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 Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 5:34 pm
He didn’t want to go home. He wanted to stay as far away from that place as he could. It wasn’t really a home, anyway. Just a place where he was required to sleep or something like that.
But Chad smiled at Elliot and shook his head.
“I’m okay, I promise.” And even if he wasn’t, he was okay. He had to be. “That’s really nice of you to offer. I just need to rest a little longer, then I’ll be okay to get home. But your parents have been waiting for you for dinner, haven’t they? Thank you for this,” he said, holding up what was left of the Rice Crispy treat with a smile.
“And please don’t worry about me. It’s really cute how you chew on your lip when you’re worrying though,” he said before he could think better of it. Did he just call Elliot cute? He was too tired to be really upset about it, although maybe it would be enough to scare Elliot away.
“I don’t have a phone,” he admitted quietly, knowing it was pretty weird for someone to not have a phone these days. “Dad thought it was a waste of money. It’s not like I have any friends to call.”
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 5:50 pm
Elliot’s ears were burning. He did hear that right, didn’t he? He’d heard that before, but it was different when Chad said it and when his parents did. He could feel the blood in his face but he didn’t feel bad about it.
“You don’t have a phone?” he blurted instead, but caught himself before he could say anything else silly and added, “That’s okay, I wouldn’t have mine if I didn’t get a hand me down. Have you seen the blue house on Aker? It was supposed to be grey but– We have a big tree in the front yard. That’s my house. We used to have a mailbox that looked like a treasure chest? Now it’s boring and white. The old one got all smashed up, I miss it.”
He pursed his lips because he didn’t want to go home just yet. He felt like he’d only been out for a few minutes, anyway!
So, he settled himself back on the other swing and seemed like he was ready to stay there for as long as it took for Chad to feel better.
“So if you ever need anything, you can stop by. You can come knock on my door and ask if I can come out to play, even. My room’s on the left side, so you can come tap on the glass if you ever needed. I mean, just in case.”
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 6:01 pm
It took a few moments for Chad to process a blue house that used to have a mailbox like a treasure chest. But when he did, he gasped.
“I liked that mailbox too. I’m sorry it got smashed up. That sounds horrible,” he frowned sadly, but was momentarily relieved that Elliot wasn’t leaving him yet.
He knew he shouldn’t be selfish about it. He knew he should be thankful for a chance to be with Elliot at all, but he really, really didn’t want to be alone. Well… as long as it was Elliot. Otherwise he was fine being alone.
Chad pursed his lips for a few moments, because he wasn’t sure how desperate he would seem if he just went and tapped on Elliot’s window, but he was grateful to know where he lived. Just in case. There were plenty of times that he got stuck out in bad weather, so it might be nice to have someone to at least talk to while he waited out whatever storm there was.
“Thank you. Yes, just in case.” Although, he wouldn’t mind asking Elliot to come out to play, too. Not that he knew what they could play.
He knew he was keeping quiet about where he lived, but he thought it was best that Elliot not know. For his own safety, possibly.
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 6:19 pm
Elliot couldn’t help but smile when Chad gasped. It wasn’t a happy thing! It was just that he seemed so expressive about it. It was sweet.
He noticed that Chad didn’t offer any information about where he lived, but that wasn’t really important for right now. It might be nice to know where to go if he needed to check up on him, but if his father was really as nasty as he sounded, it was probably for the best that he didn’t have to go anywhere around him.
“I hope you can come by and visit some time. We can watch TV or something. You can help me eat my dad’s cupcakes. There’s so many, Chad. They’re stacking up. I didn’t have you to help me yesterday or today. They’ve multiplied again.”
He was being a little dramatic, smiling a bit now and trying to make sure he didn’t find something else to worry about.
Like, strangers.
The park had emptied out and it seemed like most people had managed to make it home for the night. It wasn’t really an ideal time to be out riding, but someone had decided it was a good time to be out. It was too dark to make out what he looked like, really; he slowed the bike a bit, and then came to a stop only a few yards away from the swings.
