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Gerard doesn't tell Frank about his powers until they're three months into their relationship.
He doesn't know why he waits that long, or why he waits at all, or why not even longer. All he knows is that if Frank broke up with him, it would end him. His therapist tells him that he shouldn't give other people that kind of power, and while it's not like Gerard would actually kill himself over a break up, Frank means too much to him to risk it.
No relationship columns ever addressed the problem of brining up superpowers with you partner, though. Mikey says that he should just sit Frank down and tell him, but that's so much easier said than done.
Still, Gerard doesn't really see any other option. He needs to tell Frank first - just showing him will freak him out, even though Gerard thinks Frank is going to deal with this a lot better than most other people.
They're living together, at least, which makes it a little easier, and it's also a motivation for Gerard to get this over with, because hiding his power is getting harder and harder for every day that passes. He doesn't have any desire whatsoever to return to the days when he still suppressed it, the pent-up pressure giving him headaches and causing nausea.
He decides to do it in the evening, a few hours after Frank has come home from work, not wanting to spring it on him. They're supposed to be watching a movie, but Frank muted it about half an hour ago and placed himself in Gerard's lap instead, and they've been making out ever since. The movie wasn't that good, anyway.
"Frank," Gerard breathes between kisses, pushing at Frank's chest a little. It's now or never, and he really needs to get this done.
"What?" Frank pants, pulling back to look at his boyfriend's worried face. He frowns. "What is it?"
"I need to tell you something," Gerard says, and he knows it sounds ominous, and while he really doesn't want to scare Frank, he doesn't know any other way of putting it.
Frank's always been a pretty calm person, though, and doesn't freak out, at least not visibly. He looks a little concerned, however, but to be honest, that's a lot better than Gerard expected.
"Okay?" he says, dragging out the syllables, sounding confused.
"It's nothing bad," Gerard is quick to add, although he doesn't know what Frank's going to think about it. "I promise. I just wanna tell you because I love you and I want you to know."
"Are you sure it's nothing bad?" Frank asks. "Because you're making it sound pretty bad."
"It's not, though," Gerard insists. "It's... unusual, but not bad. It's about me."
"What about you, Gee?" Frank's starting to sound genuinely worried now. "If you're fucking dying, I swear to God - "
So much for calm, Gerard thinks. ”I’m not dying, Frank. I’m fine."
"Then tell me what it is so I can stop freaking out! Because I'm freaking out here."
Gerard bites his lip, thinking. "Okay. Okay. Can I show you? Just... don't freak out."
"I'm trying," Frank stresses, hands flapping a little.
Gerard nods and starts to look around the room for something to use, something easy. He finally settles on a cigarette pack on the coffee table, half empty and light.
"Okay," he says again. "Okay, c'mere." He helps Frank off his lap, pulls him to his side and wraps an arm around his shoulder instead. He decides to use his hand for the time being, making this as easy as possible.
"Watch that pack, okay?" Gerard says, nodding towards the little carton. Then he reaches out with the hand that's not resting on Frank's chest, arm stretched, palm cupped in a sort of grabbing gesture. He concentrates on the pack, feels the shape of it in his mind, discerns it from the other things around it, and starts pulling.
Frank doesn't say a thing. He's the most quiet Gerard has ever heard him, possibly not even breathing as he watches the pack lift from the table and move towards them, not even trembling in the air. The entire room is silent, light from the TV coloring their faces, and it's not until Gerard closes his hand around the carton that Frank's breathes out, a gush of air leaving his lungs with a noise that feels entirely too loud in the silence of their apartment.
"Holy fucking shit, Gerard."
Gerard laughs, hoarse and rough. "Yeah," he says.
"'Yeah?'" Frank repeats. Within seconds he's back in Gerard's lap, staring at him with comically huge eyes and an incredulous expression on his face. "You just moved a cigarette pack with your mind and that's all you have to say? 'Yeah?'"
"I thought you were going to freak out!"
"Of course I'm going to freak out! You're fuckin' telekinetic!"
"I know!"
"Then why didn't you tell me?"
