REVISED ON THE TWENTY-EIGHT OF JULY, 2003

((I just changed the end a bit to make it better))

Hello! I really should be finishing other stuff but I have to go to my aunt’s today and this has been bugging me since last night.

Warnings: Mature themes require mature readers. If you do not like reading things about homosexuality, then do not read. It’s simple. Oh, and there is some swearing and stuff like that but we all hear it everyday, anyway. Keep in mind I have absolutely no idea what I’m talking about. .

Rating: PG-13

But It’s Love

“I can’t believe it.” A father paced in front of the sofa. “My own son…” He paused and turned to glare at the boy on the piece of furniture. “How could you?” The question was full of quiet rage.

“It’s not like I wanted to,” the son crossed his arms in front of his chest, leaning into the soft cushions. “I just am.”

“‘Just am’?” The man’s voice rose. “No son of mine-”

“Frank, please.” A woman sat stiffly in the chair beside the sofa, dabbing her eyes with a tissue. “There is no need to raise your voice.”

Frank jabbed a finger in her direction. “Look at what you’re doing to your mother! How dare you try to tear this family apart with your sick-”

The son sat up straighter. “I’m not trying to tear anything apart! That’s what you’re doin’ with this little hissy-fit!”

“Don’t raise your voice to me, Nathan,” Frank said, looking down at the teen on the sofa. “I am your father, show some respect.”

“I only treat others like they treat me!” He moved to stand.

“Sit down!” The man pushed him back.

“Frank, please!” the woman repeated. “Maybe he’s just going through a phase. It’ll pass, just watch. Right sweetie?”

“No,” Nathan said firmly, looking directly at her. “It is not a phase, and it will not pass.” He looked at his father. “And I did not make a choice to be this way. If anyone’s to blame it’s you two. You made me-”

“If you know what’s good for you, you’ll shut your damn mouth!” Frank began to pace again. “Why can’t you just be normal? Oh, right, you wanted to be unique-”

“That has nothing to do with this!” Nathan did stand now. “You think I’d put up with shit like this just to be different?”

“Language,” his mother warned.

“Fuck language!” He kicked the coffee table.

Frank grabbed the boy’s arm, roughly turning him. “Watch your mouth around your mother,” he said quietly, but through clenched teeth.

“Let go of me!” Nathan jerked out of his father’s grasp and rubbed his sore arm. He looked down at the floor and shook his head.

“That Steven boy did this to you, didn’t he?” His mother’s voice piped up after a moment.

“No one did this to me, Mom,” sighed the son.

“Just a minute ago you said we were the ones who did this to you!” His father’s rage was back.

“Give me a fucking break!” Nathan glared at his father. “Why can’t you just accept me for who I am? Would it really be that hard?”

“This isn’t who you are,” his mother said softly.

Nathan nearly screamed. “Yes, it is!”

Frank stepped over to him. “Don’t you yell at her!”

“Why not? You do it all the time!”

Frank pulled back his arm and hit the boy in the jaw, making him stumble. Nathan just stood, stunned at what just happened, holding his hand to his face. His mother froze in her seat and held her breath.

“You hit me.” Softly.

“You deserved it.” Firmly.

No one seemed able to say anymore so they all just sat in the room and stared at various objects. The phone rang, but no one was up to answering it. It rang for a minute, then stopped. Nathan had an idea of who was calling, and he was glad he had given up. He was about to breathe a sigh of relief, but a small, innocent voice froze the blood in his veins.

“Hello?”

As one, the family turned to the hallway and saw little Marissa holding the phone to her ear. Her eyes were red, and her hair was a mess. Nathan’s heart clenched when he remembered his five year-old sister was still in the house, and that walls were thin. Thin enough for her to hear everything.

