Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/ works/2019867. Rating: Explicit Archive Warning: Choose_Not_To_Use_Archive_Warnings, Graphic_Depictions_Of_Violence, Rape/ Non-Con, Underage Category: M/M Fandom: My_Chemical_Romance, Bandom Relationship: Frank_Iero/Gerard_Way, Gerard_Way/Original_Male_Character, Frank_Iero/ Original_Male_Character Character: Frank_Iero, Gerard_Way, Jared_Leto Additional Tags: Literature, fan_fiction, Romance, Slavery, Human_Trafficking, Abuse, Cheating, Horses, Gambling, Friendship/Love, Unrequited_Love, lonely, Molestation, Rape, Rape_Aftermath, Rape_Recovery, Implied/Referenced Rape/Non-con, Abusive_Relationships, Emotional_Manipulation, Manipulation, Manipulative_Relationship, Best_Friends, Protectiveness Series: Part 1 of Secret Stats: Published: 2014-07-25 Completed: 2015-03-29 Chapters: 40/40 Words: 76543 ****** Trapped Secrets ****** by TheFirstKilljoy Summary Taken from his home late one night, Frank finds out that his father has sold him to a rich man who will serve as his Master. Having to work off his father's debt he knows he's going to be stuck there as a slave for years. Things don't seem all to bad when they begin but as Frank's relationship with the Master's shunned boyfriend, Gerard, grows, things slowly turn from good to bad. ***** Chapter 1 ***** Frank knew his father always had a problem with gambling, it was why his mother had left them years ago; he had just never really knew how bad it truly was. He hadn’t known his father had borrowed money from important men, and he hadn’t known the prices that would be paid for it. He was curled up in his bed, resting since it was almost three in the morning when he heard his door slam open. The light quickly turned on and he squinted in the brightness. “Dad? What the hell?” He grumbled tiredly but when he got back his vision he realized there were two men coming towards him and they pulled him from his bed. “What are you doing?! Who are you?!” He had hollered loudly and did his best to fight back against them but it was all in vain since they were much strong than him and much taller. They dragged him downstairs and into the living room where his father was sitting in his recliner, his hand cupping his eyes, his mouth turned down in a frown. There was a man beside him, dressed in all black and as he rose from his spot on the chair beside Frank’s father he seemed to sigh out in relief. “Ah, he is quite good looking,” the man said softly and came over to Frank, looking him up and down. “He’s a bit scrawny and lacks muscle but his arms look decent and we can build up those legs,” he said thoughtfully as he brought his pointer and delicately touched it to his chin, seeming to be talking out loud to himself. “Your debt is paid,” said the man, turning to Frank’s father who looked up with weakened eyes. “I will take him with me and he shall work off the money. Feel free to borrow more whenever you need it, he can just work it off,” said the man with a devious smile before he turned towards the door, taking two steps before he stopped and turned, his coat seeming to swish as he did. “I’ll let you two say your goodbyes. I’ll be in the car,” he said before he seemed to merrily skip down the steps. The two men who had their hands on Frank’s arms stayed put and didn’t ease up on the tight grip. “You…You’re selling me?!” This was all such a shock to Frank and his mind seemed to be spinning as he was taking everything in, in his tired state. “Frank, the man would have killed me, and then you would have been sent to the state, it would have been the same thing,” his father pleaded, holding out his hands like he was innocent. “You’ll be much better off in his care,” were his father’s words, more to comfort his own guilty mind than to comfort Frank’s worried one. “Better off?! I’m losing my freedom to some man and he’s going to do God only knows what to me?!” Frank tried to pull out of the tight grasps but they held firm and he stomped his feet a few times, trying to wiggle free. “You’re only going to be working for him. You’ll just clean up around the house and do yard work for him,” his father explained as he looked to his seventeen year old son, being held by the two large men. A piece of his mind was telling him this was wrong and he should just let the man kill him but he let his thoughts remain quiet. Frank found his eyes flaring up and he fussed softly as he looked down. Everything was happening so fast, he couldn’t wrap his mind around it. It was like he was reaching for an invisible object and just couldn’t grasp it. He wondered, for a moment, if it was all a nightmare, and that he would soon wake up in his bed with the birds singing outside his window. “What about everyone? They’ll ask where I’ve gone, my school, neighbors,” Frank tried the best he could to point out the flaws he saw in this insane plan. “I’m going to say your mother has come to take you to live with her in France, no one around here will look for you,” said Frank senior as he rested his head back on the chair, drained from all the emotions, and the drama from the evening. “Take him,” he whispered softly to the two men and they pulled Frank towards the door. “No! Dad you can’t do this to me! Stop it,” Frank yelled as he pulled at the men’s hands and tried to scratch them, he kicked his legs around but stopped when he painfully caught his ankle of the edge of the door frame, it sending a shot up through his nerves. The man who had his left arm placed a hand over his mouth once they got outside and walked up to the black car parked in front of the house. The men opened the back door and tossed him into it before they got in the front. Frank pulled at the door handles but it wouldn’t open from the inside. The windows were black and he could hardly see out of them. He pounded harshly, trying with all his might to break the glass, and to get out. “Hush all that nonsense,” he heard from behind him and only now noticed the man that had been with his father was also in the car. “They’re bullet and sound proof, you will not be heard, and you will not break them,” the man sighed out softly and seemed to be bored of the ride already. “I can’t wait to get you home, introduce you to all your new friends,” the man said, almost seeming giddy. “I want to go home,” Frank said with a bit of anger in his tone but he curled up on his seat and hugged his naked legs, in nothing but the boxers and shirt he had put on before bed. “I don’t want to stay with you and I won’t listen to anything you say,” he growled bitterly and shot the man a harsh glance before looking away to the floor. “Oh, you say that now but you will listen, they all do. One’s have been placed in situations far worse than yours have said the same and they behave perfectly now. They’re the best little workers anyone could ask for,” the man said as he fiddled to get out his cigarettes. “Of course, they did not get that way without a bit of punishing, so it’d be best to just behave,” the man said as he flicked his lighter and took a deep inhale of the toxic stick. Frank’s nose scrunched up a little, his tired senses being harshly woken by the scent of the smoke. “How…How do you punish them?” Frank found the curiosity in the back of his head spiking up and he lightly lifted his cheek away from his knee, looking back to the man who took another delicate drag from his smoke. “Lots of ways, depends on their area of expertise one might say,” the man smirked. “For instance, if you misbehave once, you’re taken to the barn, stripped of your clothing, and beaten with a whip. If you do it twice, you will go spend the weekend with my friend, Master Darrell, and let me just say, he’s nowhere near as fun as I am. Three times, you get dragged around the yard, completely naked by a horse, and down through the woods.” The man took a drag of his smoke and Frank blinked violently, trying to wake himself, believing this truly was a nightmare and he needed to wake up. When he didn’t wake up and was still in the car with the man he swallowed hard. “What about the fourth time?” His voice had trembled over the sentence, thinking about just how horrible the first three sounded to him. “There is no fourth time,” the man said to him as he looked to him, seeming like after the third time he just gave up punishing you and you went back to one. “Then what happens when you get to four?” Frank blinked softly and pushed himself back against the door a little further, biting his lip gently. He was truthfully afraid to know the answer and the man seemed to be thinking of how he would word it, so Frank could properly understand him. “Then the horse drags you across the lawn and through the woods,” the man stalled here, taking another drag off his cigarette and holding it inside his lungs. Frank figured this was probably to add effect.  “But on the fourth time you won’t come back.” Frank swallowed deeply and hugged his knees tighter. He closed his eyes tightly and rested his head on his knees once more. He wanted to wake up; he just kept telling himself it was all a dream, a dream that felt so real, his mind was mistaking it for an actual occurrence in his life. He kept his eyes closed tight and wished that he would wake up. ***** Chapter 2 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank’s eyes peered open and he found himself in bed, in the dark, and covered. He sat up slowly and wondered for a moment if it had all really been a dream, and if he was now at home, curled up in his bed. He hardly dared to breath, wondering if it was all just a painted picture and his breath would make it all disappear, push it further away from him. He looked around a bit and saw the moonlight shining in from a big picture window. He knew he wasn’t in his room because his room only held one window and it was tiny and in the corner, this one seemed to be twenty feet from his bed. He slowly moved his legs over the bed and stretched his toes, seeming tired, and unaware of what was happening. He was just glad to be alone and he didn’t have anyone looking at him. He got up and slowly walked around the room, feeling the wall for a light, nearly blind from the darkness, nothing but the slight moonlight to show him where he was walking but he still bumped into things. Eventually he felt a switch on the wall and moved it up, the lights on the high ceiling flickered on and Frank squinted at the sudden change in lighting. His eyes weren’t ready for the exposure. After a moment or so he reopened them and had to blink multiple times before his sight adjusted and his mouth dropped. The room was bigger than his living room at home and his kitchen combined, the ceiling was high up, and there was a large chandelier hanging from it. He looked at the king sized bed he had been resting in and saw the beautifully carved headboard with its red velvet curtains around it. He walked to the big window and looked out it, the moon was sinking in the sky and the other side was turning a light blue since the sun was coming upward. He guessed he must have been at least three floors from the ground because he was high up and the huge lawn spread out beneath him, running far, until it reached the woods. He knew he wasn’t in the city anymore, he had never even seen a place like this before and it shocked him to imagine such a place. He stepped back from the window and looked around his room more, he pulled open the doors on a big dresser and saw a large TV hidden behind it, and his eyebrows went up in confusion. He saw remotes and a cable box. He stepped back with the remotes and the television clicked on when he hit the power button. He hit the power on the cable remote and it switched on, any channel he could have ever wanted to watch popped up, each waiting to be clicked. He sat down on the comfortable couch at the foot of the bed and picked a show. He wasn’t really watching it thought, his mind was racing with thoughts of the situation. His father had sold him to some random guy and this man was giving him a better life than he could have ever had with his father and all he had to do was work during the day for it. He couldn’t believe that things seemed so simple, he had been waiting to be locked up in a tiny box of a room with nothing but a thin mattress to rest on, and he was living it up. He realized he wasn’t really sad that they had taken him from his father. His father neglected him badly and would often sell his things for more money to gamble. He was never home and there was never anything to eat. His father would go out all night, gamble away their money, and come home and get drunk with whatever he had left of money. Frank had often been left to fend for himself and often went without. He was picked on in school for his bad clothes and hygiene but his father always forgot to pay the bills and their water was often shut off. When the water did work, he didn’t have soap to properly wash himself. People always thought he smelt like body odor and would often hold their noses or breath when he walked by. He scratched at the back of his head as he thought about it, his head itching to be washed. He had tried to make friends and stay positive about his life but it had been hard when people would point out how poor he was and no one wanted to sit by him long enough to talk to him. Frank remember when there had been a school dance and he had asked a girl to go with him, she had nicely declined, saying she already had a date, she was the only one he was interested in. He figured it was his own fault for having waited so long, trying to get himself to ask her, get the courage up but he had heard her talking to her friends later in the hall, saying, ‘the stinky kid’ had asked her to prom and that she had lied, telling him she had a date already. He was seventeen now and his self-esteem wasn’t one of strength. Sure, he wasn’t beaten up in school but it was almost worst. It was like he was so invisible that people didn’t even find him worth beating up. People just completely ignored me, besides the small comments of his smell. Even teachers had pulled him aside and talked to him about the changes of his body, he had been sixteen, he was well aware of the changes of his body, and he didn’t know how to tell her he couldn’t afford something like deodorant. If he got money he kept it to feed himself or his dad stole it from him. He got up and looked at the three doors in his room. He opened one and saw a closet that was long and a wide, he felt and sure enough there was a light switch that turned on. He walked into the room and saw there were uniforms in it, his size, and there were also plain clothes, everyday things. He smiled at the new shirts and thick jeans. There were even a few band shirts and he had to wonder how the man had known he liked them. He figured he might have known if the men mentioned the poster’s in his room. He walked out of the room and shut off the light. Then went to the door in the corner and opened it, he switched on the light and it lit up a huge bathroom. Frank’s mouth turned up into a smile, unable to stop himself. The tub was big enough for three people and there was also a shower, separate. He had his own toilet and sink. He just grinned wide before he closed the door behind him, making sure to lock it before he stripped out of his boxers and shirt. He walked over to the shower and turned it on, feeling the water get warm in only a moment. He hadn’t taken a warm shower in so long, so when he slipped into its spray he let out a soft moan of the pleasure and stretched in it. He found the proper shampoo and conditioner to do his hair and there was even a fresh washcloth and soap that had a scent he liked. He guessed it was some type of flower but he couldn’t place it. He made sure to wash himself good, knowing he probably smelt pretty bad, having not showered in two weeks, without soap for two months. When he got out he noticed the fresh towels on the counter, rolled into tight little circles. He took one and wrapped it around his waist before he grabbed a small one and dried his hair with it. He still couldn’t really believe it was all happening but he was starting to wonder if it was a dream and he would wake up in his cold bed with no warm shower and another day of being ignored throughout his life. He was good at quickly adapting with his ever-changing life with his father so he just told himself, this was one of those days, and he would just have to do his best to adapt and deal with it. He knew he would still have hard nights and would be upset sometimes but he would learn to deal without seeing his dad and being picked on, and living in a tiny cold house where no one loved him. Would things really be so different? The door swung open to his room and he quickly gripped his towel around his waist as someone backed into his room, pulling a rolling cart with him. The person turned and jumped when he saw Frank clutching the towel and looking highly confused and worried. “Oh, God,” the boy jumped and faced away from Frank, “I’m so sorry, I should have knocked. How foolish of me.” He shook his head and Frank watched the brown hair sway. “Um, just give me a moment,” Frank said before he went into the closet and turned on the light. He didn’t know what was happening but he quickly got out a pair of boxers that had been placed in the closet for him and dressed himself in jeans and a baggy shirt. He came back out a moment later and the person was still standing back to, their hands in front of them. “It’s okay,” Frank hesitated and scratched his damp scalp, “I’m decent.” The boy turned back around and Frank figured he was probably only a few years older than him; he was a man, maybe in his early twenties. “I…I came to bring you your breakfast. I know you’re new and I thought it’d be good to meet you before the other’s do,” the man said softly and with a soft smile. Frank realized the man looked a bit effeminate. He had his brown hair crafted in a way so it hung around his face but not in it, Frank figured it was from the blue sash tied up in it. His legs were hugged with jeans tighter than what seemed to be a comfortable grip, and his shirt matched how tight it hugged him. He also seemed to have on lip gloss, eye shadow, and eyeliner. He was done up and this made Frank look at him with a very confused face. The man’s pale cheeks went a little pink. “I know I’m probably a bit weird looking, huh?” Frank shook his head, realizing that he was staring. “I’m sorry. It was rude of me to stare,” he said and wrung his hands, unsure of himself and the situation. “I’ve just…I’ve never seen a guy wear makeup,” he said with honesty, not trying to make the other feel uncomfortable. “I’m Frank,” he said as he took a few small steps forward and held out his hand. The other man walked over with grace in each step, so confident and deliberate with each move. His hand came out and the pale skin looked even paler against Frank’s tanned skin. “Nice to meet you, Frank, I’m Gerard. I’m the Master’s boyfriend,” he said with a soft smile. “I’m really pleased to see someone like you in here. Most of the people we have are a bit harsh, come from bad backgrounds, and can be mean, well, were mean before they got dealt with. I really hope you won’t misbehave, I hate to see people get hurt,” Gerard said and had a soft smile on his painted lips. He turned back to the cart he had pulled in and brought it over closer to a small table. He took the covers off two dishes and placed two plates on the table. “I didn’t know what you would like so I made eggs, scrambled and there’s sunny-side up, and poached. There’s bacon or sausage, even pancakes,” Gerard said, motioning to the small feast and he pulled out Frank’s chair. Frank looked at him a bit confused but sat down without a word, just listening to the words Gerard spoke, he sounded like he had an accent. “I really do hope you’ll like it here. It’s not too bad. I mean…I understand what you must be feeling; being taken from your home but the Master’s not a bad man. He will treat you good. This room will be yours and everything in it, as long as you behave and don’t cause trouble. I’m sure you’ll like it here a lot. You only have to do some work during the day, a bit of cleaning, some work in the barns. There’s horses and cows that need tending, a few other animals but other than that you’re free to do as you please. You only have to wear your uniform when working. The kitchen is open to you as well and you’re provided with three cooked meals a day besides that, we have a great cook,” Gerard seemed to trail on and Frank was watching him. His stomach growled softly but he felt rude just digging into food when someone else was talking. “Go ahead and eat,” Gerard said with a gentle smile and handed him his fork. “You’re going to need your strength. Work starts at six,” Gerard said and checked the clock on the wall. “Half an hour,” he commented. Frank was uncertain of his place of speaking. Gerard didn’t seem mean but he didn’t wish to offend him or get into trouble. He was a bit frightened but things all together seemed really nice and it made him suspicious. He took a small bite of the pancake and found it to be really good, laced with tiny chocolate chips. He did his best not to eat too fast but his bites were eager as his stomach begged for more and to be filled. “Are there many rules? I don’t want to get in trouble,” Frank said quietly after he swallowed all the food in his mouth. The thought of being stripped naked and beaten with a whip frightened him more than his seventeen year old pride wanted to admit. “Just don’t talk back to the Master, you will refer to him as that because everyone does, even myself,” said Gerard as he seemed to think. Frank took this time to dig into a bit of the sausage, savoring the taste on his tongue. “As long as you do what you’re told, make no trouble, don’t talk back, and don’t try to run away because you will be caught, you’ll be fine,” Gerard said with a soft smile as he rested his hands on his crossed legs. “You seem like you’ll be good, Frank,” he said with a gentle tone. “I hope to be,” Frank said quietly as he took a little sip of the orange juice that had been set before him. He noted how nice even the dishes were. Gerard looked up at the clock and then jumped up like something had bitten him. “Oh! I have to go now, I lost track of time. Don’t worry about your dishes when you finish up here, someone will get them for you. Just get into your uniform, when you come out of your room just take the right and follow it. Go downstairs and wait there, the Master will be there to show you around. It was nice meeting you, Frank,” Gerard said with a small bow of his head before he headed to the door. Frank waved weakly and Gerard smiled warmly before he walked out of the door, politely closing it behind him. Frank looked back to his plate and gently bit his lip. It seemed like a lot of things would be different. Chapter End Notes Word Count: 2,673 ***** Chapter 3 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank had gotten into his uniform like instructed. It wasn’t bad, just a dark black shirt with dark black pants, he almost thought he looked like a waiter but they didn’t have a fancy look to them, almost like the coveralls men wore when working at a garage. He fixed his hair in a mirror and found deodorant behind the mirror; he made sure to put enough on himself, happy to finally have something so simple. He did as the man had told him and left his room, taking a right, and following the hall until the stairs. He went down them, running his hand over the marble railing. Once he was at the bottom of the steps he stood still, looking around the large room. It was an entryway. The ceiling rose high above him and the floor seemed to be of marble, it was beautiful and Frank found himself struck by the gleam that came off it. The sun was rising outside and it shined through the tall windows, making the room feel warm and glow with a soft orange. He glanced up to the ceiling and noticed it was elegantly painted with people and angels. There were fluffy clouds and he couldn’t look back down. The image just dragged him to look at it, so detailed, and he’d never seen art like it, besides in art books from his school. He couldn’t believe he was in a place of such luxury. “Do you like it?” Frank turned his head to the voice quickly, nearly slipping as his body jerked, the marble floors so easily glided across. It was the man who had taken him from his home. “I’ve always been quite attracted to it. This house belonged to my great-great-great grandfather,” the man said as he walked closer to Frank who stood still, trying his best not to seem frightened by him. “I’m sorry about the little prick,” the man said as he looked to Frank. “I had to give you a little something so you would rest on the long trip, wanted you good and rested,” he smiled simply and Frank blinked, unsure what to think of being drugged. “Master?” Frank remembered what the man named Gerard had told him and didn’t want to disrespect the man before him in some way and end up being beaten. “How is it that I have such nice things, in my room, when I’m supposed to be a slave here?” Frank looked up to him, doing his best not to break the glance, though his whole body itched to just runaway and hide somewhere in the huge house with all its sumptuous items and designs. “I never said I was a mean man, Frank, you assumed. Everything you have is yours and you’re allowed to keep it as long as you behave and do what is asked of you. If you keep up and do a good job, you’ll get even more things,” the man said with a gentle voice. “I don’t treat my workers badly, Frank. The only things I wish is for you to do as you’re told, don’t disrespect me or the others, and don’t try to escape. If you listen there won’t be a single problem.” Frank nodded to the man, taking everything into account. He didn’t want to go back to his father now anyway, knowing how little he meant to the man. He figured being at this new home was best for him now. “So, Gerard says that he met you. How do you like him?” The Master seemed to be curious of Frank’s opinion as he turned and went around the railing of the stairs. Frank quickly moved to follow him as he heard his shoes echoing throughout the large entryway, meaning he was only going to continue to walk. “Oh, he was nice. Very pleasant,” Frank said, trying his best to talk well since the Master seemed to have a high etiquette when it came to talking. “He brought me my breakfast,” Frank told him, “Let me know the rules so I wouldn’t misbehave.” “Yes, Gerard is my boyfriend and he seems to take a caring to people who seem wounded. He’s very polite to all the workers here and will probably take a liking to you. You’re the youngest one we have here and he’ll more than likely take you under his wing, though he’s quite busy,” the Master said as he continued throughout the house, going down a long hallway. Frank was looking around through the many doorways they kept passing. He saw big rooms, even a library. People could be heard talking and bustling about behind one door and he glanced curiously. “The kitchen,” the Master said to Frank, noticing his curious glance. They continued out and into the yard, Frank was now seeing how big it really was as they exited through the back of the house. He turned his head to see how big the house was and saw it towered quite high. “There are seven floors,” the Master said and Frank looked back, looking to his shoes, feeling bad for being so curious. “There are hundreds of rooms. Perhaps sometime Gerard can find the time to take you on a tour of the house,” he said as they continued across the lawn. Frank looked up and saw that there was a large pen that traveled across a huge portion of the lawn and up a huge field that was a massive hill. The pen was full of horses and Frank tried his best to hide his curiosity this time. “Do you like horses, Frank?” Frank looked to the man beside him who was about a foot taller than he was. “Yes, Master. At least I think so. I only touched one once. A fair I think,” Frank said thoughtfully and looked to him. “Well, if you get your work done early, Gerard comes out at about four for his daily ride. I’m sure he’d love to help you,” the Master said down to him with a soft smile. Frank smiled wide, “Really?!” He hadn’t meant to get so excited but he had always wanted to try it and just never had the option. This whole situation seemed pretty great to him. He had pictured himself locked up in a dungeon, only let out to scrub floors on his hands and knees, living in one outfit until it wore away to nothing but things seemed like he was in heaven. Though, he did wonder if he was going to eventually miss the outside world. He bit his lip a little and decided not to think about it for now and only concentrate on the task at hand. “Yes, I’m sure you will enjoy it,” the Master smiled as he neared the barn and opened the door for Frank. Frank smiled and thanked him. He entered it and saw there were a few more people inside. They seemed older, mid-twenties or so. “Hello, everyone,” the Master said and they all looked up and nodded, saying a greeting. “This is Frank. He’s new here and shall need help getting the hang of things.” “Yes, Sir, I can help him. At least until next week,” the man closest said with a smile. He had dark brown hair and green eyes that Frank found to be a shade he’d never seen. He decided he would do his best not to make himself a pariah here, like he had been at his old school. He smiled at the man and shook his hand when it was offered to him. “Jared Leto,” the man stated and smiled. Frank just smiled back and let go of his hand when the man pulled away. “Yes, Jared has worked off his debt to me and will be leaving in about…ten days,” the Master said, having to think for a moment. “Will be a shame, he is a great worker. Though, he’ll teach you and maybe one day you will be just as good as he is,” the Master said down to Frank with a certain smile on his lips. Frank did his best to smile up to the man and nodded, “I will do my best, Master.” The Master patted his shoulder with a soft tut before he turned. “I will see you later tonight, Frank, at dinner,” he stated as he headed towards the door. “Along with the rest of you,” he motioned to the other two men in the barn and they waved to him with a smile. “Go easy on him,” he said and the men all laughed softly before they bid him goodbye and he was gone. “Well, alright, kid,” the man named Jared said. “So how’d you get in here?” Jared crossed his arms over his chest and Frank looked up to him with a slight shrug. “My father liked to borrow money and gamble apparently. He wouldn’t come and do the work so he let the Master take me instead. Just as well. I mean, the man wasn’t the best father I guess you could say,” Frank shrugged once again, his shoulders going up and tense before dropping with what seemed like a sigh of relief. “Well, it’s good to have you here and don’t worry. None of this is just some show. He’s a great guy. He just likes to get his money back, who wouldn’t though?” Jared walked towards the stalls and motioned for Frank to follow. “With your situation, he’ll probably be very lenient with you. He doesn’t like when parents try to give away their children and usually only will if the debt isn’t too large and if he feels they’re being mistreated. I mean, I borrowed money from him and couldn’t pay it back so I came to work for him. I’ve been here a year and the guys great. Sure the first few months you get a bit stir- crazy but really you grow out of it and by the time you do he even lets you out sometimes. He sends us to town and everything to pick stuff up,” Jared said as he motioned for Frank to pick up a shovel, which he did without question. “He knows if we run it’s our own stupidity and hell, I almost wish I could stay, it’s amazing here,” Jared said as he pushed open an empty stall and grabbed up the shovel leaning on the wall beside it. He started shoveling up the hay and waste from the horse and Frank followed suit. It didn’t smell too bad, sure it wasn’t pleasant but the shovel let him keep his distance. Plus, it helped that the barn had many bars for air to freely move through, keeping the smell down to a minimum. “All we have to do is clean out the stalls, fill them with hay, the food buckets and the water,” Jared said as he heaved a heavy shovel load into the wheelbarrow he had brought in. “We dump the wheelbarrow out back in a ditch, that’s used later for the fields that he has in the spring. It’s fall though and winters around here are long so the garden work won’t come until later. There are fifty stalls to clean out and then lunch is brought out and unless something needs fixing you have about half an hour or hour off until three, then we bring the horses back in, brush them down and get them ready to rest for the night,” Jared rambled on and Frank nodded as he made sure to remember every detail he was told. “You got it, kid?” “Yeah,” Frank said softly and nodded. “I’ve got it.” Chapter End Notes Tell me what you think?! Word Count: 1949 ***** Chapter 4 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank looked at the horses; he had finished his lunch and was now using his hour off. He had been just leaning against the fence and staring. He didn't know what to think of this new world he was in, his mind did wander to his father and he did wonder what he could be doing at that very moment but all he could see was him getting more money just so he could go lose it at some card table or on some sporting game. He sighed out gently and just rubbed his eyes weakly. He was so jumbled in his own head. He'd never been so conflicted before besides when his mother had left him behind to live with his father, knowing he wouldn't be properly cared for. He figured this was the same thing. His father had abandoned him in a way and didn't care what could happen to him. He had gotten over his mother so he figured getting over his father wouldn't be too hard. He had had a better relationship with his mother and it hadn't taken him too long to get over her absence so now he knew he could get over his father's absence in little time. "Hey, kid," said Jared as he came up behind him and Frank turned his head, looking to him. "Time to bring the horses into the barn, brush them out," he said, making a motion as if he already had the warm body of a horse under his hands and a brush. Frank nodded and followed him into the barn. Jared walked to the back and slid two big doors to their sides. "You don't talk much, do you?" Frank just shook his head to Jared's question and looked out where the two doors were opened wide and he could see out into the wide open field that was just full of horses. He saw a black one nearby and felt a bit nervous. Horses were big and strong creatures, he feared them in a way. Things that were so graceful and had so much beauty seemed like they should be out in the wild, moving to their own accord. It was the power he knew a horse had, his father had taken him to a race once, one he had bid on, and as Frank saw the horses running around the track he had been amazed by the muscles in their bodies and the speeds they could get to. He hadn't mentioned this to the Master because he knew that certain people believed horse racing was wrong and horses shouldn't be treated like that. "You want to go get him?" Jared smiled at Frank's longing gaze, who turned his head and looked to him, his lips curved into a smile. He slowly turned back to the horse and walked forward. He outstretched his hand but was careful when he did so as he slowly approached the horse, he knew they probably weren't mean but he knew horses took precaution to strangers. The horse smelt over his fingers, his lips tickling the flesh. Frank smiled as the horse took a step forward, moving towards him. He moved his hand up and ran it over the horses snout, he grinned wide. "Well aren't you just a natural?" Jared came over and slipped his fingers through the horses harness. "Come on, boy," he said softly and he walked forward, the little tug on his harness was enough for him to know where he should be headed. "He’s beautiful," Frank grinned as he was helping Jared clip the harness with the straps that were tied to the wall to hold the horse in place, not that he would make too much of a fuss with the daily brushing. "Yes, he is," Jared grinned. "He’s a weird horse though," Jared said and placed his hands on his hips as he looked at him. "Seems to like you though," he grinned as he affectionately nipped at Frank's hair as he had bent down to get the brushes in front of him, he handed the second to Jared. "He’s normally quite weary of strangers," Jared commented as they began to brush him. Jared could only smile at how happy Frank seemed, glad he didn't seem to be the type of kid to fight his current placing in life. He just brushed down the horses back and had Frank help him bring in the rest of the horses to be brushed out. Frank was more than happy with his work and liked the feeling of being needed as Jared showed him all the things that the horses would need and how they liked their areas to be. Certain horses ate certain things and Frank remembered it all, not being one to forget much when he put his mind to it. When he was helping Jared put the saddle on a horse he heard the door behind them open. Frank turned, thinking it was another worker coming back for something he had forgotten in the barn. When the other two headed back in for the night Frank had decided to stay and help Jared with the rest of the work, just little things. Though, it wasn't one of the workers, it was Gerard, the Master's boyfriend. "Hey guys," the man said with a smile and walked over. Jared nodded to Gerard with a smile and Frank waved with one of his hands, the other smoothing down over the horses side as Jared laced the saddle under the horse. "Kids, a natural," Jared said as he pointed to Frank. "Horses love him. Even Oliver, he adores him," Jared grinned. "Oliver, huh? He won't let me near him. Old, mean, horse. Can’t believe his name means affectionate and peaceful," Gerard said, looking Frank up and down, hands on his hips. Frank now noticed Gerard had changed into tight black riding pants and an even tighter jacket, with silver buttons on it, some were needed, others for a style that ran down the sides, it reminded Frank of an old army jacket but he'd seen riders have them before, just not with so much flair. "So, has he finished his work for the day? The Master says I'm to take him out for a ride if he has finished?" Frank had secretly been hoping the Master had told Gerard and that he would bring it up since he didn't feel right asking. Jared nodded with a smile, "He's been working hard all day so don't go too hard on him." "Which horse is he to ride? I think Snowfire will be good for him," Gerard said. "He's a good horse for training." "Okay, we’ll see how that goes," Jared said with a smile and wink to Frank. Frank smiled; he was excited. Jared went and got Snowfire out of her pen and began to get her ready. “Hello, Snowfire,” Frank smiled and she walked the two steps over to him, playfully pushing his chest with her nose and trotting her feet in her place. Frank grinned wide and gently ran his hand up and down her snout. Gerard tilted his head to the other side as he watched the horse. Jared placed the saddle on her back and backed himself away from her since she could kick her legs but she stood still and swished her tail as Frank rubbed her nose, talking to her in his soft voice. It took Jared about twenty minutes to get her set up properly. “We’ll want to try this outside so if she rears back and throws him at least he’ll land on grass,” Gerard said as he walked his horse past Snowfire who whinnied at Gerard. Frank patted her snout and led her out of the barn behind Gerard. “Just help him, Jared.” Gerard watched with his bottom lip lodged between his teeth, nervous Snowfire would kick him off since he wasn’t experienced with horses. Frank lead Snowfire out to an open place on the grass. The boots he had to wear with his uniform worked great for the stir-ups. Jared stood behind him, holding his back as Frank put his foot in and helped push him up onto Snowfire’s high back. He wanted to make sure if she did kick back that Frank wouldn’t be thrown too hard. Frank got on and fumbled to get his foot in the other stir-up. Snowfire moved forward and back and kicked her front legs a little like she was about the throw back but when Frank made a shushing noise to her whinnies and pet her neck. Snowfire calmed and stood in place after a soft snort. Gerard raised an eyebrow. “Hmm,” he said thoughtfully. “Well, we’ll stay in the fence for a bit while you get the hang of it,” Gerard said and softly pushed his heel into his horse’s side. The horse slowly moved forward and began up the big hill. Frank only gently rubbed his heel against Snowfire’s side and she moved forward. He followed Gerard up to the top of the hill. He was a bit nervous at first while he got used to her muscles shifting and the saddling moving with it but soon he got the hang of it and it felt natural. They moved up to a soft trot and he got use to the jostling and soon enough he was used to it and had her going faster. Gerard watched as Frank took to it like a natural and smiled as he saw the fun he was having. He giggled as Frank was yelling for Snowfire to go faster and the horse seemed to just listen and be having all the fun Frank was having. He slowed a bit and just watched Snowfire’s body glide across the field with Frank on her, his body held like he had ridden a million times, moving with her and so sure of every movement. Gerard had been so distracted while watching Frank on top of Snowfire that he hadn’t really paid attention to where she was going. He noticed the fence was awfully close and Snowfire wasn’t stopping. “Frank! Pull the reins,” Gerard screamed as loud as he could but he was too late and Snowfire’s strong back legs kicked off the ground and she jumped the five foot fence without her hoof so much as nicking it. Frank held onto her and landed with her, almost losing his balance but he managed to stay on her, happy his foot had been driven into her stir-ups. When he finally realized he was fine he laughed. “What are you trying to do, kill me?” He giggled as she seemed to snort a response and ran off faster, back down the hill on the open yard. The rush was overwhelming and Frank felt like his stomach was being tickled which made him giggle as he felt like he couldn’t even breathe from it all. The Master had been sitting by his window when he had watched Frank riding the horse and saw him take the jump without falling. Frank was now racing up and down the hill at top speed but the Master didn’t recognize the horse since he had so many. He walked down the long flight of stairs and went out the back, going to the barn as Frank was at the top of the hill. Jared was standing outside the barn door with his arms folded over his chest, leaning back with his ankles crossed. “Jared? What horse is that?” The Master said, turning back to face where Frank was coming down the hill, he crossed his own arms as he watched with his darting eyes. “That’s Snowfire,” Jared explained. The Master hummed as he understood. “She’s taking a liking to Frank, all the horse’s have, she’s fast,” Jared commented. “That she is,” The Master said as he watched Frank with her, seeming to enjoy himself. “I want you to try and break Tessa,” he hummed, “then put Frank on her.” “But sir, he’s not experienced, and she’s an angry horse,” Jared said as he worriedly looked to Frank on Snowfire. “I can’t even get her to hold still.” The Master looked to Jared. “You said the horses like him, Tessa should be no problem,” the Master said before he looked back to Frank and Jared nervously followed his glance. The Master’s eyes soon looked up to see Gerard on the hill, watching Frank as he slowly had his horse walking down the hill, it’s motions seeming to make Gerard’s hips sway. “Tell Gerard I need him once he’s finished down here, I’ll be in my room waiting for him,” he said before he headed towards the house. “Yes, Sir,” said Jared before he went back to watching Frank who seemed like he would never tire of riding Snowfire up and down the large hill. He’d never seen Snowfire so active before, he figured it would end in time but he couldn’t tell which would tire first. Chapter End Notes Hope You Like It! ***** Chapter 5 ***** The sun was slowly crawling up the back side of the trees when Frank heard his alarm quietly beep in the silent room. He rolled onto his side and clicked off the beeping noises that was emitting from the small machine, its red lights flashing the time. He sat up reluctantly; he didn’t want to leave the bed that felt like clouds. Raising his arms up over his head he walked to his bathroom where he relieved his bladder. While he dressed himself in his uniform he noted the time and saw he would have to hurry to get some breakfast. Though, as he walked through the halls, he was unsure of how exactly he was to do that. He knew Gerard had brought him his breakfast the day before but he didn’t want to be late in getting to the barn. He wanted to ride again and knew if he was late he probably wouldn’t be able to. “Are you Frank?” Frank turned to the voice as he had just gotten to the bottom of the stairs. There was a man standing there, he looked to be in his early twenty’s. His chestnut hair was long enough to skin his eyelashes with the ends. Frank smiled at the friendly looking man, glancing into his soft green eyes; he noted the man seemed to have a slight limp in his right leg as he stepped forward. “Yes, I’m Frank,” he said softly, worried his voice would echo in the huge marble entrance. The man smiled at him and Frank just smiled back softly, completely unsure of what he should do or say. “Well I’m Matt,” the man held out his hand and Frank took it and shook it with a good grip, a little more comfortable with Matt. He didn’t know what it was but something told him that Matt was someone he could just be around. He knew it might have been a comfort thing, his mind looking for something to fill a void he didn’t know he had. He just felt more laid back, like he wouldn’t mind a joke and he wouldn’t mind Frank speaking freely. “Why don’t you follow me? I’ll show you where we get breakfast,” Matt said and nodded his head back as he raised his arm to point his thumb over his shoulder. “Yeah, sounds good,” Frank said as he followed Matt who had turned and began to head in the direction he had indicated. “So, what do you do around here?” Frank felt like it was okay to ask and hoped it would be. He looked down to the man's leg, noticing that he did in fact have a limp. It wasn't terribly noticeable but it did show. “Oh, I’m one of the cleaners. I used to work out in the barn but a horse kicked my knee one day, dislocated it, bone went through the skin. I guess you can understand when I say, it doesn’t work as well as it used to,” Matt said with a slight chuckle. “But I make do. The Master was nice enough to keep me on to pay my debt. It’s not too bad, cleaning and doing other things. Dusting is a pain though,” he said with a little shrug. “Aw, well I’m sorry. Least the Master kept you on, that’s good,” Frank said and Matt nodded to him. Frank kind of wondered what Matt had meant by "other things" but assumed he just meant things around the huge mansion. “I’m surprised to see you’re so young. He usually won’t take anyone under eighteen. You must be special,” Matt said with a slight smile as he held a door open for Frank who smiled and thanked him as they went through. “What are you in for? He doesn’t even loan money to minors.” Matt said with a slightly puzzled look, his eyebrows knitted upward. “Well it was my father who had the debt to pay and he decided I would be good enough to fill his spot,” Frank explained with a quiet voice. He looked downward, though he wasn’t close with his father, and he seemed better off in his current state, he still felt the pang of the situation. “That’s really sad,” Matt said in a sympathetic tone. “I’m sorry that happened to you,” he gently placed his hand on Frank’s shoulder and it was a soothing touch. Frank smiled at him, letting him know he appreciated his words and his touch. The two continued down the hall until Frank followed Matt into a big kitchen. “Oh…wow,” Frank said as he looked at the multiple ovens and the huge pantry. He was too shocked to even process everything in the room. The kitchen was nearly his entire house but it was bigger. “Yeah, I know. The first time I saw this place I couldn’t believe it,” Matt said with a smile at Frank’s face. “Come on. I’ll make you something to eat before you have to go out,” he said and motioned towards a bar with a couple of stools. “What do you mean?” Frank followed him and took a seat on the stool in the middle of the bar. On the other side was a stove top and Matt was in front of it. “What would you like? Every morning you come down and pick what you want,” Matt said to him. “So tomorrow just come down and in here and I’ll cook you whatever you want,” Matt explained to him and smiled softly. “Do you cook for everyone?” Frank looked around, seeing no one else was present. “Yep, they all eat earlier. Master prefers you to sleep until six instead of five since you’re not so use to it. Soon enough I think he’ll slowly start getting you down to five,” Matt explained and Frank nodded lightly as he looked to him. “Well, what would you like?” Matt chuckled softly. Frank shook his head with a small smile. “Sorry…um…would eggs be too much?” Frank felt weird telling someone what he wanted and not helping. “I can do that. Scrambled, sunny side-up, poached?” Matt dug through the fridge. “What about sausage?” “Yeah, scrambled sounds good and yes, sausage is okay,” Frank said and Matt came over with the items, pulling out frying pans and warming them on the burners. “Sorry, hope that’s not too much,” Frank said and bit his lip lightly. He felt bad for making someone else cook his meals. “Really, it’s no trouble,” Matt smiled as he cracked the eggs into a bowl and began adding some spices and bits of sausage. “I mean I’m use to cooking like six patties of sausage per guy,” Matt laughed and Frank smiled at the fact. “I think I can deal with scrambled eggs and sausage,” he poured the mixture into the ready pan. “So, how do you like it here so far?” Frank watched Matt’s skilled hands work everything and kept his eyes on him as he moved around the kitchen. “It’s nice. I mean I was expecting to live in a basement and get beaten everyday while scrubbing the floor on my hands and knees. It’s incredible,” Frank said with a bit of a smile as he thought about everything he now had. “I even got to ride a horse the other day. I’ve never done that before, it was amazing.” Matt smiled and set a glass of orange juice in front of Frank who continued to sit perched on the stool, Frank thanked him. “I know what you mean. I was really nervous about coming here to work. I thought I’d be treated like shit and made to do things I hated but it’s not bad at all. I have a room bigger than the crummy apartment I had been living in and anything I could want. Cable, my own bathroom, food whenever I want it, and an entire house to my disposal. Well, except for the Master’s office and his private quarters,” he shrugged, “but that’s understandable. He doesn’t enter our rooms without permission or