[Day Before Thanksgiving]
Early Wednesday evening, Tommy was in his new living room unpacking the last of his things after finally moving the rest of his belongings from his former apartment that he shared with Nancy. Tommy, Pippi, and Annika had been able to move the majority of his things the day before, but had run out of room in the small moving van, requiring them to make a second trip. By the time they had finished unloading everything Tuesday evening, the boys felt it was too late to travel back to Brooklyn for the rest. And since the moving van didn't need to be returned until late Wednesday evening, they decided to stay home to start Thanksgiving meal prep – as well as begin unpacking Tommy's things – and pick up the rest of his stuff in the morning.
Nancy had glared at the boys, and huffed as she watched them carry boxes and furniture out of the apartment, and down to the van outside where Annika was waiting; but she didn't dare speak to them. Once the van was packed up, Tommy double checked that he hadn't left anything behind. When he was sure he had everything, he took the Lease Termination form off the refrigerator and signed it with a flourish, dramatically slapping his keys down on top of it. Just before exiting the apartment for the final time, he turned to Nancy, wished her a very sarcastic 'Happy Thanksgiving', then slammed the door shut.
There were a few pieces of furniture that Tommy didn't need at his new place, but didn't know what to do with just yet, so they had been put into Pippi's storage unit. He would decide what he wanted to keep, sell, or donate later. Once everything was unloaded – either into the apartment or the storage unit – Pippi returned the van and went to his therapy session, while Tommy stayed home and unpacked boxes.
Pippi had just arrived back home from therapy, and was about to help Tommy finish unpacking when Tommy's phone rang. Seeing his father's name on the caller ID, Tommy hurried to answer.
"Hey dad!" Tommy said, happily, accepting the call.
"Hey kiddo. Where are you right now?" Anna replied.
Tommy scrunched his face up in confusion at the question then hesitantly answered, "I'm at Pippi's. Why?"
Pippi raised his eyebrow, and stared at Tommy in disapproval over referring to the apartment as his rather than theirs. Tommy mouthed the words 'sorry; habit' at him then tuned back into his conversation with his dad.
"I'm just wondering because Willie and I thought we'd come up to New York and surprise you for Thanksgiving, since you couldn't come home this year. But when we got to your place, Nancy told us you no longer live there. She seemed pretty pissed off about it too," Anna told him. "So, you wanna tell me what's going on?"
"Oh my god! You're in New York right now?" he shrieked.
Tommy's outburst caused Pippi and Annika both to look over at him in shock; while Tommy started pacing the room.
"We are; but you haven't answered my question, Tommy. What's going on? Is everything okay? Why'd you move out? And when? Where are you living now? And why didn't you tell me?" Anna responded.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, dad, calm down," Tommy began. "I literally just finished moving out a few hours ago. In fact, I'm still unpacking boxes as we speak. I'm sorry I didn't get a chance to tell you about it yet. I was going to; I swear. It was just all very last-minute, and not something that I planned. But I'm fine; I promise. I'm living with Pippi and Annika now."
A look of realization came over Tommy's face and he hurried to continue speaking before his dad could respond. "Wait a sec! Where are you right now? You're not still at Nancy's, are you?"
Annika gasped and shouted, "Your dad's with Berry!? Oh, shit. That is not good."
"No," Anna replied. "Willie and I went back to our hotel in Midtown before we called you. Nancy said you were living somewhere in Manhattan now, and we wanted to make sure you were home first; that way we weren't wandering all over New York looking for you. But, uh, tell me, why does Annika think it's bad for us to be with Nancy? What happened?"
Tommy glared at Annika for a half-second then shook his head and mouthed the word 'hotel' at her. Annika sighed in relief as Tommy responded to his dad. "Because Nancy and I got into a huge fight before I left. She thinks I owe her money – which I don't! – and you know how Nancy is. I wouldn't put it past her to try to swindle the money out of you; or tell you some sob story so you'll sympathize with her and lecture me. You know she'd do whatever she felt she had to, to receive validation for her actions. But the truth is, if it weren't for Pippi and Annika allowing me to move in with them, I'd be homeless right now. I just…I'm not capable of forgiving her just yet; or maybe ever."
"You're still not telling me the whole story, kiddo," Anna said, sighing.
"I think this is probably a conversation best had face-to-face," Tommy replied. He began looking around the room for his keys. "Which hotel are you guys at? I can head over there now, and we can talk."
"Or…" Anna started, causing Tommy to freeze in his tracks, "why don't Willie and I just go on over to your new place? You don't have anywhere else to be tonight, do you? That way I can see where my kid is living now. Meet his boyfriend. Pippi is there now, isn't he?"
"Uh, yeah. Yeah, Pippi's home. And I took today off work to finish moving, so we'll both be here. But, um…just a second," he told his dad. Tommy pulled his phone away from his face and covered the mouthpiece. Turning to Pippi he whispered nervously, "My dad and Willie want to come here – to check out the apartment. They also want to meet you. Is that okay?"
Pippi looked at him, eyes wide with fear, and nodded slowly. He quickly shook off his nerves, took a deep breath, then nodded again more assuredly. "Yeah; yeah, sweetie, of course that's okay," he answered, earnestly. "It's your home too. Your parents are more than welcome here. And we were already planning on me meeting your dad at Christmas next month, right? So, I'm meeting him a month early instead. No big deal. Right?"
"Right," Tommy answered. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly before bringing the phone back up to his ear. "Hey, dad, sorry about that. Yeah, so, I'll just give you the address, and you and Willie can take a taxi over here. Do you have a pen and paper handy?" Tommy gave his father the street address, said his goodbyes, then hung up.
"So, Anna and Willie are on their way over?" Annika asked as soon as Tommy hung up.
"Yeah. For some reason they got a hotel in Midtown rather than Brooklyn, so they should be here in, like, ten minutes," Tommy told her. "Oh, shoot! I didn't tell them the apartment number. I should probably go wait for them in the lobby."
"You know we have an intercom system for that, right?" Annika questioned. "All the buzzers have a last name next to them. I'm sure they can figure it out."
