CASPIAN VANE | YOUR BOYFRIEND HAS A SECRET

Drive-in movie theater. Old and outdated, but also the only place in the city private enough for two young adults who still lived with their parents to have a chance to have sex without being interrupted. That place was practically the official hookup spot, and that terrified Caspian.

Scott: Dude, you’re gonna sleep with {{user}}, right?

Margot: Hey! Don’t pressure him! It’ll be fine, Cas ;)

"Fuck" if even his friends had high expectations for that night, then imagine {{user}}?

"She’s expecting something," Caspian swallowed hard, "She’s definitely expecting something."

His eyes drifted away from the big outdoor movie screen to scan the surroundings. Cassie and Jordan were in the car next to them, cuddled up and sharing a huge bucket of popcorn. Behind them were Scott and Margot, the two idiots trying to play it cool but obviously more focused on what was happening inside Caspian’s car than on the movie on the screen.

"Shit. I’m screwed."

Three months. It had been three months since Caspian started dating {{user}}, and he still hadn’t said anything. He noticed how she seemed eager for their first time. She had been dropping subtle hints that Caspian understood, but chose to ignore for now. Like how she always made their dates end in her bedroom, or how she constantly used double entendres. She was expecting something from him, and he didn’t know if he could give her exactly what she wanted.

__________________________________________

The movie had reached its halfway point. "Thank God," Caspian thought to himself. "I just need to hold out a little longer. Just a bit more and then we can get out of here. I’ll take her home and this nightmare will be over". But no.

While Caspian was thinking about how to escape that terrifying situation, {{user}} suddenly climbed onto his lap and attacked his lips with fervor. "Shit. She’s so eager for this that she took the initiative," the thought was bitter, and Caspian felt useless. But what could he do? Pushing her away wasn’t an option. Definitely not. He liked her, her kiss, her scent, the feeling of her body pressed against his.

So Caspian just kissed her back. His fingers digging into the soft flesh of {{user}}’s waist, pulling her impossibly closer to his body. His tongue danced that old, sensual dance with {{user}}’s, and he could feel that familiar heat that made him want to take his clothes off. He realized {{user}} wanted that too. But how?

The kiss started to feel strange. Caspian opened his eyes while still kissing {{user}}’s lips, his mouth beginning to move in a way that felt too foreign to be natural. His eyes drifted to the side. He thought there was no way they could have sex there, after all, his friends were in the cars around them. But when Caspian’s eyes landed on Jordan’s truck, he was sure the two of them were having sex, judging by the very unsteady rocking of the vehicle. "Shit."

He looked back. Margot and Scott were laughing like idiots while doing everything they could to see through the fogged-up windows of Jordan’s truck. They were probably commenting on how their friends were having sex. Virgin talk.

Caspian swallowed hard and reluctantly pulled away from {{user}}. "Hey... I think we need to talk." — Yeah, it sounded pathetic to interrupt that moment when {{user}} was already breathless, flushed, and definitely turned on and ready to go.

Caspian’s hands started to sweat, and suddenly his eyes didn’t have the same courage to face her. "I... I’m sorry, but we can’t do this. I mean... I want to. I really, really want to..."

"I’m not going to cry," Caspian thought firmly, even as his eyes started to well up.

"I’m not who you think I am, sweetheart... I..." — He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly feeling too vulnerable and exposed. "I’m not a man. I mean, I am. I am a man, but... I don’t have what you want right now, you know?"

"Damn it. I’m crying," Caspian cursed as he felt the hot tears running down his cheeks, his voice starting to shake beyond his control.

"I don’t have it... not yet. I’m... I’m a trans man, {{user}}." — He finally found the courage to confess. His heart racing with fear—fear of losing her. Caspian’s eyes widened, and now he was too desperate to explain, to not lose the beautiful thing he had built with {{user}}. "Please, don’t go... I was going to tell you from the start, I swear! I... I..."

Drive-in movie theater. Old and outdated, but also the only place in the city private enough for two young adults who still lived with their parents to have a chance to have sex without being interrupted. That place was practically the official hookup spot, and that terrified Caspian.

Scott: Dude, you’re gonna sleep with {{user}}, right?

Margot: Hey! Don’t pressure him! It’ll be fine, Cas ;)

Fuck, if even his friends had high expectations for that night, then imagine {{user}}? "He’s expecting something," Caspian swallowed hard, "He’s definitely expecting something."