cause, why should we go into his?” Frank nodded as he watched Matt breaking up the eggs that were frying up in the pan. “So…,” Frank leaned a bit forward and lowered his voice, “What’s with Gerard?” Matt snickered a little and nodded like he understood. “I know, I mean I was so taken aback by that. When I first got here I figured the man would have whores all over the place. Then I met Gerard and was completely shocked. I mean I didn’t take the man to be gay, the Master,” Matt said and Frank nodded in agreement. “You’re lucky you don’t sleep near the Master’s quarters,” Matt laughed. Frank’s face kind of twisted into confusion. He didn’t really understand what Matt had meant by that. Matt leaned over a little, his hands on the counter. He looked back and forth like someone might have snuck into the kitchen without them noticing. “Gerard’s a…very vocal person…if you get what I mean,” Matt smirked and pulled back, tending to the eggs. For a moment Frank’s virgin brain took this as possibly fighting but then he took Matt’s tone into the equation and his face scrunched up. “Ew,” he mumbled mindlessly as he thought about it. “I didn’t need to know that,” he laughed lightly. Matt laughed too, his deep voice echoing in the kitchen. “I didn’t either but it’s the talk of the house. All the maids talk about is Gerard’s loud noises. Most of the females are over on the Master’s side because he doesn’t want any of the males getting any ideas,” Matt explained and Frank shrugged while nodding, it was understandable. “Though, males are allowed to flirt with the maids and even sleep with them,” Matt said. “With the maid’s approval of course,” Matt added. He placed a plate in front of Frank, along with the proper utensils. “That’s just weird, the Gerard thing I mean,” Frank said up to Matt as he took a bite of the eggs. “It’s really good,” he told him, motioning to the eggs with his fork. “Thank you,” Matt said with a light nod of his head. “But yeah, I figured he looked like he was a bit of a freak in that area,” Matt laughed. “I mean the dude wears skin tight clothes and makeup. He’s always causing problems with the new men who come in,” Matt said as he took the stool beside Frank. “When the maids turn them down and Gerard’s always out in the barn they get a bit…frisky, some would say.” Frank looked to Matt, showing he was interested in the conversation as he ate down his breakfast. “One guy thought he’d try and force Gerard into giving him head. You know what that little fairy did?” Frank took this as a pause in conversation that could go unanswered, was for effect but he shrugged his shoulders as he chewed, making his face look more interested. “Gerard completely complied with the guy. Took him out back into one of the sheds…,” Frank’s eyes went wide as he leaned in to Matt a bit closer since he could sense the end coming. “Bit the dudes cock so hard he had to go for stitches,” Matt said and Frank distinctively flinched and tightened his legs. “Acted like he was going to suck him off and just bit his cock. That’s fucked up,” Matt laughed and Frank nodded with a slight laugh. “Jesus,” Matt sighed out mindlessly. Frank finished his breakfast while Matt told him about the house and where he was allowed to go, how things worked, and how they didn’t. He submitted every detail to his memory and when he finished he thanked Matt sincerely for his breakfast and for letting him in on everything. He said goodbye before he went out to the barn. As he crossed the lawn he heard loud voices and slowed a bit. “You can’t do that!” It was Gerard’s voice that was shouting. Frank stopped outside of the barns doors and kept out of sight. “It’s my horse!” “Is it?!” This was the Master and Frank flinched at the man’s booming voice. “Do you pay for its feed?! Do you brush it?! Do you clean out the stall?!” Gerard was silent for a moment and so was the Master. “You have everything you could want but because I sell one horse that you favor you have to throw a tizzy fit like a little girl,” the man said with a frustrated tone. “Please let me keep him,” Gerard said in a hushed tone. “Jesus, Gerard,” the Master sighed out. “Fine but you’re going to make it up,” the Master said with a stern voice. “Don’t I always,” Gerard said with a slight giggle and a tone that made Frank shudder in disgust at the lust laced all through it. He felt like his body had just been raped with it, he could hear soft smooches and decided he would now make his entrance and hopefully break them apart. “Oh, sorry,” Frank said, acting like he had no idea that they were in the barn, he turned like he was about to walk out. “No, Frank, it’s fine. We’re just going inside,” the Master said and Gerard’s face flushed red as he looked down since he had been rubbing his thigh up between the Master’s legs and sucking on the Master's tongue. “Oh, alright, have either of you seen Jared?” Frank looked up and down the room of stalls. “He’s in the back, training one of the horses. She’s a violent one. Just bought her, old master couldn’t break her and I got her for a cheap price, beautiful stallion,” the Master said. “Perhaps you can break her,” he said with a slightly amused smile. Gerard looked up to him with an almost worried face, trying to read if his boyfriend was serious. “Maybe,” Frank said with a small smile. “I’ll go join Jared now, if that’s alright?” Frank motioned to the back and the Master nodded. Frank walked by them, avoiding looking at Gerard because it just felt uncomfortable. He continued to the back, unknowing that Gerard was watching him as he followed his boyfriend out of the barn. ***** Chapter 6 ***** Frank was out back with Jared, watching the horse that the Master had bought recently kick up its legs and whine out in irritation. He wasn’t going anywhere near the horse, he knew that for a fact. Jared kept trying to pull the horse down onto all four of her hooves but she would kick and snap her neck so the reigns would come out of Jared’s hands. “Why did he even buy this one?” Frank said after observing the horse was not going to take direction even if it was slapped into it. “It’s a powerful, expensive, and large horse and it came for a cheap price,” Jared said before he moved quickly to dodge a kick, swearing under his breath. “He knows he doesn’t have to train it. Why should he care?” Frank nodded; it seemed to make sense to him. “I just need to get her back in her stall at this point. I’m done with her shit for the moment,” Jared mumbled as he tugged on the reigns, having managed to grab them back. He pulled harshly and the horse kicked and whinnied loudly. It took Frank’s help and a lot of time before they had the horse closed in a stall but it was still kicking and moving around, making agitated snorts and noises. “So, do you know what was happening with Gerard and the Master?” Frank put his hands on his hips as he breathed, now that the horse was contained. “Oh, the Master was going to trade Gerard’s horse for another and a little extra cash. I assume Gerard whined and got his own way,” Jared said with a slight laugh as he grabbed up a shovel and started on one of the stalls, Frank pitched in. “Pretty much,” he muttered with a slight laugh. “So all he has to do is sleep with him and he gets anything he wants?” Jared nodded; shaking his head like the idea amused him. “Well, I hope one day I find someone so generous that I can date and sex gets me whatever I want,” Frank muttered as he cleaned his shovel off into the wheelbarrow. Jared snorted and nodded. “Me too and if you two don’t work out, give me her number,” he joked and Frank laughed. The two continued with the stalls and went in for lunch. Matt was there and the three of them just talked about work and gossiped about Gerard, the Master’s boyfriend. They all found him amusing, to be a joke. They all swapped motives of why Gerard was with him. Jared told them he figured it was money. Matt figured the Master had a big cock and Gerard was so stretched out he couldn’t find anyone else, he joked about the topic. Frank simply shrugged and figured Gerard was a superficial person who wouldn’t be happy without the finest things money could buy, also that he was a bit of a slut. Seeing Gerard being so vulgar in the barn was a bit off-putting and he figured that he was just an overly sexual person. “I’d seriously love to know why he sticks around,” Jared laughed. “Like is he just a prostitute the Master bought or something and he pretends to hold the title of boyfriend?” Matt nodded as he sipped his juice, like he was thinking that could be it. “I watch whatever I say around him. Who knows what he’d go back and repeat like a little snitch,” Matt said. “Like that time you told him that the Master was pushing one of the horses too hard, which he was, and he went back and told the Master what you had said. Then the Master was all pissed, thinking you were questioning his judgment. Who knows how he worded it?” Jared laughed a little and just shook his head. “I swear he has Gerard around as like a test. He wants to judge our loyalty by having his boyfriend prance around in tight clothes, moving his body like a whore,” Jared laughed loudly and Matt did too, Frank couldn’t help but snicker. “Do you see the way he walks?! If he swayed his ass anymore he’d probably throw out his hip,” Jared laughed and so did the other two. “I’d love to see that,” Matt commented and nodded. “Maybe when he’s going down the stairs,” he added and Frank laughed as his mind instantly pictured it. “I’m just saying, he shouldn’t walk around here flaunting his shit all over the place,” Matt turned and rinsed his glass in the sink. “He’s asking for trouble.” Jared and Frank nodded in agreement. “And so is the Master in that case, letting him walk around here like that without saying anything.” “Hey guys!” Frank nearly choked on his sandwich when the kitchen door swung open and Gerard walked in with a broad smile. He was nearly skipping. “He just got some, he’s always like that after,” Jared muttered to Frank who scrunched up his face but had to snicker at Jared’s face. “What’s so funny?” Gerard walked over to them and leaned over the counter, smiling at Frank. Frank looked at him and his lip glossed lips, his brown eye shadow that was all blended in, he saw the eyeliner and the mascara. It was like Gerard was some alien or something you only saw on movies, in the real world, Frank couldn’t help but think he looked a bit like a clown. He didn’t look much like a man but a woman who was cursed with broad shoulders and no chest. He had the ass of a woman, Frank noted as he saw Gerard’s butt sticking out as he leaned. He almost laughed a little when he saw the small hairpin in his brown locks that held his hair back from his face. Frank looked to Matt and Jared who seemed to be doing their best to hold back their smiles. Frank would admit he had figured he would get along with them better if he played like they did. “Oh, you know…just talking about whores, I- I mean horses,” Frank said, acting like he had messed up but Jared and Matt couldn’t help but laugh, acting like it was just his slip up but there was an air of it being something deeper and Gerard seemed uncomfortable all of a sudden, looking away from Frank’s eyes and his smile shrunk away. Frank had to admit he felt a little bad as he saw Gerard’s happy face slip down into one of discomfort. It reminded him about times he’d been through in school. Like when he’d walk up to try and talk to people and they’d say something as a subtle insult and would then laugh when he walked away. “Oh, okay. Well…I just thought I would see what you guys were up to…,” Gerard forced a smile, trying to act like he was fine as he slowly backed up. “I’ll uh…I’ll talk to you later,” he sent a tiny wave before he turned and quickly left the kitchen. Jared and Matt laughed softly and shook their heads. “He’s such a freak,” Jared whispered and just sipped his drink. “I’m going to go to the bathroom before we head out. I’ll be right back,” Frank said and the two nodded, beginning to talk of the work to come in winter, which was already upon them. Frank left the kitchen and quietly but quickly made his way through the halls. He heard soft noises in one room and slowed his steps, quietly walking over the floor. He leaned his head in the doorway and saw Gerard with his back to the door. His hand was resting on the back of a decorative chair as the other was up to his mouth. He was making soft noises and Frank could hear the tiny sniffs and saw the damp blackness on Gerard’s fingers when he would wipe under his eyes. Frank bit his lip, he felt bad. He wanted to just go upstairs to the bathroom and act like he didn’t know. He wanted to play oblivious but knew he wouldn’t be able to sleep that night if he did. He bit his lip as he slowly entered the room, being quiet. He walked until he was a few steps behind the other man. “Gerard,” he spoke silently and Gerard’s head snapped back to glance over his shoulder. “Oh,” Gerard quickly wiped his eyes and sniffed. “I’m sorry, I just…,” Frank knew Gerard couldn’t find an excuse for why he was crying. “I’m sorry,” Frank said quietly and his mouth went crooked as he stopped himself from flat out frowning. He felt guilty for making Gerard feel so terrible. Gerard turned to look at him; his face a bit of a mess but Frank only looked into his eyes and tried to show he was sincere. Gerard leaned forward and Frank was waiting for him to harm him in some way but Gerard only wrapped his arms around him in a hug. “Thank you, Frank,” he said quietly with a shaky voice before he pulled back and wiped his nose. “I wish you guys wouldn’t look at me like that…I’m not a…I’m not a whore,” Gerard whispered sadly and wiped his eyes as they flared again. Frank’s mouth went crooked again and he lightly touched Gerard’s arm. “I feel so lonely here because none of the men treat me like I’m a guy. They all just act like I’m some prissy bitch and say stuff behind my back,” Gerard huffed out as he tried to control his breathing. Frank frowned. “Can I give you a hint?” Gerard looked up to him with his messy eyes and nodded. “No makeup and no hair things,” Frank said with a small smile as he hoped Gerard would smile too. Gerard huffed out softly as he smiled a little and took out the hair pins, setting them on the table. He wiped off most of his makeup and looked up to Frank, his eyes asking if he looked better. “Good but keep the eyeliner makes your eyes really brown,” Frank commented with a soft smile, knowing this could be who Gerard was and if he wanted to wear eyeliner it didn’t matter. “You’re the only one to ever notice,” Gerard said softly with a small smile, the little lines of eyeliner still around his eyes seeming to darken a bit more. “Thank you, Frank,” he said again and softly embraced Frank once more. Frank slowly wrapped his arms around Gerard as well before pulling back. “You’re a sweet guy,” Gerard smiled. “You’re the first person here to not make me feel like I’m twelve so I suppose we’re equal,” Frank smiled and Gerard giggled. Frank wiped a tiny bit of lip gloss from Gerard’s chin with his thumb. “All better,” he said softly and Gerard smiled, showing he appreciated Frank for coming to find him. “I should get back to my work,” Frank nodded back to the door and Gerard nodded. “Bye Frank,” Gerard said and Frank waved his hand before he walked out of the room and bumped into the Master. “Oh, hello Frank,” the Master smiled at him and Frank all of a sudden felt nervous, like the Master might have seen. He now thought that maybe wiping the lip gloss from Gerard’s chin was something too intimate seeming, though he hadn’t meant it like that at all, he had just been trying to be nice. “How’s your day going so far?“ “Good, Sir,” Frank said with the best smile he could muster in his nervous state. “How is yours?” “It’s going quite well, thank you for asking,” the Master smiled and Frank nodded his head. “I was just going to use the restroom before going back out to work,” Frank told him. “Oh, well don’t let me hold you up,” the Master stepped out of Frank’s way. Frank smiled politely before he walked off. Gerard came out to the Master and smiled softly as the man wrapped him up in his arms and kissed the side of his head. “You look like you’ve been crying. Are you okay?” The Master’s concern for his boyfriend made the other man smile softly. “I’m fine,” Gerard whispered quietly against the Master’s neck. “Did Frank upset you?” The Master’s voice sounded slightly angered. “No, he seemed to know I was upset and came to check on me. He’s a nice guy,” Gerard said softly. “He’s just a boy, Gerard. They’re innocent at that age, haven’t been tainted by the world,” the Master said with a soft sigh. “He’s a man, babe. He’s almost eighteen,” Gerard said as he pulled back and looked to his boyfriend. “He’s a boy, a silly boy,” the Master said. “You’ll do good to remember that,” he said with a firm voice before he walked around Gerard to the kitchen. Gerard sighed out softly and followed him. =============================================================================== Frank was standing by the corral on the outside of the fence as he watched Jared fight with the new horse the Master had purchased. Frank had learned that the horse was named Tessa. He figured that was a weird name to give this horse. In his mind it should have been named something dangerous, something fearful. This horse was powerful, pissed and beautiful. It whinnied loudly and kicked it's front legs as it snorted in frustration. Just as Jared went to fix his grip on the rope attached to the horse’s snout she gave a powerful kick back and yanked the rope from his hands. Jared instantly backed up as the powerful horse whipped her head from side to side and angrily dug her hooves into the dirt beneath her. The Master had heard Jared was going to be attempting to tame the new stallion again. He had purchased her week ago and was on his way across the lawn with Gerard at his side when he saw the horse kick back harshly and Jared back away. He heard Gerard gasp beside him and they both took off at a faster pace as the horse began to dig it's hooves into the ground and snort in a dominating way towards Jared who stood dumbfounded in the metal ring with the horse. The Master was a good ways away as he saw the horse kick violently towards Jared but had missed him, leaving Jared lying on the ground from his quick movement to avoid the horse’s powerful blow. He also saw a smaller form climb the fence and hop inside, landing on his feet, he figured it must be Frank since he was the smallest man that worked for him. "Frank, get out of there!" He couldn't believe this boy was dumb enough to hop in the ring with a raging stallion on the loose. Frank felt his heart beating a million miles a minute as his feet hit the ground on the other side of the corral bars. He sighed out shakily as he quickly stood up; he saw the horse turn to him, sizing him up. Faintly, he heard someone say his name and a bunch of other jumbled words behind it but it was unclear and at the back of his mind. He slowly made his way over to Jared, not taking his eyes off the horse for a second as he got near. "Jared," he hissed, as he held out his hand. He felt Jared take it and the taller man slowly rose up beside him. Both stared at the horse that was becoming agitated with both of them in the ring. Jared had a moment of fear and bolted for the outside of the ring. "Jared, don't!" Frank watched as the horse charged at him and missed him only by seconds as he jumped the bar but this lead Frank to realize, he was now the only one left in the ring with the angry horse. He turned to her and she looked at him and snorted before digging her feet into the ground, tearing up the weak earth beneath her hooves. Frank bit his lip and mustered himself to stand as tall as he could, he was in the middle, if he tried to run out, she would get him first. So he stood there and didn't move, he was trying to show her that he did not fear her, though deep down inside, he knew he did. She was tall, her muscles were strong, and she could easily damage him with the slightest hit. He bit his lip for what felt like the millionth time and felt a bead of sweat run down his temple in the setting sun. He knew it was a stupid thought but the horse looked so beautiful with the setting sun making her glow in the light as she stood tall and strong, the wind gently blowing her main. So he decided he would take a different approach to this. Force was not winning her over, so he only had one last thing to try. He slowly relaxed his shoulders and stopped making himself look broad and tall to her, he slowly let his knees sag and eased himself down until he was sitting. He felt the cool earth stick to his palm as he raised it and brushed it off, resting his hands in his lap before he folded them both. He swallowed hard and he could have sworn a needle had gone down with his spit as the horse did nothing now but bend her head to see him now on the ground, looking small. He knew this meant he would look less threatening to her. Gerard had finally reached the corral and he panted as he came up beside Jared, seeing he wasn't hurt, just shaken he turned to look at Frank. "What on earth is he doing?!" Gerard hissed as he saw the young male simply sitting in the dirt with Tessa able to run him over. Jared shook his head unsure as there was no sound but them both weakly panting. Frank slowly reached into his pocket and pulled out the ends of a couple of carrots he had fed the rest to some of the other horses, he was happy to see he had a whole one in his pocket.He didn't know if this would help him but figured it was worth a shot. He stuck the ends back into his pocket and breathed in deep. He made a clicking sound with his tongue and slowly held his hand out in what he hoped was a nonthreatening manner, the carrot resting on his palm. "Come here, sweetheart," he whispered and she snorted. "Come on," he cooed and relaxed his face in what he hoped was a soft smile and not a worried expression. He was trying to keep his nerves down, knowing she would sense them and he would be given away. There was dead silence for a moment nothing but the Master's soft panting as he had reached Gerard and Jared's side just a moment ago. They all stared, all watched, all felt like holding their breath. The Master was wondering what he would do to pay off the rest of Mr. Iero's debt when the horse finally killed Frank. The silence was long and thick and Frank had half a mind to bolt but as soon as he was about to give up. The horse took a soft and cautious step forward and Frank smiled. "That's it, girl, come on," he said gently and with a little encouragement the horse slowly came a little faster as she walked up to him. He flattened his palm out with the carrot lying against it and she hesitated before she slowly dropped her head and began to take it from his hand. He smiled at her and slowly, carefully, raised his hand to gently brush her snout as she chewed the carrot. When she was done there was a moment of silence and Frank worried this was where he'd get stomped to death but she gently nudged him with her snout and brought her nose to his pocket where the ends of the carrots were. He smiled and took them out before feeding her each one, slowly. He cautiously stood, gently brushing over her main and she made a pleased noise. He gently took the rope that hung loosely to the ground and softly tugged towards the gate. "Come on, girl," he said in a hushed tone and she hesitated for a second before she followed him towards the gate, away from the two figures with gaping mouths and one with a grin. Gerard turned and looked at the Master's face of shock. He smirked more and looked back to where Frank was walking the horse into the barn. "What a sillyboy," Gerard smirked at the Master before heading back to the house. The Master turned with a scowl at Gerard and followed. ***** Chapter 7 ***** Frank was brushing down Tessa and whistling softly to himself as he did so. She seemed to like the little tune and would ruffle her mane every so often before turning her head and lightly nipping at Frank’s shirt. He would smile each time she did this before he placed a soft kiss to her nose or would pet down her slender face. “You’re so pretty,” he would say in a boyish tone and she would hide her face like a blushing girl. She could easily make him smile or giggle and he was happy to have something to do with his time that involved something he liked. She would show her appreciation with her little nips and her soft nudges and he would let her know he was having just as much fun by gently running the brush down her high back. He was happy she was still being calm with him. It took Jared and him a few hours but soon enough all the horses were in their stalls for the night. Jared was sitting on a rickety stool and playing a short and soft tone on the guitar. “You play, kid?” Frank was leaning against Tessa’s stall door, hoping Gerard would be out soon for their ride. “Yeah, I play,” he said with a soft shrug and lightly pulled on the hoodie he had brought down with him as the night was coming, the sun sinking down, and making the world a colder place. “Why don’t you play something while I saddle up Raid,” Jared said, coming over and handing the guitar to Frank, who slid down until he was seated on the stool he’d been leaning over. Jared went over and got out Gerard’s horse. “Why did he name it Raid?” Frank looked to Jared as the powerful black horse came out of its stall, swishing its tail around proudly. “I don’t know. All I know is that Raid means leader and since he’s one of the fastest horses we own and is usually in front, I suppose it’s as fitting a name as any,” he shrugged and Frank lightly nodded before he turned his attention back to the guitar in his hands. He plucked a few strings mindlessly, tuning it to his liking before he strummed all the cords and the noise that sounded pleased him. He softly moved his thumb, plucking over the cords as his other hand worked over the neck of the guitar, a soft melody coming out and sifting through the air like a magical fragrance. Tessa brought her head down and softly nudged Frank’s, who turned up and smiled at her without breaking the tune. Jared continued to saddle up Raid as he watched Frank play, glancing over every so often as the song made his insides churn. Something about the melody was so sad but so positive at the same time, and as he looked to the seventeen year old who sat perched on the small stool, stuck in a situation that was not of his own doing, he figured it fit. Knowing Frank’s emotions must be in the dark but he wanted to stay positive with the situation before him and keep an outlook that would make things better for him. Gerard came out the back door of the mansion and began his way across the grass. He was mindlessly pulling on his gloves when the tune from Frank’s playing made him look up to the barn. He’d never heard a sound as pretty and he wondered if it was Jared who was playing, since he would sometimes pick around on the one he owned. Gerard didn’t think it was him though, on account that Jared was not very charismatic when playing and because usually they were nervous and uncertain strokes, not confident and knowing like the ones he could hear. As he neared the barn he peeked his head in and smiled when he saw Frank on a stool, playing the soft tune. He saw the horses with their heads sticking out of their stall openings, seeming to listen to his every note that came from the beat up old guitar. Gerard waited a moment before he entered and the melody stopped and Frank looked to him. Gerard's inside tightened a little once the music was stopped. “Hey,” he smiled and put the guitar down, leaning it against the wall. He turned and got Tessa out of her stall and she stood still while he put the saddle on her. “We’re going out, right?” The look on Frank’s face was a big smile and he looked so excited, Gerard couldn’t say, ‘no’ even if he was supposed to. He smiled wide and nodded. Frank grinned from ear to ear it seemed and then finished up with saddling Tessa. Gerard watched nervously as he realized Frank was going to try riding her but Jared gave him an assuring look. “We’re going to take the trail in the woods today,” Gerard said softly as he walked over to Raid and placed a soft kiss on his snout before he grabbed his reins and pulled him out the barn doors. Truthfully, Gerard wanted time to talk to Frank, get to know him better without being under someone’s gaze. He knew people were always watching him; he never had a moment of rest. Either his boyfriend was staring at him or the maids and the men who worked the stables. Even when no one was looking, it felt like they were, and Gerard hated having to be completely on guard all the time with how he acted or looked. Frank nodded as he brought Tessa out and then cautiously got on her. Gerard held his breath without realizing when she started trotting anxiously in place and making noises of distress. "Easy. Easy, girl," Frank cooed and she raised her two front feet off the ground before they settled, trotted forward and back a little, before coming to a stop. Tessa made one more noise before she relaxed with Frank running his finger over her long neck. Gerard breathed out. “Just follow beside me,” Gerard said. “Make sure you keep close. I don’t want her taking off in the woods,” Gerard commented and Frank nodded. “There’s a field out at the end we can run through,” Gerard stated as he watched Frank slowly guiding Tessa to follow him. “Okay,” Frank said happily and followed by Gerard's side. Gerard glanced around and once they got passed the barrier of trees he sighed out in relief, finally knowing he wasn’t being watched. “So,” Frank said with a soft voice as he looked around the woods. “How long have you been with the Master?” Gerard brushed a piece of his hair back and looked thoughtfully at the trail ahead. “I suppose it’s been about five years now. Seems longer I suppose…not in a bad way,” Gerard said, quickly adding the last few words. “We got together when I was eighteen.” Gerard looked down and pulled his gloves a little further down his wrists and he adjusted his jacket, it was a cold evening. “Oh, so you’re twenty-three?” Frank looked over to him and he nodded. Frank nodded back and looked back to the trail, he gently squeezed his hand around Tessa's reigns, his fingers were already cold. “So, tell me about yourself, Frank. I’d like to know you,” Gerard said softly as his hips swayed with the motions of the horses steps. “I don’t know. I’m kind of boring,” Frank said with a soft laugh and looked back up to Gerard. “Oh, I doubt that. For instants, did you have a girlfriend before you came here?” Gerard said this in a rather feminine tone before he giggled but Frank smiled. He figured Gerard was just comfortable with him and he really didn’t mind, he liked to feel like someone was comfortable with him and liked to be around him. “Um, no girlfriends,” Frank said as he lightly shook his head and looked to Gerard for a moment before he looked back to Tessa and brushed the mane on her neck, he was happy she still seemed calm with him and he was getting to ride her. He was trying to concentrate on the trail and not Gerard's question. “Oh, too picky?” Gerard glanced over to Frank as he held the reigns. “I’m not, no but I could see why girls didn't like me,” Frank shrugged lightly and just looked forward, trying not to seem saddened by the fact. “Well, why not?” Gerard said with a soft and cautious tone, seeing that Frank looked a bit sensitive with the subject. “Well…honestly, my dad didn’t take very good care of me. He has a gambling problem and that lead to me not having things I needed. So I mean…I had ratty clothes, I smelt because I couldn’t wash properly or use deodorant. I wasn’t really that much of a catch,” Frank said quietly, hoping Gerard wouldn’t judge him like he so easily could. “I know how that can be,” Gerard said softly as he looked to Frank. He didn’t pity him but he felt the sadness he felt and wished things didn’t have to be how they sometimes were because maybe someone like Frank wouldn’t have to suffer through such a hardship on his self-esteem. Frank looked back to him, questioning in his eyes. “When I was younger, I use to be really fat and ugly. No one liked me and I did smell,” Gerard said softly, remembering times from his years in school. “They would just ignore me, act like I wasn’t there. I guess they figured it was beneath them to notice someone as ugly as me.” Gerard looked down to his hands that held the reigns, picturing how fat they would be if he had never lost the weight. He had never told anyone about how his life had been before coming to stay with Nathan. “Well…I don’t think you’re ugly, Gerard. Even so, what does it matter if someone’s fat? A person’s a person and I bet you’re really great; people just have a hard time seeing through shells they don’t want to look at. And look at you now, you showed them,” Frank smiled and Gerard smiled back to him. “You’re a really sweet guy, Frank. It’s good to see you didn’t take on bitterness from what you’ve been through,” Gerard said to him and they shared a glance. “I couldn’t be bitter towards someone like you,” Frank said as he looked back to the trail. “Why’s that?” Gerard’s eyebrows furrowed a little as he too looked to the trail since Frank had broken their glance. “You seem like a really sweet guy. I mean you try to be cheerful and inviting to people even though most of them treat you like you’re a bad person but you’re not. That makes you better than the lot of them. They can say whatever they want about you and you’re still a mostly happy person or try to be. I think you being positive is a great thing,” Frank said as he continued to look at the trail. “Thank you, Frank,” Gerard said softly to him as he looked to the side of his face. “It’s no trouble,” Frank said and they shared another glance, Gerard searching over his features and submitted them to memory. They both looked back to the trail at the same time and continued on to the field. ***** Chapter 8 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Gerard and Frank finally reached the field and let the horses run around for a bit. They couldn’t talk while doing so but Gerard kept glancing up to watch Frank and Tessa run around and Frank kept looking to him. Gerard really hoped the two could be friends since he had none in the house but he figured, in time, people would get to him and change his opinion. He didn’t want it to happen but it was something that would more than likely happen. Every time someone new came, Gerard tried to be friends with them, and if he even halfway succeeded people would attack that person and turn them on him. He hoped Frank would be different and would actually like him. They both ran the horses around for some time until Frank stopped suddenly and was looking up. Gerard stopped his horse beside him, looking up, confused at what Frank was looking at. “Wow,” Frank said in a hushed voice. Gerard looked up, still confused before he noticed Frank was watching the sun sink down and the sky was cast in an orange glow with its pinks, purples, and blues. Gerard hadn’t realized how much time had gone by. The moon had begun to show as the sun was sinking down. Gerard waited for Frank to look down because he was watching him. He saw his eyes scanning and taking in every detail and how he just gazed like it was the most amazing thing he’d ever seen. “I’ve never seen the sky like this. I lived in the city and it was always just…smoke and…the city lights killed it really. It’s just so…,” Frank trailed off as he continued to look over it. Gerard looked up at the sky himself and noticed now how much he had gotten used to it and how he was acting like it was just another sky but it really was beautiful. He had to smile as he realized that without Frank, he might not have noticed. The two sat on the horses and looked up, the horses with their noses down as they ate the long grass. Gerard had become just as distracted as Frank and before he knew it, it was almost dark out but the darkness brought the moon and the stars and the night was beautiful. “We should head back,” Gerard said after sometime. “We shouldn’t be out in the woods in the dark,” he whispered, nervously looking around, his breath coming out as little puffs of fog. “Yeah,” Frank said, now noticing that while the sky was light and beautiful, their surroundings were dark and shadows stretched high around them. Frank didn’t want to put on to Gerard that he was a bit scared of the dark so he silently followed behind him into the woods, where it was much darker. Every twig that snapped made him jump a little. “You okay?” Gerard whispered, too scared to talk loudly, like he might alert something to their presence. “I hate the dark,” Frank confessed quietly back to him, seeing his warm breath turn to fog before him, in the eerie light of the moon. “Me too,” Gerard confessed and all of a sudden their horses stopped and seemed to be listening. Both Gerard and Frank bit their lips. Tessa whinnied before she kicked back slightly and began to trot around in her place uncomfortably. “It’s okay, Tessa. It’s okay,” Frank whispered and tried to believe it too but then a loud howl came through the air and it was close. Raid jumped back and kicked his front legs as Gerard held on tightly, trying not to be thrown from him. Tessa reared back slightly and her loud noises could be heard as she whinnied and her snorts came out, Frank held on to her as best he could. “Easy, Raid, easy!” Gerard screamed as the horse made loud noises before taking off forward, nearly throwing him from him. He was running quickly and Gerard had to hold on tightly and duck his head since it was too dark to see. He tried to stop him because Tessa refused to budge and was back on the path but Raid wasn’t stopping, he only continued to run quickly through the trail, heading to the barn that was still a good mile away. “Tessa, Tessa,” Frank repeated nervously as the horse continued to uncomfortably trot in her spot, he knew she couldn’t tell where the wolf was and it made her nervous. She backed up and Frank could hear something in front of them on the trail, she reared back again and kicked her front hooves before she turned around and bolted back towards the field. Frank didn’t know what to do, he knew she was just trying to get away from the wolf, even wolves possibly, but he was scared she would rear back at any moment and throw him from her. He closed his eyes tightly and held onto her neck, trying to keep his eyes from watering from the cold wind biting at his face and eyes. She ran for what felt like forever, not wanting to stop, not knowing the wolf had stopped chasing her long ago and at one moment her foot fell into a hole in the ground and she tripped, being heaved forward and Frank fell from her back, landing in a shallow river where he felt immense pain in the back of his head and was soon surrounded in his own darkness. =============================================================================== Raid made it back to the barn and the Master and Jared were waiting out front, seeming worried. “Gerard!” The Master called when Raid finally stopped, whinnying and trotting about nervously. Gerard fell from the horse slightly, all his muscles tensed up, and his body tired from hanging on so tightly. Both the Master and Jared ran over to him, quickly kneeling down. “Are you alright?!” Gerard panted softly and nodded. “There was a wolf, the horses got spooked,” Gerard breathed out and coughed from his throat being dry from the cold air. “Frank…Tessa wouldn’t move and Raid just took off, I couldn’t get him to stop,” Gerard said, his eyes watering. “We have to go back and look for Frank,” he said, desperately holding onto his boyfriends arms. “Nathan we have to go back,” he pleaded with him before he buried his face into the man’s chest, and felt a gentle hand stroke his hair. Nathan stood and looked to Jared as he held Gerard to him. “We can’t go out tonight, it’d be pointless. We wouldn’t be able to see anything. Tell the men to be ready in the morning. When the sun comes out we’re going to look for him,” Nathan said with a certain voice. Jared weakly nodded, “Yes, Sir.” He looked to the woods as Nathan dragged Gerard towards the house as he put up a fight to go out looking for Frank right then but the Master only shook his head and continued to pull him towards the house. “Jared! Put Raid into his stall!” Nathan had shouted this back and Jared turned and slowly took Raid’s reigns, pulling him towards the barn. The horse seemed worn out so Jared gave him a good brushing and gave him extra water for the night. He looked into Tessa’s empty stall as he left and shut the light off. He closed the doors and looked to the woods while he walked towards the house; he sighed out softly and shook his head. He figured the only thing they would find of Frank was what remained of him when the wolves had finished. He went inside and told the others about the morning search before he went up for a night of sleep. Chapter End Notes Sorry that this has taken a little while to get up! Work has been crazy and I still don't have a laptop to replace my last one. I am going on vacation in the next week for two weeks but will try to upload some chapters to draft so I can upload them for you guys over my phone! Sorry this is short! ***** Chapter 9 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank’s eyes slowly opened and he saw the limbs of trees, carrying dead, orange leaves on them as the sky was a dark gray. His mind began to realize he was moving slightly, he felt like his head was spinning. As he came further to he noticed that he was wet and opened his eyes wide before sitting up, his butt sinking and hitting the rocky bottom of the shallow water. He looked around and saw he was in the middle of a small river; it almost looked more like a creek. Using his shaking, numb arms, he quickly scrambled up to the river bank where he shivered from the cold water. His ears were aching and his nose felt cold as it ran. His lips were blue and his teeth chattered as he was huddled up on the bank in the cold air. “Oh God,” he whined quietly as his head ached and he wondered where he was. He imagined he must have drifted for some time but he didn’t know how far he had come down the creek. He tried to remember the last thing he saw as he slowly stood up and hugged a tree for support. His legs felt frozen and unattached from his body so he took a second to get his bearings. He felt the sting of the cut on his forehead from his fall and there was a giant bump under his skin. After a few minutes he knew he had to start moving or he would just sit down to rest and freeze. He slowly stumbled forward; cling to random trees every time he felt like he might fall forward. He was trying to make his way back up the river, hoping he would see the spot where he fell in and be able to make his way back to the mansion if he could remember the trail. He hoped Tessa was okay, his mind going back to where she had fallen. He whined quietly as he felt like he was freezing to death and as he continued to move slowly up the stream, tiny snowflakes drifted from the sky. He looked up in disbelief but figured it was better than rain, he hoped at least. =============================================================================== Gerard had fought with Nathan who had wanted him to stay home in bed, and was now on top of Raid, heading through the woods with the other men. He showed them the spot where Tessa had last been seen, carrying Frank. He looked up as the snow began to fall from the sky and bit his lips; it was so cold out that he had on a thick jacket. He remembered Frank had gone out in nothing but a small hoodie. Gerard hadn’t admitted to Nathan that he himself felt a little sick, he figured it was just some weird fluke. The men all continued on, the horses seeming to slow as the snow began to fall. The clouds got darker and it seemed like it was almost night time, instead of the early afternoon. Soon enough the snow picked up and it was nearly impossible to see. “We have to turn back,” Nathan said to Gerard quietly, not yet telling the men. He knew it was best to tell Gerard now then just blurt it out and have Gerard disrespect him openly in front of the help. He could hear the men calling out Frank’s name but the wind and the snow seemed to quiet them all. “We…We can’t. Frank’s out there somewhere! We can’t just leave him in this, he’ll freeze,” Gerard said back to him with a worried face, not wanting to leave Frank out in the bitter cold, feeling a bit responsible. As if Mother Nature wanted him to hold onto his guilt a cold breeze picked up and whipped cold snow into his face and down into his jacket, making his body tense up. “We’ll all freeze if we don’t go back. The storms too thick to see anything,” Nathan said back and squinted as the wind whipped snow into their faces again. "I'm more worried about you," Nathan almost had to holler over the wind. He glanced ahead at the men, seeing only bits of them when the wind blew just right. “You go back, I want to continue. If we don’t find him now, everything will be covered with snow, we won’t know where to look,” Gerard said with a bit of bitterness, feeling that his boyfriend was being selfish. “Gerard, we’re all heading back and that’s all there’s going to be about it,” Nathan said and when Gerard went to complain Nathan glared at him and he bit his lip, looking down. He felt his eyes water a little as he thought of Frank out in the snow, freezing, and how he had left him the night before. He knew he could blame it on the wind that whipped into his eyes. Nathan shouted for the men to turn back and they all did, seeming grateful. Only Jared seemed to be slightly uncomfortable with the idea but was doing his best not to show it, knowing it could upset the Master. Gerard made his horse walk slowly behind the pack of men. When no one was looking he took the blue sash out of his hair, the one he had worn on the day Frank had come to the house. He leaned over and tied it to a tree, glancing back over the trail that was quickly becoming covered in snow. He hung his head as he turned forward and began following the group back to the barn and then into the warm mansion. He went to the room he shared with Nathan and sat himself by the big window, curled up in a large blue chair that faced it, he watched the trail where the hoof prints were quickly becoming covered by the snow; he bit his lip and said a quiet prayer for Frank. =============================================================================== Frank had walked as far as he could before he just huddled under a thick fir tree. He closed his eyes and hugged himself as he shook violently. He felt like he was going to just fall asleep and liked the idea, slipping into a warm place, and not waking up to the cold. As his eyes were rested and he almost felt like he was about to slip into his warm state, he felt something nudge him. He turned his head weakly and felt like he was dreaming as Tessa rubbed his shoulder with her warm nose. “Oh, Tessa,” he smiled weakly, “You’re okay.” He was happy to see her and lightly leaned his head onto her warm snout, his hair hard from where it was frozen. Tessa nudged him weakly as his eyes closed and he looked at her. “I’m tired, girl,” he whispered softly. He knew he could try to get onto her and try to ride her back but he was lost and the snow was thick, he knew he couldn’t do it; he was too weak to get up on her. He rested his eyes and slowly slid over, falling to his side and sleeping. Tessa moved herself under the lower branches, not walking on her weak leg. She nudged Frank lightly and he didn’t move. She snorted softly before she rested herself down beside him and he nuzzled closer in his sleep for the warmth. She kept her head up and alert as Frank rested beside her, she softly nuzzled the side of his head before she went back to keeping watching over him. Chapter End Notes I'm sorry this took so long! I went on vacation for two weeks and forgot to bring my drive with all my chapters! Plus, I didn't have internet access anyway. Also, sorry this is short! More this week! Once again I'm sorry for any editing errors! I will try to do better! Hope you Enjoy! ***** Chapter 10 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Gerard didn’t sleep the whole night. Nathan called him to bed and he laid with him but refused to have sex like Nathan wanted. When Nathan was asleep Gerard went back to the window and watched out it. It was too dark to see the trail and the snow only continued to fall but he couldn’t fall asleep, he had to feel like he was doing his best to find Frank. He wanted to get Raid out of the barn and just go looking for him but knew it would do no good, he couldn’t see five feet from his window. He closed his eyes softly and rested his head back before he opened them again and continued to look out the window with a soft sigh. He just wished for one of the men to burst into the room and tell him Frank had returned. He felt tired so he decided to go down into the kitchen and make coffee. He stood barefoot on the cool tile and looked out the window over the sink as he waited for the coffee to be good and warm. He was wrapped in his sleeping robe, underneath was his baggy sweatpants and an old t-shirt, he liked them because they were comfortable and he needed the comfort more than ever. He went to the back door and opened it, looking out into the snow falling from the sky and the ground that was covered in it. He looked at the barn and just felt like checking on Raid who had been worn out from the long ride through the snow. He put on his boots that were by the door and walked out through the deep snow, making his way across the field at a slow rate. He hugged himself tightly as the snow whipped, huffing out into the cold air. As he got closer to the barn he saw that the door was partly open. He figured one of the stable hands hadn’t shut the door properly and the wind had blown it open.He knew Nathan would be livid since he paid to have the barn heated for his horses. He walked up to it and went in, pulling it shut over the snow that had blown in. Walking over to the left of it, he felt the wall before he found the switch and flipped on the lights. There was a quiet snort and Gerard turned and jumped as Tessa was standing in front of him. “How did you get back here?” He said in a tone like she had to reply and tell him all that had happened. She softly nudged his shoulder before she walked over to her stall. He noted she wasn’t walking on her front right leg well as he followed her. She stood outside her stall and snorted again. Gerard cautiously walked up beside her, knowing she wasn’t very fond of anyone but Frank. He figured she wished to go back in her stall but the door was open. He looked into it and saw Frank was resting in the warm hay, a spot pressed into it where Tessa had been laying beside him. She snorted again and nudged him. “Oh, my God, Frank,” Gerard said quickly before he knelt down to the cold body that was resting in the hay, his clothes still soaked. Frank’s eyes tiredly opened and he seemed confused. “Oh, God, you’re drenched,” Gerard breathed and pulled off Frank’s hoodie when he sat up, throwing the wet fabric onto the door of the stall, hearing it almost make a sloshing sound. “Here,” he said desperately as he ripped off his own sleeping robe and wrapped it around Frank, it was thick and warm and Frank hugged it to himself. “How did you get back?!” “T-Tessa,” Frank shivered. “She found me and I…I fell asleep. She kept me warm, I had fallen into the creek,” he said as he tried to remember, he was tired and cold, and the bump on his head ached. “I…I remember her waking me up and she was knelt down beside me. I crawled onto her and she got up…she just started walking but I fell asleep on her back…I woke up here and I crawled off her…She stayed by me,” he said quietly. “Come on, we have to get you inside,” Gerard said quickly and helped Frank stand. He brought him out of the stall and carefully set him on a stool before he brought Tessa into her stall. “Good girl,” he softly whispered to her and gently brushed his hand up her snout before placing a soft kiss on it, not caring if she kicked him, he was so happy with her. He left the stall and closed the door, he would send Jared out to take care of the saddle and brush her down. “Come here,” he whispered and held Frank’s weary body to his side as he helped him through the snow, back to the house. He got him up the stairs and brought him to his room, bringing him to his bed. “You have to get those off. You’re so wet,” Gerard said as he removed the sleeping robe that was now damp from the snow and Frank’s clothes. He helped him take off his shirt and unbuckled his pants before he unzipped them and slid them off. Gerard helped Frank back in the bed and looked away out of respect as he slid off his soaked boxers and then quickly covered him. Frank’s eyes were closed, having rolled into the back of his head. Gerard quickly ran down the halls and into the quarters he shared with Nathan. “Nathan! Nathan, wake up,” he said as he shook his boyfriend. Nathan shot up violently and turned to him. “What, what is it?!” He looked around quickly and then to Gerard. He didn't know what could be happening. His boyfriend looked frantic, happy, and crazed all at one time. It reminded Nathan of when he would fuck Gerard just right but at the moment, Gerard was a little more on the crazed side of the matter and there was a hint of almost panic. “Frank! He’s back! He’s in his room, he was soaked, fell in a creek. Tessa brought him back!” Gerard was rambling and pulling his boyfriend from the bed. “Come, quick!” He pulled harder and his boyfriend quickly got out of the bed, Gerard tapped his foot in an almost annoyed fashion as Nathan put on his night robe and slippers before he followed him to Frank’s room. Nathan went over and checked the bump on his head. “Get Kathy,” Nathan said quickly and Gerard nodded before he ran to the maid’s room. She had knowledge of treating people medically. He began to knock quickly and loudly, not thinking about the time. She seemed bothered when Gerard woke her but she followed him to Frank’s room, covering herself with her bathrobe. “Oh, the poor thing,” she whispered as she saw Frank’s pale face, slightly grimaced in pain even in his sleep. She came over and looked at the bump on his head. “I will take care of him, Master. Don’t you two worry yourselves, just go get some rest,” she said softly as she went from the room, going to get her supplies. “Did you remove his clothes?” Nathan looked to Gerard, his eyes scanning him from head to toe. Looking for something that would give Gerard away. “His clothes were soaked, I had to,” Gerard said quietly, looking into his boyfriend's eyes, not quite understanding what he was implying. Nathan seemed to nod before he came over to Gerard and looked at him. “Did you look at him?” Nathan’s voice was slightly hinted with anger. “Nathan…,” Gerard said, his voice sounding hurt. “He was soaked from head to toe, if I didn’t he would catch his death, if he hasn’t already,” Gerard spoke with certain words, not regretting what he did, he turned his head away from Nathan and crossed his arms over his chest but he didn't look to Frank either. “Can you blame me for worrying?” Nathan’s voice was soft against Gerard’s neck. “After last time,” he whispered. Remembering about the farm hand that he had caught Gerard with. He had heard Gerard's huffs and whines and when he had thrown open the shed door Gerard had been on his back with his legs spread wide, clawing at the man's face with cum sliding out of his ass as he was tensed up with tear stains on his face but in the heat of the moment, Nathan had only seen his boyfriend fucking one of his help. That farm hand was gone now, had been sent to Master Darrel. “I told you…,” Gerard said, gently biting his lip to hold back his sadness. “I was not fucking him, he raped me,” he said with a bit of anger in his tone. He had managed to mostly forget about the incident that had happened two years ago but now here Nathan was bringing it up. He felt his eyes water a little and he looked down. “Well let’s not give Frank the wrong idea; we wouldn’t want that to happen again, would we?” Nathan said with a bit of an arrogant tone and looked down at Gerard. “Some man raped me and you talk to me like it is my fault,” Gerard whispered with sadness in his tone. “I did nothing to urge him on. I didn’t even give him the slightest hint that I wanted him,” he said with sad eyes as he looked to Nathan. “Why would you think that I would ask for that and then deny it? If I had wanted some man to fuck me, I would not have been screaming for you when he was doing it. Nor would I have been sobbing,” Gerard said to Nathan with a soft tone, looking to the floor. Nathan looked to Gerard before he softly pulled him into his arms. Nathan had Gerard get tested before he would sleep with him again after the man had taken him but it had been just as well since Gerard hadn't been ready for the contact anyway. He remembered the nights of crying and the tears, the bad dreams. He remembered Gerard telling him that he was no good for Nathan or for anyone. He had remembered the night Gerard mentioned wanting to die from having his body being taken from him.