[ Will's not really good at-- any of this. Comforting. Talking to people younger than himself. Talking about prejudices and sexuality in any meaningful, nuanced way.
But maybe that's not really what's needed here, anyway. This isn't happening in a lecture hall. Will takes a deep breath and lets it out through his nose. And then, carefully, hyper-aware of any signs that might be given that Will ought to not try this, he reaches out his closer hand to rest it on the other's shoulder.
Which is awkward while walking, admittedly, but Will wants to make sure the other doesn't feel-- tainted. Contagious, impure, anything that might make him an untouchable other. ] It's okay to be that way where you're from, too.
Adults are wrong all the time. [ A loose translation: fuck your dad, he sounds like a dick. ]
[the touch to his shoulder makes will flinch a little, but it's mostly out of surprise -- he'd expected a lot of things, but definitely not a comforting, reassuring touch. in fact, he would've sooner anticipated the man leaving as soon as he could, making some excuse to get far away.
instead there's a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently, warm and solid and -- real. will blinks a couple times, looking over and making eye contact for the first time.]
It's...it isn't just adults, it...everyone says...I mean...
How do you know it's okay? [his voice breaks a little on the last word, faint and small.]
Because there's no reason it shouldn't be. It's just a— preference, and the Bible verse people usually quote doesn't even— [ Will sighs. Semantics is probably not what's needed, even if he's capable of playing that game with several topics. Besides...Will hadn't really cared aside from a largely-academic sense of being correct in not caring, until recently.
Until recently.
This kid's worried his dad was right about this being something that was wrong with him. Will's silent for a little longer, stewing over his own tangled emotions. Finally he settles on a blurted, ] I'm, um. With someone. Romantically. [ Will physically can't bring himself to say the word 'bisexual' out loud. It's too surreal, was never a part of himself, but he wants to give the implicit solidarity that the story attached to it might offer. ]
A guy. Here in Deerington. It's not-- It doesn't say anything about me. Just like it wouldn't say anything about you.
[the sudden confession -- it sounds like that, it sounds like something given in secret, and it startles will enough that he stumbles a little as he walks, looking up at the man with wide eyes.
the words sink in for a moment, before will manages:] Aren't you scared? I mean...have you ever been...scared? Of what people might think?
[ Isn't he scared? Will's expression is the calm after a sudden sadness, surprised right out of feeling his own trepidation too forcefully. ] No. No, the only thing I was scared about was— hurting him. I've never...been attracted to men before. This is new for me too. But I was too busy worrying about if we would work, to get scared about what other people might think.
[ A beat. ] Probably would have realized I liked men sooner if back home didn't have its own lingering— ideas. Prejudices. [ It's odd to think about this while on the other side of the discussion. It's still foreign to Will, and he realizes this isn't the ideal person to unload on, but if honesty helps, he'll carefully wade through his own (brief, so very brief) experience to try to hand some over. ]
If anyone you knew from back home ever finds out and isn't okay with it— it just means they've got their own growing to do. Not that they're right.
...are you still scared? [because the man had said was, and there's a sudden hungry hope in will's eyes at that. the idea that the fear, the anxiety, the unknowing might someday be over is -- more than he'd let himself dream of.]
Oh. People still aren't okay with it? Even...when you're from? [he's assuming that everyone's from later than him, unless they're in specific period clothing.]
[ Will doesn't rush to give the reassuring answer he can tell the other's waiting on. But after a moment of genuine reflection, he shakes his head. ] No. I'm not. [ Which is...more than enough specificity for reassuring someone barely out of his preteen years that yeah, Will's definitely certain about his sexuality now.
Oh. Right. Will also weighs his response here, and settles on, ] It's protected legally. And most people your age and a bit older don't care. But views don't change...overnight.
...good. [will offers a little quirk of a smile, hands buried in his pockets. he veers close enough to nudge his elbow against the man's, barely there, just a quick gentle point of contact.] There's enough to be scared of here.
...legally. [that part's good at least. if something's in the law, it's so -- or, at least, will is still young enough to believe that.] So people who...people like that can...just. Be normal? Where anyone can see?
