FicWad

Frank looked up at Gerard through his lashes as they lay together on the couch, an empty pizza box on the coffee table in front of them and an old black and white movie playing on the TV.

Since the kiss in the doorway a strange sort of atmosphere had descended in the apartment. Frank couldn’t tell if he was feeling good or not. The kiss had been incredible, soft and sweet and short lasting… and just everything Frank had needed in that moment. But when they had pulled apart Gerard had blushed fiercely and quickly moved back, mumbling about ordering food and leaving Frank just feeling more confused than ever.

There was an extra intimacy between the two men compared to before. Although it was nothing new, Frank lying on Gerard’s chest and gradually falling asleep, there was something special about it now. Something in the unspoken words between them and the energy creating a nervous tension that seemed to tingle over their skin. Gerard’s hand was stroking gently through Franks hair, soothing him… asking him… what are we? Do you want this? Do I want this? Frank wasn’t sure of the answer.

“Gee…” Despite whispering the words seemed too loud in the quiet, breaking through the atmosphere like a ship into an iceberg and Frank blushed as Gerard turned his head to look at him.

“Mm?” The older man smiled softly, his own eyes half open, just as sleepy as Frank was. Usually they would have gone to bed by now, but neither man had wanted to move first. Frank couldn’t go to bed… not whilst not knowing where they stood now. He didn’t know if Gerard was still angry with him or not, and he didn’t know what the kiss had meant.

Merpeople kissed, just like humans did, and as far as Frank was aware the social connotations were the same. Did this mean Gerard liked him? Was he attracted to him like Frank was? Or had it just been a heat of the moment impulsive action, spurred on by relief at seeing Frank back safely?

“Gee…” Frank sighed, ran his tongue over his lips, tried to formulate the right words. He suddenly felt entirely out of place. How could he speak to Gerard about feelings? He didn’t belong in the human world, he didn’t understand their conventions well enough to really understand what he was asking. He suddenly couldn’t remember anything he had been taught in the ocean before coming on land and he opened and his mouth a few times before giving up and shaking his head.

Gerard’s hand was soft as he cupped beneath Frank’s chin and tipped his head up to look at him. He smiled softly at him, warm and familiar, though his eyes were alight with a gentle concern. He searched Frank’s gaze for a moment, his heart stuttering. This awkwardness had gone on too long… Gerard knew it was his own fault, he shouldn’t have just walked away after the kiss. He should have waited to see how Frank reacted to it, but he had been afraid… God, he had wanted Frank since the first night of having him in his flat, kissing him had felt so forbidden he couldn’t imagine Frank would respond positively.

Yet… Frank had curled up into his arms on the couch, just like he always did. He had cuddled up to him all evening despite the tension, despite the unanswered questions. Perhaps Gerard needed to stop jumping to conclusions and let Frank tell him how he felt himself.

“Frankie…” He whispered, gazing into the warm honey eyes of his companion. “What is it?”

Frank stared up at Gerard with a soft, needy gaze. The warmth of his hand beneath his chin was enticing, his warm eyes drawing him in. Frank wanted to kiss him again.

“I… I just…” He paused, wetting his lips once more as he took a deep breath and thought over what he wanted to say. “I’m sorry… for making you worry.” An apology seemed right somehow; He hadn’t apologised properly since returning, perhaps that was why everything felt so different. “I needed some time to think about stuff, but I had every intention of coming back to you… I don’t want to be apart from you.”

Gerard’s breath hitched as he gazed at Frank, inhaling deeply as his head swam and he nodded mutely for a moment. Frank wanted to be around him… that was good. Gerard wanted to be around him too. He had been so worried when he had come home to find Frank gone, had thought maybe he had gone home without saying goodbye.

“It’s okay…” He whispered, smiling softly and moving his hand to stroke against Frank’s cheek instead. “You don’t need to apologise. I probably over reacted.” Gerard couldn’t move his eyes off Frank’s, he knew this conversation wasn’t the one Frank wanted to have. He knew they had to talk about the kiss.

“You didn’t…” Frank sighed, shaking his head but not pushing the matter. They could go round in circles all night about this, but Frank didn’t care anymore. He just wanted to understand what he was doing here, what Gerard wanted from him… What he wanted from Gerard in return.

