A/N: Three short things, because the notes at the end are long: 1) I have no shame. I will readily admit this now. 2) My first time writing, and posting, Dewey and Lois. Not sure if they're in character. 3) This IS dedicated to 6Amaya6, because it is happier. :D
Drabble Number Eight rating: K
Confide
Jamie still refused to talk. He was almost four years old and he never said a word. Well, in public at least. Lois knew he could, and would talk, because she would always hear him babbling on to himself when he was in the bathroom and thought no one was around. It frustrated her to no end that he could, but simply wouldn't say a word to her. She'd long ago given up using any advice the therapist had given her, and had resorted back to her own methods.
If Dewey hadn't already had something weighing on his mind, he might have stopped to ponder why his mom and little brother were having a staring contest. As it was, he simply walked into the living room and sat down next to his mom on the couch. Lois barely seemed to notice.
"Mom, we need to talk," he announced, not surprised at all when she didn't turn to give him her attention.
Lois' eyes didn't leave Jamie's, who was standing in front of her and staring back in earnest. Neither of them planned on losing.
"What about, honey?" she said a little too politely, not even blinking.
Dewey frowned.
"This is important. Look at me," he demanded.
She didn't, of course.
"Dewey," she said, tone back to normal, "I'm busy. Tell me what you need to tell me so I can concentrate on your brother."
Jamie shifted position and Lois grinned, think he was cracking. Dewey's frown deepened and his fists clenched.
"Do you even care? One of your sons tells you he has something important—life alteringly important—to tell you and you won't even turn to give him your undivided attention??"
For her part, Lois had to resist the urge to roll her eyes and break eye contact with Jamie. Instead she narrowed them and glared her youngest down. He stared back, unblinking.
"Dewey, I was busy before you walked in here. This is important too. Now tell me whatever it is you need to before I start tuning you out completely."
Dewey had long ago learned to control his temper, so when it started to flare he took a deep breath and closed his eyes. When he opened them again he was more confident, and far more determined.
"Mom, I think I'm bisexual."
Lois seemed to not hear him. She leaned forward so that she could glare at Jamie more intensely.
"That's nice, Dewey," she said.
Dewey's temper broke free from the bonds he'd been holding it by, and he jumped up off the couch in anger.
"Did you even just hear me??"
"Of course I did," Lois said absently. "You said you think..."
She blinked. Then she seemed to think for a second before slowly turning to face him. Her mouth hung open just a bit as she stared up at him.
Jamie walked out of the room, forgotten.
"You think you're... what?" Lois asked, eyes widening just enough for it to be perceptible.
Dewey's mouth thinned, preparing for the worst. He half expected her to kick him out, and already had a lie prepared to tell Francis when he asked him if he could live with him. On the other hand, though, he half expected her to do absolutely nothing at all.
"Bisexual," he answered.
For only a few seconds Lois continued to stare at him as she processed what he'd said. Then she did exactly what Dewey hadn't been expecting: she straightened up and patted the seat next to her.
"Sit down Dewey."
Not having planned for this, Dewey was tempted to run away. She didn't seem mad, but he knew she could easily mask it. He sat next to her, but made sure he knew where the quickest exit was.
For a moment she did nothing but look at him; but then her lip quivered and her eyes watered, and she enveloped him in a hug. Curious then more than nervous, Dewey let her. To her credit, she didn't sob or really cry at all. She simply held him tight and laid her cheek against the top of his head.
"I can't believe you came to me for this," she said, not letting up on him at all. "Thank you for telling me."
Despite her bone-crushing grip on him, Dewey managed to shrug.
"Who else would I have told?" he said. "Francis, Malcolm, and Reese would have made fun of me. Grandma is evil. And Dad would be so embarrassed he'd probably wet himself. My options were kind of limited."
Lois finally let him go, and he scooted away from her. Just a bit.
"Well," she said, wiping at an eye, "true as that is, I'm still glad you told me."
