•••
Dinner after Gerard and Berts argument wasn't as awkward as expected. Instead it was full of tension and obviously hard feelings as Bert did everything in his power to annoy his boss.
It was definitely working, and Frank could tell.
He frowned at the two as Bert scowled at his master and Gerard scowled right back. They were the only three people at the table so Frank had no choice but to endure the whole dinner without another place to direct his attention to. Luckily, Bert ate quick, making sure that he didn't have to spend too much time around Gerard when he didn't have to. Bert stood up, making the chair scrape the floor creating a sound that made Frank's ears sensitive. He was truly acting like the teen that he despised being treated like.
"Could you atleast put your plate in the skink?" Gerard asked, but it was more of a demand.
Bert scowled at him and didn't say word to the man, but if looks could kill. . .
He stormed to the sink, plate in hand and Frank's eyes followed him with interest as
he did. He slammed his plate into the sink with so much force that Gerard was afraid his plate had shattered. Frank jumped at the loud sound and Gerard was quick to place a comforting hand on his thigh, moving up and down to calm him.
After the boy left Frank practically leaped into Gerard's lap.
"Frankie-"
"What's wrong with Bert? Why's he sad?" Frank asked desperately looking up at Gerard for an answer.
Gerard sighed and brought a hand up to caress Frank's cheek.
"We had a little argument and he's not to pleased with me." Gerard explained.
Frank furrowed his eyebrows and sat up more in Gerard's lap, leaning in to Gerard's sweet touch.
"What was it about, Your fight?" Frank asked.
"It wasn't a fight," Gerard corrected him, "We just- he wanted to do something and I wouldn't allow it."
"Why do you get to tell him what to do, sir?" Frank asked, "I thought humans ruled themselves."
"Yes, but Bert is prone to getting into trouble and I don't want him to do anything. . . bad." Gerard explained so that Frank would understand.
"Oh," The kitten said. "I like Bert."
"Me too, honey, that's why we're fighting. Sometimes Bert doesn't understand that." Gerard said. His own words began to pain him more and more as the conversation went on.
He realized that Frank's mind had drifted somewhere else when he saw the kitten tracing the design on his dress absentmindedly.
"I'll put away the dishes now," Gerard announced signaling Frank to hop off.
Frank did, leaping onto the floor and following Gerard to the sink where he put the dirty dishes and silverware.
"What did Bert want to do?" Frank asked suddenly and Gerard sighed.
"I'm not going to discuss this with you right now. Mostly because it's not your place." He told the kitten. His tone wasn't exactly harsh but it was a drastic change from how he spoke moments before.
"I'm sorry." Frank apologized, looking down at his bare feet. His saddened expression made Gerard's heart ache.
"No, i'm sorry. I shouldn't have used that tone on you while you've done nothing." Gerard said. "Do you forgive me?" He asked, turning to the small boy and kneeling to his hight. Frank smiled at him and blushed causing a smile to bloom on Gerard's face too.
"I forgive you."
Gerard sighed dramatically, "Thank God, I don't think I could have lived on without your forgiveness."
Frank giggled, all high-pitched and delightful. It made Gerard want to kiss him. Not on the cheek or on the nose like usual, but on those tempting, pink lips that teased him every time they parted to form words. But he couldn't, he respected boy too much and his overwhelming fear of being like those other men was no help.
Instead on doing what his brain and body both were screaming at him to do, he leaned down even more, grabbed Frank's dainty little fingers and held them with his own and placed a sweet kiss on the tip on the kittens nose.
Then his right cheek, and left.
His forehead and every other spot his lips could peck, excluding the boy's lips.
Frank let out another explosion of giggles that Gerard prayed would never stop. They sounded like pure white clouds and flowers and everything sweet. Just knowing that he was the one causing beautiful noise felt like walking on air.
He pulled back in time enough to see and hear the effects of the excessive laughter. The boys smile was big and wide and he just looked so happy.
"I care about you alot" Gerard said, not quite thinking before his brain pushed the words through his still smiling lips. "And i'll always protect you, alright? You'll never have to worry about anything ever again."
"Okay." Frank replied, the joy was still present in his voice.
"Excuse me? Sir?" A small british voice disrupted them.
Gerard turned his attention away from Frank to see Violetta in the door way, her hands clasped as usual.
"Yes?"
"I wanted to talk to you about something." She said. Violetta send a friendly smile fo Frank, noticing that she hadn't acknowledged him, and the boy waved back.
"Of course," Gerard nodded, "One moment please, Frankie?"
Frank nodded and stepped back giving him room to stand.
"Go wait in the den i'll join you soon."
When Frank left Violetta took his place, standing infront of her boss and waiting to be spoken to before beginning.
