WIP - Pining Eyes - new

He'd been picked on, made fun of, called names and hurt all his life for his name. And, yes he'd lied. All he'd wanted to be was a real man. To be loved and wanted. To fit in. But with a name like Pinocchio, it wasn't going to happen. Not that he went by that. He always went by Pin.

But people found out anyway, no matter where they went, what town or city their little carnival troupe entertained in. Pin figured it would be even worse if he were some sort of puppet master, but he wasn't. He ran the small Farris wheel. Nothing fancy, nothing remotely interesting.

And his and his father's idea of a real man were so very different. No, his father wasn't Geppetto in any sense of the movie, loving and caring. Giuseppe was a hard man, an unrelenting taskmaster, and as homophobic as they came. If he knew the truth, Pin's life would be worth less than than the dirt they set up their carnival rides on.

Pin thought maybe his life might turn around when he met Gideon. Gideon was loud, fun and very much out of the closet. He didn't apologize to anyone for who he was. He had courage, if a bit of misplaced shenanigans that got him into trouble more often than not.

Pin was smitten from the moment he laid eyes on him.