The school year went through swiftly for Sebastian. He passed the test he was required to take for being home schooled and was now about to attend his first year of high school for the upcoming school year...in Paris.
He wrung his hands as he waited for his parents to come home one afternoon. In two days, he and his foster parents were going to move to Paris for his mother's new job.
He had to tell them now. So at least if they didn't want him anymore, he wouldn't be sent to foster care in Europe. And he was sick of hiding. And it wouldn't be fair to the two people who took care of him when he didn't have anywhere else to go.
Jennalyn Smythe entered the house and caught Sebastian just sitting there uneasy at the foot of the stairs.
"Seb?" she said looking at Sebastian concerned. "Is anything wrong? Are you alright?"
"Did father come home with you?" Sebastian asked. "I need to tell you both something."
"He's still at the office." She said. "His client called and he was held back. But he said he'll be back for dinner."
"Oh."
"What's the matter?" she asked sitting beside him at the foot of the stairs. "You can tell me."
"Can we please just wait until father get's home?" Sebastian asked. "I...uh..."
"It's okay." She said. "We'll talk about this again later. For now, why don't we have a head start on dinner.
"Okay." Sebastian said as the two head to the kitchen. Sebastian sat on the seat by the counter as his mother went to look through the little box of index cards full of recipes.
"We still have the beef brisket in the freezer, right?" she asked as she was sorting through options. Sebastian jumped off the stool and checked their freezer.
"Yes" he said taking out the chunk of meat from the freezer. His mother took out a pot where Sebastian placed the meat for it to defrost. She went to the pantry to look for bread.
"What are we making?" Sebastian asked when she returned with half a loaf of French bread and a few carrots and celery from the pantry.
"Beef stew." She said. "Please get an onion and garlic from the basket."
"Sure." Sebastian said getting the ingredients from the basket at the other side of the kitchen. "Do you need potatoes?"
"No, god knows how much of that you and your father eat when I'm not around."
Sebastian chuckles at how true it was. His foster mom smiled at him. She could tell something was bothering the young teen. But she didn't want to push or he might just close off more.
They started working on dinner together and it reminded Sebastian of the times he and Barry used to help their mom making dinner.
"How is Barry?" his mother asked.
"I'm sorry?" Sebastian said getting caught off guard.
"How's your brother?" she asked again with a small smile sensing the nerves of the young teen. "School just finished. And I overheard you talking to him last night on your computer. ECAS, that is an impressing feat especially with how young you both are."
"He's fine." Sebastian said cutting up the rest of the carrots. "He's nervous for high school already. I just hope there are no more of those bullies in his new school."
"There are always going to be some people who think their more superior than you." She said. "but these are actually the people who should make you strive for more. For you to prove them wrong."
Sebastian smiled. "I know, I just worry about Barry."
"You can't protect him forever, Seb." She said. "Barry has to live his own life. Just as you have to live your own. I understand that sometimes you just want to keep them safe. Because we see them handle the problem and see them fall. But sometimes the more we want to protect them, the more they hurt."
"I never really thought of that." Sebastian muttered putting the ingredients into the pot. "That was probably why the bullying got worse when I left."
"But he was able to surpass it, Seb." His mother said placing a hand on his shoulder. "And you know why?"
Sebastian shook his head.
"Because of family." she said with a smile. "He knows that you're right there by his side even without you being right beside him. And from what I heard, he'd do the same for you."
"I know." Sebastian said with a smile.
"So, why don't you set up the table, while I finish off here." she said with a smile. "I have a feeling your father is already on his way home."
"How?"
"Mother's instinct." She said with a wink.
Sebastian chuckled then started to set up the table. His foster dad came home just as dinner finished cooking. They had a pleasant dinner and after they sat in the living room just talking.
Only then did Sebastian muster the courage.
"Ma, Pa, I've got something to tell you." Sebastian said taking a deep breath.
"What's wrong?" his father asked.
"I uh..."
"You can tell us anything, son." He said patting his knee. "We won't be mad. Unless you got yourself into trouble with the police...wait did you?"
"No." Sebastian said his heart beating hard. He can almost feel his whole body sweating and shaking. "I'm...uh..."
His foster mom held his hand. "Seb, we know."
"What?" Sebastian asked catching him by surprise. "Know what. I know I didn't do anything...yet."
She smiled. "We know"
"But how...."
"After the first month, we had an inkling feeling." his father said. "You never said it out loud. But we could see it especially when we go into social gatherings. How even though sports does interest you, you seemed more comfortable with the girls."
"And my cousin might have given us a little hint." His mother said.
"Hiram?" Sebastian asked. "Wait, he's gay?"
"Yes." His mother said. "He was disowned by his parents when he came out. But before that, he came out to me. There were only two of us that supported him. Me and our uncle."
"If you knew, why didn't you tell me?"
"We didn't want to push you." His mother said. "This isn't something that we could jump on you."
"Coming out is your choice, Seb." His father said "Because that is when you know you're comfortable with who you tell it to."
His mother motioned him to sit beside the two adults. "Seb, I know you came to live with us only two years ago, but I couldn't help see you as my own son. And if there is one thing that I see in you that reminds me of myself as a youngster."
"What?"
"Your confidence." She said. "You are not ashamed of who you are. But I know there are moments that you just want to hide. But I know, you'll get through it."
Sebastian leaned to her touch and practically sobbed in relief. She wrapped her arms around him and patted his head.
"I know we are not your parents," his father whispered. "And I know you were probably afraid that we would send you away after coming out, but we are family now."
"You don't lose your family, Seb." His mother said "Your biological family might have been broken apart, but family is anywhere people loves you."
