ONE: Vanilla on My Hands

36: A Crown was the One Thing I Didn't Get

It was when they reached the door to what Frank assumed to be Gerard's bedroom that he realized what his new Master was implying. Frank froze, eyes widened at the prospect of sharing a bedroom with someone so early, so soon, sleeping next to someone and being so vulnerable yet again. Frank had barely adjusted to sleeping by himself after all that time and now he was being crammed into his boss' bed. Granted, he knew that he wanted nothing less than that, he wanted to all-but-dive into Gerard's sheets, but he hadn't expected it to be so quick. He had expected the blowjob, yes. But everything that had happened up until this point wasn't even expected in his wildest dreams. But here he was, bags and all, and it was snowballing out of his own hands and right into Gerard's awaiting palms.

"I, uh..." Frank piped up as Gerard put a hand on the doorknob, "Wait."

"What is it, boy?"

"I just..." Frank squirmed uncomfortably as he set his suitcase down beside him and looked down the hallway to the room he had spent the night in previously, "I don't know if I'm comfortable with this..."

"With living here?" Gerard frowned, seemingly impatient, "You could have said-"

"No, no-" Frank interjected, jumping slightly, "No, I mean... With us sharing a room. I mean, this has all happened so fast. I've gone from being half-ignored by you to living with you in a matter of hours and I haven't even finished my contract. It's not even midnight either so we're not even official."

"You do have a point." Gerard dropped his hand from his bedroom door, "An excellent point, as it were. Would you prefer to sleep separately until you finish your contract, boy?"

"Yes, please..." Frank muttered, "May-Maybe that room that I stayed in last time?"

"Of course." Gerard held out an arm, gesturing to the door down the hallway as Frank picked up his case and walked toward it, instantly feeling a wave of relief as he walked further and further away from Gerard's bedroom. He had no idea what it even looked like and yet, he was terrified of it. But he wouldn't dare tell Gerard that, no. He didn't want to admit that things were moving too fast, he just assumed it was his nerves acting up as they did. He knew that once he was settled in that it wouldn't be so bad. He was just being anxious and rightly so considering how badly Ryan had messed with his head. They stopped at the door and Frank looked at it, reaching out slowly to open the wooden separation, his nerve-endings tingling at the feel of the cold metal in his palm, the familiarity having his heart race.

"Home sweet home, boy," Gerard stated simply as Frank opened the acquainted door into the spare room. He looked around, his cheeks flushing as he remembered the last time he had seen the inside of these walls. He avoided his gaze with the nearby bed, knowing it would only aid to his blushing exterior.

"Thanks..." Frank sighed, "I really appreciate you doing this for me, sir."

"It was going to happen either way," Gerard muttered as they stepped further into the room, "Rather sooner than later. This will be your room."

"But I thought you said..." Frank frowned as he set his suitcase near the bed.

"We will be sharing my room once you're comfortable, but this room and the en-suite and the closet will be yours. You will not be allowed to use my bathroom unless I give you permission, nor will you be allowed in my closet unless I say otherwise. This is where you will store your belongings throughout the duration of your stay with me, are we clear?"

"Crystal, sir." Frank smiled as he looked around, "But I don't sleep here?"

"Not unless you're being punished and I don't let you sleep in my room. Then you're in here, or wherever I tell you to sleep." Gerard warned, his voice instantly making Frank swallow nervously.