Summary: Gerald forbids until he can't.
"Oh I don't think so!" Gerald suddenly declared surprising his entire family and Arnold who was staying over. "I forbid it!" Gerald said with a fierce intensity at he pointed at Jamie O, who for his part looked embarrassed and offended.
"Gerald?" Martin questioned, "I forbid it!" Gerald declared once more as he dramatically pointed a chicken leg at his older brother who was visiting the family. Timberly attempted to take advantage of the confusion to steal some of Jamie O's fries only for her eldest brother to snap out of it.
"You can forbid all you like. In the end it's not your decision." Jamie O declared firmly with a small blush. Martin looked over to wife to see if she understood what his sons' were talking about only to see her looking at Arnold thoughtfully. "Gerald, you're brother is right," Sarah, "it's not your decision."
Still confused Martin turned to look at Arnold for a clue only to see his son's best friend looking vastly amused. "Mom, are you approving of jailbait?" Gerald asked causing Timberly to start choking in surprise.
"Jailbait," Arnold's voice calm and cool, even as he threw a small glare in Gerald's in direction, while helping Timberly. "Will graduate high school in two school months and be legal, so if a certain hot someone doesn't mind waiting…." Arnold's voice trailed off as he threw a wink to Jamie O.
"I wouldn't mind." Jamie O declared, while Timberly squealed in excitement, Sarah smiled at the idea, and Martin just shrugged being glad that he understood what the argument was about. "Are you serious?" Gerald questioned his best friend, to which Arnold replied, "Yes, I am very serious." Arnold replied as he stared Gerald in the eyes.
"I shall allow this then." Gerald stated after a moment of silence, "But I have condition! For starters you will treat my best friend right, break his heart I break your face. You will respect his boundaries. If you do not I will unleash Helga on you," a declaration that caused everyone at the table to shiver, considering how protective Helga became after Arnold came out. "Don't intermediate him with your dating history."
"I dated five people," Jamie O interrupted, "and shouldn't be giving your best friend this protective brother speech considering I'm your brother?""Arnold is my best friend," Gerald responded, "I must ensure that his future partner is properly intimidated regardless of his relation to me."
Jamie O looked a bit offended, Gerald was solemnly serious, and Arnold looked both touched and amused, while everyone else found it funny.
Author's Note: While Jamie O's age is never given, I figure he has to be at least 16 during the show since he does own a car. Now I do think that the 7 year age gap is pushing the age range, but once I got the idea of Gerald forbidding it I just had to use Jamie O.
Since Mrs. Johanssen's name is never mentioned in the story, for the purpose of this story her name is Sarah.