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“My family thinks we’re dating.”
Francis froze in his tracks and turned to Slim, still holding the seed he was supposed to be inspecting. “What?”
“You wanted to know what my family thinks about us living together. They-- they assumed we were dating. You know, going out,” Slim clarified.
“I know what dating is,” Francis said dryly, turning back to the seed. Apparently finding it satisfactory, he tossed it on the pile. Summer was quickly becoming fall, and the two had been spending the week gathering food for the winter. There, they’d live underground until the weather got warmer. It would be the first winter either of them would have spent without their families.
“They didn’t consider it a bad thing, if that’s what you were thinking,” Slim added quickly after a beat. “I suppose they just assumed that...considering my, ah, leanings…”
Because his family knew. Every single one of them, and Slim had a big family. News traveled so quickly and easily among his relatives it was impossible for any of them to keep a secret for long. Just a single thing had to be overheard in what was supposed to be a private conversation with his best friend, and it was like standing on a stage and coming out to an entire audience at once.
Still, it wasn’t as bad as it could have been. Especially compared to how Francis’ own family treated him. Francis had been more than glad to get away from his family and live with Slim, which he appreciated. Slim sometimes felt like the only person who Francis really cared about, and he reciprocated that feeling.
Well, to the extent that he knew, anyway.
It wasn’t something that he hadn’t considered--he had thought about it on occasion. The conversation with his family seemed to only reinforce that idea. But still...him, having feelings for Francis? The idea was absurd, surely...
“So your family’s fine with it, then,” Francis added suddenly, bringing his presence to Slim’s attention again.
“W-with what?” Slim asked.
“With you being a…” Francis trailed off for a second, as if he regretted starting the conversation back up in the first place, but continued. “...a queer.”
“I suppose.”
“Lucky you.”
Francis huffed and flew off to gather more seeds, thankfully keeping himself from noticing the blush on his friend’s face.