Unedited. I'll fix all errors at a later date. Enjoy the update!

Part XIV

"It sounds annoyingly complicated." Minho commented that cold afternoon.

Gally gave the track star his most deadened expression.

Thomas found himself in one of the most awkward situations of his life. What was meant to be a quick lunch with his boyfriends turned into a gathering of friends.

Teresa and Aris sat idly near the end of the table, sharing a large pile of onion rings while Rachel and Sonya giggled among themselves over a joke Thomas missed. Alby had joined them soon after, Harriet on his heels and now Gally, who had sat down on their table without permission. It irked Minho, but after Gally's talk the other day, Thomas would've felt rude sending the boy away.

Somehow, within the twenty minutes it took for them to settle down, the topic of their sex lives reared its ugly head. Thomas resisted the urge to bury his face behind his food, his cheeks hot like fire and as red as apples.

"There's nothing complicated 'bout it, just pure laziness." Gally continued with a heavy eye roll. "Aftercare is one of the most important things in an S and M relationship. What better way to show your partner you care than by helping clean up the mess you made?"

"Yeah, yeah," Minho drawled. "We get it, guru. We've been keeping up with it. Calm your klunk behind."

Gally screwed up his freckled face in disgust. "I'm not jokin' Minho. Thomas could've gotten seriously injured 'cuz you shanks don't shuckin' know how to care for him. And you!" He whirled on Newt with a pointed finger, surprising the blond from his reverie. "What the hell were you thinkin' leaving Minho in charge of klunk like this? The slinthead doesn't know head or tails 'bout shit like this. I'm really disappointed. You should know better."

Newt struggled for words, rattled by the unexpected confrontation while Minho bristled at Gally's accusations.

Thomas laughed. "Wow Gally, I didn't know you cared so much."

"You guys think I'm playing around, but shit like this is serious. This isn't a phase, this is a lifestyle. I couldn't let you shanks go on like a bunch of morons, hurting each other and ruining something good." He dug into his pineapple cup, fishing out the pieces aggressively. "Listen, if you're interested, I've got a lot of books on the subject and a website that'll help. I can give it to you shanks if it means you'll be safe in your hanky panky."

Harriet suddenly laughed. "Hanky panky? Good God Gally!"

He blushed. "Shut up!"

The group divulged into nonsensical chatter after that. Thomas stubbornly tried to maintain his nonchalance in the face of the girls' teasing. Minho took great pleasure in humiliating the boy further, still irritated with Gally's earlier outburst.

Thomas hung back, watching them all. Something pleasantly warm filled his chest, chasing out the bitter air of a cold winter afternoon and pulled a smile onto his chapped, dry lips.

He was really going to miss these guys during winter break.

"Oh Thomas, if you please?"

Thomas tensed at Janson's call, his heart suddenly racing. He gave his boyfriends a pleading look before reluctantly leaving them in the hall. Newt whipped out his cell phone before Janson closed the door behind him. (Thomas already felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, Newt's message somewhat comforting despite not knowing what he sent.)

"Take a seat Thomas, we have things to discuss."

He collapsed into the nearest chair and spooled his expression into careful nonchalance. Janson dropped a packet onto the desk with a smug smirk.

"Congratulations Thomas, you passed your midterms with a perfect score."

"Th-thank you professor."

"No, thank you for applying yourself, but there are some discrepancies." Janson dropped two more packets onto his desk. Thomas didn't need to read it to know those were Newt's and Minho's cores. Their exams were marred with red ink, Janson's atrociously neat words printed heavily against every possible white surface. His commentaries were small, practically pinpricks compared to his boyfriends' writing. He couldn't make out what Janson had said to either of them, the words too straining for him to read. Thomas couldn't contain the grimace.

"Thomas, it does my heart ill to see my students fail, but I have already issued warnings to both your roommates about their failure in my class."

"What?"

"Did they not tell you? Tsk." Janson sighed, shaking his head. "I offered them a solution but they both refused. Now, as a last resort, I'm offering you the opportunity to save your—ahem—roommates from losing their scholarships."

Thomas tensed again. He licked his lips, wincing at the scrape of his dry tongue.

"W-what is it?"

His professor smiled amiably.

