Baked Takes

parents

He had a nice car. Pretty new and clean, a pure white on the outside with black leather interior. But as nice as it was, I kept thinking about his shirt. Or more importantly the story behind it, specifically his parents. And because we've let our guard down so much already, why not break it a little more.

"I don't talk to my parents anymore. And since you're basically wearing your parents merch, I'm guessing you keep in touch with yours. So even if you don't agree, but can still love each other, keep the relationship as best as you can."

"Where the hell did that come from?"

"I was thinking about your shirt."

"Seriously? I told you to not worry about it, so what's with the depressing subject?"

"Look, all I'm saying is that your parents obviously love you and their career. And from the way you talked about them earlier it's obvious you still love them too, right?" He was quiet. Staring holes into the road. "Even though I'm guessing there was a time you didn't know if you did, or could at that."

"Why the hell are you turning into some therapist?"

"I took a lot of psychology classes in school." I said it mostly as a joke, even if it was true. It was quiet for a long time after I said it though, until he decided to break it when we parked in front of a large modern home.

"I had a fight with my parents when I graduated highschool. They wanted me to go into the fashion industry and I wanted to go to culinary school. And during the fight I accidentally added me being gay into the mix. I don't even remember how it came up, but at first my mom just couldn't take it. She told me to leave the house so she could cool down. For a week I lived at Deku's before my dad came to get me and bring me back home so we could talk. That was easily the worst 7 days of my entire life and I once worked with Gordon Ramsay. If you think I'm aggressive he's 10 times worse." I could tell he was trying to lighten up the mood. No doubt it was hard for him to say that, he honestly probably regretted it already.

He had finally turned to me and I saw in his face. Yep, it set in stone the idea that it was difficult for him to talk about that time. He didn't seem like an emotional person in general so the fact that he was so vulnerable with me made me feel special.

"I've never told anyone that story. The only people who know it even happened are Deku and his mom. And I don't know why I thought it was a good idea to tell you."

"Sometimes people need an unbiased listener to release those type of stories onto. Someone they know won't judge them and someone to give them an honest response."

"Now you really sound like a fucking therapist. But, you said you don't talk to your parents anymore, what's with that?"

"Well, a therapist wouldn't usually answer that, but I will make an exception, just for you. They disowned me to put it simply. The story behind it however, is not so simple though. See they had an inclination that I wasn't straight ever since I was around, 8 maybe? So once middle school came, they put me into catholic school and tried to pray the gay away. As you probably know that first hand, it obviously didn't work. So when they caught me one day with a boy in my class during senior year and saw that all of their hard work in fact wasn't working, they quit. And decided that pretending I was never a part of their life was easier than trying to accept something ridden with the trace of the devil. Littered with an unforgivable sin. Unenrolling me from the boarding school and giving me 2 weeks to get out of the house. Since I was 18 and technically an adult, it was perfectly legal. I luckily was able to move in with Mina and the rest is history."

"Fuck."

"Yeah, fuck. Hard thing for a teenager to go through for sure. But I honestly wouldn't change it, I like where I am and love my found family I have in Mina and her parents. They are easily my guardian angels, some of my favorite people in the world."

"I'm not one to talk about heavy shit unless I've been tipped over the edge. But I have to say shitty hair, you hold a conversation pretty well."

"Beside the blatant name calling, that was a very nice thing to say, thanks. Good to know my English major isn't good for nothing."

"You're an English major?"

"What, a surprise?"

"Not at all, but I did have you picked for a physical therapy type of person first. Or maybe something in culinary arts, like baking and dessert focused."

"I see it." A beat of comfortable silence hit. "Are you ever going to invite me inside or are we just going to sit here all day and have more existential crises?"

"Oh shut the fuck up. Just follow me." I laughed as he stomped towards the front door and I followed him inside.

It was a beautiful home. With tall ceilings and modern furnishings, as well as family photos scattered on the shelves while art took to the walls. It was also just a large house in general, reflecting the fact that he and his family were well off. But as beautiful as the house was, a small fluffy creature distracted me quickly.

"Oh my god! Who is this?" A friendly shiba greeted me, tongue out to sprinkle kisses on my hands as I pet them.

"That is Yami, we got her from a shelter about 3 years ago."

"You and your family are too good of people. Sure you have your flaws, everyone does, but so far there's a lot of green flags."

"Well, that's good to hear? I fucking guess." I think he may think I'm crazy. But he's kept me around for this long so far, so that's something. Right?