em writing queer myth ⛲️<p>(Reclusive ghost whisperer Seymour is crashing with his new colleague, recently ordained Episcopal priest and unconventional exorcist Milo, until the two of them can find a way to neutralize a demonic presence that's taken over Seymour's house. Despite Seymour's trademark misanthropy, an awkward little friendship is starting to bloom.)</p><p>I catch him looking at me again. Not at my eyes, for once. “Okay...do I, uh…have something on me or…?”</p><p>Milo’s eyes widen. “I’m so sorry, no…I keep looking at your hair.”</p><p>“My hair…?”</p><p>“I guess you could say I’m neurodivergent in some unspecified way and sometimes I become preoccupied with things.”</p><p>“…Like my hair?”</p><p>“It’s pretty. It’s very dark and shiny and I like the way the cut frames your face and kind of swoops over your eye and conforms to the shape of your head in the back.”</p><p>“Oh. Uh…thank you…?”</p><p>“I’m sorry if it makes you uncomfortable. I have to remind myself it’s unsettling for people if you stare at them. Because personally I never mind it. In fact I think it’s strange that most people seem afraid to look at each other. Anyway…I like your hair. But I’ll try harder not to stare at it.”</p><p>“It’s okay,” I hear myself saying.</p><p>He blinks. “…Is it?”</p><p>“I mean…it’s not a big deal or anything.”</p><p>“No, I know it’s weird. I was bad about it when I was younger and people really didn’t like it.”</p><p>“I don’t, uh…I don’t really mind.”</p><p>“…Really?”</p><p>“Yeah. It’s fine.”</p><p>We lapse into silence for a moment. He’s still stealing glances at me, but seems even shyer now, despite the permission—keeps looking away when our eyes meet.</p><p>“Do you…like having your hair brushed?” he asks out of the blue.</p><p>“Uh…I guess? Are you…you saying…you want to…?”</p><p>“I think it might get it out of my system. But I know that’s weird, so it’s completely okay if you’d rather I didn’t.”</p><p>“…You want to brush my hair.”</p><p>His fingers flutter against his knee. “I feel like it might resolve the fixation. But it’s totally okay if you don’t want me to. Actually, no—I’m sorry I asked. It puts you on the spot, doesn’t it? No, no—it’s okay.” He closes his eyes; lays his hand on his chest as it rises and falls in a soft, slow breath: “I can manage this myself…”</p><p>“Um…I guess you can brush it,” I hear myself say.</p><p>His eyes spring open, rounder than I’ve ever seen them. “Are you sure?”</p><p>“I mean…somebody’s gotta do it. If you don’t, I’ll just have to do it myself at some point.”</p><p>He giggles. “Um…okay. Thank you.”</p><p>“You’re…welcome?”</p><p>He pops up. “I have a really nice brush my hairstylist recommended. Let me go get it.”</p><p><a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/TakeOnMe" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>TakeOnMe</span></a> </p><p><a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/writing" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>writing</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/WritingCommunity" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WritingCommunity</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/GayRomance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>GayRomance</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/mm" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>mm</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/mmr" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>mmr</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/nonbinary" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>nonbinary</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/NonbinaryWriters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NonbinaryWriters</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/NonbinaryRomance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>NonbinaryRomance</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/QueerRomance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>QueerRomance</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/LGBTQromance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LGBTQromance</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/LGBTQbooks" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LGBTQbooks</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/LGBTQwriters" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LGBTQwriters</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/LGBTQ" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LGBTQ</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/LGBTQIA" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>LGBTQIA</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/UrbanFantasy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>UrbanFantasy</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/AmWriting" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>AmWriting</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/cozy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>cozy</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/plural" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>plural</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/ND" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>ND</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/CPTSD" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>CPTSD</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/queer" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>queer</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/WIP" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>WIP</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/romance" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>romance</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/QueerJoy" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>QueerJoy</span></a> <a href="https://writeout.ink/tags/mlm" class="mention hashtag" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">#<span>mlm</span></a></p>