They sat there for a moment, Dewey fidgeting and looking everywhere but at his mom, and Lois contemplating how to broach what she wanted to ask next.
"So..." she started, "does this mean... Does this mean you have a boyfriend? Or... someone you like?"
Dewey immediately felt his ears heat up.
"No!" he yelled a little too quickly. "I mean... I just know, y'know?"
Lois shrugged.
"No, I don't know. I have no idea what it's like to be attracted to the same sex. Not that there's anything wrong with it," she quickly amended.
"Oh," Dewey said, not quite sure how to explain it. He thought about it for a moment. "I guess... There're girls at school I think are cute, and... and there's a guy I think is... nice, too."
He figured his ears were probably bright crimson by then, and in contrast to his hair they probably stood out like a sore thumb.
Lois beamed down at him, oblivious to his embarrassment.
"So there is someone!" she exclaimed.
"Mom!" Dewey whisper-shouted. "Not so loud!"
"Oh!" Lois lowered her voice. "Right."
Dewey quickly looked around to see if Jamie was still in the room, even though he knew that if he was he would never see him. After a few seconds he figured he'd have to take his chances.
He twiddled his thumbs subconsciously.
"Yeah," he admitted. "But... actually there's more than one."
"Oh really?"
"Yeah. And, um... They're kinda dating."
One of Lois' eyebrows rose, but she didn't reprimand him.
"Well..." she started. "I... Well, I know what it's like to like more than one person at once, but never a couple. Is it a guy and a girl, or...?"
"Guy and girl," Dewey said, not meeting her eye.
"Well I don't really know how to help you there, Dewey," she said, looking kind of lost. "Would you like me to—"
"No!"
"Okay, okay," Lois backpedaled, patting him on the shoulder. "I won't get involved. But I wish there was a way I could help you."
Dewey finally looked her in the eye, and saw complete sincerity. She wasn't trying to trap him for once. He actually started to feel relieved, and smiled at her.
"Just talking about it helped," he said. "Thanks Mom."
Lois looked surprised for a second—her children never thanked her. But she quickly got over it and smiled back at him. Then another thought occurred to her and the smiled dropped.
"I suppose you'll want me to keep this from your father?"
"Yes," Dewey answered almost immediately.
"You know he'll find out sooner or later, right?"
"Yeah," he said, smiling to himself. "But I figure the longer it takes the better off it'll be for him."
"Just don't let him catch you having a three-way make out session. There are only so many times his heart can take that..."
"What?"
Lois seemed to come out of her thoughts and shook her head.
"Oh, nothing," she said. "Don't worry about it."
Dewey cocked a brow, but let it drop.
"So..." he started, having no idea where their conversation had gone.
"So," Lois repeated. "You're bi."
"Yes."
She looked off to the side and nodded her head.
"That's fine. However, the rules are going to change: Now you're not allowed to have anyone in your room with the doors closed. Not even your brothers."
Dewey gaped at her in horror.
"Eww!" he yelled. "Mom!"
Lois was unremorseful.
"You decided to out yourself, so now you have to deal with the consequences. Don't expect special treatment."
Dewey sighed.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," he said, not meaning a word of it.
Lois leaned over and smiled in his face.
"I'm proud of you, Dewey."
Although the temptation to do so was strong, he didn't smile back at her. Instead he looked off to the side and forced a frown.
"Yeah, thanks Mom."
A/N: Ah, the confusing complexity of adolesence. Gotta love it.
Francis was the only one of the brothers I actually saw being completely straight. I always thought Malcolm would be too intelligent to limit himself, and Reese too dumb. Always kinda saw Dewey as one of those musical types that just didn't care and was either asexual or bisexual. So yes, I have partially gayified Dewey. I have no shame.
And because he's a Wilkerson, I couldn't just make it easy for him. XD In all seriousness though, what would that be like? To like two people at once, and to make it worse they're already together? Would be crazy, I'm sure.
Reviewing is not necessary. Never is. I simply hope you enjoyed it. :D
