Theo likes thin mints.

Those chocolate covered abominations that get Lucas a funny look from the store owner near his house when he buys them every week.

With a curt nod and a thanks, he stuffs the little bag in his pocket and walks out the store. It's a windy Thursday afternoon, and Theo is waiting for him at his place to study for their finals. They need to do better than perfect if they want to get in to the same university, and they are going to do it, but it'll take many more afternoons like this.

Twenty minutes later, Theo opens the door for him. Lucas shoves the thin mints in his chest and walks past him, already pretending nothing's happened. He smirks at the boy's sigh behind him.

In all honesty, he feels kinda guilty. Unlike with the rest of the school, Theo never accepts payment from him for his tutoring. 'It's not tutoring, you idiot,' he says every time Lucas brings it up, 'we're studying together.' Which puts him a level above his tutoring students, so Lucas takes it. Still, he never shows up to their studying sessions without something to offer. Thin mints are what Theo accepts easiest, but sometimes it'll be take-out coffee, or a new marker, or tickets for a movie.

They manage to get one full hour of solving physics problems before Lucas starts spacing out. He stares at the words on the screen and gets the feeling they mean something, but what, he can't quite grasp. Something nudges his shoulder once, twice, and again. He sits straight and turns around. From where he's lying stomach-down on the bed, Theo stretches his arm to nudge him once more.

"Stop, stop that, what do you want?"

"You went quiet. Were you still working?"

Lucas huffs, leaning back on the chair. He has the bad habit of mumbling to himself as he's doing homework, and it seems to bother Theo more when he doesn't do it than when he does.

"I'm tired," he says, giving the other a pitiful look. "Let's do something else."

"What, no way. You just got here, and we still have to do our Chem work," Theo shoots him down. "Come on, doofus, this is important. Do you need help with a problem?"

Lucas starts shaking his head but stops upon more consideration. He glances again at his friend, sprawled out on the bed, and stands up in a swift motion, taking the laptop with him.

"Yes. Do them with me."

Without waiting for an answer, he pushes Theo with a knee to make room on the bed for himself. The boy complies, half sighing half snickering, sits up cross-legged and pats the mattress beside him.

"I'm not doing them for you, ya hear me? Don't be a freeloader."

In different circumstances, Lucas would pretend to help and let Theo do the most part, but this is not the time. He actually has to make an effort now, and learn whatever it is his teachers have been trying to teach him. It's necessary, if he wants to make it to Engineering. And they're going to, damn it.

Easier said than done, of course, because two more hours of study leave his brain fried. Theo takes pity on him, rubs his back and mumbles silly encouragement until they finish the last problem. He stands up then, Lucas watches absently as he stretches his back, raising his arms to the ceiling. His T-shirt rides up and reveals a stripe of pale skin. Lucas's exhausted mind fixes on it, his eyes still trained on the same spot when Theo relaxes and turns to face him.

"Let's go outside, yeah?" Theo's voice brings him back to reality. "It's not too late. We can take a break before getting back to work."

Chewing on his lip, Lucas glances out the window. A chilly breeze has been going back and forth for the past hour. It's getting dark outside. Everything calls for him to go and sit on the grass and feel the wind in his arms.

"But I have to go home soon," he says. "I shouldn't-"

"Stay over."

He whips his head toward Theo. A pair of shiny brown eyes meet his gaze and hold it there, piercing enough to freeze him on the spot.

"We have school tomorrow."

"Your books are all here. You can borrow my clothes."

For some reason, it sounds like one of them is pleading. Lucas can't tell for sure who it is.

"Stay over."