I had to add that image up there because it's a solid staple in the Twilight universe. Anyway, that exact scene is what you'll be seeing in today's update!

"Will they stop when they see me again? I can't stop now I know who I am. Now I'm all yours, I'm not afraid, and you're all mine. Say what they may."

— All Yours, Metric.

That night, Frank dreamt of Jamia. His mind perfectly replicated her petrified face as she bolted from the woods and into the clearing of the meadow where Frank stood with Gerard. Glistening like a diamond in the sunlight, Gerard's exquisiteness was augmented by the ethereal filter of a dream's spectrum, heightening Frank's unbridled desire for him, but Jamia's sudden shout pulled him from his trance.

"He'll kill you!" Jamia shrieked as she stumbled along the field, halting in her tracks before she grew too near to Gerard. "Frank, he'll kill you if you don't get away from him right now!"

Frank was bewildered. He instinctively stepped back towards Gerard who curled a protective arm around his waist, anchoring him as if he feared Frank would choose to sprint towards Jamia after listening to her bizarre warning, but Frank didn't have any choice to make to begin with. Gerard's innocence was clear.

"Please, Frank, you have to get away from him. He's a monster." Jamia helplessly reached out, eyes building with tears.

"He's not a monster." Frank called out as a spark of fury glowed hot as an ember in him.

"Open your eyes, Frank. This isn't who you are." Jamia's voice grew further and further despite her not moving an inch, the blood draining away from her face.

The honeyed tones laying in the meadow dispersed the way her flush had and the sunlight was swallowed in a sea of rumbling clouds rapidly closing in on the sky. Frank's heartbeat quickened as a loud crack of thunder echoed out over the land and nestled deep in his core which jolted in shock from the suddenness of it. A chilled wind encased Frank in a foreboding embrace sinking under his flesh. He reached out for Gerard, turning to him for shelter, but his Gerard had abandoned him.

The Gerard he was faced with had eyes glowing crimson red matching the vivid grotesqueness of blood staining his perfect slightly parted over gleaming fangs that had split open an anonymous person's flesh. Beyond the unrestrained hunger freely burning in his eyes was the anguished look of a person who'd committed an act of betrayal— such was the betrayal of his oaths, of everything he was, all in favor of falling victim to the beast underneath the man. Frank was stone-still in horror, unable to escape the iron grip anchoring him. He recalled how he was once willing to sacrifice everything to be held in those arms for the most brief moment in time as long as he could store away the memory of their haven. Only Frank's eyes could move, and move they did to the lifeless form of Jamia sprawled out at Gerard's feet.

When Frank awakened, it was with a jagged gasp lodged in his throat and a gentle hand shaking his shoulder. Frank flinched away from it as he registered the cold that felt too similar to the freezing temperatures in the dream and a touch he'd expected to reach him before he touched reality. Not even the softness of it could help his reaction that was the desperation just before plummeting from unknown heights.

"Frank?" A soft voice called out to him, stirring in the mist surrounding Frank's head and parting it just enough to pin his fear in the heart of its physical form.

Frank fully awakened once he held onto the voice echoing in his mind and waded out towards it. The tormenting figment of fear was slaughtered and he emerged from its chains unraveling all around him. His breathing came heavy, his forehead damp and his hands curling deep into the covers to grasp onto something or he feared he'd fall over somehow until he realized it was impossible when he was secure in his bed. Still, he gasped out in confusion.

"Hush now, darling, you're okay. Whatever plagued your dreams isn't real." That same velvet-rich voice returned, ebbing away Frank's panic. A hand stroked through his hair and pressed him to a solid chest.

Chasing the sleep from his eyes, Frank looked up and met the kind face of his beloved Gerard, so vastly different from the nightmarish version of him corrupting his sleep. Crimson existed not in the endless deep green and earth that felt enough like the ground in Astoria for Frank to feel he was back on his feet. Deeply relieved to be met with Gerard's concerned eyes and the halo of dark hair framing around his perfect face, Frank breathed out tremulously and threw himself at Gerard. His limbs wrapped tight around him and his face burrowed into his chest, inhaling the sweetness of his scent bringing him all the way out from his dream's prison. There was no blood, no corpses, no violent storms. Only the gentle drizzle of rain falling upon the roof and the tenderness of Gerard's arms cradling around him in a soothing embrace.

"You were having a nightmare." Gerard whispered worriedly.

Frank squeezed his eyes shut tight. He worked through the thickness in his throat to respond. "I was. It was fucking awful."

"I'm so sorry. Do you want to talk about it?" Gerard placed a barely-there kiss in Frank's unruly hair, his hand smoothing over the wild tresses, uncaring of their state.

Frank wouldn't dare utter a single detail about what his conscious conjured up. For his sake and Gerard's–– he didn't want to think about what Gerard's reaction would be to it. Frank shook his head, clinging on harder. Gerard didn't pry, only continued to alleviate Frank's tension and distress until it was practically all dissolved and sent out to sea. Frank counted the seconds as his heartbeat slowed back to an acceptable pace and sighed into Gerard's shirt.

"I think I'm fine now." Frank pulled back, blinking open his eyes and finding Gerard's eyes like mossy brown and green cathedral glass peering down at him to assure he wasn't lying about his state. Frank offered him a smile that wasn't all forced as it slowly dawned on him that Gerard stayed through the entirety of the night. It was nothing equivalent to the euphoria of realizing yesterday had been the sweetest reality of all, doubled by the first sight his tired eyes were welcomed with being Gerard's face resting near to his own. Under blankets was the tangle of legs, the strong tether of Gerard's arm draped across his waist as his hand soothed him in gentle stroking patterns along his back. Frank's felt his muscles going pliant under the soft rhythm, the awful remains of a bad dream melting away like black mist dispersing.

Frank burrowed his head into the crook of Gerard's neck and sighed in relief. He was a bit upset with his own mind for bringing him a configuration of things unpleasant, things Gerard could never be. Would never be. He was curious about Jamia's presence and thought about her for the first time in a while, tracing his mind back to the legend about witches and vampires that guided him to the most grand discovery he'd ever made. Frank shut his eyes and willed thoughts involving his nightmare to scatter and make room for complete focus on the present.

