Bathwater- Frerard Oneshots

Cry Wolf Pt. 2

Note: Smut Warning

October had since come and gone; crisp leaves drown in their frozen graves of white snow. The early winter that had shocked New Jersey two months earlier had been nothing more than an illusion- the snow that blanketed the ground when Frank met his Alpha had been melted and cleared in just days, and soon, leaves were the only things to cover the ground. Winter had come on time instead, later that November.

It was December now, and Frank had aged another year, his birthday arriving two weeks after he had found his lover. A thin layer of sparkling ice trapped the powdery crystals of snow beneath its glittering armor, growing thicker each time the sun's rays melted the snow, only to refreeze under the moon's healing properties. Darkness had long faded on that winter afternoon, and the forest was quiet as its creatures hid cozying from the cold in hibernation, and the nocturnal animals slept. Only the occasional tree squirrel would venture into the snow in search of food to bring home.

One such grey squirrel had ventured from the edge of the woods, finding his little self in the backyard of the Iero's home. He scampered through the snow, the ice letting out a soft crunch as it broke like glass beneath his weight. In search of food, he had made his way towards the bird feeder, sat atop a wooden post by the tree line. Before he could reach the post, a mad dash from the beast of massive paws and fangs had charged, pursuing its prey. It was a creature of unimaginable size to the squirrel, long, sharp canines dripping with venomous saliva, immune to the sharp bite of frosty air.

But Frank was the furthest creature imaginable from a deadly beast. Like a clumsy prince, he ruled over his winter wonderland. With his tail wagging furiously behind him, Frank chased the little squirrel with his tongue out in a steady pant, pulling his heavy body through the pillows of snow that stuck to his fur like burrs. As he poised himself to lunge, the grey squirrel pulled a sharp turn, bounding up the base of a tree in fear for his life. Frank let out a gleeful yip, digging two paws into its bark to stand on his hind legs, barking up the tree. When he realized his little squirrel friend had run away, he pulled himself away to frolic on his own. He shoved his nose into the snow, pulling out and licking what remained on his fur. He loved the snow and the mood that fell over the town as the Holidays approached. The town seemed so magical as Christmas rolled near, the sun's early retirement left nightfall to be around four p.m. each night, the holiday string lights and the street lamp's gentle glow being the only things that kept the town awake. During the days, flurries of snow meant bundling up in the cutest scarves and gloves that were hidden in the back of a closet all year. It meant taking walks down the icy streets and watching children sledding, spotting the snowmen in front yards, and admiring the decorations that competitive neighbors put up every year, trying to outdo their peers in an un-Christmas like fashion.

As he played, Frank was unaware of Gerard's gaze, watching him from inside the warmth of Frank's living room. The curtains were drawn open, the double windows giving Gerard the perfect view of the backyard, and with it, his mate playing so cheerfully in the snow. With a mug of coffee in his hands, Gerard felt at ease just watching Frank, not having the same energy as his omega possessed to go out and play with him without growing exhausted far more quickly than Frank would appreciate. Steam fled from his mug in wispy tendrils, the smell of coffee with a white mocha creamer filling the room. The two months following their initial meeting had changed every aspect of Gerard's life in all the best ways, and he had never felt so happy, nor at peace with himself than he did with Frank. He had dressed in a black sweater that morning, with a simple pair of dark blue jeans, yet he still felt just a bit chilly from being so near the window all morning. He couldn't find it in himself to look away from his omega; the scene was just too perfect to miss even a moment of his mate's contagious contentment. Frost had crept up the window the night prior, leaving its crystallized mark on the glass. Gerard's breath had cleared a hole in nature's frozen silk, allowing him to see outside as clearly as day.