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Thomas breathed air into his shaky hands, palms sweaty.
“Turn right in 400 meters,” Siri’s monotonous voice echoed inside the car.
Minho glanced from his driver seat at Thomas briefly, foot planted on the accelerator pad. “Calm down, Thomas.”
“Turn right.”
Breaking slightly, Minho arched the steering wheel right.
“I’m calm, I’m calm, I’m calm,” Thomas chanted, but his jittery movement said otherwise.
“Keep straight.”
“It’s just your family, Thomas, why so nervous?” Minho asked.
“Exactly!” Thomas whined, “What if they don’t like you?” he bit his lip nervously as he shuffled in his seat anxiously.
“Turn left in 400 meters.”
“Thomas, babe,” Minho glanced once more to make sure Thomas was listening, “weren’t your family excited that time you told them we’re dating? And they are dying to meet me?” Minho teased, doing an air quote as he stopped by the red lights.
“They did, but—!”
Red lights turned green, “Turn left.” And the familiar neighborhood came into Thomas’s view, only making him feel even more anxious.
“Then there’s no need to worry,” Minho gave a reassuring smile.
“You have reached your destination.”
“I can’t do this, I can’t do this, I can’t do this,” Thomas chanted with frantic shaking of his head.
Minho turned off the car, turned to face Thomas, rubbing his shoulder comfortingly, “Hey… relax… I’ll be there next to you whatever happens, alright?” Minho gave a grin.
“Y-yeah... sure…” Thomas wasn’t focusing on Minho but on the nervous feeling in his guts as he unbuckled his seatbelt.
Because Minho was going to meet his family for the first time.
Thomas fumbled the keys in his hands as his boyfriend handled their luggage. It took Thomas multiple tries until he was able to insert the key into the keyhole.
Taking a breath, “Here goes nothing,” Thomas whispered, turning the key clockwise.
Click. Creak.
The door opened.
“I’m home!” Thomas shouted.
Almost instantly, the face of his mom popped out from the dining room. The anxiety suddenly turned into the feeling of missing his family of not meeting them for half a year. Thomas smiled when his mother came rushing towards him, there seemed to be more creases on her forehead, showing that age did not spare her, her wavy brown hair danced with each step she took. But her smile, it was the smile Thomas missed the most, the smile that showed how she was constantly cheerful despite any circumstances.
“Oh, honey, welcome home!” his mother pulled him into a hug, “I miss you.”
“I miss you too, Ma,” Thomas mumbled into her ear, relishing in the familiar embrace of his mother, holding on for a bit longer than necessary until she pulled away.
“And you must be Minho,” and Mrs. Murphy turned her attention to the Asian.
“It’s my pleasure to meet you, Mrs. Murphy,” Minho held his hand, but slightly startled when he too was pulled into a hug.
Thomas couldn’t stop the small laugh from his mouth as he saw his boyfriend having to bend down to hug his mother from how tall he was.
“Come, come,” Mrs. Murphy took both of Minho and Thomas’s hand, “dinner first, everybody is waiting.” Minho and Thomas exchanged glance for a brief moment before entering the dining room.
First walking pass the father. “Welcome home, son,” Mr. Murphy, a serious poker face plastered on his face, with his chin rested on his crossed palm as he stared at Minho.
“Hi, Dad…” Thomas gulped nervously at his father’s expression.
“Thomas,” Teresa, his sister, greeted with a nod. “Sis,” Thomas greeted back.
Chuck waved enthusiastically at Thomas, “welcome back, bro!”
Thomas chuckled fondly, ruffling the curly hair of his younger bro, “Hey…”
They had to walk around the table to sit on the other side. With Mr. Murphy sitting at the head of the table, Chuck and Teresa on his left, Mrs. Murphy, Thomas and Minho on his right.
“That’s Teresa, my elder sister,” Thomas pointed out, Teresa gave a polite smile, “and my brother, Chuck,” Thomas sent a wink to Chuck, who grinned and waved hello at Minho. “Nice to meet you,” Minho politely greeted back. Mr. Murphy coughed, gathering the attention of Minho and Thomas, “Minho… right?”
“Yes, sir.”
And that was when Thomas’s stomach started to churn. There was a staring contest between Minho and his dad as his dad had a calculative glint in his eyes while Minho just stared right back at him. Sweat covered his forehead as he frantically wiped his sweaty palms against his jeans. Seconds passed and they still didn’t drop their gaze and Thomas was dying.
