An unexpected love || Ant x Stephen

Coming Out - Chapter Eight

Ant was spending the night at Stephen's house. They were just watching a movie and eating takeaway, when ant asked, "can I ask a question?" It took Stephen by surprised and looked down to his shoulder where ants head was resting. "Yeah, what's up?" He replies quite confused. "Are you out to your family?" 

Now Stephen really wasn't expecting that, when ant asked, his stomach dropped he swallowed the lump in his throat and continued "uh yeah I guess, why?" The man asked when ant got up from his position on Stephens's shoulder to sit facing him. "I've been thinking recently..." ant started but trailed off. "Yeah?" Stephen asked more worried than confused. "Well, I was thinking about telling my mam." Stephen was kind of surprised. It's still only been about a week or so, since him and ant got together and as far as Stephen was aware that's the time ant knew he was gay. "Really?" Stephen said shocked but also proud. "Yeah, I mean I don't want to hide anything from her. And plus, I think she'd love you." He said whilst Stephen was taking a sip of his water, which did make him choke on it. "What?" He said slightly scared. "Not yet you idiot. I mean after a couple of months maybe." Stephen let out a sigh of relief when he said that. "Can I ask how coming out for you went?" 

Ant kind of tiptoed around this subject because he's not sure how well it went for the other man. "Uh..." was all Stephen could come out with. "It's fine you don't have to tell me." Ant said, seeing that Stephen was getting slightly uncomfortable. "No! It's fine. I'll tell you." Ant smiled when the younger man said that. "Are you sure?" Stephen smiled faintly "yeah I'm sure ant it's fine."

*flashback*

Stephen was 17 when he came out to his parents. He's known he was gay for a while now, since he was about 9 or 10. He's always been nervous to tell his parents, he was never quite sure how they would react, Stephen got 2 bothers and a sister as well, he told his sister he was gay when he was 14, and he wasn't going to tell his brothers till after he told his parents, that didn't work though, not after his brothers, walked in on him writing down what he was going to say to his parents. His sister, and one of his brothers accepted him and wished luck on coming out to his mam and dad, however his other brother, Vinny, wasn't exactly great about the whole thing.

It was a Saturday evening, and Stephen went downstairs to tell his parents, he walked downstairs to the kitchen, he took a deep breath in and out, to calm down all his nerves before walking in.

"Hey mam, dad?" Stephen walked in "can I talk to you?" He asked nervously, he couldn't help fidgeting with his fingers whilst talking. "Yeah, honey what's up?" His mam asked. "Uh could you sit down...both of you?" He asked even more nervous than before. "Stephen, what's wrong?" His dad asked also nervously.

Expressing his emotions has never really been Stephen strong point, especially with his parents, that nothing against them, he's just also been worried what people think about him, especially his family. Their opinion on him really mattered to the young man.

"I've got something to tell you." He started. "Have you got a girlfriend?" His dad said half teasing, when Stephen let out a ironic laugh. "Uh no dad.." his dad laughed back "oh well...one day" Stephen laughed at the fact only he could see the irony in that statement with what he was about to tell them. "I don't think so dad." The young man started to calm down slightly, feeling more comfortable. His parents both gave him a confused look at what he was saying. "I don't think I'll get a girlfriend." His mam looked at him with her head tilted "not with that attitude"

Stephen knew this would be a hard conversation but he didn't think the hard part would be actually getting the worlds out. He practiced what he was going to say for weeks, but all that went out the window the moment his dad mentioned getting a girlfriend.

"It's not about my attitude mam." He said as he took a deep breath in again trying to build up the courage to say the three words he's wanted to say for weeks now, 'I am gay' he said in his head multiple times before he continued to speak.

"It's not about my attitude because well..." his parents both looked worried and confused at the same time. "Because I don't...like...girls" his mam leaned back in her chair and his dad just gave a surprised look. "I'm gay..." he said trailing off.

His parents stayed silent for a moment not knowing what to say. "Guys?" Stephen said worried that they were angry. "Oh Stevie.." his dad said, when he got up and gave him a hug to show he supported his son. His mother on the other had... "mam?" He asked nervously.

She didn't say anything, she just stood up and stood in the same spot for 2 minutes, when Stephen stood up as well. She still didn't say anything, she just walked away.

He turned to his dad and hugged him tightly. "It's okay son...just give her time" he said reluctantly "maybe I shouldn't of said anything" he said quietly into his dads shoulder. "No you were right to tell us, and I'm very proud of you, your mum will just need a bit more time"

*end of flashback*

"Oh woah...Stevie" ant said a tear forming in his eyes. "Yeah..." was all Stephen could think to say. Ant got up and moved closer to Stephen and pulled him into an embrace. "I'm sorry" ant said as a tear fell down his face. "I had no clue..." Stephen let out a small huffed laugh "you wouldn't I don't really talk about it to anyone." Stephen could hear ant sniffling and he pulled out away.

He laughed quietly "why are you crying?" Ant laughed as well and just shrugged his shoulders. "Ant!" Stephen said laughing "I'm fine, okay it was ages ago, and I've got you now so I'm good!" Ant let out a huffed laugh again. "Sap" he said to Stephen. "I'm good ant, okay I'm good!" Stephen said ignoring ants remark, only half lying.

"It's late, time for bed?" Ant asked the younger man. "Please I'm exhausted" they both laughed and made their way up to Stephens room. They got changed and got into bed. Ant hugged into Stephen side, he felt warm, and ant liked cuddling up to Stephen. "You good?" Stephen asked to make sure ant was comfortable "yeah!" Ant replied smiling as Stephen turned slightly to turn the lamp on his bed side table off.

"Goodnight Stevie!"

"Goodnight ant!"