Playground [Frerard AU]

SEVEN

     Gerard's chin was resting on his hands, his elbows resting on his knees, and his body was sitting slumped over on the couch. "I'm so sleepy," he groaned, shutting his eyes and yawning.

      I bit my lip, thinking. It was only us home and I didn't think it would have been safe for him to go back to his place by himself... "Do you want to sleep over?" I blurted out all in a rush. It was a stupid thing to say, really; one of us would have to sleep on my bedroom floor and I wasn't the best host. Or had I proved that wrong by taking him in for so many hours? Fuck knows.

     He considered it for barely a moment before nodding and smiling at me with his eyes still closed. Yawning again, he stood slowly to his feet and mindlessly followed me upstairs.

     It was decided - or rather, he flopped face down on my bed the second he got in - that Gerard would sleep in my bed while I lay on the floor. I didn't mind; I had been going to suggest that to him anyway before he threw himself down, for the second time that day, on my blankets.

     "Wait, don't you need to phone your parents?" I asked, realising suddenly and causing a groan to erupt from deep within Gerard's throat.

     "Yes," he mumbled, hoisting himself to his feet with a lot of effort and taking out his phone. "I'll text my dad, he won't go crazy like my mom would." He screwed up his face for a second. "She doesn't have a phone anyway."

     He borrowed some of my clothes to sleep in. I was a little shorter and smaller than him, but it worked out and he fell asleep so soon I thought he might have faked it.

-

     Gerard didn't make any noise while he slept. Only soft breathy tufts or air from his somewhat open mouth and the occasional stir. I was still awake while he wasn't, needless to say. I didn't know why I couldn't sleep. I just couldn't.

     I grew restless after maybe twenty minutes or so, wriggling out of the warm nest I had made and quietly making my way downstairs. Gerard didn't even wince.

     It was late. Or early, depending on how one views 3:43am. I wondered briefly if Gerard would call it late or early before remembering that those sorts of things weren't important things to know about acquaintances. Barely acquaintances, I thought. Gerard and I were practically strangers, when one thought about it.

     I yelped when a voice spoke from the kitchen doorway. It was kind of like our very first encounter, only this time I didn't run away when I saw Gerard.

     He frowned at me sleepily, continously tugging at the bottom of his - my - shirt in a way that I assumed was absent-minded. "Why are you awake?" Gerard's voice was much more deep and scratchy, and he mumbled like a motherfucker. I almost didn't understand him.

     I shrugged in reply, my response somewhat delayed. "Dunno," I said. "Why are you awake?"

     Gerard shuffled over to the dining table and sat down, still pulling at the hem of his shirt. "I threw up and then you weren't there."

     My eyebrows shot up and my mouth opened in surprise. Not that I should have been actually shocked considering the guy had been drunk as hell. "Are you okay?"

     Gerard nodded and gave me a sheepish, tired smile. "Yes. I used one of your spare toothbrushes by the way, I hope you don't mind."

     I shook my head quickly and returned his small smile, gesturing vaguely with my hands out of sheer awkwardness. "Nah, it's cool, man," I told him.

     He laughed to himself quietly. "Don't worry, by the way," he muttered, "I'm still a little drunk but I won't throw up again until the next time."

     The next time. I laughed nervously.

-

     Gerard proved to be very unlike his drunken, confident self when we both woke at around noon.

     It suited me, however. There was no pressure to listen to him babble or to make sure he didn't break anything; we simply drank a mug of coffee each in silence. It was peaceful.

     "May I please have a couple of painkillers?" Gerard asked softly. For the second time his speech was hard to hear, and I had to awkwardly ask him to repeat it.

     Once he had swallowed the tablets necessary for ridding himself of what I assumed was a headache, he left. Merely dressed himself and shut the door behind him.

     I felt oddly lonely once the stranger was gone.

-

It's only 1am