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Tommy jerks awake at the sound of a cell phone vibrating with a call, squeezing his eyes shut against the morning light coming in from between the blinds they forgot to shut last night. He instinctively pulls the warm body in his arms closer as he tries to ignore the intrusion and fall back to sleep.
Unfortunately the ringing phone persists and he looks at the clock blearily, blinking at the rudely early time displayed. Most days the wrong side of 7am would not feel nearly as offensive, as Tommy tended to be an early bird. Though the addition of one Evan Buckley to his life was changing that slowly, as his boyfriend loved nothing more than a morning cuddle, along with other pleasurable morning pastimes. So Tommy certainly wasn’t complaining about the change to his sleep schedule.
After the late night keeping Evan company as he babysat Christopher during Eddie’s date, followed by a very pleasing midnight snack once they got back to Evan’s loft, he had been especially looking forward to one of those morning lie-ins as neither of them had a shift until tomorrow, though this phone interruption was threatening to ruin those plans.
He glances at his phone on the side table, which lay there silently. Grumbling slightly, he extricates himself from the bed, Evan letting out a plaintive whine at the loss of warmth. After pressing a quick kiss to his shoulder, Tommy staggers over to the chair with Evan’s jacket thrown over and rummages through the pockets for the phone. Once located he returns to the bed and climbs in close to Evan once more, handing the phone to his half-asleep boyfriend.
“It’s for you, honey,” he murmurs, pressing a kiss to Evan’s neck.
Evan hums happily and squints as he answers the phone, making no move to get up. “Hullo?” he answers around a yawn.
“Hey Uncle Buck, I’m sorry to call so early,”
“Christopher. Are you alright?” Evan quickly sits up, drowsiness immediately forgotten.
“No one I know would call at this hour. Unless something was literally on fire.” Tommy muses, drawing idle patterns along his boyfriend’s back.
As if summoned by his words, his own cell phone starts vibrating on the side table.
Tommy grabs it and answers wryly, “No one I know would call at this hour.”
“My dad did something wrong,” Chris says.
“I need to talk,” comes Eddie’s flustered voice down the line.
“What’s the matter?” Evan and Tommy say simultaneously, glancing at each other with raised eyebrows.
“My dad broke up with Marisol.”
“I broke up with Marisol”
Evan tapped Tommy frantically on his shoulder at the same time Tommy slapped him on the thigh.
They broke up! They mouthed to each other, silly grins on their faces.
“That’s great, Eddie.”
“I’m sorry, Chris, I know you liked her.”
“We’ve been telling you for months to break up.”
“But sometimes two people just don’t belong together.”
“There are other, non-ex-nun fish in the sea.”
Evan coughs to cover a laugh, swatting Tommy in a chastising manner and saying to Chris “It’s hard, but it’s for the best.”
“How did you tell Christopher?”
“How did your dad tell you?”
“I didn’t.”
“He didn’t.”
“I got back from my date and I went to bed shortly after you two left.”
“Marisol came by this morning to take me to school and I asked how the date was.”
“Except the date wasn’t with Marisol.”
“She wasn’t the one on a date with my dad.”
Tommy glances over to Evan, lips curled over a smile at the almost comical look of shock on his face, but before he can react further Eddie continues, “Marisol came by this morning and it got a bit ugly.”
“They went outside but I could still hear them.”
“I feel so bad.”
“I’m so embarrassed.”
“I bet,” Tommy says in what he hopes is an understanding, non-snarky manner.
“It’s not your fault, bud,” Evan says comfortingly.
“Who’s Tommy talking to?”
“Is that Buck on the phone?”
“It’s-it’s-he’s listening to his daily motivational podcast.” stammers Evan, earning him a pinch to his back.
“He’s talking with Maddie,” Tommy lies smoothly as he winks up at Evan’s affronted look.
“You want to come over for breakfast?” Tommy winces as he and Evan both issue the invite, a mirrored look of panic on his boyfriend’s face.
“No, I’m never leaving my room.”
“No, thanks bro, I gotta stay and try and smooth things over with Christopher.”
“That’s good,” Evan laughed nervously. “I mean it’s so early. And you gotta get to school.”
“Call me later if you want.”
“I’ll call you later, ok Christopher? Take it easy on your dad.”
“Bye.” Four different voices ring out, before a slightly stunned silence falls over the room.
“God…” Evan exhales, collapsing back into the mattress.
“I know…” Tommy props himself up on one of his elbows, looking down at his boyfriend, stroking comfortingly along his chest.
“I just can’t believe Eddie. Cheating?? And he wonders where Chris got it from. He was right to call you instead of me, I’m going to beat his ass.”
Tommy hummed in agreement. “Between his Catholic guilt, Chris’s sad face, and your disapproval he didn’t need me giving him a hard time too.” He runs a placating hand through Evan’s hair at the adorably offended look on his face, “Not that he doesn’t deserve one. But I’m still the cool new friend. You’re the best friend and co-parent who is understandably going to have a lot to say about the situation. He probably just wants to tell you in person.”
“Or there’s something more to it that he didn’t want me to immediately sniff out.” Evan laughs slightly, still looking concerned.
“Well if that’s the case then I’ll help you beat his ass. In a loving, supportive bro way.”
“It’s just… after all he and Christopher have been through… he deserves to be happy. But maybe he should work on being single and happy for a while. I love the dude but he definitely needs to get some therapy before getting back into the dating world.”
“It’s rough out there. I’ve had my own fair share of dating horror stories, can’t imagine how much harder it is as a single dad.”
“Don’t I know it. I swear, written on the edge of the dating map is ‘here be dragons’” With a gusty sigh Evan closes his eyes, “Tell me I’ll never have to be out there again.”
Pressed up to his side, with his arm still holding him close, Tommy can feel how Evan freezes as his brain catches up to his mouth. He draws his hand down Evan’s arm and draws his hand up to press a kiss to his knuckles, easing his clenched fist open so he can press a kiss to the center of his palm. He’s close enough that he feels more than hears Evan shudder out a breath as he relaxes slowly, tension easing out of his body.
Tommy looks forward to the day when Evan will feel comfortable enough to make these declarations, being so confident in their future, in how Tommy feels about him, that he will no longer have the instinct to brace against rejection. Until then, Tommy will continue to reassure him with his words, his actions, his presence, fill him with love and affirmation until there’s no more room for fear or doubt.
He softly kisses Evan’s eyes where they are still pressed shut, “Look at me, baby,” and he smiles as those beautiful eyes open to meet his, which Tommy rewards with a soft, lush kiss.
He pulls away, waiting until the dazed look fades a bit from his eyes, willing him to really hear him. “You will never have to be out there again.”
Evan’s smile dawns like the morning sun outside, blinding and brilliant, and Tommy cannot help but return it as he rolls over to cover Evan completely, winding their hands together and kissing him senseless and he sets out to spend the rest of the morning ensuring the words sink in.