Someone In The Crowd

Chapter - 24

               Wei Wuxian and Jiang Cheng was sitting at opposite sides of the table, a cup of hot chocolate in front of each. After dropping the others, the two brothers came back to Wuxians place. Jiang Cheng was staying there for the rest of the holidays.

               Jiang Cheng was fidgeting in his seat. He knew that he had disappointed his brother. The last thing Wuxian deserved from him was the exact thing he did, hiding things from him that needed no hiding. Wuxian took a sip from his cup and fixed his stare on the younger sitting in front of him,

"So... Who is he? My sweet little brother?"

There was a subtle tone of amusement and teasing in his voice. Jiang Cheng looked up, 'he is not angry?' he thought astoundingly.

"Umm... my boyfriend?"

He replied, unsure of what exactly the other wanted to hear. Wuxian chuckled out loud at the answer.

"That much I think I know. I was wandering about his name or what he does probably?"

He said after controlling his laughter.

"Ooo..."

Jiang Cheng hummed dumbly.

"His name is Nie Huaisang. He studies at my faculty, different course though."

"Great... But Cheng, I didn't think that you needed to hide this from us. I thought we're close enough to share such things with each other... or was I wrong? You didnt even tell anything to sis... why?"

Wuxian would lie if he said that he was not hurt even a little bit. Their relation was not one where Jiang Cheng had to hide his relationship. The younger looked down.

"He was not ready to come out to anyone. He still isn't."

He replied quietly. His voice low.

"To anyone?"

"To his family to be precise."

"Why?... They are homophobic? Is he scared of that?"

"Not really. But you know that being supportive of something when it has nothing to do with yourself is easy, but when the same comes to your own family all those supportive attitudes can disappear in just a moment... right?
He is scared of that to be precise."

                 Of course, he knew very well what that was, having experienced it first-hand. Well, it was not really directed at him, but he knew it all too well because of Alison. Hearing the younger speak about it, he unknowingly took a plunge at those bitter-laced memories.

               Alison was Yanli's best friend and a frequent visitor at their house for as long as he can remember. When Yanli was in college, she came out as a lesbian. Before it, Wuxian was affirmative of the fact that his parents were supportive of the LGBTQIA+ community but he was proven so, so wrong. After the revelation their attitude toward her changed completely. They even went as far as constricting Yanli from meeting up with her. When cornered by him and his sister, they always had the same argument ready,

"It's okay to support all that when it is outside your own household, but when it enters ones own home things change kids."

That is what they were turned into, mere 'kids'.

               Alison stopped coming to the house after a few insulting visits; no matter how subtly those insults were directed, one was bound to notice them. Though it did not break apart the friendship completely, but things were not like before. Wuxian and Yanli both understood what their parents were afraid of only too well. They were afraid that Alison was probably pining on Yanli and was trying to lure her into a relationship with her. They failed to make them understand that just because she liked girls, she would not have romantic feelings towards every girl she knows.