That was the price of being out.
The price ofnotbeing out, though… Gabriel knew that. Reid was sure he understood the loneliness, the sense of living half a life.
Some people chose that over the pain—sometimes literal—of being out. And that was okay, too.
Reid wasn’t entirely sure how long he could handle being with someone who wasn’t ready to be out, but that didn’t mean pushing Gabriel was the right thing to do.
No matter how much he wanted to be with someone he could hold hands with on the street sometimes.
“I’m not,” Gabriel said. “And I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.” Reid chewed on his pizza.
It was okay if Gabriel needed time.
He’d be the worst boyfriend ever if he couldn’t give him that.
“We started out hanging out together, just the two of us, and we can keep doing that. If you want?”
Reid really,reallyhoped Gabriel was okay with that. He didn’t want to lose him entirely. That would have broken his heart.
“I want,” Gabriel said between mouthfuls. “I wasn’t sure if you would, though.”
“Hey, I wouldn’t be here if I didn’t want to see you anymore,” Reid said. “You got anything on tomorrow?”
Gabriel shook his head, licking grease off his fingers as he reached for the cheese pizza instead.
That shouldn’t have been nearly as cute as it was.
“Good. You won’t mind if I stay over, then.”
Gabriel’s whole face lit up, a grin spreading across it. “I won’t mind at all,” he said.
That was a start.
It wasn’t perfect, but it was a start.