“I’m sorry, Gerard. I…I don’t know why I said any of that,” he whispered to the other man as he placed a soft kiss on the side of his head and then gently covered his face with them. “You don’t have to worry,” Gerard said back to him and pulled his face from Nathan’s shoulder, looking up to him. “I love you, you know I do,” he whispered. Nathan smiled softly before he placed a gentle kiss on Gerard’s lips. “I love you too. Come to bed,” he said softly, heading to the door, gently keeping Gerard's hand in his. Gerard looked to Frank, lying still under the blankets besides the occasional shiver but he worried about him. “May I stay with, Frank? I’m just worried about him and I couldn’t bear to think I left him, again, if something happens,” Gerard spoke softly, hoping Nathan wouldn’t mind. “I suppose I can see your worry,” Nathan said softly and gently nodded his head. “But make sure to get some rest,” he added and Gerard nodded before he hugged his boyfriend again, standing up on his tiptoes to wrap his arms around his neck before placing a gentle kiss on his jaw. “Goodnight, Gerard. I love you.” “Goodnight, Nathan. I love you too,” Gerard softly whispered before he watched him go. Gerard went into the bathroom and got a cloth from the cupboard before he went to Frank and softly dabbed his cut, washing the blood from his skin ever so gently. Kathy came back in a moment later and Gerard helped her bandage Frank’s head and a few cuts on his legs, though they made sure to keep him covered. “Someone should stay with him through the night. If you’d like to return to the Master, I’ll stay here with him,” Kathy said as she tucked away the things she had gotten into a bag that held some of her supplies. “No, it’s alright. I will stay with him,” Gerard said gently and Kathy nodded. “Thank you for helping him,” he said and she nodded with a soft smile before leaving the room and closing the door. Gerard pulled one of the chairs over beside Frank’s bed and sat on it. His mind was racing and he just wanted it to stop. He was thinking back to that terrible man who had grabbed him and dragged him into that shed. He had called for Nathan, had begged to be save but it hadn't happened, and when Nathan had finally found him, it had been too late. The man had finished inside of Gerard and he had been reduced to nothing but whines and fussing. He had tried to claw out the man's eyes, tried to get away but the man had been too strong for him. He pushed away the thoughts. It had taken him long enough to forget it the first time, he wasn't going to drag his thoughts back and put himself through it all again. He sighed gently and looked to the man laying under the warm bedding. He prayed he would be alright because he wouldn't be able to live with himself knowing Frank had died because he had abandoned him. He watched Frank closely throughout the night. Chapter End Notes Sorry this took so long. Work has been crazy since coming back from vacation. I'm hoping soon to get a better setup at home and then updates will be a lot better! Hope you like it! ***** Chapter 11 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank’s eyes slowly blinked open and he looked around weakly. His head still ached and his whole body felt like it was sore. His nose was stuffed up and his mouth was dry from breathing through it all night. He felt sick, like he might just puke but he didn’t have anything to puke so he didn’t worry too much. He softly moved in the warm bed and finally woke up to his surroundings. His mind was racing with a million questions as he wondered how he had gotten back and what had happened. His mind was so stinted from his cold he could hardly process his own questions. He turned his head slightly and saw Gerard in a chair beside his bed, looking down at a book. “Gerard?” Frank’s voice came out a weak, raspy, whisper. Gerard’s head shot up and he closed the book before he put in on the floor by his chair and stood up, coming closer to Frank. “Hey. I’m so glad you’re awake,” Gerard whispered and Frank was grateful since his head was aching so terribly. “You feeling, okay?” “I’m sore…and I feel like I’m sick,” Frank whispered out quietly as he blinked his eyes, the room seeming so bright. Gerard got up from where he was kneeling and closed the curtains to the large windows. Frank smiled weakly as thanks while he breathed through his mouth, deeply. “I’ll go down and make you some of my soup. It’s good for colds,” Gerard said with a small smile and a soft voice. “Thank you,” Frank whispered back to him and rested his eyes, so tired and worn out. Gerard got up and placed a gentle kiss on Frank’s forehead before he went to get dressed and then down to make him the soup. He stood by the stove as he stirred the broth he had poured in; adding his own herbs and spices to it, wanting it to be good and to clean out Frank’s stuffed up nose. He was humming softly and thinking about Frank when he heard the kitchen door open and Matt walked in, stopping for a moment when he saw Gerard. “Oh, hi,” he said softly and Gerard smiled softly and greeted him back. “What are you doing?” “I’m uh…I’m making Frank soup, for his cold,” Gerard said, knowing the gossip of Frank’s return had probably reached everyone. He turned back to the kettle, stirring its contents. He always felt so judged around people. He stood in his tight black jeans and had a small red ribbon in his hair he could tell Matt was looking at it. “Oh, okay,” Matt said before he just picked up an apple and left the kitchen. Gerard softly bit his lip as he lightly touched the small ribbon in his hair, just there to hold back his hair. He pulled it out of his hair and threw it in the trash, trying not to feel so emotional over something so small but it was really because he knew people thought he was ridiculous and stupid for doing such things. Things he liked made him an outsider; no one understood him or what he liked. He didn’t think a ribbon in his hair was such a big deal but people just looked at him like he was crazy. He finished making the soup, it took about an hour but soon enough he filled a ladle with the hot broth, with its bits of chicken and vegetables. He made sure to get a big bowl and a few pieces of bread for Frank since he knew he must be starving. He put it on a tray along with a glass of milk before he carried the tray up the stairs and to Frank’s room where he went in. He saw Matt beside Frank’s bed, talking to him about something and they both laughed, Frank’s was a bit weaker. He bit his lip, paranoid it was about the ribbon he had had in his hair. Now he felt even dumber without it, knowing Matt would notice. “Alright, I’ll check on you later,” Matt said before he walked out around Gerard, Frank smiled at Gerard softly as he came over. Gerard tucked his hair behind his ear and set the tray down on the stand by Frank’s bed before he moved his chair closer and helped prop Frank up with some pillows. He looked so pale and fragile as he sat there. “I brought some bread with butter, I thought you might like it with your soup,” Gerard said softly, trying not to show he was bothered but he couldn’t look at Frank. He was worried he might see through him or worse, see through him and not care because Matt was slowly making Frank think he was a fool like everyone else did. “Thank you,” Frank quietly piped. Gerard was careful as he fed Frank. He knew how shaky Frank’s hands were right now and was scared he would spill it on himself, so he decided he would just have to do it. He dabbed up some of the broth with the bread while it cooled. “Small bites,” Gerard said gently and Frank sunk his teeth into the bread, chewing weakly before swallowing, the broth tasted delicious on the bread and his stomach growled softly as the smell of the soup wafted through the room. When the soup had cooled a bit and Frank had gotten through the piece of bread, Gerard slowly and carefully fed it to him. “It’s good,” Frank rasped out weakly after the first bite with the noodles and chicken. “It’s really good, thank you.” Gerard smiled his appreciation before he continued to feed Frank from the bowl until he was full, half of it remaining. Frank’s stomach was warm and he was relaxed in his bed, his eyes open only a tiny bit at their bottoms. “Thank you for that. It was good,” he whispered and Gerard smiled, not wanting to talk and say something wrong, possibly feel stupid. He felt so aware of himself all the time and was worried he might even be doing something stupid at the moment. “Gerard, the Master wishes to see you,” Kathy said as she stood in the doorway. “Oh,” Gerard said, turning to look at her. “Right,” he said softly and looked back to Frank. “I’ll come back and check on you if you’d like,” he said as he stood. Frank nodded tiredly and gently smiled. “I’d like that,” he said and Gerard smiled genuinely before he walked out of the room to go find Nathan. Kathy went in to check on Frank’s state. Gerard walked through the halls, figuring Nathan was in his office like he usually was. He opened the big oak doors and closed them behind him. “Hey, babe,” Gerard smiled softly and walked up to the desk, stopping before it. “Kathy said you needed me?” “Yes, I was wondering when you plan on getting that rest,” Nathan said with a small smile as he looked up to Gerard, setting down his paperwork. “Oh, I’m not even really tired,” Gerard said honestly. He shrugged lightly and swung his arms by his sides a bit. “I’m wide awake.” “Oh, really?” Nathan set down his pen and came around the desk, placing a hand on the small of Gerard’s back, pulling him into him. “So you think we might be able to mess around a little. I need a release, babe. I’m all stressed,” he muttered against Gerard’s ear. Gerard smiled lightly and nodded his head. =============================================================================== Kathy had checked over Frank and realized he was down with a bad case of pneumonia. She could tell by his breathes and his state that he had fluid in his lungs and it didn’t sound like he’d be going outside or getting out of bed for some time. She also figured the nasty bump would require him to rest for a good while. The poor boy looked fragile, shaken, and pitiful. She walked to the office of her Master and was about to knock when she heard Gerard’s desperate moans. “Yeah, oh God, Nathan…Yes, yes, yes. Oh yeah, keeping going, right there,” he whined and Kathy lightly rolled her eyes. She was a bit curious and knew the gossip about the Master’s sex life with Gerard needed some new information though she didn't normally play the games of the house. Curiosity took over and she cracked the door ever so slightly and saw Gerard holding onto the back of the Master’s leather chair, with his ass pushed out as his knees were sunk into the leather material. He had his head tossed back and he was huffing and moaning desperately. He sounded like a whore, everyone thought so. The way he desperately whined and begged all the time, being so loud. She closed the door for a few more moments before she heard them climax, Gerard’s desperate shrieks getting louder before dying down to soft moans every time he breathed out. “Mm,” Gerard breathed out and she heard him get out of the chair. She waited a few more moments as clothes were rustled around and wet kisses were exchanged before she knocked. “Um,” there was a moment of pause before there was more rustling about. “Come in,” the Master said and she opened the door. Gerard stood by the Master who was in the chair Gerard had just been fucked in. “Yes, Kathy?” “It’s Frank, Sir. He has pneumonia and I fear about the bruising on his head. I think he’s going to need a few days’ rest, possibly the week or more,” she said with a soft voice. “Oh, right. Well that’s fine. I just hope he turns out okay. I hope you’ll continue to look after him. Gerard will be with him for most of it. I want him to make sure that the boy's looked after,” the Master said with his deep voice and Kathy nodded before she lightly bowed her head and left the room, only after sending Gerard an up and down glance. Gerard looked to his feet and bit the inside of his cheek, he felt like she knew, his face burned red. Kathy walked downstairs and into the kitchen where it was lunch time. The men were all crowded around and so was Matt. “I caught the Master and Gerard going at it again. He was bent over a chair this time,” she said with an amused air and they all leaned in for the details. Chapter End Notes Sorry it's short! More soon! ***** Chapter 12 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank was lying in his bed sleeping soundly but his breathing was loud and raspy. Gerard sat beside him. He had done his best to help Frank’s breathing by giving him some warm tea before bed. It had only helped through the first hour, after that he was back to his raspy breathing and his occasional coughs. Gerard had heard the maids gossiping about him that day. They had been whispered about how he had had sex with Nathan in his office the other day. He felt so humiliated and embarrassed. Everyone that worked their just thought of him as a huge whore and he was so tired of it all, being judged. He wanted to get away from it, just have things change. He wished he could just leave Nathan, he only paid attention to him when he was horny or when he knew he would be and he would butter Gerard up before the night he would request it, liking when Gerard would happily comply. Though, he knew he needed Nathan, he had no one without him. He had been with him for five years, how could he just let that go? Gerard just sighed and looked at Frank’s sleeping face, hoping his cold would clear up. =============================================================================== “This is ridiculous,” Nathan sighed as he paced the large window in his office. Gerard sat in one of the chairs in the room. “It’s been a week and he’s not better yet?” He turned and looked to Gerard who gently shook his head. He just sighed out softly and closed his eyes, gently rubbing them. “Oh well, as long as he pulls through alright than I’m sure it’ll be for the best,” Nathan said and Gerard nodded. “I have that dinner tonight. The one with the investors,” he said to Gerard who bit his lip gently. “We’re going to impress them,” he said as he began to pace again. “Everything they want tonight will be granted,” he added and Gerard nodded his head. “That’s what’s best,” Gerard said softly and mustered a small smile as he thought about how sick Frank currently was. Frank slept a lot and his breathing seemed to be getting worse. “I don’t want you so distracted tonight, Gerard. You’re going to be there and you’re going to be completely focused on them. No acting so distracted like you have been,” Nathan said with a firm voice. “Yes, Sir,” Gerard said with a small smile and nodded. “I will pay attention.” =============================================================================== Frank stirred tiredly in his bed before he opened his eyes. He looked around his dark room to the chair beside the bed that usually held Gerard but tonight it was empty. He frowned softly before he slowly sat up, groaning weakly in pain. The feeling in his lower stomach told him it was time to go to the bathroom and he got up and stumbled tiredly to the toilet before he relieved his bladder, sighing out weakly, listening to the sounds of his raspy breathing. He felt his stomach growl as he washed his hands. He rubbed his tired eyes as he walked through his room to the door, going out into the hall. The whole house seemed quiet and he just walked down the stairway, wanting to get to the kitchen and find something to eat. Every step seemed to take so much effort and he swayed slightly at points, reaching out for the wall to help support him. He was about to walk through the dining room to get to the kitchen but when he saw the light on under the door he stopped for a moment, his face scrunched up in confusion. He couldn’t understand why the light would be on, it was almost eleven at night, supper was over and the room was normally clean by then. He could hear muffled noises but in his tired state he didn’t really comprehend what he was hearing. He cracked the door open as he was about to just enter. He looked in to see what was going on and his tired eyes shot open as he saw Gerard naked, bouncing on top of some guy, his cock sliding up inside of Gerard. Gerard had his head turned to the side and his eyes closed shut as he was sucking at another man’s dick, bobbing his head and whimpering softly. Frank let go of the doorknob and the door slowly swung open on its own to reveal a table of men watching with interest. Some were dressing themselves, others were undressing themselves. Frank didn’t know what to think and his eyes just stayed on Gerard in bewilderment as he saw cum on his ass and covering his back and chest as he moaned and bobbed his head on the man he was sucking off. “Oh, Jesus, Frank!” The Master said quickly, now turning his head to see the boy standing there, seeming completely shocked and just scarred from the whole thing. The Master got up to quickly ushered the shocked teenager away from the scene, closing the door. Gerard pulled off the man’s member that had been in his mouth and quickly turned his head to see Frank’s eyes on his before he had turned quickly and hurriedly walked off before the door was closed. Gerard wanted to dress himself, go after Frank, and try to talk to him but the man before him pushed his tip against the corner of Gerard’s mouth and the one under him lifted his hips slightly to urge him on and Nathan looked at Gerard, widening his eyes with a face that told Gerard to hurry up and continued. Gerard tried his best not to seem reluctant as he turned his head and pushed the man’s member back into his mouth as he began to bounce his hips again, trying not to think about anything else. =============================================================================== Frank was in his bathroom, the door locked as he sat in the shower, the water pouring a steady stream of hot water over him as he felt cold and the warmth helped to clear up his nose. He just stared blankly at the wall, trying to get the images of Gerard out of his head. He looked down after a moment, gently biting his lips. The maids and guys in the stables had told him Gerard wasn’t someone he should be friends with. They had told him Gerard was a gross slut who would fuck anything for pleasure. Frank hadn’t believed it but now he didn’t know what to believe. He had seen it, with his own eyes he had seen Gerard there, fucking those men, about to let other men have him, done with a bunch of others. Frank shuddered at the thought. After a bit he got out of the shower and dressed himself in warm pajamas. Before he went to bed he locked his bedroom door, he didn’t want Gerard to come in his room. He was a bit scared Gerard was trying to come onto him, get him to have sex with him, and he didn’t want that. He thought of waking up to find Gerard in bed with him, when he would be too weak to get him off of him. He thought back to all the time they had spent and figured Gerard had played him for a fool, just wanting to sleep with him. All the words people had said came back to him and he figured their advice was right. He didn’t know Gerard that well, not as well as he knew the people who he worked with. He would trust them before Gerard, especially after what he had seen. He just closed his eyes and fell into sleep, his little raspy breaths filling the room. =============================================================================== Gerard bent down and picked up his robe, his body was covered in cum and his ass was aching from the rough men. His throat, jaw, and cheeks were just sore, and he wanted to wash the filth from his body. He just closed his eyes as the robes material ran through his fingers and his mind flashed back to the many times he had slipped it down off his shoulders to show people his body. “You did well tonight, they all agreed to support my horses in the races,” Nathan said, puffing on his cigar, an air of victory surrounding him. “Frank saw me,” Gerard whispered softly, in disbelief as he sat himself at the table, in a chair. He was wrapped in the robe Nathan had made him come in, in, like many times before. Gerard rested his face in his hand. “He saw me with those men.” “Gerard, you’re going to have to deal with it. There’s no point in getting upset,” Nathan sighed out softly as he looked across the table. His eyes resting on his boyfriends delicate form, slumped forward with his face hidden. “Upset? Everyone here thinks I’m a whore and won’t talk to me. He’s…He was the only person who talked to me,” he said as he picked a napkin up off the floor and folded it in his lap, his voice wavering. “He’s not going to talk to me anymore.” Gerard closed his eyes when he felt dampness begin to overtake them. He blinked it back and sighed out shakily as he thought of losing Frank's company. He would go back to having absolutely no one but Nathan. “Gerard,” Nathan sighed out and lightly rolled his eyes behind their lids, “I’m sure he’ll get over it.” “Why do you make me do this? Sleep with all these men. Let them use me when I’m yours,” Gerard whispered with tears in his eyes, this time, as he raised his face to his boyfriend, he didn't blink them away, he let him see them. Gerard wanted him to know the pain he was causing him. He couldn't see why Nathan would make him go through this when he was supposed to love him. Shouldn't he want Gerard all for himself? “Because you need to remember, you’re not just my boyfriend Gerard, I own you,” Nathan said as he glared at Gerard. He looked over to the young man sitting in the chair across from him. He remembered the day Gerard had arrived on the farm, weak and timid. Gerard had been pushed around and not well liked, he was awkward. Nathan had made sure to stick close to Gerard, he knew if he did, Gerard would come around to liking him, since he had no one else, and no other choice. It had worked out quite nicely in Nathan's mind. “I thought we had gotten passed that,” Gerard whispered as he looked down and set the napkin on the table. “I thought you loved me.” He felt like his whole body was caving in, he just wanted to cry as he dared to raise his head, and look to his boyfriend. “I do love you but I love money and racing too. While you’re owned by me you will fuck who I say,” Nathan replied. “In three years, you’ll be free to just be my boyfriend. It’s not like you don’t get special treatment, Gerard. I never forced you into this, sure if I wanted it enough I would have made you but this was all your idea in the beginning, now you regret it?” “Well, why don’t you just stop calling me your boyfriend then? Just call me your little slut so maybe when the staff talk about me they’ll understand I fuck those men because you make me, not for my own pleasure,” Gerard said with a tad bit of bitterness in all the sad and he casted an angered glare across the table. “I think it’s time you went up to shower, don’t you?” Nathan looked at him over his cigar, the smoke rising in the air. Gerard rose from his seat and walked around him, his steps timid and weak. He went up the stairs and through the halls to the private quarters he shared with Nathan. He stripped the filthy robe from himself and then stepped under the warm spray of the shower. He cried so hard, thinking about Frank’s face, looking at him while he was in that state. He knew Frank would think him to be this gross thing now, though he prayed that maybe it wouldn’t happen and that Frank may understand but he doubted he would. He knew even himself wouldn’t be able to understand it. When he felt clean enough, hardly at all, but when the cum was gone from his body he got out and dressed himself in nightwear before he left the private quarters and slowly made his way to Frank’s room, going to check on him. He breathed out softly as he rested his hand on the doorknob. He built up the courage to go in but when he went to turn the knob, his hand just slid over the smooth metal and his body almost hit against the door. His eyes watered as he tried to open it and there was no way to pretend it wasn’t locked. He bit back his sobs until he got back to the room he shared with Nathan. He curled up in the bed and closed his eyes as he cried quietly. When Nathan finally crawled into bed with him, he was reduced to silent tears. “Let me fuck you,” Nathan whispered in his ear and Gerard just rolled onto his back after stripping his sleeping pants and spread his legs, lifting them for Nathan. He closed his eyes as he felt Nathan slip inside him and just cried silently. “I love you,” Nathan whispered as he gently moved in and out of Gerard’s body. “I love you too,” Gerard whispered and desperately wrapped his arms around Nathan's neck. Even if Nathan used him and made him a whore, he needed him. He had no one else; he couldn’t reject the only person who wanted anything to do with him. “Fuck me,” he whispered in Nathan ear. He tipped his head back and moaned gently as his prostate was hit with a soft thrust. “Faster…fuck me like I’m just some filthy slut,” Gerard whispered with tears still in his eyes and Nathan did. He fucked him rough and until Gerard was screaming loudly and had his eyes closed tight. He came all over himself and Nathan pulled out of him, never liking to cum inside. Gerard got up and sucked him off, fast and hard and felt the satisfaction he liked to feel when Nathan came on his tongue with a soft groan of his name. “You’re a great boyfriend, Gerard,” Nathan whispered as he lay down beside Gerard, panting softly and Gerard cleaned his belly. He pulled Gerard close to him. “I’m sorry about what I said,” he breathed as he placed a gentle kiss in Gerard’s hair. “Me too,” Gerard whispered and moved closer to Nathan. He was the only person he had; he had to please him so he would at least have one person to talk to for the next three years. He rested his eyes gently and fell asleep with his owner, his boyfriend, holding him. Chapter End Notes Oh snap... ***** Chapter 13 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank remained sick for some time and was only cared for by Kathy for the next week. She would come in and check on him but it was getting to the point where she told the Master, she didn’t think little Frank Iero would be spending too many more weeks with them. He just seemed too sick and though she wasn’t a doctor, she figured it shouldn’t have been lasting so long. They kept him warm and gave him the most they could but he still seemed distant and nothing seemed to help him. His breathing had died down to soft little wheezes when he slept and he often would cough throughout the night. One night, as Gerard lay in bed next to Nathan, his mind wandered to Frank. He couldn’t help but wonder if he had changed much in a week. He looked over to Nathan’s sleeping form before he slowly sat forward and got out of bed. He left their quarters quietly and tiptoed down the hallways to Frank’s door. He listened in and heard silence until loud, fluid coughs could be heard. He bit his lip before he tried the knob and when the door opened he sighed out softly and pushed it open the rest of the way before he entered and closed it behind him, instantly being plunged into the darkness. His eyes slowly adjusted to the moonlight that was slightly peeking between the cracks in the curtains and from the light on at the distant barn. He tiptoed over beside Frank’s bed and looked at his pale, sweaty face. His fever was worse and he looked overwhelmingly ill. Gerard frowned softly as he quietly took his old seat by the bed. He couldn’t help but feel sadness when he saw Frank’s weak face. He wondered if it was his entire fault, Frank having gotten the cold from their night out on the horses. He bit his lip at the thought of killing something that seemed so innocent and full of life. He didn't know if he could live with the guilt. This was all on him and even though Frank no longer looked at him as a friend, in his mind, he knew it would tear him apart if Frank passed away. He softly placed his fingers over his mouth, not blocking the air or trying to hold it back in anyway, he just let his fingers lay over his mouth in a loose manner. Frank coughed roughly before his head came forward and he wheezed again, slightly stirring in his warm sheets. Gerard froze, hoping he wouldn’t wake up and scream. Frank looked up, his eyes cracked open. He could see Gerard now, it was almost eerie in the dark room as snow fell outside the windows, casting tiny falling shadows on Gerard’s face. “Hi,” Frank quietly breathed and looked at him, his flu making his head seem light and dizzy. He wondered if he was maybe still asleep and this was a dream. It just felt odd and everything felt hazy. “Hi,” Gerard whispered back to him and looked at him with a sad smile. “Kathy said you weren’t feeling well…I just…I got worried I guess,” Gerard confessed into the quiet room before he bit his lip, and tucked a piece of hair behind his ear. “I wish you weren’t sick, Frank. It’s just terrible you have to go through all this. I feel so guilty,” Gerard explained with a weak whisper. “Don’t. I’ll be okay. Just you wait and see, soon enough I’ll be as healthy as a horse,” Frank whispered, the pun intended. “How’s Tessa?” Frank asked this and wondered about the horse's leg. He had wished that he would have remembered sooner. He feared that Nathan had laid her down, maybe she had broken her leg. He knew people didn't keep race horse's after something like that. “She’s good. It was a minor sprain, the vet said. She’ll be good as new in a little while,” Gerard said. He felt awkward, like he should bring up the night Frank had seen him last. “Frank…,” he paused, not knowing what to say. “Gerard,” Frank softly rasped and sat up a little on his pillows. “The other night…what was that?” He looked at him with a face that told him he didn’t understand but that he wanted to. Gerard collected his thoughts and bit his lip softly. “Frank, I want to trust you and tell you…but I’m scared the others will make you hate me and you’ll tell them. No one can know,” he whispered out sadly. He feared trusting someone, he had before and that had ended up with him in the shed, being raped. “You can tell me, Gerard,” Frank breathed out as he looked at him with his weak eyes. “I won’t tell anyone. I swear and I could never hate you.” “Then why did you lock me out?” Gerard asked this with a sad voice his eyes weak and desperate for an answer. “I just wanted to stay by your side and make sure you were okay. I needed to do that to feel okay for what happened,” Gerard said, bringing his hands to his chest and gesturing to his middle as he felt like he was just going to burst into tears. “Because of what happened with those men…” Frank said this innocently but Gerard looked down and started to cry. “Gerard…I’m sorry…I didn’t mean to make you cry, please don’t,” Frank tried and leaned a bit forward, placing a soft hand on Gerard’s arm. “Talk to me,” he whispered softly. Gerard looked up to him with his eyes leaking and with his lips pouted as he tried to hold back his sobs. “I…I didn’t want to do that with those men,” Gerard whispered desperately, hoping Frank would believe him. “I don’t like people thinking I’m some gross slut,” he cried softly and looked down, wiping his cheeks that were only rewetted with new tears. “The Master…I’m not just his boyfriend…he owns me too,” Gerard said, his voice breaking over the last word. “I’m his…I was just 18 when I came here Frank, only a few months older than you are…He took me after my dad had borrow money from him, so much money, to get his company started. I was…I was a virgin and he…he took that as payment, I was supposed to give him fifteen years of my life, I was supposed to be his until I was thirty-three but because I gave him myself, he’s only making me stay until I’m twenty-six. But I’m not some gross slut, Frank, I’m not,” Gerard leaned forward and buried his face in his hands as he sobbed quietly. He felt so good and so bad for finally letting someone know his story, for someone to see his side. Frank carefully sat forward and got out of his bed, kneeling down in front of Gerard. “Don’t cry,” he whispered, wishing his voice wasn't so raspy and rough. “I know you’re sad but you shouldn’t cry, Gerard,” Frank said softly and gently touched his hair, petting it back from his face. “I don’t want you to think the Master’s some asshole because he’s not, he never forced me. It was never his idea. He talked about other things for me to do to get less time but it just happened one night…then when I became his…he had me start sleeping with other men…investors and people he needed to please…I didn’t mind at first because I just wanted to please him since he was so nice with me but now everyone hates me and I don’t want to,” Gerard cried and shook his head, bringing his hand to his mouth. “He does take time off but I just feel so hollow whenever those men touch me, use me,” he sobbed out, his voice wavering. “I’m not a whore, Frank. I’m not a whore, I’m not a whore,” Gerard kept repeating the phrase as Frank took him into his arms and held him when Gerard slowly slid from the chair and was curled up in the fetal position as he cried. Frank softly pet his hair and shushed him. “I’m not a whore,” he heard Gerard quietly squeak one last time before he lightly closed his eyes and breathed shakily. Frank held him for some time, until he was just softly sniffing. He didn't know what to do. He had never held someone, he had never even really comforted someone, he had never had anyone. The feeling of someone else’s weight in his arms was alien but he held the shaken form to him and nuzzled into the dark locks on the top of Gerard’s head. “I know you’re not a whore, Gerard. I’m so fucking sorry I ever doubted you,” he whispered gently, truly feeling the heaviness of his regret. “You’ve been nothing but nice to me and I thought something so terrible. I hope you can forgive me.” Gerard nodded weakly and raised his head, wiping his tears. “I do forgive you, Frank. I know how it must have seemed,” he said with his voice hoarse from all his crying. “Thank you for listening to me,” he said as he looked at him with a crooked smile. Frank wiped Gerard’s damp cheek and Gerard smiled softly. “Can I sleep with you? I don’t want to go back to Nathan tonight,” he said quietly and bit his lip gently. He didn’t know if Frank was going to push him away now and going back to Nathan was something he didn’t think he was strong enough to do when he felt so used. Frank smiled softly and nodded. He got up into the bed and Gerard crawled in on the other side. Frank rested his eyes weakly before he felt something close to his side and noticed Gerard had moved near him. He looked over to Gerard who smiled weakly at him but seemed nervous like he had done wrong. Frank inched himself over a bit closer before Gerard slowly moved and wrapped his arms around him, hugging him close for a moment before he let him rest back and just lightly rested his cheek on the side of Frank’s shoulder. He watched Frank closely until he was asleep, and when he was, he placed a gentle kiss on Frank’s cheek and laid his head down on the bed next to Frank’s shoulder before he nuzzled into it, watching Frank as he curled up but soon enough, he too, found peace and slept. Chapter End Notes Sorry this took so long and it's short! I'm in the process of moving and working 6 days a week! Haha! Tell me what you think! :P ***** Chapter 14 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Gerard took it upon himself to take care of Frank, relieving Kathy, who thought Gerard was just trying to kill Frank but didn’t complain. She knew it’d be pointless to fight with Gerard and that the Master would only take his boyfriends side, not to mention Gerard seemed set on it. She hoped he would do better than she had, not wishing spiteful things when Gerard was caring for someone's life. Within the week Gerard took the job of caring for Frank, Frank was sitting up and was getting a lot of his color back. Gerard made sure to tend to his every need and to let him get his rest. Two weeks later, Gerard came up to check on Frank, and found him coming out of the bathroom in his uniform. “Oh,” Gerard said with a bit of a shocked tone but smiled. “You sure you’re feeling that well?” Frank smiled and nodded before he came over and wrapped his arms around Gerard. “Thank you, so much,” he said with a soft smile on his lips. Gerard smiled and wrapped his arms around Frank, lightly resting his head on his shoulder. He and Frank had grown closer in the two weeks they had shared. They had mostly just talked and laughed. Gerard had read books to Frank on days he was too sick to talk and had watched TV in bed with him. Surprisingly, the Master took this as a good sign, and only encouraged Gerard to be friends with Frank. Gerard knew the Master just hoped that Gerard being friends with Frank would make him happier and less whiny, it was working. “It was no trouble,” Gerard whispered softly. When Frank pulled away he just smiled at Gerard. “I owe you,” he said before he walked around him and went out into the hall, Gerard followed. He felt guilty because part of him wished that Frank wasn’t healthy enough yet, that they could have more time together. When Frank went down to the entryway Jared was standing there with his bags. “Hey,” Frank said, knowing it was his day to leave. Jared had requested to stay and see Frank’s sickness through and the Master had allowed him to and even paid him for his extra work, though Jared hadn’t asked for it. “Well, aren’t you healthy as ever?” Jared grinned at him before he pulled him into a hug. “Nurse Gerard to the sick man’s rescue, huh?” He chuckled softly and Gerard looked down a little, he knew it was supposed to be a thinly veiled insult. “Yeah, I’d be dead without him,” Frank said with a soft sigh once they pulled apart and this made Gerard raise his head again, it made him proud. “Thanks for seeing me through,” Frank said to him. Frank knew deep down he was kind of going to miss Jared. The man was easy to get along with and kept him company in the barn. They were friends and Frank almost wished Jared had to stay longer. He knew his connection was mostly from Jared being the first person to really hang around him and show Frank how things were done but he still knew Jared cared for him. He had welcomed Frank and had made him feel...at home?. Frank knew that wasn't right because home had never been comforting like it was to most people but he figured the expression didn't have to mean his literal home, just the sense of what one was supposed to be like. “It’s no trouble, man,” Jared smiled before he bent down and picked up his bags. “Here,” he said and held out his guitar. “This is for you. I was always lousy anyway. Play the horses a sweet tune for me,” Jared said and Frank smiled wide and thanked Jared as he took the guitar. “I will,” he smiled softly before giving Jared another quick hug. “Bye Jared.” Frank said as he sighed out a little and told himself to let Jared go, he did. Jared look to Gerard and smiled, playfully bowing. “Later Ribbons,” he said to Gerard before he opened the door. “I’m a free man!” Frank laughed as he watched Jared walk out and to the car waiting for him. He got in the car with a wave and took off down the drive. Frank shut the door and turned to Gerard who looked up to him. “I like when you wear ribbons,” he said with a small smile and Gerard felt his cheeks warm, though he couldn’t understand why. He looked down a bit and when he looked back up Frank took his hand lightly. “Come on,” Frank said and they headed to the kitchen, Frank let go of his hand when he used it to push open the kitchen door. “Well, Frank, look whose all better,” Matt said from the stove with a grin. Frank nodded and smiled back to him. “Guess Gerard does know what he’s doing,” Matt snickered and turned back to his cooking. Gerard’s head sank down, everywhere he went, there were insults, no matter how small. He knew the staff had been talking about how he would probably just kill Frank with his stupidity. “Yeah, he does,” Frank said softly and slipped his hand into Gerard’s again as he walked over to the table and sat down. “He was better than most,” Frank added and Matt seemed to snicker. Frank just looked to Gerard, ignoring Matt’s terrible behavior. “So, Gerard, what are you doing today?” “Probably nothing,” Gerard sighed out and played with a strand of his hair. He was used to days of wandering the house. Dusting, reading books from the library and study, cleaning anything and everything the maids had missed. “Well, why don’t you help out in the barn? I mean, if you wanted to do something,” Frank suggested this since Gerard seemed so bored with the idea of doing nothing, again. There was another quiet snicker from the stove and Gerard looked over to Matt with a bit of a glare in his eyes. “You know,” he turned his eyes back to Frank and they softened, “I’d love to.” Frank smiled. “Great. I bet you’ll do just fine at it,” Frank said and Gerard smiled at Frank’s eagerness, the Master was right, in some senses, Frank was still a boy but it was completely endearing to Gerard. “I mean, Jared’s gone now, and the other men mostly just tend to the field, and mending things around the house so, we’ll have the horses,” Frank said and Gerard smiled. Gerard was glad, he loved the horses. “Yeah but you might get your hands dirty picking up shit. Are you sure your Master would like that? Oh, I’m sorry, I mean your boyfriend.” Matt said this as he sat two plates down in front of them. Gerard hung his head again softly as he looked to his food; no one ever let him alone, even when he was doing nothing to them. “I’m sure he’ll handle himself just fine, Matt. He’s a lot stronger than you’d imagine,” Frank said. “I’m sure something like getting dirty won’t bother him. Though, has anyone even stopped to ask him, to even know?” Matt looked at Frank who had fired back for Gerard and seemed to be in shock that someone had stood up for him. Gerard smiled up at Matt in a mocking way as he took a bite of his egg. “Hmm, bit soggy,” Gerard said puckering his lips to swallow. Matt just looked down at him with a slight glare before he walked off into the other room. “You shouldn’t let him get to you or anyone here. He’s just a dick for treating you that way,” Frank said softly before he dug into his own breakfast, knowing they had to get going soon. “People don’t even know you and they still judge you. That’s them being low not you,” Frank added with a slight nod. Gerard smiled softly at Frank and rested his hand on Frank’s cheek. “That’s really sweet of you. I appreciate it,” he spoke gently to him in the kitchen, knowing people could be listening from the other side of the swinging doors like they usually did, he removed his hand from Frank’s cheek at the thought. “It just gets overwhelming sometimes. I mean…I never did anything to them and they all hate me.” Gerard frowned a bit before he looked up to Frank. “Well, it’s their loss. You’re great and you’re worth getting to know,” Frank smiled and Gerard grinned back to him. Chapter End Notes Sorry this took a while! Enjoy! ***** Chapter 15 ***** Gerard did his best to remember everything Frank showed him and Frank did his best to be patient with Gerard’s forgetfulness and clumsiness. He knew it was just because Gerard was nervous and was afraid he would mess up. The other men in the barn were lingering around and watching Gerard closely, which didn’t help with his nerves. He was carrying a large bag of corn to one of the bins when he stepped on a piece of horse manure and his foot slipped out from underneath him. Frank had luckily caught him or else the bag would have crushed his chest. He dumped the bag all over the floor and Frank lost his footing as Gerard struggled to get his and he fell back and Gerard landed on top of him. Frank would have probably groaned from Gerard’s sudden weight but he couldn’t because he was laughing too hard. “It’s not funny,” Gerard laughed as he tried to get back up but there was still thirty pound of grain in the bag, awkwardly resting on his hips so he couldn’t without dumping the rest of it. He laughed harder. “Frank! Help me.” Frank wiggled out from under him and went around; picking up the bag and setting it down before he helped up Gerard. He still laughed as he surveyed them both. They were filthy, covered in mud, manure, and hay. “Ew, it’s so gross,” Gerard whined playfully as he wiped his hands on his pants. “You’ve got to be the clumsiest person I know,” Frank giggled. “You’re so cute,” he said, poking Gerard’s nose before he picked up the grain bag and walked off to put it in the bin. Gerard watched Frank go and lightly brought his fingers up to brush the tip of his nose before he dashed his eyes around and saw he was alone, relieved. He grabbed the broom and began to sweep up the grain, trying not to think about the tightness inside his chest. =============================================================================== Gerard continued to do his best to learn how it all worked and by the end of the day, as they brushed down the horses, he had it down packed. “So, how was your first day? Farm life not for you?” Frank asked this as he brushed out the side of a young mare and