Echoes of Eclipsed Fears (Frerard)

2. Simply Irresistible

Gerard knew he never should have drank from Frank.

He was just so... irresistible. Not even in a sexual way. Frank was attractive, of course, but what made him irresistible was his scent. It had been muted when he first arrived on Gerard's doorstep, all cold and wet from the rain. Once he had stepped out of the steamy shower, Gerard's nostrils just flared. He couldn't help himself. He had taken Frank's dirty clothes to the washing machine and emerged alert and hyper-aware of the man's scent. He couldn't help it when he followed him upstairs, he couldn't help it when he blocked the entrance to the spare bedroom. He couldn't help it when he used his senses to dazzle the boy, leaving him just incapacitated enough to lean in for a bite...

Fuck, what had Gerard done? He had even thought about making friends with Frank; he just seemed so... sweet. But no, he had gone and blown it by drinking the poor guy's blood. He made up for it, though. As soon as Frank's eyelids began to flutter shut from lightheadedness, Gerard had scooped him up and carried him to the bed. He laid the boy down gently, tucking him into the covers and dabbing at his neck with the corner of the sheet.

"Goodnight, Frank," he whispered, closing the bedroom door on his way out. Gerard made his way downstairs and pulled on his long, waterproof coat. He ran through the storm to the nearest 24/7 convenience store. His vampiric, inhuman speed was much better than a car in this moment, never mind the rain. Gerard flashed a grin at the handsome man working behind the counter as he paid for some cornflakes and a tiny, half-pint bottle of milk, rushing them back to his house. He needed something for Frank to eat when he woke up in the morning. Gerard set the cereal down on the long, mahogany dining table and stored the milk in the fridge before padding over to the laundry to transfer Frank's clothes from the washer to the dryer. He took a seat on the luxurious black sofa that stretched across one wall of his living room; he didn't need to sleep, after all. Gerard let his mind wander back to the hour before, remembering the moments leading up to when he bit Frank.

Frank thanked Gerard for getting the door for him. Gerard smiled, lazily stretching across the doorframe to block it. He inhaled deeply, shuddering at the shorter man's scent, which was only amplified by the heat radiating from his neck after his warm shower.

"Uh, Gerard?" Frank asked. Gerard smirked down at the man's confused gaze. He felt his predatory instincts creeping into the foreground of his mind as he stared into Frank's soul with a deliberate twinkle in his eye. That was all Frank needed. Gerard had him now; he had exploited any and all vulnerability he could find in Frank's mind. He had stayed put as Gerard leaned in slowly, even tilting his head away to grant him easier access to his neck. Gerard grinned, grazing Frank's flesh with his fangs. He sunk his teeth into the boy's skin and...

Oh. Gerard had never tasted a human so... enticing. Frank's warm blood flowed as if it was made for Gerard's consumption. He lapped at the metallic fluid, suckling slightly on the puncture wound on Frank's neck. Frank made this soft, gasping noise, which roused something primal in Gerard. He continued to go at Frank, drinking in all the pretty noises that spilled from his mouth as well as his blood. He never wanted to drain the boy dry, so when Frank's grip on Gerard's shirt started to slack, Gerard pulled back. He scooped the smaller man up in his arms and carried him to the bed, pulling the covers up over his neck. He wiped the blood from the bite mark, whispered a goodnight, and strolled out of the room.

✽

As the sun rose higher in the sky, the clouds dissipated and the rain gave way to a brand new day. Frank lazily turned over in his bed, grasping the sheets to pull them up over his head. They were awfully soft, and he just wanted to go back to sleep.

Hang on, since when did Frank own soft sheets?

Frank threw the covers off, hurriedly rising out of bed. He felt dazed and disoriented as his head swivelled around the room, taking in the rich red wallpaper and the lush carpet. Fuck, he thought. The events of last night were all rushing back to him. He scrubbed at his neck feverishly; it felt bruised, like a hickey. He looked down at his clothes. Gerard's too-big sweatpants had spun around on his waist, leaving him all twisted up. Frank spied his cleaned, dry clothes folded at the foot of the bed and lunged for them, hastily pulling them on and creeping out the door.

He snuck downstairs, thankful that Gerard's staircase was sturdily built; it didn't creak once under his weight. He dashed past the dining room, spying a box of cornflakes and a tiny milk bottle on the table. A bowl and a spoon had been laid out, too. For him? Frank hesitated for a moment, but there wasn't any time to lose. He rushed towards the door, pulling his wet shoes over his bare feet. He grasped his equally damp socks in his fist and banged out the door, speeding down the footpath.

Thankfully, it was much easier to find his way home during the daylight.