Someone Like You

It was quite a distance between the diner and Franks apartment, so it took them a long time to walk there. It didn’t help that they were both drunk, one a lot more than the other, so they kept swaying and tripping up a lot. Somewhere along the way Frank had started singing loudly, although you couldn’t even make out individual words so it was ore like just very loud mumbling. Gerard actually found it kind of cute, and so when Frank started mumbling a tune Gerard recognized from the show they’d seen earlier that night, he decided to go for it and join in. They passed a few people as they went, although they were also too drunk to notice the two drunken singers as they stumbled their way through the dark New Jersey streets.

Eventually though, they finally made it to Franks apartment. He lived in a block made up of about three floors, where the railings were outside and each apartment door had a streetlamp shining above it, although most of the lightbulbs had blown. Gerard helped Frank stumbled up the metal stairs and along the top floor railing, although he wasn’t really that much help because he was swaying badly now too. It took Frank many attempts to finally get the key in the door, partly because he was intoxicated and partly because his was one of the light bulbs that had blown and so you couldn’t see a thing. Eventually though he managed to get it open and he almost fell inside.

Gerard helped pick him up and helped him shuffle further inwards. He was kind of shocked to find that inside was somehow even worse than out. To say there was very little furniture would be an overstatement. He had one small leather couch, although there was more foam visible than actual leather with the amount of holes and rips, a television that looked as though it only showed black and white, and a mattress. Not a bed, a mattress with a single pillow and duvet. There was a small kitchenette in the corner, with a crappy looking cooker, a single counter and a fridge. He must have to use the sink that was in the bathroom that was hidden away in the other corner for the washing up. The only other items in the small room were a few scattered pieces of dirty clothing, and a guitar case that was leaning by the ide of the door. Gerard thought he was living rough in his crappy off campus student house, but that was basically a fucking mansion compared to this place.

Frank was led over to the mattress by Gerard, where he was gently dropped down into the middle of it. Frank instinctively twisted and stretched into a comfortable position with his eyes shut, and once he’d found the perfect one he looked at Gerard again who was now standing awkwardly wondering how exactly he was supposed to leave. Like, should he say bye, or just walk out without saying anything, or what?

The younger boy caught Gerard’s eye so that they ended up looking directly at each other, the eye contact seeming strangely intimate. “Sleep with me,” Frank whispered, hopeful.
Gerard sighed. “Frank,” he began, “You must at least remember what happened earlier, we can’t-”
“No,” Frank interrupted, “We don’t have to fuck or anything. I just…just sleep with me, here.” Frank did his signature puppy dog eyes look which usually got him everything he wanted, and sure enough, he could almost visibly see Gerard begin the waver towards the idea. Gerard inspected the sleeping arrangements and came to the conclusion that with Frank looking so adorable and the quilt actually looking quite soft, the idea seemed quite appealing. Not to mention, it was very late now and he was very drunk; going all the way back home could be dangerous.
“Why do you want me to just sleep with you?”
Franks gaze dropped away and he looked around awkwardly, anywhere but at Gerard, “I don’t like waking up alone…” Frank whispered, almost inaudible. It sounded like something so honest, something so secret, something that Frank had never told anyone before. Gerard was surprised that Frank would share something so personal with him.

With that being Franks reasoning, Gerard decided he couldn’t possibly deny him of this now. He did smell strongly of sweat, alcohol and, most disturbingly, vomit, but it wasn’t that bad. Gerard had gotten used to it, him having had Frank leaning on his shoulder the entire way home, and so it didn’t bother him all that much. And so, Frank shifted over slightly as Gerard carefully laid down on the mattress. It was surprisingly comfortable, all things considered, and so Gerard actually felt that he might possibly get a good nights sleep. Obviously not as good as one at home, but still.

Gerard slid under the covers and shut his eyes, ready to go to sleep, under the impression that Frank had already drifted off. “Thank you,” Frank whispered, very quietly. Gerard’s eyes cracked open to look at him. He could see Frank with his wide eyes still open, a very small smile on his lips.
“Its okay,” Gerard whispered, “Its comfy, your bed.”
“I would hardly call it a bed,” he snorted, “But thanks.”
“I had a really great night y’know, Frank.”
“You did?”
“Yeah, I really did… thanks.”
“No problem… I guess…”

Frank shut his eyes and so Gerard shut his eyes and they both tried to go to sleep. Now he wasn’t moving around so much Gerard had begun to notice how cold it really was, and he was suddenly thankfully for the thick quilt he had covering him, although he didn’t drag it too close so as not to pull it off Frank. However, when he was very nearly asleep, he began to hear the faintest chattering noise. He ignored it at first, but then it continued and seemed to be getting worse.

He opened his eyes again and looked around. In the dim light shining in through the window Gerard was able to see Frank, which meant he was able to see how his eyes were pressed tightly shut and his teeth were chattering, no matter how much he tried to hide it. Finally being more observant than before, Gerard realized trying to not hog the quilt was useless, as it was a single sheet and it was just covering all of him, leaving Frank uncovered and vulnerable to the cold. Gerard wondered why Frank would ask him to stay when it meant he wouldn’t even be warm for the night, unless he really hated waking up alone that much.

