Using a supreme effort of will that he didn't know he possessed, Frank managed to bury his emotional distress deep inside himself until it reached the point of being manageable. It wasn't like he had any other choice; life wasn't going to pause itself to give Frank time to mourn the loss of his and Gerard's relationship after all. With the ending of his first week at school, Frank also had to return to work, not to mention his assignments were beginning to roll in, leaving Frank with no other option except to pretend that everything was fine, even if it was anything but.

The additions of his night shifts coupled with schoolwork actually helped Frank more than he thought. He had assumed the stress would break him, but it gave him something else to focus on besides how much he missed Gerard. Frank even offered to cover extra hours whenever his boss needed it, working himself ragged before going home and pouring over his textbooks until his eyes were dropping with exhaustion.

It was the days where he had nothing to occupy himself with where Frank found himself choking back tears and reminiscing over happier times, usually either ending with him crying into his pillow, calling Gerard, or retreating to Brendon and Ryan's bar to drink himself senseless. Tonight he had chosen the latter option, even though it was a Sunday night, and he was going to regret his decision in the morning, but with all his homework finished and Pete unable to spend time with him since he had school in the morning, Frank had to find something to do since sleep didn't come easily to him anymore.

Frank hadn't felt the same sense of relief with his best friend as he once did lately, and although he still enjoyed Pete's company, it also served as a reminder of his betrayal of Gerard. Frank refrained from sleeping with Pete after that night, even if he now had free reign since he and Gerard were officially broken up, but it still felt wrong to Frank, and luckily Pete didn't attempt to initiate anything between them either.

So in all honesty, he was much happier whittling his evening away with Brendon and Ryan. His connection to them had strengthened immensely since they had consoled him after Gerard had ended things, and the fact that they supplied him with drinks was an added bonus.

Frank might have consumed a bit too much liquor tonight in retrospect; he could usually handle his alcohol decently well, but his head was currently spinning and everything was bright and fuzzy. Frank felt good though - better than he had in weeks, or however long it had been since he had discovered Gerard was his teacher.

Frank's concept of time had been eradicated lately; his world was now an endless slew of days that passed by in a thick fog punctuated by the few times he saw Gerard, either that or their phone calls. Gerard had held true to his word and made an effort to stay in contact with him, but even on the few rare occasions in which Gerard would agree to allow Frank to come over for a short while, it just wasn't the same.

Of course Frank still jumped at the chance to see Gerard in person, having him in front of him made their late night conversations seem paltry and insubstantial in comparison, but still - it hurt that he wasn't able to touch Gerard, because he wanted to so fucking badly. He ached to hold his hand, to feel his lips grazing his skin once more, but Gerard stubbornly refused to instigate any contact between them minus a brief hug every now and again. The lack of contact filled Frank with sadness, ruining the brief moments during which he was supposed to be happy.

It was a small consolation that Gerard seemed just as distressed by where they stood now, although Frank hated it when Gerard was upset in any way or form, but at the same time, it let him know that he wasn't alone in his struggles. He didn't miss the way Gerard would physically have to force himself to sit further away from Frank than he would like, or his occasional use of pet names which seemed to slip out more often than not, which were all obvious signs that Gerard still cared for Frank, but it didn't make the heaviness in his heart any easier to bear.

Frank hadn't allowed himself to think about the future too thoroughly, but deep down, he was terrified that the bond that had sprung into life between them since the moment they had met was irrevocably damaged, and even once Frank turned eighteen, things wouldn't go back to the way they used to be. There was history between them now, bruised feelings and betrayals that wouldn't magically disappear when Frank was of legal age, but Frank would take any sort of relationship he could get with Gerard at this point, and maybe time would heal the rifts that stood between them.

Frank was more worried about Gerard than himself, mostly because Gerard had changed, or maybe he was no longer letting Frank see the real him like he had in the past. Their interactions didn't carry the sense of ease and safety that Frank had once felt whenever he was near Gerard, and Frank despised it. He wished Gerard would let him in again, to allow him to crawl inside the secret spaces Gerard was so protective of, but his access was temporarily barred now, and Frank could do nothing but wait until he was granted permission to enter.

