"This is recent." Seth's mom looked thoughtfully at the hickey on Seth's neck.

Then, she turned her gaze from her son to Roman. She looked the samoan up and down, not looking happy to what she was seeing.

"This explains what this guy is doing here." She sighed in disdain. "At least this gentleman is not so..."

"Black?" Seth looked at her in disappointment.

The woman avoided her son's gaze. "You make me sound like I'm some kind of..."

"Racist?" Seth pursed his lips.

"Show more respect, I am still your mom." She complained. "In any case, won't you introduce me to your boyfriend?"

Seth's eyes were wide, now he was lost.

Roman didn't want to expose Seth but this situation was very awkward. However, ever since he met the boy, Roman had been enchanted by him. He wanted to help Seth in the same way that Seth was helping him.

"My name is Roman". He said carefully.

Seth was nervous. He didn't understand what Roman was doing.

"Roman huh?" Seth's mother continued to watch him closely. "Your relationship with my son... Is it serious?"

"Very serious, ma'am." Roman said firmly.

With that said, Roman walked over to Seth and grabbed him by the waist. The young man was a bit nervous, Roman looked at him fondly and Seth relaxed a bit. Seth finally laid his head on Roman's shoulder in an affectionate gesture.

Roman smirked at Drew, who glared at him.

"So serious that Seth had never mentioned you." Drew said sarcastically.

"You are watching me now." Roman responded in the same way to Drew.

Drew raised an eyebrow, it was obvious that Roman was challenging him.

"Well umm." The woman kept looking at Roman like he was something weird. "Seth, we are here to remind you to be home for Thanksgiving."

"I don't want to sound rude... Roman." Drew intervened. "But it's just something for the family."

Roman smiled. "And I don't mean to sound rude, but now you share Seth with me and we were actually planning Thanksgiving as well."

Seth noticed the hateful looks Roman and Drew were throwing at each other and wanted to disappear. Again it was Roman who, gently pressing him against his body, reassured him.

"Drew honey, Roman is right. For now, he's Seth's boyfriend, so he's invited." Seth's mother gave Roman the most fake smile in the world. "By the way, my name is Jane and this is my boyfriend Drew, he is from Scotland."

Roman almost rolled his eyes. How important could that bastard's nationality be? He now understood why Big E, Kofi and Xavier seemed to hate Seth's mother as much as they hate Drew.

"Nice to meet you and don't worry, we'll be there." Roman smiled at her just as falsely.

"Sethie, you're staying with us for the weekend, so take some of your stuff and the same for you, Roman." Jane pointed and took Seth by the arm. "I'm going to talk to my son in private for a moment."

Roman saw Seth and his mom walking into the kitchen. When they were both away, Drew approached him.

"You saw everything so you can't be Seth's boyfriend." Drew shot him a threatening look.

Roman didn't even flinch. "That's something you don't know."

Drew narrowed his eyes. "Then, you're an idiot because Seth is with me."

"Yes, I noticed that you want to hog the whole family, but things don't work out that way." Roman approached Drew and the two men were face to face. "You're manipulating Seth and I won't let you keep doing it."

"That boy loves me, no matter how hard he tries, he can't escape." Drew smirked. "But it will be fun to piss off an idiot like you."

"We'll see who the idiot is here... It'll be my pleasure to wipe that sick smile off your face." Roman smirked back.

Drew grunted, it was the first time someone had challenged him like this. Both men glared at each other. Making clear their dislike for the other.

While in the kitchen.

"We are sharing the rent of our room and one thing led to another." Seth mentally cursed Drew. Because of him, he was lying now. "And to be honest, my relationship with Roman is personal. I don't want to talk about it with you."

"I'm your mom!" Jane insisted.

"A mother who hates my friends because they are black. You don't even know Roman and you don't like him because you're racist." Seth complained.

"I want the best for you! But you insist on associating yourself with these... minorities." She said dismissively.

"Minorities?" Seth no longer tried to hide his anger from her. "My friends are better people than everyone you associate with, and Roman is..."

And Seth had to resist the urge to say a better boyfriend than yours. Roman was there trying to save the future for the person he loved, unlike a certain scotish.

"Roman is an amazing boyfriend. If you want to see me in your house, you will have to accept him and treat him like part of this family." Seth said firmly.

"It's ok, you win". Jane did not want to continue this conversation. "I have to go, I have several business proposals and I want to analyze them. Next year I am going to start a new business. You know, I need to maintain our assets, with which I pay for your college expenses, the rent of your room in this pigsty and all your needs. Same assets that will allow you to have a happy future."

Oh mom! If you only knew that thanks to people like you, none of us will have any kind of future.

