Lights

Gerard sat home alone waiting for Frankie to come back from getting a set of Christmas lights because the two strands of white weren't enough for him to be satiated with. It was Christmas Eve, and the band just got back from touring in Europe.

Frankie and Gerard's first Christmas was this year. The first one in their home. Their first one alone, and Gerard had big plans.

The house was warmed by a small space heater; it's surprising how effective those little things are.

Gerard bought a small tree for Frankie and himself. The tree had a strange likelihood to the one on Charlie Brown Christmas. Which, incidentally, was playing on their small television. Gerard busied himself whilst Frankie was gone, checking on the sugar cookies the two would decorate later and hanging two striped stockings next to their small tree.

Gerard was excited for Frankie to come back, though he knew he was gonna buy Gerard's least favorite lights: the colored ones. Gerard loved the way their small tree was illuminated by the clean, bright white lights; they gave the small tree such life, and the little stars of light made the tree glimmer.

Frankie thought that bringing a tree into your home to decorate was a strange tradition, but if it made Gerard happy, then he was happy. And if the tree was going to be in the home they shared, he would also have a say on how it's decorated.

Frankie went through aisles upon aisles of Christmas décor at their local super-mart looking for the perfect lights to put on the tree. He was thinking about getting the rainbow ones until he set his eyes on a set of blue Christmas lights. He imagined how beautiful they would be mixed with the white lights, and he thought that since Gerard hated colored lights, blue would be a happy medium.

Frankie grabbed the small box of blue lights and brought them up to the counter, also buying Gerard a pack of cigarettes.

Gerard was getting miffed at how long Frankie was taking. He took long, slow drags of the cigarette that hung loosely from his slender fingers, flicking the ash off several times for good measure. He watched television and hoped the cookies would cool off soon so that he could decorate them with the brightly-colored icings and the different kinds of sprinkles Frankie had surprised him with this morning. He always knew how to make Gerard smile.

Just then, Frankie walked in the front door and Gerard sighed in loathing at the bag that he had wrapped about his hand.

"You got the ugly ones, didn't you," Gerard stated matter-of-factly.

"Actually..." Frankie mumbled as he kicked his shoes off. Frankie threw the box on the couch next to Gerard before he started loosening his scarf and shrugging off his jacket.

"Blue!?" Frankie could hear the excitement in Gerard's voice.

"Blue," Frankie confirmed.

"They're gonna look so pretty!" Gerard jumped off the couch and sat in front of the Christmas tree, unboxing the lights as if they were one of his gifts.

Frankie and Gerard hung the blue lights along with the white ones on the tree.

"It's so beautiful," Gerard stared in awe.

"I know you are," Frankie said smoothly before kissing Gerard softly on the forehead.

"Shut up," Gerard laughed lightly. "Will you go see if the cookies are cool enough to decorate yet?"

Frankie got up and headed into the kitchen, not realizing that there was mistletoe hung above the door frame.

Gerard walked over to the entrance of the kitchen and leaned against the frame, mistletoe overhead.
Frankie looked behind him to see Gerard's mischievous gaze. He cocked an eyebrow at Gerard,
"Not cool enough yet?"

Frankie was slightly confused as to why Gerard was looking at him that way.

Gerard hummed in agreement and waited for him to get caught in his trap. Frankie, still confused, walked toward Gerard, hoping to catch the end of the Charlie Brown special.

Gerard grabbed Frankie by the hips and motioned for him to look upwards. Frankie caught on and blushed slightly before kissing Gerard lightly on the lips, not only once, but twice.

Frankie tried squeezing past to get to the living room, but Gerard grabbed his hand and pulled him back.

Before he realized what was going on, Gerard was on one knee with a small, black velvet box resting on his open palm.

"Baby, all I want for Christmas is you."