Rose Tinted (boyxboy)

Chapter 22: Unwelcome

"I don't know what's going on here but if it needs me to hold your hand too, then I'll do it." 

☆

The work shift for Tayce felt very normal. That may have been the worst thing ever for some people, but for Tayce, it was just what he needed. He needed some familiarity, there was a comfort in the way the fat bubbled in the fryer below him. How Jerry was doing that stupid dance routine with the broom as he swept the shop floor, how Micky still took his time with the orders, like he didn't have a clue. Yes, normal was good. 

Tayce sighs a contented sigh as he pulls out some ready to eat chicken and pops it in the hot holder, only to be distracted by someone calling his name. "Tayce, someone to see you." Micky smiles. 

Tayce looks up, expecting to see Max, but instead he sees Micky smiling at him and slowly stepping to one side to reveal...

"Frank!" Tayce's body instantly tenses up, his heart begins to beat faster. He feels sick as the fear encases him like darkness.

"Can we talk...in private?" Frank's voice is low, quiet, almost humble in tone. He looks his usual well turned out self, apart from the slight bruising under his eyes, courtesy of Max. Tayce wondered if this whole thing was really affecting Frank as deep as it was him.

Tayce knew that this was a test. He must be strong, he needed to keep it together. "We can talk here." He replies, his voice trying to be calm though inside he was beginning to crumble. 

"Do you really want the world to know our business?" Frank leans over the counter slightly, his voice the more familiar sound of irritation as he speaks through clenched teeth. 

Tayce takes a step back in fright. It could be so easy right now to fall back into that familiar pattern of obedience. To do as he was told, but Tayce had to prove to Frank and to himself that he was stepping out of that shadow.

"I said we can talk here. I'm not the one with anything to hide." Tayce straightens his posture, daring to look Frank in the face. The guy doesn't expect that reaction and it throws him.

"Why have you got to be so awkward about this?" Frank balls a fist, slamming it on the counter, causing not only Tayce to flinch, but others to turn and stare. Frank glances around the restaurant. He sees the other customers glance up and then look away. He stares back at Tayce. "Is this what you want... an audience?" 

Tayce doesn't know what to say. He didn't want to cause a scene in front of everyone. He is about to surrender to Frank's demand for privacy, when he feels someone take his hand. "Just say what you want to say Frank then go, my best friend is working right now." Tayce looks to see Jerry squaring up to the guy. 

Frank laughs at Jerry's attempt at being the protector. "What is this? Am I supposed to be scared? This has nothing to do with you Jerry." 

Tayce then feels someone grab his other hand. He looks across to see it belongs to Micky. "I don't know what's going on here but if it needs me to hold your hand too, then I'll do it." 

Frank now laughs at what he sees before him. "You all look pathetic,'' he says wickedly.

"If you won't tell me what you want, then listen to me." Tayce says, finding that confidence through the support of his friends. "I'm coming to get my things later with Jerry and I don't want any hassle. I don't want to talk. We are done." Tayce feels almost breathless after his proclamation. 

Frank pushes his tongue into his cheek, furrowing his brow. This clearly isn't going the way he had planned it. "We're done are we? What we have, all we've done together over the past year, you're done with it? Just like that?" 

"You heard him." Micky pipes up.

"Excuse me? Who the fuck are you?" Frank now directs his frustration towards Micky. 

"Is there a problem?" Jojo now emerges from out back, seeing his employees standing united in front of a customer, with a growing queue behind them. 

"Ah Jojo is it?" Frank looks at Jojo adopting yet another persona of polite authority. "I just need a quick word with your employee." 

Jojo looks at Tayce, who didn't look like he was too keen on the idea. "You wanna talk to him Tayce?" 

"I've said all I need to say." Tayce replies, not taking his eyes off of Frank.

"Well there you go. Sorry." Jojo says as he looks back at Frank with an expression that it can't be helped. 

"Not you as well! You are so pathetic." Frank's insult made Jojo flip his professional lid. 

"Ok, I'm going to have to ask you to leave now!" He makes his way around to where Frank is standing, the guy not moving from his spot. "Please leave!" Jojo now reaches out to tug lightly on Frank's arm.

"Take your hands off me!" Frank bites as he pulls his arm back, breaking free from the grasp. "I'm going nowhere until I speak with Tayce!"

"He said leave." A new voice now joins the conversation. 

Frank turns to see Max standing behind him. 

"You again." Frank says under his breath. 

"Do I need to repeat myself?" Max says, not wavering, not backing down and making Frank deliberate his next course of action for the first time as they both stare at each other. The patrons of Bang Bang chicken looked on as if they had a ringside seat to whatever was going to kick off.

"I'll see you Tayce." He says, through gritted teeth, just loud enough for Tayce to hear. He pushes past Max as he leaves the shop. The noise which had quietened, slowly picks up again as people return to what they were doing before. 

Max, who has just turned up for his late shift, heads around the back of the counter to Tayce. "You ok?" He asks, with Jerry and Micky moving back to their previous places, giving them space. 

"I'm ok." Tayce smiles, exhaling a deep breath.

Max subconsciously takes one of Tayce's hands in his, frowning at the contact. "You're shaking."

"I said I'm ok. Really. I'm fine." Tayce replies. Pulling the hand away a little. "Actually I'm more than fine." He adds. 

Max looks at Tayce who was smiling. "You really are fine?" He asks again.

"Yes. I promise." Tayce pulls Max a little further back out of earshot from the others. "I stood up to him. I actually did it, well with a little help from my friends."

Max lets a smile spread across his face. "That's good. That's really good. You know he's not gonna give up that easy though right? He's gonna keep trying to get to you. People like Frank don't like being told no."

"Believe me. I know that." Tayce sighs. "The next challenge will be later when I go get my stuff." 

"What? You're getting your stuff later today? You're not going alone are you?" Max's protective instincts once again kicking in.

"No, Jerry will be with me and I think we will be just fine." Tayce tries to sound reassuring. "You didn't see his heroics just then did you." 

Max smiles. "No I didn't, was it good?" 

Tayce looks over again to his best friend who was once again sweeping with swagger. "He's a ninja in disguise."

A/N so...22 chapters in! If you have gotten this far, then thank you for sticking with it.