"Next semester, I will be in charge of a new program that will honor as well as provide challenges for our best students. You've shown unparalleled excellence in my classes, Thomas, I want you to participate in the program." He sat partially on Thomas' desk, hands folded on his lap, blue eyes gazing down at him. "It'll require a lot of study time so you may have to sacrifice your social life, but it is all for a good cause, Thomas. Trust me."

Thomas' leg bounced, his body humming with energy. He kept his attention focused on the packets, Minho's midterm score a shiny beacon against the sea of white and red.

He bit his lip.

"What do you say Thomas? Will you join me on behalf of your roommates?"

He stopped bobbing his leg. He turned to Janson, expression devoid of emotion.

"Can I think about it?"

Janson chuckled. "Of course Thomas, but I need an answer before the semester ends. Otherwise, I will take the matter into my hands."

He slid off the desk, gathered the papers then bid Thomas farewell.

Thomas heart didn't slow down until he was in the dorm and away from that monstrosity of a professor.

"How'd it go?"

Thomas let the door slam shut behind him, his chest heaving in a way that had nothing to do with the walk home.

"You're both failing English."

"What?"

Minho was sitting upright in bed, disbelief etched into his eyes. But it was Newt who had spoken and it was Newt who cursed thickly at Janson and ran long fingers into his blond locks.

"He shouldn't be discussing our exams with you, Tommy. It's not right."

"Fuck that!" Minho hissed, dark eyes blazing. "What did he ask you in return for "saving" our grades, Thomas? There's no way Rat Man told you that for any reason but as incentive."

"He didn't ask for anything—"

"Don't you dare fucking lie to us, Thomas! What did he want?" He demanded, his knuckles pale from gripping the edge of the mattress so tightly.

Thomas slumped against the door, suddenly exhausted.

"He wants me to sign up for this program next semester in exchange for saving your scholarships."

"Un-fucking-believable." Minho fell back onto Newt's bed with an exasperated sigh. He buried his face behind his hands, trying to calm himself before he bolted out of the room and punched their professor in the face.

Newt massaged his aching temples, the tension rolling off him in waves.

"Did you tell him anything?" Newt asked after a moment of silence.

Thomas shrugged.

"I told him I'd think about it."

"You're not doing it." Minho said. "I don't care if he fails us, I'm not letting you do it. This creep's been after you the moment you enrolled in this place. We're not putting you through this, Thomas."

"Minho, you're going to fail—"

"I don't give a klunk 'bout that, Thoams!" He screamed, startling them with his intensity. "I only came here because Newt got accepted. If dropping out to save you from Rat Man's clutches is how things are gonna be then fine by me." He crossed his arms stubbornly, dead set on his decision.

Thomas looked to Newt, half expecting to see a look of horror on the blond's face, but instead all he saw was contemplation.

"Newt—"

The boy turned to him, dark eyes unreadable. He rubbed his chin as an afterthought then sighed.

"I'm with Minho on this, Tommy. Leaving might be in our best interest."

Thomas couldn't believe what he was hearing. A part of him was touched by their protectiveness. The fact Newt was willing to give up his dream college to save Thomas from Janson's clutches warmed his heart, and the idea of Minho dropping out for the same thing moved him, but he couldn't let them sacrifice their futures because of him. No, he had a different plan in mind.

"You don't have to do that."

Newt and Minho opened their mouths, ready to retort, but Thomas held up his hand, stopping them in their tracks. "Don't worry about it, okay? I can handle it. I can handle him."

"Tommy—" Newt tried, sensing Thomas' resolve.

"No, guys, please. Let me do this. You're always helping me, let me do this for you." Thomas pleaded. He had to make them believe he'd chosen to do the program, it was a better alternative than telling them the truth. "Besides, Janson likes me. He won't rag on me nearly as much as he does to you guys. I can do this. Just have faith, okay?"

"Fine." Minho grumbled. "But if shit hits the fan, we're done. If you get sick or if he so much as breathes the wrong way, I'm punching him in the face and we're dropping out."

Thomas nodded, a small smile on his face. "Fine. Newt?"

Newt sighed. "I'm okay with it."

"Then it's settled." Thomas beamed, the guilt already eating at him. "I'll let him know the next time I see him."

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