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Gabe nodded. “I think it’s also easier because you don’t need to know your exact label. It took me a while to figure out if I was bi or gay, for example. But I knew I wasn’t straight, so for me, queer would’ve worked.”
I hadn’t expected a serious discussion like this with two teenagers, but I loved it. “The sad reality is that being queer still isn’t fully accepted. I had an argument the other day with my agent, who lectured me about being too gay.”
Fir rolled his eyes. “I didn’t know gay came in levels.”
“That’s almost literally what I told him.”
“What did you do that he felt was too gay?” Gabe asked.
“I promised a free shoot for World AIDS Day to benefit the AIDS foundation. He felt I shouldn’t align myself with a cause like that.”
“I did a project on the AIDS epidemic for history last year,” Gabe said.
“Wow, that’s an interesting topic,” I said. “What class was that for, health?”
“No, social studies. We had to choose an event that changed the course of history, so I picked that. It was difficult for me to understand how scared people were of someone having AIDS, as if touching them could transmit it. But Dad explained that in the beginning, they didn’t understand much about it.”
“I’m sure you came across Lady Diana and how her simple act of kindness made such an impact,” I said.
Gabe nodded. “It was wonderful of her to use her celebrity that way. Kinda like you’re doing with that shoot.”
“Nowhere in the same league, but yeah. I do try to use my fame for something good, you know? And AIDS is a cause I feel strongly about.”
“Did you lose anyone close to you?” Gabe asked. “Or is that not something I can ask?”
“You can absolutely ask, and no, I didn’t. But your dad and I… Actually, both your dads and I grew up right in the middle of it. If we’d been born ten years earlier, it might’ve killed us as gay men. That’s not something I can ignore. We got lucky because by the time we became sexually active, enough was known about HIV to stress the importance of safe sex.”
Oh, crap. My very first real conversation with Fir’s kids, and I had already managed to fuck it up by talking about sex. But Fir didn’t look perturbed at all. “Now you understand why I keep hammering you about using condoms,” he said. “We’ve seen the worst of what can happen. And HIV isn’t the death sentence anymore it was back then, but it’s still not something to take lightly.”
“Yes, Dad,” both boys said in unison, and that broke the tension.
“They’re great kids,” I said to Fir later that evening. The boys were in bed—or at least, in their rooms—and Fir had invited me to spend the night. Since I hadn’t even been back in my own house since I’d returned from London, I still had my suitcases with a change of clothes, so I’d agreed.
We’d curled up in bed, dressed in our underwear, and Fir crawled into my arms. He was a cuddler, more than anyone I’d ever met, and I’d grown to love it. I’d never seen myself as someone who would be content holding a man in my arms, yet here we were.
“Thank you. I’m quite proud of how they turned out, though I can’t claim all the credit. It was a team effort.”
“I hope you didn’t mind the turn the conversation took.”
“You mean talking about AIDS and sex? No, I loved it. I try to talk about real things with them, and sex is a big part of that. They’re at that age when it’s important to keep that communication line wide open.”
“I think it’s awesome you’re so open with them.”
“This stupid puritan refusal to talk about sex with kids and with teens especially is causing so much harm. And teen pregnancies and STDs. I’ve already talked to Gabe about PReP. He might be too young now, but I do want him to know about it so he’s aware the option is out there. For a gay man, that’s important knowledge to have.”
“I couldn’t agree more.” I kissed the top of his head. “Thank you for introducing me, for being willing to share your kids with me. I promise I’ll do my very best with them.”
“I know you will.” He sighed as he played with my chest hair. “Though Gabe totally got into my head with his remark about not wanting to hear us having sex.”
I chuckled. “Same. I guess we’ll have to be quiet, then.”
He pushed himself up, a teasing smile tugging at the corner of his lips. “Maybe we should do a test run to see if we can manage that.”
“That sounds like the smart thing to do.”
Taking the lead, I rolled on top of him, capturing his lips in a passionate kiss. Fir moaned into my mouth.
“Hush,” I admonished. “You can’t moan that loudly.”
