Zees POV
"Stay calm! I'm coming! Send me your location!", I try to reassure my NuNew. He's with Nat at one of those private parties for the rich young stars.
After all, I don't like these parties. They are sealed off from the curious press, but usually degenerate into obsessive states for that very reason.
I can't even imagine how much money is spent on such a paty. They're just all still very young and can't handle the fame of their sudden celebrity.
But I trust NuNew.
He's a good kid, my partner in our new series CutiePie.
The response of this series has brought us a lot of orders.
I really enjoy working with him.
He's sweet and humble.
In our industry, that's a blessing, to find the right partner.
I've had a lot of partners. Shot a lot of series. So far, there hadn't been that spark.
Whether you stay by a partner's side is ultimately decided by the fans.
They chip away at the couples put together.
If the fans see love in us, the future is assured. And I think by the side of NuNew we will still achieve a lot.
And that's where we come to Max and Nat.
Maxnat has enormous popularity with the fans.
I've known Max since the beginning of my career. While I was getting into the bl industry, he started as a Youtuber.
An attractive colleague with a lot of potential.
A real brother.
We studied together and always kept in touch.
Then, three years ago, we worked together on the series Why R U? .
Max was paired with Nat, who was still 17 at the time, in a side story.
Fans saw the chemistry between them right away.
Such a mismatched pair.
An unremarkable story.
But fans saw something that even the two of them didn't realize.
The big, strong handsome boy paired with the small, petite, cute teen.
Max really teased Nat at first.
He has always been the big player who knew exactly how to present himself.
The female world is at his feet.
And the male world admires and desires him no less.
Rhetorically, Max is really clever. He can wrap his fans around his finger. And even as a model, he learned to use his good looks to good effect.
I will never forget his shock when he was introduced to Nat as his partner.
And Nat was very intimidated by his partner who was nine years older.
I took to Nat and watched over him.
In a group of big, much older boys, Nat didn't have it easy. And, when even his partner teased him, little Nat had to learn quickly to stay strong.
I took over the role of his father.
And I still do.
Max can still come across as possessive and macho.
Nat remains under my protection!
He has become really caring and loving to Nat, but he can't see that Nat has really changed. To him, he's still the teeny nine years younger. They have had several supporting roles as a couple and with the role in CutiePie, they got a huge boost.
For the past three years, the two have been shipped.
Loved and celebrated by the fans.
Everyone is eagerly waiting for them to get their own series.
To finally play the lead role in a love story.
Even I have to honestly admit that I shipp the two of them.
They really are very cute together. And they both don't realize the impact they have on each other. They don't know that the professional in this industry always has an impact into the personal life.
A pair of lovers in front of the camera.
For years.
That does something to the feelings.
I feel responsible for both.
And, of course, when my NuNew calls me and asks for help, I'm immediately wide-eyed. Nat seems to have lost himself.
"I just can't stop him from letting that sleazy guy hit on him! He's been hitting on him all night. Fills him up with drink after drink. What a creep! ", NuNew reports angrily, "Today Nat is really weird! It's like he's calling his bluff. And he's already completely drunk. He don't listen to me, Zee. He just keeps saying he doesn't want to be a nong tonight. I'm supposed to leave him alone. You have to come, please!" he asks me in a sweet voice.
"I'm coming! Don't let him out of your sight! What's the matter? Did he tell you something? He's not usually the drinking type," I speak into my car's intercom as I put it in gear. NuNew sends me the location and I hurry.
"He seemed distressed, explained to me he just wanted to be Nat today. To find his place. Whatever that's supposed to mean. He is Nat after all. Zee, what the heck is going on?", NuNew gets me thinking.
"I think he just doesn't want to be Maxnat today. He wants to be aware of himself without Max. Don't worry about it. I'll take care of him. He'll be fine!", I reassure him.
"Zee, but not a word to Max! You know how gruff he can get when Nat doesn't behave appropriately. He doesn't need a nagging big brother right now!", NuNew asks me.
I nod.
Can't agree with him, though: "In this case, it has directly to do with Max. He seems to want to escape into the arms of someone else. Max needs to know that. He needs to have the opportunity to be able to respond to that."
"No! Zee, don't do this! You have to let Nat have his freedom! He needs to be able to decide for himself. Please, don't do this!" he pleads with me, "Just please come and take him! When he has slept off his drunkenness, I will talk to him. I don't want you to know about it either. Please leave it up to me. Promise me that!"
"I can't take him home in this condition. His parents are there. I'll take him to Max's. There he can sleep it off. Max doesn't have to find out about the rival!", I explain and then emphasize emphatically, "I'll take you both with me, you won't stay there alone!", I order and hear him giggle, "What are you giggling about?", I ask somewhat indignantly.
"You don't have to worry about me. I can take care of myself just fine!", I get a smirked reply.
"You can forget about that. I won't leave you there alone. Only with Nat can you hang out at parties like that. But he's not sane now either," he gets as an answer.
And his giggle makes me grin.
Yes, with NuNew as my partner I also show new sides.
He as my shipped partner already triggers more in me than the others I had so far.
When you work together so intensively, it always triggers feelings.
Fiction does something in reality.
And yes, I feel more than friendship for NuNew.
This 20-year-old handsome man sets off all protective instincts in me. At almost 30 years old, I'm racing around town in the middle of the night to pick up the two jewelry from the party.
Max and I are really at their mercy.
Now, though, I want to hurry.
Nat's drunk, so he gets involved with a rival.
And I can't say anything to Max.
Oh my!
This is gonna blow your mind, my friend!