TOMMY SAT IN the passenger seat of Mason's car on the sunny Sunday afternoon, staring up at the large white house at the end of the houseless street. The home was beautiful, it looked like one of those old southern-American houses. It had a porch that stretched across the whole front of it with white beams segregated through the fence in front. It was two stories, with windows that were divided into four separate panels, A chimney poked out through one of the layers of grey tiled roofing and the small tendrils of smoke billowing through the top.
Tommy wrung his hands out on his lap, wondering why in the hell he said yes to this yesterday. As he stared up at the Hartford family home a belt of jealousy washed over him, he had no home to go back to, and he hadn't for over 10 years. Even if this place was just a house he thought of all the good memories that must've been made in a home like this one, those good memories must've been capable of washing out all the bad. He had never had that, his family home was washed in so much blood that even those good memories he had were tarnished, the scars on his chest could attest to that.
He sighed and glanced over towards Mason who was also looking up at the house, his hands relaxed on the steering wheel. And there is that static again. That feeling that Tommy struggled to grip because this must've been what it felt like to have a crush on someone. He refused to depend on people because of what his family repeatedly abandoning him and breaking him over and over again. But here he was, staring at this guy, and he thought he might do it again, he might give over every broken shard of trust he had left to this person.
He didn't think he had ever felt like this about someone before. Sure, he found people attractive, but he had never felt the bonds of a connection sparking, it was like a cotton thread was tied to his lower rib and connected itself to Mason's, and there Mason was, strumming his finger over it every time he said or did something that made Tommy's heart flutter wildly. He felt ridiculously stupid for it. Getting attached to someone in this way was what he had avoided doing for a very long time. He would end up hurt, and he would hurt the person by leaving or worse, for not leaving.
Logically, Tommy didn't even think Mason would be into him, not with how he was. At best, Mason pitied him, that much was true. For all he knew, he could be walking into this family dinner and meet his girlfriend. Yet, he knew about Tommy's sexuality and still showed him affection (well in his own way,) still held his hand through the night of his breakdown, still let him fall asleep on his shoulder at the beach. Even the night before after getting back to the house - he applied the ointment to his eye and didn't hold back on touching him.
Tommy had been in Winchester for two weeks and had already been through enough to make him run far, far away. He blamed Christian for dredging up his emotions when he had managed to lock them deep down for years. Now he had even convinced himself that he liked this brooding - yet, caring guy who he knew nothing about. Tommy sighed again, this time out of frustration and crossed his arms over his chest. How annoying.
"Why are you glaring at me like that?" Mason exclaimed, looking away from the house and to Tommy.
"I'm not glaring at you," Tommy mumbled back.
"Yes, you are," Mason raises an eyebrow, his lips pressing together into a thin line, an expression that Mason frequently wore, but one Tommy liked seeing. Tommy clicked his tongue against the roof of his mouth and shook his head in annoyance at himself for that way, his mind was working when it came to Mason and his stupidly handsome face.
"Do you have a girlfriend that comes to this too?" Tommy blurted out, instantly having to divert his gaze to the dashboard, he wondered how hard he'd have to hit his head against it to give him memory loss, and how hard of a hit it would take to cause the airbags to blow.
"You are glaring at me because you think I have a girlfriend?" Mason questions sounding amused which instantly has Tommy rethinking how hard he'd have to headbutt Mason to knock both of them out.
"Don't flatter yourself, I wasn't glaring at you; I was just in deep thought," Tommy tries to explain himself, which just causes Mason to arch his eyebrow further.
"In deep thought on whether I have a girlfriend or not?" Mason teased, a grin appearing on his face.
Tommy's heart stopped. It was the first time that he'd ever gotten that from him, had ever seen that smirk directed at him... It was the first time he had ever seen it, and he had to press his fingers to his pulse in his wrist just to check if the blood was still flowing through his veins.
"If I had a girlfriend, do you think I would be staying at your place or let the others tease you and me about being a couple?" Mason's words immediately pulled Tommy from his grin induced daze. He opened his mouth to say something, but nothing came out, just a stuttering mess of tumbling words.
"But I - You're...?" Tommy tried to speak, but he just couldn't seem to work out whether that was a confession that he was into guys too or him just admitting that he was single.
"Alright, I'll let you figure that one out for yourself. We better go in, we've been keeping them waiting long enough," Mason said bluntly, a hint of a smile left there on his lips as he opened the door and climbed out of the car.
"I'm so screwed," Tommy mumbled under his breath as he followed.
Tommy followed Mason up the porch stairs and to the front door which was already being held open by a ladybug shaped doorstop. He crossed over the threshold, the rose-infused garden air giving way to the stronger smell of a roast. Tommy melted into it, it had been a long time since he had smelt food so mouthwatering since he had walked into a house and had the smell attack his senses in such a comforting way. The walls of the hallway held photographs of the Hartford children, obviously so loved. The floor was an old-fashioned wooden inlay with a blend of deep homely browns, and the walls were a soft creme meeting a bold white baseboard.
Tommy followed slightly behind Mason as they walked into the kitchen which connected to a large dining and lounge area. Outside the large windows, Tommy could see the others. Christian was at the BBQ with Nicky, both of them laughing at Sasha who was scolding Harry over something as they set up the outdoor table. The soft hum of music played from a small stereo on the kitchen window sill, and Lucy Hartford stood with her back to them, sashaying her way around the kitchen. Tommy instantly felt his throat close up and constrict at the sight, she reminded him so much of how his mother used to move around the kitchen that it hurt.
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