Chapter 18

Charles and Mr Lào sat at opposing sides, at the ends of the dinner table. Annabelle sat at Charles' right and Tom at his left. Mr Lào's wife sat at his left, and the girl, Victoria Lào, next to her, Victor sat at his right.

Leaving an empty chair right between Tom and Victor for-

"Uh, I got permission to stay for a while..." He arrived back in the room after calling his mom. Upon his entrance, Tom lightly snapped his fingers, getting his attention, then pointed to the chair next to him. As he sat down, he muttered. "It's not like there's any other chair, you know... "

When he was seated, the conversations about business and stocks and shit began. Unnoticed, Tom grabbed the seat of Jerry's chair and pulled, slowly dragging it closer to himself.

"Stop that, " Jerry slapped his hand away, blushing.

The man let go, rubbing his hand.

"So, Damien, how has college been for you lately?" Old man Lào asked, sipping wine from a glass. "Seeing as you're going to graduate soon, I hope it's all smooth."

"Yeah, it's... it's great." He poked silently at his food.

"Damien's grades are just as good as ever," Charles butted in. "Might as well have him skip right into the family business, haha..."

"It's almost a miracle he's able to pull through so well after the accident," Annabelle sighed sorrowfully. "He braved that tragic ordeal with resilience. We're very proud of him."

"Indeed," Mr Lào's voice turned grave. "Rufus and Reyna's deaths affected many."

Tom dropped his chopsticks. Suddenly, eating felt like a grave sin. Looking at the food made his insides swirl uncomfortably. He eyed the glass of wine next to his plate.

Getting their attention, Mrs Lào signed with her hands while mouthing, "What about the little Caleb? Is he holding up okay? I learnt he was diagnosed with PTSD."

"And a mild haphephobia as well, yes. He's slightly better with us touching him now, but not others. He's improved though. " Annabelle replied.

"Ah, good to know." The man proceeded eating his meal.

Charles and Annabelle then began to silently communicate under their breaths.

"Ask him now! I'm sure there's many others out there with their eyes on her."

"I'm thinking for the right conversation starter."

Charles roughly cleared his throat, "Um, Mr Lào..."

"Hm?"

"I just recalled, isn't your daughter turning 18 in a few months?"

"I wouldn't really call 10 months a few, but, proceed."

Lào Institutions were one of the most ludicrous international companies in the world. Any connection with them was worth a lot in the business world.

"Well, once she does turn 18, she'll have a stampede of suitors, haha..." Charles dragged on. "And since Damien will be graduating soon, it'd be nice to know he has somebody to, you know, settle down with."

"Ah, are you suggesting a marriage?"

"Well it would beneficial, and it would be good for him to have a special someone to help him recover fully..."

"Beneficial, yes. And you are right, she actually has numerous suitors already, but I'm not sure it's what my angel cake wants..?" He looked at her, and she looked at Tom.

The way she slowly scanned him from across the table made Tom want to hurl. He subtly shifted his gaze from her and glanced at Jerry.

Shit, he's not eating.

"It's fine with me, dad."

"Oh?" He looked surprised. "Okay, I guess we should arrange for a date then. Get to know each other before-"

Jerry got up suddenly, pushing his chair back. "I-uh, p-pardon me." He walked away rather quickly, more than likely to the bathroom.

Before his silhouette even turned the far corner, Tom got up too. Without a word, he went in the same direction as Jerry.

Everyone left at the table stared blankly as he left after him, then brushing it away they continued talking.

***

A faint squawk made Tom's steps become strides, then a full on run. He slid to a stop at the bathroom door and burst in. What beheld him was a half transformed Jerry scratching at the tiled walls with his talons.

"Little mouse, calm down," He said gently as he neared him.

"T-Tom, I can't -! " He gasped suddenly, squatting and clutching his neck as he struggled to take in air when his breathlessness kicked in. "C-cant breathe!"

"Hey, hey, look at me, " He knelt with him and held him by the shoulders, looking straight into his panicked, moist brown eyes. Half-transformed Jerry had little cute feathers, like whiskers, on his cheeks, and some of his brown hair had become little pretty feathers too. Why are you always so pathetically beautiful..

Tom placed a hand on his tummy and the other on his chest, guiding him. "Focus on me Jerry, look at me.. there, good. Now listen, you gotta take a deep breath. No, don't open your mouth... again, deep breath, that's it, good... yeah, respira por mi,"

Jerry slowly got a hold of his breaths, and Tom's hands left his chest, while the rogue feathers slowly disappeared from his body. He took another breath and sighed in sheer relief.

As Tom got up, pulling him to stand as well, Jerry hugged him, tight. His arms wrung round the taller man's torso, and fingers gripping him like he was holding on to life.

"It's okay, tesoro. It's over,"

"... Tom?" He said, his tiny voice muffled by Tom's clothes.

"Yeah?"

"Can you... not marry her, please?"

Tom couldn't help but smile. "Is this your way of saying that you like me?"

"Ew, no." He punched him in the chest, then rested his chin on it, looking up at Tom with resolve in his magnificent brown eyes. "I just don't want you to."

"And why don't you?"

"I don't need to have a reason..."

"Yes you do, or else nothing's stopping me from marrying her,"

"You're gonna marry her?"

"Churri, you're overreacting. It's just a date."

