The Blind Leading The Blind

Gerard carried me inside, laying me down in his bed carefully. “There we go. That must feel better.”
I smiled to myself, nodding slightly. “I feel like I can finally relax again. Thank you, Gee.”
He leaned over, kissing my forehead. “I was so ready to have you home again, baby. You have no idea.”
“Why did you want me home so bad?” I hummed, playing with his hair as it fell over my face.
“Because now I can cuddle you properly and we can watch movies and I can feed you ice cream and hug you until you're sick of me.”
I giggled, smiling up at him. “I don't think I could ever get sick of you.”
“I guess we’ll find out.”
He lifted the hem of my shirt carefully, stroking my side. “This scar looks really good, it's healing perfectly.”
“Is it gonna be there forever?” I whined, feeling Gerard trace the scar with a fingertip.
“Yeah, I'm sorry, baby.”
I shrugged. “At least we match now, I guess.”
He chuckled and stroked my cheek slowly. “I wish I was as optimistic as you, baby. Do you want anything to eat?”
“I could murder a veggie cheeseburger,” I giggled, shaking my head. “But I'm not allowed anything big, am I?”
Gerard sighed and sat on the edge of the bed, stroking my chest slowly. “Not just yet, baby. I'm sorry. I can get you some rice.”
I pulled a face. “Not right now, thanks. Can we just lay down for a bit?”
Gerard sighed again quietly. “I have to go and study for a bit, sweetie. I have that big exam coming up, if I pass, I'll get a proper placement.”
I frowned and grabbed at his hand, squeezing it gently. “Go, go study, Geebear. That's more important right now. I'll listen to one of my books and not do very much for a while.”
“Are you sure you'll be okay?”
“Yes. I am sure I'll be okay. I'm not gonna die of boredom just yet.”
He chuckled and kissed my forehead. “Okay, I'll be in the next room if you need me. I love you, little one.”
I brushed my fingers over his cheek. “I love you too.”

Gerard gently shook me awake, chuckling softly. “Hey Frankie. You feeling okay?”
“Still tired,” I mumbled, stretching very carefully. “Am I allowed a bath?”
Gerard lifted my shirt again, humming to himself briefly. “Yeah, I think that would be okay. Not too hot.”
I nodded, yawning. “I'm just sick of being sponged down.”
Gerard chuckled, picking me up carefully. “Even though I was doing it?”
“Mhm. No offense meant, I just want a real bath.”
Gerard walked me to the bathroom and set me down on the toilet lid, turning the tap on. “Do you feel okay other than tired? No dizziness or sickness?”
I shook my head. “No, I feel okay apart from sleepy. I guess that's all gonna change on Friday, right?”
Gerard sighed and started to undress me carefully, his fingers warm where they brushed my skin. “Yeah, I'm sorry, baby.”
“It's not your fault,” I pointed out gently. “At least Friday is Mikey's last day.”
Gerard chuckled. “He says he's gonna spend every minute with you while I'm at work.”
I sighed and nodded. “I don't really want him to if I'm gonna be throwing up everywhere.”
Gerard stroked my hair, lifting me up carefully and setting me down in the tub. I shivered happily, dipping my fingers into the warm water. “He won't mind, Frankie. He just wants to be there for you.”
“I know, but he shouldn't have to be. He’ll be eighteen in a couple months, he should be out having fun and shit.”
“With who? He doesn't really have any other friends,” Gerard pointed out, carefully pouring the water over my chest. I leaned back quietly, sinking down slightly as the water rose, lapping at my skin.
“He has Ray. And Hayley, they're nice.”
“Frankie, I'm trying to say that I think he'd rather spend time with you than with people he doesn't know very well. I know Mikey, and he'd feel guilty out ‘having fun’ with other people when he knew you were here.”
I sighed and relaxed as his soft hands ran over my skin, washing me off carefully. “I know, I just...I don't want him to feel guilty.”
“And that's good. You're a good friend, Frankie.”
I turned my head to face him, biting my lip. “How long will I be at the hospital Friday?”
