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Gerard was one of the most trusted nurses within the local hospital, known to most as “Nurse Way.”
It was the name on their name tag after all.
They took pride in their job, taking good care of each and every patient, but especially one Gerard had gotten attached to. Frank Iero.
The boy came in after a bronchitis flare up, complete with a high fever and struggle to breathe. After inspecting Frank’s file, this was common for him after growing up with the illness. So Gerard put his care into their hands, becoming his daily nurse since this would be an extended stay. But he just kept getting sicker, till it progressed into pneumonia. Gerard started giving him more attention the longer he stayed in the hospital. More special attention.
They were given the task to be Frank’s night nurse instead of day. They were happy to accept. They got closer and closer. Bonding over similar interests and issues. But they still visited Frank during their day shifts.
It was a quiet night in the hospital, not very busy and emergency filled. This was rare. Every night was usually so busy that Gerard couldn’t even think, it was nice to have a peaceful night for once. After making their rounds at the beginning of their shift, Gerard quickly flocked to Frank’s room, opening the door. Frank perked up in bed.
“Well if it isn’t my favorite nurse..” He said weakly. Gerard smiled, their wrinkles crinkling up with their lip.
“No need to be flattering, Frankie.” They said, putting down a tray they were carrying, setting it gently onto Frank’s lap.
“I hope you’re hungry. The hospital actually cooked good food today.” They said quietly, grabbing a thermometer and placing it under his arm because it would be impractical to put it in Frank’s mouth while he was eating.
Once Frank started eating, Gerard slowly pulled the thermometer away from Frank’s underarm. They read the small, grey screen, and frowned as they saw an abnormally high temperature. Frank didn’t seem to notice Gerard’s smile falling down.
“Are you hot?” Gerard asked. Frank shrugged, “Sort of. What’s the temperature?” He replied. Gerard’s nail ticked against the plastic thermometer, “One hundred and five.”
Frank looked down at his food. He nodded, an obvious expression of concern etched onto his face. Gerard could hear his tiny gasps of breath as Frank’s lungs strained for air. Gerard sighed.
“Frankie.” They muttered. “Your respiratory system is infected. We don’t know if it can get better from how damaged it is.”
Frank didn’t look back up. “Is it fatal?” He asked softly. Gerard thought for a moment. “Possibly.” They said.
Gerard took a seat on a chair next to Franks bed. Frank didn’t say much for a moment. Before looking up at Gerard. “I trust you’ll take care of me.” He made a weak smile.
Gerard couldn’t stand the weak smile. For a second they almost felt mad at Frank. But they could never stay mad at him.
“Don’t try to escape the inevitable, honey.” They said, arising from their chair. Franks smile dropped. But he took Gerard’s hand before they could step out of the room.
“I love you.” He confessed. Gerard leaned down, pressing a kiss on his heated forehead. The knew this was wrong. They knew this was a patient, like every other person in the hospital.
“I love you more.” Gerard replied. They didn’t want to let go of his weak grip, but their brain pulled them away anyway. Frank smirked, expecting an argument. “Not possible.”
But Gerard didn’t mutter anything back, and they walked away from the hospital room. Gently shutting the door on their way out.
As the buzz of the hospital rushed by them throughout the night, Gerard spent the rest of the day caring for other patients. They kept themselves busy until one of their fellow nurses, nurse Toro, walked into the room. He had this saddened expression on his face that never meant well.
“Gerard, you know your patient Frank, right?” Toro asked. Ray didn’t even have to specify the last name. Or what happened. Gerard already knew.
“When was his time of death?” Gerard asked, swallowing the tears forming in their throat, keeping their usual calm demeanor.
“Uh- 2:33 AM,” Toro specified, “Pneumonia.” Obviously it would be pneumonia. His respiratory system was shot through. They should’ve expected this. Frank didn’t have a chance. Gerard stepped up from their chair, pushing it aside and smoothing out their skirt which was as pale as the hospital freshly sanitized floors. The reality made Gerard’s toes run cold, the sweat on their hands from the work during the night drying up.
“I need to be excused.” Gerard said. The curly haired boy next to them didn’t argue, understanding that Frank was important to Gerard, despite the moral restriction on their relationship.
Gerard didn’t know what to do with themself. Frank was their responsibility. Frank was the one that gave Gerard some reason to show up to the hospital each and every night for five months. To take care of the boy that lie pale on the bed every night. To take care of the boy who missed his guitar more than he did his friends. To take care of the boy who had something in him that Gerard loved, but he couldn’t name it. The closest he would ever get to identifying it was just saying he was Frank. He was Gerard’s Frank. Giving Gerard the love they hadn’t received in years. Despite being so challenged, the love was genuine.
