The Ghost of You

Gerard watches as his carved wooden angle descends to his loft's window. He loved the eight feet tall statue very much because it was a collection from his grandmother's things. He did get some of her other stuff, jewels, broaches, but between him and his brother, Mike, they both knew it was Gerard's. He often thought about them while being in his new place, but the loft and Frank had taken up most of his thoughts.
Gerard watches as a group of workmen grab for the angel, but have difficulty bringing it in.

He decides to step onto the window frame. " Where are you guys from? New York City Ballet? " With a gutsy maneuver, Gerard leans out over the sidewalk and tries to grab hold of the ropes. He can't reach them though. Suddenly a pair of hands grab him around the waist and he screams out.

" Saved your life. " teased Frank. He pulls him into he loft to face Gerard's grumpy face.

" You bastard. Don't do that to me. "

" Better than seeing that gorgeous face on the sidewalk. "
Frank hugs Gerard tightly and they let the workmen do their job.

Unexpectedly a voice calls out. " Gerard? Frankie? Anybody home? "

Gerard looks to at Frank nauseatingly " Ray? Did you invite him? " He whispers.

" I couldn't keep him away. " says Frank under his breath.

Ray enters, shakes Gerard's hand and pats Frank on his back.
" Hey, Gee. Hey, Frankie. So, how's it going? "

Before they can reply a workman turns ask's Gerard where he want's the angel.

" Bedroom. " He replies.

Ray looks around and congratulates Gerard on the decoration of the house.
The floor of the lounge-room looks huge, gymnasium-style space. Furniture and boxes are fewer than they were on the weekend, things look more sorted. Dominating some space are a large number of Gerard's sculptures, ceramics and paintings. There's also a vintage jukebox in Gerard's corner space.
" It really does look great! "

" You like it, huh? " Gerard asks slowly.

" 'Like' is hardly the word. I never imagined it would be this beautiful, Gee."

" Sure is. " Frank congratulates Gerard with a pinch on his ass.

*_______*

It's late and Ray, Frank and Gerard are sprawled out on the floor, eating from cartons of Chinese food. Molly, a grey cat, eats beside them.

" It was the middle of December! " Frank shouts. " I was quietly sitting in my old office, the one Charlie's in. Suddenly, I heard this screaming. I thought it was a woman at first! " Frank laughs at Gerard. " I thought someone had been shot or something."

" They took my Card! I was Christmas for gods-sake. " Gerard shakes his head and spoons some food into his mouth.

" He was four thousand dollars over his limit. "

" I wan't four thousand! I'd already sent in that payment. You're the one's that lost it. "

" He's still angry. "

" No I'm not. "

The cat makes his way for Frank's food. " Get outta here, Molly! "
The cat scamper away.
" You should have seen him. All flushed. Pink and gorgeous, like a rose. And he's screaming, demanding to see the President. So Wilton brought him to me. "

" Frank, " Ray laughs out. " You weren't even VP yet. "

" He didn't know that."

" Can you believe that? " Gerard pushes his empty carton away from himself. " And the next thing you know, he's telling me his life story. I couldn't believe it. Everything! About his divorce form Jamia, how he didn't like women anymore. And all with this Montana accent. "

" What's a 'Montana accent'? " Frank said.

" That one you always slip into when you're nervous. 'Yes, Ma'am. Thank you, Sir. Can I fondle your breasts, Ma'am'? "

Frank laughed at the thought. " I wan't nervous. "

" Admit it. You liked me? You were interested. "

" Matter of fact, Gee. I thought you were cute. "

" Cute? " Gerard looked at Ray. " Can you believe this? I should have been Picasso's toy boy. I should have been living in Paris. But no. . I've moved in with a New York banker that thinks I'm cute. "

Ray is looking back at him, obviously turned on by him. He is embarrassed when Gerard catches his gaze and quickly turns away.

*________*

Frank wakes up in the middle of the night and is alone in the bed.
Ughh, he thinks.He get's up from bed, put's on some pants and goes to find Gerard.

" What are you doing? " Frank says as he spots Gerard.

" I felt inspired. " Gerard doesn't look back to Frank. He's too preoccupied with the pottery at hand.

" At 2 AM. . . Naked? " Questions Frank.

Gerard nods and presses his hands into the pot that is forming. Frank watches the sensual movement of his fingers, molding and forming clay. He's forceful, assured, gifted. The clay responds to his fingers. Slowly and unconsciously, Frank reached for his shoulders and begins kissing them.

" Notice Ray's eyes today? They were all over you. " He continues kiss down his shoulder.

" What? Are you jealous? Frank, let me tell you something. He's not even looking at me. It's you he idolizes. He doesn't see me at all. . . Anyway, he's not my type. "

Frank reaches over him and gently adds his fingers to the clay.

Gerard looks up at him. " what are you doing? "

" I feel inspired. "
He digs his hands into the clay and Gerard smiles. The fingers lather together and sort of dance together, molding.

After a moment Gerard reaches up to him, his clay-covered fingers streaking his face and curving down to the tattoo piece on his chest. He leaves Gerard for a moment and walks to the jukebox in the living room. Frank's fingers press two buttons, leaving a clay mess on them and the mechanical arm selects a record. Slowly and sensuously, lowers it to the turntable. As Frank turns around, Gerard is there, knowing what Frank's next move is. It's to dance. The song 'Love Will Tear Us Apart' by Joy Division begins to play.

Their both dancing now, in the middle of the dark loft. It's nice and slow because the moonlight is hitting all the right places in the loft, allowing some bits to shine off the floor. Gerard runs a finger down Frank's naked back. The moment get's increasingly sweet and erotic. Frank gently caresses Gerard's eyes, chin, forehead and lips. He eventually slides a hand over Gerard's nipple, circling it slowly. Gerard's breathing slows as Frank presses into him. Their groins touch and part and touch and part.

Gerard eye's Franks moonlit face and strokes his chest, moving his hands down his torso, around the curve of his hips and then they dig into Frank's back pocket. Hinting for him to take his pants off.

Frank nips at Gerard's neck and gives it a little lick. Gerard has stopped dancing. His eyes are closed and he's standing absolute still. Frank's hand's move to his ass and pulls him in closer.

Gerard pulls Frank to the couch and they begin.

The jukebox are retracts and gently slides the record back into it's slot.

*________*

Frank and Gerard are lying together silently on the couch. Gerard is gazing at him.
" What's the matter, Frankie? "

" The matter? "

" I can tell. "

" Nothing. . . Really. "

" You're worried, aren't you? About moving in together? "

" No, never. "

" Then what? The promotion? "

" I don't know. A lot of things. I just don't want the bubble to burst. Whenever something good happens to me I'm just afraid I'm going to lose it. "

Gerard gently strokes his head. " You know what? "

" What? "

" I love you. I really love you. " He smiles and strokes his cheek.

" Ditto, Gee. "

Abruptly the T.V. blares into the room. Frank jumps, grabbing the remote control unit from under his ass. Gerard laughs as he turns the sound down. The news is on and they are showing the remains of an airline disaster. Frank stares at the tube.

" Oh Jesus. Another one. "

" Don't watch that stuff. "

" . . .It is estimated that 34 people died in the crash, the second in less than two weeks. " says the News Reporter

The T.V. goes off. Frank is confused and spins around. Gerard is holding the remote. He motions for him to lie down.

" I should cancel my L.A. trip. These things always happen in three's."

" Three's? Frank, get serious. Besides, you lead a charmed life. "

" Yeah. So did they. " Frank looks at Gerard and then back at the screen. " Amazing, huh? " He snaps his fingers. " Just like that. "