FicWad

"You can tell me anything, you know." Gerard whispered, mimicking Frank's words. He wanted Frank's trust, but he didn't understand how to get it. Frank smiled, nodding, lazily.
"I know, it's just, I haven't ever told anyone and I'd rather do it in private, you don't know who's listening in." He giggled, "I'll tell you back at your house, okay?" Gerard nodded and pulled both Frank and Mikey towards him, in a fatherly manner.
"We'll get some food alright? Then to the bookstore. You okay with that Mikey?" Gerard ruffled Mikey's hair softly and he nodded. Mikey was very timid today, unlike yesterday. Frank smiled, nodding.
"Mmm, food." He giggled, hearing his stomach rumble.

After Frank devoured his own food (and some of Gerard's.), they made their way down the street to the bookstore, where Mikey sped in and was lost to Gerard and Frank. Frank sat at a table in the corner of the bookshop, motioning Gerard over. He pulled out a book with 'FIREWORKS' on the front, reading it, grinning like a big kid. Gerard leant his elbows on the table, eyeing up the Chemistry section behind Frank.
"Do you like this book?" Gerard asked, unsure.
"Kinda, I just find it fun to read about the chemical formulas that make explosives." He grinned, ducking his head into the book.
"Ah, yes," He grinned, moving behind Frank to stroke the spines of the several different books. "Do you know the chemical equation for the reaction in gunpowder?" He grinned. "Is it in there?"
"I may be slightly clever, but not that clever." He giggled, looking up at him, "Explain, sorry for my lack on intelligence on the subject." Frank paused as he flicked through the book. "I think it's that?" He pointed to the formula of '2 KNO3 + S + 3 C → K2S + N2 + 3 CO2'.
"Ah!" Gerard grinned softly. "You're correct, Mr. Iero. I'm very proud.” Gerard over exaggerated, swelling up his chest. Gerard might think that people are alien to him, but Frank thought he interacted just fine. He still stuck out like a sore thumb, but that was exactly what Frank loved about him. “Now, do you think they have a book on subatomic particles around here?" I'd like to read it, and I'm pretty sure Mikey has a hankering to read it too.." Gerard hummed, wandering around.
"I have no idea, go look around, if you wish." He smiled, going back to his book. But before Gerard walked away, Frank raised his head. "Thanks for saying that, no ones been proud of me, in a long time." Gerard glanced upwards at Frank and flashed him a quick smile.
"No problem." He nodded, slipping down the bookcases and away, running his hands over the spines and grinning like a child. Frank ran a hand through his hair, smiling. He liked this way of life.
"Gee! I found one!" He found a black book labelled, ‘THE DISCOVERY OF SUBATOMIC PARTICLES.' In bold letters, he waved the book around. Gerard swivelled on his heels, attempting to hobble back to Frank with a stack of books in his arms. "Ah," Gerard mumbled. "Put it on the stack?"
"Wow," He giggled, "Okay, sure." He placed his on the top, sitting back down, laying his head on the table. Gerard mumbled something in reply and made his way down the aisles, searching for Mikey. Frank knew the exact moment when they met - a large crash sounded from behind the bookcases.
"Gerard!" Mikey squeaked. Frank scuttled around to the back of the store and found Mikey, buried under a pile of books. Frank looked down, scooping the books off of Mikey.
"You okay, buddy?" He asked, giggling slightly, helping him up.
"Mhm. It's my fault. I kinda.. Ran into Gerard." He squeaked, his face scarlet. Gerard smirked and started collecting the books in his arms, shaking his head as he laughed.
"Nah, I ran into you." He grinned. Frank looked back at Gerard, smiling.
"It's not nice to mow down your own brother in a book store. You caused a book avalanche." He giggled, winking at Gerard, ruffling Mikey's hair.
"Ah, they'll be nice in here. Alicia won't mind. The amount of times Mikey has tripped and landed on his face in here - let's just say, she's used to it." Gerard grinned, handing a pile of books to Mikey, whose cheeks were burning a light crimson. Frank giggled, standing next to Gerard.
"I have a couple questions, if I can ask you back at yours?" He smiled, raising an eyebrow.
"Uh, sure," Gerard smiled softly, nudging Mikey to waddle forward with his pile of books. "We'll be just a sec. I can buy your Fireworks book, if you like?" Frank shook his head, moving a hand in a similar fashion.
"Nah, but thanks for the offer." He giggled, getting out of the queue, waiting by the door.

