Externalizing [mxm]

Chapter 19

"Your roommate?" Marc asked.

"My parents," Brendan answered flatly. "Trying to get dinner with me."

Marc fell silent for a while, knowing Brendan wasn't thrilled about the idea. But at the same time, he was curious. "I could go with you this time, couldn't I?" Marc asked. "If you wanted to go at all, I mean."

Brendan shook some more trash into a trash bag. "It would be extremely awkward," he warned. "They'd get caught up on the fact you were married very quickly and be asking you all sorts of questions about it."

"And yet I'll manage to convince them that I'm properly gay now," Marc said with a dramatic flair. "And maybe they'll get over it."

"Fat chance," Brendan huffed. "But if you want to go, I guess I can call my mom back. It's probably not something we should bring Ariel to, though."

Marc nodded in agreement, letting the conversation end there as they finished cleaning up. He pulled Brendan into his arms for a kiss then, trying to get the sour look off his face. "It'll be like my dad all over again," Marc mused bitterly.

"Quite possibly. They never hurt me, physically. But they have a lot of words and opinions obviously," Brendan griped. "But we'll see what happens."

***

Brendan refused to get out of the car right away as he stared down the house. Marc inspected it as well, trying to wait patiently for them to get inside. He hadn't actually been there when Brendan had called to say he was coming, and with a plus one as well. Marc was curious how that had went, or if Brendan had refused to explain it anymore.

Brendan swore under his breath and finally stepped out of the car, so Marc was quick to follow. Brendan's mom answered, but there weren't any hugs at the door, just stiff introductions. "Mom, this is Marc. Marc, this is my mom, Laura."

"Your dad's pulling some steaks off the grill," Laura informed, without giving Marc much of a look or acknowledging him to start.

Marc just forced a smile and figured that would be the least of it tonight. Brendan helped his mom set the table before sitting on one side with Marc. His dad came in with a plate of steaks and a tight lipped glare in Marc's direction. Marc only nodded and smiled it off as he thanked Laura for his drink.

Laura insisted that they pray before eating, but Brendan blatantly only waited for them to do it while not taking part. Laura cut into her steak and finally aimed a smile at Marc. "So you two are friends?"

"Dating, boyfriend," Brendan was quick to answer, his knife screeching against the plate as he did so.

"What do your parents think?" Brendan's dad, Bill, wanted to know.

"My mom's dead, and my dad and I aren't on talking terms," Marc explained simply.

"Because you're gay?" Laura questioned.

"No. He doesn't even know. I don't speak to him because he was abusive to me growing up." Marc watched each of them carefully, half expecting a dry line about how he had deserved it, or how it obviously hadn't been enough if he wasn't straight.

Laura just played with her food and Bill only grunted. "Tell me, have you tried dating any girls though? Brendan refused to try."

"There's no point in trying something I know I don't like, mom," Brendan answered placidly.

"Yes, actually. I was married," Marc began. "But she said was emotionally detached and left me. She lives in Ireland now, and I look after our daughter, Ariel. So I've tried it. Didn't work."