"Are you sure you're good now?" Frank asked for the third time, concern in his voice.
"Yes, Frankie," Gerard sighed dramatically, giggling at him. "The aches are gone and my emotions are balanced again... I forgot what it felt like to just be neutral--for so long it only went between anger, euphoria, and misery..."
"Okay, good," Frank said with a smile, relieved that this ordeal was over. He didn't want Gerard to leave, but he was glad the redhead no longer had to suffer.
"Um, could you drive me back to the club?" Gerard asked, chewing his lip as he looked for his jacket. "You drove me here, but I guess I could catch a ride or something..."
"Of course I'll drive you," Frank replied, chuckling softly. "And you don't have to worry about returning my clothes, you can just keep them."
"Thanks," Gerard said with a smile, Frank returning it happily.
"D'you want breakfast before we go?" the tattooed man asked as he turned the key in the ignition, Gerard shaking his head.
"I'm okay," he mumbled, fiddling with his hands in his lap.
"Are you sure? Not even coffee or anything?" Frank offered, Gerard biting his lip in consideration before shaking his head.
"You've done enough for me, Frankie..." he said softly, his hair falling into his face when he looked back up at him. "And I'm not hungry, anyways."
"You really should eat, Gee," Frank said concernedly, putting the car in reverse and easily backing out of the parking space.
"I don't want anything," Gerard muttered, just wanting to end the conversation.
"Gee..." Frank sighed, looking over at him as he approached a red light.
"Quit pestering me, okay? I don't want to eat," Gerard said firmly, looking back down at his lap.
"Gee..." Frank said softly, pulling over the car. "Tell me what's wrong..."
"There isn't--nothing's wrong," Gerard sighed, avoiding his gaze. "I'm not that hungry, and I don't want anything."
"Why won't you eat?" Frank asked, mild frustration in his tone.
"I just don't fucking want to," Gerard grumbled, still not meeting his eyes.
Something clicked in Frank's brain, an unpleasant realization coming to him. "Gee, are you worried about your weight or something?" he asked softly, Gerard tensing up beside him.
"Why? Do you think I should be?" Gerard said defensively, wrapping his arms around his middle.
"No, of course not. Fuck, Gee, I can easily see your ribs," Frank sighed, tapping his fingers against the steering wheel.
"For now... I can't gain anything, Frankie. No one wants an overweight stripper," Gerard replied, his voice quiet and sad.
"You need to eat, Gee. You're not going to get fat or something if you eat like you're supposed to," Frank replied softly, turning towards him and brushing the hair away from his face.
"Frankie, I can't-" Gerard started, cutting himself off. He sighed, meeting Frank's tender gaze with his own. "Fine, we'll go get coffee..."
"Thank you," Frank replied softly, a relieved smile on his face as he turned back to the road. A small smile graced Gerard's delicate features, Frank's concern for him warming his heart.
------
"Thanks for the ride," Gerard said as he stood next to Frank's car, not wanting to have to say goodbye. "And for the coffee." He lifted the plastic cup to his lips, the steaming liquid sending warmth all through him.
"Of course," Frank replied, smiling up at him.
"Well, uh, I'll see you soon," Gerard awkwardly mumbled, waving before heading the few parking spots over to his own car.
"Gee, wait!" Frank called, grabbing one of the pieces of junk mail littered on the floor of his car and quickly scribbling his phone number down on the envelope. "Call me if you need anything... or if you just want to talk or whatever."
"Okay," Gerard replied, folding up the piece of paper and slipping it into his pocket. "Thanks again, Frankie. For everything." Frank just nodded and smiled, waiting until Gerard was seated inside his car before he pulled out of the parking lot.
Gerard fished his keys out of his jacket pocket, distastefully looking at the empty boxes of condoms and wrappers scattered on the floor. He twisted the key in the ignition, his car making an effort to turn on. He turned it again, a stuttering sound coming from the vehicle. He sighed frustratedly and made a final attempt, cursing at the car when sputtering noises were the only reply to his efforts.
'Am I really going to call him? He's done so much for me already...' Gerard debated internally, biting his lip as he typed the number into his phone.
"Fuck it," he murmured as he pressed the call button, drumming his fingers on the dashboard as the dial tone droned in his ear.
"Hold on... Shit--uh--hi! Did I miss it? Hello-" Frank rambled, Gerard chuckling at him.