"I thought you were going to freak out!" Gerard says again, then takes a deep breath, and continues, "This isn't normal, Frank."
Frank snorts. "Like you've ever been fucking normal, anyway."
"Asshole. See if I ever show you anything again."
"Mm," Frank mumbles dismissively, leaning forward to place a slow, deep kiss on Gerard's lips. When he pulls back, he looks positively giddy, and Gerard groans.
"Oh, shut up," Frank says, slapping his arm. "You can't just show me something like that without expecting a ton of questions. Now, how the fuck did this happen? Is your real name actually Carrie White? Did you set fire to your high school?”
”Fuck you, no I didn’t,” Gerard says, stroking absentmindedly under Frank’s shirt as he thinks back to that first, frightening moment of realization, of knowing that he could do something no one else could. ”And I don’t know, to be honest. I mean, I guess I was born with it? I didn't learn it or anything, but I didn't figure it out until I was about eight, maybe nine? It's was - it was really scary, actually, so it's kind of blurry. That's the first I remember of it, though."
"What happened?" Frank asks.
"I got really mad," Gerard says. "I don't remember why, but my mom sent me to my room and as soon as the door closed everything was flying around, stuff was falling from the shelves and off my desk and the curtains were flapping. Total Carrie-moment, but kind of terrifying for a third grader."
Frank nods and cups his hands around the back of Gerard's neck, pressing his thumbs in just below his ear, rubbing a little. "I can see how."
"I don't know how I reasoned, back then, if at all, but I cleaned it all up and put everything back in its places. Then I just... forgot about it, I guess? Until next time, anyway."
"Next time?" Frank prompts.
"High school," Gerard says. "It was my sophomore year, I think, and my first boyfriend broke up with me. I managed to keep it together until I got home and to my room, but then everything just... fell. Pretty literally."
"So, everything just fell out of your shelves or whatever - and you? What did you do?"
Suddenly, Gerard flashes back to that moment in time, him facedown on the bed, Mikey in the doorway, asking softly, "What happened?"
"I don't know," Gerard answered, and he says the same thing now, to Frank, because even though that was years ago, he doesn't have a better answer.
"I don't know," he says. "I just... stood there, I guess. I don't know, it was like - "
"Opening the floodgates?" Frank tries.
"Unleashing the hounds of hell sounds a little dramatic, doesn't it?"
"Maybe a little," Frank grins. "But I think I get it. As much as I can right now, anyway."
"Thank you," Gerard mumbles, head tipping forward to rest of Frank's chest, forehead pressing into the hollow between his collarbones.
"I just - " Frank makes a considering noises, bringing a hand up to stroke across Gerard's back.
"What?" Gerard asks, leaning back enough for him to see Frank's face. "You can ask anything, okay? I never wanted to hide this from you. I just had to be sure that you wouldn't run away or something."
"Did you think that?" Frank asks softly, smoothing a thumb over the skin below Gerard's ear, fingers scratching up into his hair.
"I have a bad track record," Gerard says, looking down at his wrists where they disappear under Frank's shirt. "Some of them were my fault, some of them weren't, and if you really wanted to leave, I wouldn't want to be the one who hurts you even more by trying to stop you, but I just... really hope that's not going to happen."
"It won't," Frank says, leaning in to kiss Gerard again, hard and wet and deep, as if they're always a little too far away from each other, never close enough. When he pulls back, he's smiling. "I'm set on you, alright? For as long as you'll have me. And to be honest, that's not really the weirdest thing about you."
Gerard's heart may or may not be melting. "You make it sound like you have a list," he says.
"Maybe I do," Frank grins. "Maybe I don't. Maybe I'm just so in love with you that I remember all the little things you do because I think it might come in handy later. Maybe I just stare at you too much."
Gerard blushes. "You stare at me?" he asks.
"Maybe 'observe' would be a better word," Frank says. "It sounds less like I'm obsessed with you and more like I'm simply in love."
Gerard shrugs. "But what's the difference, anyway?"
Frank grins. "Exactly! I don't think it's too big, anyway. But oh my God, we're getting so off-topic here. I was gonna ask you a question."
"Shoot."
