Honey

"So, I'll see you at six?" Gerard asked, leaning forward against the counter at the convenient store.

Frank nodded. "Yeah, I guess you will." He felt the blood rush to his cheeks as it always did when he was around Gerard.

The older of the pair checked his watch, sighing. "Well, I have to get back to work. My break is almost over."

"You're break is only fifteen minutes, Gerard. It takes you three to get here and you always leave five minutes early to make sure you're on time," Frank said. "You know, you could spend it smoking a cigarette or something, but you choose to come here."

Gerard cocked his head to the side. "Are you looking for an explanation for my behavior?" He asked.

Frank shrugged. "I'd assume so."

Gerard leaned forward and captured Frank's lips in a kiss. It was only an addition to the handful they'd shared in the short time they'd known each other, but Frank liked to think that was what made them special; They were a beginning of sorts.

When Gerard pulled away he was grinning. It was a goofy, happy smile that he seemed to wear whenever Frank was in his presence. "That's why," he said.

"So you could kiss me?" Frank asked, being smart, but smiling nonetheless.

"No," Gerard answered. "Not that I'm saying kissing you isn't great. I just... I like seeing that look on your face."

"What look?" Frank inquired, confused. He bit down on his bottom lip.

Gerard's face took on a nervous expression, but he answered anyways. "The one that says you like me."

Before Frank could respond, or in Gerard's mind, shoot him down, Gerard leaned forward and kissed his head. "I'll come get you at six, okay?" He said.

Frank only nodded and watched him leave, the feeling of his lips in his hair lingering in his mind. Soon enough Eliza appeared, hopping up onto the counter, just as she always did.

"Now, normally I would say that was disgustingly cute, but I think it's only the latter. There is nothing disgusting about you two."

Frank looked up at Eliza with sad eyes. "I can't believe I agreed to meet Josh today. I mean... did you hear him?"

Eliza nodded. "I told you."

Frank sighed, leaning forward on his elbows. "Gerard is perfect, you know? I've never met anyone like him, but... I feel like I have to see Josh in order to receive any sense of closure."

"Then go. Meet Josh and tell him what's going on. You don't want him back and you only met with him to keep things straight."

Frank nodded. "Yeah," he said. "Okay."


Frank was a few minutes late when he arrived at the cafe he was supposed to meet Josh at, but he found him at small table near the window. It reminded him of his first date with Gerard.

"Hey," He said, sitting down across from his ex. In front of him, he saw a coffee and a chocolate chip muffin.

"You still like chocolate chip right?" Josh asked. He and Frank both knew chocolate chip was his favorite. Josh knew everything there was to know about Frank. Sometimes Frank wondered if Josh knew him better than he would ever begin to know himself.

Frank nodded. "Yeah."

He had begun to pick the chocolate chips out of his muffin when he felt Josh's eyes. He glanced up and saw the sad smile playing on Josh's features. Originally Josh had planned on apologizing to Frank and asking for some sort of a friendship, even if it was only casual, but as soon as Frank sat down at the table he knew a friendship wouldn't even begin to be enough.

"What are you looking at me like that for?" Frank asked.

"You still eat your muffins the same," he mumbled. "Chocolate chips first, but only the ones on the outside; the ones you can see."

Frank blushed. "Yeah. I guess old habits die hard."

"That's not it," Josh said, shaking his head.

Frank slipped a chocolate chop between his lips. "Then what is it, Josh?"

"That guy," he said. "After we broke up I started noticing everything that was different about you and him. Like, the way he eats his muffins for instance. He doesn't even like chocolate chip. At first things were fine, but after we broke up I started noticing things around my apartment that reminded me of you. The remote lying in between the couch cushions or... the way my pillows still smelled like you; cigarettes and double-mint gum..."

Josh trailed off, looking everywhere but Frank's eye. "I guess... I'm just saying that I miss you, Frankie."

Frank started to say something, but Josh cut him off. "I know you're seeing someone right?" He asked.

Frank nodded. "We have a date tonight."

"Just... I don't know... don't rule me out okay? I know you were going to, I could see it on your face. Promise me you won't do that just yet."

Frank stood up. "You can't ask me to do that for you, Josh."

"You barely know that guy, Frank. You can't tell me you love him; Not like you loved me."

"You cheated on me, Josh!" Frank shouted, then saw the looks of the people in the restaurant and lowered his voice. "You cheated on me. You can't expect things to change after you order me a chocolate chip muffin and tell me you miss me. It doesn't work like that."

Josh sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Does he love you and, if he does, do you love him back?"

Frank avoided Josh's gaze. "I don't know. It's too early to tell, but it looks like things are going that way."

Josh placed a hand on Frank's cheek, forcing eye contact. "Well, I can say that I still love you."

Frank exhaled sharply, wishing that he could take back ever meeting Josh at that tiny cafe. When he looked back at his ex-boyfriend he found it hard to ignore what his gut was telling him. "I love you too, Josh," he said. "But I don't think that's enough anymore."

He could feel Josh's eyes burning holes into his back as he exited the cafe.