"I don't like knowing you had unpleasant dreams. I only ever hope for them to be sweet." Gerard's whisper was right beside Frank's ear, pulling a pleased shiver from him.

"Mostly they are. Everyone gets nightmares from time to time, it can't be helped." Frank pressed his cheek against the side of Gerard's cool neck. "You stayed."

"All night. If for some bizarre reason I'd want to escape, it would be impossible. You wrapped every one of your limbs around me." Gerard's amused smile was evident in his voice.

Chagrined, Frank made a sound of protest, holding on tighter. "Just making sure you don't disappear on me."

Gerard's hand drew down to Frank's lower back and gently worked the knot of muscle there, relaxing places in Frank he hadn't known were bunched up. He released a muffled groan of satisfaction and utterly melted into Gerard. He was overcome with the urge to stretch up and find Gerard's lips to press the softest of kisses against his mouth now that he had a desire for it instilled in him, but Frank rocked back down to the present as he remembered a couple of unpleasant things that set him apart from Gerard's form of being, much to his disgruntlement.

"I'm gonna have to let go for a couple minutes. Unfortunately, humans have very annoying needs I really wish didn't exist right now." Frank began to disentangle himself, but to his surprise, Gerard tightened his hold around his body to keep him there.

"I've gotten so used to your warmth through all of these hours that I'm certain we're almost the same temperature now." Gerard's fingers stroked through Frank's hair as he scooted down a few centimeters to press his face into the hollow of Frank's throat. "Just a small moment longer?"

Frank was liquified into a pile of rosy wax resting at Gerard's feet. The sway of his voice was gentle, a hesitating plea as if he wondered if he asked for too much from him, and as if there was any chance in the world that Frank would deny him. Frank couldn't accomplish the impossible. It felt like his body suppressed every regular alarm going off in him for that frame in time where he complied by staying boneless in his bed, wrapped up in Gerard's embrace and shutting his eyes. Gerard's scent must've penetrated the covers and the pillow shams overnight for how strongly it waltzed around Frank–– the devious part of his brain was deeply satisfied with that result of Gerard's overnight stay. If Gerard couldn't be with him, Frank could wrap his arms around his pillow and pretend his presence filled the empty side of the bed that belonged to Gerard from then on.

They stayed on their peaceful cloud for longer than intended. Gerard's head resting in Frank's neck and Frank languidly running his fingers through his hair. To Frank's dismay, he couldn't ignore his body for any longer and forced himself to wriggle out of Gerard's arms to roll out to the bathroom, hiding away his grin at Gerard's soft sound of sadness despite releasing him.

Frank was a complete disaster. His hair was a mess, he'd forgotten to take out his piercing and it laid crooked in his lip, but he was lucky it hadn't gotten caught in a loose thread somewhere. A spray of fresh blood was the most disastrous thing that could happen in the presence of a vampire who struggled enough resisting the temptation. Frank's thoughts trailed back to the night where their passion grazed, but proved to be too powerful for either of them to indulge in safely. Frank was a bit embarrassed that his desire clouded over the things he knew well, things that he evidently needed to practice just as much as Gerard now that it was clear Frank would have a hard time controlling himself. Adam would probably describe it as "keeping it in his pants."

At least Frank could let his mind wander when he was alone. What was the harm in that? Frank faced himself with a blazing blush as he looked at himself in the mirror while brushing his teeth, stifling a chuckle. He often forgot his own age and was suddenly reminded with his train of thought like the exact one bringing bright color to his cheeks when realization hit him. Gerard was still in the other room, so he redirected his thoughts to his appearance, fixing himself up as best as possible. He wasn't sure what today had in store for them, but he was eager to find out.

Frank exited the bathroom swiftly and practically bounded back into the room. Gerard was sat up now, lost deep in his thoughts, but he instantly snapped out of them the second he sensed Frank.

Frank launched himself back into the bed. He giggled and rolled over onto his back next to Gerard, his hair in his face. Gerard gazed down at him adoringly and swept his hair away, lingering on his skin like a brush of a flower. Frank sat up to sit closer, but he gasped when he was taken into Gerard's arms and perched in his lap, easily arranged like a doll through his surprise. Frank hadn't sat in anyone's lap in ages, he nearly forgot how comforting the closeness could be. It was recreated into something brand new that made butterflies erupt in his stomach, belling out all the way up to his throat with a warm feeling bringing a smile to his mouth.

"I liked watching you sleep last night. I don't think there's a single person out there who sleeps as deeply or soundly as you do. Except for when your dreams take a sour turn." Gerard mused softly as he stroked a stray strand of Frank's hair from his cheek.

Frank squirmed. "I don't snore, do I?"

Gerard snorted softly, his eyes bright and warm. "You do, but if it reassures you, you aren't loud."

Frank groaned and buried his face in his hands. "That's still embarrassing. You're the last person I'd want to hear me snore, I completely forgot about that part."

"It lets me know that you're resting your mind and you'll wake up refreshed." Gerard coaxed Frank's hands away from his face. His gaze was buttery, locking with Frank's. "You said my name a few times."

"And I talk in my sleep?" Frank almost cried out, much to Gerard's amusement. He pressed Frank close and kissed his burning cheek.

"You said my name so adoringly. And once, you called out to me, telling me you love me." Gerard's low whisper was dipped in honey. His lips trailed to the corner of Frank's jaw, brushing against his skin as he whisper, "I answered you softly when you said so."

Frank's heart fluttered. "What did you say?"

The tip of Gerard's delicate nose traced along the curve of his jaw and lead him towards Frank's ear for his lips to approach it, his arms secure around his waist. "I said I love you most, always."

Always. Frank felt sunlight encompassing him and he knew from a fleeting glance out the window that it came not from the gloom outside, but from the pit of Gerard. It once held a labyrinth of ice Frank treacherously skated around to get to the place hidden inside where all of winter melted away into eternal spring. Frank felt everything inside him flutter.

To be safe, Frank asked, "Can I kiss you?" To be even more cautious, he added, "I promise I'll behave."