Thomas couldn’t believe Teresa, who was sitting opposite of him took this time to signal him. He could practically read her mind as she nodded approvingly with impressed expression. Nice choice.
He glared back at her. Shut up!
Teresa shrugged. Make me.
Thomas narrowed his eyes, but was interrupted when his dad started to speak. “So, Minho…” Mr. Murphy gently rested his arms on the table, tapping his fingers.
“Yes, Mr. Murphy?” Minho asked politely.
Thomas gulped again. This is it, dad’s going to disapprove us.
“Do you support Mets?”
“Absolutely, sir.”
“Then welcome to the family,” Mr. Murphy smiled.
What?! Thomas’s eyes were close to bulging out. That’s it?!
“Thank you, Mr. Murphy,” Minho bowed slightly.
“Alright, enough chit-chat boys, let’s eat!” Mrs. Murphy broke the ice and invited everyone to dig in.
“What just happened?” Thomas whispered to Minho as utensils clattered with plates.
Minho scooped some pasta onto his plate, “Your family likes me, I guess?” he whispered back while giving a half-hearted shrug.
“Huh…” Thomas chewed his meat in disbelief, being aware of his family’s movements, especially Teresa who kept smirking at him.
Thomas stared at her. Don’t do it.
Teresa quirked her lips. Too bad.
“So, Minho,” Teresa started, and Thomas cursed her in his mind, “how did you both meet?” she smiled innocently.
Thomas froze. His mind reeling back to the moment where he spilled coffee on Minho in a rush, then volunteering to wash his shirt for him, but none of Thomas’s shirt fitted on Minho’s large size, leading to both of them awkwardly waiting in Thomas’s dorm for the shirt to dry while Minho was shirtless the whole period, and Thomas couldn’t help himself as he ogled at the body of a Greek God. Shit. His family must not know that story.
“We were classmates!” Thomas replied all-too-loudly and suddenly.
“Thomas, I’m asking Minho, do you mind?” Teresa kept her innocent smile on her face. Thomas sent a look. I will slaughter you one day.
Minho chuckled softly and Thomas bit his lip as a barely audible whine left his mouth. “Well you see…” Thomas couldn’t believe they all stopped eating and paid full attention to Minho, “I met Thomas when we first had the same class last semester, I was sitting behind him. I kept seeing him helping out others in their studies, so I went to ask him too, and seeing him being so selfless and serious in helping others, I just instantly fell for him.” Minho threw his arm across Thomas’s shoulders, tugging him close, “Not to mention he’s an adorable dork.”
Thomas’s face burned when his mother and Teresa made cooing noises and Chuck was there stifling his laughter. Did Minho actually prepared this story? But this story was way better than what really happened. A lot better actually.
“Didn’t know you’re so selfless, Thomas,” Teresa commented lightly, a small smirk hanged on her lips indicated she didn’t fell for the story. But Thomas was glad Teresa didn’t ask more.
“Y-yeah!” Thomas gave a nervous smile, “I mean I’m trying to make friends.” Thomas said it more like a question than a statement.
“Uh-huh,” Teresa nodded, disbelief underlying in her words.
“Well, sweetie,” Mrs. Murphy smiled fondly, “isn’t it fate that you both meet? Plus you both make a great couple,” she nodded approvingly next to Thomas, Minho’s arm still around Thomas. Teresa covered her snort with a cough.
“T-thanks, Ma…”
“Here, here,” Mrs. Murphy plated some meat patties on Minho and Thomas’s plates, “you boys eat some more meat, especially when you’re in the growing stage.”
“Thanks, Mrs. Murphy,” Minho finally released Thomas to eat.
Teresa took this time to ask when Thomas was sipping his drink, “So who tops?”
Thomas choked.
“Teresa!” Mrs. Murphy scolded disapprovingly, while patting on Thomas’s back and Minho was trying to contain his laughter. Teresa shrugged nonchalantly.
“What’s a tops?” Chuck asked Teresa innocently, not getting what was happening, provoking more laughter Minho.
Thomas was red-faced from embarrassment and the choking, glaring murderously at his sister.
“Oh, Chuck, it’s something they learn from their school,” Teresa replied, glancing smugly at Thomas.
