Tine was in a meeting when the phone started going nuts in his pocket. The incoming notifications, one after another, intensified the sound of the vibrations and made people swivel around in their seats, casting judgmental glances across the conference room table at him. Even the bald guy that was speaking while showing a minimalistic presentation paused shortly, sending Tine a patronizing look. Whoops. Tine should put his phone in airplane mode at work from on. He slid down slightly in his seat to take off the pressure on his thigh so that the vibrations would not be heard as much and peered at his laptop busily, pretending to take notes of the guy's droning monologue.
The notifications kept coming and Tine juggled his leg in annoyance. This was getting ridiculous. What the fuck had been leaked this time to wreck so much chaos on his social media accounts? Well, he would not get to crack that mystery until the end of this totally meaningless meeting. He glanced at the female seated next to him, catching her scrolling through facebook on her phone under the table. Her head snapped around, sensing his glance and she flushed, hastily shuffling the device in her jacket pocket.
Everyone piled gratefully out of the room once the meeting ended, no one even bothered to stay and make small talk with the moderator. Tine flopped down on his seat once at his desk, exhaling frustratingly and taking out his phone. That had really been one of the more awkward meetings that he had taken part of. Some people should learn to plan better and not schedule meetings with half the department to discuss trivial things.
Unexpectedly someone tapped him with a soft drink on his shoulder. Tine he looked up the slender arm holding the can, fining the female colleague that had been scrolling through facebook during the meeting, smiling down at him.
"You should've just told them it was an emergency and sneaked off. Anyone would've been jealous to have an excuse to get out of there," she said and chuckled, her eyes sparkling. "Is everything alright, that wasn't a real emergency, was it?"
"Ah," he glanced at the neglected phone in his hand. "I haven't checked yet but it shouldn't be anything serious." She nodded and thrust the drink in his direction. "Thanks," he said a little forlornly, taking the cold can slowly from her hand and then watched her walk away.
She had a really nice body, his hindbrain noted, a perfect S-shape. Tine leaned backwards in his chair to follow her with his eyes all the way through the office and out into the hall. He frowned, just now remembering that he had seen her with Mil, she had been one of the colleagues to tag along to lunch with them sometimes.
The phone buzzed in his hand, claiming back his attention. Tine unlocked the device a little numbly, getting overwhelmed at seeing all the notifications scrolling over the screen. He had been tagged in numerous social media posts, which was expected. However what he did not expect was the pictures at the end of those tags. Although it was not that bad, Tine mused.
It was several snaps of him and Sarawat at a restaurant, after the fan sign, walking in the park. He swiped quickly through the images, looking for something more incriminating but the pictures were rather innocent. If not for the accommodating text, trying really hard to sell them as boyfriends going on dates, it could have been any other friends just hanging out. He did not doubt for a second that whoever had taken these, had probably more incriminating evidence as well. It was just a matter of time now. Tine bit his squishy lower lip, furrowing. Were they being followed?
In the end he forwarded the pictures to Sarawat.
Tine:
I told you no PDA!
[image attached]
[image attached]
Sarawat:
don't let them psych you
The frown deepened on his handsome face. He forwarded some more pictures, trying to get the severity of the situation through the other man's thick skull.
Tine:
[image attached]
[image attached]
Sarawat:
this is nothing, dont wprry
they are actually cute
What? Tine panicked, already knowing what the other was probably going to do with the pictures.
Tine:
Dont u dare use them as your lock screen
Sarawat:
too late
Tine smiled, totally smitten. Nevertheless he quickly frowned anew, schooling his features. He could just not understand Sarawat's carelessness about this whole issue, whether it was deliberate or not. And why. Why was he avoiding this topic?
Whatever, Tine should just talk to Boss, he should have some more forthcoming intel since Sarawat was being so tricky.
***
"Tine, someone is looking for you."
"Wha-," he surfaced from the intricate block of text on his laptop screen. "Oh, thanks," he mumbled to the helpful colleague, stretching his arms over his head, spine popping. Then he grabbed his blue blazer, putting it on while striding out to the small lobby area on their floor, trying not to frown. He had no meetings booked this afternoon. Tine stilled in his tracks then, noticing the person who was undoubtedly his visitor.
"Hey," Phukong said and inclined his head, palms together. Tine returned the gesture speechlessly. What was this?
"Is Sarawat alright?" He asked worried. Had something happened? Phukong grinned, his sharp eyes twinkling.
"Don't worry, I'm just here to have a chat."
"Oh." Tine was stupefied. What the hell was going on? "Okay, do you want something to drink? We can probably borrow one of the meeting rooms."
"No need," Phukong replied, following Tine along the sleek hall and into a tiny but polished room with a big window looking over the busy city. Tine remained standing near the door so Phukong did not sit by the round table either.
"So?" Tine urged, feeling the strange atmosphere spike. He had never really connected with Phukong even though he had met him plenty of times. In the beginning, when he and Sarawat had pretended to be boyfriends Sarawat's little brother seemed to be welcoming, even pleasant to Tine. Although once Tine and Sarawat had revealed being just friends there had been something in Phukong's sharp gaze that made Tine keep his distance.
"Are you guys dating?" He asked, standing in front of the window like a menacing shadow, blocking the afternoon sun, arms crossed over his black sweater.
"Yes," Tine answered instantly, his hands itching to mirror the other man's stance but he suppressed the urge. He was not sure if he wanted to comfort himself or placate Phukong by imitating the other one's gesture.
