Gerard slowly woke up and felt someone holding his hand as he began being more aware of his surroundings. He stirred and took deep breaths, and that's when he felt someone hug him.

"...F-Frankie?" Gerard tried in a hoarse voice.

"I'm here, baby" he heard his boyfriend say.

"Frankie..." Gerard repeated. He noticed that he had something planted in his arm. "Where are we..."

"At the infirmary. Ms. Clarke managed to get you one of those hospital plastic bags thing. You were very dehydrated and you have terrible hypoglycemia." Frank informed.

"What?" Gerard slowly sat up and indeed recognized the infirmary.

"When you don't have enough sugar in your blood - basically. Gerard, have you been skipping meals again? You told me you had lunch !"

"I... I guess I lied..." Gerard looked down, feeling miserable. He brought his hand to his achy forehead.

"You have painkillers here. Ms Clarke says the headaches are normal and temporary." Frank held him a glass of water and pills, which Gerard took.

"Gee, please stop starving yourself. You're beautiful just the way you are. I'm sure we can figure this out together ; let me help you."

Gerard nodded. Ms Clarke walked in and asked him how he was feeling.

"I know you won't like what I'm about to tell you, but I phoned your parents." she said.

Gerard didn't mind that much. He was already lying to Frank ; he didn't want to lie to anybody else.

"They'll make sure you eat correctly from now on. Gerard, it's okay to think the way you do. Actually, I was too when I was about your age."

Gerard frowned. "You did?"

Ms Clarke nodded. "But I got past that. You know, if you want to stay fit, starving yourself isn't the best way. It barely works and dear, at what cost? I'm no expert, but if you want my advice, you have to eat a lot, low-calories food. Have you ever considered eating more vegetables and seafood? It's perfect, really. Do you like sushi, Gerard?"

Gerard nodded and Ms Clarke kept going. "You can eat junk food and pastries but only on occasions - with friends, for example. Okay?"

Gerard nodded again, mentally taking notes.

"I'm going to give you a note so you can go home. Remember to eat regularly, even a little, even if you're not feeling like it. Get some rest."

She handed Gerard a note and Gerard went home. He ate as soon as he go home and of course, his mother lectured him.

Gerard went to his room and took a nap. He also thought about talking to someone about he and Barbara's deal. He couldn't keep that for himself, he wasn't strong enough. But he didn't want to tell Frank, so he grabbed his phone and texted Anthony, asking him to come over as soon as school was over.

•••
Gerard explained Anthony everything that had happened between his and Barbara and also PE class, because why not. Gerard needed to confide in someone. By the end of the story, Gerard was about to cry.

Anthony sighed and said what Gerard feared he would say. "We have to tell someone. We have to tell Frank."

"Please, no, don't tell Frank. Anthony, please."

There was something with Gerard refusing any kind of help when he needed it the most, and wanting to deal with his shit all on his own.

"Gerard, I'm not staying quiet when bad things happen to you, not again." Anthony shook his head. "Remember what happened last time I stayed quiet, how it turned out with Bert. We have to make sure to get all the help we can get before it turns too bad. We either go talk to Frank or a teacher."

Gerard sheepishly nodded. If they went and talked to a teacher, Barbara would only show them the video, and Gerard would get expelled. After all, he did send her a pornographic video - child pornography, on top of that. She would just have to pretend that Gerard had sent it to hit on her and that she hadn't asked for anything.

It was her word against his and honestly, she would always be right as long as she had the damn video. Gerard was most definitely trapped.

Anthony put his hand on Gerard's shoulder. "It's okay Gee, he will understand. This is none of your fault, you have nothing to blame yourself for."

Gerard nodded again. He took his phone and texted Frank. In a matter of minutes, Frank was there too, and Gerard told him everything. To Gerard's relief, Frank didn't seemed pissed, angry or disappointed ; and he hadn't made any comment about Gerard lying to him.

"So, what do I do...?" Gerard shyly asked.

"Well..." Frank began, still thinking.

"...Well?" Anthony pushed.

"Barbara is the kind of person who always gets what she wants and who knows it. So... make her believe she did." Frank shrugged. "Make her believe that she got what she wanted : you."

"Whoa, I'm not sure of what you're suggesting here, Frank." Anthony frowned.

"Anthony, we're gonna need you. You know how to use all laptops and... technological stuff, right?"

"Yeah, but it's not like I can hack through anything."

"You won't need to, but you do know how to crack a password, yes?"

"I can, if I have the adequate stuff."

"Okay, we're gonna need your help. Guys, I think I have a plan. It's very risky and you're really not gonna like it. If it works, Barbara's screwed. But if we fail..."

"-We are so screwed." Gerard completed and Frank nodded.

"So, what's your plan?" Anthony asked.

As Frank explained his plan, both Anthony and Gerard's eyes widened.

"Frank, even for you, that's twisted." Anthony shook his head.

Frank sighed. "Yeah, I know. So, what do you think Gerard? Are you in?"

"I-I don't know if I can do that... I-I have to think."

"No problem. Keep me aware babe, we can help you."

