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Connie was sitting in his recliner when he heard the knock at the door. He looked at his watch. Right. He was expecting company at this hour.
He rose from his seat with a slight groan. His old bones are not the most forgiving of having been sat in that spot for a few hours now. As he walked towards the door, he tried to shake off the appearance of an old gator. Just because he was called Grandpa didn’t mean he had to act as one. Especially in the presence of his special guest.
As he slowly opened the door, not even bothering to look out the peephole, he was awaiting the sight of his beloved grandson. Lone red hair still flowing with that same soft look in his eyes. It had been a while, and maybe it was unrealistic, but he liked to remember him that way. So it’s not hard to imagine his surprise when he fully opened the door and was greeted with a more “mature” looking Monty.
His smooth face was now given a hairy accessory on his chin. His soft eyes had a bit more edge to them. Underlying tiredness hung under his eyes, despite the clear attempt by makeup to hide it (shame he felt the need to wear makeup to see his kin). Same with his freckles on his brown skin. He was a little taller now and definitely had been eating well enough for his body to develop. His claws did look artificially sharpened. And did scales always darken with age like that?
His hair was another story though. His sides were braided down so tightly he worried it might be hurting him. Stray braids on the side with a long tuft of hair that he hopes Monty is making sure to clear his scalp when he washes.
There was a slight bit of awkwardness from Connie’s few seconds of examination. His grandson, despite all the loud changes, stood there with a sense of shame almost. His posture was that of defeat. He wore a hoodie and baggy pants as if to hide his developed body. And those eyes, which he noted before, just read as tired.
“Hi.” He spoke softly. Connie smiled.
“Come on,” Connie opened his arms, to which his grandson practically fell into. Sure, he was taller now, but he found a way to squeeze against him like he was small. “Ah, there it is. Feels like you’ve needed this hug for a while.”
Monty doesn’t respond, he just nods and allows himself to be led inside.
“Got any bags?” Connie asked as he walked toward the kitchen. Monty made himself at home on the couch, plopping down and letting out a long sigh.
“In the car,” He mutters. “I can grab it later.”
“Don’t forget, you still have some clothes here,” Connie laughs. “Though who’s to say you can still fit any of them. You’ve really grown.”
“I have.” Monty replied. He sighs again. “I…really have.”
There’s a pause as a wave of sadness seems to wash over the both of them. When Connie looks back over at his grandson, he can see he’s trying to fight back some tears as the gloss in his eyes reflected from the sun in the window. He was looking up at the ceiling, nostrils trying to stop snot from dripping down. The ultimate reveal he might cry. The older gator tsked. What has been happening?
He returns to the living room with some chocolate milk. Monty’s favorite drink before he left for bigger things. The younger gator thanked him but mostly stayed in the position he was in. Trying so hard to not let the curtain falls and reveal the truth.
Connie wasn’t going to push him and instead opted to just go on like it was nothing. He sits himself back in his recliner, grabbing the remote to start surfing through the TV. He was apparently one of the few people these days who still had cable.
“Don’t mind if I put on some westerns, huh?” He asked. Monty said he didn’t mind.
As the tv blares the sounds of guns blasting and classical scores, Connie waits for the moment for Monty to reveal it all. Even as he stands to use the restroom or goes to grab some crackers from the cabinet, it was clear something was lingering that was bothering him and he was debating on if he could share it.
Connie worried it was less about embarrassment and more about the fact that Connie will, perhaps, have some strong words to say to whoever caused this.
“Monty-”
“Grandpa…” Monty began, his voice already starting to tremble. “Remember … remember you told me I have to be careful about how I let stay in my bed?”
Already, Connie could feel his blood boil. It was something he had always dreaded. He knew his grandson was a pretty little thing. Used to have to chase off the occasional wanderer who wanted to ogle at him. Or the local perv at the convenience store where he practically had to tight Monty to his belt loop. He was a pretty boy through and through and Connie feared one day all his advice would go to the wind when someone managed to swoon him.
