The image of Silas's lips locked with a female was permanently imprinted into Franco's mind as he curled into himself tighter, trying to will his tears to stop falling. They hadn't been dating, hell they hadn't even kissed, but he knew that they had something special together. Something that could grow into pure bliss.

     But instead, Franco was stuck, sobbing on his bedroom floor as he struggled to ignore the hole in his chest.

     Was this what Vance felt like when Oakleigh walked away from him?

     This... This... Emptiness?

     If so, then Franco really needed to start being nicer to his best friend. This pain was unimaginable.

     He wondered what he did wrong. What was it that drew Silas away, made him hook up with someone else?

     What was wrong with him?

     Why wasn't he good enough?

     "Francisco?"

     A whimper pushed past Franco's lips as he curled into a tighter ball. Oh great, now he was imagining things.

     There was a gentle touch at his head and her jerked back to stare up into the dark eyes that were the cause of his pain.

     "Why do you cry?" Silas whispered softly, and his deep, accented voice was like a balm to his wound and his tears stopped instantly. He took Franco's hands and made him sit up and he gently wiped away the leftover tears on his face.

     And then Franco was speaking before he could stop himself.

     "What did I do wrong?" He breathed, but didn't stop long enough to hear the answer. "I thought we had something special, Silas. Was that just me? Was I just imagining things? Because, you know, I was pretty certain that you were flirting with me too, or at least sending subtle hints that you wanted something more. But if that's the case, then why did you kiss her tonight? Why were you with her if you want something from me?"

     Silas's eyes were wide with surprise and he was silent for a long moment. "I... I am not gay, Francisco." He whispered, looking torn.

     "Oh, that is bullshit!" Franco exclaimed, feeling tears prick at his eyes as he cupped Silas's face in his hands, leaned forward, and kissed him hard.

     It was an angry kiss, with teeth clashing and a heated passion that made Franco crawl forward into his lap. It was a kiss filled with pain, confusion and an energy that couldn't be forced.

     It was a kiss filled with an unspoken promise and a searing truth.

     And it was a kiss that definitely wasn't one-sided.

     When Franco finally pulled away, he was breathing hard as he rested his forehead against Silas's. "Not gay, huh?" He whispered, his lips curling up in amusement.

     That seemed to snap Silas out of his stupor and he scrambled back quickly, away from Franco. His eyes were wide with panic and one of his large hands, trembling slightly, moved up to brush against his lips. "I... I'm not... Francisco, I can't..."

     He trailed off as his eyes glossed over with tears and he buried his face in his hands.

     "Silas," Franco whispered, mostly out of surprise at how upset this made him. He crawled over and wrapped one of his arms around his shaking shoulders, pulling his larger body closer. "It's okay."

     "No, it's not," He cried desperately, burying his face into Franco's shoulder and holding him tightly. "I'm not gay," He muttered, repeating it to himself a few times under his breath.

     "But you are." Franco said gently, running one of his hands through his hair soothingly. He didn't understand, why was he making such a big deal about his sexuality?

     "I'm not!" He said again, but if anything, his arms tightened around Franco.

     "What did you feel when you were with that girl?" Franco asked, mostly out of trying to point out the truth to his very confused friend, but also to reassure himself.

     Silas was silent for a long moment, and when he answered his voice sounded small. "Nothing," He admitted.

     Franco hid the rush of joy that made him feel and he nodded to himself, continuing to run his hands through Silas's hair. "And what did you feel when you kissed me?" He asked softly, leaning down to press a brief, subtle kiss to the top of his head.

     "Everything," Silas breathed, and his anguished voice nearly brought tears to Franco's eyes. It was a cryptic answer, and Franco was about to point him out on it, but he continued to speak. "It was like... really breathing for the first time. It was like feeling fireworks shoot through my body everytime your lips brushed against mine. It was like having a taste of heaven. I felt everything that I do not feel with women." As he finished off, his voice grew choked and then he was crying again.

     "No, no, baby cakes, don't cry," Franco whispered, tightening his arms around him. "What's the matter? Why are you so upset over liking the feeling of kissing boys?"

