Disclaimer-I own Michael and Jacob

We Need To Talk

Michael took a very deep breath. An ordinary day, his foot. The day this became ordinary was the day he'd jump in a lake.

He was approaching town very quickly. He wanted to get this over with. Cleansed, indeed. As if he wanted to be cleansed from this. The moment this was over, he was back in his hut, living life as he had done before.

His foot crossed the border into town, and it was as if a wind had swept all the words from people's mouths. Cold eyes turned to stare at him. Curt nods greeted him as he walked past, which he returned in the same vein. Women tucked their headdresses closer around their faces and glared at him. He nodded to them to, polite but unfriendly. They turned their backs and began calling their children to them.

Michael was far too used to this treatment, and therefore did not care much for or about it. He was here for one reason, one hypocritical reason just to please his family, and then he would disappear again.

There. Michael saw him. He was instantly recognizable. He was always surrounded by twelve men and five women. Michael ticked off their names. The men were John, James, Peter, Thomas, Judas, another Judas, Philip, Bartholomew, Matthew, Andrew, Thaddeaus, and Simon. The women were Mary, his mother, Mary Magdalene, Martha, Joanna, and Susanna.

He approached the group quietly, and tapped on one's shoulder.

The man whipped around. "Yes?"

Michael thought this one was Peter, but wasn't quite sure. "I'm here to speak with Jesus."

Peter looked at him, trying to put his finger on where he had seen Michael before. Not finding the answer, he turned and addressed his master.

"Jesus, there is someone here to speak with you."

Jesus, who had been talking to Mary Magdalene, turned his head to look at Michael, and all of a sudden Michael felt shot through. Not with an arrow or a spear or an insult, but with kind of warmth. His stomach began to feel funny, as the warmth spread to every part of him.

Jesus stood from where he had been sitting and approached him, his followers making way.

As he stood face-to-face and quite close to Michael, the man felt so much palliating warmth from Jesus that he felt like he would burst.

"You do not wish for me to discuss this in front of the others," Jesus stated plainly.

"No," Michael answered breathlessly.

"Very well. We shall adjourn." He turned to face the others. "Wait here for me."

His followers nodded their assent, and Jesus turned back to Michael.

"Shall we?"

"To be honest, Jesus—" Michael started.

"You did not want to come here," Jesus filled in for him. They were standing by the public well.

"Yes," Michael answered. "If you can read my mind, then surely you know why I've come here?"

"Yes, I do. Your relatives have forced you here in order for me to release the demon in you that makes you love Jacob."

Michael's breath, which had been storing up in his throat, exhaled loudly. "Yes."

"But you, however, do not think there is a demon involved."

"No, I don't," Michael said firmly. "So, Jesus, what do you think?"

"What do I think?"

"Yes, I mean, do you believe there's a demon in me? Do you believe I'm damned to Hell? It's all right if you think I am. The whole town thinks so, anyway. I've read the Torah; I know what was written about it. Just tell me I'm banished to the bowels of Hell for eternity so I can go back to herding sheep and resigning myself to my fate."

Jesus pursed his lips and stared at Michael all throughout his rant. He looked at the man for a long time afterwards. And then, finally, he spoke.

"Do you love this Jacob?"

He was taken aback. No one, in the 6 years of judging, had anyone bothered to ask him that.

"Of course I do. I wouldn't risk public scorn and stoning if I didn't love him."

"Do you ill-use him?"

"No!" Michael yelped indignantly.

"Do he ill-use you?"

"Never! Jacob wouldn't hurt a fly!"

"Do either of you steal?"

"No."

"Have either of you murdered?"

"No."

"Have you ever coveted another during your time together?"

"Never! I wouldn't dream of doing that to Jacob!" Michael yelled. "What are you accusing me of?"

Jesus quieted, still looking at Michael, his stare augmenting with each passing second.

"You have an honest soul, Michael, but an angry one at that."