Trying to solve the problem without causing Frank anymore trouble, he slowly lifted the quilt off himself and draped it over Frank. He knew he would be cold now, but he didn’t care. One of Franks eyes cracked open to look at the already shivering Gerard. “What are you doing?” the younger boy whispered.
“You were cold,” the older boy shrugged.
“But now you’re cold.”
“I don’t mind.”
“No, you’re a guest. I’m not gonna make you sleep here and then make you be cold.” Frank draped the quilt back over Gerard and, as much as he tried to resist, he couldn’t help but snuggle into the warm material.

He looked between the quilt and Frank, who had now squeezed his eyes shut tightly again, and decided his most recent idea was worth the risk of scaring him off again. Slowly, so as not to startle him, Gerard shuffled further over to Frank and then once he was close enough he wrapped his arms around the small boy. Frank froze instantly though. “What are you doing?” he asked.
“This way we both get warm,” Gerard shrugged. The relaxed manner in Gerard’s voice convinced Frank this was okay. Desperate to get away from the cold, he snuggled up into the larger boys chest as closely as he could, therefore hiding both of them under the covers, accidently breathing in his perfect scent as he went, but loving it.

The position they found themselves in had Frank buried into Gerard’s chest, just under his chin, and Gerard’s head resting on top of Franks. The quilt was now able to cover the both of them and, added to the body heat, they were plenty warm enough to escape the cool air outside of their cocoon.

Frank would never admit quite this much to Gerard yet, but the truth was the simple act of offering to keep him warm had pretty much just made Franks life. While the buzz from performing or from getting high made you feel incredibly happy, it was never quite the same; false, almost. However, there was something different, Frank thought, about having someone offer to do something for you that they didn’t have to, and it warmed Franks insides to know that Gerard had done that for him. For the first time in a long time, he felt like he wasn’t so alone, and he was loving it more than anything.

Slowly, Frank began to fall asleep. At first the feeling was amazing; warm, cosy and just amazing. But then as he descended deeper and deeper into unconsciousness, the dreams began. And not the good ones, either. The bad ones that sadly filled a majority of his mind that he tried to keep numb and oblivious as much as he could, but was never able to.

The worst bit was they were never simple. They were never just stupid, silly things like normal people get. They’re emotions, experiences; horrific nightmares. Frank subconsciously squeezed his eyes shut as tightly as he could in an attempt to blind himself to the images that were flickering through his mind. As he began to lose himself more and more, he subconsciously clenched his fists around the fabric of Gerard’s tshirt.

This was what finally awoke Gerard to the panicking boy beside him and as soon as he realized there was something wrong with Frank, he instantly moved to comfort him. He pulled the boy as close to him as he possibly could, whilst cradling his now shaking head in one of his hands. “Hey, hey,” Gerard whispered as soothingly as he could, “Frank, what’s wrong… Frank… Frank!” The whimpering boy was pulled out of his trance when Gerard spoke louder and his eyes instantly snapped open to the darkness.

He was no longer shaking or gasping, although he was still slightly breathless as he tried to calm down. “Frank,” Gerard tried again, “What’s happened? Are you okay?” Without moving his head from the older boys chest or even glancing up to look at him Frank just mumbled, “Yeah… it was nothing but a bad dream, that’s all.” Gerard could tell Frank was avoiding something, but didn’t mention it. It wasn’t his place to know, after all.
“Do you think you’ll be okay getting back to sleep?” Gerard asked. Frank didn’t want to lie to Gerard, and so he stayed silent praying that Gerard would think he’d already gone back to sleep. Gerard, of course, knew that it was really Franks way of saying no.

The larger boy pulled to smaller boy even closer, if that was even possible, and the smaller boy complied easily, more than willing to get as close as possible. Then, as he began to stroke the still slightly traumatized boys back, he began to sing a small melody. He made sure his voice was very quiet, and that the song was just right to help Frank fall to sleep. He didn’t remember why he had written the song originally. It was very old; he had written it during his teen years. But it seemed perfect right now. And sure enough, it didn’t take Frank long to fall into a peaceful slumber, snoring quietly within minutes.

Gerard smiled sadly as he looked down at the boy, unable to help the feeling of sympathy he felt towards him. It was clear that Frank didn’t want sympathy from anyone; he was strong. But Gerard just couldn’t help but wonder what had landed Frank in such a position in his life. Whatever it was, it had been bad. He had said earlier that he had dropped out of college by his own choices, but if that was the case then surely he would have had a lot more belief in his band? He wouldn’t act so purely hopeless. And then these nightmares, which were clearly worse than your minds usual creations of vampires hiding in closets, they must have originated from somewhere.

All this thinking was making Gerards on coming headache even worse, and he decided that he would try to think all that over once he woke up, or should he say once he was at least slightly over his hangover. In the mean time, he tried to forget about Franks problems and instead focused on how odd, yet how wonderful the feeling was of having someone else wrapped so close to himself.