Enorace Oneshots and Short Stories

Reveal (Part 1)

Chapter 4: Reveal part 1

Synopsis: The peculiars try to get Horace a girlfriend, but their attempts are halted when the truth comes out.

Set: After Library of Souls, in Florida

Genre/s: Angst/Fluff

(DISCLAIMER- For all the chapters set in the present (i.e. after Library of Souls), I'm just going write as if the main plot in Map of Days and events in subsequent books didn't happen, 1. To avoid spoiling it for people who haven't read them, and 2. Because that just complicates things lol. But Fiona will be alive and well in these regardless because I love her and want her around. Okay, enjoy the fic!)

"Absolutely not. Under no circumstances." Horace shook his head.

He was standing rigidly by the door of the Portman's study, while Enoch sat on their desk, playing with a stapler. Enoch had dragged him in there a few minutes ago because he had 'something important to ask him.' Horace didn't know what he was expecting, but it certainly wasn't this.

"Enoch we are not-" He glanced worriedly at the door as someone's footsteps creaked past. He waited for them to fade out. "-We are not telling them about us!" he whispered tersely.

Enoch put down the stapler, looking annoyed.

"Seriously? Come on Horace! I mean, this is me suggesting this. Me, of all people."

"And this is me asking you if you are insane."

"Horace, we've been in the twenty first century for months now. You heard Jacob- people like us ain't illegal anymore. We could even get... you know... married, if we wanted." He cleared his throat and looked away, clearly embarrassed.

He seemed so hopeful that it hurt Horace a little to crush his dreams.

"Enoch I said no."

"But why? I thought you'd be all for it."

Horace sighed,

"Because I've been outed before, alright? And I don't intend to repeat the experience."

"What? When?" Enoch looked surprised.

"Before I came to live with Miss Peregrine. One of the boys at my school found out and told everyone. It was awful- I'm just lucky Miss Peregrine happened to find me before my family found out, or I would have been living on the streets. Or worse."

"You never told me that." Enoch frowned.

"Well I didn't think it was very relevant- it was decades ago after all... but that's beside the point! The point is that this is a very, very bad idea, Enoch."

"But this is different. These are our friends."

Horace shook his head.

"Some of the boys at school were my friends too until they found out about me and turned into homophobic thugs overnight."

"Well, okay... but that was what? The thirties? We're in the twenty first century now."

"With our friends who spent their entire lives in the twentieth!"

"You're just being a coward," Enoch muttered.

"And you're being a naive fool," Horace insisted, glaring at him.

The confidence drained out of Enoch.

"You really think they're going to hate us?" he asked quietly.

"You really think they'd be okay with it?" Horace countered.