The four set out once again, this time with more determination pulsing through their veins, and Frank carrying Mikey. Bob had claimed the knife from Ray and was now leading the group through the forest. Within ten minutes, he had strayed them far from their original course, the dirt road that was vital to their survival. The five were too far into their concentration of scavenging for food that the thought, as important as it was, never occurred to them. After an hour and a half, they had covered roughly five miles, stealthily lurking through dense foliage with a hope they might stumble across something edible or of use to them. Truthfully, they weren't having much luck, and neither Bob nor Ray had any knowledge concerning the topic of hunting and didn't want to be the first to admit it either. Bob only took charge because Bob always takes charge, and Ray because he found a seemingly good opportunity to do so, figuring that it couldn't be a challenge. Well it was.

It was also Gerard who first realized they had traipsed so far from that desolate dirt road. He then slowed, lingering behind the others for a moment, taking in the realization and stopped completely after accepting it.

Frank noticed, and turned to face him, also seeing the look of pure shock, which only added to his curiosity. "What's wrong, Gee?" But perhaps those were the wrong words. He realized it right away. What he had meant to say was something more along the lines of, "What's wrong, Gee, besides the fact that our tour bus crashed, everyone in it died but us five, we don't know where we are, Mikey's foot is broken and I'm really tired of carrying him, we don't have any food because Bob's being a dick and Ray won't shut up, I think I really like you and would probably make out with you given the chance but I don't know if you like me back, our only source of water is dirty snow with animal piss in it and it's cold as fuck?" But there was no need for Gerard understood. He was an understanding guy.

"Does anyone know..." Gerard paused and his voice trailed off, then spun in a slow circle with a puzzled look on his face as if searching for something before continuing. "...How to get back to the road?"

The realization hit the other four, hard, and they all shared the same expression.

"Well fuck." And there were no more words from Frank for the time being as he collapsed to the ground on his knees, taking his older friend with him, but he was not awoken despite the commotion. After a second Frank lay sprawled on the ground as if making a snow angel, drained of both energy and hope, wondering how the hell Mikey could still be asleep and not caring that the melted snow had absorbed into every inch of his backside.

Gerard kneeled next to Frank, placing a hand on his thigh in an effort to comfort him. "Oh come on, Frankie, we can't just give up."

Frank opened his mouth to respond, most likely with a smart-ass response and a hint of sarcasm, but Ray was already at his side, pleading for a response while shaking his shoulders. "Frank!? Frank are you alright? Frank!?" Bob appeared behind him, but with much less urgency.

"Oh yeah, thanks for throwing my brother in a snow bank, asshole." Gerard commented.

Frank dismissed them both with a wave of his hand, and went as far as to shove his crush into the snow so he landed on his ass, because that's just the kind of person Frank is, but smiled as he did so in case Gerard actually thought he was being a dick. Fortunately for him the older man half-grinned to, and Frank read it as a sign that no feelings were hurt. "I'm fine," he assured while sitting up and brushed the snow off his back. Gerard assisted him. "But you guys-" He paused to acquire a much-needed breath of air. "-have to go on without me."

"What?! No! Are you insane? We all have to stick together!" Ray exclaimed.

Bob also commented. "Yeah, what do you want us to do? Leave you here to die? That's stupid."

When nothing followed from the other last one, Ray questioned him. "Right Gerard?"

He didn't respond but instead downcast his eyes, and then sighed, defeated. "He's right you guys. I mean look at him. Look at all of us! There's really no hope for us anymore, so if you'll exuse me, I'm going to lay down right here and just... fucking die. Have fun trying to survive and then find out there's no fucking way."

"Shit, Gerard, now you're sounding like Frank," said Bob with a look of distaste.

"Yeah," Ray agreed. "Besides, Bob and I feel perfectly fine." It may have been a lie, but it was a small one. True, Ray and Bob felt more... alive than the others, but 'perfectly fine' wasn't the appropriate word choice. "You, Frank and Mikey stay here while we continue."

"But-"

"It's okay, we won't go far."

"Seriously Ray, you can't-"

Frank concluded now was the appropriate time to step in, since Ray wasn't the most convincing of all people. "Let them go, Gee." the desperate pleading look in his eyes, like that of a dying animal when the predator prepares to clamp down on it's throat, was more than enough to convince anyone, and had already somewhat done so to Gerard, minus the words. Frank continued despite that. "We're gonna die if they don't."

Gerard hugged his knees to his chest, still having second thoughts. He wasn't exactly pleased with the thought of two of his best friends wandering alone through a strange woodland abound in carnivorous creatures equipped only with a small switchblade.

