Frank woke up begrudgingly, hidden under the folds of bedding, he really didn't want to wake up. He felt blissfully content, sliding one hand under the pillow to pull it closer to himself, grumbling when he felt his shoulder being shaken. Someone was clearly trying to rouse him from his slumber and he had to admit after last night, it was the best night's sleep he had in a long time. Frank muttered something into the pillow, wishing to go back to sleep and have a few more minutes.
Frank shifted under the comforter, feeling sore; the kind of sore after a good workout or a long run- Or the best sex of his life. It didn't feel as bad as the first time but he definitely knew that he could get used to the sore and satisfied feeling.
"Frank," He heard nearby; the voice that was so soothing, but there was an edge to it. The voice of authority. Frank knew exactly who was trying to wake him up from the moment that he spoke. He opened one eye to look over to the source of the voice had come from and saw Gerard with definite bed hair- Sex hair? He looked too awake for whatever time it was, but Frank knew he could definitely get used to waking up to that face every day. Gerard leaned over, "You need to wake up, boy."
"M'awake," Frank spoke thickly, rubbing his hand over one eye, trying to shake the curtain of sleep that was wrapped around him. He propped himself up on his elbows, stretching out before he looked at Gerard, taking note of the fact he was currently dressed in pajama pants and a worn-out looking t-shirt. He definitely wasn't wearing anything in bed last night before Frank fell asleep after their second time having sex after dinner, so clearly he had gotten up and dressed before waking him. Frank tilted his head, "What time is it?"
"Time you got up," Gerard told him as he got up from where he had sat on the side of the bed. Frank honestly had no idea what the time was but there was sunlight coming through the cracks in the curtains. It could have been seven or it could have been ten and Frank had no idea as he sat up, stretching his arms out above his head, his body slowly starting to wake up, "You need to get dressed and meet me downstairs in the kitchen. Five minutes, boy. Don't keep me waiting. We have a lot to go through this morning."
"Do we?" Frank frowned. In his mind, all he had left to do was the rest of his contract.
"I need to discuss some of the rituals with you," Gerard answered as he walked towards the door. He looked back at Frank over his shoulder, "Please don't keep me waiting."
"Okay, sir," Frank nodded, watching Gerard disappear out of the bedroom. For a second he just sat there with the duvet bunched around his waist, still coming to terms with the fact that he was back in this bedroom- His bedroom. It was all still so new and overwhelming; it was a lot to take in. All Frank knew was that he had five minutes to get up, get dressed, and meet Gerard in the kitchen. Frank threw the blanket off himself and swung his legs off the bed. He stood up and stretched again, feeling the in his body now that he was upright. He padded over to his closet and grabbed some underwear, a smile playing on his face as he threw them on, the memory of last night playing through his mind vividly. He couldn't wipe the smile off his face as he grabbed a t-shirt and threw it on quickly.
It wasn't until he was out in the hallway, heading toward the stairs to find Gerard, that he realized he needed to pee. The urge to urinate took over his need to go downstairs straight away but Frank didn't want to have to go back into his room. That seemed far too time-consuming when he had probably used up most of the five minutes. Frank wondered if it would just have been easier to go downstairs and ask to excuse himself before they got any work done, but he couldn't wait that long. He looked down the hall and saw that Lindsey's bedroom door was open. She must have been out, probably running like she had done the first morning he had spent with Gerard. Frank could see her bathroom and it seemed like the best option if she was out already. Frank scurried down the hall and ducked into her room, trying his best not to be nosy while he went into the en-suite bathroom, finally relieving himself.
Frank couldn't ignore how sore he felt while he stood there, not really thinking about anything else. The sore sensation creeping up his back and towards his shoulder blades- it was unusual and not what he had expected. He reached around, pushing his shirt up and out of the way, rubbing the small of his back, hoping to alleviate some of the tender pulls as he massaged. He wondered if it had been the new position he had been in last night. Had that really been the cause of this soreness? Frank thought it was the reason until he swore he felt something on his back that made the ache suddenly sting. He finished, muttering 'what the fuck' to himself while he flushed the toilet, and walked over to the sink. It felt like a cut, but Frank had no recollection of cutting himself or doing anything that meant he would have injured himself.