Gerard returned with Mikey beside him, who was now a little lighter in expression than he had been all day. Gerard carried a medium sized cardboard box, filled with books of all different kinds.
"This will keep us going for a while, yeah?" Gerard joked. Mikey grinned - it would probably only take a week for him to get through them. "You probably want to rest a bit," Gerard suggested, nudging Mikey softly. Frank just giggled, amazed by the amount of books, wondering to himself how Gerard could possibly afford them. In fact, it had never occurred to him how they lived – he didn’t think he had seen a father, anywhere.
"So to your house, if I'm not mistaken?" He asked, softly, standing behind Gerard.
"Yeah. Mikey looks like he needs to sleep." He grinned softly, gazing down at Mikey, who was toddling along, his eyes drooping as he held onto Gerard's hand. Frank gazed, bewildered by the bond that these two brothers had. He’d never seen one like it.

Once they had arrived home, Gerard immediately steered Mikey by the shoulders up the stairs. Frank sat waiting on a step, smiling softly as he listened to the two brothers conversing.

"Tell me if you get bad dreams, alright? Or if you need medicine. Or something." Gerard whispered gently to Mikey.
“Okay.” Mikey hesitated. "Could you pass me that book on theoretical physics? I want to do some light reading before I go to sleep." Mikey asked, quietly. Gerard laughed loudly and passed him the book.
"It would be light reading, wouldn’t it? I think you're smarter than my physics lecturers." Mikey grinned and hugged his brother, before letting him tuck him in.

Frank smirked softly as he listened to the brothers, twiddling his thumbs; nervous about what he was gong to tell Gerard. Gerard kissed Mikey's forehead softly and brushed his hair down with his hand, before shutting the door quietly behind him and tapping Frank on the shoulder as he walked beside him. Frank gulped, blushing.
"So, where do you want to talk?" He asked, softly.
"Come on, we can go downstairs." Gerard smiled reassuringly, taking Frank by the hand and walking him to the living room. Frank nodded, sitting on the couch, close to Gerard. He turned to him.
"Would you like the long story or prefer the short story?"
"You should know me by now." Gerard nodded softly. "Always the long story." Frank smiled endearingly at Gerard.
"Okay, let me start." He got comfortable. "When I was 7 or 8, my parents started fighting, the reason still unknown to me, but they got physical, they put each other in hospital a couple times. I never had any friends to talk to or siblings, so I found comfort in my grandmother, she understood me and would keep me entertained. She was truly my best friend. But one day, I came home from school, seeing my mom at home alone, no sign of dad. They had broken up and dad moved away, I haven't seen him since that day, but from that, my mom became, an emotional wreak, drugs and booze." He took a breath, "So I left my mom and went to my grandmother when I was 11, I lived with her for a year, it was the best year of my childhood. But one morning I woke up, she was gone, she looked asleep, I was so confused, my best friend. Gone. So I was put into an orphanage, I've stayed there ever since." He started to sob. Gerard held Frank's body against his own, curling his limbs around him. He thought he might have figured out why Frank's parents had been fighting - but he didn't want to say anything, now was not the time. Gerard wasn't sure of how to comfort another - other than his brother.
"You are brave." He breathed, once again mimicking Frank. "You're brave and beautiful." Frank sniffed, looking up at Gerard.
"You'll be the reason I actually want to get up in the morning, Gee." He smiled, cuddling into Gerard. Gerard raised an eyebrow.
"You're actually not the first person to say that." He noted, softly.

