Work Text:
"Frank," Shaun hissed, leaning across the small space between their desks and tapping Frank's arm. "He's doing it again."
Frank snapped out of his trance and gave Shaun a confused look, before he let his gaze drift to the messy, dark haired boy sat by the window. He was staring out of the window, a glazed look in his eyes, staring at the sky.
Frank sighed and shot a glance at their teacher, before he leaned over slightly, ignoring the annoyed look of Gina Greeson as he rested his hand of her desk.
"Gee," he whispered, trying to get Gerard's attention. "Gee."
Gerard didn't move, but gave a small sigh, still staring out of the window.
"Ahem."
Frank looked around to see Mrs. Williams looking at him, arms folded across her chest, an apprehensive look on her face.
"Mr. Iero, is there a reason you're interupting my class?"
Frank sat back in his chair and shook his head. "No ma'am."
"I'm sure whatever you have to tell Mr. Way can wait until after class?"
Frank shot a glance at Gerard, who had seemed to turn at the mention of his name. There was a scowl on Gerard's face who Frank knew was a result of being referred to as 'Mr.'; Frank couldn't help but smile. He ducked his head and said, "Yes ma'am."
"Thank you," Williams said, flicking her red hair over her shoulder. "Now, if we can please focus on the task at hand," she said, walking towards a small pile of books on her desk. She picked one up and held it in the air.
"Peter Pan." She smiled, and Frank felt his heart freeze, his stomach twist. "I'm sure we're all familiar with the story, yes?"
Frank couldn't drag his eyes off the book in her hand, the little sketch on the front cover. He couldn't look in Gerard's direction, couldn't meet the stare that he knew Gerard was fixing him with.
There was a murmmur among the students, before Gina Greeson said, "Aren't we a little old for fairy tales miss?"
Frank ducked his head, staring at a blank page of his notebook.
"You're never too old for fairy tales," Shaun said, leaning back in his chair. "We have elves in our class, look at little Frankie here." He shoved Frank's shoulder, and there was a shared giggle across the students.
Frank shook his head and finally looked up. Gerard was staring at the book Williams had placed on his desk. Frank couldn't read his expression and looked away as a book was placed on his own desk.
"Can I see a show of hands who remembers the story of Peter Pan," Mrs. Williams said as she returned to her desk and leaned against it.
Most of the class raised their hands, and Frank shot a glance as Gerard's arm twitched slightly, before he let it hand by his side.
"James," Williams said. "Why don't you tell us about it."
Frank looked at James, just two seats away from his own. The dark haired boy cleared his throat and said, "Uh, could fly?"
There was another round of giggles from the class, and Frank kept his eyes on Gerard, who was just staring at the book in front of him.
"Okay, calm down," Williams smiled. "Can anyone tell me anything else?"
Of course, Gina stuck her hand in the air, a smirk on her face.
"Yes, Gina," Williams said, pushing herself up onto her desk.
"Peter Pan was a little boy who ran away because he never wanted to grow up," she said in a very matter-of-fact tone of voice. "The fairies took him to Neverland, and he found other little boys who ran away too, and they became the Lost Boys and fought against pirates."
"Oh my God, are you five?" Shaun laughed, leaning over his desk and fixing her with an incredulous look.
Gina pulled a face at him. "It's my little brother's favourite story." She said, rolling her eyes. "It's not like it's literature or anything."
"Actually," Williams said, picking up her copy of the book. "This book is your next assignment."
Frank felt his stomach drop. This was a joke, right? "Uh, miss?" He said, putting his hand in the air. "Do you really think this is appropriate for a senior class?"
"Why wouldn't it be?" She asked.
"Well," Frank felt flustered. He could feel Gerard's eyes on him. "I just think a kid's story isn't very-"
"Mr. Iero, have you read this book?" She tapped the front cover.
I lived it, Frank bit back. "Yeah." He gave a casual shruh. "Of course."
"Then tell me what you think about it."
Frank frowned. "Huh?"
"Why do you think it's a kid's story?"
Frank bit the inside of his cheek. "Well...it's about like...a kid who...doesn't wanna grow up...and he has adventures?"
He looked over at Gerard who was staring at him with a blank expression. Frank didn't like that.
"No," an exasperated voice to Frank's left said. He turned to look at Deana Ralston, rolling her eyes at him. "That's you thinking about it from a child's point of view."
Frank looked at Mrs. Williams who waved a hand for Deana to continue.