“It depends, love. You’ll have the treatment for an hour and they'll keep you in until you feel well enough to go home. If you have a really bad reaction, you could be there for a while.”
“Will you be there?”
“Yes. I might not be there for every single appointment because I'm not technically related to you or officially dating you, so they're not too worried about switching my shifts to make it easier. But someone will always be there to hold your hand. I'll make sure of that.”
Gerard started to wash my legs, humming to me softly. I leaned back, enjoying the quiet splashing of the water and the feel of Gerard's gentle hands against my skin. “Gee?”
“Yes, baby?”
“I'm still scared.”
“I know, baby. I'm here.”
I let my head fall to the side, my cheek resting on the cold surface of the tub. Gerard finished washing me off and sat there for a while, his fingers trailing in the water. “I love staring at you,” he said at last. I giggled and rolled my eyes. “I don't know why.”
“Because you're cute and I love you. That's why.”
“You'd better enjoy it now. I won't be very cute on Friday. Or after.”
Gerard chuckled and gently took one of my hands, tracing circles on my palm with a fingertip. “You'll always be cute to me, Frankie.”
I smiled, laying completely relaxed. “If you say so.” “Mhm. I do. I thought you were adorable the first time I saw you.”
“Really? I can’t really say anything about the first time I saw you.”
Gerard laughed, letting go of my hand and stroking my cheek slowly. “But you must have had a first impression.”
“Mhm. It was the floor on my face,” I teased, turning my head to kiss his hand. “Alright, I give up.” I smiled at him, running a hand through my hair. “No...Mikey told me what you looked like...and the first thing that really stood out to me was that your hair was red.”
“Why’s that?” He hummed, his hand brushing my jaw.
I shrugged and stretched, yawning. “Well..I remember some things from when I had my sight. I remember colors okay, but more the feel of colors than what they look like. Red to me is a passionate color, loud. Even angry. So I guess I started to think of you like that. Imagine how confused I was when I started getting to know you,” I grinned, slipping lower into the water.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” I rolled my eyes and giggled. “It means that I think you’re sweet and kind and gentle. Not loud or angry or whatever.”
“Alright. So what color should I dye my hair?”
I curled up, hugging myself. “Blue. Orange? I dunno. Green, maybe.”
“So rainbow?”
I grinned, nodding slightly. “Sure.”
“Are you getting cold, baby?”
I shifted, sighing softly. “Yeah, but I’m enjoying just talking to you for a while. It’s nice.” Gerard leaned over, kissing my forehead softly. “I can take you to bed and we could talk then?”
I nodded, sitting up carefully. “That sounds great, but so does something to eat.”“Okay. How about you get dry while I go and make you something?”
I smiled, standing up a little shakily. “Alright.”
Gerard held my hand as I stepped out of the tub, then handed me the towel. “I’ll be back, okay?”
I hummed softly, starting to dry off carefully.
After a few minutes, I wrapped the towel around my waist and headed into the kitchen, trailing the fingertips of my right hand along the wall so I knew where I was going. “Gee?”
He hummed softly. “I’m right here, baby, you okay?” I nodded, walking over to him and rubbing his back slowly. “Yeah, I’m okay.” “You gonna put some clothes on?” I giggled and shook my head. “Nope. Do you have a problem with that?”
“A little bit.” I frowned, rubbing one eye. “Oh..um..sorry..” Gerard chuckled and pulled me closer to him, wrapping an arm around my waist. “I meant I have a problem with it because I can’t do anything about it.” I tried to pull away, but he tugged me closer again. “I’m confused, Gee..” He sighed, nuzzling my cheek. “I meant that I want to do something with you, but I’m worried about hurting you.”
I blinked, turning away. “Oh...I um...okay.”
“C’mon, baby, how about we go sit down? Can you get to the bedroom? I’ll follow you with some food.”
I nodded and walked off quietly, dropping the towel as soon as I was in the bedroom and digging out a pair of boxers, tugging them on. Gerard walked in and sighed. “Frankie, baby, I didn’t mean-”“It’s fine. See? It’s fine now,” I snapped. Gerard stopped and I heard him set some plates down on the bedside table. “Frank, you just raised your voice to me.”
