Status: Part I and II- Complete!

All That I've Got

chapter 9- call it love

Around one in the morning, Frank’s phone started ringing. Both he and Gerard jerked from sleep, and Frank cursed violently and fumbled around in the dark to find it on the floor.

“Hello?” He greeted, voice scratchy and strained from sleep.

“Frankie?” It was his mom. “Where are you? I just got home from work, please tell me you’re alright.”

Her voice was tight and frightened, so Frank started pulling on his jeans. Gerard watched with large eyes from the bed, but said nothing.

“I’m at Gerard’s. I’ll-i’ll come home,” Frank said into the phone.

There was a weighted silence on the line.

“Mom?”

“Okay, come home, Frankie,” she said.

Frank assured her that he would, then hung up. Turning to the bed, he looked down at Gerard. “I have to go, I’m sorry, Gee. My mom wants me home,” he said.

Gerard just nodded, unreadable expressions shifting his face. Frank just caught regret and disappointment before he crashed his lips to Gerard’s and let his hands leave their trail across his
body.

Then he pulled away, and tip-toed his way out of the sleeping mansion.

Only when he got home to his slightly less-frantic mother did he realize he was still wearing Gerard’s batman shirt.

----

Gerard’s P.O.V.

Gerard almost didn’t expect to wake up alone. But when he did, his heart fell like it had been suspended by a string in his chest. His room was painfully empty of Frank, and back to its usual cluttered self. Gerard hadn’t really accumulated much since he’d gotten here, just his clothes and the things Brian had bought him.

Last night had drained him pretty bad. He hadn’t really thought about the last few months since he’d been forced to rehash them to Brian and the rest of the household.

He went downstairs, hoping coffee and a call to Frank would make him feel less empty.

The world was ablaze with honey colored morning light. It was the first time Gerard had seen New Jersey not completely gray.

Brian found him later in the kitchen, sitting on the counter near the sink window, and smoking and sipping his drink.

Brian gave him a disapproving look, but didn’t say anything because Gerard was making a point of making sure the smoke went outside.

“Frank left last night,” Gerard said as Brian got his own cup of coffee.

“I know,” Brian leaned across from Gerard. “That kid gave me the strongest vibe I’ve had in awhile when he passed my room.”

The kitchen was suddenly too bright, and the rustle of trees and birdsong outside, too loud. “Wait, you’re saying he was dangerous?”

Brian came a bit closer. “I don’t know. He might’ve been in danger himself, but more likely, he’s posing a danger to us. To you, Gerard. Did you tell him something?”

Gerard shut his mouth, refusing to reveal anything. He knew Frank wouldn’t tell anyone. But now he was worried that Frank was in danger.

He kept his face straight, though, and shook his head.

“Alright. Maybe my sense was wrong, or something. It was pretty late,” Brian turned to go, “Oh, and don’t take my car out without me knowing again, Gee. You had me worried sick, and I don’t even know if it was more for you or the car.”

When Brian had left to wake the boys for school, Gerard immediately called Frank.

Frank answered on the second ring, a happy tone in his high voice. “Hey, Gerard. Sorry ‘bout last night, my mom was just stressed out.”

“Frank, you’re okay?”

Frank paused over the line. “Yeah, I’m fine. Are you okay? What’s going on?”

Before Frank could work himself up, Gerard hushed him. “No, no, everything is fine, here. It’s just Brian, he- uh- sensed something dangerous last night around the time you left. I wanted to make sure you were alright.”

You’re kind of all that I’ve got.

“No, I’m fine. I’m better than fine, Gerard,” Frank said, happy tone back.

“Okay, good,” Gerard relaxed a bit and ashed his cigarette on the windowsill. He knew, despite what Brian said, the vibe was rarely wrong, but he was going to let it go. Hopefully, whatever had triggered it was gone by now. “I’ll see you in school, Frankie.”

They said their goodbyes, and Gerard went to get ready for school, worry buried deep in his stomach.

-----

Frank’s P.O.V.

Life started to get really good in the next week and a half. With Gerard around, it also got a lot less gray. The autumn officially set in, and Frank greeted it with Gerard, the world around them spiraling with colors Frank had never registered before.

