Johnny's eyes went wide as their lips met, stunned by what was happening. He looked at Jack, whose eyes were shut. They were drunk, yes, but not enough to where they didn't know what they were doing. Johnny didn't know where this was coming from, and felt as if his heart might explode with how hard it was beating. However, he couldn't deny that he didn't hate this. Of course he'd thought of Jack that way, but he'd learned to suppress thoughts like that throughout his life, but never had he ever expected someone to feel the same way about him. Jack slowly moved his arms to wrap around Johnny's neck, and without thinking too much about it, Johnny responded. His hands moved to cup Jack's face, deepening their kiss.

"COME ON DOWN TO CHICKEN JIM'S TOY BARN, WHERE THESE DEALS ARE BUCK BUCK BUCKING GOOD!" The TV blasted suddenly.

Their eyes flashed open and the two separated instantaneously, Johnny staring at Jack in awe as Jack himself retreated back to his side of the couch, grabbing his mouth as if just now realizing what he'd done. "Uh..." Johnny struggled to speak, virtually speechless after what he'd just experienced. Jack took a moment to calm down. For once, it was his face that was a bright red hue. He set his hand down and looked up, their eyes meeting.

"I didn-"

"Did y-"

The two spoke at the same time, their words tangling together in a mess of gibberish. They each shut their mouths, silent for a moment before their nerves got the better of them. Johnny was the first to lose his composure, trying to hold his laughter back, and failing miserably. Jack soon joined him, and they both laughed together, breathless and hysterical. It took several attempts before they regained their calm demeanor, sitting and facing each other, smiles back on their faces. Johnny spoke first. "I never would have thought-Er, well I mean, I never thought you swung that way..." He trailed off, still in somewhat disbelief.

Jack shrugged. "I've been approached by men and women before... I suppose it just was not something I was interested in," he paused, then continued. "Until now." Johnny could feel his face getting hot. He scratched the back of his head and chuckled nervously. "I never thought someone like you would like someone like... Well, me." He admitted, remembering how many times he'd been rejected in the past. "Not too many people want to hang around somebody as dumb as a bag a' rocks." Jack shook his head in disagreement. "Johnny, I've only known you for a short period of time, but in the last few weeks, I have seen that you are so much more than what people think."

He moved closer, not breaking eye contact. "You have demonstrated such bravery and kindness, you put on this face for self preservation, but really, you are a generous person." Jack said sincerely, placing a hand on the others shoulder. "And you do not need to listen to anyone who says otherwise."

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Things changed dramatically for Johnny after that night. Though Jack was fine with letting the world know about them, Johnny still had reservations, which was understandable considering what he'd gone through in his home town. He wasn't quite ready to come out to others yet, and Jack respected his wishes, keeping to his usual reserved demeanor when they were out in public. To others, nothing had changed between the two, though it was obvious to those who were paying attention that they were both somewhat different.

Johnny laughed more, and in a way that didn't seem as annoying as it had before. He'd stopped chasing down every other girl he came across, and instead, began to treat them all like anyone else. He was an all around nicer guy, and eventually, more people came to know and accept him as a friend. Jack still kept to himself mostly, but didn't seem as uncomfortable as he did before. He used to look at things as if they were foreign, but now seemed to take on a different aspect entirely. He gladly assisted people who came to him, asking for help with reports or projects, and he seemed genuinely kinder, and more sympathetic towards them. And although the two still rarely parted from one another, when they did, they always seemed to hold a dreamy look in their eyes, as if lost in a pleasant thought.

Sooner than later, more and more people started to notice, and so began the talking and spreading of rumors. As the two became gradually closer and more intimate behind closed doors, people conversed about what might've happened between them; surely it had to be something that they'd both been involved in. Theories flew through the corridors and popped up in group texts.

"Maybe they got girlfriends?"

"Johnny's probably just glad he's finally passing!"

"Hey, shut up! It's probably just good news from home."

"I think they're secretly banging each other!"

Everyone had something to say on the matter, opinions were plenty, some incredibly spot on, others so far off you'd need binoculars to see them. The two, of course, were unaware of the topic at first. But soon enough, the whispers started to get louder, and lips grew looser as money began to exchange hands.

"They're betting on whether or not we've hooked up?!" Johnny was in full panic mode, fearing the worst of the situation. He paced rapidly back and forth around the dorm room, hoping to God that this wouldn't be another repeat of his childhood. Jack hated seeing his partner this way, it made him feel useless, unable to soothe Johnny's worries. He stepped in front of the other, wrapping his arms around Johnny's neck and pressing his forehead to his chest. He could feel him calming down, the stress leaving his tensed body as he moved to embrace Jack in return.

"It is going to be okay." Jack murmured. "Everything will be fine."

They took time that day to talk, Jack trying to weed out Johnny's main fears and concerns and trying to reassure him that this wouldn't turn out like last time. "Perhaps it would be better if we just confronted them." Jack commented. He didn't want to outright admit that he felt uncomfortable hiding their relationship from others. Johnny was already prepared to reject the proposal, but Jack stopped him. "I know that this must be hard for you, and I do not assume that I understand it, but it feels as if you are embarrassed of being seen with me." Johnny was stunned, completely taken aback by Jack's words. He'd been so enveloped in his own worrying, that he hadn't even stopped to think about how his partner might feel.

