"Mick, why are you so worried about Davy and Peter knowing about us?"

"I don't know."

"Good answer, I mean they may have guessed something is going on already."

"You think so?" said Micky nervously. "But how? Why? We're always so careful."

"We may be careful but Davy and Peter are not stupid, and besides you haven't been out on a date since you split with Isobel. That's surely gonna arouse suspicion."

"But you don't understand, it's easy for you. They already know that you're gay."

"So? Like Davy makes that easy for me?"

"I just don't want them to judge me," Micky mumbled into the cushion.

"Oh, but it's ok for Davy to judge me? Fuck! Micky, sometimes you are so arrogant."

Micky felt hurt by this last remark. He tried to talk to Mike but he wasn't prepared to listen. Micky hated it when Mike got into these moods. He wasn't trying to hurt him but he had to make Mike understand that once the whole situation was out in the open, there was no going back. Why didn't Mike understand this?

"I'm going out for a while."

Mike slammed the door behind him. Micky was almost in tears. Why couldn't he just do what Mike wanted and tell them what was going on? He knew the answer deep down; he was falling for Mike in a big way but yet he still was so confused in his head. He still found girls attractive, so he couldn't think of himself as gay and Mike was only the guy he had ever had those feelings for. He took walks down the beach and he would stare at the girls; not the guys - his head was such a mess.

Just then Davy came back for his nocturnal outing.

"Oh! Mick, I'm glad you're here. Is your keeper about?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" said Micky, defensively.

"Nothing, but you must admit Mike does hang round you an awful lot - is there something you're not telling us?"

"No," said Micky, his face flushing.

"Good, cause I've got us a date."

"Well….I don't know Davy…" began Micky.

"Mick, you haven't been out in ages. What you need to get is some willing pussy."

"And I am sure you know where to get it," joked Micky.

"Yeah Barbara and Cheryl - I met them at the beach yesterday. They're coming round later on."

"Tonight!?" exclaimed Micky. "But I can't tonight." he wanted to talk to Mike; he hated leaving things the way they were.

"Why not? You're just making excuses, Mick. Anyway, I already told them yes, so you're going," and with that, Davy headed to the bathroom.

Mike arrived back at the pad a couple of hours later. He hadn't really wanted to leave in the first place, but being as stubborn as always once he left he wanted to make Micky sweat a bit.

He succeeded. Micky was going stir crazy. He had picked out an outfit for his date -brown shirt and beige cords, nothing too flash. It wasn't like he wanted to make an impression on this girl - but he was still hoping that Mike would come back before he had to leave. He heard the door open downstairs and rushed to see who it was.

"Mike, you're back."

"Yeah."

"Can we talk?"

"Nothing much to say, is there?"

"Please," pleaded Micky.

"Fine," sighed Mike, walking up the stairs to the bedroom.

"Davy's back," announced Micky, as he sat down on his bed.

"Oh," said Mike not caring.

"Mike, I'm sorry about what I said. I know Davy's given you a hard time and I guess I was just afraid of what people would say."

Micky looked so remorseful that Mike's anger immediately fell away. He carefully placed a loving hand over his shoulder and gently rubbed Micky's neck.

"Hey, it's ok. I know I don't always say it, but I do understand."

"Thanks."

Mike lovingly kissed the side of Micky's face, tracing his ear with his tongue.

"You smell nice," he whispered, noticing Micky was dressed up. "Was this all for me?"

Oh shit! Micky had all but forgotten about the date he had planned with Davy. He glanced at his watch - he would have to leave soon. How was he gonna explain this one to Mike?

"Um…no, I'm goin' out."

"Oh yeah….Where?"

"With Davy…You see….He cornered me and told me about these two girls he'd met….And well….He wants us to go out them."

"Like a date, you mean."

Mike's eyes narrowed, he knew Davy would pull a stunt like this. It was like a challenge to him, give him a fresh virgin and he'll turn them into a whore just like him.