“Listen, what happened… The kiss I mean…” Frank trailed off, gazing into Gerard’s eyes and gently smoothing his hands up his chest to rest on the front of his shoulders. “Why did you walk away after?” His voice was so quiet it was almost inaudible, his cheeks flaming as he felt embarrassment suddenly wash over him. He could understand if walking away had been a rejection, if Gerard had realised he’d made a mistake and just didn’t want to talk about… But Frank had to talk about it. He had to know. He needed it spelling out for him.

“I…” Gerard paused, blushing himself. He had been expecting the question but he still wasn’t prepared for it. His eyes flicked to Frank’s lips on instinct, wanting to kiss them again. “I was worried I’d overstepped a line.” The words came out soft, calm. Gerard was too busy focusing on Frank’s mouth to worry about what was coming out of his own. “I was scared I had done something you wouldn’t like.”

Frank was quiet for a moment, a pang of relief stabbing him in the gut before spreading slowly through his veins. It hadn’t been rejection, Gerard had just been nervous. He had thought Frank wouldn’t want to be kissed… Frank found it absurd that the artist could ever question it. Wasn’t his feelings for him clear? Frank had never felt like this for anyone, it was hard to hide the emotions that were controlling him. Everything he did revolved around Gerard, not just because he was his only link in understanding and fitting in in the human world, but because Frank couldn’t stop thinking about him…

“Why would I not like it?” He eventually managed to whisper, feeling tired and drained from his long day, but a sleepy energy was now taking over him. If he went to his own bed he could sleep quite easily, but if he stayed here there were plenty of things he could do to Gerard first. “I’ve wanted to kiss you for ages Gerard.”

“Ages.” Gerard chuckled, shaking his head as he blushed. “Frank you’ve only been here two weeks.” It was the rational side of him trying to speak, trying not to let him read too much into Frank’s words or get too hopeful. Two weeks… It was not enough time to fall for someone. Not enough time to realise they were more important to you than anyone else… and yet he agreed with Frank, it felt like he had wanted him for ages too.

“Is it not normal to want to kiss someone after two weeks?” Frank asked softly, worried he was making too many mistakes in human rituals and that Gerard was going to push him away. But to his relief the artist only sighed and smiled, cupping Frank’s face in both hands now as he shook his head.

“No I meant two weeks isn’t ages but… Of course it’s normal. You can want to kiss someone after just a day.” Gerard wasn’t about to go telling Frank that he was abnormal, he was hardly an expert on such things. But even if it wasn’t normal to kiss someone after two weeks Gerard couldn’t give a damn. Now he knew Frank wanted him too he wasn’t going to hold back.

“Well… I want to kiss you.” Frank whispered, his eyes focusing on Gerard’s lips as he moved subconsciously closer. “I want to kiss you really bad…”

“Then do it.” Gerard sighed, caressing Frank’s jaw with his fingertips.

For a moment the merman was lost, not sure how to proceed. But then, he reasoned with himself, merpeople kissed exactly the same. Just because Gerard meant something special to him didn’t mean he had forgotten how to kiss someone.

Passing his tongue along his lips again Frank slowly closed the gap between them, touching his lips gently to Gerard’s at first but then sinking into him when his nerves disappeared with the soft press of shared desire. Gerard’s lips were warm, dry and so soft it made Frank’s hands feel sweaty. He kept them pressed to the artist’s chest, their lips gently working together as they kissed and held onto each other.

Both men were tentative for a while, unsure of the boundary they were crossing. Both had kissed before, but both knew this time it was different. Neither man knew exactly what it was, but it felt dangerous somehow. Like once they did this they would reach a point in their companionship which they couldn’t return from. Both their hearts were racing and as Gerard traced his tongue along the crease of Frank’s lips and then gently pushed forward to explore his mouth he was all too aware that when Frank chose to leave now he would never be able to simply smile and wave him goodbye. He knew better than to get his feelings mixed up in someone he knew had to leave… but knowing better wasn’t enough to stop him.

