The Pros and Cons of Being Outed | Peterick

Epilogue

A few months pass by relatively peacefully. There hasn't been word from Brendon at all, and Patrick has pretty much accepted that fact. He was content with that, honestly.

It's late April, really close to the end of the school year, when Brendon shows his face again. Pete, who is right by his side, is ready to cut in, but he doesn't need to.

Brendon started apologizing profusely. "I didn't understand before," he explained. "You kept telling me that everyone's coming out experience isn't the same, and I only figured that out a while ago. My boyfriend's going through a lot right now, because his folks aren't very open-minded."

"Who's your boyfriend?" Patrick asked curiously. He doesn't feel any ill will towards Brendon anymore. All he had wanted from him was a decent apology, and it seemed like he just got it.

Brendon smiled smugly, ready to show off. "Ryan fucking Ross. Unbelievable, I know."

Patrick smiled. He always had a feeling about that guy, that he wasn't as straight as he appeared.

"Woah," Pete interrupted, looking baffled. "You're kidding."

"Nope," Brendon smiled. "We got on maybe a few months ago over music, and things just picked up from there." Then he started to seem shy, glancing at the ground every so often before picking his head up to look at Patrick and Pete. "I'm very thankful that I've got him," he said softly.

Not every person is a villain. People have many sides to them, just like Brendon. A while ago, Patrick could've sworn he was the most evil fucker around, worthy of the title Satan. Now, he knows that's different. He's human, just like the rest of us.

"I'm proud of you," Patrick said, clapping his shoulder. "And I accept your apology."

Brendon perked up. "Really?"

"Really," Patrick nodded.

Brendon grinned before saying goodbye and running off. He always had a lot of energy.

From that point on, Brendon, and Ryan by extension, joined the friend group. They fit in nicely, and although the others were a bit weary of Brendon initially, they warmed up to him.

Both Brendon and Ryan also gave Gerard plenty of love advice. The others had kind of gotten tired of hearing about Frank so often, but those two were new to it and thought that it was absolutely adorable. Which it is, let's be real.

When they were at their graduation, Patrick looked around at his friends in their graduation gowns and caps and smiled to himself. Yeah, being outed definitely wasn't favorable, but if it didn't happen, he'd still be in the closet right now.

He wouldn't have an amazing boyfriend who he loved to death and he would still be hiding. All that was left really was to come out to his parents, which he would do after he got settled in college. It didn't seem as scary as it did before; in fact, Patrick was pretty confident they would accept him. If they didn't, well, then they weren't good parents in the first place.

College would go smoothly and even if and when it didn't, he had a whole group of people ready to support him whenever he needed it.

Everything was going to be fine.