Wesley had been dating Ezra for 3 months but only officially for a month and a half, since it took Wesley so long to truly admit that the dinner dates through zoom were in fact dates. They met through an online zoom conference about Quantum Physics. Wesley wasn't looking for a boyfriend, but it's not everyday that you find a guy with a passion for quantum physics and a kind heart.
Wesley hadn't told anyone about their relationship, since therapy with Troi wasn't that useful in curing his raging homophobia. She just doesn't understand why he thinks being gay is so bad, "Most of us are queer in some way," she told him, "even your mother and I, you know this Wesley." He doesn't understand why she says these things, he doesn't know this. He sometimes laid awake thinking about how disgusting it was that his relationship with Ezra brought him so much joy. Father Paul, his priest, agrees with him about the sinfulness of this relationship but he still can't leave. No matter how aware he is of the sins he's committing, Wesley just can't bring himself to do anything to hurt Ezra. Every sunday he confesses the same sin over and over and over again just to receive the same advice.
Wesley knew Ezra's mom was a Bajoran ambassador to the Federation but he never really thought anything of it until today. He overheard Picard and Riker talking about the Bajoran ambassador and her family who were visiting the ship for a few weeks. As soon as he heard the ambassador's name he jumped from around the corner without thinking.
"Wait...what? Captain, can you repeat that? Who did you say was going to be on the ship?"
"Wesley? Where did you come from? You know it's impolite to eavesdrop on people's conversations? Especially when they are senior officers on a starship. We could have been discussing classified information like our upcoming infiltration of the Romulan neutral zone."
Picard continued to lecture him on the ethics of eavesdropping before finally confirming that yes, he was talking about Ezra's mom, and that yes, both Ezra and his parents would be on the ship in a matter of hours.
"Since you seem so interested in our guests I think it would be a great learning opportunity for you to be with the senior staff when we welcome the ambassador and her family to the ship, afterall you are a member of the bridge crew."
Oh fuck no Welsey thought. He was terrified of the possibility that he would be exposed as a homosexual. Of course he wanted to see his boyfriend but also the prospects of what was to come were terrifying. The urge to run to the holodeck had never been so strong.
"I don't really want to welcome our guests."
"You don't have a choice. Maybe this will teach you some lessons about eavesdropping."
"I need to go... Can you excuse me, captain?" Wesley said standing up.
"Sure whatever."
Wesley runs to the holodeck and quickly pulls up his Catholic church program. He ran in and quickly went straight into the confession booth.
"Bless me father for I have sinned. It's been one day since my last confession. I am still with a man but he is coming today and I have to see him. What should I do?"
"My child, why are you still with him when you know the sin you are commiting?"
"I don't know."
"Well my child you should stop as soon as possible. Pray the rosary all the way through this time. Now will you pray the act of contrition?"
"My God, I am sorry for my sins with all my heart. In choosing to do wrong and failing to do good, I have sinned against You whom I should love above all things. I firmly intend, with Your help, to do penance, to sin no more, and to avoid whatever leads me to sin. Our Savior Jesus Christ suffered and died for us. In his name, my God, have mercy."
"God, the Father of mercies, through the death and the resurrection of His Son has reconciled the world to Himself and sent the Holy Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins; through the ministry of the Church may God give you pardon and peace, and I absolve you from your sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen." Wesley made the sign of the cross and left the booth.