When the kiss broke the two men slowly opened their eyes to gaze at each other, Frank’s face now flushed and his eyes glossy. He didn’t know whether it was having a human body or whether it was just because this was Gerard, but the kiss had stirred up sensations in him he had never had as a merman but he was now growing used to. His jeans were a little tighter and his chest felt like it was constricting. He wanted nothing more than to kiss Gerard over and over and rub his cock against him until he came. Was that allowed? He had never had lust explained to him, only fornication. He wouldn’t mind sex with Gerard, but there were so many other things he wanted to do too.

Gerard gazed at Frank with an equally dazed look, his breathing also a little heavier than before. The kiss had been soft, tender… Both man nervous of going too far. Gerard didn’t know anything about Frank’s sexual history, he couldn’t even try to imagine… If Frank wasn’t a human, as Gerard seriously suspected, then who knew what experience he had. Gerard supposed he had to just treat him like a virgin until he got any information.

Frank too was nervous about his sexual inexperience. Merpeople didn’t have sex until it was time to procreate, and he and Jamia had never got that far. Though merpeople had no qualms about two men having a relationship, they didn’t have sex if they were together. It was too risky to come to the surface and gain a human form for the sake of sex for pleasure… Now Frank thought about it he supposed some couples must have done it in secret, especially those who had already gone through the reproduction stage and knew that sex was pleasurable. But he hadn’t had that experience or any like it… the only thing he had to go on was his masturbation but when it came to acting like a normal human sex was a grey area for him.

For a long moment neither man said anything, Gerard just brushing his fingers gently over the back of Frank’s neck. He wanted to say something, to ask how far they should go, to ask for boundaries… If he didn’t know where the line was drawn he could go too far so easily. God, he wanted to go so far…

“Frankie…”

“Shh…” Frank sensed that Gerard was tensing and he quickly leant forward to kiss him again, wanting him to stay relaxed. Frank was nervous, but he knew what he wanted. He didn’t know how to be like a normal human, but he knew that he wanted to kiss Gerard, and that Gerard wanted to kiss him too.

Gerard sighed and didn’t protest as Frank worked his lips gently over his, pushing his tongue into his mouth when his confidence grew and making Gerard groan quietly with desire.

The older man slid a hand down to rest on Frank’s lower back, his other hand cupping the back of his neck to keep him close whilst he kissed him deep and slow. Knowing that Frank wanted this helped Gerard relax again, his lips aching every time Frank’s disappeared for a second. The hand on Frank’s back dipped lower, Gerard’s fingertips slipping beneath the waistband of his jeans for a moment to touch the curve of his ass.

Gerard couldn’t help but sigh wantonly, his pleasure focusing in his groin so that his cock pulsed in his jeans. When Frank shifted he felt his own hard arousal jutting into his thigh and Gerard almost lost control right then. He wanted so badly to push Frank onto his back and rock their hips together; to strip him of all his clothes and fuck him right there on the couch.

“Fuck…” Gerard suddenly pulled away from Frank’s mouth, gasping as he shook his head and squeezed his eyes shut. “Frank stop.” He groaned, panting softly as he tried to compose himself again. “We… I… I can’t control myself.”

Frank looked at Gerard with confused, slightly alarmed eyes. He couldn’t understand what Gerard meant and he leant closer to him again, wanting to carry on kissing him. He had never known that kissing could feel so good, no one had ever told him…

“Control yourself?” He murmured, slipping his fingers up Gerard’s neck to touch against his jaw line. “What do you mean?”

Gerard opened his eyes to look at Frank, not sure if the younger man could really be so oblivious to what he was referring to. He bit his lip, his heart racing as he cupped Frank’s hip and sighed deeply. He wasn’t sure if Frank even knew what sex was, or any of the stuff that built up to it. He obviously had a fully functional body, that much was made apparent by the erection hot and demanding against Gerard’s leg.

“Frankie…” He sighed, meeting the merman’s soft gaze. “You know what sex is don’t you?” He asked softly, his cheeks tinging pink and slowly burning to a crimson red. It felt so absurd asking a fully grown man if he was aware of sex, but it felt like the right question to ask. Frank was obviously not like normal men.

“Of course.” Frank nodded with some confidence, stroking his fingertips along Gerard’s jaw. “I’ve never had it but I know what it is.” He said softly, knowing that he should be completely honest with Gerard. He got the impression that all humans were supposed to know all the dynamics of sex by a certain age, and Frank couldn’t say he knew all the finer details.

