Leviticus: Return back home

Ch.25: Princesses and Mexican food

《MATT'S POV》

When Matt and Charley got back to his room, Matt didn't even know where to start.
"That was something." He said.
Charley didn't respond, looking down at his hands.

"Well, I must say I'm curious to know about that fight." He waited for Charley to respond, patiently. 
"We should finish the essay tonight." 

He stared at the guy, annoyed yet impressed by his ability to just not talk about this. To pretend Matt didn’t hear any shocking information just now. 

"Not before we talk about this." Matt wasn't about to let him get away with this. 
Charley sighed and sat down on the couch. "Alright. Let's talk about it."

Matt quickly sat down beside him, ready to fire some questions at him.
"Okay. First, is that entire story true?"
"About me fighting someone who was being homophobic? Yes." 

Matt was taken aback a bit. He knew Charley could be lying, but then again, Matt was already aware of his homophobic tendencies so he probably didn't have any reason to. 

"Hmm. And you fought him specifically because he was being homophobic?"
"Yes… well, no." Charley hesitated. "Kind of. It's complicated." 

Matt let out an irritated sigh. "Yes, everything seems to be with you." 
Charley chuckled. "You're not wrong. There's just… a lot going on. And I don't even know where to start explaining it." 

"Well, at the start. Unless if you meant literally where, then here. On this couch."
"I'm sorry, Matt. I wish I could. But it's all so much and frankly, I'm embarrassed." 

Matt thought for a moment. "Alright then. Tell me about what you like to eat." 
Charley frowned, clearly confused about what this had to do with anything, but he answered anyway. "I like pasta. And Mexican food, my dad's Mexican so we used to eat it sometimes at home." 

"Your dad cooked?" Matt asked. 
"No, usually it was my mom. But she cooked Mexican food for us, every now and then. Whenever she did, my dad used to say that our house smelled like home." 

"So, do you cook Mexican food a lot too?" Matt wanted to know. 
Charley shook his head. "Not really. It's just… it doesn't taste and smell the same here, or something."

Matt understood. "It's not like at home." 
"Yes. Don't tell Paul and Josh that, they'd probably feel hurt. I love them, it's not that I don't feel at home here…" 

Matt nodded at him, he knew what Charley meant. "Don't worry, I wouldn't." 
"Right." Charley said, before staring out in front of him. 

"What do you like to watch?" Matt asked.
Charley turned his head and looked at Matt. "What do you think?" He asked. 
Matt hesitated, the look in Charley's eyes holding him back from speaking.

"Please don't say you." He finally uttered. 
Charley smirked. "I wasn't planning on it. No, me and my dads have a tradition of watching at least one Disney movie each week." 

"Wait, Disney as in Marvel? Or princesses?" 
Charley hesitated. "Princesses, I guess. But also animated movies in general, usually. We have also branched out to Pixar nowadays." 

Matt couldn't believe how cute this was, a red-eared Charley going on about his favorite movies and Disney princesses and princes.
About Paul, who did the best impressions of all the characters and about Josh who would try to join in but honestly sucked at it.
About the themed snacks he would make for the movie they were watching and how they would spend at least an hour talking after the movie about all their favorite moments and characters. 

"Gosh, that sounds so fun." He sighed when Charley was done talking. 
"You should come." Charley told him, seemingly spontaneous. 

Matt waited a second for him to take it back, because this guy surely would not want for Matt to actually join in on his sacred family tradition. 
But he kept looking at Matt, his eyes so warm and inviting that Matt couldn't bring himself to say no.