“Are you boys doing okay?”
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 6:28 pm
The thought of being overwhelmed by cupcakes made Chad giggle. Softly at first, and then he laughed a little louder because it was just so silly to think of cupcakes multiplying! He was definitely looking forward to helping with bringing their numbers back down.
What he wasn’t looking forward to was talking to some stranger in the park late at night.
His expression immediately fell and he froze where he sat on the swing. He stared with wide eyes at the man, unable to really see what he looked like, but he had the sudden urge to hide behind Elliot.
That was ridiculous, right? Elliot was certainly more athletic than Chad, but he was also a bit shorter. Not that that really mattered!
In response, all Chad could do was nod and hold his breath and hope this person went on his way. Well, and clutch tightly to what was left of the Rice Crispy treat and water bottle. He was not going to have a panic attack in front of Elliot just because a stranger stopped to talk to them!
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 6:54 pm
It didn’t take long for Elliot to squint into the darkness, because for as mysterious as the shadowy figure was in appearance, the voice was not very mysterious at all. Elliot reached for his phone and pressed two buttons. The stranger’s pocket immediately lit up, and before it could even ring, Elliot shut his phone off. “Dad.”
“I know! I know, I know,” the figure answered hastily, and there was almost an apology. “I wasn’t going to come, your father told me I shouldn’t. But I started to worry.”
“I told you I was fine!”
“I know, and I thought that you meant it. But then I started thinking, what if someone else had your phone? I thought it would be worse if I went by and didn’t say anything.”
“Dad,” Elliot said, again exasperated, but obviously not upset enough about it to throw a tantrum. Maybe he was a little embarrassed, and he looked apologetically at Chad. “I told you they were protective.”
“I missed you, I haven’t seen you all day. Hi, Chad, it’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry if I scared you. I didn’t realize my bicycle light was out until after I packed my bag.”
“What bag?” Elliot asked, and this time managed to smile reassuringly to Chad before he returned his attention to his father.
“I brought you dinner! I know,” he said, and the shadow figure clumsily hopped off his bike and took two tries to get the kickstand up, and after that he just rested it against the chain-link fence around the swings, anyway. He pulled a bag from out of the basket at the front of the bike and held it over the fence.
When he moved closer to the light, he looked far less intimidating than his shadowy counterpart; he had auburn hair tied up in a high ponytail. His hair was only slightly long enough to be pulled up, and it was fluffy and a little messy. He wore glasses and had two bracelets on his right hand, and a wedding ring on his left.
“Come get this. If you eat too late you’ll be up all night. Or worse, upset your stomach. I won’t stay long. And I won’t come drive by again. Honest. I just wanted to drop this off. But I have to hurry, I told your father I wasn’t going to bother you. I packed some for you, Chad. Please make sure Elliot eats all his vegetables. I’ll let him stay out a little later tonight since I know you’re keeping an eye on him.”
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 7:05 pm
There was some relief that came with Elliot not only knowing who this person was, but finding out that this was Elliot’s dad.
Right?
Chad stared at the man, and then over at Elliot as the two spoke. He wasn’t sure if he heard it right. He did say… Didn’t he? Or was he imagining…?
“You have… a dad and a father? You’re… you mean…” he stammered, looking from Elliot and back to the man with auburn hair who was handing them a bag of what was apparently food.
Was that even possible? He’d never met anyone who was--... he’d only heard stories about how horrible they were and how everyone hates them and how they shouldn’t exist and how they raise their own children to be horrible monsters--
Except Elliot wasn’t. He was perfect and kind and wonderful in every way. And his dad seemed so nice and brought them food--
Was this the same one who made them cupcakes too? And he was a teacher. Which one had the same trouble with testing as he did?
He knew he shouldn’t, but he was already feeling incredibly overwhelmed. And tired. And hungry. He left the water bottle in his lap as he hid his eyes behind his arm and held his breath. He could not cry again so soon after the first time.
