The Death of Our Innocence (Dead Plate Swap AU)

I D̶o̶n̶'t̶ Want to Set the World on Fire

A/N: The songs referenced in this chapter are, in order, 'The End of the World' by Skeeter Davis and 'I Don't Want to Set the World on Fire' by The Ink Spots.
I'm going through a phase where I constantly listen to songs from the 40s-50s-60s, send help 😭

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15 years ago.

"I heard about a game from that new kid. So, what you do is you sit in a circle and take turns daring someone, whoever you want, to do something you want. Sounds fun, right?"

The group of young boys curiously gazed upon their friend with shared confusion, before bursting into carefree laughter as they considered the possibility. Rody and Vincent, who were seated beside each other, had also grown inquisitive about the potential of this newfound game their friend had suggested.

How bad could it be to try it? It seemed like it could actually be an interesting way to pass the time.

The group of boys sat down in a circle and abided by the rules, daring each other to do various things, most of which were rather simple at first. As time passed by and curiosity grew, however, the dares kept getting more ludicrous and outrageous as the group of friends kept prodding at each other's boundaries.

Laughs were shared, secrets were told on occasion. Everything was going swimmingly. Nothing seemed as though it could go wrong, until--

"Rody, I dare you to kiss Vincent!"

Rody's face had gone up in flames. He had frozen in place, not certain as to how he should react as he watched his supposed 'friends' snicker at him. They were teenage boys. Young. Stupid. They had obviously said it because they found it to be something weird, something humiliating to do.

Back then, Rody didn't know why it had gotten such a rise out of him. Why it made him so upset; the thought of kissing Vincent.

"I don't mind going through with it." Vincent had said with a small shrug of his shoulders, not understanding why it seemed to be so scandalous. It would only be a little peck, after all.

Rody, on the other hand, was absolutely horrified.

Not so much because it would be kissing another guy, but because of what that potentially said about him. He didn't want to be gay. He didn't want to 'turn' gay. Ever since he first realized what being homosexual is, he has been dreading ending up like that ever since.

Sometimes, he would lay awake, hands clasped together and eyes fraught of tears. Begging whatever deity resided in the skies above not to make him gay. To keep him normal.

"What do you mean you wouldn't mind?!" Rody had actually been distressed, eyes wide and breath shaky. The mere thought of it brought an overwhelming revulsion to his fifteen year old mind, making him want to vomit. "We are not doing that. That's disgusting."

At that time, all Rody felt was disgust.

Now, all he feels is regret.

He has wished so many times he could go back in time and agreed to kiss Vincent instead. The more time passed, the more curious he would grow about the idea having perforated his mind.

Kissing another guy.. sounded so dreadfully taboo. So terrifying.

And it was frightening because he was scared he might like it. He knew he wouldn't like it with any other guy-- but with his closest friend, his most trusted companion, there was a curiosity he couldn't deny.