The Art Teacher

Chapter 23: Happiness

15th November 2022

Happiness was something not everyone experienced. It was something so special yet so rare. And, if you looked too hard you'd never find it. You just had to run with it and eventually your form of happiness would come. It seemed Tom finally had his, after so long of waiting. Waiting and trying to find it himself. Now it was as though his happiness had found him instead.

The way his heart swelled 5 times it's usual size when Harrison looked over at him from the other side of the table, and the way Nikki still put more food onto his plate even though she knew that he needed to stay in shape.

Hazel's smile, when she opened her presents and the way she and her best friend Viola both turned and looked at each other with huge grins when Hazel unwrapped not one, or two but three tickets to the Harry Styles concert they'd been wanting to go to.

The brunette turned his head once more and cast Harrison a look.

"Come over here" Harrison mouthed and Tom nodded, getting from his seat to go and sit on Harrison.

"Um, that's not what I meant but anyway" Harrison joked, and Tom blushed.

"Should I bring dessert out?" Nikki asked, and everyone shouted a huge "YES!"

Tom got off Harrison and took a seat beside him as he watched his boyfriend and his younger brother having an in depth conversation about which football team was better; Barcelona or Southhampton. Of course, there was no doubt Barcelona was better, but was Tom really going to say that to Harrison? No.

He smiled at how easily everyone got along with Harrison as well. How he could talk to Sam about food and then have a good old rant with Paddy about how annoying Tom was. As a matter of fact, everyone had welcomed Harrison in, with open arms and a kind heart. They could all see the eyes Hazel would give him and anyone that got eyes like that from a now 6 year old girl deserved to be welcomed in.

"Thank you dad" Hazel said and Tom was broken from his thoughts.

"For what?" He asked, before realising she was actually talking to Harrison. Everyone suddenly when very quiet, and Harrison blushed bright red and had to excuse himself.
"That's a first" Tom said leaning forward to pull her into his lap.

"I think you just made him cry in front of my whole family Hazel" Tom teased, and she blushed.

"He's lovely" Nikki exclaimed.

"Shh!!" Tom scolded.

"Just because you can't see him doesn't mean he can't hear you" Tom said quickly, and Nikki shrugged.

"There's nothing to hide. He's a wonderful boy. The fact that Hazel just called him "dad" goes to show how lucky you two are and how sweet he is" Dominic pointed out and the other two agreed.

"I better go make sure he's ok" Tom said placing a very embarrassed Hazel down.

As Tom left he could make out Harry's very distinctive voice saying "If Tom doesn't marry him, I will" and his mother replying with "I didn't think you were gay as well." Everyone laughed and Harry whined.

"I'm not! It's just he's drop dead gorgeous."

The rest of the family raised eyebrows but didn't push Harry further knowing he was just joking and was bound to mock their relationship when they came back in.

Tom shook his head and continued his way around the house to find Harrison.

"Haz?" He called, and Harrison opened the bathroom door.