The Institute (Frerard)

Lingered Blood

“Gerard?” Frank pushed open the door and stepped inside his boyfriend’s room. “You here?”

“Why wouldn’t I be?” Gerard called sulkily from the corner. “Think I’ve escaped again?”

Frank sat down next to Gerard, his back against the wall and his legs stretched out in front of him. “Sweetie, you know I only worry. You can’t keep escaping, ok?”

Gerard made no effort to reply so Frank leant his head on Gerard’s shoulder and pulled his legs up to drape over Gerard’s. “Ok, tell you what. If you ever escape again, and get lost, ask someone if you can borrow his or her phone. Tell them you’re lost and it’s urgent. Call me and I’ll come get you.”

“But you’ll be mad at me,” Gerard whined, placing his cheek on top of Frank’s head and closing his eyes.

“I’d be more mad if you didn’t call and ended up in a gutter somewhere,” Gerard flinched. “I’m sorry, baby, but it’s the truth. I’d rather have you in my arms than out somewhere in trouble.”

Gerard was silent for a moment then he spoke up, changing the subject. “I still haven’t showed you your song,” he reminded Frank. “Although it’s actually more of just a chorus.”

Frank sat up a little straighter and leaned forward in anticipation. “Well, go on. I’ve never heard you sing before.”

Gerard took a deep breath and Frank was speechless. “If there’s a place that I could be, can I be another memory? Can I be the only hope for you because you’re the only hope for me? And if we can’t find where we belong, we’ll have to work it on our own. Face all the pain and take it all. Because the only hope for me is you alone,” he trailed off, staring into the distance. “What did you think?” he asked, hazel eyes returning to study Frank’s reaction.

Frank, of course, was sitting dumbstruck. He’d thought Gerard would be a good singer but damn. And those lyrics, meant for him? Frank let out the breath he didn’t realize he’d been holding and met Gerard’s eyes. “That was…”

“Terrible, horrible, disastrous, never sing again?” Gerard began filling in the blank with negative feedback on his amazing work.

“Absolutely freakin’ amazing!” Frank cut across Gerard’s ’so terrible, everyone has just died and we’re the only survivors’. “How’d you do that? And come up with those words? How the… I don’t even know. But what I do know is that you’re amazing.”

Frank snuggled closer to Gerard and smiled contently to himself. A comfortable silence spread in the room. Frank humming the tune of his song soon broke it.

*

“Have you ever had Oreos?” Gerard asked Frank randomly.

“Uh…what’re those?” Frank asked.

Gerard gasped. “Oh my god, you’ve never had…god damn, we need to get you to the kitchen.” He jumped up, making Frank fall over in surprise. Frank was soon yanked up and being dragged down the hall.