V: in the dark, we dance together, along to the tune of the kitsfort blues
✞✞✞
Frank was sniffling up a storm as he cradled into the hoodie wrapped warm around his shivering form once more. Friday morning was upon him, the wreckage from the storm calming to an eerie silence, his nose flushed permanently red from the onslaught of tissues brought upon it to clear his sinuses.
Already, he'd worked up a cold, eyes blinking through the groggy film covering them. He felt heavy in the brisk chill of the early morning from where he was stood on his front stoop, awaiting for Gerard to show as seven o'clock rang across the town -- birds chirping somewhere in the near distance. The skies were suddenly cool once more, surreal compared to the furious, angry gray they'd held just hours ago.
Morning had just barely risen upon them, Frank bouncing on his ears whilst tugging his beanie tighter over his ears. The skies were wisping with gentle clouds as if nothing had even happened that previous night in the first place -- the horizon painted with messy strokes of thick oranges and pinks over the shreds of the water that Frank could see from where he stood.
He let himself relax as the neighboring house finally swung its front door open -- his ghost boy stepping out, and Frank sighing in relief, now assured that he wasn't dead.
Gerard's hair was tied back into a messy little bun -- barely enough hair to do such, spare strands flitting into his face as the seaside breeze lapped gently at his face. He seemed to be surprised to see Frank standing there already waiting for him, which, in all honesty, Frank was too.
Gerard's neck was bundled in a thick scarf, striped and falling down the front of the dark jacket swathed around him -- a gentle smile growing on his tired lips as Frank hopped off his porch, the two meeting halfway as Gerard stepped to the sidewalk. "Took you long enough," Frank teased.
"I wasn't expecting you to be outside waiting," Gerard defended, a crooked smile on his face before it fell -- and their task was planted inside their mind once more, a solemn expression falling over the ghost boy's face as he frowned towards the distance
They started walking immediately, no time to waste -- with a full day of school calling their name in less than a mere two hours. Frank was sure that his mother wouldn't be pleased when she discovered that Frank had snuck out again -- but he was trying to keep it away from the focus of his mind. He knew that, especially after her worry last night, that going out once more -- while sick, would kill his mother, but he'd made a promise to Gerard, and he had to keep it, even if it meant trouble for him.
Frank was sure that she would begin thinking that Gerard was a bad influence soon enough, constantly dragging him out of the house for the most trivial, not quite conventional of things -- but, Frank was trying to avoid that fact, too, pursing his lips.
Frank glanced over as Gerard bit back a yawn, his eyes red around the edges as he blinked away the drowsiness washing over him -- the morning sun shining against his face, a grog settling low between the two as they endured the brisk chill of the streets. Frank was still sniffling, on the other hand, sneezing into a tissue as he cringed at the thick mucus coming up with it. "Gross." He muttered, wiping his nose further.
Gerard glanced over, clad with pursed lips and a slightly unreadable expression, as always. "Did I get you sick?" He asked, gaze on Frank.
Frank glanced back over, hesitating. "Oh. Um, yeah, but... it's okay. I'm used to it."
Gerard frowned further, biting his lip as his gloved fingers fiddled. "I'm sorry."
"I forgive you," Frank replied, smiling a gentle smile of assurance whilst Gerard managed a weak one back.
They soon found themselves at the end of the street once more, Frank's fingers routinely running along the fence whilst they turned the corner. The longest of the streets stretched out until it didn't, running off into grass as the two routinely hopped off the short slope -- starting off down the worn, dirt path trailing towards the small fields settled further out, hidden from pedestrian view.
Frank could visibly see Gerard stiffen at the remaining smolders of gentle smoke wisping from what they could see of Aella -- a grand, crisped stump in the distance as Gerard's expression fell even further. "Oh, no..."
Gerard picked up into a sudden sprint, leaving Frank in his dust. The latter knew better than to chase after him in this condition, a frown of his own atop his face while Gerard approached the wreckage -- arms wrapped tight around himself.
Still left, was quite a hefty stump. Charred and darkened violently around the edges and down the sides, cracked splinters jutting from the jagged outcrops and remaining shreds of her grand trunk. Spare, fallen limbs and dark ash had settled all around, Gerard choking out in disbelief as he gazed at the horror that was the charred remains of Aella.
