Stand By Your Men

3.

Ming grabbed his backpack and walked out of the cafeteria. Not looking around. Not interested in the people looking at him. He didn't know where he was going...he was just walking. Then he was running. Then he was screaming. Not caring how he looked because it was too late for that.

Perhaps he should have cared before he ever put the moves on Wayo. Better yet...before he ever thought that someone like P'Kit could be interested in him. Panting and holding on to his knees to catch his breath it took him a while to straighten up and the tableau before him was like a punch to the gut. Even more vicious than the punch P'Beam had just offered up to his face.

P'Kit and P'Pha were sitting at a table eating their lunch. Wayo was hiding behind a pillar on the far side of the canteen watching them. And without planning on it Ming had somehow ended up at the faculty of medicine desperate for P'Kit yet fully aware that he had given up the right to even as little as a kind glance in his direction.

He turned around ready to run back where he came from but he heard his name called and stopped. "What are you doing here?" P'Kit asked softly. He'd never heard the other man talk in such a gentle voice and although he wanted to turn back and see if this was some kind of dream and it wasn't in fact P'Kit speaking, he stayed stock still. "Is it true?"

Did P'Kit need to ask? Did Ming need to answer? Would hedging help? "Is what true?"

"Did you...sleep...with Wayo?" The subtle emphasis in P'Kit's voice enough to give the euphemism more meaning.

"Yes."

"Was it a joke then?"

That is what made him turn around. But when he looked at P'Kit's face – the hurt written all over that beautiful visage – he knew he had made one hell of a mistake. "It was never a joke. Not with you. Not with Wayo."

"Then what..."

"I could ask you the same thing." P'Kit looked at him and frowned in confusion. "Was I a joke to you?" Kit's eyes were wide with surprise. Ming already had his answer just by asking. But it was all too little and all too late. "You should go back and hang out with P'Pha. And tell him, he needs to get over whatever this is because Wayo will eventually find someone else. Not today and not me but eventually..."

"How do you know?"

Ming just pointed to where Wayo was hiding badly and both of them followed his line of sight to where P'Pha was sitting staring into space. Lost in thought and blind to the one person who mattered most.

"What about you?" P'Kit asked softly moving closer. Standing so close Ming could feel the warmth radiating from his body.

"I'll be fine." He answered feeling his body sway helplessly towards that warmth like metal drawn to a magnet.

"Ming...?" Kit questioned again taking his bigger hand in both his smaller ones.

"Enough!" The kindness was worse than the anger. He couldn't take it.

But Kit didn't let go of his hand and so Ming was forced to turn to him. With his free hand he reached up and caressed P'Kit's cheek. "I'm sorry P'Kit." Then he bent down and placed a soft chaste kiss on his lips before pulling his hands away and racing off in any direction that wasn't there.

It took a minute to realize someone was running after him and when he stopped and turned he was surprised to see Wayo hot on his tail. "What are you doing?"

Wayo stopped and dropped to the ground beside the parking lot where Ming had left his car. He was panting heavily and even before he could fully catch his breath he stammered out, "I was trying...to...catch up...with you...and tell you...that...we...should...have dinner...together."

"..."

"You know...after class." Wayo explained.

"Wayo..." Ming started but faltered because he didn't know if he could say what needed to be said. His eyes were closed as he tried to gather his courage and that was enough time for Wayo to get up from the ground and come close enough to wrap both his arms around Ming's (so much like Kit had just done). "...you have to go to him. Tell him the truth."

"Tell who? What truth?"

"Don't be daft." Ming answered harshly and hit Wayo on the head. The strike wasn't so hard so neither of them took it too seriously but it conveyed Ming's frustration with his friend. "Go tell P'Pha that you still love him. That you were wrong and that you can forgive him for having a life before you came along and turned it upside down."

"Is that what I did?" Wayo asked looking straight into Ming's eyes. It was like he was asking about himself and not P'Pha. But what did it matter, the answer was the same.

"It's your speciality." Ming answered softly before putting a kiss on his nose.

"Ugh...disgusting."

"You know you love it." Ming said with a laugh. If it sounded a little forced neither of them was going to say anything. "I should go and you...just...don't let this one thing be the end. Not when it doesn't matter anymore."

"Are you saying how you feel doesn't matter."

Why did Wayo keep making what Ming said about himself? This wasn't about him. This wasn't his great love story. So even though he knew it was sending mixed signals he bent his head and took Wayo's mouth in a kiss. It was supposed to be quick. But Wayo opened his mouth and pulled Ming tighter against him so that he couldn't end the kiss. Licked his lips and forced him to reciprocate. And when Ming moaned in response to the absolutely consuming heat of his immediate and unmitigated arousal Wayo answered him with a call of his own.

Ming dropped his chin. Turned his head. Used his forehead to put some distance between his mouth and Wayo's. Used what strength he could without hurting Wayo to unwind his vice like arms from his body. And when he was free and he could once again think. He turned away and said, "I never mattered."

He got into his car and drove away. Leaving Wayo standing in the engineering department parking lot staring after him with tears streaks doing nothing to diminish the beauty of his face. It was too late to walk away without causing more harm but Ming knew if he allowed Wayo to use him as a safety net or a shield, he would never resolve his issue with P'Pha and Wayo would never be happy if the latter didn't at least give them a chance.