When We're Both Thirty

Deal With It

Gerard kind of wants Mikey to go away, but at the same time he doesn't. He doesn't want to be alone, but he doesn't want to talk to anyone. He's just in one of those hard to describe moods that's making him get all fidgety and nervous.

"Are we going to talk about it or are you just going to go sit in the corner and rock back and forth?"

"I don't know what there is to talk about," Gerard replies.

"Well you were doing just fine, then I leave for like, twenty minutes and when I come back, you look like you'd just witnessed a murder. Wait, you didn't kill Frank did you?" Mikey asks.

"No!" Gerard says defensively, "I just, god, I don't know. I don't know what's going on. I don't know why we're all of a sudden talking to each other. You left the two of us alone! Ten years ago, we shouldn't have been left alone together because we'd probably have scalped each other. But now, I don't even know what's going on between him and me."

"Well, back then, you were immature and young. Now, you've grown up. There's nothing wrong with that," Mikey says.

"Well, maybe not. But what is wrong is that I don't know, I don't, like, loathe him, I think? I mean, I hate him, of course I do, but I also don't. I don't know what the hell that means, but it's got my brain turning to mush."

"So you do like him?"

"No! I never said that."

"It was implied."

"It was not implied," Gerard says. "I don't like him."

"Look, Gerard, I saw you kiss him last night, okay? That was not a 'look at me proving a point' sort of kiss. That was a 'I've been stifling my crush on you for about twenty years' kind of kiss. Like, dude, it was verging on literal porn."

"You're such a creep, Mikey."

"I know, but that's not my point. Gerard, you and I both know you wanted to kiss Frank, and you may pretend you didn't want to, but you fucking did," Mikey says.

"I don't... I don't like him."

"I think you meant that you don't want to like him."

"What's the difference?"

"One of those things is true, and that's the main difference," Mikey says.

"I don't like him, okay? That's the fact of things, okay?"

"Bullshit."

"Excuse me?"

"Bullshit, Gerard. Look at me," Mikey says, "I am not an idiot. You are not fooling me. You are lying through your fucking teeth, and I'm starting to resent you for it. Gerard, I'm your best friend and I know that, but I'm also your brother, and I have permission to be completely straight with you without you cutting me off for it. You have never lied to me. Never. You never lie to me. But you are lying right now, and it's pissing me the hell off. Give it up. I know you like him, and I'm not saying this to be an ass or to be too invasive. That is not my intention. I'm just letting you know, that I know you're lying to me. You like Frank. End of story."

"I don't-"

"Gerard, I'm warning you, if you deny it again, I will smack you."

"I-" Gerard starts, "Well, even if I did like him, and I'm not admitting anything yet, you can't actually be sure of anything."

"Yes I can. You just earned yourself a flick on the temple."

Mikey leans over before Gerard has time to react and he actually does flick Gerard in the temple.