such a softer sin | gerbert

chapter nineteen

Gerard wakes feeling a hand slide into his own. Tiredly opening his eyes, smiling softly as him and Bert are still in the same position as they fell asleep in together last night. Realizing that Bert has taken and held Gerard's hand. What happened last night hitting him as he slowly becomes more conscious.

"How are you feeling beautiful?" Gerard asks, softly squeezing Bert's hand. He knows he isn't okay. All it took was just an angry text to push him right over the edge. This small meltdown has obviously been building up for a while.
There's no way he could be okay.

"Tired. Really tired." Bert says tiredly into Gerard's neck where his face still rests. Though the guilt is keeping him up. "I'm really sorry Gee."

"Why are you apologizing to me Bert? Look, I can't pretend that I know with it's like being in a relationship like that, but I can see how hard this is on you. There's no reason to apologize to me." Gerard says. He loves Bert so much, he can't stand to see this going on.

Bert lifts his head to look at him, smiling softly at the pretty red head he lays with. So thankful to have him. "What if Zach tries talking with you though? Gets angry with you? He's doing this because he doesn't want me to move on. He sees we're close."

"Too fucking bad. He had his chance to be with you, to love you. It's my turn now. Even if we're not together, I'm still going to treat you with the love and respect that you deserve." Gerard smiles softly to make Bert feel better. There's no way Gerard's loosing Bert, especially back to Zach.

Bert can't help but to smile. He can't even begin to express how much this means to him, how grateful he is for Gerard. Bert's never met anyone who's made him this happy. He's the first person he's ever felt safe enough to talk about this too.

"Thank you so much for last night. I'm sorry for just leaving the bar, I just didn't want you to see me upset. But I honestly really needed you." Bert says. He was so upset last night, that text just sent him over the edge. Yet somehow Gerard managed to calm him down.

"Of course baby, you don't need to thank me. You mean everything to me." Gerard says, not wanting Bert to feel the need to thank him for something like this. That's what best friends and lovers are there for.

Before anything else could be said, the bedroom door is opened. "Gee your alarm went off, are you gonna get u-" Mikey cuts himself off when he walks into the room seeing them.

Examining the shirtless teens in bed together. Skin to skin contact as they lay with one another. Mikey giggles softly before stepping back out of the room. Calling to them through the door. "Sorry!"

The two laugh at how this looks. Bert sits up. rubbing his eyes tiredly after crying a lot last night. "Why don't you stay? I have the morning off, Mikey will be leaving for school in an hour."

"Of course." Bert smiles. Bert feels bad about bothering Gerard last night, knowing that it was a long night and he was exhausted. But Gerard was the only person he could go to.

"I'm getting in the shower really quick. The coffee's on and hot, wait for me in the living room." Gerard says. Bert leaves the room and heads down the hall to where Mikey's sat on the couch, waiting for them to get up.

Mikey frowns when he glances over to Bert. Noticing the rings around his eyes, the dry tears on his cheeks. "Been- You've been crying. Are you k- okay?"

"I'm okay." Bert says as he sits on the couch. Mikey scoots closer to him as he examines him. Feeling bad for him as something is obviously bothering him, that something must have happened. Mikey lays his hand on Bert's arm softly.

"I'm here for you too. I know you mean a lot to my brother, so you mean a lot me- to me." Mikey says, smiling at Bert. Mikey can obviously tell that the two are into each other. Though it's apparent that Bert isn't out.

Bert smiles and Gerard walks into the living room, glancing to the two. "Are you guys okay? Mikey, you need to get ready for school baby."

Mikey leaves the room to go get dressed and ready for school today. Gerard sits next to Bert. "Are you sure you're okay Bert?"

"I'm okay, really. I was already upset after you said you'd seen him in the bar. So that text just sent me over. But I'm fine now Gee." Bert reassures Gerard. Bert feels a lot better now that he got it all out.

• • •

Gerard smiles as him and Bert hold hands as they watch a movie together. This past few days has been pretty hectic so Gerard thought just a calm night together would help the two of them.

Bert rests his face in Gerard's hair, arm wrapped tightly around the red head. "I can't wait for the day we can finally be together."

"Me too. But I get that it's hard to move on and hide again." Gerard says. He gets that's Bert is afraid of getting hurt again. That he hates that they'd have to hide their relationship.

Bert places a kiss on his head, running his hand along his arm as they continue watching their movie. Appreciating this calm moment with him. Enjoying this time alone he has with Gerard.

"How have you been handling with the Mikey money thing?" Bert asks curiously. Remembering how stressed Gerard has last week about not being able to spend enough time with Mikey due to his work.

"I mean it sucks, but there's nothing I can do about it." Gerard says, sighing softly. But flashes a soft smile. "But I'll figure it out, it's okay. Let's just watch the movie."

Bert's going to figure out away to fix this for Gerard. He hates to see him bothered by not being able to spend time with Mikey. They deserve a happy and stress free life, not this. Gerard doesn't desvere to be this stressed.

Bert loves him so much, more than Gerard'll ever know.

[I know this one was a bit boring, it's just to wrap up the last chapter ♡♡]