NO FUN CLUB

11

Frank didn't even remember falling asleep on the couch, but he woke up to his front door being opened, and his dad yelling at him.

'Seriously, Frank?' he heard.

'What?' he mumbled, attempting to sit up, still not sure what was going on. 'What are you doing here?' He regretted giving his dad a copy of his key now.

'You weren't answering your phone, and I started to worry.'

'I just fell asleep.'

'Oh, really?' his dad asked, pointing to the two empty bottles of vodka by the corner.

'Oh, yeah. That explains the headache.'

His dad picked up the bottles and started to clean everything. 'God, Frank, this place is a mess!'

'I haven't really been home in over a week, and right now I'm not exactly in the mood to do anything.'

He heard his dad's voice coming from the kitchen. 'Where have you been exactly?'

'At the hospital. Anywhere else.'

'You're staying with me tonight!'

'I'm okay, dad!'

But then his dad was standing in front of him, looking at him. He couldn't hide anything from him. 'Are you okay?' Frank, Sr. asked. 'Because I've been through this before with your mom, and I'm not liking where this is going.'

Frank nodded.

'It's okay to admit you're not doing well. And I know this is hard for you more than anybody. I'll miss him, too.'

And that was all Frank needed to lose it. He just started sobbing loud on his dad's shoulder. He cried until he couldn't breathe anymore, and his dad comforted him just like when he was a kid and he had nightmares.

He had cried more in the past two days than he'd done in years, and he was tired.

And he was tired of pretending. Pretending to be okay, and hiding who he was. 'Dad,' he said out of nowhere, avoiding his father's eyes, his voice breaking. 'There's something I need to tell you –' He paused, still scared as fuck. 'I'm gay.'

There was no response, and Frank was afraid to look at his dad and see the disappointment in his face. But after a while, he felt his arm around his shoulders. 'I know, kid. But thanks for telling me.'

Frank just smiled, still sobbing.

'You think I don't notice?'

'I'm sorry I never told you. I thought you would –'

His dad just hugged him.

'And I never told him, and I know he would have liked Ger –' he stopped himself as soon as he realized.

'Oh – so there's someone?'

Frank smiled. There's always someone, he thought. But Gerard was different. He just nodded. 'We're just friends now – but I like him.'

'I'm happy to hear that.'

***

As soon as Gerard walked in the building, he saw Jamia shooting him a look.

He knew she'd ask about the day before. And he wasn't exactly the best liar.

'How is he?' she asked, just like he expected, as he put on his apron, and got his station ready.

He shrugged. 'You know – he's having a hard time.'

Jamia nodded, followed by a long silence. 'He told me.'

Gerard turned, his face a bright shade of red. 'What –'

'That you guys kissed.'

His mouth opened to say something, but nothing came out. There was no point denying it, not when his face said it all. So he just gave up, and smiled.

Jamia couldn't help but yell and hug her friend, spinning him around. 'I'm so happy! I told you!'

Gerard laughed. 'I still can't believe it. Like, I'm sure I'm going to wake up from a dream any minute.'

'Okay – I'm not supposed to tell you this, but he did mention he likes you. A lot.'

That made Gerard blush, hiding his face with both his hands. 'Stop it!'

'I'm not lying.'

'He did say it last night.'

'So – tell me more.'

He told her he pretty much spent the night comforting Frank while he cried. 'It's just weird. I don't want to get excited and be all happy. I mean, his grandfather died. He was clearly important to Frank.'

'I know.'

'I just want to be there for him. Even if it's just as friends.'

'But he clearly likes you more than that.'

'Yeah, but he's still Paco – and I've never had a boyfriend, and I'm just scared that'll make it easier for him to – you know, take advantage –'

Jamia reached for his hand. 'But he's not like that. I've known him forever. And yes, he's a whore, but he's always honest with everyone. If he's telling you he wants to be with you and no one else, that's what he wants.'

'I know.' Yet something inside him told him he shouldn't get excited.

Soon, the bar was open, and people started coming in. It was Sunday, so it was slow. Yet, it kept his mind off Frank and his lips for a moment.

By time he was done closing, he had managed not to check his phone, otherwise he'd go running to Frank. But as if on cue, his phone rang while he turned off the lights. 'Hey,' Frank's voice said on the other side.

That was enough to make him smile. 'Hey.' He locked the door, and headed to his car, almost floating. 'You're feeling better?'

'Not really. My dad came to check on me.' He paused. 'I was thinking, you want to come over and keep me some company?'

Gerard didn't need to think it twice. He stopped at the convenience store for ice cream, when he made it to Frank's house, he ran to him and kissed him. Gerard could taste the vodka on his tongue, and it was good, but it worried him.

They made out on the couch, Frank on top of him, hungry for his lips.

When he felt his finger slipping under his shirt, Gerard had to stop him, almost shaking in terror. 'I'm not ready,' he said. Not like this, not so soon. He knew the moment that happened, he'd give in completely to Frank, and he still felt like he could break his heart at any moment.

'Okay,' Frank replied, and kept his hand over his shirt.

Frank put on a movie while Gerard served the ice cream, and they watched a cheesy comedy with no plot, though none of them was really laughing. Frank didn't even finish his ice cream, and cuddled next to Gerard, falling asleep within minutes.

It was going to take a while for him to recover from this, Gerard thought.

He just hoped he'd let him help a little, because he was falling more and more for him.