"You would have one too," Michael spat bitterly, "if you had people calling you demon-possessed every time you walked down the road; if they'd have you evicted for not paying taxes rather than buy your wheat or sheep!"

"Are you demon-possessed?

"Not to my knowledge."

"You know, they call me demon-possessed."

"You? You, whom they call Messiah every day?"

"Many followers will betray me. I cannot stop it. Just as you, Michael, cannot stop your love for Jacob."

"But…" Michael looked taken aback. He had not been expecting this type of conversation. "Do you think I am demon-possessed? Everyone says that I am."

"Everyone! The teachers of the law! The Pharisees! How can they be quick to judge when their own faults are leading them straight to Hell! How can they judge you for loving someone, when their own hearts are so full of contempt and wickedness!"

"So…I haven't been sinning? But the Torah—"

"Why do you give evidence against yourself when you are defending yourself? I'll tell you the truth, the ones who find the light do as you do. They love their neighbor as themselves! Do you, Michael, hold contempt for others? Would you hold food from starving children? Would you watch a man drown and do nothing about it, simply because it was Sabbath?"

"Of course not, Jesus!" Michael yelped.

"Then you needn't worry. Never let anything prevent you from doing good, Michael. I know what is written in the Torah, but I speak the truth. My Father, the Lord our God, sent me not to condemn the world, but to save it! God has given you the gift of love. Use it! Better the world, just as I am supposed to do!"

Michael stared at Jesus, awestruck. Jesus seemed to be emitting a glow of holiness and happiness. The rush of anger seemed to be leaving Michael through his very breath, and was being replaced by a spirit of complete wellness.

"Now I know why they call you Christ," he whispered. For the very first time in his life, his eyes filled with tears. "Thank you, Lord."

"It was my pleasure, Michael," Jesus answered, and he smiled for the first time. "Now, go. Return to your Jacob and tell him what I have said. Better the world by bettering yourselves. Let anger quit your soul. Anger is your only demon!"

"You truly are the Son of God, Lord," Michael said softly. "You truly are."

Hello! It's me. Call me J-chan.

Now, this fic will probably anger lots of people who believe that gays are damned to Hell. I know what is written in Leviticus and Corinthians. If you want to say that I have sinned, fine. But also remember that the Bible condemned women who cut their hair short, people who ate shellfish, children who disobeyed, that time of the month, and people who worked on Sundays. If you are not guilty of any of these, THEN you can accuse me of unholiness. Also, I've never read anything that has Jesus, JESUS and not the other people, saying, "The gays shall never enter the Kingdom". If you have, let me know.

But, seriously people, I want to discuss this fic.

First off, this is purely what I think would've happened if Jesus ever met a gay man. This is not recorded in any book. This is not meant to step on anyone's beliefs. This is ME, and what I've been thinking has been overlooked.

First of all, Michael and Jacob—who are fictional characters, by the way—have never cheated, stolen, or murdered. I believe that those things weigh a lot more on the Scale of Sin than homosexuality does, if homosexuality is indeed a sin. Also, the people who condemned the gays—the Pharisees—were also guilty of hypocrisy, theft, and stinginess. What right had they to judge Michael and Jacob, when Jesus himself berated them?

There is also something that I feel is always overlooked with the thoughts of "Is it morally right?" and "Is it biologically right?" The question is "Do they love each other?". If the answer is "Yes", I say to leave well enough alone. If the answer is "No, I've been forced into this", then I say that we should stop it. However, may I inquire as to why the man who rapes a little boy is looked upon with more repugnance than the man who rapes a little girl? Didn't they both commit a sin, which many believe is unforgivable?

What I want you to do before you click that blue box at the bottom of the screen is to put yourself in Michael's shoes. Think about if you were gay and people you barely knew condemned you because you kissed someone of the same gender. Think about that, compare it to yourself and what you believe at the moment, and try to find your answer. You have to think long and hard. This isn't something that a book or someone else can tell you. This answer has to be found in your own heart.

Keep an open mind while reviewing. That's all I ask.

Have a nice day, and a nice life.