Every zoo is a petting zoo

Tony looked down to see a fifteen year old kid staring up at him, all big brown eyes and flushed cheeks.

“Yeah? Can I help you kid?” asked Tony, smiling as kindly as he could. He could remember being a young teen at his first pride event, twenty or so years ago.

“Um, I was wondering if I could have a hug? My family isn’t um, they aren’t excited that I’m gay and I could really use a hug?”

Tony blinked, then remembered the shirt Steve had insisted he wear, that said free hugs.

“What’s your name?” asked Tony.

“Peter.”

“I’m Tony, Peter,” said Tony. “Nice to meet you Peter.”

Tony opened his arms and the kid ran into him. They stood there, hugging tightly, for several minutes, until two different voices made them pull away.

“Tony, love, I got you coffee,” said Steve, coming up behind Tony.

“Peter-Peter-Pumpkin-Eater,” called Wade, running up, sporting a brilliant pan-pride shirt. “There you are!”

Tony and Peter pulled away.

“Who’s this?” asked Steve, wrapping an arm around Tony’s shoulder and handing his husband a large cup of coffee.

“This is my new son Peter,” said Tony proudly. “We are inviting him to dinner, okay?”

“Can Wade come?” asked Peter with a grin, his entire face lighting up.

“I’m Wade,” said Wade, holding out a hand. “Peter’s boyfriend.”

“Yes, absolutely,” said Tony. “Lots of food. And coffee. You like coffee, new son Peter?”

Me: Wuthering Heights. I think this was mentioned in Twilight. Should be good.

Friend: Yeah, cuz the bus is for the poor people.

Me:……..because the bus I need doesn’t have a stop near me……

“I suppose that like most things, you started this without thinking.”

 It was an unfair statement, they both knew that, but as expected, Tony let it slide because he wasn’t in the mood to deal with his father’s unexpected presence. To be fair, that was also on Tony because the restaurant was very much the type of place Howard would frequent and Tony should have expected to at the least run into one of Howard’s work associates if not the man himself.

 “I always think things through,” said Tony, swishing his glass of wine slowly, not even gracing Howard with a look, instead his eyes scanning the suits and gowns for one particular suit that was hiding hard muscles and toned abs. “It’s why I left home in the first place.”

 “Who are you fucking?” demanded Howard. “I know you’re not here on your own, you could never afford this place. I made sure of that.”