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r/AmITheAsshole • Posted by u/520throwaway_520 12 hours ago

⬇ AITA for 'arranging' for my (former) ward (?) to 'move out' after he confessed to me?

A bit of a long post. I apologize for some of the vagueness, but it's necessary for our line of work.

I (31 M) and Y (19 M) have been living together ever since I found him as a child on the streets when he was 5 and I was 17. There's never been words or legalities put to it, as we're both a bit 'adverse' to the powers that be here, (-Who isn't in Zhungong anyways,) but I've offered him a place to stay and took him under my wing, so to speak.

When he first arrived, my 'sisters' and 'aunties' (Not blood related, simply the people working for me.) took to him immediately, doting on him, but he always stuck to me the most. I didn't see anything wrong with this, but perhaps that's because I didn't have my biological family in my life as a reference. I thought it was just as a consequence of being the first person he met.

When he was younger, he'd have frequent nightmares, ones I could hear from across the hall. The first time I remember hearing it, I checked his room because I thought someone broke in. He clung onto me almost immediately, and cried out for me to not leave. After that, he started to crawl into my bed whenever he had nightmares, and eventually he just slept in my bed all the time. I never really cared, so I let him perhaps longer than I should've, up until it became a habit and I've never thought of it as 'out of the ordinary. He's been out of the house occasionally for school and jobs and thus didn't sleep with me (obviously), but every time he returned he always whined about how much he missed it.

Y's very affectionate with everyone, so I never questioned it, but he often hangs off my arms, sits in my office while I do work, cuddles/nuzzles into me in public, etc. and has done these behaviors far into teenage/young adulthood. Recently his behaviors have been getting even more egregious, causing my employees and other onlookers to comment on how we act like a 'married couple' and how I'm his 'handler'. I brushed these off as always, assuming it's just the usual slander that comes with my 'line of work, but after the recent incident, I've started to rethink.

After he came back from his most recent 'business trip', his affections towards me specifically practically increased tenfold, and as soon as we had a moment alone, he said he had 'something important to tell me'. I assumed he had messed up on his trip and wanted me to clean up his mess (which was a frequent occurrence, but I digress. It's part of his charm, I suppose.) so I agreed. I was about to walk to my office, but he introjected and said it was a conversation more suited for our room. I objected slightly as my office was bugged and my room wasn't-he has the most annoying habit of promising one thing and 'forgetting' he ever said so, so I prefer doing business with him on the record—but he was adamant so I followed him as he let himself in and pulled me to sit on the bed. (Or, tried to at least. He's not the strongest physically.)

I was a bit weary at this point, but let him go on. Imagine my shock when he said he was 'In love with me and has been for a long time' and how he 'wanted to take our relationship further' (not his exact words.) I immediately shut him down, saying how that was absurd, but he rebutted with 'our job is way more reprehensible! This is love! I know you feel the same!! I'll admit he's somewhat correct on both fronts, but that's neither here nor there. We had a small argument, which lead to me leave him to his own thoughts and go back to my office.

For quite a while now, I've had his own flat lined up for him as a 20th birthday gift. It was supposed to be a surprise, but I suppose someone let it out, and when he found out he was hysterical. Stormed right into my office and broke down then and there, sobbing about how he loves me and how I'm 'kicking him out' even though he 'knows I love him too, everyone does, so I shouldn't try to protect him from it when it's what he wants! that I've already 'ruined him' by introducing him to this line of work. He cried until he passed out and I carried him back to our bed, which I'm sure is only leading to more gossip about us from the aunties. It gives me a headache thinking about it.

Edit: I cannot disclose our work, I don't see how this is relevant

Edit: Fine, all I'll say is it's a part of the red light districts and drug trade here in Zhungong, but practically everyone is involved in that here, don't be naive.

Edit: I am not going to elaborate on how he's 'partially right' about my feelings, that's irrelevant. And Y was not involved in the former part of the business when he was taken in, and his involvement in the business later on was all of his own accord. Do not accuse me of 'coercing' a child, that's ridiculous.

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