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"Frankie," Gerard said, lying down on his stomach on Frank's bedroom floor. He propped his head up on his elbows, staring at Frank who was sat crosslegged on the floor, face screwed up in concentration as he plucked at the strings of the guitar in his lap.
"Uh huh?" Frank said, picking away at the strings.
"What was your happy thought?"
Frank stopped what he was doing and looked up, frowning. "Huh?"
Gerard sighed and rolled onto his back, staring at the ceiling. "When we flew home. What was your happy thought?"
Frank watched Gerard was a few seconds, before he sighed and returned to picking at the strings of his guitar. "I don't know."
Gerard made a scoffing noise. "Yes you do."
Frank shrugged. "I don't remember."
Gerard frowned and rolled back onto his stomach. "It can't have been that happy if you can't remember."
Frank shrugged again. "Does it matter?"
Gerard sighed. "Guess not."
Frank looked at him, and smiled.
"What?" Gerard asked.
"You said 'home'." Frank grinned, setting the guitar on the floor beside him.
"I did?" Gerard frowned.
"Mhhm." Frank said, and leaned down, pressing a kiss to the top of Gerard's forehead.
Gerard made a little content noise in his throat, and smiled up as Frank settled back and picked up his guitar once more.
//
"He's so weird," Shaun said, eyes on Gerard.
"Shut the Hell up," Frank muttered, puching his arm.
Gerard was stood under the large tree in Frank's nana's backyard, staring up at the branches with a strange expression on his face.
"What's he even doing?" Shaun asked, and gave a tiny giggle as Gerard pressed the palms of his hands against the tree trunk. "Is he...is he talking to the tree?!"
Frank looked over, and yup, Gerard seemed to be whispering something to the bark. Frank gave a groan and let his head connect with the picnic table they were sat at. "Just shut up Shaun," he mumbled.
"Where did you even find this guy?" Shaun sounded amused.
"I've known him my whole life," Frank muttered to the table.
"Well how come I've never met him?"
Frank gave an awkward shrug. "Because you're a weirdo and I didn't want him to run screaming?"
Shaun elbowed Frank in the side. "Fuck you."
Gerard made a noise of discontent, and Frank looked up to see the messy haired boy standing watching them, hands on his hips and eyes narrowed.
"Don't curse," Frank said to Shaun, who just raised an eyebrow. "He doesn't trust people that curse."
Shaun laughed. "Well you're screwed, you swear like a sailor."
Frank noticed Gerard's eyes grow wide and he shook his head, sighing. "I'm not a pirate Gee, you know that."
Gerard watched Frank for a few seconds, before he seemed to be quite happy with Frank's admission, and nodded then turned back to the tree.
"Pirate?" Shaun whispered.
"He hates pirates." Frank said, before he added. "Don't ask. Please."
Shaun blinked a few times, before he shrugged and turned back to watch--
"Hey, where'd he go?" Shaun frowned.
Frank looked up and felt his stomach jolt. Gerard wasn't stood at the tree trunk anymore.
"Gerard?" Frank said, getting to his feet. "Gerard?"
Frank made his way around the table and out into the centre of the yard. "Gerard?!"
"Dude," Shaun laughed, appearing at Frank's side. "Chill."
Frank shot him a look before he heard a rustling noise. He looked up on instinct and felt his stomach clench into a ball as he took in the sight of Gerard on the highest branch of the old tree, staring up at the shy with a misty expression on his face.
"Gerard." Frank said, panic rising in his chest. "What the Hell are you doing?!"
Gerard didn't answer, just kept staring at the sky.
"Gerard!" Frank yelled. "Get down!"
"Dude, what is he doing?" Shaun said, his own voice wavering a little.
"Gerard!" Frank yelled again. "What the Hell do you think you're doing? Get the fuck down from there!"
Gerard seemed to snap out of his trance at that, and looked down at Frank and Shaun. Frank let out a breath and ran a hand through his hair, eyes closed.
"Frank!" Shaun yelled suddenly, grabbing onto Frank's arm.