Gerard pretended he was fine though, but Frank could see through his lies. He constantly appeared exhausted, especially at school, and the dark bags under his eyes coupled with the lingering hint of alcohol on his breath had Frank fearful for Gerard's wellbeing.

Frank was aware of how hypocritical he sounded, especially given his current situation, but he couldn't help himself. Gerard was the sort of person who would allow himself to fall apart without ever once asking for a helping hand, and now Frank was no longer there to support him, so Frank was terrified of what would happen if he wasn't able to find a way to be there for Gerard without being his boyfriend.

Frank had turned to Mikey recently, not wanting to drive Gerard away by inquiring over how he was doing, hoping that his brother could provide that information instead, and Mikey had assured him that even though Gerard was miserable and drinking more than he probably should, he didn't seem to be hurting himself, and he hadn't resorted to drugs either, which had been Frank's main concern.

Frank kept his correspondences with Mikey to a minimum, not wanting Gerard to find out that he was receiving updates about him through his brother. Frank had a feeling that Gerard wouldn't see it as the caring gesture that it was, instead he would most likely view it as another breach of his trust, and Frank couldn't risk placing another wedge between them, no matter how badly he wanted to text Mikey every minute of every day asking about Gerard.

Gerard was strong though, at least Frank hoped he was, and if Frank could make it through this separation, then so could he, not to mention the fact that Frank was convinced that he was the one who needed Gerard the most, not the other way around, and it was his stubbornness that had convinced Gerard to wait for him.

Frank was still surprised that Gerard had even offered to take Frank back in the first place, because why should he risk everything for Frank when there were much better guys out there for him? Frank wasn't going to bring up that point though, that would be idiotic of him, and for some reason, Gerard seemed to see something in Frank that made him want to keep him around, so Frank wasn't going to try to change his mind.

Frank sipped on his coke idly as his mind spun in circles, having been cut off by Brendon after his last drink, but he wasn't quite ready to go home just yet, so plain soda would have to do while he waited until he was sure that he could walk back to his place without collapsing in the street.

Frank stiffened suddenly when he felt a hand being placed on his shoulder, knowing that it wasn't Brendon or Ryan since they were both busy working the bar in front of him. It was most likely one of Frank's regular hookups looking to see if Frank was willing to go back to their place with them for the night, but Frank's neck didn't seem to want to function properly, so he couldn't turn to get a good look at them.

"I'm not interested," Frank mumbled, trying to force his voice to emit in a clear fashion even though his words still sounded slurred and lazy despite his best efforts.

"Frank - it's me," the man huffed, gently spinning Frank around on his stool until Mikey's thin face filled his blurry vision. "How much have you had to drink?" Mikey questioned, his brow furrowing as Frank's lips split into a goofy grin now that he had recognized his friend.

"Hey...sorry, thought you were someone else," Frank tried to explain, his smile only widening when Brendon wandered within earshot. "Look Bren - it's Mikey," Frank exclaimed excitedly, even though Brendon had obviously already taken notice of him.

"It is," Brendon chuckled softly, angling his body in Mikey's direction as he leaned over the bar, apparently in an attempt to have a private conversation with the other man, but Frank still heard it given the fact that Brendon had to speak up to be understood over the music.

"You are Gerard's brother right?" Frank flinched at the mention of Gerard's name, still unused to having it be spoken aloud unless he was the one doing it, missing Mikey's nod of affirmation entirely. "Do you think you could make sure he gets home okay? I was going to take him once we close up, but that isn't for a few more hours."

"Yeah of course," Mikey instantly agreed, ignoring Frank's pout of protest in favor of continuing his conversation with Brendon.

"But we don't have to leave now," Frank spoke up, not wanting to be forced out of his one place of safety just yet, "you just got here? Don't you want to order something?" Frank bargained desperately.

"I shouldn't be spending my cash anyway, I was just looking for something to do, and babysitting you works just as well as getting drunk."

"I don't need looking after - I'm fine," Frank whined, his eyes watering slightly when Mikey's expression took on a stubborn cast. "Please...I don't want to leave just yet."

"Well...I guess I can take you back to my place for a bit, Gerard's asleep though," Mikey sighed, his tone filled with a hint of a pity that would usually have Frank on edge, but right now it didn't bother him at all as long as he didn't have to be alone.

