DISCLAIMER: Homophobic slurs and actions, mentions of domestic abuse

Ever since Remus told me he's part of LGBTQ+, I've wanted to know more about it. Dad has strictly forbidden me from using a computer but I know that he's not going to tell me what the LGBTQ+ community is so I'm going to have to break the rules. It doesn't really matter anyway. I've already broken about every other rule in this house and that actually ended pretty well for me. I've got a friend now. Anyway, one night when dad was asleep, I crept down the stairs to his study. He never locks his study door at night and it was easy to guess his password so soon, I was logged in. Quickly, I searched up LGBTQ+ community and skimmed through several articles. I never knew that there were so many different sexualities and genders. I've been sheltered my whole life, never leaving the house and never being allowed to use a computer so all this information is new to me. But, the more I read, the more I felt like I belonged in this community. I've never gone on play dates with any other kids but just from watching Remus and his brother for the past 8 years, I think that I might be gay.

~Time skip to when the boys are 15~

I've been sitting on the information I learnt when I was 13 for two years now and I don't know how much longer I can keep this information from my dad. He needs to know that I don't like girls but I have a feeling that he won't like it. I decided to talk to Remus about it when I see him.

"Hiya Janus!" Remus said, grinning and dangling his legs off my roof.

"Hey Remus." I said, inching out of the sky-light and along the roof to sit next to him.

"What did you want to talk about?"

"I-I never said that I wanted to talk about anything." I said hurriedly.

"Janus, I've been your friend for 9 years. I know when you want to talk about something. So, what is it?"

I sighed. "I-I want to tell my dad something but I don't know how to tell him."

"Well, what do you want to tell him?"

"That I don't like girls. At all." I sighed, staring up at the moon.

"You mean you're gay?"

I laughed slightly. "Yep. I'm gay. And I have a feeling that my dad isn't going to like that."

"Why?"

"Because he's my dad."

"Well, what's he ever done to you that's made you believe he won't like this?"

I sighed and wondered if I could tell Remus the truth. He's been my only friend for ages, I guess that gives him the right to know the truth. "Dad's.... complicated. He loves me as his son but if I break a rule and get caught, he'll throw me in the basement."

"So you mean that what we're doing right now could get you locked in a basement?"

I smiled slightly. "Ha ha... yep."

"Janus, that's not right."

"I think I've figured that out for myself." I said sarcastically.

"No, it's against the law. How long has this been going on?"

"Since we got here. Dad wanted to get me a skin graft but we didn't have enough money so he just stopped me from going outside and if I broke any of the rules... he would throw me in the basement." I laughed slightly, looking up while my eyes filled with tears. "It's stupid, really, the fact that I can't run away from it. I mean, my mum did so why can't I?"

"Well... why can't you?"

I looked at Remus, confused. "What?"

"Why can't you run away? You could come and live with me!" He said excitedly.

"Remus, this isn't a game or a sleepover."

"I know. But you don't know anyone else here do you?" I started to speak but Remus cut me off. "Exactly! My dad'll be fine with you coming to live with us and I'll make sure that my brother won't hurt your feelings."

"Thanks Remus but no. As much as I would love to just move in with you, dad'll come looking for me."

"Oh. Well, if you do ever need somewhere to stay then you can always come around to mine!" Remus said, hugging me before climbing over to his house. I waved after him.

"Right, okay. I've ran it past Remus and tomorrow, I'm going to tell dad that I'm gay."

***

"Hey dad?"

"Yeah kiddo?" Dad asked, turning to look at me.

"I, um, I think that I'm gay." I said, shrinking into myself. Nothing happened for a few seconds but then, I was thrown to the floor.

"I did not raise a faggort. You have exactly 5 minutes to get out of my house and I never want to see your face again. Got it?" Dad hissed at me. I nodded and ran upstairs, clutching the back of my head where it had hit the table.

I grabbed a backpack and started shoving clothes into it. I grabbed my little yellow car and ran out of my house.

I hesitated. They probably wouldn't take me in anyway. Remus was just being nice. Still, I knocked on the door and waited for something to happen. Suddenly, the door opened and Remus' brother was standing there. Quickly, I un-tucked my hair from behind my ear and let it fall over my face.

"Remus! You've got a visitor!" Remus' brother yelled up the stairs. Remus ran down the stairs.

