Part 1 of a double update

"How are you feeling now?" Gerard asked curiously as he stood by his closet doors; it was the resounding silence that had him add, "You do know you don't have to sugar coat, boy."

Gerard sighed out as Frank got comfortable under his Master's comforter, propping the soft pillows at an angle so he could still sit up in bed. Frank stifled a small yawn and Gerard spoke again, "Personally I have never experienced a subdrop, but from seeing previous submissives go through exactly what you are right now, you can and must tell me how you're feeling. I am here to look after you; if there is something wrong then I must know."

"But I don't want to come across as weak," Frank admitted as he rested the bottom of his feet against the bedsheet underneath him, toes curling into the fabric with his embarrassment, "I don't want you to think less of me because I'm run down and have a sore ass."

"I would never think less of you, my prince," Gerard reassured as he sat down on the edge of his side of the bed. Frank looked down at the long navy-colored sleeves of the shirt he had stolen from Gerard. He watched himself worry the hems between his fingers, unable to make eye contact with Gerard. He couldn't help it; his mood had begun sinking since he had been in the bath. Gerard touched Frank's hand gently and brushed over his knuckles with a manicured fingertip, "When this happens you are put much higher on my list of priorities than you already are. You are at the top, Frank. No matter what, you will always come first because you and your well being are more important. Do you understand?"

Frank nodded weakly, not giving in to what Gerard had said. It was nice to hear that Gerard thought so highly of him when it came to this kind of situation, but his ebbing emotions were playing tricks on him and, no matter how nice the words were, Frank still took them with a pinch of salt; he couldn't help how his mind was twisting and churning.

"So, I reiterate, how are you feeling?"

"Low on energy. Sore. The usual suspects," Frank snorted, "I'm really thirsty, too."

"Would you like me to get you a drink, my prince?" Gerard asked, seeing the boy hold his bottom lip between his teeth, not wanting to make his Master do more than necessary just for him Gerard eyed him as though reading his mind, "It's not an affliction, Frank. You're not asking me to maim a child. Do you want something to drink, dear boy?"

"Oui, Mon Apollon." Frank gave in with a forced smile. This felt different; like the batteries on his mood were starting to run empty. Frank kept his lips sealed as he watched Gerard head to the bedroom door, opening it before stepping out and closing it behind him. Frank knew that Gerard would be back in a minute or so with a drink for him, but this sudden and unexpected panic sat deep in his chest. Frank didn't want to take his eyes off the door but he tore them away because looking at the entranceway made Frank feel like someone had hold of his windpipe. The air felt thick as Frank tried to breathe; like he was heavily congested. Frank couldn't help how this isolated abandonment started to creep in him, as though it had taken hold of his feet and was crawling up his legs, up to his stomach, reaching up for his throat.

His eyes snapped up when he heard, and saw, the bedroom door open again and Gerard walked in with a glass of water for him. Frank felt everything that had been wrapping around him like a vice suddenly loosen and fall from him as Gerard walked back over to the bed, holding the tall glass out for Frank to take.

"Th-Thank you, sir," Frank mumbled, noticing the slight shake in his voice that he hoped that Gerard hadn't recognized. Frank gulped down the water, coming to realize just how thirsty he was as he tipped the glass, drinking more and more until there was barely an inch left at the bottom. He gasped breathlessly when he stopped chugging and set the glass down on his bedside table before wiping his top lip dry on the edge of the long sleeve.

"So, you weren't really thirsty," Gerard joked sarcastically, sitting himself down on the bed before shifting, bringing his legs up so he could sit closer to Frank. Gerard inspected the submissive, taking note of how his eyes looked a little duller than usual- the olive and brown swirl-and-sparkle of Frank's irises were now like a stagnant bayou rather than the burnished earth filled with plenty. He sat up yet his frame looked slumped; his usual demeanor seemed drained. Gerard took pity on the boy as he brushed the fringe away from Frank's brow, noticing the cold sweat that was on his temples, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Other than what I keep telling you, I'm fine, sir," Frank told him again, not wanting to have to repeat himself as his tender ass continued to throb under his clothes. Frank really didn't want to have to go through the whole ordeal of explaining what Gerard already knew yet again. Frank also didn't want to mention his slipping mood; that was nothing. He had no idea why he suddenly felt panicked once his Master had left the room, but Frank didn't believe that it was concerning enough to bring it up.

"Tell me if you need anything else, okay?" Gerard reminded as he moved further up the bed, sitting with his back against the headboard with one leg crossed over the other and his fingers linked together on his lap.

