*Gerard POV*
"Mikey, I'm sorry, but it's really just not a good time!" I insisted for the umpteenth time that night. I was trying my hardest to get him to leave. There was just this horrible image in my mind of Frank showing up and something going horribly wrong. I really didn't even know if he was coming at all, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.
Mikey crossed his arms, "Why not? You promised I could stay over here this weekend."
"I know. And now I'm saying circumstances have changed. You can come back next week."
"What changed? Either give me a good excuse or I'm staying."
Little brothers are the biggest cock blockers in the world. Even when they don't realize they're doing it. What could I do to get him out? He obviously didn't want to go back home. I wouldn't either. I knew they were pretty hard on him there. Maybe I could pawn him off on Ray...But he'd still want to spend at least some time with me. He was really clingy when it came to me.
"You can stay for dinner. Then you have to leave. Go home, go to Ray's, I don't care. You just can't stay here."
"So this is about a girl."
I hated how intuitive he could be, "No, it is not about a girl."
"A guy?"
"No. Stop asking questions."
It wasn't the first time I'd ever had to lie to him. He was better off not knowing. I decided to go ahead and start dinner then. The sooner it was done the sooner he'd be gone. That gave less of a window where he would meet Frank. I knew he'd put the pieces together if that happened, and I didn't need him nagging me about responsibility and legal technicalities. Frank said it's okay. That makes it okay. There was only a month or so until he turned eighteen anyway.
I had just added the vegetables to my stir fry when I heard a knock on the door. I didn't get visitors, so either Ray was stopping by to see Mikey or Frank was earlier than I expected. I froze in fear of what would happen if it was the latter. Especially because Mikey was way too comfortable in my home and he would definitely open the door himself if I didn't act fast. Too late, I heard the click.
I heard Mikey's muffled voice before he raised it, "Hey, Gee, why is there a kid from school on your doorstep?"
Fuck. He knew he was from school? Of course he did. Frank was only a grade behind him. Frank's sweet voice was the next thing I heard, "Uh, I came to get extra help on my project!"
That was a good save, but I had no idea how he'd follow through with it. I walked out of the kitchen and attempted not to look like I was about to shit myself. Frank was on the other side of the door blushing like a madman. We were screwed, "Oh, Frank. I was expecting you. Come in and let's take a look at that linoleum slab."
He followed me into the living room and started digging through his bag. For a second I thought he had actually brought the linoleum, but then I saw that there were only clothes inside. Clothes? Why clothes?
Frank laughed then. It was a really nervous sound, "Silly me, I must have forgotten to take it home with me!"
Might as well go along with his act, "I see. Well would you like to stay and have dinner anyway? I mean, unless your mom's expecting you home."
"No, she's not expecting me," Good. Mikey was still leaving after dinner. I didn't care what he figured out by then.
I smiled, "All right. You stay here and get to know Mikey. I'll go finish cooking."
I left and resumed what I was doing. Luckily it hadn't burned. From the living room I could hear quiet conversation. I hoped they'd get along. They were alike enough to, as far as I knew, but the tension caused by the knowledge of Frank and I's relationship could end up ruining that chance. Judging by the chatter, though, that wasn't exactly a problem.
