Thank you for the nice reviews, sorry the chapter took so long- I've been a little busy. The chapter jumps around quite a bit, but the next one will most likely be more straightforward. Hope you like this one.
Gareth woke up the next morning to his mobile phone ringing.
Grumbling, he picked it up from the bedside table and looked at the number. It wasn't one he recognized…
"Gareth Keenan?" he said quietly, so as to not wake Tim.
"Do you know where Tim is?"
Gareth frowned. He didn't recognize the voice, but it sounded like an older woman.
"Are you his mum?"
"Do you know where he is?" she sounded desperate.
"Yeah, he's right here with me."
There was a sigh of relief. "Thank you. He didn't call to say where he was last night."
Oh. Gareth had forgotten Tim still lived with his parents.
"How'd you get my number?"
"It was on a slip of paper in one of his shirt pockets. We assumed it was a girlfriend…"
Gareth blushed lightly. "Sorry?"
"No, it's alright. Is he asleep?"
"Not anymore." The tired reply came from behind Gareth as Tim sat up, rubbing his eyes.
"Gareth, you need to stop putting it on speakerphone… who're you talking to?"
"Your mum."
Tim groaned. "Can I talk to her?"
Gareth handed him the phone and Tim flipped it open, shutting off speakerphone.
"Hi… no, I'm not. No, he's not. Yeah, I will. Bye."
He snapped the phone shut and glanced over at Gareth.
"What'd she say?"
"She asked if I was in your bed, and if you were a boyfriend. I said no to both."
Gareth nodded. "Thanks. What'd she ask you to do?"
"She wants me to come home and bring you."
"For the whole day?"
Tim shrugged. "I dunno. But I have to stay there tonight anyway. We have work tomorrow."
"You could bring clothes and stuff here."
Tim sighed. "Gareth, if I don't stay there tonight, she's going to start getting suspicious."
"She's suspicious now," Gareth retorted.
"Yes, I know, but I shouldn't make it harder than it needs to be."
"…Fine. Let's get up and shower and such. You can have first."
"Come in with me."
Gareth stared at him. "You're joking."
Tim grinned. "Yeah, I am. For now." He left, and Gareth shook his head.
"He's mad…"
-
Once they had both showered and gotten ready, they went outside to Tim's car.
"Would you mind taking the bus back?" Tim asked. "I have to take my care home, and I want you to come with me."
"Wouldn't it be kind of odd if we both come in the same car? I'll come in mine."
Tim rolled his eyes but relented.
-
The day crawled by achingly slow. Gareth felt a little awkward around Tim's parents, vaguely reminding him of being a teenager and meeting a (rare) girlfriend's parents.
They spent some time asking him about what he did at work and how he got along with Tim, then sent him and Tim upstairs so they could make lunch.
"They treat you like a kid, Tim," Gareth noted, once the door to Tim's room had closed.
Tim sighed. "Yeah. Not all the time, though. Just when I have friends over."
"So you don't bring them over?"
"Not when I can help it."
They sat in silence for a minute before Tim glanced at the door. "D'you want to kiss?"
Gareth shrugged. "Wouldn't it be easier to just tell them? I mean, I don't want to, but I don't like feeling like a teenager again, and they are your parents."
"…I will at lunch."
"Tim, bring your friend down!"
"Get ready, Gareth. It might be kid food again."
-
"So, Tim, how are you and your boyfriend doing?"
Tim and Gareth froze at the unexpected question.
"Mum, I never said-"
"I know, but it's painfully obvious. You treat him well, Tim." She glanced Gareth over. "And make sure to feed him. Awfully skinny."
By now, both men were looking extremely uncomfortable.
"Mum… you're embarrassing me."
-
Tim's parents ended up letting him go back to Gareth's for the night, much to both men's mutual enjoyment.
-
Before they entered the office the next day, Gareth reminded Tim yet again to not do anything too suspicious on camera, making the other man roll his eyes in exasperation.
"Yes, Gareth, I know. You've told me that at least three times this morning. I'll behave."
Gareth ignored his sarcasm and entered the office.
Things were pretty uneventful until lunch. Dawn came over to Tim and Gareth, who were sitting together.
"So, how did the weekend go?" she asked, sitting down.
"Great, actually," Tim replied. "We got together."
Dawn smiled. "Lovely. How do you like it, Gareth?"
Gareth hesitated, then shrugged. "It's nice…"
"What have you done so far?"
"Not really your business."
"Just kissing," Tim said, disregarding Gareth's shocked expression.
"Tim! You don't say that! What if they hear you?"
Tim rolled his eyes. "My microphone's off, Gareth. And even if it was on, they're not always listening. David keeps them busy enough."
Dawn laughed softly at Gareth's anxiousness, making him glare at her.
"It's not funny!" he said indignantly. "If they hear it, they'll put it on the air, and that'd be past humiliating!"
Tim shook his head, putting an arm around Gareth's shoulders.
"Relax, will you? We'll be fine." He checked to make sure there were no cameras, then kissed Gareth quickly on the cheek.
Gareth glared but said nothing.