     Silas wasn't homophobic, and Franco knew that because never once did he give him hell for being gay. Never once did Silas glare at him for checking out guys on the street. Never once did Silas say anything negative when Franco hit on him.

     Silas was a good guy who was open about everyone and everything.

     Come to think of it, he was a lot like Vance.

     But none of that added up. If he was so open, why did he reject the idea of being gay so quickly?

     "I can't," He murmured, talking rapidly to himself in between sobs. "I can't be gay. My friends... My family... School..." Most of his sentences blurred together until it was just particular words Franco could pick out, but that was enough for Franco to connect the dots.

     The thought of being rejected terrified Silas.

     And why shouldn't it? Silas didn't grow up with two dads like Franco did. Silas lived in a harsh, traditional Greek home, where his parents will probably make him have an arranged marriage sooner than they would accept him for being with a guy.

     "Oh angel," Franco whispered softly, his own tears blurring his vision as he hugged Silas tighter. He never had to worry about the thought of other people. Yeah, he dealt with homophobic goons everyday, but his parents were his biggest supporters. He didn't care if people in school hated him, because he could always avoid them and ignore what they felt for him. He couldn't avoid his parents. He couldn't not care if they hated him.

     And obviously, Silas was thinking about the same things.

     "I can't," Silas whispered, but his tears never ceased. "I'm straight. I like girls. I like girls. I'm not gay, because I. Like. Girls," his voice cracked on the last word and he began to cry harder.

     Franco's heart broke. He wondered how long Silas had struggled to keep this a secret, repeating the same matra everyday. He wondered how many times Silas had cried like this, alone in his room, unknown to anyone else because he smiled and acted like everything was perfect.

     Franco didn't know what to do. He wanted to take away Silas's fears and soothe him. He wanted to calm him down. He wanted to let him know that it was okay if his parents didn't accept him, because he would always have supporters here.

     But he couldn't.

     Yes, Silas would always have Franco, and he knew for sure that Vance would accept him, but he couldn't take away his pain - his terror. Because he couldn't imagine his own life without his parents behind him.

     So, in the words of Vance, when all else fails, turn to music.

     "When he told you you're not good enough, when he told you you're not right." Franco's voice, obviously, was nowhere as good as his best friend's, and he was doing more mumbling than not, but he could tell that it was actually getting through to Silas. "When he told you you're not strong enough to put up a good fight. When he told you you're not worthy, when he told you you're not loved. When he told you you're not beautiful, that you'll never be enough..."

     Silas sniffled, but his tears began to slow as he lay still in Franco's arms, listening.

     "Fear, he is a liar. He will take your breath, stop you in your steps. Fear, he is a liar. He will rob your rest, steal your happiness. Cast your fear in the fire, 'cause fear, he is a liar."

     He stopped there for a moment, pressed another soft kiss to the top of his head, not missing the way Silas tensed up slightly. "You can't let fear control your life, babe." He whispered quietly, his voice softening into a gentle coo. "It'll always be there, to make you hesitate and think things through, but you can't let it be what you base your life on, because Silas..." He licked his lips nervously, sending up a short prayer to say the right thing. "You are gay, and that's nothing to be ashamed about. But pretending to be something you're not to make other people happy is hurting you... And I think it's time for you to do something for yourself: accept that you like men."

     "But I'm not-"

     "Yes, you are." Franco cut off Silas's broken whisper and pulled away just enough to cup his cheeks and pull their faces closer together. Silas's eyes were wide, raw with emotions and red with tears. He looked so confused. So lost. Like he had no idea what to do with himself anymore. Franco pressed his lips to Silas's briefly.

     "You will always have me," Franco assured, his lips still brushing against his. And he didn't miss the way Silas shivered. "No matter what anyone says. Me and Vance and our friends at school. We will accept you. But you need to accept yourself first, okay Silas?"

     Wordlessly, he nodded, staring at Franco with wide, terrified eyes that both broke his heart and drove him insane.

     He smiled, kissing him once more before releasing him. "Good."