Frerard - We're Just Friends (Part 1 of The 'Just Friends' Series)

2

It was the end of the first day of term and both Frank and Gerard headed back home after a long day. They practically reached the building at the same time but from different directions.

"Hey Gerard!" Frank called over, spotting his mop of red hair from across the path. He jogged towards him and patted him on the back as he reached him.

Gerard turned and smiled to Frank. "Hey" he replied. "How did it go?" he asked.

"Oh man" Frank sighed. "I'm not sure what I've gotten myself into. I thought they would at least go easy on us for the beginning of term, but I have a tonne of work to do already."

"Yeah. Same" Gerard replied, holding the door open for Frank to enter the building. "I have a shit load to do. Maybe they're just testing us to see how serious we are."

"Jesus" Frank huffed. "It's a fucking nightmare already."

They trekked up the stairs and made it to their dorm, both looking a little deflated from their full-on day.

"Coffee?" Gerard offered making his way over to the kettle.

"Please" Frank replied gratefully. "I'm just gonna call Jams. Won't be long."

"Sure" Gerard answered as he started on the coffees.

He heard Frank begin to talk when Jamia answered and as he looked across the room couldn't help but notice the smile appear on his roommate's face. He couldn't hear their conversation, but occasionally heard Frank giggle, which he found himself thinking was cute. He quickly snapped out of that thought and finished up with the drinks. He hovered on his side of the room until he felt like Frank was winding up his conversation. He subconsciously thought that he really ought to call Lindsey, but then again, she hadn't attempted to call him up until now. Still, he would call – probably tomorrow.

As he placed Frank's coffee down on his desk he could hear the back end of their conversation.

"Yeah" he heard Frank say. "He's pretty cool. Actually, he's just brought me coffee, so he's very cool."

Gerard felt his cheeks colour a little, as it was obvious he was meaning him. He simply smiled as he took a seat on his bed.

"Jams says hi" Frank shouted over to him.

"Oh" Gerard faltered. "Hi back."

Frank giggled again before saying his goodbyes.

"Love you too" he told Jamia down the phone, before reluctantly hanging up.

Frank sighed as he dropped his head onto his pillow and Gerard could see how much he missed his girlfriend. It was sweet.

"So did you meet any new guys in class?" Gerard asked.

"Um yeah a few" Frank replied. "I'm not all that sociable though to be honest, so kind of just kept to myself."

"You're not sociable?" Gerard asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No. Not at all."

"Well, you and I seemed to get along straight away" Gerard began. "And that must be down to you, because I don't really find people easy to deal with."

Frank laughed at that. "Maybe that's why then. We're both fucking awkward introverts, so we felt like kindred spirits or something."

"Fuck off with your hippy shit" Gerard laughed loudly.

They spent a couple of hours making a start on their schoolwork; Gerard researching some artist or other, and Frank dissecting a piece of music he'd been given to study. Then, they ate pizza and had a couple of beers.

They talked about their lives and found out all about each other and their families – Frank revealing that he was an only child; apple of his mom's eye, and Gerard telling Frank all about his goofy little brother Mikey.

They put on a movie and sat in comfortable silence with each other. They laughed at the same parts and relayed the same lines word for word, again making each other laugh. They felt completely at home with one another, both sitting against the headboard of Gerard's bed and watching the movie on his laptop which was propped up on his lap.

Again, both were amazed at how at ease they were with each other, having only met a few days ago. It was the makings of a truly remarkable friendship, something that neither had ever really had. Frank never really had one particular best friend. He had quite a few friends at school, but nobody stood out as being unique to him, or someone he would ever confide in. Jamia was probably his closest friend if anything, but he still wouldn't have described her as "best friend" material. And Gerard always had Mikey. He was his best friend. They did everything together, but he was still his brother, and not someone to necessarily share all your innermost secrets with.

Frank only had to be at class late the following morning, so Gerard made a conscious effort not to wake him when he got up. He tiptoed out of the room to the showers and returned and quickly dressed.

Frank was awake though, albeit only half awake. He didn't hear Gerard leave for the shower but did hear him return. He was going to sit up and say good morning, but when he noticed him shirtless through his half-open eyes, he just lay there and pretended to be asleep. He didn't know why. He just wanted to watch him for some reason. And yes, he did feel a bit creepy doing so, but he still did it. He watched as he ruffled his hair with his towel, as he bent forward to put on his socks, and as he slipped a t-shirt over his head covering his pale, smooth skin.

He closed his eyes a bit tighter when he sensed Gerard look over to him.

Gerard smiled at a sleeping Frank, thinking he looked cute with his long hair falling about his face and his mouth hung open. Then he mentally slapped himself again for using the word 'cute' for his new friend. What the fuck!

He quietly left the room and Frank let out a hefty breath.

Before he realised what he was doing, his hand had found its way into his pants, and he was stroking up his hardening dick. He told himself it was Jamia that he was thinking of and that it was missing her that was having this effect on him, but in the back of his mind he was terrified that it may be Gerard. Either way, there was no going back from his current situation, and he brought himself to his release with ease.

Unbeknownst to him, Gerard had just done the exact same thing while in the shower, trying not to think about the 'cute' little guy asleep in their room up the hall.