Bookworms Anonymous

Gerard steps kept in time to the steady beat of his music as he trudged through the beaten up streets of NYC. The bitter air wrapped around his thin figure and seemed to carry him from his home to the hospital in one swift windy movement. He had picked up Lindsey's rucksack and stuffed some clothes in along with the junk that was already in there. The bag was heavy against his back as he heaved it along the streets and tried not to let it drop from his thin shoulders. He thought about Frank, back at that hospital, with his sleepy eyes and sweat drenched clothes. He thought about how he had basically ruined any chance he had with him. He thought about the way his brown hair framed his perfect features and how he played with his lip ring when he was nervous. He thought about how Frank was the epitome of prepossessing.

And it was on the walk back from his flat that he finally found his muse.

Before he knew it he was outside the blue lit hospital and the buzz of the halls still droned on and the smell of the clinically scrubbed floors and walls filled his nostrils as he bobbed along the corridor and back towards the waiting area he had left Frank in just 30 minutes previous.

Frank tapped his foot impatiently as he let his thoughts wander into the depths of his mind. Why was he actually here? He barely new Gerard and Lindsey literally broke her leg. That's it, she isn't going to die. So why on earth was he in a hospital at 2am sitting in a waiting area of a brightly lit hospital waiting for the guy of his dreams to return from getting his probable girlfriends clothes from his apartment.

Frank always had a suspicion that they were together. From the closeness they had always shared during the days spent at the bookshop to the time he delivered pizza to their obvious cozy date and now the fact that she has clothes at his apartment. If it wasn't for the fact that Gerard was so camp Frank would be totally crushed and not have any hope that they could be an item. The way he blushed around Frank and stuttered through every conversation they had ever had. The fact he smiled every time Frank looked at him and the way he reacted to that near kiss or the time he delivered pizza to his apartment. It all pointed to one conclusion, Gerard liked Frank just as much as Frank liked Gerard.

But then there was the fact he hadn't even tried to make a move yet or that he never ever makes conversation with him or the fact that Lindsey basically forced Gerard into inviting Frank to the gig. He was so confused and conflicted. But then Gerard fully rejected him one hundred percent and now Frank was left with this overwhelming feeling that maybe he was wrong all along. Gerard was straight. Or just not in love with him.

The only thing Frank was sure of was that he was falling for Gerard quicker than he had ever fallen for anyone. He might even say he was in...

'Hey' Gerard snapped his fingers in front of franks face breaking him from his trance and daydream. Frank locked eyes with him and felt his heart flutter and he could feel the smile spread across his face.

'Oh. That was quick.' Frank mumbled still not taking his eyes off of Gerard. Especially not after his internal realisation. Gerard blushed after about thirty seconds of eye contact looking down at his feet and letting a small smile creep onto his face. He huffed the bag down and heard a clink as it hit the metallic floor. Frank looked down at the bag with a concerned frown. He opened the bag quickly revealing some of Lindsey's clothes and underneath was a full bottle of Vodka. 'That's why it was so fucking heavy!' Gerard exclaimed falling back into the hospital chair and expelling a hefty breath from his lungs. He could feel the sweat all over his body he was so unfit the small walk had caused him to work up a sweat.

'Oh, this could be interesting.' Frank said standing up right after Gerard got comfortable on the chair like somehow the seats were connected like a child's seesaw and Gerard falling back into the chair caused Frank to be propelled into the air. Gerard's looked up bewildered and still out of breath. 'I'll be back in a jiffy.' Frank said in a fake English accent.

'See ya later alligator.' Gerard muttered closing his eyes and resting his chin against his chest.

'In a while crocodile.' Frank called happily as he basically skipped down the corridor and to the coffee machine. Gerard hadn't fallen asleep as such, but as soon as he closed his eyes he could feel himself being swept away into a dreamland full of creepy abandoned hospitals and Gee and Lindsey holding hands and squealing as they tired to save the damsel in distress...Frank.

Gerard was roused from his short spell of dreaming my the smell of coffee. Without opening his eyes Gerard muttered towards the presence next to him who he guessed was Frank.

'That better be coffee or I'm gonna be really upset with you Frankie.' Gerard mumbled as Frank sat crossed legged on the chair next to him pouring, very indiscreetly, vodka into the polystyrene cups full of liquid caffeine.

'It's better Gee,' Frank whispered as Gerard pealed open one eye to look over at what Frank was being to secretive about it. 'Irish coffee.' Frank giggled passing Gerard the cup.

'We can't drink this!' Gerard blushed staring down at the cup like Frank had just handed him a cup of piss. Frank laughed at his innocence before pushing the cup to his mouth.

'Yes we can!' Frank said taking a sip from his cup and grinning as the liquid poisons filled his body.

'No, you don't understand! The caffeine speeds up your heart and then the vodka slows down your heart rate and the two mixed together can cause major issues with your...' Frank moved closer to Gerard and pressed his finger to Gerard's lips.

'Shh...' He said sharply smiling at Gerard dumbfounded and blushing face. 'Just live a little Gee.' Frank said sipping the drink as he watched Gerard sip it nervously. Frank drank quickly and the more trips he made to the coffee machine the more he stumbled and hiccuped and giggled. It was currently 4am and Frank was leaning against Gerard mumbling into his shoulder about how much he loved everyone.