The remains themselves were still towering taller than both boys, though not by a large amount -- with a few feet or so gained over Gerard as he shook his head. He refused to believe the harsh slap of reality abusing his chest quenching beneath the terror of it all.
Frank still trailed behind, having finished walking the distance between them, yet lingering a few feet to leave Gerard his space. The latter couldn't stop staring at the burnt wreckage of what was once beautiful, lips parted in shock and utter horror as his fingers twitched and clenched around an empty feeling.
"You alright?" Frank finally asked, voice quiet as guilt drowned within him -- even if the whole ordeal hadn't been his fault in the slightest.
Gerard only shook his head, Frank not really expecting much less. The raven-haired boy dropped to the ground, crouching on the heels of his toes as he reluctantly reached out his fingers towards the base of the ruin. "How is this even possible..."
Frank didn't reply to that, sure that anything he could've said would've proven utterly unhelpful in the grand scheme of things. Gerard's trailed his fingertips along where the ancient writings used to sit engraved, the remains sparse -- but still just barely there, faded with the kiss of death upon it.
Gerard's fingers curled into a fist, bringing his hand back to himself as he gazed up to the sky -- a solemn look upon his face, eyes sad as Frank only watched in silence and sympathy. "I don't understand," Gerard spoke quietly.
"Neither do I," Frank replied just as low, pursing his lips as he watched the breeze whip the grass oh-so-softly.
"I just... there's no physical way this should've been possible, unless--" Gerard said, pausing as realization struck him like the bolt of lightning that cursed Aella to this fate. "...Unless she was already dead," Gerard said in a coarse whisper.
"What?" Frank asked in genuine shock, eyes raking over the carnage.
"She couldn't have been dead," Gerard said quickly, his head shaking. "No, that couldn't have been it. I-- I don't--"
Frank couldn't do much to aid in Gerard's breakdown, watching with a saddened expression as Gerard's hands flew to cover his face once more. Gerard's body was shivering just as it had last night, head shaking and spare hair flying to the side with the lap of the wind against the dark locks.
"This is so bad, Frank, this is so fucking bad," Gerard cried out in desperation again, finally turning to the younger boy with wide eyes. "And you had just been bound, too, I-- oh my god."
"Are the... spirits and stuff really that bad?" Frank asked hesitantly, unsure of whether he wanted to hear the answer. His stomach was uneasy, feeling as if he was about to lose his non-existent breakfast the further this went on.
Gerard took a second to compose himself, sitting straighter as he rocked back onto his heels, gazing blankly at the darkened grass. He turned towards the ocean beckoning their names in the distance, looking back to Frank before standing. "Follow me."
Frank was admittedly confused -- but did as he was told, Gerard starting off down the gentle hill and towards where the sand mingled with the thick blades of grass. He walked the tiny stone path, worn and scuttled with dust all over -- nearly veiled completely from sight as they passed where a tiny stretch of fence ended.
They'd entered the realm of the cove-like shore as Gerard led Frank down to the water -- the latter gazing around curiously as he was brought towards the long dock set in the distance. He'd only been down to the shore of Parthenope's namesake once -- the time that Gerard had brought him down, and he'd shared the veiled secret of his deceased father, whom he still missed deeply.
Frank didn't question, nor speak, as Gerard's hand gently found his -- calloused fingers meeting in the slightest of touch as he simply linked their index fingers, tugging him onto the creaky wood of the dock. "Are we supposed to be on here?" Frank finally asked, gazing around at the new view of the calmed water.
"We're fine," Was all Gerard said in response, keeping it simple as they finally found themselves looming over the edge of the dock, twenty feet, or so, out on the water. The waves were rippling softly, kissing and lapping against the posts supporting the platform as Gerard dropped Frank's hand -- bringing it to shade his eyes in order to gaze at the bright horizon.
"So, why are we down here?" Frank questioned further, quickly checking the time on his phone -- where they had a little longer to spare.
Gerard sat down simply, crossing his legs beneath him as he placed a palm flat atop the splintering wood to keep himself further upright. "Listen closely, Frank. Do you hear anything?"
Frank had joined him on the ground, contorting his face as he looked over. "What?"
"Close your eyes," Gerard instructed -- Frank doing so, taking a deep breath. "Now, focus on the world around you. Listen. What do you hear?"