Because that was the problem here, it wasn't Frank's house necessarily, although it wasn't a place that he enjoyed frequenting, but it was the fact that he would be left to himself with nothing between him and the sorrow he was struggling to keep at bay that terrified him. Frank was so tired of crying, of breaking down and sobbing as quietly as he could so he wouldn't wake his mother, and that was what his evening would hold for him if he didn't take Mikey up on his offer.

"Sounds good," Frank tried to nod in agreement, but the simple action almost had him toppling from his perch when the world suddenly tilted alarmingly, only Mikey's outstretched arm stopping his downward motion.

"Be careful Frank," Brendon called out while Mikey helped him stand shakily. Any quick movements seemed to throw off Frank's internal balance, but once he regained his feet, he managed to take a few steps without any support from Mikey.

"I will, and I'm sorry I got so drunk, I forgot to eat before, but I'm okay," Frank babbled quickly, wanting to erase the lines of concern that were creasing the corner of Brendon's eyes.

"I'll make sure he's safe," Mikey assured Brendon, waving to the bar owner before steadily ushering Frank outside into the cooler air. The summer heat had finally relinquished its hold on New Jersey, and the chilly atmosphere helped clear Frank's head a bit, although moving from his stationary position had his stomach protesting angrily.

"Fuck," Frank muttered to himself after they had made it about a block. His stomach was cramping constantly by this point, and he could no longer resist the urge to vomit, even if the last thing he wanted to do was showcase his current weakness in front of Gerard's younger brother.

Mikey kept him from falling over as he got sick in the entryway to a small alley, the expulsion doing nothing to alleviate his drunken state in any way, in fact, Frank felt even more inebriated by the time his insides had finished their revolt, but his nausea had subsided at least.

"We've come full circle huh?" Mikey remarked casually while slinging his arm around Frank's waist, supporting most of his weight while Frank did his best not to trip over anything.

"Yeah I guess we are even now," Frank chuckled hoarsely, remembering how his decision to take Mikey home all those weeks ago had turned into what was debatably the best and worst thing he'd ever done.

"You're doing better at walking than I was at least," Mikey grinned, and Frank couldn't help but smile back, even if his insides were burning and he thought he might pass out at any moment, he was on his way back to Gerard's place, which was more of a home for him than the house he had lived in his entire life.

They didn't speak much after that; Frank was too busy trying not to throw up again and Mikey was otherwise occupied with guiding them, but eventually, they made it to Mikey's apartment without incident, although Frank didn't think he was going to be able to make it up steep set of stairs leading to their floor.

Frank got sick again once they were inside, thankfully making it to the sink before losing the contents of his stomach. Once it seemed that he was empty, Mikey threw together a makeshift bed for him on the couch with consisted of a spare pillow and blanket that he had pulled out of their linen closet, although by then Frank was so out of it he was certain that he could have slept comfortably on the floor.