Gerard nodded and both twins left. Gerard thought again and again about Frank's idea. It could work but it was reckless.

I can't do that... I just can't. I'll screw everything up. But what if it works?

There was no way it could work and Gerard fidn't want to do this.

Screw it. Gerard texted Barbara, Frank and Anthony. He got dressed, grabbed his keys and left for Barbara's house.

______

Gerard took a deep breath and knocked on the door.

There's no other way. If I don't do that, my life will be hell.

Barbara opened the door and greeted him. "Gee! Glad you texted me." she said as she locked the door behind him. "I like your red hair, it suits you, really."

Gerard hesitantly walked into the huge living room and took a look around. "Y-Yeah, thanks but... Actually, I din't came here to talk. Not really."

Barbara arched an eyebrow and Gerard pulled her in a kiss to which she responded. She still seemed a little bit surprised but that wasn't bothering her so much.

"Oh well, in that case..." she smiled. "Come with me." She took Gerard's hand and led him to her bedroom. Gerard's heart bounced when he saw her laptop, on her desk.

She kissed Gerard, grasping his shirt and leading him to her bed.

"I recall that you prefer bottoming, don't you?" Barbara asked.

Gerard nodded. Barbara lay him on the bed, and hovered over him. She took her shirt off then Gerard's, and started kissing and softly sucking on his neck, lingering on his sweet spot below his ear.

Gerard started moaning softly, and it got louder as she palmed him through his jeans slowly, just like she knew Gerard liked it. Gerard buckled his hips and his fingers dug a little on her back. A little voice in his head was screaming stop and run, but it was quickly silenced by his own moaning.

"See? Nobody knows you like I do. Come on, touch me, don't be shy. I know you want it." Barbara grinned against his skin.

Gerard silently refused to. He still kissed Barbara though. But on the other hand, Barbara had never been so gentle with him ; she had never cared for him much and Gerard only realized now how good of a girlfriend she could be if she wasn't so abusive.

But at the moment, she wasn't, was she? A part of Gerard's mind wondered, what if she had really changed? Frank had, so why not her as well?

What if Gerard decided to give in? Nobody would know. After all, perhaps Gerard had never stopped loving Barbara, deep down.

Barbara sucked on Gerard's collarbone and grinned on him. She knew Gerard loved it, that he loved foreplay.

"Frank doesn't know you, baby. He can't pleasure you like I do," she practically moaned in his ear.

Frank. Gerard got himself together. He couldn't cheat on Frank, no way he could. He loved Frank. What had gotten into him?

A little noise behind them made Barbara stop kissing Gerard's chest.

"What was that?" she breathed out worriedly.

"Um, I didn't hear anything," Gerard said innocently. Actually, that was a lie.

Another noise rose and Barbara shushed him. "You heard that?"

"I didn't," Gerard lied.
Damnit.

Barbara was about to turn around, but if she did, she would see Anthony next door, cracking her password and deleting the video from all her devices.

And Barbara would have turned around if Gerard hadn't grabbed her face and smash their lips together.

Barbara forgot about the noise and the both of them made out for a little while. Once again, she slid her hand down Gerard's pants, whose body twitched.

"W-Wait..." he stuttered and sighed in relief when he saw from the corner of his eye that Anthony was gone.

"I... I d-don't think I'm ready f-for that y-yet. Can we please just... stick to making out for today?"

Barbara sighed, running a hand through Gerard's red hair.

"Okay. Sure," she agreed. She lay doxn next to Gerard and the two of them resumed kissing.

Gerard soon found a pitiful excuse - some curfew - to go and left the house.

He saw Frank and Anthony waiting for him across the street.

"Anthony, did you...?" Gerard asked.

Anthony nodded. "I did. I broke in and deleated the video and all the copies."

"How did you get in? I tried to keep it open for you but she noticed and locked the door behind me.."

"It turns out..." Frank began, a proud smirk on his face, "...that I have skills in picking locks. Sorry if I got too noisy. I'll teach you guys to pick locks one day. Also, nice hard-on, Gerard."

Gerard looked down and flushed. "Y-Yeah, well... Y-You told me to distract her..."

Frank smiled. "I know what I said, baby." He pecked Gerard lips and the three of them left the place.

"I'll help you with it," Frank whispered in Gerard's ear before kissing his temple.

______

"Gerard," Barbara called in the hallways and Gerard took a deep breath.

Now is the time. Today, it stops.

Frank and Anthony were around, just in case things went sideways.
Gerard spoke first, making sure to stay calm and to not stutter.

"Barbara, it's over. I deleted the video you used to blackmail me."

Barbara smiled. "Oh, I know. At least you thought you did."

Gerard's heart dropped in his stomach.
"W-What do you mean?"

"You really think I didn't see your little game going on? You think I didn't see your friend sneak up in my room? I know you wouldn't just text me to make out ; you're not that type of guy." Barbara's eyes were shining. "See? I know you, Gerard."

"B-But now...?" Gerard babbled, dumbfounded.

"Now, you broke our deal... I wish I didn't have to do that but I'm gonna have to show the video to the police," she fakes a sigh.