Gerard's tilted grin was a reassurance to the knitting of skittishness rising in Frank as he was left unsure if he could ask for another touching of lips after that very thing caused a mild disruption in their night. Gerard delicately cupped Frank's chin and guided his lips to his in a soft kiss webbing around Frank's body, submerging him in a warm river of momentary bliss. The concentrated taste of the sweetest scent Frank had ever known sank under his lips and settled on the tip of his tongue even after they parted. Frank's forehead stayed pressed against Gerard's as a dopey smile rose to his face, Gerard mirrored it and stroked his thumb across his cheek.

"What's the plan for today?" Frank pulled back and asked, sliding himself off Gerard's lap to open a drawer in his dresser containing all of his neatly folded shirts. Frank may not have been the best at organizing all of his items, but his collectible shirts were his prized possessions he handled with care when it came time to do laundry.

"We can do anything you want. I picked out a place for us yesterday, it's fair for you to have a turn." Gerard answered without really answering Frank's question.

Frank hid his smile with his back turned as he carefully weaved through his selection of shirts. "Oh really? What if I told you I wanted to go bungee jumping? Would you agree to that?"

"Hypothetically, I would if that's what you really wanted, but realistically, I know you'd never ask to do that."

"Why not? You don't think I'm hardcore enough?"

Gerard snorted, humored. "I think you're tougher than you give yourself credit for, but I've watched through the minds others your poor performance in gym. Your coordination is another thing that makes me believe you'd do anything in the world as long as it doesn't involve sport or adrenaline of any kind."

Frank spun around, mouth open in disbelief and curved slightly from building laughter. "Just because you're perfect doesn't mean you can judge me for being bad at gym. I'm pretty sure the only people who are good at it are the show-offs on all the sports teams."

Gerard tilted his head back with a laugh. "I'm not judging, only stating the obvious. In all fairness, if I didn't have the abilities I do, I'd probably be just as terrible as you are at all sports."

"Knowing you, you're probably just saying that to make me feel better." Frank spun around again and plucked out a Joy Division shirt he remembered Gerard commenting on once. "You know I'll automatically forgive you for it, though."

"And your mercy is a blessing I won't be taking advantage of." Gerard said while seated on Frank's bed. In the next moment, he was right beside Frank, admiring the shirt he held in his hands. "I'll say something perfectly truthful. I really am impressed by your collection. You have tons of band shirts."

"I bet yours is way better than mine. Didn't you say you have an original version of this shirt?" Frank hadn't even noticed he didn't startle by Gerard's sudden appearance that time.

Gerard's smile grew nostalgic. "I did, I'm surprised you remember that. I suppose I can share the truth now and tell you I got it at a Joy Division show."

Frank's eyes grew impossibly wide from awe and maybe a tendril of envy that couldn't be helped–– after all, the band was one of Frank's all-time favorites, a classic for anyone to have witnessed during its brief formation just before tragedy struck.

"You're fucking kidding me," Frank breathed, "You went to a show? Do you have any idea how many people would kill for that?"

Gerard's thumb brushed against the fabric of the shirt and he nodded, his smile fading into a forlorn pinch. "I do. Ian Curtis was a wonderful soul. It's terrible what happened, more saddening to know the things he endured before he went through with his decision. There was something in his eyes when he was onstage, something dull and worn down. But nothing prepares you for a tragedy of that magnitude. Not even early signs."

Frank felt similarly on a couple of occasions where artists he was incredibly fond of met their life's end in an untimely way, but there was a much more personal punch to it when there was an underlying memory of the look in their eyes, the sincerity in their face, and even the signals that hinted at something no one on the outside could even imagine until it unfolded.

"I'm sorry." Frank said softly. "I mean— I can't imagine how it feels seeing that for yourself and then hearing about what happened on the news not long after."

Wistfully, Gerard sighed, letting go of the shirt. "We were lucky enough to have him for the time we did."

Frank cracked a faint smile and hugged the fabric against his chest. "Couldn't have said it better. Now I really want to see your shirt to compare it to mine."

Gerard's eyes brightened with a surplus of words he didn't speak, but Frank felt them surging under the surface, begging to break free and channeling Frank's curiosity.

"I can show you today, if you'd like. It's put away with the rest of my collection." Gerard suggested.

Frank went still. "You mean–– at your house?"

Gerard smiled sheepishly. "Yes."

Frank's stomach filled with sudden static bolting through his veins like shocks of electricity. "Wouldn't your family be there?"

Gerard pressed his lips together to abstain from smiling any wider as the tenderness in his eyes pulled Frank under. "I'd like for you to meet them. Properly. If the idea is something that appeals to you at all."

Frank's thoughts immediately redirected to a confrontation between himself and Gerard directly in front of his family's stunned faces. He recalled the blistering hatred in Alicia's eyes, the tension and unease visible on Kristin and Mikey's faces as though they hadn't anticipated his approach, but it wasn't possible Kristin hadn't seen it coming when Frank's resolve was deeply seated. He didn't think he left such a sour lasting impression if Gerard's mother undoubtedly knew what went on between them, perhaps news had been relayed to them when Gerard returned home. The importance of Gerard's offer sank in and thus became just as important to Frank in return.

Suddenly, Frank sprung into a bit of a frenzy. "Oh my god, you're–– yes, it appeals to me. I need to–– I can't wear just a band shirt and jeans, I need something more presentable."

"They won't care about the clothes you wear. Wear whatever you're most comfortable in."

"Maybe they don't care, but I do." Frank breathed, scrambling to neatly tuck his shirt back into his drawer. "There's a shirt you liked, the–– the green one, that one shirt that––"

"Sweetheart," Gerard placed both hands on Frank's upper arms to anchor him back down out of fear he'd skyrocket with nerves. Frank's wide eyes lifted and met Gerard's dancing in both amusement and a monumental amount of radiating sunshine that melted away the edges of frost webbing around Frank's insides. "I understand you want to look nice, but you hardly need to stress over it. You're perfect regardless of what you wear."