Frank looked back at the tree top, his stomach twisting so violently he thought he was going to pass out.
//
"Is he okay?" Frank asked hurriedly as his mother walked out of the hopsital room. "Is he-"
"Frank," his mother smiled, putting her hands on his shoulders. "He's fine. Just a broken ankle and he'd fractured his wrist, but he's fine, okay?"
Frank gulped and nodded. "He's okay?"
Linda smiled and pulled him close. "He's lucky, but he's fine." She placed a kiss on the top of Frank's head. "What was he doing up the tree anyway?"
Frank bit his lip and shook his head, pulling away. "He was just climbing."
Linda frowned and stared at Frank for a few seconds, before she nodded. "You can go in and see him now."
/
"You're an idiot." Frank said as he closed the door behind him. "A complete and utter idiot."
Gerard frowned from the hospital bed. The bottom half of his leg was in a cast, his toes peeking out at the top. His wrist was in a cast as well, in a sling around his neck.
"What?" Gerard said finally, squirming around uncomfortably.
"You're a fucking idiot- and don't give me that look," Frank said when Gerard's eyes narrowed at hime. "You almost gave me a heart attack."
Gerard chewed the inside of his cheek for a few seconds, before he let his shoulders slump. "Sorry," he mumbled.
Frank ran a hand through his hair and walked over to the bed, sitting on the edge. "What were you even thinking Gee?"
Gerard shrugged his shoulders, staring down at his injured arm.
"Gee," Frank whined, and reached out a hand, lifting Gerard's chin. "What's going on?"
Gerard looked at Frank sadly, before he gave a small sigh and shook his head. "Wanna sleep." He said simply, not meeting Frank's eyes.
Frank nodded and stood up. "I'll go get mom..."
//
"Frankie?"
Frank looked up from where he was setting Gerard's painkillers on the dresser. They were in the guest room (which was now known as Gerard's room, really). Linda had brought them home and put Gerard promptly to bed, and put Frank in charge of Gerard's medication.
"Yeah?" Frank said, moving towards the bed.
"Why didn't it work?"
Frank frowned, confused. Gerard's voice sounded so small, sad. It made Frank's chest twitch in an upsetting way.
"Why didn't what work?" Frank asked, and began tucking Gerard's bed sheets around him a little tighter.
"My happy thought. It didn't work." Gerard's forehead was creased and his mouth was all pursed and twisted. "I don't get it."
Frank blinked a few times, before he took a breath. "Okay." He said, and ran a hand through his hair and sat down on the bed. "Gerard, I think...I don't think..." He paused, and looked over at Gerard. He was watching Frank with a concentrated expression, his eyes so sad.
"I don't know how pixie magic works," Frank said, reaching out a hand to smooth Gerard's wild hair down. "But you're here now, so I don't think it'll work anymore. You're not Peter Pan anymore."
Something in Gerard's face seemed to break a little. Frank didn't know how, but somehow Gerard looked even sadder than he had before.
"I know," Gerard said, and twisted onto his side, grimacing when he moved his arm or leg. "I just...maybe it isn't strong enough anymore."
"What isn't?" Frank asked, getting to his feet.
"My happy thought."
Frank breathed out, and walked to the door. He flicked the switch as he opened the door and said, "We're not in Neverland anymore Gee."
/
Frank woke up from a restless sleep to hear whimpers and shuffling sounds coming from Gerard's room next door. He looked at the bedside clock, cursing at the early hour.
He heard a small whine through the thin wall, and sighed, dragging himself out of bed.
"Gerard?" He said, opening the door to Gerard's room just a crack. "You okay?"
"Frankie?" Gerard's voice sounded panicked.
"Yeah, it's me." Frank said, opening the door a little wider. "Are you okay? You need something?"
Gerard made a whining sound, and shuffled around a little in the darkness. "Will you lie with me?"
"Sure," Frank said, turning to make sure his mother's bedroom door was closed.
(A recent conversation was still fresh in Frank's mind, which consisted of Linda telling Frank, "Sweetie, I know you and Gerard are more than just friends, but at your age, I don't feel comfortable with you sleeping in the same room, okay? Just for now, at least, until we decide what to do.")
