Photographing Love (BxB) (Unedited)

Chapter Sixteen

"I still feel awful for ever putting a doubt in your mind that I was ashamed of being with you. I love you so much, you know that right?" Julian squeezed his hand and it made Nova smile softly to himself.

"Yeah I know." Nova heard a clearing of a throat and looked up at Julian who had a small pout on his lips. Holding back a giggle, Nova raised an eyebrow. "Yes? Something wrong?"

"You know I love you?" Julian started swinging their joined hands together between them.

Nova laughed softly, a genuine smile spreading across his face. "I love you Julian."

Julian grinned, dropping Nova's hand and wrapped his arm around the smaller boy's shoulder, pulling him into his side.

"You better."

*******

After they got back to the hotel Julian said he wanted to go to Mark about everything. Nova just agreed with his words and went back to their room with a bit of happier feeling inside him, hoping that this would get rid of his lingering doubt.

This is what brought Julian to stand in front of Mark's door, pacing a little, shaking the nerves out of his hands. "Come on Julian this won't be that hard," he mumbled to himself. "Stop psyching yourself out of this, it's for Nova."

The door opened suddenly causing Julian to yelp in surprise and step back to see Mark standing in front of him. His arms were crossed over his chest, his eyebrow cocked up in interest.

"You act like I haven't heard you the past five minutes, giving yourself a pep talk."

"So you just let me do it for five minutes." Julian sent his own look back to Mark.

"I didn't think it would take you that long to build up the courage to knock." Mark gestured for Julian to follow him into his room. "You know you don't ever have to be nervous about talking to me about anything."

Julian followed him in and gulped, shrugging his shoulders. "I know, I just don't know how to word the situation."

Mark leaned back against the small kitchen island in the room, looking over Julian with a scrutinizing gaze. Then it dawned on him, "you want to come out don't you?"

"Am I that easy to read?" Julian threw his hands up with a groan of frustration, running his fingers through his hair.

Mark snorted, "when I've known you for as long as I have Julian, you tend to be able to read the person pretty well. Now, sit down. I think this might be a long conversation."

Julian bit the inside of his cheek but didn't argue against him, moving towards the small love seat. He let himself sink down into the plush chair, trying to get himself to relax. He didn't know if this conversation would end good or bad.

Mark sat down across from him and let out a sigh at seeing Julian still anxious to talk. "Look, I'll talk for a bit and you can just listen okay?"

Julian gave him a confused look but nodded at his words.

"Okay, so I know having to keep your sexuality a secret has probably hurt you for a long time. While I know you're happy to have Layla as a friend, I know it also annoys you to have to fake being with her because it keeps her from finding someone who actually wants her. Am I right so far?" Mark stopped to wait for Julian's nod as he continued.

"I know ever since Nova came into the picture it's only made you want to come out more because you really love and care for him. You don't want to hurt him with having to hide him away from the public eye so your secret is kept, but also hated rubbing Layla in his face when he was forced to go out with you two to take pictures of you both."