"Um..." Frank said, ears pricking as he fought to pick up on the individual sounds wrapping all around him. "I hear the water." He said as an obvious start -- the crashing of the waves gentle as Gerard nodded through his own closed eyes.
"Good, what else?" Gerard asked in a curious query.
"I hear seagulls, or birds-- I don't know, something," Frank said, ears catching the fabled cry of birdsong. "Branches... like, leaves, and stuff."
"Mhm," Gerard hummed, encouraging Frank to keep going. "Anything else, in particular?"
"Windchimes," Frank said quickly, managing to somehow snatch the faintest of whistles and clicking in the distance. "The wind, um..."
"Is that it?" Gerard asked, snagged on intrigue as Frank squinted his closed eyes, nodding. His untrained ears weren't meant to pick up on the tiniest sounds -- and most were drowned by the water, anyway.
"Okay, okay," Frank said, opening his eyes to be met with Gerard watching him intently. "What was that for?"
Gerard just watched him, hesitant for a moment, biting on his lip. "Did you hear anything else in the water? Like-- some sort of, maybe... sea-conch, or, any sort of song? Movement? Anything?" He asked.
Frank wasn't quite sure if it was a trick question or not -- because, surely, he and Gerard both would've known if they'd heard those things. Frank could only assume that Gerard was referring to the alleged Sirens in the cove -- hesitating before slowly shaking his head. "No... was I supposed to?"
Gerard puffed his cheeks a little bit, cheeks flushing the faintest shade redder than they already had been from the cold -- turning away. "No," He said. "That-- that's a good sign."
Frank wasn't quite sure what the hell had just happened, but he watched as Gerard's gaze followed to a towering hill in the far distance -- past the jagged island harboring the lighthouse, and past the faint shreds of view they had of the ports and ships.
"I don't really have the time to explain all of this, right now," Gerard finally spoke once more, turning back to Frank. "After school, I need to take you up there. I'll prove to you everything."
Frank wanted to press matters further, and ask what exactly they were proving -- but only nodded, watching as Gerard stood. "So... now what?" Frank asked, not really getting the answers he had expected from venturing down to the dock.
"We endure our Friday," Gerard said simply, brushing himself off -- pursed lips as he gazed back at Aella's ruins. "And meet up again once school lets out. Dress warm, and..." Gerard said, pausing as he thought for a moment. "Nevermind, I'll take care of the rest. Dress warm, okay?"
Frank nodded, and soon they were setting back off towards the neighborhoods. Frank was still teetering on the metaphorical edge of his seat for answers, but didn't dare bring himself to question Gerard's methods of it all. He simply let them both be led back up to the streets slowly growing familiar to Frank -- past the ruins of Aella, which Gerard had issues tearing his saddened gaze from.
And so, the two boys set off on their separate ways once more -- school coming soon upon them, and an anxious excitement bubbling in Frank's veins as the end of the day drew nearer and nearer...
✞✞✞
When the bell for Frank's seventh period had rung out shrilly, Frank swore that he had never leaped from his seat quicker. He'd gotten a few strange looks as he hurried down the halls, not even bothering to care over the chilly breeze wisping through the open campus as he found his way to the building housing his locker.
The ride home had been one of anxious bubbles for Frank, knee jiggling in the passenger seat as he gazed out the windshield. Dave eyed him curiously, but kept silent -- not questioning matters as Frank picked at his nails.
Gerard had already been there waiting for him when they'd pulled into the driveway -- sitting on his own front porch as his feet dangled from the worn wood, gaze catching on the worn Toyota. Frank had shot him a gentle smile, waving in a short gesture as he quickly ran inside, discarding his things and tugging his hat over his head. He was worn in a jacket and his fingerless skeleton gloves as he headed back out -- but not without a quick piss break, of course.
Gerard stood from his front porch, slinging a backpack over his shoulder as he met Frank on the sidewalk. "Somebody looks excited." He commented in an obvious, and slightly mocking manner.
"I'm just impatient," Frank admitted, shrugging. "I've been waiting all fuckin' day for this."
Gerard laughed off a little chuckle, the two starting off down the street in a habit that slowly fell into a strange sort of routine for them. "Well, I can only hope that it'll prove worth the wait."
