Happy Together {Frerard}

{12} I Take It Back, Im Very Unfortunate

REWRITTEN AUGUST 2020

Gerard led Frank into what looked like an office, but gave off an eerie vibe. There were black drapes covering the window which limited the amount of light coming in, a desk in the far corner, and books and papers scattered everywhere. The only neat area in the room was a large cork bulletin board with thumbtacks and yarn connecting them. And even that looked a bit messy. A bit stereotypical lookin for a vampires den, (from what I've heard of course.)

"Gerard what is all this?"

"Sorry for the mess, it usually isnt like this. But, I've been doing some digging. Well, I've been doing research for many years now actually. Like, before you were even born. Anyways, that notebook was all that I needed thanks to you."

"What do you mean? Gerard im so confused please explain everything."

"Okay. Let me break it down," Gerard pointed to a green thumbtack in the far corner, a picture of a young woman was pinned to the bulletin and next to her was a much older woman. "This woman here, her name is Lydia Iero. She was born seventy years before me, which made her about seventy eight or nine when Mikey and I turned into.. well you know." He paused,

"Anyways, Lydia was a witch I guess you can say. She practiced some pretty heavy satanic stuff when she was a teenager and her parents," Gerard followed another string to an orange thumb tack, with now a drawing of a man and woman pinned on it. "Her parnets Fester and Victoria caught her in the act, and she was later sentenced to hanging. The day of her execution, the whole town disappeared. Gone, without a trace. Nobody knows what happen."

Gerard went back to the picture of the old woman. "See, Lydia was never seen again. But, from what I gathered, Lydias old town wasnt too far from here. And this is the same old woman who turned me and Mikey..."

"Gerard, what does this have to do with the notebook?"

"Im getting to that. So from what I told you so far just to recap, Lydia was some ancestor of yours who was a witch. She was also the woman who turned Mikey and I into monsters. I visited Lydias old cottage about a hundred years ago, because it only appearances once every hundred years." Gerard traced the yarn back to a crumbled up piece of paper with the edges all torn and tattered. "I found this paper the last time I went. Do you know what these are Frank?"

I looked at the small paper, it had small numbers written on it. I shook my head.

"Coordinates Frank! And you wanna know where these coordinates are pin pointed to? Your house Frank. Your fucking house."

"Gerard I dont understand. What does this have to do with me?"

"Frank did you not just hear me? Lydia Iero! Coordinates to your house! Thats where we found the book! Because im a fucking vampire I couldn't enter your house without being invited in."

"So you're using me?" I asked in disbelief. Gerard rolled his eyes and rubbed his temples. "Frank, no. You're not listening to me."

"I am Gerard! From the sounds of it, you're only befriending me because you wanted all access to my fucking house! Oh god, you even buttered me up! Fixing the blind boy would surely do the trick right?!"

"Frank shut the fuck up! You're being selfish and all Im asking of you is to listen to me!"

I stood silent. I was choking on my words as my face grew hot and I could feel the tears pricking at my eyes that I didn't dare let fall. The voices from The Empty were right. He was using me.

"Frank. I know about your nightmares."

My stomach dropped. I felt like vomiting but resisted the urge. "How? There is no way." I finally let the waterworks do their thing as I let a tear fall.

"Frank. Its all in Lydias notebook. I know it might not make sense but in her book she writes about hexes for tragic accidents, severe mental illness and so much more. Right after she collected our souls, she knew with old age that I'd try to seek help because firstly, immortality wasnt exactly something my eight year old self could comprehend. And secondly, she lied about needing two souls. She only needed a soul for a soul but tricked me into giving up Mikeys, which he resented me for a hundred years for that since he didnt agree to it and I do admit I was foolish. But anyways, she cursed her whole family before wiping out the town because she knew I'd try to find a descendant of hers. The only person who survived was her younger brother Fester Jr because he had ran away the night before, who she also hexed. You're whole family tree is cursed Frank, im sorry."

"We'll what about my mom? She wasn't born with anything," I sobbed.

"You dont have to be born with something from the start. If you think about it, where is your dad Frank?" Gerard asked.

"He died in a car accident when my mom was pregnant with me." I said, starting to see everything click.

"See, you're mom was left alive to deal with the pain. And what about your grandparents Frank?"

"My grandparents from my dads side took off after his death. I've never even met them. My grandma from my mom's side committed suicide when my mom was a teenager. Oh god," I moaned as I pouted into my hands, trying to cover my face in embarrassment. It's weird to to me with that amount of generational tragedies that I never once questioned it or second guessed it. My mother was always focused on me and work, and I was always feeling bad for myself.

"Frank im sorry. But your family is cursed."

I countinuted to cry, Gerard pulled me into his chest as he rubbed my back, trying to sooth me. "Gerard I don't wanna die. The nightmares want me to.." I let out a choked sob, unable to finish my sentence, but I knew Gerard understood.

"Gerard Im sorry. I didn't mean anything I said before. I was just angry. Im so sorry." I sniffled, enjoying his warm embrace, which was very unfamiliar. Usually he was ice cold. But not now, which I found very comforting.

"I know. I know," he repeated again and again before placing a small kiss on my forehead as we stood in silence enjoying eachothers company as I quietly sobbed on his shoulder.