Tin: How was your drive home? Did you get lucky?
King: A gentleman never talks.
Tin: Well then that certainly explains Ram but what about you?????
King: 😊
King: Our family will take cousin Ohm & Uncle to dinner next Thursday.
Tin: Shit, that's my get lectured by dad (family) dinner night.
Tin: We're going to Le Pichet. 7 pm. You should go there too
King: Good idea, your family can meet my Uncle!
Tin: Bro is introducing to us to the girl our father told him to marry.
King: Your father = ASSHOLE.
Tin: Well at least assholes have a purpose.
King: I will tell Uncle to be extra ferocious
"So what happened next?" Can held a chicken skewer in one hand and a soft roll filled with spicy beef in the other and asked questions between bites. The IC cantina was busy but he paid the other students no mind; his attention was on Tin's animated face.
"King's Uncle shook my father's hand so hard, my Dad actually winced. Then he asked my family to join his for dinner. Of course, my dad couldn't say no and still save face. We all spent the next two hours watching my Dad try, but failing miserably, to prove he has the biggest dick. Maybe I should invite Uncle Fix It to every family dinner from now on!"
"What about your brother's girlfriend? Is she nice?"
"I think so. She was very quiet. My brother barely paid her any attention but luckily she sat next to cousin Ohm and he talked to her throughout the whole meal."
"I wish I could've been there with you."
"No, never. I would never let you anywhere near my family. I like you too much." Tin reached out to rest his hand on Can's wrist. "My family will be traveling starting next week. Expected to be out of town a few weeks. Would you like to come to my house for dinner or to watch a movie?"
No immediate reply. A thumb rubbed lazy circles on his wrist; a jolt of pleasure warmed Can's body. "Okay."
It struck Can that while the house was elegantly decorated it wasn't homey. He really couldn't come up with a sincere compliment so he offered "Tin, your home is very clean."
"Hmm, such faint praise. Tell me how you really feel."
"No offense, but I think a morgue would have a warmer atmosphere than your house. This couch feels like I'm sitting on a rock."
Tin smiled not at all offended. "Well, this is the formal couch and uncomfortable on purpose. If you don't want people to come visit, or stay long if they do visit, you sit them on uncomfortable furniture to motivate them to leave sooner. My mother was very deliberate with her furniture choices for the living room."
"You jerk, you invite me over and then put me on this couch so I won't stay long?"
"No baby. I invited you to sit here first so you'd readily agree when I offer to take you to another room where you could be more comfortable."
"What room?" Ram had warned Can earlier that if Tin invited him to his bedroom, he should count on the other boy making some sort of sexual advance. Otherwise, why would they need the additional privacy and comfort of a bedroom when they were the only two people in the house?
"The dining room of course. Didn't I invite you over for dinner?" He led the younger boy towards the back of the house.
"Yum, I don't care if the dining chairs aren't comfortable at all, I'm willing to suffer for food." While he did have standards, Can was proud they were pretty low when it involved free meals.
The table was set with pizza and a variety of snacks and deserts. Dinner was deliciously simple allowing Can to eat and ask questions. "What do you want to do when you graduate college?"
"I will work for a few years at one of my father's companies while I save and earn money and then I plan to move overseas. I have to be financially independent to go somewhere my family doesn't have any influence so can't control my life. I'm thinking Europe."
"Do you really dislike your family that much?"
"Yes. Sometimes I feel that dysfunctional families choose one scapegoat to concentrate all their anger, disappointment and unrealistic expectations towards. I'm that person in my family. They can then blame me for everything wrong and not have to take any personal responsibility for their own bad choices or mean behavior." Tin moved around the dining table and sat next to Can and met his eyes. "It's a lot easier to blame others than do the hard work to fix yourself or the situation."
"Isn't that you though? Blaming your parents? When are you going to do the hard work to fix the situation?"
A low chuckle. "But it's not a situation I have control over to fix. Maturity is realizing the hard fact that there are some things you can't fix so you have to let go of hoping and what ifs if you ever want to be happy. I will not earn my parent's approval and respect. Especially my father. He demands I do something and I used to do it thinking this time, maybe he'll be satisfied and thank me or give me praise. But never how well, quicky or agreeably I did something, that praise never came."
A few seconds pause before he continued. "I do what my father wants now just so I don't have to hear him bitch. Also, I'm playing the long game – the more obedient I am or appear, the more freedom I have now and hopefully in the future." His hands reached out to grasp Can's and he squeezed tightly. "But I am starting to work on some things. Opening up a bit, trying some new things. I gave you a chance didn't I? I could've just kept ignoring you on that sidewalk." His lips turned up in a slight smile and his eyes were moist.
"Hmm" he said as he watched Tins eyes and decided without even a second thought that Ram warned the wrong person. Kitten my ass, watch this Tiger pounce! "Show me your bedroom" Can said as he stood and waited for the older boy to show him the way.
