Ghost // Frerard

4: Confidence

It had been a month since the incident on the roof and Frank's parents actually believed that he was getting better, which Gerard knew not to be true considering he was around Frank most of the time.

Frank's worst days were when he was seeing the therapist, which was today, and so far Frank had made no more attempts to kill himself, and Gerard hoped it continued like this.

He didn't want Frank hurting himself in anyway and so far, Frank was okay in that department, except mental pain, Gerard could tell he was hurting almost constantly as he curled up in a ball.

He'd sit in Gerard's lap most of the time when he was like this, letting Gerard run his fingers through his soft brown locks, and Frank found it to be the nicest feeling in the world, even letting Gerard playing his hair to help him fall asleep.

But sometimes Frank just wanted to be alone.

He understood when Gerard refused to leave the room, not trusting Frank on his own yet, but Gerard would be on the other side of the room, acting as though he wasn't there in order not to bother Frank.

It broke his heart to see Frank crying, especially when he didn't want Gerard to comfort him, it hurt him and Gerard felt feelings he never felt before, especially as a ghost.

Gerard had always only ever felt sad or nothing at all since he had died, but Frank was changing that and really, Gerard felt himself feeling emotions that he didn't think he should be feeling.

Gerard kept these thoughts and feelings to himself, well he tried to at least, his main focus was to make sure Frank was okay, and really, he had been failing at doing so, like right now.

Frank wasn't crying but he was slowly breaking, he looked worse than he did last week, or any weeks before, Gerard didn't know why he was so bad this week, Frank wasn't saying anything.

And right now, Gerard was biting his lip, watching Frank do up his shoelaces, watching tears build up in his eyes but he didn't let a single one fall and really it hurt Gerard more than it should have to see Frank this way.

"Want me to help you?" Gerard asked, kneeling down in front of the smaller boy, taking the shoe laces from his shaking hands when Frank nodded at him, attempting to smile at Gerard.

Gerard did up Frank's shoelaces, messing up a few times, before he finally did them up perfectly, and he smiled up at Frank who returned it, looking at Gerard in appreciation.

They heard Frank's mum calling from down the hall that they were leaving now and for Frank to hurry up as they were running late.

Frank looked at Gerard, his eyes widening as Frank pleaded desperately with his eyes for him to do something, anything, even though he knew that Gerard couldn't do anything right now.

Then Frank spoke for the first time that morning.

"Can you come with me?" His soft, quiet yet broken voice cut through Gerard like a knife and he felt a sudden pain in his heart as he looked up at the boy in front of him.

"I can't," Gerard sighed, wishing he could, but the feeling always scared him too much, "you know I can't."

"Can you try?" Frank asked, his voice shaking and Gerard bit his lip before nodding slightly.

"I can, but I don't promise I'll stay, I'm sorry I-" Gerard said, cutting himself off as he looked into Frank's eyes, "I'm sorry."

There was another yell from his mother, making them both jump and the stood up, Frank holding Gerard's hand softly, as they stepped out into the hall, making their way outside to his mother's car.