[$] I'm in love with my bully.

[ShadowEternal]

Rick grit his teeth, "why am I the villain, huh? I was trying to keep this family together in case something bad happened! If we don't save, bad things happen!"

"Enough! This isn't just about you. It's about all of us! You yell too much dad! And mom...mom you're always running away form your problems without resolving them. I thought I was smart enough to be my own person...but I'm not." Roy lowered his voice, trying not to cry. "And I ended up hurting my classmate because of it...and they are very dear to me..."

Rick paled a bit, seeing a pattern here. "Wait, this classmate...are they..."

"They're male, dad. Just like me." Roy admitted, glancing back at his brother for strength. "And this had nothing to do with Ryan. This was all me."  

[Captain tohru honda]

"You've come to like this boy?" Stacy asked,smiling. [[I don't have anything more atm,but I am assuming that stacy is the one that is accepting,right?]]  

[ShadowEternal]

{Well, it didn't really matter. I was just gonna play off of whatever you did. It's not my place to decide the story for the both of us.}

Roy got a small, blush on his face before nodding his head. "Y-yes, for some time now." He then gave a small smile. "He actually likes me too, through some small miracle, despite my mistakes and blundering. But...I didn't feel right about it...I wanted to talk to you two first."

Rick scowled. "What does it matter what we think? You clearly already have your heart set on the boy. Heh. Jesus, how the hell did you turn out this way too?" He was clearly not happy with this situation, but he hadn't threaten to throw Roy out yet. "And I thought boxing would keep you away from such disgusting habits..."  

[Captain tohru honda]

"It's ok Honey." Stacy said and kissed Roy on the side of the head. "So,you turned out like Ryan,I couldn't have asked for a more sweeter and kinder boy." Ryan scowled at Rick as he talked about being gay as disgusting. "Mom,why do you stay with Rick? He obviously will never change."  

[ShadowEternal]

Rick couldn't look more angry at that moment. "So that's what this is all about, isn't it? Everyone gang up on Rick. He's being stubborn. Rick is so mean." He stood up from his chair. "Don't give me that bullshit! I'm the only one here who is taking anything seriously! I am trying to make sure this family can get by in case anything happens. I never had a problem with spending money, but you never seemed to save! Because of that, I am constantly working over time instead being able to spend more time at home! That does not make me a bad person, it just means I'm more responsible!"

He then glared at Ryan. "And you, the reason I kicked you out had nothing to do with your being gay, but engaging in such habits while you were underage! I thought you would learn a thing living on your own, but no...you clearly didn't learn a goddamn thing! And now I have to worry about my son possibly making the same mistakes!" He then turned his gaze on Roy, who visibly flinched at never hearing his father speak so vehemently. "This word is not a damned fairy tale Roy. People like Ryan, do no fit into the world as it is. If you choose to go down that path, there will be no one to help you when you fall. While held up on a pedestal and being called brave, those same voices will also seek to profit off you as much as you can before you are thrown away just day old bread." Rick's face then split into a scarily calm grin. "But hey, you're clearly grown. You have all the answers in the world thanks to your brother. So...why don't you just join him in Wonderland and see the magic for what it really is?"  

[Captain tohru honda]

"Rick!" Stacy yelled before she broke down in tears. Ryan glared at Rick as he turned his attention to him. "You know what Rick?" Ryan said with a death glare and a scowl. "Even though it's none of your business,I'll have you know that I didn't have sex with Damion until I turned 18,the only thing I did with him is kiss him. I bet if that was a girl,I would still be living here!" By now Ryan was yelling,embarrassed that he had to even justify himself to this man.  

[ShadowEternal]

Roy stared at Rick, time seeming to slow. He looked at his mother, reduced to tears and unable to talk back. Then he saw his brother, verbally fighting back in a battle that there was no point in waging. Closing his eyes, he took a deep breath and sought out a way out, escaped without himself for answers. Even if his father was justifiably angry, which he wasn't, they way he was acting was way too aggressive. Opening his eyes, he looked out at the side table where they kept the mail. It had been the same combination of junk and spam/scam mail for some months now. But there was something missing.

Facing forward at his father who was mid-yell, it finally clicked. "You lost your job, didn't you?"

Rick had been in the middle with arguing with Ryan when he heard Roy's voice. In all the chaos that was on-going, the youngest's words cut the loudest. "What was that, Roy?"

"Your job...ever since Christmas last year, you stopped receiving magazines for all those projects you worked on." Roy further explained. "It's almost Spring Break as well. Every year, regardless of what was going on in the house, you would ask me if I had any places I wanted to go on Spring Break. You haven't asked me once for the past few weeks."  

