Follow Carmen, a young and deeply closeted gay teenager as he navigates the 1980's and 1990's yearning for love and trying to find where he fits in.
This story is rated M because it contains elements of death (including children), homophobia, religi...
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"Well", Troy said with a glimmer in his eye, "Normal or not, he's gone now. What do you want to do?
"I think you know the answer to that", I said, as I reached down and started rubbing his crotch. It was very evident that he did, so I reached behind him and locked the patio door, then took him by the hand and led him to the bedroom.
After another round of marathon lovemaking we spent the rest of the afternoon sitting and talking, watching the occasional TV show, and doing other normal couple things. I was thoroughly enjoying the normalcy of it. At one point I decided to show Troy my computer. I was quite proud of it: I had built all of my own computers in those days, and they were always top of the line.
It featured an AMD Athlon Thunderbird processor, 64 MB of RAM, an ATI All-In-Wonder video card with built in TV tuner, a second 3DFX Voodoo II card for gaming, a build in CD burner, a scanner, a cable modem, and more. Those features would sound laughable today, but in the late 1990's when everyone was still using dialup and floppy discs they were cream-of-the-crop. While showing him, I started up IRC and joined #gay_halifax.
James was online, and he messaged me as soon as I joined the channel.
^James: Hey, man, what did you get up to last night?
Asterixx: Hey hey! I was on a date. With the most beautiful man in the world!
^James: Ok, now, I know you're lying, because I was right here all night and you were nowhere to be found
Asterixx: OMFG, I didn't mean you, you insufferable twat! I was on a date with Brayden28
^James: LOL, I know, you told me you were going out together, remember? So, how did it go?
Asterixx: It was an absolute disaster, but turned into the best night ever.
^James: Disaster? What do you mean?
I gave him a brief rundown on the night, from the broken truck to Bruce showing up to Rodney's escapades.
^James: Jesus, how did you manage to salvage the night after all of that?
Asterixx: Because, for once in my life, I decided that I was going to be bold. You know how bad I suck at the whole flirting thing. I decided to bypass all of that and asked him directly if he was interested.
^James: And he was?
Asterixx: Well, let's just say that if you felt any tremors last night they had nothing whatsoever to do with earthquakes.
^James: Holy shit. You fucked on the first date? I'm surprised at you, Carmen. Proud as a peacock at how far our little baby gay has come, but surprised.
Asterixx: So was I surprised. That was so unlike me. But it wasn't quite like that anyway. We've known each other for months, even though we only just met last night, so it wasn't like I was fucking a stranger. And, as stupid as it seems, I really like him. I think he may be the one.
^James: "The one?"
Asterixx: Yes, the one. I think I want to spend my life with this guy. We are now officially ♥♥♥boyfriends♥♥♥.
^James: What????? Already? Does he feel the same way?
Asterixx: Yup. He's actually still here, sharing my Captain Kirk chair with me as I type this.
^James: Jesus Christ, you move fast!
Asterixx: Yeah, it only took me 27 years to find I guy I really wanted as a BF
^James: That's not what I meant and you know it. I was talking about it being your first date with the guy.
Asterixx: Yeah, but again, I've known him for months. Besides, when you know, you know. And you know I would never take something like this lightly. And I got to know him very well last night. Very, very well. Several times over. And again a few more times this afternoon.
Troy slapped me as I typed this. "Oh my God Carmen, don't tell him that! He'll..."
"Relax", I said. "This will be right up his alley. Watch..."
Sure enough...
^James: Ew, gross, you perv! But please, tell me more! Seriously, though, that's great News. For you, anyway. I guess it'll be up to me to sop up the mess now...
Asterixx: What mess?
^James: The mess from all of the tears when you announce to #gay_halifax that you are no longer on the market. The streets will be flooded with the tears of eligible bachelors.
Asterixx: /slap ^James
Server message: Asterixx slaps ^James around a bit with a large trout
^James: OMG. Did you really just trout me?
Asterixx: Sir, you have been trouted.
^James: You crazy bastard.
Asterixx: Oh, and one other big development. You remember Rodney, my friend?
^James: That sexy but dumb meathead that's always coming over to your place? Yeah, I remember him. Don't tell me you're fucking him too!
Asterixx: *readies another trout. A bigger one, that's also rotten.
^James: Easy with the trout, there! So anyway, what about him?
Asterixx: I came out to him.
^James: OMG WHAT
^James: *faints
Asterixx: Yep. I told him that I'm gay and that Troy is my boyfriend.
^James: Holy fuck. How did that go?
Asterixx: Surprisingly well. I didn't expect him to be so OK with it. It shocked him at first, especially when I gave Troy a big kiss right in front of him, but after he got over that it was like nothing happened.
^James: Awesome. I'm glad it worked out that way.
^James: *cries
Asterixx: Cries? Why cries? This is good news!
^James: ^I know, it's just that our little baby gay is getting all grown up!
Asterixx: Yeah, I am. I really am. I feel like I'm finally finding my way.
^James: *cries for real
^James: OMG, that's so sweet! I've gotta go, I've gotta tell Derrick and Mel.
I felt a sudden nervousness.
Asterixx: Will Derrick be OK? With me having a boyfriend and all? I mean, I know he kinda likes me
^James: Oh yeah, he'll be fine. He does like you, but he knows the two of you are too different. He'll be happy as hell that you've met somebody. He knew that you were talking to Troy, after all.
Asterixx: I hope so
^James: He will, trust me. Anyway, I've gotta go. TTYL
Server message: ^James has left IRC
I closed the IRC program as well, and turned the computer off.
"So", I said to Troy. "What do you want to do now?"