Tommy sighed. "Yes, Annika, I'm aware of that. But Pippi is not the only Anderson in this building. And Donna's kind of a bitch. I don't want them buzzing the wrong apartment."
"Okay, while you go downstairs to wait for them, I'm going into our room to take my anxiety medication," Pippi responded. "That way I don't have a total meltdown when your dad arrives."
Tommy looked at him with concern. "Honey, are you going to be okay?"
"I'll be fine. I'm just really nervous about meeting your dad. I know how important he is to you. I want to make a good impression on him. And I thought I'd have more time to prepare before I met him," he replied.
"After everything you did for me with the whole Adam situation, my dad already likes you," Tommy said, consoling him. "You've already made a good impression on him. Now you just have to be yourself. You have nothing to worry about."
"Yeah," Annika agreed. "Anna may look scary, but he's a teddy bear. If he tries to intimidate you, just remember that his bark is worse than his bite. But then again, if Hummel says Anna likes you then he probably won't purposefully try to scare you. And besides, even if he didn't already like you, once he hears about how you stood up to Berry on Tommy's behalf, and how you've supported him through this whole mess with her, Anna will love you. Trust me."
Pippi smiled at the both of them. "Thanks. That does make me feel a little better. But I still think I should take my medicine though. After dealing with Nancy this morning, and therapy this afternoon, my emotions are sort of all over the place. Adding this into the mix, when I was expecting to unwind with a quiet evening of cooking, baking, and unpacking… I'd rather be safe than sorry," He excused himself, grabbed a bottle of water from the kitchen, then went into the bedroom.
Tommy went and got his keys then left the apartment and headed down to the lobby to wait for his parents.
A taxi pulled up in front of the building, and Tommy rushed outside to greet his father and step-mother. "Dad! Willie!" he said, running up to them and giving each of them a hug as soon as they exited the taxi.
"Tommy, hey, you didn't have to wait for us outside," Anna told him, returning the hug.
"Technically, I waited in the lobby." He helped Willie by taking the large cooler out of the trunk of the cab while Anna paid the driver. Once they had everything, the driver took off, and they walked toward the building. "As soon as I hung up I realized I didn't tell you the apartment number," Tommy continued. "And since Pippi's name is the only one on the buzzer, and there's more than one Anderson in the building, I didn't want you to accidentally buzz 'D. Anderson' on the second floor. She's not exactly a, uh, pleasant person. What's in this thing anyway? It's heavy." He motioned to the cooler he'd been carrying as he set it down to unlock the door.
"Just some food for Thanksgiving. A small ham, a lasagna, cornbread, a couple of pies, things like that. I wasn't sure what you guys would have prepared, or if there'd be enough to go 'round with us joining you last minute. And with Nancy being a vegan, I was a little afraid there wouldn't be any real meat or dairy being served. But, can I ask," Willie said, changing the subject, "why is it just Pippi's name on the buzzer? I know you said you only moved in today, but I thought Annika lived here too? Shouldn't her name be there as well?"
"She does live here," he confirmed. "But Pippi is the sole owner. His is the only name on the deed, so the Homeowner's Association will only allow his name on the buzzer."
"Owner?" Willie inquired, curiously, as they got onto the elevator and made their way up to the correct floor. "I thought they rented this apartment."
"Well, technically the apartment is a condo. Pippi's grandparents bought it for him before he moved to New York, as a graduation gift," he answered, shrugging. "They paid full-price upfront, so he wouldn't have to try juggling a full-time job with a full-time school schedule in order to pay his rent every month; thus, allowing him more time to focus on classes and student auditions."
They exited the elevator and began walking down the hall to the apartment when Anna stopped in the middle of the hallway. "Hold on a second," Anna said, looking up and down the hall with a confused look on his face. "Is there only one apartment on this floor? I don't see any other doors – other than the stairwell. Just how big is this new place of yours?"
"Yes, there is only one unit per floor in this building. It's about twice the size of my old place; maybe bigger," Tommy told him. He opened the door to the apartment and motioned for his parents to walk inside. "Welcome to my new home."
"Oh, hey, sweetie, let me give you a hand with that," Pippi said, upon seeing Tommy struggling to carry a large cooler into the apartment. He took hold of one of the handles then asked Tommy where he wanted it.
"Um, Willie said it's food for tomorrow. So, kitchen?" Tommy answered.
They brought the cooler over to the breakfast bar then returned to the living room where Annika was greeting Anna and Willie with hugs. She took their coats from them and hung them up in the closet. As soon as the boys reentered the room, Tommy wrapped an arm around Pippi's waist, and cleared his throat to get everyone's attention. "Dad. Willie. I'd like you to meet my boyfriend, Pippi. Pippi, this is my dad, Anna; and my step-mom, Willie."
Pippi smiled warmly at them both, and offered his hand in greeting to Anna. "It's nice to meet you both."
Anna returned the handshake, looking Pippi up and down with narrowed eyes. "You're shorter than I expected," Anna told him.
"Dad!" Tommy chastised his father.
Anna put his hands up in a defensive gesture. "What? I didn't mean it as an insult; just stating a fact."
Tommy huffed and rolled his eyes as Willie shook her head in disappointment. "Ignore them," she told Pippi, giving him a hug. "We are so happy to finally meet you. We've heard such wonderful things about you from Tommy. And we apologize for coming over on such short notice. We had assumed that Tommy and Nancy would be spending Thanksgiving at home, just the two of them, and intended on surprising them by visiting for the holiday; but I guess the surprise is on us. I think we just assumed you and the rest of their friends would be celebrating with your families. I hope we're not imposing on anything by showing up unannounced?"
"No, not at all," Pippi told her. "My family doesn't really make a big deal out of Thanksgiving, so there isn't much of a point in either of us traveling when I'll be home for Christmas in a few weeks. But since neither Tommy nor Annika could spend the holiday with their families, I thought it'd be fun to throw a little Friendsgiving for the three of us. But we would be more than happy to have you join us. And I have a habit of over-preparing for things, so there's plenty of food to go around."
