It was intimidating going on a date without any buffer. Hunter knew it was Sebastian's call but he was still fretful and feeling like maybe he was pressuring him into doing something he wasn't ready for. It was just a movie and friends went to see movies together all the time. The problem was that they weren't really friends, they'd never established any sort of friendship cover, jumping straight to an intense romance that had Hunter's knees feeling weak. Pretending to be just friends was hard. At least it was going to be dark in that theater so they could sneakily hold hands.
Sebastian was coming to pick him up and Hunter was glad his dad wasn't home. He wanted to tell him about Sebastian, of course, but he needed his boyfriend's permission first before he outed him to anyone. So it was a good thing Grady wasn't there or he definitely would have put two and two together seeing Sebastian McCarthy pull up to pick Hunter up.
Hunter tried not to dress too nice, or date-nice, because he didn't want to draw attention but most of his clothes were very flattering so it wasn't like it was out of the ordinary for him to 'dress up'. That didn't mean he didn't spend way too long in front of the closet to find a perfect outfit that said 'I'm just going to the movies with a friend' while also subtly saying 'I'm totally in love with that guy and want to look my best'. He settled on blue jeans and a maroon shirt.
As soon as Sebastian texted him to let him know that he was there, Hunter grabbed his jacket and headed out, grinning as he hurried to the car. It was starting to get chilly and although it hadn't snowed again there was definitely a smell of winter in the air Hunter thought. "Hey," he said once he was seated and secured, reaching over to grab Sebastian's hand. "Ready to go see an old movie?"
Sebastian knew that this was supposed to look like he was just going to the movies with a friend, but it was hard to keep that in mind when he was going out with Hunter. He wanted to look his best. He couldn’t just wear a hoodie and jeans. He tried on five different shirts before he settled on a soft gray henley, then pulled on his letter jacket because that was probably the most normal thing he could do. As much as he wanted to wear something a little nicer, a different coat would probably stand out the most.
When Sebastian pulled up in front of Hunter’s house, he really wanted to go to the door. He wanted to knock and kiss him hello and maybe wave hi to Jen. But that wasn’t for now, maybe just a hope for the future, so he texted Hunter and waited in his car, hoping that the tiny bit of cologne he’d put on wasn’t too much. Watching Hunter walk down the front sidewalk, he could feel his insides get all mushy and the butterflies get started. “Hey,” he smiled, letting him get settled before giving his hand a squeeze back. “It’ll be fun, provided I don’t annoy the crap out of you quoting the whole thing.”
Hunter laughed. "I wish I could do that with you! I never saw it before. I'll try to put up with your intense geekiness." He didn't think it'd be annoying. Nothing Sebastian did could annoy him, he was too adorable and cute and sexy and everything about him made Hunter's stomach all fluttery. Besides, he wasn't really going to the movies to see a movie, he was going to be with Sebastian. "I might actually be impressed if you are able to quote the whole thing."
“Okay, I can’t do the whole thing. Just large chunks,” Sebastian grinned as he started them towards the theater. It had been a favorite of his when he was younger, a movie that his parents knew and allowed him to watch over and over. Plus, it was super quotable. “I hope you like it as much as I do. Sometimes things like that are only good because of the nostalgia, but I think this one holds up. I promise not to talk through the whole thing. I want you to enjoy it too.”
"It's one of those movies everyone's always like oh my god you should see it," Hunter tittered. "So I bet it's good." He knew it was old and that was okay, he'd seen a lot of old movies and you got used to the low quality pretty fast. Jen certainly had made him watch worse, at least this one was a comedy. "I won't be mad if you whisper-quote everything," he added and he could just picture looking over and catching Sebastian mouthing along to the words. It would make it really hard not to kiss him.
“Promise?” Sebastian asked, smiling over at him for a second. Unable to help himself, he pulled Hunter’s hand up so he could kiss his fingers, the best he could do considering the circumstances. “You do anything fun last night?” His night would’ve been fun, had they won the game, but it was such a bummer to lose. The only nice thing about it was that his schedule would lighten up a bit without after school practice.
"Binged on Jessica Jones with Jen," Hunter said with a little shrug. "Ate way too much pizza, you would have dumped me if you'd seen the state of me last night." He grinned and it was weird knowing almost certainly that Sebastian wouldn't dump him over something shallow like that. He'd heard so many things about gay guys being shallow and he too was a little shallow so he'd totally believed all of them until he met Sebastian.
