Land of the Lost

Chapter 8

'I like you, you know?' Gerard whispers, and then goes back to kissing Frank.

'Oh, you do?'

What had started with them watching The Gremlins and eating Frank's mom's pasta and milkshakes, ended up in them wrestling in bed, tickling each other, and now they're lying in bed, cuddling, not even paying attention to the movie.

Gerard's lips are far more interesting, Frank thinks. They're warm and slimy, and they make Frank feel good in all the right places.

He's still not sure how this boyfriends thing works, but he likes it so far. 'So – this is how it is, huh?' he mumbles, his eyes barely open, and everything feels like a dream.

'What?' Gerard just makes it harder with the way he's looking at him.

'Dating? Being – boyfriends?' he stutters, a little embarrassed by his lack of experience.

'You've never –' Gerard's green eyes give him all their attention, and while Frank is afraid he'll make fun of him for being nineteen and never having had a boyfriend, all he sees is tenderness.

'Do I look like someone who dates a lot?' he asks, letting out a laugh.

'I don't know! You're cute as fuck!'

That makes Frank blush. 'Well, first of all, you're lying. Second of all, even if I was, I'm like the nerdiest kid ever, and if they ever noticed me, it was only to push me into lockers, or break my glasses, or ask me to do their homework.'

'I'm sorry.'

'I'm okay now,' he says, and pulls Gerard for a kiss. 'This is better than the movies.'

Gerard can't help but laugh at this. 'What are you talking about?'

'You know – like rom coms give you all these expectations of what relationships are. Romantic dates under the stars, presents, guys standing on your driveway with a boombox. This is way better.'

'Oh, yeah?' Frank nodded. 'I'd never take you for someone who takes advice from romantic comedies.'

'Well – there's so much that you don't know about me,' he admitted between kisses. 'Me and my mom would always watch movies on the weekends and – whatever, dude, I'm just a hopeless romantic, okay?'

'I like that.'

They lie there for the longest time, just enjoying each other's existence, taking each other in. Frank kisses Gerard's nose and plays with his hair, and Gerard holds his hand and squeezes it hard. Neither of them tries to go any further or hurry things up. Everything is new and precious. And Gerard is grateful for that, he doesn't want to ruin anything by Frank seeing the scars he hides under his shirt.

'You think Ray is coming back anytime soon?' Frank asks out of nowhere, the smile unable to leave his face.

'No – he probably went to his friends' place to play videogames. You can stay a little longer.'

'Okay.'

'Okay,' Gerard repeats. He just wants to stay like this forever.

***

Frank's mornings went from studying in the library before class and running to his first lecture, to meeting Gerard for coffee and bagels outside the cafeteria. He still has his books out, trying to focus on the words, but Gerard being so close is so distracting.

During lunch, they eat together, and they still meet later at night at the library. Sometimes. Other times, they'd go to Frank's room, and have dinner together before working on whatever they needed to, but they would always end up kissing and cuddling.