"You ... can't be serious," George finally stammers, perhaps regretting it right after. "I-I mean, this isn't just your home to start with. Surely your mum gets a say in you casually moving somebody in?"

Levi laughs quietly. "We've had the discussion. Before I even met you, George. We agreed that once I found someone, they could live here until we can get a place of our own together."

"We've been ... it's only been a few weeks," George reminds him. "Don't you think this is a fast decision?"

"I think you missed the most important part of what I said," Levi comments. "I said once you've told Stephanie the truth. And the way you're going, that means we'll never get around to living together."

George doesn't answer straightaway; his gaze moves down to the floor, as he realises he completely disregarded this clause when he first heard Levi's proposition. "Well, I mean ... " Still unsure of what to say, he finishes his speech there.

"Please don't think this is a way to force you to come out," Penny assures him. "This is Levi's way of telling you how much you mean to him. He's excited to have you around all the time. He wanted it to be a surprise for once you told your girlfriend about him — but obviously, it's a lot more complex than first expected." She holds her arms up in surrender. "Which is fine! Don't get me wrong; it's okay that it's so difficult. I think Levi just wanted to lay all his cards out on the table ... show you that he's serious about you."

"Turns out my mum has a better way with words than me," Levi jokes. "She said basically what's on my mind. I don't want to rush you because they're both huge things — coming out, and moving in with somebody. But the offer of living here is waiting for you, once you do decide to take the next leap with your life."

"Wow," George murmurs. "I-I mean, I'm not sure what to say. It's a fantastic offer, and I'm extremely grateful for it." He rubs the back of his neck shyly, as he thinks it over. "I mean, you know I love it here. And I said I wanted to move here one day. I just didn't expect the opportunity to come up quite so soon."

"It's as soon as you make it," Levi beams. "You could move in tomorrow if you wanted to make it happen. I know we haven't been a 'thing' for too long, but the cliché saying is true — once you know, you know."

"Soppy git," George jibes. "I mean, I'd love to move here. I'd move in this second, but ... obviously telling Stephanie is the obstacle I'm facing."

"Well, you can't just move your entire life to Goring without breaking up with her first," Levi reminds him. "As ideal as that would be, I suppose. You're going to have to break her heart before you fill yours."

"Thanks for the reminder," George sighs. "Well, at least I have a motivator to get it done. I just don't think it'll be in the near future." His expression becomes vulnerable. "I'm just terrified of what will happen once she knows. Once everyone knows."

"But you know you'll have support from your second family," Penny intervenes, resting her hands on George's shoulders in a motherly fashion. "You'll have me, and you'll have Levi of course. And you'll have Daniel."

"Is that your new boyfriend?" George interrogates, in an attempt to change the subject.

"He's not quite my boyfriend," she chuckles. "We're just dating here and there at the moment. But he's already told me he supports Levi and yourself. That was the first thing I asked him."

"Why was it the first thing?" Levi looks a little taken aback by her statements. "Why not, what his favourite colour is ... or his political views or something?"

"Because if he had been homophobic, that would have been the dealbreaker for me," she explains. "It wouldn't make sense asking him his views if we'd already been together. I'd have been wasting his time. He'd have been out the door if he talked negatively about my baby and my bonus baby."

George's chest tightens at the name 'bonus baby' — he feels a strange sense of belonging that he has never quite felt with Stephanie's parents. Her mother and father love George, of course, but the bond has never been incredibly strong due to busy lives — the only times they can ever socialise with George is at family gatherings, which are few and far between. To be so accepted by Penny is a huge deal for him regardless of any relationships he's had with other partners' parents in his past.

"That's very considerate of you," George compliments sincerely. "I-I've never been called that before."

"Well, get used to it," Penny smiles. "Once you're living here, the name will become a habit."

"I look forward to it." Although the idea of living with Levi and his mother brings him genuine excitement, he cannot help but feel slightly heartbroken at the same time; just knowing that he has to let Steph down before it happens, as well as having to move further away from his family, sends a pang of sadness through his chest. He knows it's a necessary evil in order to change his life for the better, but the prospect still frightens him immensely.

•••

"Wow — I thought I was your best mate. This Levi guy seems to have replaced me. Is it because I'm going to be a dad?" Andrew's teasing is entirely playful; he feels neither jealousy nor doubts over George's new 'companion'.

