Another Scottish Tragedy [LAMS AU]

21

A/N: Sorry the thing about John's piercing is too weird I think it's funny

Later that night, John was sitting in his bed texting Alex.

John_Laurens: I’m home

AnotherScottishTragedy: How is it? Is it nice to see your family again.

John_Laurens: Yeah. Thank God I took my rainbow pride bracelet off before I got here.

John_Laurens: My father said “we Laurens men are reliable with the ladies” and my heart skipped several beats. Thankfully he misinterpreted my reaction as me having a secret girlfriend I’m not telling him about.

AnotherScottishTragedy: Weird fans on the internet like to draw me as a petite woman just because I'm small and have long hair. It's really weird and I don't like it.

AnotherScottishTragedy: I wish I could call you but if anyone from your family heard us talking we'd be screwed.

John_Laurens: I'll call you later when everyone is asleep.

John set his phone down as his father knocked on his door.

“Come in.”

John's dad looked mildly uncomfortable.

Oh no. He knows.

Heknowsheknowsheknows

“Hey, Jacky, can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Whatever it is I didn't do it.”

John's dad laughed as he sat down next to John on his bed.

“You're not in trouble, Jacky.” His father said. "I just wanted to talk to you.”

“What is it?”

“I don't entirely know.” John’s father said. “I've just noticed… you've been acting kind of strange for a while now.”

“Strange… how?”

“I don't entirely know. You've been a lot quieter, been spending more time alone. That makes since because you're getting older now but…” John's father shook his head, at a loss for words. “You know you can tell me anything, right.”

Heknowsheknowsheknowsheknows

“R-Right.”

“I don't want you to feel like you have to keep anything a secret from me.”

“Okay.”

“If something's ever bothering you, don't be afraid to tell me, alright?”

“Alright.”

John's father left his room, and John started to cry.

“You can tell me anything.”

No I can’t. I can't tell you anything. I wish I could tell you anything but I can't. Because if you knew I'm gay you would disown me. You wouldn't want me as your son anymore.

Yes, I can tell you anything, as long as nothing I tell you doesn't have any real meaning. As long as I don't tell you about my sexuality. As long as I don't tell you about that disgusting boy who manipulated me.

So yes, father, I can tell you anything. I can tell you all my secrets. As long as my only “secrets” are smoking weed and cutting class.

Late that night, when John had made sure that everyone in his house was asleep, he called Alex.

“Hey, babe.” John whispered into the phone.

“Hey.” Alex whispered back. “Why are we whispering? I thought everyone in your house was asleep?”

“They are. I don't want to wake them up.”

“If it helps I can make my voice sound like a girl's so you don't get in trouble.”

“If you did that I'd laugh hard enough to wake the entire house up.”

“Awww.”

“Herc and Laff are driving up to New York together. I've been annoying them all day with texts about using protection.”

“Damn, Laurens!”

“What?”

“You're really not as pure as I thought. I expected you to think that protection means wearing a seatbelt while driving.”

John made a face, then realized that Alex couldn’t see him and felt stupid.

“Wanna hear a secret?” John whispered, suddenly feeling reckless.

“Sure.”

“I have a piercing somewhere inappropriate.”

“Where?”

“I don't wanna say it out loud.” It was getting difficult to continue whispering. “I lost a bet with Angelica Schuyler. She thought that it would be funny to make me get a piercing in… that place.”

“Is that the same bet where you drank a bottle of hot sauce?”

“No, that bet was with Samuel Seabury.”

“John, I believe we need to have a little talk about your problem with making bets. More specifically, bets you keep losing.”

“Alllleeeexxxxx….”

“Seriously, where is your piercing? I'm genuinely curious now.”

John didn't know why he'd decided to tell Alex about his piercing. Perhaps it was the adrenaline rush from staying up late doing something he wasn't supposed to be doing, the feeling of rebelliousness, the feeling of I'm doing something bad.

John had never been rebellious before. Perhaps this was the time to start.

“It's somewhere people don't see.” John whispered. “Because it's covered by my pants.”

Alex's breath hitched.

“Fuckfuckfuckfuck”

“Alex, we're supposed to be whispering.”

Alex took a deep breath.

“Sorry. I'm sorry. I'm good. I'm whispering now.”

“Are you disgusted? Do you not want to be with me anymore because my piercing is disgusting?”

“In all honesty, that piercing kind of makes me like you more.” Alex's voice sounded slightly different, slightly deeper and… “You have an impure side. I like that.”   

“I want to kiss you so fucking bad right now.”

“So do I.”

“Just a few more days, love. Then we’ll be together in New York.”

“Just a few more days.”