𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐒𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 - 𝐅𝐫𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐫𝐝

Chapter 9 - Butterflies

    It was a bright morning. The sun was peeking through all the windows in the house. It was like the sun was leaking into the house. No lights were needed to be on, the natural sunlight lit everything up perfectly. The perfect image of a spring morning.

    Gerard was sitting in bed, watching some television, kind of having an off morning. Woke up on the wrong side of the bed. He sighed, reaching over to his nightstand to grab his glasses, he rarely wore them, but his new medication had made his vision a bit blurry. He thought he looked dorky in them. He always told himself it widened his face, shaped him wrong. But Carrie told him otherwise.

"Gerard! Someone is at the door for you!" Carrie yelled from downstairs. She had taken a few days off of work to make sure Gerard was okay. So she had been home a lot.

Gerard got up, literally a zombie. He grabbed a sweater, putting it on quickly before going downstairs.

Carrie was in the kitchen, cleaning up.

"I think it's your friend or something." She spoke, the running water sort of overpowering her words.

Gerard just nodded, going to the door. Frank. There he was standing there like a nerd.

"Oh. Hey Frank. What's up?" Gerard slightly smiled at him.

"Well uh.. I just wanted to check on you, and see how you were doing.. I brought you this." Frank smiled back at him. Handing him a little box.

Gerard looked down at the box, then back up at Frank.

"Thank you, Frank. Come in."

Carrie shut the water off, looking over to the two. "You boys can go upstairs to the room, the waters kind of loud."

Gerard nodded. Heading upstairs, Frank following him.

Gerard's head was racing with overwhelming thoughts while he was with Frank. Even though he was over thinking, not a single word Frank said passed Gerard's mind, every word he said, Gerard didn't miss anything. It's like his brain had made room for his words even while he wasn't thinking straight.

"Are you okay Gee?.." Frank asked, sort of placing his hand on top of Gerard's.

"Oh.. Yes, I'm okay, I promise. I just have a lot on my mind" Gerard smiled lightly at Frank. He looked down at Franks soft hands touching his. Looking back up at Frank.

"Tell me about it." Frank spoke softly.

His words made butterflies scatter throughout Gerard's stomach. He had feelings for Frank. In a more than friendly way. He saw him in a way that he couldn't express clearly. The way Franks hair slightly covered his forehead and the way his eyelashes sat perfectly on his eyes. The way his smile would pop up when he had a certain thought or when he did something he liked. All of it. It all made Gerard feel a certain way.

Gerard sighed, his gaze dropping into his hands. Every time he tried to voice his feelings, the words would just tangle up in his throat, leaving him with nothing but a wishful sigh. He was afraid of ruining what they already had as friends, the easy camaraderie that made everyday brighter.

He looked up at Frank again, feeling his hands get sweaty, clearing his throat again. "Well, this whole thing is kind of awkward.. and I've been meaning to tell you about it." He confessed.

Franks expression softened, a gentle curiosity lighting in his eyes. "You know you can tell me anything, right?"

Gerard nodded, feeling the weight of the moment settle around them. "It's just that.. I think I like you." He admitted. The words rushing out in a brave whisper. "Like more than a friend."

There was a pause, a single heartbeat of silence that felt like an eternity. Then, Franks face broke into a wide, disarming smile. "I was wondering when you were going to say something." He said, his voice warm with affection.

Gerard's eyes snapped up, surprise etched across his features.

"Wait, really?" Gerard tilted his head slightly.

"Yes." Frank smiled at Gerard. Gently reaching over to grab Gerard's hands. Holding them in his own.

"I thought you were.. straight." Gerard soft spoke, kind of awkward.

Frank laughed a bit at that, shaking his head.

"That's funny." He smiled at Gerard.

The air in the room got hotter. Tense. Like the sun had been placed in the room. Gerard thought to himself, feeling stupid. He shouldn't have even said anything.

"I'm sorry." Gerard sighed, placing his head in his hands. Dumbfounded.

"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything wrong." Frank tilted his head in confusion.

Gerard had an issue with saying sorry, for no reason. He always felt like he had to say it even when things were fine. Or when something wasn't his fault.

"You don't need to be sorry for anything, Gee.." Frank leaned closer, grabbing Gerard's hands from his face. "Don't be sorry." He spoke softly, holding Gerard's hands in his.

Gerard looked at him with a sincere expression. Frank looked into his eyes, admiring them. Like he was memorizing their color and shape. He held one of Gerard's hands, his other hand gently resting on Gerard's cheek. Frank leaned in closer, their lips almost touching. Before they touched. Gerard's body relaxed. Leaning in closer to the kiss. Intimate yet sweet. The anticipation hung between them, a tangible thread drawing them into the inevitable. As their lips finally met, the world seemed to stand still, the quiet intimacy of Gerard's room amplifying the soft sound of a shared breath. It was a kiss that felt like the gentlest of crescendos, a moment suspended in the sanctity of trust and a newfound affection. In the sanctuary of Gerard's room, surrounded by the essence of who they were, Frank and Gerard found a silent language that spoke louder than any words could. And as they pulled away, just enough to see the reflection of their own vulnerability mirrored in each other's eyes, they knew this was merely the first verse of an unwritten song that they'd compose together, note by tender note.

And there was that same old feeling when Gerard was near Frank. Butterflies.