Behind the Scenes

Chapter 31: Home...and His

[Episode 9 - Outed to Kit's brother - 9_3/5 on YouTube]

"Hey! Kit!" a furious voice shouts, and before they jerk apart Ming feels a shudder rip through Kit's body like a physical blow. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Ming knows that the man who's just appeared out of nowhere to scream at them through the open car window must be a family member, but it's hard to believe from his appearance. He's big, beefy, thick-necked and lumbering—the complete opposite of Kit's fine-boned androgynous beauty. His face is florid, his thick lips twisted into a sneer at catching them in an embrace.

It was such an innocent embrace. Ming's hands gentle on Kit's shoulders, their lips barely touching. Yet this angry bull of a man is glaring at Kit as though he's caught them having stark-naked sex in public.

"B-Bro," is all Kit manages to stutter, his face pale and shocked.

Ming quickly makes a subservient wai, hoping to defuse the situation. "Hello, brother," he says as calmly and politely as he can manage under the circumstances.

Kit's brother ignores the gesture, glaring past him at Kit. "Don't think I couldn't see what you were doing!" he snaps. He indicates Ming with a contemptuous jerk of his head. "Who's this guy?"

Ming knows his friends like to compare him to a labrador retriever, and he knows very well what they're implying when they do: that's he's big, sweet and lovable but maybe not terribly bright. He doesn't take offense at it because frankly he's known plenty of brilliant people who were pretentious assholes—big talkers with book smarts but no practical life skills. There's more to success in life than I.Q. points. Besides, he knows that they all underestimate him. Ming notices things. In particular, he notices people. Their expressions, their body language, their emotions, how they react to him and one another. What makes them smile. What makes them relax and open up. What makes them close in on themselves and withdraw.

What scares them.

Kit is scared of his brother. His precious baby is so fucking scared he's trembling. He can't even speak. And that makes Ming furious.

The other thing about labradors? They may be good-natured but they're still wolves inside—and wolves protect their own.

Without conscious thought, Ming leans forward in his seat to block Kit from the brother's view with his own body.

"I'm Kit's boyfriend," he says, his voice still level but now resonating with a note of warning too. He meets the brother's furious gaze with his own stare, direct and unblinking.

He wants to say so much more, starting with He's mine, you homophobic asshole, and you don't get at him without going through me first. Good luck with that, Pig Face. But for Kit's sake he's going to try to keep this civil if he can.

"Boyfriend!" The sneer is back, the brother's upper lip curling in disgust. "Like hell you are! Get out of that car right now, both of you."

The two of them comply, Kit white-faced and silent, Ming just barely managing not to snarl. Agitated, Kit's brother proceeds to pace back and forth in front of them while reading them the riot act.

"I know that this world is not the same anymore," he growls. "I have many friends like you. But you shocked me, Kit. You did this in front of your house? Don't you have any respect to your mom, your dad or even your grandma? Don't you have any respect to me?"

Kit ducks his head subserviently. "I'm sorry," is all he manages to say.

The brother shoots him a disgusted look. "Go in for dinner now," he orders. "Mom and dad are waiting for a long time already. But don't think we're done here, Kit. We'll talk more about this in private."