Boys Will Be Bugs ( Tomco )

Part 11

"When do you think you're going to start telling people?" Star asked, smiling as she sat on Marco's bedroom floor. Tom and Marco sat on the bed, a shocked look across Marco's face.

"Not any time soon. W-we're still not ready." Marco explained. Tom tightened his grip around his boyfriends hand and nodded, mouthing 'touchy subject' at Star. She nodded.

"Well I think it would be good for you guys to start telling people soon. I've known for a week and that's going fine isn't it? And people here would really accept you guys I promise." Star grinned. "Plus then you can stop being so sneaky all the time?" 

"Like I said before, Star, it isn't about people here accepting us it's about feeling okay enough to accept ourselves and put ourselves out there like that. It's really hard to do." Marco frowned. "I don't want to keep talking about it." He sighed. Star frowned and stood up.

"Okay... I guess. Tom are you staying for dinner?" She asked. Tom shook his head.

"No, my parents expect me home soon." He frowned. "I could stay if you wanted though." He pointed out, turning to Marco. Marco shook his head.

"No, no it's okay. I don't want you to get in trouble with your parents. I'll be fine until I see you again." He smiled softly. 

"Okay, if you're sure." Tom smiled back.

"Okay, well I'll go tell my mom then so she can plan dinner better. I'd hate for her to plan for you to be here and then you don't end up staying." She turned and opened the door, walking out and closing it behind her.

"Did she seem a little off to you too?" Tom asked as he watched the door close. Marco shrugged and stared at the door.

"Everything seems off lately." Marco was used to a very normal life. Well, normal to him. He seemed like an exciting person who adventures and made spur of the moment decisions. But really even his adventures were planned out. And he was always in control of the rest of his life, but now? He felt very out of control and it wasn't doing much good for his mind. That's why he refused to tell anyone about him and Tom, if he kept it inside at least he was in control of that. Tom knew that the whole situation was hard for Marco. Sometimes he even thought that maybe, if he had the control to do so, he would go back in time and never kiss him. But he wouldn't want to do that either, he didn't want to get rid of the last two and a half months of being with Marco, he just wanted Marco to be happy.

Star wanted Marco to be happy as well. Her and Tom had been discussing the strain the whole relationship has put on Marco, but Star's idea for a solution was always a lot different than Tom's. Where Tom wanted to give Marco the time he needs to come out, Star thought it would be better to get it over with already. It was the main subject of any arguments unfolding between the two of the lately. Star kept asking Tom if he was ready yet, and if that had anything to do with his decision to let Marco wait it out. Tom never really knew how to respond. He was perfectly fine with being with Marco, he didn't feel like his life was spinning, he was happy. And he was happy to tell Star, and Star's family, and any of his friends. But the idea of telling more people? Of the whole world knowing? Of his parents knowing? That's where he got scared. So he was okay with waiting a little longer with Marco, besides, he wanted Marco to be happy.

"Dinner time! Bye Tom." Star smiled, bursting into Marco's room. Tom pulled away from the quick kiss he was giving Marco when she burst in.

"Star, what did we say about the randomly bursting in without knocking or any notice at all?" Marco asked sighing.

"We said not to do it anymore... But I always used to burst in unannounced before!" Star defended.

"I wasn't dating Tom before." Marco retaliated.

"Well, this has been fun but Star's right I should really get going. Bye Marco." Tom kissed Marco's cheek and stood to go home, but he noticed Marco's hand still holding his. "What's wrong?" He asked.

"I changed my mind, you should stay for dinner." Marco frowned. "I'm going to miss you if you leave." Star made a vomiting motion and sighed.

"Well it's a good thing you have such a good best friend because I assumed you would change your mind and I've already told Tom's parents he's staying for dinner and mom made sure there was a place set out for you." Star grinned.

"What would he do without you?" Tom laughed.

"Nothing, I would simply cease to exist." Marco laughed back.

The dinner was a regular dinner like any other night. Marco sat in between Tom and Star eating his food in silence. River did the regular dad thing of trying to spark conversation, but his attempts seemed to go unnoticed by at least two thirds of the teens.

"Why are you so nervous? It's just dinner." Tom whispered, squeezing Marco's hand under the table.

"I don't know I just, I have a bad feeling about tonight. There's this queasy feeling in my stomach telling me something is going to go wrong." Marco whispered back, not looking up from his food.

"What could go wrong if all we're doing is eating?" Tom asked, also not looking away from his food, the not looking at each other was their attempt to make it seem like they weren't whispering to each other under their breath, and for the most part it was working.

"I don't know Tom but I know something is going to happen I can feel it." Marco muttered back.

"I think you just need to calm down. Nothing is going to go wrong it's just a regular dinner." Tom continued the conversation to the point where it began a quiet argument. The only one noticing the two boys was Star, watching the two mutter things to each other that she couldn't hear well enough to make out. River looked at her from across the table and smiled.

"Anything new around her, Star?" River asked. 

"Marco's gay!"