"Don't take this the wrong way, but - you must've hidden it while we lived here, right? And I just - did it hurt? I'm not blaming you for hiding it, I just - want to know, I guess. So I can help you, if it happens again."
Biting his lip, Gerard twists his fingers in the fabric of Frank's t-shirt, contemplating. "I mean - I guess it did hurt. Well, it did, I'm not gonna pretend it didn't. It wasn't as much as I expected, though, and I'm not just saying that. I could... use it a lot while you were at work, or whenever I went to Mikey's, or the studio at school, as long as no one was there with me. Lindsey knows, though, and Jamia and Alicia and do too. Them and Mikey and my parents, so like, you can talk to them about it. And if you wanna tell anyone else, you can always ask me. It's just that's it's kind of hard to explain and some people don't take it very well."
"Yeah," Frank says, "of course I'll ask you. I promise. But, like, about hiding it... from me. How - how did you do that? And for so long? You said - you said that it hurt."
Gerard nods carefully, tightening his grip on Frank's hips. "I just did it while you weren't home, like I said, or while I was with people who already knew. And, uh, as for the pain... well, it's like you said, when I do it, it's a little like opening the floodgates. I can control the flow, usually, and how much power I use for one thing, but then... some of it seems to kind of... reserve itself. Usually for people."
Frank's eyebrows draw together as he thinks, tongue coming out to poke gently at his lip ring. "So, what you're basically saying, is that you have telekinetic power reserved for me?"
Gerard smiles a little. "Pretty much. Or my mind has, anyway."
"Like what, though?" Frank asks. "I mean, this thing is already a lot more complicated than Marvel or Stephen King gives it credit for. You'll have to explain this to me."
"I don't know why anything is the way it is, to be honest," Gerard says. "I have a whole evolutional theory about the reservation of power, but what it all boils down to, I think, is that people like me would have too big an advantage compared to other people, if our powers came without any restrictions whatsoever. I’m also pretty sure it’s supposed to make mating easier, or whatever, since it kind of keeps us bound to this one person, and makes us think twice before we break up with someone since we’ll inevitably will have spend some amount of time without any way to use this part of power that our minds keep reserving for other people."
Frank is quiet for a while, giggles, and the he says, ”So basically, the universe wants to blackmail you into sticking around or else you’ll - what? Actually, what happens when you keep it pent-up?"
"Headaches," Gerard says. "Or migraines, really, considering the nausea and vomiting. I've fainted a few times over the years, too. And, well, even if the universe was blackmailing me - "
"It's totally blackmailing you," Frank grins. "What an asshole."
"Well, no matter what the asshole universe says, I still want to be with you. For as long as you'll let me."
"So, like, until the end of time," Frank says. "Awesome. Now that we've got that settled, show me your fucking powers. God, I can't believe my boyfriend's telekinetic."
Laughing, Gerard presses a quick kiss to the underside of Frank's jaw, then pulls back to grin at him. "Want me to use the part reserved for you? It's about time I get it out of my system."
"Yes," Frank says decisively, bouncing in Gerard's lap. "Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes."
"Okay, okay," Gerard says, placing a hand on Frank's shoulder to still him. "You have to be still, though, or I'm gonna fail. Just... sit like that. I haven't done this a lot before."
"You're not gonna set me on fire, right?" Frank asks, but he doesn't look that worried.
"Oh my God, Frank, no. Besides, I'd need some source of fire for that."
"There's a lighter on the table," Frank says, nodding to the purple piece of plastic behind him.
"Now you're just making it sound like you want me to light you on fire," Gerard says, then adds softly, "And I'll just be focusing on you, anyway."
Frank smiles. "Yeah?"
"Yeah," Gerard nods. "Promise. Now, if you keep still, I'm going to try this out."
"Okay," Frank says. "Still. And quiet?"
"If it won't kill you," Gerard says dryly.
Frank just rolls his eyes.
Deciding to use his hands once again, Gerard lifts both of them and holds the up between them, palms facing Frank. Concentrating, he pushes his power down through his arms, up into his fingers and palms, and then out, guiding it until he can feel Frank's skin in his mind, the soft flesh where neck meets shoulder. He shapes it into a hand, invisible fingers curving, thumb pressing in right below his ear.