"I will do," Frank told him, waiting a second before he said what he wanted to say because something had come to his attention, "But sir, can... Can I ask something about today, though?"

"Of course you can. Is it something to do with the scene or today in general?"

"It's more about Ty," Frank said nervously, hoping that Gerard wasn't going to think that he was prying into personal business that didn't concern him, "I just... I don't know. There was just something about him today that made me think that he, I mean, I know he's not much different to you in the whole Dominant aspect, but he just... I just thought that he came across as a lot younger than I expected."

"You would be right to think that, Frank," Gerard replied, seeing the boy's eyes widened and glint with more curiosity because of the fact that he had been right about this, "He's thirty."

"Thirty?" Frank mimicked with a smidge of surprise in his voice. He had half-expected Gerard to say that he was thirty-three or something a little closer to Gerard's age. Maybe Ty was just the kind of guy who looked young for his age, but he actually was so much younger. He blinked, "That's a lot younger than I expected him to be, sir."

"How old did you think he was?"

"I don't know," Frank shrugged, scratching at the back of his head while he tried to remember when he first laid eyes on Ty this morning, "Closer to your age? I assumed that, because he was your friend, he would be roughly the same age as you. Older. Not that young."

"This coming from my twenty-two year old submissive." Gerard pointed out, making Frank chuckle and realize that he wasn't exactly in a position to judge someone for being young in this lifestyle, "I do hope you're not judging, my prince."

"I'm not," Frank answered quickly, "It just surprised me, is all. I mean, so, when you were at that party you told me about with him, he would have been... Wait."

"What?" Gerard queried, seeing a frown set on Frank's face as he counted on his fingers until he realized. The frown on his face disappeared and was replaced by a complete maw of shock.

"Wait..." Frank repeated, double-checking the numbers again just in case he had done the math wrong in his head, "So, when Ty was Mentoring you and took you to that party that you told me about... He was eighteen?"

"He was," Gerard nodded again, only to see the look of horror intensify on Frank's face, "A very bright young Dom, may I add. I couldn't have asked for a better Mentor. Without him, I probably wouldn't be the Dominant that I am today."

"But that's so young," Frank shook his head, unable to process that fact that Ty was so young when he was training Gerard, "Dare I fucking ask how old he was when he actually learned about all this?"

Gerard paused for a moment, contemplating whether to tell Frank the truth. He sighed softly as he relented to Frank's impossibly curious face, "He was sixteen... But this isn't my place to talk about it, boy. This topic isn't even something that you can ask Ty about if I'm being perfectly honest with you."

"What? Why?" Frank frowned at his Master, "Look, I know that he Mentored you and all, but how did he get into it? And at such a young age, too. It just seems far too young to discover it. He was barely an adult, well, he wasn't at all."

"Again, this isn't my story to tell," Gerard repeated, his words firmer this time, "Ty told me about his past in confidence. I won't breach the agreement that we made just because you're intrigued about him."

"I just... I don't get it," Frank sighed, "I can't even begin to wrap my head around it. At sixteen, yeah, I thought about sex a lot. What sixteen-year-old boy doesn't? But I wasn't thinking that I wanted to tie someone up, hang them from the ceiling and cane their ass."

"You have no idea about Ty and why he is who he is," Gerard said, his words almost sounding like a warning. Frank knew that he should probably back off from this subject, but he just couldn't let it go.

"Why can't you tell me?" Frank whined, watching Gerard sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose, clearly getting frustrated, "I mean, I know why you can't tell me, but it's not like I would ever go up to Ty and tell him that you told me. I know it's not my business but... I can't even begin to comprehend any of this. It just doesn't add up in my head."

"Ty didn't exactly have the best upbringing when he was a child," Gerard stated simply, "None of his siblings did, but he bore the brunt of it because he was the oldest."

"And that made him turn to BDSM at the tender age of sixteen?" Frank snorted

"Ty was fifteen when I first met him," Gerard admitted with a sigh, "He wasn't even close to being the man that I know today. That boy had been to hell and back, and all I did was bring him back from the edge of oblivion. I could see that he wasn't a lost cause and so I wanted to help him."

"What do you mean 'been to hell and back'?" Frank frowned, "What do you mean he didn't have a good upbringing?"