“Did Mikey also say that to you?" He asked, smiling, blushing slightly, finally stopping crying.
"Yeah." Gerard sniffed gently. "He.. he was in a bad place, you could say." He shook himself and pulled Frank towards him. "But he's fine now.. I think." Frank hugged Gerard close.
"You have two people who need you to look after them now." He giggled, grinning.
"I suppose so. Maybe that'll fix me, huh?" He nudged Frank gently with a smile.
"You don't need fixing, you're perfect." He bumped his nose gently against Gerard's smiling.
"No one's perfect, Frank." Gerard whined, jokingly. "Except you, I guess."
"I'm too far from perfect." He giggled, "But you're dead on, don't try and deny it either." Frank smiled, jumping off his lap, walking into the kitchen, "Coffee?"
"Coffee sounds great. Don't say it too loud, Mikey will probably have already heard you.." Gerard smirked, following Frank through to the kitchen. Frank giggled, turning the coffee machine on, having no idea how he was supposed to work it.
"Help." He giggled, pointing to the machine.
"It takes some learning." Gerard grinned, taking Frank's hands and leading them to the different levers. Frank blushed, grinning, "You definitely seem like a romantic to me." He giggled.
"Perhaps," Gerard started, grinning like an idiot. "I've been one this whole time."
"Show it more, it's cute." He giggled, looking up at him, blushing.
"I'll do my best." He smiled, switching the coffee on. "I'll get Mikey up when it's ready.. He’ll probably stay up there, but if he finds out I made coffee whilst he was here and didn't give some to him?" Gerard signalled, slitting his throat. "He'll kill me."
"Awh, brotherly love." Frank giggled, sitting on the kitchen counter, sitting a little taller than Gerard. He grinned. "I don't mind about the romance thing, do what you like, but it's definitely really cute." Gerard snaked his arms around Frank and pulled him off the counter, throwing him over his shoulder.
"This romantic enough for you?" He joked, tossing him about. Frank was particularly small for his age anyhow, and Gerard was so used to throwing Mikey about, he'd gotten stronger. Frank giggled and squeaked.
"It's definitely fun! But yes, very romantic." He smiled, running a hand through Gerard's hair. "I know, I know, I'm a midget." Frank giggled, squirming in Gerard's arms.
"You're not a midget, you're fun sized." Gerard smirked, squeezing Frank and kissing him, Frank's legs wrapped around his waist before letting him down. Frank giggled, kissing back.
"I'm fun sized?!" He laughed, grinning. "You better give Mikes his coffee before he assassinates you."
"Fun sized." Gerard grinned softly. "Yeah.. Lemme' grab a mug." Gerard selected a mug from the cupboard and started to pour coffee into it. Frank rolled his eyes, smiling, taking his mug of coffee and Gerard's placing them on the living room table as he laid out on the couch.
Gerard ran up the stairs with the coffee, and returned moments later. "He's awake. He knew we were making coffee from the moment you said it.. That beautiful little bastard." He mumbled to himself. Frank laughed, stretching out on the couch, even though he was short, when he stretched, he was the length of the furniture.
"You actually look normal sized on that." Gerard joked, pouncing onto the sofa and squeezing onto it beside Frank. "Come on, you're small, but not that small, make some room!"
"I'm shorter than the average person, so I'm classified as short. I understand I'm not some kind of pixie, but I'm pretty small." He giggled, taking his mug, sipping the hot liquid, before placing it back on the table. Frank shuffled around, laying his head on Gerard's lap.
“I wish you were. I'd carry you around." Gerard grinned, softly. "But that's impossible, unfortunately." Frank looked up at him and giggled, "I think I'm quite a compact size, feel free to carry me, it would save me walking." He grinned, yawning.
"You are incredibly light." Gerard smiled, a little worriedly. He ran his hands over Frank's chest and cringed at every small bump and bone he felt.
"I know what you're doing." Frank raised an eyebrow. People commented on his weight all the time, and he was not going to have Gerard do the same. "I know I feel quite skinny but I have been to the doctors and things, I just don't put on much weight, that's all."
"You sure?" Gerard asked, biting his lip softly. He knew all about keeping the human body healthy. But he wasn't going to run a speech to Frank - just because he knew about how to stay healthy, didn't mean he did. "I trust you."
"Don't just trust me, trust the doctors, I'm fine, really." He smiled, leaning up, kissing him briefly. "Because of my size, I have never put on much weight, but taking anti depressants when I was younger probably didn't help." Gerard nodded. He knew all about those too - he had to take them - even now.
