Fic: The End of Summer
Title: The End of Summer
Pairing: Frank/Dwayne
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Underage, incest, language, bottom!Dwayne, schmoop and angst (I don't want to give too much away).
Summary: Nothing lasts forever.
Disclaimer: LMS is not mine
Frank and Dwayne, like on most days, watch television in the living room after having breakfast. Dwayne usually has his head in Frank's lap, but today, his long legs stretch across it instead, and his head rests on a pillow at the end of the couch.
It's late August. The days get shorter every day and so does the time Frank and Dwayne have with each other. In a few weeks, school bells will call Dwayne away from home and won't release him until the afternoon, leaving little if any time alone for them. They might steal a few minutes if Dwayne makes it home before his sister, but the good times will be over. They won't have hours to spend lying in bed, adhering to each other like lovers in a classical sculpture entwined in an eternal embrace, just waiting until their urges arise yet again. This will end and, they fear, so will their happiness.
They both know this, but say nothing, even though each usually knows when the other is thinking about it. They can sense one another's sadness sometimes as if it were their own. Nevertheless, they choose to remain silent, for now, as if denial will somehow slow down time.
Right now, though, they're not thinking of sad things. They take advantage of the absence of other people to enjoy peace and quiet whenever possible, something they both appreciate. Frank is paying attention to the TV, but Dwayne ignores it and secretly stares at Frank.
There's no question in Dwayne's mind that Frank is attractive. He is baffled by Frank's refusal to believe it. Frank complains about his age and other things that Dwayne insists are trivial. It's the only time Frank dismisses him the way all other adults do when they don't take him seriously. It also implies that Dwayne has poor judgment in deciding who can have him, because if that were the case, he'd be like any other silly teenager who takes whatever he can get. No, he is different-he and Frank are different, completely unlike anyone else.
Dwayne's vision settles on Frank's eyes, which the boy thinks are always full of kindness, sometimes alive with love and laughter, other times somber and tired, but never, ever empty and cruel. That kindness, and Frank's ability to understand and empathize might be what Dwayne loves most about him, so it's confounding to Dwayne that he's so hard on himself.
"I wish I could make you feel as wanted as you make me feel," Dwayne once said while they were lying together in Dwayne's room.
Frank was completely floored. Tears welled up in his eyes and he replied, "Oh, Dwayne. I've been an insecure fool longer than you've been on this earth. It's not something anyone can fix. But, believe me; I know how much you care about me. Please don't think that I don't appreciate it." Frank promised thereafter to at least try to be nicer to himself.
Dwayne decides he's done enough staring. He sits up, takes the remote and turns off the television. Frank protests, but Dwayne is in his lap in seconds and quiets him with a kiss. His hand creeps down to Frank's crotch and grabs him.
"Whoa!" Frank exclaims in surprise, then says, "You never waste any time, do you?"
A moment later, they're in Dwayne's bed, fooling around as they do when everyone is out. It's quiet all around and the sun shines in through the window. They have plenty of time, so there's no rush. They undress and face each other, kneeling, and come together in a kiss. Frank cups Dwayne's cheek as he kisses him, deeply but tenderly. He then scoots closer still, puts his hands on him and begins to caress the boy's smooth skin.
Dwayne releases his first moan, soft but so exquisite to Frank's ears. Frank's touches are gentle and express nothing less than love and adoration. He holds his nephew with utmost care, like there's nothing more precious on earth and he's lucky to have it.
The boy, like always, clings to his uncle as for dear life, so starved for love and touch. He only needs to look into Frank's eyes to plead how much he wants him, needs him, and loves him, and Frank will give him everything. He follows Frank's lead and tries to do the same, kissing him back so sweetly, doing his best to return the pleasure he's receiving. He bends toward Frank to make up for the height difference, and yet, he somehow feels smaller, humbled by what Frank is willing to do for him. He's the lucky one, he knows.
