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Timothy’s hands twisted as Wilhelm drove them to the New Year’s party at his parent’s house. Tim had panicked when his mother had called and he’d ended up blurting out that he’d bring his boyfriend. Timothy had fallen on his kitchen counter dramatically, swearing at himself. Now, he’d have to find one. Which had actually been easy. Wilhelm had volunteered. Timothy didn’t know whether he should indulge in it with the man he had a huge crush on, or to be mortified. He never knew what Wilhelm was thinking or going to do next and it was terrifying.
“So, to recap, we’ve been dating for two months, nothing too big or fancy, just starting out.”
“I know, Tim,” Wilhelm sighed. “You’ve been over this a hundred times.”
“I’m sorry! I’m just nervous, I don’t know why I even lied to them, I guess I just didn’t want them to find a date for me. Not that they’re ever horrible dates, just boring. I just couldn’t stand any more nagging from my mom. It’s not right that a man my age doesn’t have someone. She was with dad right out of high school. She doesn’t care who, just that I should have settled down already… But…” he eyed Wilhelm with his grizzled beard, wrinkled features and scars and winced just a little. “They’re… probably going to be put off by the… age gap…” Tim accidentally popped the last word. His eyes wided. “Not that I care about that, you love who you love and the rest doesn’t matter, heh, heh, obviously…”
“You sayin’ you love me, Timothy?” Wilhelm asked, glancing sideways at the man, his lips quirking upwards.
Timothy’s eyes widened. “I… Did I say that!? Oh, ha! I guess I did, I mean, I don’t know you as well as I’d… Oh look! We’re here!” Timothy blurted as he pointed to the large house, sighing heavily in relief. Tonight was going to be a nightmare.
His cheeks burned as the older man laughed, parking the large truck in the driveway. “You’re way more jumpy than normal, Tim. Just relax and let me take care of you.” Wilhelm smirked at Tim’s raised brows and then he winked. Tim unbuckled, but Wilhelm caught his arm. “Seriously, Tim, relax, I’m not gonna expose you as a liar.”
The younger man gasped at that, half laughing. “I didn’t mean to! I hardly ever lie! I just… happened!” He looked out the car window for a long moment, giving himself time to calm a little. “Looks like we’re early…” he turned and smiled at Wilhelm. “I do want to thank you before we get in there. Thank you for keeping this liar’s lies.”
Wilhelm smirked.
They got out of the car. Wilhelm fished out the cookies Tim had made and carried them to the door. Halfway up the walkway, he pulled Tim in close. Tim glanced at him, unsure. Wilhelm smirked. “We’re dating remember? We’ve had sex and everything.”
Tim made a strangled sound.
The door opened and his parents stood there, waving. “Timmy!” His dad called.
“ Timothy , dear, he’s not a child,” his mom corrected.
“Here we go…” Tim groaned through his stretched smile.
His father looked at his mom. “He’s perfectly fine with me calling him Timmy, he’s never objected. You’d know that if you quit nagging him and let him make his own decisions.”
“I don’t nag! I just want to make sure he’s being responsible!”
“You call him to make sure he’s brushed his teeth! If it isn’t a habit after all these years, he’s a goner.”
Timothy called to them. “Mom, dad, this is Wilhelm, my boyfriend.” His stomach flip-flopped as he said that.
Wilhelm nodded. “Hey.”
“Boy, he’s a talker! Does he always talk this much, Timothy?” His mom asked, unimpressed.
Wil frowned.
Timothy smiled. “We brought cookies!”
His mother eyed them over. “Hmm, sugar cookies. Full of fat. Did you use your great grandmother’s recipe?” When Timothy faltered she sniffed. “I’m sure we’ll find a use for them.” She ushered them in.
His dad leaned in. “She hasn’t started drinking yet. She’s been stressed out because your aunt is coming. And she’s always gotta prove to your aunt how much better her life is than hers.”