Frank felt his way along the wall to the bed, and climbed in, sliding his arms around Gerard's waist. "This okay?"
Gerard made a content sound and pushed back against Frank's chest. Frank grinned and buried his face in the back of Gerard's neck.
No matter how many weeks Gerard had been there, living in Frank's house, eating breakfast with Frank and his mother every morning, Frank was never going to get used to this, having Gerard this close. He didn't want to get used to it. He wanted to have moments like this forever, when his stomach fluttered like a thousand butterflies and Gerard felt so content pressed against him.
"Do you think it's not strong enough?" Gerard whispered.
"What isn't?" Frank asked, pressing his nose against the curls at the base of Gerard's neck.
"My happy thought," Gerard said. "Is that why I fell?"
Frank frowned, and pressed his cheek against the back of Gerard's shoulder. "I don't...I don't think so, Gee."
"No?" Gerard said. His voice sounded hopeful.
"I think...maybe it's because you chose to come here," Frank said, tightening his hold on Gerard. "Maybe it's like...the magic doesn't work because you made a choice that you're not going to go back on."
Gerard was silent.
"You're not, right?" Frank asked, his heart racing. "You're not going to go back."
Gerard was still silent for a few seconds, before he let out a breath. Frank felt Gerard's good hand slip up over his shoulder and tangle in Frank's hair. "I'm not going back."
Frank nodded, and pressed against Gerard's hand. "Good."
"It's you, you know." Gerard whispered, and began to turn around to face Frank. He made a few hissing noises before he was settled. He brought his hand up to stroke Frank's face.
"What's me?" Frank smiled, blinking at Gerard in the darkness.
"My happy thought. It's you."
Frank felt his stomach twist. He gulped a little, and said, "Yeah?"
Gerard nodded. "Yeah. This. This feeling. With you. It's different."
Frank let out a nervous laugh. "Good different?"
"Yes," Gerard whispered, and shuffled a little closer so their chests were pressed together. "It's like flying, but stronger. That's why I was scared."
"Scared?"
Gerard nodded, his forehead touching Frank's. "I was scared it wasn't strong enough. But I think it is. I know it is."
Frank sucked in a breath. "Wow. The great Peter Pan, scared of a little emotion."
Gerard giggled and prodded Frank's chest. "Gerard Way," he corrected him. "I'm not the Pan anymore."
Frank nodded, and rested a hand on Gerard's chest. "Mikey's fine," he said, stroking the material of Gerard's night shirt.
"I know," Gerard whispered. "I just miss him."
"Me too." Frank said. "Maybe one day he'll fly through the window, huh?"
Frank could see Gerard smile in the darkness. "I hope so."
They lay in silence for a while, just pressed against eachother, breathing.
"You're mine too, you know." Frank whispered after a while.
"Huh?"
Frank took a breath. "The first time you gave me a kiss," he couldn't help the tug at the corners of his mouth. "That's my happy thought."
"A thimble is your happy thought?" Gerard breathed.
"A kiss, is my happy thought," Frank said and rubbed his nose against Gerard's.
Gerard didn't say anything, but nodded. He pushed his head up slightly, and slowly leaned forward, pressing his lips against Frank's. Frank felt his breath hitch in his chest - this was something we would never get used to.
"I love you, Frankie." Gerard whispered against his mouth.
"I love you too Gee." Frank smiled.
Gerard sighed. "You should go back to your room," he said sadly. "Linda won't be happy."
Frank shook his head, and held onto Gerard's hips. "She can deal with it, just tonight."
Gerard smiled and kissed Frank again. "Thanks Frankie."
Just when Frank thought Gerard was asleep, he heard Gerard say in a sleepy voice, "I think I wanna find them."
"Huh?" Frank asked, eyes closed.
"My parents. I want to find them, I think."
"Yeah?" Frank smiled.
"Yeah. Maybe."
Frank nodded, and pressed his forehead against Gerard's. "Yeah," he said. "Maybe."