[FBL] Friendship. To Benefits. To Love.

Chapter 51

His life doesn't seem to have changed so much, even if it did. There's no Luke to come home to, or his job and university in Spain. He's back in Bangkok, enjoying everything he left there a few years ago. His friends and family, familiar streets of Bangkok, the feeling of being home and being close to everyone he loves. And in the end, Tay.

It should feel odd, having him around after so many years, but the way Tay blends in his life right now feels more right than wrong.

He still can't believe how fast Gun accepted him into their little group. Some of these days, Tay and him have been spending more time together than Off and Tay or New and Gun would in the past.

New and Gun have always been 'partners in crime' as his mom would say, but Tay has stolen that away from him and New isn't jealous of it. He loves it. He loves the way he catches Off looking at Tay sometimes with that fond look in his eyes that makes New's heart swell in his chest. He knows how much Off loves having him back. They're like brothers, after all.

Arm took to Tay immediately. New still can't believe how much they're alike in some aspects. They both seem guarded in public, sharp when it comes to defending something they love, but they both blush that beautiful shade of red when you tease them about something, lowering their heads with a grin.

Arm also adopted that Tay's usual smirk and New shivers every time he does it.

When it's a quiet night in, like this one with just five of them around, Tay curls up to Arm so naturally and Arm cradles him against his chest. It's unbelievable how beautiful the sight is to New.

Arm never liked Luke like this, or talked to him like this. He wouldn't even shake his hand if he didn't have to. Tay won him over in an hour, or even less.

His mom was reluctant to let Tay in at the start, thinking that he would make New suffer again. But the way he'd sit for hours listening to his dad talking about nothing special, the way he would pick Sammy up and spin her around playfully until she giggled happily and promised that she wouldn't fight with his older sisters, or the way he'd always act so polite and wonderful finally made her give up. Now, she looked at him like he hung up the stars in the sky.

He fit in so good in every aspect of his life, that New knew for sure that if Tay decided to go away some day and leave them, he'd never recover.

Tonight, it's one of those nights when all five of them curl up in front of the TV, sitting on the floor around the table, even if there's an empty couch in the room. They aren't even paying attention to the television, talking instead.

Tay leaving the drug lord position is the current topic and New's been tense since the conversation started, because Tay's hasn't told him anything about it yet.

"Are you done with it now?" Gun asks from where he's cradling Off in his arms.

Tay nods. "Yeah."

"So the business is destroyed now, or what?" Arm asks.

"No." Tay shakes his head. "It's not exactly ideal, having to leave it like that, but I had to. I left Krist in charge, after he came to his senses and he finally got out of that cellar." He looks at Off who cringes at his words. He knows that Krist spent days in there until he finally admitted he was wrong and begged for forgiveness, saying he understood it and that he just wanted to be like Tay's dad, even if it was wrong.

"He's doing a good job, I think. As soon as I was sure I had a good heir to leave in my spot, I gathered my stuff and left." Tay continued. "I took over Pay-co after my dad, because at least it was legal and the money wasn't really a problem even if I didn't."

He says. "I just needed time to come back to my senses after all of that shit." Gun nods in understanding.

"How long have you been out?" He asks.

"For less than a year." Tay says. "It took me a while to get out. Wasn't easy. They flipped shit when I left, trying to get me back." He looks at New, who's staring at the ground, not saying a word. "I refused." Tay grins. "Had better things to take care of."

New can feel all eyes on him and he can hear all of them smirking.

"Yeah, Namtan, right?" He says and everyone snorts while Tay laughs.

"I said better stuff." Tay points out and Gun laughs.

"Why were you with her, if she was that bad?" Arm asks.

Tay shrugs. "Seemed like a good idea at the moment." He says and New snorts.

"Let's set up a movie, yeah?" New says, getting up and moving towards the TV. They all laugh.

"Jealous?" Off says and New flips him off without turning around.

"The Dark Knight Rises." Tay whispers and New grins when everyone else protests.

He's shoved away from the TV by Gun who picks out some shit vampire romance movie like always, then turns around with a challenging look to see if someone dares to protest. Nobody does.

"Splendid." He says happily and crawls into the space between Off and Arm on the floor. All of them cuddle together.

When New goes to sit beside them, Tay grabs his hand, getting on the couch and pulling him into his arms. New doesn't object when he ends up with his back against Tay's chest.