Frank wished Gerard would review the meaning of the word perfect and observe himself in the mirror to find the true meaning of it instead of assuming its definition laid in Frank. Despite a somewhat sarcastic reply that wanted to catapult from his tongue on instinct, he broke it apart and let it dissolve, overcome from a sweeping flush burning under every inch of his skin. Frank mustered a wobbly nod and settled for not voicing his worries aloud, worries that Gerard would immediately attempt to soothe, but nothing could alleviate them until he passed the threshold of Gerard's home for the very first time.

"Did you already know I'd accept your invitation?" Frank asked annoyingly breathlessly. He needed to be somewhat certain of one element at least, one he knew Gerard would see he hinted at through his question.

"Yes, and there's nothing but success waiting." Gerard's hands lifted away from Frank's arms to cup around his face, stepping close to press a cool kiss to his forehead. "It's beyond me how you think it could go wrong. Who wouldn't love you?"

"Alicia." Frank gulped nervously. "I don't think I've ever seen hate that strong before. I know that's just one person, but she's just as important as everyone else in your family."

Gerard sighed deeply, resting his forehead against Frank's. "She's coming around gradually. She'll have to accept you're part of my life now and I intend on bringing you around often. I understand part of her bitterness, but . . ."

"Is she scared I'll tell someone about you? Because, really, you know I'd never even dream of that." Frank looked up with rounded eyes, almost offended, but he chose not to be before receiving a definite answer.

Gerard's wince was present in his eyes, but his features remained still, considering. His hands slowly fell away from Frank's face. In the silence following, Frank dug into the quiet and sensed building apprehension that didn't quite slam a steel door in his face, but the quiver of its hinges was enough to make his shoulders tense. He warily stared on as Gerard took him by the hand and lead him to the foot of the bed to sit them down for an imminent conversation that may not have been the easiest to gun through.

Gerard anxiously twisted his hands in his lap and stared off towards the posters pinned to Frank's walls. "It would be wise for me to cover a few details before I bring you over."

Frank's nerves bundled up in a gust of air knocking out of him through a shaky exhale. "Oh, god."

He almost felt ridiculous for being braced for the worst when he'd learned things beyond his comprehension in a matter of months, how brutal could things possibly get?

"I promise it isn't awful. I doubt this will change your life more than everything else you've learned before." Gerard detected the heart of Frank's ailments and once again had Frank suspicious over whether Gerard truly couldn't read his thoughts. But catching onto Gerard's lack of usual composure, it seemed he was more worried about Frank's reaction and well-being, and he'd learned enough about him to know what exactly Frank would be afraid of.

Gerard went on after Frank beseeched him to continue with his eyes. "Alicia was created with the intentions of being my partner. But her bitterness and cold reactions to anything that didn't involve herself caused me to reject her. It left her with less fondness for me than the rest of us."

Frank recoiled from shock, then stilled completely. "I— your partner? As in romantic partner?"

Gerard's wince finally broke through and curled his mouth in a displeased grimace. "Yes. She has no romantic feelings for me, I can assure you. Her heart belongs to someone else to her misfortune. It's— it's a matter of her resenting the fact that I could be with the one I love despite the difficulties and it's plain out impossible to be with her love."

For a moment, the latter information was almost enough to make Frank disregard how staggered he was. A twist of emotions knotted together at a rapid pace and quickly disintegrated as he allowed himself a brief moment of silence to process. He hadn't once imagined anyone besides himself attached to Gerard's side, and perhaps it was a matter of bias brought on by emotion, but envisioning Alicia being created with all the intentions of her becoming Gerard's partner in life wasn't anything Frank could've anticipated hearing that day. Another flabbergasting factor was hearing Alicia was besotted by another.

"I— okay. That pulled me through the wringer for a second, I'm just relieved to hear there's no leftover history there." Frank breathed, unsteadily wiping his hands along the knees of his pajama pants. "Why can't she be with the person she loves?"

Gerard's odd fidgety behavior and avoidance of eye contact returned. A pucker appeared between his eyebrows as he prepared to say the next part Frank was braced for that time. "Because . . . because the person she's in love with is Mikey."

It took all of Frank's might not to bolt to his feet. He only felt his eyes widen and his head snapped to the side to stare at Gerard incredulously. "Hold on— this is almost too much to take in at once. I just— what?"

"Alicia knew of Mikey before Kristin entered our lives. She joined our clan when Mikey spent time away from us and she was instantly enamored when he returned. He became an escape from the torment of her past, he aided in some of her healing with his power. Mikey knew the parts of her even she didn't understand for the longest time. I heard her thoughts, I felt the change in her, and it was difficult to be near to both of them at the same time because it only caused her pain to know Mikey never seemed to show the same interest in her. And Mikey, he didn't know how to handle the intensity of her feelings for him. He didn't understand love for himself, only the existence of it in others, until he began feeling it with Kristin. He chose her— but I don't believe there was ever a choice to be made. It was always just Kristin."

"Alicia puts herself through this every day? Why?" Frank wouldn't be able to handle repetitive heartbreak, especially in Alicia's position where she was forced to watch Mikey and Kristin settle into their happiness she wished she could've had with Mikey.

"Although her point of view tends to be flawed when it comes to many things, she can't blame or hate Kristin for earning Mikey's affections." Gerard sighed softly. "She found easy friendship in Kristin and confided in her. It seems the only person who can handle and embrace Alicia for everything she is, is Kristin. In taking her leave for her heart's sake, she'd be abandoning the only unconditionally lasting bond she's ever made with anyone. As much as she loves my parents, even they can't get through to her the way Kristin can."

Frank saw her envy in a clearer stance. Surrounded by bliss, it seems paradise always skipped over her and left her to stand in the shadows of others. Frank's presence only added to the continuation of her curse and guilt gathered slowly in him.

"Now I know why she wouldn't be jumping for joy at the idea of me being introduced into your lives." Frank looked down at his hands. "It probably feels like an additional blow that you'd choose a human over her."

"Just because you're human doesn't mean you aren't phenomenal, Frank. Immortality and a bit of power doesn't change who a person is on the inside." Gerard gently tapped a finger under Frank's chin to lift his face, their eyes locking. Gerard instantly smiled warmly, as if gazing into Frank's eyes chased away every bit of sorrow in his body with a sunny cleanse.