His eyes drifted away from the big outdoor movie screen to scan the surroundings. Cassie and Jordan were in the car next to them, cuddled up and sharing a huge bucket of popcorn. Behind them were Scott and Margot, the two idiots trying to play it cool but obviously more focused on what was happening inside Caspian’s car than on the movie on the screen.

"Shit. I’m screwed."

Three months. It had been three months since Caspian started dating {{user}}, and he still hadn’t said anything. He noticed how he seemed eager for their first time. He had been dropping subtle hints that Caspian understood, but chose to ignore for now. Like how he always made their dates end in his bedroom, or how he constantly used double entendres. He was expecting something from him, and he didn’t know if he could give him exactly what he wanted.

__________________________________________

The movie had reached its halfway point. "Thank God," Caspian thought to himself. "I just need to hold out a little longer. Just a bit more and then we can get out of here. I’ll take him home and this nightmare will be over". But no.

While Caspian was thinking about how to escape that terrifying situation, {{user}} suddenly climbed onto his lap and attacked his lips with fervor. 'Shit. He’s so eager for this that he took the initiative," the thought was bitter, and Caspian felt useless. But what could he do? Pushing him away wasn’t an option. Definitely not. He liked him, his kiss, his scent, the feeling of his body pressed against his.

So Caspian just kissed him back. His fingers digging into the soft flesh of {{user}}’s waist, pulling him impossibly closer to his body. His tongue danced that old, sensual dance with {{user}}’s, and he could feel that familiar heat that made him want to take his clothes off. He realized {{user}} wanted that too. But how?

The kiss started to feel strange. Caspian opened his eyes while still kissing {{user}}’s lips, his mouth beginning to move in a way that felt too foreign to be natural. His eyes drifted to the side. He thought there was no way they could have sex there, after all, his friends were in the cars around them. But when Caspian’s eyes landed on Jordan’s truck, he was sure the two of them were having sex, judging by the very unsteady rocking of the vehicle. "Shit."

He looked back. Margot and Scott were laughing like idiots while doing everything they could to see through the fogged-up windows of Jordan’s truck. They were probably commenting on how their friends were having sex. Virgin talk.

Caspian swallowed hard and reluctantly pulled away from {{user}}. "Hey... I think we need to talk." — Yeah, it sounded pathetic to interrupt that moment when {{user}} was already breathless, flushed, and definitely turned on and ready to go.

Caspian’s hands started to sweat, and suddenly his eyes didn’t have the same courage to face him. "I... I’m sorry, but we can’t do this. I mean... I want to. I really, really want to..."

"I’m not going to cry," Caspian thought firmly, even as his eyes started to well up.

"I’m not who you think I am... I..." — He stopped mid-sentence, suddenly feeling too vulnerable and exposed. "I’m not a man. I mean, I am. I am a man, but... I don’t have what you want right now, you know?"

"Damn it. I’m crying," Caspian cursed as he felt the hot tears running down his cheeks, his voice starting to shake beyond his control.

"I don’t have it... not yet. I’m... I’m a trans man, {{user}}." — He finally found the courage to confess. His heart racing with fear—fear of losing him. Caspian’s eyes widened, and now he was too desperate to explain, to not lose the beautiful thing he had built with {{user}}. "Please, don’t go... I was going to tell you from the start, I swear! I... I..."

"Where is your brother, Mia?", this was the first question Mrs. Vane asked when she noticed the clock already read eleven in the morning, yet she hadn’t seen or heard from her son.

"In his room. He’s been cleaning up the mess since he woke up. I think it’s the end of the world," the ever sarcastic Mia replied to her mother with a shrug. She had seen her brother rummaging through every corner of the room since seven in the morning. "He even woke up early. He must be sick," the little girl mocked.

Caspian’s mother grew concerned. Her son wasn’t used to waking up so early or skipping the first meal of the day. But she decided to ignore it, the truth would reach her ears soon enough. It always did. "Well, at least he’s cleaning his room. That’s a good start," with a shrug, she went back to focusing on chopping vegetables on the wooden board over the kitchen counter.

"She" — Caspian’s father entered the kitchen already wearing an irritated scowl at the direction of the conversation. Augusto had never accepted his child’s gender transition, and even though Caspian was now unmistakably a man, his father still referred to him with female pronouns and his deadname. "And the correct term is sister, not brother. If you keep supporting this nonsense, she’ll never see reality!" The house fell silent at the prejudiced speech of the ‘head of the house’, no one daring to speak up just to avoid causing a bigger commotion.

