John's father didn't say a word to him as they drove home. All that the golden boy could do was pick at a thread on his trousers and mentally remind himself of the promise he made not too many years ago. John Watson would never fall in love with a boy, and although he wasn't in love with Timothy, snogging a boy fell under that sort of category.
When his father turned into the driveway of their home, John braced himself to unbuckle his seatbelt and race as fast as he could out of the car.
"We're going to have a talk, son."
John fidgeted in his seat. He knew what the tone of his father's voice meant. It was the tone he got when Harry had brought home a girlfriend almost seven months ago, and until Harry had kissed her on the cheek, his father had not realized Harry's girlfriend was her lover.
"Now, I know that your sister is...homosexual, but that does not mean you must conform to her choices, John." Stanley Watson's voice never wavered.
"I know. I don't even know what I was thinking, dad."
"Good. I don't ever want to see you with that devil of a boy again, ya hear me?"
"Yes, dad."
Stanley pursed his lips and extracted the key from the ignition, indicating the conversation was over. It didn't take long for John to follow helplessly behind his father into the house, Timothy's lips still an echo upon his.