Everything going okay?

(The read bubbles for Julien's mom are advancing with each new message even though she's not saying anything.)

Awakening sucks but he is now tolerating phone Sudoku

Thumbs up.

Thumbs up.

Right, so, what is DWB onboarding even like these days, he interviewed Clark more than a year ago.

Julien sets down his phone but takes a moment to steel himself before speaking.

"Just so you know, I'm kind of a freak."

"I'm not sure what you mean by that."

"I'm just kind of into... some things that are bad.  So if anything about this situation is drawing on my psychology..."

"That is maybe reassuring about how you said you had a nice time but not very reassuring about how much you will think I am at fault in a couple of days."

"I meant it as more of a warning than a reassurance."

"Gotcha."

"About - if the scenario is drawing on things from my head.  Or mundane equivalents of that."

"Yeah, understood."

"...And I don't actually like Les Mis a normal amount for someone who's into theatre," he admits.

"That seems fine? ...you like it more than that or less?"

"I also like it in a gay fanfiction way."

"Okay? Seems fine."

"Oh.  Okay."

"Were you expecting that to... not... be fine...?"

"Well, it was a lie.  And not even - one where I was fearing for my life if I didn't tell it.  Kind of."

"It's not a big deal. Backlash does all kinds of shit and it was not a consequential lie."

Snuggle.  "I just didn't want to seem that gay to you because it turns out it's really hard to unobtrusively not use any pronouns for someone and I figured I would slip up if I kept trying."

"...why does that matter?"

"Oh, for Maria Rose.  The almost-hookup.  - Don't tell Chanon she's a woman; we'll probably have to go through a whole plotline where he's guilty about basically telling you to have sex with me, and he's not even a real person."