Work Text:
Sometimes Frank needed extra reassurance.
It’s times like these, where his whole world feels like it’s falling apart around him. He feels like he’s frantically trying to keep everything together, to be okay, but it’s all slipping through his fingers. He feels like he doesn’t belong anywhere, unloved and unwanted. He feels like he never does anything right, and can never make anyone happy. It’s like no matter how hard he tries, he’s always going to fuck up somehow.
He tries to make up for it with fake confidence and lots of energy, but he gets so burnt out. He feels like he’s spiraling.
It always feels like it happens at the drop of a hat, he can’t even recognize anything that makes him feel like this. One second he feels like he’s on top of the world, and the next he’s hit rock bottom, hard, and he will never make it out.
There’s nothing he can really do to make himself better at times like these, but reassurance from others helps a lot.
That’s how he ends up in Gerard’s arms, his back flush with their chest, arms wrapped protectively around his stomach. Gerard’s got their nose buried in his neck, murmuring softly into his skin. Little ‘I love you’s and ‘you’re perfect’s. He tells him how proud of him he is, for finally being able to reach out to others when he needs it. It took a long, long time for him to be able to reach this point. He still feels so guilty for doing so, but Gerard is quick to reassure him.
They press kisses into the sensitive skin there, sending a shiver and sigh through Frank. His hands are rubbing gently at his sides, the pressure grounding. While this doesn’t magically make him feel better, doesn’t rip him out of the bottomless pit he seems to be in, it does help. Makes him feel a little less alone. He has trouble accepting and believing the things Gerard says, but he truly does appreciate it.
He gets so self conscious when he feels like this. Feels like every single thing he does is wrong. It would be so much easier if he just. Stopped existing. Almost like Gerard could sense his thoughts spiraling, they pulled him tighter against themselves, tangling their legs with his. They pressed kisses into his hair before softly speaking again. “I’m here, Frankie. Stay with me. I’m right here.”
Tears burned in Frank's eyes. He squeezed them tightly shut, not giving them a chance to escape. He instead focused on his breathing, the weight of Gerard against him, the smell of their cologne, their hot breaths against the back of his head. With his breathing slowly evening out, he forced his body to relax.
He was safe here. He didn’t have to pretend anymore.