If You Marry Me, Would You... (Frerard)

Chapter 13

Gerard's limp disappeared pretty quickly. After several days of Bob's close watch, he could stand on his own and walk around freely, with only a dull ache in his lower back.

Of course he was still traumatized. With every step he made, every time he closed his eyes, Jonathan would appear in his mind, and he'd wince with fear and misery. It was a common thing for Bob to come check on him and Frank in the morning and find the older man crying in his sleep, sometimes murmuring a "stay away" or "no, please, please".

He felt bad for his friend, yet the best he could do was take care of him and talk to him about it when he needed.

But generally, Gerard seemed to be getting better.

xoxoxoxo

Frank, on the other hand, wasn't so calm. His bruises just barely started to fade, he was still falling down when he tried walking on his own. Even after all the painkillers and liniments Bob gave him, nothing seemed to do the job, and he was left wincing and crying out whenever something as much as brushed over his wounds.

He was still seeing Michael in his dreams, hearing his voice in the dark, and he would always let out a frightened noise and cling to Gerard, who wrapped his arms around the younger man, kissing his head and whispering soothing words until Frank was back asleep.

They were both amazed to see how each and every time, their joy and safety laid on the other's shoulders. They stayed strong for each other, they kissed and hugged and talked and held one another whenever the other needed it, and even when he didn't need it.

They trusted each other, Gerard liked and cared for Frank more than he ever did with any of his other partners in the past, and Frank liked and cared for the older man more than he did with all his ex-boyfriends in the past.

It was the closest thing Frank ever had to real love, and the closest Gerard had to complete trust.

xoxoxoxo

"Gerard, Frank and I are going out to get some groceries. I need to get him out of the house a little," Bob said as he peeked into the bedroom, where Gerard was reading one of his many books, as he always did on Friday evening. "You'll be okay, right?"

"What? Um, yes, yes, I'll be fine. Don't worry." Gerard gave a small smile, and Bob nodded before leaving the room.

The elder heard steps from the kitchen, and then the front door, along with the two familiar voices of his best friend and the young man. Frank's gentle tone as he talked brought a smile to Gerard's face. He went back to his book with the image of the boy on his mind, curling a little further under the warm blanket that was wrapped around his boxers and shirt covered figure.

xoxoxoxo

At some point he fell asleep. Frank and Bob still weren't back, and Gerard felt a little exhausted, so he allowed himself to close his eyes and drift off into the comforting darkness of unconsciousness.

It was calm and quiet. For once he got to actually relax, not thinking about the dreaded man that attacked him about a week earlier, or his brother, or his parents, or Her. Or anything really.

It felt nice, being sprawled out on the bed, breathing evenly and slowly, sensing the silence of the house, the same silence he hadn't sensed in a long, long time.

And there, in his sleepy foggy mode, he could hear the front door opening and closing gently, the calm steps that crossed the corridor and entered the bedroom, and the body that hovered above him on the bed, planting slow kisses along his neck and face, and he smiled.

"Mmh, yes," he murmured, relaxing under the familiar lips he felt on him many times before...

...Although there was something a little off about them. They didn't feel as soft as usual. Strange.