"What is it?"
"I noticed today, while I was with your pet in the library, that Frankie's illiterate." She stated.
"Yes, I believe he is." Gerard said, looking off. He spoke like it was no big deal and Violetta almost gasped. Education had always been a priority for her. She was planning to become a elementary school teacher before she decided to work for Mr. Way. Having earned her degree in child education and all.
"The poor baby is sixteen and can't read one word." She sympathized. "This isn't right."
"He has no choice but to be illiterate, as unfortunate as it is, Violetta, nekos aren't seen as worthy of a proper education."
"Sir that just isn't right, Frank is such a doll." She said with an obvious broken heart.
"If I were to use him as what he was sold for he'd be nothing but a sex slave and part time maid." Gerard explained.
Violetta was quite for a moment, taking everything in. Her hand was gripping at her chin as she looked right through Gerard.
"I want to tutor him." She decided.
"Violetta, you couldn't possibly-"
"Yes I could." She stopped him before he could finish his sentence. "Sir" She cleared her throat.
"You think that you could teach my Frank from the ground up, how to read and write?"
"Of course! I do have a degree after all." She smiled proudly. "Sir, i'm not saying I make him a Harvard graduate, I only want to get him to a third grade level for now. No word too big or sentences too complex. Just the basics." She assured him.
"Your pay will be raised twelve percent until I see progress, then we'll work from there." Gerard said after not even a second of consideration.
Violetta's mouth gapped. "Twelve percent? For doing nothing? Sir, I couldn't-"
"You can and you will." Gerard corrected her. "You must not understand the importance of what you just offered to do."
"Oh, sir, I do but-" She sighed. "It's just so generous of you."
"Barely." Gerard smiled. "You know that that's nothing for me, and remember this is just until I see Frankie progress, your pay'll be more that that soon i'm sure."
"Thank you so much, Sir. This means alot." She thanked him, "I just really want to help that poor kitten."
"And i'm sure you will." Gerard said, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. "Speaking of helping poor kittens, could you warm some whole milk for Frank? I'm sure he's tired. Then wash up the dishes and you can take off."
"Of course, Sir, Thank you." Violetta said happily, rushing to do what Gerard asked of her.
Frank was sitting in the den waiting patiently just as Gerard asked him to. He sat criss cross on the center of the couch like he usually did when he had no instructions and thought about his master coming back.
Far on the other side of the room someone Frank thought he recognized stood, broom in hand scowling at his presence. Her gaze was so strong and hateful it made Frank shiver.
Her dress was long and concealing and her dark hair was pulled back into a tight bun.
She looked like some kind of witch from the 16th century, Frank thought. She dressed much too traditionally leading Frank to assume that her beliefs were the same.
She never said a word but her eyes were shooting daggers his way causing him to feel out of place, even though he lived their. He wanted to run to Gerard and cling to his leg like a child but he was given such a simple instruction and after Gerard's outburst he didn't want to make him upset.
He kept his ears flat to his head and his tail under his dress wrapped around his waist. His knees were up, exposing his bottom covered by light colored panties. At that point Magdalene had had about enough and she put her hand on her hip dramatically.
"I understand that you're an animal but must the human part if you be such a slut?" She spat at him suddenly.
Frank looked up, mostly in shock from the fact that the witch-woman was actually speaking
to him. It took him a moment to comprehend what she said, tilting his head to the side he wondered what she meant by that and what she expected his reaction to be.
"Goodness, you creatures are stupid." She said rolling her eyes. They were blue and striking, Frank hated the color. They made him miss the warmth of Gerard's forest-like ones.
"I'm sorry." Frank said quietly, not sure if speaking would upset her more.
"That is extremely hard to believe considering how you handle yourself. It's disgusting how you aim to make those men lust after you." She said with a shake of her head. "Would you please put your legs down? Have you got even one ounce of shame in that tiny little body if yours?" She said. She seemed to be growing more agitated as she ranted at the boy.
Frank plopped his legs back down in front of him, tightly closed and pulled his dress to his knees. Frank barely understood what she meant but her tone was intimidating so he listened the best he could. Frank never understood the act of concealing yourself. He didn't get the standards that most people held for themselves as they lived their day-to-day lives. When your body had never belonged to you what was the point?
"Try and keep your ass out of everyone's face from now on, understand? I see you have no home training but you won't get away with this indecency in this house." She said. "You're truly disgusting. Gerard is truly foolish for allowing you to believe that you're anything but a useless slave."
Frank wasn't sure if he needed to answer yet it not so he just nodded. However, it didn't seem to please her and she turned away with her nose pointed upwards.
Frank sat with his hands still clenching the fabric of hid dress and stretching it down so that he wouldn't bother anyone else like he had done Magdalene. He felt disgusting in his own skin thinking about the name she had called him.