"Mercedes and Artie already left for Ohio, and Brittany left early this morning to go to her aunt's house in Pennsylvania," Tommy explained. "The original plan was that Nancy and I would watch the parade on TV at home then come over here after, for a late lunch/early dinner. It was just going to be me, Pippi, Nancy, and Annika because Jesse is supposed to be heading to Ohio later tonight to spend the holiday with his family. But after the stunt Nancy pulled…" He shrugged, unable to articulate what he wanted to say.
"Speaking of Nancy…" Anna interjected, looking straight at Tommy, "you gonna tell us what happened with the two of you now?"
Tommy motioned for them to take a seat on the couch. He sat next to them while Pippi and Annika each sat in one of the armchairs. "Before I tell you, what did Nancy say happened when you went to our old place? Because I know she didn't just tell you I moved then slam the door on your face. She must have told you something."
"She did," Anna agreed. "But it didn't make a lick of sense. She said you were jealous of her relationship with Jesse; and that your distrust of him was ruining your friendship with her. Told us that you complained to Pippi so much that he took pity on you and asked you to move in with him. Then she said he practically forced you to accept his offer by coming over and packing your things for you, just so he wouldn't have to hear you complaining anymore.
"But I know you. If you didn't want to move in with Pippi, nothing and no one was gonna force you. I also know that when I spoke to you two weeks ago you didn't mention any problems with Nancy or Jesse. And you've never hesitated to vent to me when Nancy starts irritating you, no matter how small the issue was. So…?" he prompted.
"I came home from classes on Monday and she was packing up all her things. There were half-filled boxes all over the apartment," Tommy began, sighing heavily. He went into details, explaining everything Nancy had said and done since then, to his dad and Willie. Both Annika and Pippi interjected here-and-there with little details as Tommy spoke.
Wrapping up his explanation, he added, "Pippi and Annika both helped me pack up my things yesterday. Pippi rented a moving van and we got most of my stuff out of there before nightfall; but we had to go back for the rest of it today."
"I don't get it," Anna said. "She tells you she's moving out, then gets mad when you do the same thing? She's moving this week, right? Saturday is her last day there, you said? So, she'll be gone before next month's rent is due? And all your utilities are included with rent? You're not leaving her with any unpaid bills or anything, right? So… What's the big deal? What's got her so worked up?"
"Because, like I told you, she had told the landlord that I was going to continue living there; that I'd re-sign the lease once the old one was broken. And she doesn't like being seen as a liar," he replied. "She's also mad because she thinks I handled the whole situation childishly; that I was being selfish and unreasonable. And because I refused to give her $250 to pay for half of the early termination fee for breaking our lease. She said that since both of our names were on the lease, both of us should pay to break it; even though she never gave me any say in the matter."
"Sometimes I wonder about that girl," Anna muttered, shaking his head. "So, all that stuff about being jealous? That's just nonsense? And you're okay with living here? You don't think it's too soon? You think this was the right move?"
"Yeah, dad, I do. Pippi and I may have only been dating for six months, but I feel like we've been together for so much longer than that. He's become so extremely important to me; and helped me in ways that I can't even begin to explain. Over these last few months, we've already had to deal with so much; but all it's done is make me feel even more connected to him. I love Pippi; and I love getting to spend more time with him. Plus, I'm closer to school and work now. Living here will save me time and money every day. It wasn't just an emotional decision; it was a practical one. And it was the right one too; I know it was," Tommy told him. "And, yes, of course the stuff about me being jealous is complete crap. Nancy has it in her head that Pippi and I aren't in a serious relationship because of our jobs at TEG, and thinks I'm jealous of her and Jesse's 'commitment to one another'. She thinks we're being irresponsible by living together."
Anna turned his attention to Pippi and asked, "And you? How you feeling 'bout this situation? You having any doubts or second thoughts about him living here?"
"No, sir. It's always been so hard for me to say goodbye to him when he has to go home after spending the day together; and I sleep better at night when he's here. Us living together makes sense to me," Pippi answered. "And I don't think it's too soon, or an irresponsible decision either. Asking him to move in wasn't something that I decided on a whim; and it definitely wasn't done out of pity. I had actually been thinking about asking him for a couple of months. But I thought it was best to wait until after Winter Break to ask if he would consider moving in once his lease was up in April. That way, if he said yes, Nancy would have plenty of time to make new living arrangements, and they wouldn't have any issues with their lease. Her moving in with Jesse just sped up my timetable. But I don't regret asking him. I can't. I love him too much for that."
Tommy stood up from the couch and stepped over to the armchair Pippi was sitting in. "Scooch over," Tommy told him, making shooing motions with his hands.
Pippi stayed seated where he was and looked up at him with amused confusion, so Tommy repeated himself. As soon as Pippi complied with the request, Tommy seated himself into the empty space of the armchair, hooked one arm around Pippi's waist and another under his legs, then picked Pippi up and maneuvered him so he was now sitting in Tommy's lap.
Pippi let out a squeak and a giggle as he asked, "What are you doing?"
Tommy wrapped both arms tightly around Pippi's waist, holding him in place. "You looked like you needed a hug, so I'm giving you hug," he replied.
"Oh my god. You are so weird," Pippi teased.
"Maybe so; but you still love me," Tommy told him.
Pippi smiled at him fondly and replied, "I do. And I'd never say no to a hug from you. Your hugs are my favorite. Thank you."
Tommy returned the smile, hugged him closer, then kissed the tip of Pippi's nose before resting his head on Pippi's shoulder.
"Okay, enough of the sappy love crap! We have guests," Annika said. "So, Hummel, why don't you go give your folks a tour of the place of something? Or, I don't know, go unpack that cooler. I'm sure that food would be better off in a fridge than sitting on the counter all day. That is, if there even is any room left in the fridge with all the food that Munchkin's made."
"Why did I think living with Annika was a good idea again?" Tommy murmured to Pippi.
"Because she's less annoying than Nancy?" he replied, uncertainly.
"I suppose," Tommy agreed, sighing heavily while rolling his eyes. "And, as much as I hate to admit it, she has a point too." He slid out from underneath Pippi, stood up, then turned to his parents. "Okay, so why I don't show you around real quick? This," he gestured around the room, "is obviously the living room; and over there is the dining room. The guest bathroom is through that door."