Gerard did the other side. “Yeah, I liked it. Better than sitting around and doing absolutely nothing,” he giggled as he brushed in small circles, not really sure how it worked, just trying to make the horse happy. Frank smiled before he came over to Gerard, seeing that his face said he was unsure. “No,” he said gently. “Like this,” he rested his hand on Gerard’s as he stood a little behind him. He guided Gerard’s hand down the side of the horse's back, brushing in smooth and gentle strokes. “You don’t even really have to push, just let the brush do its job.” Gerard bit his lip to hide his breath shaking a little and nodded, as he eased up on the grip and the brush, gliding it over the horse’s side. “Yeah, just like that,” he said softly to Gerard and Gerard smiled proudly at himself. “Thank you,” he said to Frank and turned his head to look at him, biting his lip, and looking down and then up. He realized he was flirting. He didn’t know why he was but when Frank gave him a soft smile back he felt like he had achieved something but quickly turned his head back to the horse. He knew Frank wasn’t attracted to him like that, he would have kissed him. Then Gerard shook his head a little when Frank walked around to the other side of the horse. Gerard knew he shouldn’t be thinking like he was. He was the Master’s boyfriend and Frank was, well, he was property to the Master. Gerard knew his actions had been foolish. “Well, I can’t believe it,” both Frank and Gerard turned to the new voice in the barn. The Master walked in, his hands clasped behind his back. Gerard was nervous for a moment and shifted his weight from one foot to the other, thinking the Master might have seen him. “You,” he opened his arms to gesture to Gerard. “You’re doing barn work,” he laughed softly and Gerard smiled to him. “Yeah, Frank was nice enough to show me the ropes so I’ll have things to do with my day,” Gerard said, smiling to Frank. “Plus, he’s stubborn, and I want to make sure that cold has truly gone away,” he giggled softly. “Well, I’m glad to see you having fun,” Nathan smiled at Gerard before he placed a gentle kiss on his lips. Frank looked down, feeling awkward if he looked. “Oh, while I have you two here,” he said and motioned to them both, Frank looked back up to the Master. “I wanted to run something by you.” They both glanced to one another and then back to him. “Two of my racers have dropped out and I only have three weeks until the races begin. Naturally, I take months to pick new racers and I can’t go with two of my best horses without riders. So, Gerard, you’re a good racer, I thought perhaps, you’d like to fill in?” Gerard seemed in disbelief for a moment, turning to look at Frank and then back to Nathan. “Oh, my God,” he giggled before he wrapped his arms around Nathan’s neck. “You truly mean it?” Nathan smiled and nodded. Gerard grinned wide before he pressed his lips to Nathan. “I love you! This is so amazing,” he said, grinning even more than before. “Well, good,” Nathan chuckled deeply before he turned to Frank. “Also, I’ve seen you on Tessa, Frank,” the Master said and Frank nodded. “She’s a fast horse and you’re the only one she’ll let ride her. You seem to have an aptitude for riding. I’d like Gerard to teach you,” he said and looked back to Gerard. “If that’s alright with you both and then you can both go to the races together. As long as you’d like to teach him, Gerard, and as long as he learns,” Nathan said. “Sir, that’s…That’s…Wow,” Frank said with a huge smile. “Thank you, so much,” Frank said to him, unbelieving to what he was just told. “Of course I’d teach him,” Gerard said with a smile and looked to Frank. “We can start today,” Gerard said. “Once we’re done with the horses.” “That sounds wonderful,” the Master smiled to Frank and then to Gerard. “I’ll get the other men out here to put Tessa and Raid into the truck. Tessa’s leg healed up perfectly so she’ll more than likely be ready for a good run. We’ll take them to my track so we can time her,” he explained and they both nodded softly. “So, just finish up and we’ll go,” he said before he nodded to them both. “Bye guys,” he kissed Gerard’s forehead before he left the barn. “Nervous?” Gerard raised an eyebrow and smirked. “Something I’ll be able to beat you at. You sittin’ here makin’ fun of me all day,” he teased. “Oh, please. I’ll take you,” Frank laughed. “So you think Tessa can take Raid?” Gerard crossed his arms over his chest and leaned his head back a little. “I know my girl can,” Frank grinned. “I guess we’ll see then won’t we,” Gerard smirked. ***** Chapter 16 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank was standing with Tessa who was nudging his nose and brushing his hair with her snout. He could tell she had missed him and had worried but he pet her snout to let her know he was alright and he was also happy to see her. Gerard got up on top of Raid and pet his long mane. “Nathan, Frank thinks Tessa can take my Raid,” he said with a smirk as he sat up straight on his horse. “Well you two seem more interested in beating each other than the others,” Nathan laughed as he stood off to the side in his long coat. Most of the early snow had melted at this point but there was still patches every so often on the grass. Nathan had known living in the mountains meant more snow and colder weather but it kept the manor and it’s staff away from other people. “No, he was insulting my baby,” Frank said playfully and pouted his lips as he brushed his hand down Tessa’s side. “Well then, looks like you asked for it Gerard,” Nathan laughed softly as he came over to Tessa who tensed and kicked her feet slightly. “Sh. No Tessa, be nice,” Frank whispered as he pet her snout and she was still a bit tense but stopped shuffling her footing. She let Nathan pet her side and feel her muscles. “She seems to only listen to you,” Nathan laughed. “That’s interesting,” he said as he smiled at Frank. “Maybe you two just connect. It has happened, between horse and rider. Makes for better racers,” he leaned in and winked at Frank over the last sentence. “Why don’t you show us what she can do?” Frank nodded and smiled before he went to Tessa’s side and crawled up on top of her. He situated himself in the racing saddle and once he was comfortable with his footing and where he rested he sighed out and just pet her neck gently. “You really want to try and race, Gerard. He’s fast and has had lots more practice,” Nathan said with a soft chuckle. “Well, I have to now. He challenged my baby,” Frank giggled and rubbed Tessa’s shoulder. “Alright, just be careful,” he said as he headed to the line and stopped once he got there, waiting for them to line up their horses. “Go easy on him, Gerard,” Nathan said with a teasing smile. “Never,” Gerard grinned. “Alright,” Nathan laughed and lifted his arm. “Three laps. On the count of three,” they both nodded, showing they understood. “One,” Nathan said and brought down one finger. “Two,” Frank double checked his footing and his grip, gliding a hand over Tessa’s neck; he leaned forward like he was supposed to. “Three!” Nathan’s hand flew down and both horses took off at a fast pace. Tessa seemed to know what she was doing and Frank trusted her with her movements as she seemed to bolt across the ground and around the track. Raid was a bit ahead and Gerard had a smirk on his face as he could tell Raid had his mind set on hitting the finish line first. Frank let Tessa do what she wanted, he didn’t want to push her, and he didn’t want her going faster if it hurt her ankle. They stayed behind Gerard and Raid for the first two laps but on the third, Raid had used a lot of his energy and slowed ever so slightly. It was at this time that Tessa seemed to use all she had held in. She took off with a bolt and seemed to push further and further ahead. Her muscles all were being used and her legs stretching far and fast. Frank’s stomach felt like it was twirling around inside of him and he smiled as she shot passed Raid. Tessa hit the finish line and bolted right by it before she slowed when Frank tugged on the reigns ever so slightly. She trotted around and turned back, going over to Raid who was swishing his head back and forth in frustration, snorting. Tessa trotted around with her head raised high. “Told you,” Frank grinned and Gerard smiled. “I’m impressed,” he giggled at Frank. “She’s got more in her than I thought.” “Lesson to learn Gerard,” Nathan said as he walked up to Tessa and stood beside her, “never underestimate your opponent.” Gerard bit his lip softly and nodded. “I know, Nathan. I was just saying,” Gerard said to him quietly. “And I was just telling you, no need to get upset,” Nathan smiled softly and Gerard returned it. “Her laps are quick and she seems to be a natural, just like you,” Nathan smiled up at Frank and Frank giggled as he softly pet Tessa’s hair. “Nah, it’s all her. I just hold on,” Frank laughed softly. “Doubt that,” Nathan said to Frank and placed a hand on his thigh, gently patting it. Gerard’s eyes watched the motion and he remembered that Nathan had done that to him before, when he was interested in him, had gently gripped his thigh. He looked between the two and wondered if Nathan was possibly looking for someone new to take his place. This thought made his heart stop and he looked up to Frank’s smiling face. He wouldn’t let that happen, not only because it made him slightly jealous, but because he also knew that it would be bad for Frank. People would talk about Frank like they did him; he didn’t like that idea very much. The rest of the day, Gerard spent more time watching Nathan with Frank, than the horses racing. When they were finally done for the day, Gerard sat on top of Raid, watching Nathan walk over to Frank who had just gotten Tessa to calm for a moment and hold still. All the excitement from the day had her all worked up and happy. “Here, let me help you,” Nathan said as Frank swung his leg over Tessa to get down. Gerard watched Nathan’s hand on the back of Frank’s thigh, it slid up over Frank’s ass, and over his spine before he held Frank’s middle and helped him down. Frank slipped a little and fell back against Nathan. Frank smiled a bit as he fixed himself, “Sorry.” “No trouble,” Nathan smiled and helped Frank stand up. Gerard’s emotions were all over, his jealousy was bubbling and his anger was swelling as he watched the two. “You know, you’ll do amazing at the races. I’m sure you’ll be ready in three weeks, if you even need that time to learn,” he laughed lightly and rested his hand on Frank’s shoulder. Frank smiled wide at him, looking up to him with those adoring eyes. “You really think so, Sir?” Frank’s question was with excitement and Gerard mockingly mumbled it like Frank had said it with a stupid voice and was being overdramatic. “Yeah, you’ll do great and call me Nathan,” he smiled and Frank grinned wide. Gerard’s head shot up at this. Nathan hadn’t let Gerard call him that for two years and no one else was even allowed. “Alright, thanks, Nathan,” Frank smiled wide. “I’ll put Tessa in the truck.” He grabbed her reins and pulled on her lightly. Gerard quickly got off Raid and grabbed his reigns, acting fine as he followed. Nathan went over to talk to one of his advisors who had been watching from the stands. Frank walked in and put Tessa in properly. Gerard tied Raid up outside and made sure Nathan was busy before he went in after Frank. “Hey,” Frank smiled as he glanced up and finished tying up Tessa. “That was fun. You were really great teaching me. Thank yo-,” he stopped suddenly when Gerard shoved him back against the metal backing of the trailer. Frank made a pained noise and looked at Gerard confused. Gerard gripped his shirt and threw him into the other wall before he gripped his shirt again and threw him back again, making him trip and hit his head off the trailer floor. He groaned in pain and rolled onto his side. Gerard grabbed him and flipped him on his back straddling him. He brought his hand up and brought it down, slapping Frank harshly. He used both of his hands and kept slamming them down on Frank who held his hands up and whined, trying to stop him, and trying to talk. He didn’t understand. “Fucking whore! He doesn’t need you,” Gerard growled in his anger. His hands curled into fists and the slaps turned into punches until Tessa made a noise in agitation and slammed her hip into Gerard’s shoulder, throwing him against the wall of the trailer. He shook his head as he tried to understand what had happened. Frank quickly scrambled to his feet with a scared whine before he ran out of the trailer and took off for the woods, trying not to fall as his head felt dizzy. Gerard looked around as he breathed quickly from his quick and hard slaps and then punches. “Oh, my God,” he whispered as he realized what he had done. It had all happened so fast. He hadn’t meant for it to happen. He was going to just push Frank up against the wall and tell him to back off, it was for his own good but he had done it harder than he had intended and had just blacked out in the moment. His anger built up from everything, his entire life, all the way back to his father selling him. All the things built up that he hadn’t said or just bit his tongue because he had to, had come out on Frank. He looked to where Frank had been and saw the small pool of blood that had dripped from Frank’s nose when he had scrambled to get away. He didn’t know what to do. He stood up shakily, looking at his hands that were skinned on spots and were raw from hitting Frank so hard, he shakily put on his riding gloves to cover them. He walked out and just grabbed Raid, bringing him in and tying him up before he shut the trailers back. He looked off towards the woods and couldn’t see Frank. “Where’s Frank?” Nathan looked around as he came up to Gerard who jumped and put his hand to his chest. “You okay?” “He…I…He wanted to walk home,” Gerard spit out quickly as he looked to Nathan. “He um…said he wanted to take the trail through the woods.” “Oh…I suppose that’s fine. Did you tell him he could?” Nathan looked to the woods, most of the snow from the early storms was gone and it wasn't too cold out yet, the sun still above the trees. “Yes, I didn’t think you’d mind,” Gerard said, looking down. He didn’t know what would happen. Nathan would find out eventually and he would be in way more trouble than if he had just told him in the first place. “No, I don’t,” he smiled. “He’s worked hard today. Now, he has sucked up enough of my attention. Let me take my favorite guy home and treat him to a foot rub and bubble bath,” Nathan wrapped his arm around Gerard and lead him to the car as one of the barn workers started the truck that pulled the trailer. “Sounds perfect,” Gerard whispered, before he glanced back to the woods one more time and then back to the car. He bit his lip and rested his head on Nathan’s shoulder before he got into the car with him and headed back home. Chapter End Notes So I know these updates have been a bit slow but by the end of the week I will have a new laptop and updates will be more frequent! Thanks for being understanding! ***** Chapter 17 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Gerard had gotten home with Nathan and they had gone up to their private quarters where he was treated to a bubble bath, Nathan fed him in the cutest way, and they had made love. They were laying there together after and Nathan held Gerard to his chest. Gerard felt so guilty; he had realized he had been overreacting. There was no way that Nathan had been doing anything suggestive with Frank but he had to ask. “Nathan?” A soft hum was the response he got. “Do you…Do you like Frank?” Gerard lifted his head a little to look up at Nathan. “Like…Like you like me?” Nathan seemed to be quiet for a moment. “Gerard…I will admit that he is a good looking young man but I wouldn’t do that to you,” Nathan explained. “Well, have you…thought about him...sexually?” Gerard bit his lip gently. “The only way I have thought about him sexually is him messing around with you. That’s always been a fantasy, to see you mess around with another man but you know,” Nathan said with a shrug. “I really wouldn’t ask that of you. Plus, he’d never be into it,” Nathan yawned. This made Gerard feel a bit uncomfortable but calm at the same time. He didn’t like the idea of his boyfriend thinking of another man having sex with him but it wasn’t having sex with him so he figured that meant he didn’t want Frank for sex, he wanted him to have sex with Gerard. “Let’s go to sleep, though, I’m so tired,” Nathan mumbled against Gerard’s temple before he placed a small kiss there. “I love you.” “I love you too,” Gerard said softly and leaned up to kiss Nathan’s jaw before he rested his head back down. =============================================================================== When an hour had passed, Gerard figured he was safe to sneak away; he had to look for Frank. Luckily, Nathan hadn’t wanted to check on him because if he had, he probably would have realized Frank wasn’t back or was in a terrible condition. Gerard dressed himself quickly and moved through the house quietly. He checked Frank’s room, every place, and couldn’t find him. When the house turned up empty he went out to the barn. He flicked on the light and heard shuffling. He slowly walked towards the noise to the back room where the door was cracked open. He pushed open the door. “Frank?” He whispered and flicked on the light. Frank was in the corner and when the light turned on he pushed himself further back like a cowering animal and curled up, his face in his knees and his hands pulling at his hair, he whimpered quietly. “Oh, God,” Gerard breathed out and walked over to Frank, kneeling down in a swift motion that made Frank yelp and flinch, trying to push further in the corner. “Frank,” Gerard said in a voice, weakened by sadness. “Oh, Frank, I’m so sorry. I didn’t…I don’t…,” he tried but there was only silence from Frank. “I don’t even know what I did…I just…I lost it,” he whispered. “Frank, please forgive me,” he pleaded quietly with him. “I promise, I’ll never hurt you like that again,” Gerard whispered. “Gerard?” Gerard’s head shot up as he saw Nathan out in his pajamas and bathrobe. “What are you…Frank?” He looked at Frank who pushed further into the corner. “What’s happening?” Gerard slowly stood and took a step towards Nathan. “Baby I…he…,” Gerard couldn’t speak, he was too scared of what Nathan might do to him. “I-I just fell down a ledge when I was walking home from the woods…I didn’t want to come inside because I was worried about getting in trouble,” Frank said as he slowly lifted his face but kept his eyes to the ground. Nathan gasped quietly and so did Gerard. Frank’s face was swollen and covered in what looked like nicks. His lip was busted and both his eyes were black and blue. Gerard looked down and hid his face. He knew Frank was lying for him, though he couldn’t imagine why he would after all that had happened. “No, Frank, it’s okay. You’re not in trouble,” Nathan said in a gentle voice. Frank stood up slowly as he leaned against the wall, trying not to get close to Gerard but Nathan took it as his leg was sore. “Come here,” he said gently and picked Frank up in his arms, carrying him. Frank latched his arms around Nathan’s shoulders and hid into him a bit. After all that had happened he just wanted to know he was safe and he knew Nathan wouldn’t let anything happen to him, even if it was only because he was his property. Gerard slowly followed behind them, hanging his head as he watched Frank act like he’d never seen him. He seemed scared and uncertain. He figured the long walk through the dark and confusing woods probably hadn’t helped with his fear and nerves. Nathan carried Frank into the house and brought him to his room. He sat on the edge of Frank’s bed and kept Frank in his lap. “Gerard, get me some bandages for him,” he said gently as he lightly took Frank’s jaw with his fingertips. “God, you must have fallen on a rock, huh?” Frank nodded weakly. “Did you get stuck out there in the dark?” Frank weakly nodded again. “You don’t need to be scared, Frank, you’re okay now.” Gerard came back with the stuff Nathan had asked for. “He’s shook up,” Nathan said softly to Gerard as Frank sat silently in Nathan’s lap and shook a little without even noticing. “I’m sure he’ll be alright in the morning.” Gerard weakly nodded, he tried to lock eyes with Frank but Frank only looked downward and he didn’t move his eyes. Nathan carefully bandaged up Frank’s face before he picked him back up and pulled down his covers and laid him in the bed, taking off his shoes. “Get some rest, Frank,” he whispered softly as he pulled the covers up to his chest. “You’re okay.” Frank nodded weakly as he stared towards the window. Nathan walked to the door, bringing Gerard with him, before he shut off the light and closed the door. “God, he seems really messed up,” Nathan whispered as he walked with Gerard back to their room. “Yeah,” Gerard said softly and walked into their room as his mind and whole body felt heavy with guilt. “I just hope he’s okay in the morning,” Nathan whispered as he shut off the light. “It’d be terrible if he stayed like that,” he said with a slightly worried tone. Gerard’s mind sunk into dark areas. He wondered if Frank would ever be the same. He heard of people who, when abused by love ones or people they trusted, changed and never went back to their normal ways. “He’ll be good as new in the morning,” Nathan assured like he could read Gerard’s mind. “I really do hope so,” Gerard whispered and felt his eyes water a little as he remembered Frank cowering away from him. “He’s my only friend,” Gerard whispered, more to himself than to Nathan but then he realized Nathan was asleep. “Was my only friend,” he breathed out, nearly in silence. His eyes watered a little and he snuggled into Nathan as he thought about going back to the way things were and loosing Frank as his friend. He wanted to just get up and go to him, to talk to him but he worried it would only make things worse. Plus, if Nathan woke up again, he wouldn’t know what to say. He thought about an excuse before he slowly snuck out of Nathan’s arms for the second time that night. He tiptoed through the house and realized he was doing a lot of sneaking around lately but this was worth it, it had to be done. He went to Frank’s door and opened it, only enough for him to sneak in. He saw Frank’s head turn to him weakly in the dark before he tightened his grip on the covers. Gerard slowly came over but kept his distance. “Will you ever talk to me again?” Gerard looked to his feet as he waited for Frank’s reply, hoping he would actually get one from him. “I trusted you,” Frank weakly whispered, “and you knocked my fucking face in. I never want to talk to you again.” Gerard felt his eyes flare up. “I never understood why people hated you, you were nothing like they said, and everyone always said something different. I get it now…you’re a fake. You’re a liar and I’ll never believe anything you tell me again.” Gerard let out a small sob before he turned slowly and left the room. He walked down the stairs because he couldn’t go back to Nathan for a while. He went into the kitchen where it was empty and sat at the bar before he placed his face in his hands and sobbed. He would have to live with what he had done and would be reminded of it every day he saw Frank. He gasped and looked up when he heard the door swing in the kitchen, he saw Kathy standing there looking at him like he had three heads. “Are you okay?” Kathy asked this as she came closer, looking Gerard up and down. Gerard shook his head as his lips pouted and he just looked down, letting out a weak sob. He didn’t care what the maids would gossip about tomorrow, he didn’t care if Kathy would use this against him for the rest of his life, he couldn’t stop himself, and he wasn’t going to. “Here,” Kathy said softly and walked over to the fridge after getting a glass from the cupboard. She poured Gerard a big glass of chocolate milk and brought it over to him, sitting by him on a bar stool. “Chocolate helps when you’re sad,” she said softly and Gerard snorted a little trying not to keep crying. “No, it does. It’s proven. Whenever I hear the Master lost a race I always make something chocolate for desert,” Kathy said with a soft laugh. Gerard sipped the chocolate milk as he sniffed softly. “Do you want to talk about it?” Gerard shook his head softly. “Fair enough,” Kathy nodded softly. “Want me to tell you a story to take your mind off it?” Gerard thought about it for a moment before he softly nodded his head. Kathy seemed to think for a moment before she began telling Gerard about a time when she was younger and her father had taken her on her first fishing trip. It was a funny story that made Gerard slowly begin to smile as he nursed his glass of chocolate milk. He appreciated what Kathy was doing for him, it surprised him. He sat down in the kitchen with Kathy until almost three in the morning, listening to her talk and laughing with her. So when he went up and laid down, he was able to find sleep. Chapter End Notes Gerard kind of makes a friend? Haha! New laptop! More updates! Yay! ***** Chapter 18 ***** The next day Gerard spent in the private quarters that he shared with Nathan. He sat in his chair by the window and looked down over the lawn. He watched Frank, who was in the field with the horses, petting Tessa, and he seemed to be talking to her. It was his lunch break but he hadn’t come in, Gerard had been watching. He figured Frank was avoiding him, which seemed plausible since he was hoping he would come in to eat so he could enter the kitchen, acting like he didn’t know Frank had come in. He wanted to talk to him. He knew Frank hated him and that he had a right to but he just missed him. He was so used to being able to talk to Frank, to be near him, and now it was gone. He felt like a lost puppy, wandering around, hoping his master would come back to get him when he had clearly been abandoned. The only problem was, that he had bit his master, and was now being punished or possibly left to die somewhere. He thought of a million ways he could try talking to Frank but none seemed like they would work. He didn’t want life to go back to what it was, sitting up in his room all day with nothing to do, and no one to talk to. He wanted to be down with Frank. Helping him clean the barn and having lunch together. He watched Frank go into the barn and head out the front, coming inside. He quickly got up and checked himself in the mirror before he ran for the door and down to the kitchen. He acted natural, like he was just getting a cup of coffee, nothing more. No one else was in the kitchen so it would work, he hoped. Frank walked in through the kitchen door and Gerard was standing by the counter, pouring himself some coffee. He paid him no mind and went over to the plate on the table that was left for him by Matt. He sat down and took a big bite out of the sandwich, being so hungry from not having breakfast and going straight out to the barn that morning. Gerard watched him with the oven, seeing his blurred reflection. He wished for him to say something, anything but he could see the bruises on his face as he sat and ate and only felt guilty for wishing he would. He took a small sip of his coffee as the tension grew in the room and he felt like he was crammed in a tiny box. He couldn’t move, if he walked off he would look like an ass but he didn’t know what to say or if saying anything would help or make things worse. Frank softly chewed his sandwich, his cheeks aching from their bruises. He could see Gerard out of the corner of his eye but didn’t want to speak to him; he didn’t even want him to be in the same room. The thoughts of how he had just attacked him scared Frank. He had done nothing wrong that he could see and he had just been attacked. He remembered all the rage in Gerard’s face, how his eyes just looked so dark and scary. He shuddered a little at the thought and did his best to just quickly and quietly eat his lunch so he could go back to the barn. Gerard mustered up everything inside him and walked over to the table, sitting across from Frank who fidgeted in discomfort. “Frank…yesterday,” Gerard started as Frank looked at the floor, “Yesterday…I saw how the Master was acting with you…it just. I thought about how he acted with me…when he started to like me and I saw similarities and I got…Well, I guess I got jealous but… I don’t know what came over me in the trailer, I really don’t. I’ve never hit anyone and I really am so sorry. I mean…you’re my only friend…why would I do that to you?” Frank slowly chewed his sandwich as he looked down still. He blinked lightly as he ran over Gerard’s words and played off the different scenarios. He didn’t know what to say. He was still scared of Gerard. He wondered if he might possibly need some type of therapy, maybe in anger or he was mentally unstable. He slowly looked up to him, across the table but it was only to Gerard’s shoulder, not his face or directly at him. “Please forgive me, Frank? I promise, if I ever do it to you again…You can…You can kill me,” Gerard tried and Frank smiled a little before he giggled. “What?” Gerard was clearly confused by Frank's giggling and maybe even a bit bewildered. “You’re insane,” he said like he had figured Gerard out. He got up from his spot with his plate, going to rinse it off. Gerard quickly followed. “Listen, I don’t know what to think about you, at all. I mean…you knocked my head in for riding a horse with your man around, “Frank placed his plate in the drainer. “If you’re that easily jealous than I think its best we’re not friends. Just because he said I could call him Nathan and he helped me off my horses doesn’t mean I’m going to fuck his brains out. I’m not that easy,” Frank walked around Gerard as he got a quick drink. “So…wait…are you saying I’m easy? Like I’m a whore or something?” Gerard crossed his arms as he looked at Frank, watching him drink down his water. “No, I just said, I wouldn’t fuck him, even if that got time off,” Frank said between his sips of water, he still hadn’t looked at Gerard. “So, you think you’re better than me because you wouldn’t spread your legs to get out of here?!” Gerard glared at him. Frank raised an eyebrow as he came over to rinse his glass. “No, that’s not what I said Gerard. You’re putting words in my mouth. I was saying, you beat my face in because your man was acting like he wanted me, and I wouldn’t fuck him no matter what. So if anything, you’ve got nothing to worry about on this end, so if you’re worried about it happening, go look at your boyfriend,” Frank said with a shrug. “I’m going back to work,” he walked through the swinging door and Gerard followed behind him. “What has he said to you?!” He followed Frank outside into the hall, his voice a soft hiss in the air. “Has he asked you?!” Frank turned and looked at him now, his face turned up in confusion and slight worry. “Look at you…you’re so scared he might replace you… You want to be his…you’ll never leave this place. Why do you like being his so much? Huh? Honestly, that’s probably why people think you’re a whore. It makes you look like you’d rather have sex with him than to do any real work. So when they call you a lazy slut, they’re just saying what seems to be true.” “You’re an asshole,” Gerard said to him with anger and hurt in his eyes. “Why do you like him? Why?” Frank crossed his arms. “Do you like that he makes you sleep with other men? I wouldn’t think so but I wouldn’t know why else you’d be with someone like him when you don’t have to be. Yes, he owns you but honestly, I’m sure if you voiced you no longer wanted to be his he would find someone else.” “He has me,” Gerard said desperately and put his hands to his chest. “So you like feeling wanted and needed,” Frank said. Gerard just went quiet because it was the truth. He liked the way Nathan would come in and take his body, wanting him so badly he had to have it on the desk because there was no time to make it to a bed or any other more appropriate place. He put his hands to his mouth and just tried not to cry. He realized he was a whore. He wanted and liked the sex, the attention he got. He had lost it on Frank because he didn’t want him to take his spot, his attention. “Frank… I don’t know what has happened to me…I wasn’t always like this,” he whispered and Frank took a step closer to him. “What’s happened to me?” “I don’t know, Gerard. I think…you depend on him because without him…you have nothing,” Frank said with a small frown. “You got used to him being the one who is always there for you. He’s the only one to make you feel loved or special,” Frank said. “But…it’s wrong to be so in love with a man like him, isn’t it?” Gerard lowered his hands and looked at Frank. He knew it probably wasn’t normal and certainly wasn’t right. “You just have to think about it,” Frank took another step and was now standing in front of Gerard. “Does he love you like you love him or is it just because he can have you so easily? Even so…if you didn’t have to be his, would you be with him in the first place?” “I don’t know,” Gerard whispered as he looked down. “You’ll have to take your time to think about it and just see,” Frank said honestly. “Until then,” he sighed out softly with a stretch, “would you like to help me muck out the stalls and get the horses put away?” It was against Frank’s better judgement but he knew Gerard needed someone to help him. If no one helped him, he would be stuck with Nathan forever. Gerard smiled a little and leaned forward, pressing a tiny kiss to Frank’s cheek. “Thank you, Frank. I would love to,” he said and Frank smiled at him a little. “Come on then,” Frank said and motioned towards the barn. Gerard followed beside him happily. ***** Chapter 19 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes The next few weeks Gerard spent training Frank for the races and helping him with the horses. The two grew closer and as the last bruises and marks on Frank’s face faded the incident was forgotten and all was better. Nathan was impressed with the two and their race times and told them they would be going definitely. Frank was overjoyed and Gerard was happy to see him find something to be passionate about and to look forward to. It wasn’t long before it was only a night away and Gerard sat on Frank’s bed as he was packing his bag. “So, are you nervous?” Gerard giggled a little as he leaned back on his hands and crossed his legs. “A bit but I think it’s more excitement. Like, I’m not nervous about riding Tessa. I’m just nervous about getting there and all the people I’ll see. It’s going to be fun though, I hope,” Frank buzzed out his words as he crammed more clothes into the suitcase, they would be gone for the week. “Is Nathan coming?” “He’ll be there for the race at the end but not for the ones leading up to it. He has business,” Gerard said with a soft huff. “We’ll be sharing a hotel room. I told him you’d be comfortable with it. I hope you are. I just figured it’d be less money he’d have to spend. He’ll be less grumpy if we don’t win anything,” Gerard commented. “Since we wouldn’t have taken too much money,” Gerard explained. “Yeah, that’s fine,” Frank said, having nothing wrong with it. “I’ve never actually stayed in a hotel before,” Frank spoke as he got the last of his bag packed and then zipped it up. “Never?” Gerard lightly played with a strand of his hair as he looked up to Frank who shook his head. “Oh, well we’ll be in one of their finest suits,” Gerard said in an overly proper tone and Frank giggled. There was a quiet knock on the door and they both turned to see Nathan. “Hello you two,” he smiled and they smiled back and greeted him. “So, Frank, all packed up?” Frank smiled and nodded. “Yes, thank you so much for this opportunity, Nathan. It’s so great of you. I can’t tell you how excited I am,” he said nearly bouncing in place and Nathan and Gerard smiled. “It’s no trouble, Frank. I’m sure my decision won’t be regretted,” Nathan smiled back and lightly bowed his head to Frank. “Gerard, don’t you think you should be packing your own bag? Frank’s all ready to go and you haven’t even touched your bag,” Nathan said with a light chuckle. “Oh, yes. I’m so forgetful,” he giggled before he stood. “Have a good night, Frank. I’ll see you in the morning.” “Night, Gerard,” Frank said with a wave and watched Gerard walk out with Nathan who waved to him. Frank did his best to just shower and lay down for sleep. He laid in his bed and was restless. His legs wouldn’t stop moving and he kept thinking about all the things that would happen the next few days. He knew this wasn’t too big of a race as far as races went but it was still a decent one. Winning and placing well in this race meant going to the bigger events. He was thinking it all over and getting nervous but excited, he forced himself to close his eyes. Soon enough, before he even noticed he was becoming tired, he fell asleep. =============================================================================== “Fuck! Oh, yeah,” Gerard whined as he was on his hands and knees with Nathan behind him. Nathan always fucked him good before he left for trips or whenever they would be away for some time. His body was shaking as Nathan pushed into his spot without mercy and he whined loudly as he could feel Nathan’s aggression in the way he gripped his hips. “Baby, I’m gonna…,” he breathed and Nathan growled with hunger in his tone. Gerard let out a weak moan, loving the rough and rawness of the whole thing. Nathan slammed him harder, their skin making a smack resound in the room as he pushed inside of Gerard’s tight hole even harder. Gerard’s desperate whines and incoherent noises made his whole body pulse like a heartbeat and he pounded even harder when Gerard leaned down on his elbows. It made Gerard even tighter the further in and he loved how his tip felt massaged with each thrust. He heard Gerard moan his name with a wrecked voice and could tell by the other man’s convulsing muscles that he was releasing. His cum dripping from the head of his dangling member as it bounced back and forth. “Roll over,” Nathan growled. Gerard slipped his hips forward before he rolled onto his back, spreading his legs wide, and let Nathan jack himself off, getting his cum all over Gerard’s balls and softening dick. Gerard closed his eyes and moaned weakly in pleasure at the feeling. Nathan gripped Gerard’s balls and member in his fist and rubbed them around as he rubbed the cum in. Gerard moaned weakly and bucked his hips at the touch, dashing his tongue out over his bottom lip. Nathan breathed out a sigh as he collapsed next to Gerard. “You’re the best fuck ever,” he breathed and Gerard smiled. “I’m glad you think so,” he giggled before he placed a kiss on Nathan’s jaw. “I have to shower now. Can’t smell like sex in the morning, you’ll want more,” he said with a grin as he got up and walked around the bed to the bathroom door that was connected to their room. “And who says I won’t get it anyways?“ Nathan quirked his eyebrows and Gerard smiled at him before he went into the bathroom and turned on the shower. Nathan smiled contently as he laid on the bed. He softly jerked his soft member as he thought about what had just happened and what would happen during the next week or so. He looked over to the bathroom door that was cracked and listened to the shower running. He could tell Gerard was in the shower from the soft hums that vibrated off the showers walls and back out through the door. He thought about how things would be without Gerard for the whole week. =============================================================================== When Frank woke up he felt like a kid on Christmas. Nathan had come in to tell him they were leaving early and that he should get dressed. Frank did quickly and brought his luggage down to sit beside the door before he ran back upstairs. He walked down the halls to the quarters that belonged to Nathan and Gerard before he softly knocked on the door. There was silence and he thought Gerard might have been out in the car already but he hadn’t seen him or his bags. He pushed open the door and saw Gerard laying in bed, his hair a mess and his makeup wasn’t on his face like always when Frank saw him. He tiptoed in the room before he crawled on the floor to the side of the bed Gerard was on. He sat in silence for a second and listened to Gerard’s soft breathing. He giggled quietly to himself before he jumped up with a loud, “Gerard! Wake up it’s time to go!” Gerard jumped up in an instant and looked around like there was a fire. “Frank,” he sighed out before he flopped himself back down on the bed. “M’I’m tired. Five more minutes,” he huffed out and rolled onto his side, displaying his pale back to Frank. “No, now,” Frank whined as he got up on the bed and jumped. “Or I’m going to tell everyone what you look like without your makeup and when you just wake up.” Gerard’s eyes slowly opened and he looked around like he was thinking before he shot out of bed and ran to the bathroom. “Oh, my God! I look horrible,” he whined from the bathroom and Frank giggled at his voice. “You must think I’m ugly now,” Gerard huffed out with his anxieties in the bathroom. “Nah, you’re all cute and sleepy,” Frank giggled as he jumped off the bed and grabbed up Gerard’s bags. “I’m going to bring your bags down for you!” “Thank you, Frank,” Gerard called back as he was freaking out about his hair. “Ten minutes until we leave,” Frank said before he left the room. Gerard was quickly brushing through his hair, telling himself to kill Nathan for not waking him sooner. He couldn’t believe Frank had seen him like that. His hair was pointing in every direction from going to bed with his hair damp and his face was disgusting without makeup, he thought. He cursed the skies as he burned his hand, trying to straighten his hair in the few moments he had. He brushed out his partly straightened hair and bit his lip as he looked at the little box of ribbons he used to use daily. He played with the corner of his mouth before he picked out an orange one and placed it in his hair nicely. He did his makeup faster than he ever had and still wasn’t happy with it. He sighed, knowing there was nothing else he could do when he heard Nathan yell to him. He grabbed up his box of ribbons and put them in his makeup bag and also his straightener that had somewhat cooled down. He wrote a small note on the desk in the room and placed it on Nathan’s nightstand, just a sweet little message for him to get once Gerard was gone. He ran out of the room, making sure he had everything. “Gerard,” Nathan said loudly as Gerard was just descending the stairs. “I know, I know, I’m sorry,” Gerard breathed with a tiny smile at his boyfriend. He walked with him to the car where Frank was already sitting. He placed his things inside on the seat. “A limo just for us?” Nathan smiled. “Only the best for you,” he placed a deep kiss on Gerard’s lips. “And Frank of course,” he leaned down and smiled at Frank who was playing with all the buttons but stopped and blushed when he saw Nathan looking. “Give him a good time, babe. Take him out and let him explore. I’m sure he’d like that.” Gerard smiled and nodded. “I love you. Bye baby.” He kissed Gerard once more before he helped him into the car. “Bye, Frank,” he waved to them and walked back up to the door, turning to watch them go. Frank waved and said his goodbye. The driver was holding the door while the man who was putting their bags in the back came around. “Did you see the ribbon in that dudes hair and his makeup? As if the sucking face wasn’t gay enough” The man who had been placing their bags in the back whispered and the man chuckled as he closed their door, unaware Gerard had heard. He subconsciously brought his hand up and touched it, biting his lip. Frank had heard but pretended he hadn’t. “You know,” he said, sounding mindless, “Orange is my favorite color.” He smiled and touched the silky ribbon in Gerard’s soft hair. Gerard smiled softly and leaned over, pressing a peck to Frank’s cheek, which had become a normal exchange between the two in their last few weeks together but Frank just didn’t do it back. “Thank you, Frank. I needed that,” he said and Frank just smiled brightly. “You look great and I like the ribbons you used to put in your hair. You should more often,” Frank said. Gerard just smiled at him. He was grateful for Frank’s kindness. As they pulled out of the driveway, they both rolled down their windows as they pulled out and waved to Nathan who waved back. They were on their way and Frank couldn’t be happier. Chapter End Notes Whee! No Nathan! ***** Chapter 20 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Gerard loved watching Frank look. He pointed at things and smiled wide as he went on about it and talked a mile a minute. Some might find it annoying but Gerard could only have an endearing smile for the other boy. He was just so happy and excited, it was too cute. When it got later and the drive grew long on the back roads that were full of twists and turns and nothing but slightly snow covered trees, the sun started to sink and so did Frank’s eyes. He was sitting down beside Gerard who was reading and he leaned his head on his shoulder and looked down at the words. “Will you read to me?” Frank asked this in a soft, tired voice and Gerard smiled. “Of course,” he said gently, “but I’ll read you something else. I don’t think you want to hear about the anatomy of horses,” he giggled quietly and put the book down before he grabbed up another. “Alright,” he said softly before he cleared his throat and had to smile as Frank nuzzled closer into his side. “All children, except one, grow up. They soon know that they will grow up, and the way Wendy knew was this. One day when she was two years old she was playing in a garden, and she plucked another flower and ran with it to her mother. I suppose she must have looked rather delightful, for Mrs. Darling put her hand to her heart and cried, "Oh, why can't you remain like this forever!" This was all that passed between them on the subject, but henceforth Wendy knew that she must grow up. You always know after you are two. Two is the beginning of the end…,” Gerard read on softly, holding the hardcover book of Peter Pan, one of his favorite, written by J. M. Barrie. Frank’s eyes slowly sank down as he listened to Gerard’s soft voice lull quietly. His mind was in another place, picturing every little thing Gerard said. It wasn’t long before he was dreaming and Peter Pan was soaring around through his mind. Gerard stopped after a chapter, noticing that Frank was resting peacefully. He smiled gently and kissed the top of his head. He continued to read aloud as Frank rested peacefully beside him. =============================================================================== When they arrived at the hotel Gerard woke up Frank who looked around in surprise at the new surroundings. “Oops,” he giggled innocently and Gerard just smiled as the driver helped him out of the car like he was some great madam. Frank went around the back to help the man remove the luggage and this seemed to surprise him, he’d never had someone who came from the mansion in the mountains help him. Frank just smiled and helped him load them onto the cart the bellboy had brought out. Gerard couldn’t help but smile at how innocent and sweet Frank seemed to naturally be. They went inside and Gerard told them about the reservation that was in ‘Nathan Warrenton’s’ name. The people rushed around for the keys and got them. Telling them both to enjoy their stay and to call down for anything because Nathan had said to let them have whatever they wanted. Frank was looking around the large lobby and seemed to follow close behind Gerard, feeling out of sorts. When they got into their room, after taking the elevator, their stuff was already there, placed in the bedroom. Frank just looked around at the large room as Gerard softly sighed, setting himself down on the couch. “What?” “It’s bigger than my house was,” Frank said quietly. Gerard frowned a little and cocked his head. Besides how he came to be at the mansion and a little about his high school life, he realized he didn’t know much about Frank’s life before he had arrived at the mansion. “Well, I hope you have fun while we’re here because that’s what me and Nathan want,” Gerard said with a small smile. Frank smiled big and sat down beside him with a comfortable sigh as he sunk into the couch. “There’s no way I couldn’t have fun here,” Frank laughed as he looked around the huge room. “There’s also a pool, if you wanted to go swimming,” Gerard giggled. Frank fidgeted a little as he rang his hands. “What?” Gerard looked at him a little concerned. “I don’t know how to swim,” Frank said quietly and scratched the back of his head. Gerard could tell he’d been teased about it before by the way he was acting. “Back home, the guys at my school…they sometimes used to push me in because they knew I couldn’t,” Frank said, he remembered their little comments of him needing a bath before they knocked him in. Gerard frowned a little at Frank. “Well, if you’d like, I could teach you,” he suggested. “I’d reserve it so it would just be us two.” Frank seemed to think for a moment before he smiled and nodded. “Great. In a few days sound good?” Frank nodded, “Sounds great.” He got up and stretched softly. “I think I want to just eat something bad for me and watch television,” he laughed and Gerard giggled. “Sounds like a plan,” he said before he picked up a menu to find something for them to get. =============================================================================== Two hours had passed and the two were perched in front of the TV as they ate many things. They had been unable to decide on what sounded best so they got a bit of everything. “Mm, have you tried this sandwich?” Gerard held up the concoction to Frank who shook his head. “Try a bite,” Gerard said, moving the sandwich closer to Frank who leaned in and bit off the end, chewing it as he let the taste sink in. “I’m getting that tomorrow,” he laughed and Gerard giggled. The two were setting on the couch, Gerard’s feet were tucked under Frank’s thigh since they were cold and Franks were under his. They were watching the original Batman TV show contently as they ate. “You know…I think Robin’s kind of hot. Though, I admit, Batman’s got an awesome voice,” Frank said thoughtfully as he cocked his head and Gerard nearly choked on his sandwich. Frank laughed, “What?” “When did you start judging men in leotards?” Gerard laughed softly as he took a sip of his chocolate shake. “I don’t know,” Frank said with a little giggle and shrugged. “I’ve always kind of liked guys so what’s it matter if they’re in leotards or in space suits?” Gerard looked Frank over, not knowing how he had missed this. “I guess it doesn’t. I just… I don’t’ know. I didn’t see that about you and I can usually tell,” he said with a soft laugh. “Well,” Frank giggled, “Sorry I didn’t set your gay-dar off.” He took a bite of his food and Gerard smiled at him softly as he slurped a noodle up. Frank was cute, he couldn’t deny it. Frank set down one plate and picked up a bowl of clam chowder. “This is good,” he mumbled through the hot chunks of potatoes and clams, Gerard laughed at him. =============================================================================== Two more hours went by and Frank had zoned out, watching the show, when he looked to Gerard again, he noticed he was curled up asleep, his face lit up by the flashing screen. Frank slowly got up and clicked off the television before he leaned down and snuck his arm under Gerard’s knees and around his back. He picked him up and held him to him. In his sleepy state, Gerard wrapped his arms around Frank and rested his head on his shoulder before he snuggled into his neck and Frank smiled at him. He carefully walked to the bedroom and pushed the door open with his foot before going over to the bed. He managed to pull down the sheets and get Gerard in without waking him. Gerard seemed to roll around looking for something before he rolled over to the other side and reached out before sighing gently. “Frank,” he tiredly hummed and Frank spoke quietly, asking what he wanted. “Lay with me. I don’t want to sleep alone,” he tiredly breathed. “Alright,” Frank said before he went out and shut off the lights in the other room. He came back in and walked over to Gerard, pulling off his socks and undoing his jeans before he pulled them down. Gerard tiredly giggled at Frank, “Your fingers tickle.” Frank laughed as he finished pulling off Gerard’s jeans, leaving him in his boxers and shirt. He walked around the bed and pulled off his own socks and jeans before he crawled into bed beside Gerard, actually more tired than he had noticed. Gerard yawned and rolled over to Frank, snuggling close. “Thank you. I like having someone with me,” he breathed out quietly and Frank looked at Gerard’s long fingers laying over his chest. He slowly inched his hand up and laced his fingers with Gerard’s, seeing what he’d do. Gerard just tiredly smiled as he nuzzled into Frank’s neck. “Night, Frankie.” Frank smiled and kissed the top of Gerard’s head. “Goodnight, Gerard.” Chapter End Notes Oh dear... ***** Chapter 21 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank awoke the next morning and stirred tiredly before he looked down to see Gerard’s head resting on his chest. Gerard was fast asleep and Frank couldn’t help but to smile at how he looked. The little orange ribbon was still in his hair but it was ruffled around and messed up a tiny bit. His makeup was a little smudged but to Frank he was just a flawless image in the morning light. Frank laid with him a bit longer before he got himself up and stretched as he walked to the bathroom and hopped into the shower. After about ten minutes Gerard’s eyes opened and he tiredly ran his hand over the spot Frank had been in, it was still warm. He nuzzled into the sheets and breathed in Frank’s scent in his tired state, it relaxed him a bit, and he stared around the room lazily. When the bathroom door opened and Frank came out in his towel Gerard couldn’t help his eyes from darting all over. “Oh, hey,” Frank smiled at him. “You’re up,” he said before he went over to his bags and started digging around. Gerard watched the water drip out of Frank’s short hair and down his back. “Um…yeah,” he said with a little smile as he sat up and combed his fingers through his hair, gently pulling out the ribbon. “I was just really tired from the drive last night. Sorry,” he said as he remembered himself asking Frank to lay with him. “That’s understandable,” Frank said with a nod before he pulled on his boxers under his towel and then dropped it to the ground. Gerard did his best not to stare but it was hard. Frank’s arms were tenser with his new muscles he had gained doing farm work and his chest looked great. He bit his lip gently as he thought about his boyfriend and looked down to the sheets. He tried not to think about Frank but his body was so very different from Nathan’s and it made him curious. Nathan was forty-seven, though he still had an amazing body, and was sexy, there was no lying but Frank’s body was different. It was so fresh and new looking; he just wanted to run his hands over it, to touch it. He ignored these thoughts by quenching his eyes and lightly touching his forehead. He knew he couldn’t be thinking about it so he pushed it away as he opened his eyes and saw that Frank was now dressed. “I should shower,” Gerard said thoughtfully but stared blankly at the floor as he played with a strand of his hair. He gently nibbled down on his lip and wondered how long it would take him to get ready. “What are we doing today? We have another day before the practice races start up,” Gerard mentioned as he looked up to Frank, lightly tossing back the warm, soft covers from his body. “I thought we might walk around town. Check things out if you’d like,“ Frank said as he pulled on a long sleeve shirt over his thick t-shirt. “It’s going to be cold out though, the weather man said it’s going to be windy. So dress warm,” he warned Gerard who nodded before he stood up and stretched. He opened his mouth wide as he let out a huff of air that came from a yawn that had been down inside him. “Sounds good,” Gerard smiled before he walked on his tiptoes mindlessly as he went into the bathroom. Frank noticed this little habit and smiled before he walked over to make the bed. He knew the maids would do it but he wanted to get it done so they wouldn’t have to. He peeked under his arm and saw Gerard was in front of the sink, still on his tiptoes as he brushed his teeth. He couldn’t help but to smile. Gerard was full of tiny habits and he felt like he learned a new one every day. He figured this was something Gerard only did in the morning when he was waking up and that’s why Frank hadn’t noticed it. “Are you hungry?” Frank asked this as he finished fixing up the bed and stood up. He turned to see Gerard had taken his shirt off. He let his eyes wander, but not very far. He thought he had a nice chest and a good body but he didn’t look at him hardly long enough to notice. He looked back up to Gerard’s face as he silently waited for him to respond to his question. Gerard noticed Frank wasn’t really checking him out and was wondering if he really was attracted to men or not. Then he had a thought that he hoped wasn’t true, he thought Frank just might not find him attractive. He looked up to the ceiling as he moved his toothbrush over his teeth, thinking. “Oh…um…yeah…I don’t know. Just order something you think I’d like,” he said with a shrug before he turned and spit into the sink. “Okay,” Frank said with a smile before he walked into the other room and picked up the menu. Gerard tapped the doorframe with his finger as he looked at him, brushing his teeth thoroughly. He couldn’t understand why Frank wasn’t looking at him. For Godsakes, straight men looked closer. Frank had just glanced over him and had a face that said, ‘eh.’ Gerard walked back into the bathroom and looked himself over in the mirror. He turned both ways, seeing if there was something ugly about himself. He wondered if he was gaining weight or something. He leaned forward after rinsing off his toothbrush and pulled at his face lightly, seeing what he’d look like with his eyes slightly raised. He didn’t think he looked old, he was in his early twenties, it would be ridiculous. He shrugged with a light sigh before he turned on the shower. He got in and closed his eyes under the warm spray. His mind was running over things. He had never had a man look at his body and not seem at least a bit curious, even before he had come to be the Master’s, boys had looked at him a few times. Frank ordered them both a morning plate before he sat down and read over a brochure that talked about the town. He found a couple of places that sounded like they were worth visiting before he got up and picked up the room a bit from the night before. There were trays all over the room and the little carts they’d been brought up on. He sighed as he picked up the things that littered the floor. He giggled lightly as he thought about how much they had eaten. When there was a knock at the door he let the man in to drop off their food and he took the items from the previous night with him when he left. Frank decided they would sit in the dining room and set things up in there. When Gerard came out in a fluffy bathrobe with damp hair he smiled. “Looks good,” he said before he sat and Frank was sitting beside him. Gerard smelled good, Frank loved the scent of someone fresh out of the shower and his tussled damp hair laid against his pale skin in an intoxicating manner. Though, he only just noticed at a glance before he looked down to his plate and picked up his fork. They both ate in silence for a bit, just hungry, and wanting to get something down. Frank mentioned the few places and told Gerard he wouldn’t mind if they just wandered around. He just wanted to see all the things in the city. Truth be told, Frank hadn't gotten out much when he lived with his father, so he liked the idea now. He was in a new city full of places to see and he just couldn't wait to get out there and see them all with his own eyes. He hoped this city would only be the first of many. “Sound perfect,” Gerard giggled as he lightly sipped his orange juice. “I’ll get myself ready,” he said before he stood up. “Thank you for ordering my breakfast,” he said before he walked down the steps that lead out of the dining room and into the living room. He walked into their room and dropped the robe he was wearing on the floor, using the mirror to see if Frank was looking. Frank had glanced away quickly when the robe had dropped from Gerard's shoulders and Gerard felt a bit frustrated. He noticed Frank’s amazing body but Frank refused to look at him. He couldn’t understand it. He sighed before he went over to his bag to find an outfit and to get ready to go. =============================================================================== Frank was excited, like he always was, and Gerard followed beside him and watched every second of it. He was still a little off about Frank not being attracted to him but he was just silent about it. He wouldn’t bring it up. There was no need to in his mind. He knew it would be awkward, was something people just didn’t ask, and he had a boyfriend, it didn’t matter. He held Frank’s hand since Frank had grabbed his and still hadn’t let go and part of him liked the feeling of his hand fit snug in Frank’s. Gerard felt a bit uncomfortable after a few hours had passed. People kept looking at him and saying things to each other, he felt like he was on display but something about Frank made him not worry about it so much. It was like Frank kept him immune to most of the things in life that didn’t matter. Frank was making him laugh and smile and he hardly noticed half the stares or comments people would say about him. He figured he might have done his makeup a bit too wild or the ribbon in his hair was too bright of a teal. He just kept close to Frank and it made things a lot easier. At one point Frank stopped and slipped his hand out of Gerard’s. Gerard glanced over, hating how cold his hand felt without Frank’s but Frank was turned to him and he looked to him. “What?” He asked this before he brought his bottom lip into his mouth and nervously nibbled it. He didn't know why Frank was staring at him. Could Frank read his mind? Did he know how much fun Gerard was having? Did he know how much Gerard was liking just holding his hand? Was he going to be like Nathan, tell him to back off, not be so close? All these thoughts raced through Gerard's mind and he swallowed hard. “Here,“ Frank said and reached, fixing the crooked ribbon in Gerard’s hair that had been blown by the wind. “Perfect,” he smiled before he slipped his hand back into Gerard’s who blushed and looked down to hide it. Just watching Frank smile and hearing him talk was making Gerard smile wide. It was how Frank treated him, like he was equal. Like it didn’t matter that Gerard was considered an outcast or a whore, he treated him like everyone else. This was the thing Gerard liked most about Frank. He wasn’t full of shit, he was a sweet guy who, Gerard was slowly realizing, he was falling for. Chapter End Notes Oh dear, Oh dear. ***** Chapter 22 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank was laying on the couch, tired after a long day of walking around, and Gerard was sitting at the bar, watching him every so often. He would let his eyes wander upward and glance at Frank’s sleeping state, his eyes peacefully rested and his warm looking chest was rising and falling at a normal rate. He wanted to go over, to snuggle up beside him. He was feeling a bit chilly and lonely. He didn’t like feeling lonely and it seemed he did, a lot. He sighed out his thoughts and closed the magazine he hadn’t even read a word of. He got up from his stool and slowly walked over to the couch, cautious of knocking anything since he didn’t want to make a noise. He slowly moved himself close and managed to lay himself on the big couch with Frank. He was curled up into Frank’s side and he smiled as he realized Frank was even warmer than he had looked. He let his eyes rest shut as his head rested on Frank’s chest and tried to find a little bit of rest. He still felt lonely though, like he wasn’t supposed to be laying with Frank without being asked to. He was about to get up but when he started to move away Frank wrapped an arm around him and lightly rubbed his back before he placed a kiss in his hair. “Stay with me,” Frank said with a low, tired voice. “I like when you lay with me,” he breathed out tiredly and Gerard snuggled closer with a soft smile. He felt like Frank wanted him there and it made him more at ease as he looked up to Frank’s rested face. He felt special, that Frank liked him to rest with him, like he had accomplished something. “Frank?” He softly whispered into the silent hotel room. He didn’t really expect an answer from him. He figured he was too asleep to hear his words but there was a soft hum that vibrated through Frank’s chest, letting Gerard know that he was awake and listening. “Do you like me?” Gerard bit his lip, wondering how Frank might take this question. “Of course I like you,” Frank said with a gentle smile on his lips, his eyes still rested. Gerard lightly tucked a piece of his hair behind his ear and lightly lifted his head, looking at Frank. The piece of hair he had tucked behind his ear only sprang back out and lightly dangled by his face. “No, I mean…like me,” Gerard whispered softly and saw Frank’s eyes open and look down at him. Frank seemed to be thinking for a moment as he looked at Gerard. “Gerard…I can’t…like you,” he said to him with an honest tone. “You’re owned by Nathan and you're his boyfriend. It’d be completely wrong of me to like you like that,” he told him and Gerard nodded weakly before he rested his head on Frank’s chest. He lightly bit as his bottom lip, thinking about how utterly stupid he must now look to Frank. “Why? Do you like me?” Frank had asked this in a cautious and curious tone. Gerard slowly lifted his head but just looked down to his fingers that were resting on Frank’s chest. He weakly nodded his head a little. “I don’t know what’s happened, Frank,” Gerard whispered quietly, knowing this might ruin everything but he couldn’t lie to Frank. “I just…I just really noticed today. I don’t know why but I just…I really like you. I think it’s because you treat me like I’m a real person. You don’t act like you own me or that I’m forced to be with you. You just…you let me be around you and you like me around. I know it might not sound like it makes much sense and I can understand that but I want you to know I do like you. I can’t lie to you, it’d be unfair,” Gerard closed his eyes when he finished speaking and tried to just breath normally, not wanting his emotions to get the better of him. Frank was quiet for a long time and to Gerard it felt like years. He felt trapped. He didn’t want to just walk off and risk not hearing something that could have been important but he felt like he didn’t belong, snuggled up close to Frank’s warm chest and body. He wondered if he had ruined it all and Frank would never speak to him again. He figured it would leave their friendship on thin ropes and it’d more than likely end all together. He imagined how awkward it would be for Frank to still be around him, knowing that Gerard’s feelings were deeper than his own. “I’m sorry,” Gerard said after he couldn’t bear another second of silence. “I shouldn’t have spoken about it. I’ll leave you alone,” he whispered before he got himself up from the couch and walked to the bedroom. He turned and looked to the floor as he closed the door behind him and bit his lip. He couldn’t figure out what he was feeling, it was everything but nothing. He wanted to punch the wall and sob and just knock himself out. He couldn’t believe he had told Frank, had said something so quickly to him. They had been alone and it just felt right though he knew it wasn’t. He had a boyfriend, Nathan, who was probably at home this very moment thinking about him and missing him. Gerard sat on the bed and felt guilty. He couldn’t believe what he had done. He wondered if Frank would tell Nathan. He didn’t want that to happen, he couldn’t imagine the pain that Nathan would feel. He sat on the bed for a long time before he got up and packed a quick bag. He knew he had to go see Nathan, just for a little bit, to get his head on straight. He took a deep breath before he left the bedroom and Frank was sitting in one of the chairs in the living room with his hands folded. “Gerard,” Frank said as he stood but Gerard went for the door. “Gerard, I,” he tried to talk again but Gerard opened the door. “I’m sorry about what I said. It was stupid,” Gerard rambled on as he looked at the floor at Frank's feet. “I’m just going for a small trip to clear my head. I’ll be back tonight,” he said and Frank just kind of let his hands fall to his sides and nodded to him. “Okay…be safe,” Frank said and Gerard nodded before he quickly closed the door and Frank could hear him go down the hall. He slowly walked back over to the chair and sat himself in it before he leaned forward and rubbed his eyes with his fingertips, groaning weakly. =============================================================================== Gerard had sat through the long car ride and when the sun was setting behind the trees they reached the mansion on the high mountain, surrounded by snow. Gerard got out of the car once they arrived and quickly went into the house. All was silent, which he had figured; he imagined everyone had gone to their private rooms for the night to relax. Gerard couldn’t help but smile as he imagined Nathan’s excitement and shock. He tiptoed up the stairs and to their private quarters. He hoped he would be home, thinking about all the meetings Nathan had. He hoped he wasn’t too worn from all his work. He just needed to see him, be held by him. He wanted Nathan to kiss him and tell him everything between them was strong and alright and he was way more than a slave to him, the reassurance would make everything so much better. He made his way to their bedroom door and listened, hoping to hear Nathan inside with his gentle snores but he covered his mouth as his eyes flared. “Fuck, Matt,” he heard Nathan moan out and Gerard shook his head. He didn’t believe it, he refused to. He slowly turned the knob on the door before he lightly pushed it open about an inch and peeked in to see Nathan laying on the bed with Matt bouncing on top of him. Nathan was moaning and mewling as Matt rolled his hips. “Fuck, you’re tighter than anything,” Nathan said with a soft laugh, his voice laced with lust. “Oh, really?” Matt giggled and raised an eyebrow before dropping his head back and moaning. "Even Gerard?" “Fuck, yeah,” Nathan said through grit teeth as he gripped Matt’s wide hips. Looking down between them as he saw his dick being swallowed over and over by the tight hole. He groaned and tossed his head back. “Cock this big, I’d imagine,” Matt whispered with a slutty tone, leaning forward and kissing Nathan’s lips, still rocking forward and back. “When are you going to tell him about us?” This question was more intimate, a deeper feeling behind the words. “Soon enough,” Nathan sighed out, “I suppose. We’ll still need him to please all the investors though. You’re too special, baby.” Nathan slowly pulled Matt down to his face and kissed him. Matt smiled and nuzzled his face close to Nathan as he still lightly bounced. Gerard’s heart felt like it had just been kicked open. The conversation had been killing him enough. They had just been there, fucking while talking about him like he didn’t matter, now he had come to find he was even less special than some bum legged cook. He just breathed unsteadily for a bit before he closed the door silently and slowly walked down the hall, his hand dragging the wall for support. He made it out of their private quarters and brought a hand to his mouth, trying to stop a quiet sob that released and echoed through the hall. He bit his lip to hold it all in before he made his way through the long hallways. He went down the steps and headed for the door. “Gerard?” It was Kathy who walked up to him. Gerard tried to hide his tear stained face but couldn’t. “Oh, honey,” she breathed softly before she rested a hand on his cheek, petting his hair back from his damp cheeks. “How long has he been doing this to me?” Gerard looked down and just cried, not caring if he looked stupid. “Matthew and him…it’s been about six months…more so since that Iero boy has you out in the barn now,” she said quietly. “I’m so sorry, Gerard. I wanted to tell you but you know what would have happened to me if I had,” she said with a sad tone, she was feeling the guilt now. “Did Frank…Did he know?” Gerard felt angry, everyone had known, no one had told him. His mind jumped to the conclusion that Frank had been spending so much time with him just to keep him busy, so that Nathan would have more time with Matt. He wanted to go back to the hotel and just murder Frank. Kathy softly shook her head. “Nathan made it clear to everyone that Frank was never to know,” she said softly. “He knew that Frank would tell you,” she explained and this made Gerard smile sadly at the person Frank was. “Frank is a sweet boy, Gerard. If our Master…if he does release you from being his boyfriend, there’s nothing to keep you from Frank,” Kathy suggested in her gentle tone, with the tiniest smile Gerard had ever seen her wear. “Frank is too sweet of a boy to be with a piece of trash like me,” Gerard whispered before he turned, his head hung. “I’m going back to the hotel. Please don’t tell anyone I was here,” Gerard hoped she wouldn’t, Nathan would only punish him for it now, and the people would only whisper about him. Though, he wasn't sure how much he could trust Kathy. She seemed to be better than some but she still played in the drama sometimes, like everyone else did. “I promise, Gerard,” she whispered and he did his best to send her a weak smile before he left the mansion and got back into the car. Gerard cried most of the way back to the hotel. He didn't know what his life was now. Nathan, his boyfriend of five years had been sleeping around on him. Gerard knew deep down that Nathan never did truly love him, that he had only used him. He had seen Gerard as weak and had taken advantage for his own gain. He had wanted someone to keep his company for all those years and Gerard had been a big enough fool to play that part. Gerard couldn’t see the whole picture though, all he could see was that he had played the fool. He knew now that Matt was probably what Nathan truly wanted. That maybe Nathan had found actual love with Matt. Gerard shook his head and pushed this thought away. It hurt him more than just trying to think that Matt was a whore like him, who meant nothing and that maybe Nathan would see the error of his ways and come back to Gerard. He wasn't sure what he wanted though. He didn't want Nathan but he didn't want Matt to have Nathan. He wanted Nathan to love him, Gerard believed that at one point, Nathan did love him. He figured he might be able to get Nathan to love him again but as he stayed curled up into himself in the back of the car, he realized that thought was stupid. No one could ever love him, he was starting to see that now. Chapter End Notes Oh Snap, Crackle, Pop! It's my day off and I'm quite happy so I figured I should upload! Just wrote chapter six of the second part of this series last night. It's getting interesting! ***** Chapter 23 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank was laying in bed when he heard the phone ring loudly beside him on the nightstand. He jumped up instantly in slight fright before he sighed out and reached over, picking it up. He hadn’t been able to sleep, wondering where Gerard had gone. “Hello,” he croaked, having been quiet for quite some time. He glanced through the bedroom door and saw that no extra lights were on in the hotel room. He knew Gerard wasn't back yet, nothing had changed. “Mr. Iero, this is the front desk. Will you come down, please?” He heard a woman’s voice; it was soft, and considerate of the current time. He was thankful since his head throbbed a little. “Oh…yeah,” he said before he got up out of the bed. “I’ll be right down.” He hung up and pulled on a pair of jeans and socks before he went out of the room, remembering to get the key before he went. The elevator ride seemed long and he rubbed at his tired eyes as he was going down each floor. He was a bit nervous about what could be happening. He didn’t know why they had called him down. When he finally got out of the elevator he walked up to the front desk. The lobby was a bit dimmer than usual but was still bright. “Hello,” Frank said with his soft, tired voice. “You needed me?” The woman looked up at him before she smiled and nodded. She came around the desk and motioned for him to follow her, which he did. She brought him out the front door to where a black car was parked. The driver opened the door to reveal Gerard who was curled up on the seat, resting but obviously looked very upset. “We weren’t sure if we should wake him or come get you,” she whispered. She looked at Gerard with pity as he looked so ruined and miserable. His makeup had ran down his face, his hair was a mess, and his clothes weren't very well kept at this point. “No, thank you for getting me,” Frank whispered to her and she smiled. He knelt down and leaned in, carefully picking Gerard up and bringing him close to his chest. Gerard’s head rested on Frank’s shoulders and he seemed to nuzzle close in the cold air. “Frankie?” Gerard’s voice softly asked and Frank could tell he was still asleep. He nodded a 'thank you' to the woman who had called him and was holding open the door for him while he brought Gerard in. Frank hummed a soft response to Gerard’s mindless talking. Gerard nuzzled closer to him and Frank had to smile sadly as he got him into the elevator. The man who had driven Gerard was following, bringing Gerard’s bag and pressing the button for Frank. When they got up to the room, Frank laid Gerard down on the couch, and gave the man a tip from the money Nathan had given them. Thanking him sincerely before he finally closed the door and set down the rooms key on the table by the door. He let out a gentle sigh and rubbed his eyes for a moment. Frank slowly walked over to Gerard before he began to unlace his tight boots, his feet leaning off the end of the couch. He looked up at Gerard’s tear stained face and frowned, wondering what had happened to him. He got Gerard down to his shirt and boxers before he picked him up and carried him into the bed, laying him under the warm covers before he went back out to pick up Gerard’s things. “Frank?” Frank turned outside the doorway when he heard Gerard’s voice come from the dark bedroom. He walked in and looked at him as he was curled up under the blankets. “How did I get here?” “I carried you,” Frank whispered since Gerard’s own voice was quiet. Gerard seemed to nod like he understood. “Are you okay? You just took off and then you come back and you’ve been crying,” Frank had walked over and sat on the bed, he lightly brushed Gerard’s cheek where his makeup was streaked. Gerard lightly brought his hand to Frank’s and looked up at him endearingly. “I’ve been such a terrible person and you’re still so amazing,” he softly whispered and Frank looked to him. Gerard couldn't understand what God had sent him Frank. It seemed like no matter what he did or what he said, Frank never wavered, he was always right there beside Gerard. “What’s wrong?” Frank kicked out of his jeans and laid beside Gerard on the bed before he lightly took Gerard’s hand in his. He wanted to know why Gerard was so sad, so upset. He looked wrecked. “Nathan,” Gerard whispered as he looked to Frank’s hand holding onto his, “he’s messing around with someone else.” Gerard’s voice had broken over the last word and he looked down before he put his face against the comforter and cried softly. “He was with Matt. He said…he said I wasn’t special and he was going to make Matt his boyfriend and I would just be some slave that fucks his investors,” Gerard sobbed. “I heard them talking about it…while they were fucking,” Gerard broke down over the last sentence and just buried his face into the soft material of the blanket before he just sobbed. He didn’t know how he could cry so much, he felt like he had cried out everything already. “Sh,” Frank said and wrapped an arm around Gerard before he placed a gentle kiss on the back of Gerard’s head. “Don’t listen to a word of it, Gerard,” Frank said surely. “You are special,” Frank told him and Gerard just shook his head. “Yes, you are,” Frank said with a strong voice. Gerard looked up to Frank and showed him his tear stained face, makeup smeared all around. “Look at me! I’m hideous. There’s nothing special about me! I’m just some stupid whore,” Gerard sobbed loudly as he looked to Frank. He closed his eyes though, squeezed them shut, he couldn't stare at Frank directly when he knew he looked so horrible and so wrecked. Frank frowned at Gerard’s words before he took his hand and lightly pressed it to Gerard’s cheek. “I am looking at you but I don’t see someone hideous, I see someone beautiful. I see someone who’s so rare and special that it kills me to see you being used and treated so badly. It’s like seeing someone throw away something that should be so important to them and I can’t understand it. I know you might have had to go through things that you didn’t like or did things that you regret now but I know…like you always are, you’ll be okay. I believe in you and I know that no matter what…you’re stronger than Nathan thinks. He can’t break you,” Frank whispered as he looked to Gerard. He just felt so broken as he looked to the older man who was a mess in front of him. Gerard didn't deserve everything he was being handed. It just seemed like everytime Gerard started to stand on his own again, he got knocked back down. Gerard looked into Frank’s deep brown eyes with his sad ones. “You make me feel like I’m special,” Gerard said in a hesitant, weak tone. He didn’t know if he wanted Frank to realize the power he held over him. “Then why did you leave earlier?” Frank took Gerard’s hand into his again and rubbed the back of it with his thumb. “I wanted to talk to you,” he said quietly and Gerard bit his lip lightly as he remembered their conversation and how he had walked out on him when he had tried to talk. “Gerard…you took what I meant wrong…well I guess I did word it poorly but…what I had been trying to say was…I could never take you from Nathan but…I do like you. You’re…You’re amazing. You’re this beautiful and funny person and…I’ve come to really like you,” Frank quietly confessed. “But not in the same way,” Gerard said and looked down. “Yes, in the same way,” Frank whispered. “I mean…I’m unsure about it because I’ve never really felt like this before or even really liked a guy so it’s a bit hard for me to tell you things. I don’t want to think I’m telling you the truth and end up lying to you. I wouldn’t want that,” Frank said to Gerard as he looked at him. “Frank?” Gerard laid himself down, his back flat against the bed and looked up at him with big, round eyes. “What, Gerard?” Frank smiled at his cute face that looked back to him. “Hold me?” Gerard gently bit his lip as he asked this but he felt like, for that night, he needed to be in someone’s arms and he knew Frank would make him feel special, like he already had. Frank smiled back at him before he got under the blankets and moved closer to Gerard before he wrapped him up in his arms and held him close to his chest. Gerard gently rested his hand down on the warm, soft fabric of Frank’s shirt, his head close beside it. “Thank you, Frank. For everything,” Gerard said to him as he looked at his hand that rested so close to Frank’s skin. Frank just smiled and placed a gentle kiss in Gerard’s hair before he pulled him closer and soon enough they both rested their eyes and found sleep. Chapter End Notes Oh Snap... Forgive my errors. I know they're in there but I didn't have a lot of editing time! Enjoy! ***** Chapter 24 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes “Gerard,” Frank said as he rushed around the room, trying to find something to wear and to get Gerard’s things out. Nothing but a small groan came from Gerard whose hair was laying over his entire face. “Gerard! Up!” Gerard shot up suddenly and then tiredly groaned as his brain kicked in. He sighed out weakly and rubbed his eyes, smearing his already messed up makeup further. He didn’t understand why Frank was being so loud. “Gerard, we slept in. We have to be at the race track in half an hour,” Frank said quickly and Gerard glanced over to him for a moment before he realized the race track was twenty minutes away if there wasn’t any bad traffic. “Shit!” He quickly jumped up from the bed, throwing the covers off. He began to dash around, getting himself ready for the track. “Where’s my racing jacket?!” He was digging through his bag frantically before Frank walked over to him and gave it to him. Gerard rolled his eyes as he remembered that he had put it in the closet the other night so it wouldn’t wrinkle. “Thank you,” he said quickly before he ran into the bathroom with his pants and jacket. Frank quickly dressed himself while Gerard was in the bathroom. He was ready before Gerard and was standing by the door. He tapped his foot and sighed as he checked the clock hanging on the wall. “Gerard, come on!” Gerard quickly came out of the bathroom, pulling on his shoes as he hopped. “Here,” he said playfully like a kid being called in class before he pressed a kiss to Frank’s cheek and smiled wide at him. They both went out into the hall and didn’t even try the elevator before they went racing down the stairs. They got out to the front of the hotel and checked the time, seeing they had just made it to their car and would manage to get there. “Thank God,” Gerard sighed out, leaning his head back on the seat. “Hey, where’s your ribbon?” Frank asked him as he panted and smiled, leaning forward as he finished tying his shoes. He had only stuffed the laces into the side to make it to the car. “Oh,” Gerard said, leaning a bit forward in his seat, trying to catch his breath. He motioned to signify all the craziness that had just happened. “I forgot," he smiled at Frank who smiled back before he turned his attention to his shoes. Gerard lightly bit his lip, he had lied. He didn’t wear the ribbon because he didn’t want the guys at the track to make fun of him or to say something he had also removed all traces of makeup. He was scared of what some might say. He figured his ego had suffered enough in the last day, he didn’t need more insults. Though, he was grateful to Frank. He now knew that Frank liked him and that made him feel better but he did realize that Frank was young and didn’t have experience in that area. “I’m a bit nervous,” Frank said after a few minutes of riding. Gerard looked over to him and saw Frank’s foot was bouncing and his hands were shaking a little. Gerard moved over in his seat, sitting right next to Frank. He put his hand on Frank’s shaking ones and looked at him. “Close your eyes and put your head back,” Gerard said and Frank looked a bit confused but when Gerard motioned his hand, telling Frank to hurry up, he did. “Picture yourself there, on Tessa, imagine it’s just you and her,” Gerard said in a relaxing voice. “You’re on the track, feeling her move; she’s just bolting through it. Don’t think about the other people there, just you both, and you will do just fine,” Gerard said with a soft smile as he looked at Frank’s face as it seemed calm and relaxed. Frank opened his eyes and looked at Gerard with a small smile. “Thank you,” he said with a gentle voice and Gerard smiled with a small nod before he sat back in his seat. Frank rested his head on Gerard’s shoulder with a soft yawn and rested his eyes. He just told himself to relax before they got there. =============================================================================== Gerard was walking through the barn with Frank to find Raid and Tessa. When he saw the black snout of Raid he smiled and ran over to him. “Oh, I’ve missed you, Raid,” Gerard said with a giggle and Raid snorted as he scuffed his foot on the ground. “You look so pretty,” he smiled and Raid shook out his mane as if to show Gerard he appreciated the compliment. “Tessa!” Frank walked two more stalls down to her as she hung her head out and neighed happily at Frank. “I hope they’re treating you well,” Frank said to her and she raised her head before she dropped it. “Here, I got you this,” Frank said, taking an apple out of his pocket and holding it up to her. She snorted before she leaned forward and took the apple from his hand, quickly eating it. “Good girl,” he smiled, petting her snout. “Frank!” He turned to the person who had called his name and looked over, seeing Nathan. Matt had his arm laced with Nathan’s. He didn’t know what to feel or how to act. Part of him felt like just slugging them hard but he restrained and just forced a smile onto his lips. “It’s good seeing you. Come to check on your girl.” Nathan removed his hand from his pocket and pointed to Tessa. Frank nodded and brushed his hand over her long neck. “That’s good. Hey, have you uh…have you seen, Gerard?” He had leaned in and was talking in hushed tones. Frank turned his head and saw Gerard smiling as he talked to Raid. “He’s right there,” Frank said weakly and Nathan nodded before he thanked him. “Hey, Matt,” Frank said, starting conversation so Matt might stay behind while Nathan went to talk to Gerard. “Hi,” Matt said to him but flicked his head away like he was ignoring him. Frank just frowned and turned his attention to Tessa before looking over to see Nathan and Matt walk up to Gerard. Gerard looked at them both and Frank could see the confusion and pain in his eyes. He more than knew Gerard had known about but probably hadn’t been expecting them to show up in his face so suddenly. He was being blindsided. He watched Nathan lean in and talk to him in a soft tone. Frank looked back to Tessa before he glanced back once more. Gerard’s eyes were watering and he looked to Nathan desperately before he tried to touch his face but Nathan slapped his hand away before he leaned forward and angrily put his finger in Gerard’s face and then slapped his cheek when Gerard had tried to speak again. Frank tried not to but he found his feet moving before he had made up his mind on what he would do. He quickly made his way between Gerard and Nathan, there wasn’t a spot but he made one by shoving Nathan back. “Don’t you dare touch him,” Frank snarled at Nathan and all three of the people around him seemed shocked. “Frank,” Nathan said with a slightly nervous chuckle, “It was a misunderstanding and you still have to understand, I own you both and when you act out of place, you need to be punished.” Nathan seemed to straighten up more. He glanced to Gerard who was just looking down and was holding his cheek. “Well then, I hope Matt can race Tessa and Raid,” Frank said bitterly. “I’ll be waiting in the barn for you to whip the shit out of when you get back,” he said and took Gerard’s hand, pulling him away. “Frank,” Gerard said in shock as they went out of the barn. “Frank, he’ll kill you,” Gerard fussed as he wiped his watering eyes and lightly tried to pull on Frank's hand. “I don’t care. He shouldn’t be treating you like that. Especially after everything he’s done to you,” Frank said with an angry tone. He brought Gerard to the car they had come in and turned to look at his cheek. Gerard looked down and sighed out shakily. “Is it bad?” Gerard looked back up after asking this. He was hoping it wasn't. He didn't want his face all red and bruised up. He knew people would see it and that lead to questions and there was too many cameras around to risk a bruised up face. “I’m sure it won’t be too bad,” Frank said with a small frown. "It's only a little red right now," he confessed as he looked at Gerard's red cheek, it was a little swollen. “What did I do to make him hurt me so much?” Gerard whispered this and sniffed before he wiped his nose, his eyes watering. “You did nothing. He’s a pig,” Frank said with a frown before he pulled Gerard into his arms and held him close. “You shouldn’t have gone through all of that...all of this,” he whispered honestly as Gerard cried into his shoulder. Frank just felt so bad for Gerard. He knew he’d been through enough. “Frank!” Frank let go of Gerard and turned to see Nathan rushing over to him. “Frank, just listen. You both need to race those horses. I swear. If you guys just stay here and wait out the races, you won’t be punished when we get back and I’ll treat Gerard right. He’ll have his own room, even next to yours if you’d like,” Nathan said, his tone begging. Frank looked to Gerard who seemed to warm to the idea a bit. Gerard liked the thought of being near Frank and having him in close distance. Plus, he liked the idea of Nathan promising not to abuse him like he had and more than anything, he had feared Nathan would beat Frank for getting in the way. He knew this was their best bet. He lightly tugged at Frank’s shirt. “Yes,” he quietly whispered to Frank so only he could hear. “Fine,” Frank sighed out bitterly. “But I don’t want you treating Gerard like you did. It’s not okay for you to treat him like that. He’s obviously just hurt that you used him so badly when he’s done nothing but adore you and treat you right,” Frank said with a sharp tone. “I understand that but…I have moved on. I’ve felt guilty about it and have wanted to tell him,” Nathan said, holding out his hands like he was innocent. “I am sorry, Gerard. It’s just…we’ve grown apart with how busy you’ve been. I was going to wait longer but I couldn’t wait another moment. You had to know,” Nathan explained and Gerard just looked down. “I’ll let you both stay in the hotel for an extra week when the races end,” Nathan said. “I understand that you’ll want your time,” Nathan was sounding like he was sympathetic. “I’d like that,” Gerard said weakly. He just wanted time away and he figured being stuck in a hotel room with Frank for a week would be the best way to spend it. Frank would help him to feel better. “Alright, I’m sorry you both. Now good luck with the race,” he said before he walked off to meet up with Matt who was looking over at them from the barns doors. He gave Nathan a little kiss when he came back to him and took his hand fondly, with a small smile. Frank turned to Gerard once Nathan and Matt were gone. “I hope you’ll be okay,” he said weakly and brushed the tears from Gerard’s cheek. “I will be,” Gerard whispered out with his rough voice. “A whole two weeks with you, I’m sure you’ll think of something to make me happy again,” Gerard said with a weak smile. “I’ll do my best,” Frank said with a crooked grin, hoping he could really do it. “I know you will,” Gerard said softly and hugged Frank close to him. “Thank you,” he whispered, remembering how Frank had stood up for him. “It’s no trouble, Gerard,” he whispered to him. “Come on,” he said after a bit, taking his hand and leading him to the barn. Gerard gripped his hand tightly and smiled softly. He kept close to Frank for the rest of the day, not caring about the stares people gave them. Chapter End Notes Sorry this is so late at night but Merry Christmas! I hope everyone had a good day. :) ***** Chapter 25 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank was standing by Gerard’s side, holding onto Tessa’s reigns. “You nervous?” Gerard asked this as he pet Raid’s nose. Frank lightly shrugged his tense shoulders, still upset about what had happened when Nathan had arrived. “Hey,” Gerard said and placed a gentle hand on Frank’s shoulders and felt the tension. “You need to relax. If you tense up like that you’re going to make Tessa tense and she won’t run right. You need to breath and just sigh out your worries. I know you’re upset but save it for after the race. I’m upset too but you don’t see me crying all over Raid. This is a race, emotions are for after. After this…we’ll…we’ll go out and go to our hotel. I’ll buy us booze and we’ll just get smashed and then talk shit,” Gerard said with a small smile, hoping that Frank would like this idea. Frank just looked to him like he might just say something back and try to fight his opinion but he just sighed out softly and nodded his head. He breathed a couple of times and relaxed himself. Gerard smiled, “Good. Now you’ll do great.” Gerard saw Frank flash a bit of a smile back and he knew all would go well. He knew that Frank could race and that Tessa was a fast horse, he just hoped the others would play fair. He had done the races one year and the men could sometimes try to push one another around. Plus, some of their horses would snap at the other horses and even sometimes the riders. He just said a quiet prayer in his head, for both him and Frank before they walked forward with the other riders, leading the horses out onto the track. The bright sun made him squint and when the loud commotion of the crowd could be heard Gerard’s senses tingled a little before they seemed to calm down. He could tell Frank was a little nervous and lightly nudged his shoulder before he flashed him a small smile and Frank returned it. “Don’t think about them; just think about you and Tessa. Remember that,” Gerard said quietly to only him and Frank breathed out deeply again before he looked to Tessa and ran his hand over her snout. They both went over and lined up their horses before they got up on them. Frank had to breathe out and calm himself as the other men seemed to check him out. They had never seen someone so young riding a horse that looked so powerful. They seemed to murmur back and forth about if anyone had ever seen Tessa in a race before and if they knew her rider. Frank wasn’t looking at them anymore; he had his attention on nothing but Tessa and the racetrack. He pet her long neck and she shook her mane gently as she snorted and trotted softly in her spot. He didn’t look down at the other horses or to even glance at Gerard because he didn’t want to risk making himself nervous and tensing up Tessa. He could easily see another horse or rider and become intimidated and he didn’t want that to happen. He needed to stay focused. He knew Tessa was doing her best to not be distracted by the other horses and he had to do that with the other riders. He could hear the announcer and took deep breathes before he would sigh them out. He heard counting and just closed his eyes, waiting for the loud clink of the gate, and he relaxed his shoulder muscles as he leaned forward. Tessa made a soft noise before she prepared her footing and when the counting stopped and the gates banged open, Frank felt her body lung forward and all he can hear is the wind blowing by and the stomping of the horses’ hooves on the track. He opened his eyes and everything almost seemed like it was a blur unless it was the other horses beside him that were going at the same pace. Once again, like he had every time they had practiced together, he let Tessa take him for the ride and he just held onto her and would urge her on with his thoughts and by lightly rubbing his heel on her sides. He couldn’t see Gerard but he really wasn’t paying attention. There was no room to become distracted and he needed to see everything ahead of him and beside him. He made sure the other horses didn’t get too close but when they did, Tessa would move away from them. She seemed to drift towards the back but Frank wasn’t nervous, he knew this was her way. She seemed to be building her power by psyching out the person in the lead or ahead. She would fade back like she lacked power and on the last lap she would release her reserved energy and blow past all the racers with her power since their horses were drained by that time. Frank couldn’t believe how fast it was feeling. It seemed like one lap just flew by and before he knew it the second one was over and they were in sixth place. When the horn was blown to let all the riders know they were on the last lap, sure enough, Tessa shot forward quickly and it felt like he only blinked his eyes before she had them in third place. The horse in second kept trying to nudge her and she wanted none of it and neither did Frank. She was finally able to move around him and was beside the horse in first place. Frank saw them round the last corner and figured they would place second since Tessa didn’t seem to be able to go much faster but in a matter of moments she was taking quicker movements and she pulled ahead. She managed to get her head a bit further ahead than the other horse and when the camera flashed, Tessa’s nose was before the other horses and Frank was clinging to her tightly. He was in a bit of shock as she slowed herself to an eventual stop and there were cheers from the stands. He hadn’t really thought about it as a race. He had focused so much on just relaxing that it felt like another practice session. He looked around and Gerard rode up beside him and lightly nudged his shoulder smiling at him with a huge toothy grin. “You were amazing!” Frank smiled so wide and felt butterflies flickering inside of him. “I can’t believe Tessa just won,” Frank said honestly as he laughed in disbelief. Gerard leaned over from Raid and hugged Frank tight with a huge smile. “Wait…where did you place?” Frank looked at him with a raised eyebrow as they pulled away. “I was in second,” Gerard giggled. “I don’t think Tessa would have looked at Raid’s ass for another minute.” Gerard had seen Tessa come up beside him when he was in first and had smiled at how quickly she seemed to move by Raid. “You know,” Gerard said and scratched between Raid’s ears. “I think my boy likes your girl,” Gerard giggled lightly as he looked to Raid who playfully nipped at Tessa’s snout. “Oh, not my precious little girl,” Frank smiled as he jokingly gasped. He now noticed the people who were coming over and camera’s started flashing at them both. Nathan walked up, smiling wide, and clapping. Gerard didn’t let it bother him; he just paid attention to Frank. They had both done great and Nathan and Matt weren’t going to ruin that in Gerard’s mind. Frank was overwhelmed by the reporters and did his best to answer the questions they asked and was happy when Gerard was helping him out with them. Soon enough Gerard managed to drag him away to the barn again so they