Stalker (Frerard)

Chapter 4

Frank was sitting alone in his bedroom colouring in a book that his little cousin had left behind, lying on his stomach with his feet crossed and in the air behind him.

"Hey, baby." The voice made Frank jump out of his skin, startling him as he hadn't heard the door open and he certainly didn't remember inviting anyone over. "Calm down, sugar."

Frank looked up to see Gerard chuckling at the boy, sitting on the windowsill. He swallowed thickly as he eyed Gerard, never had he given him his address.

"W-what? How? I-"

"Shh," Gerard laughed. "I just wanted to visit you, boy."

"B-but I never told you where I live." He frowned, growing slightly nervous.

"I know that, sweetheart. What are you doing?" Gerard completely disregarded their previous conversation. "Colouring?"

"Y-yeah. It's a puppy." Frank muttered shyly. He yawned, peeking up at the clock to see that it was two in the morning. "Christ! It's so early! Why are you out so late?"

"I wanted to come earlier, but Mikey wouldn't let me out so I had to wait 'til he fell asleep." He said nonchalantly with a smile, Frank's eyebrows furrowed.

"But you're an adult, you're older than Mikey, why wouldn't he let you out?"

"I brought your bottle, baby. Want me to feed you?" Gerard ignored the question, but that slipped Frank's mind as soon as Gerard suggested babying him.

"C-can we colour together, Gee?" Frank held up a red crayon to Gerard with big, doe like eyes.

"Of course, Prince." Gerard smiled before sitting beside him, so close that they were practically pressed up against each other but Frank didn't mind. Gerard took the red crayon, beginning to colour the puppy's collar as Frank picked up the black and started to shade in the dog's fur. They continued for another half hour, colouring in a comfortable silence; the only sound was them occasionally asking each other which colour should be used.

"Um, G-Gerard?" Frank said nervously, shifting his eyes over to the boy beside him.

"Yes, babyboy?"

"I-I'm sleepy." Frank rubbed his eyes as another yawn escaped his mouth. "B-bottle?"

"I'm sorry for keeping you up, sweetheart, I'll go fill it up." Gerard kissed the side of Frank's head before standing and digging through the backpack that Frank hadn't noticed the entire time he'd been here. He pulled out the same bottle as before, clear plastic decorated with scattered kitten ears and whiskers. He wandered downstairs, disappearing for a few minutes before returning with he bottle now full of warm milk.

Frank beamed and crawled into bed, leaving room for Gerard beside him. Sliding in next to Frank, Gerard manoeuvred the latter's body so that he had Frank's head resting on his chest with an arm wrapped tightly around him. He pushed the bottle between his lips, with Frank eagerly suckling as soon as he did so. Gerard tilted the bottle up when necessary, mindlessly stroking Frank's back as his eyes grew heavy, eventually falling asleep against Gerard's chest.

Gerard didn't sleep at all, he watched Frank intently for 6 hours, his eyes wandering not even once. If anything touched Frank he'd never forgive himself, ever since he bumped into him at that sleepover he had felt as if there was a piece of string tied around his heart, with the other end tied around Frank's. Whenever they were apart it pulled at him inside, an unbearable agony that all the painkillers in the world couldn't dull. However, when he was around Frank there wasn't any straining on the rope, he felt no pain and no sadness when he was around the boy.

It was nearing 5am when the nightmare seemed to hit Frank. Gerard's eyes were dry and glazed over from staring at him for so long, but as shaky breaths and a first tightened in his shirt, his instincts kicked in ten fold. Shaking Frank awake, he pressed delicate kisses to his hair hoping to soothe him as he woke. Frank jolted with a start once his eyes snapped open, panting and gripping onto Gerard as close as he could.

"What did you dream about, honey? Tell me." Gerard demanded softly.

"A-a boy beat me up in preschool, b-but it was pretty bad 'n I still have nightmares 'bout it sometimes." Frank said as his breathing steadied. Gerard felt his fists curling, absolutely fuming at the thought of someone even thinking about hurting Frank.

"What's his name." Gerard started bluntly and angrily.

"I-it doesn't-"

"What's his name, Frank." Gerard used a stern tone of voice that had Frank whimpering and scooting away from Gerard slightly, who instantly softened as the tugging on his heartstrings could be felt once again.

"I'm sorry, baby, please just tell me." Gerard said softly, moving over to Frank and running his fingers through his hair.

"Um.. it was D-Devin James." The tension in Frank's body dissipated at Gerard's gentle nature. Gerard nodded, Frank took it as him dismissing the situation but to Gerard it was so much more. That name was now branded in his skull and it wouldn't leave until he did something about it.

"You should go back to sleep, sugar, I'll still be here when you wake up." Gerard said in a soft voice, pulling Frank's small frame close and twining his fingers through the soft strands of his black locks, twisting and gently tugging at any tangles in his wake.

"O-okay, night, Gee." Frank said tiredly, slipping off back into sleep effortlessly as the tiredness clearly hadn't worn off at all.

Gerard continued to stare at Frank, even when his arms ached and eyes stung he didn't stop staring and carding his fingers through Frank's hair. Vicious pictures painted themselves in Gerard's mind, ones of Frank getting hurt by Devin and ones of Devin getting hurt by Gerard. Of course, the latter weren't nightmares to Gerard, but dreams that he wished to fulfil one day. Someone as sweet as Frank shouldn't be hurt like that, even if it was a long time ago, and he'd make sure Devin found that out.