Behind the Scenes

Chapter 8: Ice, Ice Baby

[Episode 3 - segment 3_1/5 on YouTube - after the photoshoot]

In preparation for the drinking party in Forth's room, Ming changes his photoshoot clothes for a simple t-shirt and track pants—casual clothes that don't imply he's dressing to impress. He's double-checking his appearance in the mirror, smiling at the thought of Kit, when he catches sight of Yo's suspicious stare.

"Ming, do you have feelings for Pha's friend?"

Ming manages to suppress a guilty startle at the question but it's a near thing. He's never kept anything from Yo before; the very idea feels alien and wrong. But everything is changing now, isn't it? Yo is teetering on the brink of a relationship with Pha, who could probably extract his every secret with the promise of a single kiss. And Ming's now crossed third base with someone who wants to keep their not-a-relationship in the closet (or the changing tent).

His overt promise to Kit trumps an unspoken assumption of honesty with Yo, Ming decides reluctantly. So he tries to deflect by playing dumb. "Which one?"

Yo gives a huffy little sigh. "Ming."

Ming attempts a nonchalant shrug. "Kit? No, not yet," he lies. "Maybe if you give me the green light."

"What does it have to do with me?"

"We're friends. We have to look out for each other."

"That's your business, not mine," Yo sniffs.

Wow, Ming thinks. Thanks a lot, bro. You've had me tuned to the Yo Loves Pha channel for years—years!—and you can't be bothered to make this your business? Especially when I'm suddenly interested in a guy and you've never once seen me pursue a man before?

He feels a sudden pang of sadness. Like it or not, there's a gulf opening between him and Yo now. This may be his first secret from his best friend but it probably won't be his last. Yo will share intimacies with Pha that he'll want to keep private from Ming. Ming is already hiding his liaisons with Kit. Is this where it begins, the inevitable growing apart of childhood friends?

What would he even say to Yo if he felt free to speak? "I'm falling too fast and I'm scared, Yo. I don't know what it all means. Am I bi now? Is he? I'm not even sure he likes me. Is he using me for my body? Am I using him? Are we bad people if the answer both times is Yes?"

In the end Ming says none of that, just reminds Yo to lock the door and teases him about not going out fornicating. He gets a pillow thrown at him for his trouble. Yo can be such a pissy little bitch sometimes.

God, does he like Kit because he reminds him of Yo? Oh, hell no. That'd practically be incest. And anyway the resemblance is superficial. They're both small and cute, but Yo comes across as soft and vulnerable while Kit is anything but. He's like an angry little porcupine, prickly from head to toe. Hug him at your peril.

Ming remembers seeing a cute porcupine plushie at Bangkok's Dusit Zoo. If Kit ever agrees to actually date him, maybe he'll buy him one as a gift.

He smiles at the thought. There's another difference between his best friend and his not-a-boyfriend: Yo would coo and tuck the plushie into his bed. Kit would curse and fling it at Ming's head.

Note to self, Ming thinks. Never buy Kit a gift that could be used as a blunt instrument.

~

[Episode 3 - segment 3_2/5 on YouTube - fetching ice]

"Hell no, I'm not going to date you," Kit says peevishly. "Especially not at the zoo. What are we, five?"

They're on their way to buy ice for the impromptu party, with Kit still irked that Ming wheedled him into helping. Ming's not certain if the root cause is that he interrupted Kit's studying—the Wild Doctor Gang takes their homework seriously—or if he's upset that Ming betrayed an interest in him in front of Beam.

Whatever. Ming figures either Kit will give in and agree to date him (the best case scenario) or else Kit's refusal will serve as good camouflage. It's misdirection, right? If their friends see him constantly shot down by Kit, they certainly won't suspect they're secretly fucking.

Not that they've gone that far. Not yet. But Ming suspects it won't be long. They're on the fast track here, the physical attraction between them so powerful it's taken on a life of its own. Exhibit A: Kit's apology-turned-blowjob in the tent today. Kit had barely stammered out his I-was-an-ass-sorry speech before they were all over each other, unpremeditated and out of control.

Kit, his mouth kiss-swollen, sliding to his knees with his hands already at the zipper of Ming's jeans...that sight is now seared into Ming's mind for all eternity.

Objectively, it hadn't been a superb experience. Kit was a novice with a tiny mouth, a sensitive gag reflex, and a bad case of nerves; hardly the ingredients for sexual ecstasy. But simply having Kit kneeling at his feet had taken Ming halfway to paradise, and the wet heat of Kit's mouth had carried him the rest of the way in record time. Unskilled or not, Kit undid him just by being Kit.

Remembering that moment while alone in the dark with Kit is very bad for Ming's impulse control. Abruptly he takes Kit by the elbows and pulls him into the deeper shadows under a palm tree. Kit barely has time to gasp "What the—?" before his back is up against the tree trunk and Ming is leaning in to claim his mouth, that irresistible little mouth that loves to curse him and call him names and open eagerly for his kiss.

Kit groans and answers the kiss with equal passion, although in typical Kit fashion he's pounding Ming on the shoulder with his fist as he does so. "Idiot," he mutters when Ming raises his head. "We're supposed to be fetching ice for drinks, not to cool down your pants."

"It's your fault my pants need cooling down."

"Gross!" Kit slaps his ass, which proves to be a miscalculation. His eyes widen at the immediate catch in Ming's breath. "Oh my god, you liked that, didn't you? Pervert."

"You spank me and somehow I'm the pervert?"

"Yes! You're not supposed to enjoy it." Kit slaps the other ass cheek even harder. "Calm yourself and let's go. Beam's going to wonder why it takes us half an hour to buy two bags of ice."

"Beam needs a better hobby than wondering what we do in the dark."

"And I need a better hobby than sucking face with you," Kit retorts, "but life is full of disappointments. Come on, you oaf. I really need a drink."

Ming grins and follows him back to the walking path.