~Gerard~
I watched Frank happily. He was curled up in the dog bed with Pansy, fast asleep. I'd already taken a picture and sent it to Mikey, who'd helped me come up with the idea, but now it was getting late.
I leaned over, gently shaking Frank’s thin shoulder. “Baby...do you wanna come to bed?”
He yawned and looked up at me, his soft hazel eyes blinking slowly. “What?”
“I said would you like to come to bed? It's almost ten, sweetie.”
He sat up carefully, stroking Pansy’s side. “Okay.”
I helped him up, starting to walk him out of the room slowly. He stopped to stretch and his shirt came up, flashing his gaunt hipbones. I sighed and didn't say anything, putting a hand on his back gently and starting to move him forward again. “Gee..”
I looked down at him, a smile playing at the corners of my lips. I nearly always smiled when he said my name. “Yes, beautiful?”
“Thank you.”
“You've said that a thousand times,” I chuckled, kissing his cheek softly. He fell against me slightly, grinning sleepily.
“Mhm. But I’ve wanted a guide dog for years..”
“I know,” I murmured, gently helping him sit down on the bed. “Mikey told me. I asked him for present ideas and that was one of them. It reminded me how much you liked that plush I got you for the hospital.”
“Sweetpea,” Frank prompted, grinning up at me as I slipped his shirt off over his head.
“Mhm. That's the one. I thought that he must like dogs so much...so what better thing to get him? It’ll be a pet and a friend and a guide. It’s the perfect present.”
“She really is,” Frank murmured, undoing his jeans and kicking them away himself. He climbed into bed in just his boxers, curling up on his side happily. I undressed as well, but stood there for a couple seconds, just staying him. The curve of his back, the way his spine stuck out. I could see every rib, even from the back. It scared me, but I knew the same old Frank was in there, the same beautiful personality I'd fallen for, and I was dying to help him get healthy again.
He smiled sweetly at me as I got into bed and I touched his cheek lightly.
He had this special smile he reserved for me, I’d noticed. He had a stock smile for meeting people, a Mikey smile, a Mum smile. But the one he always smiled when I came near him was my favorite. His eyes would light up and his whole expression radiate trust and love. It was my opinion that that smile could heal people better than Jesus.
Of course, Frank reserved a lot of stuff for me. It was kind of sad, in a way. He would cry in front of me and smash things in front of me. He'd let me see his whole range of emotions, while everyone else seemed to get the usual ‘happy’ Frank. The positive Frank. Mikey had mentioned it to me after Frank had finished chemo. He'd noticed this too, and he'd noticed that all he got anymore was ‘happy Frank.’ I'd told him there was a lot more genuine happy Frank to go around, and he'd laughed, but I could tell he still missed his friend.
“Geebear?”
His soft voice cut through my thoughts like a knife through butter, but just slightly more welcome than a knife. I grinned.
“Yeah, sweetie?”
Frank cupped my jaw in his hands, stroking his thumbs over my cheeks. “You were thinking about something..”
I nodded, sliding an arm around his waist and shifting closer. “Yeah. I was thinking maybe you should spend some more time with Mikey. I love having you here, but he misses you.”
“He's in university now, Gee. I can't keep bugging him.”
I smiled and took one of his hands, kissing his knuckles gently. “Mhm. He wants you to. He misses you, Frankie. Mum misses you too. She wants us to start having family meals more often.”
He shrugged. “Okay? I'm not really fam-”
“You're one of us now, Frankie,” I murmured, gently pulling him close to me. He purred and wrapped his arms around me. “If you say so. I'm really tired..”
“So sleep,” I teased softly, rubbing his back slowly. He snorted and kissed my chest lightly. “Be quiet.”
I smiled to myself, nuzzling his neck carefully.

