To Save Our Families, Let's 'Marry' (BoyxBoy)

Chapter 33

Joshua and Henry put the well-timed delivery to use, both slowly limping over to the spare bedroom, closing the door behind them.

The room was mostly bare, with a bed and desk, not even a chair to go with it. It was a room that was barely used, Gin was the only person to have used it before when he had gotten into a fight with his girlfriend. It was clear the room was empty because it was of no use. The only distinctive feature was the large piece of poster paper stuck to the wall with the intricate flowchart scrawled in Gin's messy cursive.

As Joshua sat down on the bed, Henry set his crutches aside and slowly staggered to the was on which the plan had been stuck. It took him a little time since he could only raise one arm, the arm of which hand a sliced palm, however he eventually managed to get it down, rolling it up and pushing it between the leg of the desk and the wall to keep it from unfurling. Once done, Henry also sat on the bed, taking his shoes off and easing his legs up so he could be more comfortable.

He noticed Joshua was sat more formally, something he would have left if it hadn't entailed his injured ankle on the ground.

"Come and sit back properly so you can rest your ankle." As Henry spoke, he reached back for one of the two pillows.

Seeing that it wasn't much of a suggestion and no longer having the energy to cause a fuss – all of a sudden he had been hit with exhaustion, not surprising after the eventful morning – he nodded, taking his shoe of and pulling himself up until he had his back against the wall. Henry reached forward towards him, lifting his leg and placing the pillow under the bandaged ankle.

With the two men now comfortable, Henry talked.

"So, obviously our plan has been a bit of a flop so far. We have not done a thing to convince our parents that we are developing a relationship. It's actually a little miraculous they don't doubt us."

Joshua couldn't help but scoff at Henry's words, not because they were wrong, but because of how much of an understatement it was. They hadn't even tried to talk about the plan. Essentially, they dumped it on Gin, who in turn got the two drunk.

"Honestly, if it weren't for our bad luck and all those incidents, we would have already failed." Once again, Henry had told a hard truth.

"Honestly, I can't say I am a fan of it, but we agreed to get married and lie to everyone about our relationship, about being gay. Yet, so far, we haven't done anything. We've been lucky so far, but I don't know how long that will last. Definitely not long enough for us to succeed."

"You're right. We have been lucky, but things are progressing. If we don't get an act together, we might not even last until the marriage. And I don't really want to bring it up, but with what we pulled last night..."

Joshua didn't have to finish, both men grimacing. They had forgotten about it over the course of the eventful evening, but it really was too shameful.

"Yeah, we have to get some work into this. Before it falls apart."

They were silent for a moment, wallowing a little in self-pity, before Henry spoke again.

"Anyway, I only really realised it today, but pretending to be in a relationship actually entails, you know, acting like we are in a relationship." He watched the other man's face go a little grey, wholeheartedly agreeing. "Mn, same. I don't think I could live with myself if it took it that far. Like I said before, I mean no offence by it, but no, acting like a couple with a man is, well..."

"Impossible. Haunting, even. Believe me, I feel the same. So, what are we going to do about it? How do we pretend to be a couple if neither of us can bring ourselves to act like one?"