Maybe After Tomorrow (Hatchetfield)

Chapter 14

"We are not watching the Mamma Mia sequel, Ted."
"But I've not seen it yet!"
"Well that's not my problem."
"Why are you so against this?"
Henry sighed and tilted his head as he looked across the table at Ted. 'Because I don't really feel like crying tonight. I did enough of that when we watched Rent."
"It's sad?"
"Well, Meryl Streep isn't in it other than for one song. Do with that information what you will."
Ted's eyes widened and his lips parted slightly, "No..."
Henry walked over to him, touching his shoulder to try to coax him to stand, "Let's compromise. First Mamma Mia."
  "Uh-huh..." Ted stood up, leaning into Henry and still looking devastated.
They walked across the hallway through to the living room and sat on the black leather couch, Ted letting his head fall onto Henry's shoulder.
"Ted, we could get caught here," Henry whispered.
Ted looked up, still keeping his head on Henry's shoulder, "It's past ten. Nobody's likely to be coming down."
"Hm..." Henry pondered that for a second before moving slightly closer to Ted and turning on the TV, "Okay."
Henry put on Mamma Mia and let his arm fall over Ted's shoulder.
He couldn't stop the smile spreading across his face when he looked down and Ted was softly singing along to the first song. Then he joined in, making Ted look up. Their eyes locked as they sang the last notes.
Then they looked away from one another and didn't look at each other again. Not until the movie was over and Henry looked down to see Ted asleep on his shoulder. He smiled fondly before carefully untangling himself from Ted's arms. He took a blanket from the back of the couch and gently laid it over Ted, turning off the TV as he did so.
"Goodnight, Teddy," he whispered before kissing Ted's forehead and leaving the room.
When he got up to his room, he put on a pair of pale grey silk pyjamas, turned on his rainbow-coloured butterfly fairy lights and looked at the mirror. The dark circles that usually sat under his eyes had disappeared. Then he realised that his face actually hurt from smiling. That just made him smile more as he got into bed.

The next morning, Henry sat down at the table with his laptop, sipping his coffee. Decaf, for once.
"Working again?" Ted said, frowning and draping himself dramatically against the doorframe.
"No, Theodore," Henry responded, looking incredibly proud of himself for proving Ted wrong.
He turned the laptop round and Ted walked over to get a good look at the screen.
"You're playing sushi cat?" Ted asked, totally deadpan.
"Don't judge me. You can't tell me that watching a cat grow bigger as it eats more and more sushi isn't addictive."
"Never tried to." Ted smiled as his arms snaked around Henry from behind.
Henry was a little startled at first but he relaxed as he felt Ted kiss the top of his head. "Good."
"What I will say," Ted said said as he walked to the counter to pour himself a cup of coffee, "Is that if you're playing that, I don't understand why you didn't come to wake me up. I'm feeling a little left out over here." He feigned offence as he sat down.
Henry smiled, "My sincerest apologies. You just looked so peaceful."
"Yeah, why exactly was I sleeping on the couch?"
"You fell asleep near the end of the movie and I didn't wanna wake you."
Ted nodded slightly, "Ah." Then he frowned. "Wait, you mean I missed the ending?"
"Yup."
"Damn it. The ending's the best part."
"Gotta disagree with you there."
'"What's your favourite part, then?"
"The boat. Reminds me of..."
He trailed off, falling back into a whirlpool of memories.
"Henry?"
"Huh?"
"You were saying the boat scene reminds you of..."
"Oh. Right. It doesn't matter."
Ted looked at Henry confused for a second, but before he could say anything else, Bill appeared at the door.
"Hey, have either of you seen Alice? She's not in her room."
'Calm down, dad.' She appeared behind him, followed by Lex and Ethan. "I slept in Lex and Ethan's room."
"Oh. Okay."
Ted looked a little forlorn when they all sat down at the table with breakfast. He felt bad, but he enjoyed the time alone with Henry. So he was relieved when they all left.

"I need to ask you something."
Alice felt her stomach start to knot itself when she heard Bill say that as they sat down in the living room.
"Uh, what is it?"
"You and Lex..."
"Oh god, here it comes."
"I didn't know you two were such good friends."
Alice sighed and raised her eyebrows, "Just ask it."
'Just ask what?'
"Dad! Come on."
'Fine. What's going on there?'
"We dated. Ages ago."
"How long is ages?"
'"We broke up around the time I moved with mom to-"
"Don't you dare say the name of that place."
Alice laughed at the way Bill's expression so suddenly changed from one of concern and confusion to one of disgust.
"How come I never knew how close you were with her?"
"Because I was an anxious, closeted fifteen year old."
"Fair enough. And, speaking of you being anxious, how's that been? You know, considering..."
"Fine. I mean, it's a little tricky but I'll be fine."
Bill nodded slowly, "Good."

"So," Henry said as he washed the dishes, "I was going to ask you this last night, but you kind of fell asleep."
Ted shot him a mock glare.
"We've not really ... discussed ... what exactly is going on here."
"Yeah."
"So, we should probably do that."
"Yeah. I mean, we've kissed, you've seen me sleeping, I'd say we're practically married." Ted said it nonchalantly and as a joke, but then he started to panic in case Henry found it weird.
"Yeah, pretty much."
They both grinned.
"But," Henry continued, "Maybe keep it to boyfriends for now?"
"That works for me."

Having decided to skip breakfast in favour of watching a movie in bed, Becky lay with her head on Tom's chest as he slowly ran his hands through her hair.
"You think he'll really be up soon?" Tom asked abruptly.
Becky sat up, looking at Tom with a sympathetic smile on her face. "Tom, you don't have to worry so much. I'm sure he-"
Becky's eyes widened.
"What is it?"
Her head whipped round and she saw Tim's hand shift slightly. Almost immediately, she felt the duvet fly off the bed as Tom ran over to Tim's bed, kneeling at his side.
"Tim, come on, bud. Wake up."
He sleepily raised his head, half opening his eyes. "Dad?"
"Oh my god." Tom had to bite his lip to keep from crying.
"What's going on, dad?" He rubbed his eyes as he sat up.
"Why don't you go take a shower, put some clothes on and we can talk, okay?"
Tim nodded, confused but not awake enough to think to question it, "Okay."

~

(A/N: Two things: 1.) If you have never played sushi cat, you are majorly missing out B.) Writing a scene involving both Tom and Tim is so annoying. Tim keeps autocorrecting to Tom. I find it hilarious that they have such similar names but in this moment I'm despising it✨)