SIX: THE (OUT)SIDERS

TRICK OR TREATING WENT WORSE THAN DANIEL EXPECTED. The boy had dressed up as Ponyboy Curtis (Mike had personally loved the slicked back hair, but Daniel missed his curls) and he was expecting to have a night of fun with his friends. Instead, Max showed up and unknowingly took the attention of Dustin and Lucas and poor Will suffered through one of his episodes again.

Mike, Will, and Daniel were on their way back to Mike's house, Daniel having reluctantly left Dustin and Lucas even though they were a little preoccupied with Max. Mike had one hand on Will's shoulders and one holding Daniel's while the curly-haired boy held their bags of candy. They got back to Mike's house and the Wheeler boy sat Will down on the basement couch after letting go of Daniel.

"Hey," Daniel got his boyfriend's attention, "I'm gonna go upstairs and call my mom if that's okay. I think you're uh a bit better suited to handle this."

Mike looked sad for a moment, asking, "You sure?"

"You can stay," Will spoke softly from the couch, "We're friends too, ya know."

Daniel laughed at that, "Yeah, I know, I just don't know how much of a help I'll be. I'll see you tomorrow, okay?"

"You're absolutely sure?" Mike asked again, facing his boyfriend with the same sad expression on his face.

With a reassuring chuckle, Daniel insisted, "Yes! I'm sure."

Kissing Mike softly on the lips, he ruffled his dark hair before saying goodbye to both him and Will before trotting up the stairs. Part of him wanted to stay, just to make sure Will was okay, but he knew Mike and Will were a million times closer than Will would ever be with Daniel. He was okay with that, he knew when he wasn't needed at the moment. He happened to not be needed at this moment and he was all right with that.

Karen Wheeler looked rightfully surprised to see him, "Oh, I thought you boys would be back later? Are ya gonna call your mom?"

Daniel nodded, "Uh, yeah it's just Mike, Will, and I. Thanks for letting me use your phone."

The woman ruffled his curls softly, "No problem, bud." Daniel sometimes had a sickly feeling she knew what was really going on between Mike and him, but then again, there was no way she could really know for sure. Even if she had, she never quite let on that she knew. Sometimes she would gaze a little longer at the two boys or smile a bit more lovingly at Daniel, but that wasn't enough evidence. Daniel knew he needed to worry less, Mike and his sister both told him that all the time. Truth be told, he didn't know how.

A few minutes later, his mother was pulling up in front of the Wheeler house. He smiled and said goodbye and thank you to Mike's mother before taking his bag of candy and leaving the house.

His mother was immediately questioning him as soon as the car door closed. "Why did you wanna leave early? I thought you were gonna be out 'til nine?"

"Will had one of his episodes so Mike and I brought him back to Mike's and I just, I don't know, I thought it was best that I leave, that's all," Daniel explained with a shrug, "I'm just tired."

"Are you jealous?" his mother asked, which left him a little taken aback. Noticing his hesitation, the woman continued, "During that week Will was gone, it seemed like you and Mike got really close, but now that Will's been back, you've been talking about Mike less, not going out with the boys as much as usual. Do you feel like Will's, well, for lack of better word, that he's taken your place?" Daniel said nothing. "Or do you think Will likes Mike in the way that you do?"

If Daniel had been the one driving, he would have slammed on the brakes and jumped out of the car. Instead, he chose to say, "I don't know what you're talking about, ma."

"I'm not blind, Daniel. Not to mention our house has thin walls. Sometimes I walk by and I hear the shit you two say to each other, I just didn't feel the need to say anything because it's none of my business but now you're wasting your Halloween going home early and being mopey so now it's my business. Did Mike tell you to go? Did he say something rude to you? Because I don't give a shit if he's your boyfriend or not, I'll kick his ass."

The boy was frozen, but his mother's words relaxed him slightly, "No, no, he asked me like three times if I was sure I wanted to leave, don't hurt him. So, y-you really don't care?"

"I mean, it'll take some getting used to," the woman sighed, "but I'm a grown ass woman who can respect who her son loves. Also, you're, you're sure it's love? I mean, you're only fourteen, Daniel."

This was what Daniel was afraid of, but he would rather this than have his mom kick him out of his house so really, beggars can't be choosers. "Yes, mom, I'm sure. It's-it's been almost a year. Next month." Suddenly, this drive felt a million hours long.

"You had the audacity to hide a relationship from your mother for a whole ass year?" his mother sounded more offended than angry, "Does Heather know?"

"...Yes."

"Daniel!"

"Sorry!" he exclaimed, holding in a giggle.

With a sigh, also holding in a smile, his mother spoke as they pulled into the driveway of their house, "I just, I don't want you to think you have to hide things from me, Daniel. Hell, when I was your age I wasn't even allowed to go to the same school as white boys like you, you think I'm gonna give a shit if you're queer? My mother didn't talk to me when I told her I wanted to adopt you, she still doesn't, that's why you don't know Grandma. This family is cursed with hardships, if anything, this just makes you a bigger part of this family as if you and your sister weren't already the most important things in my life."

Daniel wanted to cry happy tears. He was so terrified that the minute his mother found out about him he would have nowhere to live, no family to love him. Little did he know, she knew about him for God knows how long. God, he really needed to worry less because sometimes things didn't always turn out so terrible.

"Also, Daniel, sweetie, I'm pretty sure I've known you were gay since last year because you watched The Outsiders maybe ten thousand times and there's only one girl in that movie next to all those fine, young boys."

"Mom!" Daniel shouted, his cheeks going red with embarrassment. He was mainly just embarrassed because she was absolutely right. Given he was currently dressed as Ponyboy Curtis, he didn't have much of a counterargument.

"Am I wrong?" she asked to which her son had no answer, "All right, now go inside, get into some pajamas and I'll put on a movie and we'll eat all that candy you got. Sound good?"

It did, so Daniel stepped out of the car, glad he still had a home. He ran up to the door, waiting for his mother to unlock it before going inside and up to his room. A few minutes later, he and his mother were settled down on the couch with The Outsiders playing on their TV. The only thing that could make this night more perfect would be Heather and his honorary sister, Veronica being there as well, but the two girls were going to Veronica's after the Halloween party that their mom didn't know about. His mom told him he could tell her anything, but he knew Heather would kick his ass if he told on her, so he figured he could keep this one to himself. All he cared about right now was knowing that he was loved. And he was.

( note! )

uM heLLO this is short and i feel like these chapters have been getting shorter bUT there isn't a lot of action in the first few eps of season two so soRRY!! also, this part of the book is likely gonna be shorter since epISODE SEVEN is a big hole in the middle of the season with noNE of the boys, but imma try to make this one at least 20 chapters so it's close to the first part!! anyway, uhh, i know it's unlikely to have characters that are accepting of gays, but I mean, there was no feasible way I could justify Daniel's mom being homophobic!! she isn't all go gays!! and marching at pride rallies, but she loves her son and that's what matters thank you for coming to my TED talk