“He’s talking to Daddy and Mommy right now,” said the little voice. She was talking to Steven, no doubt. “No. They were yelling. They said it was your fault.” She looked out to them, and her eyes met her brother’s. “No. I like you. Nathan does, too. He told me so.” She looked back at her feet, then nodded and turned to the group. “Steven wants to talk to Nathan.”

Nathan got up to get the phone, but Frank stopped him. The man stalked over to Marissa and grabbed the phone. “Don’t you ever call this house again, you little faggot.” He slammed the phone back in the cradle and walked back to Nathan. “I don’t want you to see him anymore, you hear?”

Nathan looked at a family photo, anger welling up inside him. “I’d like to see you stop me.”

“What was that?”

“You can’t stop me from seeing him. I have classes with him at school, and we always ride the bus home together-”

“Then I’ll be picking you up from school.”

“Just try.”

“We’ll move.”

“Then move!” Nathan jumped up. “Please! Just leave me alone!”

His mother stood and went over to him, laying a hand on his shoulder. “We can get you help, dear.”

“Help?” Nathan moved away from her. “-You- need help.”

“Is Nathan sick?” Marissa asked. Everyone shut up and looked at her. “He doesn’t look sick. Steven sounded worried, like he was crying.”

Frank closed his eyes. “Steven’s sick. No son of mine-”

“Here we go with this ‘no son of mine’ bullshit,” Nathan growled out.

“Nathan!” His mother scolded.

“Steven’s sick?” Marissa blinked up at her father and sniffed. “Is that why you’re yelling?” She turned to Nathan. “Will he get better?”

“He’s not sick, Marissa,” he said, sitting back down. “Neither am I.”

“Then why are you yelling?”

Nathan and Marissa both looked at Frank, and their mother sank back into her chair. ‘Go on Dad, tell her why I’m so sick,’ Nathan mentally urged. ‘Explain to her that her precious big brother is a twisted little fag.’

“Nathan’s not how he should be, sweetie,” Frank began and he shot a look at Nathan when the boy snorted.

“Why?” Marissa sat on the sofa next to Nathan, her eyes big and her cheeks stained with tears. She sniffed again.

“He…” Frank trailed off, kneeling down beside the little girl. “He likes boys instead of girls, sweetie.”

“Is that why he was kissing Steven?” Marissa questioned. She wiped her eyes.

“Yes,” Frank said.

“I not only like him,” Nathan began, “but I love him.”

“Don’t start, boy,” Frank warned.

“It’s already started, Dad,” whispered Nathan. He hadn’t cried so far, and he wasn’t going to, now.

“But why were you yelling?”

Everyone looked at Marissa.

She continued. “You said that love was special. You said that love was the specialest thing ever. You said that God was happy when people loved other people.”

“If it’s a man and a woman, sweetie,” Frank tried to interject.

“But it’s love,” Marissa pressed, shrugging. “And Nathan was really happy when he was kissing Steven. Steven was, too.” She smiled brightly. “If they’re really happy then God should be really, really happy! He wants people to be happy, doesn’t he?”

Nathan nodded and smiled, tears welling up in his eyes. “Yes, Marissa, he wants people to be happy.” He pulled his sister into a tight hug and looked at his father. “Right, Dad?”

Frank stood up and wrung his hands. He coughed and looked at the same photo Nathan had. “Yes, he does.”

Nathan’s mother was bawling by now. She stood from her chair and hurried out of the room.

Nathan watched her leave. He let go of Marissa and rubbed his eyes with his sleeve.

“Why are you crying?” asked the small child.

“Because I’m very happy and I’m very proud of you.” He stood and smiled. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to call Steven.”

I revised the end a bit, to make the thing seem more real. Thanks go out to Fire Goddess At Sea, Angel-Anastasia, blink girly, and Izzy J for reviewing the first time and motivating me to edit this. Grazie!

Well, there you have it. A quick little one shot that’s outta my head now. Sorry for any typos, but I re-read it and didn’t see any. Kinda unrealistic for me, but what the hell? Reviews are appreciated.