Trials and Tribulations

Side Story VI: Where Art Thou Banana?

Bananas were a real treat for the boys. It wasn't often they could have fruit seeing as they were expensive and quick to spoil, but Rachel had been sympathetic to their plight. She brought them a small batch of fruits three times in a month and they would praise her. They worshipped the ground she walked on – unless Thomas was allergic, in which case Thomas would give Minho dirty looks as he devoured their chosen fruit of the week and ignore Newt's chiding to get the boys to stop.

This week, Rachel had given them bananas. They were still a shade between yellow and green and hard to the touch, much too bitter for the boys' liking.

"Give it a day or two," she told them. "It'll be sweet by then."

Newt left the bananas hanging on their fruit rack for the next two days and found great amusement in his boyfriends' behavior. Thomas and Minho stared at the fruits at every opportunity. One minute, two minutes, an hour into their conversation, he would look over and find the both of them glancing at the delectable, their faces nearly identical. After every four hours, one of them would get up to squeeze a banana and when their fingers would be met with resistance, the pout on their face made Newt want to smother them in kisses.

They were far too adorable.

He loved every second of it.

When Wednesday finally rolled around, Thomas breezed through his classes. He looked forward to having the first bite, had daydreamed about the sweetness of the banana in all of his classes. He burst into the dorm once his classes were done, tossed his bags carelessly against the wall and grabbed the empty air of the fruit rack, his fingers already curling around an imaginary banana.

He paused.

He glanced at the fruit holder, eyeing the conspicuous emptiness.

He stared at his hand, palm up and open. Empty of a banana.

He backed away from the counter with precise slowness and scanned the dorm.

Clean and empty. Devoid of bananas.

With great trepidation, he peered into the garbage can.

Banana peels. Multiple. All yellow and spotty, most definitely delicious and sweet. All eaten.

Thomas nearly collapsed, distraught by the massacre. His boyfriends' had betrayed him. They ate all the bananas!

Thomas whipped out his phone lightning quick and speed dialed Newt's number.

"Yes Tommy?"

"You guys ate all the bananas!" He cried, annoyed and dismayed at how pitchy his voice sounded. Newt's laughter made him bristle. "This isn't funny! Do you guys have any idea how long it's been since I had a banana?! Senior year in high school, Newt! That was years ago!"

"Two years ago, actually. Don't be so dramatic, Tommy." The blond chuckled. "'sides, I only had one piece. Maybe Minho took the rest to practice?"

"All of them?!" He squeaked and broke into a series of coughs.

Newt's amusement was palpable even through the cell phone.

"Probably just three. He does track Tommy. He needs the energy."

"He needs the energy?! I need the energy! I'm a growing boy, Newt, I need my banana sustenance!"

"He runs track. You sleep all day."

"Don't excuse your boyfriend's selfish behavior here, Newt!" Thomas huffed. "There was enough bananas for all of us and he took them all without consulting me!"