Then He Smiled [BoyxBoy]

Chapter Twenty-Two

Fin was laughing, his head thrown backwards as my mother grinned through a childhood story starring none other than myself.

I couldn't help but notice a crack in the wall behind him, the broken vase on the side table, half concealed by the other objects cluttered on the surface.

That's how it was there, in my home. Everything was a clutter.

My eyes fell to the ugly blanket I had knit when I was seven, which my mother never found the heart to throw away no matter how many times I protested.

Fin caught my eyes and smiled, his cheeks a pink-ish tint.

I relaxed again and took a sip of the water my mother carried in a while back.

We'd stayed there longer than I'd predicted we would, and I was slowly feeling antsy.

At first I couldn't wait for the night to end, to talk to my mom. Now it had me sinking farther back into the couch.

The room grew silent after a while, a comfortable silence.

My mom nursed a glass of cheap wine in her hand, leaning against her hand as she watched me and Fin.

Fin who had inched towards me and had his shoulders pressed against mine.

He smiled down at me and slowly started a conversation. Something I barely listened to because my heart was beating too fast and the room was growing too warm.

He knew, he could tell I wasn't listening, but he did it anyway because he knew how much his voice soothed me.

"Mom," I finally croaked. "I want to tell you something."

She sat up and smiled, setting her glass aside. "What is it, honey?"

I glanced at Fin, who only smiled reassuringly.

I took a deep breath and winced.

Did I really have to tell her? It was my life.

Her lips stretched into a smile as she laced her fingers together over her knees, the skin on her fingers a colorful palette of dark blue, pink, purple, and a pale yellow.

Fuck it.

"I like Fin. I mean," I quickly added, "I mean, more than like him. Like, I like him. He's...He's my boyfriend."

Her eyes shot to Fin and the smile on her face slipped off.

My heart stopped beating.

Fin shifted in his seat and snaked a gentle arm around my back, squeezing where his hand wrapped around my side.

It's going to be okay.

My mother's eyes glistened and a single tear slid down her face. She sniffed and brushed it away.

"Okay," she said. "Okay, it's okay, Kaiden."

I swallowed. "What?"

She laughed and cried a couple of more tears.

Then she stumbled to her feet and pulled me up for a hug. "It's okay. I don't care, you're still my son and I love you. No matter who you fall in love with."

My heart squeezed painfully as I circled my arms around her, hugging her back. "Thank you."

"It's kind of my job," she said, stepping forward so that she stood in front of Fin.

Fin was smiling, like he usually did, looking at my mother as if she was a beautiful, exotic bird.

She smiled back and kissed his cheek. "Thanks for taking care of my son, Fin."