"And do you love my brother?" Phukong stared intently at the tall frame of Tine. Ah, so it was coming down to this. Fuck. Tine wanted Sarawat to be the first one to hear his true feelings, not his self entitled little brother.
"No." Tine winced at hearing himself say that, but he was not making a second hand confession which may or may not leak to his boyfriend. Phukong could think what he wanted of this. Sarawat's brother frowned instantly, taking a threatening step closer to Tine, who backed up, well just in case. Those brothers did share a similar temper.
"What the fuck. Then why are you with him?" Phukong took another step closer and then another one, getting all up in Tine's face. "You fucked him up after that stunt at uni and now you're back. To do what?" Phukong grabbed one handedly the lapel of Tine's blue blazer, his dark eyes darting over Tine's sharp face, looking for answers. Bro, too close.
Tine put his hands lightly on the other man's shoulders and pushed him away.
"Relax, man. We're two adults, I think we know what we're doing without you getting in the middle of it."
Phukong's hand dropped to his side, aimlessly hitting his own denim clad thigh. That was the problem, obviously they did not know what the hell they were doing. He combed the fingers of his hand through his already disheveled hair. He had been stressing about this the whole time on the way over.
"I'm keeping my eyes on you," he said meaningfully.
"You do that," Tine retorted mock pleasantly and smiled stiffly, his eyes gleaming. Phukong swore under his breath and marched out of the room, shouldering past Tine who glanced out of the room, seeing the man heading in a totally wrong direction. "That's not the way to the exit."
"I know," Phukong said, not even bothering to look back over his shoulder at Tine. "I have another visit to make."
Tine just shook his head, slumping down on one of the cushy chairs in the now quiet room, the yellow sunrays filtering through the window stabbed at his eyes annoyingly.
***
Sarawat:
come get your sweater
Tine:
That's such a bullshit excuse
Sarawat:
i want to see you
or I'll drop it off at your work
Tine:
Are you crazy??????
Fine I'll be at yours later
***
"Don't you have to work?"
Sarawat shook his head, rubbing it against Tine's shoulder, ruffling his fluffy hair, and while he was at it conveniently leaned himself more fully against Tine. Ah. They fit so well together, like two complicated puzzle pieces.
The pair was lounging on a wide outdoor sofa on Sarawat's big balcony, looking at the setting sun painting everything in different hues of red and pink. Tine was fiddling half heartedly with his phone, switching between reading work emails and scrolling through instagram.
"I'm gong to China next week so I have a little time off between the schedules," Sarawat replied somewhat mutedly, feeling unexpectedly sleepy. "I need to work on the new album too," he said petulantly, sneaking his toned arms around Tine's waist and clinging to the other man. Tine smiled down at his disheveled head, dropping the phone on the couch in favor of cuddling his boyfriend.
"How's that coming along?"
"It's been picking up," the musician mumbled into Tine's shirt.
"Oh, can I listen to it?" At this Sarawat's head shot up, almost smacking Tine in the chin. He looked at Tine with round, dark eyes, ears flushing. Then he smirked and inclined closer, supporting his weight on his hands on each side of Tine, boxing the other man in. No longer feeling all that sleepy anymore.
"Baby, you can listen to me play whenever you want," he whispered and leaned in to kiss Tine, their lips meeting softly and warmly.
Tine reeled him in by the waist, pressing their long bodies closer. Sarawat opened his mouth, letting the other man's tongue lick over his teeth and slide inside his mouth, heatedly and wetly meeting his own. Sarawat placed his hands on Tine's chest for support, indulgently squeezing his hard pecs. They should totally work out together sometime, seeing Tine in tight and hopefully short workout gear would be fucking sexy. He could not hold back a silly smirk at the thought, unfortunately breaking their kiss. Tine glanced at him quizzically, breath uneven and blood rushing through his ears, feeling bereft.
"Sorry," Sarawat said, still trying to shake off that stupid vision. Impatiently Tine lowered one hand from Sarawat's waist, stroking it over his lean hip and then squeezed Sarawat's nice, round ass. "Fuck," Sarawat moaned, buckling up and dropped his head in the nook of Tine's neck, letting the other man knead his ass with a steady hand. Then the fondling stopped abruptly, he even felt Tine lean away and Sarawat looked up snappishly, feeling upset with the suddenly cold treatment.
"What's going on?" He asked hoarsely noticing Tine's widened eyes and tense facial expression, his jaw tight.
"Your brother is staring at us," Tine said through clenched teeth.
Sarawat swiveled his head around and indeed there was his younger brother watching them menacingly from a side window at the short side of the balcony. Sarawat raised his hand, showing Phukong his middle finger. Fuck off. The other brother scoffed and lifted his hand, pointing two fingers in a V-shape at his own eyes before pointing them back at the pair outside and then stalked off, shaking his head as he went. Tine burst out laughing, a note of panic hiding underneath it all.
Holy fuck. That dude had been serious about keeping his eyes on Tine.
FORWARD>>>
Sneaker clad feet crept over the floor, walking as carefully as possible in the corridor on one of the levels in the apartment complex. The rubber of the trainers squeaked when sliding over the slippery surface and the person paused, waiting to see if someone had noticed.
Then they continued on they way, cautiously, coming to a halt right outside of Tine's apartment. A cardboard box was carefully deposited just right outside the door and then the sneakers bolted quickly along the corridor, skidding slightly as they rounded a corner, going for the elevators and anxious to exit the building.
A door opened further down the corridor from Tine's apartment, the person reclined in the doorway, tracing the retreating back as it was just rounding the corner.
"Busted~!"