Need Somebody to Love

It had been almost five weeks since Gerard met Frank. Five weeks of picking Frank up from the bar to go see the new Iron Man movie. Five weeks of dodging Jane whenever Gerard went to see Frank during lunch (the woman still had it in her head that he came to the bar to meet a woman. She had even gone as far as trying to set him up with her 20 year old niece). Five weeks of spending the night at Frank’s place almost every night (much to Mikey’s delight as he now had his basement back).

Gerard now stood in Frank’s small kitchen, watching his boyfriend read the back of the frozen pizza box. It had been a long day at the gallery for Gerard and he just wanted to lay on the couch with Frank, watch a lifetime movie, and eat some goddamned pizza.

The gallery was getting out of control. He had more artists than he knew what to do with, each one coming with multiple copyright forms that had to be filled out. Gerard was at his wits ends.

He had had the idea about a week ago to ask Frank if he would come and run the business side of the gallery. It would take some stress off Gerard and would allow Frank to finally leave his dead end job at the bar but Gerard was too worried to ask him.

He was afraid that Frank would say no, he had worked with a boyfriend before and it had ended so poorly. Gerard didn’t want to risk what he had with Frank.

Frank slid the pizza into the oven and was telling Gerard some story about the horrors of his job at the bar. “Sometimes I wish I could just up and quit and never go back to that shit hole, you know?” He looked to Gerard for an answer.

“You could, if you wanted.” Gerard did not mean to say it, it had come out ever so softly before he could stop it.

Frank cocked his head while still looking at Gerard and leaned back against the counter top. “And do what? Clean tables at another bar?”

Gerard knew if he didn’t ask Frank to work with him now, he would never do it. He sat down in the chair facing Frank across the room and wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans. “When we first met, you said the job at the bar was only temporary, that your dream job was running a small business.” Gerard took a deep breath, “Why don’t you come work with me?”

Frank looked shocked at the offer and chewed on his lower lip with a slightly worried look on his face, his eyebrows knit together. “I don’t know Gerard. I mean what if something goes wrong? Things are going so well with us right now.”

Gerard walked over to Frank and stood in front of him, looking down at the smaller man. “I know things are going great right now. But you are not happy in your job and I need you. I swear to God, if I have to fill out another Beta89 form, I will jump out the window.” Gerard pinched the bridge of his nose to show how stressed he had been.

Frank smiled a bit, still chewing on his lip ring. “There is no such thing as a Beta89 form, Gerard.”

With a loud sigh, Gerard leaned against the counter opposite of Frank and put both hands on his face. His voice sounded strained, “Then what the fuck did I fill out like twelve times today?”

Frank giggled and smiled at Gerard’s strife. “You do need me.” His voice sounded happy and made Gerard peek through his fingers to see his boyfriend smiling. He nodded pitifully.

~***~

It took Frank a week and a half to sort out all the paper work Gerard had let pile up over the years. He would have been able to finish sooner had Gerard not kept sneaking into his office to distract him. This distraction usually ended with someone putting their hand down the other’s pants.

Gerard had never been happier then when he was working with Frank. He now had the time to get to know the artists he was displaying and even work on his own pieces. It was not long before he finally gave in and purchased the apartment above the gallery.

Mikey had told him thousands of times that the apartment was perfect for Gerard but he had been over ruled by his brother’s excuses of fiscal responsibility. The large, open apartment was where the Frank and Gerard spent most of their nights. A few months later, Frank let the lease on his own place end and moved in officially.

~***~

It was raining slightly as Frank, Gerard, Alicia, and Mikey made their way down the empty street. They had all just finished dinner at Gerard and Mikey’s old house with their mother and were making their way to the metro station.

They passed the small Irish bar and Frank nudged Gerard with his elbow. “You want to go in for a drink?” Gerard smiled and nodded, saying good-bye to his brother and new sister-in-law.

The taller man slipped his arm around his boyfriend’s waist and pushed the door open with his shoulder. He moved passed the hostess podium and made his way to “their table”.

He sat in the corner, hiding in the shadows, as he had many months ago. He closed his eyes and thought back to that day, as he often did when Frank was too busy running his business to pay attention to him. He thought back to the cocky busboy who took charge and protected him from the hordes of lonely women. He smiled and opened his eyes to see the very same man sitting in front of him with a goody grin on his face.

Gerard would never admit it to his brother, but the best thing Mikey ever did for him was forcing him into speed-dating.

fin.