The Trees Are Watching ~ Frerard

8. When Dirt Fell From The Skies

"I love you too." They both smiled. The second the words fell from Frank's kiss-swollen lips, the cave began to shake violently, the vibrations erupting over the walls and the ground. Dirt and pebbles trembled so fiercely they vibrated off the ground, and dust curled up in infectious clouds. The patch of ice from the corner cracked and splintered into pieces. "What- what's happening?" Frank stuttered.

"I don't know." Gerard tightened his arms that were still entangled around Frank, keeping the boy pressed into his chest for safe keeping. The shaking of the earth around them intensified, and the two fell onto their sides, having lost balance. A deep guttural groaning sounded from somewhere deep below them as if a beast below their feet felt the movement as well. Then, something happened that left the pair astonished.

Clumps of dirt and rock separated to reveal a thin crack of light breaking the darkness of the cave. Then, the compacted soil dissipated into thin air, leaving a hole in the wall that was just big enough for the two to escape.

"Frank-"

"I see it."

Dust swirled around as the last pieces fell, exposing the forest that the two hadn't seen for an unknown amount of time. The sun was blinding compared to the darkness they had been trapped in. It's rays radiated through the trees and cast light over the fallen leaves. They had to look away due to the intensity of the light, instead turning towards each other and finally seeing the hues in each other's orbs.

"We- we can leave?" Frank shakily asked. Uncertainty passed through Gerard's gaze, and he faced their potential exit. His hands carefully gripped Frank's sides and lifted the boy up just enough to wiggle out from under his lap. Gerard reached outwards toward the hole, patting the area as if he was unsure whether or not the wall that had kept them trapped still existed. His hand didn't stop on an unseen barrier though, they moved past the enclosure that remained and right into the open world. Gerard giggled when the sun's heat cascaded over his skin, the temperature a drastic shock compared to the cold he'd adjusted to. "Go! What're you waiting for?"

Under any normal circumstance or in any typical condition, Gerard's natural response would simply be to do the opposite, but not today. He grabbed Frank's hand and hauled the younger to his feet, grinning wildly with his heart racing. Gerard guided his new partner over the cave's rocky ground, ensuring Frank found freedom before himself did. Once both were safely out of the cave, they turned to each other with wide and terrified eyes.

"Run?"

"Run," Gerard confirmed. They took off as fast as their legs could carry them, hand in hand and struggling to not stumble over vegetation. They were both weak, exhausted, and parched, but those factors didn't stop the pair from leaving the forest. The death that lurked and hung over the woods passed the boys in a blur of faded colors, the truth of earth's current state presenting itself. They just ran, eventually feeling relief flood their heavy lungs when the sight of houses came into view. Frank and Gerard only allowed their legs to halt when they were a decent length out of the woods and a few streets away from it.

Like a single-minded machine, one conscious body they eventually found themselves near choking from the lack of air in their lungs inside Frank's house, as it was closer to the woods than Gerard's. They burst through the front door and slammed it shut. The younger finally let go of the older's hands, dropping to his knees and rolling on his back in the middle of the entrance room. Gerard collapsed onto the couch that was pressed against the wall across from the coat closet. His limbs spread out in an over-exaggerated way.

"Gee, " Frank breathed, "we made it." His lips cracked into a smile as he finally caught his breath.

"Yeah, we did." Gerard giggled. He turned on his side so he could look down at Frank, who was gazing up at him from the floor still. Gerard wished his relief would return, for he found the emotion was only fleeting and had abandoned him in a mere instant, due to What happens now?"

The younger frowned, pushing himself up so his arms were behind him and his elbows held up his weight. "What do you mean? We're out so we go back to normal, right?"

Gerard's heart fell, assuming Frank's words meant they to went back to normal, and their normal was two friends hopelessly in love and refusing to admit it to each other. The older boy looked down, fiddling with his fingers as he attempted to hide his disappointment. "Well, I just meant... like, what if we are in a different universe or if this isn't real and I just hit my head too hard and we're both actually dead? What if we were kidnapped by a psycho and he slipped us something so we're only imaging this?"

"Gerard!" Frank had to intervene, recognizing the panic in his friend- boyfriend, perhaps? The older stopped talking, and gazed at Frank with such distraught eyes it made his heart twist painfully. Frank sighed and sat up completely, crawling to the side of the couch Gerard hung off. He took one of Gerard's hands in his and cupped his neck with the other. "Calm down, little angel. We are safe. You aren't dead, this isn't a different universe, and if we're kidnapped by a psycho I will fight will all of my strength to free us. I promise I'll never let anything happen to you, but you have to promise me something."

"What?" Gerard rasped out, entranced by Frank's beauty and passion filled gaze.

"Never leave me," he begged.

Gerard's eyes burned as he felt tears build up. He'd never felt so warm before, so absorbed by love.

"Deal."