He twisted and lifted his shirt up before he gasped; all across his back were red welts ranging from small pale-looking grazes to long angry-red lines that disappeared up under his scrunched shirt. He stared at the cuts that littered his back and down his back, his eyebrows raised when he saw faint dotted spots where the skin had been broken. He lifted his shirt as high as he could, bunching it up around his neck, and saw more red scores across his shoulder blades. He was unable to look away from his own reflection in the mirror and unable to think of anything other than how they had gotten there. He remembered more of last night and not just their first time in the closet but their followed dalliance before Frank had passed out in bed; how Gerard had practically pared his skin with his nails across Frank's back during sex. In the heat of the moment, it had felt phenomenal and Frank hadn't even thought about the fact that Gerard was scratching him and marking him, leaving cuts that littered his back. The pain mixed with the pleasure had driven Frank crazy; something he hadn't felt for such a long time when it came to sex.
Frank tried to reach around, running his fingers over one of the longer welts on his back. It stung to touch and he hissed at the slight pain that radiated from the area. He couldn't help the smile that was playing on the corner of his lips at the thought of being marked by his Master. It definitely had an effect on him and made his stomach twist and knot up at the sight. He had gotten a little lost in his own head while he had been admiring what Gerard had done to him. He hadn't noticed that he was no longer alone until the bathroom door opened fully and Lindsey walked in, letting out a loud shriek when she realized that someone was in there. Frank yelped and spun around, pulling his shirt down swiftly as he backed right up against the sink. His heart hammered in his chest at the fright of Lindsey walking in so quietly. She was definitely back from her run; still dressed in all of her running gear with her hair scraped back into a haphazard bun. She stood there, one hand on her chest while the other one clung onto the door frame, looking at Frank like she had just seen a ghost.
"What are you doing in my fucking bathroom?" Lindsey hissed angrily, eyeing Frank as she caught her breath.
"I-I-I-" Frank stammered, "I g-got lazy. I needed a pee... I thought you were out-"
"So you used my bathroom?" She choked out, her voice colored with shock and disgust at Frank's audacity. She did appear much calmer now, but still highly displeased, "What the fuck is wrong with yours?"
"Nothing, nothing," Frank backtracked fast, hoping that Lindsey wasn't going to be angry with him for too long, "I'm so sorry. I didn't think- I just did-"
"Relax," Lindsey waved a hand, sighing as she pushed a flyaway hair out of her face. She scowled slightly at him as she put her hands on her hips, "I'm not Gerard so I'm not going to scold you. If you'd have used his bathroom then I know he would be furious... Just- Next time, please, dear God, use your own bathroom."
"Okay," Frank nodded, holding onto the bathroom sink as he ducked his head down, "I'm sorry, Lindsey. I promise- I swear, it won't happen again."
Frank went to leave, he knew that he was running late to meet Gerard downstairs. God knows how he was going to explain this to him. At least Frank had a reason for running late. Lindsey stopped him with a hand on his shoulder, smirking at him smugly, "So, I take it, my advice helped?"
"It did, yeah," Frank blushed profusely, "Thanks."
"You're welcome," She smiled at him before looking at him seriously, "But you do realize what I meant now when I said Gerard was a Dominant? Or has he not told you yet?"
"Oh, no, I know now," Frank chuckled, wondering if Lindsey had seen the state of his back when she had walked in on him, "I know all about him and the kinky fuckery it entails."
"Lovely," Lindsey sighed, shaking her head, "As long as I don't hear anything of said 'fuckery', then we're all good."
"Okay," Frank breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that she had calmed down. She looked happy now, or at least calm enough not to throttle him, "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Lindsey smiled at him, "So, I assume you two are..."
"Something," Frank finished off her sentence for her, not entirely sure if he could say to her that he was in fact Gerard's submissive. She must have known what was going on but Frank didn't know if it was his place to say anything or not. He rolled on his heels lightly, "I just didn't realize something like this would involve so much paperwork."