"It's just the guilt of leaving him when he was being attacked," George explains; the truth is, he had wanted to forget the whole ordeal. But when something so scarring occurs in one's life, it raises a lot of questions among people. "I wanted to stay there at the hospital every second I could, so that he knew I was sorry for running away."

"I'm sure he knows that," Andrew reassures him, slinging an arm around his buddy's shoulders; for a second, he recoils. "Shit. I haven't hurt you have I?"

"You're fine," George calms him. "My injuries are basically healed now. It's been a few weeks since it happened."

"Is Levi doing better too?"

"He's definitely getting there now. He got discharged a week or so ago because the nurses decided he was physically well enough to go home. He's been out of work since. But we've both been kind of shaken up about the whole thing, really."

"I'm not bloody surprised mate," Andrew sighs. "For some kids to do that, and then essentially leave you for dead ... and for no reason, as well. It's so fucked up. I'd get it, if you'd maybe attacked them first. But you were minding your own business, right?"

George sets down his whisky glass; he has been sipping cautiously at the drink all afternoon, despite Andrew meticulously watching the barmaid pour it for him when he ordered it. The spiking incident still plays on his mind; but slowly, he is getting better at facing the fear he feels about drinking publicly. This is especially true, since now he has an entirely new trauma to overcome following the attack. Andrew's question stays within his conscious thoughts for a moment more; however, his unconscious comes into play as he begins to talk with no consideration.

"All we were doing was sitting together on a bench people-watching." He takes on a state of ranting, not thinking through the words he chooses. "We were just watching people going about their usual evening routines. Walking their dogs and kids playing on the park — you know? And it was nice to see everything going on around us really. But then these guys decide it's a great idea to take the piss out of us, because they don't agree with anybody being gay."

Having realised what he's said, his voice trails off; and a silence settles between the two men. He can think of no suitable way to save what he's just said, so he turns his head to look behind him at the bar — a desperate attempt to avoid eye contact with his lifelong pal. As anxiety floods his chest, he downs the rest of his drink in one large swallow, seemingly forgetting about his reservations about its safety. He hears Andrew's throat making quiet mumbling noises in confusion, until he finally decides to voice some kind of opinion.

"Uh ... I mean that's stupid, right? Because how do they just assume you're gay just for sitting on a bench with another guy?" Andrew rambles awkwardly. "It's a really bold assumption to make, isn't it?"

"D'you know? I suddenly feel really sick," George announces shyly, standing up from his seat in the bar they're in; he weaves through the clusters of chairs and tables in order to leave the premises, so that he can get some fresh air.

Andrew, still confused by George's behaviour, follows his pal out of the building; he spots him on the other side of the street, his body leant against a lamppost. "Yog? Are you okay?"

The question triggers a rush of adrenaline that George has never felt in his life before. As he feels tears threatening his eyes, he quickly glances behind him to make sure nobody's around; then, he lets them spill with no shame. He throws his arms around Andrew, his head falling to his friend's shoulder as he starts to sob loudly against the material of Andrew's coat. In natural reaction, Andrew pats George's back, offering the usual comforting notions and words despite how puzzled he is.

"Mate?" he speaks, just loud enough for George to hear. "You're really acting strange. I just want you to be okay."

"I can't do it anymore Andrew," George pleads, heartbroken. "I can't hide it from absolutely everyone."

"Hide what?" Andrew asks softly, withdrawing from him so that he can look him in the eyes. "Is Levi ... is he actually your friend?"

George doesn't speak at first; in his turmoiled state, with quivering lips, he shakes his head firmly. "Not now ... We used to be friends, but not now."

"What do you mean?" Andrew has a slight inkling of what George is suggesting, but he doesn't want to be the one to initiate the conversation. "Is he mad at you for what happened? For the fact you left him that night? Did you both fall out?"

"No," George responds weakly; he is terrified of admitting his secret to someone, but he knows he will go insane if he doesn't divulge it to anybody. "He's fine with me."

"Yog ... " Andrew rests his hands on George's shoulders with friendly affection. "You know you can tell me what's on your mind. We've been best friends for twelve years. Half of our lives! And unless you told me you're a murderer or something, I'd never leave your side. Surely you know that."

