We Are Broken • Geetrick

15

Gerard gets me cleaned up and brings me back to bed once Frank's dealt with. He workd fast careful not to hurt me and he has the maids quickly get to work on the bathroom while Brendon helps him with me.

They bandage up my wrists, Brendon making sure they're not too tight and he gives me painkiller for the next few days and tells me I need to stay in bed.

Gerard keeps by my side for those few days. Refusing to leave for work and most of that time we sleep or talk. I find myself growing to like him more and more as I learn about him. Not to owner side of him, but the real side of him. The one he doesn't cover with a mask.

He was born with his brother, Mikey, who works as a manager at Way industries. He's never been super jealous of Gerard, he doesn't want all that extra work. He's content with where he is.

His parents, before they passed, were okay. His mother was abusive, his father was too busy with work to see what she did to both Mikey and Gerard.

I tell him about what I can remember of my life before the institute. Kevin and Megan and Mom and Dad. I tell him about how I always wanted to do music. About how my mother had a piano and I used to play...

She had to sell it, though. We had to sell everything while my dad looked desperately for a job and Kevin follows suit. I tell Gerard about how sad I was to lose that piano. And then I tell him about everything we did to try to keep off the streets.

The cops came eventually. We were forced into the institute and onto slavery.

I cry after that. I feel like I cry too much for a boy who made his way out of an institute and I tell him that. Gerard only tells me how strong I am and how strong I was to make it through the institute and how I matter. How no matter what, I'll always matter to someone.

He tells me I matter to him and I think I need that.

I really need that, especially now when everything seems to be falling apart.

Maybe I really do matter