Frank curled his hand over Gerard's, smiling softly. "I suppose I'm a little special if you picked me."

Gerard chuckled. "You're more than just a little special, Frank."

Before they left, Frank tossed a change of clothes in Gerard's direction considering he was wearing the same outfit from the day before, but that was completely Frank's fault, since his possessive limbs refused to release him even in his sleep. Against Gerard's reassurances, Frank changed into the olive green shirt he recalled Gerard had a certain fondness for, complimenting it with a pair of jeans that weren't torn or unflattering on him, but also a pair he admittedly forgot about completely. They bit into his hips a little, but the hugging look wasn't bad, that much he could admit. Frank spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to arrange his hair before letting it fall into place on its own after wetting it a bit, noting his subtle curls were beginning to come in now that he allowed it to grow. He eyed his abandoned and tiny collection of eye makeup sitting in the medicine cabinet, thinking Gerard had yet to see him with it, but Frank decided it was better to save it for another time.

Heading down the stairs after sending his mother a text about his whereabouts, Frank's eyes swept around the room in search of Gerard and came up short. Just as he was about to call out, he found himself being tugged into his arms, pulling a sharp gasp from him.

"Dammit, I thought I was getting used to you—" Frank found himself being unexpectedly plundered by the urgent press of Gerard's lips against him. He was silenced magnificently fast, letting out a soft noise once Gerard's taste was at his lips against and hands were resting firm at his hips. Frank wobbled in place, reaching back frantically for the edge of the banister of the stairs, gasping into the parting movement of Gerard's mouth.

When Gerard pulled back just before Frank could do something reckless like sliding his tongue between Gerard's lips, he remained close. His pupils were dilated and desire radiated from him like hot springs surrounding Frank in a cloud of humidified heat soaking into his skin. Little stars sparkled in his vision and replicated the unreal vision of Gerard standing in the sunlight.

"I should mention that I very much adore the way you look right now." Gerard breathed in a way that let it be known adore was a major understatement. Gerard's thumbs rubbed against the place where the waistband of Frank's jeans dug into his pants as his eyes traced over the exposed section of his neck and collarbones, sending Frank through an entire tornado of surprise and unexpected smugness to have had this effect on him. It felt like getting even, in a way.

"It's the jeans, isn't it?" Frank said in a teasing tone, biting off the urge to guide Gerard's hands lower.

"More than that. I'd have you wear this color every day if the decision was mine to make." Gerard stroked over Frank's chest, eliciting a deep round of shivers from him.

"You're seriously gonna make my knees give away like the girls in those super dramatic romance movies." Frank breathed.

Gerard leaned down and brushed his lips along the expanse of Frank's throat. "It's your fault I can't help myself. So perfect."

Frank gulped with a suddenly restrictive throat. His hands trembled at his sides and raised to curl into Gerard's hair, prepared to tangle into the strands as he squeezed his eyes shut blissfully, but he forced himself to take a calming breath.

Contain yourself.

"Meanwhile you look better in my clothes than I ever will." He said when Gerard pulled back. Frank wasn't certain why, but a flood of affection nearly brought him to tears at the sight of Gerard adorned in one of his jumpers that was a bit snug around the chest and a pair of pants that Frank no longer wore since they were two sizes too large, but they were a perfect fit on Gerard.

"They smell like you." Gerard, being the sap he was, beamed as he smoothed his hands over the hem of the jumper.

"That's not a bad thing?" Frank hesitantly decided to go through with his inquiry since he was under the impression his scent was a vat of alcohol under an addict's nose.

"I struggle with it, yes, but you smell the way the warmth of autumn feels under the temptation. It's calmative." Gerard reached out to take both of Frank's hands. "I could stand here forever listing off the things about you that draw me in, but I want us to get going as soon as possible. I'm eager to introduce you to everyone the right way."

"You really think they'll approve of me?" Frank smiled unsurely. Donna was off the check list, but he couldn't be confident in the rest of the bunch's opinion.

"It's very like you to worry less about being taken to a house full of a vampires and more about what those vampires will think of you."

"Vegetarian vampires." Frank arched an eyebrow, making Gerard laugh in his unbridled way that rang out like a sound more serene than church bells to Frank.

"Completely harmless. Worry not, you'll be accepted as one of us in no time."

Frank's heart skipped at the prospect of being grouped in with otherworldly beings withholding beauty and capabilities surpassing extraordinary. There wasn't a word adequate enough to describe their ineffable existence, the chances of finding one were slim to impossible, and it was completely unreal to think Frank would be accepted into their closely knitted circle. It was impossible to feel anything beneath plain when stood in the presence of the awe of an angel and presented like a diamond plucked from a wasteland.

The drive to Gerard's house lasted a touch longer that Frank expected, leading them down streets slick from fresh rain peppering the overgrown green swelling in the sidelines. Frank's eyes followed the droplets of water gliding down the passenger seat windows and watched his breath fog against the glass the closer he leaned as Gerard softly hummed along to a Jesus and Mary Chain song filtering through the car's radio. The gray backdrop of the sky surrounded everything in a mellow light that pressed behind Frank's eyelids even when he shut them for a moment to revel in the coldness of the weather outside seeping in and the sound of Gerard's content voice. The deeper they submerged into the town, the more curious Frank became, until they reached the parting of the trees and the house was revealed.

"There's no way a house like that exists out here." Frank blurted out.

"My mother designed it herself and had it custom made." Gerard grinned. "It's not exactly a brooding gothic castle on a hill you'd imagine all vampires must live in."

"It's not even that— although that would be amazing, I can't even say differently. But it's so . . ." Frank struggled to find a word for it.

"Unexpectedly bright?" Gerard asked as they pulled into the gravel driveway of the cream colored home with an abundance of Italian-styled arches and overlooking balconies built underneath the red-tiled roofs resting flatly on the flawless structure.

