If Sebastian had to put a label on his relationship with his parents, it would probably be something along the lines of superficial.
He was reasonably sure his parents had procreated for no other reason than some research somewhere or other indicated that the traditional nuclear family of mother, father, and 2.5 children got the highest ratings in the polls.
Sebastian wasn't sure what disappointed his parents more, that they discovered after 1.0 children his mother was no longer physically capable of having another child, or that the specimen they did produce ended up being gay.
His father had a well paying job as an attorney, but Sebastian knew he aspired to better things.
Translation: More money and power.
Sebastian could not help these plans. Sebastian's 'preferences' as his father called them, would not gain supporters or voters to his father's cause.
Which is how Sebastian ended up carted off to a lesser known but prestigious school in the middle of Nowhere, Ohio.
The irony that the school was all male did not escape Sebastian. His father found it suitable because there would be little reason for anyone to question why Sebastian never showed an interest in any female classmates. His father could blithely explain away any concern as a boy with little opportunity for dating, and a rigorous school that demanded most of his attention.
Sebastian figured his father was mostly just happy he didn't have to think about his son outside of the tuition checks he sent to the school every few months.
Sebastian liked to pretend he was just as happy with the arrangement.
So when his father informed him that he and his wife would be attending Dalton's annual parent/teacher day, Sebastian was honestly surprised. And less than excited.
He had already been expecting the worst, so when he woke up that morning to find Hunter lounging idly instead of rushing around like the obsessive compulsive little neurotic he normally was, he figured it had to be a bad sign.
"I thought you would be ironing your pajamas in honor of your parents arrival or something," Sebastian grumbled as he skittered anxiously around the room making sure things were immaculate. He was sure his father would find something to complain about, but it was just easier not to try to give him an opening for criticism.
Hunter still set him on edge a little. He was still unsure where he stood with the other boy, and he knew he was probably reacting to the tension in a less than productive way, but something about Hunter just got under his skin.
It wasn't even than Hunter was mean to him. He almost would have preferred that, then he could call him out for being and jerk and move on. But Hunter wasn't a jerk, exactly.
He was polite to a fault. But he was so…distant. It made Sebastian uncomfortable enough that he found himself hiding in Jeff's room or one of the other Warbler's half the time when Hunter was in their dorm.
Which wasn't a lot either, actually. Hunter seemed to be trying to avoid him as well, and even though he would never admit it, it bothered Sebastian.
He might not be the easiest person to get along with, but Hunter's unease around him seemed disproportionate. And insulting.
Sebastian was so lost in thought he didn't even realize his parents had arrived until he heard a loud, annoyed sounding cough from the door.
They were early. Of course. His father had told him he would text when they got close so Sebastian could meet them, but of course his father didn't actually follow through, showing up unannounced and making Sebastian look incompetent and disinterested.
Sebastian watched them lay on the charm, ignoring their son in favor of fawning over his roommate. Hunter. Sebastian barely managed to control the desire to roll his eyes and inform them his classmate wasn't old enough to vote yet and they could drop the act.
He must not have been entirely successful keeping the disdain from his face though, because his father glanced in his direction and immediately invited Hunter to dinner once he found out his parents wouldn't be coming.
Well, wasn't that wonderful.
He watched Hunter cast about for a way to refuse without sounding disrespectful, come up blank, and accept their offer in the span of about three seconds. He almost felt bad for the guy. He knew how obnoxious his parents were. He wouldn't have wanted to spend any time with them, but being their son kind of made escape impossible.
Then again, maybe they would all have a grand old time busying themselves making nasty little comments at his expense. His parents certainly enjoyed that. Sebastian couldn't remember the last time they actually commended him for anything.
Probably sometime long before he pointed to that actor on the television screen when he was home with his parents all those years ago, and pronounced him 'pretty.'
So he forced himself to follow Hunter and his parents around the school, gritting his teeth a little more at each stop as his parents politely tore him to pieces, negating every good thing he had managed to do this year.
He was getting a headache.
He refused to give them the satisfaction of looking upset or annoyed though. Hunter had to be loving this. Every negative thing he could have ever thought about Sebastian, all confirmed by his own parents.
He wondered if Jeff would notice if he started sleeping on his dorm room floor. It might be preferable.
He was practically ready to throw something by the time they all sat down to dinner.
"So you're Sebastian's roommate," Mr. Smythe said, glancing up at Hunter, an innocent expression on his face that Sebastian could read right through from a mile away. He was leading up to something. Sebastian could tell.
"Do you do any extracurricular activities, Hunter?"
And there it was. Sebastian would have laughed at how transparent the question was, if he wasn't so angry. Did Hunter really believe for one minute Mr. Smythe, with all his connections and knowledge, didn't know exactly who was rooming with his son? It was just one more way for him to subtly remind Sebastian of how much of a disappointment he was.
"I'm Captain of the Warbler's, Sir," Hunter replied, and Sebastian had to clamp down on the urge to roll his eyes yet again. That respectful little 'Sir'. Hunter clearly knew how to play to his father's egotism. Sebastian almost had to admire him for it. He was obviously showing Sebastian who's side he was on. As if there had been any question of Hunter's dislike.
Of course his father just ate up the respect. He was practically preening as he sent Sebastian a disappointed look and proceeded to list his flaws and explain sadly to Hunter how he was failing to live up to his potential.
It never got any easier, Sebastian mused wearily, picking up a salt shaker and idly tipping it one way and the other, staring at the tiny grains inside and wishing he was anywhere else in the universe right now.
And then Hunter shocked him so badly he nearly fell out of his chair.
He stood up for him. He told his father Sebastian had been helpful. And then he told him Sebastian had agreed to co-captain the Warbler's with him.
Sebastian had been so confused, he hadn't said a word. Just stared at Hunter as his parents made noncommittal little noises and turned their attention to finishing their dinner. Hunter's expression had briefly flashed with something…Sebastian wasn't even sure how to define it. Anger? Frustration? Disappointment? But directed towards his parents, not him.
Dinner didn't last very long after that. His parents seemed to sense that Hunter's patience had worn thin, and they weren't going to convince him to engage in their games at Sebastian's expense. They excused themselves soon after that, explaining they had to head out because they had to go pack for some trip or book some trip or make some trip, Sebastian had more or less completely stopped listening at that point.
And suddenly, things weren't quite as bad. Sebastian couldn't for the life of him figure it out. Hunter had just gotten reinforcement of every awful thing he probably was thinking, and yet, instead of treating Sebastian worse, he was listening to him more. Consulting him more. And actually taking his advice on occasion.
It was bizarre, but Sebastian didn't dare mention it. If Hunter had suffered some sudden temporary lapse in judgment that made him hate Sebastian a little less, and stop being quite as controlling, Sebastian wasn't about to mention it and chance having it all fall apart again.
But that didn't change the fact that Hunter confused the hell out of him.