"Gerard is thorough," Lindsey chuckled softly, leaning against the wall near the door, "You've got to know what you're getting yourself into. I take it you do? It's not just about him scratching your back you know?"
Frank went bright red when Lindsey said that; the look on her face only added to the realization for Frank that she knew exactly what had happened to him. She had seen the state of his skin when she walked into the bathroom. Frank asked nervously, "Does it look bad?"
"It looks like you two know what you're doing," Lindsey waved a hand at him, "I mean, he does. He's known from day one of meeting you."
"Oh, I know," Frank snorted before realizing that he had been standing around talking for far too long. He should have just gone straight downstairs to find Gerard, but instead, he had hung around and now he realized that he was really running late, "Shit- Lindsey, I need to go downstairs. He's waiting for me."
"Go," She told him, watching Frank leave the bathroom quickly, "Don't keep him waiting. God forbid."
Frank rushed down the hall, practically running down the stairs when he got to them. When he got downstairs, he saw Gerard standing and leaning against the island counter, arms folded and an unimpressed eyebrow raised. He looked down at his watch, "You're late, boy. Nine minutes, in fact. What were you doing up there?"
"I ran into Lindsey, sir." Frank answered quickly, his head instinctively bowing down as h scurried closer, "I apologize, I-I didn't mean to be late."
"I noticed the Psycho-esque scream a moment ago," Gerard mentioned nonchalantly, "I do hope you were dressed when she found you, Norman Bates?"
"Yes, sir," Frank nodded, avoiding the minor detail that had made Lindsey shriek, "Dressed as I am now. We were just talking- I lost track of time."
"Well, make a note for next time, boy," Gerard spoke, straightening himself up as he slid sinuously into one of the barstools, "If I tell you to do something in an allotted time scale, then you do it. Do you understand me?"
"Yes, sir." Frank nodded, his head still bowed down to a degree, avoiding the burning stare that he was so sure was being directed right at him, "I promise it won't happen again, sir."
"Good boy," Gerard sounded pleased, "Now, come sit next to me. We have a lot to get through this morning."
"What time is it?" Frank asked as he made his way over to Gerard, pulling out the stool to the right of him, sitting down on gingerly on the cold chair.
"Three minutes past eight."
"Really?" Frank whined softly, wishing that he was still in bed; it was Saturday. That was a time for lying around in bed and not having to worry about getting up to alarms or having to be anywhere. Frank knew he was the kind of person who would tumble out of bed past ten on the weekends. He pouted, "It's so early."
"You don't know the meaning of the word early," Gerard chuckled, sliding a piece of paper over to Frank, "Today, we need to go through your rituals."
"Kinky," Frank smiled playfully. He straightened his expression when he saw the serious demeanor to Gerard's face. He reeled it in and cleared his throat before trying to get a look at the piece of paper that Gerard had given him, "So, what are these rituals?"
"These will be the things that you do every day. Orders that you have to follow; a planned out timetable that you will follow. Do you understand, boy?" Gerard asked, watching Frank nod, "No hanging around having chats. If you run late then there will be repercussions."
"Okay," Frank nodded again, his voice shaky over the idea of there being consequences if he ran late. Luckily, Gerard had let him off this morning, but the idea of Gerard doing something to him if he ran late made him giddy and nervous all at once. He looked at his Master, "So, what do I have to do?"
"Well, first on the list, even if we are running a little behind schedule with a few things," Gerard said, checking over the list quickly, "Is breakfast."
"Is this your way of making sure I don't skip meals?"
"I mean you making me breakfast," Gerard corrected and Frank stalled, letting out a small 'oh' when he realized. Gerard continued explaining, "Be this what it is, every morning you will cook and serve me breakfast. Being a submissive isn't just about pleasing me whenever I desire, there is also domestic discipline. Breakfast is one of those things that will be part of your daily rituals."