The older man recognizes the boy's earnest affection and smiles. He brushes his fingers through the mess of dark hair, gives him an especially passionate kiss, and takes his hand as they lie down in the bed to make love.
Frank comes down to kiss him, a hand on his cheek again. It's tender and it slowly coaxes Dwayne to deepen it with him until the boy's hands end up the back of Frank's neck on their own and his tongue slips into the older man's mouth. Frank's tongue slides against his and their mouths continue uninterrupted. With no hurry, they continue kissing, touching, sensing, exploring, re-familiarizing themselves with the particulars of one another's bodies, even though they know and have traversed every inch numerous times over.
Frank likes to take his time when he's feeling particularly romantic, thoroughly savoring everything. His hands caress the supple, young body anywhere they can reach, fingers skimming its surface, feeling, teasing. He softly kisses Dwayne's lips, then his ear and neck, each kiss placed slowly and deliberately to immerse himself in the taste and texture. He returns to Dwayne's mouth and delicately nips the boy's lower lip, pulls on it with his teeth and then lets it snap back.
Dwayne feels like his arousal doubles in the space of a few seconds. When Frank does something like that, something so subtly seductive, it makes the boy's heart beat faster just as much as-or even more than-if Frank had done something overt. He melts like ice every time in Frank's warm, sure hands.
Frank pauses for just a moment and glances Dwayne over. Aside from the most obvious sign, Dwayne's face and chest bear the ruddy flush of arousal, vivid against his pale skin. The slender, not-yet fully-matured body already trembles to be touched again, quivering again as if naked without it. Frank leans back in, holds Dwayne's chin between his thumb and a curled forefinger and looks into the boy's eyes.
"You're so beautiful," he says, and gently drags his thumb across Dwayne's lower lip, smoothing away the previous bite.
Dwayne's cheeks blossom with an even rosier blush. Frank spares him from searching for a reply with a kiss. He begins leaving them all over the boy's chest, down to his belly, sampling the sweet skin, and Dwayne is delighted by the light prickle of facial hair on it. Frank's fingertips find a nipple, rub circles around and pinch it lightly before he covers it with his mouth and whorls his tongue over it. Dwayne cries out when he squeezes the other harder; Frank quickly puts his lips on it and massages it with his tongue to soothe it, pleasure and pain melding.
Frank still cannot make himself indifferent to inflicting pain on his lover, even if the boy wants it. He has to appease his conscience, so he comes back up to kiss Dwayne tenderly on the lips and counters the harshness with softer touches.
Their bodies align and fall into a steady rhythm, rocking into each other while the friction builds up their arousal. Frank eventually removes himself off of Dwayne and lets him get on top. The teenager eagerly straddles Frank and comes down and kisses him hard, plunging his tongue into Frank's mouth. He plants his face in the man's chest and covers it with kisses as best he can, and then doing the same along Frank's bearded jaw. His eyes turn up to his uncle for approval. Frank is too touched to reply, so he gives the boy's cheek a loving brush and chastely kisses the top of his head. He rewards him further; he reaches for Dwayne's member and teases the swollen head until the teenager squirms and moans escape his mouth unabated.
"Oh, Frank, stop," the boy whimpers, and Frank mercifully takes his hand away, letting him fall back onto the bed. Dwayne sounds like a different person whenever he begs for his urges to be relieved. The defensive walls he puts up are obliterated and only primal desperation remains.
Frank searches under the mattress for the lubricant and pulls it out. He applies it to his fingers and slides one into Dwayne, who was already waiting for him. The teen purrs and twists his body as he feels it pressing inside him, and then a second working him open. Frank knows exactly how to give him the most pleasure, his skilled fingers moving and stroking him inside.
When Dwayne has had enough, he says, "I'm ready." Frank takes his word for it and removes his fingers, then thoroughly coats his erection with the lube.
