Title: Adjusting; sequel to Confirmations
Author: Gypsy
Feedback: Please? Send it to Gypsy_gray@msn.com
Rating: R (bad words, m/m)
Summary: Holden seeks advice from an expert.
Warnings: Spoilers for "Chasing Amy." Some angst.
Disclaimer: They all belong to Kevin Smith. I'm not making any money off this. In fact, I'm only 
writing it because I love his characters so much that my muses threatened to take away my copy 
of "Mallrats" if I didn't. I'm sure that if anyone could understand that, Kevin would. Besides, 
I'm broke. The only thing you'll get if you sue me is a credit card bill and a dog named Murphy 
that can say "I love you."
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Two weeks. Two fucking weeks. Or rather two not fucking weeks. There had been kissing and 
touching and groping. And alot of jerking off...alone. Everytime Holden tried for anything more 
then making out Banky all but ran. And it was killing the bigger man. He had the worst case of 
blue balls in history, and it was everything he could do not to throw Banky on the nearest 
available flat surface and fuck him blind.

What was even worse then the perpetual hard on he'd been sporting since the first kiss, was the 
fact that Banky was just as miserable. Holden knew his friend and soon-to-be lover wanted him, 
what he couldn't figure out was why the other man kept putting him off. In desperation, he 
turned to the only possible help available.

"Well, Mr. Holden MacNeil. What brings a fine successful white boy like yourself down here to 
slum with us lowly minority types?"

"Hey Hooper."

Yet another comic convention had supplied Holden with the opportunity he needed. Banky was 
grabbing something to eat before he and Hooper went into their "What's a Nubian?" routine. That 
gave the taller man the chance to talk to Hooper alone.

"Listen, if I were to ask you something, could you keep anything you learned as a result of that 
question to yourself?"

"Are you asking me if I can keep a secret?"

"Well...yeah."

"Holden, I'm a gay man whose last two boyfriends were white. And I make my living pretending to 
be a militant Muslim. Do I really need to answer that question?"

"Sorry. Okay. What if these two guys were dating, and everytime things got intense...
physically... Well what if whenever that happened one of them kinda backed off, like he was 
afraid or something. What would that mean?"

"It probably means that Banky's terrified you'll use him to have your little walk on the wild 
side and then toddle off to a wife and a house in the suburbs."

"Shit."

"Exactly. And just so you know, the fact that you're trying to keep it a secret that you finally 
realized that Banky Edwards' love and desire for your sorry ass is the best thing that ever 
happened to you does not bode well."

"I'm just nervous about people knowing."

"And that's probably the reason he keeps throwing up a stop sign. That boy loves you Holden. If 
he knew it wouldn't freak you out, he'd be passing out t-shirts that say "Banky loves Holden." 
And that's another problem, he knows you. He knows that when you're with someone you don't hide 
it from anybody. But you're hiding him."

"That's not true."

"Oh really? How long since you two took the plunge?"

"Two weeks."

"Mmm, and in all that time, have you taken him to dinner? To a movie? To a bar or a club like 
you did when you thought you were just friends? Have you been anywhere but that skanky red 
couch? Have you even held his hand in public? I know you haven't kissed him."

Before Holden could answer Banky returned. He brought back a bottled water for Hooper and a soda 
for Holden. It was a typically Banky thing to do. The guy could be really sweet sometimes. And 
that was when Holden realized that if Banky were a girl he was dating, he'd have kissed him to 
say thank you. Hooper was right.

People were filing in for the conference. Hooper shot Holden a pointed look then headed for the 
stage. But not before groping Banky's ass. But instead of pushing the other man away, Banky 
blushed and pinched Hooper as he passed. And for the first time in two weeks Holden acted 
without thinking first.

"Eh, keep your hands to yourself. That belongs to me."

Hooper grinned from ear to ear and strutted to the stage. Banky stood still in shock, as Holden 
wrapped his arms around his waist and pulled him back against his body. He held Banky close and 
nuzzled his neck gently. Holden hoped Banky could feel the smile hidden against his throat, and 
he hoped his lover knew that it was because Banky had pushed back into his arms. If he didn't 
know...Holden would tell him. Later. At dinner.

The End