And with that, they fell silent, starting off in a direction that Frank hadn't yet familiarized himself with yet. The port was approaching, the two walking along the boardwalk and past the breezy storefronts.
A few ships were docked in the telltale landmark of the town, a bit of conversation along the docks as both sailors and dock-workers did their things. Frank's gaze lingered on the grand, daunting vessels -- in a bit of shock at the sheer power of them all, feeling as if they could crush him in mere seconds, if they so pleased.
"Why is there even a port here, anyway?" Frank finally asked, deciding to attempt and satiate his curiosity -- turning to Gerard. "I mean, this is a middle-of-nowhere town, what the hell are we transporting?"
"We produce some goods," Gerard shrugged, keeping it simple and vague as he himself glanced at the cargo ships. "We distribute imports to cities around the states, too. Y'know, the trucks come in, and stuff."
"Oh," Frank replied, pursing his lips and nodding shortly. It didn't quite answer his question, but it was better than nothing, he supposed.
They fell into a short silence once more, reaching the end of the boardwalk -- where they were met with yet another worn dirt path, the town seeming to have a never-ending abundance. Faced in front of them, though, was a road with a boom gate of sorts -- rickety metal overlapping to block the path as a warning sign was plastered upon it.
"Um, are we supposed to be going in here?" Frank asked reluctantly, looking behind them to assure that they weren't being watched as Gerard ducked seamlessly beneath the barrier without issue.
"Frank," Gerard said, tugging him beneath the gate by his sleeve. "I promise you that we're okay. We're not gonna get in trouble."
"Famous last words," Frank mumbled. Gerard only rolled his eyes as they walked further up the road.
Frank was a bit uneasy of the fact that they were literally in the middle of paved asphalt, where a car could come barreling down at any moment -- but, Gerard was acting grandly nonchalant about it all, so Frank allowed himself to relax a bit, figuring that the older likely knew what he was doing.
He grew anxious once more, though, when the road broke off -- jutting off to cut across the side of the hill. It was rugged, steep beneath them as the thin road followed along the short mountainside. Gerard had broken off from the road, though, continuing up the hill where the grass began to grow away from the man-issued destruction to the natural environment.
"How much farther do we have to go?" Frank finally gasped out once the bearings got steeper, rocky, but still swathed in thick grass -- finding it harder to catch his breath as his still full-swing cold was deciding to make things difficult for him. "I need to take a break."
"We're almost there," Gerard assured, reaching out to get an arm around Frank's lower back to support him further -- helping him up as the younger took deep breaths, a bit light-headed as they climbed higher and higher, up until they finally met where the hill leveled out.
Frank was hesitant about it all, taking a moment to compose himself and clear up his chest a bit -- hitting at it, per usual. Gerard politely kept his gaze averted as Frank spit into the grass, grimacing as he cleared his throat -- apologizing quietly. "So... now what?" He finally asked, a bit underwhelmed at it all.
There was a small shack of sorts -- worn and obviously untenanted, with holes in the splintering wood and a bird's nest nestled in the overhang of the roof. It was all quite a desolate sight, the breeze picking up now that they were away from the shield of townhood -- no buildings to block the wind lashing at them.
Gerard's hair must've come down during some point of the day, because now it fell down once more -- flying behind him as he gazed around along with Frank. The grass was light, fading with the curse of an impending winter upon them -- a few scraggly trees filling in around the edges, and pebbles and rocks kicked around by Frank's shoe-clad foot.
Gerard was silent for a few moments, setting down the backpack and unzipping it -- much to Frank's unease. He wasn't quite sure what was happening, nor what was meant to happen. The atmosphere up here was making him sick to his stomach, nerves frothing and boiling as he curled into himself -- a dark chill seeping down his spine. "Gerard?"
"Shh," Gerard shushed him gently, pulling out a bottle of orange soda from the bag. Frank's face immediately contorted in intense confusion, watching whilst the mysterious ghost boy tugged out a bottle opener -- popping the cap with a smile, tossing it to Frank.
"Wha--" Frank said, catching the tiny piece of metal in some miraculous feat -- only to be silenced gently by Gerard once more as he dropped the cap confusedly into his pocket.
Gerard took a short swig of the fizzling soda, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand and nodding -- taking a deep breath before standing. He extended the bottle to Frank, the latter hesitantly accepting it whilst Gerard stared him down.