"It's like, yeah, he's a kid who ran away from home, because he didn't want to grow up. He didn't want to have any responsibilities and deal with consequences of decisions he'd have to make as he got older. He's selfish and arrogant - he makes the Lost Boys do as he says, and he's aggressive about getting things his own way. He's pompous and single minded." Gina straightened up in her seat. "It's not all Disney and rainbows."
Frank felt a burning sensation building up in his chest. It wasn't until he heard the scraping of a chair, and turned to see Gerard fleeing the classroom, that he realised it was anger.
"Mr. Way!" Williams called as the door slammed shut.
Everyone turned to look at Frank who couldn't help but glare at Deana as he reached down and grabbed his backpack from the floor and said, "I'll go check on him."
Mrs. Williams nodded and grabbed some sheets of paper from her desk. "Give him a copy of the assignment, please." She said, handing them over. "It's due next Friday."
Frank nodded, and quickly made his exit.
/
Frank found Gerard in a small woodland area, just on the edge of the school's running tracks. Of course Frank knew where he'd find him - whenever Gerard needed space, he always ended up in the nearest forest, back pressed against a tree, staring at the branches, breathing deeply.
Today was no different, as Frank found Gerard in a small clearing, sat at the base of a tree, arms wrapped around his knees, head down.
"Gee?" Frank said, dropping his backpack to the ground and falling to his knees in front of Gerard. He reached out and touched Gerard's shoulder, but Gerard jerked away. "Gee?" Frank frowned. "What's wrong?"
Gerard looked up, his eyes wet and red rimmed. "Is that what people think of me?" His voice was small, tugging at Frank's heart. "Do people think I'm a bad person?"
"What?" Frank said, reaching out again and placing his hand on Gerard's cheek. "No, don't be silly. Deana was just--"
"Is that what the Lost Boys thought? That I was a bully? Did Mikey think that?"
Frank winced at the hurt in Gerard's voice as he said Mikey's name. "No, Gee, no. It's just a story."
"But it's not," Gerard said, sniffing and getting to his feet. "It's not a story."
Frank got to his feet and bit his lip. "Gerard, it's not--"
"When you're mom read it," Gerard said, stepping away from Frank, hands in his hair. "She said I was good, I saved everyone, I was--"
"You are good," Frank said, trying to reach out and take Gerard's hand, but he kept stepping back whenever Frank got closer. "You are."
Gerard shook his head. "Then why did Deana think--"
"Gerard, it's a story, people think different things--"
"Wendy wrote it," Gerard said in a small voice, staring at his feet.
Frank let out a small huff and folded his arms across his chest, and looked at the sky. "Gerard, just because Wendy wrote it, doesn't mean she was right."
Gerard shook his head and looked up, running a hand through his wild hair. "And you."
Frank frowned and looked at him. "Me?"
"You said I'm just a kid who went on adventures. Is that what you think?"
"What?" Frank stared at him. "What? No, what are you--"
"That's what you said," Gerard said. "Is that what everyone thinks?"
"Gerard, it's not like that," Frank said, stepping forward and getting a grip on Gerard's shoulders. "Gerard it's--"
"Don't," Gerard said, shoving Frank away. "People all-- they think I'm a bully. They think I only care about myself, but I don't, I-- I came back! I left and I came back! For you!" There were tears streaking Gerard's cheeks. "But no one cares about that, no one--"
"No one knows about that Gerard!" Frank yelled. "No one thinks it's real, everyone thinks it's--"
"Just a story." Gerard finished.
Frank sighed and ran a hand over her face. "Yeah," he said. "Just a story."
"No one believes in me." Gerard said in a small voice.
"Gerard--" Frank said, but Gerard held up a hand.
"Just leave me alone, Frank." He said. "I just...just leave me alone." Gerard turned on his heel and grabbed his messenger bag from the ground and walked off into the woods, leaving Frank staring after him.
//
"Still not home?" Frank asked, leaning in the living room.
"Sorry sweetie," his mother shook her head, looking up at him from the sofa. "It's still early, if he isn't home soon, we'll go looking for him, okay?"
Frank sighed and nodded. "I'm gonna do some homework."
His mother scoffed. "Since when?"
Frank made a face, and retreated up the stairs to his bedroom.
Gerard had only been gone a few hours, and Frank knew he'd be fine, he did this all the time, when he just wanted time with his thoughts. Frank figured that after spending a lifetime flying through the skies, fighting pirates and swimming with mermaids, sometimes the mundane life of a high school student could be a little overwhelming for a former pixie boy.