"Think of Mikey," Frank continued.

Gerard's head snapped up and his gaze fell upon his younger brother's motionless body curled into a tight bundle of black denim, a band t-shirt, and a thin black hoodie, most likely Gerard's clothes. He outstretched his hand, allowing it to rest on Mikey's shoulder. That boy could sleep through anything. With his brother in mind, he nodded, and the other three smiled with satisfaction.

"We won't go far," assured Bob. He began pacing away from them with Ray following, but paused, turned, and glared directly at Gerard and Frank. "And you guys, don't... do anything... okay?"
Gerard's eyes widened and his face reddened, and with his pale skin he resembled a tomato, but Frank smirked.

"Can't make any promises," the latter replied.
Bob simply rolled his eyes and continued walking, cueing Ray to do the same, minus the rolling eyes part.

"Good luck," Gerard called after them softly when a few moments of uncomfortable silence passed. Neither responded, too far to hear, but Gerard didn't that Frank talking sexually about themselves and Bob rolling his eyes and ignoring them wasn't the most genuine of partings. He figured it was worth a try, because he couldn't help but feel he may never see them again.

He also found himself thinking about his brother again, relieved that if wasn't the two of them being separated. As ignorant as it may have sounded, all he cared about was the safety of his brother, who was now the only thing keeping him alive. He would have abandoned the last of his hope for survival, had it not been for the chance that Mikey may escape here with his life. After all, Gerard had vowed long ago he would protect his brother with his life, and if that meant staying alive only for Mikey's sake, then so be it. But what if somehow Gerard had failed and, as much as he didn't want to think about it, Mikey were to die? Would he be able to live with himself knowing he had failed to protect and love his brother.

No. Gerard would never stop loving Mikey, whether it be his brother's death or his own. A relationship like that never ends, even if the people do.

A boisterous, dramatic sigh from Frank, one begging for attention, distracted Gerard from his deep thoughts, but still ignored him. Gerard failed miserably when Frank's head rested on the other's shoulder.

At first, Gerard was startled. It wasn't like this simple gesture hadn't been done before, but the two no longer were a couple, meaning actions like that were somewhat alien to him. In recent years, both had been dating other people, but coincidentally had decided to end their relationships before the current tour commenced, leaving them both conviently available, and they both knew it. The question was, were they both willing to risk their friendship for something more intimate? Already, he saw that Frank would without a second thought. He, on the other hand, felt a bit more skeptical, and still valued his current relationship with Frank. He didn't need to see Frank's flawless face to know he was grinning. The subtle movement of the muscles moving against his shoulder told him everything.

"I really miss this," Frank whispered.

"Miss what?" Gerard didn't need to see to know Frank was raising his eyebrows in disbelief No, he couldn't physically feel it, but it was just something Frank would do. "Oh, right." He was talking about them, not being stranded and dying.

When Gerard didn't respond beyond that, Frank grew curious, and if anything worried. "Do you not?"

"Oh, um... I guess." The awkward tension clinging to what could possibly be described as a conversation only increased.

The younger one peeled his head from Gerard's shoulder and glared at his company with a pained look of innocence. "You guess?"

Gerard did nothing more than bite his lip, looking sexy beyond belief as he did so, but because he knew because he had chosen the wrong selection of words.

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" Frank did not sound at all pissed off, only rejected and again pained.

Gerard reached down to grasp his friend's hand, which had somehow ended up on his knee. The younger man attempted to pull away, but Gerard refused to loosen his grip until he was victorious with his petty battle. "Aw shit Frankie, I didn't mean it like that," defended the man with the head of silver.

"Yeah? Then how did you mean it?"

Gerard shrugged timidly, while Frank continued to give him an expectant glare, eyebrows raised. "Well, I guess... I guess I do miss this. And you." He smiled hopefully, figuring that his not-so-carefully chosen words satisfied Frank.

They only did the opposite.

"There it is again, Gerard! You guess? I just... All I want is an honest answer, even if it's a no. You don't have to lie to me like I'm some fucking child!" Frank's volume had raised significantly, and the abrupt anger scared Gerard. Frank continued again, this time calmer. "Do you or do you not love me?"

"Love?!" Exclaimed Gerard, trying his best to conceal the stupefied tone, and possibly amusement (To think that Frank thought he would skip to something like love in such a short amount of time!) and speak only with softness. "Oh Frankie I don't... I mean I... It's not..." He let the rest of his breath go into the crisp northern air to clear his mind, and watched as the thin smoke-like tendril vanished, then took in another start fresh. "I'm sorry, but it's far too soon for that. We're not really... an item anymore."

"But you did before, right?"

