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Jack would often throw small parties at his house while Medda was away. Nothing too crazy, he wasn’t throwing a rager. He would just invite his enormous friend group over for snacks, a few party games, and alcohol if they could get away with it. The music was turned up a full volume thanks to Albert and Race who insisted it was too quiet, and almost everyone had a red solo cup in hand.
“Okay, okay, wait!” Race eagerly tapped Sarah’s arm “I got one— Would you rather be able to time travel whenever you want, or be able to absorb knowledge on any subject just by thinking about it.”
“Time travel duh,” Sarah gave it very little thought.
The group was spread into a messy circle playing a heated game of Would You Rather. Jack sat next to David who he was sure hadn’t said a word all night. Before Jack could ask if he was doing alright he was quickly distracted by the game.
“What? Have you never seen a sci-fi movie? Time travel always messes up the space time continuum or whatever— Like in Back to the Future!” Albert argued, “I would pick knowledge, you would never have to study again.”
“Well, I’m not going so far back that I can fall in love with my mom before my dad does! That’s weird. I’m just thinking when I’m getting ready for school I can sleep in as long as I want and take plenty of time doing my hair and makeup. Then I’ll just travel back to the time right before I’d have to leave for school” Sarah crossed her arms.
“Then you’ll see the version of yourself who hasn't yet traveled and is still in bed, that’s weird” Spot, who was currently going back on his insistence on not playing, chimed in.
“I think time travel is better, think of all the accidents you could prevent. You could stop world wars before they even happen!” Crutchie explained.
“Okay, so you stop World War I. That's great. But then the timeline is all messed up and the world explodes or something!” Albert argued.
At that point, the entire group erupted into an argument about the logistics of time travel and whether or not unlimited knowledge was better. Jack was basking in the chaos when he felt David moving beside him. He looked over to catch David getting up and making his way out of the living room.
“I’ll be right back” Jack addressed the group though everyone was so wrapped up in their debate that none of them were really listening. Jack didn’t wait for any acknowledgment before he got up to investigate. When he turned the corner and made his way down the hall he saw David leaning up against the bathroom door, head in his hands.
“Hey Davey…” Jack said gently though David flinched regardless of his tone, “You alright?”
David quickly wiped away the small drops that formed in the corner of his eyes, “Yeah I just— I’m just being a wimp you can go back and hang out with everyone I'll be there soon.”
“No, I can't enjoy myself knowing you’re not. What's wrong?” Jack asked sliding down the wall to sit. David hesitantly did the same.
“I’m just being sensitive, I swear, it's not a big deal. It shouldn't be your problem at all,” David was insistent but Jack was more so.
“I promise you I won’t judge, did somebody say something?”
David took a deep breath and Jack was worried he'd begin to cry again. Jack hadn't noticed his friend getting so worked up and he couldn't possibly theorize on what had happened.
“I’m not used to such a big friend group and I just get overstimulated with all the noise” David confessed, “I like all of you guys a lot, and I wish I could be as adjusted to events with a lot of people like Sarah and Les. But there's only so much I can take before I just need some time to decompress.”
“That’s alright” Jack reassured him, “If you ever need to take some time alone you can always chill in my room. I have that comfy chair, the round one.”
“Thanks, I’m sorry…” David apologized.
“You have nothing to be sorry for. Honestly, I kinda understand why you would need to take a break. I can only listen to Race’s voice for so long before I need to rip my eardrums out” Jack grinned and David laughed with a half smile.
“Why didn't you say anything before?” Jack asked, becoming serious again.
David shrugged, “I dunno I've been able to handle it the last few times we've all been hanging out. I’ve just been stressed lately… I’ve been thinking about stuff a lot.”
“Wanna talk about it in my room?” Jack offered and David nodded.
In the living room, the arguments Would You Rather had caused dived down as Katherine suggested they play a game of paranoia.
“It’s your turn to whisper something Sarah, Crutchie’s next” Katherine urged the game forward when the group began to get distracted.
“Okay I got this,” Sarah said confidently, leaning in to whisper something in Crutchie’s ear.
After a moment Crutchie smiled and leaned back, “Definitely Jack and David.”
“Hey, you’re not supposed to pick two people!” Les squealed and Sarah gave him a little shove.
“No, it goes with my question, it's allowed. Flip the coin!” Sarah handed Crutchie the quarter they’d been playing with and the boy flipped it.
“Tails…” Crutchie announced.
“Well, what was the question then?” Albert asked in anticipation.
“I asked what two people in the friend group are most likely to be secretly dating,” Sarah laughed.
“What!” Race exclaimed, “There's no way you said Jack and David are most likely to secretly date!”
“Come on Race, have you seen the way they look at each other?” Crutchie argued.
“Jack is definitely straight. I’ll have you know that my gaydar is the most accurate in the business, I knew Spot was gay” Race pulled Spot closer who grimaced.
“We literally kissed,” Spot rolled his eyes.
“Yes and I used my context clues to come to the conclusion you liked men— Jack is not a man liker— He’s only ever dated girls!”
“That doesn't necessarily mean anything, he could be bi or pan,” Katherine chimed in.
“Race, what does your gaydar say about David?” Sarah asked, enjoying the chaos of the conversation.