The teenager spreads his thighs; Frank kneels between them, grips his cock and guides it to Dwayne's opening until it slips inside. He slides deeper an inch at a time until he's fully buried within, then comes down to meet him face-to-face. Dwayne's arms wind around his back and he begins to thrust.
Dwayne's heels dig into the mattress and he rocks along with Frank's movements, releasing an erotic moan each time Frank plunges into him.
Frank intimates to Dwayne that he wants to put him on top, again, knowing how much he enjoys it. Dwayne, of course, eagerly agrees and they move together until Frank is on his back and Dwayne straddles him. Hands planted on Frank's belly, Dwayne sinks down onto Frank's cock, and once he settles, he starts to ride him.
Frank lets him take as long as he needs to start going faster. He holds Dwayne firmly, a hand under each buttock, and helps elevate him, but doesn't force him to quicken his movements. The teenager gradually speeds up on his own and finds a steady pace, thrusting himself up and down on Frank's cock. Frank matches his rhythm and thrusts up into him, now applying some force into his hands.
Dwayne rides him until he's breathless, moaning with each collision of his ass against Frank's hips. He hears Frank's grunts and sees the effort on his face, and it drives Dwayne to ride him even harder.
Within moments, Frank is gripping Dwayne's ass hard enough to leave finger impressions as he comes with a loud, strained groan. No one's sent him over the edge as hard and as fast as Dwayne since he was a younger man and his lovers were of the same age.
Dwayne feels the explosion of heat inside and then a hand is around him, stroking him to his peak. His head falls back and he cries out, his body quaking as the ecstasy tears through him.
"Oh, Frank!" The teenager spurts out until he's spent and falls face-first into Frank's neck.
"Are you alright?" Frank asks with a chuckle.
"Mmm."
Frank laughs to himself and pats Dwayne's back. "Okay, then."
Thankfully, Dwayne rolls off of Frank, who then picks up Dwayne's t-shirt off the floor and uses it to clean them up. He knows the teenager won't mind.
Dwayne curls up at Frank's side like he always does. Frank slides his arm under Dwayne's shoulders and wraps it around him, bringing him closer. He rests his other hand on Dwayne's waist, lazily stroking the bare, heated skin of his side.
"That was awesome," Dwayne mutters groggily.
Frank smiles. "Well, I can't take all the credit."
"You should." Dwayne looks at his uncle serenely through half-shut eyes. "You showed me everything."
"You're still a natural," Frank says. He runs his fingertips down the boy's chest, over a curving hip and rests his hand on an exposed buttock. "You were made for this. Your body, it's perfect."
Dwayne smiles shyly, deeply honored by the praise. He'd heard it before, but was still too hesitant then to reply. "Made for you," he says, just barely above a whisper.
Frank is moved all over again and immediately feels tears pricking at his eyes the way they do before they spill out. "Oh, you." He brings his hand up to Dwayne's cheek and kisses him deeply, then buries his nose in Dwayne's hair. "My love," he murmurs.
The teenager closes his eyes to rest quietly beside Frank. This is as happy as he's ever been in his short life, he muses. He never thought he could be so happy. Loving someone and being loved seemed like something that would never happen to him. This is what perfect really feels like.
Dozing silently, he doesn't hear Frank sigh and then take a breath, preparing to say something.
"Dwayne?" Frank says, gently.
"Mm-hmm?"
"I have to tell you something."
Dwayne's eyes open. "Oh?" He realizes Frank's tone is different. "What is it?"
"I, uh…I think I found a job."
Dwayne's breath stops in throat.
Frank waits for him to respond, but the boy's expression is a frozen blank, so he continues. "I'm, uh, just waiting for one more phone call, but it's looking pretty good."
"Oh," Dwayne manages to force out weakly, against the will of his constricted throat and completely dry mouth.