[Captain tohru honda]

"You lost your job?" Stacy managed to asked,through her tears. "Why didn't you tell me?" Ryan had stopped his yelling and patiently waited for Rick's answer.  

[ShadowEternal]

Rick scoffed. "I didn't lose my job! I just...don't work in the same position as before." He explained trying to save face. "I still have a job, I'm just doing it differently."
"That's means you're getting paid less." Roy put together, and he was starting to scare his dad with how well the boy was connecting the dots.  

[Captain tohru honda]

"How did you get demoted?" Stacy asked as Ryan gave her some more tissues. "You should have said something." She said and sighed. "No wonder you were so angry at me."  

[ShadowEternal]

Rick gave a heavy sigh, his anger passing as he realized he'd been backed into a corner and sat back down. "I...I didn't do anything wrong. I may complain it, but I love my job. But one of the youngsters that used to work under me...married the boss' daughter. And, well, can't have the CEO's son taking orders 'like everyone else'." He glared at the floor. "So we got switched and the little s**t is now my boss. Despite having been there for decades and him having been here less than 5 years." He looked up at Stacy. "I tried to tell you, I really did. I just. I don't know what happened."

Roy blinked in surprise this time. "The...panic attacks. They're yours." He lit up this time, seeing the one connection between himself and his brother. His mother was never really shaken up by much of anything. I mean, sure she would leave to disperse a situation, but she always came back and tired to interact with someone. His dad on the other hand, had internalized everything without letting anyone know until he simply couldn't contain it anymore. He probably agonized over every little detail until everything cam crashing down on his head...like now. "You panicked and started yelling at mom. It all makes sense now."

There was a paused before Roy stood up and walked over to Rick, who looked at him confused. "Dad...I'm sorry you couldn't say anything before. It...it will be okay now." He then gave his dad a hug, who froze where he sat, not really one for physically interactions.  

[Captain tohru honda]

Stacy got up too and went over and hugged both Roy and Rick. Ryan smiled as he watched the scene before him.  

[ShadowEternal]

Rick didn't know what was happening anymore. He'd been humiliated, beaten down, exposed and then broken, but then soothed, supported and liberated all in a span of a few minutes. He was tired, and yet full of energy at feeling his family's love and support. "Okay, as nice as this is...please?"

Roy gave a small chuckle and stepped back. "Yeah, sorry. I know you aren't one for physical contact, but I just had to."

"Yeah, well, you certainly got that from your mother." Rick huffed, gazing upon his son. He looked so grown up now, well, almost. It was still a big change from the eager-to-please son of yesterday. No, his son was just like him. He was probably never really eager to please so much as desired to keep things as normal as he could so as to not cause trouble. Only trouble had been following both of them like a plague unwittingly. "Now, about this boy you like..."

Roy stiffened, having forgotten that this was the source of the conversation. "Y-Yes?"

Rick sighed heavily, seeing the instant tension he'd cause. "I, ugh, just promise me you two with be mart about this and safe?" Honestly, that's all he could ask. His son was growing and discovering new things about himself. Unlike Ryan who'd always been outgoing, Roy was clearly the opposite. It'd be better on his nerves to keep at least one of his sons near in case something really bad happened.

"I still don't approve of this, but...it's your life. And you're going to live it whether you're here or somewhere out there. Isn't that right, Ryan?" He finally looked at his eldest properly since he entered the house.  

[Captain tohru honda]

"Yes..father." Ryan said smiling,happy that he was actually being acknowledged. Stacy kissed Rick on the cheek and went to go sit back down on the couch.  

[ShadowEternal]

Rick grumbled as Stacy kissed him, but the slight redness of his cheeks gave away that he wasn't entirely mad. "So, Roy, what do you plan on doing now?"

Roy took a seat back next to his mother. "Well, I still have to make up for all the...bad things I did. I've already apologized to Tyler, but...I don't think I'm ready to come out...publicly if you know what I mean."

"How could I-" Rick stopped himself and sighed. "No, I don't know what you mean, son. Could you please elaborate?"

"That is, it's not like I've always liked boys like Ryan. I just know I don't like girls, and certainly not the other boys at my school. It's only Tyler. So, to say that I'm...'gay', so to speak doesn't quite sound right to me." Roy managed to get out.

"Ah." Rick's face kind of deadpanned, but there was a glimmer of realization as he got it. "In...that case, you might want to talk to your mother. N-not that I'm trying to dodge this and all, but...um... Stacy, why don't you tell the boys about your, uh...thing." He looked away, his face a bit redder than it was before. "About Debra?"

"Aunty Debra? Mom's friend? What about her?" Roy asked, looking at his mom.

{Not literally 'Aunt' Debra.}