And it seemed like that’s what happened.
“Yes,” Connie replied, lowering the volume on the tv.
“I….I tried to be careful.” Monty continued, his voice now shakier than before. His nose started to run. “But…I think…I don’t…stuff is getting weird.”
“Weird how?” Connie shook his head. “Well first is this a guy or a girl?”
“A guy.”
Connie frowned. Not saying a woman would’ve been better or worse, but men just. Men had a special way of making things complicated. More so than they needed to be.
“Weird like…like he says things to me that I think he means but…but we sometimes have to act like a secret. Or…well…I don’t know. I’m confused. So confused. And then we…we…”
“You did it?” Connie tries to hide his growl.
“Y…yes…” Monty nods. Sex wasn’t this taboo subject for them. Connie made it his mission to educate his grandson as much as he could to ensure he wouldn’t be taken advantage of. He knew the proper names and terminology. No one would get one up on him and try to say his knowledge was wrong. But even so, it didn’t protect him from the emotion of it all. You could know what a penis and a vagina is. You could know the proper prep and results from not wearing protection. You could be a textbook expert on sex but once emotion gets involved it would be as though you learned nothing at all.
“He didn’t…force himself-”
“No!” Monty shouted, recoiling at his rude tone. “I mean…no sir.”
“You’re positive.”
“Yes sir,” Monty continues. “There’s this other guy though. He’s…they’re…I don’t know. I can’t tell if what he tells me is the truth or what the company wants-”
“Wait wait,” Connie waved his hands, leaning closer as he pointed at Monty. “This guy…works with you? At that pizza place?”
“Pizzaplex, yes.”
“He’s one of the performers?” Connie’s eyes were twitching a little. It was one thing if it were just some guy who happened to work there like a cashier or even a janitor. There’s a degree of separation. But if it was another performer, Connie would have an issue. Especially since he had been keeping some tabs on the place. “Monty, my boy, please tell me it’s not that white boy.”
Monty looked away as his lip trembled. It is as though the confirmation was the final straw as he started to cry. Throwing his face in his hands as he started to sob. His shoulders shook as he gasped between breaths. All at once everything broke and Monty began to just let it all out.
“Grandpa I don’t understand. I don’t know why! He says… sniff …he says he loves me and wants to be with me and start a family some day but at the same time it’s like…it’s like we can’t be public. Everyone thinks its him and Freddy and maybe it is and maybe at night he only comes to me because I was a huge fan and it was easy to get with me but then he does these things like chasing down workers who say mean stuff about me. I don’t know… hic …. I don’t want to be embarrassed. He wants us to be 100% for each other and I just…I don’t know.”
Connie waits to reply, even as he feels himself shaking. If he didn’t know any better he’d get on the plane with Monty to go to the pizzeria himself and knock some sense into that white bunny boy.
“And then so many people are mean to me or call me bad names. Someone called me a whore! I don’t- I don’t know why?” Monty wiped his nose. “I just…I needed to get away.”
“I see why,” Connie was now on the couch with him, pulling him into a full hug as Monty continued to sob. “You can stay with me for as long as you like, alright?”
“I only… hic …have enough for a week off.”
“Figures.” Connie groans. Nevertheless, he’ll make the most of his week off.
He hated seeing his little one upset. Especially because of things that are out of his control. Clearly, he does love that white boy. So much so he’s in disarray over it. Pile on the horrendous treatment by staff and customers, he’s shocked Monty hadn’t cut his loses and come back home for good. But that’s what he can admire about his little gator. Even in hard times, he doesn’t give up easily. He tells himself that the more he pushes to survive the more rewarding it’ll all be in the end.
“Hey Monty.” Connie peeked into the bedroom as Monty was getting ready for bed.
“Yes?” Monty asked, his eyes still a little red from all the crying. Connie smiles softly.
“No matter what, I want you to know that I love you, okay?” He said. “And don’t worry, I’ll gladly let everyone know!”
At that, Monty laughed.
Yeah, they’ll make the most of this week for sure.