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The movie they were watching had virtually none of Grizz’s attention, besides his eye contact. His mind solely focused on the patterns Sam was tracing over his arm absentmindedly. The boy had a habit of half signing words or phrases of whatever show or movie they were watching as he read the captions, while Grizz found it incredibly endearing he also found it incredibly distracting. What has won his attention more? The Oscar award winning movie that was newly released on Netflix, or his really hot boyfriend who he can’t seem to get enough of. For Grizz it was an obvious choice. As he begins to turn away from the rom-com he has been staring absently at for the last thirty minutes and look at Sam, there is a sudden crash from downstairs.
“Shit, guess he’s home.” Grizz said to himself, Sam still watching the movie intently unaware of the chaos about to happen. Grizz shifts off of the bed, setting his laptop on Sam’s legs. He motions to Sam with a hand to catch his attention. “I’ll be back in a sec, just gotta use the washroom”.
“Do you want me to pause it for you?” Sam asked.
“No, don’t worry about it. I’ll be right back”. Sam smiles and nods, shifting his attention back to the screen swiftly to avoid missing something. Grizz quickly ushered his way out of his room, closing the door quietly before running downstairs. Last thing he needed would be his father’s rage directed at Sam.
“Where the fuck do you think I’ve been all day?! Just lounging around? No! I’m working my ass off for you and this lavish fucking life you wanted, so rather than trying to tear me a goddamn new one when I get home late - how about a fucking thank you, ungrateful bitch!” From the sounds of it, Grizz assumed his father had been drinking. His parents didn’t typically fight like cats and dogs, unless there was booze involved. Usually it was your typical passive aggressive comments and distant silence when Grizz was around, but after a few drinks he knew things could get out of hand quickly. He walked into the living room, standing in the entry way he could see his father towering over his mother, still sitting on the couch as she had been when Sam arrived hours earlier.
“What’s going on, Dad?” Grizz said, his voice while quiet cut the tension in the room like a knife. His father whipping around to face him, face reddened from yelling and the alcohol.
“Your mother being an ungrateful piece of shit again, Gareth! Use your fucking brain so whenever you find a wife make sure she isn’t a useless whore like your mother here,” his father spat with distain.
“Don’t talk about her like that, I think it’s time you get to bed,” Grizz pleaded quietly, not wanting this to blow up any further while Sam was in the house. He had handled this situation many times, but worrying about your boyfriend accidentally stumbling onto this kind of interaction with his parents isn’t exactly how he pictured coming out.
“Don’t fucking tell me what to do kid! You will show me some respect! I’m your fucking father for Christ’s sake. I’ll teach you ungrateful shits a bit about respect in my house!” Grizz couldn’t react quick enough, he watched as his father reared his hand back and swung swiftly across his mother’s face. Her cheek turning red instantly after the strike, and she lifted her hand to ease the burn.
“What the fuck do you think you’re doing?! You never lay a hand on her, ever! You hear me?! Yell all you want, fight for all I care, but never touch her like that again or so help me I’ll call the cops” Grizz bellowed, moving in between his father and mother so he was toe-to-toe against the man.
“Pfft, what’re you going to do Gareth? All brain, no braun. I’d like to see you tr-“
“Grizz?” a stilted voice interrupted. Sam standing in the doorway where Grizz had just been, just watching the scene between the three family members.
“Sam, go upstairs - everything is fine here” Grizz reassured, wanting to remove his boyfriend from the situation before his father started asking anymore questions. He tried to smile reassuringly at the boy, but he faltered as his father turned to face Sam.
“What’s this? You just invite anyone over like this is your house? You’re just like her, Jesus Christ.” His father stated, quickly returning his gaze to Grizz.
“Just let it go..please Dad,” Grizz pleaded quietly. Although Sam couldn’t hear him, he didn’t want to enrage his father even more by making a scene.
“At least you’re showing me some respect now. Do better that this bitch, Gareth. You can be much better than this if you’d work harder.”
“Yeah, I hear you dad. Can I get you anything before you go to bed?” Grizz sensed the conflict was done with, at least for tonight. As long as he plays nice, everyone can leave the situation mildly unscathed. Grizz’s father grasped his shoulders tightly, shaking him gently.
