Romantic Notions (Frerard)

Fourteen: Ice Catastrophe

"Come on, Frankie; it's fun!" Gerard giggled as he stepped out onto the ice, smoothly gliding a few feet away.

Frank grimaced and stuck one foot out onto the ice, his knuckles white with how tightly he gripped the wall. "Tons of fun," he said through gritted teeth, his legs trembling as he brought the foot still on dry ground to join the one out on the ice.

The tiny shift caused him to scoot forward, the added distance from the wall sending him plummeting down onto the ice, the tattooed man softly groaning as he fell flat on his ass.

"Well, now you're just being dramatic," Gerard teased, giggling as he held out his hands to help him up. "Come here, Frankie, I got you."

"You won't let me fall again?" he asked, the almost pleading tone in his voice making Gerard melt.

"I promise. Now hold my hand and don't let go until you're ready, okay?" Gerard instructed, placing a steadying hand on the tattooed man's back and tightly holding onto Frank's with the other.

Frank just nodded and squeezed the blonde man's hand, his entire body tense as he took a step forward on the ice. Gerard encouraged him to set a slow pace, knowing how much easier it is to skate when you're gliding more than just stepping.

After about an hour of Gerard's guidance, Frank finally let go of the blonde man's hand, a grin spreading across his rosy cheeks as he skated almost gracefully around the bend of the rink.

"Look, Gee; I'm doing it!" he called, daring to move his feet even faster when the blonde man casually sped past him.

"Try to keep up, will ya?" he teased, winking at Frank before speeding off across the rink. Frank carefully followed after him, soon completely forgetting his nerves as the wind whipped against his face and adrenaline coursed through him. He whooped and laughed, Gerard grinning as he looked back over his shoulder at him.

He didn't notice the rougher patch of ice until it was too late to warn the tattooed man, the deep groove where someone had stopped too quickly catching the blade of his skate and sending him careening.

"Frankie—shit, are you okay?" Gerard cried, frantically skating over to the wall Frank had slid into. He gently lifted the tattooed man's head with a finger under his chin, gasping and pursing his lips together when he saw the gash on his forehead and the blood smeared on the wall of the rink.

"Gee, s'okay, 'm fine," Frank murmured, his gaze unfocused as he looked up into Gerard's pale face.

"Shut up, Frankie, you're bleeding," Gerard snapped, too overwhelmed with worry and guilt about bringing him out on the ice in the first place to keep his calm. "I'm taking you to the hospital."

"Hate hospitals..." Frank groaned, wobbling on his feet as Gerard helped him to stand again and guided him off the ice.

The blonde man's hands were shaking as he untied their skates, hurrying to retrieve their regular shoes from the rental stand while trying to figure out which hospital was closest.

He eventually settled on the one in Bellevue, shoving Frank's feet into his shoes and dragging him along towards the street to catch a cab.

——————

"Fuck, don't get blood on the seats," Gerard muttered, pressing the tattooed man's scarf to his forehead to keep pressure on the wound. "We're almost there, Frankie."

They pulled up in front of the hospital a moment later, Gerard carelessly shoving two twenty dollar bills at the driver before dragging Frank out of the car and attempting to carry him inside.