It didn't stop Frank from worrying though. He still had the image of Gerard brandishing a rather large butcher knife at his mother's date a few weeks after Gerard had moved in, all because the guy had cursed at a fly circling him. Gerard could get himself into some weird situations, and Frank couldn't always come up with convincing enough stories to tell his mother.
Frank groaned and fell down on his bed, grabbing his copy of Peter Pan from his beside table.
He knew the book from cover to cover, inside out and back to front, really. Not that he'd read it recently - he hadn't read it since he was a kid, but he still remembered everything, now.
At night, when Gerard couldn't sleep and would sneak into Frank's room, he'd wrap his arms around Frank, burying his face in Frank's neck, whispering stories and adventures that made Frank's stomach swoon and twist. Stories that Frank remembered, stories he'd never been a part of.
Stories about Mikey, and Ray, and the other Lost Boys, stories about pirates and Indians, and Pixie Hollow.
As Frank ran his fingertips across the author's name, he thought about how Gerard rarely spoke her name, tried not to talk about her. Frank didn't know if it was because of him, because he didn't want to hurt Frank's feelings, thinking of a lost love, old friendships and stories that happened before Frank was even born. He didn't know if it was because it hurt to think about her, to think about Michael and John, and their stories too.
Frank opened the book, reading the dedications, the introduction. He lasted less than a minute before he threw the book across the room, cursing. He hated how jealous he got, if he was honest. He didn't have any right, being jealous of a girl that existed long before him.
It almost made Frank laugh, the fact he was jealous of Wendy. Hell, if he even tried to talk to anyone about it, they'd think he was mental. Frank couldn't help it though. He told himself over and over again, he was the one that brought Gerard home, he was the one Gerard gave Neverland up for.
And that was when the guilt would really set in.
Gerard gave up everything for Frank. He gave up his lifelong childhood, his life of luxury and adventure. He'd given up Mikey, and the Lost Boys, Tiger Lily and fighting pirates. All for Frank.
Frank ran a hand over his face and stretched, before he climbed out of his bed and headed back down the stairs, calling out to his mother as he took the car keys.
/
The cemetery wasn't that far from their house, only an hour's drive. Frank had only been once, the first time they'd found it. He didn't feel right, shadowing Gerard whenever he wanted to visit, so Frank would drop him off, and come back when Gerard was ready to leave.
When Gerard disappeared for more than a few hours, Frank always knew where he'd find him.
Frank pulled up at the gates of the old cemetery, and killed the engine. He sat staring at the rusted fence, the creaking gates. It was an old cemetery, so old that Frank was sure no one had been buried in it for at least fifty years. It looked Victorian, gothic and decaying.
He sat for a few minutes, before he took a deep breath and climbed out of the car.
Gerard was sat on the ground, legs folded beneath him in front of the large headstone, his messenger bag forgotten a foot away. His head was bowed, but Frank could hear his voice, talking to the dead.
Frank paused a few feet away, and was almost ready to turn and leave again, when he heard, "Do you think they can hear me?"
Frank stood silent for a few seconds, before he sighed and walked forward, and dropped to the ground, sitting next to Gerard, their knees touching.
"I think so, yeah," he said finally.
Gerard nodded.
"What do you tell them?" Frank asked, eyes on the gravestone. He could barely read the engraved writing, the stone was so old, moss and ivy growing over the sides.
Gerard shrugged and picked at the laces of his Converse. "Everything, I guess. Everything they missed."
Frank nodded, and felt his chest tighten as Gerard sucked in a shaky breath.
"I know it's my fault they missed it," Gerard said in a low voice. "But I want them to know. About everything. About Hook, and Tink. About my paintings and school. About you."
Frank looked up, confused. "Me?"
Gerard nodded, but didn't look up. "I want them to know I found you, even if it took forever."
Frank swallowed and nodded, not wanting to press.
"I tell them about Mikey," Gerard breathes out and finally looks up at the stone. "They missed Mikey."
Frank nodded and found himself shuffling closer to Gerard, their thighs pressed against eachother now.
"It's not your fault they missed Mikey," Frank said quietly, slipping his hand over Gerard's leg to take his hand. "Mikey made a choice to leave too. You didn't make him leave."