“Now see, that’s my boy. I’m gonna grab a beer and be in my study. Remind her to clear up this mess before tomorrow, I don’t need to bring home the bacon and clean the damn house too. You boys have fun tonight, maybe call a few girls, huh?” His father grinned and left the room swiftly, speaking to Sam as well oblivious to the fact that Sam is deaf. One less hurdle to jump, Grizz thought. He surveyed the damage in the living room, one of the table lamps had been thrown across the room and had shattered. Grizz sighs heavily and looks at his mother.
“Don’t worry about cleaning, I’ve got it. You should ice that, might help with the swelling. Sam, could you bring me the broom? It’s in the closet in the hall on your left.” After Sam returned with the broom, Grizz began sweeping up the remains of the lamp. His mother still sitting on the couch, hand pressed to her face. “Mom, you okay? Do you want me to take you upstairs?” Grizz asked.
“That would be good, dear. I - um - I think I need some rest after today, I’m - I’m quite tired” she whispered, seemingly unaware of Sam’s presence.
“It’s okay, Grizz. Go help her, I can handle a broom and a few pieces of glass,” Sam jokes trying to lighten the mood. Grizz smiled gratefully at the boy, signing a quick ‘thank you’ before helping his mother off the couch and up the stairs. Once he returned, Sam had completed sweeping. “So, do you want to explain to me why there’s a broken lamp and you looked ready to kill your Dad?” Sam said hesitantly. He could see that Grizz was visibly uncomfortable with him witnessing the scene he had just interrupted.
“It’s- uh - yeah nothing really. Just heard them start to bicker down here and thought I would intervene. It didn’t go as expected,” Grizz tried to explain. He hoped Sam didn’t try for more information, his family is messed up but prying from outside would only ever make it worse.
“When my parents bicker there’s no broken house decor waiting to be cleaned up, that’s more Campbell’s thing. Did he - did your Dad hit your Mom, Grizz?” Sam spoke softly, and mostly signing the last of his words, scared at how Grizz may react to his question.
“This is uh.. this is the first time I’ve seen him do that, they usually just give each other the silent treatment. I - if I’d have known he would hit her like that I would’ve stopped it… stopped him”. Grizz looked at his feet, ashamed that he was letting Sam see this side of his family so soon. They had barely been dating for a couple months and already he is wrapped up in his parents drama. “I’m sorry you had to see that, I know it isn’t as fun as we had planned for our movie night.”
“Don’t be sorry, Grizz. That’s not on you - his actions… they aren’t on you. You have no control over him, he’s supposed to be the adult here. I don’t like that you’re staying here tonight, do you wanna come over? Sleep at my place? It isn’t the exact way I imagined our first sleepover, but plans change” Sam said. He tried to bring some levity to the dark tone this conversation took him and Grizz towards. He couldn’t stand the thought of Grizz being in the war path of his angry father.
“It isn’t that easy, Sam. I can’t just walk out of here or forget that anything happened. It’s not simple like that”.
“I’m not saying it’s easy, but I think it would be better for you to stay somewhere else. Somewhere safe. Your mom is in bed, so I don’t think they’ll be fighting more tonight. But Grizz, you were in his face when I came in - something could’ve happened and maybe you need some space from here.”
“Safe for who, Sam? I’m not worried about me, it’s him that should be fucking worried. He’s lucky I haven’t seen him pull that shit before. If I had known he’d take a swing at her I - I would’ve stepped up, you know” Grizz sniffled, frustrated as a few tears fall down his cheeks.
“I get that, I do. But if you had attacked him, what happens to you? I can’t have my boyfriend in jail, there’s too many hot twinks for you there.” Sam whispered jokingly as he wiped at Grizz’s eyes. He hated seeing the boy cry, but knowing his boyfriend internalized a lot of negativity it was good that he felt more open with him.
“Okay, not funny. And - I - I wouldn’t actually do anything, not unless I had to. I just - I wanna make sure my mom is okay. I can’t do that if I’m not here.”
“I know. I know, you want to be here for her. You’re not only my knight in shining armour. You worry too much, you know? You’re gonna be a wrinkly old man in no time.” Sam whispered as he smoothed his hands through Grizz’s hair, and gentle massaging his temples.
“Yeah, but would you still love this ugly old man?” Grizz joked back, leaning into Sam’s touch.
“Hmm, it might take some convincing, but I’m sure we can come to an agreement.” Sam smirked, tugging Grizz closer.
“Oh, I’m sure. I can be very convincing” Grizz smiled, leaning down slightly to kiss Sam. He would never get tired of how Sam could ease every ounce of tension from his body with a few jokes and a kiss. He made Grizz feel like he was on top of the world.