Acknowledged Him a Man (Frerard)

Chapter 5 - The Painting

Frank grasped their hand, guiding them into another smaller room. An abstract geometric metal sculpture of a tornado hung from the ceiling, hovering less than an inch from the floor.

Frank walked around the sculpture. Two oil paintings hung close to each other on the wall, one was of abstract greens and blues, which one could assume was a forest if it followed the themes of the exhibition.

And the other was of a man reading a lilac book on a field of grass, strokes loose and quick—wait that man was Frank? In the painting, Frank was reading Emily Dickinson, one knee bent on the grass field outside the English Department.

Gerard had painted this.

How was their painting in this gallery? They didn't go to his college. And did they give this painting to Frank? They had given many things to Frank, they couldn't remember gifting this artwork.

Wait until Frank hears they have burnt their paintings... oh fuck.

"How..." That was all Gerard could manage.

Frank beamed, "How could I not!"

"How is it here? How do you have it? How is it in this gallery? How?"

Frank squeezed their hand, "I wouldn't call it stealing but permanently borrowing. I convinced the art teacher to display it. Simple."

Gerard didn't follow, how did Frank steal it? It was three feet by three feet, they had painted many larger ones, however, one couldn't simply walk out of a room with no one noticing it was gone.

Frank added, "I know you hate large gatherings, so instead of the opening tomorrow night, this is own open night."

"Our secret open night?"

"For us only."

"Just us?"

Frank leaned his forehead on theirs, "Yeah, just us."

"God, this is why I'm in love with you."

Oh. No.

What the fuck did Gerard say... Out loud?

So long to having a boyfriend.

That lasted all of about half an hour.

Even though Gerard was no expert dater, they knew enough to not say I love you on the first date or in the first month, in fact. They didn't know when the correct was to declare their love, however, it certainly wasn't now, they had just started dating.

Frank grabbed their skull and kissed them.

Wait, Frank was still kissing them? After they had way too prematurely into this relationship declared their love

Perhaps, Frank was a keeper.

"I love you so much, Gerard," whispered Frank and kissed them again.

Gerard was on the verge of fainting.

They wanted nothing more than to elope with Frank in that moment—why wait years when Frank would be their husband that day.

Oh no, Gerard definitely couldn't propose to him less than an hour into their relationship. Their declaration of love was already pushing it.

Tears rolled their cheeks. God, why were they weeping? Of course, they were fucking weeping.

Frank's head around their cheeks, their noses touching, "Gerard, are you okay?"

"You love me?"

"Of course, I fucking love you, Gerard, how could I not!"

"We're been dating for less than an hour."