They had dropped the subject that night, agreeing that they could pick the discussion back up later; both, however, couldn't seem to let it go. Jack felt the tightness in his chest build up as he gradually came to regret his words. He'd been to harsh, he feared that he had hurt Johnny, stepped too far over the line. He felt ashamed, and fell into a restless sleep after several quiet hours.

Johnny, on the other hand, had different concerns. At the front of his mind was the look in Jack's eyes as he'd confessed his issue with their secretive relationship. He couldn't deny that it did sound ridiculous, hiding away as if they'd be criminalized for loving each other. He was far from unsure of his feelings for Jack, but what would people think if they same the two together? What would their families think? What would their friends think? Johnny's head hurt just thinking about everything that could go wrong. Johnny's eyes flew open. What if Jack left him. He hadn't realized that his inconsideration might mean the end of their relationship. It hadn't even crossed his train of thought, but now that it was there, it wasn't leaving. Johnny never went to sleep, and instead, sat in bed and stared at the ceiling.

The next day came and passed as if the previous night never happened, but the tension in the air was proof enough that it had. Johnny ended up leaving the dorm before Jack woke up. He left a simple note stating that he'd be working on his latest project, nature photography, but didn't say exactly where he'd be going. Jack began to pack his backpack with textbooks, preparing for his classes later in the afternoon, when a knock rapped on the door. Johnny couldn't have been back already, Jack thought. He tried to think of who might be visiting the dorm room so early in the morning as he walked over to answer.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Johnny had left just as the sun was rising, having decided that he'd spend the day focused on his work. He spent a couple of hours driving his old, worn-out looking truck, to the closest woodsy area. He stayed there, taking photos of animals and trees, staying still to capture perfect frames of unaware creatures like birds and squirrels, even spotting a doe at one point. Johnny kept going until the battery ran out on his camera, by which it was already late in the day. His stomach growled, making him realize he'd been out there without eating breakfast or lunch.

He began to pack up, gathering his equipment as he went, climbing into his car and slowly easing onto the road. He didn't want to hurry. He still didn't know what he would say to Jack when he saw him.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

"So, mister Ken, you can see why we might be concerned." The professionally dressed woman said, staring at Jack across he desk, adjusting her overly eccentric pink glasses. Jack looked back, his mind racing to find why he'd been called here. Why would the head of the university need to speak about the school's reputation so seriously with him?

"Of course, I completely understand." He said, putting on a polite smile. The older woman narrowed her eyes, as if looking at something distasteful, then spoke again, a critical tone to her voice. "I don't think you do, mister Ken. You see, about a month ago, there was an incident regarding one of the fraternities on campus." Jack's mouth went dry, he'd been fearing that this might come back to haunt him. "Reports were filed against the Omega Major house, better known as the Cobra brotherhood." She removed her glasses, her gaze unwavering. "Do you recall such an event?"

Jack swallowed, trying to hold his voice steady, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple. "Yes, it happened before my roommate and I were fully initiated." He admitted. "But we weird not know of the crime until the day after. We filed a report ourselves soon after." He continued, being honest with her. Her face pinched together like she'd eaten something disgustingly sour, and Jack felt his heart plummet. "Yes, you and your associate gave a very vague description of what transpired, a bare bones account really."

"But," she said, holding up a claw-like finger. "You are not the only ones who did so. In fact..." She said, pulling a paper-filled file from a desk drawer. "I have an extremely detailed report right here, filed by a student who wished to stay anonymous. It gives us clear indication to who the perpetrators were, and when we interviewed others, they confirmed it." Jack didn't like the sound of this, and braced for the worst. "Oh, I think you know who they were, mister Ken, and I have to say that I am highly disappointed." Jack lowered his head.

No doubt about it, Aku had been true to his word. "Now, since you've been such an impeccable student here for so long, and because of your family's status, I will not tarnish their name by expelling you." Jack looked up, hopeful. The woman grabbed a single document from her desk and slid it over to Jack's side. "Instead, I ask you to please sign this." She passed a pen to him and sat back, arms in her lap as she waited. Jack read the text on the bleach white parchment, quickly realizing what it was.

"You needn't do it now, but I expect it to be signed and returned to me by the end of the week. It would be best for everyone." Her voice was quiet, but far from comforting. Jack took the paper in hand, leaving the pen behind he stood up and ambled out of the office.

Jack had sat on his bed in his dorm room, staring down the paper he'd been given for hours, as if with time the words would change and say something else. He couldn't believe that it had come to this, to be so humiliated by a person he'd grown up thinking of as a dear friend. He'd never felt so betrayed. Going over the document again and again, he read and reread, hoping that he'd simply misunderstood or skipped a sentence that changed everything. But it was always the same:

By signing this form, I hereby revoke my right to speak about, elaborate on, or explain my leaving...

I take full responsibility for my actions, and willingly choose to...

If I do not follow the requirements stated here...

He shook his head, tossing the paper to the side, putting his face in his hands. This was a nightmare.

Jack ended up skipping his classes that day, too conflicted to focus on any of his studies. It wouldn't even matter soon enough. The form stated clearly enough that if he didn't willingly leave the school he'd be expelled and forcefully removed. Either way he was screwed. His mind was filled with anxiety of what would happen next. What would his parents think? What would his friends think? What about Johnny?

Oh god.

Johnny wasn't from a well known family.

Johnny hadn't aced the entrance exam.

Johnny wasn't a star pupil, building up the schools reputation.

What would happen to him?