Mikey retreated to his own room after Frank was settled, reminding Frank to wake him if he needed anything, but Frank was already borderline unconscious, so he wasn't able to formulate a coherent reply before his eyes fell shut and he was dozing off despite the way the room continued to spin even once his vision turned black.

~~~

Frank awoke at some indeterminate hour of the early morning, his body moving before his mind had even processed the fact that he was conscious, and by the time Frank was aware of his surroundings, he found himself kneeling on the rough tile in the bathroom, his throat burning and his stomach churning as he threw up the rest of the liquor that he hadn't expelled earlier.

Frank didn't try to fight the waves of sickness, knowing he needed to empty his stomach before he would start to feel better. His eyes watered heavily as he heaved over and over again, his hands gripping the cool porcelain rim in front of him in order to keep himself balanced.

Frank faintly heard the door behind him creak open, followed by a soft pair of footsteps before a gentle hand was placed on the small of his back. Frank didn't have to look up to know it was Gerard, he could already tell by the careful touch and the fact that he suddenly felt more at peace than he had in ages.

Frank waited for his mind to bring up he bitter reminder that they were broken up, but for some reason, that didn't seem to matter right now. Frank wasn't even concerned with how he looked, or that he was currently puking up his stomach contents, because Gerard was here, stroking his hair back from his face gently while murmuring soothing words in Frank's ear, and just for a little while, everything was okay again.

When Frank's gagging finally ceased, Gerard pulled Frank flush against his chest, setting him securely in his lap so Frank was no longer crouching on the uncomfortable floor. Frank's muscles instantly relaxed as Gerard's familiar scent surrounded him, and before he could stop himself, he was nuzzling into Gerard's hold, inhaling deeply in satisfaction, and much to his surprise, Gerard allowed his display of affection.

"You okay now?" Gerard murmured lowly, his hands idly stroking over Frank's ribs in a delicate fashion.

"Think so," Frank groaned, "I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"You didn't, I just couldn't sleep, and finding you here was a nice surprise. I'm assuming Mikey picked you up while he was out?" Gerard asked, not seeming at all bothered by Frank's random appearance even though he typically dictated when Frank was allowed over at his place.

"Yeah, he stopped by the bar," Frank answered sleepily, his eyes drifting shut without his consent now that his insides were beginning to calm themselves. "Got a bit more messed up than I meant to so he offered to let me sleep here." Gerard simply hummed in reply, rocking Frank's curled up frame from side to side in a comforting manner.

"I wish you wouldn't drink so much," Gerard spoke up after a minute of nothing except their synchronized breathing, but his tone wasn't condescending at all, it was more wistful than anything else.

"I could say the same to you," Frank retorted thickly, pushing away the exhaustion that was threatening to overwhelm him in favor of enjoying this moment for as long as possible. "I can smell it on you in class sometimes."

"I know I'm being hypocritical," Gerard chuckled roughly, "but it's the only way I can make it through the day half of the time, and I don't want you to end up like me."

"It helps me forget," Frank admitted softly, his eyes welling up slightly at the reminder of everything he was trying to escape from. "You're right though - I should slow down, but I'm not making any promises."

"Maybe just try...for me?" Gerard asked carefully, the concern in his tone arrowing directly into Frank's heart like a precisely aimed bullet.

"Yeah...okay, I'll do my best," Frank sniffled subtly, a sudden rush of emotions washing over him, but he was able to hide his distress before Gerard noticed that anything was wrong.

"Come on sugar, let's get you back on the couch." Frank whimpered slightly, maybe because of the pet name, maybe because he wasn't ready to move just yet, and unfortunately, Gerard caught onto the small sound.

"I'm sorry - is it still okay if I call you that sometimes? I don't mean to, but it's sort of a habit now," Gerard stammered nervously as he slowly stood up, helping Frank to his feet as soon as he was upright.

"No - I like it...really, it's just bittersweet you know?" Frank choked out, tottering over to the sink so he could wash his mouth before allowing Gerard to lead him back into the living room, an uncomfortable silence settling down around them as Frank wracked his brain, trying to think of a way to get Gerard to stay with him for a bit longer, but in the end, he settled on blunt honesty. "Can you sit with until I fall asleep? You can say no, it's fine if you can't, I mean - I know you have to get up early and all."

"Of course Frank, I don't want to leave you alone until I'm sure you aren't going to be sick again anyway." Gerard beamed down at him, his smile somehow lighting up the dark room better than any lamp ever could.

"Thank you," Frank exhaled gratefully, burrowing back under the blanket Mikey had left for him while Gerard positioned himself near Frank's head, allowing him to lay over his legs while he carded his fingers through Frank's hair instinctually.

Frank didn't want to say anything else, because this amount of affection was a rarity that he had been starving for over the past few weeks, and he knew words would only shatter the moment, but Frank's mouth had other ideas, and his sentence had hit the open air before he even realized he had spoken.

"We're halfway there, do you think we are going to make it?" Frank questioned tentatively, because unless he was mistaken, it had been almost a month since their break up, meaning it would be October soon, and his birthday not longer after that. His body tensed up as he waited to see how Gerard would react to his query, and for a moment, it seemed like his heart ceased to beat as well.

"I hope so," Gerard whispered, sincerity leeching from his every pore. "I want to be with you more than anything, and you are still coming around, so that has to be a good sign." Gerard ended his statement with a laugh that sounded borderline painful, inspiring Frank to wrap his arms around Gerard's waist the best that he could while in his prone position.

"I want that too - so fucking much. I haven't been with anyone else since the time I told you about, and even though waiting is one of the hardest things I've ever had to do, I know it will be worth it in the end."

"That's good, but you can if you want - sleep with other people that is. I don't want you jumping into this and then regretting it later on...losing you for a second time might kill me," Gerard attempted to keep his tone light, but Frank saw straight through his paltry attempt at deception.

"I know, but I only want you okay - when are you going to get that through your thick head?" Frank tried to chuckle, but it transformed into a yawn about halfway through, his jaw popping sharply as he nuzzled closer to Gerard's warm body.

"Shut up and go to sleep, I don't want you dozing off in class tomorrow," Gerard grinned, attempting to make a joke out of their fucked up situation, and it actually seemed to work. Frank was getting used to the fact that Gerard was now his teacher, and although it was still not ideal, it didn't bother Frank as much as it should.

"No promises," Frank murmured groggily, but if Gerard ever said anything in response, it was lost on Frank as he slipped into slumber with an ease that only appeared when Gerard was present.

