@amber_is_in_a_loop
Damien laughed.
Oh alright, play it that way then.
He paused, thinking what to say.
Anyway, since I've given up the secret of my reputation, you owe me.
Damien laughed.
Oh alright, play it that way then.
He paused, thinking what to say.
Anyway, since I've given up the secret of my reputation, you owe me.
Jared blinked, raising an eyebrow.
oh? And what do u think I "owe" you?
Damien bit his lip, choosing his next words carefully. That depends on what you're willing to give me. I'd settle for a secret though.
Jared narrowed his eyes a little. And what guarantee is there that if I tell u a secret, it won't be blabbered to the whole school by tomorrow?
Damien frowned. Frankly, I’m offended, but also I understand the hesitation. Whatever I can say to get you to trust me, I shall say.
hmph.
Jared frowned a little, thinking. Fine. This one wouldn't hurt that much if everyone knew. I'm not out to my parents, and they thought I had a girlfriend for two months. Which never happened.
Damien arched an eyebrow. That’s definitely fascinating. I really couldn’t imagine you with a girlfriend, sorry. Props to you for coming out though.
He bit his lip, heart twingeing.
Jared chuckled. im only out at school. Which is a little irritating sometimes, but oh well.
Yeah, I get it
He texted thoughtlessly. Then Shit. Oh no. I just that. Would Jared catch on?
Jared blinked slowly, reading the message a few times. i...don't know how you would get it? As far as I know, you're straight ?
"No, no no no no no, no no," Damien mumbled in a panic, sitting up straight. You're right, sorry. That was a dumb thing to say...
He held his breath and pressed send.
Jared let out a breath he hadn't known he was holding. He felt… disappointed? Why was he disappointed? He frowned a little. yeah. Dont worry about it tho.
Damien collapsed onto his pillows, heart racing. He had come so, so close, and chickened out. Would he ever be ready? Cool, thank you. I'll leave you alone now :) but I'll see you around
yeah np. Alright, c ya
Jared put his phone away, letting out a sigh. Why am I disappointed? He asked himself, but didn't know the answer.
(bump?)
(Ahhhhh fucc I’m so sorry)
His heart was still racing. Damien squeezed his eyes shut, dropping his phone off the edge of the bed. He felt weak with panic, realising how close he’d just come to outing himself, and how bad those consequences would have been.
Another part of him, though, hoped. If he came out to Jared, he light understand. He might even help Damien to understand… but Damien needed to let go of his biggest secret to let Jared help. And he didn’t know if he’d ever be able to do that.
(It's fine!)
His mom called him downstairs to eat, and Jared tucked his phone in his pocket and headed downstairs. He was still wondering what Damian had meant, but…he shrugged it off.
Damien’s mother called for dinner. The teenager nearly jumped out of his skin when her voice reached him in his room, but he shook it off along with all thoughts of Jared and padded downstairs.
The two siblings, younger Lily and older Gabriel, were already sat down along with both Damien’s parents. Having changed out of his uniform, Damien’s father gestured to the empty seat next to him with his usual graceful manner.
The boy followed orders and took a seat.
« Damien, you may say grace tonight, » Father said as though it was an honour and a gift.
Damien nodded curtly. « Thanks. » He cleared his throat, fetched a prayer from the back of his mind, and then they were eating.
« I have a mass tomorrow night, » Father told the family. « You all are welcome to come! »
Jared sat down at the table with his parents, and ate quietly while they talked. His father was saying that someone at the work was suing for discrimination because of their sexual orientation. His father hoped the other lost the lawsuit. Because as he saw it, that person didn't deserve a job if they were going to polute the atmosphere of it with their "orientation" bullshit. Jared forced a small smile and nodded and agreed when his father looked at him, but otherwise looked as if he had smelled something rancid, his lips in a thin line.
(Oh lord the family situations are going to be all over the place for these poor bois)
Damien shuddered slightly, but Gabriel was first to accept the invitation. Damien finished eating quickly and patiently waited for his mother to excuse him, while only half listening to Father talk about the Psalms he was preparing.
(yeeeeup XD)
Jared waited for the meal to be over, before escaping to his room again and turning on his phone. He had locked the door to the room, too. He didn't feel like hearing another of his dad's long, overbearing lectures on Democrats and the LGBT community and everything like that.
Finally, when she’d finished her own plate, Polly asked her sons to clear the table, which meant they could return to their man caves when they were done.
Gabriel followed Damien closely into the kitchen.
« You alright, kid? » he asked his little brother quietly, setting down the plates in the sink. His big green eye studied Damien, glittering with concern.
The latter looked up in surprise. He offered an easy grin, shrugging a shoulder. Gabriel’s gaze lingered, but he let it go without another comment. Letting his brother do the dishes, Damien raced up the steps two by two and jumped onto his bed, music already blasting through his headphones as he shut his eyes.
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