Gerard remained silent for a few moments, looking at Frank before he looked away. Frank could sense that Gerard was probably fighting with holding back and telling him everything in his head. Frank didn't breathe a word while Gerard contemplated, thinking it all over before he finally spoke, pointing a finger at the boy as he did, "If you even breathe one word about this to Ty, if you even consider telling him that I told you, you will not only damage our friendship, but you will face a punishment so unfathomable that you will wish that you had never walked into this house. Do you understand?"

Frank nodded, but Gerard wasn't happy with the silent answer, jabbing his finger against Frank's chest, "Do you understand, boy?"

"Y-Yes, sir. Yes. It's level five secrecy, sir. H-Holy Grail type shit. Like the KFC recipe or... The L-Led Zeppelin symbols or Hershey's chocolate." Frank stammered and nodded dumbly, feeling nervous. Frank knew that he wouldn't even consider bringing this up to Ty, especially if it was as bad as Gerard was making it out to be, but his Master had put the fear in Frank. He knew not to bring it up, but with how Gerard had exhorted him, Frank knew to keep his lips sealed tightly about this forever.

"A lot of people have this misconception when it comes to BDSM that someone will turn to it because of how their life is and use it as an escape," Gerard started, making Frank frown at why he was bringing this up instead of going on with what he had been saying, "While this is true and some do use it as a catharsis, other people may just stumble upon the lifestyle and like it. To some people, it is an escape, though. Myself and Ty are those two differences."

"How do you mean?"

"My upbringing was no shorter than great. Besides my brother and I couldn't ask for anything better. Not all Dom's have to have a bad start growing up; a terrible life that makes them choose this path. It's just unfortunate that this is how this story begins." Gerard sighed, noticing the worried look that was painted across his submissive's face.

"O-Okay." Frank nodded slowly, wondering why Gerard's expression had grown somber.

"Ty's mother wasn't exactly what you would call 'parent material'," Gerard began with a heavy heart, feeling sorry for his friend like he had done the first time Ty had told him about what had happened to him, "Kelly had Ty and his sister when she was only fourteen. She did her best to provide, but her best was, unfortunately, the worst. She was a sex worker. She was barely able to look after, and feed her four children, which she didn't worry about too much. She cared more about looking after number one," Gerard explained bitterly as he recalled what he had been told by his once broken friend, "From what Ty has told me, she would regularly bring her clients home where she would entertain them. He and his siblings became aware of what she was doing at an extremely young age. Far too young for any child to learn and know about sex and how it can be exploited for money."

"And that's how Ty became who he is today?" Frank frowned, "Because Ty had a mom who tried to make ends meet with sex?"

"If only this cloud had been silver-lined," Gerard replied sadly, looking down at his hands while he continued, "If a mother can't provide for her children, let alone shield them from the horrors of the world at a young age then she shouldn't be allowed to procreate. She had no maternal instincts and only cared about herself. Ty was left to look after his brothers alongside his twin sister."

"Madison and Ty are twins?" Frank sounded surprised, "I didn't know that. He didn't tell me when he mentioned her."

"Fraternal twins. She would look after his brothers, Zack was four years younger and Jay was five years younger than them. And while Maddy tried her best to care for the younger two, Ty..."

Gerard stopped mid-sentence and Frank sat there with bated breath, waiting for his Master to continue. Gerard didn't progress with his tale and, for a moment, he just sat there, letting a shaky sigh leave him. Frank wanted to push. Gerard couldn't just stop halfway through and sit next to him on the bed. Frank leaned in, "...Ty?"

"His mother did things beyond unimaginable to him. No child should ever be put through what he went through," Gerard spat out, the anger rising in his voice, "What happened to him, it helped him to mold and grow into the Dominant that he is today. Kelly Howser-Brunswick is the whole reason why he turned to the lifestyle."

"Do I really want to know what she did?" Frank faked a dry laugh, not even wanting to think about what horrible things a mother could possibly do to their child.

"He was seven when he first walked in on his mother with a client. He told me how he found her on the bed with some stranger fucking her like an animal," Gerard's face contorted with utter vexation while he tried to control his emotions. Frank was shocked; Gerard never usually swore unless in scene or when he was truly angry, "Ty had merely gone to find his mother because he had had a bad dream. He was looking for comfort from his nightmare when, in fact, the nightmare only began for him when she told him to stay."

Frank sat with disbelief plastered across his face. He hadn't expected Gerard to say those words; he assumed that maybe his mother had hit him or done something close, "...You're joking, right? No mom would make their son watch them have sex."

