Four Times They Were Seen and One Time They Weren't (Completed)

3: Tootah

3. Tootah

Tootah wants to scream when the drag night is cancelled for the third time! He was all ready for it, had planned his outfit and his cocktail list, had been ready to lap up the attention in his new eyeliner/eyeshadow combo that he had been practising for months.

Instead, he finds himself slumped on the sticky bar top at 'Stranger' bar, drowning his sorrows in his fifth mojito. The barman has been eyeing up his glass for a while and Tootah knows he's only got one drink left in him anyway, so he carefully peels himself up and tips heavily in thanks as he meanders out and onto Soi 4.

It's as he is tripping his way to the end of the road to seek out a taxi or tuk tuk on Silom that he spots a familiar face in the crowd.

He blinks hard and looks again as he drags off his cocktail goggles and makes sure he is actually right, but then Kongpob swims into view outside the Telephone Bar and he's certain it's his junior.

It's strange because Tootah has seen the chemistry between Arthit and Kongpob during hazing, is aware that his friend finds Kongpob irritating but is equally fascinated by him and for a while, Tootah has suspected that there is something more to their interest in each other.

He's thinking about going over to Kongpob, wondering if the young man would be embarrassed to see Tootah here or if he would welcome his presence, when another man steps up to him and Kongpob slides a hand around the slightly shorter man's waist.

Tootah sighs heavily but happily, they look so good together, they look like they are super comfortable with each other and like they just.. fit! For about the eighty-eighth time that night, Tootah wishes he had someone like that in his life too.

He's just decided to go and talk to his junior and maybe try and find out who this rival is for Arthit's interest, when he gets the shock of his life and has to lean heavily on the brick wall behind him (apologising profusely to the pot plant he is semi-crushing as he does).

Turns out Arthit doesn't have a rival at all.. because.. right there, arm loosely linked around Kongpob's waist, snuggling a little into the taller man's side is Arthit!

"Shia!" Tootah whispers to the plant and imagines that it replies in kind. "What.. how.. what?!"

For a moment he loses track of himself as he looks between the two young men who seem so casually comfortable in each other's presence, in each other's hold and on this notoriously LGBTQ+ street.

How has he missed this?

How has Knott missed this?

Surely Knott would have subtly dropped some hints if he had known.. right?

Tootah is almost lost in his own thoughts now, so he misses when Kongpob and Arthit step away from the bar and into the bustling crowd headed right for him.

They look easy, walking with their arms linked, chattering away and Tootah wants to hear what they're saying, wants to step out and ask how they even got together?

But he can't. If Arthit isn't ready to tell them, then Tootah won't ask.

Instead, he stages a rather interested discussion with the green leaves that are wrapping around him and resolves to drop some hints of his own to Knott. He's Arthit's ultimate best friend after all, he needs to know about this!

But, as he pulls himself out of the greenery, he watches the two sway down the road together, looking effortlessly coupley, and he decides that he won't say anything, he'll leave it up to Arthit to drop the bomb, it's his secret to share after all.

Still bemoaning the lack of drag show, he manoeuvres his way to a waiting tuk tuk and then, once it's in motion, zipping down Silom Road, he yells his excitement to the passing world, aware that his words are safe - lost on the wind.