“Go Roland!” Eric yelled, jumping to his feet as, on the football field, Roland caught the pass. “Go, Go!” Eric wore a jersey with Roland’s number on it; 23.

Thomas shook his head in amusement as his father motioned for Roland to run as if his brother could even see him from the field. Roland ran, and Thomas joined the crowd, who stood with his father as the rat approached the end zone, only to groan in disappointment when a player in the white and green of the opposing team tackled him down.

Thomas dropped in his seat and, as more of the crowd did the same, noticed the rat making his way toward him and his family. “Victor!” he yelled.

Eric shifted his focus from one son to the other. They hugged, then Victor hugged Nadia and Judith, who introduced Yating. The red panda looked the rat over in appreciation as they shook hands.

“Sorry I’m late,” Victor said, after hugging Thomas. “The kids wouldn’t quiet down. How is the game going?”

“Didn’t dad text you a play-by-play?” Thomas asked. “We’re up four points. What?” he added as Victor didn’t entirely let go of his brother, testing the firmness of his forearm, moving up.

“You’ve bulked up.” His older brother squeezed the biceps and Thomas tensed it by reflex.

His ears burned. “Yeah, I’ve…” he trailed off. As grueling as the workouts were, the after sessions sex were even more intense. Even when Madoc couldn’t be there to supervise his training, it was as if being designated his new project got Thomas a pass to the exclusive sex club that seemed to exist right in the middle of the school’s gym.

It was a good thing that he, along with all the guys at the frat, had their inoculations against all the sexual diseases that floated out there. Otherwise, they’d spend the rest of the year bedridden, instead of being ridden in bed.

He turned and motioned to the rat seated by the armadillos. “This is the guy who somehow saw promise in my skinny ass, Madoc.”

Gilbert snorted as the rat stood and took Victor’s hand. “Madoc Lewiston.”

“Victor Hertz. Just how did you get my brother to workout, let along go to a gym? The moment the prom was over, he turned into a shut-in. Like there was a pumpkin or something.”

Madoc glanced at Thomas with a tilted ear. 

He rolled his eyes. Thomas wasn’t justifying any story Victor heard from his sister with a comment.

Madoc shrugged and smiled. “I can be quite persuasive. All I had to explain was that—”

“Those are Gilbert and Laurence Rowling.” Thomas wasn’t giving Madoc the chance to go to his mother’s level of details on exactly how he’d convinced him. Next thing he’d know, he’d be recounting the reward sessions too. “Cousins, not brothers. Although they are both my frat brothers.” He almost tripped over the addition, but it was with a surprising amount of pride that he said it.

“Sigma Theta Gamma,” Victor said with a knowing smile. “Judith told me all about it during her weekly calls.” He shook their hands. “One of my boys is named Gilbert.”

“Keep him away from explosives,” Laurence said, and ignored the punch on the shoulder his cousin gave him.

Victor looked at his brother with a quizzical tilt to his ear. Thomas mouthed a, “Later.” A high school football game was not the place to get into these men’s eccentricities.

“You guys friends with Roland too?” Victor asked as he sat in the space the others freed by sliding over.

“Haven’t met him yet,” Laurence replied. “We’re just fans of the game. Gil’s younger brother is on the path to join the Houston Texans.”

“It was something of a war of attrition with me,” Gilbert said, then grinned. “Although I do love me a mid-game show.”

Thomas, Laurence, and Madoc stared at him.

“Where are they?” the armadillo demanded.

“Where are what?” Gilbert replied, his grin replaced with a look of pure innocence. 

“This is a high school, Gil. Not the university.” Laurence ran a hand down his face. “You are not blowing anything up.”

“They’re just fireworks,” Gilbert finally admitted. He winked at Thomas. “They’re what I was working on when you and Lim banged on my door.”

It took Thomas a second to recall the monkey trying to talk the armadillo in helping out with the sex-ed class.

“How did you know we’d be celebrating today?”

“He didn’t,” Laurence said in a huff. “If it wasn’t your brother’s birthday, he’d have found another excuse to detonate them.”

Victor frowned. “Aren’t firework launched, instead of detonated?”

“And that’s the difference between a normal person and Gil.” He fixed his gaze on his cousin. “You are not using them here.”

The other armadillo crossed his arms and blew a raspberry. “You can’t stop me.”

Laurence sighed in exasperation, then smiled. He leaned into his cousin’s ear and whispered. Gilbert’s eyes widened, then he smiled and stood.

“Don’t wait up.” Laurence followed Gilbert. “I’m going to ensure he doesn’t do anything stupid.”

Thomas shook his head. Wondering how having sex in a high school didn’t qualify as something stupid to do. “Where’s Judith?” he asked, noticing her seat was empty, along with— “where’s Yating?”

Nadia glanced at the seats, then smiled. “Oh, Judith and her boyfriend left to refresh themselves.”

“He’s not her boyfriend,” Thomas said, confident Yating didn’t see it that way.

“He’s a boy,” his mother said, then looked thoughtful. “Well, a man, definitely a man. And he’s her friend. So her man-friend.”

Thomas groaned. Why was he surprised his mother had checked out the panda?

“Should we go rescue him?” Victor asked. “You know the state Judith can leave her dates.”

“Yat can take care of himself,” Madoc said with a smirk.

“And her,” Thomas grumbled. He fucking hope she wasn’t going to regale everyone with what they’d done during Roland’s birthday dinner.

Victor stared at him, then smiled. “Well, that’s good.”

“Boys,” Nadia called, “me and your father will be back in a bit ourselves.” She indicated Eric, heading down the stairs. “I need to distract him before he gets into an argument over benching Roland.” She caught up to the rat and detoured him toward one of the exits.

Victor looked at the nearly empty section. “Are you two going to vanish and leave me alone to enjoy the game?”

