COMPLETED [boyxboy] Carson Hughes is a bright light. Vinny Taylor is an enigma. ** After spending his summer away as a camp counselor, Carson Hughes comes back to his home town for his senior year. Things seem to be just as he left them until he finds out his best friend's brother came out of the closet and cut everybody out of his life. Kind and caring Carson can't help but want to understand this new Vinny. Vinny Taylor is falling, constantly going down and feeling like there's no end. His summer leaves him changed forever. After coming out and alienating himself, he spends most days locked away in his room until Carson comes back to town. Vinny's a mystery yet to be figured out. And Carson is up to the task. WARNING: Some of the content in this book may be triggering for some readers. Chapters with triggering content will have trigger warnings at the top with what the triggering content is. There will not be any graphic or detailed scenes of traumatic or triggering experiences. ~180k words

"One of my favorite tropes is someone who believes they're hard to love and someone who loves them like it's breathing." TW: Mentions of suicide and abuse Forest Gray is what everyone would describe as a golden boy; perfect grades, the star of the football team, and a damn good friend. He is rich and good looking, he has it all. Except the one thing he's wanted his whole life; his parents love and acceptance. They are never home, yet they hold a protective barrier around him no matter what. They even own the school he goes to. Forest is to do and be who they say, and he's never been one to disobey or displease anyone, except for when he falls in love with the one boy who's able to break his parents spell. Atlas Hart is different from most people, because most people don't skip school and disappear for days or even weeks at a time. But most people don't have his intense emotions and outbursts of anger, or a broken family, or looked at as the outcast of the school. When Forest meets Atlas, he can't believe he's never noticed someone so perfect for him, and Atlas just can't believe someone like Forest is even talking to him. They fall helplessly in love, creating a bump in the plan Forest's parents laid out for his life before he was even born. Follows the struggles of falling in love with someone you're not supposed to and coming to terms with it while facing obstacles like family and friendship complications in which the characters have to overcome.