Floating in the Waves (Frerard) (AU)

Chapter 5

After Gerard and Mikey left to go off to bed, Frank was left alone, in a cramped bathtub, with nothing except for his thoughts to keep him company.

Frank thought about his family, who obviously didn't give half a fuck about him. Why he still had feelings of love and affection toward them (especially his mother), Frank had no idea.

Frank wanted to cry whenever he saw Gerard and Mikey together because he remembered what it was like to have a brother. Maybe not a blood-related brother, but still a brother, nonetheless.

Frank sighed and sunk into the warm bath water.

Tears started to roll down his cheeks as Frank continued to think about his old life. Why he kept dwelling on it, Frank didn't know.

Suddenly, the door opened, and Gerard walked into the bathroom. Frank sat up and dried his eyes, not wanting Gerard to see him crying.

Too late. Gerard must have noticed because he stopped dead in his tracks.

"Are you alright?" He asked, walking over and kneeling beside the bathtub.

Frank sighed, yet again. "I'm fine. I was just...thinking about my family. My old life, you know?"

Gerard looked at the floor.

"It's not your fault that they're assholes. You don't have to feel bad for me." Frank said.

"I know. But...I do feel bad. I mean, you're such a good person. You're super cool, and you're just...I don't know Frank, you're just so nice." Gerard smiled at Frank, and Frank blushed.

"Do...do you want to talk about them?" Gerard asked kindly.

Frank sighed and nodded his head. "Yeah...I think that would help."

Gerard moved from his kneeling position to sitting cross-legged, still beside the bathtub.

Frank took a deep breath.

"I never knew my biological family, but I was told that they died in a car accident when I was about a year old. I was put into foster care, and I was there until I was five. Then, this really nice lady, who couldn't have kids of her own, adopted me. I lived with her until I was ten. Then, she died of breast cancer. Back into foster care for little Frank. It was actually my twelfth birthday when I was adopted again."

Gerard was shocked. "Wow. You've...you've had a hard life."

Frank shrugged. "It wasn't too horrible, being in foster care. I mean, the lady who ran the home actually cared about us and she was really, really nice."

"But...this lady that adopted me... She wasn't as nice. She had a son. His name was Roy, or Richard, I think. Something with an 'r.' Can't remember. Anyway, he was her pride and joy; her favorite thing in the world. I think that I was just there to do chores for everyone, because that's pretty much what I did all day. Once I turned eighteen, she pretty much cared for me even less, if that's possible. She let me live there, but I had to do everything else. I had to get a job, and buy my own groceries, and stay in my room. All the time."

Frank started tearing up, and Gerard sat on his knees and held Frank against his body, comforting him.

"Then...I started turning. The fins on my arms grew first. At first, I didn't tell my mom. I don't know what possessed me to do so, quite honestly. She freaked the fuck out. Yelled at me, called me names, called me a fucking freak, and told me to stay away from what's-his-face-perfect-child. Next day, I woke up. Couldn't feel my legs. Took off the covers, and I realized I'd grown a fucking tail."

Frank tried to stop crying, but ended up crying even harder. He was thoroughly thankful that Gerard was holding him.

"She screamed when she saw me. Then, she picked me up and literally threw me down into her boat. Drove out into the middle of the ocean and just...pushed me off. Then, she drove away. Never saw her again. Never even saw my brother."

"I didn't know how to swim. Thought I was gonna drown as I sank to the bottom. Then, I just...I realized that I could breathe. That I could see. That I could actually swim."

Gerard stroked Frank's hair.

"I'm so sorry that that's all happened to you. Nobody should ever have to go through shit like that." He said to Frank, who was still crying.

Frank pressed himself into Gerard's chest, and Gerard wrapped his arms around him.

"It's okay. You've got Mikey and me now, Frank." Gerard smiled. He felt like he wasn't doing a good job comforting Frank, but tried his absolute damn best to do so.

"Thank you again, Gerard. I...I don't know where I'd be without you."

Gerard and Frank finished hugging, and Gerard stood up.

"Anytime, Frank." Gerard smiled.