"Something like that. It's beautiful." Frank leaned forward in his seat, eyes tracing over the pattern of stone imbedded into the walls and the elegant pillars with a smooth spiral design going down the lengths of them. The landscaping was lush greenery and plants of all kinds surrounding the gravel paths leading to rows of trees sprouting tall, almost as high as the rooftops. The house was tiered, designed to undoubtedly contained a surplus of rooms for everyone's comfortability. Frank had a hard time processing Donna designed the blueprint of the home and invested in having it built. He suspected their house was lavish from the few hints in the background of a few pictures Gerard sent in the past, but he never envisioned something so grand.

Gerard turned off the engine, the music cutting off as everything fell silent. "Are you ready?"

Frank sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly through his nose. "Can I be honest with you about something first?"

"Of course."

Frank ran the tip of his tongue along the inside of his lip ring, wriggling it about. "This is the first time I'm doing anything like this. I told you I've never been in love before, not really— well I've also never been in a relationship serious enough to get to this stage."

Gerard looked at him with so much kind understanding that it was impossible for Frank to tear his eyes away. "Is that part of the reason why you're so nervous?"

"I guess so. I usually don't care if people like me or not, but . . . I want your family to like me. Not pretending to tolerate me, I mean, I want to connect with them on some level. Because I'm not planning on walking away ever."

"Anyone would be a fool to dislike you, darling. Quite honestly, I don't see how it's possible for anyone to be put off by you."

"You'd be surprised." Frank chuckled. "I've had a fair share of rejection from people I wanted to be friends with as a kid. It wasn't really enough to scar me for life, exactly. But there's no person in this world that everyone enjoys."

"All you need to do is smile at them the way you've smiled at me and they'll instantly fall in love with you." Gerard's following giggle was faint after a short pause. "Hopefully not in the way I have."

Frank's laughter joined in, breathless and jittery. His heart pounded against his ribcage and the palms of his hands were a touch damp from the nerves flashing up and down his body, but it wasn't enough to keep him in the passenger seat forever.

"I'm ready as I'll ever be." Frank unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to Gerard. "Just promise you won't let go of my hand."

Gerard's smile softened immensely. "I promise."

On the way to the front door, Gerard's thumb rubbed soothing circles across Frank's skin that tranquilized some of his stress. Frank felt secured to something and less likely to stumble. If he did, there was someone to lean back on, someone to assure he wouldn't crash to the ground.

When they stepped inside, Frank was stunned once again by the beauty of the inside. Antique paintings tacked along the soft colored walls and coordinated with the splashes of color on the vintage furniture that Frank didn't want to put an imaginary price tag on or else his wallet would weep. The iron chandeliers matched the railing of the staircase and the lush accent rugs Frank was petrified to step near. The arches from the design outside resided in the house as well and created a perfectly open space. Frank's eyes were immediately drawn to the white grand piano resting near the wide mouth of the fireplace, but before he could comment on it, Gerard was gently guiding him towards the noise in the kitchen. Frank overheard a few hushed voices first.

"Is he even Italian?"

"His last name is Iero."

Frank couldn't pay his full mind to what he overhead when he walked into a busy kitchen where every member of Gerard's family was contributing to preparing a dish. It smelled of roasted tomatoes and freshly minced garlic sautéing in a wide saucepan. Donna paid close attention to a  tutorial on her phone, befuddled by the steps, and Frank could imagine she hadn't cooked a day in her life since her transformation.

Everyone stopped in their tracks the moment he entered the room with Gerard. All eyes rested on him, bringing a burning flush to his cheeks— he never took being the center of attention very well, he couldn't bring himself to even pretend he was fully comfortable with it when it came to his traitorous blush.

"Frank!" Donna exclaimed. "It's a pleasure to finally have you in our home. I was overjoyed when Gerard told us he planned on bringing you here."

"Hi, Mrs. Way, it's really nice to be here. Gerard was eager to introduce me the right way." Frank kept with the formalities as a sheepish smile curved his mouth, Gerard's hand gently squeezing around his own to keep him calm.

"It's wonderful to finally get to meet you after hearing so much about you. I'm Donald." Gerard's father set down the stirring spoon in his hand and lowered the heat to the saucepan as he made his way around the counter with an extended hand.

Frank's eyes were wide, but he took Donald's hand for a respectful shake. In Donald's face was a perfect combination of Mikey and Gerard, a few features showing his own uniqueness, but the resemblance was uncanny. He was young, but with wisdom in his eyes that told of his true age, and he was just as stunning as the other vampires stood in the room. The closer Frank looked, the more he found the resemblance to Gerard in particular from the arch of his eyebrows and the darkness of his hair, making it evident Mikey took more of his mother's lovely angular structure than his father's.

"I'm Frank. I think you're probably sick of hearing my name by now, since you mentioned Gerard likes to bring me up all the time." Frank chuckled breathlessly.

"I love hearing him talk about you." Kristin unexpectedly enthused. She stood by the refrigerator one moment and materialized beside Frank the next, yanking him into an unabashed fond embrace as if she were reuniting with a friend she hadn't seen in over a decade and pulling his hand out of Gerard's. Frank was stunned into stiff silence, his large eyes finding Donna's sheepish smile over Kristin's shoulder. He was minutely overwhelmed by the way she surrounded him in evergreen forests, but the tranquility of her inner serendipity made her one of the happiest presences to ever exist, enhancing her splendor. 

"I've been dying to be introduced to you properly ever since I first saw you in my visions. I've been looking forward to Gerard finding someone for so long." Kristin pulled back with a massive grin, her eyes sparkling with sincerity that couldn't be fabricated.

Frank stammered, redness engulfing his entire body. Gerard chided her under his breath for her straightforwardness, but she rolled her eyes at him.

"It's— it's nice getting a chance to redo my first impression. I know I wasn't . . . I wasn't the kindest that day at school, I'm sorry you all had to witness that."

"It was deserved. No one shakes Gerard out of his inner pessimist the way you do." Mikey stepped forward with great caution that radiated off of him, almost leading Frank to think he was unwelcoming, but the light belling around his internal mountaintops was a sunny willingness to introduce Frank into the family. "I'm Mikey. You might've heard a thing or two about me."

"You're Gerard's brother, of course I have. And don't worry, I've heard nothing but good things, in case you're worried."

Mikey snorted softly. "I wouldn't be surprised if you've heard a little bit of the bad, too."