Frank gasps, chest heaving, eyes flitting between Gerard's hands and his own shoulder, where he can feel Gerard touching him, skin dipping below the pressure.
He makes another noise of surprise when the pressure starts moving, up to cup his jaw as Gerard's thumb - or the imprint of it - brushing over his cheek, up over the corner of his eye until it's pushing into his hair, nails scratching at the scalp and fingers wrapping around the strands, tugging his head back. It's so fucked up, though, because Gerard's hands are still right there, fingers trembling and palm sweating, all while Gerard stares intently at Frank, but strangely softly at the same time.
"Gee," Frank breathes, arching into the touch when one of Gerard's hands-but-not-really glides down his back, while the other one slides up his arm, fingers tucking in under the sleeve of his t-shirt.
Then everything falls away, and Gerard's shoulders drop down as he breathes heavily, hands (his real ones) coming to rest on Frank's thighs.
"Gee?" Frank asks worriedly. "What happened?"
"M'fine," Gerard mumbles, sagging against the couch. "Jus' tired. Wore me out."
"Yeah?" Leaning closer, Frank buries his face in Gerard's neck, licking at the skin. "Maybe that's enough therapy for tonight."
Gerard nods sluggishly. "Mm, maybe."
"C'mon, then. Let's get you into bed.”
Gerard protests half-heartedly, but lets Frank tug him up and off the couch. Instinctively, Gerard grabs the cigarette pack and the lighter, sending out a tendril of energy to wrap around the objects, pulling them into his hands. Frank watches with fascination as Gerard’s fingers close around the objects.
”God,” Frank says as he guides Gerard into their bedroom. ”I know I just found out, but that’s probably never going stop being the coolest thing ever.”
”It is pretty cool,” Gerard admits, reaching out with his power to pull down the covers of the bed.
Frank giggles. ”Coolest thing ever,” he repeats and sits down on the edge of the bed, looking up as Gerard comes to stand in front of him.
”Let me try something?” he asks, glancing at the hem of Frank’s t-shirt.
”Okay,” Frank says, and there’s this tiny part at the back of his mind that tell him to be more careful, but he also knows that Gerard would never, ever hurt him on purpose, so he ignores it.
”Follow the movements, okay?” Gerard says, and Frank nods before the entire room goes quiet. Then Frank’s t-shirt starts to move.
Frank has to suppress the, ”Holy shit,” he so desperately wants to let out, but he manages to stay quiet the whole way through, even as he lifts his arms to let Gerard pull his t-shirt up and off.
”Holy shit,” Frank finally says once the piece of fabric hits the floor.
Gerard is grinning a little, looking proud of himself.
”You’re amazing,” Frank says, reaching out and pulling Gerard into his lap. ”Amazing,” he repeats, kissing over Gerard’s neck as his boyfriend giggles.
”You too,” Gerard says, and kisses Frank, pecking at his lips between bouts of laughter.
”Ridiculous,” Frank says. ”Amazing and ridiculous and the best thing that has ever happened to me, I swear to God. I love you so much.”
”I love you too, Frankie,” Gerard says. ”I’ll show you in the morning, even. Really need to sleep now, though.”
”Sleep, yes. I’m taking your clothes off now.”
”Mm,” Gerard says, smiling dopily as Frank undresses him. Once Frank is naked and Gerard is in his boxers and a ratty band shirt, they crawl under the covers. Gerard pulls them up with an outstretched arm - the sheet is big but light and easy for his mind to grasp, so it’s a no-brainer, even when he’s this tired.
”Holy shit,” Frank says again, but this time it’s muffled against his pillow. ”My boyfriend is telekinetic.”
”Mm,” Gerard mumbles, wrapping an arm around Frank and pulling him closer - for real, this time. Gerard has lifted heavier things than Frank, but it takes a lot of concentration and energy and practice, all of which he’s too tired for right now. ”Good night.”
Frank smiles and presses a last kiss to Gerard’s neck. ”Night, baby."