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 Twenty years of friendship weren't enough for Banky to become comfortable expressing love for Holden. When he felt that being threatened he lacked a trust in what they meant to each other (guys don't tell each other that stuff) and the courage to talk about it (that's all "fag" and "chick-stuff") so instead he resorted to childlike fits...
There's an ironic scene where Holden is upset about Alyssa... they're framed on the couch together but far apart this time. Banky looks over at Holden, and sees that he's upset. As a viewer you're kind of expecting Banky to comfort him somehow, hug him or something (twenty years right?). Banky mumbles, "...a girl?" Holden nods, and starts crying. Banky looks down and doesn't say or do anything. Then the scene ends.
"A guy can't love another guy." Or tell him he cares about him ("watching his back"). Or be close to him. After almost losing both Banky and Alyssa, Holden just calls it out -- Look, we're attracted to each other, it makes sense -- and why wouldn't they be? Why would two people be together for twenty years if they weren't "attracted" to each other? What's so terrifiying to about words like "attracted" and "love" and "caring" when there isn't a female involved? Do guys as a sex lack the courage to handle those emotions on our own? Banky frames the entire discussion on the curb about his friendship with Holden inbetween television-watching and getting Catholic school girls... He makes "I wasn't talking about the comic strip," safe by following it up with "I'm gonna go get a bagel. Clean off my fucking couch so I can watch tv" (then he takes off). As if it was the fact that he couldn't watch tv that had him standing over them on the couch with his mouth hanging open...
That last scene isn't about anyone being "gay". It's about how the fear of being "gay" (feminine, gay, sensitive, expressive, sentimental, caring...) -- of not being "masculine" -- can create a lot of drama around something that should be comfortable and healthy. Like the simple fact that two friends can, will, and do love each other, even when they're both male.
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