Gerard gave a shaky sigh and nodded, looking down as Frank linked their fingers. "I know, but...he wouldn't have left if it wasn't for me."
"You're his hero," Frank smiled, and looked up at him. "But he has a mind of his own, whether he acts like it or not."
Gerard gave a sad laugh, before he frowned. "I miss him."
"I know," Frank sighed, and leaned his head on Gerard's shoulder. "I do too."
Gerard nodded and stared at the stone.
Frank wasn't sure how long they sat there, in silence. It was nice, in a sad sort of way, Frank thought. It was peaceful, despite their surroundings.
Frank couldn't imagine how Gerard felt though, if he was honest. When Gerard had first asked if Frank would help him find his parents, Frank had smiled and agreed. He thought it was a great idea to begin with. Like, what could go wrong?
It wasn't until they'd discovered the death certificates that it hit Frank in the chest. He'd never really thought about the fact that Gerard was from a different time. Gerard's parents had been dead for years, before Frank had even been born. It hadn't occurred to Frank that Wendy Darling's stories were written years before he was born, that generations of children had heard the stories of Peter Pan and had dreamt about the little boy that flew through windows and killed pirates. It wasn't until Frank had came to that cemetery for the first time, hand in hand with Gerard as he stared at his parent's graves, that Gerard was Peter Pan.
Gerard had been born almost a hundred years before Frank was even a twinkle in his mother's eye. Gerard was the boy that refused to grow up.
Until he met Frank.
It was hard to deal with at times, Frank felt. He was the boy that took Peter Pan from the stories and made him real. He was the one that made him stay, when everyone's beloved Wendy couldn't.
"Frankie?"
Frank shook his head, coming out of his thoughts as Gerard squeezed his hand.
"Uh huh?"
"Can we go?" Gerard said.
Frank blinked a few times before he nodded, and got to his feet, pulling Gerard up with him. "You okay?" He asked, reaching up to brush Gerard's hair from his face.
Gerard shook his head and stared at the sky. "Not really. I just wanna sleep."
Frank nodded, and reached down to grab Gerard's bag, before he led him towards the car.
//
Frank couldn't sleep that night, tossing and turning in his bed. When he'd returned home with Gerard earlier in the evening, his mother hadn't questioned him as he'd led Gerard upstairs and put him to bed, before he'd retreated to his own room.
Sometimes it bugged him that his mother still made them sleep in their own rooms. Sure, she knew they were...well, a couple or whatever, and she had no problem with it. Heck, she was pretty much the most supportive mother Frank had ever heard of (once, he'd heard her give a full on verbal beat down to nosey Mrs. Pike next door, who'd commented on the fact she let Frank's boyfriend live with them). However, as comfortable and cool with their relationship his mother was, she was still adamant about keeping them as 'innocent as possible, for as long as possible', she told him.
Which, to be fair, Frank figured wasn't so bad. In a way, Gerard was still so new to everything, despite the fact he'd been living with them for around two years. He was still learning about the modern world, values and norms, discriminations and what was accepted by society.
The first time Frank and Gerard had walked through the mall hand in hand, Gerard had frowned in confusion when a jock had reffered to them as what Frank liked to call 'the F word'.
"What's a fa--"
"It's a bad name," Frank said, cutting Gerard off. "It's a stupid name that assholes like that like to call guys like us."
"Guys like us?" Gerard asked innocently, eyes drifting over the crowds.
"Yeah," Frank said, squeezing Gerard's hand. "Guys that love other guys."
"Oh." Gerard said, frowning. "And that's not normal?"
Frank sighed. "It is normal, but some idiots don't like it."
Gerard had bit his lip, before he shrugged. "I don't care. I like it."
Frank grinned and leaned up on his tip toes and pressed a kiss to the corner of Gerard's mouth. "I'm glad."
So Frank's mother's attempt at keeping them 'innocent' wasn't a bad thing, probably, Frank thought. Sure, there had been some heavy make out sessions and maybe a little heavy petting here and there, but it never really went that far; Frank wasn't about to push Gerard into something he had no idea about.
Then again, it was like he had no idea. No, there had been that one time when they'd been on Frank's bed, just kissing, hands planted in eachother's hair, when Frank had suddenly felt a pressure on his crotch and had noticed Gerard had slipped a hand between them, palming him awkwardly.
"Gerard?" Frank had breathed, blinking up at him.
Gerard had blushed and ducked his head slightly.