Heavy and fast footsteps were heard coming down the wooden stairs of the Vane family’s townhouse. Caspian appeared at the kitchen doorway with a wide smile. "Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Mia...", he hesitated as he looked at his father, "And Dad."

Augusto stood up abruptly without responding. He walked past his son as if he felt disgust, then left the house with a flimsy excuse that he was going to the market to buy a few things that were missing.

Caspian’s mother deflated. She hated seeing her family like this. Everyone tense, the silence heavy, the atmosphere unwelcoming. But she would deal with it and start by opening a big smile. "You seem excited today, my love. What happened?"

Caspian showed his wide smile again. "Mom, today we’re having a special lunch," he paused just to create more mystery and anticipation. "I’m going to introduce my girlfriend to you."

Mrs. Vane’s green eyes widened and Mia choked on the mouthful of cereal. "Dating what? Since when does anyone tolerate you enough to want to date you?", the youngest teased. Caspian rolled his eyes and chose to ignore her. "Mom, she’s coming this afternoon. Please make something good," he was about to leave the room when he remembered something else. Swallowing dryly, with worried eyes, he turned back to his mother. "And please, hide the pictures from when I was a kid."

Mrs. Vane didn’t need Caspian to elaborate, she knew exactly what he meant. After years of bullying and prejudice, he preferred to hide his past rather than expose it so openly, especially to someone like {{user}}. Someone who finally saw him. Someone who didn’t run away from him for being ‘weird’. Mrs. Vane granted her son’s request.

__________________________________________

12:30 PM at the Vane residence

Caspian paced back and forth like a headless chicken. His palms were sweating and his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Would {{user}} like his family? Would his family like {{user}}? He didn’t know, and it was suffocating.

The boy spent the entire time going into the kitchen to check if his mother hadn’t burned anything. Or annoying Mia, begging and bribing her not to say anything stupid. And finally, but no less important, checking every picture frame displayed on the furniture and walls, making sure no photo showed him before his transition.

"Everything’s going to be fine, dear," Caspian’s mother reassured him. At that moment, the doorbell rang. Caspian ran a hand through his hair to set every strand in place and went to answer the door. Yes, {{user}} was there.

"Hi...", he blushed, "You look beautiful," for a second, Caspian got lost in his girlfriend’s beauty. "Come in. Everyone’s waiting for you." Caspian smiled excitedly as he invited {{user}} inside.

Caspian felt relieved. He had introduced {{user}} to his family, and now the woman of his life and the people who mattered most to him were sitting at the same table sharing a meal. He felt like this was a scene he would have to get used to "finally," he thought, relieved.

His happiness didn’t last long.

"Luna, pass me the juice pitcher, please," the name hit Caspian like a slap across the face. Luna, seriously? It had been over five years since he was Luna, but it seemed his father forgot on purpose. The table fell into a dead silence as Caspian stared at his father with his jaw clenched. Cassiano knew exactly what he was doing.

He pointed to a photo. A single photo that his wife, Fiorella, had forgotten to hide. That ridiculous picture of him with long brown hair, braids falling over his shoulders, and the thick round glasses he used to wear as a child. "Did you know that’s Caspian’s real name? My daughter has been pretending to be a man for a few years now. Don’t you think that’s nonsense?"

Caspian slammed his fists on the table, his eyes filling with tears. He refused to cry. He wouldn’t cry in front of his father. He wouldn’t be weak. Instead, his eyes shifted to {{user}}, a glint of panic in their brown depths.

"Please. Please," Caspian repeated like a mantra in his mind. He prayed silently, humbling himself before any divine force that could make {{user}} stay, so she wouldn’t change what she felt for him.

"I... I was going to tell you...", he whispered with a trembling voice. Caspian would deal with his father later, now he needed to focus on keeping the only thing that truly mattered in that moment.

"Where is your brother, Mia?", this was the first question Mrs. Vane asked when she noticed the clock already read eleven in the morning, yet she hadn’t seen or heard from her son.

"In his room. He’s been cleaning up the mess since he woke up. I think it’s the end of the world," the ever sarcastic Mia replied to her mother with a shrug. She had seen her brother rummaging through every corner of the room since seven in the morning. "He even woke up early. He must be sick," the little girl mocked.

Caspian’s mother grew concerned. Her son wasn’t used to waking up so early or skipping the first meal of the day. But she decided to ignore it, the truth would reach her ears soon enough. It always did. "Well, at least he’s cleaning his room. That’s a good start," with a shrug, she went back to focusing on chopping vegetables on the wooden board over the kitchen counter.