~~~

When Frank woke up for the second time, he was shocked to find himself in Gerard's room instead of on the couch, not to mention the fact that the older man was pressed against his side, his breath tickling the back of Frank's neck with each exhalation.

Frank froze in place, not daring to move a muscle in case this was a wonderful dream, but no - it was real, Gerard must have moved him sometime in the night, and Frank hadn't realized how much he had missed the simple act of sleeping in the same bed with the older man until just now.

Gerard's limbs were wrapped around him tightly, trapping Frank against his chest in a warm embrace, just like they always did when Frank used to stay the night with Gerard, and although Frank knew he should try to free himself so he could get home before his mother woke up, he didn't really give a shit about that right now, and it would take nothing short of a disaster to convince him to get up.

Frank hummed softly to himself on contentment, threading his fingers through Gerard's lightly while he still had the opportunity. Frank was overcome with a sudden rush of love for not only Gerard, but also this entire snapshot in time. Everything about this moment was so calming, so domestic, and Frank found himself wondering what it would be like to wake up to this exact scene every morning.

Much too soon for Frank's liking, but what was probably a good half hour later, the alarm on Gerard's phone began to go off, shattering the peaceful quiet within the course of a few harsh beeps. Gerard shifted slightly, moving on what seemed to be autopilot before his hand landed on the device which he placed on snooze. Instead of getting up afterward like Frank thought he would, he simply burrowed back into the blankets, mumbling something incoherent under his breath as Frank tried to stifle a giggle caused by Gerard's adorable nature.

As tempted as Frank was to follow Gerard's lead and sleep the rest of the morning away, he knew he was going to have to be the responsible one here if either of them wanted to make it to school on time, but before Frank could convince himself to disturb Gerard, Mikey beat him to it by pounding on the door loudly, the sound startling Frank so much he almost toppled off the edge of the mattress.

"Gerard - wake the fuck up, you have to be at work in twenty minutes," Mikey groaned, rapping his knuckles against the wood sharply one last time before his retreating footsteps faded away.

"But 'm sleepy," Gerard called out thickly, groaning under his breath as he threw the blankets off the both of them, and it was only then that he seemed to remember that he had another occupant in his bed if the look of surprise on his face meant anything at all.

"Good morning," Frank grinned, his lips stretching wider when Gerard returned his gesture with a smile of his own.

"Hey sugar," Gerard beamed, rubbing one eye idly as he began looking around for something to wear.

"So did I sleepwalk in here or..." Frank chuckled nervously, trying his best to smooth the numerous wrinkles out of his shirt with little success, his mouth running on his own to banish the uncomfortable aura that Frank felt lurking at the edges of his consciousness.

"Nah - you kept twisting and turning all night, and I was afraid that you were going to fall off of the couch, so I moved you in here," Gerard shrugged nonchalantly, even though his caring gesture warmed Frank immensely, and Frank was positive that Gerard was aware of that as well.

"Thanks...I didn't even notice," Frank chuckled softly, keeping his back turned as Gerard changed out of his pajamas, even though the temptation to turn around and sneak a quick peek was almost irresistible.

"It was no big deal, I couldn't really relax until I knew you were safe, so bringing you in here seemed like the best thing to do for everyone." Gerard brushed off Frank's gratitude easily, throwing on a blazer that had seen better days over his light gray button-up shirt. "Do you need to head home first, because if not, I can drive you if you want. I'll have to drop you off at the corner or something, but at least that way you won't be late."