"Apparently, the client with which she was currently on top of said that he was into someone watching. She made him stay and he witnessed it all. Sadly, it became a reoccurring thing," Gerard continued regretfully, not making eye contact with Frank at all as the story continued, "Once, she even tried to make Madison watch, but he sacrificed himself so none of his siblings would have to go through what he was made to do."

"That is so fucked up," Frank whispered, "I can't even imagine anyone doing that to their own flesh and blood."

"Ty's mother was a monster who tortured him, making him watch her with countless clients for years. He would protect the others in fear of something far worse happening," Gerard's tone darkened, making Frank's mind go exactly where he didn't want it to go. The idea alone made his insides twist in an uncomfortable and sickening way, "Luckily, they remained unaware of the situation thanks to Madison. Even as Ty grew older. When he was twelve. When..."

Gerard let out a sigh again which made Frank think that it only got worse for the Dom that he had only just met. The idea alone made Frank screw his eyes shut, wishing that he could shut off his imagination. Screw that shut and pretend that he couldn't imagine a young Ty being made to stand and watch. A poor boy who had only wanted to be held after a bad dream. He had been held but held against his will. The force gripping him and making him witness something that no child should. Frank hoped that the story would get better. But Gerard's words and how his voice trailed off again just left Frank thinking that it was only going to get worse. Worse in a sense that Ty wasn't only made to watch as he got older, "Please don't say what I think you're about to say."

"If only I wasn't," Gerard came back dolefully, "Ty was twelve when he first encountered sex for himself. Not only was he made to watch... But he was made to do sexual favors as well."

"Christ," Frank shook his head, fighting against the prickling feeling that was building up in his eyes over the sad truth that was Ty's childhood; it wasn't even really a childhood. It was messed up and Frank didn't know if he wanted to be cross or sad about it. Both emotions were building up in him, mounting up on top of his already-low state which he was trying so hard to push down and ignore, "When I was twelve, all I cared about was playing Resident Evil and my comic books. I didn't even think about sex at that age."

"Ty didn't have a choice. His freedom to grow up at his own pace was ripped from him. By the age of twelve, he had had sex for the first time. By fourteen he was routinely being forced to sleep with female clients that his mother brought home," Gerard told Frank, noticing the more than sour look that was sitting on his boy's face, "He didn't have a choice with any of this. Even when he started to come to terms with his sexuality, his mother forced him to sleep with women. She didn't want a gay son. Ty couldn't be what she dreaded and made him not be. She is part of the reason why he is gay now. Not only because he is, but partially out of rebellion against her. But, ironically enough, she let some of her male clients touch him if they wanted to pay extra. A year later was when I met him."

"What was he like when you met him?" Frank asked nervously, half-expecting Gerard to tell him some sob-story about how he was some fucked up kid while Gerard was probably exactly the same as he was now.

"He was a broken boy who was only trying to look after himself, except when I encountered him, he wasn't trying to make friends with me," Gerard explained, seeing the look of confusion on Frank's face.

"What do you mean, sir?"

"He was trying to rob me," Gerard stated simply while a small smile formed on his lips, "He was after my money and my valuables to sell just so he could survive without having to turn to a life like his mother's. Ty was a shell of a teenager who should have been growing up like any adolescent should, but instead he was just trying to get by after having his childhood ripped from him..."

"So he tried to rob you and you still helped him?" Frank asked, surprised that Gerard was the kind of person that would even do that to someone who had tried to do wrong to him. Frank knew that if someone had tried to rob him, he wouldn't have been as nice as Gerard had been.

"He was a sad and broken boy and I could tell just by his behavior. He was angry with the world because the world had dealt him bad cards," Gerard sighed, "All I wanted to do was show him that not everyone was out to get him. Not everyone wanted to fuck him over."

"And he stayed the night with you?"

"With Lindsey and I," Gerard corrected because he had left that detail out of the story, "We had an apartment together during college. We took him in for two nights. He remained quite closed off, still thinking that we were going to do something bad to him, but when he realized that we were being nothing but nice, he finally broke down on me."

"Shit," Frank cursed, not expecting that at all, "What happened then?"

"He told me everything. Never before had he told anyone about the hell that he was being put through? I never would have guessed what was going on with him. At the age of fifteen, I assumed that he had just come from a broken home, I just didn't realize how broken his home was." Gerard said with a heavy heart, still feeling sorry for Ty even though he had found the light at the end of the tunnel and had come out of it all as a better and stronger person.

"Neither would I, to be honest. I just assumed that Ty was the way he was because of the lifestyle," Frank admitted with a sigh and a shake of his head, "This was when I thought he was the same age as you."