could take care of Tessa and Raid. Gerard sighed out and leant against the stall door once he closed it. “I can’t believe we got first and second,” Gerard giggled and Frank nodded with his eyes wide as he was drinking from a bottle of water. “We’ve more than earned ourselves a night of Chinese, I think,” Gerard said with a smile. “How do you always know what my belly is craving?” Frank grinned as he playfully raised an eyebrow. Gerard smiled at him and playfully poked his eyebrow. “You’re just that good, huh?” Frank brought the bottle up to his lips again and smiled when Gerard grinned and nodded. “Hey, want to get out of here before Nathan finds us?” “Thought you’d never ask,” Gerard smiled before he took Frank’s hand in his and lead him out of the barn. They made their way to the car and quickly told the driver to head back to the hotel as they could see Nathan rushing over, they acted like they were distracted by excitedly talking and once the driver took off and headed down the road they sighed out and leaned against the seat. “He really is a douche,” Frank said and looked to Gerard. “I just can’t believe if anyone…Matt.” “That’s what I thought,” Gerard said. “I would have thought one of the maids or something. Hell, you before Matt, no offense,” Gerard smiled a little and Frank laughed. “I don’t know…I think it’s just more upsetting because of all he said and all I’ve given him. I mean, why lie to me? He owns me, it’s not like he can’t make me do what he wants but instead he just lies and sits there like he loves me. What’s up with that?” “I don’t know…maybe he didn’t think he would find anyone else and just thought he’d make it easier. Like, if he had you liking him, he wouldn’t need to talk you into it if you were just owned by him. I mean, he doesn’t force the others to sleep with him and he’s not into that really, as far as I can see. So I think it’s just that he wanted you to think he loved you and cared for you so that you’d do what he wanted and wouldn’t complain. I mean…he used you. He’s like some asshole you just meet on an everyday bases,” Frank said as he leaned his head back on the cars seat and looked to Gerard who nodded as he nibbled at his lip, thinking. “I don’t know,” Gerard shrugged and slightly puckered out his lips in a bored manner. He didn’t like the idea that Frank was painting in his mind. He wanted to at least think Nathan had cared for him at some point. No matter how little it had been. “I don’t even really think I loved him…now that I looked back over it. I think…I relied on him and had to “love” him because if I didn’t…I would have been alone. It’s good you’re here,” Gerard said and looked over at Frank, “Without you I would have no one and just be a sobbing mess right now.” “Well, I’m glad I could be here to make it better for you,” Frank said and nudged over to Gerard, wrapping an arm around him. Gerard smiled and rested his head on Frank’s shoulder before he rested his eyes. Frank rested his head on top of Gerard’s and they both just watched the world drift by outside the tinted windows as they rode back to the hotel. Chapter End Notes So this is a bit of a filler but I hope you like it! ***** Chapter 26 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Gerard had gotten back to the hotel with Frank and ordered them a bottle of vodka and chinese. He knew Frank wasn’t old enough to drink but he wasn’t going to treat him like some little kid. He gave him some but added juice to it so it wasn’t so strong, plus he preferred it that way. It wasn’t too long before half the bottle was gone and the two were laying on the couch laughing at everything and nothing at all with chinese takeout covering the coffee table. “I haven’t been this drunk in ages,” Gerard giggled as he slurred his words. His eyes slowly rolled into the back of his head and he draped his arm over his eyes with a content smile. “I’ve never been this drunk,” Frank laughed. “I’ve never even drank. This is crazy,” Frank giggled as he brought his hand to his face and held it as his head spun softly. “I feel like I’m going to fall over and I’m sitting down,” he laughed. “I know, don’t you love how that works,” Gerard said with a drowning voice. He looked over to Frank and smiled at him as he smiled back. “Frank?” He heard the other man softly hum back. “Have you ever been kissed?” Frank laughed softly before he shook his head. “No, I never have. No one ever really liked me,” Frank said honestly. Gerard thought over this in his head for a moment as his thoughts span. He realized this made him want to kiss Frank really bad, knowing he had never done it. “Do you want to try it?” Gerard grinned and leaned forward a little, towards Frank who seemed to have a thinking face. “I guess so but if I’m bad at it…Well, that’s not my fault,” he giggled. “I’ll just say it’s because I was drunk tomorrow,” Frank said as he sat a bit more forward. “I doubt you’ll suck at it,” Gerard whispered softly and the breath from his words tickled Frank’s lips softly. He slowly leaned forward and connected his lips with Frank’s who seemed a bit hesitant at first but then began to kiss back. Gerard knew that Frank wasn’t experienced so he helped him slowly work into the feeling. It wasn’t long before Gerard felt Frank’s hands on either side of his head and their lips were moving a bit quicker. They were both drunk and deep inside their spinning minds they could only think about their lips and their hands as Gerard’s ran over Frank’s chest. He liked the feeling of it, the soft skin under the shirt that tightly hugged it. “Mm, take your shirt off,” Gerard mumbled against Frank’s lips and Frank leaned back before he ripped off his shirt and threw it to the ground. Gerard hummed softly against Frank’s lip as he ran his hands over the exposed skin, feeling the warmth and smoothness. He leaned up a little after a bit, when he could feel Frank tugging at the fabric of his own shirt, he leaned back and slowly pulled his own off, his hair falling down in a ruffled mess but Frank loved it. He ran a hand through Gerard’s soft, messy hair before he ran his hand over his nice chest. “I love your skin,” Frank breathed out before reconnecting their lips and Gerard smiled softly into the kiss they were sharing. Gerard had never been looked at in the way Frank had looked at him. He could never recall the animalistic hunger in Frank’s eyes ever surfacing in Nathan’s. Nathan had never groped him with desperation and want, not like this. Warm breath was passing between their mouths and their hands were roaming with less hesitation. Frank leaned forward and Gerard leaned back, laying under Frank’s warm chest. “Baby, take off your pants,” Frank breathed and Gerard’s hands fumbled down to his pants, unbuttoning them and unzipping them before he reached up and put his hands on Frank’s belt, slipping it out of the buckle before he pulled it out of the loops and chucked it to the floor. It was easy in his position to pop the button and unzip his jeans though Gerard’s hands shook as Frank’s words echoed in his head. He felt his chest and face flush as Frank’s eyes locked with his and he leaned up, pressing his mouth to Frank’s with a whine of need. He was about to slide down Frank’s pants over his ass before there was a knock on the door and they both broke apart with a slightly confused expression. They hadn’t been paying attention and both wondered if they had really heard it or not. There was a moment of silence before another knock. Gerard bit his lip, “Yeah!?” “Gerard? Frank? It’s Nathan, let me in,” came the response and another soft knock. “Shit,” Gerard hissed before Frank got off him and they fumbled to dress themselves. “Yeah, coming,” Gerard said quickly before he pulled his shirt on and buttoned his pants. “Go lay down and pretend you’re asleep,” Gerard whispered to Frank. Frank nodded before he quietly moved to the room and went into the bed, laying down. Gerard quickly went to the door and opened it after he had raked his fingers through his hair a few times. “Hey,” he said as he looked to Nathan and tried not to act like he was drunk or that he was horny as hell now. “Don’t be too loud because Frank’s resting,” Gerard said softly. Nathan nodded before he walked in around Gerard. Gerard closed the door and breathed out a quiet sigh before he turned back around. “Where’s Matt?” Gerard asked as he moved around the living room, fixing the cushions before he rests himself down on the couch, opposite of Nathan who had taken the other couch. He hugged a pillow to himself and tried not to look too closely at Nathan. “He’s in the room we got,” Nathan said with a soft sigh. “Sleeping,” he said with an almost irritated tone as he stared around the room. “Well, that’s unfortunate,” Gerard said with a knowing tone. He knew that whenever Nathan won a race, he liked to have sex, and throughout most of the night. Nathan always felt powerful when he won and he liked to do nothing other than to fuck someone senseless and be told how amazing he was. Gerard couldn’t help but feel a bit smug. He had always kept Nathan entertained and part of him wondered if that was why Nathan had come to him. “So, you say Frank’s asleep?” Nathan looked around Gerard’s head to the bedroom to see Frank’s body laying under the blankets. He got up and walked over to the door, Gerard’s eyes followed him as he did so. Nathan hovered in the doorway before he slowly and silently closed the bedroom door. “Listen,” he said to Gerard before he walked around to him and sat beside him on the couch. Gerard moved himself over a little so he wasn’t so close. “I want you,” Nathan said with a slightly heated tone. “I think you’ve made it quite clear you don’t want me,” Gerard said bitterly and rolled his eyes before he got up and went into the kitchen. He needed to get himself a glass of water for his spinning head. Nathan got up from the couch and followed behind Gerard. He stood behind Gerard who stood before the sink, drinking his water. “Listen to me,” Nathan said as his breath hit Gerard’s ear, “I want you for the night. I do still own you.” “That doesn’t make me your whore,” Gerard said as he turned to him and glared. “I’m not just going to let you fuck me whenever you please. Let Matt be your whore now because I’ve done it long enough,” Gerard said before he walked around Nathan. “Now if you don’t mind, I’m trying to enjoy my night,” Gerard said before he went over to the door and opened it for Nathan, turning back to look at him. “I only want you for one more night,” Nathan said as he stood before Gerard. His presence seeming to loom over Gerard like a dark shadow. “How many times would I hear that in the future if I gave in?” Gerard said this before rolling his eyes to the floor. He didn’t want to buckle under the pressure Nathan had pressing down on him. “I think it’ll feel like we’re sealing the deal,” Nathan smirked but under his smirk he was a bit put off. He didn’t know where Gerard’s sudden confidence was coming from. Normally Gerard would have just silently bit his lip, bowed his head, and spread his legs. Now he was letting his complaints be heard and Nathan didn’t like it. “Get out,” Gerard whispered and turned his head away from Nathan who leaned in like he was about to connect their lips. “You know you want me,” Nathan smirked and grabbed Gerard’s ass. Gerard smacked his hand away from him. “No, I don’t! And you made me realize I never did! I was young and stupid and thought that maybe fucking you would get me away from you! I obviously didn’t think things through very well! I don’t want you and I won’t want you later! I am done with you! You made me realize how fucking stupid I was to care for you! You’re a terrible person!” Gerard felt a little uneasy when he finished his rant. He wasn’t used to standing up for himself and it felt weird but so good to finally let it out, to let Nathan have it. He flinched back a little out of habit and instantly regretted it, feeling weak. “Do not forget your place! I own you! You cannot yell at me and you will not act this way! You will shut your mouth and you will do what I tell you.” He pressed Gerard to the wall roughly and the door silently clicked closed. Gerard looked up to Nathan and fussed a little, trying to push him off. He looked to the bedroom door and bit his lip to stop his fussing. He didn’t want Frank to hear, he didn’t want him to come out. If Frank came out and tried to defend him, Nathan could kill him, he probably would. Nathan didn’t put up with people talking back to him and Frank fighting him would probably just push him over the edge. “Stop,” Gerard whispered as Nathan groped his hips. “Or I’ll scream and Frank will hear me,” he breathed and he felt Nathan hesitate before he pulled away and glared into Gerard’s eyes. Gerard tensed a little but then he realized, a part of Nathan feared Frank. Gerard knew that Nathan had not planned for Gerard to see that but it was there, hidden in his eyes. He figured it must be how Frank could care less that Nathan could punish him and stated his own opinion. Frank had also shoved Nathan earlier that day when he had stood in front of Gerard, that was something Gerard had never seen anyone do. Nathan pulled off and continued to glare as he walked around Gerard and opened the door. “You better watch yourself,” he whispered and Gerard tried not to show the discomfort he felt from the seriousness of Nathan’s voice and eyes. Nathan slammed the door behind himself. Gerard turned and nervously started pacing as his mind raced. He was only getting angry as he thought.“Fucking moron,” he muttered as he continued to pace back and forth, before he went over to the fridge and opened it. He pulled out the vodka bottle and drank down a swig of it. He hissed as it slid down his throat, feeling it burn the whole way down. He wanted to just drink it all and to forget about Nathan. He couldn’t believe everything that was happening. One minute Nathan wants nothing to do with him and then he’s trying to come back to him like it’s all been okay. “Gerard?” Frank’s quiet voice had come from behind him and Gerard turned around before he looked back to the cupboards in the kitchen. He sighed out before he set the bottle of vodka down on the counter. “Are you okay?” Frank had heard the conversation from the bedroom. He had gotten up when Nathan closed the door and had listened. It wasn’t that he had worried about Gerard doing something that would hurt him. He had been scared of Nathan mistreating him like he had earlier that day in the barn. Gerard felt like nodding but he found his head shaking and he turned to Frank with tears in his eyes before he felt like his legs just quit and he sank down, leaning against the counter. Frank quickly came over and knelt down, wrapping his arms around Gerard. “I’m sorry,” Gerard said weakly. “I don’t know why this happens to me. I just…I get so irritated when he’s around now and it’s just…he makes me feel so worthless,” Gerard breathed out and wiped his eyes. “You’re not worthless. Don’t you believe that. He wants you to because then he knows he can control you and get you to come back to him when he wants you. He wants you to be worthless to yourself, don’t let him do that to you,” Frank said softly as he gently brushed his fingers over Gerard’s head, brushing back his hair. “Thank you, Frank,” Gerard said softly with a small smile. Frank smiled a little and saw how tired Gerard seemed from the emotional toll after all his drinking. “Come on,” Frank said to him. “We’ll go lay down,” he helped Gerard stand and helped him walk to the bedroom. He clicked off the lights in the living room. Once in the room Gerard stripped down to his briefs and laid on the bed. “Will you hold me?” He smiled softly up at Frank who smiled back at him before he stripped down to his boxers and got into the bed with Gerard. He pushed up behind Gerard as he pressed his chest to Gerard’s back, feeling the warm skin on his. “Thank you, Frank.” “You thank me too much, you know,” Frank said with a bit of a smile and found himself taking in the scent of Gerard’s hair. He gently nuzzled his nose into the dark brown locks and hummed contently. Gerard giggled a little before he wiggled his hips back against Frank’s groin. “Someday I’ll do more than say, ‘thank you,’” Gerard whispered seductively. “I might just enjoy that day a little too much,” Frank smiled as he said the words against Gerard’s ear before he thought over Gerard’s words. “You never have to thank me with sex, Gerard,” Frank softly whispered into Gerard’s hair before he kissed the back of Gerard’s head. Gerard realized Frank’s words and what he had done and a part of him felt so wrong. He had done it without noticing, offered himself as a sign of his gratitude. He hadn’t meant to but he took in Frank’s words and slowly rolled himself over in Frank’s arms, facing him. “You mean so much to me,” Gerard whispered and he rested his hand on Frank’s cheek as his eyes misted up. He closed his eyes and felt a tear run from his eye and into his hair. He nuzzled his face into Frank’s cheek and hid himself there. He stayed there, content, and he felt safe as Frank wrapped his strong arms around him. He didn’t realize how tired he was and he fell asleep quickly. “Goodnight, Gerard,” Frank whispered back before he placed a kiss in Gerard’s hair and snuggled his warm body closer. Chapter End Notes Dark Days...Darker Nights... I don't know. I hope you all like it! HAPPY NEW YEAR! ***** Chapter 27 ***** Frank and Gerard laid on the couch, holding their stomachs. Gerard’s hand rested on his face lightly and he sighed out softly. “I think we drank a bit too much last night,” he said with a soft smile at Frank who nodded in agreement. “I feel bad for you,” he said as he sat up a little. “I get you so drunk your first time the next morning is nothing but puking and headaches,” he shook his head with a soft smile. “Ah, wasn’t all bad,” Frank smiled lightly as he swallowed down a bit more water for his dry mouth. “I mean, I got my first kiss,” he giggled at Gerard who turned pink. “Well I got a bit more than that but you know,” he smiled at Gerard who only got even pinker. “I can’t believe myself sometimes when I’m drinking,” he said with a soft laugh. “Not that it wasn’t good,” he added with a grin and Frank smiled back. “For your first kiss, you did rather well,” he said to Frank. “I thank the booze,” Frank laughed and just looked up at the ceiling as he thought about the night before. “Least I can remember it. It would suck if I couldn’t remember my own first kiss,” he said with a bit of a smile. “Who was your first kiss?” He looked back over to Gerard who seemed to have a face that was going back over amusing memories. “Stephanie Smith,” Gerard said with a soft laugh. “We were in the sixth grade. She was new and I was the only one who really got to know her at first. We were out back of the school, eating our lunches. I didn’t know what I was doing and neither did she,” Gerard said before he laughed loudly. “She gashed my lip open on her braces,” he continued to laugh and Frank joined him. “I don’t know, and then she lost the braces, got tits, and good hair,” he said with a shrug. “And I got fat,” he laughed a little. “But hey, she became the hottest girl in school so, least I got to say I kissed her,” he giggled. “That seemed like such a big deal when I was sixteen. Then I started checking out boys in the locker room, didn’t matter much after that.” “Yeah, seems like it would make your first female kiss not really matter,” Frank laughed a little. “So, do you have any family? I mean, besides your parents obviously.” Gerard seemed to think for a moment with an endearing smile that was a little sad. “I had a little brother before I came to live with Nathan. Mikey was my whole life. He was such a sweet kid. I haven’t seen him since I came to stay with Nathan. I just…I wonder what he’s like now, you know? Like who he is, if he remembers me, that kind of stuff,” Gerard looked down and lightly picked at his thumbnail. “I’m sure he does,” Frank said gently. “Who could forget someone like you?” Gerard smiled before he moved over to Frank and laid his head in his lap. “What about you, family?” “Um…just my dad really. I was born an only child and my mom left a while back when dad got worse with his gambling. She didn’t want to deal with it anymore, so she just left one day,” Frank said and played with a strand of Gerard’s hair between his fingers. “I mean, I got over it in time but then, dad pawned me off. Well, sold me I guess. So I don’t really have family anymore,” Frank confessed with a soft shrug. It seemed like ancient history now. “Well…you know…I might not be family but I wouldn’t do something like that to you,” Gerard said quietly and Frank lightly smiled down at him, letting him know he appreciated it. “It’s funny, isn’t it? How complete strangers can be closer than family you’ve been with your entire life?” “Yeah, it really is. People who created you make you feel so worthless but someone you’ve only met a few months ago makes you feel like you’re worth something better,” Frank said thoughtfully and Gerard smiled softly. “Yeah, I know just what you mean. You make me feel like I’m important and I’ve spent the last five years of my life thinking I was nothing but worthless trash. Something people could just push around and get rid of without a care,” Gerard sighed out softly and looked up to the ceiling. There was silence between them both for a moment before Gerard spoke again. “I wonder what it’ll be like when I finally get out. Like…will I be able to find Mikey and get back to my life or will it just feel weird and I’ll want nothing but to come back to being owned by Nathan. Sure, we get out into the world but it’s not a life. We’re not free to do what we please or go where we really want,” Gerard said softly and Frank listened to his words and thought about them. “Maybe…when we’re both out…We could find a place together. Like, just to get used to it. No one else will understand what we’re going through. Plus, it’d be good for rent, two incomes,” Gerard smiled up at Frank and giggled a little. “Yeah,” Frank said with a nod. Knowing he wouldn’t want to go back to his father but that he wouldn’t be able to find a place he could afford off one income without just working his entire life away. “That sounds great,” Frank said with a soft smile. “Okay,” Gerard said with a smile. “So only like…three more years or so,” he laughed a little and Frank smiled. The two were pulled out of their conversation by a knock on the door. “Yes?” Gerard lifted his head from Frank’s lap and looked to the door as he got up. “It’s Nathan,” they both heard and Gerard sighed out silently in frustration before he prepared himself mentally. He knew he would have to be nice to him today. He opened the door with a small smile and Frank waved, acting like he knew nothing of the night before since he was supposed to have been sleeping. “Hello, you two,” Nathan said as he walked in and Matt followed behind. “Hey, Matt,” Frank said and lifted his hand as a wave before he dropped it. Matt just smiled a pathetic excuse for a smile before he turned his attention to Nathan, clinging to his arm. Frank just rolled his eyes and looked away. “Gerard, Matthew brought something to my attention this morning that has to be discussed,” Nathan said and Matt raised his head proudly. “Frank would you excuse us? This is a private conversation.” Frank looked to Gerard who lightly nodded. Once he knew Gerard was okay he headed to the bedroom. “Oh, no,” Nathan said. “Why don’t you go for a walk?” He held up a hundred dollar bill. “Go buy something for yourself. You earned it after the other day,” Nathan said with a smile. Frank didn’t want to leave Gerard but Gerard just nodded and Frank knew he had to obey Nathan to an extent, even if he hated it. He walked over and gladly plucked the money from Nathan’s hand, shot him a small, ‘thank you’ before he lightly gripped Gerard’s hand and told him he would be back. He left and Nathan shut the door. “I think it’d be best if you sat down,” Nathan said and Gerard slowly walked over to the couch before he sat himself down on the soft white cushions. Nathan and Matt took the couch across from him. “We were discussing your situation,” Nathan said flatly and Gerard weakly nodded his head. “The things I gave you when we were together, I’m going to need them back,” Nathan said and Gerard felt a bit hurt before he weakly nodded and rose from his spot. He walked into the room and picked out the few things Nathan had given him. There was a ring, a necklace, and a few other pieces that had come from Nathan’s family before they had died and he had come into them. Gerard came out of the room and handed them to Nathan but didn’t touch his hand. He knew this couldn’t be all Matt’s doing. Gerard knew that Nathan was trying to get back at him for the night before when he had turned him down. “Oh, no. Everything,” Nathan said and looked up at Gerard. “The rest of the items are at the house. I didn’t bring them all,” Gerard said weakly. He felt like he just lost all his energy with the two in the room. Nathan was a dark looming cloud and Matt was the lightening that snapped down and made him run inside of himself. “No, Gerard. The gifts,” Nathan said firmly. “The expensive clothes, the jewelry, the items, those were gifts and I want them back,” Nathan said. Gerard just looked at him with his mouth slightly agape. He didn’t know what to say. Nathan wanted back almost his whole wardrobe and pretty much every item he had. “Fine,” Nathan sighed out and looked to Matt. “Go get his things since he seems incapable,” he said bitterly and Matt smirked at Gerard’s torment and walked into the room to get the things. He took everything Nathan had ever given Gerard, down to his hair ribbons. Matt came out of the room and walked over to Gerard. “Oh, this one too.” He ripped the ribbon right out of Gerard’s hair, making him yelp as it pulled a little. Frank had been listening outside the door and did all he could not to just bust in and somehow harm Nathan but he knew they would be leaving soon so he had to take off before he was caught. He forced himself to walk away from the door and to leave the hotel. “Now,” Nathan said as he stood and took the heaping armful of Gerard’s clothes, throwing it in the trash bag with everything else that was once Gerard’s. “Once we return to the mansion, you will remember that you’re now a proper slave. You will work in the barn and wear your uniform. There will be no slacking or back talk since you will be punished like a slave. You’re going to have to learn your place,” Nathan said firmly to Gerard who was just looking down and weakly lifted and dropped his head. “Come on, baby,” Matt said in a whiny voice as he motioned for the door. “I want to go shopping,” he giggled. Nathan smiled at him before he looked to Gerard and his face tightened into a stern look. “Clean up this hotel room. It’s a dump,” he said before he followed Matt out, bringing all of Gerard’s old things with them. Gerard looked down and lightly brushed his hair back, feeling his messed up hair from where Matt had ripped out his ribbon. He lightly bit his lip before he quietly sniffled and felt tears slipping from his eyes and down his cheeks, some dripping from the edge of his nose. Ten minutes later he noticed Frank’s shoes were close by and looked up to him before he looked back down and just continued to cry. Frank moved to face him and knelt down to his level before he held something up and Gerard looked up to it. It was a shiny orange ribbon like the one he had worn the day he had come to the races with Frank. He smiled weakly and let out a small laugh that mixed with a sob as he looked at Frank and Frank slipped it up into his hair. He knew that Frank must have heard and had run out to get him one. He didn’t know why but this gesture meant so much to him and he leaned forward before he lightly pressed his lips to Frank’s and he felt the younger boy kiss him back. When their lips parted he laid his head onto Frank’s shoulder and Frank moved onto the couch beside Gerard and held him close. Gerard closed his eyes and sniffled quietly as he stopped crying. He was so grateful to have Frank. ***** Chapter 28 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank’s father sat at a bar with his head hanging over his latest heavy drink. He was thinking about his latest lose but it wasn’t his son, he had gotten over that after a few days, and moved back onto his gambling. He had bid on a horse race and lost all his money. He figured he would just have to call up the man who had Frank and get some more, knowing Frank’s days there would only climb. He didn’t care because in his mind, one day he would be rich from his gambling and in his mind he’d just buy Frank back, someday. “Hey, Frank,” he looked up to the call of his name and saw the bartender looking up at the television screen. “Isn’t that the race you bid on?” Frank looked up to the screen and saw that it was. He grumbled miserably before he hid his hand in his face. “Wait a second,” the bartender said. “Well…Frank…Isn’t that your son?” Frank’s head shot up and he looked at the screen to see Frank’s face. A bright smile covered it as he looked around at the cheering crowd in disbelief. He sat on top of the winning horse as the crowd cheered. “No,” was all he said as he took a sip from his glass. “Well the owner of that horse must have made quite a lot of money off that race,” the bartender laughed softly. “Some Nathan guy, his horses placed first and second,” the man shook his head as he began running his rag over the counter. “How much would you say the first place horse would get?” Frank leaned in, raising an eyebrow. His interest was clearly peaked but it wasn’t any interest for his son, all that peaked his interests most days was money. The bartender shrugged. “Well, I mean. That’s just one of the small ones but still, at least five digits. If that horse makes it to the last race and wins and ends up going to the bigger races,” the man sputtered with a soft laugh, “at least a six digit number I would imagine.” Frank’s mind seemed to be spinning with ideas. “You don’t say…,” he looked back up to the screen to see Frank get off his horse and saw the owner of the horse walk up, sure enough, it was the man he had given Frank to. He now knew he could definitely get more money from Nathan and it would be easy, he could simply threaten to expose Nathan for what he was. “Weird guy,” the bartender said as he was now looking back up to the screen. Nathan was standing beside boy who looked a lot like Frank’s son who was standing next to the strong horse. Then it seemed like the boy and the horse had disappeared only a few moments later. “How’s that?” Frank looked up to the bartender through the rim of his glass, taking another swig. “Well, there’s rumors he’s a big human trafficker. Takes in slaves when people don’t pay him back his money,” the bartender said. “The cops can’t prove it though. They’ve been working on him for a good while. I don’t reckon they’ll ever crack him,” the bartender shrugged as he went back to wiping the bar. “He’s probably got people in the system.” “Guy like that,” Frank slurred and motion his glass to the television that was up on its stand, “he probably owns the whole station.” The bartender nodded, thinking this sounded very likely. “I bet he could buy up this whole town,” Frank said and the bartender laughed heartedly. “I wouldn’t mind his money, that’s for sure,” the heavy man sighed as he tossed his rag over his shoulder. “I’m going to take a piss, watch the place for me?” Frank nodded weakly as he looked at the screen, thinking deeply. When the man was out of sight, he reached behind the bar and poured himself another glass of his liquor, he was thinking about the money he could get off Nathan through some good old blackmail. =============================================================================== Kathy had been wiping down the counters at the mansion when she had received a call from the Master to remove all of Gerard’s things from the manor and to throw them out. She had walked up into the room Gerard had once shared with the Master and sighed out sadly. She felt bad for him, though she wished she didn’t. She slowly removed every article of clothing that he had ever worn and everything the Master had bought him. She felt like things weren’t right. She had been cheated on by a man before and she felt the bitter rage inside of her that Gerard was being treated so badly when he had never done anything but please the Master as she had pleased her husband. She brought all the clothes to the trash and when she began cleaning out Gerard’s nightstand she felt the edge of something slide under her nail and cursed loudly. She withdrew her hand and sucked on the nail before she leaned down and glanced in the drawer. There looked to be a small scrap of paper in the back, hidden far from the front. “Come here,” Kathy mumbled mindlessly as she reached into the back, being mindful of her other fingernails. She felt her fingers touch the top of the glossy paper and pulled it out to realize it was a picture. She squinted her eyes a little to see it better. There was a young boy with his arms wrapped around Gerard’s neck. Both were smiling as the younger boy had his legs wrapped around Gerard’s middle. She smiled as she noticed Gerard was nearly falling over with the boy on his back, she’d never seen him look happier. She flipped the picture over and saw in a handwriting she knew had to be Gerard’s mother’s. ’Gerard 17, Mikey 9.’ “Oh, Gerard,” Kathy whispered sadly as she looked to the photo’s front again. She hadn’t know that Gerard had, had a little brother, no one did. He had never mentioned family or loved ones but Kathy could tell by the look on his face, in the photo, that Gerard had loved his little brother dearly. She carefully tucked the photo in the front of her apron and made her way to Gerard’s new room. She looked around, wondering where she could tuck the photo away and it would be safe. She went to his nightstand and put it in the back of the long drawer before putting items in front of it. She sighed out softly and rubbed her eyes before she left the room, heading downstairs. “Kathy?” She turned to the voice when she reached the bottom of the steps to see one of the younger girls who worked there. She was in her mid-twenties, had been a cocaine addict or so Kathy remembered. “Did you throw out Gerard’s things like Master asked?” “Yes,” Kathy said with her normally gentle tone as she smoothed out the little apron that went over the front of her skirt. “Things are all taken care of.” The other girl giggled. “Whore finally got what he deserved,” she smiled largely before she walked by to the kitchen. Kathy glared at her. She knew Gerard didn’t deserve what he was getting and that it was unfair. She just sighed out softly before she went off to find something to busier herself with for the rest of the evening. =============================================================================== Frank had taken Gerard out and had used the money that Nathan had given him to buy him a few more things he liked. Gerard felt guilty but Frank had insisted. “You know,” Gerard said softly as his fingers were laced with Frank’s and he lightly lapped at the ice cream cone Frank had bought him, “You’re the sweetest guy I’ve ever met.” Gerard giggled a little. “Here, taste it, it’s so good,” he said as he held the cone out to Frank who took a little taste of it and smiled and nodded. “It is good.” Gerard giggled at him. Nathan had been out shopping with Matt. After growing bored of Matt’s constant stops at the changing rooms to try things on, he went out to smoke. As he stood outside the shop he looked down the sidewalk and saw Gerard, he smiled, waiting to see the face of an utterly wrecked individual but when he did see Gerard’s face, he only saw a smile. He walked a bit closer to see properly, sure he wasn’t seeing correctly but there Gerard stood. His hand laced with Frank’s as he giggled and held out his ice cream to Frank who tasted it. He couldn’t believe it. He was sure he would have completely wrecked Gerard but here he was, out on the sidewalk with Frank, smiling and eating an ice cream. Frank was looking around and talking and Gerard turned to see what he was looking at before he turned back to Frank and smiled at him and he leaned up and kissed the corner of Frank’s mouth. Frank’s attention came back to Gerard and he smiled at him before he leaned down to meet Gerard’s lips in a soft kiss. Gerard blushed lightly and giggled and Nathan was about to walk over and knock Frank in the face before he remembered, Gerard was no longer his boyfriend, and he was doing nothing wrong. He threw down his smoke bitterly before he stormed back into the shop where Matt was. Chapter End Notes Sorry this is so short! And excuse any errors! (Lazy today.) I will probably post another chapter sooner since this is so short! Mikey appears again. D'aw! ***** Chapter 29 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank was sitting on the couch with Gerard who was eating a bowl of ice cream and watching the television intently. Frank smiled at Gerard’s wide eyes when the couple on the television became violently entangled and he refrained himself from laughing at how shocked Gerard looked but so intrigued, his spoon still in his mouth. Frank had to admit, the scene was graphic enough, and the noises were a bit drastic. He did his best not to think about it because, being a virgin, he was easily aroused by such things. He wondered if there was a subtle way he could just get up and do something else, in another room. He thought about possibly showering, and then he could touch himself. He hadn’t been able to for a month and this easily caused problems since he spaced out his sessions with himself for so long. He cursed himself now but he had always been too tired and now with Gerard sleeping in the same bed as him he couldn’t. They were never apart, except when they showered and he knew it was about that time since he had woken up a little stiff that morning, especially with Gerard’s knee lightly pressing into his balls since his leg had slipped up in his sleep. He looked at Gerard who was now sucking his ice cream from his spoon mindlessly as he watched the couple land on the bed and the very last items of clothing were hitting the floor. Frank knew he had to escape since he could feel his mind turning on him and his dick hardening and pressing against his jeans. He bit his lip lightly and looked at the screen, trying not to look at Gerard but he was trapped between a gay couple having sex on the television or Gerard, who might as well be mindlessly giving his spoon oral. “Hey,” Frank said and stood when he noticed the bulge in his pants was getting a bit more prominent, he was grateful the lights were off. “I’m going to go shower. I’ll be back,” he said and walked to the bedroom as Gerard lightly nodded with his eyes on the screen and the heated couple. Frank sighed out in relief when he reached the bedroom and went into the bathroom, quickly turning on the shower as he stripped his clothes. His boxers slipped down over his dick that sprang up and bounced a little at the release, being more erect than Frank had figured. He quickly got himself in the shower and adjusted the water to the perfect temperature before he brought his hand down to his member. Gerard had been distracted so heavily by the movie that when the sex scene ended and went to the next day where things were bright and sunny he only just noticed he was hard. He groaned quietly in frustration and sat down his empty bowl of ice cream. He was used to having sex on a regular basis, almost every night and now he had a hard on and for once, he didn’t have someone who would gladly help him take care of it. He got up and silently tiptoed to the bedroom, leaning in and hearing the shower running. He bit his lip and lightly tugged on it as he wondered how long Frank had been in the shower. He hadn’t really been paying attention when Frank got up so he couldn’t really guess. He wondered if it had been five minutes or more like ten. He lingered outside the bathroom door, wondering if he should just tell him to stay in there and deal with it. He wanted to get off; he needed to at this point. His erection was painful as it pressed against the zipper in his jeans. That’s when he heard it, a soft moan from behind the bathroom door. He quirked his eyebrows up before he leaned forward and pressed his ear to the door, desperately listening to see if he heard anything else. He knew the television was still on so it would make Frank think he was still out watching the movie and that he was away from him with noise blocking them. He heard it again, another shaky moan. He bit his lip but brought his hand to the bulge in his pants and gripped it lightly before he palmed at it softly. Frank’s noises came out and each one made Gerard’s fingernails dig a little more into the door. He brought his member out of his jeans and lightly moved his hand over himself as he listened. Each noise sounded perfect and he imagined Frank’s member, throbbing in his hand. Then he imagined sneaking in and getting in the shower with Frank, being able to suck him off properly. When Gerard realized he would be Frank’s first blowjob the thought enthralled him and he wanted to do it. He wanted to go in and try but he wondered if Frank would turn him down or get mad at him. He knew Frank wasn’t very open with things. He was nervous and new to everything but that might make him more likely to say yes, because of the fact he was curious and wanted to experience things. Gerard bit his lip and before he knew what he was doing he was trying the doorknob, it popped open and he gasped slightly at the fact the door was now open. He was already pretty much doing it. What if Frank had already heard him? Now he was wondering if Frank had wanted him to walk in. He had left the door unlocked, which was weird. Gerard knew he would have locked it but he also figured that maybe Frank had been in too big of a hurry. He slipped in and closed the door behind him. He could tell Frank hadn’t heard him because another soft moan came from the shower. Gerard could see him a little, through the shower curtain. His hand was moving fast over what looked like a pleasingly large member. Gerard just stared, just looked at Frank as he was pleasuring himself and listened to his noises. He closed his eyes and shuddered slightly as Frank moaned a little louder and panted softly. He imagined the other man on top of him, making those noises in his ear. He imagined the soft words Frank would whisper while in moments of bliss and pleasure. He slowly stepped forward, towards the shower; it was like he was being possessed by his own lust. He slowly pulled his shirt off over his head and since his jeans were already undone, he slipped out of them, his briefs going with them. He was naked and he scrunched up his toes over the tile as he was about to step into the shower. He was feeling braver than he ever had and only hoped that Frank wouldn’t just knock him out. He slowly stepped in behind Frank who didn’t notice the silent steps. “Frank,” Gerard breathed and Frank turned his head quickly to him, looking nervous since he’d been caught, like he wanted to explain himself but couldn’t find the words. Gerard slowly reached out and wrapped his arms around Frank’s neck before he pulled him closer to him and gently kissed him. Frank tensed up a little but soon relaxed and wrapped his arms around Gerard’s middle, both kissing deeply under the spray of water. Gerard whimpered quietly when his member was pushed up against Frank’s. He felt so desperate and needy, something he hadn’t felt in a long time. There was a fire in his stomach for Frank and he couldn’t place it, he’d never felt this way before. Their lips slowly parted and Frank looked down into his eyes before he slowly brought his hands to Gerard’s hips, being hesitant before he grinded Gerard’s hips forward into him as he grinded into Gerard. They both quietly moaned. Gerard knew there wouldn’t be full sex but he didn’t care. Just Frank pressed up against him was the best feeling he’d ever felt. He wondered why his touch felt so much stronger. They ended up on the bed after a bit of time, Frank over Gerard as they both desperately grinded against each other. “Oh,” Gerard whined out as Frank moaned softly in his ear. There was hot breath moving between their mouths and Gerard could feel Frank’s hips bucking desperately. He knew Frank was close and he couldn’t believe that he felt like he was about to come with him. “Frank,” he mewled weakly as they grinded harder together. “Frank...,” Frank looked down at Gerard with his lips parted and his eyes half lidded as he was panting shakily. “I love you, Frank,” Gerard quietly breathed as he looked up into Frank’s brown eyes, he felt himself curl up a little, afraid of rejection. Frank leaned down and connected their lips and Gerard wrapped his arms around his shoulders, keeping their bodies close. “I love you too, Gerard,” Frank softly whispered back as he rested his cheek against Gerard’s before placing a tender kiss on his temple. Gerard closed his eyes tightly and moaned loudly and he gripped Frank tighter. “I’m gonna come,” Frank said weakly as he moaned and Gerard nodded as he panted harshly and moaned loud enough for the people in the next room to hear. “Oh, God,” he moaned as Frank’s bucking was pushing his ass down against the bed with the force. “Fuck,” he whined before he tilted his head back and he could feel Frank’s mouth on his neck and the boy’s hand on his dick, pumping him to his release. “Oh, Frank,” he moaned loudly before he felt himself come, his member pulsing as his cum shot out and over their bellies, he whimpered pathetically as he felt himself come and Frank stilled his movements against him. Frank gently moved his fingers over Gerard’s spent member and the other softly brushed Gerard’s cheek. “Frank,” Gerard panted as he whined again. Frank looked at him as he breathed out shakily and the sound left goose bumps on Gerard’s skin. “Let me taste you?” Frank seemed to think about it for a second before he moved off of Gerard and laid beside him, looking a little nervous. Gerard’s legs shook a little and he felt his cum drying on his stomach. He bit his lip at the feeling before he knelt forward and gripped the base of Frank’s long member. He savored this moment, staring at Frank’s long cock. He moaned softly as he placed kisses up the side of it and could hear Frank’s shaky breathing before he quietly whined. Gerard made sure to slowly drag his tongue from Frank’s balls to his tip, moaning while he did so. Gerard raised his head before he opened his mouth and slid it over Frank’s cock, moaning when Frank’s member filled his mouth. “Oh, fuck,” Frank mumbled and Gerard began to gently suck and lightly bob his head. Gerard loved how heavy Frank’s cock felt as it rested against his tongue and he moaned as he tasted himself on Frank. He did his best to pay attention to Frank’s tip as he jacked him off and Frank’s legs squirmed and his hips bucked. “Gerard….I,” Frank moaned and Gerard just hummed as he looked up and met Frank’s eyes with his own. Frank looked at Gerard with his lips stretched around his cock and how his hand desperately pumped over the rest of him. Gerard looked so hot with his hair disheveled and his body flushed and naked, his member dangling from between his legs, the tip glimmering with his cum. “Oh, Gerard,” he groaned before he felt himself cum, shooting into Gerard’s mouth who just moaned before swallowing Frank down. Gerard loved the taste of Frank. His member was so big and it was shocking to him. He wondered if it would actually hurt to have inside him since he wasn’t used to something of that size. He bit his lip lightly at the thought as he slowly jacked Frank off as he softened and breathed hard. If Frank could make him so loud and desperate just by rubbing against him, he wondered how desperate he would be if Frank had his long member inside of him. He slowly crawled up beside Frank and collapsed with a sigh as he was still panting and so was Frank. “That was…amazing,” Frank said through his breathes with a smile at Gerard who giggled a little. He blushed; Gerard had never done something so bold in his life. “I can’t believe we did that but I liked it,” Gerard quietly admitted and Frank smiled. “So, you don’t seem to mind boys.” Gerard giggled a little as he rolled over and faced Frank who smiled up at him lazily. He placed a gentle kiss on Frank’s lips before he rested his head on his chest. He lightly traced tiny imaginary lines on Frank’s chest as they laid there and both grew tired. “Frank?” He heard the other man hum and felt his chest vibrate softly. “Do you really love me?” Gerard’s voice was a bit scared and he gently pulled at his lip as he remembered whispering the phrase to Frank. It had just come out but he realized he did mean it. His two months with Frank made him realizes that Frank was the closest thing he had, the best thing. “I do,” Frank said softly after a moment. “I hope that’s okay.” Frank wasn’t sure if Gerard had only said it in the heat of the moment and now regretted it. Gerard smiled wide and looked up to Frank before he kissed him. “That’s completely okay,” he whispered and Frank smiled back to him just as wide. He brought his head back down to Frank’s chest again as they laid close and smiled when he felt Frank press a tender kiss to the back of his head. “I think you’re the only person to ever really love me,” Gerard said as he thought about his life. His eyes misted up a little when he felt Frank’s arm, that was wrapped round his back, pull him closer to his chest. Besides Mikey, no one ever took an interest but he meant in the way of being a lover, a partner. Frank was making him feel so special and it was killing him inside. He just wanted to forever be nuzzled close and surrounded with nothing but Frank. “I know just what you mean,” Frank said with a soft smile as he realized he really did. “Frank?” Gerard looked up to him and Frank connected their eyes. “Can I be yours? I really want to be with you. I think I have…for more than a few days now but…I’m realizing I would really like to be.” Frank smiled down at Gerard and brushed some of his hair back out of his face. “I really want to be with you too,” he whispered and Gerard smiled wide before he kissed him once more and nuzzled close. He couldn’t believe all that had happened in one night. “I love you, Gerard,” Frank whispered into his hair before he placed a soft kiss there. Gerard smiled as he heard Frank’s genuine words. “I love you too,” he whispered back before he rested his eyes and nuzzled into the crook of Frank’s neck. Frank pulled the sheet up over them before he rested his cheek against Gerard’s and closed his eyes softly. He sighed out contently. Everything seemed perfect. Chapter End Notes \(^.^)\ Yay! /(^.