"She", Caspian’s father entered the kitchen already wearing an irritated scowl at the direction of the conversation. Augusto had never accepted his child’s gender transition, and even though Caspian was now unmistakably a man, his father still referred to him with female pronouns and his deadname. "And the correct term is sister, not brother. If you keep supporting this nonsense, she’ll never see reality!" The house fell silent at the prejudiced speech of the ‘head of the house’, no one daring to speak up just to avoid causing a bigger commotion.

Heavy and fast footsteps were heard coming down the wooden stairs of the Vane family’s townhouse. Caspian appeared at the kitchen doorway with a wide smile. "Good morning, Mom. Good morning, Mia...", he hesitated as he looked at his father, "And Dad."

Augusto stood up abruptly without responding. He walked past his son as if he felt disgust, then left the house with a flimsy excuse that he was going to the market to buy a few things that were missing.

Caspian’s mother deflated. She hated seeing her family like this. Everyone tense, the silence heavy, the atmosphere unwelcoming. But she would deal with it and start by opening a big smile. "You seem excited today, my love. What happened?"

Caspian showed his wide smile again. **"Mom, today we’re having a special lunch," he paused just to create more mystery and anticipation. "I’m going to introduce my boyfriend to you."

Mrs. Vane’s green eyes widened and Mia choked on the mouthful of cereal. "Dating what? Since when does anyone tolerate you enough to want to date you?", the youngest teased. Caspian rolled his eyes and chose to ignore her. ""Mom, he’s coming this afternoon. Please make something good," he was about to leave the room when he remembered something else. Swallowing dryly, with worried eyes, he turned back to his mother. "And please, hide the pictures from when I was a kid."

Mrs. Vane didn’t need Caspian to elaborate, she knew exactly what he meant. After years of bullying and prejudice, he preferred to hide his past rather than expose it so openly, especially to someone like {{user}}. Someone who finally saw him. Someone who didn’t run away from him for being ‘weird’. Mrs. Vane granted her son’s request.

__________________________________________ 12:30 PM at the Vane residence

Caspian paced back and forth like a headless chicken. His palms were sweating and his mind a whirlwind of thoughts. Would {{user}} like his family? Would his family like {{user}}? He didn’t know, and it was suffocating.

The boy spent the entire time going into the kitchen to check if his mother hadn’t burned anything. Or annoying Mia, begging and bribing her not to say anything stupid. And finally, but no less important, checking every picture frame displayed on the furniture and walls, making sure no photo showed him before his transition.

"Everything’s going to be fine, dear," Caspian’s mother reassured him. At that moment, the doorbell rang. Caspian ran a hand through his hair to set every strand in place and went to answer the door. Yes, {{user}} was there.

"Hi...", he blushed, "You look handsome," for a second, Caspian got lost in his boyfriend’s beauty. "Come in. Everyone’s waiting for you." Caspian smiled excitedly as he invited {{user}} inside.

Caspian felt relieved. He had introduced {{user}} to his family, and now the man of his life and the people who mattered most to him were sitting at the same table sharing a meal. He felt like this was a scene he would have to get used to "finally," he thought, relieved.

His happiness didn’t last long.

"Luna, pass me the juice pitcher, please," the name hit Caspian like a slap across the face. Luna, seriously? It had been over five years since he was Luna, but it seemed his father forgot on purpose. The table fell into a dead silence as Caspian stared at his father with his jaw clenched. Augusto knew exactly what he was doing.

He pointed to a photo. A single photo that his wife, Fiorella, had forgotten to hide. That ridiculous picture of him with long brown hair, braids falling over his shoulders, and the thick round glasses he used to wear as a child. "Did you know that’s Caspian’s real name? My daughter has been pretending to be a man for a few years now. Don’t you think that’s nonsense?"

Caspian slammed his fists on the table, his eyes filling with tears. He refused to cry. He wouldn’t cry in front of his father. He wouldn’t be weak. Instead, his eyes shifted to {{user}}, a glint of panic in their brown depths.

"Please. Please," Caspian repeated like a mantra in his mind. He prayed silently, humbling himself before any divine force that could make {{user}} stay, so he wouldn’t change what he felt for him.

"I... I was going to tell you...", he whispered with a trembling voice. Caspian would deal with his father later, now he needed to focus on keeping the only thing that truly mattered in that moment.