Externalizing [mxm]

Chapter 18

"He was the first person I actually told," Marc admitted. "And he knows what it's like too. His... parents sent him to a lot of abusive conversion camps when he was younger. He doesn't really talk to them either."

"Ah Christ," Whitney sighed, rubbing her temples. "I can't believe stuff like that happens."

Marc only forced a smile. He could go on, of course. The tattoos covering up Brendan's scars, but it was enough of an overstep to just tell her about the camps at all. "He's really pulling me out, though. He's confident enough with himself he's dragging me up with him, I think."

"That's good," Whitney commented quickly. "And you said Ariel's getting really into art with him? That's good too, especially if he were to move in or something."

"What?" Marc snorted in surprise. "That's not even on the table yet. No. It's been maybe a month."

"I know, I know." She waved him off dismissively anyways. "But I mean, two or three years into the future, you never know." She set down the invitations then and stretched her arms up. "I should get going though. I want to pick up a few more things for tomorrow, and I want to be here early."

It wasn't really even that late yet, but Marc let her go. He paced around downstairs for a little while before picking up the phone to call Brendan. Despite the weird tension, he still answered fairly quickly.

"Did you want to come over?" Marc offered. He really didn't want tomorrow to be something too awkward between Brendan and Whitney. If he could talk to Brendan a little more beforehand, it might help.

"Uh, sure. I can bring over Ariel's present too. I just got done wrapping it. And don't be fooled, I suck at wrapping, and the paper is left over from Christmas, but you can't really tell."

Marc laughed to himself and started getting his keys and things together. "As long as it's not crumpled newspaper, she won't even notice. But you're still coming tomorrow, right?"

"Yeah, why wouldn't I?" Brendan challenged him, almost on the defensive.

"I don't know. You've just been avoiding us some since Whitney got back earlier this week," Marc said, deciding not to try and play the subtly game.

"Well..." Brendan stopped. "I don't know. I thought maybe it was like a family thing, and then it's just kind of weird, and..." he trailed off blankly then.

"Look, I'll come pick you up, okay? You can crash here tonight if you want to, too," the words were out of Marc's mouth before he could really understand what that would mean, but then Brendan was silent for too long on the other side of the phone. "Or whatever," Marc added quickly.

"No, that's fine. Yeah, I'll grab some stuff. I'll see you soon."

Marc was glad to end the conversation then, silently berating himself. He wasn't sure what all that would even mean then. All they had really done was kiss, and Brendan was more experienced with guys. Marc wasn't sure he would be able to take the chance if it came up.

He carried a sleeping Ariel out with him to the car, and she didn't even wake up for it. Brendan kept it quiet when he saw her in the car and loaded himself in with a backpack.

Marc put Ariel back in her bed at the house, and Brendan lingered around awkwardly with his backpack. "You can put that in my room, or the guest room. Whatever." Marc gave him the option to go where he wanted.

"Your room cool?" Brendan checked, waiting on a nod before dropping it off upstairs.

"Whitney's actually been really understanding," Marc blurted nervously, just wanting to get it out of the way. "Like she's not pissed I'm gay. She thinks it makes a lot of sense now. And I told her about my dad and everything tonight, too. I think now she just feels bad for not ever realizing it when we were married."