They helped set up, but Tim was much to frazzled to make any conversation. Wilhelm kept secretly patting Tim on his butt as they walked by each other. Or stealing kisses. The first one froze Tim until Wilhelm nudged him slightly. They’d had sex and everything, this shouldn’t make Tim so nervous. Right, except he was only half functioning. His other half was on high alert, waiting to sense whenever Wilhelm was near.
He almost yelped when large, strong, Wilhelm-like arms wrapped around his waist, pulling him close and whispering in his ear. “Relax, remember I said I’d take care of you?”
“Heh, this is not what I thought you meant!” But Timothy did not lean away from Wilhelm. He had dreamed about being held by the man for a long time and he wasn’t going to pass this up.
Wil pressed a light kiss against Tim’s jaw. “That’s it, just relax and enjoy yourself,” he cooed gently. It sent shivers through Tim.
“You’re enjoying this, aren’t you?” he whispered, his breath light and excited.
“ Oh yeah ,” Wilhelm said.
And then his mother walked in. Wilhelm kept Tim close, his head against Tim’s forehead as the nervous man stiffened. She eyed them and then smiled thinly. “So, tell me, Wilhelm, just how old are you?”
“Mom!” Tim snapped, feeling his hackles rise. “It doesn’t matter how old Wil is!” He did not know where this ferocity was coming from, but he wasn’t going to quell it.
He felt Wilhelm’s cheeks squish against his to smile.
His mother’s eyes flashed angrily, but she continued, setting the table to hold all the food. “And what do you do, Wilhelm?”
“The same job, Tim does. That’s how we met. It was love at first sight.”
If Tim had been drinking anything, he would have choked. His face turned pink and his fingers mindlessly kneaded Wil’s arms. He smiled despite his nerves and the weary eye of his mother.
In the middle of the party, guests laughing and calling to each other, his aunt caught up to him. “Oooh! Tim! You bagged yourself a cutie!” she sang, elbowing him harshly at the minibar. She winked as she snacked on the sugar cookies. She had three more in her hand. “He’s all sorts of yummy!”
Timothy had gone to grab Wil and him drinks. They had become more comfortable with each other thanks to the miracle of alcohol. Tim was calm and nicely buzzed, though Wil seemed unaffected so far. He hadn’t seen his aunt coming and had jumped when she’d cornered him.
He smiled, forcing some sort of normal laugh out. He winced at the sound. “Yeah, he’s… really nice?”
“ Nice? Timothy! He’s your boyfriend! Stop being so prude!”
Tim frowned. “I’m not being prude , I’m… Being private.”
She smiled. “Okay, I can believe that. Then, tell me, what makes you like him?”
Tim, having finished making their drinks paused and stared at her. “Uh…” He glanced over at the older man, talking idly with a party member. Tim thought about their relationship over the years and smiled. “He makes me happy. He makes me mad, sometimes, but I can trust him completely…” His smile softened. “He makes me feel safe and wanted.” He shrugged and then flushed, realizing how deep he’d gotten.
“Oh, wow!” his aunt giggled. “You’ve got it bad !”
Tim scurried away before his aunt could say anything else, flushing furiously. He handed the whiskey to Wilhelm as the party member left, their conversation over. Smile silky, Wilhelm patted his lap. Tim was frozen, his cheeks heating. Chuckling, Wilhelm reached forward to grab Tim’s waist and pulled him onto his lap. Tim sat obediently across his it, hiding a shiver as Wilhelm rested his arm around his back.
Taking a sip of his whiskey, he smirked. “You can relax, Tim, all the way.”
Tim blushed harder at those words and did so, letting his back lean against Wil’s arm. Tim sipped his cocktail. “How’s your… drink?” he asked.
“Mmm, better now.” He smirked at Tim. “I’m glad you feel safe around me.”
Choking on his drink, Tim looked at him. “What!?”
Laughing, the man leaned forward, kissing Tim, whisky mixing with Tim’s fruity cocktail. “I know how to read lips.”