"What is it? Oh, hiya Janus. What are you- have you been crying?"

I had. I smiled weakly at Remus. "So, I told my dad that I liked boys and he kicked me out and I didn't have anywhere else to go and-" I was cut off by fresh tears rolling down my face.

"Oh God. I'm so sorry, Janus. Come in." Remus said, practically pulling me into the house. "Papa! We've got a lodger!"

"Remus, if you bring home another rat I swear- oh, hello. Janus, wasn't it?" Remus' dad asked, pushing his glasses up his nose. I nodded, my throat dry. "Well, what are you doing here?" He asked kindly.

"M-M-My dad kicked me out." I muttered.

"Oh my goodness, you poor thing. I'm sure we can set you up with a room. You'll be part of the family in no time." Remus' dad said. I smiled weakly again.

"Thank you, Mr Winston."

"It's no problem at all and just call me Patton." Patton said, beaming. Suddenly, another man came in from the kitchen. He looked from me to Remus to Patton and then back to me and he sighed.

"Patton, we've talked about this." He said.

"I know Logie but-"

"Dad, please don't kick Janus out!" Remus begged. "He's got nowhere else to go."

Wait, dad? Remus had two dads? "Y-You have two dads?" I asked quietly.

"Yes. Do you have a problem with that?" Remus' dad-who-wasn't-Patton asked.

"Oh, no!" I said hurriedly. "I-I-I just thought that- I mean, I got kicked out for being gay so I.. I just."

"Wait, wait, wait. Back up." Patton said, holding me by my shoulders. "You said you got kicked out because you were gay?" I nodded. "Did Daniel do anything before he kicked you out?"

I bit my lip and looked down. "I, um, he... my dad... he pushed me to the ground and my head hit a table but-"

"Right. Patton, if you could please get the First Aid Kit from the bathroom and Janus, was it? If you sit here with your back to me so I can see if your head is badly injured, that shall be very helpful."

I did as he asked while shooting a quizzical look at Remus. "Logan's always talked funny. You'll get used to it." He said. "I'll go and set you up a room!" He bounced up the stairs and started yelling at Roman to do... something, I couldn't really hear what.

"I got the First Aid Kit, Logie!" Patton said, bouncing into the room.

"Thanks love." 'Logan' said distractedly, parting the hair on the back of my head. "Ah, you have a small cut, nothing serious but it will get infected if we don't act quickly. This may sting a little." He said, pressing something cold to the back of my head. I winced but didn't say anything.

"There we go. I think that is all we can do for now. Now, Janus, I suggest you go upstairs and stop Remus from trying to blow up the house while making your bedroom."

"Oh, um, sure. Thank you, by the way. For letting me stay here." I said, smiling slightly.

"It's no problem kiddo!" Patton said cheerfully, not noticing my small wince at the use of my dad's nickname for me. "You can stay here for as long as you want."

"Thank you again." I said before running up the stairs.

"Hiya Janus!" Remus said. "Do you need clothes or did you get some already?"

"No, I've got clothes." I said, setting my backpack down on a chair and sitting down on the bed. "Wow. This room is... so much nicer than my old one."

"I'm glad you like it. It used to be my brother's old performing space but then you arrived so it's your room now."

"That would explain the countless musical posters." I said, pointing to the wall and laughing.

"Yeah. My brother is weird." Remus said, laughing too.

"That's a bit rich, coming from you." I muttered, smiling. Remus heard and laughed.

"I suppose. I'll go and tell my brother to tell his boyfriend not to flip out when he sees you."

"Boyfriend? Your brother's gay too?"

"Yep. We're all gay here. You'll fit right in." He said good-naturedly, backing out of my room. I spent the next ten minutes putting my clothes away and just generally exploring the house.

Then, I heard the doorbell ring. I hid around the corner out of habit but poked my head around the corner to see Roman standing at the door, talking to someone and laughing. I couldn't see much of this someone because he was very short.

Roman let him in and Remus suddenly appeared behind me. "That's Roman's boyfriend." He muttered. "Let's go and say hi."

"Wait, no, no, no, no, no-" To late. Remus was already pulling me by the wrist towards the short boy.

I pulled my hair over the left side of my face as the boy turned around and smiled at me slightly. Then, he held out his hand.

"Virgil Summers."