"Wait, no, please don't. That would ruin my life." Gerard begged as he started hyperventilating.

"Listen, maybe I can offer you an ultimate deal."

"What do you want?" The redhead asked in a shaky voice.

"Well, you did break our deal... You understand that I can't simply ask you to be my friend with benefits anymore. No. You'll be my sex slave."

"W-What?" Gerard tried to not stutter but failed this time.

"My sex slave. My little dog. You come whenever I call, you do whatever I order you and it will all work in one way. No questions asked, and I don't ever want to hear no from you, not even once, or the video goes straight to the police."

"Y-You can't. Anthony deleted the video from your phone and your laptop."

Barbara put a hand on Gerard's cheek with a wide sneaky smile on her face.
"Oh honey, you're so naive to think that I didn't make copies of that on a flashdrive."

The same smile appeared on Gerard's face.
"Oh honey, you're so naive to think that I'm not recording this whole conversation."

Gerard's smile grew wider as Barbara's disappeared. "Y-You're bluffing..." she stuttered.

Looks who's stuttering now, the bitchy part of Gerard thought - but he kept the comment to himself.

He pulled a tiny recorder out of his pocket and played it. 'No. You'll be my sex slave' could be heard very distinctly.

"If we go down, you go down with us." Gerard simply said.

Barbara paled. "You son of a bitch..."
She threw herself at Gerard, making both of them fall down. She attempted to punch and scratch him.

Frank and Anthony who were waiting nearby immediatly gripped her and took her off Gerard.

Anthony kept a firm hold on her until she calmed down. Barbara started sobbing in Anthony's shoulder and the latter, all good Samaritan he was, hugged her - without much compassion though.

______

After those events, Gerard indicated to Barbara that he wouldn't use the recording against her. After all, all he wanted was peace.

Brendon caught Gerard up in the hallways and gave him the final version of his fanfiction.

"It's a 'Frerard', meaning you and Frank." he said. "It's called 'Who owns my heart'. Yeah I know, it's fucking cheesy... But I tried to add dark angsty things too. Also, I... may or may not have added a threesome chapter. Sorry if you're not a fan of it - just skip the chapter, it's the one called 'dirty thoughts'. No but really, don't throw it away; it took me like, four months to write."

Gerard smiled. Brendon was one weird puddle of hormones. "Yeah, thanks. You're not gonna publish it anywhere, are you?"

"Nooo, absolutely not." Brendon scrapped his throat.

"Do I have your word?"

"I......... Oh, look, it's Billie Joe Armstrong!" Brendon yelled and pointed behind Gerard.

Gerard looked behind him to see if his idol had miraculously appeared, and when he turned back, Brendon was gone. Gerard sighed. Oh well...

•••
The next week, Barbara ended up apologizing for her behavior since the beginning, and whether it was sincere or not, Gerard was glad. It was all over. His old demons had died off.

"I wish you all the best with Frank." Barbara mumbled shamefully. "He's the one for you." she added.

It was the last thing Barbara ever said to Gerard, who just replied 'thank you, you too'.
It was genuine.

"Yeah Gee, kill them with kindness!" Anthony commented and ruffled Gerard's hair as Barbara left.

"You're quoting Ariana Grande?" Gerard arched an eyebrow.

Anthony pouted. "It's... it's Senena Gomez, actually..."

Both Gerard and Frank stared at Anthony like they would an alien, heavily judging him and his musical taste.

"You're out of my will." Frank stated, making Gerard laugh.

"Come on man, she sings well, admit it." Anthony defensively folded his arms.

"Don't- Don't even get me started." Frank sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Once punk rock, always punk rock.

"Baby, it's okay, don't act like she was a walking cancer or something." Gerard giggled, wrapping an arm around his boyfriend's waist.

"You agree with that? Please Gee, don't go on the dark side, not you!" Frank widened his eyes. "It's not punk at all!"

Gerard and Anthony looked at each other and burst out in laughter.

"What? What did I say? Hey, stop laughing, you two !"

"I love you, Frankie." Gerard stated, hardly calming himself down, and put his hands on Frank's cheeks to kiss him.
Frank was much too confused to kiss back.

The year ended very quickly. On the last day, Frank and Gerard went on the hill to watch the sunset. It was always so beautiful.

They sat on the grass and watch the gigantic orange sun before them. Gerard loved this time of the day, when everything was warm and golden, reminding him of Frank's eyes. That sunset always made him a little emotional.

"It's over." Gerard spoke, tears brimming his eyes. "It's finally over."

Frank smiled, staring at the sky too.

"Remember the first time you took me here?"

"How could I forget? It was our first kiss." Frank sighed.

"I want to live that moment again and again."

Frank turned to Gerard and, honoring his request, pressed their lips together. A tear of happiness glided down Gerard's cheek and the sun made it shine like a tiny diamond.

They eventually withdrew, and recoiled so they were leaning on the seemingly eternal oak tree. Gerard put his head on Frank's shoulder, and Frank on Gerard's head. Frank took his hand and intertwined their fingers.

"Together?" Gerard asked.

"Always." Frank stated.

______