I buried my face in my hands just before Gerard hugged me tightly. “Come here. Don’t cry.”
I tried to pull away, sniffling. “I didn’t mean to, I...I’m sorry.”
“I know, I know.” He gently pulled me over to the bed and guided me to sit down. “I wanted to make you happy, and I went about it the wrong way. All we have to do is put it behind us, okay? Now, I know you’re hungry, so I made you a sandwich.”
Gerard sat down next to me, handing me a plate.
“I’m sorry for overreacting, Gee,” I murmured, leaning my head on his shoulder.
“You don’t have to apologize, Frankie. Just eat something, I’m worried about you.”
I smiled slightly and took a bite of the sandwich. Gerard rubbed my back slowly.
“What did you always imagine you’d do when you turned eighteen?” He asked softly, kissing the side of my head.
“I dunno. Get a tattoo, probably. Why?”
“I was just thinking about it. I always thought I’d go to art college, and now I’m taking a test to be a nurse tomorrow.”
“Shit. Is it tomorrow?”
“Yeah, baby. I gotta be out early for it.”
“Okay. wake me up before you go, yeah? I wanna see you off. And I didn’t know you were an artist..”
Gerard chuckled, shrugging. “I got rejected a few times, by universities, and I guess I gave up. I still draw sometimes, I just don’t really have time anymore.”
“Aw, I wish I could see some of it,” I hummed, stroking his chest slowly. “I'm sure you're really good, Gee.”
He stroked my hair, sighing softly. “You know you could still get a tattoo.”
I bit my lip lightly. “I don't really want to anymore. I think it would just make me sad, knowing it was there and not being able to see it.”
I took the last bite of my sandwich and Gerard took the plate, setting it aside carefully. “I'm sorry, baby.”
“It's okay..” I smiled, hugging him loosely. “If I wasn't blind I wouldn't have met you.”
“Well..”
“Shush, it makes me feel better so don't ruin it.”
Gerard chuckled, standing up. “I'm gonna get changed, do you wanna curl up?”
I nodded, getting up and pulling the covers back from the bed so I could crawl in. Gerard hummed to himself as he changed, not really a tune, just a habit. I sat up suddenly and he stopped. “Frankie?”
I groaned quietly, hugging myself. “Gee..”
He hurried over and stroked my hair, lifting my chin. “What's wrong? Does your stomach hurt?”
I nodded shakily and he sighed, sitting down and pulling me against his bare chest. “I'm sorry, baby, I'm sorry.”
I grabbed onto him, clinging to him as I buried my face in his neck and tried not to cry, my whole body trembling.
“Frankie...Frankie, baby, if you let go, I can get you some medication..”
“Don't leave me..” I whimpered, involuntary tears running down my cheeks and dripping onto his shoulder. “Please..”
Gerard sighed and picked me up carefully, carrying me to the bathroom. He set me down on the toilet and started rummaging through some cabinets. I gagged suddenly, the nausea rising quickly. Gerard rubbed my back, trying to calm me down. “Shh, baby, you need to keep it down. Come on..”
He kept trying to find the pills, muttering curse words under his breath. He sighed and gently pulled my arm away from my body. “Hold that there. Hang on a second.”
He let go of me and I heard him shaking some kind of liquid before he grabbed my arm again. There was a soft popping noise and he took a deep breath. “Hold still, baby, this might pinch..”
He rubbed the inside of my elbow briefly, then pressed something against it. I cried out as the needle went in.
“Fuck, Gee! Couldn't you w-warn me?”
“I'm sorry, Frankie,” Gerard murmured, stroking my hair. “It's a sedative, it was the only thing I could find. Try and take deep breaths, you’ll be out in a minute..”
I nodded, trusting him completely as he scooped me up, carrying me back towards the bedroom bridal style. “I'm scared..”
“I know, Frankie. But I'm here.”

Notes