^)/ So feels? ***** Chapter 30 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank woke up the next morning when the door to their room opened and he heard steps. He quickly shot up as Nathan entered the room and looked at him. He wondered if he could just play off that he’d been resting in his boxers and Gerard had been doing the same thing. “Hi,” Frank mumbled tiredly as he waved and rubbed his eyes. He didn’t really care if Nathan knew; he had left Gerard, and said he was free to do as he pleased. “I need to talk to you both,” he said, motioning to Gerard, not having caught on yet. Frank softly brushed Gerard’s hair out of his face. He leaned down and lightly nuzzled his cheek to wake him and Gerard tiredly stirred. Nathan looked at Frank with questioning eyes but Frank just ignored them as Gerard slowly opened his eyes and smiled softly. “Morning,” he said to Frank as he sat up and placed a soft kiss on the corner of his mouth before he noticed Nathan and jumped a little. “Oh, good morning,” he said as he held the sheet a bit tighter and looked at him. “How long has he been here?” Gerard asked Frank this as he looked at him with confusion. “He just kind of walked in a few moments ago,” Frank said with a small yawn and lightly pet Gerard’s hair down in the back where it stuck up, though he found it cute. “I need to talk to you both about the next race,” Nathan said, sounding flustered now. “So, it seems like I should be wishing you both congratulations, are you together?” “Yeah,” Frank said quietly and slipped his hand next to Gerard’s, taking it into his. Gerard softly smiled before he leaned over and placed an affectionate kiss on Frank’s cheek. He deserved it for not being a wimp like most men and lying because they feared Nathan. “Well,” Nathan said as he pushed out his chest a little and Frank thought he looked like a bird trying to ruffle his feathers to appear more attractive to his desired mate. “I hope you two do well. If you break up, I will want no awkwardness between you at work,” he said with a serious tone and they both just simply nodded to his requests and demands. “So, the problem is your father Frank,” Nathan sighed out with frustration. “My father? What about him?” Frank’s face was quirked up in confusion. “He’s trying to blackmail me! He said I owe him money since you won that race and because you’re racing,” Nathan said in an angered voice as he started to pace slightly. “Well, I don’t see why,” Frank said with a confused face. “Won’t it just go to my years here? Like, take some off?” “Well, it normally would but he’s requesting too much money. At this rate I will have to keep you for the rest of your life to make up all his debt. He’s only piling it higher and higher and I’m growing quite tired of it,” Nathan said angrily. Frank seemed to look down and shake his head as he imagined being stuck working for Nathan until he died. Gerard softly wrapped his arm around him and rubbed his back. “What can I do?” Frank said helplessly as he looked up to Nathan with a soft sigh but he forced a weak smile for Gerard to let him know he appreciated his comforting touch. “I think it’ll be best for you to meet him at the next race. I have invited him, or he invited himself rather, and I want you to talk some sense into him,” Nathan said before he straightened the jacket he was wearing that went with his suit. “Alright,” Frank said softly and nodded his head. Thinking about what he could possibly say that would make his father care in the slightest about his wellbeing. “Well, I’m letting you know now, it probably won’t change anything,” he sighed and Nathan nodded. “Well, it’ll be up to you. Hopefully you can persuade him, if not? Well, you’ll be with me until my death and by then I’ll be passing you down to my children until your death,” Nathan said this with a soft chuckle like he found it amusing. “Well, I’m off now. Matt and I are going for a short vacation. Have fun you two,” he said with a soft flick of his wrist as a wave and left. Gerard looked to Frank and wrapped him up in his arms. “He’s just trying to scare you,” Gerard whispered softly and pet back Frank’s hair. “He doesn’t even have kids,” Gerard said trying to get a tiny smile out of Frank who forced one for Gerard’s sake. “I’m sure you’ll be able to talk some sense into your father. He can’t just let this happen to you. He’s your father for Christ sakes.” “You’re forgetting something, he sold me to begin with,” Frank said with a soft laugh but it was dry and frail. Gerard frowned a little before he pulled Frank close to him and pressed a gentle kiss to his lips. “It’ll be alright. I’m sure something will work out,” he said and Frank nodded. He didn’t’ want to let the news ruin his time with Gerard. There was nothing he could do until the next race anyway. “So, what are we doing today?” Frank looked to Gerard for the answer and he seemed to have a thinking face. “We’ll have breakfast, I’m feeling like pancakes,” Gerard giggled before he got out of bed and Frank couldn’t help but run his eyes over Gerard’s pale skin as it was glowing in the morning light that shined through the white curtains. “You’re beautiful; you know that, don’t you?” Frank smiled as Gerard turned pink and tried to hide it as he pulled on shorts and a small shirt. “You’re a terrible, man,” Gerard joked. “Making me blush all over the place,” he said before he went out into the other room with a big smile on his face. He appreciated Frank’s comment. No one ever really complimented him so it was nice to get one. He couldn’t believe how sweet Frank seemed but he knew he could easily learn to love it. Frank had gotten out of bed and slipped on a shirt with his boxers before he went out in the living room with Gerard who was ordering breakfast. He plopped down on the couch and Gerard sat himself in his lap once he was done on the phone. Frank wrapped an arm around him and Gerard curled up close as he let out a tiny yawn. “I think I could get used to this,” Frank giggled and Gerard smiled big. “I mean, sure you’re going to have to bear with me a bit since I’m new to the whole dating and relationship thing but I think I will enjoy it quite a bit,” Frank smiled and looked to Gerard who leaned down and kissed him. They let their lips linger on one another’s, long enough for room service to bring up their food and knock on the door. Gerard giggled when they finally pulled away, their lips swollen a little. He got up and went over to the door, letting the person in who pushed in the cart before he left. “Whipped cream,” Gerard said playfully with suggestive eyes. He got a bit on his finger before he walked over to Frank and smeared it over his neck. He leaned down and softly licked and sucked it all off from Frank’s skin. Giggling when Frank’s breathing increased a little when Gerard sucked at one spot. “I’ll have to remember this one,” he whispered seductively before he lightly sunk his teeth into the skin on the side of Frank’s neck, lightly to catch Frank’s reaction that came as a soft but sudden gasp. “Mm,” Gerard smiled at Frank. “You’re a terrible tease,” Frank smirked before he playfully spanked Gerard’s ass that was leaned out. Gerard yelped softly in surprise but smiled at Frank and crawled down on the couch with him, pressing their lips together once more. Their breakfast was cold by the time their lips parted again. Chapter End Notes Kind of a short filler. I need to start writing longer chapters! I also wanted to mention that I'm working on two new stories and I hope that those will be out soon. There will be prostitutes & tiny Mikey! ....those probably shouldn't have been listed together... Anyways, enjoy! ***** Chapter 31 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes “They were fucking the other night, can you believe that?” Nathan was asking Matt this as he watched him in the bathroom, getting himself ready to leave for their vacation. “You knew he was a whore,” Matt said with a soft shrug as he applied light lip gloss on his lips to make them shine more. He hoped to have sex in the limo on the way to the airport. Nathan seemed frustrated, he always calmed more after a good session. “I mean, you left him only a few days ago, and he’s fucking the stable boy. Wouldn’t be surprised if they had been fucking around before you left him,” Matt said as he walked to the door and leaned against the frame, looking at Nathan before he looked back down to the bag he had in his hand, zipping it. “What makes you say that?” Nathan raised an eyebrow at Matt’s suggestion. This peaked his anger and interest equally. “I’m just saying,” Matt said, lifting his hands like he was innocent, “the men who work in the barn talk.” “What have they said?!” Nathan snapped this now and Matt pouted his lips softly but when Nathan didn’t apologize, he took it as a sign he shouldn’t be playing games. “Just that a lot of giggles come from the back room,” Matt said as he shrug his shoulders softly and finished packing up his bag. “Wouldn’t surprise me if Gerard didn’t just bend over for him out there,” Matt said as his nose rose up in the air, he knew he would never do such a thing. He found himself to be better than Gerard who, in his eyes, was just scum. “I bet he’s been fucking him since he got sick and they spent all that time together,” Matt said. He could tell Nathan was jealous and he didn’t look at his words as him feeding his fire but by extinguishing it. He wanted Nathan to hate Gerard and see him as worthless so he would have nothing to worry about. Nathan didn’t know what he wanted it seemed and Matt wanted Nathan to want him and no one else. He had worked hard to seduce him and he wasn’t going to lose him back to Gerard who was playing a little game called jealousy. “Who knows, he could have forced Frank to say they’re dating? I mean, Frank’s his friend. He probably just wants you back and is trying to make you jealous,” Matt said. “Yeah, that’s probably it,” Nathan said like he had figured Gerard out. “You’re a genius, baby. I’ll be right back,” he said and Matt smiled as Nathan left the room. =============================================================================== Gerard had been down in the pool, teaching Frank how to swim. It had been quite a task at first but soon enough Frank was good enough to swim by himself. When he saw Frank was doing well he got out and sat on the edge, watching him for a bit. “I’m going to get a drink, okay?” Gerard saw Frank nodded as he continued to do his laps and smiled before he stood and went into the back room where the vending machines were. He was trying to feed some change into the machine when he heard someone behind him and saw Nathan. “Oh, hey,” he said, scrunching up his eyebrows, wondering what he was doing in the back room. “Aren’t you leaving soon? For vacation?” “Oh, yeah but I thought I should come talk to you before I left,” Nathan said with a cocky smirk. “Oh,” Gerard said but only continued to feed his change in and then hit the buttons for his water. “What about?” “About you trying to make me jealous by pretending you’re with Frank,” Nathan said and leaned in a little closer so his breath was gently blowing Gerard’s hair. Gerard had been sipping his water when he turned in confusion. He pulled the bottle down from his lips and put the cap back on. “What are you talking about? We are together,” Gerard said and looked at him, tilting his head a little, trying to figure out what Nathan could be getting at. “Gerard, come on. You’re just some whore, like he’d go out with you,” Nathan laughed and Gerard looked down a little before he bit his lip and looked back up. He didn’t want to think of himself like that because if it was true then Frank deserved better. “He doesn’t think of me like that. He loves me,” Gerard said with a confident voice and held his place, holding his chest a little higher. “Okay, give it up,” Nathan said. “You told him to pretend he’s dating you so you could make me jealous and so I would want you back,” Nathan said with a smirk and Gerard looked at him with a dumbfounded expression, he couldn’t even comprehend the arrogance Nathan had at this moment. “It worked, you know?” Nathan continued to smirk as he leaned closer to Gerard who felt nervous. He knew he couldn’t back up; there was only the vending machine behind him. “I want you back. So drop the act and come with me to Hawaii.” Gerard tried to speak but he didn’t know what to say to Nathan. He was so flabbergasted by the whole situation that he felt paralyzed and helpless. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t at least think about it. Part of him just wanted to grab Nathan and run away with him because life had always seemed easier with Nathan but then Frank came into his mind. Nathan leaned in and pressed his lips to Gerard’s who pushed him back quickly and wiped his mouth. “What the fuck are you doing?!” “Come on, Gerard! You can stop playing! I want you back,” Nathan said with frustration as he tried to put his arms around Gerard who wiggled his hips away and pushed back his arms. “Stop it! It’s not a game. I’m really with Frank now,” Gerard said. “I don’t want you back,” he said to Nathan whose eyes filled with fury. Gerard felt sickness in his stomach when he realized that he wasn’t even sure if his last statement was completely true. He had just been with Nathan for so long, it was weird denying him like this. “You’re nothing but a worthless whore,” Nathan growled. “You should be honored that I want you back after all you’ve done,” Nathan said and he glared down at Gerard. “You gave yourself to him, didn’t you?” “Not yet,” Gerard said with a little smile. “We did stuff together but, no. I haven’t fully given myself to him. We’re not ready for that,” he said with a sure voice. “He doesn’t mind waiting,” Gerard said as he thought about Frank and how innocent he seemed to be compared to Nathan’s always needing and lusting personality. “Whatever! You’re still a whore! If he wanted it you’d give it to him,” Nathan said bitterly and Gerard just smiled and shook his head. “You can’t bother me anymore,” Gerard said with a smile and walked around him. “Hope you and Matt have a good time together,” Gerard said and just to add effect he swayed his hips as he walked out of the back room and smirked when he heard Nathan’s angry growl. “You’ll lose him, Gerard,” Nathan said in a menacing voice and Gerard hesitated with his back to Nathan. “One way or another, I promise, you will lose him,” Nathan spat. Gerard turned and looked to Nathan with saddened, scared eyes and then he turned his head to look to Frank who was in the pool. He didn’t want anything to happen to Frank, no matter what, he didn’t know what Nathan was implying. He stepped a bit closer to Nathan so Frank wouldn’t see him in the doorway. “You can treat me like this now but he could get sick, he could die, he could drown right now while we’re talking here. He could realize you really aren’t worth all the trouble he’s going to have to go through and he’s going to leave you,” Nathan said with his eyes fixed on Gerard’s, he saw them start to water. “He knows about all those men who touched you but he doesn’t know everything, Gerard. Not like I do. Do you think he could accept everything you’ve done? All the horrible, disgusting, evil things that you’ve done?” Nathan looked to Gerard as he spoke and saw the tears pour over and run down Gerard’s face. “Maybe I should tell him all the things you’ve done, huh?” Gerard let out a sob and shook his head, he pushed Nathan back when he tried to walk around Gerard and out to Frank. “No,” he choked and pressed Nathan back further. He didn’t want Nathan to tell Frank all those things and have Frank leave him. He wanted to tell Frank when things were right. He was so scared to lose the other boy now, then he really would have nothing. “Why? Because then you wouldn’t even have me?” Nathan whispered as he turned his face to Gerard’s being only inches away from Gerard’s forehead. “I carried you with me for so long, Gerard. I was afraid to be happy because I didn’t want you to be alone, I didn’t want you to hurt so much,” Nathan whispered and looked down. “I thought it would be better now because...you have Frank but then I got so jealous and I realized...what if he leaves you?” Gerard’s eyes watered more and he closed them tightly, trying not to think about the last thing Nathan had said. “He won’t! He loves me!” Gerard shouted and then regretted it when he heard abrupt movements in the water from the pool. He had startled Frank and got his attention but Frank couldn’t see him where he was in the little room. “Okay,” Nathan said and held up his hands. “Then I’ll let you be happy.” Nathan stepped back and looked down to Gerard with a sad, little endearing smile. “Really?” Gerard whispered and looked up to Nathan, a little shocked. “Really,” Nathan whispered back before he placed a kiss on the top of Gerard’s head. Gerard closed his eyes for a moment and breathed in Nathan’s familiar scent and he calmed a little, this had been his happy, safe place for so long. He heard Nathan breath him in as well and his eyes watered a little as he knew this would probably be their final parting as a couple. “Good luck,” Nathan whispered softly and kissed Gerard’s cheek. He moved around him and left the room, heading towards the pools exit. Gerard slowly pulled himself together but heaviness hung in the small room. He felt his heart aching because even after everything, he had been with Nathan for so long, being without him still hurt. He had to push it aside and ignore it, especially the thoughts of Frank leaving him. Then he really would be alone and that thought frightened him more than anything. He didn’t know what he would do without someone to love and care for him. He came out of the room before he went over to the pool and jumped in the water beside Frank. “Hi,” he smiled a little, crooked smile at Frank’s jumped face. “Hi,” Frank grinned before he placed a kiss on the corner of Gerard’s mouth and wrapped his arms around Gerard’s middle. He smiled when he felt Gerard’s legs wrap around his hips and he held the older male for a little while like that. “You okay?” Frank could sense that Gerard was a little off and had heard him shouting. He had nearly gotten out of the pool but when no other sounds had followed he had waited back. He had figured it was Nathan but he wanted Gerard to stand up for himself, he didn’t want to take that opportunity from Gerard. “Yeah,” Gerard whispered and nuzzled his face into Frank’s neck. “Never leave me, okay?” Gerard had said this and had intended for it to seem goofy but it hung a lot heavier in the air. Frank gently kissed the side of Gerard’s head before he nuzzled himself closer to Gerard. “I will always be here to protect you,” Frank whispered in Gerard’s ear. “No matter what happens, I will do anything to keep you from hurting if I can,” Frank said gently and kissed the back of Gerard’s head. “I will keep you as safe as I can. I promise,” Frank mumbled against Gerard’s cheek before he kissed it. Gerard closed his eyes and hugged Frank closer to him, he wanted to believe all the words that Frank was saying but he didn’t know how much he could. He did have to smile a little though and kiss Frank because his words made him feel so special. He never wanted Frank to go away but Nathan’s words plagued his mind a little and he feared that he would. Chapter End Notes Oh no.. Also, my prostitute fic is already at 11 chapters and over 35,000 words! Whoot for productivity! How are you guys? ***** Chapter 32 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes The next day was the race and Gerard’s eyes were the first to open, much earlier than he needed to be awake. He turned his head up to stare at Frank’s sleeping face. He looked at him sadly. He knew Frank was going to have to try and talk his father into leaving Nathan alone when it came to money. If he continued to spend like he was Frank would be with Nathan forever and would never escape. This saddened Gerard even more now because if that was to happen, Gerard only had three more years before he was released and he would never be able to go back to see Frank. They would be separated for life, his heart ached so bad at the thought. He turned his head downward and looked across the bedroom, seeing that it was still dark out through the window. He sighed out ever so softly before he sat up and gently moved himself over the bed to not wake Frank. He went out into the living room before he opened the double doors on the balcony and walked out, shutting them behind him. He bit his lip softly as he leaned on the rail and looked out over the sleeping city; it was still a bit cool from the early morning but he knew it was November so it was warmer than it should be. He was thinking over the day. This race would determine if they would go through to the finals. Frank would most definitely, even if he placed a few behind it would probably be fine and he would go through, the same for him but there was still a chance they could both fail and not make it through. He wanted Frank to take first in the race because that meant more money for Nathan and more money from Frank’s debt to be paid. He just sighed out softly and closed his eyes for a second, he wanted to sleep but his mind was just buzzing. He looked up to the sky as he thought deeply. He thought of telling Nathan he would work for Frank’s debt and to let Frank go home. He didn’t want Frank’s life to be so taken up and ruined like his was now. Even when he would finally get out Gerard would have been with Nathan for eight years. He figured he wouldn’t be any good out in the real world anyway. He sniffled softly and decided if Frank’s father didn’t stop spending, he would tell Nathan and hoped he would be okay with it. Gerard heard the double doors click open and turned to see Frank coming out. “Hey, baby,” Frank tiredly hummed and rubbed his arm. “What are you doing out here? It’s early,” Frank whispered before he sat down beside Gerard and gently pet his hair back. Gerard looked to Frank before he forced out a sigh and looked back down. “Frank…if you can’t talk your father into not borrowing more money from Nathan,” Gerard paused for a second but then straightened up, setting his mind, “I’m going to tell Nathan I will take your debt.” Frank seemed quiet for a moment but he shook his head. “No, Gerard. This is my debt. You don’t have much longer with him and when it’s over you’re going to go home, find your brother,” Frank said softly but sadly as he brushed back Gerard’s hair a little more. He wished they weren’t in the situation they were in, it ruined everything between them. Gerard went to try again but Frank shook his head. “No, Gerard, I won’t let you,” Frank said with a voice but one that told Gerard there was nothing else to be discussed on the subject. Gerard looked down and just sighed sadly. “I don’t want your life wasted on him like mine is,” Gerard whispered. “Your life isn’t wasted but it will be if you take my debt. I want you to get away from him. I want you to be able to be free and without him looming over you, away from that life,” Frank said weakly as he knelt in front of Gerard before he placed a soft kiss on Gerard’s cheek. Gerard smiled as his eyes watered a little but he nodded. He wanted to tell Frank there was no point in him getting out without Frank because he didn’t want to live without him but he didn’t want to sound crazy. He knew that was crazy to say. It had only been a week of them being together. He just knew he clung to Frank with desperation because he had no one, Frank was all he had. He was the only person to make him feel special and knew that if he left he would have nothing. “Come on, baby,” Frank whispered before he scooped up Gerard in his arms and went in, closing the door with his foot behind him. He brought Gerard into the bedroom and laid him back in the bed before he nuzzled into him and covered them up. “Rest, okay? We gotta be up in a little while,” he whispered and Gerard sadly nodded. “Baby…I don’t like seeing you like this,” Frank said with a frown, knowing he wouldn’t be able to sleep seeing Gerard so upset. “I’m sorry,” Gerard lightly sniffed. “I just feel like I can’t lose you,” he confessed with a tiny hiccup. “Gerard…,” Frank wanted to say that they wouldn’t lose each other but he couldn’t because he knew he might end up lying. “I know how you feel, I don’t want to lose you either but for right now, we need to rest so we can do well at the race. Then we’ll both have less debt and be closer to getting away together,” Frank said gently and delicately ran his fingers through Gerard’s soft hair. “Okay, Frank,” Gerard whispered. He was feeling a little more at ease now with Frank holding him tightly in his arms. “I…I love you, Frank,” Gerard said quietly but he needed to hear it from him, to feel a little more safe with him. “I love you too, Gerard,” Frank whispered softly and smiled, nuzzling his nose into Gerard’s hair. “Sweet dreams.” “Sweet dreams, Frank,” Gerard said back with a tiredly smile as he nuzzled closer to him. Frank waited until he heard the deep breathing of Gerard’s sleeping lungs and then he looked up at the ceiling as he ever so quietly breathed out. He was thinking about seeing his father, trying to talk him into leaving the gambling alone or at least Nathan’s money. He didn’t want to scare Gerard but he knew it was a long shot. He just bit his lip and nuzzled into Gerard’s warm cheek, smiling when Gerard hummed gently in his sleep. Chapter End Notes So I know this took forever and I'm sorry but I came down with a horrible cold and didn't leave my bed for a week. Sleeping was my only escape from feeling like crap. I'm sorry this is short and a filler but I promise to have more out sooner than later. Also, I should start posting another story in the next few weeks when this one goes on break until the sequel. (Which should only be about two-three weeks.) Enjoy! ***** Chapter 33 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank and Gerard had gotten ready the next morning in mostly silence. They both were thinking about Frank’s father and of their debt and it was weighing on them both like a looming black cloud. They also road to the track in silence but when they got closer, Gerard slipped his hand into Frank’s and looked to him. ”Everything is going to be okay,” he whispered and Frank gave him a small, appreciative smile before he placed a gentle kiss on Gerard’s cheek. “Thank you,” Frank said, needing a little boost for his confidence. Gerard rested his head on Frank’s shoulder until they got to the track and both sighed before they got out of the car and walked into the stables. “Hey, girl,” Frank breathed to Tessa and rubbed her nose gently as she softly moved into his touch and made a soft snorting noise. “I missed you,” he said with a soft smile and she nudged his shoulder letting him know she had missed him too. “We gonna win today?” He asked this playfully but she proudly lifted her head and stomped in place. “Atta girl,” he smiled. “Frank,” he heard his name from behind him and slowly turned to see his father. “Wow, you look great son!” Gerard had been petting Raid and still did but now flashed his eyes over to the two without being noticed. He grimaced at the awkward arm pat that Frank’s father gave him as a greeting. “Dad,” Frank started with a small crooked smile, “we need to talk.” His father seemed to shrug his shoulders and gave his son a little attention but was looking to Tessa mostly. “Dad…you have to stop taking money from Nathan. He’s…He’s never going to let me go if you keep this up,” Frank stated sadly. “Son, you know it’s for a good cause, I’m gonna win soon and then I can buy you back,” Frank senior stated with a confident tone and Gerard looked down and shook his head as he heard this. He knew that Frank’s father had the problem that many gamblers did. Every bid was going to be the one they would win and if they didn’t, they just had to go again because they were bound to win eventually, in their minds. “Dad, please,” Frank said with pleading eyes and a sad face. “You need to stop! I never asked you for anything in my whole life, never but now I’m asking you to stop doing this. I need to get out of here and I can’t with you only adding onto my time here. Please, just…find someone else to take money from, something! I don’t want to live my whole life being owned by another man,” Frank said trying his best to control his voice that seemed all over the place. “Well…if it means that much to you,” Frank senior sighed, “I suppose I can stop.” He placed a hand on Frank’s shoulder in a reassuring way and smiled to emphasize the touch on Frank’s shoulder. “Good luck with the race,” he stated before he turned and walked off, Frank watched him go and just shook his head. Gerard waited a moment before he looked to Frank. He noticed how Frank’s father hadn’t even hugged him, hadn’t said that he loved him, hadn’t even shown much of an interest. Sure it had only been a few months but Gerard believed his own family would have been more grateful to see him. Then again he didn’t know and things could possibly be different between the two Iero’s. “That’s good, isn’t it?” Frank just shook his head. “He’s lying. I’ve heard it all before,” he sighed weakly and shook his head. “Oh well, we have a race to get to,” he said with a small smile and looked to Gerard who forced one back to him. =============================================================================== Frank was on Tessa in the gate, he was agitated and Tessa was tensing up feeling him so upset. He could hear the loud crowd and all the noise from the announcers coming through the speakers of the stadium and he sighed. “Frank,” he heard from beside him and turned to look at Gerard on the other side of the bars that were separating their horses. Frank found it ironic since really, it was like they both were constantly behind invisible bars, not able to escape. “Don’t let this get to you. This is what Nathan wants,” Gerard stated. “If you get upset…you’re not going to race well and then the money he wins won’t go to paying off your debt, you’ll be stuck with him even longer. Don’t let him win,” he said to Frank with a soft smile. Frank looked forward and thought about it. It was true, if he got mad, Tessa wouldn’t race right and neither would he and then they would lose and probably not go on to the next race, and he would miss out on gaining a lot of money for Nathan, money that would go towards getting him out. He just closed his eyes as he could hear the announcer begin the counting. He sighed out three times softly, and pet Tessa ever so gently to calm her and to let her know it was going to be okay and when the gates flew open he held on tight because she took off with her regular speed that jolted him back. He closed his eyes, he didn’t want to see the other horses, he didn’t want to feel the pain that was inside him so he concentrated on something happy, good things. He wanted to keep himself calm so Tessa would run right, and the more he relaxed the faster and better she was running. Soon enough he heard it was the final lap and when he opened his eyes it was half over. Tessa was in the front and he found this odd since she was normally just getting to the middle but he glanced behind him and saw that the other horses were a good few feet behind them. “Come on, Tessa,” he said into her ear and he felt her strong muscles work even harder and faster as he now noted she had no hesitation when stepping on her previously sprained ankle. She was blowing it all out and she flew passed the finish line with impressive speed and so far ahead of the other horses that she was the only horse in the photo. Tessa eventually slowed and Frank laughed out in disbelief as the whole crowd stood and cheered loudly at them both. Gerard rode up beside Frank and was also in disbelief. “She fucking took off!” He didn’t normally swear but this time he did. “She was so fast!” Frank laughed at Gerard’s excitement and then felt Tessa shift under him and he looked to her, another rider was coming up with his horse and Tessa backed up and whinnied loudly. She reared back and Frank had to grip her desperately. “Tessa, no!” Gerard screamed as she started backing up and kicking more. “Get away,” Gerard hollered at the rider with his horse who turned and backed off a bit but Tessa was already spooked and reared back harshly once more, flinging Frank from her back. Gerard watched in horror as Frank fell back, his hands slipping from the reines. Frank landed harshly on the white fence that kept the horses from going onto the grass on the middle of the track. Gerard saw Frank groan in pain before he fell to the ground with a hard thud, laying still without moving. Instantly Nathan’s words were becoming reality and Gerard’s whole being froze up as his heart jumped into his throat. He felt like he couldn’t breath as he waited the seconds for Frank to move but he remained still, on the ground. Gerard quickly hopped down from Raid and went towards Frank but Tessa stood in front of Frank and went to kick at Gerard who instantly stopped and tried to move back. He felt himself get knocked out of the way and he hit the ground. Looking up confused, he saw Raid standing in front of him blocking him from Tessa. The two horses seemed to be having a standoff and Gerard slowly crawled around to Frank as Raid guarded him. “Frank,” he whimpered as he touched his motionless body. “Frank,” Gerard cried and nuzzled his face gently against Frank’s hair as his tears began to leak from his eyes. Tessa began to calm and cautiously walked over under Raid’s close watch. Tessa softly nudged Gerard’s shoulder and made a whining noise; she walked over and softly nudged the side of Frank’s head that just fell to the side. She snorted unhappily and Gerard sadly looked to her and gently placed a hand on her snout. “I know, Sweetheart, it’s okay,” he whispered to her even though his insides felt so tense and he was so afraid. The medics came over but were cautious of Tessa who seemed to be uncertain of who to let near him. “Tessa, baby, they’re gonna help. They’re gonna fix him. Come here girl,” Gerard whispered and had to force himself to let go of Frank’s limp hand and lead away Tessa as reluctant as he was. He knew if he didn’t the medics wouldn’t go to Frank and they could help more than he or Tessa could. He also took Raid’s reins and was forced to bring them to the barn. He sighed out sadly and hung his head when he closed Tessa’s stall and she brought her head out and gently nudged him. “I know, girl. I’m sorry too. I was just trying to help him. I didn’t mean to spook you,” he whispered and she seemed to hang her head sadly. “He won’t be mad at you, girl. You know he won’t,” Gerard whispered before he gently rested his cheek on her snout and closed his eyes, trying to tell himself it was going to be okay and give her some of the reassurance he had. Tears slowly began to trail down his face again as he thought of being all alone and without Frank. He needed him to be okay and while this didn’t seem like something that could kill someone, all Gerard could think about was how hard Frank had hit his back off the fence and he felt nauseous. His mouth felt filmy and it was like he couldn’t swallow or breathe right, he closed his eyes and just hoped for Frank to be okay. Chapter End Notes Early update, as promised! Once again sorry for being sick and that this is so short! I swear the new series has longer chapters! Dear Lord, I suck! I hope you like it! ***** Chapter 34 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Gerard was still sitting in the barn with the horses, waiting when he saw the medic come in. He stood up quickly and went over but then Frank came with him around the corner, walking with a limp and seeming a little slow but mostly okay. “Frank!” Gerard did his best to hold back but slightly tackled Frank in a hug; he heard him groan in slight pain and quickly pulled back. “I’m sorry!” Frank smiled at him, a little pained but a smile none the less. “It’s alright,” he said with a weak voice and gently took Gerard’s hand. “I’m just so happy you’re okay,” Gerard whispered as his eyes flared a little. He had been worried that Frank might have broken something, even possibly his spine since he had fallen so hard. “He’s alright,” the medic said reassuringly. “He just has a few bruises and some sore bones. He’s gonna need some rest the next few days, especially with that big race coming up now that you both are in. Nothing but bed for you,” he said and looked to Frank who nodded. “Thank you,” Frank said softly to the man. “I promise, he won’t be doing anything! Nothing but bed,” Gerard said to him and still gripped Frank’s hand worriedly. “Alright,” the man smiled before he gave Frank a small bottle of painkillers and handed him off to Gerard. Gerard turned and softly hugged Frank in his arms and sniffed a little. “I was so worried about you. I thought you’d broken your neck or something,” Gerard confessed with a huff but he pouted his lips out. “I’m okay, baby,” Frank said with a small smile even though his whole body ached and his side was sore from where he had fallen on the fence. He looked behind Gerard and saw Tessa’s stall. She had moved away from the door and was hiding in the back, scared that Frank would be upset with her, he figured. “Let’s get you into the car,” Gerard said with a small smile and a gentle kiss to the corner of Frank’s mouth. “Hold on,” Frank whispered before he slowly limped over to Tessa’s stall. She was turned away from him so he softly whistled like he would when she was out in the fields and it would make her see him and come. She slightly turned her head, looking at him with the eye facing him. “Come here, baby girl,” he softly whispered and she turned around and cautiously walked up to the door with her head hung down. He gently pet her soft mane and kissed the top of her head. “I’m not mad at you, Tessa. It’s okay, I know you were just confused. There was all those lights and people and horses, you just got confused. It’s okay, baby,” he said softly and she lifted her head, softly nudging his head and he pushed his back against her softly and she made a content noise. “Good girl,” he smiled. “Night, Sweetheart,” he whispered and she gently nipped his shoulder before he limped back over to Gerard who helped him to the car. =============================================================================== Gerard was sitting up on the couch reading his book while Frank slept in the bedroom. He was trying to focus on the words but couldn’t and ended up snapping the book shut and setting it down. He sighed out as he looked at the ceiling. He remembered the fear inside him when he had seen Frank fall from Tessa and land harshly against the fence. He had been so scared that Frank was going to be killed or hurt. He had seen how harshly he had hit the fence and the sound his body made when he had hit the ground was a sound that Gerard would never forget, it resounded in his head at the thought and he shuddered. He got up off the couch and made his way into the bedroom where Frank was sleeping. He slowly and carefully pulled up Frank’s shirt and saw the horrible bruise from when he had hit his back on the fence. He grimaced at how dark and big it was and softly leaned down pressing his lips to it gently. He then rested his head onto the back of Frank’s shoulder and closed his eyes, concentrating on the soft rise and fall of his breathing. He just stared forward at the wall in the bedroom and let his mind wander back to Frank’s father. He really hoped the man hadn’t been lying and was going to stop taking money from Nathan so that Frank could someday get away but Gerard knew a man’s word probably wasn’t too strong when he had sold his own son out to pay back his debt. Gerard was deep in thought when he heard the phone ring beside the bed. He quickly grabbed it up and held the mouthpiece as he looked to Frank who stirred a little before resting once again. “One moment, please,” Gerard whispered to whoever it was before he went out and took the other one off the base and set it down, then went into the bedroom and hung up the phone by the bed. “Yes,” he said quietly once out in the living room. “Gerard? It’s Nathan! I heard about Frank. How is he?” Nathan questioned through the phone and Gerard sighed before he sat himself down on the couch next to the phone’s stand. “He’s alright. He’s resting right now. They said he would need it if he wanted to do the next race,” Gerard explained. “He’s going to be fine, it’s just going to be a little while before his bruises go away.” Nathan seemed to sigh in relief and Gerard smiled a tiny bit that he was still the man he knew a little. He cared about Frank and didn’t want him to be seriously hurt. “Are you alright? I know that must have scared you something awful,” Nathan said with a sincere voice. “Yeah…I am now. He’s resting so that’s good,” Gerard said with a tiny sigh. “It was so scary though, Nathan, you should have seen him just laying there,” Gerard whispered quietly and sniffled. “Well, hey, he’s okay now and that’s what’s important,” Nathan said softly. “Now, come, give us a smile,” he said in a playful voice and Gerard couldn’t help but to smile a little. “Thank you,” he said weakly. He really was grateful that Nathan had helped to settle his nerves. He wondered if things could really be okay between them, after everything was so complicated. “Don’t worry about it, love,” Nathan said softly and Gerard smiled a little, leaning back against the couch as he relaxed. “I um…I miss you,” Nathan said softly but in a voice like he wasn’t sure if he should have said anything. “I’m sorry if that’s not okay.” Gerard looked up to the ceiling before he closed his eyes because deep down, he missed Nathan too. He had been his everything not so long ago and deep down inside, his body was missing Nathan. He had always been around and now he was gone. “No…I…I miss you too,” Gerard whispered sadly and shot a guilty glance towards the bedroom door. Nathan was quiet for a moment before his voice came back. “I am very sorry, Gerard. I didn’t…I didn’t plan on this happening and I will admit I feel like absolute shit about it,” Nathan said in a sad voice. “I should not have treated you so badly. You were always good to me.” Gerard knew Nathan must have thought it was a great idea to leave Gerard back when Matt was whispering into his ear about it but now that it was all said and done and Gerard was no longer around, Nathan was regretting his decision. “I’m sorry that I couldn’t please you,” Gerard said sadly and looked down to the floor in the corner, hearing Nathan’s breathing through the phone. “Why would you say such a thing?” “Because, obviously I failed you or you wouldn’t have ended up with Matt. There was something I wasn’t doing that he can obviously do for you,” Gerard explained. “So I am sorry that I ruined things.” “Gerard…things between us wouldn’t have worked because of who I am,” Nathan explained. “I am your owner and the power goes to my head and you are a beautiful man, I sometimes can’t help myself when I look at you. There was always something about you, you were just…I don’t know…special.” Gerard gasped at the last word and sat up a little as he had heard the word. He knew now that not everything had been a lie; Nathan did find him to be special. He hadn’t gotten the wrong impression. “Then why did you make me sleep with all those men and ruin everything,” Gerard sniffed as he had started to cry. “Because Gerard…I am your owner,” Nathan stated softly, “and it was my way of reminding us both of that.” “Nathan…I love you and you just hurt me so much,” Gerard cried and hung his head. Nathan was quiet for a moment, “I love you too, Gerard, I always will.” “Really?” Gerard asked this with a hopeful voice as he gripped a pillow to him. “Really,” Nathan whispered back. “Can you…can you get away?” “Get away?” Gerard scrunched up his face confused. “I thought…I thought you were in Hawaii?” “I came back when I heard about Frank. Matt…he didn’t want to though. I need to see you, Gerard, please?” Nathan begged sadly. Gerard thought about it for a moment before he nodded silently to himself. “Okay, I’ll meet you in your room.” “Thank you, Gerard. I’ll see you soon,” he whispered before he hung up and Gerard did the same. Gerard felt a bit guilty as he fixed his makeup and reapplied more lip gloss. He came out of the bathroom and saw Frank sleeping soundly in bed. He leaned down and placed a tiny kiss on the corner of his mouth. “I’ll be back,” he quietly whispered to Frank’s sleeping body before he turned and left the room. He grabbed up his key and went out the door. Chapter End Notes Sorry this is so late! I swear I won't make a habit of this! But here ya go! Oh, Gerard... ***** Chapter 35 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Gerard was standing outside of Nathan’s door and sighing out softly. He was trying to calm his racing mind and nerves. He lightly lifted his hand and knocked ever so gently before he weakly cleared his throat. He bit his lip and tucked a strand of his hair behind his ear as he heard weak shuffling behind the door and then Nathan opened the door in his bathrobe. Gerard could see a soft shirt under it and some sleeping pants. “Hi,” Gerard quietly breathed with a small smile and Nathan returned it before greeting him and stepping out of the way to let Gerard into his room that was a bit bigger than the one he shared with Frank, since it was the nicest suit in the hotel. “You look beautiful,” Nathan smiled at Gerard’s done up face and his soft hair that was carefully tucked back behind his ears with the orange ribbon Frank had bought him. Gerard blushed but turned to hide it acting like he was looking over the room, taking it in. Nathan had some paperwork spread over the table in the living room and Gerard slowly went over, looking it over before he scrunched up his face and began organizing them. Nathan smiled endearingly as this was something Gerard would always do for him after he would get frustrated and just throw his paperwork everywhere. “You always were good at keeping me together now, weren’t you?” Gerard smiled softly as he shuffled the papers together and set them down. “If I didn’t, what would you be now,” Gerard joked as he finished with the rest of the papers and got up, going back to old habits and picking up Nathan’s suit that was discarded all over the hotel room. Nathan was someone who would walk around and slowly remove each item of clothing until he was undressed. Gerard got everything together and placed it over a chair to be dry cleaned. Nathan walked over to Gerard and slowly touched his hand, stopping him as he was beginning to pick up all the trash. “I didn’t invite you over to clean up the room.” He teased with a soft smile as he took the coffee containers out of Gerard’s hands. “I know but you need help,” Gerard smiled lightly as he looked up to Nathan and had to sigh out softly as he remembered they were no longer together. For a moment it had felt like things were back to normal and it had made Gerard happy. Nathan looked at him for a moment before he softly brushed his thumb over Gerard’s cheek. He lingered there for a second and Gerard thought he might kiss him but he slowly pulled back and began to throw away some of the clutter in the room. Gerard bit his lip for a moment before looking back up. “You know…you shouldn’t be drinking too much coffee. It’s bad for your blood pressure,” Gerard commented quietly as he looked at all the discarded coffee cups. “I know but…I need to get my work done and…,” Nathan sighed out softly, “and without you it takes me three times longer so I need to be up more,” he confessed. “Do you want me to stay and help you?” Gerard smiled a little; feeling needed once again, a good feeling. “No, you don’t have to,” Nathan said honestly as he walked back over from the trash. “I want to,” Gerard said and smiled, “Really.” “Well, if you would like to, then alright,” Nathan said with a soft smile before he placed a gentle kiss to the side of Gerard’s head. “Thank you.” Gerard felt like things were going so right but there was something pulling at him inside, made him feel heavy and guilty for liking the kiss. He pushed it aside and sat down next to Nathan, beginning to help him with the paperwork. =============================================================================== Frank woke up at about three in the morning and groaned weakly in pain as he had stretched, forgetting about his bruised back and side. He was surprised when he didn’t feel Gerard stir against him and when he opened his eyes he saw he wasn’t there. Confused he weakly sat up in bed and glanced around the room, stifling a pained whimper when it threatened to slip out. He cried out when he had managed to stand and collapsed to the floor. He breathed out shakily before he slowly got himself up on his knees, trying not to puke when his stomach flipped again. “Gerard,” he called out helplessly as his mind was spinning, he felt so disoriented and he needed him. He was scared about being this vulnerable and knew he’d feel safer with Gerard helping him. He took about half an hour to slowly breath and make himself relax before he got his legs to ease him up off the floor. He slowly limped towards the bedroom door, leaning on the wall. Gerard wasn’t anywhere in the hotel room so he tried the lobby and the pool but he wasn’t in either place. He asked the front desk if he had phoned for a car but they told him they hadn’t seen him. He didn’t know what to do or where to look but figured Gerard must just be off doing something. He was just concerned since it was so late and was a little hurt Gerard hadn't stayed by his side. He didn't know if it was foolish to feel that way. He had been asleep after all and he was only bruised up, not dying. Eventually he went back to their hotel room when the pain was too much again and he half hoped to find Gerard in the room but he wasn’t there. He limped back to the bed and laid down, trying to think of where Gerard could be but it wasn’t long before Frank ended up drifting back off to sleep, waiting for Gerard. =============================================================================== “Oh, Nathan,” Gerard mewled as he gripped onto Nathan’s shoulder tightly and bit his lip, whimpering out as Nathan repeatedly hit his spot. “Oh, God,” he whined as his whole body shook with pleasure and he felt Nathan’s warm breath on his neck. He closed his eyes tightly and cried out loudly as he felt himself releasing, his cum spurting out all over their middles as Nathan stroked his dick and fucked his spot with perfection. He fussed quietly as his body was still feeling the pleasure of Nathan’s thrusts. Nathan hadn’t quite been expecting to cum so quickly and for the second time in their whole relationship, he spilt his load deep inside Gerard. Gerard hummed and wiggled his wide hips at the feeling, remember back to when Nathan had done this to him once, when he had taken him on the desk suddenly, one of their first times having sex. “God,” Nathan breathed before he collapsed beside Gerard and panted heavily. He felt Gerard nuzzle into his side and kissed his forehead affectionately. ”That was great,” Nathan breathed and smiled when he heard Gerard giggle. “I thought so too,” Gerard admitted as he rubbed his hand over Nathan’s chest. He nuzzled closely into Nathan’s chest as he felt his tiredness rush over him. “G’Night,” he hummed softly and Nathan returned it with another gentle peck to Gerard’s lips before they both fell into a deep sleep. Chapter End Notes ....oh, Gerard... ***** Chapter 36 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Frank awoke the next morning and saw Gerard still wasn’t in bed. He got up whining