---

Frank dropped his keys in the bowl on the side, then knelt down to take Pansy’s harness off. “Hey, baby..” I called softly. “I'm in the kitchen.”
Pansy ran into the kitchen, barking at me excitedly. I grinned at her. “Shh, I can't pet you, I'm cooking!”
Frank walked in, laughing as he wrapped his arms around my waist tightly. “Mm. I love you, Gee.”
“I love you too, little one. Did you have a fun time?”
He let his arms slip down and he moved to stand next to me. “We only went for a walk...but yeah, it was fun.”
I looked down at him, smiling to myself. Frank was enjoying his freedom with Pansy. Taking her out for her daily walk was one of the high points of his day, and he loved it when we all walked around the shops together.
“Whatcha makin’?”
I kissed the top of his head. “Key lime pie. We’re going over to Mum’s tonight, remember?”
Frank nodded. “Will Ray be there?”
I sighed quietly. “I think so.”
He groaned loudly, tilting his head back. “Mikey won't talk to anyone else all night..”
“They still haven't figured themselves out,” I pointed out quietly. “But it's been like...six weeks since the party? I dunno..”
Frank leaned against me slightly. “I've tried asking him about it and he won't talk to me.”
I rubbed his shoulder lightly. “He’ll come around, sweetie. He's just..” I waved a hand vaguely. “He's in his own teenage world having a fun time. He's not really...he's not as mature as you, I don't think.”
He sighed and leaned up on his toes to kiss my cheek. “I'd better leave you to it, I'm gonna go run a bath.”
“Alright, Frankie. Leave the door open, yeah?”
He grinned at me and shoved my chest gently. “We don't have time for naughtiness.”
I pulled him into a quick kiss. “I know, I just like knowing I can get to you if you slip or something.”
Frank rolled his eyes and smiled that smile again. “I'll be fine, Gee. But I'll leave the door open if it makes you feel better.”
“It does.”
“You're a dork.”
I chuckled and gently pushed him away. “I can live with that. Go..”
I watched him walk off, his hand trailing along the wall of the corridor and Pansy trotting after him. I smiled to myself and went back to what I was doing.

Frank sat down next to me, searching for my hand under the table. I took his hand gently, smiling at him and kissing his cheek.
“This smells great, Donna, thank you,” he grinned, squeezing my hand gently.
“I hope it's alright, I think the chicken is a little crispy.”
“It looks amazing, Mum,” I cut in quietly, starting to serve up for Frank. Mikey was sitting across the table with Ray, whispering to him. I could tell it was bothering Frank just by looking at his face, but I didn't know how to help. I set his now full plate down in front of him, kissing his cheek. “Eat up, sweetie. Try to get through all of it.”
He nodded and picked up his fork, starting to eat as I dished myself up a much smaller portion. Mum watched me, smiling slightly. I glanced at her and she smiled wider. “You're going on a diet? That's good, you've been putting on weight again.”
Frank paused, gritting his teeth and squeezing my hand. He knew I was sensitive about my weight.
I sighed and looked down at my plate. “I've been on a diet for a while, Mum. It just doesn't seem to be working.”
“Maybe it's not a very good one,” she smiled, not really knowing what she was doing to me.
Frank opened his mouth to say something, but I cut in first. “Mum, I'd really like to talk about something else, please.”
Frank seemed to relax and Mum sighed. “How's Pansy doing, Frank?”

We managed to get through dinner without anyone getting strangled, and I took Frank home fairly early, as he was getting very sleepy. He clung to me as I carried him up to my apartment, and wouldn't let go as I tried to unlock the door, hindered by his body against mine. I finally managed to peel him off me and lay him in bed, kissing his forehead gently. “Get undressed, Frank, I think we both need an early night.”
I slipped my shirt off slowly, glancing in the mirror and sighing. Mum was right, I was starting to get a bit of a tummy. Frank groaned.
“You're looking in the fucking mirror, aren't you?”
I rolled my eyes, vaguely annoyed. “Aren't you supposed to be blind?”
“I am blind, I'm just not a fucking idiot.”
I glared at him, but it wasn't worth fighting over. I kicked my jeans off and climbed into bed next to him as he burrowed under the covers happily. “I'm sorry, Frankie, I just..”
“You're perfect to me,” he murmured, his voice muffled under the thick duvet. I lifted the covers and leaned down to kiss him.
“You've never said anything like that before.”
Frank smiled, and it wasn't that smile he reserved for me. This was a little different, kinder and softer. Comforting. “That's because I didn't have every inch of your skin memorized before,” he purred, pulling me down next to him and rubbing his hands over my chest and stomach soothingly. “But now I do, and I know you're perfect. Ignore your mom, okay? She doesn't really know anything.”
I sighed and shrugged. “I can't help thinking she's right though, Frankie. I've been trying to lose weight and I still haven't shifted any. When I'm at work, I practically run everywhere and when I'm standing still, I'm burning tons of calories because it's so damn stressful. I don't get it.”
“Gee, baby. You're not really built to be skinny,” Frank said gently, cupping my jaw with one hand. “You still have some curves and that's what I love about you. You have an interesting and beautiful body, Geebear. And I don't care if you can't lose weight, because it just means there's more of you to love. Just please be careful with this diet, okay? Not eating anything isn't good for you..”
I pulled him closer to me gently, starting to relax. “Okay. I'll be careful, Frankie, I promise.”
He hugged me tightly, kissing the bottom of my jaw. “You never talk to me about your insecurities,” he said softly. “I wish you did, I know it's hard for you and you like seeming strong for me, but I worry about you, I do.”
I sighed, stroking his cheek slowly and staring into his big, hazel eyes. “Frankie, I'm just not..”
“I know, it's okay..”
Frank snuggled closer, laying his cheek against my chest, his head tucked under my chin. “I love you, Gee.”
I hugged him a little tighter. “I love you too.”