"It's-it's good. It'll be good. I really lucked out on just getting to talk to someone over there. A guy I know who teaches there did me a huge favor. I'll start next year if everything works out. I had a long conversation with the…"
Dwayne doesn't hear the rest, about which college it is and what exactly Frank will teach, and everything else Frank tells him. All of it is drowned out by the sound of his heart sinking like a stone and the blood draining from his face.
Of course Frank found work. He would, sooner than later. His résumé is beyond impressive: years of study and experience, and more degrees and awards than can fit on a wall. Frank is far more successful than he admits. His self-doubt gives others the impression of mediocrity or even failure when they should be as in awe of him as much as his nephew is. Very few people know what he did to himself, and any school with any sense would overlook a few minor personal indiscretions to acquire someone like Frank.
Dwayne realizes Frank has stopped speaking, so he ought to say something now. He struggles with every part of himself not to let his voice break. "I, um-I'm really glad to hear that, Frank. I knew it wouldn't take you a long time. You deserve a good job. They're the lucky ones to have you."
Frank smiles tenderly. "Thanks, Dwayne. I was hoping you'd say something like that." He pauses for a few seconds, sadness in his eyes despite the smile. "You know…I'm going to have to start looking for a place, soon."
"Yeah. I know."
"I realize it's not going to be easy for you." He takes Dwayne's hand in his and looks directly at him. "Dwayne, I want you to tell me when you're sad or upset about it. I don't want you to hide your pain and put on a brave face for my benefit. The last thing I want is for you to feel alone before I've even left. Okay? Please?"
Dwayne forces himself not to look away. "Okay, Frank."
Frank squeezes the teenager's hand and places a kiss on his forehead. "Thank you, Dwayne." Another pause, and then he awkwardly tries to change the mood. "So. Well. Which one of us showers first-unless, of course, you want to go toge-?"
Dwayne cuts him off. "I'll go." He jumps out of bed and hurries to the bathroom without looking back. The tears begin to fall before he even reaches it. Once he's there, he closes the door behind him. He steps into the shower, turns it on, and stands under the stream, hoping the rush of water will hide his sobs.
Pairing: Frank/Dwayne
Rating: NC-17
Warnings: Underage, incest, language, bottom!Dwayne, schmoop and angst (I don't want to give too much away).
Summary: Nothing lasts forever.
Disclaimer: LMS is not mine
Frank and Dwayne, like on most days, watch television in the living room after having breakfast. Dwayne usually has his head in Frank's lap, but today, his long legs stretch across it instead, and his head rests on a pillow at the end of the couch.
It's late August. The days get shorter every day and so does the time Frank and Dwayne have with each other. In a few weeks, school bells will call Dwayne away from home and won't release him until the afternoon, leaving little if any time alone for them. They might steal a few minutes if Dwayne makes it home before his sister, but the good times will be over. They won't have hours to spend lying in bed, adhering to each other like lovers in a classical sculpture entwined in an eternal embrace, just waiting until their urges arise yet again. This will end and, they fear, so will their happiness.
They both know this, but say nothing, even though each usually knows when the other is thinking about it. They can sense one another's sadness sometimes as if it were their own. Nevertheless, they choose to remain silent, for now, as if denial will somehow slow down time.
Right now, though, they're not thinking of sad things. They take advantage of the absence of other people to enjoy peace and quiet whenever possible, something they both appreciate. Frank is paying attention to the TV, but Dwayne ignores it and secretly stares at Frank.
There's no question in Dwayne's mind that Frank is attractive. He is baffled by Frank's refusal to believe it. Frank complains about his age and other things that Dwayne insists are trivial. It's the only time Frank dismisses him the way all other adults do when they don't take him seriously. It also implies that Dwayne has poor judgment in deciding who can have him, because if that were the case, he'd be like any other silly teenager who takes whatever he can get. No, he is different-he and Frank are different, completely unlike anyone else.
