𝐚𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞, ph.

⠀ ⠀⠀⠀ ⠀ 𝐱𝐢𝐯. boyfriend on probation.

But now he thought how naive that was.

"You kissed a person you like, Pick, it's not a crime," Kao's gentle voice broke through his thoughts as if he could read them, making Pick look up from the picture. He realized his hands were shaking and he noticed the worried looks of both his friends, so he took a deep breath to calm down. He couldn't start freaking out now, that was the last thing Rome needed. "Let's take it easy and start with why do you think you received this picture? Does that person want something from you?"

Pick shook his head with a frown. "I don't think so. They just want to mess with Rome's head."

"Alright. So how would you feel if those pictures got posted somewhere? If people at the university would see? Your parents?" Kao continued, tapping a pen against his notebook.

"Dang it, Kao, didn't you say to take it easy?" Pete huffed out a laugh.

"I don't care about any of it," Pick answered, making both Kao and Pete stare at him; the former with skepticism, the latter with surprise. It might have been too quick of a reply, so Pick sighed, trying to gather his thoughts into a coherent explanation, so it wouldn't look like he was just talking big with nothing to back it up. "I know what you guys think; he's never been through that, so he can say that. Right, I've never had a boyfriend before. My life has never been threatened because of my sexuality, I never felt excluded and judged because of it. Once those pictures are posted everything might change, I'm not dumb and I do get that, I'm not saying I'll take it lightly and act as if nothing's wrong. I'm not saying it's gonna be fucking easy," he snorted. Pick had seen on numerous occasions what his friends had to deal with because of homophobic shit and he didn't want to seem like he's belittling any of that; he could beat as many people as needed for them to defend them, but it wouldn't change their society's mindsets. He knew all of it and he always admired his friends for staying true to themselves, and he made sure they knew it, too. "But I did have stupid shit posted about me before. My parents got a fucking tape of their kid beating up four people for 'nothing'..." he laughed mockingly, shaking his head.

"Pick, we didn't mean that you..." Kao tried, and Pick quickly waved a hand. "You know none of it was─"

"I know, it's okay, I'm over it," he assured, because he was. It took a long time and sometimes he'd still feel nauseous while thinking about it, but it was in the past and he knew his family wasn't holding it over his head. "What I mean to say is that the pictures with Rome would probably be the best thing that ever got posted about me out of spite. I didn't go into it blindly, it's not like I ever wanted to hide him because he deserves better than that," Pick's voice got a bit quieter by the end and he awkwardly looked down. He was never good with words when it came to Rome, it's been like that since the start, but he was trying.

"Wow, go best friend," Pete said after a moment, sounding absolutely dazed. Pick shot him an annoyed glare but Pete only quickly shook his head. "No, I'm serious, I've never been prouder to be your friend. What the hell, Pick? Since when were you so fucking hot? You have no business being more chill about it than I ever was with Kao," he said accusingly.

Pick rolled his eyes. "Okay, I'm gonna need you to lock that shit down, that's way too supportive. It's like seeing a turtle out of its shell," he grimaced, reaching for his phone when he got a new message.

[4:13pm] buttercup: are u free right now? 👀

"Stop being fucking rude to me when I appreciate you," Pete kicked his leg in Pick's direction as if he could reach him.

Kao slammed his book closed. "You guys are so annoying. I'm glad to see that at least between you two things never change. But Pick, if you're really okay with it, then why are you so worried? Isn't Rome out about his sexuality as well?" he asked with confusion.