A Scripta

Sherry took Kevin’s hand and led him through the hallway. Kevin glanced back to make sure Michael was following. They came down the stairs, and Michael found himself facing a typical redneck, huge, hulking, fat, and hairy. The man’s beady raven-eyes bored into him as soon as he cleared the threshold.



Michael glanced to Kevin, who had raised his head defiantly. “Hello, Uncle. Meet my boyfriend, Michael.”



Michael stood straight, imagining this man as the usual typical homophobe that he enjoyed teasing. He offered his hand. As he expected, the man didn’t take it.



“Boyfriend, eh?” The man glared at him. “Got AIDS?”



“No,” Michael responded, already feeling the edges of Kalius’ aura. The tension was so thick, even Sherry moved back away.



He turned to Kevin’s mother, “And he’s eating with us?” He thumbed at Michael. Kevin took a step forward, but Michael put a hand on his arm. If he could summon his armor right now, he would, he was that angry.



“Yes, sir, I am breaking bread with you, in celebration of this high Christian holiday, where you are to love your neighbor.”



Thomas whirled on Michael, then looked him up and down. “I don’t sit next to faggots.”



“I’ll sit as far away from you as possible,” Michael said.



“So will I,” Kevin said, and put an arm around Michael’s waist. Michael could see the man’s jowls jiggle with repressed anger. His mother looked ready to melt into the woodwork. “At the kid’s table if we have to.”



Thomas turned and left without a backward glance, slamming shut the door. Michael looked at Sherry, who remained behind. Kevin’s mother took a breath. “So, Sherry, want to help me bake cookies?”



“Okay,” Sherry said, and looked up at Michael with an almost sorry face. She went into the small kitchen, while Kevin turned away with a growl, taking a hold of Michael’s hand and dragging him into the TV room. He looked longingly at the tiny bar in the corner, then sat down.



“Military Channel?” Michael asked.



“No.” He flipped through the channels and stopped at the Sci-Fi channel - though both men knew that most of the stuff that happened there could easily happen in Paragon City. Kevin sat back, and put his arm around Michael’s shoulders, pulling him against him on the couch. Michael smiled and sighed contentedly.



A little while later, they heard the back open. "Hi, mom," said a voice, and Michael sat up. Kevin perked up as well, and Michael got up and offered a hand to Kevin. Kevin was already on his feet, and walked past Michael to the doorway to the kitchen. Michael looked beyond Kevin to see a man with brown hair and carrying a few bags of groceries. "Is this all you wanted?"


"Hi, Peter," said Kevin.


Peter looked over, and looked Kevin up and down. "Hey, Kevin, what's up?"


"Nothing much." Kevin approached Peter and gave him a brotherly hug. "Pete, this is Michael."


Michael held out his hand. "Nice to meet you."


"Oh, hi." Peter shook it briefly. "You have powers too?"


"Not like Kevin's," Michael said with a smile, and looking at Kevin.


"What can you do?"


"Support," Michael replied. He looked at Kevin, seeing if he wanted him to do anything. Kevin shook his head a little, and Michael smiled at Peter, then turned away. Sherry had bounded out of the kitchen and hugged her uncle's waist. Pete smiled down at her. "How's my little pumpkin?"


"Okay!" She handed him a chocolate chip cookie, then handed Kevin and Michael one. "Want milk?"


The three men shook their heads, and Pete bit into his. "So you enjoying your powers?"


"Pete, it's not as great as you think it is."


"I still don't see what makes you so special."


"I don't know, either," he said. "Maybe I can handle it better and he doesn't know."


"'He' can hear you just fine, Pete, and it's not something I can take off and give to someone else like a jacket."


The door opened again, and a compact but sturdy man with long brown hair tied back in a pony tail stepped in. "Whose 2010 Nissan is parked out there?" He called with a broad smile to Kevin. He clapped Pete on the back, and held a hand out to Kevin. He took it, and got pulled into a rough bear hug. Michael smiled at the greeting. "How're you doing?"


"Good, dad," he said. "Dad, this is Michael."


The man turned to Michael and held out his hand. Michael shook it firmly and smiled. "Nice to meet you, Mr. Nomikos."


"Good to meet you too, only heard about you. And call me Jason."


Michael inclined his head. "I appreciate you letting me come celebrate with you and your family."


"You're his boyfriend. It's not any different than Bri and Pete bringing their wives."


He looked up and smiled. "Thank you, sir."


Jason smiled, genuinely welcoming. Michael relaxed. Jason hugged Sherry and said, "I take it you met Uncle Thomas?"


"We did," Kevin said. "We'll be sitting at the kid's table."


"Bullshit. He's going to have to handle it, might as well do it now."


Michael said, "I don't want to cause friction - "


Jason gave him a look that brokered no argument. Kevin could give him that look, too, and he clammed right up.