Gerard's POV :

Frank was growing up well. A few week later, he had completely stopped wetting his bed and having night terrors, which I considered a big win.

It was only psychological, which just goes to show that the mindset can have serious physical consequences. It comforted my opinion that I had made the right choice taking him in.

I think Frank likes living here, even though I'm the only human being he can see. He has made huge progress not only in what I teach him, but also in matters of confidence and maturity.
I am so proud of him.

I had reinstalled the phone in the house because I was sure Frank wouldn't use it for anything other than calling me.

I fixed my tie and checked on Frank. He was slumped in the living room couch, watching TV in his pyjamas. I hadn't expected him to be up so early. Oh, yeah, I also quit locking Frank's door for the night.

"What are you gobbling again?" I snatched the cereal box Frank was about to shove his hand into.

"Hey! That's my food!" Frank tried to utter with a mouth full of cereal.

I looked inside the box. "Frank, you've almost finished the cereal box I bought yesterday !"

Frank looked at me innocently and gave me his brightest smile. "Oopsie?"

I sighed and gave him my 'I'm-tired-of-your-shit' look.

"What? I need to fucking eat. I'm a fucking teenager now, I'm growing up," Frank argued.

"Watch your profanity, young man. No need to curse twice in a sentence," I scolded.

"Hmpff." Frank folded his arms.

"Besides, you need vitamins and stuff like that, and I'm sorry to inform you that there isn't any vitamin C in Kellogg's. And heads up, ketchup is not a vegetable."

"I need calories, Gee..." Frank pouted at me like a sad puppy.

I sighed. "Right. I guess teenage males do need a little extra food. Eat a lot, but eat healthy. Anyway, I'm going to work."

I grabbed my trench coat, Frank stood up and gave me a kiss on a cheek and a quick hug.
He just turned 13 and yet I could already feel the teenage hormones begining to do their work. But he would always be my sweet little Frankie.

"Alright, don't forget to do the homework I gave you, I'll give you a test to do. Oh, and if you could water the plants in your bedroom, that would be nice."

"Sure, don't worry." Frank nodded.

And with that, I grabbed my bag to go to Frank's old middle school. Frank's disappearance had made a lot of noise at first. Belleville was not the biggest town and word spread fast.

Over the months, teachers and students at his school had stopped mentioning this case. This year, it was like Frank had become a forgotten ghost, a rumor.

'Hey, have you heard of that kid that disappeared last year?'
'Do you think he's still alive?'
'I heard he ran away'

The police hadn't found anything so far, but planned on looking for him in different neighborhood, from what I had heard. I wasn't worried, though.

They had interrogated all the people who knew him at school including me of course - considering that I was the person he easily opened to.

The police was so easily fooled. I mislead them simply by telling them the truth : Frank was being abused by his parents, so I wouldn't have been surprised if he had run away.

Easy. Now I hoped they would follow that lead and look for a stray kid.

•••
As soon as I opened the front door, Frank went to me as he had been waiting behind the door.

"Hey, I found something," he told me, showing me my old chess game. "Do you know how to play?"

I laughed. "Of course I do. What would be the point of owning a chessboard if I don't know how to use it?"

"Um... Aesthetic?" Frank shrugged. "Can you teach me?"

"You want to learn to play chess?" I raised an eyebrow. "Why not, after all."

I took the heavy board and set it on a table. I explained him the basic rules, the pieces, their movements.

"Can I play against you?"

"Alright. If I can beat my brother's scrawny ass, I guess I can beat yours too," I chuckled. "But more seriously, you're only a beginner, Frank. You should learn some techniques first. There are strategies in chess."

Frank shook his head. "No, I want to play against you. Gimme all you got !"

"Really? Alright..."

Frank took a random pawn and moved it. I moved my own piece and analyzed every of his choices. Messy, messy, messy...
The game went on.

"Checkmate."

I had beaten Frank in 8 moves.

Frank stared at the board and his defeated king. His lips quivered and his eyes watered.

"Oh, Frankie..." I stood up and pulled him in a hug. "I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have-"

"-No, it's okay. I asked you to." Frank shook his head.

Frank sobbed quietly against my chest. Pff, I'm so stupid. Frank was so happy at the thought of playing against me and I just crushed him. Stupid me.

"You must learn defeat," I stated softly. "Always winning is not possible, and it's not strength anyway. The real strength is to get up after you lose, move on and try again just as determined."

