↔IMPULSE↔

↔Coming Out↔

When Gabe went home, his father was relaxing on the couch with Mom.

He looked extremely tan, his frameless glasses perched on his nose and his thinning hair wasn't combed as he remembered. Mom noticed him first, "Gabe! You're home! How was the festival with Archie?"

Sandy came thudding down the stairs, "you're back! On your birthday, Graveyard Shift sang to you?!"

Gabe's cheeks turned pink, "how do you even know that?"

"The fan page, duh!"

Dad stood up with the friendly smile, his eccentric personality showing a little in the Egyptian hieroglyphic pyjamas. "I heard you were in San Diego, it's fascinating how music never loses its importance in peoples' culture, the festival must've been crowded."

An awkward smile, "yeah, it was. It's nice to see you, Dad."

There was a knock at the door and Gabe answered it because he was closest, it was Archie. "Some of your clothes were in my duffle, I figured I drop them off on my way to the store."

Gabe took the plastic bag of his clothes and smiled fondly at Archie, "thanks. Oh, Arch, this is my Dad."

Archie stepped inside and held out his hand, "how nice to meet you, Mr Escott. I'm Archie Vaungh, Gabe's friend." 

Dad shook his hand and smiled, introducing himself, "pleasure to meet one of Gabriel's friends."

Mom hugged Archie briefly, "thanks for keeping an eye on Gabe at the festival."

Sandy coughed to cover up a snort, clearing her throat, "your set was wicked."

"Thanks, I should get going now." Archie nodded his head slightly and looked at Gabe, "I'll pick you up tomorrow at noon." They had a date planned to go to the aquarium. When he left Mom beamed and said that both the Vaungh boys were so handsome and polite. 

Gabe and Sandy went upstairs, she followed him into his room and closed the door, "are you ever going to tell Mom and Dad you're gay?"

"Archie and I have only been dating a little over a month," Gabe said, twisting his fingers nervously. 

His little sister huffed, "there are pictures of you two kissing on the fan page, in the video he calls you baby. Anyone could find those, Gabe."

"I want to tell them, Sandy. But I don't want them to get angry at me or disgusted, Dory has figured our relationship out and he's upset about it—"

Sandy took his hands supportively, "I can be there when you tell them. I've got your back, bro. It'll be better to tell them on your own terms than them finding out somehow else."

A defeated sigh, "I'll tell them. Just give me a day or so to gather my nerve."

"You mean talk yourself out of it."

It bugged him more that she was right. "I promise I'll tell them soon."

"Good. You know they won't be angry Gabe, we all love you. Just because you like another guy isn't going to change that." Sandy left his room and he sat on his bed, plopping back. Cassandra was right, just because he liked guys didn't mean he was a different species. He was still Gabriel.

...

Three days passed and Gabe had yet to tell his family about his orientation. He sat there overthinking the reaction, picking at his dinner.

"Gabe, are you okay?" Mom asked. "Are you not feeling good again? Another headache?"

He looked up from his plate and his mom's face was full of concern. Sandy stared at him and he gave her a slight nod. "I have something to tell you guys."

Dad put down his fork, munching on his broccoli. They stared at him expectantly and he clenched his hands on his lap feeling like he was suffocating, Sandy kicked him under the table to jar him back to reality.

"Is everything okay?" Mom asked, taking Dad's hand.

"Um, yeah, everything's fine, but I, uh, wanted to tell you I started dating someone..."

Smiling brightly, "what's their name? Are they cute?"

Gabe took a deep breath, "it's Archie. I'm dating him."

Mom looked taken back for a second then smiled again, "he seems like a very nice boy. It must've been hard to tell us."

Dad was silent, Gabe's nerves bubbled up but then his father said, "it's nothing to be nervous talking about. Same-sex relationships have been around forever, they have found depictions of homosexual relationships in paintings and such. If you look through history, it's normal."

His eyes burned with tears, he'd been so scared of being forsaken and being different. When his father said it was normal it made him relieved and completely happy. It felt like a weight had been lifted from his chest and he could breathe again.

"You should invite him over for dinner," Mom said as she cut her pork chop.

Sandy snickered, "Mom can show him your baby albums and I can tell him about that time you lost a bet with me and dressed up as a ballerina—"

"Sandy, you wouldn't!"

"Oh, bet—"

Mom gave her a look, "stop teasing your brother, and Gabe? I'm definitely showing him what a cute baby you were."

"But Mom! It's so embarrassing—"

"What part of your blessed life has been embarrassing?" She asked with a firm look.

An audible gulp, "n-none of it." She smiled and went back to eating. Dad talked about Eygpt and he had brought back souvenirs that were still in his suitcases. He told them about the tomb he was in and about the history behind the occupants. Gabe liked hearing the history behind all of it, it was interesting and hard to believe how much of one's life could be pieced together so long after their death.

When Gabe went up to his room that night, he dialled the Vaungh's number, Reese picked up, "Sup, Gabe. You wanna talk to Archie?"

"Yeah."

Reese shouted for Archie and soon Gabe's boyfriend was on the phone, "what's up, babe?"

"I told my parents..."

"Really? How did they take it?"

The hysterical laughter bubbled over as a result of all that stress no longer being an obstacle. "Mom wants to have you over for dinner one night, Dad said it was normal. Sandy pushed me to tell them."

Archie chuckled, "you did good, Gabriel. Do you want to go out tomorrow? I can take you out for some milkshakes," he sang the last part, tempting Gabe with the promise of sweets.

"I can't wait, I'll see you tomorrow, Archer."

A sigh, "you no fair to me. I miss you."

He was so cute! "Miss you too, I'm going to bed now. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Gabriel." When he hung up he left the phone on his nightstand for Sandy to come to fetch in a little while to call her friends.

Snuggling under his blankets, Gabe sighed. He didn't like sleeping alone anymore. He hugged a pillow to his chest and closed his eyes. He couldn't wait until he could see Archie again. It was a great feeling, being in love with someone and being loved in return. His crush on Dory was painful and he always endured, but now he could kiss, hug, love Archie and it made him beyond satisfied.

Love? Was he falling in love with Archie? His heart sped up at the thought and his face heated up. Yep, he was definitely falling in love with Archer Vaungh.