[ Will's not expecting the little brush of contact, and it catches him off-guard in a vulnerable way first; mouth parted, eyes wide, expression entirely too touched for an adult to be telegraphing. He swallows but smiles genuinely afterwards while he collects his expression back up off the ground. ]
More or less. [ Will's not...going to get into hate crimes still existing. It doesn't seem overly relevant here, and until he knows for sure this kid's coming back into the year 2015 with Will, Will's going to omit some things for simplicity's sake. --But. But there's one thing Will considers and then adds, as a very true potential spot of hope: ] People like that can even get married. [ And then a brief shrug, because he is still ultimately talking to a teenage boy. ] If they want to.
[will's eyebrows fly up, shocked at the very notion -- though it's unclear if he's overwhelmed by the idea of boys marrying boys, or just marriage in general.]
Really? That's allowed? [he stares off into the distance, clearly imagining something. then his ears turn pink and he ducks his head, shrugging like it doesn't matter.] That's cool I guess.
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
wontgraham) wrote2019-04-10 08:46 pm
cw: homophobia/child abuse
But maybe that's not really what's needed here, anyway. This isn't happening in a lecture hall. Will takes a deep breath and lets it out through his nose. And then, carefully, hyper-aware of any signs that might be given that Will ought to not try this, he reaches out his closer hand to rest it on the other's shoulder.
Which is awkward while walking, admittedly, but Will wants to make sure the other doesn't feel-- tainted. Contagious, impure, anything that might make him an untouchable other. ] It's okay to be that way where you're from, too.
Adults are wrong all the time. [ A loose translation: fuck your dad, he sounds like a dick. ]
cw: homophobia/child abuse
instead there's a hand on his shoulder, squeezing gently, warm and solid and -- real. will blinks a couple times, looking over and making eye contact for the first time.]
It's...it isn't just adults, it...everyone says...I mean...
How do you know it's okay? [his voice breaks a little on the last word, faint and small.]
cw: homophobia/child abuse
Until recently.
This kid's worried his dad was right about this being something that was wrong with him. Will's silent for a little longer, stewing over his own tangled emotions. Finally he settles on a blurted, ] I'm, um. With someone. Romantically. [ Will physically can't bring himself to say the word 'bisexual' out loud. It's too surreal, was never a part of himself, but he wants to give the implicit solidarity that the story attached to it might offer. ]
A guy. Here in Deerington. It's not-- It doesn't say anything about me. Just like it wouldn't say anything about you.
no subject
the words sink in for a moment, before will manages:] Aren't you scared? I mean...have you ever been...scared? Of what people might think?
no subject
[ A beat. ] Probably would have realized I liked men sooner if back home didn't have its own lingering— ideas. Prejudices. [ It's odd to think about this while on the other side of the discussion. It's still foreign to Will, and he realizes this isn't the ideal person to unload on, but if honesty helps, he'll carefully wade through his own (brief, so very brief) experience to try to hand some over. ]
If anyone you knew from back home ever finds out and isn't okay with it— it just means they've got their own growing to do. Not that they're right.
no subject
Oh. People still aren't okay with it? Even...when you're from? [he's assuming that everyone's from later than him, unless they're in specific period clothing.]
no subject
Oh. Right. Will also weighs his response here, and settles on, ] It's protected legally. And most people your age and a bit older don't care. But views don't change...overnight.
no subject
...legally. [that part's good at least. if something's in the law, it's so -- or, at least, will is still young enough to believe that.] So people who...people like that can...just. Be normal? Where anyone can see?
no subject
More or less. [ Will's not...going to get into hate crimes still existing. It doesn't seem overly relevant here, and until he knows for sure this kid's coming back into the year 2015 with Will, Will's going to omit some things for simplicity's sake. --But. But there's one thing Will considers and then adds, as a very true potential spot of hope: ] People like that can even get married. [ And then a brief shrug, because he is still ultimately talking to a teenage boy. ] If they want to.
no subject
Really? That's allowed? [he stares off into the distance, clearly imagining something. then his ears turn pink and he ducks his head, shrugging like it doesn't matter.] That's cool I guess.