"Hiya, Frankie," he replied, pushing the hair out of his face.
"Hey, Gee! Miss me already?" Frank giggled, turning down the radio so he could hear Gerard better.
"My car won't start," Gerard replied, keeping his tone lighthearted.
"D'you need me to drive you home?" Frank asked, already turning the car around to head back to the club.
"Yeah... and, um, I can pay you back later, but can you pay to get it towed?" Gerard answered, feeling very awkward asking Frank to practically loan him money.
"Don't worry about paying me back, I'll cover it," Frank said, causing Gerard to feel relieved and indebted at the same time. He appreciated Frank doing this for him, but he also resented that he depended so heavily on him. "I'll be there in like five minutes, okay?" Gerard nodded, uttering an 'okay' a moment later once he'd realized Frank wouldn't know his response unless he said it out loud.
He stuffed his keys and his phone into his pockets and grabbed his jacket off the passenger seat before getting out of the car, almost forgetting his coffee. The cup kept his fingers warm, the long sleeved shirt he wore enough to keep him from shivering but the wind brisk enough to chill his extremities. He dug through the trunk until he came upon the phone book, still on the phone with the towing company when Frank pulled up.
"That sucks about your car," Frank said once Gerard got off the phone, the redhead nodding.
"It was a piece of shit, anyways... I can probably get a different one for less than it'll cost to fix it," he said with a chuckle, shoving his hands in his pockets. "The tow truck should be here within half an hour."
They sat on the trunk of Frank's car while they waited, passing the time by watching the road and sharing funny memories. Gerard's laughter carried across the parking lot, pure happiness exuding from him. Frank couldn't keep a smile off his face, it just made him so overjoyed to see Gerard like that.
Arrangements were made for the tow truck driver to transport Gerard's car to a nearby repair shop, the redhead calling ahead to coordinate with the mechanic. Once every thing was taken care of and his car was being hauled down the road, they clambered into Frank's car.
Frank almost wished he'd just let Gerard drive, he felt so incompetent having to ask directions the entire drive. "Turn here," the redhead gently directed, Frank smiling sheepishly at him.
Gerard's mood became less and less jovial as they got closer to his apartment, his mind too busy fretting about what Frank thought of the run-down neighborhood to keep lighthearted conversation. He gave directions in short sentences, trying to keep his tone neutral.
"Um, do you want to come in?" he offered, internally yelling at himself immediately after. He knew the state of his apartment: the disarray of his kitchen due to frenzied searches for more coke, the old take-out containers littering his living room, the half-finished beers laying about. The dingey wallpaper and matted carpet wouldn't help the situation.
"I'd love to," Frank replied with a smile, hoping he'd be able to figure out what was bothering the redhead. Gerard nodded somewhat stiffly and led him down the hallway, the light flickering as per usual.
"That light always flickers. They've replaced it four times this month, it just won't quit," Gerard chuckled, his mood lightening. The tattooed man giggled back, most of Gerard's wariness fading away.
Frank took in everything about the building, admiring the once-beautiful crown molding and the antique architecture instead of finding flaws like most people would. Frank was able to find beauty in almost anything; Gerard was a striking piece of art to him, for he was already beautiful and Frank just found even more loveliness in his flaws.
"Wait here. Uh, give me a minute to clean up," he mumbled, rushing to the kitchen to grab a garbage bag while Frank met his request and stayed by the doorway. He scrambled to pick up all the trash, carelessly tossing greasy pizza boxes and congealed Chinese take-out into the bag. He dumped the beer bottles in a box near the sink, just wanting them out of the way.
He knelt near the bar to pick up the papers scattered across the floor, cursing when he stabbed his finger on a piece of broken glass. "Fuck, I forgot about that," he mumbled, his mind flashing to the desperate craze where he shoved everything off the counter and broken it. He wiped the little bit of blood off on his shirt, the black fabric hiding the stain.
"Can I come in now?" Frank giggled when Gerard returned, the redhead flushing pink as he led him in.
Gerard pushed his sleeves up to his elbows, exposing the amateur dressing to the wound on his arm. He bit his lip as shame ran though him, pulling his sleeves back down.
"Hey. You don't need to hide it. It's not something to be ashamed of," Frank said softly, pulling his sleeves back up for him.
"Well I'm certainly not proud of it," Gerard mumbled, shaking his head and pushing away the darker thoughts. "But I just have to live with that. I'm a lot better now and that's all that matters."