"He opened up to me. Not Lindsey. He turned to me because I saw through why he had tried to do what he did. He knew that I was a part of a safe space and he trusted me," Gerard said quite happily, "From the word 'go' he trusted me because I gave him a roof over his head which meant he wasn't being forced to have sex. He wasn't being forced to watch his mother sleep with clients who got off on being watched by someone who had no control. I looked after him. I treated him like a person instead of an object and he appreciated it. He calmed down. He lost some of the anger and he began to show who he really was. And he lived with Lindsey and I for years. Eventually, he got Madison out of foster care when she was eighteen and they stayed with us when we lived in Washington."

"Foster care?"

"When he left Kelly, he knew he couldn't take his siblings with him so he called social services and they were removed from the trailer they shared. Jay and Zack were adopted since they were still younger but Madison was far too old by then and far too damaged for any family to want her."

"I bet he felt awful." Frank whispered softly and looked at his hands, "What happened to his siblings then, sir?"

"Well, he and Madison stuck together like glue. Jay was adopted and was sent to Missouri where he lives with his sixth or so wife and a thousand kids in a trailer." Gerard snorts a little, "And Zack committed suicide when he was eighteen. He went back to Kelly after he was legally an adult. He never wanted to leave in the first place and he found out that his mother had died and he didn't take it very well."

"How did she die?"

"Ty has never told me" Gerard whispered with a shrug, "But with the alcohol addiction, the drug problem, the clients she kept, the abusive short-term husbands and loan sharks she owed money to for her gambling problem, it's anyone's guess."

Frank's eyes widen, "Jesus Christ. I bet he felt bad that he couldn't do more. I know I would."

"Absolutely. All he wanted was to be normal. Normal wasn't an option for him, but he craved it and even though he knew his life would never be normal, he tried to embrace it. Even when Lindsey and I took him in. He tried to be as normal as he could be, even though what he had been through still plagued him. He had a criminal record and it was difficult for him to find work except for factory work, which is where he gets his trade."

"His trade?"

"His side occupation apart from the performing is that he makes ethically-sourced leather products and woodwork furniture. All sourced from indigenous reserves around the country." Gerard smiled, "Even his food and meat are from smal businesses. He's made most of his wooden furniture, too. And some of my own."

Frank smiled, "What did he make of yours, sir?"

"That china cabinet downstairs with all of Lindsey's trinkets in it. The coffee table and all of your current hardware."

Frank felt the color rise in his cheeks, "That's so cool. So how did he get over it?"

"I don't think getting over it was something that he thought would ever happen to him. For months I would wake up in the night because of him," Gerard mentioned, remembering exactly what he had to go through which he had never expected, even though he remained by Ty's side through it because he desperately needed someone, "I would hear him screaming on the sofa, begging for it not to happen again. Begging for his mother to stop making him watch. Begging for his mother to stop making him have sex with women. Or for the grown men not to touch him. It's why he needs control in his life. Why he has to be in control for everything and every single aspect of his life."

"Jesus." Frank breathed out, unaware of just how much Ty had been affected when he was younger.

"I was also the first person he came out to and was comfortable with admitting his sexuality," Gerard added, "He told me he was gay and expected me to judge him for it, but I didn't, given my own sexuality. He was so used to the worst happening to him that even admitting to someone that he was just himself, he still expected the worst to happen to him."

"Poor guy," Frank whispered, feeling so much remorse, "I feel so sorry for Ty now."

"So do I," Gerard nodded in agreement, "Because no one deserves to go through what he went through. He had his free will, childhood, and control taken from him. This is part of the reason why he turned to BDSM and became a Dominant."

"How do you mean?"

"For Ty, being a Dominant means that he is always in control, like I said," Gerard explained, "For someone who didn't have that as a child and a teenager, he finally has it now and it makes him comfortable in his skin. As much as he can as a germaphobe who hates leaving his house."

"I never realized. I just assumed that he was into it," Frank shrugged having not expected that to be the reason why Ty was a Dom. But then again, he had never expected the traumatic back story either, "Not because he needed the control just to help him feel more himself."

"A lot of Dominants are who they are because they like the control," Gerard pointed out, "But, like Ty, some need it. Some Dominants do have a backstory as to why they turned to the lifestyle, and we must never judge them for the fact that they need this just to feel like they are finally normal. They aren't whatever happened to them before they found solace within BDSM."