"They can sometimes do that. To a lot of people." Frank placed one hand on Gerard's rib cage, feeling the bones gently with his palms.
"It's done it to you too, Gee." He sighed. Gerard pulled Frank onto his lap and nuzzled his nose into his shoulder.
"A little bit." Gerard sighed, hugging Frank to his chest. Maybe he had more problems than he liked to think. He just filed them away.. There was one he was forgetting, but he wasn't going to be remembering it anytime soon.
"You can tell me anything, Gee." He smiled, stroking Gerard's hair, "Wow, you have soft hair." Frank giggled, playing with the hair at the nape of his neck, "So, moving swiftly on, why have you always been a romantic?" Gerard laughed softly.
"My father was the nicest person in the world." He sighed gently, smiling inwardly. "He loved my mother so much, and.. I guess.. I don't know. I saw them like that - I never understood it obviously, I still don't.. really."
"You seem to perfectly," He smiled, still fiddling with his hair, "I would try to be romantic, but it would fail terribly." Frank laughed softly.
"I look like I know what I'm doing." Gerard grinned, secretly enjoying being groomed. "But.. I really don't. Anyway, you're the person who.. taught me this stuff."
"I didn't teach you anything, well maybe a little bit on kissing, which is always enjoyable." He giggled, still playing with his hair, combing it through his fingers, "Wait, hold on, 'was'? 'He was'?"
"Was, yes." Gerard shrugged. "He passed from cancer just after Mikey was born. Only got to hold him in his arms a few times. Looked at him like he was made of gold." Frank looked at Gerard sadly.
"You've been through so much for a nineteen year old." He sighed, brushing his fingertips over Gerard's cheek.
"I wouldn't be me, if I hadn't. And Mikey? He'd be - well, not here, let's say." He mumbled, squeezing Frank's body tight against him. "I-I'm sorry - I haven't thought about anything b-bad like this in so long - a-and I.. it's all just.. coming back to me."
Frank wrapped his arms around him, stroking his back, gently, "I don't mind, say what you want to say or get off your chest. You know I listen." He smiled, humming softly.
"You always listen. I like you for that. All I do is talk, because I can't stop." He sniffed, hunching up his knees. "Anyway, I shouldn't t-talk about M-Mikey, not without h-his consent. He's private about these things." Gerard wiped his eyes and rubbed his temples. Frank nuzzled Gerard's neck, wiping Gerard's tears, kissing his nose.
"Thank you for liking me for the fact that I listen. I love to hear you talk, just everything about you fascinates me, what you say, how you pronounce things, your tone of voice." He smiled, "If you don't want to talk, don't talk, if you want to, go ahead. I'm not going any where soon."
"I know you're not." Gerard replied, his voice low and reassuring. "And, I was going to ask - you can stay with us, you know. If you want." Frank's eyes lit up, gulping.
"R-Really? A-Are you being serious?" He sounded shocked, but unbelievably happy.
"I wouldn't joke about this, Frank." Gerard replied with a joking, haughty expression, smiling softly. "What do you say?" Frank pounced at Gerard, smiling and giggled, hiding his face into his shoulder.
"Thank you, Gee, Thank you." He hugged him close.
"You're welcome." Gerard said, quietly, breathing out as he held Frank close to him. "If you can stand us for much longer." He laughed. Frank giggled, pulling back, resting his forehead against Gerard's, "I-I... Love you, Gee." Gerard nodded back at Frank and gazed thoughtfully. He knew his concept of love - he didn't understand what it meant to feel it.
"You.. Make me produce extra large amounts of dopamine, Frank." He replied, burning scarlet with humiliation when he realised the sentence didn't have quite the sentiment he was aiming for. Frank laughed softly, suddenly playing with Gerard's hair again.
"I have no idea what you just said." He smiled, blushing as much as Gerard.
"I.. yeah." Gerard murmured, avoiding Frank's gaze in embarrassment. "It means.." Gerard breathed in. Maybe he just.. didn't have the words. "I.. you, know."
"I think I know what you mean," He smiled, giggling, "But let me put it more in terms you understand, you make me produce large amounts of Nor epinephrine.. And dopamine and phenyl ethylamine." Gerard grinned, nodding.
"Thank you for humouring my stupid, little ways." He grinned, holding Frank's cheeks in his hands. Frank rolled his eyes.
"Look, you're rubbing off on me, I'm starting to talk like you." He giggled, blushing. "But I'm being honest, I really think, that I, I love you." Gerard nodded.
"I understand." He took Frank's hands in his own. "I c-can't say that yet. S-something's just.. I don't know. Holding me back - I.. I'll say it. One day. I promise."

