Tommy glanced down at the pamphlet. It was very simple, not printed on quality paper, and, yes, it looked like a stoner had designed it, which was why he perceived Mark's words as patronizing and pursed his lips even before the folder was passed to him. And then he had the folder in his hands and his eyes widened. A shot of him kissing Bret outside the restaurant where Bret had taken him on their first actual date, a shot of them holding hands as they were leaving, a shot of Bret with his arm around him after Bret's show at the bar, a shot of Bret's hand in his hair and Tommy looking up at the mortal with heat in his eyes. Tommy's mind stuttered to a halt at the last one and his fingers trembled as he raised his gaze, not to look at Bret, or Mark, or Marijuana. "Papa?"
Glibt took another long gulp of his beer, hating the position he was being put in. "I don't approve of what's going on here, Thomas, but-" Marijuana broke in helpfully. "But you're not his father." Glibt's face went blank, fingers tightening around his bottle and gave a minute nod, eyes focused on Tommy, who looked like he was trying to decide whether to burst into tears or start screaming at his parents. Instead, when the godling spoke, his voice was clear, even though his fingers were still trembling. "I don't need to show them to Marijuana. From the look on his face, I can tell he already knows what they show and is just as gleeful about ambushing me as you seem to be. And I highly doubt that these were just laying around your studio." He pushed the folder across the table to Bret. "Here, Bret, take a look at what the Democratic Party is using governmental resources to accomplish."
Slight moment of snark aside, Tommy took a deep breath and sat up straight, gathering every little bit of confidence he had, which wasn't much, and every bit of love he felt for Bret. "Both of you probably think you've caught me in a lie. I don't think that's necessarily true, while I did misrepresent the situation slightly because I knew you would overreact, which you did. Bret and I recognized the attraction we feel for each other shortly after we met. Yes, we've been on one date prior to this - Bret's show doesn't count as a date, really. And, yes, we've been physically affectionate with each other, but only so much as I feel comfortable with and Bret hasn't pushed in any way." Tommy was choosing his words carefully, so Glibt wouldn't have to lie if he was asked to confirm what Tommy was saying. "I don't see anything wrong with it, though. He cares about me, about me as Tommy and about me as the Marijuana Party. He treats me with respect. He wants to make me happy. And, most importantly, he actually wants to have me around." Tommy's voice started to tremble slightly and his fingers itched to reach across the table to grasp Bret's hand.
"Wants to, likes to. He doesn't have to have me around because, say, I showed up on his doorstep or in his shop and he had to take care of me. He doesn't view me as a threat-" Tommy's eyes were cold as they darted to Marijuana. "-or as someone only to have around when he has vacation time." Tommy focused on Mark for a moment before he forced the tremble out of his voice and continued. "And, Marijuana, Mark, every single decision about my life since Malcolm brought me here has been made by one of you. Where I was going to live... actually, you fought about who wouldn't have to have me live with them. And if you remember, I was going to take the LSATS, but Marijuana decided I was going to take an undergrad degree first and chose my major and my minor. Mark, you chose which school I was going to attend. And while I am grateful to have a roof over my head and my tuition paid for me... this choice is one I'm going to make on my own." Tommy took yet another deep breath, reaching up to run his fingers anxiously through his hair before he realized it was pulled back and his hands fell to his lap instead. "And if dating Bret makes the two of you- disappointed in me-" No, please, no, Tommy felt like he wanted to curl inward on himself with those words. "-well, I'm willing to risk that. But I am going to date him."