TONIGHT WE'RE GOLD

EIGHT

They're all playing monopoly in the living room later that night, though Frank is actually playing tea time with Rowan. 'It'd be an honor to have tea with you, your honor,' he says, causing the little girl to giggle. She goes through her princess backpack and takes out the tea set to give a plate to Frank, while Gerard watches the scene. They share glances for a second, smiling at each other.

'Rowan seems to like Frank,' Mikey mentions.

'She does,' Gerard says with a smile. 'I think she likes him better than me.'

'We like him too, by the way. He's a good guy.'

When Rowan gets distracted with Lois, Frank sits with the everyone else. Mikey interrogates him, in a nice way. Where does he work, his age, political views, does he have any children. Frank takes it as a joke, and Gerard is fascinated by the fact they get along so well. Frank is perfect, he thinks.

They keep talking, and Frank soon realizes Mikey is as big of a nerd as Gerard, and together they get even worse, which is funny to see. They're talking about superheroes, and D&D, and somehow convince Frank to get into it.

Then, while Kristin takes the girls to bed in the guest room, Gerard is trying to teach him the rules, but he just gives him a look that says he doesn't understand a thing, and Gerard gives up. 'I'm sorry, I told you all of my brain cells are dead,' Frank says.

'That's not true. You're smart as fuck.'

'But I'm not a nerd like you.' Gerard pretends to be offended, so Frank pecks him. 'But I still love you.'

He doesn't register what he just said until after saying it.

Fuck.

He said it.

In front of his family.

He's blushing, he knows it, his mouth ooen to say something but nothing comes out.

Gerard smiles at him, also blushing. 'I love you, too,' he says, and kisses him.

'Okay –' Mikey mumbles and gets up from his spot. 'I need to use the bathroom. To puke!'

'He's just joking,' Gerard assures him between kisses.

'I know.'

'Yeah – I just don't want you thinking he's repulsed by this –' They continue kissing as Frank moves to Gerard's lap, one leg on each side, and then begins to kiss Gerard's neck.

'I meant it, by the way. I love you.'

'I love you, Frankie.'

Soon, they all get up and go to bed. 'I really like your family, by the way,' Frank says casually.

'Well, I'm not supposed to say it, but they like you too.'

'They do?' Frank smiles, and kisses Gerard, who's already pulling him closer, and grinding his lower half against him. 'Wait – no. We can't do that with your brother sleeping next door.' Gerard laughs. 'I don't want them to hate me.'

'Hate you for what? For fucking me?'

And just then, their door opens, and Rowan comes in. 'Uncle Frankie,' she says, her eyes still closed. 'Can you tell me a story?'

'Of course! Come here!' Rowan sits between him and Gerard, and they smile at each other, glad they hadn't taken off their clothes. 'What story you want me to tell you? I know one about a puppy, one about birds, and one about a dragon.'

'The dragon one!'

'Then the dragon one it is.' He puts his arms around her, and tells her the story he obviously made just made up. Gerard looks at them, feeling the luckiest man in the world, amazed at how good he is with kids. Frank would make a great dad, he thinks.

**

Gerard wakes up to Rowan asleep between him and Frank, and he can't help smiling.

It's still early so he goes to the kitchen to make coffee and breakfast for everyone. When Mikey makes it to the kitchen, Gerard knows he was the one who sent Rowan to their room just by his smile. 'What? She really likes Frank.'

Ten minutes later, they all make it to the dining room, Frank's eyes not even open yet. He cuddles in Gerard's lap, knowing it'll make Mikey uncomfortable, but also because he wants to. 'Are you trying to make me throw up?' Mikey says. 'I don't want you kissing my brother in front of me.' Frank knows he's joking but he enjoys it.

'That's for using us as nannies last night,' Gerard says.

Mikey covers Rowan's ears, and then says to Frank, 'No fucking my brother until after marriage. Just trying to keep his dignity intact.' They all laugh, and eat, and then hang out at the pool for a while before they have to go.

'It was nice meeting you, Frank,' Mikey says as they say goodbye outside.

'Nice to meet you too.'

'Thanks for making my brother happy. He really needed that.'

'Anytime.'

Frank and Gerard see them drive away, Gerard's arm around his waist, and then turns to him. 'I have a question,' he says. Frank looks up, smiling. He doesn't know what he's about to ask, but he'd jump off a cliff for him. 'You wanna move in with me?'

'Absolutely fucking yes.'