“Never,” Sebastian grinned. “I’d probably have been right there with you, curled up in a food coma.” It was hard for him to even imagine a world in which he wouldn’t find Hunter attractive. They all let themselves go once and a while, but they both seemed to have a strong enough desire to maintain their shape that it never lasted. Not that a little pudge would bother him. On Hunter, at least. If it was him, he’d enforce a strict diet and double the exercise, but that was on him. “I was thinking sometime this week we might look at college apps, if you’re cool with that. I’m starting to get worried about getting them in on time.”
"Yes!" Hunter replied, maybe a little too eagerly so he laughed and nodded in a more contained manner. "I'm super organized and we'll find you a great college in no time. I made like a cons and pros lists for them too." They might not end up having the same cons and pros but it was a start and they could add in things for Sebastian as they narrowed down the list. "I know it's unrealistic and all but I really want to go to the same college and like... keep doing this."
Sebastian grinned, glad that Hunter was as excited about this as he was. And that he was still serious about them going somewhere together. He knew it was a risk. He knew people would think they were crazy. And maybe they were. But it felt so right that he couldn’t deny it. He didn’t want to. “Me too,” he said, his smile turning a bit shier. “I know it’s… it’s fast. But I feel like we’re in the same place?”
Hunter nodded again, barely containing the beaming he wanted to do at Sebastian. It was probably naive and too fast and all those things but it felt right and had felt right since they started. He might not go around telling people he felt that way, even those who knew they were together, because they'd just roll their eyes at them but that didn't change how he felt. It might have been short but it had been like an anchor during a tumultuous time and they'd stuck by each other through some really intense and weird things already. Short, but deep. So deep it should have been scary but it wasn't. "I fell for you fast but that doesn't mean it's not real," Hunter said softly.
Sebastian smiled over at Hunter and wished he could just pull the car over and kiss him. For minutes or hours, he didn’t really care, but he wanted to be in a world where he could. He realized the only one stopping him from taking that leap was himself, but he felt like he was getting there, one step closer every day. “Have you told anyone?” he asked. He went through bouts of wanting to tell everyone, but he also knew how crazy he’d sound. It’d barely been a month, if that. He thought about it for a second, his smile widening. “It’ll only be a month this week.”
"I feel like you've always been a part of my life," Hunter replied with a warm smile. "I haven't told anyone here, I told my friend in Portland I was seeing someone but that it was a secret and I didn't name you or anything." He hesitated, gnawing on his lip for a few seconds. "I told my dad," he admitted. "But I told him I couldn't tell him who you are unless you're okay with it." He hadn't been unable to shake the feeling that Grady already knew, that Gaines had told him and he was just being considerate or testing Hunter or something.
“I’m not worried about your friend in Portland knowing my name,” Sebastian smiled. He realized that with social media what it was, that could still pose a danger, but it wasn’t like he and Hunter posted pictures of each other together. They wouldn’t need someone to ask if that was his boyfriend for people to figure that out. Telling his father was something else, both exciting and scary, and Sebastian bit his lip. “So long as he won’t tell my parents, you can tell him.” His dad knowing about them felt like a huge step. An important one. If things went the way Sebastian wanted them to, he’d be with Hunter for so long that his dad’s opinion mattered.
"I told him I was seeing someone but he's in the closet and he promised he wouldn't tell anyone if I told him," Hunter blurted out. "I think he won't and it might be good if he knows." It could be bad too, depending, but Hunter was sure Grady would like Sebastian. How could he not? "So I'll tell him if you're really okay with it. Right now I think he's just scared I'm dating some shady criminal or something so he'd be relieved to meet you." He was joking, mostly, but he also knew his dad could worry a lot and given his job, maybe he was right to.
Sebastian laughed a little at the thought of Hunter dating someone shady, sure that was how it sounded when you wouldn’t let your parents meet them, or even know their name. “I’d like to meet him too,” he said softly. If he did, then Hunter’s dad would be the first adult who knew about him. Other than the cop. Who could’ve easily already told Hunter’s dad. It just felt more real the more the circle expanded. Like he wasn’t living some weird double life. Plus, it was exciting that Hunter wanted his dad to meet him. “Do you think he’ll be weird about it?”
"Probably," Hunter said with a little laugh. "But not like hostile weird. Probably just, I don't know, maybe a little shy. Concerned, you know parents." He shouldn't feel this happy about introducing a boyfriend to his dad, should he? But if Sebastian wanted to meet him that meant things were absolutely serious and while Hunter felt like they already were, this was like a confirmation. "You sure you wanna meet him?" he murmured, voice going a little softer too.
“I’m sure,” Sebastian said, lacing his fingers through Hunter’s, his tone matching. “Hopefully he’ll see he has nothing to be concerned about. Except your virginity,” he said, grinning a little. “But we won’t tell him about that.” He knew that sex was most parents primary concern when it came to dating. He’d gotten the talk years ago, despite his lack of need for it. He didn’t even want to imagine how they might react once he came out to them, though he had the feeling that girls in his bedroom would no longer be a big deal.