Dwayne's vision settles on Frank's eyes, which the boy thinks are always full of kindness, sometimes alive with love and laughter, other times somber and tired, but never, ever empty and cruel. That kindness, and Frank's ability to understand and empathize might be what Dwayne loves most about him, so it's confounding to Dwayne that he's so hard on himself.
"I wish I could make you feel as wanted as you make me feel," Dwayne once said while they were lying together in Dwayne's room.
Frank was completely floored. Tears welled up in his eyes and he replied, "Oh, Dwayne. I've been an insecure fool longer than you've been on this earth. It's not something anyone can fix. But, believe me; I know how much you care about me. Please don't think that I don't appreciate it." Frank promised thereafter to at least try to be nicer to himself.
Dwayne decides he's done enough staring. He sits up, takes the remote and turns off the television. Frank protests, but Dwayne is in his lap in seconds and quiets him with a kiss. His hand creeps down to Frank's crotch and grabs him.
"Whoa!" Frank exclaims in surprise, then says, "You never waste any time, do you?"
A moment later, they're in Dwayne's bed, fooling around as they do when everyone is out. It's quiet all around and the sun shines in through the window. They have plenty of time, so there's no rush. They undress and face each other, kneeling, and come together in a kiss. Frank cups Dwayne's cheek as he kisses him, deeply but tenderly. He then scoots closer still, puts his hands on him and begins to caress the boy's smooth skin.
Dwayne releases his first moan, soft but so exquisite to Frank's ears. Frank's touches are gentle and express nothing less than love and adoration. He holds his nephew with utmost care, like there's nothing more precious on earth and he's lucky to have it.
The boy, like always, clings to his uncle as for dear life, so starved for love and touch. He only needs to look into Frank's eyes to plead how much he wants him, needs him, and loves him, and Frank will give him everything. He follows Frank's lead and tries to do the same, kissing him back so sweetly, doing his best to return the pleasure he's receiving. He bends toward Frank to make up for the height difference, and yet, he somehow feels smaller, humbled by what Frank is willing to do for him. He's the lucky one, he knows.
The older man recognizes the boy's earnest affection and smiles. He brushes his fingers through the mess of dark hair, gives him an especially passionate kiss, and takes his hand as they lie down in the bed to make love.
Frank comes down to kiss him, a hand on his cheek again. It's tender and it slowly coaxes Dwayne to deepen it with him until the boy's hands end up the back of Frank's neck on their own and his tongue slips into the older man's mouth. Frank's tongue slides against his and their mouths continue uninterrupted. With no hurry, they continue kissing, touching, sensing, exploring, re-familiarizing themselves with the particulars of one another's bodies, even though they know and have traversed every inch numerous times over.
Frank likes to take his time when he's feeling particularly romantic, thoroughly savoring everything. His hands caress the supple, young body anywhere they can reach, fingers skimming its surface, feeling, teasing. He softly kisses Dwayne's lips, then his ear and neck, each kiss placed slowly and deliberately to immerse himself in the taste and texture. He returns to Dwayne's mouth and delicately nips the boy's lower lip, pulls on it with his teeth and then lets it snap back.
Dwayne feels like his arousal doubles in the space of a few seconds. When Frank does something like that, something so subtly seductive, it makes the boy's heart beat faster just as much as-or even more than-if Frank had done something overt. He melts like ice every time in Frank's warm, sure hands.
Frank pauses for just a moment and glances Dwayne over. Aside from the most obvious sign, Dwayne's face and chest bear the ruddy flush of arousal, vivid against his pale skin. The slender, not-yet fully-matured body already trembles to be touched again, quivering again as if naked without it. Frank leans back in, holds Dwayne's chin between his thumb and a curled forefinger and looks into the boy's eyes.
"You're so beautiful," he says, and gently drags his thumb across Dwayne's lower lip, smoothing away the previous bite.