"I'm very proud of you... And this place isn't half-bad. Could use some paint and some new carpet, maybe," he commented, transitioning away from the darker topics for Gerard's benefit. The redhead shook his head at him, a soft chuckle leaving his lips.
"What are you doing? I know this place is a dump, Frankie. You don't have to pretend it's nice," he laughed, sagging onto the couch.
"Okay, it's not that great of an apartment," Frank conceded, not willing to bash the place even though Gerard seemed fine with it. "But mine isn't much better."
"It's not?" Gerard wondered aloud, sprawling across Frank's lap once he'd sat on the couch.
"No," Frank replied, his voice warped by his giggling at Gerard. "Just because I have to wear nice clothes for work doesn't mean I live someplace fancy. I'd rather have money for records and my guitars than live in ritzy condo somewhere."
"You play guitar?" Gerard asked, Frank smiling down at him and nodding. "I'd like to hear you play sometime."
"Only if you'll sing for me," Frank replied, a small smirk on his lips.
"Frankie, I don't--I haven't sang for a long time," Gerard mumbled, twiddling his thumbs. "Fine, maybe I'll sing for you someday..."
He sat up and reached for his cup of coffee, his shirt riding up and exposing his lower back as he bent over. Frank's eyes gravitated to his pale skin, his mouth going dry. He licked his lips and sipped his coffee, averting his eyes quickly.
"Um, do you mind if I...?" Gerard asked, signaling to his shirt. "I fucking hate wearing clothes..."
Frank nodded, a relieved smile lighting up Gerard's face before he pulled the shirt over his head. Faded hickeys were still littered across his neck and collarbones, the sensual bruises varying in intensity and color.
"What?" Gerard giggled, noticing something in Frank's gaze change.
"Nothing... You're just really beautiful," Frank said softly, his eyes darkening as he looked the redhead up and down. "And you're driving me fucking crazy."
He crashed their lips together, Gerard practically melting in his arms. The redhead's hands moved up behind Frank's neck, tangling in his hair as they heatedly kissed. The rough fabric of the gauze wrapped around Gerard's forearm scratched against his shoulder, though his mind was too focused on the sensation of Gerard's soft lips on his own to pay much mind to it. "Fuck, Frankie..." Gerard said breathlessly, moaning softly when the tattooed man began kissing down his neck. Frank just smirked as he attacked his neck with kisses, leaving little bruises on his already marked skin.
"Come on," Gerard urged once Frank had pulled away, hauling him to his feet and pulling him into his bedroom. "Sorry about the mess..."
"I don't care," Frank chuckled, kissing him briefly before finishing his thought. "We're just going to make a bigger mess."
He quickly pulled his shirt over his head and dropped his jeans, pressing his lips back to Gerard's just as the redhead was stepping out of his. The stripper's fingers tangled in his hair as they kissed, the tattooed man lightly pushing him back onto the bed.
He rolled over onto his stomach, pushing himself up on his hands and knees. Frank licked his lips and ran a hand through his hair, his brain momentarily turning to mush at the erotic scene before him. "Oh, come on, Frankie..." Gerard teased, wiggling his ass. "Lube and stuff is in the top drawer."
Frank lightly smacked his ass, the redhead's soft moan like music to his ears. He scurried over to the dresser and grabbed the small bottle and a condom, a smirk on his face as he returned to the bed. He squirted lube onto his fingers and slowly inserted two, gently scissoring them. Gerard rocked his hips back onto his hand, urging him for more. Frank maintained his slow pace, curling his fingers and making the redhead gasp. He soon inserted a third finger, Gerard moaning softly at the added girth.
"Oh, fuck me..." Gerard whimpered when Frank crooked his fingers, his toes curling.
"Well, that is the plan," Frank chuckled, Gerard giggling with him until he cut himself off with another moan.
"Fuck, I need more..." he moaned, a hint of desperation in his voice. "Come on, Frankie, don't tease me like this..."
Frank just smirked and crooked his fingers again, a high moan flying from Gerard's lips. "Oh, fuck," the redhead sighed, his hair falling into his face. "Frankie, please..."
Frank removed his fingers and softly kissed up his spine, expertly rolling on a condom and slicking himself with lube. He loosely held Gerard's hips as he got into position, slowly thrusting in. He groaned softly, Gerard tensing up underneath him.
"Are you okay?" Frank asked gently, stroking his sides.
