the_sexy_quinn | Meet the Quinns

Entry tags:

family,
tom

Meet the Quinns

Dev's parents had sent a car to pick up Tom and Dev from the airport. Usually, Dev would feel annoyed that they didn't trust him to make it to the house in Malibu on his own, but this time he was looking forward to relaxing in the back with his boyfriend and unwinding from the flight from Boston. While on the plane, he'd made sure to tell Tom everything he could think of about his folks. He'd shared that both of his parents were born into money yet didn't seem to share the same sense of entitlement that most of their friends did. That didn't mean that they didn't enjoy their money, of course. They had the houses and the cars and all of the trappings of wealth, but the difference, Dev cheekily told Tom, was that they were kind to their staff and treated them like human beings. Sara and Jackson Quinn had also been married for twenty-five years and were the only couple among their friends who had never been divorced. That was more than enough to set them apart from the rest of the company they kept.

Dev had then explained how his family had come into its money (though he did it quickly because, frankly, it embarrassed him to be a trust fund baby). Dev's great-grandfather had been wise enough to buy up a tremendous amount of property in the Los Angeles area and through savvy development decisions had secured his family's wealth for generations to come. Sara's family held the patent for a simple household item that had brought in millions for them and would continue to do so for a great while longer, as well. Dev had told Tom that the only reason he was a poor student now was because he had dropped out of school and been determined to have some freedom and struggle with life a little before taking control of his trust. The day that happened, he and Tom would never want for anything. It just happened that his parents were under the impression that he was rejecting both them and their money and constantly fretted about their son's decision to "go rogue." On the plane, Dev had asked Tom not to let on about his plans to go back into the family fold once he was ready.

Dev looked over at his lover and smiled as the car headed out of the airport. "Almost time to meet Sara and Jack," he said, taking Tom's hand in his own. "Too late to back out now, unless you don't mind jumping out of a moving vehicle."

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

"From what he's said, I don't think he's ever dated a man his own age." Tom commented, wondering how much of that had to do with Dean and Dev's introduction to sex at such a young age. "I don't know how much my age has to with Dev being willing to give me a chance and I don't expect you to believe me, but I love your son."

"I don't mean to offend," Sara said, "but what could you have in common with a twenty year-old? It seemed to me that the other men Dev saw were trying to hold onto their own youth."

Jackson put a hand on her arm and looked at Tom. "That's speculation on our part. Dev never really told us much about them besides the fact that he was moving in with them. But it never seemed right to me. If he insists on being gay, why can't he date boys his own age?"

Tom couldn't help but arch an eyebrow at Jack's question. "Insists on being gay?" His voice was calm and rational, the Jesuit teaching a lesson. "I don't think it's so simple as insisting or choosing, but of following our own natures. Celibacy or intimacy are the choices we can make, not gender preference. As for Dev's decision to date men older than himself, I'm not sure why and I can only say that when I'm with Dev, I don't even think of the difference in our ages, we just...fit."

"So he's not doing this just to get back at us for something he imagines we've done?" Jack asked. "Because he's dated girls, too. We'd hoped that humoring him would help until he decided to go back to being normal, but--."

Sara reached for Jack's hand and shook her head. "Don't say normal," she whispered to him. "You'll offend Tom."

"Fine, whatever you want to call it," Jack said, though there was a slightly sheepish look in his eyes. "This is the first time that he's told either of us that he's ever loved anyone, and I told myself that the day that happened I would make sure it was someone worthy of him. Someone who isn't after his money or trying to take advantage of him in some way."

He had to smile at Sara's whisper. "One thing you'll find about me is that I'm spectacularly hard to offend, Sara." The smile didn't fade one bit as he turned to Jack. "I can promise you, I'm not after Dev's money. I make a comfortable salary of my own and am half owner in my father's pub...well actually Da runs it and has already signed everything over to my sister and I, though what we'll do with it when Da retires is anyone's guess. I'm not wealthy, but I have more than enough for my needs. The only thing I want from Dev is to love him and build a life with him, if that's what he wants."

Jack started to speak again, but Sara stopped him. "Tom, you have no idea how long I've wanted to know that Dev would find someone he could love and who would love him in return. I'm not like his father," she said, looking at Jack lovingly and squeezing his hand to temper her words, "so I don't care who it is, just as long as it's someone who has his best interests at heart. You are the first man he's ever brought home and the first one I can say I trust."

"But, Sara," Jack said, "we don't--"

"Jack, please," she said softly. "You weren't on the phone when he was talking about Tom, but the same thing I heard in your son's voice is exactly what I'm hearing in Tom's now. Maybe...maybe I'm just a silly romantic, but I want Dev to be happy." She turned her attention back to Tom. "I hope that we'll get to know you better during your visit." She smiled. "And I hope that our approval doesn't mean Dev will change his mind about you."

