• It was midnight, and Christian still couldn’t sleep. It didn’t matter how comfortable he felt in Jaiden’s arms, or how warm it was lying in their bed together. He just could not get to sleep. His eyelids drooped with exhaustion, but his mind raced with thoughts of finals, and fears of going home to the parents. There would have to be explanations then.

    Explanations about his feelings for his best friend. The man he’d known since they were practically five. The man he’d been admiring from afar since the ninth grade. His best friend and now-lover. It racked him with concerns.

    What if Mom freaks out? he wondered, casting his gaze to Jaiden with a worried crinkle of his eyebrows. What if Dad thinks that I’ve gone insane? Or kicks me out like he did to Michael? What would Jaiden think if that happened?

    Slowly, realization dawned on Christian, and he buried his face in his hands, rolling over and shifting his weight so he was sitting up, feet on the floor and elbows on his knees. He took two ragged breaths and stood, scooping up his cell phone and leaving the bedroom. He needed to make a phone call and he didn’t want to wake his boyfriend. Not with something this silly.

    The phone rang six times before it was picked up. A groggy, angry voice seemed to be muttering obscenities on the other end and Christian’s eyes flew wide open at the sound of one particularly coherent and violent outburst. Must’ve tripped over Felicia’s damn cat again.

    His thoughts were confirmed when his brother’s voice rang out, loud and clear, with a resounding, “It’s the pound first thing in the morning, Leesh!”

    Stifling a chuckle, Christian waited for Michael to calm down before whispering a quiet and friendly, “Hey bro.”

    “Chris? Are you serious? You do know it’s ********’ three in the morning?”

    Christian cast his gaze to the clock by the television. “Midnight here.”

    “Three hours, Chris,” Michael said irritably.

    “Well, you sound like you were already up anyway…” Christian trailed off.

    “I was up because I was busy with Felicia doing things I don’t have to begin to describe to you because Mom had that talk with you when you were fourteen.” There was a pause. “She did have that talk with you, right?”

    Christian chuckled. “Yeah, Mickey. She did… Not like it pertains to me anymore, but she gave me the talk.”

    “What do you mean, not like it pertains to you? Did you take a vow or something, Chris?”

    “No… But Mom only gave me the talk regarding a man and a woman.” He hoped that was hint enough for his brother, even at this late hour.

    There was silence from Michael, then a muffled speaking noise. It took Christian a moment to realize that Michael must have been talking to Felicia, trying to keep Christian out of his thoughts. After a moment, he moved his hand and spoke into the phone again.
    “You’re gay?”

    Christian let out a relieved breath, not even having noticed that he’d been holding it. “Yeah,” he gasped. “I am.”

    “Mom and Dad know?”

    “Not yet. I go home next week, after finals. And I’m taking J with me…”

    “Wait? J? Jaiden? He’s your-” Michael fell silent again, only the sound of his breathing coming over the phone’s speaker.

    “Mickey?”

    “Gimme a minute, little bro. I’ve gotta work this out. You… You and Jaiden are together?”

    “Yes,” Christian said, closing his eyes and leaning back on the couch, letting his head rest against the cushions.

    “How long?” Michael asked. Christian could hear the sound of his brother settling back onto the bed. A smile spread across his face as he envisioned his older brother, nostalgia kicking in.

    “About three months now. Though we both admit that we’ve liked each other for longer than that. We just never did anything about it until three months ago.”

    “You… guys serious?” Christian could hear the question embedded in that one.
    Have you two had sex yet?

    “Yeah, we’re serious. And yes, we did all the necessary precautions. We’re both clean.” He felt slightly uncomfortable saying this to his older brother, but he shook it off. “I think I love him, Mick.”

    Michael didn’t speak for a while. Then, finally, he let out a soft sigh. “You’re scared Mom and Dad won’t accept you.”

    “Yes.”

    “Forget about that, Chris. If they want to disown you for being happy, you don’t need them. They’re your parents… Mine too. But if they’re not willing to be happy for your happiness, they’re not very good at being parents.”

    Christian could practically taste the question on the tip of his tongue. “Is that why you left?”

    There was silence again. “I gotta go, kid,” Michael said suddenly. “Talk to you later, okay?”

    Before Christian could say anything, the line went dead. Well, I guess I feel a little better now. He snapped his phone shut and moved back to the bedroom, dragging his feet. He settled into the bed next to Jaiden and folded himself into the space of his boyfriend’s arms.

    “I love you,” he whispered against Jaiden’s shoulder. “No matter what they say.”