"So, where is your little partner?"

Tanner was smiling, but on the inside he felt sick. Sitting at the table with the local news center wasn't that large; he'd done interviews already. But, when he looked at those sitting with him, with the slicked back hair and the tight suits, his throat constricted.

His smile felt too forced. "Polly isn't going to be with us anymore. Believe it or not, she hasn't escaped the nightmare that was once her life. Her parents are sending her back to a torture camp for 'bad behavior'."

The gasps were a wanted answer, but it didn't make him feel any better. He felt sick to his stomach. Sick because he could only imagine how she must have been feeling. Sick because after almost becoming close with her, she was gone again.

His mistakes were his own; that didn't mean he didn't want to make up for his past. For his obsessive behavior. For how he'd hurt her. Looking at his past, Tanner could remember everything he'd done to her. How he had thought it was normal. How he had destroyed her and how he hadn't seen it before.

Tanner wasn't a good person, but he was trying to be better. And now, Polly was out of his grasp. His old possessive tendencies ran deep, and even if his intentions were pure, he wanted nothing more than having her in his sights. Making sure she was okay.

Stalking wasn't a tendency of his, but his entire existence itched to drive to her house just to see her.

"How are you planning on continuing without her? Polly is a large part of your campaign?"

He knew that. They all did. He saw the panic in Lennard's eyes at the thought of completing this without her. "Polly still is a huge part of this campaign. Everyone sees her and immediately emphasizes. Polly reminds them of their own daughter, or their neighbor, or their child's best friend. Seeing her up here, telling her story, these people feel for her. But, just because she's gone doesn't mean that stops. She needs everyone's help more than ever now. If my father wins, Polly will be forced into a camp. She's already outed. And she needs our help to save her, just like all the others in her position."

Sitting at the table, Tanner felt like his old self. He'd always been in front of adults, charming them, talking to them. He'd been good at that, good at finding the perfect words to say in a certain situation. It was why his father had taken such interest in him as a child.

His eyes connected with Gryphon's off stage, and impulse surged in his blood. "Instead, we're bringing on another person into our campaign who suffered just like Polly had. I'd like to introduce Gryphon."

Gryphon was shaking his head. Lennard was shaking his head. But Tanner didn't care; he needed to win, for Polly and for Gryphon, and he needed all the help he could get. And a tiny part of him, the part he ignored, wanted Gryphon beside him on stage.

The tall, dark skinned boy stumbled onto the stage, eyes wide and mouth open. It was unlike Gryphon to look so confused and not in control. Gryphon was the type of boy who was sure of himself and of his actions.

"Tanner," Gryphon hissed as soon as he reached the older boy.

"Welcome, Gryphon! Tell us a little bit about yourself."

Gryphon stared into the cameras and into the crowd of people. A live audience was necessary, but Gryphon didn't think it helped. He wondered how all those newscasters did it every day.

"I'm Gryphon." He was stumbling, his heart racing. This was it; after this, there was no turning back. He would be outed. He would be destroyed if Tanner didn't win. It was selfish of Tanner to bring him out, but Gryphon knew that now was the time. He too wanted to save Polly.

A warm hand found his under the table, and a deep flush ran up his neck when he saw Tanner holding his hand. Tanner. Of all people. The two made eye contact, and Gryphon's chest tightened immediately. His heart was beating so loud, he could barely hear anything, and for a moment he pictured himself alone with Tanner, the two of them holding hands, getting closer. A little tilt of the head, and they'd be soon kissing.

When Tanner squeezed his hand, he looked forward again. "I went to the same camp as Polly did. I actually met her there, and while my experience was different, it was also the same. That's how it is for all of us; our experiences differ, but in the end, we're all the same. If Tanner doesn't win the election, we'll all be put away again. Tortured until there's no more blood in us to bleed. Tortured until we no longer cry out because once you've been in pain long enough, it becomes numbing. I don't want to go back to that. Polly doesn't want to go back to that."

One of the women at the table had a calculating smile. "Isn't it true that Tanner here was the one to torture you?"
Gryphon swallowed and itched for a cigarette. "Yes, it is true. It's also true that Tanner's father forced him into the job, and forced him to act like he did. In the circumstance where a child is involved, isn't it the fault of the parent or guardian who forced the child to do acts such as the involvement of the camp? Why put the blame on Tanner, who was under eighteen when I was at the camp, when it was his father orchestrating the entire thing? And better yet, Tanner is trying to make changes to his wrong doings. He may have been a child, coerced by his father, but at least he's trying to fix what he's done to all those children. I've forgiven him. Polly has forgiven him. It's time we all do and focus on what really matters. The safety of our citizens."

Gryphon almost cringed; Polly hadn't forgiven Tanner. And despite that claim, Tanner had reached past eighteen and was still involved in the camp. But, Gryphon hoped people would see past that. Or at least, he hoped he wasn't the one talking about it when it came up.