I felt Frank's nod in my hold. He pulled back and looked up at me. "Yeah."
Despite his tears, he let out a merry giggle. "You're really smart ! You anticipated all of my moves !"

His eyes were shining with a kind of admiration that made my heart flutter. Frank needed a father figure to look up to.

"Yeah, chess is probably one of the things I'm the best at. As you pointed out, it's all about anticipating the other's moves and strategies. How they will react. I'll teach you if you want."

Frank nodded happily.

"Gerard! Gerard! Can you measure my height?" He asked, his eyes glimmeing a little.

I chuckled. "Again? I measured it last month. Well, I suppose I do owe you that after roasting you at chess." I smirked.

"Yay!" Frank clapped his hands excitedly, dismissing my provocation. What a sweet baby.

Frank stood straight against a wall and I stretched my meter from his heels to the top of his head.

"Stop cheating Frank, I can see you trying to stand on tiptoe." I chuckled. "And stop looking up at the ceiling."

Frank giggled quietly and did as told.

"4 feet 11," I announced.

Frank gasped. "See? I grew up! I grew up!!"
He hopped around like an excited puppy, or a bunny on coffee - or whatever metaphor of that kind.

"Yes you did, angel. You're a big boy." I ruffled his hair. "One day you'll even be bigger than me. I'll have to look up at you."

Frank laughed happily, blushing a little. "I don't think that will happen. You're too tall, you're the tallest!"

I awed and Frank hugged me. He hid his face in my chest shyly.
"I don't wanna be taller than you..." he mumbled, pouting.

"Aww. Don't worry, you will always be my little pumpkin pie." My smile dropped a little. "I know growing up can seem scary, whether it's in the physical or the intellectual sense. But you're strong, and you will make it. I'll be there for every step you take."

"Promise?" Frank mumbled against my chest.

"Promise."

•••
"Gerard !"

I heard Frank yell from the kitchen. He sounded panicked. I let go of the frying pan I was about to use for pancakes and bolted to his bedroom.

I knocked and entered at Frank's little 'come in'. Frank was sitting quite awkwardly on the edge of the bed, still in his pyjamas. He was holding Miss Jackson close to him and he had brought his cover over his lower self.

"What is is, Frank? Is everything okay?"

Frank shook his head, beet red. "I-I have something weird happening... I.. It hurts a little..."

I sat next to Frank. He took the cover off him and my eyes raked over his small body. I was expecting some battle wound, a scratch or a bruise, but it wasn't that. My eyes landed on his crotch.

Oh.

"Why do I have... that?" he asked, alarmed. He tried to push on his little friend to bring it down but it only resulted with him letting out a little moan.

"Nuh-uh, don't touch it." I brushed his hand away and Frank hid his face in the crook of my neck out of embarrassment.

I patted his back. "Everything is okay, Frank, it's normal. This is just a morning wood. Is it the first time you have one?"

Frank nodded. "Feels weird."

I hummed and explaining it was blood rushing down there. Frank asked me why it went hard like that. I'm very surprised nobody has given him the sex talk yet.

I took the time to, explaining what he should already know at his age. I mentally nodded to move our biology lesson to this evening.

"Right now, I'd advise you to take a shower and wait until it goes down by itself."

"Okay, thank you Gerard." Frank hurried to the bathroom.

"Oh and wash your hair too, it's greasy," I shouted at him and heard Frank yell back 'yeah'.

I baked pancakes for Frank and I and made myself some coffee for breakfast.

While I sipped my coffee, I heard a series of moans and whimpers coming from bathroom. Looks like little Frankie just discovered yet another pleasure of life.

Frank eventually came out all clean and dressed. His face was flushed and I could see he was embarrassed, which had me chuckling in my mug.

I grabbed my bag, ready to go to work. "Alright, be good and don't forget your homework. Love you." I kissed the top of Frank's head, who blushed harder at the contact.

"O-oh um, yeah..." Frank cleared his throat and gave my a shy look I couldn't decipher. "Love you too."

"Oh, and I bought you the books you asked me, by the way." I handed him what was delivered yesterday.

"Oh, thank you !" Frank hugged me.

I smiled at him and grabbed the doorknob. That's when somebody knocked on the door. What are the odds?

"Yes, who is it?" I asked though the wooden surface.

"Police, open the door."

______