"I don't know about that." George tries to force laughter, but his nerves prevent it from being a successful attempt. "You might never look at me the same way again if I tell you what's really going on in this fucked-up brain of mine."

"Try me," Andrew challenges. "I bet I can take it."

George feels his chest start to tense; his heart begins to palpitate excessively as he feels the rush fading. "Can we just ... forget I said anything?"

"Absolutely not; you're in too deep now," Andrew jibes, prodding George's arm. "Spit it out, George."

"Goodness me," George laughs; this laugh isn't even remotely related to amusement — rather, it is a laugh to make light of how terrible he now feels. "I almost feel like I could throw up right now."

"Make sure you don't do it over me like last time," Andrew jokes, in reference to the evening George was spiked; he then glances at his wrist watch. "Come on, Yog. I'm getting impatient."

"Okay." George inhales deeply, expelling the air gradually in a drawn-out breath. "I just want you to know that you're the first person out of everyone I care for, that I'm telling. Well — you're not the first person I had chosen to tell, but ... it's a complicated story. Such is life, I guess."

"I'm deeply honoured," Andrew comments. "Now get on with it."

George nods; even he acknowledges that he's dragging the reveal out too much now, but this is only the result of fear. "Fine. Since I was the age of fifteen, I've kept this to myself because I was scared of how others would react. I've struggled ... a lot. A few months ago, I ... tried to end my life because of this. I harmed myself back then, too. I've suffered so much from hiding all of this." The tears make a return, clustering together to form a melancholy glaze over his reddened eyes. "But I couldn't tell anyone, because of the fear. That was, until Levi came along. We met by accident, but it changed everything, Andrew. We sort of just ... clicked. I felt comfortable confiding all my secrets to him. And he's the only other person who knows about what I'm about to tell you."

Andrew listens intently, not wanting to make any sort of comment at George's expense; as much as their friendship is built on harmless banter and silliness, he can also detect when a moment doesn't call for such behaviour. This, he realises, is one of those moments.

"So." George blows air from his mouth as a way of mentally preparing himself. "I mean, I've technically already told you this before. But ... I played it off as a lie last time."

Andrew, by now, has a strong belief that he knows what George is hinting at. He doesn't wish to take this moment from his buddy, however, so he remains silent; instead allowing George to keep explaining.

"If I kept this to myself any longer, I don't know what I'd do with myself ... it's too much to deal with," George explains sadly. "And I just feel all kinds of emotions based around it. I feel guilty in one sense; I feel relieved in another. I feel hopeless some days; and other days I feel as though I'm on top of the world. I can never really know what to expect day by day. But you have to promise not to tell a single soul about any of what I'm saying. Promise me."

"I promise," Andrew vows. "But what's the deal with this Levi guy?"

George swallows hard, deciding it's finally time to confess. "The deal with Levi, is that I love him, Andrew."

"You love him?" Andrew raises one brow.

"Yes," George asserts. "A-And he loves me, too. But you can't tell anyone."

"But what about Stephanie?"

"I ... don't know how to tell her," George replies in defeat. "I've been trying to figure out how to tell her since all of this started."

"Does this mean you're, like ... bisexual or something?" Andrew interrogates. "Because I mean, Stephanie is very-clearly female. But Levi is ... very-clearly not?"

"I've never felt anything for Stephanie," George admits. "It's ... this is exactly why I feel guilty for all of this. I've been feeling as though I'm trapped with this secret."

"The fact you like guys as well as girls?" Andrew reiterates. "Because I mean ... this is the eighties. I think most guys are a little bit camp, aren't they? Maybe it's just some extra-long phase you're going through."

"It isn't," George snaps. "And you've got all this wrong, Andrew."

"Okay, so you're legitimately bisexual. Maybe Stephanie just isn't your type of girl?" Andrew continues. "So just break up with her? Maybe you'll find a girl you do fancy."

"No, Andrew. You've got this wrong. There's no interest in girls at all," George presses. "I'm one-hundred per-cent, no-doubt-in-my-mind, positively certain — and not ashamed of it — a gay man."

Andrew's expression becomes unreadable, as he stares almost-blankly at George. "Oh."

•••

Will Andrew be supportive of George's confession, or will he react poorly to it? Regardless — he finally told somebody the truth! xx