'I just love Lindsey, and you.' Frank added quickly slurring his words and making Gerard giggle and blush. 'It's just, I've always felt so alone in the city. I don't have many friends and you and Lindsey just accepted me and I don't know. I'm grateful.' He snuggles closer and closed his eyes. 'I've never had real, proper friends before and I even think Mikey is warming to me.' Gerard giggled looking down at the small guy.

'We love you too Frank. Lindsey was my best friend and probably my only friend. But now I feel like you are just as important in my life.' Gerard's mouth was moving and his brain was spilling out into the air in front of him and he couldn't seem to stop the flow of consciousness flying off of his tongue.

'Gee.' Frank looked up at Gerard and there's faces were close now closer than before. Gerard looked down waiting for Frank to continue while scanning his features. 'Are you...you and...I...oh.' He stopped shaking his head and sitting up properly. 'I think I'm a bit tipsy.' He giggled. 'Don't listen to me, I'm just babbling on and I can't control what I am saying.'

'You know, they say that alcohol makes us say things we can never say when we are sober.' Gerard muttered testing the water a little bit and trying to convince Frank to say what was on his mind.

'That's why I am better sober.' He said sincerely cuddling back into Gerard shoulder and falling into a restless and uncomfortable sleep. Soon enough Gerard felt his eyes slip together as he snuggles closer to Franks warmth.

~~~~~~

'You two are fucking idiots.' The words swirled around Frank's slightly unconscious and alcohol filled mind as he broke from his slumber unwillingly by the screeching tone of Lindsey's voice. He opened his eyes to the bright hospital lights and hissed as they burned slightly he looked up at Gerard who seemed to be in the same state as he was he then look towards Lindsey who was in a wheelchair and staring at them both confusedly. 'Why are you here? Have you been here all night?' She looked at them both shaking her head. 'Why?' She took their silence as an affirmative.

'We wanted to make sure the operation went okay and that you were gonna get better.' Gee argued moving away from Frank awkwardly after realising how close they were.

'My operation isn't until 10 and I've been sleeping in there.' She pointed to the room she went into all those hours ago. 'And now it's 6 and I was going for a little wander to pass the time when I find my two best friends passed out in the waiting area and the lovely nurse then informed me you both have been here all night!' Her eyes were big but she was amused really at the stupidity of them both.

'So you haven't had the operation?' Gee tried to confirm his mind swaying slightly from the kind of hangover he was experiencing.

'No, I don't think they organise operations in the early hours of the morning unless it's an emergency.' She almost shouted at them both.

'Oh, I guess that does make sense.' Gerard mumbled avoiding her eyes and feeling really stupid. 'Do you want us to stay and make sure everything goes okay?' Gerard questioned unsure of himself. It was then he realised this this whole time Frank had been staring at him intensely, swaying and not making a sound.

'No.' She expelled all breath and shook her head smiling sadly at him. 'I'll be fine. Just go home and sleep and I'll phone you when I...' She cut herself off when she too noticed Franks strange behaviour. 'Is he okay.' When nobody reloaded she pressed further. 'Frank, what are you doing? Why are you staring at Gee like that?' She seemed scared and worried.

'He's just really pretty.' Frank hiccuped as he prodded Gerard's cheek and giggled slightly at his blush. Lindsey stared at them both for 30 seconds before coming to her conclusion.

'Is he drunk?' Lindsey whispered slightly with a bemused grin spread across her face.

'He found your Vodka when I brought your bag back from my apartment.' Lindsey just giggled a little more turning around on the wheelchair and moving back to her room.

'Take him home Gee and both of you get some sleep.' She giggled disappearing into the room once more.

~~~~~

New York City at 6am is something to be seen and to experienced. It's desolate, not like at 3am where there's drunks coming home from parties and people running about in the quiet city. 6am is birds chirping and lazy traffic and a slow moving business men going into the office early. It's runners and people making the walk of shame, it's quiet but such a different kind of quiet. The sun is breaking through the clouds and and it's cold even thought it's spring and everything seems so peaceful and right.

Frank and Gerard were stumbling around the murky street giggling like school girls as Gerard tried to desperately to keep Frank upright. Frank was hanging off of Gerard's thin frame babbling on about nothing in particular and stopped his nonsense rambling for only a moment to compliment Gerard before moving on with his story.

'I'm...and like...you know. It's just impossible and I'm so excited....' Frank slurred as Gerard and him walked along the streets attached to each other. 'You know, Gee.' Frank pressed his finger to Gerard's nose and giggled when Gerard cringed. 'You gotta a really cute nose.' Gerard blushed a little and smiled down at Frank. 'You are just really cute.' He hiccuped as the came to a stop outside Gerard's apartment building.

'You're cute too Frankie.' Gerard said staring up at the brownish building all the lights were off and there was none around the only noise was them.

'Oh, I know.' Frank says as he looked up at the building with Gerard. 'My apartment is so far away.' He groaned walking, stumbling, away from Gerard and narrowly missing a streetlight. Gerard gasped before running after him.

