Tommy laughed, happy that their somber mood had been forgotten and left behind. “Exactly,” he agreed, chuckling softly still. “Hey, you can crack as many jokes as you want as long as you acknowledge that it works at the end of the day,” he said with a shrug. He raised an eyebrow, surprised by how innocent Pete’s suggestion was. He smirked at him. “The next two? What about the next one and then we have to agree on the one after that?” he playfully haggled. “Because I’m not sure if it was two movies worth of trauma.”
Pete grinned. “As long as I have your permission,” he teased. “’Cause you know how much I like makin’ jokes. I can defnitely acknowledge that it’s a good system every once in a while though. Fair is fair.” Pete shook his head in mock outrage. “Are you questioning my trauma?” he asked. “Why, I never!” Pete said, imitating his grandmother. “I am hurt. Deeply, deeply hurt. I should bump it up to the next three movies, but I am a good man, and so I keep my offer firmly at two.” He looked at Tommy with a slight smirk. “Really, you should be thanking me.”
Tommy just smiled at him and kissed his cheek, letting the topic drop there. He gave Pete’s hand a gentle squeeze and ran his thumb along the back of his boyfriend’s hand, wanting to offer whatever reassurances he could that he was here and that he wasn’t going anywhere. He snorted at the question, shaking his head fondly. “I guess it’s not. But hey, all those relationship experts had to be right about one of those things. I mean, there’s so many of them, chances were they were right about one thing,” he joked along. He smirked, having a pretty good idea of where Pete was going with this. “A few ways, huh?” he asked, raising an eyebrow.
He laughed, amused that Tommy was playing along with this. Pete shrugged. “Yeah, even a blind dog has to find a bone once in a while, or somethin’ like that,” he joked. “But if it works, I guess I can’t crack too many jokes about it.” Pete pretended to think about it for a moment. “Well, let’s see. How about you let me pick the next two movies we go see? And absolutely no complaining if its something you don’t like,” Pete decided, smirking happily. “After all, it’s a lot of emotional trauma you gotta make up for. You really cut me deep.”
Tommy smiled at the sound of Pete’s laughter, pleased that at least some of his boyfriend’s bad mood seemed to pass by. He understood Pete’s concerns about their relationship given their past, but Tommy wasn’t worried. They were different now and they wouldn’t make those same mistakes. Not when they’d finally gotten what they’d both spent so long hoping for. “I’ll let you know right away,” he answered. Tommy grinned. “It is good. Nice to know where we both stand.” He held on to Pete’s hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Deeply wounded? Is there anyway I can ever get you to forgive me?” Tommy teased, smirking at Pete.
“As you should. I gotta keep my man happy,” Pete said, the tension slowly leaving his body. Having Tommy’s hand in his was all the reassurance he needed. After all, if Tommy could be so comfortable with their relationship and where they were, why couldn’t Pete? They were meant to be. “Yeah. I’m kinda beginning to understand why everyone is always talkin’ about communication being really important in relationships. Guess it wasn’t just a crock of shit afterall, huh?” Pete said with a wide grin, feeling better and better with each moment. He pretended to think it over for minute. “Well, I can certainly think of a few ways,” Pete said, arching an eyebrow.
Tommy leaned into Pete, just wanting to make sure that his boyfriend was happy or at least feeling a little better about everything. “I do know that. You do a pretty good job makin’ sure you tell me,” he answered, pulling back to look at him. He returned Pete’s smile with one of his own and leaned down, kissing him back. “I know just what you mean,” he said quietly. He felt the same way about Pete. He fell more in love every day and nothing made him happier than just spending time with his boyfriend. “I guess I can be okay with that,” he joked, smirking a little.
Pete couldn’t help but laugh a little at that, feeling an unknown weight lift off his shoulders. He just needed to make sure Tommy knew all that. He didn’t want to lose him again, and not telling Tommy how he felt, and being afraid of loving him, had nearly destroyed them once. Pete was determined to make sure it never happened again. “Well, I certainly try. You let me know if I slip up though,” he teased. Pete smiled happily. “It’s good when we’re on the same page and all.” He chuckled, shaking his head fondly before reaching up to grab Tommy’s hand and lace their fingers together. “You guess? I’m hurt. Deeply wounded,” Pete Joked, needing to lighten the mood before his insecurities came back.