"Guest bathroom?" Anna questioned, cutting Tommy off. "As in: one you don't use because there is more than one in this place?"
"Technically it doubles as the laundry room; so, it does get used, but yeah…" Pippi replied, shyly. "We don't use it often because both of the bedrooms have their own private en suite."
"And thank god they do!" Annika chimed in. "Could you imagine if I had to share a bathroom with the two of you? Between your OCD about cleanliness and needing everything perfectly in order," she said while pointing at Pippi, "and his enormous stockpile of beauty products – not to mention the fact that both of you take years to get ready in the morning – I think I'd go insane."
"I don't have OCD. I just like when things are kept neat and organized," Pippi argued. "Okay, maybe I'm a touch anal retentive about certain things, but definitely not to the point of having OCD. And I have enough neurological disorders already. I don't need you assigning ones to me that I haven't actually been diagnosed with. So what if I like things clean? It's just the way I was raised."
"Munchkin," Annika sighed, "if that was true, and it really is 'just the way you were raised', then why is your brother such a slob? Your momma raised both of you."
"Cooper and I had different upbringings!" he told her. "He's ten years older than me, and our dad didn't adopt him 'til Cooper was eight. Before then, he was a spoiled brat that did whatever he felt like doing. I didn't have that luxury."
"Tommy didn't tell us you were adopted," Willie said, curiously, cutting off any argument between the two roommates before it started.
"Oh! No, no, I wasn't," Pippi began, hesitantly. "Uh, my brother and I, we have different biological fathers. Our mom got pregnant with him when she was still in highschool, and as soon as her boyfriend found out she was pregnant he took off and never looked back. She met my dad 4 years later when she was in college; then married him 4 years after that. My dad legally adopted Cooper a few weeks after their wedding – once his name change was processed."
"Your parents changed your brother's name?" Willie asked.
"No. My dad changed his own name," he answered. "He took my mom's last name when they got married. He wanted to have the same surname as his family, but a lot Americans have a hard time trying to pronounce Rajagukguk, and he didn't think it was fair to make an eight-year-old change his name to something he could barely say, let alone spell. Plus, he also faced a lot of discrimination based solely on his name, and didn't want Cooper or my mom to deal with any of that; so, my dad decided to become an Anderson instead. And once he did, his tolerance for Americans skyrocketed."
"The way you phrase that makes it sound like your father's not American," Anna questioned.
"He has an American citizenship; but he was born in Indonesia. He didn't move to the US until he was eighteen," Pippi told him.
"Shall I continue with the tour?" Tommy interjected in a snarky tone. "Or shall I sit back down, so we can continue discussing Pippi's family history?"
"There's no need for the snide attitude, Tommy," Anna told him. "Willie and I were just trying to learn more about your boyfriend, that's all. …Real things. You know, since all you want to tell us is how smart, talented, and sweet he is; or how 'pretty' his eyes are." He spoke in a teasing tone and fluttered his eyelashes exaggeratedly, attempting to imitate Tommy. "But I suppose we can hold off on the questions for now."
"Anyway!" Tommy said, changing the subject as his face turned red in embarrassment. He glanced at Pippi, who was trying to hide the giant grin on his blush-red face, then began walking toward the hallway. "My room is down this hall if you want to go see that."
The last stop on the tour was the kitchen. Willie had asked Tommy to stay and help her unload all the food from the cooler, and store it in the fridge while Anna and Pippi went into the living room. Annika had a late shift at work, and had left while Tommy had been showing his parents the view of the city from the balcony off the bedroom; so, Anna and Pippi were left alone. Once again, Pippi sat in the armchair while Anna took a seat on the couch.
"You can relax, kid; I'm not gonna hurt you," Anna told Pippi. "Tommy would kill me if I tried."
"I'm sorry," Pippi began. "I'm just really nervous. The only other time I've met family members of someone I dated was when I was in highschool; and that was not a pleasant experience for me. Plus, I know how important you are to Tommy; and how important it is to him that we get along. But I also know that the things that Adam sent you aren't doing me any favors; nor is the fact that I'm the reason Tommy is working at TEG in the first place. I just don't want to say or do anything to give you even more reasons to dislike me."
"You may have helped him get that job, but he made the decision to work there all on his own," Anna replied. "I may not like that he works there, doing what he does; but he tells me he's safe and happy, and that's all that really matters to me. Same goes for you. As long as you're happy and safe, and nothing you do there is endangering Tommy or yourself, that's what's important.
"As for me liking you…you've got nothing to worry about. Even if I wanted to dislike you, I don't think I could. In the twenty or so minutes that I've been here, I've seen Tommy show more affection to you than I saw him give to Adam during the entirety of their relationship. And until today, I had thought that he refrained from being affectionate with him around me for my benefit; that he thought it might make me uncomfortable. But clearly that's not the case if he is acting so open with you.
"I know Tommy has a lot of walls that he puts up to protect himself, but I haven't seen a trace of them since I got here. He's a lot more at ease around you than he was Adam. I can tell he feels safe around you. That makes you okay in my book. And also, it's impossible to hate someone that makes my son smile the way he does when he looks at you."
The corners of Pippi's mouth tipped up into a half-smile as he nodded in understanding. "Thanks. And trust me, I know all about Tommy's walls. They're why it took me so long to talk to him in the first place. But now that I know him better, it's easier to tell when he's putting them up on reflex, and when they go up out of necessity; or rather: when it's okay to push, and when I need to back off. He's the most stubborn man I've ever met; but I kinda like that about him."
Anna laughed, "Fair warning: he gets that stubbornness from his old man. But you're definitely a keeper if you can not only tolerate how stubborn he is, but also find it attractive." Anna looked contemplative before speaking again. "There is something I've been wondering though. I asked Tommy, but he said it wasn't his story to tell. So, if you don't mind, when did you start working for that company? Making those types of videos? And why? What made you want to get into that business? I know Tommy's initial motive was money; but from the looks of this apartment, money doesn't seem to be something you are in need of."
"No. You're right. Money had nothing to do with my decision. I am incredibly lucky to come from a fairly wealthy family; money has never been an issue for me," Pippi told him. "And I will have officially been working at TEG for two years this coming January. As for why…well, that's…complicated."