"It's just... So sad," Frank's voice wavered. Just thinking about what Ty had been through on top of how Frank had been feeling, it all just got a little too much for him. The swell of emotions inside of Frank came to a head and he couldn't stop himself when the prickle in his eyes finally overpowered him and the first tears started to fall from his eyes, even though he tried so hard to blink them back, "I never- I-"

"Frank?"

"I'm okay," Frank insisted, wiping the tears away quickly before Gerard noticed them, even though he had already seen the fact that his sub was crying, "Honestly. I'm okay."

"I never meant to upset you with what happened to Ty. I just wanted you to understand why he is so young in this lifestyle. Why he needs this just to feel normal. I never meant to make you cry, my prince." Gerard told him, pulling Frank into his side before wrapping an arm around him and pressing a kiss against his temple.

"I know you didn't, Apollon," Frank acknowledged, "I guess I'm just a little sensitive right now."

"The other thing about Ty, the reason why I chose him to be a part of the threesome," Gerard moved on, hoping to calm Frank down in the process, "Do you have any idea why he was my first choice when it came to this?"

"I don't know. You're just a kinky devil who wanted this to happen so badly?" Frank smirked as he wiped the tears away from his eyes.

"You are so far from the truth you might as well be searching for it in Guatemala," Gerard shook his head, "No, there is a reason why I chose Ty to take part in the scene and I did it to benefit you."

"Really?" Frank smirked, "I would never have guessed."

"I wanted you to understand that we are all different. As people and as Dominants," Gerard clarified, "No two will ever be the same. With that, whatever anyone says to you, you should never take it to heart because no two people are ever going to be the same. One person's opinion of you will be completely different from my opinion of you. They will not always be right with their opinion and you should never take it seriously because you need to remember that I chose you. My opinion of you is the only one that matters. You are still learning and you are your own submissive, never forget that. Even if you are with another Dominant. You are your own person, in and out of scenes."

As much as Frank knew that Gerard was going on about how Ty was different from him, he couldn't help but think back to a few weeks before when he met Mikey for the first time. Gerard made him think of that only and Frank realized just how badly he had reacted. Mikey may have claimed to have known him with his vile and hurt filled words, antagonizing the poor boy to breaking point, but Frank should have known better. Sticks and stones. Frank should never have listened to Mikey, the horrible brother who did nothing more than completely destroy Frank's confidence when he should have known that Gerard was right about him all along.

"I guess this goes with the time that I let Mikey get to me, doesn't it?" Frank brought up nervously only to see Gerard nodding at him in agreement.

"Precisely. Mikey was being nothing more than an arrogant bastard," Gerard spoke less than fondly about his brother, "You see, I know he is like this and he has been the same with all my submissives, assuming that they are no better than who I have had before, but each of them has not let him get to them because they knew that Mikey doesn't know them as well I know them."

"I feel like a fucking idiot for letting him get to me that easily." Frank sighed, feeling so ashamed about how he broke and ran away from everything Gerard was giving him so easily.

"It's okay. You didn't know and I understand why you acted the way you did. It's almost like he was testing my submissives despite the fact that he doesn't entirely care about the people I let be involved with me. It's nothing but a sick game to him and you let him win," Gerard explained as he continued to hold his boy tightly, "But you didn't know his game. You were still learning with me. Unfortunately, he got to you a little more than I expected."

"I'm so sorry I ran," Frank apologized again, "I still feel terrible about it."

"Don't be," Gerard brushed Frank's apology off with a wave of his hand and a smile, "Now you can understand that even though he was comparing you to your predecessors, you cannot compare yourself to any of my previous subs because that is not fair. You are your own person. No two subs are ever going to be the same either and no matter what anyone's opinion of you is, you should never take it to heart because my opinion of you is the only one that matters. And your own, of course."

"Okay." Frank sniffed, still feeling like he was going to cry over Ty and how he was feeling, and now this that was sitting on top of everything that was making his emotions completely topsy-turvy.

"You're most certainly welcome, boy. You see, I knew you wouldn't have learned this if I just told you. You needed the experience of being with another Dom to realize that no two are the same. As it goes for subs, too, and only now do you fully understand that being different is okay," Gerard said to Frank, watching him nod and hopefully understand why he had done this all for him, "You should never compare yourself to anyone who has been with me previously because there will never be anyone like you. You are your own special self and your Dom thinks very highly of you."

"Thanks. Seriously. This makes me feel so much better." Frank told his Master even though his kind words were getting to him; his emotions were so fragile right now that even the compliment he had received was making Frank think that he was about to crumble.

