A Thousand More

Swish Tap Tap Tap

A/N: Still on Gerard's POV, by the way.
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For a moment, I just stared in awe, entranced by his very presence. I just sat there, zeroed in on him, like no one else existed. But then, reality came crashing in as the barista called out my name, I remembered what today was and why today was to me what it was, how it was all my fault. The panic set in and I had to get away from him now.
Quickly, I went up and grabbed my order before bolting out of there, leaving a rushed out "Thanks!" in my wake. I couldn't do this again because if I even attempted, history would repeat and he'd end up dead because of me again and I can't handle that! Not again...Never again. And because I hoped I would never get the chance again, I selfishly cast a glance back at him through the window to see him standing there with a frown settling on his face, looking at where I had sat before lowering back into his seat. 'Good,' I thought, knowing that if I had stayed, we would've fallen right back into the same pattern, the same routine and before I would have known it...I shook the thought from my head. He was alive and he was safe. That's all that mattered to me.

Frank's POV-

After the doctors visit that confirmed I was perfectly healthy, I still felt utterly drained and exhausted. It seemed I always have on this day in specific ever since sometime in high school. As I walked, a stiffness settled in the juncture between my shoulder and neck which was followed by trouble keeping myself upright and yet another wave of exhaustion, this one making my eyelids feel heavy. Although this should have alarmed me, I felt calm, having expected it. Like the rest of all this, it came with this day and specifically around this time. So instead of freaking out as I had done in the past and as I should probably still do, I just headed towards the nearest cafe to get something to hopefully wake me up some.
After placing my order and finding a seat somewhere near the window, I took out my phone to text my mom who had been worrying at me all day to inform her that my doctor said I was apparently fine and she could quit her worrying.
Behind me, I heard a shuffling coming my way which abruptly stopped followed by a quick swish of whoever it was turning around and a rushed tap tap tap replacing the shuffle and gaining distance instead of the previous path. Turning around out of curiosity, I saw the back of a man's head and his pale neck connected to hunched and tense shoulders. For some reason, the air around him seemed sad and mournful, and once he sat down, I was able to catch a glimpse of his face as he rested his head on his arms. His expression was that of a broken man and all I wanted at that moment was to reach out and comfort the man.
Right as I was about to get up and do just that, I heard my name called by the barista. Setting my phone down, I got my coffee, giving the woman behind the counter a polite smile and a "thank you", before going back to the table to get my phone and go over to the man, but once I was ready to do so, I turned and noticed him gone. With a frown, I settled back into my seat and wondered at where he could have gone.
Only then did I realize that, for a moment, the exhaustion and stiffness had disappeared. But then it came slamming right back in, seemingly twice as harsh.