"So I just make you breakfast?" Frank smiled at the idea of that. It had been so long since he had properly cooked, and the idea of being able to do it for Gerard was something that he knew he would enjoy. Seeing himself as an alright cook, Frank was more than happy about this part of his new day to day life, "I am so down for doing that. What am I making you? I take it, you decide that for me, too?"
"Eggs in the fridge," Gerard answered. Frank got up from the chair and made his way around the counter when Gerard spoke again, "Did I say you could move, boy?"
Frank froze barely a meter away from the fridge, mentally cursing himself, "...no, sir."
"Running late and not asking permission," Gerard looked over his submissive, rubbing his finger over his bottom lip, "Am I going to have to do something to make you conform, boy?"
"N-No, sir," Frank stammered, feeling like his stomach had dropped down to his feet when Gerard had his eyes wandering over him like he was seeing him naked. He felt so exposed suddenly and it made him blush as he tried to speak, his voice barely above a whisper, "C-Can I make you breakfast now, sir?"
Gerard waved a hand and Frank hoped that it meant that he could carry on. When he moved, Gerard didn't berate him for disobeying, and a small relief washed over him. He opened the fridge, feeling a little excited about his current task. He may not have done it properly for a long time and he was worried that he was going to mess up, but it was all being ignored because all he wanted to do was make his Master happy.
"You seem rather keen on the idea of making me breakfast," Gerard commented casually as he watched the submissive over the top of his steepled fingers.
"I do?" Frank responded, hoping to come off as nonchalant as possible when he set the carton of milk down beside the eggs.
"Do you enjoy cooking?" Gerard queried, watching Frank scavenge through the kitchen cupboards to find the necessary utensils.
"I do, actually," Frank blushed a little at the admittance, "I just never really had the opportunity to do it before."
Gerard frowned, "How so?"
"Well, when I was with Ryan..." Frank couldn't help the sneer to the name as it fell from his lips. He felt slightly guilty for mentioning his ex despite not really knowing why. He hugged the mixing bowl to his midriff nervously as he answered, "I wanted to cook for him, but he was such a control freak. He liked to have complete control over how we lived and what we ate. He always got so nervous when I offered to cook because I wouldn't do it how he did it. It wouldn't be done how he liked it... So, eventually, I just stopped trying and let him take control of that."
"Can I ask," Gerard started, pursing his lips, "This man sounds like he has OCD or tendencies for it anyway. Did that ever occur to you, or did he ever mention it to you?"
"Nope," Frank sighed, taking three eggs out of the little metal holder they were in, cracking them into the bowl before he realized he didn't have a whisk. He wandered over to the drawers "I never thought about it like that. I just thought it was Ryan being 'Ryan' so I left him to it. It was easier that way. Fewer arguments."
Gerard hummed, nodding, "Did you two argue a lot?"
"Can we change the subject?" Frank cringed, hoping that Gerard wasn't going to be offended, while he searched for a whisk. He found the plastic utensil hanging from a carousel with other cooking tools next to the stove and went back to whisk the eggs, "Sorry, sir, but I don't really want to talk about Ryan if I'm honest. Not exactly the kind of conversation I'm happy about having. You could say it's a hard limit for me."
"Duly noted," Gerard chuckled, "I'm sorry if I came across as invasive, boy."
"It's okay," Frank reassured him with another sigh, adding in a little milk before he realized that Gerard didn't have coffee. He stopped what he was doing and instantly went to find two mugs. He hesitated on asking, looking over at his Master who still had an eye on him, "Coffee, sir?"
"Please," He responded, "Make yourself one if you'd like."
Frank was grateful; he was still getting used to having to ask if he could do something or have something. He hoped not to slip up again. Frank went about making coffee, finding a rather fancy looking coffee machine in the corner by an expensive blender. Frank frowned at the machine as he bent down slightly to examine the options. He put the mug under the spout, checked the coffee levels, and pressed the buttons. He sighed in relief when he heard it start up. He went back to the eggs when Gerard spoke, "So, I was thinking that once we had gone through these rituals, you could probably continue with your contract. No point in dragging it out now that it has started."