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 7:16 pm
Elliot glanced at Chad while he stood up. “Oh, yeah. Sorry, I guess I forgot to mention that. This is the one that made the cupcakes.”
It wasn’t weird. He didn’t justify it. There wasn’t anything wrong with it and he obviously wasn’t ashamed of it. It was his normal and he was happy with it.
“Mr. Reid,” Elliot introduced, and trotted over to collect the bag.
His father did not lean over to kiss his forehead, or fix his hair like he wanted to. He passed over a purple cotton bag with a pretty star and moon pattern.
“We’re not in school, your friends don’t have to call me Mr. Reid. I don’t have to share every name with your father. You can call me Oliver.”
“Or Dad,” Elliot said, and as he took the bag he leaned over the fence to hug his father. Their embrace was quick, and Oliver rubbed his back and gave him a quick squeeze before drawing away.
“Don’t stay out too late, text us when you’re on your way home, okay?”
“Okay, thank you,” Elliot said, and he was quick to return to Chad’s side; he flashed another smile as he flopped back into his seat and heaved the bag onto his lap.
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 7:25 pm
Chad scrubbed at his eyes as Elliot and his dad -- Mr. Reid… or Oliver -- gave him the food and a hug. He peeked over his arm because it was so different from what he was used to. He didn’t know what to think, much less what to feel. Except for everything at once.
“Isn’t… it a bad thing that you have two dads?” Chad heard himself ask in a whisper, because he didn’t believe that, but everything he’d been told--
“There’s not something wrong with that? Or… I-- I don’t know what I’m trying to ask. I’m sorry. I don’t… that’s not what I mean…”
He realized what he was asking probably sounded incredibly rude.
“I’ve never met anyone else who--...”
Chad clamped his mouth shut again and slumped miserably against the chain of the swing.
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 7:37 pm
Confusion washed over Elliot’s face; he looked from Chad to his father carefully picking up and realigning the bicycle.
“It’s not bad,” he answered simply, but it was a short answer because his father was raising his hand to wave. “Bye, love you,” Elliot called; he waved back to his father and as soon as he’d started off back home Elliot began to fish through the bag. There were two smaller tupperware containers full of macaroni and cheese, so he passed one to Chad and kept one for himself. It took him a few seconds to find the forks, but he passed one of those over as well.
Of course there was a brief moment of frustration at the question. Not at Chad, he didn’t seem like he’d want to hurt anyone. Just, at everything else. He was careful not to let that creep into his voice when he continued, “Some people have tried to make me feel bad. I used to get teased about it. Or, people would try to tease me. But it’s like being teased for, I don’t know, liking broccoli. There’s nothing wrong with it. But my parents were worried about people giving me a hard time because they fell in love.”
He shrugged, dug his fork into the macaroni and cheese, and swirled it around a bit. “They said I could tell everyone they were roommates, but I don’t think I should have to. They moved to Destiny City because the people they knew where they grew up weren’t really accepting of anything. Sometimes people just don’t understand something and get frustrated and try to take it out on other people instead of try to understand it. Is that–it’s not a problem for you, is it? My parents are great people. And they care a lot about me. And I care about them. I can’t imagine better parents.”
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 7:45 pm
Chad could feel his face burning. It was bad enough that he didn’t fully understand things, and that he only knew what he’d been told, and what he’d experienced. He’d been harassed for as long as he could remember about something that he couldn’t even comprehend until he was a little older. Even now, he was told he was wrong. All for something he didn’t even do. How was it that adults could just assume things about him when he didn’t even know for himself?
It was obvious that Elliot loved his parents a lot. They seemed like amazing parents and Chad was happy that Elliot had such good parents.
And that was frustrating. Not at Elliot or his parents, but because Chad was used to such a different dynamic. He couldn’t remember ever feeling loved by his father. If anything, he was a burden that his father was forced to live with.
Until someone did something about it, he remembered his father saying once. He never cared that Chad was in the same room when he spoke poorly of him or others. But to everyone else, his father was smart and charming. And Chad knew that if he tried doing something about it, he would end up in an even worse situation.
