I'll Never Be What You Need.

Frank rushed into Barnes and Noble. He was dying to see Mikey. And have some Skittles too, of course.

"Mikey !" he shouted from where he was walking toward the counter.

He saw Mikey turn red as he saw him. Crap. Now he embarrassed him.

Frank stood in front of the counter. "Sorry. Didn't mean to embarrass you," he apologized. He didn't want to have Mikey be mad at him.

"N-no. It's okay, Frank," Mikey stammered slightly.

Frank smiled, making Mikey almost fall over. He had such a genuine smile... and it was so cu- real. Real. "How are you, Mikey ?" he asked curiously.

"I'm fine," Mikey replied.

"Can I come back there again ?" Frank asked.

Mikey looked behind the counter. "Ya, sure," he said, unlocking the small swinging door to his left.

Frank wasted no time scurrying behind the counter and at the same time grabbing two packs of Skittles, holding out two dollar bills to Mikey. Mikey took the money and reached down to hand Frank his change. Frank took the change, their fingers brushing slightly and causing both of their heart rates to accelerate.

Frank tried to swallow the unfamiliar feeling and ripped open a pack of Skittles, popping various candies into his mouth. He looked at Mikey's baggy pants, buckled boots and high collared jacket. Mikey wore such cool clothes that only he could truly pull off. "So... uh... I'm guessing you live with your parents ?" Frank asked.

"My mom," Mikey replied, not looking down at him. He couldn't bear to look at the eyes that were probably peering up at him questioningly.

"Me too," Frank informed him.

Mikey was surprised. He figured since he went to a private school, that he had the perfect, complete life.

"Got any brothers or sisters ?"

Mikey nodded. "My older brother, Gerard," he answered.

"How old is he ?"

"Twenty. The perfect never failing art student. Never got into trouble, never did drugs. He always does what he's told. He's the perfect one and-" Mikey caught himself off. Where was he going with this ? Where did this even come from ? Why was he acting like... well, quite frankly, a jealous, psycho bitch.

"It's okay, Mikey. You can tell me," he assured him.

"No, it's okay, really. I didn't mean to say all of that. It was just..." Mikey trailed off, still not looking down at Frank.

"What you felt," Frank finished for him, studying the profile of his friend, looking at the smooth white face make-up. Frank wondered briefly what Mikey looked like under the pale white make-up and black rimmed eyes.

Mikey met his eyes for just a brief second before a costumer came to the counter and put a book in the counter. "$10.95," Mikey said, ringing up the book and stuffing it in a bag. The costumer gave Mikey a twenty and in turn Mikey handed the man back his change.

Frank quickly caught a glimpse of the cover of the novel. The Art Of Sex. Frank did his best to conceal his laughter behind his hand until the man walked away. "I wonder if that was art of sex with men or women," he mumbled mostly to himself.

"Men, I hope," Mikey replied.

"Why ?" Frank asked, a little hurt. He hoped he wasn't a homophobe.

Mikey shrugged, blushing slightly. "I-I don't know. It's just I can't really imagine... what it's be like..."

"Well, it's simple. You put the-"

"Not like that ! I mean, just dating a guy in general. Like... wouldn't people be all weird around them ?"

"Probably. But if you were really in love, you wouldn't give a shit what other people think."

"That's true... I guess. I've just... never been in love..."

Frank smiled. "Me neither. But I bet it's so cool."

Mikey's heart wavered at Frank's smile once more. "I guess so."

"You don't want to be in love ?"

"It sounds too hard. Besides, I don't think I'll have to worry about loving anyone."

"Why not ?"

"Because. No one would ever love me back," he admitted quietly.

Frank scoffed. "Whatever, Mikey," Frank muttered.

"What ?"

"I said WHAT EVER. You don't know how pretty you are, do you ?"

"Pretty ? Um... No..."

"You are, Mikey. And you are like... awesome. So just shut up, because you don't know what you're talking about. And I mean that in the nicest way possible."

Mikey blinked. That was... unexpected. "Huh," was all he could manage to say.

"Did you know Tim Burton's making another Batman movie ?" Frank asked, changing the subject entirely.

Mikey smiled to himself. Frank was back to being Frank again.