"Okay," Frank nodded as he set Gerard's coffee down in front of him, sliding the milk and sweeteners over along with a spoon and a smile. Gerard prepared his coffee as Frank went to make his own, "How much do I have left to do?"
"Roughly ten pages," Gerard took a sip of his beverage and let out a satisfied hum, "This is good coffee, Frank, but back on track, I am more than confident that you can finish it today."
"Will that be a part of my rituals?" Frank queried as he went back to making breakfast, finding a pan in a cupboard near the oven. He took it out and put it down on one of the plates. He poured a tiny splash of oil into the pan before switching the plate on, impressed by the flat glass top that showed no actual indication of being a stove at all. The entire kitchen seemed so expensive and vocational; all the silver appliances so shiny and sleek.
"For today, yes. Also-" Gerard began but the sound of footsteps on the stairs stopped him midthought. They both looked over to see Lindsey coming down the stairs with a summery smile on her lips. Frank felt abated as he went back to the fridge, wondering what he could add to the eggs.
"Good morning," Lindsey chirped as she entered the kitchen, walking over to Gerard to kiss him on the cheek. Frank kept to himself while she went over to the coffee machine to make herself a flat white. He stayed quiet, worried that if he spoke, she would mention what he had done to her this morning, "And good morning to you, again, Frank."
"Morning," Frank mumbled, blushing lightly while he grabbed some mushrooms that he found in one of the drawers in the fridge.
"Did you have a good night last night, dear?" Gerard turned his attention to Lindsey, watching her remove her mug from the machine, blowing on the steaming contents before taking a sip. Frank went about his business, finding a board and knife. He began dicing the mushrooms, keeping himself busy and out of the spotlight.
"It was good," Lindsey told him as she sat down on one of the stools on Gerard's left, "It was at that little restaurant down the road from us. Nobo, I think it was called."
"Oh, I've heard good things about it," Gerard added casually. Frank listened to their conversation, fingers mentally crossed as he poured the egg mixture into the pan, sprinkling the mushrooms in before he turned to examine the extensive spice rack.
"I take it you had some company last night while I was out," Lindsey smirked, glancing over at Frank, making his head pop up instantly. Frank looked wide-eyed at her, a whimper sitting in his throat, his hand wrapped around the salt shaker.
"Yes, I brought Frank over after work," Gerard spoke, ignoring the burning blush on Frank's cheeks while he spoke about him. Frank kept himself quiet, paying attention to the eggs as he salted them lightly. He added a few herbs all the while he made sure that he was going to burn the omelet. Gerard spoke again after a sip of coffee, "You were already gone by the time we got back so I couldn't explain the situation to you."
"Next time, can you just make sure I don't find your new scratching-post in my bathroom, please," Lindsey said far too casually, dropping a bomb right in the middle of the kitchen. Frank nearly dropped the spatula that he had almost launched out of his hand. He scrambled to catch it, cursing under his breath, immediately apologizing and refusing to look at Gerard who was frowning at him, "He gave me such a fucking fright when I came back from my morning run."
"What is she talking about, boy?" Gerard asked, turning his attention to Frank who was staring at the food because making eye contact with Gerard felt like a feat in itself. Frank didn't want to admit that he had gone wandering this morning, despite the reason. Frank folded over the omelet in the pan, pretending that Lindsey hadn't said anything. She slid from the chair and sidled up beside him, looking towards Gerard.
"Leave the poor boy alone," Lindsey crooned, her voice may have been in a playful tone but she was still defending Frank from Gerard's wrath. Frank knew looked like he was about to catch on fire; he wasn't making contact with either of them. He just flinched a little when Lindsey ran the back of her index finger across his cheek, "He's embarrassed, poor baby. He knows not to do it again, don't you, baby?"
Frank glanced at Lindsey briefly, nodding and saying a quiet 'yeah' before she nodded and walked away from him. She stood closer to Gerard, who just sat there with eyes narrowed, watching Frank with an intense gaze when Lindsey spoke up again, "I think it's rather cute, to be honest."