"Good. I was, in fact, about to ask how you were feeling."

"Still sore," Frank hissed out as he adjusted on the bed, feeling the pain still lingering in his more than tender ass, "Hungry, too. I just realized I never had my lunch."

"It didn't even cross my mind either," Gerard noted, "Would you like me to get it for you, my prince?"

"No. Stay. Please," Frank pleaded when he knew that Gerard would have to leave the room again just so he could get him his lunch. Frank didn't want him to leave and if that meant not having his lunch then Frank knew he could do without just so his Master would stay, "I like your company a lot more right now."

"That's lovely to hear, but even if I don't get you your lunch, I still have to go." Gerard admitted.

"Wh-Why?" Frank asked, feeling the panic rising in him, "I thought you were staying with me?"

"I was, but I have some work to do so I do need to go into my office for a little while."

"Let me come with you then. Please, sir." Frank tried to compromise, throwing the blanket off himself before he began to get out of bed.

"No, boy," Gerard stopped him immediately, grabbing his arm and pulling him back to where he had been sitting, getting the comforter back on the boy, "You need to stay here and get some rest."

"But I really want you to stay," Frank implored as his eyes began to water, "Why can't you work in here? I'll be quiet, I promise."

"I'm sure you will, but I can't. Frank-"

"P-Please. Please, don't go," Frank requested feebly as his eyes really began to prickle under the mounting emotions that were really starting to take over, "Sir, I just want you to stay. Please"

"Frank, I need to-"

Frank didn't let Gerard finish; he knew he had ways to make his Master stay. He was still feeling under the weather, but Frank pushed himself to climb into his Gerard's lap. He silenced Gerard by straddling him and taking hold of his face in his hands, kissing him passionately in an attempt to get his Master to stay. Frank knew that there was no way that he was up for doing anything more, but if it meant that he wouldn't leave then Frank knew that he would do anything to keep his Master by his side. His Master had said that he was at the top of his list of priorities for today, but no, work seemed to be more important and that was why Frank pushed into the kiss, feeling Gerard reciprocate for a second. His hands gripped Frank's waist tightly, kneading the tender skin under his pajamas, making the boy whine against his lips, but Gerard stopped.

"Frank, please," Gerard barked out as he pushed the boy off him and back onto his side of the bed where Frank sat awkwardly on his feet, his bottom lip threatening to wobble, rejection felt like a punch to the gut, "What has gotten into you today, boy? I have to work. I cannot leave it."

Frank couldn't contain it any longer, the walls that were keeping his emotions held back fell and it got too much. The fact that Gerard insisted that he was going to leave had Frank blubbering big fat tears that were finally falling from his eyes. He attempted to hide the fact that he was crying but it was pointless; his sobs came out muffled against his hands and his shoulders shook.

"Frank. What ever is the matter?" Gerard asked, concerned, "You were fine and then you just turned."

"I d-don't w-want you to g-go." Frank insisted as Gerard pried Frank's hands away from his face, seeing just how distraught he actually seemed to be.

"I, unfortunately, have to," Gerard sighed sadly, "I need to work."

"No, you don't. You just don't want to be with me." Frank retorted as he wiped the snot away from his nose against the sleeve of his pajamas.

"Why would you- Frank, never ever think like that. If I could stay, I would, but I really do need to work."

"Fine," Frank sulked, shifting on the bed so he sat with his back against the headboard and his arms folded across his chest like a petulant child, "Go do whatever you have to do that's apparently more important than me."

"Are you sure you're feeling okay?"

"No!" Frank snapped like it really should have been obvious to his intelligent Master, "I feel like shit, I hurt, I'm down, and now you don't even want to stay with me."

"Is this what it is?" Gerard asked when the penny dropped and he realized, "Frank, why didn't you tell me you were feeling so down?"

"I dunno," Frank shrugged grumpily, "I just thought it was nothing."

"Frank," Gerard sighed, "This isn't just 'nothing'. What you are experiencing is another side of subdrop. Yes, it drains you and you feel under the weather, but it wreaks havoc on your emotional being and your logic. One moment, you can feel fine and in the middle of doing something completely innocuous, and the next moment you can be exactly how you are right now."

"I didn't know." Frank tried to clear his stuffy nose with a sniff that failed miserably.

"You didn't tell me," Gerard pushed, "This is all completely normal. You pouncing on me when I really do need to work is not normal. You should know that I would never leave you unless I absolutely have to."

"I know," Frank felt his cheeks fill with color, "Just... When you left to get my water earlier, I got so panicky while I was alone. I thought that you weren't gonna come back."

