Warblers Pride Oneshots

June 16: Self [Wevid]

Jeff had always known there was something more to Wes than everyone saw. When his parents were taken away, he thought that was it, that would let Wes reveal his true self.

However, things didn't quite go as planned.

—

"Wes! How do you feel? You can be yourself now!" Jeff exclaimed as Wes got back to Dalton.

Wes paused. "Well... Confused, mostly. My aunt's instructions are vague, and the Dean just tells me to 'be myself,' which isn't what I was asking, I was asking which version of myself to be."

"He means the real one, the one that's deep down, really you," Jeff said emphatically.

"I don't know if I have one of those."

Jeff hesitated. "Well, um, okay— how would you act if nobody told you how to act?"

"That's what I'm trying to figure out."

"Okay, um, do what makes you happy."

"I don't know what that is."

"You... Don't know what makes you happy?"

"Not really. I've ignored it for so long in favor of doing what I'm told, I've never thought about what brings me joy."

Jeff paused, thinking. "Okay. If life was a sandbox video game, and you could do absolutely anything you wanted, and there were no achievements or ways to win, and nobody telling you what to do or caring about what you did or didn't do, what would you do?"

That one, Wes actually considered. "Stay awake to watch the sunset and then see the stars. Alone. With a specific person. And tell them what I've wanted to tell them for a long time."

"You can do that!" Jeff exclaimed. "You can find that person and ask if they'd do that with you!"

Wes looked up at him. "Really?"

"Yeah! I can't guarantee they'll say yes, but you can ask!"

"Yeah. Yeah, okay. I'll ask."

—

"David— hey, can we speak for a moment?"

David's heart pounded as Wes pulled him aside, away from everyone else. "Mm?"

Wes was looking at him seriously, his steady, dark eyes holding his gaze. "I'm not used to being able to act of my own free will. All my life, people have been telling me who to be, but now, that's up to me. Jeff helped me figure out what I'd want to do, if I could do anything, no outside influences or other variables, just my choice. And then he pointed out that I could do it.

"So, all this to say... Will you stay up with me and watch the sunset, and then the stars? Just us?"

Just us. "I'd love to," he said, entirely honestly.

Wes smiled, and god, his heart just about melted.

—

It was too cold outside. So, they ended up in David's dorm, since the window faced the west, lights off, watching the sky change.

The sun had set and more and more stars were appearing when Wes finally spoke. "David, can I tell you something that I've been wanting to tell you for a long time?"

"Please do."

"I couldn't say anything before, but... and it took a while to figure out what I was experiencing... but I realized I'm gay. And I realized it because I... I really, really like you."

David's breath caught. They were looking each other in the eyes, sky abandoned. "Me too," he whispered. "Can..." He raised a hand up, gently holding the side of Wes's face. "Can I kiss you?"

"Yeah," Wes breathed, and they finally broke eye contact as they shut their eyes, both leaning in, meeting in the middle. It was careful, and soft, and sweet.

They broke apart, and for once, Wes knew exactly what he wanted to do. "Can we do that again?"

"Yeah."

They kissed again, and for a moment, nothing existed except for them and the moonlight that illuminated the room. It wouldn't last forever, so they savored it while it did.