Frank looked up at her admittance, his frown knitted his brows close. The blush had now grown to spread and warm his ears, "Cute?"
"I've never known that one's blush could match their knees."
Frank's mouth dropped open and he immediately looked down, shifting so he could see how red his knees actually were. He hadn't paid attention to them while he was getting dressed. They were scuffed, red and raw from the night before. The rough material of the footstool had clearly abraded his knees, and now he could only imagine the color of his face. He kept it as hidden as he could, avoiding looking at the pair that were watching him avidly.
"I'll be about if you need me," Lindsey moved the conversation on, letting Frank simmer away as he finished cooking Gerard's breakfast. He flipped it once more before plating it up, going on a hunt to find cutlery, "I have a lot to do today so if you need me, call me."
"So do I," Gerard agreed, "I have a lot of work to do so I'll be in my office if you need me."
"I'm sure someone will be able to help you if you need anything," Lindsey said pointedly, looking right at Frank, who looked at her with wide eyes, pausing as he held onto the plate of food and cutlery. She chuckled, running her free hand across Gerard's back, smiling at the two of them before she went to leave, "I'll see you boys later."
Gerard bid her goodbye as Frank mumbled one out, focusing more on the fact that he was holding onto the plate of food that he set down in front of his Master, almost forgetting to set the cutlery properly. He didn't know what the protocol was but just in case, he did it anyway, holding his hands behind his back when he was done.
"This looks delicious," Gerard commented, picking up his knife and fork before cutting up the omelet, "Your culinary skills far surpass mine."
"Thank you, sir." Frank nodded, fighting back the urge to smile at the compliment that Gerard had just casually given him. He waited for a second, hoping to find out if he actually enjoyed it. Gerard took a mouthful, chewing before he stopped, seeing that Frank was watching him with practically bated breath.
"You do know that it is highly rude to watch someone eat, boy," Gerard pointed out, making Frank avert his eyes immediately, shrinking back a little, "Plus, you haven't made yourself breakfast."
"I was going to ask if I could make myself some," Frank whispered softly.
"You remembered," Gerard nodded, smiling proudly while he chewed, "Good boy. You may, indeed."
Frank thanked Gerard as he went back to where he had been cooking. He started to make himself the same as what he had made his Master. Frank assumed that he probably wouldn't be allowed to make anything different from what Gerard was having and went about cracking more eggs into the bowl.
"This is really good," Gerard told Frank, pointing his fork down at the plate of food, licking his lips while nodding, "Very flavorsome. I never knew someone could make eggs interesting."
"Thank you, sir." Frank smiled nervously as he poured his breakfast into the pan. He cut up a few more mushrooms and added them into the pan while watching Gerard out of the corner of his eye.
"Now," Gerard cleared his throat, getting back onto the topic, "As I said, I need to go over your rituals with you. This is something that you should follow precisely. No dilly-dallying around like you did this morning, understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"So I know we're running behind schedule this morning, but we can make up for lost time," Gerard continued, looking over the sheet of paper that he slid closer with his pinky finger. Frank craned his neck, curious about what was on the sheet, "I shall begin with the weekend, seeing as it is Saturday. Makes sense to start where we already are, don't you agree, boy?"
"Yes, sir." Frank nodded as Gerard ate some more breakfast, taking a sip on his coffee.
"Now, I know I chose to ignore the rituals this morning, seeing as last night was your first night as part of this, but as of now, I expect you to be up and awake at seven every Saturday and Sunday."
"Seve-" Frank cut himself off almost immediately, stifling his outburst. He continued to cook his breakfast, glancing up to see Gerard looking at him with a raised eyebrow.
"Was that you speaking out of turn?" Gerard queried, "Something wrong with how I do this?"
"No, sir." Frank managed to retrocede his statement with a vehement nod, already guessing that there was no chance that it would be changed. He was just going to have to get used to it whether he liked being up that early at the weekend or not.
"Once you are up, I expect you to be down by seven-fifteen, no later. Then, you may have something to eat- Not breakfast. You eat breakfast with your Master, always. At this time you can have a snack, something light to tide you over until it is actually time for breakfast."
