Behind the Scenes

Chapter 28: Wanna Bet?

[Med student charity drive, Episode 8 - YouTube segment 8_1/5]

"You're trying to cheat on the bet, aren't you?" Ming says indignantly.

"I don't know what you mean," Kit retorts with a petulant little sniff as he holds out the collection box for Ming's donation.

Kit's poker face isn't half bad but Ming sees him dart a quick furtive glance at Pha, who's preoccupied with checking Beam for symptoms of heat exhaustion. When Kit then repeatedly refuses the water bottle Ming's brought for him, Ming's suspicions are confirmed.

All morning the Wild Doctor Gang has been fundraising for the medical faculty's charity project to benefit rural children, under a blazing sun, and both Kit and Beam have begun to look worse for wear. No way his Kitty isn't thirsty as hell right now.

"I mean," Ming says, leaning close with his lips near Kit's ear, "that you're lucky you're cute, because you're a dirty little cheat. You won't let me be sweet to you in front of Pha because he might guess about us, and you put money on him not figuring it out for another three weeks."

Kit's face, already pink from the relentless midday sun, turns even redder. "All's fair in love and war," he mutters.

Pha still isn't looking their way so Ming dares a lightning fast nip at Kit's earlobe. "And which is this, Kitty-love?"

"Shhh!" Kit hisses. "It'll be your funeral if you don't stop teasing me."

"It'll be yours if you don't hydrate and get in the shade soon," Ming says. "Look at Beam, he's halfway to heatstroke."

Kit follows his gaze, frowning a little as he sees that Beam is now sitting on the pavement with a solicitous Pha pushing another water bottle at him. "It's not just the heat," he says with a puzzled air. "Something's been off about him all morning. Forth too—he keeps stalking up to Beam and glaring at him without saying anything. At least you're sweet when you're stalking me," he begrudgingly admits. "I get cheesy smiles, not glares. Just tone it down around Pha, will you? Or I'll think you're the one trying to cheat the bet. Your money is on next week, right?"

Ming grins. "If I want to throw off the results, I'll just grab you and kiss the breath out of you. How about it? Right here, right now."

"I'll knee you in the balls," Kit threatens, but Ming's smile remains undimmed.

"That's my feisty Kitty," he says fondly. "I'm going to set this water bottle down now, OK? You wait however many seconds you need to pretend it's got nothing to do with me—and then you'd better drink it, because you're turning into a cute little tomato out here."

Kit pointedly avoids his eyes but mutters something that might be a half-hearted "Thank you."

Ming leans close to his ear again. "When you're ready for a break, you'll find me in my room," he murmurs.

"So? Why should I care?"

"Stripped down to my boxers, with the A/C on full blast."

"I hate you," Kit groans. "I really, really hate you."

"You really, really don't."

As Ming strolls away, he's pleased to see Kit snatch up the water bottle and chug half its contents without stopping. His Kitty may be stubborn, but he's no fool.

He's also more predictable than he likes to believe. Twenty minutes after the fundraiser knocks off for the afternoon, there's an overheated Kit in Ming's bed, pretending he's just there for the air conditioning.

Ming feeds him papaya and matcha ice cream and undoes his buttons in between spoonfuls.

~

"I can't stay," Kit says later, almost apologetically. "I've got a study session with Beam."

They're lounging freshly showered on clean sheets, Ming having gotten a little carried away with the ice cream earlier. Ming has noticed but wisely not commented on the fact that Kit has borrowed one of his t-shirts, one that's too tight on Ming but adorably large on Kit. The neckline hangs loose enough to provide a delectable glimpse of Kit's collarbones, and Ming privately thinks he deserves a medal for the fact that he's not nibbling on them right now.

"Mmm," Ming hums in vague agreement. "Maybe you can find out what's up with him and Forth. Hey," he adds, struck by a sudden thought, "you don't suppose...?"

Kit rubs his chin against Ming's shoulder and then bites it lightly. "Suppose what?"

"Think about it," Ming says. "The last time you and I acted that weird with each other in public, we'd been fucking and fighting."

"What? No way in hell." Kit props himself up on one elbow to stare at Ming. "Forth and Beam fucking? My god, would the two of them even fit in a bed together?"

Ming can't help it; he giggles. "Creatively stacked? Yes."

"No, seriously. They can't be," Kit insists. "We'd know."

"Like Pha knows about us?" Ming says pointedly. "I'm just guessing, Kitty, but we know Forth is bi—and Beam may be a ladies' man, but he sure made a good show of being your fake boyfriend when he was worried about my intentions."

Kit makes an adorable frowny face that, in combination with the oversized t-shirt, is nearly too much for Ming's self-control. He settles for grabbing his phone and snapping a photo instead, earning him the Kit Intochar Death Glare in place of the cute frown.

"You'd better not post that, asshole."

Ming runs a soothing hand down Kit's body. "Of course not. It's just for me."

"Fine."

"Can I take another one with both of us?"

"Hell, no. Don't push your luck, Mingkwan." Kit is silent for a moment before suddenly muttering, "Shit. I can't stop thinking about it now."

"About what?"

"Forth and Beam, creatively stacked. It can't be true."

"Want to bet?"