Their heart wasn’t only broken, their heart wasn’t beating any longer. Before their brain could make any judgement, the last few drops of blood coming from their heart led him to the stairs of the hospital. Their feet went down the stairs, going as fast as they possibly could.
Until they got to the door of the morgue.
Gerard looked around the hallways, it was empty. It was quiet. Not a person in sight. Not a soul roaming the hallways. They all were kept the morgue behind the door.
Gerard pushed it open. The heavy metal opening up sent a cold wave over Gerard’s body. They stepped inside the grey room, flicking on the light as the door gently shut itself behind them. They stepped further inside, walking up to the stretcher, covered by a white sheet. Gerard folded over the sheet, seeing Frank’s peaceful face underneath. Gerard’s lip turned, and they let out a sob.
“It’s okay Frankie.. I’ll fix this honey.” Gerard muttered quietly, turning to one of the metal tables behind themselves and grabbing a cold, silver scalpel. They lowered the knife to Frank’s pale chest, slightly digging into the thick skin.
“This is only gonna hurt a pinch, baby, I promise. Just hold onto me..” Gerard whispered sweetly to Frank, as if he could still hear them. They swore Frank could still hear them. They used their free hand to softly caress Frank’s cheek. They steadily dragged the knife across Frank’s chest, digging it deeper. They used their hands to separate the cut, the skin ripping as ruby red blood coated their fingers. The soft layers of skin moved apart. There laid Frank’s ribs, a still heart in the middle. The one that should be beating.
Gerards fingers dove in, moving his fingers underneath the bones protecting Frank’s lungs. They didn’t have a purpose anymore, there wasn’t anything to protect. Gerard gripped onto one of Frank’s still lungs, and he tugged it out, seperating it from the veins and nerves clinging onto it. They brought the lung close to his lips, kissing against it.
“This can’t hurt you any longer Frankie.” Gerard mumbled, dropping it onto the floor and stepping on it with a firm heel. A foamy, sponge like pink substance broke out onto the floor from the pressure, blood covering each surface, seeping into the crevices of the floor. The airways inside the lung were visible now, coated with fluid that fully blocked them. It made Gerard angry. That’s what caused everything to go wrong.
They dug their white heel further into the ground. The blood made a squelching sound against the movement. Gerard reached back in the ribcage, grabbing the left lung. They gripped this one harder than the last one, the veins breaking against Gerard’s hand from the vast grip, blood dripping from Gerard’s fingertips. The gruesome sight felt sweet. They were finally putting a halt to what was hurting their sweet boy.
They brought the organ against their face, parting their lips as they brought it to their teeth. They took a firm bite into it, feeling the sponge against their teeth, and then their tongue. It tasted like relief. This is what Frank would’ve wanted.
Their tongue brought the cut of lung to their back teeth, the sharp points of their white teeth turning red. Their teeth broke into the blocked airways within, finally freeing up some air from them. It was sweet, it wasn’t like anything Gerard had ever tasted. It tasted like love. It was made with love. His blood was like syrup in his mouth, like some kind of delicacy, something confectionary. Gerard swallowed the lung, the blood getting choked up in his throat.
“You taste so sweet, honey..” They muttered to Frank, leaning in and planting a kiss on his forehead, their blood soaked lips leaving an imprint of their love onto Frank’s forehead. Gerard’s tears caught in their throat flowed out over their eyes, continuing to plant kisses along his face, trailing blood with each kiss. Frank’s cold lips met Gerard’s, and Gerard hungrily kissed Frank, slipping their warm, gore soaked tongue between his dead lips. Gerard’s tears caught in the kiss, along with Frank’s sticky fluid.
The forceful kiss from Gerard deepened. Their teeth joining the romantic scene, biting down on Frank’s lips, and further migrating to his cheeks. Gerard’s hands trailed, holding open Frank’s frigid jaw open. Their teeth descended down onto his skin, getting a firm grip before tearing away, exposing the fat and muscle of Frank’s cheek. The plump fat felt creamy on Gerard’s tongue, the skin providing a contrast of leather. It tasted better than anything Gerard could ever experience in any restaurant. This was gourmet.
After swallowing, Gerard pulled away, observing Frank’s still body on the bed, his chest open, his heart at Gerard’s exposure, his mouth hung open, as if it was inviting Gerard. It was beautiful. He was beautiful. Even while coated in his own blood. He was still Gerard’s favorite patient.
“Nothing can hurt you now,” Gerard muttered, “Not with me around.”