Hunter blushed faintly as he laughed, shaking his head. "Well, too late for him to do anything about it now," he murmured because yes, blowjobs absolutely counted he had decided and there was no going back. "But yeah, he doesn't need to know that, let's not talk about sex with my dad, please." He gave Sebastian's hand a little squeeze and brushed his thumb along the back of it.
“Yeah, no worries there,” Sebastian snickered. He could joke about it now, but he’d absolutely die if it came up in conversation. He didn’t think Hunter’s dad would do that to them though. Or… he hoped not. “I’ll be a saint. On my best behavior ever,” he smiled, then said a bit softer. “I really want him to like me.” He’d never quite cared before like he did now. But it had never mattered as much. This time, for the first time, he’d be meeting the parent of someone he loved.
"I'm pretty sure it's a lot less scary meeting my dad than it would be for me to meet yours," Hunter said almost apologetically, wrinkling his nose a little. "He's nice, I promise, and he's okay with me being gay so that's a big step toward actually liking you. Plus you're super loveable so I bet he will. My sister likes you." He shrugged one shoulder and gave Sebastian's hand another squeeze. "She'll vouch for you."
“Okay,” Sebastian smiled, squeezing Hunter’s hand back before his smile faded a little. He wished he was in a place where he could introduce Hunter to his parents. But he didn’t know how they’d feel about him once he came out, let alone a boyfriend. “My dad, he’s not bad, but… I still don’t know how to tell him.” Or how bad it might make things at home. They were weird enough right now that he felt like things needed to settle, whatever that might mean.
"Worry about that later," Hunter told him. "I don't want you to rush it because of me or anything, I want you to be safe." He wasn't even sure if Sebastian would be unsafe if he came out but it didn't feel like something to gamble with. If he was nervous about his family knowing that meant he didn't exactly live in a really supportive environment. Hunter hadn't thought twice about coming out because he knew his parents were easy going.
Sebastian nodded and gave Hunter a sad little smile. “I know. I just wish this could be a normal thing. If I’m getting tired of hiding it, you’ve got to be exhausted.” Hunter had come out so that he didn’t have to hide who he was, and there was Sebastian asking him to keep their relationship a secret, even when they were planning a future together. It didn’t seem fair, even when he was the one making things difficult. “My sister likes you though. And so does Greg. He’s practically family.”
"Everyone knows I'm gay so I don't have to hide that," Hunter reassured him. "But yeah, I wanna show you off and it's hard not to." He was being a bit cheeky but it was still the truth and it would really suck to go to winter formal and pretend to be single. Worth it though because Sebastian was far more than just some arm candy and Hunter cared enough about it to keep his secret, but still. "You're the one who has to pretend to like girls."
“I haven’t been trying very hard lately,” Sebastian said with a little laugh. It was easy enough to say he wasn’t interested in anyone at the moment, but he didn’t think he could go stag to two dances in a row. What he really wanted was to take Hunter, even if that meant coming out before graduation. “I want to show you off too, you know.”
"Of course," Hunter said in a jokingly egotistic manner before laughing. "You should wanna show me off, I'm pretty cool." He wanted to snuggle in against Sebastian as he spoke but since he didn't really want to run him off the road, he resisted the urge. They were almost at the Orion too and snuggling would be too obvious in a parking lot. "I just hope I'm still young and pretty when you come out of the closet."
“I think you’ll always be pretty, babe,” Sebastian grinned over at Hunter. “But don’t worry. I won’t make you wait that long.” If he chickened out and failed to come out before winter formal, then he’d do it by prom. There was no way he was faking his way through his last school dance. It wasn’t just for Hunter. He wanted it for himself. “I promise to pin a boutonniere on you before we graduate.”
That made Hunter smile a lot and fighting the urge to reach over and kiss Sebastian was tough. "You shouldn't say shit like that when we're around people," he murmured giddily. "At least not people who don't know." He didn't expect Sebastian to come out while still in high school but if he did, Hunter really hoped it'd go well and that they'd still be together. He couldn't imagine a scenario where they wouldn't be so that wasn't really a worry but maybe it should be and he was being naive.
Sebastian laughed softly, biting his lip as he looked over at Hunter. “Let’s get inside. Maybe we can sit in the back and I can steal a kiss or two.” Which was far more risky than he should consider, but he was really hoping that most of the other kids his age had better things to do than go see an old movie. Well, not better. Different, because this was where he wanted to be with Hunter tonight. And while he didn’t imagine them making out the whole time, it would be nice if they didn’t have to be on high alert the whole time either.