“You… You’re a virgin?” Gerard rose his eyebrows in surprise, amazed anyone as good looking as Frank could still be untouched. If he hadn’t known what sex was Gerard could understand it, he had wondered if Frank came from a place that didn’t have it… but if he did then how was he still so pure.

“A… What?” Frank blushed and bit his lip, wanting to know what Gerard was talking about but he didn’t know the word. He didn’t want to have this conversation, he felt embarrassed and nervous, he hadn’t felt like that when they had been kissing.

“A virgin… Haven’t had sex before.” Gerard clarified quickly, moving his hands up Frank’s back so they were no longer resting on his backside.

Frank blushed and nodded, biting his lip. Was virgin a derogatory term? “It’s not going to be a problem is it?” He asked quietly, hoping it wasn’t. “It’s not that I’ve never wanted to have sex, I just never had the opportunity.” Frank supposed that wasn’t strictly true, if it hadn’t been for the storm two weeks ago he would have had the perfect opportunity.

“We really shouldn’t be talking about sex at all.” Gerard sighed, sitting up so that Frank slid off him. He ran a hand through his hair, suddenly unsure of what to do. Maybe he was making a big deal out of something that didn’t matter, being Frank’s first was actually an incredibly appealing concept… But he couldn’t just have sex with him now he knew he was a virgin. They were moving too quickly as it was, this time yesterday they hadn’t even come close to kissing, and now they were discussing sex? Gerard knew he had to pull the brakes on the whole thing before Frank got carried away.

Frank sat back slowly, looking at Gerard with uncertain eyes. He couldn’t understand why the atmosphere in the room had suddenly changed so much. It had been going so well, the kissing had been wonderful and now Gerard didn’t seem to even want to be close to him.

“Gee I’m sorry.” He whispered quietly, looking down at his hands folded in his lap. He was no longer erect and he wondered fleetingly how it had gone down so fast, usually he was unable to make it do that unless he touched it. He guessed the pain in his chest must have something to do with it.

Gerard’s eyebrows rose in surprise, his eyes sparkling with concern as he quickly crawled back towards Frank and slid an arm around his shoulders. Tugging gently, he soon had Frank curled up in his lap, his cheek against his chest and he sighed as he stroked a hand through Frank’s hair.

“Why are you apologising?” He asked quietly, gazing down at the younger man and waiting for him to speak. He couldn’t see Frank’s face, but he could feel the warmth of his blushing cheeks through his t-shirt. Was Frank trying to hide from him?

“Frankie?”

“I just…” Frank trailed off, pressing his face into the soft fabric of Gerard’s shirt, finding sanctuary there and he didn’t want to pull back. He wasn’t sure why he was apologising, it just felt like the right thing to do. He had obviously done something wrong or Gerard wouldn’t have stopped like he had. Frank felt stupid and awkward, he couldn’t figure out how to be like a normal man, he didn’t belong here at all… He couldn’t even get the one thing he wanted even when it seemed like Gerard had wanted it too.

“If I did something wrong… Went too far… Skipped something I shouldn’t have. I don’t know… Whatever I did, I’m sorry.” The words were easier to say when he was mumbling them into Gerard’s chest. He didn’t dare peek up to see his reaction, but to his surprise strong arms tightened around him and Gerard groaned quietly as he squeezed him close.

“Frankie what are you talking about? You didn’t do anything wrong. Jesus, it was me I… I don’t want to have sex with you when you’re so inexperienced, and if I kept on kissing you like that then I…” Gerard sighed, squeezing his eyes shut. He wasn’t the type of man who could just bluntly come out with things like this. His college friends would always talk about sex in some detail, but Gerard couldn’t even voice his own desires without getting incredibly embarrassed.

“I would have gone too far…”

Frank kept quiet for a moment, hiding in Gerard’s arms and taking in what he had said. So being a virgin was a problem… he was inexperienced, and Gerard felt like he couldn’t touch him because of it? Frank didn’t really understand that, everyone had to get experienced somehow.

“You wouldn’t have gone too far.” Frank slowly looked up, peeking up at Gerard through his lashes as the older man looked down on him. “I don’t see why my inexperience is a problem. If you want me to be experienced then teach me.”