“Inconclusive” Race shrugged, “but you know what Crutchie I’ll put money on the fact that neither of them are even gay.”
“I bet fifty bucks they are!” Les declared.
Race nodded, “Fine kid but I'll be expecting my money.”
“I’ll put down 50 too, that's a hundred bucks you owe if you end up being wrong, Race” Crutchie warned.
“Whatever,” Race shrugged, “I'm confident.”
“I can't believe you guys are betting on this,” Katherine sighed.
Jack flopped down on his bed and patted the space beside him for David to do the same, “Come lay with me Davey what's on your mind.”
David sat on the edge of the bed scanning Jack’s room and trying to find something to change the subject, “your room is a mess.”
“You’re welcome to clean it for me.”
“In your dreams.”
“Come on Davey what's buggin’ you” Jack sat up so that he was sitting on the bed edge beside David.
“Nothing I swear” David stared down at his lap.
“You said you've been stressed lately. You don't have to tell me anything if you don't want to— But it might make you feel better to talk about it?” Jack’s tone became soft and he craned his neck down in an attempt to look into David’s eyes.
David inhaled shakily, “It’s just— I think I might be gay.” Jack paused and David finally looked at him, waiting for a reaction.
“That's… fine” Jack’s hand moved on top of Davids, “I mean you know everyone would support you if you were, me included.”
“I know it just stresses me out I guess, thinking about having to tell people,” David shrugged.
“I’m bisexual” Jack blurted out suddenly.
David looked at him in shock, “how come you’ve never told anyone before?”
“I just told you” Jack grinned and David rolled his eyes with a smile, “I haven’t told anyone for the same reason you haven’t. I guess I just haven’t found the right time, and I have a bit of a history of only dating girls.”
David sighed and leaned against Jack’s shoulder, “that kinda makes me feel better in a weird way.”
“Less alone and stressed?” Jack’s fingers intertwined with David’s.
“Yes,” David closed his eyes with content.
Jack leaned into the other as well and then thought of an idea, “what if we both came out tonight?”
David’s eyes shot open again, “I don't know…”
“We’ll have to eventually, maybe it will be easier if it's both of us y’know?” Jack reasoned.
David sat up straight staring down at his lap and began to ramble, “But what if I'm wrong and I'm not gay? What if I just see guys and know they're attractive and I'm confusing my feelings? I mean I've never even kissed a guy— Well I've never kissed a girl either— But what if I say I'm gay and then I kiss a guy and don't like it?”
Jack cut him off by grabbing his chin and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. It happened so fast that David only had time to turn bright red before Jack pulled away.
“Did you like that?” Jack asked finally.
It took a moment for David to respond through his shock, “Yeah.”
“Looks like you’re gay. Wanna come out to our friends and talk about this later?”
“Yeah.”
Jack chuckled “Did my kiss leave you so wordless that “yeah” is all you can say?”
“…Yeah” David snapped out of his heartstruck daze as Jack grabbed him by the hand and led him out of his room.
“Do you want me to tell them or do you wanna come out yourself?” Jack whispered as they walked down the hallway.
“I think I'm okay to do it myself, but thank you” David’s cheeks lightened to a pink dust.
Jack just smiled reassuringly as they finally arrived in the living room doorway where their friends still resided. The group seemed to become quiet when they noticed them.
“Davey and I got something to tell you” Jack announced to the group not wanting to put it off any longer. He squeezed David’s hand encouragingly.
“I’m gay” David blurted out.
“And I'm bi,” Jack grinned.
“Fuck!” Race yelled burying his face in his hands and the group erupted into laughter.
“That’s a hundred bucks Race, there's an ATM down the street!” Crutchie pumped a fist up in the air triumphantly and pulled Les to his side so they could celebrate in unity.
“Did we miss something?” Jack looked around the room in confusion.
“Ignore them” Katherine placed a hand on Jack’s shoulder, “I'm proud of you.”
“Yeah, David I'm glad you could finally tell us,” Sarah chimed in.
“You knew?” David raised his eyebrows and his twin sister rolled her eyes.
“David please, we developed in the same womb. I probably knew you were gay before you did.”
“Ok…” Jack turned to Katherine, “I know you told me to ignore it but what is going on with Race, Les, and Crutchie?”
“Race bet a hundred bucks you and David weren't gay” Albert informed through his laughter, “he owes Les and Crutchie fifty bucks each.”
Les finally broke away from his celebration with Crutchie and ran across the room to hug David's waist, “I'm glad you're gay! I'm gonna buy a Nintendo Switch!”
David smiled and ruffled his little brother's hair gently, “you might need a little more money for that. But thank you, Les.” Les nodded with a toothy grin and then he beckoned his brother to come down to his level.
David squatted and Les whispered in his ear loud enough for everyone to hear, “Does this mean Jack is going to be your boyfriend?”
“Maybe” David looked back at Jack and Jack just tilted his head with a smirk.
“Hear that Racer?” Albert struggled to speak through his laughter as Race pulled on his coat for the walk to the atm, “Looks like your world famous gaydar needs some serious recalibrating!”
“Yeah, yeah” Race replied sourly until he looked up at Jack and David. “Give me a couple of days to get over my losses and I'll be happy for you two.”
“Got it!” Jack saluted teasingly as Race turned to leave.
For the first time in a while, David felt completely stress-free.