Pricingham One Shots!

Perfection

 A.N.
  Thank you so much for over 100 reads on this story!! I honestly wasn't expecting to get a lot of reads on this book, since it's kinda a rare pair.
  Either way, thank you all so much!
  Anything you guys want to see in this book? I'll take requests.
  Also, I would love it if you guys could critique my writing so I can get better 😅

  They did not expect their homecoming to go successfully in any form of the word. Returning to America after spending two years in Africa where they had, to put it lightly, completely trashed the Mormon faith, was going to be rough, and they had expected that. In fact, it was of no surprise to Arnold that his parents didn’t even show up. But, when the two of them stepped back into the airport, forgetting that they were hand in hand, since they were so used to the gesture at this point, they fell under the harsh, scrutinous eyes of Kevin’s parents.

 Over the two years they’d been together, Arnold had thought that Kevin had completely denounced his faith, and that his parents wouldn’t have such a strong vice grip over him. But, two years of freedom could barely amount to nineteen years of oppression; Kevin nearly collapsed and fell back into the weak mold, becoming submissive, bowing his head and giving up his (what Arnold had once thought was) indomitable will.

 Watching him fall apart to practically kiss his parents’ feet was an eye-opening experience. He had never seen Kevin in such a state; he was willing to completely take everything back to return to normalcy for a moment, begging for forgiveness for his shortcomings. And, perhaps, he might’ve been forgiven, if he would’ve done one thing: if he wouldn’t have forgotten to let go of Arnold’s hand.

 And now here they were, sitting alone, together, disowned, in a bustling airport.

 Arnold was slouched over beside Kevin in a rough, somewhat itchy, cushioned chair. He was studying him with the utmost concern, and partial confusion, for he still did not quite understand why he was so upset. Maybe it was because Arnold had never quite lived up to be what his parents wanted, and therefore was never expected to do anything by them, he did not understand this great and vast disappointment that his boyfriend was feeling now; he was so used to feeling like a failure to other people that he couldn’t now comprehend how sharp the pain felt the first few times it slung itself upon you.

 Kevin was holding his face in his hands, his elbows being propped up on his knees. He had been silent for what felt like forever, and, although they were surrounded by sound, Arnold felt as though Kevin’s silence overtook everything else. The loss of his voice frightened the shorter man, and so he found himself sliding closer to him. Placing a hand on Kevin’s upper arm caringly, Arnold stuttered softly, his lips feeling heavy and cumbersome.

 “H-hey buddy, are you okay? Be-because it’s all gonna be okay, you just need to see th-” He was cut off by Kevin shrugging his arm off of him. Such an act and such a behavior reminded Arnold of that second night in Uganda, and it frightened him down to his very core. Knowing that he should back off, but finding himself unable to, he reached for Kevin’s hand this time. He grasped it, and Kevin allowed it there for a moment. “Hey, hey, hey, don’t get all weird on me again pal-! Remember, we can’t turn on each other now - we’re all we got!”

 At that, Kevin ripped his hand from Arnold’s, rising to his feet hurriedly. “And whose fault is that, Arnold?!” He spun around, the words stinging his lips as they left, but he suddenly came to the realization that keeping them in his brain had hurt more. Perhaps it was because of his long lapse of silence, but his voice seemed terribly loud and sharp to his ears, giving off a distinct ringing sound that echoed harshly within his brain. His voice had cracked as well, something which Kevin took note of, hating how weak it made him sound.