“Oh, okay!” Chuck chirped.
“I know you’re both adults, but do use protection, son,” Mr. Murphy spoke.
“Dad! We know!” Thomas whined, he seriously wanted to dug a hole and hide himself, this is all too embarrassing!
“Just saying,” Mr. Murphy gave a shrug, while Teresa continued to smirk.
Quite an interesting dinner they had.
Thomas opened his bedroom.
Dropping his luggage to the floor as he took in the sight. It all looked so familiar, everything was where he left them, and he missed living here.
Minho entered next, “Phew! That was one hell of a dinner!” he exclaimed.
“Yeah, it was…” Thomas was still reminiscing the life he lived before he decided to move out and study at a boarding school.
Minho glanced at Thomas when he noticed Thomas was lost in his memories. He walked behind Thomas and gently wrapped his arms around Thomas, chin resting on Thomas’s shoulder. He gently rocked Thomas as he too took in the sight of what Thomas was looking at, “Nostalgic?” he whispered.
“Yeah…” Thomas breathed out, “it’s been so long…”
Minho hummed, taking a breath of Thomas’s scent from his neck, “Welcome home, baby…”
Thomas was home.
Thomas yelped when Minho pushed him onto the bed all of a sudden. “Knock it off, Minho! My family could hear us!” Thomas warned as Minho pinned his arms above him and nibbled his neck, “What if Chuck sees?”
“Then he’ll learn something new,” Minho replied half-heartedly as he kissed Thomas’s neck and started to unbutton his plaid, earning a groan from Thomas.
“Thomas—” Chuck opened the door.
Thomas shrieked and pushed Minho off him, struggling to cover himself, “Y-yeah, Chuck, what’s up?”
Chuck looked confused for a second, but he replied nonetheless, “Mum says go to the living room when you’re both done settling down.”
“A-alright, thanks Chuck!” Thomas gave a nervous smile.
“No prob!” Chuck left and closed the door.
The moment the door close shut, Minho howled in laughter. Thomas pounced on Minho, whacking Minho with his hands, “Stop laughing! It’s not funny!”
But Minho didn’t stop laughing, despite lying on the bed with Thomas on top of him and whacking him, “I’m sorry!” he didn’t even sounding remotely apologetic, “I’m sorry!” he defended himself with his arms blocking the onslaught.
“No. You’re. Not!” Thomas pronounced each word with a whack, “Ugh!” Thomas sat back down next to Minho, covering his face in shame.
“Hey…” Minho threw his arm around Thomas’s shoulder, “cheer up!” a small chuckle left Minho’s mouth unconsciously, earning a glare from Thomas between his fingers.
“C’mon, let’s unpack,” Minho dragged an unwilling Thomas to where their luggage sat.
After showering and putting on fresh clothes, Thomas and Minho stumbled down the stairs to the living room.
“There you boys are!” Mrs. Murphy called out, “Come, come, Minho, I have something to show you.”
“What is it, Mrs. Murphy?” Minho asked quizzically, sitting next to Mrs. Murphy with Thomas next to him, and Thomas had his brows knitted in confusion too. Until Mrs. Murphy placed a book Thomas knew all-too-familiarly on her lap.
Oh fuck. Thomas’s eyes widened. Baby photos.
“Look at how cute Thomas was when he was younger,” Mrs. Murphy flipped the pages of the photo album, caressing Thomas’s face on them. Thomas whined out loud, “Mommmm!”
Minho smirked, enjoying the torture of his boyfriend, “Yeah, he was…” he glanced over at the pictures of young Thomas, hooking an arm around Thomas’s neck to tug him and look at the photos too, “he still is…” he whispered into Thomas’s ear. Thomas blushed even harder, grimacing at how flustered he was.
After ten minutes of fun for Minho, torture for Thomas, the photo looking session ended, much to Thomas’s relief. “Thomas, honey,” Mrs. Murphy called out.
“Yes, Ma?” Thomas mumbled unenthusiastically, tired of being so flustered.
“You didn’t mention why did you come back, or how long you both are staying?”
Thomas perked up slightly, finally something that’s not embarrassing. “Because its study week, and I’ve figured since Minho and I are performing decently in our studies, we don’t need much to study, just a quick revision is enough,” Thomas explained, “so Minho and I decided to visit you guys, since you all wanted to meet Minho,” Thomas grimaced slightly when he remembered the utter humiliation during dinner time, “we’ll be staying for three days then we’ll head back.”