"My boy-" Gerard stopped in disbelief at the revelation, "I was always going to come back. You need to tell me how you feel when it comes to a subdrop. Everything, even if it's just that you have an itch. You have to tell me everything so I know that you're okay. If you're not then I can look after you."

"Well, you can't now," Frank said pointedly, "You have to work."

"I won't be long, I promise," Gerard tried to put Frank's mind at ease as he got off the bed and started to head towards his bedroom door, "Let me go and get your lunch. I will only be a minute, my prince, and then I'll be back. Okay?"

"'Kay." Frank grumbled, trying to ignore the panic that was in him because Gerard had told him that he would be back in a minute. He wouldn't lie and Frank knew that as he watched Gerard leave, pulling the bedroom door to as he left.

And Gerard was back like he said he would be a minute or two later. Frank smiled warmly when he saw Gerard push the bedroom door open, carrying a tray in his hands that had his lunch and a glass of orange juice sitting on it. The thought of food made Frank realize just how hungry he was, but what he wasn't expecting was the fact that Lindsey walked into the bedroom after Gerard, giving him a sympathetic look.

"H-Hey, Linds," Frank stammered as he tried to cover himself up despite being fully dressed, "Wh-What are you... Uh, doing here?"

"A ginger birdie told me that you weren't feeling so well today," She said in a comforting tone before she turned to look at Gerard who had set the tray of food down over Franks covered lap, "You go do what you've got to do. I can look after him."

Frank went to protest over his Dominant leaving him, but Lindsey sat down on Gerard's side of the bed, giving Frank a concerned look like a mother and her sick child, "How you feeling, sweetie?"

"Has Gerard told you?"

"Told me that you've hit subdrop, yeah," Lindsey nodded, and Frank went pink to his ears and stared at his pancakes, "You needn't look so embarrassed, Frank dear. I don't care. I'm just here to look after you while Gerard works."

Frank held back the negative retort about how his Master would rather work than spend time with him. Instead, he stayed quiet, picking up his knife and fork to eat his cold lunch while Lindsey got comfortable beside him.

"Poor baby," Lindsey cooed as she brushed Frank's fringe out of his eyes, "You feeling sore?" Frank just nodded, he still didn't want to admit to the fact that he had been caned and enjoyed it more than he ever thought he would. His ass was the proof and Lindsey really didn't need to know about that.

"Frank, you really don't have to close up on me," She chuckled softly when she noticed that he was being quieter than usual, "I've been through this before with other submissives; you shouldn't be ashamed. This is completely normal and I, in no way, judge you for it."

"You sound like Gerard." Frank snorted through a mouthful of food.

"Because it's true. I don't care how you got to the point of subdrop. I just want to look after you while Gerard is away."

Frank snorted; he couldn't stop himself. He drank some of the orange juice to keep himself quiet, he knew that he shouldn't have said anything. He licked his top lip dry, shaking his head, "Because work is more important. He told me that I was his top priority but you're here instead. Yeah, I feel like I'm really at the top right about now."

Lindsey sighed, "He didn't tell you why he has to work?"

"Nuh-uh," Frank shook his head, "He just told me that he had to and he couldn't get out of it. I'm sure the paperwork is much more important than myself."

"You really have no idea," Lindsey muttered under her breath even though Frank still heard what she said, "He has to work because he has a conference video call to someone extremely important. Possibly a new investor that'll bring in a lot of money for our campaign."

Frank stopped mid-chew as he took in what Lindsey had said; he had no idea that that was the reason why Gerard had to work. It made sense now as to why he had told him that he couldn't be in the office with him while he was busy, "I didn't know. He didn't tell me. If he'd have said I would have understood."

"He has a lot on his plate at the moment," Lindsey explained, "He probably didn't want to worry you, especially seeing as you're mid-drop right now."

"If I'd have known, though-"

"Don't," Lindsey stopped him mid-sentence, "I know you need to rest so don't be apologizing or telling me that if you'd have known then you would have been different. It's fine. He understands and so do I. Now, you need to eat. Need to keep your strength up. Also, you need to take these after lunch," Lindsey said, pointing to the painkillers that Frank hadn't noticed sitting on a napkin on his tray, "Masters orders."

"Alright," Frank replied, picking up his cutlery again to continue eating, "How long is he going to be gone for anyway?"

"An hour maybe," Lindsey shrugged, "Don't worry. He will be back before you know it."

"I hope so."