Still Breathing

Untitled Part 2

Frank wandered the hospital hallway, back and forth, pacing. He was the only one who wasn't too afraid to come with Gerard and now, he had to admit he was terrified. Trips to the emergency room were frequent for him, but this was the first time anything he valued was on the line. His relatives' lives and even his own life didn't mean much at all when his best friend was on his deathbed. He figured he owed it to Gerard, considering he'd been there for him through thick and thin. He should do the same.

He was roused from his thoughts when he heard the familiar click of a hospital doorknob. His head shot up, making eye contact with the nurse who stepped out of Gerard's room. She gave him a nod and motioned for him to come in, much to Frank's relief. However, the relief was gone when he laid eyes on the other man. He was pale and looked sicker than Frank had ever seen him. He didn't look like himself. If it wasn't for the greasy, dark mess of hair, Frank would've thought he was someone else. 

"Oh my God... is he okay?" He asked the nurse hesitantly, not quite sure if he wanted to know or not. Obviously he wasn't expecting a great answer. As much as he'd like to hear something along the lines of, 'He'll be fine, nothing's wrong', he knew that would probably never happen. It saddened him, but he didn't cry. He didn't want to be teary eyed when his best friend woke up.

"He is, he is. Clearly he isn't at peak condition, but he's okay." The woman had a sympathetic look on her face while she explained what was going to have to happen. Gerard would have to be put in a different hospital and start chemo, and he'd stay there until he got better. If he got better. The thought of the adventurous, bold boy being confined to a hospital bed sickened Frank. That's not where he belonged. He was an artist, who belonged in the big city, making a living off of the beautiful creations that would flow from his mind.

Frank could see it now. Gerard, wearing those ratty tennis shoes he refused to throw away, coffee in hand as he sketched mesmerizing patterns by the window of his penthouse apartment. Surrounding him would be tubes of paint, brushes, pencils, and every other supply he would never want to clean up. That's how he always was. He never put anything back where he found it.

Gerard opened his eyes, groggy from whatever was in the drip in his arm. When he saw that, he was certainly not pleased. With a hoarse screech, he flung his arm up into the air. "Get it out, I don't want that there!" It was times like this where his needle phobia was a real pain in the ass.

With a lighthearted chuckle, Frank ran to him. "Zip it, you need that." He was smiling for the first time all day. He cupped Gerard's face in his hands, never have been so happy to see anyone. Gerard smiled back, locking eyes with his best friend. He was too lucky to have someone as perfect as Frank.

"I almost thought I was never gonna see you again." Gee whispered, putting his un-needled arm around Frank and pulling him closer. Frank climbed onto the crinkly bed beside him, not caring about anything else. His own issues meant nothing, right now his world was Gerard. 

"So did I." He whispered in response, clinging onto the other's frail body. "But I knew you'd fight. I knew you'd be okay. You have so much strength." His voice cracked and tears stung at the corners of his eyes. He had so much to say but he couldn't get it out, and he feared he would run out of time to say it.

He decided that for now, silence was best. He tangled his arms around Gerard, lovingly caressing his soft hair. All they did was look at each other, enjoying the company and the closeness. For Gerard, this was the first time he felt truly loved, truly appreciated and accepted. It saddened him that it took being near death to finally feel that. At the young age of 28, he had expected to have had a significant relationship by then. But it just never happened. He had just assumed that he was weird, or undesirable, or just that nobody wanted him. But Frank wanted him, and he thought he wanted Frank too.