"You don't need to do that," Frank had smiled, linking Gerard's fingers with his own. "There's no rush, okay?"
Gerard had sighed and leaned his forehead against Frank's. "I don't want anyone else to have you."
Frank had felt his heart break a little, and said, "No one will ever have me but you."
Gerard smiled against Frank's lips. "I wanna be normal for you."
Frank had sighed and chased Gerard's mouth. "I just want you."
"Frankie?"
Frank turned to see Gerard pushing his bedroom door open up. "You awake?"
"Yeah," Frank breathed, leaning up on his elbows. "What's up?"
Gerard bit his lip and shook his head, slipping into the room and closing the door behind him. "Can't sleep."
Frank gave a small yawn and nodded, before he shuffled to the side a little, making space for Gerard to climb in. As soon as Gerard was vertical, Frank pulled the quilt over them both, and rested his head on Gerard's shoulder.
"You okay?" He asked, closing his eyes, listening to Gerard's breathing.
"Hmm." Gerard said, a hand coming up to stroke through Frank's hair. He was silent for a few minutes before he said, "I'm sorry I got upset."
"Huh?"
"Today in the woods. I'm sorry I yelled at you."
Frank opened his eyes and squinted up at Gerard. "Huh?
Gerard rolled his eyes. "I'm trying to apologise."
"I know," Frank said, and pushed himself up to race Gerard. "You never apologise."
Gerard made a face at him. "Because I'm selfish and arrogant and only care about what I want."
Frank blinked and shook his head, "No, I didn't--"
"But it's true." Gerard sighed, and stroked Frank's cheek. "Well, it was."
Frank just stared, taking in Gerard's face, the shape of his eyebrows, the point of his nose, the slant of his mouth when he spoke.
"I didn't mean to take it out on you." Gerard said in a quiet voice.
Frank smiled softly and pushed forward, pressing their mouths together. "It's okay."
Gerard nodded and leaned their foreheads together. "It's just hard sometimes."
"What is?"
Gerard sighed. "Just...sometimes I forget where I am. Sometimes I wake up, and I don't know where I am, or why I'm here."
Frank felt a twist in his stomach but nodded at Gerard to continue.
"Like...sometimes I forget that I'm here, that I'm supposed to be...normal."
"You don't have to be normal, Gee, it's just--"
"But then I remember," Gerard cut Frank off, bringing a hand up to cup Frank's cheek. "It's always hazy at first, but then it hits me, why I'm here and where I am."
Frank swallowed and stared at Gerard, meeting his stare.
"And then I remember that it's all worth it. It's all worth it to see your face every day."
Frank closed his eyes, willing the burn behind his eyelids to stop where it was, and not come crashing down his cheeks.
"I love you, Frankie." Gerard whispered.
Frank nodded, eyes still closed. "I love you too." He breathed, and gave a small gasp as Gerard fitted their mouths together, pulling Frank closer.
Frank ran his hands into Gerard's messy hair and rolled them over, leaning over Gerard and smiling against his mouth.
"Thank you," he whispered, stroking his thumb along Gerard's ear.
"What for?" Gerard asked, holding onto Frank's hips.
"For staying with me," Frank said, kissing Gerard's lips softly. "I never thanked you."
Gerard grinned and kissed him. "Never thank me for loving you."
//
"Okay!" Mrs. Williams clapped her hands together. "I want to thank you all for the amazing efforts put into your latest assignments." She grinned around the classroom. "And of course, as always, I've picked my top three."
There was a groan around the class, and Frank leaned his chin on his forearms on the desk. He never did understand how the Hell Mrs. Williams thought the students actually liked being told who's work was the best and being made to stand in front of the class and actually read it allowed.
Although, to be fair, Frank had never been forced to do that, so he figured he was safe enough.
"Shaun, can you please come up front," Mrs. Williams smiled.
Frank's eyes widened and he turned to stare at Shaun.
"You what?" James said increduosly.
Williams laughed. "There's a first time for everything Mr. Simon, now up here!"
Frank looked around at Gerard with an amused expression as Shaun dragged his feet to the front of the class. Gerard raised his eyebrows before he turned to watch Shaun mumble through his analysis of Peter Pan.
A few minutes later, Mrs. Williams clapped her hands as Shaun finished reading his essay aloud.
"Thank you Shaun," she smiled as he hunched his shoulders, throwing himself back into his seat. "I have to admit, you quite threw me with that piece of work."
Frank giggled as Shaun blushed and flipped him off.
