Whatever It Takes

The blonde man was standing next to the crouched down figure on the cold ground. He watched intently as the person shivered and sobbed in the cold wind, which had picked up and was howling around the corners of the few pubs near them. He didn't felt a twinge of guilt, even if it were his actions that had put the man below him in this miserable condition. They were alone again.

"Gerard..", he started softly "I know that you hate me more than anything at the moment, but believe me, it's the best for you and Frank." William spoke carefully as he kneeled down to look at the other male's partly hidden and tearstained face. There was no reaction to his words, not even a disdainful snort, nothing but the ongoing sobbing and trembling from the body next to him.

After all it could be his lucky day, William thought, if he’d be clever enough to push the right buttons now, he'd get his former lover to even follow him home maybe.
He had some plans with Gerard and he was sure he could lure him in.
The hardest part was already done- to separate Gerard from his jealous boyfriend and make the said one believe he'd cheated again, so he won't come after Gerard or to look for him if he went missing… No, Frank would assume, that Gee and his humble self would’ve found a nice way to spend their time together, after he’d been kicked out of the picture. Frank would be too stubborn to do anything that could help Gerard…
He'd just have to find the right words to flatter and comfort him, for all he knew Gerard had a weak spot for compliments and people who made him feel loved. It would be almost too easy in his recent condition of devastation and despair.

William pulled a pack of paper tissues out of his pocket and reached his arm out to pass them over. Without looking up Gerard slapped William's hand away and sent the pack flying to the ground.
"Gee, I'm sorry, but you have to understand that I've been really worried lately. The last time I've seen you, you were beaten up so badly you could hardly walk."

"...Yeah" Gerard laughed bitterly through his tears, "and I remember a certain someone who wanted to make matters even worse beneath that bridge." Gerard spat back at William, rubbing his wet eyes with the palm of his shaking hand.

"Gee, I was pretty drunk and couldn't control myself properly, but I apologise. After all I didn't do anything bad to you, didn't I? I wouldn't hurt you, baby." William cooed and put his hand gently on Gerard's arm.

Gerard shrugged it off immediately and stared into the distance where Frank had disappeared just minutes ago.

„Why…w-why did you have to ruin this you selfish motherfucker!?“ Gerard grazed his clenched fists and knuckles over the coarse asphalt until he felt the skin rip and a biting sting. It was nice, distracting.
„We were finally at a point where we were happy again... No more master and slave, we were back to being boyfriends again“ Gerard snarled and buried his face in his injured hands, another wave of sobs shaking him.

"Maybe you were happy now, but how long do you think this would have held? Maybe two weeks, maybe four?"

Gerard didn't answer... it's not that he hadn't asked himself this very question before. He knew Frank was moody and liked things to go his way. And Gerard enjoyed being treated well and taken care of, he didn't like to always serve and be obedient... After all this isn't what relationships should be about, but he clearly noticed Frank enjoying himself in the past weeks. He didn't like to admit it, but he knew that there would be bumps in the road, sooner or later.

"See... your silence tells me you know it yourself." William picked the tissues up and reached them out to Gerard again. This time the other male took them with slightly shaking fingers.
Gerard wiped his nose and patted his tears away, he was slowly calming down again, the ragged breaths dying down until his breathing was almost even again.

„I need a fucking cigarette“ he mumbled in a cracked voice ,and even though he knew he had nothing in his pockets, he dug his hands in every one just to busy himself with something.
„Wait- there you go“ William said as he pulled a crumpled pack out of his jacket. „They’d look better if your ex hadn’t punched me before“ he winked at Gerard as he handed them over.
„Fire“ Gerard commanded with an empty voice as he stuck an almost bent cig between his lips and stared ahead.
William lit up the cigarette for him, and knew that he got closer to his prey, as he started to accept things from him.

"I tell you Gee, in a few days or maybe a week you'll be exhausted of spoiling Frank and he'll be moody and grumpy again. Despite that, what tells you, that he won't put that collar on you again, or beat you? Do you really want to live in an abusive relationship?“ William asked, faking concern and empathy while Gerard took deep and hasty drags, sucking the smoke deep into his lungs.

"...I.. I'll just have to hope for the best.." Gerard spoke through the smoke and finally struggled to get to his feet. He took one last drag and flipped the bud away carelessly.

"What are you doing, Gee?" William asked in a firm voice and stood up as well, moving closer to the black haired man.