"Try me," he challenged.
"Okay," Pippi answered, nodding. He took a deep breath, letting it out slowly, before he answered. "Well, the really short answer is: for me, porn is both an acting experience, as well as a therapeutic one." Seeing the unamused look on Anna's face, Pippi knew he needed to elaborate on that. "Um, a few years ago, I was diagnosed with something called 'hypersexuality disorder'. Basically, it means I have an increased sex drive and an overactive libido. It's often labeled as 'sex addiction'. But it's actually a lot more nuanced than that name suggests." He shook his head slightly to stop himself from launching into a full explanation, so he could stay on track. "Anyway…when I was growing up I was taught that sex is something very special that you share with someone you have an emotional bond with. So, I had limited all sexual contact to whomever I was in a serious relationship with. But my last boyfriend…let's just say he was not a nice person. When we broke up, I was terrified of being in a relationship again. I didn't know how to trust anyone. I was barely able to trust myself. And I was petrified of doing anything that would put me in any kind of vulnerable position.
"But my therapist had told me that, because of my disorder, it was extremely important for me to find a way to feed my sexual appetite – other than masturbation. The idea of hooking up with a random stranger that I met at a club or something scared me; it just seemed way too risky, and not worth it. I didn't want to take that chance; still don't. But I also knew there was no way I was capable of being in a relationship – serious, or otherwise – with anyone either.
"So, when I saw an ad looking for gay men to perform a background role on a porno, I realized that doing porn was the outlet I was looking for. It was a way for me to still have sex without all the fear, risks, vulnerability, and uncertainty that comes with having a one-night stand, and/or entering a new relationship. Because the porn industry is an extremely controlled environment. And all the precautions that are taken with each video – all the rules and regulations that the company enforces – along with all the health and safety checks, it gives me peace of mind by removing those risks for me. Plus, having a script and a director to tell me what to do is sort of calming. It allows me to think of porn as just a regular acting job. Because I'm not Pippi when I'm on set. I'm Devon," he explained, hoping Anna was satisfied by that answer.
"I see…but if you are, or were, so terrified of relationships, how'd you end up dating Tommy?" Anna asked.
"I fell in love with him," Pippi answered, looking Anna in the eye. "At first, I didn't even understand my own feelings. And when I did, I was petrified. It took me weeks to tell him how I felt. I had even tried to ignore those feelings for a while, and hope they went away. But ignoring them was not easy. And instead of going away, they intensified.
"But Tommy…he just… Tommy doesn't expect things from me; he never tries to push me for more than I am ready for, or more than I can handle. He helped to calm my fears about everything; made me feel safe and cared for. He's the only person that's ever made me feel like I was special – and that was before we even started dating! And Tommy has never trivialized any of my neurological disorders, or treated me differently because of them. I can't even begin to explain how much that means to me."
"I heard you say something earlier, to Annika, about having, what'd you call 'em? Neuro-logical disorders?" Anna questioned. "You mean that hyper-addiction thing you mentioned having? Or is that something different?"
"Hypersexuality is one of them," he replied. "But I've also been diagnosed with depression, anxiety, and PTSD. I go to therapy sessions with my psychiatrist once a week, and have to take medication for both the depression and anxiety."
"Did you say PTSD?" Anna checked, making sure he heard correctly.
"Mm-hm. Like I said: my ex-boyfriend was not a nice person," he answered, solemnly.
Tommy came up behind Pippi, draped his arms over Pippi's shoulders, and rested his chin on top of Pippi's head; while Willie took a seat next to Anna on the couch. "But he is no longer a part of your life. So, why don't we change the subject, and talk about something happy instead?" Tommy recommended.
Pippi tilted his head back, so he could see Tommy, then smiled at him. "Find room for everything okay?"
Tommy gave Pippi a quick kiss on the lips before responding. "We did. Had to rearrange some things. But, yes, we managed to fit everything in there." He walked around to the front of the chair, pulled Pippi to his feet, then sat down in the vacated spot while tugging Pippi down to sit in his lap. "Has my dad been behaving himself? He hasn't been asking inappropriate questions, or threatening you in anyway, has he?"
"Your dad has been a perfect gentleman," Pippi answered.
"You're not just saying that because he's sitting right there and you're afraid to tattle on him, are you?" Tommy checked.
"Tommy," Anna warned.
"What!?" Tommy said, defensively. "I'm just saying: sometimes you take your overprotectiveness a touch too far. I wanted to make sure you didn't cross any lines you shouldn't have. And considering that when I walked back into this room Pippi was giving you a list of all his mental illnesses, and talking about his ex, I think my questions are valid."
"Sweetie," Pippi began, gently, "your dad didn't ask me anything that I wasn't willing to answer."
Tommy let out a small sigh. He looked up into Pippi's eyes and quietly said, "Yes, but how willing were you? Because you, my dear, are a people-pleaser. You will compromise your own needs and make yourself uncomfortable just to make other people happy. And I don't care how much I want the two of you to get along, I won't allow you to compromise your mental and emotional health just to appease my dad."
Pippi smiled at him sweetly before answering. "I love you. And I know you're just looking out for me, but I'm fine. I promise." He held his hand out flat and steady in front of Tommy, drawing Tommy's attention to it. "See? No shaking. I'm fine. And also, I know we haven't had a chance to talk about it yet, since we were supposed to have another month before I met your dad, but, sweetie, I don't want to lie to your family. About anything. Unless the questions being asked are truly none of their business, I'm going to answer as honestly as I can; even if the topic is difficult to discuss. Because as far as I'm concerned, you and I are going to be together for a very, very, very long time; which means your family is going to be a part of my life just as long. So, I might as well start this relationship with straightforward honesty. Let them get to know the real me right away."
"Don't try to use logic against me," Tommy retorted. He sagged his shoulders and let out a resigned sigh. "Okay, fine. I'll stop. But only because I can tell that you really are okay. The first sign I see that says otherwise, I will not hesitate to step in and put an end to whatever it is you're talking about."
"Deal," he agreed.