Frank held out a careful hand. He noticed the strain in Mikey's eyes, how he battled with his own temptation to a degree that seemed more intense than Gerard's even, but it could've been a matter of some vampires being more sensitive than others. Mikey eventually took his hand and gave a proper shake, quickly stepping away to stay by Kristin's side.

Lastly was Alicia. She stood at the further end of the room with frigidness in her watching eyes. If Frank was once frosted over by Gerard's glaciers, he was burned to the core by Alicia's lightening, bright flashes of electricity warding off newcomers and striking them with a single passing glance of her eyes. Frank's chest constricted, his heart sinking below the ground, and his gaze pointed downward immediately.

"I don't know why you brought him here when you know how badly this can end." Alicia spat out venomously. Frank winced, keeping his distance.

"Alicia." Donna hissed, but Alicia dared to turn her piercing gaze on her.

"Why should I hold my tongue? No one else is willing to tell the truth."

"Because you promised you'd keep your mouth shut." Mikey turned to give her a warning glare that made her face crumble for the most fleeting moment before rage took over completely, her defenses causing her to become cruel.

"He's endangering all of us by doing this. Gerard couldn't think about anyone but himself, I bet all he wants is a warm neck to subdue his thirst and then we'll have to sweep up this dead kid's body before anyone finds it. Who'll be the main suspect? His fucking boyfriend that always had something that was a little off about him."

Frank received a cold pang in his chest that spread like a painful poison. Gerard instantly flashed over in an instant to sneer at her, his hands balled into tight fists at his side, but he had no intentions of striking, only silencing her. Alicia challenged him with her eyes.

"If you're not going to control yourself, get out of here." Gerard growled. "You have no right saying any of these things. Not in front of him, at the very least."

"He's right. Alicia, it's best if you go somewhere else, cool down for a couple of hours." Donna intervened as calmly as possible, but her jaw was taut, eyes promising a firm lecture whenever Alicia was grounded enough to return him.

Stewing in a fit of rage that momentarily made Frank fear being slaughtered when her resentful eyes rested on him, Alicia dropped the ball under the pressure of every person in the room wishing her to take her leave. Alicia vanished in a matter of a second, the sound of the door slamming and a window shattering sounding someplace near the back entrance leading to the woods beyond. Frank flinched, stuck in his spot.

In all of her consternation, Kristin said, "I didn't see that coming. She exploded on the spot."

"It's fine. Alicia's always been impulsive." Donald shook his head, full of disappointment.

"I'll go after her and calm her down." Kristin's apologetic look darted in Frank's direction before she took off.

Frank was a knot of tension who wondered if he overstayed his welcome suddenly. Despite his mixture of mortification and anxiousness, Frank's legs moved for him, making his way to Gerard who stood pinching the bridge of his nose in an attempt to calm himself.

"It's not your fault." Frank said softly to him because he knew Gerard's tendency to pin the blame on himself for things out of his control. Alicia was a force not to be reckoned with, even Kristin couldn't pin her down in her path enough to receive visions of what her next move would be.

Gerard acknowledged that as though he'd successfully tapped into Frank's thoughts, or Frank's telepathic waves had a will strong enough to crack through the shell forming around him. Gerard sighed deeply, drawing Frank underneath his arm in a protective stance after having enough of the unexpected for the next week. Frank breathed out quietly in relief. His eyes wheeled over the remaining members of the Way family, captured in the crossfire of a peculiar look Mikey was giving them. He gazed with a slight tilt of his head like the combination of Frank and Gerard was a most curious and astounding combination, bringing a violent flush to Frank's cheeks. Yet he felt no sense of hostility coming from Mikey. Only snowcapped mountains looking over winding rivers of clear water, only slightly setting his essence apart from Gerard's, and the glaring similarity made complete sense to Frank. When their eyes met, Mikey's focus gaze soon clouded over with strange surprise.

"We apologize profusely on her behalf, Frank, Alicia's always been a struggle to keep in check." Donna clasped her hands together in front of her. "I can't imagine that was very good on your appetite, would you like us to pack up your food for you to take home instead?"

Donna's prediction was correct. Frank's stomach felt heavy as it somersaulted in struggle of digesting Alicia's blistering words, but he felt terribly rude to reject all the trouble Gerard's family went through for him.

"That's okay, Mrs. Way, I would be happy to sit down and enjoy it here." Frank forced a smile to his lips.

"Are you sure?" Gerard asked softly, a line creasing between his brows. Frank hesitated, looking over at Gerard's parents worriedly.

"It's perfectly fine if you'd rather take it home, you look sick just thinking of forcing yourself to eat right now." Donald said lightly. "Mikey, you wanna help me pack this up while your mother shows Frank around?"

Mikey nodded, leaving Donna so politely sweep Frank and Gerard out to the sitting area.

"I don't know if Gerard mentioned it to you, but I designed this house entirely by myself." Donna beamed at her creation. "It's been standing for a while, but I had it renovated completely a couple years ago."

"It's beautiful. Do you mind if I ask why you don't do this for a living?" Frank looked to her curiously, praying a turn in conversation would take his mind from the previous disaster. Gerard's hand resting at his lower back comforted him by rubbing in a slow circular motion easing some of his tension.

"As deep as my love for design goes, helping people is where my true passion lies. Although this is a close second." Donna gestured to the pristine arrangements of the decor inside the towering bookshelves and the chic accents dotted around the place. "This place has seven rooms, the backyard is entirely open and extends to the woods. Two floors, of course, it would be a disaster to squeeze everything into one."

"A little opulent, but I think we owe it to ourselves for behaving so well." Gerard made a light joke, chuckling as he settled in close to Frank's side, curling an arm around his waist. Frank's cheeks reddened from the persistent touching, his eyes darting over to Donna to see if she minded, but she only gazed at them with sentimental eyes as if there was no better sight she could be met with.

"Have you shown him Gerard's piano?" Donald reappeared around the corner without Mikey.

Donna's face brightened immediately. "His piano! Oh my— we had this imported from Italy, actually, as a Christmas gift. I bet Gerard hasn't told you he has quite an eye and ear for writing music."