"Okay," Mrs. William said, straightening her back and picking up another essay from her desk. "Next up...Mr. Iero."
Frank stopped giggling immediately, his heart skipping a beat and his stomach feeling like he'd just been punched square in the gut.
"Pardon?" He squeaked.
Williams laughed. "Today's a day for surprises it seems," she smiled. "It was a little short, I'll give you that, but good none the less. Up you come."
Frank stared at her, before he looked over at Gerard. Gerard was watching him with a confused smile, but gave him a nod. Frank nodded, and got to his feet, slowly walking to the front of the classroom and accepting his essay from the teacher.
"Uh," Frank said, turning to look at his classmates. He could see Gerard watching him, hands clasped on the desk in front of him.
"Okay." He took a deep breath. "Uhm," he looked down at his words on the paper in his hands. "I first read Peter Pan when I was four years old. Well, I didn't read it myself, of course, but my mom did. Peter Pan was my hero my whole childhood."
Frank allowed himself to glance up. Gerard's eyes were still on him, his expression calm.
Frank closed his eyes and took a deep breath, before he opened them again and read the words aloud, letting them flow from this tongue like water. Words he'd spent a week on, typing and deleting, reading over and over again. He'd hidden it from Gerard, of course, and hadn't tried to peek at Gerard, tapping away on his laptop ever so slowly, one finger at a time.
It seemed like an eternity later that Frank finally reached his conclusion. "In conclusion, Peter Pan isn't a children's story, not really," he said, eyes downcast. "It might be about a little boy who doesn't want to grow up, a little boy who comes across as arrogant and self centred, but that isn't the moral of the story, at least, not to me." he paused and took a deep breath. "Any boy that ever read Peter Pan growing up would be a liar if they said they didn't want to be him. I know I did."
Frank looked up and saw Gerard fix him with a confused look.
"Peter Pan isn't about not growing up, or trying to escape your problems and responsibilities. Peter Pan is about staying true to yourself. It's about never giving up on your dreams, and never letting anyone bring you down. Peter Pan taught me that I should be proud of who I am, that I make my own decisions in life."
Frank took a shaky breath. "Peter Pan was my hero when I was a kid, and he still is. He always will be. He didn't want to be like other boys, and that's because he isn't like other boys. He doesn't conform to what's expected of him. He does what's right, even if others can't see that at times."
Frank looked up, his cheeks shaking slightly as he smiled and gave a shrug. "He's my hero."
Mrs. Williams began to clap her hands and the rest of the class followed. Frank turned and gave his teacher a small smile, before he walked back to his desk and sat down, staring at the grain of the desk.
"Thank you very much Mr. Iero," Mrs. Williams smiled.
Frank nodded, but didn't look up, his cheeks burning.
"Last but not least, Mrs. Ralston!" Mrs. Williams smiled. "You're up!"
Frank didn't listen much to Deana's essay as she read it out in that superior tone of hers. His blood was pumping so loud in his ears, his face burning so hot. He knew Gerard was staring at him, but he couldn't bring himself to look up until the bell rang to signal the end of the class.
"Well, a huge thank you to you all!" Mrs. Williams smiled as they began to pack up their things. "Uh, Mr. Way?"
Frank looked up at Gerard who was staring at the teacher. "Yes miss?"
"Can I have a word?"
Gerard frowned but nodded, then looked at Frank and gave a shrug.
As the class filed out, Frank hung by the inside of the door, watching as Gerard stepped up to the teacher's desk.
"I don't think you quite understood the assignment Gerard," Mrs. Williams said, flipping through some stapled pages in her hand. "However," she smiled up at Gerard. "I gave you an A."
Gerard raised his eyebrows. "An A?"
Williams smiled and nodded. "Whilst the assignment was an essay, I really enjoyed your short story."
Frank gave Gerard a confused look. Story?
"I liked your idea of what would happen if Peter Pan were to grow up after all, and the choices he would make, without letting go of who he was. It's not something that I think many people have ever considered, and you seem to have strong feelings about this."
Gerard nodded and hoisted the strap of his bag up on his shoulder a little higher. "I just think that not every story finishes at the end of a page."
Mrs. Williams nodded. "I particularly enjoyed the scene where Peter fell from the tree when he tried to fly."
Frank choked back a laugh, ducking his head and covering his mouth with his hand.
"And his friend," Mrs. Williams said, setting the paper down on her desk. "Peter must care a lot about him if he gave up Neverland for him."