Dwayne's cheeks blossom with an even rosier blush. Frank spares him from searching for a reply with a kiss. He begins leaving them all over the boy's chest, down to his belly, sampling the sweet skin, and Dwayne is delighted by the light prickle of facial hair on it. Frank's fingertips find a nipple, rub circles around and pinch it lightly before he covers it with his mouth and whorls his tongue over it. Dwayne cries out when he squeezes the other harder; Frank quickly puts his lips on it and massages it with his tongue to soothe it, pleasure and pain melding.
Frank still cannot make himself indifferent to inflicting pain on his lover, even if the boy wants it. He has to appease his conscience, so he comes back up to kiss Dwayne tenderly on the lips and counters the harshness with softer touches.
Their bodies align and fall into a steady rhythm, rocking into each other while the friction builds up their arousal. Frank eventually removes himself off of Dwayne and lets him get on top. The teenager eagerly straddles Frank and comes down and kisses him hard, plunging his tongue into Frank's mouth. He plants his face in the man's chest and covers it with kisses as best he can, and then doing the same along Frank's bearded jaw. His eyes turn up to his uncle for approval. Frank is too touched to reply, so he gives the boy's cheek a loving brush and chastely kisses the top of his head. He rewards him further; he reaches for Dwayne's member and teases the swollen head until the teenager squirms and moans escape his mouth unabated.
"Oh, Frank, stop," the boy whimpers, and Frank mercifully takes his hand away, letting him fall back onto the bed. Dwayne sounds like a different person whenever he begs for his urges to be relieved. The defensive walls he puts up are obliterated and only primal desperation remains.
Frank searches under the mattress for the lubricant and pulls it out. He applies it to his fingers and slides one into Dwayne, who was already waiting for him. The teen purrs and twists his body as he feels it pressing inside him, and then a second working him open. Frank knows exactly how to give him the most pleasure, his skilled fingers moving and stroking him inside.
When Dwayne has had enough, he says, "I'm ready." Frank takes his word for it and removes his fingers, then thoroughly coats his erection with the lube.
The teenager spreads his thighs; Frank kneels between them, grips his cock and guides it to Dwayne's opening until it slips inside. He slides deeper an inch at a time until he's fully buried within, then comes down to meet him face-to-face. Dwayne's arms wind around his back and he begins to thrust.
Dwayne's heels dig into the mattress and he rocks along with Frank's movements, releasing an erotic moan each time Frank plunges into him.
Frank intimates to Dwayne that he wants to put him on top, again, knowing how much he enjoys it. Dwayne, of course, eagerly agrees and they move together until Frank is on his back and Dwayne straddles him. Hands planted on Frank's belly, Dwayne sinks down onto Frank's cock, and once he settles, he starts to ride him.
Frank lets him take as long as he needs to start going faster. He holds Dwayne firmly, a hand under each buttock, and helps elevate him, but doesn't force him to quicken his movements. The teenager gradually speeds up on his own and finds a steady pace, thrusting himself up and down on Frank's cock. Frank matches his rhythm and thrusts up into him, now applying some force into his hands.
Dwayne rides him until he's breathless, moaning with each collision of his ass against Frank's hips. He hears Frank's grunts and sees the effort on his face, and it drives Dwayne to ride him even harder.
Within moments, Frank is gripping Dwayne's ass hard enough to leave finger impressions as he comes with a loud, strained groan. No one's sent him over the edge as hard and as fast as Dwayne since he was a younger man and his lovers were of the same age.
Dwayne feels the explosion of heat inside and then a hand is around him, stroking him to his peak. His head falls back and he cries out, his body quaking as the ecstasy tears through him.
"Oh, Frank!" The teenager spurts out until he's spent and falls face-first into Frank's neck.
"Are you alright?" Frank asks with a chuckle.
"Mmm."
Frank laughs to himself and pats Dwayne's back. "Okay, then."
Thankfully, Dwayne rolls off of Frank, who then picks up Dwayne's t-shirt off the floor and uses it to clean them up. He knows the teenager won't mind.