'I'll walk you home Frankie don't worry.' Gerard gasped slightly once he grabbed a hold of Frank's shoulders and steered him back onto the path. Frank turned so that he was facing Gerard, their faces inches apart as he spoke to him.

'But, Gee!' He whined out every syllable. 'It's so far away.' He pouted slightly like a child. Gerard nodded the thought of walking to Franks and then back again did make him want to just curl up into a ball.

'Why don't you stay at mine tonight.' He said gesturing to the apartment they had just past.

'Oh, well. That would be nice, but you don't have to.' Frank was the one to blush this time as Gee wasn't taking no for an answer and pulled him into his apartment block.

Gerard's apartment was small and compact full of little bits and bobs and comics and vinyls and paints and sketch pads. Everything screamed 'Gerard Way' in a subtle fashion. Frank stumbled through the door taking in nothing that surrounded him as he wobbled into what he thought was the bedroom and collapsed onto the bed in a heap of tattoos and tattered clothing. He moaned cuddling into Gerard soft sheet that smelled like him. Gerard looked down at the boy and laughed pulling off his converse and tucking him into the covers. Frank looked up at him and smiled brightly.

'Thank you...Gerard.' He whispered his intoxicated breathe ticking Gerard's cheeks slightly. Gerard smiled, and in a sudden burst of confidence, pushed a piece of Frank's frantic hair of of his face and hovered his fingers over his cheek; taking in every feature. Frank stared at him the whole time willing him to do something; anything. But Gerard moved away still smiling and walked out of the room towards the couch before Frank stopped him. 'No, Gee. Come back.' He whined slightly already missing the presence of the man.

'I need to sleep Frank.' Gerard said amusedly as he walked back into the room. Frank looked so innocent wrapped in Gerard's white sheet smiling sleepily up at him with hope in his eyes. Gerard sat down of the edge of the bed and smiled at him again.

'Just stay until a fall asleep. It won't...' Yawn. 'Take long.' He closed his eyes and gave Gerard a proper chance to really look at him like he never had before. It was only ever glances in the bookstore and looking at his profile as he watched MSI in that darkened concert hall and that millisecond moment outside his flat where they were so close he could make out the freckles of Frank's cheeks. But this time he really got to study him. He was perfect. Gerard reached out slightly to twirl a strand of Frank's brunette and silky soft hair around his bony fingers. It felt so clean and smooth falling through his fingers as he played with it. The same strand stroking slightly and wrapping his around his finger. He suddenly realised what he was doing and pulled his hand away quickly which earned him a groan from Frank as the younger man pulled Gerard hand back onto his head willing him to play with his hair more. Gerard complied happily. After only a few minutes Frank's breathing started to resemble that of REM and Gerard decided that he was sleeping. He tip toed back into the living room where it was already set up for Lindsey staying over so he settled on his sofa and soon fell asleep dreaming of the man in the next room.

~~~~~

Frank woke up in an unusual place. His senses on overdrive as he looked frantically around the room. This, even though it was similar, wasn't his bedroom. He breathed heavily trying to remember what had happened. It was getting dark outside and though it felt like morning the clock beside the mysterious bed displayed 6pm. Frank cursed as he stood up feeling his head swirl.

Hangover.

Frank groaned and that's when he noticed the glass of water and pills beside the clock. He gratefully accepted them even though It could've been anything. He could feel the painkiller start to work and he dragged his feet behind him as he shuffled through the apartment. He was shocked to find himself surrounded by comic books, vinyls, CD's, band posters and books. At least his kidnapper had good taste he thought as he turned the corner and saw a figure lying sleeping on the sofa that occupied the most space in the room. He walked around it quietly and he tried to look at the mans face.

'Oh' he whispered to himself. Gerard. He scanned the room again and cursed himself for not realising sooner that the place belonged to his long term crush. He settled in the arm chair across from the sleeping Gerard as the events from the night and early morning before came flooding back to him. He couldn't make out whether him and Gerard had fully rejected each other last night or whether they had somehow made up for it by all the flirting. He suddenly caught sight of a book beside him which was bookmarked. It must've been the book he was currently reading. He opened it up and the book mark fell out of it. He reminded himself to pick in up later as he quickly scanned the book and its blurb. 'The Stand' by Stephen King. Frank smiled realising that that was the book he was going to buy the day he finally had the courage to speak to Gee, but he sensed it was just a coincidence. He leaned down to pick up the bookmark and realised it had writing on it. It read:

'Dear...you guys. Sorry about being awkward. Here's your change. See you Thursday -Frnk. X'

Frank smiled staring down at the note he had written about two weeks ago that Gerard was now using as a bookmark.

'Now,' Frank said to himself looking across at the boy smiling from ear to ear. 'That's no coincidence.'

Notes

I'm back! Whoop whoop! How you all been? Good? Good. I've been great and I'm so happy to be back writing after two months of pure studying. What did you think of my comeback? Did you like??? Tell me what you think and don't forget to check out my other two fics: Lonely Hearts Club and The Aftermath of a Death! See you soon and leave loads of comments!!!!

-C