He spent most of his time in the basement with his friends. Bob consistently teased him and Gerard for their shared looks and whispered thoughts. Ray tempered Pete, who remained detached, but not vengeful. And for that Frank owed him the world. Ryan showed up inconsistently and added his own brand of weird to the mix.

Sometimes though, in all the fun, Frank would catch Gerard giving him anxious looks, or his mom
would call and stressfully ask where he was and if he was okay.

For the most part, Frank could ignore it. Instead of voicing his concern, he’d kiss the look off Gerard’s face or calm his frantic mother down.

One day, Frank watched Gerard throughout lunch, how his cupid lips moved when he talked, how his slender hand flourished when he spoke.

Finally, Frank could take it no longer. He stood, and stretched. “Hey, Gee, wanna go out to smoke?” He asked. He just wanted to be alone with him, just for a few minutes.

Gerard stopped talking to Ryan, and gave Frank a grateful nod. “Heck yes. I’ve been looking for a chance all day.”

“Yeah,” said Patrick, “they don’t give anyone the opportunity. Strict ‘no smoking’ rules. Frank and Bob always seem to work around that, though.”

Frank smirked at him. “That’s my job. Suck at school and find places to smoke,” he joked.

He turned, giving Bob a pointed ‘you stay there’ look, and started walking toward the patio exit.

Gerard followed, a small smile playing on his lips.

Once they got outside, Frank led Gerard to the spot behind the wall. Thankfully, Bert and the burnouts were M.I.A. again and they had the space to themselves. Score.

Gerard sat, and Frank took the space to his right. They passed a lighter between them until they each had a cigarette ablaze.

Gray smoke filled the air, only it wasn’t that bad with Gerard at his side, Frank thought.

Frank snuggled into Gerard’s shoulder for shelter from the cold. Gerard stretched his arm around

Frank’s shoulders and took a long drag.

They smoked in peace until Frank could take it. He stubbed out his cigarette and nearly attacked Gerard’s face. Gerard barely had time to drop his own smoke, before their lips connected like magnets.

Frank leaned Gerard down until he was prone on the cold grass, tilting his head so he could slip his tongue into Gerard’s mouth.

The world went silent as it always seemed to when they were together, and Frank smiled against Gerard’s soft lips.

Gerard’s hands looped around Frank’s back, and he wiggled his way under Frank’s jacket with a laugh. Even the sneaking cold air couldn’t slow Frank down. He hefted his body so that he lay half on Gerard, and kissed slowly down his jaw.

As Frank kissed the stretch of skin between his neck and jawbone, Gerard’s breath hitched and his eyes fluttered closed. Frank stayed in that spot, sucking lightly until Gerard moaned a bit and moved his head so he could get back at Frank’s lips.

Their hips were pushed together and Frank’s mind was going haywire. He wanted out of his clothes right now.

But when he remember where they were, he pulled his hand away from the soft skin of Gerard’s stomach, right before his waistband, and pulled back.

Gerard’s eyes stayed closed, and his breath hissed softly against Frank’s neck. They didn’t move for a few minutes, just lay, listening to the world unfreezing again. They didn’t even move when the bell rung, and the rest of the school went to class.

“Frankie, look,” Gerard whispered.

Frank lifted his head from where he had rested it on Gerard’s chest. It didn’t take him more than a second to realize what Gerard wanted him to look at.

The cold air had turned deliciously warm, and in it swam the prettiest shade of pink. It was the color of spring sunsets, and bubblegum, and thoughts that made your heart swing. It was the only color in
the air, and it was one that Frank had never seen.

“What feeling is that, Gee?” Frank said, gazing back down at Gerard. Gerard’s eye were steady on his, and his heart was steadier beneath Frank’s palm.

“It’s love.”

Now, Frank really couldn’t say the same about his heart. It was pounding on his ribs like it wanted to escape his chest and swoon. Frank wanted to jump up and scream or dance, but instead he smiled and thought his body would crack with happiness.

“It’s fate.” Frank brought their lips together again, and the kiss was the same pink as Gerard’s aura around them.

Gerard brought his head back, and his black hair fringed his happy crinkled face. And that was the look that made the cracked Frank completely.

“I love you, too, Gerard. More than I’ve ever loved anything.”

They laid back again, and they kissed and smiled and the love was actually- as cliche as it is- in the air.
♠ ♠ ♠
i hate that i cant italicize things