Miracle Box - an MLB rewrite

Book 2 - Taking the Phobia out of Homo

A/N and so the final arc begins (for book 2)

Warning:

This chapter discusses and examples homophobia from a parent directed at their kid. It is a sensitive topic, I'm aware. What happens in this chapter is based on personal experience. If you relate to it, I'm here for you.

That being said, homophobia or disrespect will not be tolerated in the comment section. I've received a lot of transphobic comments throughout this fic series so I ask politely that whatever opposing thoughts you may have, you keep to yourself.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Marc asked, tenderly holding his boyfriend's hand with timid reassurance.

"No," Nathaniel said. Oh no. He was shaking. He was shaking because he'd just decided to come out to his parents a second time, this time with marc as backup. The end of their hgihschool careers was approaching. If it went south, he'd be out of the house anyway. But surely they'd see how happy Marc was making him... right?

"No one is forcing you to," Marc said, giving his hand a squeeze.

"I have to," Nathaniel dismissed, "I'm tired of being a coward."

"It's not cowardly to protect yourself."

"Well, I thought I was protecting myself when Marinette and I pretended to date but that really just hurt the both of us. And emotionally I just can't keep pretending anymore. They already know, they just refuse to accept."

"If it goes south..."

"Then I'll come live with you. I'm eighteen. They can't stop me."

"How will you pay for college?"

"They weren't planning to pay for it anyway."

"Then... Nathan... What is the point of telling them? Won't it just make you miserable?"

"It'll get a weight off my chest," Nathaniel said, shaking his head dismissively which caused his red curtain bangs to bob slightly back and forth, "and I know they love me. They believe love is unconditional. That's what their book says, at least, and they follow it... for the most part."

"Okay..." Marc said. He really didn't believe this was a good idea... like, at all.

Nathan had been debating it for an entire weeks now. He was willing to jeopardise his future just to stand up to his parents. He decided the consequences weren't much worse than the cards he was already being delt. And if it went south, it would assure him he'd be making the right decision to cut his family off for good once he moved out. It was a sad thing to admit to oneself, realizing that no matter how much you love your parents and they supposedly love you, it's just not going to work out in the long run. To think you're better off cutting the rope is heart wrenching.

Marc had supportive parents. They knew he was gay before he did. He came out when he was thirteen years old because that was just the prime age to do it apparently. His parents were more than okay with it, and were proud of him for owning who he was and trusting them enough to confide to them with it. Even so, Marc had been shaking and crying all the way through it, having heard enough horror stories of parents kicking their children out into the wild world to fend for themself and sever contact immediately. Because what disgraceful offspring would ever be homosexual?! Marc was glad to have the parents he did.

Nathaniel came out to his parents when he was seventeen. He'd known since he was ten. After carrying a secret like THAT around for a whole seven years, still a child who didn't understand the world, he had to tell his mother. He couldn't bear to live with it alone any longer. He told his mom, thinking for sure she'd be okay with it. Nathan had heard of those terrible coming out stories but he'd also seen enough with good endings he just believed it would be the same for him. After all, his whole life his mother told him her love was unconditional. Even if he committed a terrible crime and went to jail for a sum of years she would love him nonstop and fight for him the whole way through. When he was bullied for a variety of reasons, his mom was his number one defender. His parents never expressed their views of the LGBT openly, so seeing what he'd seen and knowing his mom his whole life, why the hell would Nathaniel be expected to assume she'd find such disgrace in him for being gay?