No Homo

Chapter 2 - I'll Stay on my Side, if You Stay on Your Side

Mattress shopping turned out to be the most boring thing on the face of the Earth. Thomas had drug the pair into what had to be every furniture store in a hundred mile radius, claiming they needed to evaluate all their options despite the fact that every bed they'd considered looked nearly identical to the last fifty two they'd seen if you asked Minho.

"Thomas, please, it's late. I'm begging you. Just. Choose. Something." The teen tried for the thousandth time in the last hour as his friend rolled experimentally atop yet another mattress before shaking his head and declaring it a no-go. "I'm exhausted. You're exhausted. If we don't get home soon, I swear I'm just gonna go to sleep on one of these." The tired boy groaned, gesturing around himself at the plethora of options Thomas had already ruled out. Too soft. Not soft enough. Too firm. Not firm enough. I don't like springs. Memory foam feels weird... The list went on and on.

"But, Min!" The younger boy protested stubbornly, propping himself up on his elbows and pouting like a child whose parents had told him it was time to leave the zoo. "I'm not even that tired!" He tried but the lie was lost on the Korean who knew the boy well enough to pick up on the little known hints that betrayed his companion's true energy level. The way they boy blinked a little more often than usual and subtly leaned against him when they walked from shop to nearby shop was proof enough for him.

"C'mon." Minho finally caved with a huff, gripping the smaller boy by the wrist and hauling him up off the most recently declared unworthy mattress before leading him out of the store. "We're at least getting coffee before we continue this ride through hell."

"I think we're pretty close to The Glade. We could probably walk there." Thomas agreed reluctantly, looking a little miffed to have his hunt for the perfect bed interrupted but letting himself be led away nevertheless. The Glade was a tiny Starbucks rip off that the boys had been going to since it had opened because it was run by Frypan, a buddy of theirs, and Alby, Newt's long time boyfriend, worked there. The dark-skinned boy was always pretty easy to worm a discount out of if they name-dropped the blond - He was also far too easy to mess with, so the shop was always their go to.

The walk was, as Thomas predicted, short and the stone walls of the coffee shop were soon in sight, the soft glow of its dim interior lights pouring out of the windows and into the dark street, beckoning the pair foth to bask in their warm rays. Minho reached the door first, tugging open the large, glass barrier and slipping inside before quickly pulling it shut behind himself before Thomas could enter, unable to stifle a bark of a laugh as the kid walked straight into the unexpectedly closed door.

"Not you two." A familiar voice pleaded, drawing Minho's attention away from Thomas, who's stream of curses were muffled by the thick glass as he continued to hold the door shut against the kid's fruitless tuggs.

"You know you love us, Alby!" Minho declared, flashing the boy a winning smile and finally releasing his grip on the door to allow his grumbling friend entrance, ignoring the elbow dug angrily into his side as Thomas finally came to stand beside him.

"Minho!" Thomas gasped, forgetting his momentary irritation and smacking his hand against his mouth in faux horror, finding playing with the unfortunate cashier to be a much more worthwhile endeavor than fighting his friend. "Don't let Newt hear you say that!" Thomas cooed in a teasing voice, snickering victoriously as Alby flushed and spluttered out a few unintelligible sounds.

"If you two promise to leave immediately after finishing your damn drinks, I'll take three bucks off your order." Alby bargained desperately as they pair made their way to the counter, each wearing a victoriously smug smirk as they nodded their agreement to the deal.

"I gotta piss, just get me something as dark as my soul." Thomas quipped, turning to Minho as he spoke before scurrying away to the bathroom on the far side of the cafe, pausing right before he pushed open the door with a blue stick man on it to wink suggestively at the already miserable Alby. "I promise I won't tell Newt if you guys follow!" He grinned as the dark-skinned male flipped him off, merley wiggling his eyebrows in invitation and blowing the two boys still standing at the counter a kiss before finally retreating to the bathroom.