I lost my fear of falling || frerard fanfic

Chapter 6: confrontation

Frank paced his room, the evening light filtering through his window. He could hear the faint sounds of laughter from outside, but all he felt was the knot of anxiety twisting tighter in his chest. After the day's unexpected encounter with Gerard, he knew he couldn't avoid the inevitable any longer.

Just as he reached for his phone, it buzzed on the table. A message from Mikey popped up: "sorry about everything that happened at school today, I hope you okayed ."

Frank sighed, fingers hovering over the screen. He typed back, "I'm fine. Just trying to figure things out." He hesitated, then added, "Can you come over?"

Moments later, a reply came through: "On my way."

While waiting, Frank couldn't help but replay his last conversation with Gerard in his mind. The way Gerard's eyes had looked, the sincerity in his voice—it had thrown Frank off balance. He wondered what it all meant.

When Mikey arrived, he found Frank sitting on the edge of his bed, deep in thought. "Hey," Mikey said, closing the door behind him. "You look like you've seen a ghost."

"More like I'm about to become one," Frank muttered, running a hand through his hair. "I can't stop thinking about Gerard."

Mikey perched on the desk chair, leaning forward. "What about him?"

"I don't know. Today, he actually seemed... human? Like, for a second, I thought he might really be struggling with something. But then it all went back to normal." Frank paused, biting his lip. "It's messing with my head."

Mikey crossed his arms, his brow furrowed. "You need to be careful. Remember, he's not just a misunderstood artist. He's been a jerk for a long time."

"Yeah, but what if he's just hurting?" Frank replied, frustration bubbling up. "What if there's more to him than I thought?"

"Okay, but that doesn't mean you have to be his emotional punching bag. You have to protect yourself first," Mikey cautioned.

"I know!" Frank snapped, the words coming out sharper than he intended. He took a deep breath, trying to steady himself. "But what if I'm wrong? What if he's actually trying to reach out?"

Mikey raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched on his face. "You think he's reaching out? After everything?"

"Maybe," Frank said, his voice softening. "Maybe he's just as confused as I am. I don't want to be afraid of him anymore."

"Just be smart about it," Mikey urged. "Don't let your feelings cloud your judgment. He might just be playing a game."

Frank nodded but felt a flicker of doubt. He needed to know the truth. "I think I need to talk to him. Like, really talk."

Mikey looked wary. "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Not doing anything feels worse," Frank admitted, heart racing at the thought of confronting Gerard. "I need to know what he wants."

"Fine, but I'm coming with you," Mikey said, determination in his voice.

"No, I have to do this alone," Frank insisted. "If this is going to go anywhere, it has to be just me and him. Besides, it's better that way. Less pressure."

Mikey hesitated, then sighed. "Okay, but call me if it gets weird. Promise?"

"Promise," Frank said, forcing a smile to ease the tension.

That evening, as the sun set and darkness enveloped the street, Frank found himself standing outside Gerard's house. His heart pounded in his chest as he knocked on the door, each sound echoing in the stillness.

After a moment, the door creaked open, revealing Gerard, his expression shifting from surprise to something unreadable. "Frank," he said, his voice low.

"Hey," Frank replied, shoving his hands into his pockets to hide his nerves. "Can we talk?"

"Sure," Gerard said, stepping aside to let Frank in. The familiar scent of paint and something unidentifiable washed over him as he entered. The walls were adorned with chaotic sketches, and the atmosphere felt charged.

"Nice place," Frank commented, glancing around.

Gerard leaned against the wall, arms crossed. "It's a work in progress. Like me."

Frank swallowed hard, feeling the weight of Gerard's gaze on him. "I wanted to ask you about earlier. At school."

"Yeah?" Gerard's tone was casual, but Frank could sense the tension beneath it.

"What's going on with you? Why do you keep coming after me?" Frank asked, his voice steadying. "It feels personal."

Gerard's eyes narrowed, and for a moment, the mask slipped. "You really want to know?"

"Yeah," Frank said, his heart racing. "I need to understand."

Gerard pushed himself off the wall and paced slightly, his hands running through his hair. "You think it's easy for me? Losing my dad? Feeling like I'm drowning in my own head?" He turned to face Frank, vulnerability etched across his features. "Sometimes I act out, and I guess you're an easy target. But it's not just about you."

Frank blinked, taken aback. "What do you mean?"

"I don't know," Gerard said, his voice quieter now. "You're different from everyone else. You stand up to me, and that gets under my skin. I've been dealing with so much crap, and maybe I lash out because I don't know how to handle it."

Frank's chest tightened. "So this is all some sort of twisted coping mechanism?"

"Yeah, I guess," Gerard replied, frustration lacing his words. "But I didn't mean to hurt you. I didn't think you'd actually care."

"Of course I care!" Frank exclaimed, frustration bubbling over. "You might think you can just push me around, but I'm still a person. Just like you."

Gerard's eyes softened, and for the first time, Frank saw a glimmer of regret. "I'm sorry, okay? I didn't mean for it to go this far. It's just... everything feels messed up right now."

Frank took a deep breath, feeling the tension shift. "So what do we do now? How do we move forward?"

"I don't know," Gerard admitted, his voice low. "But I want to try. I want to stop being the guy who hurts people."

"Then let's start there," Frank suggested, feeling a flicker of hope. "We can figure it out together. But you have to promise to be honest with me."

Gerard nodded, determination washing over his features. "Okay. I promise."

Frank felt a weight lift, but uncertainty still lingered in the air. They had a long way to go, but for the first time, it felt like they were on the same path.