He wasn't a slut. He never even meant to show himself off like she said he had been doing. He just prayed that Gerard didn't think he was the same. A slut. . . because he wasn't, was he? Gerard had promised him that he wasn't useless but Magdalene seemed pretty sure of it. What if Gerard was wrong?
Gerard walked in not too long after his thoughts got a good hold of him and stared confused when he saw Frank's hands keeping the normally relaxed fabric to his knees. Frank little face looked sad and distressed as he sat patiently waiting, he obviously hadn't seen Gerard there yet.
"Frankie?"
Frank's eyes immediately landed on him and the kitten ran over to him. Frank stuffed his Face into Gerard's chest and inhaled his sent. He felt like he could melt from how warm his master is and when Gerard wrapped his arms around him too the feeling was doubled.
"Are you alright? Did I miss something?" Gerard asked rubbing Frank's back.
"Nuh-uh." Frank replied but it was muffled by Gerard.
"You want to come to the movie room with me? We have some time to waste today." Gerard said, gently swaying side to side with the boy tightly in his arms.
Frank picked his head up to look at Gerard for a moment, then he checked to see if Magdalene was anywhere around.
"Okay."
"Great l, how about I get some popcorn made and we watch some movies, huh?" Gerard asked. He noticed how odd Frank was acting but decided not to say anything just yet.
•••
Frank was energetic as ever as they watched the movie, it was something filled with action and adventure and Gerard made sure that it didn't have too much violence in it. He felt like it was his responsibility to keep Frank the way he was. To preserve the innocence that seemed to refuse to deteriorate even after the pure hell he had gone through.
Frank didn't quite get the rule of not talking during a film but Gerard could care less. He adored the way Frank seemed forget wahatever was bothering him so quickly just by spending time with him. Most of Frank's questions were silly but expected since Frank hasn't seen too many movies. Gerard still answered them all with matching enthusiasm to make Frank happy.
Frank had actually shut up about half way through the film. All of the boy's attention had been grabbed during a certain part the interested him. The two main characters had become blatantly interested in each other somewhere along in the story and Frank watched with wide eyes as they confessed their feelings for eachother like anyone could have predicted. Everyone except for Frank apparently. Gerard found his interest in the cliché romance adorable and found himself completely forgetting about the movie playing in front of him and instead admiring Frank. For a few more minutes everything was nice with Frank snuggled up a little too close and Gerard enjoying that closeness a little too much, right up until Gerard's brain decided to remember a small detail as he glanced back at the screen. The seemingly he knew for a fact due to watching the movie more times than he could count that this sweet scene didn't stay too innocent for much longer. His instincts told him to cover Frank's eye's protectively and turn off the movie but glancing back down nervously at the kitten curled up to his side marveling
at the sweet words being exchanged by the lovers he felt like it would be a crime to do so.
As the scene approached Gerard could feel his palms dampening with sweat and he felt like somewhere God was frowning frowning down at him. Frank's eyes were still glued to the large screen and his head rested on Gerard's chest. He seemed so comfortable and relaxed with how he just let himself be. His dress was hiked up a little bit, like it always was, but it had no effect on how innocent he looked.
The sexier the couple's conversation became the harder it was for Gerard to keep his breathing even with all the guilt in his chest building up. Surprisingly, Frank's expression didn't change as the girl's top was removed quickly though with an unrealistic grace by the man who was kissing her hungrily before he was ripping off his own clothes. The movie seemed ten times more R-rated that Gerard remembered, probably because he was watching it with Frank and not by himself. The scene also seemed to go on forever even though it had only been maybe thirty seconds in. Gerard cringed as the movie continued, growing more intense as it went on. For something with no actual porn in it they were getting their point across pretty well with peaks of the girls bare chest and dramatic moaning that made Gerard want to scream, "We get it you're fucking," but instead he stayed silent and prayed that Frank did the same. Gerard pried his eye's from the screen to glance at Frank who now had their eyebrows knitted together in confusion. He looked like he had a question and Gerard really, really didn't feel like answering any at the moment.
"Gerard?"
Fuck, he thought.
"Hmm?" Gerard answered with.
"Is it really like that?" Frank asked. He was still looking at the two people in front of him.
Gerard didn't answer right away, not even being sure what to say but the sadness that snuck it's way into his heart as Frank spoke was doing it's job of making his guilt double.
Gerard swallowed, "What do you mean?"
"I mean. . . sex. Can it really be like that?" Frank asked again. He looked up to Gerard for an honest answer and Gerard's chances of dismissing his question was scrapped as soon as he saw the pleading in Frank's doe eyes.