"Fuck, uh, yeah... Just move," Gerard replied breathlessly, Frank's gentle touches turning his mind to putty.
Frank softly kissed his shoulder blade before leaning back up, building up a rhythm. Quiet profanities rolled off Gerard's tongue, high, pleasure-filled moans flying from his lips when Frank would brush against that special spot inside him. Frank's grip on his hips tightened as he increased his pace, Gerard dropping down to his elbows as pleasure coursed through him.
"Fr-frankie, I'm close," the redhead stuttered out, a desperate moan latching on to the end of his sentence.
"Fuck, me too," Frank grunted, biting his lip. He was close to that sweet release--so fucking close--but something was missing.
"Hold on," he said breathlessly, Gerard whimpering when he pulled out. "Roll over."
"Why?" Gerard asked, desperation in his voice.
"I want to see you," Frank mumbled, a slight blush tinting his cheeks pink.
Gerard sat up and kissed him, a tender smile on his face when he pulled away. Frank repositioned himself and thrust in slowly, his grip on his hips firm but gentle. He quickly built up his rhythm, his body too impatient to drag this out any longer.
"Come on, baby... Come for me," Frank whispered between kisses to Gerard's neck, the redhead moaning desperately in reply. He reached between them and grasped Gerard's cock, flicking his wrist in time with his thrusts.
"Shit, Frankie!" Gerard cried out, spilling onto his stomach and making a mess of the both of them.
"Ah, fuck, Gee..." Frank moaned, burying his face in Gerard's neck as he came. He sighed softly and rolled off of him, laying on his back and panting to catch his breath.
Gerard shifted to his side, fiddling with the wrinkled sheets that filled the space in between them. Frank turned his head to face him, smiling softly. The redhead's face was flushed slightly and his lips were parted as he caught his breath, pure contentment in his expression.
"That was... just fucking amazing," he breathed, chuckling softly at himself. "Maybe I should go without for a few days more often."
Frank giggled at him, brushing the hair out of his face. "You, uh, work every day?" Frank asked, his smile faltering a bit.
"Not exactly, the club is closed on Mondays. Otherwise I just work whenever I can make money. On my days off I don't go out looking, but I won't turn down the money if they come by or they call," Gerard replied, feeling a little awkward talking about his job as a prostitute with the only man he actually wanted to have sex with.
"Why Mondays?" Frank asked, directing the conversation to a more neutral topic--which sadly was still talking about the strip club.
"Most of our customers come in over the weekend--you'd be surprised how busy Sundays are--so, I think, Pete just wants to give us a little break," Gerard replied, shivering a little in the cool air. He could barely afford his rent most months, so he tried to touch the thermostat as little as possible to keep the electric bill low.
"Are you cold? Come here," Frank giggled, the redhead nodding and shifting closer to him. Tattooed arms loosely wrapped around his slim waist, his skin cold against Frank's warm body.
"Frankie," Gerard mumbled after a while, the tattooed man humming in acknowledgement. Gerard hesitated, unsure of whether or not he should say it or not. His heart won out in the end; he wasn't able to keep secrets from Frank.
"I still want to get high... I don't need it anymore, but in the back of my mind I still crave it," he mumbled, averting his eyes from Frank's. "D'you think that'll ever go away?"
"I don't know, Gee... It's only been a few days, so maybe the urge goes away after a week or so," Frank replied reassuringly, making Gerard feel a little more hopeful.
"I really can't thank you enough for all you did for me this weekend," he said softly, his eyes shining when he met Frank's tender gaze. "I'd probably be screwing my drug dealer for more coke right now, if not for you."
"You don't have to keep thanking me... I wanted to do it," Frank replied, his eyes shifting down to the bandage around his arm.
"Do you have a first aid kit?" he asked, Gerard thinking for a moment before nodding. "I want to make sure you're healing alright."
He rolled off the bed, offering a hand to help Gerard to his feet. "You don't have to do this," the redhead mumbled, chewing his lip as he followed Frank into the bathroom.
"Just let me take care of you," Frank said softly, lovingly pecking his lips before stooping to get the first aid kit out of the cabinet under the sink.
~~~~~~
Ayy I know this chapter took longer than previous chapters, but it's pretty long so that should make up for it
-Bren
**the next few chapters might need a trigger warning, so I thought I'd warn you guys beforehand just in case I forget to say it later**