"What's this for?" Frank asked, frowning a bit as the liquid swished beneath the movement.
"Take a sip," Gerard answered simply.
Frank knitted his eyebrows, but did as he was told -- slowly raising the lip to his mouth and taking a short sip of the carbonated soda. He cringed as it slid down his throat, far too sugary for his taste -- sniffling as he went to hand it back to Gerard.
Gerard shook his head, though, pressing it back to Frank. "Keep it, for now, okay?" He said, nodding and glancing around. "It's, thankfully enough, a perfect day for this. Don't be panicked, alright? Stay calm."
Frank went to open his mouth in question, but quickly clamped it shut as Gerard spoke over him -- a gentle smile on his face as Frank's gut churned in anticipation furthermore.
"Good afternoon, all," He greeted, chuckling gently. "It's certainly been a while since I came to visit, hm? I've brought a friend this time, I need you guys to be nice..."
Frank would be lying if he said that he wasn't a bit freaked out right now, with Gerard talking to nobody, besides the open air in front of them. "Gerard..." He whimpered quietly, another chill rolling across him as he shuddered.
Gerard didn't acknowledge him, speaking further to whoever the hell he was addressing. "We brought you your favorite sodas, too," Gerard said. "We just want to hang out for a little while. Do you mind poking out and saying hello?"
Frank was frozen in anticipation as all fell silent for a few moments. All was still, minus the rustling of the branches and the gentle breeze blowing across them.
It was as Frank's eyes snagged on a faint figure appearing in front of Gerard, though, that he nearly passed out.
His heart sunk into his fucking toes, extremities going numb and mouth going dry as he gaped at a smiling Gerard a few feet from him. The figure was sickly pale, wisping tail and gentle smile as the rest of the scenery was translucent through their pale green being. "Gerard!" Frank immediately screeched, nearly dropping the glass bottle as he yelped, scuttling backward.
The spirit startled, frowning large as a few others popped up -- Frank's eyes wide and lips drawn into a terrified frown as Gerard turned to him quickly. "No, Frank, it-- it's okay!" He assured, gently walking over and placing a careful hand to his arm -- turning back to the dozen or so ghosts gathered there. "I apologize, he's still new to this all. Pardon his manners."
"I--" Frank stammered, blinking in disbelief at all that was unfurling around him, Gerard breaking off from him to stand back with the spirits once more -- grinning.
"Nice day, isn't it?" Gerard asked, giggling oh-so-gently as a few wisped and wrapped around him -- the boy wrapping his arms back around them best as he could, obviously not able to physically touch them. "Woah, calm down!" He laughed as he nearly tumbled over at the excitement of one eldered spirit.
Frank was still gaping like a damn goldfish in disbelief, opening and closing his mouth as one slowly approached him -- drifting over and eyes on the soda still in his hands. Frank immediately thrusted it towards the pale, translucent figure -- holding it away from his chest as he turned away, heart pounding loudly as the ghost smiled in gentle gratefulness.
Gerard was watching as Frank let the spirit dance around the bottle, a few others joining in until they were wrapped all around the younger boy -- who was trembling, though slowly coming to terms with it all as he realized; holy shit, they weren't gonna hurt him.
"What-- what are they doing?" Frank asked as Gerard only watched him, hands shaking a bit around the orange bottle.
"They're saying hello," Gerard answered, smiling. "They're friendly, they're simply enjoying the gift you brought them. They can't drink it, but they love the smell and essence. It's nice to bring presents when you visit."
Frank relaxed the slightest bit at that, drawing the bottle closer to himself, slowly -- the spirits still wisping and wrapping all around him, the boy managing to let a tiny giggle escape as his nose curled. His shoulders hitched up to his ears, shuddering at the shiver of a spirit brushing past the sensitive shell of his ear, laughing loudly as the ghosts danced and celebrated all around him. "Oh my god!" He squealed, in awe of the whole prospect as Gerard laughed himself.
There was a break in it all, though, when Gerard's hand broke through the veil of ghosts -- finding Frank's open one as he tugged him out of it all. Frank stumbled onto Gerard, the latter's eyes widening as they both flushed hard -- sheepish smiles brought across their faces as the shorter of the two straightened.
