Catch me (when I fall)

SarawaTine Chronicles Part: 1

Alternatively, four times Sarawat steals Tine's clothes and one time Tine lets him-

1.

It has been two weeks- not that Tine's keeping track or anything- since they've moved into their "love lair" and things having been going... surprisingly well. It doesn't take a genius to figure out how different Tine and Sarawat are and Tine knows this. One look into their respective closets is enough evidence.  But they fall into an inexplicable rhythm with each other, a familiar sense of playfulness bleeding in with an undercurrent of a new-found understanding. It settles Tine, even with the prospect of the wide unknown ahead of him. 

Today, they're bringing in the last of their possessions. Tine  tries very hard not to focus on the knowledge that this is it, this is the beginning of his end and the end of their beginning. He fails, miserably too, until Sarawat hip-checks out of this epiphany. He quickly steps aside as Sarawat sweeps past him with their duffel-bags stacked upto his chin. 

He's still quietly watching him toss out the contents onto his, that is, their bed when, all of a sudden, Sarawat straightens up. Tine is startled to find himself under his questioning gaze and ducks his head a little too late. He's pretty sure his thoughts must have been displayed in bold across his face and when he peeks a glance at Wat, it's obvious he knows. 

Tine braces himself against the needlessly serious conversation that should follow and formulates his thoughts into unwilling answers. Something of his reluctance must also show because Sarawat says nothing, asks nothing. It's unexpected enough to lift Tine's head to meet the others eyes. Sarawat is still looking at him but now he's got this, this tentatively fond smile on that Tine's starting to realise is reserved for him and him alone. Somehow, he's still not used receiving it and sure enough, there's a telltale burn crawling over his cheeks. In a desperate attempt to make it go away , he opens his mouth to say something but he doesn't get to because-

"Enjoying the view?" teases Sarawat. The smile has curled into an insufferable smirk. Tine breathes out an exaggerated huff to convey that he's very annoyed, even though he's very not. He's knows what Wat's trying to do; he's deliberately lightening the mood and giving Tine an out from his worrying spiral of thoughts. Tine decides to take the opening. 

"No, Saraleo, I'm just lamenting over the fact that I'm going to be stuck with this view," Tine makes sure to emphasise the last two words in a mocking echo, "from today."

Sarawat replies by clutching at his chest with an expression of outrage that's so fake, Tine can't help but guffaw. He's still smiling when he skips down the stairs to grab his own share of posters- all Scrubb of course- before he makes his way back up. He doesn't make it past the last step though, as he's greeted with a strange sight. It's his black tie- bought and used only for his college interview- and it sits loosely around Wat's honey-coloured neck. 

Sarawat's too engrossed in attempting to knot it to perceive his stunned boyfriend. It isn't until Tine snaps out of his initial surprise and steps forward into touching distance that he realises. But Sarawat- ever the unabashed one out of the both of them- doesn't even move to take it off. 

"How about now?" he questions, with a suggestive waggle of his eyebrows. Tine's still too stupidly dazed to process this question and simply stares blankly at him. There's a complacent grin on Wat's face when he amends the inquiry to-"How's the view now. Isn't it much better?"

It takes two full laps around the loft and impromptu wrestle-match before Tine reclaims his tie. Whew.