Let Love In

7

'Good morning!' Bandit screams as she runs in Gerard's room, and gets on his bed to jump up and down, with all the energy an eight-year old can have. 'It's time to wake up!'

Gerard loves his daughter, and her energetic nature, but sometimes he wishes she was a bit calmer. 'It's too early, B,' he answers, barely awake, and covers himself with the blanket.

'I'm hungry.'

Eight years being a single dad, and he's still not used to someone else's life depending on him completely.

He just needs another five minutes for himself, just to remember how good Frank looked last night, and that hug before they said goodbye –

And out of nowhere, Bandit throws her whole weight on him, and Gerard reminds himself not to get mad or yell at her, and instead, he wraps his arms around her and starts tickling her until she's laughing.

'Dad is tired, okay?' he says, and the girl just nods.

'I'm sorry, dad.'

'Don't worry.'

'How was it last night?'

Gerard loves having conversations with her now that she's older. 'Amazing, actually. Better than I expected.' And it has nothing to do with the exhibit, he thinks. He would have never imagined he'd see Frank again, let alone at the exhibit, and that made his night.

He knows that Mikey is behind this, and he knows he has to thank him, but he's not ready to talk about it. He just wants to enjoy this feeling a little longer. The excitement, the tingling feeling in his stomach –

'Dad –' B calls him back to reality. 'Let's go.'

As painful as it is, he gets out of bed and drags his feet to the kitchen, still wearing his PJs, and makes scrambled egg with bacon and some coffee for him. They have breakfast in front of the TV, and while they watch Adventure Time, Gerard gets a text from Mikey. Good morning :)

Gerard can't help smiling.

I'd ask why you never answered you phone last night, but I prefer not to know, a new text from Mikey reads.

It's not until then that Gerard sees all the missed calls from his brother, the same ones he ignored because he was hanging out with Frank, and he came home too tired, still floating, and not really in the mood to check his phone. I just took him home, relax.

Mikey doesn't reply for a while, and Gerard is a bit nervous, but not sure why.

After a couple minutes, there's another notification.

A number.

Call him.

Gerard has to stop himself from screaming like an excited teenager, but he can't stop smiling.

***

It's been three days, and Frank can't stop thinking about Gerard.

His eyes on him, the way he talks to the side. The passion when he talks about anything he likes, including pizza and fictional demons. His loud laugh.

He tries to keep himself busy, but it's impossible not to think about him. Because even as confused as his head gets sometimes, even if he doesn't know who he is sometimes, or what he's going to do with his life, he know he's never felt this way before. The way Gerard makes him feel – complete.