"I don't think he'll be that much of a brat." Tom laughed, finding he liked these two very much and he didn't blame Jack at all for his doubts. "If he tries, I'll just remind him that he said he wasn't going to let your opinion change his mind, of course he meant if you hated me, it wasn't going to stop him."

Looking at them both, he continued. "You know he loves you both, don't you? More than he'll admit even to himself."

Sara sighed and gave Tom a grateful look. "You really think so? Sometimes I think he only just tolerates us."

Jack nodded. "We love both of our children very much, but Dev has definitely tested us. If what you're saying is true, it makes is worthwhile."

"Has he always found ways to push the limits?" Tom asked.

"He has," Jack admitted.

"No, he hasn't," Sara said, correcting him. "He was always a good little boy. But when he started to hit puberty, he changed."

"You're right," Jack said, nodding. "It's as if the hormones started to kick in and he became a different kid."

"Puberty, huh?" Tom's voice was steady and he mentally congratulated himself on showing nothing out the ordinary as he realized he was probably right about Dev.

Jack nodded. "We've always chalked it up to him growing up, but there are times we really miss that little kid."

"I think I might have seen him once or twice." Tom grinned.

Jack chuckled at that, feeling more at ease with Tom as they spoke. "Well, you're pretty lucky then."

"It says a lot, I think, that he's let his guard down around you," Sara added.

"It took us both sometime to open up, I guess." Tom nodded, noticing that someone had walked up onto the deck and was talking with Dev. If it was Dean, he didn't want to leave his lover alone with the man who had molested him. Nodding toward the doors he asked, "Is that your neighbor with Dev?"

ooc- thought we should maybe move on from their convo to keep the flow going.

"There he is," Jack said, getting to his feet, grinning as he saw his neighbor and friend. "Come on, Tom, let me introduce you."

[tag Dev]

If Tom hadn't been inside, Dev would have hugged Dean when he'd arrived. He felt no animosity towards the man and honestly did consider him to be a friend, but he knew that his lover had other thoughts about that. So, he'd been polite and explained that his new boyfriend was in the house with his parents.

When Tom, Jack and Sara joined them on the deck, Dev went over to Tom right away and took hold of his hand.

"How did it go?" he asked softly, giving Tom a kiss.

"Well, I'm glad I didn't jump out of the car." Tom teased as he allowed Dev to distract him from Dean, there was no need to hate the man for what couldn't be changed, but he was still going to talk to him...and to Dev for that matter. "Seriously, I think it went pretty well, actually."

"I'm glad," Dev said, surprised that he was actually relieved and happy that the talk between Tom and his parents had gone well.

"Dev, if you'd let me borrow Tom for a moment, I'd like to introduce him to Dean," Jack said, watching Tom and his son interacting with a less critical eye now.

"It's okay, I'll do it," Dev said, taking hold of Tom's hand and leading him over to where Dean was chatting with Sara and Sadie.

"Tom, I'd like you to meet a dear family friend," Dev said, smiling as he spoke but feeling extremely nervous. "This is Dean Istead. Dean, this is Tom Ryan."

Tom wrapped his left arm around Dev and held out his right hand to Dean with a slight smile, determined to be pleasant. "Hello, Dean."

Dean smiled and shook Tom's hand. "Good to meet you, Tom," he said. "Jack told me there was someone coming to be put through the wringer for dating our Dev." He winked at Dev as he said it. "I have no doubt that you made it through just fine, though."

"I think so, although for a minute there I wondered." He swallowed back the urge to punch Dean out for the wink and wondered again where the jealousy he was feeling came from. Dev had told him the relationship was long over. And besides, it wasn't as though he really had been old enough to consent. His arm tightened just slightly around his lover as though confirming he was still there beside him, but otherwise outwardly he was calm and collected, just sharing a pleasant afternoon with Dev and his family.

Dean leaned forward a little. "Personally, I think Jack's bark is worse than his bite," he said in a stage whisper, making Jack chuckle as he checked on the steaks.

"You keep telling yourself that, Dean," Jack said.

"So, Tom, what do you do?" Dean asked, taking a beer Sara offered him.

"I have a degree in divinity from Boston College and a PhD in philosophy from Istituto Universitario di Vatican. I teach philosophy at Boston University." There was something about the whole situation that almost struck Tom as almost funny. He never waved his degrees around and wasn't even sure he'd told Dev that he attended college at the Vatican after taking his vows.

"Impressive credentials," Dean nodded, a look of genuine interest on his face.

[tag Dev]

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