On Willie's insistence, Tommy had texted Mercedes and asked her if she could subtly find out what Nancy's Thanksgiving plans were. As messy as the situation between her and Tommy was right now, Willie didn't want Nancy spending the holiday alone. However, as Tommy found out, Willie was worried for nothing. It turns out that Jesse had asked Nancy to fly back to Ohio with him last week, and had already purchased a plane ticket for her. She was currently (at the time of her text to Mercedes) sitting next to Jesse at the airport, waiting to board their flight.
Anna and Willie had stayed and talked to the boys for about another hour or so before finally going back to their hotel. They agreed to wait until after the parade to come over and celebrate the holiday with them. Once they left, Tommy and Pippi collapsed on the couch, sighing in relief.
"I survived my first meeting with your dad," Pippi said. "Now I just need to survive Thanksgiving Dinner tomorrow."
"The hard part is over. You'll be just fine," Tommy promised him. "And I want you to know that I am so proud of you. For being so strong and brave; for opening up and being honest with my parents about your mental health, even though you didn't have to. It means a lot to me that you'd be willing to let them in; let them get a glimpse of the amazing man that I see – the man that I love."
Pippi eyes became watery, a single tear managing to escape, as he looked at Tommy full of love and adoration. "Thank you," he said, voice thick with emotion. "I love you too."
[Thanksgiving Day]
"Bee, are you sure you don't want my help in there?" Tommy called out, as he walked to the kitchen once the Macy's Parade ended.
"I'm sure. I've got covered, sweetie," Pippi answered. "You can finish watching the parade. Besides, we agreed that I would cook today, remember?"
"The parade's over," he replied. "And we agreed to that last week, when we thought I was making tofurky and vegan apple pie to go along with everything you were making. But I left the tofurky in the freezer at Nancy's, because she was the only one that was going to eat it; and I didn't bake the pie last night because Willie brought two non-vegan pies with her yesterday. And I'm sure everyone would much rather eat those. So, since I'm not holding up my end of the bargain, is there anything I can assist you with?"
"Well, if the parade is over, can you change the station to the football game? Kick-off is in twenty minutes, but the pregame show should be on right now," Pippi said. "Other than that, I'm good. You've already helped a lot with all the washing, chopping, and peeling you've done for me over the past two days. I don't really need anything else right now. Unless you want to take the cheese and crackers out to the coffee table?"
Tommy groaned, "Football? You expect me to watch football? Have you met me?"
"Yes, I have met you; which is why I fully expect you to not watch it," Pippi said, chuckling. "But it's Thanksgiving. And football is a Thanksgiving Day tradition. Plus, your dad likes football, right? And he's going to be here any minute now."
"So, you want me to turn on the game for my dad's benefit? Even though he's not here yet?" Tommy checked. "Honey, I thought we already established that my dad likes you? You don't need to butter him up with sports to try and get on his good side."
"No, sweetie, I'm not trying to butter up your dad. I actually want to watch the game," he said. "I don't really have a lot more to do in here. Just need to finish plating some things, then I'll be able to step away from the kitchen for a little while; not have to keep such a close eye on everything. And you know I like football, Tommy. We've had this conversation before. I know you're not a fan, and I respect that; which is why I'm not going to force you to watch it with me. I have plenty of magazines you can read, or you can play some games on my iPad if you want; or whatever."
"Bee, I don't think it would be appropriate to 'read' any of your magazines in front of my dad," Tommy told him, using finger quotes on the word 'read'.
Pippi closed his eyes, and shook his head, trying not to laugh. "I meant the Vogue, GQ, and Marie Claire magazines that are in the side pockets of the coffee table; not my collection of porn magazines."
"Oh, right; those magazines," he replied, sheepishly.
"Yeah, those magazines," Pippi teased. "Although, if you really wanted to look at porn, I would be more than happy to lend you some of those magazines too; especially the issues that have photos of me in them."
Leaning in close, and groping Pippi's ass, Tommy whispered flirtatiously, "Why would I need photos when I can have the real thing?"
"Are you saying that you want me to be naked when your parents arrive?" Pippi answered, playfully, pretending to be scandalized.
"No! Oh dear god, no. Please don't," he said, horrified. "There will not be any nakedness around my parents; real or otherwise."
Pippi laughed. "Sweetie, it was a joke. Don't worry; I will keep all of my clothes on while your family is here. And I will make sure all of my adult magazines stay in our room too."
The door buzzer rang, and Annika yelled from the living room, "Hummel! Stop trying to seduce the Munchkin while he's cooking, and answer the damn door! Your parents are here!"
Tommy rolled his eyes, gave Pippi a quick kiss on the cheek, picked up the cheese and cracker platter, and hurried out of the kitchen to let Anna and Willie in.
"Don't forget to change the station to FOX while you're out there!" Pippi called after him.
Carrying a platter of veggies and dip out into the living room, Pippi looked over the TV, and noticed the game heading into a commercial break. "I missed kick off? Who has first possession?"
"I sincerely hope you're not asking me that question," Tommy replied, reaching for a celery stick off the tray in Pippi's hands.
Before Pippi could respond, Anna supplied him with an answer. "Detroit received; went three-and-out. It's Minnesota's ball." He looked over at Pippi curiously. "You like football?"
"Yeah; I used to go to games with my dad and brother all the time," Pippi answered. "Watching sports – football mostly – is one of the few pastimes that my dad and I actually share. I usually try to catch a couple of games every Sunday if I'm not too busy."
"Who's your team?" Anna asked, sounding skeptical.
"My mom grew up in Cinci, so I'm sort of a Bengals fan by default; even if they have only won 4 games so far this year," he replied. "And even if I didn't grow up surrounded by Bengals fans, Andy Dalton would have turned me into one; not just for being a decent quarterback, but for being such a nice person too. But…as far as the New York teams go: well, let's just say I've never really been a fan of Eli Manning, so…" He shrugged, leaving the rest of the sentence unfinished.
Anna nodded in acceptance; his slight smile hinting at approval of Pippi's answer.
When Pippi got up to check on the food during another commercial break, both Willie and Tommy offered to help him out in the kitchen, but he politely refused both of them. However, Tommy decided to accompany him into the kitchen anyway.