"Love you?"

Frank longed for there to be no question mark at the end of that last phrase. He would have said it back before his heart could pulse once, before a person could blink or a humming bird's wings beat. But sadly, it was a question. It would never be a statement. Not from Gerard's mouth. He replied with a soft, "Yeah," not wanting to soil the moment with his signature sarcasm.

A gentle smile played on Gerard's lips as he took ahold of both sides of Frank's face and turned the head he grasped toward his own. He then pressed his forehead to the other's, not daring to go any further.

Now it was Frank's turn to be in complete shock. He could do nothing more than return a wide-eyed, bemused gaze to Gerard, who smirked at Frank amusing reaction. He hadn't been this close to Gerard in far too long, forgetting how beautiful and green his ex-lover's eyed were, or how pale yet smooth and flawless his skin looked. He had never in his life been more tempted to attack Gerard's face with an open mouth, slide his tongue down that sexy motherfucker's throat, then just throw themselves to the group and just fucking rip his clothes off and...

Gerard's voice cut him off from fantasizing any further. "Of course I did, Frankie. More than anything." He closed his eyes and smiled, traipsing away from reality as if he had forgotten Frank's presence, but his hands snaked around Frank's head and entwined themselves in the coarse black strands.

Yes, Frank swore he would do every one of those things he had imagined.

Gerard continued. "It's just it's really hard to express my feelings at this time. Stressful, really, with all the shit we're going through right now. And I mean it, I really do, when I say that I did before. Maybe that's not what you were looking for now, but Frank that doesn't mean I can't love you in the future. The near future. Understand?"

Frank could do nothing more than nod his head as Gerard began to close the space between their faces, and considering what little area was left, that was nearly impossible. His heart pulsed furiously in his rib cage, threatening to crack every one of them as he anticipated the imminent connection of their lips. Like always, something wasn't right, and his heart didn't want to question what Gerard was about to do to him and instead enjoy it, but his brain did anyway, without permission. It was too aberrant to not be curious about. Gerard had just stated that their was no love between the two, so why they were about to kiss was something he could not comprehend.

At the last moment, Gerard's lips swept to his right, settling on Frank's left cheek. He pulled away after a second, and pulled themselves into a tight hug, with the sides of their faces together.

You bastard, Frank thought, but the love he also felt smothered his vexation and he instead enjoyed the closeness of the two.

Gerard sighed out of relief, able to relax now that all tension had been cleared. He had admitted to loving Frank years ago, which should have been blatant to them both, and to being more than willing to in the future. If that didn't satisfy him enough to shut him up about the subject of love for the time being, or until he could make a sure decision, he wasn't sure what would. After that sigh, neither of them spoke, leaving them in comforting silence with physical contact as their only interaction. Neither dreaded the silence, in spite of how awkward the recent moments had been but just sat there, unmoving, breathing each other in, even if it was a bit foul, shielding the dangers around them.

Frank didn't keep track of the minutes that swept past, afraid that would impair him from truly enjoying the moment, but nor did he care to as long as he was able to hold Gerard this close to himself with the feel of a breath trailing down his neck and fingertips making subtle movements across his back. He could not care less that it was forty degrees or that they were starved, dying and lost, only that He wasn't alone through the experience of being starved, dying and lost. There was, of course, one single question that distracted him, and he had been dying to ask it while receiving and honest answer. He knew, if answered as he suspected, it would scare him, but also knew he needed the answer.

He separated his face from Gerard's and looked him in the eyes. "Gee?" he asked.

"Yeah?" It was relieving to Gerard to hear his nickname, a secure sign that Frank was no longer pissed, who had an odd way with emotions and was hard to decipher.

Frank downcast his eyes, fear easily visible on his face, before locking his gaze with Gerard's again. "You don't think... you don't think we're gonna... well, die are we?

"Oh Frankie..." soothed Gerard, brushing black strands from the face opposite of him.

"Answer me honestly, please. I'm not a child."

Gerard had never considered Frank a child, but hated more than anything to see him frightened or pained, which is why, in spite of the begging, he considered fibbing, only this once because he was no liar. A small lie, undetectable, to convince Frank that everything would be alright, that they were safe. But was it better to lie straight to his friend's face just to protect him? No, honesty was asked, and honesty will be given. "Most likely," He said at last after a moment deep in thought, almost inaudible and sounding vaguely like regret, avoiding eye contact. He was not sure to expect as Frank's reaction, but acceptance was never something that would have come to mind.

Frank nodded timidly then cast his eyes down, waiting another few seconds before speaking again. "Gee?"

"Yes... Love?"

