TJ laughed. "Politics-ese for 'I'm not going to admit you're right'? It's okay, you don't have to tell me. I know the truth," he added with a wink. "That's exactly what I mean. Pardon my fourteen-year-old-girl, but ewwwww. No. I suppose, if we don't need it, better not to spend the money, anyway."
Being poor sucked.
As Doug continued, TJ grew quiet. He'd never really appreciated how much Doug saw, too wrapped up in his own problems, he supposed. "You kinda do, though, Dougie. Take care of me, I mean. Not the way they do, but...you do. Just in ways that don't smother me and that I don't mind, like you're doing right now." TJ smiled. "Okay, I'm doing better and we'll just hope I can continue that without too many setbacks. What about you?" he asked, curiously. "How are you doing? And don't say fine unless you mean it. This wasn't supposed to be just for me, not really."
Although he knew he shameless took advantage of the fact they were both there to support him.
How he was going to show his parents anything when it seemed like they were determined to see him only as what they'd already decided in their minds, he wasn't exactly sure. But, he nodded his understanding anyway. If they could stay off the radar for the next few months and he could stay clean, then he should be able to think of a way to prove to his parents he wasn't a failure.
"He is and he does...which is still weird, honestly. I don't think I've ever actually been with a good guy even just for a one-time fuck." And he would have had to have been involved for more than that to have anyone support him. Although, Travis just did even before, when they'd first met and he decided TJ needed something more than a watchdog. "The straight part...I don't know. I mean, I know you said I could make him want me. But, I didn't even try. Hell, I tried keeping him at arm's length, pointing out he's straight. And he still wanted me. I can't keep second guessing this anymore. I'll go mad as a hatter if I do. So...I'm just not. It is what it is and when it isn't..." He just wouldn't think about that, either. It was bad enough he was now wondering if maybe he hadn't inadvertently influenced Travis anyway. He couldn't tell when his power kicked in and Travis hadn't been himself when he first started to talk about wanting TJ when he wasn't the boyfriend cover. What if TJ had been using his power without realizing it and making Travis feel his desires, which they both mistook for Travis'?