Page 17 of Unbound
"It wasn't a date," I protested, but Phoenix waved me off.
"Coffee is absolutely a date, darling. A first date. Which means there needs to be a second one."
"There's not going to be a second one," I said. "He practically ran out of the coffee shop. I probably scared him off completely."
"Please," Phoenix scoffed. "Repressed boys always run. It's what they do. But they come back. They can't help themselves."
"This isn't some cheesy porno you watched online," Sam said acidly.
"Isn't it, though?" Phoenix grinned, unrepentant. "Beautiful closeted boy, sexy confident gay, family drama, religious trauma... we're missing a few elements for a proper bodice-ripper, but the bones are there."
"Can we please not talk about my life like it's entertainment?" I rubbed my temples, feeling a headache coming on.
"Sorry, babe." Phoenix's expression softened slightly. "But you have to admit, there's a certain poetic justice to it. One of them finally seeing the light? Coming over to our side?"
"Our side isn't something you convert to," Andrew said firmly. "Sexual orientation isn't a choice. You can't seduce someone gay."
"No," I agreed, "but you can seduce someone into honesty. Into admitting what they already know about themselves."
The room fell quiet for a moment, everyone processing that. Finally, Diana spoke up.
"And what if he already knows? What if he's been fighting it his whole life, and you pushing him forces him to confront it before he's ready?"
"Then maybe it's time," I said. "Maybe he's been ready for a long time and just needed someone to see him. Really see him."
"Or maybe you're projecting," Elijah said gently. "Maybe you're seeing what you want to see because it makes this whole thing feel less predatory."
That hit harder than Sam's accusations had. Because Elijah knew me. Knew my patterns, my defences, my tendency to rationalize things when I wanted them badly enough. And for some unknown reason, even to myself, I wanted this badly.
"Look," Andrew said, checking his phone, "it's getting late, and we're not going to solve this tonight. Adrian, I'm not going to tell you what to do. You're an adult, and so is he. But..." He paused, choosing his words carefully. "Just be careful. With him and with yourself. The line between liberation and manipulation can be thinner than you think."
The meeting broke up after that, everyone drifting to their own spaces. Jamie and Phoenix immediately started planning what they were calling "Operation Hot Coffee" (I didn't ask), while Diana went to the kitchen to start her evening baking marathon. Sam disappeared upstairs without another word, still radiating disapproval.
I was about to follow suit when Elijah caught my arm.
"Walk with me?" he said, nodding toward the back door.
We ended up on the small deck behind the house, the spring air cool and sharp with the promise of rain. Elijah leaned against the railing, quiet for a long moment.
"You want to tell me what's really going on?" he said finally.
"What do you mean?"
"Adrian." He gave me that look. "I've known you for three years. I've seen you chase guys, and I've seen you get bored with them. This isn't either of those things."
I stared out at our excuse for a backyard, not sure how to explain something I didn't understand myself. "He's different."
"Different how?"
"I don't know. He just... is." I scrubbed a hand through my hair. "When I look at him, I see someone who's never been allowed to be himself. Not for one fucking second of his life. And maybe it's stupid, but I want to see what happens if someone gives him permission."
"And you think you're the right person for that job?"
"I think I might be the only person willing to try."
Elijah was quiet for a moment, then sighed. "Don't break that kid, Adrian. He's probably already broken enough."
The words followed me upstairs to my room, echoing in my head as I got ready for bed.Don't break that kid.
