Written for Mor (Morghen) on the Gift-Giving Extravaganza 2013.
Thanks to Robyn (lollymau) for letting me annoy her about this for hours on end.

Tony's gay.

Or at least, Maxxie thinks he is. Actually, Maxxie is pretty damn sure that Tony is gay. There's no question about it, really.

Tony likes cock. Loves it, even.

Taking it, sucking it, giving it.

It's a fact. Maxxie knows it is, because he's become very well acquainted with this side of Tony recently. And he's sure, because while Tony is a brilliant actor, no one can pretend to come down someone's throat. From what Maxxie's heard, it's pretty hard to pretend to actually like sucking cock, too.

There's no doubt. Tony is gay.

Which is weird, because everywhere Maxxie looks he sees Tony with his tongue down some girl's throat and his hands roaming all over her decidedly feminine body. He sees Tony nibbling on girls' ears and mouthing at their throats. He's even had the displeasure of seeing Tony fucking girls.

And it's not as if he'd expecting monogamy or anything. He just hadn't expected Tony to keep getting off with girls.

The whole thing is very confusing.

He's not entirely sure how to approach the situation, because surely Tony knows. Tony, of all people, has to be aware that he's gay. But Tony doesn't act like he knows, so Maxxie decides, after much deliberation, that it's best to just let it out. Be blunt. Get it over and done with.

And so, his back is against a wall and Tony's body is slumped against his when he blurts out, "You're gay. You know that, right?"

Tony pulls back, raising his eyebrows. "Don't be stupid."

Later that night, Maxxie's in bed and wondering whether Tony meant that as a "don't be stupid, of course I'm gay" or a "don't be stupid, of course I'm not gay".

It bothers him more than he'd care to admit. He doesn't really want to be a straight guy's experiment. He's been there and he's done that. It's not an experience he'd like to repeat.

But he doesn't bring it up again. It gets to the point where he realises that he doesn't really want to ask; he doesn't think he'll like the answer.

He sticks around, though. He doesn't stop hanging out Tony and he sure as hell doesn't stop their little benefits agreement. Maxxie, after all, isn't a complete idiot. He's not going to give up Tony (his hands and mouth, specifically) just because he's not entirely sure whether Tony realises that he's gay or not. Especially when he's sure that Tony is, in fact, gay.

If he really thinks about it, he supposes it's none of his business. After all, it's not like they're dating. Then again...Tony acting straight and then offering to blow him in the toilets is sort of a problem, isn't it?

But maybe Tony just isn't ready to admit it to the world. Maybe Tony's perfectly aware of his sexuality and just doesn't feel like flaunting it for the world to see.

And so, he leaves it. He can't deny that it's a bit disconcerting (and really, more than just a little insulting) to see Tony get off with a different girl every week. It's difficult to hear him talk about Georgina's arse, Felicity's mouth, Robyn's tongue, Ella's thighs and Penny's fingers as if the sight of Maxxie does absolutely nothing for him.

...because Maxxie does do something for him, right?

While he's resolved to never ask about the gay thing again, he figures that he may as well ask about that. After all, they might not be dating, but they are having fairly regular sex. He has a right to know whether the guy he's having sex with actually finds him attractive, right?

That's how he finds himself in the exact same position as last time: flat against a filthy wall and blurting out random thoughts in post-coital bliss while Tony stares at him as if he's grown two heads.

"What?"

Maxxie cringes.

"Did you just—?" Tony breaks off, shaking his head. Leaning back, he looks Maxxie up and down, his brow drawn in confusion. He's still shaking his head in disbelief when he mutters under his breath, "Fuck, I need a smoke."

Maxxie watches, wringing his hands. Then, in an effort to redeem himself, says, "I'm just curious, that's all."

He doesn't know what he expects Tony to say. He knows what he'd like him to say. He's hoping for something along the lines of "Yes, Maxxie, I get off on your body and it doesn't bother me at all that you don't have tits" and "Of course I like your cock". Unfortunately, Tony stays silently, regarding Maxxie with expressionless eyes as he brings a cigarette to his lips.

"Does it matter?" Tony asks finally, after a tired exhale of smoke to the side.

Maxxie guesses that means: "No, I don't think you're fit, but for the first time in my life I'm going to consider your feelings and not tell you that flat-out."

He pushes Tony away, rolling his eyes when he chokes on an ill-timed inhale, and walks away. Even when Tony splutters and calls after him, he keeps walking. Because really, he didn't sign up for this. He'd thought that Tony would at least admit it to him.

Tony's definitely gay. Tony might not know it, but Maxxie does.

Even so, there's nothing in the world that's going to make Maxxie sit on the sidelines (as a fucking experiment) and wait for Tony to figure it out.

Tony's his friend and he'll be there when he does figure it out. He'll be there and he'll offer advice (maybe he'll even offer a shoulder to cry on). He'll be there when Tony stops talking about Georginas and Robyns and starts talking about Jasons and Seths instead.

But for now? For now he'll just keep on walking.