rodrick heffley x male reader

coming out - take ???

sitting here, at this table, with the intention of rodrick coming out to his parents, was underwhelming for ______.

of course, the first time it was insanely nerve-racking. but he chickened out then. and if ______ was completely honest with himself, his boyfriend probably will again. which is fine. ______ has told rodrick countless times there is no rush or obligation to tell his parents. he should just do it when he's ready, rather than try to force himself to talk about it before he's ready. rodrick disagrees he thinks he should be ready. "it's not that big a deal", he says, "and besides they like you, they're definitely not gonna freak about that or anything."

______ knows that. he knows rodrick's parents like him. since they've become 'friends', ______ has starting helping rodrick with homework and studying, and his grades have gone up from low D's and F's, to high D's and low C's. he's also managed to convince rodrick to get a part-time job, something they couldn't do for almost two decades. really, ______ offered to tutor him to spend more time with him, rather than genuinely wanting to help. and he didn't want to work the graveyard shift alone, so after they got closer, ______ convinced him to apply and work along with him. they aren't the most altruistic of reasons, but rodrick's parents don't need to know that. they think he's a good influence on rodrick so he'll take it.

his parents liking him doesn't really mean they won't be weird. not that ______ would ever bring that up. he didn't want to make rodrick more nervous about coming out then he already is.

sometimes he thinks he should. just to give him something of a heads up so if they do freak out, he's not blindsided by it. but, in these moments, when ______ is over at the heffley home, it just proves to him he doesn't need to. rodrick knows. he knows his parents could be absolutely not ok with him not being completely straight. he hasn't said much since they came down for dinner, giving one word answers to everything. he's kept his head down. just picked at his food, until he could work the courage to mumble out, "i think i have something to tell you. it's, like, kinda important, i think."

he seemed to get visibly paler when he realized his parents were looking at him, waiting for whatever he felt he needed to tell them. it was like rodrick hadn't realized he said it until he saw them. even if they hadn't been able to see him, ______'s sure they'd be able to feel the nervousness coming off of him. his eyes went to the hands in his lap. and stumbled over some words that were far too quiet for any of them to pick up.

if he looked at parents, really looked like ______ did - if he could - he'd see how confused his dad looked. and that concerned-but-knowing look, the one all moms seem to have in moments like this, that his mom had, maybe it'd be easier. if he could see his parents won't be angry, it'd be easier.

they'd all been here a handful of times before, but everytime rodrick got like this. nervous. scared. overwhelmed. too overwhelmed to say it. so he didn't. he lied. or rather told half-truths. he always said something that was true, just not what he originally meant to say. he'd say he got a gig or got a C on a test.

his parents were always happy for him, but ______ had a sneaking suspicion that rodrick's parents already knew. that they figured it out, they were just waiting for him to say it. ______ imagines your kid can only invite a "close friend" over for dinner, while his siblings are conveniently over at friends' houses or something, just to tell you he got a good grade that way so many times before you figure something is up.

so when he did it again, gave one of the same few excuses again, they didn't look surprised. his parents shared a worried look. ______ noticed it. rodrick didn't.

he started mumbling out an apology while he got up. probably intending to go to back up to his room with ______ and curl up in bed for comfort.

his mom stopped him, grabbing his arm and bringing her other hand to his forehead. "rodrick, are you feeling ok?"

"yeah-"

"are you sure? you feel warm. and you've been acting a bit weird."

"is he sick?"

"i don't know, frank. rodrick, sit back down and lemme go grab the thermometer. you should probably send your friend-" she pointed to ______ as she mentioned him "-home, he-"

rodrick's head perked up a bit at that last part. he hadn't really been listening to his mother's quick rambling until then. "no!"

his dad spoke up. "what? why? do you want him to get sick, too?"

"no, that's not- i'm not sick-"

"you might not feel sick, yet. but you felt like you were running a fever."

"i'm not sick, mom. that's- it's- we..." he sighed, then gestured to ______, who'd stayed quiet the entire time, "i like, um, we're, like-" rodrick looked at his parents, then to ______. keeping his eyes on him, "-we're, uh, together?"

rodrick cringed a bit, at how his voice betrayed him. made it sound like a question, like he was asking permission for something he thinks his parents would never allow, instead of coming out to them.

______ gave him a small smile. which was comforting. rodrick kinda wished he would reach out. grab his hand. pull him into a hug. or something. something to provide a bit comfort for these quiet moments that seemed to be stretched out into eternities.

he didn't. he knew why. he's heard the story of how ______ came out. and he knew ______ probably wouldn't do anything like that out of fear of making things worse. even so, his presence was enough for the moment. he was always comforting to be around in rodrick's opinion.

that eternity came to an end when his mom sat back down. she looked over to her husband, then back to rodrick. "this doesn't change anything."

he visibly relaxed at that. like he hadn't been fully aware of tense he had been to begin with.

"yeah, son, look," his dad started, "we love you. and we're gonna love you no matter what. this isn't changing that."

and later, after that heartfelt conversation that rodrick honestly barely remembers. those words stuck with him. even as he and ______ laid up in his bed, with some shitty horror movie on in the background, those words kept ringing through his head.

we're gonna love you no matter what. this isn't changing that.

this. the bi thing. the whole having a boyfriend in secret for months thing. it changes nothing with him and his parents. it really changes absolutely nothing.

it felt kinda silly how relieving that fact was.

but rodrick just couldn't get over it.

he just replayed those moments in his head and felt the relief and happiness wash over him again.