Turn Off The Dark (Frerard)

Part Thirty-One

-Frank's POV-

It took Gerard about ten years to get home.

Well, it obviously wasn't really that long, but it sure as hell felt like it was.

After I discovered the pictures of Gerard and his friend, I couldn't resist snooping just a little more, but the rest of the pictures didn't seem to raise as many questions. There were countless boxes of journals, but I managed to stay away from them. Looking at pictures is one thing. Violating someone's privacy to poke into their innermost thoughts and feelings is another.

I was smiling at a picture of a tiny beaming Gerard when I heard the key in the door. Jumping, I crammed it under my pillow and tried to feign causality as he stepped inside.

"Hey" I offered. Gerard raised his eyebrows.

"'Hey'? When I left you were hanging on me begging me not to leave, and now all you have is 'hey'?"

For a split second I thought he was really upset with me, and my heart dropped, but the next moment he was making that stupid pouty face. I let out a slow and relieved breath.

"I'm just tired. I slept most of that time" I lied smoothly, getting up to embrace him.

Gerard hugged me back, but he was tense. I pulled back.

"Something wrong?"

I watched his face change. He bit his lip, raised his eyebrows, squinted his eyes ever so slightly. But he lied right through it.

"Nah."

Well, now we were both hiding something. Fair enough.

Next I knew he was kissing me.

"Gerard, what the fuck" I said around his lips, but it came out muffled, and he laughed.

"Shut up, I missed you." his hands tangled into my hair, and that was it. The way he pulled me in like he needed me, the fact that this was Gerard- I didn't need any other reason to give in to him.