CAMBOY | PHAN AU

Tea for two, Two for tea

song; la vie en rose- reneé dominique cover

Something that never struck me about Phil was his love for sweet foods, treats and warm beverages- warm, not hot or else he would grow impatient and burn his tongue apparently. It wasn't until I decided to pick a shoot location in a patisserie and I saw his eyes light alive at the sight of all the soft pastries and sweet glossy icing. 

As he goggled the glass box of sweet treats, I set up our crew and added a few extra light boxes here and there. It was hard to focus on setting up when Phil was there looking as sweet as the treats on display but I'd chose him wrapped to go any day over the soft buns behind the glass.

Liguori was being, what I call, extra as he sorted the table where our model would be seated. He obsessively rearranged and tidied this table and dusted the white cloth all the time to keep it ''crisp''. Truly, it worked. The spot looked like pure perfection and was the perfect setting for Phil.

Chris was nowhere to be seen though.

''If I knew how in love you were with those pastries I would have asked for fake ones.'' I laughed softly as I leaned over to whisper in Phil's pinking ear.  With that, he turned around and diverted his attention to me with a slight grump to his face as his stomach rumbled.

''Not my fault that the food looks sooo good!'' Phil's  grump soon turned into that beaming smile of his that he owned so well. 

The crew were finally set and the lightbox flicked on, illuminating the table for our star. ''Well, the quicker we get this shoot done, the quicker you can eat and maybe you can take a few bites for the shoot as well.'' Phil was pleased with this and hurried to sit on the pink chair. ''Oh Phil, by the way, you look really good!''

He did it again, he looked at me with that smile. ''I thought you were using me, Dan? Clothes only, not me. Remember?'' Click.

A flash covered his face, he was not expecting that. ''Good Phil, it seems to be coming naturally now!'' Liguori popped his head up from behind the camera, giving Phil a thumbs up. Obviously didn't know I was proudly the one to pry that smile out of him.

Phil was asked to do a series of poses and tasks for the photos and trust me, they were perfect. Everything about the shoot was perfect.

===

Licking the ivory icing off his pink lips, Phil grinned looking over to me. ''You didn't have to buy all those pastries for me, you know! Greggs is cheap enough to satisfy and just down the road.'' He swung the pink paper bag slightly as we walked away from the patisserie, simply abandoning the crew to pack up themselves much to Phil's protest- I had a better way to spend my time.

''Well, you liked them so, I got them for you. It isn't like I don't have the money to burn.'' I replied honestly. ''It's getting kinda late into the afternoon and I was wondering if you wanted to stop by mine? Just for tea or coffee or something but it's completely alright if you wanna head on-''

''I'd love to stop by.'' Phil interrupted my rambles. Months ago that would have angered me greatly but now, I didn't mind so much. ''We can share the cakes and stuff too!''

Changing the direction of our route to head towards my home, I couldn't stop smiling and Phil couldn't stop admiring me. ''Tea for two then?''

''Two for tea!'' Phil chuckled, a slight spring to his step kicking in. What a dork.

Walking together seemed to be something we did a lot. It was really the only time we had together as it was the only time we were alone, travelling to and from places for work. Spending genuine time together was a new thing and it excited me greatly but also made me ridiculously nervous and almost guilty feeling. How could I ever have treated him so badly?  This, now felt precious time could have been mine so much sooner.