"Right," Frank nodded, finishing cooking his breakfast before he slid his omelet onto a white plate. He quickly set all the dirty utensils in the sink, knowing that he was going to have to do that after eating. He joined Gerard, nearly forgetting that he had to sit on his right, "And what I can eat is..."
"Lindsey likes to keep the kitchen topped up. There is always food in this house. You can help yourself to fruit, smoothies, yogurts..."
"Not the fancy ones, though," Frank smiled to himself as he picked up his fork. He paused, "Can I eat, sir?"
"Of course," Gerard waved a hand at him, "Now, moving on. At half-past seven, that is when you will come to wake me. Lucky for you, I'm a light sleeper so it won't take much to wake me."
"Okay, sir." Frank took note of that, eating a mouthful of his breakfast,
"Come seven forty-five, I expect you to do at least an hour of exercise," Gerard worked his way down the list, not noticing how Frank disdain about the exercise. He knew that he had gone over exercise in the contract, but he had just assumed that it wasn't something that would happen straight away. Gerard chuckled, "Don't look so worried, boy. I'm not going to make you do anything too arduous."
"But what are you going to make me do?" Frank queried, bringing his mug of coffee up to take a sip.
"Well, you don't need to do weights," Gerard commented instantly, "I'm not looking to bulk you up. It's more a case of making sure that your body will be able to handle what it will be put through, as I explained before."
"So what will I have to do?"
"Whatever works for you," Gerard carried on, working his way through his breakfast while they talked, "Personally for me, I go running. Sometimes I swim. Both are great ways to keep yourself in shape. All you need is cardio. Nothing else."
"Probably a bad time to say that I'm not the strongest of swimmers..." Frank spoke quietly, feeling somewhat ashamed of that admittance. He knew it wasn't a bad thing, it was just that he felt nervous about it.
"It's not a bad thing, I'm glad you were honest with me," Gerard reassured him warmly, "Maybe you could join me on a run and we can see how that works out for you. If it doesn't, then we will find something that does work for you."
Frank nodded while chewing on a mouthful of food, feeling somewhat reserved about the idea of an hour's worth of exercise, but he moved along with Gerard when he went onto the next part of his weekend ritual, "Nine o'clock until nine-fifteen is when you shower and dress. I'm more than sure you can be ready within fifteen minutes... Unlike this morning."
"But you only gave me five minutes this morning," Frank pointed out with a small tilt of his fork.
"That is true, but this morning is completely different from how it will usually be. I didn't ask you to shower; only to get dressed... Probably should have said something about not scaring Lindsey, mind you."
Frank grumbled into his coffee mug, "Wasn't intentional.".
"Fifteen minutes is fair, and plenty of time for you to get ready," Gerard said confidently, "Once dressed and downstairs, that is when you make breakfast."
"So, do I have set meals that I have to make, or is this something I have some sort of free reign on?" Frank questioned, watching Gerard finish his breakfast before setting his cutlery down on his empty plate.
"Unless I ask for you to make something specific, the kitchen is all yours," Gerard told Frank, whose face lit up immediately at the thought of having the kitchen to himself, "You seem more than content with that, boy."
Frank nodded, finishing his mouthful, "Just gonna be nice to not have someone shoving me out of the kitchen when all I want to do is help."
"I bet," Gerard responded with a nod, running his finger down the list to the next thing, "Lunch will be at one on the weekends. Dinner at six. Same thing as breakfast so we don't need to go over that again."
"What happens between those times?" Frank asked curiously, catching a glimpse of the weekend timetable, noticing that there was nothing listed between the three meals.
"Between those times, that is for me to decide," Gerard told him, "These rituals are left open like this so I can plan accordingly. Sometimes I work over the weekend and I will require your assistance. Other times I might have plans and those plans can be slotted in where I see fit."
"Slotted in, huh?" Frank smirked, his mind immediately going toward the gutter when Gerard frowned, his eyes narrowing. Frank couldn't even hide the smile on his face.
