When he was back in the US, Tom realised once and for all that this wasn't home to him anymore. It had been once, but since Timer's death and his breakup with Jade, the feeling of homeliness had vanished, and he just felt very lonely instead. He just knew that he wanted to be closer to his family and to Jason. Mostly to Jason if he was completely honest, but that was as good a reason as any.
So, Tom decided to keep the house – for now – and fly over with his most important belongings: His favourite guitar, his skateboard and the Slytherin oven mittens, to live with Mum while he would be searching for a flat in London.
"You're back in town? That's wonderful, duck," Jason said and Tom could hear the smile in his voice, "For how long will you stay?"
Tom chuckled into the phone. "Long, I think. I'm currently living at my mum's until I've found a flat. When I got back to the US after the convention, it just... didn't feel much like home anymore."
"Wha – really?" Jason asked and Tom could hear the surprise and also the joy in his words. "Tom, this is – wonderful! I mean, I'm sorry that L.A. doesn't work for you anymore at the moment, but – You can't expect me to be greatly sad when I know that I have you back, my boy," he said and ended quieter, but also very honest and soft.
"Yeah, right? I'm also really happy to be back in London. I've already had a look at some flats and there's this one I really like. But I... I wanted to ask whether you'd have a look at it with me before I really take it. I just want to make sure that it's not beyond repair and I think you have better judgement in those things."
He heard Jason laugh heartily, then he was moving or doing something with his hands. "Oh, well, I'll do my best, I mean – But I'd love to see you again. You just tell me when and where."
So, they arranged to meet the upcoming Thursday for lunch and then they would have a look at the flat in the afternoon.
Tom felt positively excited like all the times before he knew he would meet Jason, but this time, he deliberately took care of how he looked because he had set himself a goal: He wanted to seduce Jason in the next few weeks, and when he would finally move in, he wanted him to be his boyfriend.
Tom had never seduced anybody. He was terribly nervous, but in a good way. A very good way. And when he would have doubts, he would just think about Jason under the shower and how he had moaned his name.
So, when he left the house, he was wearing tight washed out baby-blue jeans and a comfy, baggy pink pullover that he tugged in so Jason would be able to see his arse. Where was the point in wearing tight jeans if you couldn't see the arse, right? He was perfectly sure that if this whole shower thing hadn't been a hallucination, Jason must find him attractive – and since he had no boobs, surely the first eyecatcher would be his bum.
He wasn't even sure what the first eyecatcher on Jason was for him, but he certainly liked how he looked himself: the perfect mix of sexy and cuddly.
To all his shame, the first thing that gave him pleasure the moment he approached Jason at the café were his eyes. His sharp, grey-blue eyes that sparkled with mirth the moment he saw him.
"Tom!"
"Hi. Lovely to see you."
"Lovely to see you, duck."
"It's not that big," Tom told Jason when they had eaten and were already on their way to the flat, "But I really like it."
"That's the most important thing," Jason smiled. "Did you know that it has already made the papers that you're moving?"
"Yeah," Tom laughed, "Mum's told me. But actually, I don't really care. I'm just really glad I decided to come back – I was terribly lonely in L.A."