"Kinda," Micky finally replied. "But, Mike, this wasn't my idea. I only went along with it 'cause of what Davy said."

"What did he say?" Mike knew he shouldn't have left Micky alone. He was far too vulnerable.

"He just made some crass comment about you being my keeper. I'm sorry Mike, but I had no other choice."

"Well the truth might have been an idea," Mike muttered to himself. "So you have a date…well that's nice, I'm sure you'll have fun."

"Mike, don't be like that. You know you're the one I want to be with."

"Then why is this so fuckin' hard for you?"

Mike was losing his cool. He was fed up with Micky and his games and he wanted it all out in the open. He had a good mind to march Micky downstairs and make him tell Davy the truth.

"Please Mike, just give me a few more days. I promise we can tell them then."

"Micky, are you ready?" called Davy from downstairs. "We're s'posed to be meeting the girls in half an hour."

"Well….," Micky turned to Mike. He so desperately wanted his approval to let him go. He never meant to hurt anyone, but he had. Mike said nothing. Micky knew he wasn't going to. He felt like crying. How could treat Mike like this after all he had done for him? Yet he still couldn't bring himself to tell Davy the truth. With a heavy heart he picked up his jacket and left the bedroom.

Mike lay back on the bed, his eyes filled with tears. Not tears of sadness, but tears of anger. How dare Micky act this way towards him. He was beginning to think that this wasn't worth it. How could he be committed if as soon as he got close, Micky moved further away? He pulled himself up from the bed and strode down the stairs into the kitchen. Peter came out of his bedroom on hearing Mike throwing pans and slamming cupboard doors.

"Hey Mike, what's up?" he asked nervously.

"We had a bottle of whiskey somewhere. Where is it?"

"Top cupboard."

Mike pulled the door so roughly that Peter feared it would come off the hinges. The cupboard shook but stayed put. Mike took a long drink from the bottle and slumped down in the nearest chair. As he took another swig, Peter came and joined him at the table.

"Come on Mike, nothin' can be that bad." Mike was in no mood for Peter's cheery optimism.

"You don't know the half of it."

"I know more than you think I do."

No-one ever gave Peter any credit, he was just dumb old Peter. Usually his head was either in the clouds or high on dope. So, most of the time he gave no thought to what was going on around him. But Peter wasn't really stupid, he knew the score. Probably seen it coming all along. He noted that first glance that Mike had given Micky all those months ago in the diner. He'd watched the flirtatious smiles cast between the two, over the last few weeks. He smiled at Mike's puzzled face.

"What do you know?" Mike took another drink from the bottle. 'Was Peter playing with him? Or did he actually know something?' he thought.

"I know about you and Micky." Peter replied, taking the bottle from Mike.

"Oh yeah, and what about me and Micky?" asked Mike casually. Although he no longer cared who knew. It wasn't his hang-up and at this very moment he didn't give a shit what Peter was driving at.

"You know….I'm not stupid. I have seen the way you look at him. Why did you let him go out with Davy and those girls? That isn't like you to give in so easily."

"I don't know Pete. Micky didn't want you guys to know and I…well, I guess I went along with it. I shoulda half expected that little bastard to take him away like that."

"That's Davy for you," replied Peter, with a smile. "Has to make sure everyone is up to his level. D'ya know where they've gone?"

"No."

"So, what's the plan then? Drink this and hope ya feelings go away?" Mike grabbed the bottle from him. Why was Peter hanging about? Surely he had his friends to go meet. Why couldn't he be left alone to wallow in self pity?

"Maybe, or maybe I'll go out….Yeah, I think I will." Mike stood up taking the bottle with him. He walked out of the pad, not sure where he was going.

Peter sat there for a minute thinking. He realized his suspicions were true, but he thought that Mike would have put up some fight first, rather than just admit it. He seemed to have changed - was this Micky's influence? Peter was sure of it. Anyway, he had to leave them to sort their own problems out.