Frank looked up through his eyelashes to see Gerard nod. "He does." Gerard said simply.
"Well, well done Gerard," Mrs. Williams smiled. "I loved it."
"Thank you ma'am."
At that, Gerard turned and sauntered over to Frank. "Ready to go?" He asked happily, holding out his hand.
Frank stared at him before he nodded and took Gerard's hand, and let him lead him out the class.
/
"Frankie?"
Frank turned his head slightly, still keeping his eyes on the road. "Yeah?"
"Could we...could we stop at the cemetery?"
Frank looked at Gerard, head ducked and staring at his hands. "Sure." Frank said, and took the turn off.
Gerard waited by the hood of the car as Frank stepped out.
"You want me to wait here?" Frank asked, leaning on the roof. "I can--"
Gerard shook his head. "Come with me?"
Frank cocked his head slightly, before he nodded and reached out, taking Gerard's hand.
They walked in silence, shoulders bumping off one another. Frank looked up once to see a small smile on Gerard's face. He opened his mouth to ask what he was smiling about when he caught himself.
"Hey, who's that?" Frank frowned.
"Huh?" Gerard looked up.
Stood in front of Gerard's parent's grave was an older woman. She looked around ages with Frank's mother. She was laying flowers at the grave.
Gerard frowned and dropped Frank's hand, pacing forward quickly. "Excuse me?" He said, and the woman turned around. Gerard took a step back, eyes wide. "Oh. Sorry."
Frank frowned and stepped up next to Gerard, confused.
"I didn't mean to--" Gerard cut himself off, hands flailing in the air. "I'm sorry."
The woman smiled kindly and shook her head. Frank couldn't help but feel she looked so familiar in some way.
"No, it's fine." The woman smiled. She turned to look at the large headstone. "I was just finishing up."
Gerard nodded and swallowed. The lady turned to look at him, fixing him with a look. "You look familiar," she said.
Gerard shook his head and grasped harshly for Frank's hand.
She smiled again, and turned back to the stone. "My grandmother used to bring me here when I was little," she sighed. "I like to still bring flowers, when I can."
Frank felt like he'd been hit by an eighteen wheeler truck.
Gerard nodded. "Thank you."
The woman smiled kindly again. "My pleasure." She nodded at Frank, before she made her way around them.
"You know," she said, stopping a few feet away, and turning back to them. Frank and Gerard both turned to look at her. "You look a lot older than the last time you flew through my window."
Frank's eyes widened as he turned to look at Gerard.
Gerard gulped and nodded.
"I missed you," the lady said, then smiled at Frank. "I'm glad you found someone though."
Frank couldn't say anything, his mouth wouldn't work.
"Goodbye, Gerard," the woman smiled.
Gerard nodded again. "'Bye, Moira."
Moira smiled and nodded again, turning and walking away slowly, a light wind picking at her hair.
"Moira?" Frank managed to squeak as she disappeared from sight.
Gerard nodded. "Wendy's grandaughter."
Frank blinked but didn't say anything.
"When Wendy grew up, I was so angry," Gerard said, voice even. "But I still went back."
Frank nodded.
"It's nice," Gerard said, turning to the large headstone. "It's nice she visits them."
Frank turned and nodded. "Yeah."
"Okay," Gerard breathed. "Okay! So," he took Frank's hand again, and squeezed. "Mom, dad," he said. "I want you to meet Frank."
Frank looked at him, confused, but Gerard just kept talking.
"He's the reason I came back. I...I finally found someone that makes me want to grow up."
He squeezed Frank's fingers. "I found someone to grow old with."
//
Frank gave a giggle as Gerard climbed on top of him, straddling his hips.
"Someone's confident," Frank smiled as Gerard clasped their hands together and leaned down to press a kiss to Frank's nose.
Gerard scrunched up his face but grinned and shook his hair over his face.
"Did you mean that? Today?" He asked, looking down at Frank.
"Mean what?" Frank asked.
"That I'm your hero."
Frank smiled and ducked his head. "Of course I did." He looked up to see Gerard grinnin at him.
"Even if I can't fly?"
"Yup." Frank said, leaning up and kissing him.
"Even if I don't fight pirates and swim with mermaids?"
"Even if you don't fight pirates and swim with mermaids." Frank grinned.
Gerard gave a little squeak and leaned down and pressed their lips together, sighing happily.