Frank sighed softly, looking down, "I get it." He blinked slowly, not looking up.
"I'm sorry." Gerard shook his head apologetically. "I'm really sorry."
"It's fine, really, I understand." He bit his lip, gulping, looking up. "It's my fault, I shouldn't of said it so soon."
"No." Gerard replied, quickly, clutching onto Frank. "It's not you. It's my head, it's.. not right. You know?" He lay down his head and shut his eyes. "It's not your fault, okay?” Frank gently took Gerard's hand, lacing their fingers together.
"It's really not your fault, Gee. I shouldn't of said it.. I wasn't thinking," He sighed.
"But.." Gerard hesitated, rubbing a thumb over Frank's hand. "I'm still happy.. that you love me." He smiled, his cheeks a light pink. Frank giggled, blushing.
"As long as you know I do, I'm happy. It takes time to say it." He smiled, bringing their hands up to his face, kissing the back of the other boys hand.

"I wouldn't know, I guess." Gerard sighed, a little glumly. He lay down, tugging his arms around Frank's waist and shutting his eyes. Frank laid next to him, nearly on top of him, "Well, normally, for people, love is a very strong emotion. It takes time to say to someone that you love them." he shrugged, running his fingers through Gerard's black, soft hair.
"Why didn't it take much for you?" Gerard asked, softly, his eyes still closed as he enjoyed Frank's touch. He never meant to offend anyone.
"Because, sometimes, you need to let that person know that you love them, that you feel something for them. I needed to tell you, but love gets stronger as time goes on." He smiled. Gerard nodded understandably and pushed his forehead softly against Frank's neck.
"Even if you don't say it, you must feel something for me, surely, because you're not like this to everyone." He giggled, kissing the top of Gerard's head, still playing with his hair. Gerard grinned and nodded.
"You have made some sort of impact, that I agree with." He turned inwardly. "And there I was, thinking the only person that could challenge me was Mikey."
"Think again." He gigged, "And I'm happy that I have done some sort of impact." Frank smiled, "I'm guessing you like me playing with your hair?" He ran his hands through again.
"My dad used to do it." He replied, quietly. "Sometimes I'd do it to Mikey. Even when he was a baby, he'd do it to me. I guess it's.. how did you put it yesterday?" He pondered, tilting his head. Frank had said a lot of things to him yesterday, too many for any normal person to remember. "Comforting." He added.
"Mh hm, like relaxing and just in general it feels nice." He giggled, "I just love your hair." Frank smiled, looking into Gerard's eyes.
"Thanks." Gerard sniffed, softly. "Can I ask a question, now?"
"Fire away." Frank brushed his fingertips over Gerard's cheek, smiling softly.
"Tell me about your grandmother?" Gerard asked. He had to admit - he was interested. It wasn't science or math, or academia, but - everything about Frank was interesting.

"She was never like a grandmother to me, she was like my best friend. She had long black hair, she would wear leather jackets and biker boots, just in general, she looked pretty terrifying. She had the biggest record collection I have ever seen in my life, which my dad now has. That's really it," He shrugged.
"She sounds frightening, really." Gerard joked, sarcastically, a little unsure if Frank had gotten the joke. "Why did your dad get it?" He replied, crossly.
"I was only 11 when she passed away and trusting a child with records from the 60's, wasn't the cleverest idea." He laughed softly.
"We should get them. I should get them." Gerard noted, pensively. "I'll do that for you."
"Really? For me?" He asked, blushing, smiling softly.
"Yeah, sure. But you're not to come. You're not going near your father. I'll take Mikey, if I have to." He nodded, determined.
"You probably won't need to do that, I can call him and ask him to drop them at the orphanage." He smiled, "You're so sweet." Gerard nodded, maybe in agreement.
"I have my moments." He took Frank's hand in his own, kissing him a little harder than he had ever done previously.
"Mmm." He smiled into the kiss, wrapping his legs around his hips, parting his mouth slightly.
Gerard tugged Frank fully onto his lap, wrapping his hands around the nape of his neck.
"I don't know why but.. This.. Is great." Gerard mumbled, too busy kissing Frank to focus on speaking.
"I'll explain after." He moaned softly, twirling his tongue around Gerard's, placing his hands on Gerard's waist, and stroking his ribs.

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again, r&r ♥