“Fuck Frank, it’s not as simple as that.” Gerard groaned, running a hand through his hair and moving to hold Frank at arm’s length, searching his gaze with lust still clear in his own eyes. “Sex the first time hurts okay? Especially for men… I mean sure I could have you top me but…” Gerard blushed. He wasn’t sure if there was a gentle way of telling someone they were obviously a bottom. How could he even know that Frank was? Just because he had a feeling about it, didn’t mean he was right.

Frank gazed up at Gerard with big eyes, biting his lip. They had been told in the sea that sex might hurt for the mermaids, but not the men. Frank had to think for a moment why Gerard would think it would hurt him, but then he slowly realised it was because in effect he would be the girl.

“Oh…” He breathed, blushing deeply and bowing his head for a moment. He knew how gay sex worked, or at least he could imagine how it would work. He wasn’t a human but he had common sense, and he could guess how sex between two men might pan out.

Frank sighed and kept his head bowed for a moment, considering everything for a moment. He didn’t feel happy anymore. He felt stupid and naïve and like he should go away, but something in him made him keep still.

“So…” Frank sighed, huffing gently and shrugging. “What are you trying to tell me?” Frank looked up at Gerard again, his eyes hurt and his face pulled into a wounded scowl. “I won’t ever kiss you again. I’m sorry if I made you uncomfortable.” He sighed, getting off Gerard and going to walk to his bedroom to be away from him. He felt a strange emotion bubbling inside him, making his cheeks go red and his eyes burn with unshed tears. He had never felt rejection like this before and it made him feel sick.

Gerard blinked in surprise as Frank got off him. For a moment he remained on the couch, looking stupidly where Frank had been a moment ago before some sense trickled back and he shot off the sofa as if it had turned into hot coals.

“Frankie wait!” He gasped, chasing after him and grabbing his wrist before he could walk into his bedroom. “We should talk about this – Just because I won’t have sex with you tonight doesn’t mean I don’t want to kiss you.” Gerard looked at Frank with wide, meaningful eyes, silently begging him to give him a chance. Frank met his gaze, scowling for a moment, before relenting and sighing as he nodded and let Gerard pull him back to the sofa.

“Listen, Frankie I… Fuck, I don’t usually talk so bluntly about this stuff but I think maybe with you I need to…” Gerard ran a hand through his hair and sighed, wondering how something like sex had become such a huge deal. It was his own fault, he supposed. Frank had clearly been happy to just make out and not talk about it, they probably would have ended up doing it and Frank still wouldn’t have told him he was a virgin. But Gerard by now was so convinced that Frank wasn’t a normal person he couldn’t allow himself to do what he so desperately wanted without making sure it was all clear first.

“Listen… I really like you.” Gerard blushed fiercely as he looked at Frank, waiting for his reaction but the younger man didn’t even look like he had heard the confession. “Like… a lot…” Gerard added slowly, looking at Frank intently. “More than anyone…”

“I really like you too.” Frank responded, watching Gerard with a clearly confused as expression. He had thought the fact they liked each other was obvious. He watched Gerard watching him, both men waiting for the other to carry on speaking and for an awkward moment neither one did.

“Okay so… Because I like you, I want to do things with you… Like have sex.” Gerard continued quietly after accepting that Frank wasn’t going to carry on talking. “But I…” Gerard hesitated, not quite sure what to say. He looked into Frank’s gorgeous eyes and sighed, biting his lip. “To be honest with you Frank…. I get the impression that you’re not exactly… well…” Gerard’s hands waved in the air, as if that would help him conjure up a kinder word than the one he was about to use, but none came to mind and instead he simply blurted out, “Well… normal.”

Frank raised his eyebrows at Gerard, surprised by his incredibly honest admission. His heart began to race erratically and nerves filled him, his mouth opening and closing as he tried to think of what to say. He had been worried that he hadn’t been passing as a human, but to hear Gerard say as much made him feel terrified. How long had the older man suspected him?

“Oh…” Frank couldn’t think of anything to say. He couldn’t deny it, it was true… but he couldn’t just agree. He couldn’t just tell Gerard what he was.