He shook his head, letting out a quiet sigh, "Not everything has to revolve around sex, you know, boy."
"But I'm guessing that those few hours could be put to that kind of use," Frank suggested, playfully wiggling his eyebrows at Gerard.
"What we do with that time is wholly up to me," Gerard reminded, "But if I do choose to use the free time in that way, you will be the first to know, my depraved boy."
Frank hid his blush behind the coffee cup he was holding close to his face, taking sips every now and again.
"Bedtime will be decided accordingly over the weekends, depending on your behavior, our plans, and my decision accordingly," Gerard continued, ignoring the pink tint that still adorned Frank's cheeks, "If and when I say that it is bedtime, there will be no arguing over it. Do you understand?"
"Yes, sir."
"Good boy," Gerard nodded, looking pleased, "You will sleep in my bed with me unless I tell you otherwise. If you act up or I find you transgressing, I won't hesitate to send you to your room. Or even have you sleeping on the floor..."
"R-Really?" Frank stuttered, not sure if Gerard was bluffing or not, but the look in his eyes showed that he was serious. Frank gulped back, drinking his coffee quietly, hoping and praying that Gerard wouldn't do such a thing to him. He ignored the butterflies in his full stomach.
"Let's just hope that you won't push me to the point where you find out if I'm serious or not, hmm?" Gerard added, looking at Frank over the rim of his coffee cup when he took a drink. He set it back down, breaking eye contact before turning back to the paper, "Now, weekdays aren't too different from the weekend. There are a few differences that you should take note of. For instance, you will need to be up earlier. Five-fifteen start-"
"Five-fifteen?" Frank cut Gerard off in shock. He shrunk back instantly, apologizing profusely as he bowed his head down, avoiding the glare that was being directed at him.
"I'll ignore that sudden bout of interruption and put it down to the fact that you don't usually see five-fifteen,"
"I don't know how I manage to see six AM when I have to get up for work," He admitted nervously, "Five- Isn't that a bit early? I'm not exactly a morning person."
"You will be fine, boy," Gerard encouraged with a short smile, "It's only a matter of adjustment and getting used to it. Once you get into the swing of this then it will be easy."
Frank wanted to disagree, but he thought against it. It probably wouldn't be a good idea to start arguing over this, especially seeing as Gerard wasn't just his boss anymore.
"The only other two differences to the weekend is that at three PM, you will eat again. A light snack like you have in the mornings," Gerard explained, "Dinner will be following at six as usual and the other thing is that bedtime will be at half-ten unless I specify a different time."
"What are the chances of you specifying a different time?" Frank asked curiously, watching Gerard slide the timetable sheet over to him to let him look it over himself.
"Well, the reason for the early night is because you are to rise early. You need your rest and, until you get more used to the routine, it will stay that way. Once you have adjusted, then I can decide on a different time for you if I choose to have you up later or not," Gerard explained fluidly, making Frank realize what he hadn't already. Half ten until five-fifteen; he was going to be sleeping for just under seven hours. A devilish smile pulled at Gerard's lips, "Sometimes it may also depend on how well behaved you are, boy."
Frank looked at his Master, feeling his stomach drop down to his feet as he sucked in a shaky breath. He nodded again, trying to fight the reaction to his Master's words. Gerard drank the last of his coffee before setting the cup down. Frank was all but finished too, watching as his Master stood up to stretch lightly, "I have to say, that was quite possibly one of the best breakfasts I've had in a long time."
"Thank you, sir." Frank beamed, looking over his shoulder to see the stack of dishes he had left in the sink, contemplating. He didn't entirely know what to do, so asking was the safest thing to do, "Should I do the dishes now we have finished, sir?"
"Don't worry about it today," Gerard told him with a wave of his hand, "We have a lovely woman who comes in on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Every other day, yes, you will do the dishes. For now, though, I do believe you have something far more important to do while I work."
"What's that?"
"Your contract, boy," Gerard reminded, "You still have ten pages left to do. And seeing as you have some free time, I suggest you use it wisely."
"Yes, sir."