“You can come with us,” Madoc said, and Thomas choked.

Victor stared, then burst out laughing. “Thanks for the offer, but I’m married.”

Madoc nodded. “How much working out do you do?” he asked, as if nothing had happened.

“I haven’t—”

The crowd cheered and Thomas stood with them, trying to see what had happened. The score for his brother’s team went up, but he couldn’t see who had scored the point. He spotted Niel, number 18, regrouping with the others on the field.

“I’m trying to get back in to it,” Victor said once the volume was low enough a conversation could happen. “But the boys keep me too busy when I’m home.”

Madoc nodded, looking into the distance. “I know what you mean. I can’t wait to graduate and get back to my boy.”

“You have a son?” Victor asked while Thomas’s brain struggled to reengage from that revelation. “I’m sorry, you just seem young.”

“He wasn’t planned,” Madoc answered, and a smile formed. “But he is definitely a joy.”

“He’s with his mother, then?”

Madoc frowned, his gaze distant again. “He’s at my family’s estate. I have too much to do with my course load to take care of him here.”

Victor stared at the rat, looking surprised, but whatever he’d been about to ask was interrupted by the crowd loudly booing. He was searching to see what had them complaining. Thomas watched Madoc shake himself and refocus on the present, while trying to navigate the discovery he’d had sex with a father. And Madoc, of all people. It was easy to imagine Henry with a family hidden somewhere behind a wall, considering how mature he acted. But Madoc?

That was going to take some getting used to.

* * * * *

“Alright everyone,” the wolf called as the team’s families settled into booths and tables. “We might have lost the game, but you gave a great show. I want you to remember that. There’s still time in the season, so tomorrow we’re going to go over the game and see what we can learn from it. Until then, enjoy yourself.”

Cheers erupted, and the players dispersed to their families. Thomas joined in, then took the raccoon’s hand as he reached their tables. “Great game, Niel.”

“Thanks. Glad you made it.” The raccoon turned and gave Roland a solid hug. “Happy birthday.”

The rat rolled his eyes, hugging him back. “We’re celebrating it on Sunday, going to the movies, remember?”

“If the coach lets you.” Niel pointed to Eric, deep in discussion with the wolf.

Roland rubbed the back of his head and manages a half smile. “At this rate, I’m going to be the youngest professional player, like, ever.”

“At least you have someone willing to play intercept for you.” Thomas motioned to their mother as she latched onto Eric’s arm and nibbled his ear.

“Looks like it’s just the four of us for a while then,” Roland said, watching Niel head to his father’s table.

“Great game,” Madoc said. He was the only one of his frat brothers who had joined them. Yating and Judith had intercepted Roland at the stadium, wished him a happy birthday and disappeared to who knew were. Laurence and Gilbert had yet to return from making sure the mid-game show was no more entertaining than those putting it on intended.

“Thanks, but it’s mostly Coach Robison’s doing,” Roland said dismissively. “I just run and catch the ball.”

“And avoid getting hit,” Thomas added.

“Just most of the time,” Roland replied, grinning at him.

“It still looked like you’re good on the field,” Madoc said, smiling. “And you certainly look good off it.”

“Thanks?” Roland replied, uncertainty stretched the word into a question.

“I’ve been training your brother. Thomas, take off your shirt so your brother can see the kind of work I’m capable of.”

“No,” Thomas replied with the best poker face he could manage while his ears started lighting up the restaurant. Even if this hadn’t been a public place, he was not putting himself next to his brother like that. He didn’t need the humiliation.

Roland looked from one to the other, then smirked. “I’m going to pass on the advertising. I’m sure you’re great, Madoc, but I already have a fitness trainer.” He nodded to where their parents had vanished. “My dad’s read everything there is, and he’s getting me to stick to all of it.”

Madoc tilted his head, regarding Roland thoughtfully, then turned to Thomas, the look becoming hungry. “How about this? You tell me how big I need to get your brother and I’ll do it so you can see I’m better at this than your father.”

“No.” Thomas glared at the rat.

“What?” Madoc grinned.

“You are not…” Thomas faltered as he remembered this was a public place and his brother was next to him. He couldn’t simply say, ‘you aren’t using me to fuck my straight brother.’ “You aren’t using my time and my body to convince my sixteen-year-old brother to join you in your after workout tradition.” He could feel his brother’s eyes boring in to him, probably trying to work out what he was implying. He ignored that, as well as his burning ears, and kept glaring at Madoc. “Those three days a week are all I can give you. I’m not sacrificing my grades or the rest of my free time just so you can enter me into some Mister Universe contest.”

“Can you get him to that level?” Victor asked.

“Not with this skinny body,” Thomas muttered, the wind taken out of his anger big the reminder this was as good as Madoc could manage. Which was nothing compared to the hunk who praised the rat as their trainer.

“Your—” Roland said, sounding confused. “What?” he looked at the other two rats. Madoc and Victor exchanged a look. Roland shook himself. “Anyway, what’s so wrong about that after workout tradition that you don’t want me involved?”

“Oh.” Madoc smiled devilishly. “Nothing at all. In fact, your brother hasn’t complained about it before.”

God, take me now. Thomas prayed as he sunk in his seat.

“But you don’t have to worry about me taking up more of your time, Thomas. If you don’t have the time to put into it, it just means I’ll have to increase the intensity. Of the workout and the tradition, of course. “

Thomas whined and sunk in deeper. Now, God, before it’s too late.

“You know,” Madoc said, lowering his voice as he leaned forward. “If you’re going to end up under the table, there are a few things you could do while you’re there.”

“Someone kill me,” Thomas whispered as Victor burst out laughing. Roland’s ears went red as all he caught on to what was being implied. “Now,” Thomas begged.