Stockholm Syndrome (Frerard)

9: After You

Media: Soft Gerard

I don't know how much later Gerard had stayed awake after I fell asleep, but all I know is that it's far past noon and he's still passed out peacefully beside me. I was laying down too, just watching him. It doesn't feel creepy when I'm doing it, but when I actually think about it, it kinda was. He just looks so peaceful and small and vulnerable. I didn't think I'd ever see that man as vulnerable, no, not in a million years. It's nice watching people sleep, you can just study their face and watch their breathing and just, observe. They couldn't object or hide their face or most importantly, get creeped out by your staring.

I sighed then, acknowledging his soft features again. He was actually quite pretty for a guy. He could cover it up pretty well with his near-white concealer over his soft pink lips and dark red eye shadow to distract you from his long eyelashes and dark pencil over his thin eyebrows to mock masculinity. When that was all gone, he almost looked like a princess.

He started to stir, so I looked away and pretended to be preoccupied, fumbling with my fingers. He stretched and twisted around a bit, and then went limp again.

"Mornin' sleepy head" I smiled at him, and he opened his eyes and returned the gesture.

"mornin'"

"Or should I say, 'good afternoon'" I chuckled, turning to lay on my back and then sitting up.

"Afternoon?" He sat up as well and leaned over so he could see the clock. "Shit, it's almost one?" He looked genuinely surprised. "Why didn't you wake me up?"

"You looked too peaceful to wake." I admitted and he just smirked.

"You were watching me sleep then?" He cocked his head to the side, an act I was oh, so familiar with. I blushed then, nodding. His smile grew wider. "It's funny you should say that, you're quite cute when you sleep too." He winked before he swung his legs over the end of the bed and stood up. It was strange because I never said he was cute, he somehow just knew I was thinking it. I just smiled and sat up, and it was then that I realized I wasn't wearing any pants. A light blush rose to my face as I cleared my throat, getting Gerard's attention.

"Um, could you hand me my pants? They're over there.." I pointed at the black pool of clothing on the floor. He just nodded and crossed the room, picking them up and tossing them to me. I pulled them over my feet and up my thighs all while still under the covers of the bed. I then stood up out of the bed and picked up the sweater he had also lent me, pulling it over my arms and instantly feeling it warm my body. The motel we were in was pretty low-budget so the heating system wasn't the best.

I remembered our conversation from last night- or earlier this morning, I should say- and smiled to myself. It was nice to actually tell somebody something about you even so much as your birthday as long as they're listening. It's nice to be listened to. I mean I didn't even go deep into my life story- I probably only told him the weird things about me which I kinda regret now- and there's so much more that I wanna tell him. It's not even that I want him to know I just want to say it, to anyone who wants to listen.

"Ready to go?" The sudden voice ripped me out of my thoughts, and I jumped slightly, startled. "Oh sorry, I didn't mean to-"

"Sorry I was just thinking- um yeah I'm ready," I said before slipping the ratty converse onto my feet, which went on pretty easy since they were at least three sizes too big to which they always slapped against the ground when I walked. Gerard was already at the door when I approached him, and he held it open for me.

"Shit-" he said under his breath before dodging back into the motel room. I looked at him confused, the door resting against my side as I stood in the doorway waiting, as he picked up the notebook from the coffee table and ripped two, maybe three pages out of it and folded them gently, shoving them into his pocket. I guessed they were the end product of what he had been working on last night. He returned and walked out the door to the car. I closed the door after him and followed, walking to the other side of the car as he threw his bag in the back seat. He returned the key to the receptionist before climbing into the driver's side of the car and shoving the keys in the ignition.