"I think I have a spare uniform shirt in my bag," Frank answered quickly, because even though the right thing to do would be to go check up on his mother before school, it wasn't like this was the first time he had spent the night away from her, and she could always call him if she needed him, which she hadn't done yet, not to mention that Frank wanted to wring out every second he could get with Gerard, so he definitely wasn't going to turn down his offer even though it would be safer for the both of them if he did.

~~~

Frank could barely wait until school let out to call Pete with good news for once, the desire to share his evening with Gerard bubbling away inside of him as he prayed for the clock to move faster so he could finally contact his friend.

Frank would have liked to actually stop by Pete's place and tell him what had occurred in person, but he had to work tonight unfortunately, and he wouldn't have time to fit in a visit since he had to head home first to make dinner for his mother.

His mother had been doing a bit better, even though her spending had taken another irresponsible downturn, but she hasn't suffered through any episodes in which she mistook Frank for someone else lately, so he was counting that as improvement, and he didn't want to risk damaging her progress by disappearing for an entire day without any explanation.

Frank pulled his phone out as soon as his bus creaked to a halt at his stop, dialing Pete's number eagerly as the excitement in his veins thrummed under his skin. Frank was aware that he might be looking too deeply into what had happened last night, and Gerard most likely had been experiencing a momentary lapse in judgment, but Frank was still counting it as a victory in his book, and he wanted someone else to share in his joy.

Frank barely gave Pete the chance to say hello before he launched into a spiel involving the minute details of his evening, slowing his pace so he wouldn't arrive home before his story had finished. Pete listened without interruption as Frank gushed about how Gerard had consoled him while he had been ill, quickly moving on to how he had stayed with him while he slept and even moved him into his room so he would be more comfortable.

"And when I woke up - he was fucking cuddling with me, not to mention he drove me to school afterward." Frank finally finished his narrative, taking a moment to catch his breath once he had run out of words for the time being.

"That's awesome Frank, I'm happy he was so nice to you," Pete responded, and although his tone sounded a bit stiff and forced, Frank thought nothing of it.

"Thank you, and I know it isn't really that big of a deal, but lately he has been so distant, even when we do spend together, so it was a reassurance of sorts that he hasn't stopped caring for me, and I really fucking needed that."

"I'm sort of surprised you are still so hung up on him," Pete remarked casually, startling Frank with his statement since Pete had been nothing but supportive of their relationship so far, and Frank hadn't been expecting such a negative reaction from him.

"Why do you say that?" Frank huffed, irritation bleeding through his previously happy mood now that Pete wasn't as ecstatic for him as Frank had hoped. "I told you I was falling in love with him, you didn't think that would change in the course of a few weeks did you?"

"No - not really," Pete hedged nervously, and Frank could almost see him shifting back and forth in agitation as he spoke. "I mean - I guess I thought you would realize that being with him is more trouble than it is worth, and even if he does wait for you to turn eighteen, it's not like all of your problems are going to suddenly go away, and the last thing you need right now is any more stress."

"What the hell Pete?" Frank sputtered, his internal equilibrium reeling now that Pete no longer seemed to be on his side. "Gerard is the only thing keeping me sane...I thought you knew that?"

"Well - I mean..." Pete paused for a moment, and Frank could hear him sucking in a deep breath through the line, "it sounds like you just want affection from another person, and I get that you'd like it to come from Gerard, but I honestly think you would be happier with somebody else," Pete ended on practically a whisper, and even though Frank wanted to curse him out and tell him how wrong he was, he forced himself to calm down before he did something he would regret.

"I know our situation isn't ideal, and forgetting about him might seem like the easier option, but Gerard means the world to me okay...I'm not giving up on him, and I thought you of all people understood that," Frank hissed, harsh tears stinging at his eyes when he realized that not even his best friend believed that he and Gerard could one day achieve happiness.

"I'm not trying to make you upset Frank, and if you want me to, I'll shut up right now, but if I'm being honest, I think it's unhealthy how much you rely on Gerard, not to mention the effect he has on you. You've changed since you met him, and I - I'm worried about you Frank," Pete admitted guilty, and although Frank was aware that it had taken Pete a great amount of courage to voice his thoughts aloud, it didn't stop Frank's vision from flickering in and out as he fought back the fury that his sentiment invoked.