"It can be. With someone you love and care about. When you both want it." Gerard explained. "I'm sorry that you had to go through what you did, that's not what it's ever supposed to be like, ever. Sex is supposed to be beautiful and meaningful."
Frank nodded and turned his head to the screen again. The scene was over by now and they were back to what the movie was really about.
"I want someone to make love to me one day." Frank said suddenly after a moment of silence. Gerard lips parted in shock. "A boy, that I love and who loves me back." The boy said sadly. He looked down at his bare lap and thought about what Magdalene said. "But I know that won't ever happen."
"Why wouldn't it?" Gerard asked desperately. Gerard cursed himself for wanting to know.
"Because no one could ever love someone like me."
"Frankie, you know that's not true. You're the loveliest boy i've ever met." Gerard said honestly.
"You only say that because i'm yours." Frank said.
He didn't seem sad about it. More understanding if anything but Gerard wouldn't stand for it.
"I think you're lovely because you are, Frankie."'
Frank blushed as a small smile up at him like he always fid when Gerard was sweet to him.
•••
Gerard eventually had to get back to work after the movie was over and Frank was barely one step behind him as he went to his office. For once, Frank didn't actually want to be in Gerard's office while he worked. He wanted to go out into the garden and look at all of the beautiful flowers that had just been planted and cared after by the gardens. To do that though he'd have to get a servant to go with him and he feared that he might get stuck being supervised by Magdalene.
Once they were in the office Frank went straight to his area and sat patiently waiting on Gerard to finish working since he wasn't in the playing mood. The room was silent aside from the click of Gerard's keys and the occasional email alert. The silence made Frank tired and he found himself drifting before being interrupted by Gerard's voice.
"I'm thinking about taking you out soon, to shop for clothes. I was planning on getting someone to take you but I'd much rather do it on my own."
Frank nodded silently. He was excited about getting out of the house on the inside but Magdalene's words wouldn't allow him to show it.
"Are you alright, Frankie?" He asked. "You were off earlier and now you won't even touch your toys."
"I'm okay." Frank assured him.
"You're not, what's bothering you?" Gerard asked. He turned his attention from his work to look at Frank.
Frank huffed and shifted on his knees uncomfortably. "I don't want to bother anybody."
"Frankie, I can assure you that you're not bothering anyone. Everyone who works here works for me, meaning that they work for you too." The man said. Frank still didn't look too convinced as he smoothed the fur coving his tail down.
"Hey," Gerard said softly when he noticed that Frank wasn't paying attention anymore. The kitten's eyes shot up to look at him. "C'mere." Gerard ordered.
Frank placed himself on the floor between Gerard's feet leaning his cheek on the inner of the man's thigh. Gerard caressed Frank's hair gliding his fingers over the white fur peaking out. Gerard loved how touchy Frank was recently. Constantly either touching or wanting to be touched and it made Gerard feel like less of a creep for wanting to touch Frank back.
"You gonna tell me what's bothering you now, kitten?" Gerard asked, letting Frank know that he hadn't forgotten about the question.
Frank made a small noise of annoyance and pushed his face into his master's thigh.
"Frankie,"
Another whine as a reply.
Gerard chuckled and and used two fingers to lift the kitten's head up. "Why were you worried about bothering someone?"
Frank pouted, realizing that he would just have to tell the truth. "I just feel a little down." He mumbled, leaning his face back to rest on Gerard's leg. It was an understatement though. He wasn't just "down" He felt like the stupid, useless slut that Magdalene saw him as. With that added to the drastic change in his lifestyle he simply felt undesirable.
Looking down at Frank, Gerard smiled, letting them know that he was proud of him for speaking up. "It's okay to feel sad. Especially after all that you went through."
Frank sighed and nodded. Gerard didn't get it. No one really did. He was constantly suffering and he couldn't be sad over his whole life, that was impossible. He was a happy kitten compared to alot of others in the system. He was just able to see the light in things even when it was completely dark. Frank could make his own light. What he couldn't take was others bringing him down. He was only but so strong.
Frank sat up higher on his knees and grabbed at Gerard's hands until the man got the idea that Frank wanted to be picked up. Once in his master's lap Frank kisses his master's cheek twice sweetly before relaxing in his arms.
"I'm excited to go shopping with you." Frank said.
"I'm excited to take you shopping too." Gerard smiled. He hated not having anyone to spoil for all these years and now that he had the opportunity he was ecstatic.
"I'm excited to see Dallon too."
Gerard tried his best not to look as bitter as he felt on the inside but he probably failed since Frank was placing another gentle kiss on his cheek.
"You'll see him soon enough." Gerard assured him.
Frank didn't say anything after that only snuggling up at Gerard more and listening to his breathing.
•••
hi was this ok? idk