Frank frowned more than he already was when hearing Gerard hesitate on the name 'Love,' but continued once again. "I... I'm scared."

Gerard took a hold of Frank's head and cradled it against his chest with lips and nose pressed to the black strands. He repeated the phrase, "It's okay. Everything's gonna be alright," and variations of it while stroked the head he held against him. He tried not to break down along with his friend, thinking that he was doing well playing the role of the stronger one of the two, until he slipped and whispered, "I'm scared too," knowing that it wasn't a lie. He had never been one to scare easily, but was more frightened now than the time years ago when an insane homeless man threatened him and demanded he stay on his side of the street. He couldn't possibly be strong for Frank, even while trying his best, but decided to pray silently to a god he didn't believe in that Frank hadn't heard, with the chance that someone noticed his pleading.

He was both noticed and ignored.

Frank looked up at him. "You are?"

"No! I mean... yeah. I am." There was no lying to Frank. Not when every fib could be detected and when Gerard was not a liar. "I know it's not want you want me to be. I know you need someone there for you, someone who's not also scared, and I'm sorry but I'm not that person. I don't want to lie to you, not when this could be our last few weeks alive, if the weather doesn't kill us before hunger does. If the snow melts, then our last few days. I wish I could just lie and tell you it will be alright when in truth... in truth it really won't, and I say that- say that I want to lie- to protect you, but I really can't right now. I can't just say we're all going to live. Not when I can't be sure. I'm just as scared as you.

"And Frankie, I wish... I wish I could say I love you, but again I would be lying. And I don't say that to sound like a dick, but when I do say it, it has to be real, not just some three words that I use to make you feel less scared and nothing more. When I say those words, I love you, I want to actually mean it and I know that I don't now, but I want to be able to. And I'm afraid... afraid that I won't be able to. I want more than anything to love you, but... but I... can't now.

"I'm sorry if I die before I can say it. I know it sounds dark but you deserve to hear me say that I love you."

Frank had no words to follow up, feeling foolish not being able to even nod to show he understood or accepted what was said to him after Gerard had spoken from the depths of his heart. He could do nothing more than stare back, unmoving as if he were made of stone.

Gerard was lifeless. Everything about him was his expression was, especially after opening up completely to Frank. From his hollow green eyes to his pale cheeks, or the rough, deteriorated skin on his downturned lips. If any of the two was dependent on the other, it was Gerard needing Frank, and the younger one saw it. He had seen Gerard in depression, or vulnerable, hopeless, distant and lonely, so what he saw now was nothing new. Still, it pained him whenever he saw anything but joy on Gerard's face. All he longed for now was to appease his friend, to kiss his faded lips and tell him that everything would be okay, even though it might not in the end. He wanted to hold him closer than he had held anyone else before. If only he could tell Gerard that he wasn't alone.

So he did.

Frank entwined his tiny fingers through Gerard's short, silver hair, using the grip to pull the two closer together, leaving no time for Gerard to react before the collision of their lips. It was only when his mouth began to move beneath Gerard's did the older man's eyes flutter shut and his own mouth worked against Frank's.

Gerard pulled away only for a moment, but giving himself enough time to stare Frank in the eyes with a lustful I'm-totally-going-to-fuck-your-brains-out kind if smile, then reattached their lips with an open mouth. By now, the kiss had passed innocent and was surfacing on the passionate phase, especially when Frank decided to crawl onto Gerard's lap and wrap both legs around his waist.

Neither of the two, if asked, could recall how long the kiss lasted or would not have been able to count the seconds, hell, maybe even minutes that passed if they tried. Not that they wanted to either. That would mainly distract them from enjoying each other. At one point, Frank considered adding in some tongue, but didn't want to push the limits with this being their first kiss in over two years. Even though his tongue had been down Gerard's throat countless times before, and the other way around, it didn't feel right this early. From the signs he was receiving from his partner, if he could be considered that, their relationship was starting fairly fresh, and if anything slow.

Okay not slow.

When they at last tired of making out they pulled away from each other ever so slightly, leaving between their lips two or three inches of space, still not quite wanted to separate too far. Frank's beautiful lips displayed an uncontrollable and equally beautiful grin. He placed a single, tiny finger on his smile, as if he could not quite believe that they had been touched by Gerard's own mouth. But whether he believed it or not, it did just happen, after all the years of not being able to hold Gerard's hand, put an arm around his waist, a head on his shoulder or even stare at his ass without getting return an uneasy stare instead of a loving smile. No, Frank never stopped staring at Gerard's ass, but it didn't matter now because he had kissed that motherfucker, and he was positive they both enjoyed.

He had kissed him.

Finally.