, his eyes fluttering a little. Frank snapped out of his thoughts and smiled softly at him.


"Welcome back..."


He hummed, gently restraining Gee as he tried to sit up.


"Easy sweetheart...take it slow."


Gee whimpered quietly as he felt hands on his chest. He didn't like being held down; it was too familiar a feeling. A sob escaped his lips.


"L-let m-me g-go..."


He stuttered, struggling weakly. The hands disappeared from his chest and he tried to calm his slightly panicked breathing.


"Th-thank you."


Frank frowned. Gee seemed so scared...those bastards had really done a number on him.


"Gee?...open your eyes babe..."


Gee's breath hitched. Who would call him 'babe'?...and why?
Slowly, his eyes fluttered open, and he was met by a beautiful pair of hazel orbs, and a wide, happy and relieved grin.


"Hi..."


Frank murmured.


"How do you feel?"


Gee tried to sit up again, and this time, Frank helped him instead of stopping him. Once he was upright, Gee shivered slightly, wrapping his arms around himself.


"Cold."


He replied, quietly.
Frank made a snap decision, and took off his cardigan, before putting it around the shaky boy's shoulders.


"Better?..."


He asked. Gee nodded slightly, then wriggled his arms into the sleeves and pulled them down over his hands. Frank grinned.


"Looks cute on you..."


Gee blushed a pale rose pink, and dropped his head, hiding in his hair.


"Gee?..."


Gee looked up through his lashes.


"You said before that you didn't want to forget."


"Huh?"


Gee frowned slightly, his brain, not quite catching on.
Frank smiled.


"You said you didn't want to forget what I said...y'know...about thinking you're fucking cute?..."


He looked down.


"Did you...did you mean it?"


Frank was nervous now. He barely knew this boy, and he was asking this?...what if he hadn't meant it, and was gonna tell someone that Frank had come on to him?


"Yes..."


Gee whispered. Frank's face lit up as he raised his eyes to meet the pretty greens.


"But it doesn't matter."


Frank's smile slipped.


"What do you mean?"


Gee looked down again, sighing in resignation.


"You're a teacher, I'm a student...things like that can never work. Besides, in three months time, I'm leaving...I'm going to California."


He didn't say that that was dependant on him surviving that long. No need to say that.
Frank frowned.


"Well, the student teacher thing doesn't bother me...you're 18, right?..."


Gee nodded, and Frank smiled.


"But the you moving away thing..."


He sighed.


"I guess, if this goes anywhere...and I hope it does...then we can cross that bridge when we get to it."


Gee chewed on his lip, a small crease appearing between his brows as he considered this.


"I...I guess..."


He wasn't sure if this was a good idea. If he let Frank get too close, he could find out about his dad...that would not be a good thing. As his dad had always told him; no one would believe the word of a useless little fag...and if they did, they would say it was his fault, cos he'd caused his mum's death...they would hate him for that.


"I just..."


He shrugged, looking glum.


"I n-never..."


He trailed of, staring at the floor between them.
Frank raised his hand and gently tucked Gee's hair behind his ear, gaining a tiny smile in response.


"Is that what you're worried about?..."


Gee shrugged.


"Sweetie..."


Frank lifted Gee's chin so he could see his eyes.


"I would never pressure you to do anything you're not comfortable with. If you just wanted to be friends...just wanted someone to talk to...a shoulder to cry on...that'd be ok."


Gee smiled softly.


"That...that'd be nice actually. I...I haven't got any friends."


He looked down at his hands, embarrassed.


"Oh come on..."


Frank said, incredulously.


"Surely a sweet, cute boy like you has at least one friend?"


Gee smiled slightly.


"Well, there is Rosy."


Frank quirked an eyebrow.


"Rosy?...should I be jealous?"


He smirked.
Gee laughed. Frank thought it was the best sound he'd ever heard.


"Only if y-you think a sixty-something year old w-woman is a threat?..."


Gee smiled as Frank's other brow rose to join the first.


"She owns the s-sweet shop on Joralemon s-street. She hides me from those j-jerks sometimes."


Frank grinned.


"You get free sweets from her too?"


He was fishing. He hoped Gee would take the bait.
Gee nodded enthusiastically.


"Yeah...and she m-made me blueberry w-waffles this morning."


He grinned.
Frank smiled back. Maybe it wasn't an eating disorder that he needed to worry about. But then, why was Gee so thin?


"You like waffles?"


"Oh yeah..."


Gee grinned.


"They're yummy...and she did hot chocolate...from scratch."


Gee's eyes were lit up like fireworks...he couldn't be faking that.


Suddenly, Frank's cell buzzed in his pocket, and he smiled apologetically as he pulled it out and looked at the screen. He winced when he saw that it was the front office, took a deep breath then pressed answer.


"Hello?...Oh yes. I'm sorry about that...Yes. There was a problem with a student...Yes, I know...I should've, yes...Ok...Well thank you...Ok...Yes, I'll be back for my next class...Ok...Ok, bye..."


He hung up and stared at the phone for a moment before slipping it back in his pocket.


"Damn."


He muttered.


"Did..."


Gee dropped his head.


"Did I g-get you in t-trouble?"


Frank reached out and carefully wrapped his arms around Gee's fragile body.


"No...no baby..."


He shook his head, holding Gee gently to his chest as he felt him tense, then go limp against him.


"It's not your fault. I should've called the office and got cover for my class...that was my mistake...not yours."


Gee looked up through wet lashes.


"B-but if I h-hadn't r-run..."


He sobbed, burying his face into Frank's shoulder.


"And that wasn't your fault either..."


He pressed a kiss to the top of Gee's head.


"Those assholes aren't going to get away with this anymore...I won't let them."


Gee sighed, looking up with sad eyes.


"Thank you, but they won't stop."


Frank frowned.


"They will...unless they want me up their ass 24/7!"


Gee giggled. Frank had been wrong before!...that was the best sound he'd ever heard. He grinned.


"And..."


Gee blushed raspberry red.


"And I th-thought you o-only had eyes f-for me?"


Frank laughed loudly. This boy was amazing...and if Frank could help it, he would never let him go. He kissed Gee's bright cheek .


"Only you baby...only you."


Gee smiled brightly and snuggled into Frank's arms. A few more minutes couldn't hurt, right?

Notes

Hi there chipmunks.. What's up?..

A bit of cute fluff for you!.. How's that?

Anyway.. Please comment, stay safe, and peace out babies!
<3 Love ya!