“Oh Frankie I’m sorry.” Gerard groaned, taking Frank’s hands and squeezing them tightly. “That was an asshole-ish thing to say, I don’t know why I said it I’m so sorry.” He apologised, his cheeks flaming red. He hadn’t mean to make it sound like Frank was some kind of a freak, he just hadn’t been thinking. He was terrible with words. “I only meant that… Well… I dunno, you just seem so…”

“It’s okay, I get what you meant.” Frank sighed, squeezing Gerard’s hands as he blushed himself. “And you’re not wrong. I... I am different.” The admission had Frank’s head spinning he was so nervous, knowing that he shouldn’t be saying anything like this but maybe a little bit of truth would help stop Gerard from discovering exactly what he was.

“You… You are?” Gerard’s own heart began to pound as he looked at Frank with wide eyes, lacing their fingers and pulling Frank closer to him. Was this it? Was Frank about to tell him who he really was? Gerard tried to imagine how he would react if Frank confirmed his suspicions that he was an alien, but he tried not to jump to conclusions and to just listen.

“Yeah I… I’m not from around here.” Frank chuckled nervously at how much of an understatement that was, keeping his eyes on Gerard’s despite the strong urge to look away. “I don’t know much about sex or any of the social norms leading up to it… I don’t know about technology or… or laws or… or any of that stuff you’ve been helping me understand.” It was nothing that Gerard wouldn’t already know, Frank reasoned, he wasn’t telling him anything new.

“But I do know that I like you more than I’ve ever liked anyone… And that you make me feel things I didn’t even know was possible until just recently.” Frank’s voice had dropped into a whisper, and by now both he and Gerard were blushing. “And I know that I want to keep kissing you… and that if it leads to other things, as long as you’re happy to teach me then I’m happy to learn… Even if it hurts because I’ve heard in the end it’s worth it.” Frank touched one of his hands to Gerard’s chest and played idly with his shirt, lowering his gaze when it became too hard to keep looking at Gerard. “So… that’s the truth.”

Gerard opened his mouth to respond but then promptly closed it again when he didn’t know what to say. He hadn’t been expecting Frank to say any of that, but it was much nicer to hear than a confession to being an alien. Suddenly Gerard didn’t want to worry about Frank’s naivety or virginity anymore… suddenly he just wanted to take him to bed and get on with what they obviously both wanted.

“Frankie…” He whispered, a weird feeling constricting his chest and he sighed as he pulled Frank gently on top of him. “You’re incredible you know that?” He sighed, softly pressing his lips to Frank’s and exhaling quietly as Frank kissed him with such a tenderness that his heart missed a beat. He wanted to ask him about who he really was; where he had come from; how he had ended up naked on the harbour wall on that fateful night, but before he could voice any questions he had become distracted by Frank’s lips and this time he had no reason to want to stop kissing him.

Frank expected Gerard to ask him something, to push about who he was but to his surprise the artist only tightened his hold on him and deepened the kiss so that their tongues entwined. Frank shivered delightfully all over, fisting his hands in the artist’s shirt and mewling over how it felt to be kissing him again at last. He hoped he wouldn’t stop but he knew that he probably would… but even when both men were fully erect and their arousal was obvious they still didn’t stop, and soon enough Gerard was hoisting Frank up into his arms and carrying him to his bedroom.

“Gerard?” Frank sighed against Gerard’s lips, wrapping his legs around the older man’s waist and not fighting as he was carried into Gerard’s room and gently dropped onto the bed. Being a merman Frank didn’t understand the connotations of what this meant, but he was strangely thrilled to be inside Gerard’s room, lying in the bed he slept in… and possibly masturbated in if Frank’s activities were anything to go by.

“We won’t have sex tonight.” Gerard whispered, undoing his shirt and dropping it on the floor before crawling up onto the bed to lye over Frank, gazing at his handsome face. “But we can make out… and… maybe explore a little, if you wanted?” He offered, Frank’s broad smile all the answer he needed and he chuckled as he lifted him slightly into another, wanton kiss, swallowing the moan of delight that Frank passed into his mouth.

Gerard didn’t know who Frank was, but he was certain now that one day soon he would find out. Frank had opened up to him at least a little that night, and now that they were letting their feelings for each other manifest Gerard hoped that in time Frank would trust him enough to tell him the whole truth.