Noticing Tommy closing his magazine, and starting to get up, Pippi stopped and turned to Tommy. "You can stay out here with your family and Annika. You don't have to help me. Everything is pretty much done," he told him. "We should be able to sit and eat in a few minutes."
"Please don't make me stay out here while there are sports playing," Tommy pouted. "You know they confuse and bore me."
"You know, I still don't understand how you can have zero understanding about a sport that you were a cheerleader for," Pippi said. "I mean, cheerleaders have certain cheers that they have do at particular points in the game. So, if you couldn't follow along with what was happening on the field, how did you know which cheers to do?"
"Munchkin," Annika interjected, "you're asking the wrong question. What you should be asking is: how does someone who was on their highschool football team have zero understanding of the game?"
Pippi looked at her in confusion then slowly asked, "Are you telling me that Tommy was on the football team at McKinley?" When she smiled and nodded at him, he turned to look at Tommy. "What!? How is that possible? Why didn't I know about this?"
"I was only on the team for, like, a week. And I only played in one game. I hated it. So, I quit, and joined the Cheerios instead," Tommy answered.
"Do you know what position you played?" Pippi asked.
"Kicker," he replied.
"He was damn good too," Annika supplied. "First and only time he got to play, he kicked the winning extra point. It was the only game our school ever won that year too. Not to mention, it was his influence that allowed the team to get that scoring opportunity in the first place."
"Really? Tommy, that's awesome!" Pippi said. "I wish I could have seen that."
"I've got some pictures of him from that game at home," Anna told him. "I'll show you them when you come visit at Christmas."
"Oh god, please don't," Tommy said. "I look horrible in those pictures."
"Tommy, my brother has already told you way too many embarrassing stories about me. And I guarantee that when you are at my parents' house in a few weeks, my mom will pull out the photo album and show you pictures that I wish didn't exist. So, it's only fair I get to see a few pics of you too," Pippi replied, winking at him. He leaned over and kissed Tommy on the cheek then hurried to the kitchen, with Tommy following a second later.
"So, how long are you guys in town for?" Tommy asked his parents during dinner.
"Our flight leaves at 4pm tomorrow," Anna answered. "Why? You in hurry to get rid of us?"
"No! No, that's not it at all," Tommy reassured him. "It's just that, because I took yesterday off so I could finish moving, I need to go into work early tomorrow; to try and make up some of those hours. I just wanted to know how long I'd get to spend with you before you left, that's all."
"What time are you working tomorrow anyway?" Pippi asked Tommy.
"I have to go in at 3:00. But I was hoping to do some Black Friday shopping in the morning," he replied.
"How early do you plan on getting to the stores?" Willie asked him. "Because I would love to do some shopping with you before we fly back to Ohio."
"I was thinking about leaving here around 6:00 or 7:00," he said.
Pippi looked at Tommy as if he'd sprouted a second head. "In the morning!? Tommy, sweetie, I was barely able to drag you out of bed at 8am this morning. How do you plan on waking up early enough to leave by 6:00?"
"Never underestimate the power of a good sale," Tommy told him. "Not to mention, you enjoy waking up at the crack of dawn. So, I'm sure there will be an entire pot of coffee brewed, and waiting for me before my alarm even goes off. Besides, you're coming shopping with me, right?"
"Sweetie, I had coffee and breakfast cooked and ready for you this morning, and it was still a struggle for you to do much more than growl at me," Pippi said. "But if you think you can wake up that early, I would love to be proven wrong. And, of course, I'll go shopping with you. Under one condition." He paused for dramatic effect while smirking at Tommy. "You don't complain about how I spend my money."
Tommy gave him a confused look. "I don't complain about that."
Annika started laughing. "Yes, you do. All the time. I mean, sure, you don't care if he's buying things for himself; but the second he tries to spend money on you, you throw a fit. And he tries often; because Pippirs here loves to spoil the people he cares about. And considering how much of a diva you are, you would think that you'd actually enjoy having a boyfriend that likes buying things for you. So, I don't get why you're so against it."
"It's not that I'm against it, per se," Tommy began. "If it's my birthday, or some other occasion where it's customary to exchange gifts, that's perfectly acceptable. But him buying me something, just for the sake of buying me something, makes me feel like I'm taking advantage of him."
"Do you feel like I'm taking advantage of you when I let you pay my admission to places, or buy me coffee or lunch?" Pippi asked.
"No, of course not," Tommy told him. "I like doing things like that for you. I want to do those things."
Pippi gave him a pointed look indicating that Tommy had just proven his point.
"Tommy," Anna interjected, "if he's volunteering to buy things for you, then you are not taking advantage of him. It'd only be considered taking advantage if you are telling him to buy you things, or expecting him to buy these things for you; which clearly you are not. So, if buying something for you is something he wants to do, and it isn't going to cause him any financial hardships, then let him."
"Thank you, Anna. I've been trying to tell him that for months," Pippi said. "Maybe he'll actually listen to you."
"Ugh! Okay, I will try; but I make no promises," Tommy told them. "Oh, Annika, did you want to come shopping with us?"
"Are you kidding me?" she replied. "I know what you are like when you're bargain hunting. I've been shopping with you in Lima. No way am I gonna deal with all that crazy that early in the morning. Especially in a store that's going to be packed with other crazy shoppers. I would much rather sleep in tomorrow. I was given the day off and I'm going to spend it doing nothing!" She turned to look at Pippi and added, "Speaking of days off, you're not working tomorrow night, are you?"
"I am actually," Pippi answered. "I have to be at work at 11:00."
Anna looked across the table with a scowl. "They make you film that late at night?"
It took Pippi a second to understand the question. Once he realized what Anna meant, he hurried to clarify. "No, I'm not filming anything. I work overnight shifts at a bookstore on the weekends. I stock shelves, and send and receive shipments; that sort of thing."
"Ah, okay," he said, relieved. "But, uh, I thought you didn't need the money? Why the second job?"
"I started working there when I first moved to New York," Pippi began. "My dad instilled a heavy work ethic into me from a very young age. He didn't want me to feel like I was entitled to things just because of my family's social status. If I wanted something, I needed to work for it; get good grades, do chores around the house, stuff like that. I would even spend my summer vacations working a part-time job performing in theme parks.
