✓ ❘ 𝐄𝐌𝐎 𝐐𝐔𝐀𝐑𝐓𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐌𝐀𝐆𝐈𝐍𝐄𝐒 ─ 𝐌𝐂𝐑. 𝐏!𝐀𝐓𝐃. 𝐅𝐎𝐁. 𝐓Ø𝐏.

Time. (Part 3) (Gerard Way/Frank Iero x Reader)

"Frank, would you mind giving us a minute?" you asked quietly, folding your arms around your barely-covered body.

Frank opened his mouth, about to protest, but once you shot him a look, he nodded and reluctantly made his way back into the kitchen, leaving you with Gerard.

"What do you mean you broke up with her?" you demanded. "You called off the engagement?"

"I called off our relationship," he clarified, taking an unsure step towards you.

"Why?" you spat, taking a step back as soon as your ex took one forward, trying to keep as much distance between you and him as possible. "You two seemed pretty in love at the coffee shop the other day."

"Because of you." Gerard sighed when he saw the clear look of displeasure form across your features. "Look, (Y/N), I know this whole thing seems very douchey-"

"You're right, it does," you interrupted him, your anger beginning to rise up. This man had broken your heart – no, shattered it – and now here he was with the nerve to try and win you back, after he'd no doubt just broken Lindsey's heart too. "You can't just come back to me and assume that everything will be okay. Because it's not. You hurt me, Gerard. The moment I gave you the opportunity, you went running! Away from me and straight to her!"

"You're the one who told me to go!" he defended, raising his voice slightly to match your angered tone.

"That didn't mean that you had to!"

"What was I supposed to do?!"

"Fight for me!" you yelled, throwing your hands up. The minute you'd seen Gerard at the door, you had sworn to yourself that you wouldn't cry. No matter what happened, you wouldn't cry. But your body was betraying you, and you could feel tiny droplets of moisture building up in your eyes. "You could've fought for me," you whispered, looking down at the ground as a few tears spilled over your eyelids and rolled down your cheeks.

"That's what I'm trying to do!" Gerard replied, his voice sounding urgent as he took tentative steps forward until he was close enough to touch you. But he didn't, for fear of your inevitable rejection. "And if you'd stop yelling for a moment, and just listen to me..."

"Listen to you?" you scoffed, bringing your eyes up to meet his pleading ones. Your heart fluttered from seeing those hazel beauties from such a close distance after so long, but your stone-cold expression never faltered. "So you can tell me what? How leaving me was a mistake? How you wish you could go back and change it? Sorry to break it to you, but I've heard it all before."

"I love you," he said softly, reaching for your hand and when you didn't recoil, enveloping it in his own and caressing it.

"I love you, too," you sighed, closing your eyes with a frown. You pulled your hand out of his embrace. "But I can't do this again."

"(Y/N), please..."

"No. I'm sorry, Gerard. I can't."

"Because of Frank?" he asked, bitterness evident in his voice as hurt flashed in his eyes.

"Partly," you admitted, wrapping your arms around yourself. "But mostly because I know that I can't survive getting my heart broken by you again."

"My love-"

"I'm not your love," you cut him off once again. "Not anymore. Goodbye, Gerard."

The finality with which you'd uttered those final two words was like a knife through Gerard's heart, and he knew that you'd made up your mind. There was no convincing you otherwise. No winning you back.

He nodded solemnly before turning around and walking back to the door. His hand closed around the handle and his movements ceased for a moment, as he turned back to you. "I'm sorry, (Y/N)."

"I am too."

~

You sat on the sofa, hugging your knees to your chest as you watched some cooking show on TV, yet not actually paying attention to whatever was happening.

You felt the comfort of a blanket being draped over your shoulders, and you turned to smile at Frank, who'd just sat down next to you. He returned your smile and placed a kiss against your temple, before grabbing the remote and putting on your favourite show.

The two of you sat in comfortable silence for the next little while; you were grateful for the comfort provided by both your favourite show and Frank and his warmth, both literal and figurative.

It was mid-way through the second episode when you'd decided to break the silence.

"How much did you hear?"

Frank shrugged. "How much do you want me to have heard?"

You tilted your head and gave him an incredulous look, making him sigh.

"I heard that he dumped Lindsey because of you."

You nodded, silently pushing him to continue.

"I heard that he loves you."

You stayed silent.

"And..." he said the next few words softly, and swallowed as if it brought a bitter taste to his mouth, "I heard that you love him too."

You breathed out a shaky breath. "And," you started, "did you hear me tell him that I'm not at all interested in getting back together with him?"

Frank's head snapped towards you. "What?"

"And," you continued, ignoring his question, "did you hear me say that you were part of the reason why?"

"I am?" he asked, a smile playing on his forever-red lips.

"You are," you couldn't help but smile back. You reached your hands up and clasped them at the back of his neck, your fingers toying with the hair at the back of his head.

"Did last night have a lot to do with that?" he smirked, reaching out to push a strand of your hair behind your ear before running his thumb over your cheek.

You bowed your head and let out a light giggle before returning your gaze to Frank. "It played a significant role," you smiled. "But I think it was mainly to do with the fact that you were there for me when I needed you. You always have been."

"And I always will be."

You smiled at the man sitting next to you before frowning slightly. "Frank, obviously I have feelings for you... but as to where we go from here – what we are – I can't tell you. At least not right now."

"Eh, I've never been too concerned about labels anyway," he placed another kiss to your temple and pulled you into his chest. "Don't worry about it. We have time."

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Thank you for reading x