Ensnared - Part 6

Well, fuck.

That's about all I can say about the events Sig and I witnessed today.

The two of us have been silently walking alongside one another for more than a few minutes now. I don't think either of us has accepted what we'd overheard yet. I mean, there's absolutely nothing that could have prepared us for that kind of turn.

And as a result, neither of us wants to say a word despite the fact that we've been on our way to my place for about ten minutes already.

"Haaa…"

I can only groan at how silly this whole thing is. I haven't been this shook since Hideo Kojima and Konami split ways. Just what the hell is life right now?

"Oi Nick, quit doing that. I'm upset too, no need to remind me about it."

"But…"

"Yeah… I know how you feel. Who would've thought that…"

Sig sighs.

Yeah, no kidding. All I can do is groan along with his sigh.

It all started back in that changing room.

The two of us noticed immediately that someone else had entered the room, and went into hiding behind one of the lockers. Neither of us could have guessed that that person would be the music-obsessed idiot Jack.

But then, as the initial fear and shock had passed and I began listening in to their conversation, I understood the gist of it. Jack wanted Chase and Scarlet to split up.

But why? Why would he come to Chase about that? There was basically no reason to do that. Not unless on some deeply emotional level, their relationship was getting in his way somehow. And that's not possible right? I mean, Chase told us that Scarlet has been religiously avoiding guys since the school year started, so he couldn't have been related to her.

And… that's when I truly began to understand.

That guy, he kept calling Chase a degenerate that didn't belong with Scarlet.

"I just think the two of you are far from a good match. In fact, it disgusts me to think that someone like you is even breathing in the same air as her. Let's face it, she's way too good for a degenerate geek like you to even consider dating."

I think that was how it sounded. And then Chase responded like this:

"Oh, are you in love or something?"

That was when I realized that something was off.

Jack's obsession with ending their relationship.

His insistence that Chase is a degenerate.

Chase's accusation that Jack had fallen in love.

And, Chase's last words at lunch. The words I couldn't get out of my mind all this time.

"When controversial stuff gets out, it's kind of a pain. Idiots like that start hounding you like there's no tomorrow."

C-could it be that…

After all this time…

Chase was a…

A… t-t-trap?!

"This is all your fault, Nick! I never would have noticed if you didn't bring that thing up this morning!"

"That thing?"

"At first I was disgusted that a guy would trick me like that! The thought of accidentally laying with a man because he was dressed in women's clothes made me uneasy. But eventually I realized it. I wasn't uneasy because I hated the idea, it's because deep down, I didn't want to admit to liking it! The truth is, girl's clothes are not made for girls. They're made for the feminine men brave enough to wear them!"

"Yeah, I did say that. And?"

"Think, dude! What did Jack say at lunch earlier?"

What did Jack say…? Well, of course it was…

"I mean, at first I was fucking disgusted to learn about you. Just the thought of your degenerate ass made me sick to my stomach. It was like poor Scarlet was getting towed around by some evil mastermind. But after a while I began to realize why I was so frustrated… It wasn't because you were in a relationship with her. It's because I realized you're made for this stuff."

Oh.

Aha.

Ahaha.

Holy shit.

"And then, he said…"

"Tch. This sucks. Seeing you earlier really just confirmed why I felt so uncomfortable about the two of you."

So when he met him in the shower, he accidentally ended up confirming his feelings for Chase…

Oh my god.

I should have noticed it sooner.

Chase certainly looks feminine in a lot of ways. His hair is nearly shoulder length, and his body is slightly smaller than the average fourteen year old boy's.

And he's always tired too. He must be missing sleep to engage in degenerate acts late at night!

It all makes so much sense now.

"So Jack has the hots for Chase, who's been a trap all this time…"

"I don't believe this…"

How could we not realize this sooner? And we showed him such a feminine Astolfo picture… Of course he'd call it a girl. He's an expert at this stuff!

Scarlet seemed knowledgeable too… Don't tell me she's into traps too?! It's no wonder she dated Chase despite avoiding guys all this time then!

Aughhh…

"Nick…"

Sig looks into my eyes.

He seems to have resigned himself to accepting these circumstances after all.

"Traps are…"

"Yeah."

I nod at him.

We gaze into each other's eyes, silently taking in the solemn atmosphere as we finally uncover the truth.

There's no need for doubt.

We both utter the words at the same time.

"Traps are pretty gay, aren't they?"

The question which has plagued male sexuality for a long time now.

After all this time, we've finally uncovered the truth.

We've finally solved the dungeon in this chapter of our lives, and it feels as if a huge weight has finally been lifted from our shoulders.

"Hahahaha!"

"Hahahaha…"

We laugh together.

Oh, how we're laughing.

Haaa, how amusing.

To think that Chase of all people would show us the truth.

Life sure can present answers in comical ways, huh?

Sig sighs as he regains his composure.

"Haaa, It can't be helped, then. I guess I'll be deleting my Astolfo folder after all."

"Wha- hey wait! There's nothing wrong with being gay Sig! Think this through! That folder is 30 gigabytes!"

Sig pauses for a moment, then smiles at me one more time

"I…"

Only, his eyes are filled with tears this time.

"I can't do it, Nick. I can't look at Chase the same way I've been looking at Astolfo all this time."

"… Sig?"

"I mean… He's our aniki, you know? I can't look at him with those lustful eyes. Don't you think that's kind of fucked up? Don't you?! I'd rather die than accidentally ruin our friendship with Chase! I mean, he's…"

Sig…

You've thought this through. You've been suffering with this for a long time, haven't you?

Goddammit…

I feel the tears beginning to well up in my eyes as well.

"Yeah, you're right. We can't let ourselves fall into that hell. He gave up his shot at being a major Chad to hang out with us."

Sig nods with the tears still forming in his eyes.

"Chase is a bro among bros. He's not a failed normie like the other posers, he really did choose to hang out with social rejects like us."

We can't betray him. We can't betray him by continuing to fetishize traps like we have before. He's the comrade we don't deserve, after all.

Despite not understanding us, despite not getting our hobbies, he still chooses to stick with us every single day.

If we trampled over that by looking at him with the same eyes we looked at other traps with, then…

We'd be failures as human beings.

"Let's head over to your place and play some videogames dude. So we can forget about everything that happened today."

"Yeah, you're right. I think Chase would appreciate it if we did. That way, things can stay the same as before."

The two of us bump fists as we continue on our path home.

Chase may never know that we found out about his secret. But that's only because we respect him enough to keep on moving forward as friends despite it. The last thing we'd want to do is ruin what the three of us have over something like that.

And so...

Today...

We closed the door on our love for traps.

For the sake of our good friend who we love so dearly.