"So, when I moved to New York, I got a job to feel like I was financially contributing to my own life; instead of just living off the overly generous monetary contribution my parents deposited into my bank account. But it turns out, I actually really like working at the bookstore. And it's only two nights a week, so I just never bothered to quit when I started working at TEG," he explained.
"I hope I'm not asking too personal of a question," Willie said, hesitantly, "but what do your parents think about your job…doing porn?"
"They don't know," he replied. "I tend not to tell people. Not because I'm ashamed or anything. I absolutely love my job. But people tend to have strong negative reactions to it. Usually these reactions are disguised as concern but, for the most part, are actually because of all the stigmas surrounding sex workers. And because sex itself is such a taboo topic.
"When my brother found out he lectured me for hours about health and safety concerns. Demanded reasons and explanations. Wanted to know how I could do that to him. To my family. He wasn't really concerned about me. He was concerned that my job might negatively impact him.
"It took hours of talking, screaming, yelling, and crying to convince him that what I was doing was perfectly safe. And that I wasn't doing anything to him or our parents. I was just living my life. And if other people's perceptions of me have some sort of negative effect on him, that isn't my fault.
"He finally came around – saw things from my perspective – and now he just likes to tease me about all of it; like my job isn't a big deal anymore; which is nice. It helps me feel normal." Pippi paused, shifting in discomfort. "I just don't think my dad would be willing to hear my side of things, the way Cooper eventually did. My mom probably would. But not my dad. He'd have the same concerns Cooper did in the beginning. He'd be more concerned about how his life would be impacted. He'd try to convince me to quit; that it wasn't safe. Despite all the evidence I have that says otherwise. And I just don't think I have the strength needed to deal with that type of confrontation. Because that's what it would be. A confrontation. Instead of a conversation. Like it should be."
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry. I shouldn't've asked," Willie said.
"It's fine," Pippi reassured her. "I wouldn't have answered if it wasn't. It's only natural to be curious about things like that; though, I wish it wasn't. I mean, no one ever asks how my parents feel about me working at a bookstore. But I know it's just because society has a lot of issues with sex and nudity; which is also why my parents only know about half of the modeling jobs I've done."
"I didn't realize you modeled too," Willie replied.
"A lot of the modeling work I get is a direct result of working in porn," he said. "I'm asked to pose for pornographic magazines, or do print ads for products and equipment that is used in the videos we do. But it's also allowed me to do some modeling that isn't fully nude or sexualized in anyway too. Like, advertisements and promotions for health food products, and fitness equipment. However, modeling is not something I do often; maybe one photoshoot every other month or so. It happens so infrequently I don't usually mention that I do it, unless it happens to come up in conversation or something."
"Is it something you enjoy doing? Or is it part of the contract requirements with the production company you do porn for?" Willie wondered.
"It's completely separate from TEG," Pippi told her. "Although, sometimes companies will contact them, and ask if they have any performers that might be interested in a certain opportunity; but it's completely voluntary if we decide to go or not. TEG won't make us do anything we're not comfortable with. And they only help get us auditions or meetings if they can somehow profit off us being hired. But again, it's our decision to accept or decline.
"When I was first asked if I was interested in doing a nude photoshoot for a magazine, I thought it couldn't hurt to at least try it. And I ended up really enjoying it. So, now, if I come across any modeling opportunities that I'm interested in, or I get offered a gig – and my schedule allows me to – I'll submit my portfolio, or accept the offer; just because I think it's kind of fun."
Anna glanced at Tommy, and hesitantly asked, "You ever take any of those jobs?"
"No," Tommy said, shaking his head. "But I also haven't been offered any modeling jobs yet either. Well, except when my boss, Eric, asked if I would do a photoshoot for the annual TEG gay men's calendar; but I turned that offer down. The money was definitely a nice incentive, but…I don't know. It's just not my thing, I guess. So, I probably won't do any, if I ever get asked."
"Did you do the calendar?" Annika asked Pippi.
"I did," he replied. "They went on sale a few weeks ago."
"What month are you?" she asked.
"May," he told her. "But I'm also on the cover."
"Was that intentional?" Annika asked, smirking. When Pippi gave her a confused look in response, she clarified, "You posing for Hummel's birth month?"
"Oh, that. No. I had no say in what month my picture was used for," Pippi said. "Didn't even realize I was going to be Mr. May until I saw the finished product because they had me do so many different themes during the shoot because they hadn't decided on a cover motif yet."
Anna cleared his throat, getting everyone's attention. "If you don't mind, I'd like to change the topic to anything else."
"Sorry, Anna," Pippi and Annika both replied, sheepishly.
At the end of the evening, when Anna and Willie were preparing to leave, Anna pulled Tommy aside to talk to him privately. "When Nancy told me that you were living here with Pippi, I was very apprehensive. I still hadn't fully decided on whether or not I liked the kid yet. And it just seemed like it was too soon, you know? I thought you might'a been rushing things with him; living together and all. But meeting him…seeing the two of you together – how you are with one another – I'm glad the two of you have each other. I can see how happy he makes you. He's a good kid. Honest. Hard-working. Selfless. And it is very obvious just how much he loves you. I'm really happy for you, Tommy. I'm glad that you found someone that knows how to treat you with respect. You do right by him, okay? And see if he can give the recipe for that potato thing he made to Willie. 'Cause, damn, that was good." He patted his stomach, and licked his lips, remembering how the dish had tasted.
Tommy rolled his eyes at the last comment and hugged his dad tight. "Thanks, dad. I'm glad that you approve of him. Of us. I love you. And you know that potatoes au gratin isn't on your approved diet. I don't even know how you got away with eating so many helpings of it."
"Hey, I was told to eat more vegetables. And potatoes are vegetables," Anna argued.
"Potatoes being a vegetable is debatable," Tommy told him. "And when it's covered in cheese, it completely negates any nutritional value it did have."
Anna just shrugged then signaled over to Willie that he was ready to leave. The family said their goodbyes and made plans to meet in the morning to do some Black Friday shopping, leaving just the three roommates in the apartment.