in pain before he reached over to the nightstand and got out some of his pain killers, he took a couple and waited a little before getting up and saw Gerard still wasn’t in the hotel room. This worried him and he got dressed quickly before he went down to the front desk and checked to see if there was a message for him or if Gerard had turned up, they said there was nothing and they still hadn’t seen him. Frank thanked them but decided he should go out and look for Gerard. He knew he shouldn’t be out of bed or doing a lot of walking but he was too worried to not go looking and found himself wandering the streets for what felt like hours, just trying to find Gerard. =============================================================================== “Wake up, beautiful,” Gerard heard softly being purred into his ear. He smiled gently and rolled over, facing Nathan. His hair was laying around his head, spread over the pillow and he looked up to Nathan. “Morning,” he gently whispered and smiled at Nathan’s naked chest before he had to touch it with his hand, wanting to feel the skin. “I have coffee and breakfast for you,” Nathan said as he saw Gerard resting his head back down against the pillow. “Oh, what a charmer,” Gerard giggled before he gently placed a kiss on Nathan’s smiling lips and they both let it linger for a moment. They both got up before going out onto the balcony where there was a table that held their breakfast. Gerard smiled at the warm breeze blowing over the balcony and sat across the table from Nathan. It had been so cold lately, it didn’t seem too bad today. Nathan always had a way of making simple things like breakfast, romantic. Gerard smiled at the rose that was wrapped up in his napkin. “Thank you,” he smiled with a slight blush and began to slowly eat his meal, looking across the table at Nathan, feeling like things were going back to normal. “So…are you…are you leaving, Matt?” Nathan seemed to stop eating for a second before he continued to chew his food and then swallowed. “Gerard…I care for you…I do but things…they’re complicated,” Nathan whispered, seeming sad. “I do plan on it but I need a little bit of time. Soon enough, his debts going to be paid and he’ll leave, then we can be together without worrying about him. Just a little while longer,” he said honestly. Gerard seemed a little hurt but then smiled as he heard Matt would be leaving. He could have Nathan back and things would be normal again. “Okay,” he whispered but smiled at Nathan who returned the smile. All Gerard could think about was getting back to being Nathan’s, proving to himself, that he had worth. He didn’t care if Matt would have his spot for now, he kind of liked the idea of sneaking around with Nathan on the side, it would be fun. “So um…what are you going to tell, Frank?” Nathan asked before taking a sip of his coffee, watching Gerard with his eyes that were glancing over his mug. Gerard nearly spit out his food. “Oh, God! Frank,” he said quickly before he stood up and quickly made his way off the balcony, heading for the door. He pulled his shirt off the couch where it had been discarded last night and pulled it on. Under his shirt was the orange ribbon Frank had gotten for him, it was now crumpled and looked ruined from where they had both moved over it and where it had been pulled from his hair. He felt like he was going to throw up. “Gerard, don’t leave,” Nathan followed behind him. “Stay, finish your breakfast. He’ll understand,” Nathan said to him, trying to take his arm. “I’m a horrible person,” Gerard said as he felt like crying. “I…He trusted me…and I…we..,” Gerard closed his eyes tightly as images of last night flashed through his head. He hadn’t stopped himself. Nathan and he had been reading over the paperwork and Gerard had turned, their faces had been close, and Gerard had kissed Nathan, he had done it. “Oh God,” he cried out as he realized this. “Gerard, baby, it’s okay. He’s gonna understand. He knows we love each other,” Nathan explained, “and if he’s your friend, he’ll want you to be happy and what’s best for you, that’s me,” Nathan said with a soft smile and brushed back Gerard’s hair from his slightly misty eyes. Gerard thought about Nathan’s words for a second and started to believe him. “You…You think so?” Nathan nodded. “I guess…I could stay…and finish eating.” Nathan smiled and wrapped his arm around Gerard, leading him back out to the balcony. =============================================================================== Frank sat on a bench, rubbing his ankle that was hurting him something awful. He just sighed out as he glanced across the street to the hotel. He had looked everywhere for Gerard and he hadn’t turned up. He eventually stood and limped roughly to the hotel before going in. He walked up to the front desk, defeated. “Ma’am, any news from him?” She looked at him sadly. “No but there’s a few messages for Nathan Warrenton, if you wouldn’t mind running them up to him. Maybe your friend is with him,” she said with a hopeful smile. Frank doubted it highly, he knew how upset Gerard was over Nathan but he agreed to run up the messages. “Wait…I thought he was in Hawaii?”Frank said, stopping and turning back to look at her as he held the envelopes and paper in his hand. “Came back last night,” she explained and he kind of looked at her for a second before he went to the elevator and started the ride up. He was thinking heavily over this new information as he went up floor by floor. Gerard had been gone all night, Nathan had come back, and this just seemed too odd to let go but he did. He knew Gerard and he knew that Gerard wouldn't do that to him. Gerard had told him that he loved him, that had to mean something. He stood outside of Nathan’s door for a second before he knocked. There was a moment of silence and Frank thought maybe no one was going to answer before the door swung open and Nathan answered the door in a bathrobe with wet hair like he had hopped out of the shower. “Oh, Frank, hello,” he said and seemed to force a pleasant smile. He seemed out of breath and a bit flushed. Frank had the slightest thought that maybe Nathan had just got off in the shower. He tried not to think on it too much. “Hi,” Frank smiled weakly and held out the envelopes he had gotten down at the front desk. “They asked me to bring these up for you.” “Oh, thank you,” Nathan smiled as he took them. “I thought you were to be resting after the race the other day,” Nathan said to him with concern, clearly Frank had been up and moving around since he was fully dressed and had on a jacket. Nathan could see by Frank’s expression that he was uncomfortable standing on his leg, if not in pain. “I was looking for Gerard. He left last night and I’m just really worried because it’s not like him and…,” Frank went quiet and was looking beyond Nathan. Nathan turned to see Gerard frozen in the doorway of the hotel bedroom, also in a bathrobe, his hair dripping as he stared to Frank. Nathan saw the towel in his hand, clutched tightly, he knew Gerard must have been drying his hair. He quickly turned his attention back to Frank, seeing his void expression. “…well I guess I found him. You two have a nice day,” Frank muttered before he turned and quickly walked off, even with his ankle throbbing. He closed his eyes tightly, Gerard had had the same flushed look, Frank knew that look. He knew they had both just been screwing in the shower. He bit down on his lip to control his anger, his sadness, and his pain. “Frank! Frank, wait!” Gerard screamed before he quickly ran out of the room and down the hall after Frank, luckily Nathan’s room was the only one on the floor, so no one could hear. “Please?!” Gerard screamed but Frank hit the button on the elevator and Gerard hit against the doors as they closed. “Dammit,” he screamed and hit the doors before he began to cry and just leaned against the doors, slowly sliding down to collapse on the floor. He sobbed as his face rested against the cold medal and he heard the elevator descending. “Gerard,” he heard Nathan softly whisper behind him. “Come here, baby,” he said and softly held open his arms. Gerard wanted to hit him, to say this was his entire fault but he couldn’t, he leaned into Nathan’s big arms and nuzzled into him. “I ruin everything,” Gerard sobbed and hid his face in Nathan’s neck. He couldn't believe what he had done to Frank. The one person to talk to him like he was normal in five years, the one person who loved him because he simply did and for no other reason. Gerard felt his insides surge with agony but he clung to Nathan because like before, Nathan would be all he had, this only made him feel worse. “No,” Nathan quietly shushed before he headed back to the room with Gerard in his arms. He turned his face back towards the elevator with a grin before he walked into the room and closed the door. Chapter End Notes Dun, dun, dunna! ***** Chapter 37 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Gerard had gone back to the hotel room later that night but Frank had been gone and so had all his stuff. Gerard had returned to Nathan who instantly had someone track Frank down and they had reported back that Frank was sleeping in the stables with Tessa, since the race was in the morning Nathan didn’t say a word and told them to leave him but to keep an eye on him. Gerard spent another night with Nathan. =============================================================================== The next day was the race and by the time Gerard arrived at the track Frank already had Tessa out on the track and was walking her back and forth with his head down. Gerard got up on Raid and made him walk over to Frank. “Frank,” he whispered gently as he came up to him. “Please…Please listen to me,” Gerard tried but Frank only moved Tessa away from him without a word. He sighed softly as he watched him go and hung his own head before he turned and looked over to the private boxes, seeing Nathan but then he saw Matt sitting in his lap taking all his attention as they kissed and shared quiet words. Gerard hung his head and shook it. “What the fuck am I doing? What was I thinking?” He muttered angrily and shook his head. “I messed up, Raid,” he whispered and Raid snorted in a way that said he agreed, like he knew. “Let’s just get ready,” Gerard muttered and went over to the gate where Frank was. He looked down and just stayed silent. He made himself sigh out and release his stress before he opened his eyes and the gates flew open. Raid bolted out and was instantly ahead of the pack as he took off with his skilled speed. Gerard concentrated forward like he normally did and just tried to focus, he didn’t want Raid acting up, he wanted him to run right. The laps were fast and everything was so loud but when the announcer said it was the last lap Gerard was waiting for Tessa, she always came up on his right. It was to be any time before she would come racing by him but it didn’t happen and before he knew it, he crossed the finish line with Raid, right in the front. The crowd was a mixture of cheers and boos and he turned to see Frank and Tessa already headed back to the stable. He went to follow but all the cameras and people were rushing up. He made sure to smile the best he could as he heard the announcer, “Oh a shocking performance by Gerard Way on Raid!” The flowers were draped over Raid’s neck and Nathan stood beside the horse with his arm around Matt talking about Raid and how this was his second winning race. Many mentioned how they had figured Tessa would win the race but Nathan made no comment other than he was just happy to win. Gerard was sitting on top of Raid and was having a moment of realization. Nathan had brought Gerard to the races many time but usually, Gerard had been kept in the hotel room or left in the private box, away from Nathan. Nathan had told Gerard that they couldn’t be seen together as a couple but now here was Nathan, holding onto Matt in front of hundred of cameras. After a while longer of the camera’s Gerard was allowed to bring Raid back to the stables and did. Frank was there with Tessa who Gerard had found out placed second, he knew Frank had been upset, he hadn’t let go, and neither had raced right because of it. He wanted to walk over to him and tell him he should have just let it go like Gerard always told him but he knew he had no right to say anything. “Frank!” Gerard heard Nathan’s booming voice and turned as well as Frank. “You threw away that race! Tessa could have taken first!” “What does it matter? You won, didn’t you?” Frank said and rolled his eyes at him but his voice seemed to have a deeper meaning. “Because I would have had three winning horses, instead of two! You have shamed Tessa and me! How dare you?! You will never race again!” Nathan hollered angrily and Matt stood behind him seeming nervous as he glanced to Frank. “When we get home, you will pay for this!” “Nathan, honey,” Matt tried but Nathan only told him to be quiet. “Matt, you’re riding home with Gerard. Frank, come,” Nathan said angrily and headed towards his limo. “No,” Frank said, crossing his arms and standing in his place. Gerard and Matt shared a very nervous glance. Gerard wanted to say something, wanted to stop this but he couldn’t. There was nothing he could do but make it worse. “You little shit,” Nathan hissed and grabbed Frank by his hair before plunging his fist into Frank’s gut who coughed harshly and groaned as he doubled over. Nathan proceeded to drag Frank to the limo by his hair before he threw him in and slammed the door. The limo took off and Matt and Gerard stood in an awkward silence. =============================================================================== The ride home with Matt was more than awkward and there was hardly any talking but then they neared the mansion. “Frank’s probably dead,” Matt whispered in slight fear. “Don’t say that,” Gerard whispered back with nothing but fear as he imagined it. They pulled up to the house and Gerard and Matt quickly went inside. Matt went up to the private quarters to see if he could find Nathan, hoping he could calm him a little. “Oh, Gerard,” Gerard heard before he turned to see Kathy. “What happened, Kathy!? Where’s Frank?!” Gerard said in panic as he saw her wet cheeks and trembling form come from the shadows of the hallway. “It was…it was horrible...,” she said seeming traumatized as she stared at the door like she could see something that wasn’t happening. “Nathan dragged him in…he was so bloody…he wasn’t even conscious. They brought him…to the barn…and he whipped him…He’s in his room,” she sobbed. “Nathan said he’s gonna be sending him to Master Darrell tomorrow,” she whispered in fright and Gerard covered his mouth as his eyes poured over. “You need to see him.” Gerard quickly ran up the stairs and to Frank’s room, he tried the door but it was locked. “Frank,” he whispered through his tears but there was no response. “What are you doing?” Gerard snapped around to see Nathan and put his back against the door in fear. “I…I want to see him,” Gerard stated with very little boldness. “No,” Nathan said with a tone that said he meant it. “Please, Nathan, I have to see him,” Gerard cried as he tried the handle again like it’d magically open and let him in. “You wanna see that fucking shit?!” Nathan hollered loudly and Gerard cowered back. “Fine, let’s see him,” Nathan screamed and unlocked the door, dragging Gerard in. Gerard was instantly scarred from what he saw. Frank was tied down to the bed face down, his back torn to shreds from the whip and his face was bruised and swollen; drenched in blood, and his eyes were closed. Gerard could even see Frank's hair was caked in his own blood. “Oh, God,” Gerard sobbed and covered his mouth as he saw all the blood coming from Frank, he tried to go to him, to help him but Nathan grabbed him by his hair. “Do you see?! Do you see what happens when you don’t listen?! You’re gonna end up like this ugly, wretch,” Nathan screamed into Gerard’s ear who just sobbed harder. “Get out of my sight,” Nathan hollered and threw Gerard out of the room. He hit the floor with a harsh thud and sobbed as he forced himself up and ran from the hall. =============================================================================== Gerard had done nothing all night except curl up in a chair and sob. Frank had looked so horrible and it had scared him so bad. When morning came and he opened his eyes, looking out the big window that the chair sat in, he saw down over the driveway to where a car was parked out front and they were loading Frank’s bags into it. Gerard quickly got up and ran down the stairs as his heart pounded in his ears. He quickly ran by Nathan who was standing just outside the front door and managed to move his arm away before Nathan could grab it. “Frank,” Gerard cried loudly as he ran down the stairs towards the car. He heard someone quickly follow him down the stairs and just as he got to the car door and tried to open it there were arms around his waist pulling him away. “No,” Gerard cried and tried to get away as his cheeks were only coated with more tears to cover the previously dry trails. His hair was in his face and strands stuck to the damp trails as he thrashed to get away. “Frank, I’m sorry!” Gerard tried desperately as he looked to the car window that was blacked out from the tint, but he was soon at the top of the stairs where the stable hand who had grabbed him let him go. He fell to his knees as he felt all of his strength leaving him, watching the car pulling away. “Frank, I love you,” Gerard cried out harshly before he looked down and sobbed. Chapter End Notes :/ ***** Chapter 38 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Nathan looked down at Gerard who was now curled into a ball that was shivering and sobbing loudly. He was coughing, nearly making himself sick on the cement landing. "Love?!" Nathan questioned loudly and it made Gerard flinch but he just stayed curled up as he sobbed and bit into the flesh on his wrist. Nathan's eyes flared up in anger and his face flew up to the car that was leaving with Frank inside, nearly dead. He sent daggers at it, hoping that the boy would die before he even got to the hell he was being sent to. "You whore," Nathan screamed and pulled Gerard up by his hair and began dragging him through the entryway of the large house. "No," Gerard screamed and tried to pull away and thrash but it only hurt him more. He cried harder as he tried to grab onto something, anything to get away from Nathan. "Stop," he sobbed and tried grabbing onto the rails of the stairs. Nathan dragged Gerard through the halls and no matter how hard Gerard screamed and begged for someone to help not a single door opened and not a single person came out. Gerard felt fear rising inside him as he was being pulled toward Nathan's private quarters. A place that was once his haven now only made him feel scared and like he was in danger. Nathan pulled Gerard into his office and shoved him hard. Gerard fell and his head smashed off the floor. He felt dazed as he heard Nathan locking the door but soon there were hands on him again and he tried to struggle as he was lifted. He felt the wind being knocked from his lungs as he was roughly slammed down over Nathan's desk. Fear filled him as he felt Nathan pulling at his pants. "No," Gerard sobbed out and tried to fight it but Nathan grabbed his hair and slammed his head off the desk. Gerard sobbed and cried as he held his head and then called out in agonizing pain as he felt Nathan shove into him dry and raw. His body began shaking forward as Nathan's hard thrusts met his ass and he sobbed as he tried to push Nathan away, only to fail. Nathan held his hips harshly and showed no mercy with his thrusts. =============================================================================== Kathy came in from outside and sniffed softly. She had been outside, sneaking a cigarette. She had been the one to prepare Frank's things and seeing that boy laying there, unconscious and hardly breathing had shaken her up. She sighed out her nerves and wiped her watery eyes as she entered the kitchen to see more people than normal all standing around with worried expressions, whispering to one another. The help was all getting nervous. They had never seen the Master so angry and so violent. A few had been forced to witness the blood shed of Frank's back and all had heard the pained screams of the boy. They had seen him come through the door, bloody and bruised. They had seen the Master continue to beat and kick Frank all the way to the back door before he dragged him to the barn. The Master had never personally dragged someone to be whipped and seeing him do it to Frank only made things even scarier. He had whipped Frank till he had nearly fallen unconscious and only continued to beat him until the Master couldn't anymore and once Frank had fallen from the restraints the Master had kicked him until Frank was finally unconscious again and coughing on the blood in his mouth. He had then had Frank dragged to the house by a farm hand who had laid him in bed and the Master had entered the room to beat him even longer. "What is it?" Kathy asked, wondering if this was about Frank leaving. Everyone was silent as they looked to Kathy and they all kind of silently murmured to one another but so Kathy couldn't hear them. She began to glare at them with suspicion and didn't have time to play these games. She put her hands on her hips and puffed out her chest in a confident form that told them she wasn't playing around. Everyone knew this stance and it wasn't to be taken lightly. "Master...he...," one of the young blonde maids began but looked to everyone else. She seemed like she didn't want to say it but when no one showed signs of finishing her sentence she looked back to Kathy. "Gerard ran after Frank's car, Master dragged him upstairs, he was screaming," she said softly. "What if he kills him?" One of the other maids whispered in fear. No one had ever actually been killed on the plantation. There had never been a person who had put up a fight long enough for Nathan to find them worth killing off. The fear in the help was growing because of how the Master had treated Frank and was now going for Gerard. Kathy's eyes grew wide and she left the kitchen quickly, running down the hall to the entryway and up the front stairs. =============================================================================== "Is this what you wanted?!" Nathan screamed against Gerard's hair as he continued his hard thrusts, blood was running down the inside of Gerard's thigh. "It's amazing you can even still bleed from this loose hole," he shouted as he heard Gerard let out another little wrecked sob. Gerard had tried to fight Nathan off him and knew he would not win. He felt so defeated, so gross, so wrong, so violated. He felt like an empty shell as he was continually shoved into the desk by Nathan's hard thrusts. "What, baby? You're not hard. Does it not feel good?" Nathan whispered in his ear tauntingly. "You wish I was Frank?" Nathan started thrusting harder as he got close. Gerard sobbed out at the mention of Frank's name and closed his eyes tightly, pressing his face against the desk. He bit his lip and closed his eyes hard as Nathan began to purposely slam into his prostate. "Well you can't have him... Oh fuck," he muttered. ”It's a good thing Frank's still a virgin, Darrell likes them tight," Nathan said after a moment and smirked as he saw Gerard tense up. "No," Gerard cried and tried to get up again but was harshly shoved back down. His eyes closed tightly and more tears pour from them as he tried not to think of Master Darrell raping Frank. He had heard the horror stories. He had seen only one person come back from Master Darrell's and that man had never talked again and hung himself in the barn months later. Gerard had been the one to walk through the door and find him. He had screamed loudly as he saw the man's lifeless body swaying in the air. He blocked out now how he had spent the night curled up into Nathan who had held him while he had cried. "Yes! Oh fuck, I'm coming," Nathan groaned loudly and gave Gerard five more hard, deep jabs that made Gerard sob harder as he felt Nathan fill him and slam him forward, against the desk. "Fuckin whore," Nathan muttered before he pulled back off Gerard and watched the younger man slide from the desk and onto the floor trying to cover himself as he sobbed. Gerard cried as his throat and whole body felt tense and sore. He tried desperately to pull his pants up but he couldn't stand up, his legs felt weak and were shaking too hard. He felt Nathan's cum sliding from his stretched hole and the blood caking the inside of his legs, he shuddered and felt so dirty. He had just been raped, he felt so ruined, so destroyed. "Frank," Gerard cried out brokenly like he was going to magically appear and save him but then he knew it wouldn't happen, he just kept trying to cover himself as he sobbed harder. "Didn’t I tell you that you would lose him!? Huh?!" Nathan screamed and Gerard only flinched and sobbed harder, his face covered in tears. “You are so pathetic,” Nathan muttered and went to grab at Gerard, who screamed out, before he heard a loud bang at his door that made him jump as the wood cracked. There was another loud thud and the doors flung open revealing Kathy. "You have some nerve," Nathan shouted at her. "I've had enough of you," Kathy said as she pressed out her large chest and came towards Nathan with no fear. She walked right by him to Gerard and helped him fix his pants and lean on her as he stood on shaky legs, sobbing and hiding into her. He was never more grateful to anyone in his life. "I'm not done with him!" Nathan pointed his finger in her face and Gerard flinched at the loud voice though he felt Kathy stand strong for the both of them. "Yes, you are! I have stood by you through many things but I will not let you harm this boy!" Kathy's voice rang through the room as she held Gerard close to her, gently holding the back of his head that was hiding into her neck. "I was quiet when you beat Mr. Iero! I will not let you have Gerard too!" "You have no say," Nathan said back angrily. Kathy had always been silent and behaved, this was making Nathan unnerved as this short woman stood before him. Though she was smaller she had something about her that made him shy back a little. He felt like he was trying to get a small baby cub away from his large mother. He knew he couldn't let her see his fear so he reached for Gerard who cried out in fear but Kathy blocked him. "He's mine!" Nathan hollered. "Enough," she hollered back and slowly walked by Nathan as she helped Gerard walk. "You will be brought into the shed and beaten if you leave this room with him," Nathan tried to sound big and tough and pointed at her with a violent thrust of his arm. Kathy turned and looked to him and for a moment, Gerard feared she would let him go, and leave him to be beaten by Nathan. "A human being is worth more to me then some flesh on my back and blood from my body," Kathy spat and turned before she walked out the door with Gerard nuzzling even closer to her. =============================================================================== "K-Kathy," Gerard sniffed as his eyes still poured and his hands shook as he reached for her as she gently laid him back on the bed. "Oh, hush, now," Kathy said gently and brushed back Gerard's hair. "Let me start you a bath," she cooed gently and went to fill it. Gerard laid back and let out a shaky breath, he was in his new room, the one next to Frank's. He tried to stop his tears but he couldn't. He thought about Frank and it made things worse and he just wanted the younger man to hold him and to tell him that he loved him too and that he forgave him for sleeping with Nathan. Gerard hid his face in his hands as he remembered the moment he had met eyes with Frank as he had been standing in a bathrobe in Nathan's hotel room. The younger boy had look so wounded, so hurt, and then it had gone to anger. Gerard felt so ruined. He didn't even know if Frank wanted anything to do with him anymore and here he was being selfish and wanting the boy to hold him and make him feel better. Kathy walked out of the bathroom and started getting Gerard out a fresh change of clothes, pajamas so he could rest up. "Kathy," she turned softly as she heard the tiny whimper of a voice say her name. "F-Frank hates me," he whispered and looked down, his eyes pouring more. "Honey, I'm sure he doesn't hate you," Kathy shushed as she came over and placed a hand over his. She then reached up to gently brush back Gerard's hair. "I...I was with Frank...and then I slept with Nathan," Gerard cried. "Frank was nothing but good to me, he did nothing but keep me safe and make me happy and I ruined it," Gerard was sobbing again now and shaking as he covered his face with his hands.”Why did I do that?” "Oh, Gerard," Kathy said gently and pulled the boy over to lean into her arms. She wanted to tell him that Frank understood but the truth was she knew he probably didn't. She held the boy’s head where it rested close to her heart, on her chest, and wrapped her other arm around him. "Hold on," she whispered and got up going to Gerard's closet, she dug around and found what she was looking for. She came over to the bed where Gerard was still sitting slouched over. "I got this for you...while I was packing his things," she said gently and Gerard looked up, seeing one of Frank's shirts. "Oh," Gerard cried and grabbed the shirt, ignoring the pain he felt when he had thrown himself forward. He held it closely to his chest and breathed it in, smelling Frank's scent. "This means so much to me," he whispered and looked to her with his eyes that were still leaking. "You've done so much for me. I...I can never repay you," he said sadly but was gripping the shirt tightly, like it might disappear. "Stop that nonsense," she said in her motherly tone and smiled gently. "Come now, let's get you washed up," she said as she carefully helped Gerard up from the bed. Chapter End Notes :( ***** Chapter 39 ***** Chapter Notes See the end of the chapter for notes Gerard awoke with a start as he heard screaming and shot up in bed, one of the stable hands had grabbed Kathy from her chair beside Gerard's bed where she had fallen asleep watching him. He stood and limped on his weak legs as he tried to stop the man he knew as Aaron. "Stop," he cried as Kathy fought just as harshly against him. "I can't! The Master says she must be taken to the barn and be whipped," he said looking just as upset as the two of them. Kathy was a mother figure to most of the people in the house, maybe a hardheaded mother who bossed them around and was strict but they all loved her just the same. "Is that all this is about?" Kathy said as she sighed out from her panting and put her hands on her hips. "Well gosh darn it, Aaron, you could have just said so and not have grabbed me in my sleep," she said and put a hand to her chest as if it would steady her heart. "I'm sorry, Miss Kathy," Aaron said and seemed sad. He looked down before he looked back over his shoulder. "This isn't right," he also shot a glance to Gerard, silently mentioning the situation from earlier. "Don't be sorry, I'm not at all worried," Kathy assured Aaron. "Now let's go before Nathan grows impatient." She began to head out the door with Aaron and Gerard followed her. "Honey, you need to rest," she said to him, gently brushing back his hair from his worn face. "N-No, you can't do this," he said to her as his eyes flared up. He was scared of her being hurt for him. "Gerard, I am not worried," Kathy said as they went down the stairs and she helped Gerard since he wasn't turning back. "It will all be fine," she said to him reassuringly. They headed out to the barn and Gerard was still trying to convince her that she couldn't do this, even though there was no way out of it. Gerard saw Nathan and cowered a little before he stood strong, even though he was limping as he walked with Kathy. "Good evening, Master," Kathy said as if they had just met on a late night stroll and for no other reason. She stood in the spot where the bloody ropes hung from where Frank had last been whipped and Gerard shuddered at the thought. Aaron started to tie her wrists and she did not fight in the slightest. "Nathan, please?" Gerard tried as he limped to him. "Punish me instead," he cried and Nathan looked down to him with a smirk. "Gerard Arthur, I will have none of this!" Gerard heard Kathy's voice and looked down. Nathan slapped Gerard harshly across the face and he fell with a whimper. He blinked as he lay in the damp grass, trying to gain back the air that had escaped his lungs. He felt gentle hands reach around him, bringing him up from under his arms. Aaron the stablehand helped Gerard up gently and held his weak frame. "You call me, Master," Nathan said bitterly to Gerard and shot Aaron a glance that was a warning. He didn’t want Aaron helping Gerard but the stablehand still helped hold Gerard up until he got his bearings. "Are we doing this sometime tonight? I do have to get up early to make your tea," Kathy said with a regular voice but there was bitterness laced in it. Nathan glared at her back and grabbed the whip from it's spot on the wall. "Tear her shirt," Nathan demanded angrily as he looked to Kathy. "But sir," Aaron said weakly. The Master hardly ever whipped women and even still, their clothing was left on and it was less harsh than that of a man's beating. Nathan glared quickly to Aaron who sighed in defeat and left Gerard's side and went to Kathy. "I'm sorry," he whispered and sniffed before he tore her shirt open, revealing her pale back and the back of her bra. Nathan waited for Aaron to move before he pulled the whip back and threw it forward, it clacked horridly as it connected with Kathy's back and blood instantly ran down her soft skin. Gerard cried and covered his eyes as he heard the noise repeatedly and the tiny noises of pain that forced themselves from Kathy's mouth. Nathan wasn't stopping and Gerard imagined Frank's was only much worse. He cried harder and when he thought he couldn't take it a second longer there was silence and he opened his eyes to see Kathy weakly hanging from her wrists. He let out a sob and ran to her before Aaron helped get her down and Gerard gently held her in his arms the best he could before Aaron took her for him. Her eyes were nearly closed and her breathing was labored. "Oh, Kathy, why?" Gerard cried as he looked to her trembling form and held her weak hand. "Let this be a lesson to you," Nathan spat at Kathy before he turned and walked towards the house. Kathy only shook her head as Gerard cried and babied her. "Don't worry, Gerard. I will be fine," she said softly and with a gentle smile. "Yeah," Aaron said mindlessly, "You should have seen what he did to Fr-" Aaron cut off when Kathy glared her eyes at him and then looked to Gerard. "I'm sorry I...I forgot," he said softly. The damage was already done as Gerard hung his head and just wanted to lay on the ground and sob. He slowly followed them into the house and this time he helped Kathy clean up and got her into bed after he dressed her back. She had told him this was all unnecessary but he hadn't listened and now he laid beside her and held her hand. The two had bonded so much in such a short time. "Aaron didn't mean to bring up Frank," Kathy breathed softly to Gerard. "He doesn't know that much about you both." "Was it really horrible Kathy?" Gerard breathed the question to her as he looked to her. He didn't know if he really wanted to know but at the same time he knew he did. "Gerard-" she began but he stopped her and told her that he needed to know. She sighed before she nodded. "I've never seen Nathan whip someone for so long and for so hard and the noises that boy made...Oh it was horrible," she breathed and looked down at the memory, having heard him all the way up at the house. "Then...they untied Frank...he fell...he couldn't stand and Nathan kicked him and beat him until Frank had nothing left." Gerard looked down and closed his eyes tightly as he imagined only how terrible it must have been. He was just so happy that Frank was alive, as far as he knew. "Do you think he's alive?" He whispered this almost afraid of what her answer would be. "I think so," she said with a weak smile. "I know a fighter when I see one," she said with a gentle smile and Gerard returned it, though his was a little sadder. He curled up close to Kathy and neither shared another word as they began to rest, both hoping to recover from the pain Nathan had put them through. =============================================================================== Franks eye slowly peered open and for a moment he was unaware of the pain in his body. He thought maybe the God's had shown mercy and had finally let his soul pass on. His face scrunched up as the pain slowly started to come back. He was slowly remembering everything. He remembered Gerard's flushed face first, his hair wet and the water was dripping down from it. He was standing behind Nathan in his hotel room, the two had slept together, Frank had known. Then he remembered riding Tessa, he remembered how she had tried to push forward but he couldn't let her. He had been in too much pain from her knocking him off the day before, his ribs had ached with each step she took. He hadn't been able to rest his ankle either and each time he was bounced in the slightest from her run, he thought he was going to faint from the pain. Of course, Nathan had blamed him for throwing it intentionally and Frank hadn’t really cared what Nathan thought. He remembered being in the limo with Nathan who had stomped him into the floor and beaten him repeatedly. Frank had tried to fight back which only made it all the more horrible for him. He could barely remember being kicked out of limo or dragged up the stairs of the mansion, or kicked all the way to the back door and down the field. He definitely remembered being whipped because the noise and the shooting pain had pulled him from his foggy senses like a good kick to the nuts. He had tried to squirm away and to get free but only ended up in more pain. As he started remembering, all the pain from the actions had started coming back. He now realized the ceiling above him was moving, whipping by. He turned his head to the side and noticed the walls were too. He painfully lifted his head and looked down to his feet and saw someone pulling him on what looked like a gurney. He realized he had bandages on and that he was cleaned up. He whimpered in pain and tried to sit up but he felt something holding him down, he could now see he was restrained. "W-Where am I?" Frank's voice had come out groggy and wavering and he closed his eyes tightly as his head ached. The woman pulling the cart looked to him for a moment before she looked back to where she was walking. "You will be placed in a room to rest after you are looked over by the Master." "M-Master? N-Nathan?" Frank questioned as his head began to spin and he had to keep his eyes closed and his head rested against the soft padding of the gurney like cart. He did however gently tug at the restraints around his wrists. "No, Master Darrell," she said softly as she pulled open double doors and then pulled him into a room. Frank dared to open his eyes and saw a man sitting behind a desk with his feet on it, reading a paper. He looked to Frank and widened his eyes like he hadn't been expecting him and tossed down his paper. "So this is my new toy," he exclaimed excitedly. "Oh, Nathan certainly sends me some nice ones." The woman smiled at him like he was simply talking about a wrapped present he had just received. "Virgin too," he commented. "Oh, you do like a virgin," she commented with a smile and bowed before leaving the room. Frank was now nervous as he looked up to the man who stood above him. He was shaking a little and was trying to stop himself but couldn't. He tried to stay calm but he realized his throat was dry and his hands were clammy. "So Frank," the new Master began. "You are to stay with me for two months," the man said with a smile and moved closer to Frank. "In that time you will be a literal slave, not like one of Nathan's. You will bow to me, you will worship me, and I will have your body whenever I want it," he said as if he was just stating obvious things and Frank's eyes began to water as he tried to sit up and still couldn't. "He told me you have fight in you," the new Master stated, " but I do not care. Nathan can break the spirits of wild horse, I break the spirits of humans." Darrell sat himself back down in his chair and an evil smile graced his lips as he saw the first of Frank's tears, knowing there would be many more to come. Chapter End Notes From bad to worse... (Also, sorry I didn't update for so long. Work has been crazy and each time I thought about it I wasn't near my computer!) ***** Chapter 40 ***** Chapter Notes *Heavy Content* See the end of the chapter for more notes Gerard shot up quickly in his bed and gasped out harshly as he began panting loudly, feeling the dampness on his cheeks. He had had a nightmare about Frank being raped. It had been a week and every night he had been dreaming of Frank but they were never nice or happy. He couldn't get Nathan's words out of his head, how Master Darrell liked virgins. He didn't want that for Frank. The younger boy was so sweet and innocent, he wasn't ready for that, and if he was it wasn't supposed to be with someone who would be harsh with him or hurt him. Gerard hugged himself as he thought back to Nathan raping him and hid his face in his hands, letting out a tiny sob. He couldn't understand this world. How people could be so cruel and terrible to one another. He knew how bad it had hurt him, had messed him up. He could only think about how much worse it would be for Frank. Gerard had at least known Nathan, he didn't know if it made it easier or harder for someone to deal with, he imagined harder but he still didn't want that for Frank. Gerard tried to calm his breathing as he slowly sat up in bed and sniffled gently. He wiped his cheeks with the bed sheets and sighed out as he stared over to the window. He was wondering about Frank, wondering what he was doing right now. He wondered if he was okay, he prayed he was. He didn't want harm to come to him and he sighed out once again as he looked out at the stars. He wondered if Frank could see the stars where he was. He had the stupid thought that maybe Frank was looking at them too but he knew that probably wasn't happening. He felt his eyes flare up again as he held his legs to him and just stared to the stars. =============================================================================== "No," Frank cried and whimpered as he was pinned down to a bed under Master Darrell. He had been left to heal for the last six days but now it was the seventh night and the Master had already told him about this. Frank had just been hoping he would have found a way to escape his cell in the damp basement before it happened. "I told you this would happen," the Master mumbled down to him as he pulled off his own shirt. "If you're good and you hold still for me, I'll give you a new room," he tried as he heard the younger male cry beneath him. Frank was stripped naked and was trying to hide himself with the soft sheets on the bed. "It'll have a soft bed like this one and you'll get fed three times a day and it won't hurt you so bad," Darrell whispered down in Frank's ear as he rolled the man onto his front. Frank rubbed his wet face into the pillow beneath him and let out a sob as his new Master gripped his hips and lifted him up from the bed a little. He didn't want to think about anything, he didn't want to be here, he wanted to be back in his old room. He wanted Gerard. He sobbed harder as he remembered the older man and gripped the covers and tensed up as he felt Master Darrell's tip brush his slick entrance. He fussed weakly at his stretched hole the Master’s fingers had just been in, his cheeks were flushed as was his chest from the feelings he had tried to deny feeling when the Master’s fingers had been inside him. "P-Please," Frank whined and he heard how broken his own voice sounded. "I- I can't," he sobbed as he bit into his bottom lip. His eyes opened slowly as he felt hesitation from the man behind him, thinking maybe had was really listening to Frank's pleas. "M-Master?-Ah!" Frank's head shot up and his back tensed as his Master's member was forced entirely inside him in one dry, harsh thrust. "N-No! Please," he sobbed as he felt the man drag his hips back and start forcing back in. The pain he was feeling was indescribable, he had never even been touched there before tonight and now his hole was full and he knew he had felt something tear but was trying not to think about it. He felt warm liquid slowly running down his leg and balls and knew it had to be blood. He closed his eyes, his body was in so much pain he thought he might throw up or pass out. "Oh, fuck," Master Darrell rasped out, "You are a fucking virgin." He looked down at the hole that gripped him so tight he felt like he might just bust now but he wanted to wait, he wanted to enjoy this, ravish in the torment of the small form beneath him. The boy was tensed up and it only made him feel even tighter. He hadn't had a virgin in years, he wanted it all to count. "Fuckin...tight!" He rasped as he began his rough thrusting, the rim of Frank's hole was stretched around his base and it was red from not being used to it, there was blood leaking onto his dick and he moaned more as he forced it back inside the boys body with his thrusts. Frank couldn't make words anymore, he was just sobbing uncontrollably as he felt his body being taken. It had happened all too suddenly, the whole night. He had been grabbed from his cell, brought to this room, and Master Darrell had come in and began taking off Frank's clothes. When he had fought against it, his clothes had been torn from his body and thrown across the room. Frank closed his eyes tighter as his Master started moving harder and faster. Frank tried to block it out. He could hear the headboard tapping the wall, the bed was creaking, and there was skin smacking against skin. He didn't know what was hurting him more. That his body was being taken for the first time in such a horrible way or the physical pain that left him sobbing and tensed up. The pain kept building and Frank started to get groggy, his mind began to become a foggy mess. He turned his head to the side and blinked lazily as he began to disconnect, his brain trying to save him from all that was happening. He stared over to the window and looked out at the sky and up to the stars, blinking weakly as he remembered back to the night he and Gerard had rode their horses out to the fields and he sniffed softly. "Oh, Fuck!" He heard loudly come from the man that was still violating him and he choked out another sob as he felt the man's cum inside him. "Aw, damn....S'good," he heard the man breath before the man pulled out of him with a grunt, letting cum run down the inside of Frank's leg, mixing with the blood. "Roll over," he commanded. Frank slowly listened, only because he couldn't fight anymore tonight, he was too broken. He knew there was no point in fighting now, he had lost his virginity, there was nothing left to try and save. There was no way he could feel anymore pain then he was already feeling. He felt Master Darrel take his dick in his hand and closed his eyes tightly, trying to ignore it. "You were so good," he said, "you held real still. There's usually so much more fight in you new ones." Frank instantly felt completely disgusting. He wasn't sure if it was the fact the Master Darrell was stroking him or because he had apparently given up so easily. No, he wasn't done fighting but he had given up after he had been shoved into. He had just laid there and cried. He didn't know if that made him less of a person, since he hadn't done everything he could have to stop the other man, this only made him cry more and turn his face away. "It's okay, baby," Master Darrell whispered in his ear. "Just let it feel good," he kissed the side of Frank's head. Frank cried and felt so dirty as he felt the older man kiss the side of his head. He felt dirty because of the little kiss and because he was growing hard in the Master's grip. "P-Please, n-no," Frank cried out and his body tensed as his back was trying to arch into the touch. He couldn't believe his body was betraying him so easily. He knew that Master Darrell saw him getting harder and cried more as he felt the other man's breath on his neck. "It's okay," Master Darrell whispered to him and began pumping him faster. He knew the boy was mostly inexperienced and that getting him to cum from this should be easy. He knew how bad it would mess with his emotions. It would make him feel disgusting, because his mind would confuse him into thinking he liked the torture. In turn, this would eventually make Frank believe himself to be worthless and he would subcumb to the ways of his Master. "M-Master...P-Please...I-Oh!" Frank cried out and closed his eyes tightly as he felt his orgasm rip through his body and his hips bucked upward into his Master's hand. He felt so guilty, so wrong. The touch had felt so good to him and he knew deep down inside that it shouldn't. He should have fought more, he should have held back, he shouldn't have bucked his hips. All these "should's" were filling his mind as it was still dizzy from it's orgasm. As he began to come back down from his high, the pain from his used body came back to him and he curled up and began to sob again. "You were such a good boy," Master Darrell whispered into the hair next to Frank's ear. "You can rest in here tonight," he said as he pulled the sheets over the shaking and sobbing form. "We'll practice some more tomorrow," he smiled as he laid behind Frank and spooned him, wrapping his arm around the crying boy, whose sobs had grown louder at the mention of being touched again tomorrow. "Now shut up," he snapped as Frank was about to be disturbing his sleep. "If you keep that up and don't let me sleep I will fucking beat you," he growled into Frank's ear. Frank folded his lips and bit down on them both as he closed his eyes tightly and stifled his sobs. He slowly got himself to stop making noises but that didn't stop his eyes from watering. He felt so ruined and as Master Darrell held him tightly he knew this was going to be his life for the next seven weeks. He just prayed that he could hold on for that long. Chapter End Notes Poor Frankie.. :( Okay, so this is the last chapter of this part. I'm already halfway through the second part and will start uploading it in a few weeks. In the mean time I may be uploading little one shots and might even start uploading my prostitute Gee fic. But I will have to see how much more I can write of it. I'm 17 chapters into it now and about to start 18. Mine you these are 3,000+ word chapters so they do take a little bit of time to get done. Hang in there with me! Also, I saw Frank Iero last night and he brushed by me to get on stage and looked at me to complain about mic feedback. So after 8 years of wanting to see this man, I fangirled a bit but managed to keep it contained. Haha! He smells amazing btw. 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