I slumped back against the tub, Frank's gentle hands grabbing at my shirt. “Gee? Baby...what's going on?”
I groaned softly, hauling myself to my feet and flushing the toilet. “I just woke up nauseous..” I mumbled, grabbing my toothbrush. Frank got up and stroked my side slowly. “Are you okay?”
I nodded slightly and Frank squeezed my hip. “Gee, please go to the doctor. Today. You were fine last night and you don't have a fever or any other symptoms. Something could be wrong..”
I closed my eyes, sighing softly. “Frank. I'll be okay, it's just-”
“No. You'll go today.”
Frank had developed a way of talking to me during his time in treatment. When he spoke to me in his special, firm voice, what he said sounded like a certainty. Like it was written in stone. The gods would rain fire down upon me if I disobeyed, or at least Frank would give me the silent treatment. He’d elevated the silent treatment to high art.
I sighed and nodded again. “Okay, okay. I'll go, baby.”
Frank tugged out his phone, handing it to me. “Call and make the appointment now.”
There it was again. You will obey.
I smiled to myself and typed in the passcode, dialing the doctor’s office quickly. I made an appointment for that morning and handed the phone back to Frank, who smiled sweetly. “There we go. You'll get sorted out,” he said, almost too nicely. He knew what he was doing and I didn't have any choice but to swim with the current.

I tapped my foot in the waiting room quietly. Frank had had some work for an apparently secret project to get done, and had stayed home. I heard my name called and got up, following the nurse through into the room. She took my weight and blood pressure, then stepped out.
I stared at the blank, cream colored walls, wishing Frank was with me. He was right about my insecurities, I worried about him still liking me everyday. I worried that one day he'd leave me. That he'd want more from life than a constantly stressed out nurse with shitty hours, or that he'd want a ‘real’ man, as so many guys had said to me before.
The door clicked and I glanced up. The doctor smiled at me. “Hey, Gerard. How are you?”
I shrugged, trying to push the anxious thoughts out of my mind. “Hey, Brendon. I'm okay, I guess.”
“So why’ve you come to see me today?”
I chuckled and ran a hair through my hair. “Because my boyfriend told me to? Um, I've been trying to keep my weight down lately and I haven't been eating so much...I got a job in the ER so I'm on my feet a lot of the day, and I just seem to be putting it on. And this morning I just woke up nauseous, really bad..”
He sat down on his rolling stool, jotting a couple things down. “Okay. So this boyfriend...have you had unprotected sex with him?”
I blinked, taking a deep breath. “Uh. Yeah, we’re both clean.”
Brendon sighed. “Gerard, I'm gonna need you to take a urine test.”
I stared at him for a second. “It was only once, and-”
“Gerard, you're a nurse. You know that once is enough.”
I called Frank on the way home, only just keeping it together. He picked up on the third ring. “Hey, babe. What's up?”
I sighed quietly. “Can you get the ice cream out, sweetie? I think I'm gonna need a cuddle when I get home.”
Frank hesitated. “Gee, what's wrong? Are you sick?”
“I'm not sick..please? I'll tell you everything, you don't need to be worried.”
“I'm going to be worried anyway,” Frank said gently, sighing softly. “Where are you?”
“Ten minutes from home.”
“Okay. I'll be ready. Love you.”
He hung up and I tossed my phone onto the dashboard, glaring at the road.

Notes

There's a twist coming up in the next chapter, but I think you guys will figure it out...the foreshadowing is not very subtle. Sorry about that.
I hope you're still enjoying this, some more feedback would be much appreciated :)
Have a good day
Logan