such a softer sin | gerbert

chapter fifty five

Gerard sighs tiredly after he stretching for probably the fifteenth time in the past few hours. His back really sore and he's beyond exhausted after barely any sleep last night. Bert chuckles as he watches the tired red head behind the bar. "I don't get why you slept on the couch last night, you did this to yourself."

"Mm you act like I wanted too." Gerard chuckles, giving him a look. Though he knows that Bert doesn't realize he's the reason he slept on the couch last night.

Gerard kisses his sleeping brothers forehead after getting out of the warm bed he's been laid in for the past hour with him. Just finished reading to him, there's another fight going on outside which woke him up and scared him. It's roughly 4 am. Gerard's only been home and asleep from work for an hour before Mikey woke him because he was scared.

Bert's still asleep in bed, he didn't wake when Mikey ran in. Gerard exhaustedly covers his brother back up and turns out his lamp before quietly leaving the bedroom. Walking down the hall and back into his room where Bert lays asleep in bed, beginning to mumble in his sleep. Visibly trembling.

Gerard's so exhausted but fears getting into bed with him and risk accidentally touching him. He doesn't want to chance that after what happened last time. Gerard sighs sympathetically as he glances back at his boyfriend one last time before leaving the bedroom. He goes to the living room, laying down on the couch and covering up with thy fuzzy throw blanket.

"I'm sorry Gee, you didn't have to sleep on the couch because of me." Bert says, feeling guilty after Gerard explains that he's the reason Gerard slept on the couch. Feeling bad that he didn't sleep well and is in pain today because of him. As much as he wish he could, Bert can't control himself during nightmares- so he's learned from the incident a few weeks ago.

"It's okay. It was only an hour and a half before I got up to get ready for work and Mikey for school. So it's probably best that I didn't get in bed because I don't think I would've gotten out." Gerard says, laughing softly at himself. Pouring Pail his last drink before making him a coffee to sober him up.

"Take the rest of the night off, you're exhausted. You need to catch up on some sleep." Bert says. He hates that Gerard has to work two jobs back to back. Hates seeing the person he loves most always so exhausted. He works so hard so that his little brother can grow up happy and taken care of, unlike he did.

Bert knows Gerard didn't have a good childhood growing up. Gerard doesn't like talking about it, which Bert understands. But from everything Bert's gathered, Gerard had it tough in an unstable household. He doesn't pry, he knows there's some wounds that haven't yet healed. That's why it's so important to Gerard to keep Mikey comfortable and happy, to give him the life and joys Gerard never got growing up.

"I can't, not after taking a week off already. Mikey's at Pete's again tonight so thankfully he won't be here to keep me up all night again. I mean I know he was just afraid, it wasn't his fault." Gerard says, sipping the warm and fresh coffee Bert brought him from Gerard's favorite cafe.

The time goes by painfully slow, but the hand on the clock finally hits 12. The couple leave the bar and heading into the cold, continuing teir conversation as they walk towards the car. "Have you eaten yet today? We can stop somewhere on the way home, your pick babydoll."

"Not yet. Why don't we go to the diner? A shake sounds really amazing right now." Gerard suggests as Bert pulls out of the bar parking lot. Driving through the dark, Gerard's eyelids grow heavier and heavier as he watches the headlight of passing cars fly by. The soft music that plays and the heat beginning to blow but not yet warming them.