Tim sipped his cocktail, unable to process the amount of embarrassment he felt. “Oh…”
Timothy stood in the darkened hall by his old bedroom an hour later. He’d drunk enough alcohol that he was relaxed now, giggling at Wilhelm as the man leaned in, bracing his elbow against the wall.
Wil smiled devilishly. “C’mon, Tim.”
“No! We’re gonna get caught! She’s a bloodhound!” He let his hands brace against Wil’s chest, testing the feel of the older man and getting completely distracted.
With his free hand, Wilhelm tipped Tim’s chin up. “Hey, my eyes are up here.”
Timothy giggled. “We can’t!”
“Sure, we can, we’re dating, remember? She won’t suspect a thing,” Wil whispered. “I’m your boyfriend and you’re mine.” The playfulness in Wil’s eyes softened as he said this.
Timothy extended his hand from Wil’s chest to massage the man’s beard. “D’you think we’d make a good couple?” Tim mused.
Wilhelm leaned in close. “Oh, we’d make a great couple. And the best thing about it is that couples share .”
Timothy sighed loudly. “Fine! But if we get caught it’s totally all your fault! You make me all…” He waved his arm around his head. “Crazy! You always have!” Tim rambled as he opened the door to his old bedroom. “Ha!” he said as he turned the lights, showcasing that his parents hadn’t changed his room at all since he’d moved out. He went to the large bookshelf and pointed. “You gotta move this, Stud Muffin.”
Smirking, Wilhelm pulled it away and Tim reached in, pulling out a large envelope. “I had to hide this from my mother. It would have been too disgraceful.”
Wilhelm laughed. “I can’t wait to see it.” He replaced the bookshelf.
They sat on his bed and Tim pulled out the magazines. The large print of ‘ Cat Fancy ’ greeted them. Tim pointed sternly at Wilhelm, mimicking his mother in a shrill voice. “There will be no animals in this house! Not even in pictures! They’re filthy and bring nothing but chaos!”
Wilhelm looked at all the ones Tim had stashed away. “Got a thing for long hairs?”
Tim smiled. “They’re just so soft! I would love to have a cat one day, maybe more!” His smile was wider, eyes sparkling. Chuckling, Wilhelm set the magazines aside and brought Tim in for a kiss. Tim giggled. “You keep doing that and I’m starting to think you want to be with me.”
“I do.”
“What!?” Timothy’s eyes were huge orbs. He walked on his knees over to Wilhelm. He was slightly taller than him now. He wrapped his arms around Wil’s neck and pulled him into a kiss. “Let’s do it!”
“Why don’t we check in with each other tomorrow and see how we feel sober.”
Tim grunted. “I’ll feel the same way, I’ll just be too stupidly shy to say anything! Besides, I’m not too drunk that I won’t remember!”
“Timothy?” his mother called from the living room.
“Shit!” He scooped the magazines up and yanked Wilhelm’s shirt up.
“What are you doing?”
“She won’t look under your shirt! Damn...” He said staring at all the hair, curling tightly together, thick and mouthwatering. He wanted to take a moment more to marvel, but he had more important things to do. He shoved the magazines against his stomach and pulled the shirt down. At the last moment, he threw himself at Wilhelm, kissing him madly.
Wilhelm easily rolled with it. His hands rested on Tim’s thigh.
His mother opened the door and gasped. “TIMOTHY!” Tim pulled away, feigning surprise. “I knew it!” She glared, crossing her arms. “You couldn’t do this at your own house?”
“I’m sorry mom!” He stood quickly, his hands in front him, a child in trouble. He walked in front of Wil as he stood, guarding her from getting a full view of them.
They joined the party once more. No one seemed to have heard his mother. He sighed in relief, sinking against Wilhelm. The man wrapped an arm around him. “You’re secretly a rebel, Timothy. I’m shocked,” Wilhelm whispered, kissing his temple. Timothy giggled.
No one noticed when Wil made a trip to the truck to stash away the Cat Fancy magazines. Tim smiled as he watched Wilhelm sneak back in. They were great partners in crime.