Frank turned to look at Gerard's bashful face with a growing smile. "He hasn't, but honestly I'm not all that surprised he's failed to mention it." The most he heard was the pleasantly rhythmic sway of Gerard's voice carrying along the tune of a song he overheard, but that was about it.

"I'm not as extraordinary as they claim I am. I don't want to disappoint you, had you built a certain expectation." Gerard's eyes casted downward as a timid smile fixed his lips.

"He has a bad habit of underestimating himself. He writes beautiful music— everyone in this family has an original song dedicated to them." Donald grinned.

"Seriously?" Frank's eyes widened.

Gerard looked around the room before his eyes rested on the piano. He drew his lower lip between his teeth for a slight moment before he asked, "Would you like to hear one of my compositions?"

Frank momentarily forgot about every distressing element unsettling his stomach and sprang to life. Tangling his fingers with Gerard's, he eagerly tugged him towards the piano bench, eliciting low laughter from Donna and Donald.

They sank onto the bench together, close enough for their thighs to press together. Frank's knee gently knocked against Gerard's as he readjusted to get comfortable. Gerard melodramatically gestured to the keys and waggled his fingers, evoking a small giggle from Frank. Gerard's smiling lips remained still in their delight as his fingertips grazed over the row of keys before pressing down to create a bright and merry sounding resounding in the spacious room.

"I wrote this one for my mother." Gerard briefly peered over at Donna ecstatically looking on as her arm elegantly looped through Donald's.

The sound was impeccable once Gerard dove into it headfirst. The sound was soft and lilting, becoming the sound of the sunrise bleeding through branches where sweet spring birds perched on to whistle their song welcoming the morning smelling of fresh dew upon blades of grass. Frank shut his eyes and melted into the soft tangerine colors blending into fresh emerald, stretching out into a brief intervention of endless blue skies. He was suddenly recalling a memory of  a camping trip as a small child. He mostly detested it due to his clumsy nature and vulnerability to bug bites, but he couldn't ever forget awakening to the most beautiful song of a bird species unknown to him. As his parents slept in the spacious tent, Frank clambered over to the zip-up door, peeling the fabric away to reveal the view of a clear lake within walking distance painted in the golden peach and peony pink palette of a morning in the heart of nature.

"What are you thinking about right now?" Gerard asked softly over the music, coaxing Frank out of his trance.

Frank kept his eyes shut. "I'm not thinking as much as I'm feeling. Have you ever been able to see a song in a series of colors and visuals so vivid you swear you can almost taste it, too?"

Gerard hummed. "Synesthesia. I've heard of it, but I wasn't blessed with the beauty of its power. I'm not surprised in the slightest you've been gifted with it."

"I've told you about it before. Sometimes, certain sounds and music are more intense than others. And your music, it feels . . . beautiful."

Gerard's song continued until it met a gentle end. Frank's eyes opened in increments. They darted over to where Donna and Donald stood, but he was surprised to find they'd vanished. He assumed to give himself and Gerard privacy as they delved into the sounds of Gerard's mind.

"This one was written as I thought of you." Gerard started with a single soft key. "This is how you feel to me."

Frank barely moved past his quivering awe before the loveliest lullaby reached his ears. The sound was almost nostalgic, a harmony of low and high, branching out into a rhythm that was like a most elegant slow sway— but what prevented it from becoming a dance was the underlying boldness that continued to build at the most unexpected moments. A warm, symphonic sound that brought together two things that shouldn't have blended together; grace and fire. Frank's eyelids fluttered shut as he was submerged into a rich pull of cedar velvet, shades of crimson red and walnut brown falling over it like feathers of a black swan. There was no possible way Frank felt like this— like a work of art, a musician's magnum opus, but there wouldn't be an existing composition if Gerard hadn't reached into Frank's chest to feel and see his soul. He gathered just enough of its essence to write about it through ebony and ivory keys. The piano's keys were exactly as he and Gerard were, two completely different sounds and sights, but somehow they belonged to the same plane of existence and harmonized in the most perplexingly beautiful way.

The song ended before Frank was ready for it to be. His throat was tight enough for him to be convinced someone wrapped a pressing hand around it, but he was free of such a grip. He soon realized the source of the knots forming was the building of tears in his eyes when he opened them again. Frank sucked in a shaky breath just as one fell and landed in a glistening bead on Gerard's precious piano.

"No one's ever loved me like this." Frank said in a strangled voice. He wondered if he deserved it, being given something more than the typical dream of love. Frank had been demanding; he'd been impatient at times, spitting out flames and hoping in the beginning that his returning silence scathed Gerard before he knew anything. It was unfair to ask for more out of what was so beyond all comprehension or a yearning heart's desire. Frank was set to fall from the start. The moment he tipped back into the roaring waters, once the terror dispersed, he sank into the calmness of the deep and became the first human being to breathe underwater. But what had he done to earn that?

Gerard gazed at him like he was the black swan Frank sensed gliding along every note of the composition created just for him. His hand came up to delicately sweep away Frank's tears, resting at his cheek in a tender rest. His eyes alone eradicated Frank's heart-stabbing fear of not being good enough. Because he was everything to Gerard, everything and more, making them perfect equals. Gerard laid Frank in the center of his meadow and surrounded him in daisies painted red like the color of Frank's heart beating in his hands.

"I feel like the most selfish man for hoping no one has or ever will love you the way I do. I intend for you to see yourself like a symphony. The kind that plays through my mind when you look at me exactly the way you are right now." Gerard gazed into Frank's eyes for a moment longer before his hands returned to the keys. He started from the beginning, going a beat slower for Frank to revel in the sound. His head dropped down onto Gerard's shoulder as he lost himself in time and space, daring to walk beside the fire while wrapped in yards of velvet.

——
Screaming and crying right now. Gosh this story fills me with so much yearning.

Anyway, are you ready for shit to go down in the upcoming chapter? This is the bridge that's leading us there. You've just gotta take a few more steps and you'll be there in the moment. I hope you're excited!

Let me know your thoughts on this chapter, and as always, I appreciate everyone who's still here with me. I hope you have a lovely holiday, you all deserve it.

-rosexo