That Tattoo Guy (MCR Fanfic)

The Ghost. (Chapter 10)

The  Ghost. (Chapter 10)

Age 23

“Hey! I’m coming down now!” Ivy calls from upstairs, Gerard and I snap our attention away from each other’s bodies to look at where she makes her way down taking stop at time. Her cute little bat costume makes me beam with pride, we had taken most our time when Gee was at work to make up her costume. My favourite part was the little red wings and pointy ears she had pinned to her hair. I had spent the afternoon with her squealing as I fiddled with her hair so it was pinned back in different styles till she liked it. “Du dah!” she says and jumps off the middle step into Gerard’s arms, I internally sigh wishing I had what they had. A father-daughter bond I could never beat or be included in, I hadn’t held her when she was born, I hadn’t wipes away her tears as she cuddled in bed from a nightmare. I was just her teacher and her dad’s boyfriend. I leave them to have their moment as I find the bags I had made us all in my spare time, I had been getting back into drawing lately so decided to experiment a little with the themes, just like the house decorated by our little family in cobwebs and pumpkins, spiders and bats.

“Can we go now?” Ivy says looking impatient as I walk back out in the foyer where she’s waiting ready to go.

“Here we go little miss batty, and for you mister ghost man.” I hand Ivy her white pillowcase with a bat design copied on the front with her name, and hand Gerard one with a vampire drawn with his name coming from his mouth, whilst I keep my own Frankenstein one. Ivy’s eyes look up at me like large mugs of coffee warm and molten but they keep flickering towards the door.

“Aquabats let’s go!” Ivy tugs at Gee’s hands but he pulls her back making her excitement simmer down.

“Haven’t you got something you need to do with Frankie, sweetie?” Gerard gestures towards me and I still, I worry for a second thinking what she could possibly need to say to me, my legs feel like lead as she plonks me down on the couch. Before she runs out the room yelling to wait a minute but returns seconds later letting her cape fly out from behind her and her pale cheeks to flush over in a blush. “Here we go.” She snuggles up on the couch giving me the little parcel wrapped in black and red paper. With wide eyes we both scramble together to unwrap the many layers before it uncovers a picture frame, inside a photograph from Gerard’s birthday the previous April as we sat huddled on the porch steps, Ivy on Gerard’s lap whilst we kiss her cheeks from both sides in black and white. It was a perfect little photograph that didn’t look posed or too set up, it was natural and pure. I loved it. It stopped my heart- it showed everything I ever wanted, a family, a piece of their heart linked with mine. Seeing it here made me just want to burst into tears, scoop her up into my arms and not let go.

“Happy Birthday Daddy Frankie.”

She stops my world from spinning, my heart skips a beat and I bite my lip to stop them trembling as I hold back tears. ‘Daddy Frankie’. I loved her saying that more than I loved to hear Gerard call me Frankie. I can’t help but just bring her onto my lap, into my arms and let her snuggle against me. I wish she was mine. She is yours Frankie; it’s not about of DNA in blood but pieces of the heart.

“Oh baby girl, thank you.” I nuzzle her a little as I let a tear slide down my cheek so that Gerard can’t see before I pick her up on my hip as if she doesn’t weigh a thing, she clutches onto me wit her tiny hands and feel her eyelashes flutter against my cheek as she looks at her dad. “Now let’s go stuff ourselves with candy till we pop.” I giggle and head for the door as Gerard starts taking pictures which we all pose for and take turns with, he was not missing out on this.