Chad took the container of macaroni and cheese and the fork, but for the moment he just picked at it. There was strange emotions swirling inside that he didn’t understand.
“I’m sorry,” Chad mumbled in the end, because the thoughts wouldn’t work their way into words that made sense.
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 7:56 pm
“You don’t have anything to be sorry about.” Elliot finally took a forkful of macaroni, just in case Chad had been convinced he had to wait for Elliot to start eating before he could. “I guess I could have mentioned it a little clearer. I don’t really think about it a whole lot. He’s Oliver. My other dad’s Asher. They’re just people. Good people. And they’re both good dads. They look after each other, and me. And their classrooms. They do after school programs, and volunteer sometimes. Not much anymore, because I have my games and all, but sometimes.”
He took another bite and shrugged, swinging just slightly as he balanced the food on his lap.
There wasn’t really a reason be anxious, maybe he was just worried about chasing Chad away. He didn’t seem like he was upset by the idea, just surprised–or kind of scrambled. But then, he’d had a hard time, maybe he was just tired. And hungry.
Elliot took another bite, partly to encourage Chad and partly because he wanted to see what else his parents had packed.
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 8:06 pm
Chad nodded in understanding and finally took a bite of his own macaroni. It was delicious, of course. It was warm and wasn’t full of hard noodles and soupy. If this was how macaroni and cheese was really supposed to taste like, then he would happily eat it all the time.
“So, it doesn’t bother you if… I mean, if someone else was like your dads? You’d still be friends with them?” he asked as he stared down at his macaroni.
His eyes felt hot and his vision was blurry again. He still felt like he was too young to even understand any of this, or what he wanted or felt. But everyone else seemed to think he was, so maybe there was something about him that was obvious to others and not him.
Was it because he liked art? Or liked pretty things? That seemed a horrible way to judge someone. Yes, he did have a crush on Elliot, but only because he thought Elliot was beautiful and kind and amazing and good at everything. He didn’t know anything else, other than that he got butterflies when he looked at him and was absolutely thrilled to be his friend.
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 8:13 pm
Elliot tilted his head, partly in thought and partly to hear Chad a little better.
“My dads are kind. And patient, and hardworking, and compassionate. They’ve always tried to understand me, and always tried to make sure I was happy. I wish more people would be like them. Or are you asking if it would bother me if any of my friends weren’t straight? I don’t care, as long as they’re happy. Or, no. It’s not that I don’t care. I’d probably try to support them more because I know it can be hard. Like our mailbox? That wasn’t an accident, I don’t think. They said somebody hit it with their car, but. I’m not really sure that’s what happened. I know they don’t have good relationships with their family. I know it was hard for them.”
He poked at the cheesy noodles and took another small bite.
“But my parents aren’t ashamed of how they are, and I’m not, either. They never hurt anyone in their life. And if it hadn’t been for them, I’d have gone into the foster care system. I could have grown up totally different. But I like who I am. I like who they let me be. It’s not my place to judge how anyone falls in love, and I wouldn’t want to, anyway. So…no, it doesn’t bother me. At all. I’d just be happy for them.”
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Posted: Tue May 17, 2022 8:30 pm
“It makes sense why you’re so kind, patient, and hardworking, and compassionate too,” Chad said softly before taking another bite, bigger this time. And then taking another, and another after that.
Okay, then Elliot would just be happy for them. That was good. It helped Chad breathe a little easier. He felt bad for Elliot and his dads, though, especially if they had their mailbox destroyed because of people who didn’t like them just because they were different.
“I’m glad you have your dads. They seem really nice. I mean, from how you’ve spoken about them. I feel silly not realizing there were two when you never mentioned a mom. I just thought your dad had… super powers or something. But I’m glad you are who you are, and that you’d support your friends. That’s really kind of you. Oh, and this is really good,” he added, poking at the macaroni again. “You’ll have to thank them for me, please. That was really nice to bring us food.”
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