Jesse came to take him home later.
'If I find out you so much as dared lay a fucking hand on him, so help me, I will skin you alive, marinate your organs, grind your bones to chalk dust and blow it off the face of the fucking earth!'
Tom got all that from the intensely long threatening glare that came from the long-haired blond man leaning his back on the car with crossed arms.
"Nice to see you too, Jesse." He waved, standing in front of the door with a hand in his pocket. He watched as Jerry, almost hidden in the big coat, hopped down the stairs to his brother.
For once, Tom was glad Jerry was wearing a turtleneck.
"Bye, Tom!"
"Hey, I told you, don't be nice to this asshole!" Jesse scolded like a mother scolding her child for talking to the intoxicated weirdo in the subway.
"Yeah, yeah," Jerry rolled his eyes, sitting in the passenger seat. As Jesse rounded the car to get in, Jerry leaned out his window and furtively blew a kiss toward Tom.
The love-drunk man caught it and pressed his fist against his heart, then two fingers against his lips.
"Now isn't that just sweet," Victor came out to stand beside him, shoving his hands in his pockets. "The big cat is in love once again."
Tom snorted, incredulous. "I never stopped."
"You do know how this could go if they find out, right? Keep in mind he's not very safe as your boyfriend."
His face darkened. "Trust me, I know that firsthand. But... Jerry's not my boyfriend."
"Oh, so are you guys like, fuck-buddies now or something?"
"Hell no, I'd never torture myself like that. I can't ask him out though, not until they're taken care of. And Jesse... I'll save the hardest for last."
"So it's like a nameless kind of relationship? What if someone asks then?"
"Then I'd tell them I have someone."
"What about your aunt and uncle? You know what they're planning to do."
"Fuck off, stop pissing in my business."
"Geez, I'm just asking, asshole."
"No, I mean that's what I'm going to say to them. Works, huh?"
Victor slowly massages his temple, his other hand on his waist. "You're unbelievable."
***
"So, care to tell me why you stayed so long tonight?"
Jerry froze, his cheek stuffed with chocolate pebbles, he answered, "They invited me to join them for dinner. It's as simple as that."
"So you didn't interact with Tom at all?"
"Well..." He looked out the window, dodging Jesse's eyes. "I didn't exactly not interact with him..."
"I told you to stay away from him,"
"I know, I just... is it so bad if I want to be with him?"
"What?" Jesse tensed, the steering wheel suffered under his wrath.
Shit. "Around him! I-I mean, I just want to hang out with him. He's nice, t-to me."
"I never even wanted you to ever be in his house. I'm telling you, Jerry stay away from him."
"Why?"
"Because it's dangerous. You almost died once because of him-"
"But I know him, he wouldn't hurt me!"
"He doesn't give a fuck about you, Jerry. Not before, not now, not ever. I'm not going to let you risk your life just for him."
It was all quiet for a moment, Jerry thought over his next words.
"Jesse, tell me," He said quietly. "How did I almost die, why was it his fault?"
"Jerry-"
"Let me judge for myself if I want to hate him or not."
"Okay then," He pulled up in their driveway, his hands still glued to the steering wheel. "Tom knew about the accident, that it was going to happen, but... he did nothing. Whoever did that to you, they were after him. He knew and he did nothing. You can't expect me to trust him with you after that. Whatever lies he's told you-"
"No. He's never talked about that. Or tried to justify himself. I'm not sure if he doesn't want to trigger my memory or he just doesn't want to."
"I tell you to stay away from him because I want you to be safe."
"Yeah, I know." He opened his door, but didn't step out just yet. "But Jesse... does he really seem like the type to abandon anyone? You knew him back then, right?"
He got out and closed the door, leaving Jesse with a cloud of thoughts around his head.