Tommy placed his hand on the side of Pete’s neck and gently pulled him in closer, pressing a kiss to his temple. “You’re not bein’ ridiculous. It’s okay to feel that way sometimes as long as you know that I love you and I’m always goin’ to want you and that you’re the best part of my life,” he told him, puling back and giving him a soft smile. “And all I want is for you to be happy so I’m gonna stick right here with you. ‘Cause you’re my favorite part of every day.” He pressed another kiss to Pete’s temple and gently let his cheek rest against his boyfriend’s head.
Pete frowned but leaned into Tommy’s touch easily. He just didn’t want Tommy to ever feel that way. “You know all that too, right? That I love you and you’re the best part of my life?” he asked, needing to make sure. He looked up at him with an easy smile. “I love you more every day.” He tilted his head up, stretching to kiss Tommy quickly. “You make me happy. All I need is you and I’m pretty much set,” he said, it coming off as a joke, but meaning it. “I guess we’re just stuck with each other.”
“You don’t really think that, do you? That I’d be just fine without you? ‘Cause it’s not true. I already know what life is like when I don’t have you and it’s miserable and it sucks.”
Pete could only smile softly. He tried his hardest not to let moments like this happened, but there would always be a part of him that thought Tommy deserved more. “I’m sorry. I’m just bein’ ridiculous. I don’t want you to ever have to be miserable again, so I’m not goin’ anywhere.”
1. Pete was notorious for sleeping around. He wasn’t particularly proud of it, but he just didn’t want to be tied down. Of course, being from a town as small as theirs, people talked. It looked bad that the high school principal’s son was gay, let alone a slut. So, being the good son that he was, despite his father insisting that all he needed to worry about was being happy and safe, Pete calmed down with it all. He stopped hooking up with guys, especially ones from town. When he saw Tommy standing there in that pink tux, he couldn’t help but flirt a little. Tommy was gorgeous without being all dressed up and Pete had been doomed. So he pulled him into a kiss and then a little more and it was only the beginning.
2. The kisses after that were frenzied and hidden. Sometimes they met up in various places around the school. Sometimes it was around town. Pete was careful not to be seen by too many people. It wasn’t that he was ashamed to be seen with Tommy, not even in the slightest. He was trying to protect his dad. Pete just wished he could explain that to Tommy better than the shitty attempts he had made. Besides, Tommy was the wordsmith, not him. All he could do was try and explain how much he liked Tommy by kissing him harder, softer, sweeter, more passionately. Each new kiss was a new way to tell Tommy Clark he cared.
3. Things progressed and neither was happy. Tommy didn’t want to hide in the shadows or janitor’s closet, the fun and excitement wearing off. Pete didn’t want to fall for Tommy more and more. He cared about Tommy more than he had anyone else had ever been with, and the thought terrified him. He loved people. He loved being with them and forging relationships and making people happy. He was the definition of an extrovert. But he didn’t do love. He didn't do that sort of thing because it always lead to heartbreak and he honestly didn’t know if he could do that. Pete worried he would suffocate whoever he was with because he loved too much. He was afraid he’d make them leave. So the kisses came less and less, the intimate moments far and few between. The last time before he ended things, Pete made sure to kiss Tommy extra sweetly, knowing it was selfish but taking that memory for himself. He pulled him close, his finger’s digging into Tommy’s hips, anchoring him there. Pete poured everything into that kiss. It was goodbye.
4. Had anyone said they would make their way back to each other, Pete would have scoffed. Tommy was way too smart to give a dumbass like him another chance. He would never deserve him. Pete had been the one to let him go. Still, they did find their way back, and it was the happiest Pete had ever been. While Pete loved the good morning kisses he shared with Pete everyday, his favorites where the good night kisses. Sometimes he would press them to Tommy’s shoulder. Sometimes it was his lips or his throat or his chest. No matter where, it was just Pete’s way of saying “I’m here. I love you. I’ll never leave you. Goodnight, my love.”
5. There is a moment in everyone’s life where they realize what they’re meant to do. For Pete that moment came when Tommy Clark was wearing a tux. The first time Tommy wore a pink tux, it had started it all. This time, it was just a new chapter. Pete looked at his Tommy, the one he was pledging the rest of his life to, the one he was meant to be with, the one he’d do anything for, and he just knew. This was exactly where he was supposed to be. With this man in this suit surrounded by these people. Without waiting for the right moment to do so, he pulled Tommy into a kiss, forgetting about vows and decrees and rings. This was his vow. In that kiss, he told Tommy everything he’d never been able to say in the decade since it all began. Sure, he felt a little bad for cutting off the judge, but Tommy didn’t seem to mind. Pete pulled back, grinning widely, unable to shake in deliriously happy mood. “Did I ever tell you that I love that tux?” he whispered to his husband.
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