Clay starts meeting him at his room in the mornings and collecting his mana there before walking him to the library.

It's... got a certain déjà vu quality to it, honestly, but it's--it is what it is.

He still doesn't give it up willingly. It fucking hurts, when Clay takes it, but he's still got his pride. He's collecting bruises, up and down his arms, on his left shoulder and his sides.

(He's not sure how much longer he's going to keep saying no, fuck you.)

He's still not allowed to talk to his friends. He has to stay with Clay and Nick and George and fucking--Tampa.

(Wilbur was right. Fuck Tampa.)

He's started taking the food Clay saves for him at meals, too. It's nice, honestly, it's usually better than whatever's left by the time the freshmen get around to the line anyway. So maybe the whole arrangement has its perks.

(He misses Wilbur. He misses Terrence. He misses Toby.)