"Going after him of course... I'll have to explain everything to him and over all apologise..." Gerard mumbled and hung his head a bit as he thought of the unfriendly greeting he'd surely receive. Would Frank even let him inside, after he told him to not come back? Would he hit him? He was shivering even more in the icy wind now, who steadily blew through his damp and thin clothes. Hopefully he could soon wrap himself in a cosy blanket and forget this horrible evening...

"But you know it wasn't your fault, right? He's gonna punish you for something you haven't e-" "I KNOW!! And what should I do to change that?! Frank has made up his mind already and making excuses just won't do it for him!" Gerard yelled at the taller man and shoved him hard as he turned away to leave. He had goosebumps all over his body as he pictured his return to their house, Frank’s house…

Gerard felt Will’s warm hand grab his wrist- "Why won't you come home with me Gee, just spend the night at my place, he probably won't be that angry in the morning and I swear I won't take opportunity of the situation. I'm just being a friend, okey?" William ended hopefully and tugged at Gerard's wrist.

"No thanks, you've already done enough for me tonight" Gerard spoke with narrowed and bloodshot eyes as he tried to yank his arm away, but William wouldn't let him.

"Let go fuckface!!" Gerard yelled even louder and squirmed under the strong grip.

Suddenly the door of the bar swung open and the boy who had accompanied William strode nearer and nearer with a pissed expression, giving his normally sleepy looking face some life.

"What the hell Will?! I thought we were out together and you’ve left me alone for almost half an hour now!"
„Uh, I've overseen the time I guess, I am really sorry to keep you waiting." He spoke with an apologetic smile, still not letting go of Gerard.

"Why are you all over him again? I saw you two kissing, do you think I'm stupid or what?"
"I just helped him, his boyfriend is an abusive fucker and I needed to break them up for good, at least Gee's a friend of mine and he deserves better."
Gerard who was still caught in the other man's grip froze and eyed him up suspiciously, could it really be that William cared? That he wanted his best, even if that would mean he won't get his seemingly nameless companion in bed for his sake? Gerard was confused, because he knew William's good and bad sides, could he trust him?

"Fine, if you wanna play Salvation Army I'm outta here" the boy snapped and stormed off.
"Dan!" Will exclaimed, but rather half heartedly. So he did have a name, Gerard thought.

Another banging noise and the door of the Rangoon's bar was pushed open aggressively and a furious, bearded man came into sight, Gerard recognised him as the pub’s owner.
He pointed a very short and meaty finger at them "Are you two fucking crazy?! Making a hell of a noise in front of my pub?! People here want to sleep, for god’s sake, and we gotta keep the noise down or they'll call the cops on me again!" The man breathed heavily after his outburst and his bearded and red face was only Inches apart from the two.

"I'm sorry Sir, we didn't think we'd be too loud." William was the first one to speak again.
"Well you fucking were, and you almost smashed my damn window, grab your friend and GET LOST immediately! I don't want to see you around here anymore or you'll get to know me, boys!“

"Come" William ordered and dragged a dumbstruck and fazed Gerard behind him to the direction his car was parked.
"Alright let go, I'm coming with you." Gerard grumbled and wiped his face with his sleeve, after he’d gotten the angry barkeeper’s saliva all over him.
"Good" William smiled at him and unlocked the car, holding the door open for Gerard, who wasn't sure if he did it out of courtesy or to make safe he'd really come with him.

He knew it wasn’t the best idea to come along with William, his former affair and lover, but going home was something he just couldn’t bring himself to do. By now he’d learned the hard way of what Frank was capable of doing, and if Frank won’t let him in, he’d have no place to go.
Maybe William was right and Frank would’ve calmed down the day after this terrible incident, maybe even miss him or get worried. Yeah, that would be the best case, after all Gerard was sure that Frank didn’t mean it when he said he didn’t want to see him again. He knew his short temper and changing moods.

„Hey, you can rest a bit if you want to, my flat is about half an hour from here“ William offered as he started the engine and pulled out of the parking lot.
„Huh? Did you move or what?“
„Yepp, couldn’t afford it anymore, so I had to move a bit outside the city where the rent is cheap, but well it’s okey.“
„And you still drive all the way just to go into this tiny bar?“ Gerard asked unbelievingly.
„It’s still one of my favourites, just like you“ William grinned and looked out of the wind shield, now concentrating to manoeuvre them home safely. He had a cash cow on the passenger seat after all.
Gerard furrowed his brows but didn’t ask anymore questions. He felt his eyelids getting heavy as he leaned back in the comfy seat, the car heater charming his icy skin with a warm embrace.

Notes

Filler chapter- sorry for the lack of updates, from now on they'll be coming more regularly-