"Are you saying that you trust a man who tortured you for days, weeks, months on end? You trust him to be different, to make changes?"

Gryphon felt his throat constrict as he looked at Tanner. His hair was well groomed, all to fit the looks of a good politician, but Gryphon could see past the hair, the suit, the well groomed version of Tanner. He could see the fear in his eyes. The way his body was sluggish because of lack of sleep. How worn out he looked.

Trusting Tanner was like trusting an animal that had attacked you once. There was no accounting for their actions, even after they've let you pet them. But, Gryphon couldn't stop the way he felt about the older boy. The way his heart sped up. The way he felt calmer beside Tanner. The way pride swelled in his chest when he heard Tanner speaking about protecting those who weren't heterosexual.

"Yes, I trust him. I trust him completely."

The edges of Tanner's lips turned up in a barely there smile. Tanner knew just how hard trust was given, especially by a former camp attendee.

"Well, that's all the time we have for today. Everyone, I'm Cathy, and this was Tanner Higgins. You will see his name on ballots in a few weeks, and it's up to you whether or not you want him as our next Governor!"

Off stage, Gryphon had to shake off the way he felt holding Tanner's hand. He had to shake off the way he stared into the older boy's eyes, dreaming about what could happen if Tanner wasn't straight.

He felt jumbled on the inside. Scrambled up. Completely nervous and afraid for what was the come. His feelings for Tanner weren't exactly wanted. There were other boys to like. Other boys to fall in love with.

It didn't help that Tanner hugged him as soon as all the hidden microphones were taken off of his body.

"It's happening, Gryph. We have a real good chance at winning."

Gryphon tightened his arms around Tanner at the nickname, painfully aware that the hug was platonic.

"Tanner, don't rejoice just yet. We need to talk about what you did up there." Lennard's voice was hard, pressed. Beside him stood Minny, worried and running a hand through his hair. Both brothers, similar in looks, couldn't be more different in personality.

Tanner broke away from Gryphon. "Sorry, but I was drowning. You saw that. We need others on our team. Gryphon just happens to be another person to help me out. To back me up. Why is that a bad thing?"

"Because Gryphon isn't Polly!" Lennard exploded. "Polly is blonde and cute and wears cutesy little animal shirts. Polly reminds everyone of the sweet girl they know. Thinking about harming her pushes them to vote for Tanner. But Gryphon? Sorry, but you aren't the look we're going for. I hate the be the one to say it, but Gryphon is a male, and he's black. Think about it, Tanner. The state is full of racist pieces of shit. You think Gryphon will get them to vote for you?"

Gryphon's face twisted into a scowl, and he was ready to retaliate, but Tanner beat him to it. "You think that his worth is connected to his skin color? You really think that racist pieces of shit care about gay people? They don't! They wouldn't vote for us anyway. I don't care if Gryphon isn't Polly, and I don't care that he might not pull in more votes. I care that he was abused, and it was because of me, and if I can fix this mess, then that's all that matters. Gryphon matters. Polly matters. But Gryphon's black skin doesn't, not if it means pulling him off the campaign."

Lennard didn't know how to answer that, so he didn't. He glared at Tanner for a long, suspended moment. Then Minny jumped in. "Gryphon, you're fine. Lennard is just stressed about Polly. Everyone and everything is fine. Now, let's go Lennard. You need to chill out."

Tanner and Gryphon watched as Minny pulled his twin from backstage and outside, where Minny could try to talk some sense into Lennard.

"He's right, you know." Gryphon ducked his head. "I'm not Polly. People won't react the same to me, a teenage boy."

Tanner grabbed his shoulders, shaking him. "I don't care that you're not Polly. I don't care that you aren't a cutesy, blonde haired girl."

Gryphon looked into his eyes, trying to find the lie. "What are you talking about, Tanner. You like cutesy, blonde haired girls. You like Polly!"

Tanner shook his head, and then dropped it to Gryphon's shoulder. His body was shaking, and Gryphon held his breath for a moment, trying not to disrupt the moment. "I did like Polly. I do like Polly. But I also like you, Gryphon."

Gryphon pulled out of his grasp. "No, you don't. Not in the same way."

Tanner's eyes blazed when he looked up at Gryphon, upset he pulled out of his grasp. His brain didn't even stop to think about what he was about to say before the words popped out. "You're wrong! Yes, I liked Polly. I wanted her for myself. But I want to same for you. I want to sit in my study, and have you be the only person in there with me. I want to sit in my study and have you listen to my speeches and tell me if you liked them. I want you on stage with me, holding my hand, giving me strength. I want you too, Gryphon. I want you too."

* * *

Another update! yasssss

and some gryphon/tanner fluff?? YASSSS

What do you think will happen? Is Lennard right about Gryphon? Will everything crash and burn without Polly? And how do you think she's doing?

Happy Wednesday my skeleton children

I love you all, XOXO