Here's to the Heartache (Frerard) *Discontinued*

29: Scotch Tape And A Smattering Of Glue

Frank eventually managed to get Gerard into bed, curling up next to him so Gerard would know he was still there even in his sleep, because he wasn't going to break his promise, he was going to stay with Gerard for as long as possible, and really - there was no where else he'd rather be, even if Gerard wasn't in such a state.

Gerard had cried for what felt like hours earlier, and as much as the expulsion of sorrow had hurt Frank to witness - fuck, it had practically ripped him to shreds inside, he sensed that Gerard had needed to lose control, to completely expunge the pain and misery he kept bottled up inside him in the form of tears, so Frank had let him weep, whispering soothing nonsense the entire time until Gerard had tired himself out.

Finally, Gerard had calmed down enough to drink some water and get changed, allowing Frank to lead him into bed without a single word of protest. Gerard had refused to relinquish his hold on Frank the entire time though, even going so far as to keep a tight grasp on Frank's wrist while brushing his teeth, but Frank didn't try to pull away either, in fact, he sort of loved the way Gerard wanted to be touching him at all times, even though he knew it was out of fear of being left alone and not actually any desire for physical affection.

Now Gerard was sleeping peacefully, his larger frame wrapped around Frank's as he combed his hand through his hair idly. Mikey still hadn't returned, but Frank was almost thankful for that. It gave him an excuse to stay, even though his unexplained absence would most likely get him into trouble with his mother at a later date, but that didn't matter to Frank right now - nothing did besides Gerard.

Gerard needed Frank right now, so Frank wasn't going to abandon him, and honestly, Frank needed this too, maybe not as badly as Gerard did, but still - the simple pressure of his touch was like a healing balm to the jagged edges of his heart that had been grating at his internal organs roughly, sometimes gently, other times so strongly that Frank didn't know if he could stand the agony.

Frank had been trying so hard to pretend that everything was fine, because it was - mostly. He and Pete were friends again, his mother hadn't gotten noticeably worse, and although he missed the relationship he and Gerard had shared, he was learning to function without it.

Gerard still cared for him after all, he knew that now, even though the dark part of his mind that seemed like his own worst enemy personified was hell bent on convincing him differently, but after all this time, Gerard was still waiting for him, in fact - they had almost made it until his birthday.

It was only two more weeks until Frank turned eighteen, and although dating his teacher was still illegal, it would work out, Frank had to put faith in that. They would be discrete, and soon enough he would graduate, which would relieve all of the pressures society had forced onto their shoulders, if something else didn't go wrong before then that is.

But even though things were finally beginning to look up for Frank, he wasn't happy - hell, he didn't even think he was content. He tried to bury his misery in work, or school, or anything really, but now that Frank was given a period of calm in which to think, he began to realize that he was just as fucked up as he had always been, maybe even more so given the stress of current events.

In the past, all he had to worry about was his mother and his absent father, which had been almost more than Frank could handle. Now he had whatever existed between him and Gerard added to his plate, coupled with the awkwardness that now resided in his bond with Pete, and even though Frank prayed that everything would work itself out eventually, he was so fucking terrified that he was going to break before that happened.

Frank was hurting, he didn't know how else to describe it. There was a constant ache in the center of his chest now, even in moments like these when Gerard was pressed against his side and he should have been enjoying the calm serenity of the early morning.