ONE: Vanilla on My Hands

19: I Can Safely Say That One of Us Grew Up

"And look at me doing it, though." Frank replied as he walked down the stairs and into the hallway, "Look. I'm still doing it."

"Frank, get back here."

"No!" Frank yelled, "I've had a long day as it was without you going all 'Sherlock Holmes, Private Eye' on my new boss! I know what you were doing!"

"Which is?" Ryan asked as he reappeared in the kitchen doorway much to Frank's obvious dismay. Frank merely scoffed at Ryan as he began making himself a coffee. Ryan scowled, "Don't ignore me."

"Don't you dare tell me what to do." Frank hissed, "I don't need to fucking obey you."

"Don't take that tone with me!" Ryan yelled, making Frank grip the counter tightly with white knuckles.

"Don't fucking yell at me!" Frank turned on Ryan, furious and angry bubbles boiling in his stomach, "I don't need to answer to you! You were there for more than just bringing me lunch, Ryan!"

"And you're doing more than filing and fetching coffee!" Ryan screamed back and Frank flinched, his hands curling into fists.

"No, the fuck I'm not!"

"Stop denying it, Frank!" Ryan walked into the kitchen and Frank stepped back, keeping his distance just in case he decided to throttle Ryan, "I know you're fucking him!"

"First off..." Frank seethed, "Even if I was fucking my boss, I would definitely not be topping and secondly... And, most importantly-"

"Wait-" Ryan interrupted Frank, stopping him immediately, making him sigh out deliberately and put his hands on his hips, "You wouldn't top?"

"Is that really what you're on about?"

"You're not a bottom." Ryan scoffed, "You've never... Are you?"

"That's not the point." Frank ran a hand through his hair, "You're forgetting one major thing, Ryan."

"Answer me."

"Ryan."

"Frank, answer me for fuck's sake."

"Ryan! Leave it alone! The man is married!" Frank yelled loudly, startling Ryan, "Do you fucking realize the man is married?! And, may I fucking add, to a woman!"

"W- I forgot...."

"And she works with us, Ryan!" Frank seethed, "She was there tonight, too. And if you had asked, and not just jumped to conclusions, then you would have known that, for fuck's sake!"

"That means nothing."

"Not everyone is a fucking cheater, Ryan! What the fuck is your problem?!"

"My fucking problem is you fucking your boss!" Ryan screamed back when Frank let out an aggravated scream before he grabbed the first thing he could and threw it, aiming his coffee mug in Ryan's general direction.

"Stop being so fucking stubborn!" Frank screamed as the coffee mug hit the side of one of the top cabinets and shattered in pieces on the floor, sending coffee powder and sugar everywhere, and making Ryan jump out of the way, "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"

"Nothing!" Ryan screamed back as he grabbed his hair with tears in his eyes, "You're the one who's lying!"

"I'm not fucking lying, Ryan!" Frank didn't know what to do, feeling his every sinew strung up, his whole body thrumming with fury, "You're being so stupid!"

"No!" Ryan yelled back, "You fucking wish I was! So I wouldn't see it! I do, I fucking do!"

"You're deranged!" Frank clutched the counter, turning from Ryan, his head swimming in thick and bright red fury-laced molasses, "Just go away."