Chapter Text
"This isn't going to work." Thame says as he looks at Yotha and Gun the couple him and his group helped get together a few months ago being lovey dovey with each other across the studio from him.
As he and the rest of MARS get ready for a fake interview in hopes of making the one he likes ,Po, jealous enough to get pasted his relationship fears and admit he likes him back aloud like his body language and expressions have been saying for the last few weeks.
"They're clearly together."
"I know, we know, they know, but more importantly Po Doesn't know." Jun says to his best friend as he turns him towards him away from looking at Yotha and Gun. The foundation Nano had started to apply to Thame's cheek leaving a noticeable streak there that makes Jun grin.
"Leave some of it noticeable." Jun and Pepper tell Nano as he starts evening out the foundation streak on Thame's cheek. "Trust us." The two of them add as two pairs of sceptical eyes look at them.
"This really isn't going to work." Thame mumbles under his breath as he gets nervous about going through with his group mates plan to help him get together with Po.
A loud sigh and an audible eye-roll comes from Dylan as he gets up from watching the pre-show of making Po jealous.
"I'm the last person who wants to agree with Jun, But this will work."
"I've already checked with Po and he doesn't know who the couple we got together looks like."
"All you have to do is get close to Gun temporarily to make Po jealous while avoiding getting Yotha super jealous."
"Easy really." Dylan says before going back to sit down because he contributed to the plan he was only involved in out of curiosity.
As MARS continues to get ready Gun amuses his love sick boyfriend as he spins in circles on the swivel stool they'd been directed to wait at.
Po comes in to record an interview with MARS as the group walks over to the part of the studio where Yotha and Gun are waiting. Po smiles shyly behind his camera as he snaps a picture of Thame who is smiling at him.
Po's heart skips a beat at the delight on the face of one he is afraid to admit aloud he likes. The skip turns into an aching throbbing as he sees Thame talking and smiling at one of the potential new trainees for the company he is helping MARS interview. A cute puppy-like energy guy sitting in front of a cooler cat-like guy.
"You're here."
"Good help me make sure the seats are placed right." Jun says to Po as he volunteers him to sit behind Thame who gives him heart eyes he wishes he had the courage to return.
"Hi, I'm Gun and this is Yotha." Gun says to Po introducing himself and his boyfriend who replies with a hum of confirmation as he nods his head towards Po without taking his eyes off Gun.
"I'm Po. The videographer." Po says as he shakes Gun, the puppy-like guys hand. His reply is more stiff because of how close Gun's face is to Thame's as they introduce themselves to each other.
"You've got something on your cheek." Gun comments to Thame, and Po notices the uneven foundation on Thame's cheek. Po goes for a tissue in his pant pocket but stops from giving the tissue to Thame as Gun leans in holding onto Thame's stool and wipes his cheek clean for him.
"All better now." Gun says a carefree smile on his face as sits back upright on the stool. Not noticing the surprise and jealous coming of his boyfriend, the slight blush on Thame's cheek, or the fisted in jealous hand on Po's thigh. The tissue crumbling into a tighter ball with each passing second.
The rest of MARS sees what is going on and smile as another of their plans to play Cupid takes off the way they thought it would when they came up with this plan.
"Thame, Po."
"We're ready to begin the interview." Pepper says as he signals Thame to keep paying attention to Gun. Nano mouths remember what we talked about to Thame as Po passes him to set up his camera.
Thame doesn't look away from Po until Po signals the camera is on and recording.
"What brings you here today, Gun?" Thame asks.
"Uh.. well you... and the rest of MARS." Gun answers before looking towards his boyfriend with lost puppy dog eyes. Yotha puts his hands on his Beagle's shoulders to comfort him as well as to chill out his jealousy because he has figured out what is going on.
More vague questions are asked and more easy to misinterpret answers are given during the fake interview until Po has a hard time keeping out of the interview as the one he likes gets genuinely relaxed around the puppy-like guy.
Thame feels bad when he sees Po being stiff and overly concentrated on putting his camera as he and his group send Yotha and Gun off. MARS collectively add the final push to make Po snap and act on his feelings when they trip Thame into falling against Gun.
"I've got him." Po says as he pulls Thame to him by his forearm as Gun and Yotha try to help Thame regain his balance.
Po keeps his grip on Thame as he exits the studio leaving the rest of MARS with Yotha and Gun.
A stairwell that he has been yanked into several times is where Po brings Thame before letting go of his arm.
"Po?"
"I didn't want to get involved with someone whose work is very important to them."
"But I can't hold back anymore."
"I like you, Thame."
"And I don't like you being close with that potential trainee." Po confesses his voice firm but his eyes brim with tears at voicing his relationship fears.
Thame's heart does a flip at hearing Po confessing to liking him back like he knew he did. But it falls as he sees the one he likes fear of getting involved with him because of his past.
"I like you too Po. Very much."
"And if you give me a chance I'll make sure you don't regret going out with me.
"What do you say? Take a chance on me?" Thame asks Po as he takes his hands and places a kiss chaste kiss on his forehead.
Po curls his hands around Thame's tightly, just as tightly as he did the tissue earlier. He searches Thame's eyes and sees he is willing to work just as hard on maintaining a relationship with him as he has put into making MARS successful.
"I'll take a chance on you and become your boyfriend." Po answers making Thame the happiest person on the planet. He places another kiss on his boyfriend's forehead this one more lingering to show how happy he is.
The two of them gaze at one another as Thame pulls back from the second forehead kiss. They converse without words that a kiss on the lips is what they want and Thame leans in slowly taking it slow with their first kiss before grabbing the back of his boyfriend's neck as the kiss grows deeper, hungrier. Po keeps holding one of his new boyfriend's hand. While gripping desperately at his hip to keep them grounded in just a kiss.
When they break away from the kiss they are at a loss for air and a soft shade of red that makes them both think the pink bubbles of a new relationship has settled over their skin.
Thame and Po return to the studio as boyfriends. MARS congratulate them and themselves for another successful round of playing Cupid.
Po is confused by what they mean and Thame brings up to his boyfriend the first time he saw him, and how it was the day MARS helped Yotha and Gun the fake wannabe trainees get together.
Yotha and Gun confirm what Thame said about their relationship and though Po isn't happy MARS played him he can't really say he hates the results of them playing Cupid because he could finally voice what he had been holding back and return Thame's feelings openly.