~*~

When Frank woke that morning it was to find he was basking in a pool of sunlight that had made its way through a gap in the curtains. The bed sheets were tangled about his legs and waist, and he was completely naked. Gerard however was no longer in the bed, in fact, he was nowhere to be seen at all.

Frank sat up slowly, yawning and rubbing his eyes as he looked about the room. He and Gerard had had an amazing night, kissing and touching each other until late. Frank had discovered that Gerard’s hand wrapped around his erection felt a lot better than his own, and that a mouth felt even better than that… He had cum twice under Gerard’s lazy exploring, and had even managed to make Gerard achieve orgasm too much to his delight. He had gone to sleep feeling strangely accomplished… but his heart sank to find the bed now empty.

Frank sighed and got out of bed, yawning as he pulled on his underwear and made his way out of the bedroom. Gerard usually woke up before him, and he didn’t see why it would be necessary for him to stay in the bed if he was awake, so he tried not to feel too disappointed that he had woken up without his artist beside him.

As it was Gerard wasn’t exactly difficult to find. Frank could smell freshly brewed coffee as soon as he stepped out of the bedroom, and he could hear the TV playing in the living room. Gerard himself was in the kitchen, spreading peanut butter over toast, wearing nothing but his underwear.

Frank smiled when he saw him, walking over to press a light kiss to his shoulder blade.

“Good morning…” He purred, smiling when Gerard turned round to him and wrapped his arms around his middle, kissing him lightly on the lips.

“Good morning gorgeous… I was just making you some breakfast.” He beamed, handing Frank a plate of toast before quickly making up one for himself. “Did you sleep alright?” He asked idly, biting his lip as he remembered how he had spent an hour that morning just lying on his side and watching Frank sleep. “I have to say it is a pleasure waking up with you in my bed…”

“Thanks.” Frank laughed, grinning as he quickly kissed Gerard again. “I slept great Gee, I loved sharing with you.” He sighed, practically swooning as he made his way into the living room and sat down in front of the TV.

Gerard came in and sat beside him, putting down a mug of coffee for each of them. “I’m glad to hear that.” He chuckled, grinning as he kissed Frank’s cheek before sighing as he looked at the TV screen where the local news was playing. “Mm… Bad news this morning.” He sighed, nodding at the reporter so Frank would pay attention to it.

“Some guy went missing off his boat last night… The police think he must have fallen off his boat somehow and drowned.” Gerard whispered softly, his stomach twisting as he scooted closer to Frank who was watching the TV with parted lips, a blonde reporter on the screen stood in front of the harbour wall barely ten minutes away from them.

“The coastguard was alerted at about one this morning that there was an unmanned boat about three miles out to sea. A rescue boat was sent out and arrived at Mr Archer’s boat half an hour later. Though a search team went aboard there was no sign of Mr Archer or anyone else aboard. It is believed that Mr Archer had an argument with his wife and went onto his boat at around half eleven. Police speculate that he must have fallen from his boat and drowned, possibly due to drunkenness. His death is not being treated as suspicious.”

Frank’s heart missed a beat as the news story continued, but he had tuned out almost instantly. He looked at Gerard, wondering if he thought there was anything suspicious about this man’s death. As far as Frank knew this kind of thing wasn’t common and he bit his lip as he looked nervously at Gerard.

“It’s scary isn’t it?” The older man sighed, touching Frank’s hand. “To think some guy just disappeared ten minutes away from here… I dunno… It sounds fishy to me, people don’t just fall off their boats.” He sighed, though he guessed it was possible. If the man had been drunk then it wasn’t unlikely that he had stumbled and fallen, but Gerard just didn’t feel like that was the case.

“I guess…” Frank whispered, still staring at the screen. “Do you think he was… pushed?” He asked quietly, looking at Gerard’s face but the older man just stared at the TV, frowning slightly and not answering for a long moment. Frank was starting to think he hadn’t heard him, but then Gerard looked at him and shook his head, forcing a smile.

“Course not. He was obviously just a drunkard who fell off his boat, I was just being dramatic.” He said flippantly, getting up to turn the channel over as Frank watched him sceptically. He and Gerard both knew that wasn’t the case at all, but Frank only nodded his agreement and busied himself with eating his toast, pushing the news story out of mind whilst it wasn’t important.