"Dates lead to marriage, "

"Give me a reason to, and I won't even go on that date."

Like what...?  "Uh, I-I'm worried!"

"Worried about me?" He perked an eyebrow.

"Worried about the kids,"

"Little J, you're thinking too far ahead..." He pinched his soft cheeks as punishment.

"You're too immature to father anyone."

Aren't I your daddy? "No way. I think I'd be a great father."

"So you are going to marry her?!" He squeaked in panic.

"Little mouse, hey, listen." He cupped his face in his palm, brushing away lingering strands of hazel hair with his thumb. "Remember what I told you under the bleachers during the festival?"

"Y-yes,"

"Well it's not something I can easily take back. It's not something I'm ever taking back, you got that? If I have ever told a truth in my life, that was it. "

Jerry stayed silent with his face once again hidden in the suit.

"Jerry?"

Jerry deeply inhaled the scent of his big cat, then breathed out. Looking up and putting his hands on Tom's nape, he whispered. "Here's your reason,"

Tom didn't get a second to think before those soft, roseate lips pressed against his.

Instantly, he was lost. All consciousness of where he was or what he was doing vanished and he kissed back with unbridled passion, making his little mouse's knee strength waver.

Not breaking the kiss, Tom lifted him up by the knees and sat him on top of the sink, intensifying their little make out session.

Jerry's wandering hands held on to him, one buried in his locks just above his neck, and the other peeking its fingers into his collar.

Tom's own hands did not stay at his waist, but moved over the irritating turtleneck that prevented him from touching skin. One hand went under it, holding his skinny waist, rubbing circles on Jerry's flat tummy with his thumb. The other tugged at the zipper, from his neck, down to just below the collarbone, oh-so-chastely hiding Jerry's rosy pink flesh from its devourer.

He pulled the zipper down and left Jerry's lips, making him whine quietly. Adorable. After pulling down the zipper the same hand goes to grab the chestnut hair of this seductive little mouse, pulling down and exposing his pretty, pink, bare neck to the hungry panther.

Gods you're so beautiful.. Kissing his lips once more, Tom trailed his tongue down the tantalizing neck displayed in front of him. He felt Jerry gulp under him, so he pressed a kiss on his Adam's apple, somewhat assuring him that he still had his head, which was an absolute lie. His mind was flooded with thoughts of tearing the fucking clothes apart and taking him right there and then... but, baby steps. He traced his tongue at a spot in the crook of his neck, pressed on a light kiss and then bit down.

"Mmn," Jerry held in a sudden moan, and let's just say that did not help Tom's current predicament, in fact, it only made it a helluva lot harder~

His eyes shut tight and swollen lips parting as he gritted his teeth, Jerry held back another lewd sound that ached to come out as Tom bit his neck again, all while tickling his abdomen with his fingers which moved up his waist, further into the shirt.

"T-Tom- ahh!" Another bite, more painful than the first, made it difficult for Jerry to suppress his moans.

He pushed himself forward, meeting Tom's crotch with his and insistently grinding on him.

Gods no, A pleasured moan eacaped his own lips as his insides ached to do the forbidden. "Stop." He growled against his neck.

After getting his attention, a panting Jerry held up Tom's chin, his other hand getting more and more entangled within those beautiful locks. "Kiss me,"

Who was Tom to refuse this flustered goddess?

Their lips molded into each other once again. With a pull of his brown hair, Tom tilted Jerry's head to the side, deepening the heated kiss. Why are you so perfect..

There was a soft click from the door, and Jerry tensed, pushing away, but Tom pulled him back and kissed him again, blocking his face on both sides with his hands so he couldn't focus on anything else.

"Oh my," The smooth, ever-flirty voice of Victor Lào bounced off the walls into Jerry's ears, making him pull away again, lips rosy and quivering as he panted heavily.

Hating Victor even more for interrupting, Tom growled. "What are you doing in here?"

Vic smiled, "Getting a taste of the cutest thing on the planet seems to have fried your brain, Big cat. This is the men's bathroom, and last I checked, I was still a man."

He walked to the sink, smiling sweetly at the blushing little mouse, "Hey there Jerjer~" He began to wash his hands.

"Keeping a dildo in your pants don't make you a man," Tom muttered, earning a smack on the head from Jerry for being rude.

"I assure you, Tom. Mythical as it seems, I really am that long. Wanna see?"

"Shut the fuck up, Vic." He slowly zipped up the turtleneck, missing the blushing rosy skin already.

"You know, I suspected something of this sort, seeing as you were so standoffish earlier," He gracefully took off his rings and turned on the tap. "But actually seeing this: a blessing unto my eyes.

"And, wow, the drama, I mean, your guardians are literally planning to wed you to my snobbish ass twin, but here you are having a little session with your younger brothers therapist. This is theater gold!"

"You've read one too many romance novels."

"Yes, maybe I have. You know what most if them taught me? Two people leaving to same bathroom right after each other equals sparks." He wiggled his eyebrows. "Innocent ol' me wanted to test that theory, so I listened through the door before coming in. Good news people, the theory is correct."

"Tell anyone anything, and I'll tell about your tutors you've seduced."

"You can't blackmail me with that dear, my study room has rather thin walls... but, I'm very much in love with little Jerjer, so I won't say a single word." He winked.

Tom rolled his eyes, I hate you so, so much.