Dwayne curls up at Frank's side like he always does. Frank slides his arm under Dwayne's shoulders and wraps it around him, bringing him closer. He rests his other hand on Dwayne's waist, lazily stroking the bare, heated skin of his side.
"That was awesome," Dwayne mutters groggily.
Frank smiles. "Well, I can't take all the credit."
"You should." Dwayne looks at his uncle serenely through half-shut eyes. "You showed me everything."
"You're still a natural," Frank says. He runs his fingertips down the boy's chest, over a curving hip and rests his hand on an exposed buttock. "You were made for this. Your body, it's perfect."
Dwayne smiles shyly, deeply honored by the praise. He'd heard it before, but was still too hesitant then to reply. "Made for you," he says, just barely above a whisper.
Frank is moved all over again and immediately feels tears pricking at his eyes the way they do before they spill out. "Oh, you." He brings his hand up to Dwayne's cheek and kisses him deeply, then buries his nose in Dwayne's hair. "My love," he murmurs.
The teenager closes his eyes to rest quietly beside Frank. This is as happy as he's ever been in his short life, he muses. He never thought he could be so happy. Loving someone and being loved seemed like something that would never happen to him. This is what perfect really feels like.
Dozing silently, he doesn't hear Frank sigh and then take a breath, preparing to say something.
"Dwayne?" Frank says, gently.
"Mm-hmm?"
"I have to tell you something."
Dwayne's eyes open. "Oh?" He realizes Frank's tone is different. "What is it?"
"I, uh…I think I found a job."
Dwayne's breath stops in throat.
Frank waits for him to respond, but the boy's expression is a frozen blank, so he continues. "I'm, uh, just waiting for one more phone call, but it's looking pretty good."
"Oh," Dwayne manages to force out weakly, against the will of his constricted throat and completely dry mouth.
"It's-it's good. It'll be good. I really lucked out on just getting to talk to someone over there. A guy I know who teaches there did me a huge favor. I'll start next year if everything works out. I had a long conversation with the…"
Dwayne doesn't hear the rest, about which college it is and what exactly Frank will teach, and everything else Frank tells him. All of it is drowned out by the sound of his heart sinking like a stone and the blood draining from his face.
Of course Frank found work. He would, sooner than later. His résumé is beyond impressive: years of study and experience, and more degrees and awards than can fit on a wall. Frank is far more successful than he admits. His self-doubt gives others the impression of mediocrity or even failure when they should be as in awe of him as much as his nephew is. Very few people know what he did to himself, and any school with any sense would overlook a few minor personal indiscretions to acquire someone like Frank.
Dwayne realizes Frank has stopped speaking, so he ought to say something now. He struggles with every part of himself not to let his voice break. "I, um-I'm really glad to hear that, Frank. I knew it wouldn't take you a long time. You deserve a good job. They're the lucky ones to have you."
Frank smiles tenderly. "Thanks, Dwayne. I was hoping you'd say something like that." He pauses for a few seconds, sadness in his eyes despite the smile. "You know…I'm going to have to start looking for a place, soon."
"Yeah. I know."
"I realize it's not going to be easy for you." He takes Dwayne's hand in his and looks directly at him. "Dwayne, I want you to tell me when you're sad or upset about it. I don't want you to hide your pain and put on a brave face for my benefit. The last thing I want is for you to feel alone before I've even left. Okay? Please?"
Dwayne forces himself not to look away. "Okay, Frank."
Frank squeezes the teenager's hand and places a kiss on his forehead. "Thank you, Dwayne." Another pause, and then he awkwardly tries to change the mood. "So. Well. Which one of us showers first-unless, of course, you want to go toge-?"
Dwayne cuts him off. "I'll go." He jumps out of bed and hurries to the bathroom without looking back. The tears begin to fall before he even reaches it. Once he's there, he closes the door behind him. He steps into the shower, turns it on, and stands under the stream, hoping the rush of water will hide his sobs.