Stand By Your Men

5.

Ming had to admit he wasn't the most imaginative person. It was probably a skill he would have to cultivate because it offered up some amazing problem solving opportunities. Thankfully nobody had expected him to mastermind a solution to their dilemma. He hadn't even been willing to admit the dilemma he was in.

Which is how he woke up to find Kit's head resting peacefully on his shoulder and Wayo's arms around his waist with his face pressed against his back. And behind Wayo with one arm beneath his best friend's head and the other around his waist was Pha. If anyone had told him this was possible he'd have laughed in their face. Or perhaps in the more engineering way of dealing with problems; punched him in the face.

Instead he took a deep breath and nuzzled Kit's head before putting a kiss on his forehead. Kit moved his head sleepily against his shoulder then scrunched up his nose and went back to sleep. It was the most beautiful thing Ming had ever seen. Well maybe not. There had been several new experiences the night before and seeing Kit lost to pleasure was definitely on his list of favourite facial expressions. But that is not how the night had started.

They had planned it. Not the sex. That had just happened. No...what they had planned was to call him out on his bullshit. So Kit had been tasked with luring him to his room under false pretexts. Okay so maybe it hadn't been an outright lie since Wayo had forbid Kit from explaining. He was, after all, the worst liar. But they had succeeded in getting Ming there.

The decision had come after Wayo and Pha had talked. It was more like fought but they were calling it a talk since in the end they had come to a better understanding of each other. Of Pha's need to be seen as the person he was and not the perfect specimen Wayo wanted him to be. While Wayo wanted Pha to be the one person he could love with all his heart because he was everything he had ever wanted or needed. That was his idea of perfection so there was no way he wasn't going to act like he was the luckiest person on the planet.

They had figured out in the midst of their heated debate that it was Ming who had pushed Wayo to make up with the love of his life. But Wayo had been conflicted. In part because his feelings for Ming were no longer those of just a friend but also because he thought it would be impossible for them to continue hanging out with Kit because of what Ming had done to Pha's best friend. So they'd come to see Kit and in the process of talking to him had figured out that Ming not only had feelings for Kit but also had feelings for Wayo.

How? Because he told everyone a different lie and as long as they didn't check with each other (or one lie found more traction than another as it did with P'Beam and P'Forth) then they would go on believing whatever he said.

He was fine.

He was an asshole.

He was sorry.

But never what he really felt and most definitely what he really wanted and wasn't getting.

The video clip had been the vital missing piece because it had shown them everything they needed to know. It was a good thing Ming was the campus moon because he had a whole slew of stalkers. So they had sifted through his social media profile and found tags to all the evidence they needed. Not only of his feelings for Kit but also Wayo. How he looked at his best friend when he thought no one was watching. How he took care of his beau even as he tried to secure his affections when he thought he would never measure up. How he hid his pain and disappointment and fear behind a beautiful smile and the phrase, "Everything is fine."

So when they had him cornered, none of them was willing to let him walk out the door and pretend that everything was fine. Especially when nothing was fine. It was Kit who had finally taken matters into his own hands. Because while Ming had been trying to get out of his room while still being considerate enough not to do any harm, the smaller man had simply taken Ming's face in his hands and kissed him. No chaste sweet peck like Ming had given him earlier that day. This was a hard press, a demanding twist, a seeking tongue and absolute possession.

Ming had been too shocked to respond at first. Then angry enough to try and push Kit away but Kit was stronger than he looked and he'd refused to let go. And in a moment of weakness Ming had gasped and Kit had taken advantage of the move to plunder his mouth like he was mining for gold in his teeth with his tongue. Ming had grabbed onto Kit and returned the kiss with just as much ardour until he had to stop for breath or risk passing out. Only his reprieve had lasted only as long as it took Wayo to turn him around and administer the same treatment. His distressed whimper had turned into a moan of pleasure when Wayo had taken over his senses. Everything heightened by the knowledge that Pha and Kit were watching.

"Stop." Ming begged after successfully pulling away from Wayo.

His friend smirked at him (he actually had the audacity). But it was clear that he knew so much more than Ming did because he stepped to the side letting Pha step up to Ming leaving him nowhere to run because those two smaller guys had effectively sealed off his exit. Pha looked straight into his eyes, daring him to look away, daring him to do something and when Ming didn't know what to do Pha had reached for him and pulled him into a kiss. Soft. Light. Warm. Potent. A drug of such power that Ming actually whimpered when the other man pulled away. Only to hear Wayo and Kit utter in unison: "Oh shit."