stronger together//frerard

chapter three

June.

Weeks go by and it's either awkward and cold, or Gerard tries to acts as though everything is still perfect, smiling at Frank in the morning, making breakfast for two, and pressing a goodbye kiss on Frank's cheek when he leaves for work. It's strange, but at this point, Frank is willing to go along with his strange behavior and get something out of him when they have more time to each other. Maybe Gerard's bizarre demeanor is the result of all the stress he is facing due to the end of the school year. With it being Gerard's first year as a high school teacher but already teaching senior classes and having heavy responsibilities with extra-curricular activities, not to mention having to work on setting the finals for the first time as well, the great amount of stress Gerard is facing would actually be pretty understandable.

Frank is willing to wait until their vacation time next month. By then, the school year will be finished for Gerard and Frank will have time off from the hospital and be finished with his classes and finals. Afterwards, he expects to start working with the Police force, since he followed his teachers' advice and is majoring to become a profiler, so he's hopeful about this final year in college. Having been so busy every day since September, he can't wait for the three weeks off, in July.... Three whole weeks at home with Gerard.

On the last Friday before their vacation time, Frank comes home late from working an afternoon shift at the hospital, as he had to go to school in the morning for an exam. He's tired but glad that he won't have to deal with the job for three weeks, and hopefully he'll succeed in getting good grades and eventually a nice position with the Police force.

Today, he gets to the apartment and immediately knows that Gerard's home, from the abandoned jacket over the back of the couch, which Frank carefully picks up and hangs up by the door. It's always the same; Gerard never hangs it right, but always picks it up from the hanger like he had put it up there by himself. There is also an unwashed mug on the kitchenette counter and breadcrumbs on the table, typically Gerard's way to mark his passage through his afternoon snack.

Shaking his head, but smiling at the same time because this is Gerard being domestic and Frank loves him that way, Frank crosses the narrow hall to the bedrooms area. There are two, one of them being Gerard's office and, since the door is closed and Frank can hear shuffling inside, it means Gerard doesn't want to be disturbed. If the door was open, Frank would be allowed inside, but it's not and he respects Gerard's privacy. He's most likely working on some art, since his schoolwork has officially ended last week and the past seven days have been filled with teachers' meetings to discuss the final grades and such. Frank isn't at all bothered by the fact that Gerard wants to be on his own. He's always been this way.

Frank takes a quick shower and relaxes, his tense muscles unknotting beneath the water stream. His thoughts are only focused on how he's going to get something out of Gerard during their time off. The cold war between them can't be allowed to go on like this if they're going to be together 24/7 for three weeks, and especially because their summer vacation has always been about hanging out, sleeping until noon and having sex several times a week. Judging by the last months, these plans are most likely ruined and Frank wants to change that.

Afterwards, on his way to the bedroom to get dressed, Frank holds a hand over his heart and the tattoo of Gerard's name he has there. He can't get his mind off of him today.

"You're home." Frank gets pulled out of his thoughts by Gerard's voice. Gerard is just coming in to the bedroom, in dark jeans and a Thrice t-shirt he borrowed from Frank over two years ago. It's tight on him, but Gerard seems to love it for some reason. And Frank loves seeing it on him. "How did it go this morning?"

"It was alright, I guess." Frank dismisses it with a gesture, smiling as Gerard approaches the bed and sits on it with a sigh. Frank walks closer to him and slides in between Gerard's legs, wrapping his arms around Gerard's shoulders and forgetting every drop of awkwardness for just a moment. Frank hums and holds Gerard against his bare chest, murmuring onto the top of Gerard's head, "Vacation time."

Gerard pulls back from the hug, but leaves a small kiss on Frank's collarbone. Frank rubs his hands over Gerard's shoulders and asks, "Do you wanna plan something special for our time off?"

They're at a point in their relationship that they're not really romantic anymore, because things have become natural for them, but Frank is a hopeless romantic and he likes the fluff. So he moves his open palms down Gerard's arms and grabs his hands, inspecting them attentively. He can perceive a couple of new age spots, mostly on the base of the fingers of his left hand and on his right palm. He leans his mouth against Gerard's forehead, smiling at this man that he grew up into adulthood with, and says, "Because I was thinking that we could forget everything that has been going on and enjoy this time off like we've always done. Nothing has to be different between us, right?"

Gerard nods and hums his agreement, but he replies, "I dunno. I'd rather not make any plans this time. We should decide what to do every day, see how it goes."

smiles faintly, confused because Gerard was never like this. Their summers have always been half planned and they knew in advance what was going to happen when they were alone at home, be it the late breakfasts, the afternoons at the beach or the great sex at night, but it seems like it won't be the same this year round. Gerard's attitude confuses Frank a lot. He knows Gerard loves him and wishes Gerard would talk to him, that he would tell Frank what's wrong and if there's any problem, especially if it's related to them, so Frank can either wait or pressure Gerard into talking.

Maybe these three weeks off will be good for them.