Seth didn't want to argue anymore, either. So he ended the conversation and left the kitchen followed by Jane.

As they left, they found Roman and Drew almost killing each other with their eyes. It was obvious the dislike both men felt for the other, but Jane didn't say anything, she just took Drew's hand and they both left.

As soon as the door was closed, Seth ran toward his bedroom. Roman followed him. The boy threw himself on his bed and began to cry.

"I'm a horrible person, I know." Seth was on his stomach, his face buried in a pillow.

"No, you're not." Roman sat up on the bed and put a hand through Seth's hair. "But Drew is. I know it's none of my business, but... Why him? Why your mother's boyfriend?"

Seth was somewhat relieved that Roman wasn't blaming him, as well as being reassured by the Samoan's caresses.

Seth looked at Roman with his eyes still teary, Roman smiled sadly, wiping the tears away with his fingers.

"Not everyone is lucky enough to fall in love with the perfect person." Seth muttered. "I actually met Drew first."

"Come here." Roman patted his lap.

Seth rested his head on Roman's lap and continued speaking.

"His cousin, Dolph, was tutoring me, he was about to graduate from the same college I'm studying at. He introduced me to Drew, that's how we met." Seth admitted.

"Everything was so fast, he saw me and smiled at me and that was all he needed. Shortly after, he came to pick me up at the college, we talked and he kissed me." Seth sighed. "And we started a relationship, but if I'm honest, Drew never proposed a serious relationship to me and I never pushed him into it, because I didn't want to come off as clingy."

"How does your mom fit into this equation?" Roman was gently stroking Seth's hair.

"At that time, I was still living with her and she... She has always despised my friends because of their race. That's why, her obviously dislike for you." Seth admitted sheepishly. "So she started following me to college, thinking that I was in a relationship with one of the guys. So, she also met Dolph and Drew."

"Your mom is one of the people who destroyed my future... and yours." Roman pursed his lips.

"I know." Seth nodded. "There, Drew recognized my mom, she's a little known around here because she's a millionaire. Drew flirted with her right away and I couldn't believe it. In the end, she approved of Dolph and Drew as my friends because she was fascinated with Drew."

"Kofi, Big E and Xavier are right, Drew is a bastard." Roman clenched his fists.

"Obviously I yelled at him for all of this and he reminded me that our relationship was casual. I broke up with him at the same moment, but he told me that I belonged to him, that he wasn't going to leave me alone until..." Seth was nervous and embarrassed. "Until we have sex, since that hasn't happened yet."

Roman blinked several times. "That's why you ran away from you house, that's why you live here."

Seth nodded. "Here I am safe, well I thougth I was. Now he comes even here. I know it would be easy to be strong and throw him out of my life but, I have to watch him constantly and besides I..."

"You love him." Roman looked at him sadly. "The bastard knows that he has power over you, he is an idiot, but you must be stronger, today you were about to be exposed."

"About that, thanks for saving me. I know I don't deserve it, and I'm sorry you had to lie. I think I'll tell Mom that we broke up so you wouldn't get involved in my mess."

"Seth, you are the only person who has trusted me. Without you I would not have a roof over my head and also the possibility to fix things... As long as I am trapped in this place, I will take care of you. I will not let Drew get out with this sick game of his."

"God, I'm 21 and I can't take care of myself. My weakness is unjustifiable and you still want to help me, thank you very much Roman." Seth looked at him tenderly.

Roman smiled at him, stroking the boy's face. "I know that for love people can do absurd things. I don't judge you, you fell in love with the wrong person, now you must focus on getting out of his manipulations."

Seth nodded closing his eyes and enjoying the caresses that Roman lavished on him. "I will be strong".

"I'll help you. Besides, I totally dislike Drew, at least I'll have a purpose while I'm here." Roman smiled.

"So... are we really going to my mom's house together for Thanksgiving?" Seth whispered.

Roman nodded, still stroking Seth's face.

"I have to buy you some clothes. You can't walk all the time in those security guard clothes you showed up in." Seth leaned even more in the samoan's big hands.

"It's not security guard clothes, it's my soldier's uniform." Roman smiled, he couldn't help but feel softened by Seth's reaction to his touch. "But I'll accept your help because I don't think I can get a job wearing these security guard clothes as you call them... unless I get a job as a security guard."

"After Thanksgiving I will help you get a job. For now, I want you to have the freedom to come with me to my house. I will need you by my side." Seth now smiled hopefully. "You know? I think fate brought you to me, so not only you will save Dean, you will save me too."

Roman nodded. "I'll save you, Seth. I'll be with you until you get out of the clutches of that bastard."

They both smiled. Maybe things could get better.