"Whatever Pete - forget I even called you okay?" Frank snapped, wanting to end this conversation that had taken a very upsetting turn as soon as possible, "but for the record, I don't give a shit what you or anyone else thinks about Gerard, and he may not be perfect, but he is in my eyes, and that's all that matters."

"Frank - please don't do this," Pete begged, his desperation bleeding through the phone line so heavily that Frank managed to swallow his anger and hear him out. "I only want you to be happy, and if Gerard does that, then I have no problem with him, but I think that you could find that same sense of security and love in someone closer to your own age."

"Oh yeah - like who?" Frank scoffed, missing out on Pete's obvious hint entirely since he was still trying to reel in his temper, so he was completely caught off guard by Pete's next statement.

"Like me..."

"Oh," Frank gasped, his head spinning due to the whirlwind Pete had invoked within it composed of confusion and shock as he realized what his best friend was implying.

"I mean - it's whatever, I just thought it would work you know? I already love you, and it's not like we've never gotten physical before. I could be there for you in ways that Gerard never could, it just seems like a good solution..." Pete rambled awkwardly while Frank struggled to gather his scattered thoughts, his mind torn into shreds due to Pete's unexpected bombshell.

"Pete," Frank finally managed to force himself to speak, needing to stop his friend before he dug an even deeper hole for himself. "You know I love you too, but we are just friends okay? It's not that I don't care about you, but it's different with Gerard. I mean - fuck, I can see myself marrying him one day if we ever reached that point, I can't even imagine my life without him, and yes - I need you too, but it's not in the same way."

"Yeah - of course," Pete choked out, sounding much more upset than Frank had expected, but he didn't know what else to say to soothe his friend's wounded emotions. "It's no big deal, just a suggestion - um...I've got to go, my mom's calling me," Pete stuttered awkwardly, ending the call before Frank had the chance to say anything else.

Frank stared down at his phone screen blankly, debating on if he should call his best friend back and try to smooth things over between them, but a part of him knew that it would be a pointless effort right now. Frank had vaguely been aware that Pete had cared for him a bit more than he had let on, but he had always buried that knowledge away instead of facing it head on, knowing that bringing it into the light would do nothing but damage the strong bond they had maintained for years.

But now Pete had finally voiced his affections aloud - or had he? Frank could simply be thinking too deeply into this, and Pete hadn't exactly said he wanted to be with Frank, just that he was willing to try if Frank wanted to. Pete had always been oddly protective over Frank, so maybe he had offered to be his boyfriend simply to save Frank from getting hurt again.

Pete had sounded so hurt at Frank's rejection though, but Frank didn't want to accept the fact that Pete was genuinely in love with him, it was too much for him to handle right now, so he would rather pretend that Pete had simply thought that he was doing Frank a favor, it was a much better conclusion than the other option in which Pete truly desired to be Frank's boyfriend.

Whatever the case was, Frank didn't want to ponder it any longer. He would talk to Pete tomorrow after he had calmed down, but for now, Frank wanted to try and salvage the remainders of his good mood that had been torn to shreds by Pete's reluctance to see Gerard in the same light Frank did.

And yes - Pete might be right in some aspects, but Pete didn't know Gerard, he didn't see the way he had taken care of Frank last night, or the soft sheen in his eyes whenever Frank would catch him staring at him. Pete might have Frank's best interests at heart, but Frank knew without a doubt that Gerard was what Frank needed right now, and hopefully with time, Pete would figure that out as well.

So this actually isn't the chapter I was talking about in my last author's note that I was excited to write, I went back over my notes for this book and realized I got a bit ahead of myself, but this one still has some nice Frerard moments.

I also didn't mean for this update to be so late, but I struggled a lot with it for some reason. It took me a good week to get it all down, not to mention I have been sick, so sorry for the long wait but I'm still here.

I'm off to bed now, so if you feel inclined to leave some votes and comments, they would make me very happy to see when I wake up.

Love you guys.

Chapter dedicated to UmaSnow

I'm a pain in women's clothes

<3 starr