Sebastian smiled and wrapped an arm around each of his foster parent. Only then did he realize what his mom meant.
You are never truly alone.
~()~
Sebastian spent two years in Paris with his parents. And there he grew bold. More confident if that were possible. He didn't need to hide. He just became himself. Which made Barry happy.
"So how is Paris?" Barry asked from the video call.
Sebastian shrugged. "Fine, I guess."
"Seb, you are living in the city of art, music and love." Barry said. "And I know two of those are the ones you are most passionate about. So spill.
Sebastian chuckled "I can never get anything through you, huh?"
"Nope, so spill."
"Fine." Sebastian then started to tell him all about his time in museums and theaters. His mother then came into the room and told him something. He looked off screen for a minute to respond.
"Oui, merci."
"Wow. You're turning foreign on me already." Barry teased. "What did she say?"
"She asked if I was done with my packing, and told me that there's another box outside if I need it."
"Packing? What for?"
"We are heading back stateside." Sebastian said with a big smile. "Back to Ohio."
"That's great. That means that I can visit you."
"Or I could visit you." Sebastian said. "But, I wouldn't be traveling as much."
"Why?"
Sebastian smiled "I am going to experience the joy of American high school life."
"Wait, you're going back to school?"
"Yep" Sebastian said with a smile. "A boarding school in Westerville, Dalton Academy."
"The all boys' school?"
"Yeah, How'd you know..."
"One of my classmates transferred from there." Barry explained. "Said that the subjects where a lot like those in ECAS."
"Wait you have a classmate that transferred from an academy with a hard curriculum, to another school with a harder curriculum?"
"Yeah," Barry said "He's weird."
"You got that right."
"Anyways, my big brother is going to a prep school... That would be an interesting story to tell."
"Not as interesting as having a brother that is in some fancy science school and I, myself have failed science a couple of times." Sebastian said. While Barry chuckled
"I still have no idea how you didn't get it I explained it to you a million times, when you add..."
"Barry" Sebastian interrupted "You and I have established that despite my quick wit and good wording, I am an idiot in science."
"Ain't that the truth?" Barry murmured "So does Dalton have a uniform."
"Yeah," Sebastian said "almost like a suit except for the colors. And the seal on the blazer pocket."
"One day, we have got to get a picture together in our uniforms." Barry said "Memories and all that of course."
"And so we can send something to dad."
"Of course."
"How is dad?"
"You know, still in prison." Barry said bitterly.
"One day, Barry." Sebastian promised. "We'll get him out of there."
"I know," he said "For now, we become the best that we can be to get to where we need to be."
"So we can bring our family back together."
~()~
Sebastian was outside the auditorium for the Warbler's sectionals on his junior year, he was nervous. He hadn't performed in a stage for a while. Despite being in various music classes through the years, he hadn't performed on a stage with a large audience since he was ten.
And he didn't notice a lanky teen coming his way.
"Hello, by any chance have you seen my brother? About six feet tall, he's in a team called the Warblers."
Sebastian looked up to find Barry smiling at him widely.
"Barry?"
"The one and only."
Sebastian grabbed his brother in a hug. Barry chuckled. As he tried to wrap his arms around his brother. but was trapped under his grip.
"What are you doing here?" Sebastian asked letting his brother go. "And what's with the get up?"
"Well I can't miss my brother's first performance in five years. So I am here to support the Dalton Academy Warblers." Barry said. He wore a navy blue shirt and a bright red tie with a pair of well worn slacks. "Plus the up side was it's on a Friday night, and it just so happens that someone exploded a large area of one of the labs that messed up the pluming throughout the entire high school building."
"How fortunate." Sebastian said with a chuckle.
"I know, right?" Barry said with a cheeky smile on his face. "Are you okay?"
"What makes you think something is wrong?"
"Because I know you." Barry said. "I was there when you had your first solo when we were nine and you were a bit of a mess."
"How could you know if I have a solo this time?"
"Because you're Sebastian A. Smythe."Barry said. "You are probably one of the most talented singers back in Central City. And as our old English/Drama teacher said Stage presence is everything. And I may not know a lot about arts and dramatics, but you have a very strong stage presence."
Sebastian smiled. "Observant."
"You got it." Barry said with a smile. "Don't worry, you will do great."
Thad ran out of the auditorium looking for Sebastian when he saw them he did a double take.
Sebastian and Barry chuckled then Sebastian motioned for him to come closer.
"Thad this is my brother Barry Allen." Sebastian introduced. "Barry this is my roommate Thad."
Barry held out his hand towards the shorter teen. "It's nice to meet you."
"You too." Thad said "Sebastian never told me about you."
"I did." Sebastian said. "I tell you about- him all the time, my science protégé of a brother while I got stuck being an idiot at said subject."
"Fine, I will rephrase." Thad said. "You never mentioned a twin."
"It never came up." Sebastian said. "And it's complicated."
"Why do you two have a different surname?" Thad asked.
Sebastian and Barry exchanged a look. "Its complicated."
"Anyways, we really need to get going." Thad said. "We're about to perform in a few minutes."
"Okay." Sebastian said. "See you later bro."
"Good luck." Barry said "Break a leg."
"Just not literally." Sebastian said with a chuckle as he and Thad rushed backstage with the other Warblers.
"He seems nice." Thad commented. "A lot nicer than you. That's for sure."
"Hey, you practically attacked me with your excitement that first time we met."
"I was coming for a hug." Thad said. "I like meeting new people."
"You had a large cutter in hand."
"Ahh, good times." Thad said with a chuckle.
~()~