Mrs. Murphy hummed in acknowledgement, “So movie night anyone?” she suggested, which both Minho and Thomas agreed.
Thomas called for all his family while Minho helped Mrs. Murphy prepare the snacks and beverages. “Minho dear,” Mrs. Murphy called.
“Yes, Mrs. Murphy?” Minho tuned the microwave setting for the popcorn.
“I want to genuinely thank you for taking care of our Thomas…” she spoke heartily.
Minho was slightly taken aback from the confession, “I-It’s fine, Mrs. Murphy, I mean we take care of each other,” he waved his hands around.
“I’m sure you both did,” she smiled, “I’m glad he found someone to rely on,” she sighed in relief, the sentence seemed to be a self-thought.
Minho didn’t reply, and the microwave beeped, and he helped Mrs. Murphy carry the stuff to the living room where Thomas was setting up the movie.
Teresa sat on the one seat couch, next to another where Mrs. Murphy sat. Mr. Murphy, Minho and Thomas sat on the long couch, while Chuck sat on the floor cross-legged. All of them endorsing in the movie.
“Daddy... please pass the popcorn,” Thomas requested absent-mindedly, fully focused on the movie.
Both Mr. Murphy and Minho reached towards the popcorn. Both of them stilled comically and Minho let out a nervous chuckle. Thomas tried to see what was happening when his popcorn didn’t come, then reality hit him like a truck.
“Oh my gosh…” the embarrassment came back full force he tried to hide himself by snuggling closer to Minho.
The Murphy’s except Chuck who was still concentrating on the movie realized something.
“Kinda wild the type of fun you both have, huh?” Mr. Murphy raised his brows, tossing a popcorn into his mouth.
“Honey, they’re young, it’s their type of fun!” Mrs. Murphy came to defend, which only made Thomas’s face even redder, he wanted to die.
“Guess that answers my earlier question,” Teresa commented offhandedly with a smirk.
Thomas whined pitifully into Minho’s shoulder, pulling his legs up and hugging them while curling into a ball of shame. What the hell did he do to deserve this? Completely losing the appetite and the ability to continue watching the movie, he lied there against Minho the whole movie. Minho had a sheepish grin on his face as he tried to pat on Thomas’s back to comfort him. Which, mind you, did not work at all.
They lied on Thomas’s bed, facing each other, Thomas in his PJs while Minho, being the hunk he was, was shirtless. “So…” Minho started.
“Yeah?” Thomas gently danced his fingers across Minho’s abs, while the other hand wedged between his head and the pillow.
“I like your family,” Minho grinned, one hand caressing Thomas’s waist.
Thomas rolled his eyes dramatically, “Of course you would,” Thomas muttered childishly, “enjoying in torturing me.”
Minho sneak his hand into Thomas’s shirt, touching the skin there comfortingly, “Nah… they’re pretty nice…”
“And that too,” Thomas snorted.
“Hey,” Minho pulled Thomas by the hips to close the distance between them.
“Yeah?” Thomas let himself be pulled, now their faces were mere inches apart, he pressed his palm flat against Minho’s chest, feeling his heartbeat and that somewhat calmed him down knowing Minho was there with him.
“You have a great family, you know that right?”
“Yeah, I know…” Thomas tilted his head slightly to get a more comfortable position, smiling fondly at Minho, his boyfriend.
Just because they never said the special three words to each other yet, doesn’t mean they did not adore each other a lot. And they both knew that as they kept their gazes steady at each other, pouring out their affections through their eyes.
Minho broke the gaze first, moving forward slightly to peck Thomas’s forehead, then his lips, “Get some sleep, babe.”
Thomas sighed contently, “G’night Minho…” Thomas flipped to the other side, snuggling into his blanket.
“Night, Thomas…” Minho turned off the night lamp.
Thomas was content with what happened today, Minho blended in perfectly with his family, and he couldn’t ask for a better outcome. Thomas knew he loved Minho, and Minho loved him too, but they’re still not ready to say those words. But they still have a long future ahead of them, and Thomas looked forward to it.
“Who knows tomorrow might be less embarrassing for you.” Minho mumbled into the night.
“Shut up, Minho.”
Yeah, Thomas loved Minho.