I'm the Last One That You'll Ever Remember

Expressing that Frank was pissed was the understatement of the year. There was no other word to define how livid he was actually, the word had yet to be invented. Mad, angry, peeved, or whatever you wanted to call it was all that Frank felt after he sealed his husband in the guest room in the company of his little brother, Michael, and Masika. Since Frank banned Gerard from being a father for the day after choosing the Killjoys over his family again, he took to balancing as both parents that morning when his kids woke up and he wasn’t gonna ask for his husband’s help either. In fact, his intentions were to ignore the man’s existence entirely by not answering his many calls or text messages.

Meanwhile, Gerard had no intention of exiting the guest room and further spoiling his chance to be pardoned by his husband. Still locked away downstairs, he sat by the door with his back to the wall, listening as the sound of his children’s laughter, rackety voices, piercing squeals, and fleeting cries infiltrated the morning stillness. Beside Gerard was a laundry basket of food and water bottles Frank had snuck into the room while they’d all been asleep, but he didn’t care about that.

Tilting his head back, a melancholy smile stretched across Gerard’s lips as he stared upwards at the ceiling, taking in the sound of their pitter-patter feet on the hardwood floor above his head.

Awake but having moved from their lying position, both Michael and Masika heard the house come alive with children they hadn’t truly met yet. Really the couple had never gotten this close to them before, and so they laid in fascination, listening just as closely as Gerard was at the end of the bed. After it all sunk in that these children were the offsprings of the Kiilljoy Poison, the couple gradually rose up to lean their backs against the headboard. From there they got a good look at the condition of their poor comrade. At the misery in his eyes, they both forgot about the activity over their heads and concentrated on him instead.

Gerard heard what sounded like a stumble up above and smiled to himself, whispering to the others in the room. “That’s Milo. He isn’t that steady on his feet yet but that doesn’t stop him from trying to keep up with the rest of his older siblings even if it means he’ll fall over and scrape himself. He doesn’t like to be excluded or left behind.”

Masika’s eyes widened as she glanced at her fiance. Her eyes asked the question her lips wouldn’t so she wouldn't destroy this moment. Was Gerard briefing them about his kids?

The sound of a child laughing in a mean way next made Gerard shake his head in disapproval though it couldn’t erase the smile from his lips. “Jovani. We’re both praying he won’t grow up to be a future bully or a troublemaker. But something tells me so far he’s gonna be the one that’s gonna turn both of our hairs grey.”

Michael nodded to Masika to verify that was what his brother was doing, informing them of the children out of his reach.

Another small voice cut in in an attempt to intercept whatever was going on. That voice made Gerard chuckle. “Lorenzo. He’s the best big brother anyone could ask for. Even better than I ever was growing up...”

A shrill feminine voice called out for Frank, making Gerard laugh. “And that one is my little Princess. Her name is Venetia. A spoiled brat if I ever saw one that’ll tattle on everybody over every little thing! That’s my little girl.”

As if they’d been waiting on their cue, one of the twins let out a cry followed by the other. “Ophelia, my little fairy, and her twin sister Marcella, my little mermaid. They’re a bit of a handful and will cry if the other starts. You have to be quick with those two and calm them down before it becomes double the crying. If it’s gone on too long, Milo will join them though he can never tell us why he’s crying.”

From what it sounded like upstairs, it was chaotic. Gerard found it abnormally comfortable and routine for him to experience every single day, and so it never troubled him. Frank was different. He was like most average parents who needed a breather from time to time and sometimes felt like he was the bad parent because he did but his perfect husband never needed one. Gerard always brought up the fact he carried their children so he earned a break and will ALWAYS earn a break anytime he wished for it. Having six little ones under the age of five was tough, but Gerard truly made it more manageable than it would be if Frank were doing this alone which was the case this morning. He had no choice but to call in for reinforcement.

Frank had only managed to get the kids downstairs with the twins in each arm crying for a bottle with one needing a diaper change when he tossed his head back and boomed out to the top of his lungs to be heard over the children's howling. “GERARD! GET OUT HERE NOW!”

A despairing Gerard’s glum withering heart practically burst back to life with glee at the sound of his name being shouted by his infuriated husband. “Holy shit! Please tell me you guys heard that too!?”

The joy on Gerard’s face was so contagious that it had both Masika and Michael grinning with delight for the guy even though they would still be incarcerated in the guest room, secreted away. Chuckling softly, Michael nodded. “Yes, Gee. We heard it. Sounds like Frank needs your help with all those kids.”

Springing to his feet, Gerard had to delay himself from fleeing the guest room to turn around and give the couple in bed one more threat to stay put or else they’d wreck his chances big time. “This changes nothing! You two better stay in here and don’t make a peep.”

The sound of a shrieking cry from a child in pain went off followed soon by another.

“Yes, dude! We get it! We don’t exist.” Masika huffed impatiently, throwing her arms up in irritation at the reminder. Gerard was acting like they had a case of amnesia or something and would literally stroll out of the guest room with no memory of his warning. They weren’t that stupid to make things worse for him. “Now get the fuck outta here and save your man! GO!”

Gerard needed no further encouragement and was busting out of the guest room door and slamming it shut behind him. Jumping at the sound of a door slam, the older twins both revolved around to see their dad. Instantly, their little faces beamed like sunshine. “DADDY!”

Only having a minute to sweep both twins up into his arms for a short hug, Gerard called to his husband over their shoulder as he headed into the living room where crying could be heard. “Talk to me, Frankie!”

“Get to the other side of the couch, Jovani must have been jumping on it and fell, and you know Milo went right after him!” Frankie reported as he worked on getting both Ophelia and Marcella’s bottles ready while he had both twin girls in their rocking chairs, not that that was hushing them. The girl was screaming their lungs out for food.

Of course, Gerard thought, lowering the older twins back down to their feet as he went to collect both crying Milo and Jovani in his arms. “Probably thought Jovani had jumped off the couch and went to do it too!”

My thoughts exactly!” Frank had to agree, too occupied with his children to focus on his irritation towards his husband. Right now, their little ones had to be the priority. Their problems as a couple can come later.

Heading straight for the downstairs bathroom, Gerard worked on settling both boys down and tending to their wounds while Lorenzo followed and looked on. Crouching before them as they sat on the long bathroom counter, Gerard kissed the red marks on their knees and gathered them back up into his arms. “It’s alright you two. You’re okay. It’ll stop hurting soon, I promise.”

Not wanting to rush his husband, Frank called out to Gerard as he gave Ophelia her bottle and then began to make Marcella’s next. “Gee, your little mermaid needs a diaper change!”

“On it!” Gerard called before examining the two teary-faced boys. “Hey, how about one of you ride on Daddy’s shoulders upstairs so I can take care of your sister, and then the other can ride back down? What do you say!”

“Me me me!” Jovani bounced up, appearing completely healed as he waved his arm around. “Me first!”

Milo stared at Jovani before mocking his same moves, not quite understanding what was going on but doing what he was known for doing, being a mimic. “Me!”

“You can go first, Jovani, but Milo gets to ride afterward.” Gerard firmly communicated to Jovani who liked to forget to share. At their nods, he picked up a giggling Jovani and put him over his shoulder then swept Milo up before exiting the bathroom to grab Marcella. By the time he got to her, she was red in the face with displeasure. Sweeping her up into his other arm, Gerard notified Frank who he hadn’t gotten a chance to take in at all since he got out of the guest room. “Heading upstairs. Be right back!”