Hank's insides were burning. He felt like the butterflies in his stomach had caught fire and were now flying for their tiny lives in circles.
"Brent-" he began with determination, his voice barely cracking. "I'm gay."
His best friend didn't even look up from his comic book. "Uh-huh."
"I mean, I like guys. What's the word - Wanda?"
Wanda briefly looked up from her crossword. "Hank, there is no word for what you are."
"Thanks Wanda." He said testily.
"Sure." She went back to her puzzle.
Hank turned back to Brent. "Brent, is that... I mean, is that okay?"
"Well," said the attendant, flipping to a new page, "it wasn't at first, but I kind of got used to it over the years."
"Oh, oka - Wait, what? You knew?! Since when?!"
Brent looked up with a bemused smile. "Since you told me when we were sixteen."
"I told you I was gay when we were sixteen?" Hank struggled to remember.
"Yeah. You were over at my place, and we were watching Star Wars, and you mentioned how good looking Luke was, and when I said only gay guys said that sort of stuff, you said that you were gay."
"How do you remember that when I don't?" Hank asked, shocked.
"Everyone remembers where they were for big events like that. Like when JFK was shot. Or when Michael Jackson came out with Thriller -"
"Or when Oscar almost shot that guy." Wanda chimed in.
"Or when that truck of Canadian broke down in town that one time."
"Ooh, that was great!" Hank said happily.
"Best alcohol poisoning I ever got!" Wanda remembered.
Brent smiled. "... Or when Hank told me he was gay."
"So you're okay with it?" Hank asked, nervous again.
Brent put down the Justice League. "Yes, it's fine Hank. You're my best friend. I'm not going to hate you just because you like Patrick Swayze a bit too much."
"God knows I do." Wanda said under her breath.
"See? If I hated everyone who liked Patrick Swayze, I'd have to hate Wanda too."
"That's okay." The blond replied, hopping down from her stool. "I hate you for liking Michelle Pfeiffer."
"What? What's wrong with Catwoman?!" Brent called back, indignant, as she headed towards the Ruby.