Frank gently placed the bottle down onto the grass behind them, the ghosts having broken from the condensed group they were in before, and now spread out as they danced along with the two boys. Somehow, it had fallen into this -- hands interlocked and giggles shared as they spun around, dancing along with the spirits living atop the hill.
"Is this as bad as you thought it would be?" Gerard asked, cocking his head goofily as a new side of him was revealed -- a cheerful and playful ghost boy peeking through as his cheeks tinted pink, spooky drawl lost somewhere within the fit of giggles falling from his mouth.
Frank shook his head, curling his nose as -- all of the sudden, Gerard spun him around, the boy squealing in shock as he was still fighting to catch his damn breath -- but it felt so damn good.
Gerard somehow managed to stumble down with him, a hand instinctively coming quickly to the small of his back -- keeping him from falling straight on his ass as they stood there precariously for a few moments. Wide eyes meeting wide eyes, parted lips meeting parted lips -- heavy breaths, and unsure, hesitant eyes flitting across faces.
Holy fucking shit, what was happening? Frank was sure his heart was near about to pound out of his chest, blood thrumming in his ears and shaking fingertips -- Gerard so fucking close as those few seconds seemed to feel like a whole eternity, his belly swooping as a sudden, insatiable feeling fell over him.
His head was fucking spinning, unable to breathe as Gerard's breath fanned over his -- the two still standing crookedly as tension stretched between them like a walker high above a tightrope, threatening to snap and tumble to the ground at any moment. Because, holy fuck, Frank didn't know what this was -- but suddenly a wave of something had fallen over him in the cooled heat of the moment, gulping thick as it felt like a literal millennium that they were dipped over unsteadily.
Frank couldn't really take any longer to think about it -- or, God forbid, fuck everything up and act on it -- because all of the sudden, his feet were moving again, stumbling backward further as Gerard shot up in shock.
They'd separated all too suddenly, Frank's heel knocking the bottle of soda from where it had been resting behind him. A deafening shattering of glass cracking across the top of the hill as all fell silent -- Gerard's eyes wide as Frank managed to catch himself, breathing heard whilst glancing at the orange wreckage spilling into the grass. "Oh no--" He choked out, hyperventilating as everything seemed to blur around him, panicking.
He couldn't really see anything, his throat closing up as he started hacking -- the ghosts a blurry film swirling around him, constricting, feeling like the damn oxygen was being drawn from his very being. He didn't know what was fucking happening. It was like everything had fallen apart in the span of just a few seconds -- and now he was paying the price, as he gasped out raggedly.
Vaguely, he could hear Gerard yelling out, but Frank was too busy focusing on how he was getting dizzy -- falling to the ground as he fought to catch the breath that just wasn't there. "Fuck!" Gerard cried loudly, a sudden break in the terror as his hand broke through, willing the ghosts away as he yelled at them.
Frank was panicking, the spirits breaking all at once -- flitting away into nothing as Gerard cursed them away, dropping to his knees on the ground beside Frank, breathing just as heavy.
"Frank-- Frank! What-- what do I do?" Gerard asked, hands unsure of where to go as he panicked. His gaze wrapped all around the younger, eyes wide as he watched a spluttering Frank falling apart in front of him.
Frank tugged his inhaler from where he'd shoved it into the zipped inner pocket of his jacket -- overwhelmingly grateful for his thought to take it beforehand. He made a desperate phone signal near his ear with his hand, grasping the inhaler within his scrambling fingers, getting it between his lips as he attempted to aid himself to some avail.
He still couldn't breathe, though, watching terrified as Gerard had his phone to his ear -- biting hard on his nails as he desperately rambled to whoever was on the other line, Frank dizzying beneath all the pressure. He could barely breathe, choking in the air as he let himself fall limp, spreading out across the grass as he tried as hard as he could to steady himself.
He could only hope that whatever help was due would arrive in time -- letting his eyes slip shut as his breathing shallowed, and he gulped thickly as uneasiness finally drowned him...
---
a/n; uuh, cliffhanger?? don't worry, frank's not dead, i won't do that yet. this was just getting way too long, and i figured it would fit better starting off the next chapter. sorry that the ending kinda sucked :l this is already halfway over, though! how crazy is that??
anyway, have a lovely day/night/oop, drink some water, do your homework, and remember that ily. xox, mikey.