Work Text:
the heavy, slow patter of the rain hitting the roof and the light sound of wind shaking his window wakes team up from his deep slumber. the bedroom is cold now, and he instinctively shivers feeling the small goosebumps riding on his arms. last night wasn’t hot, chiangdao is never warm whenever he visits, but he is already used to sleeping without any shirt on. grabbing his blanket and wrapping it around his naked body, he then shuffles to turn off the ceiling fan.
as the soft whirring of the fan slows down, team could clearly hear the gentle pitter patter of the rain. so he walks over to the window opposite of his bed. the wooden window opens with a slight creak. the rain isn’t anything new to team, in fact it is something he always look forward to going here. bangkok tends to be humid, boisterous and hurried - chiangdao is a welcoming difference.
for team, december break has always been spent in his father’s old family home in chiangdao. his parents, always the romantics and the sentimentalists, has not updated the house in decades. it’s like walking to a time machine, his father would utter while fixing the antennae of his shortwave radio. his father is a philosophy lecturer at the same university he is attending, while his mother is a children’s books writer. despite this, they’re both artists at heart and it is apparent from the growing number of books and art collected in the house. team is an outcast in his own family, with little to no artistic inclination, being a business and economics major.
team doesn’t mind the clutter nor the outdated structure of the house, he has his phone afterall and he can practically do anything with it so he has nothing to complain other than the slow internet connection.
the 20 year old looks out to the view, smelling the damp soil and fresh mists from the last night’s rain. he looks up, squinting at the sun slowly peeking through the grey clouds. the rain is going to stop soon, he thought, hopefully by then it won’t be too cold to go to the pool.
*
team runs and skips down the stairs, heavy footsteps making loud noise that could be heard until the kitchen. he hears the chatter of his parents, laughters and all, then turning right to the living thinking they’re there. the arched corridor that opens up to a large room is empty, only sound coming from his father’s radio that is kept running, playing an old folksong.
“here, nong,” his mother calls out in her usual singsong tone, always chirpy and gentle.
from the large window in the living room he could see his parents sitting outside the front porch, his father on the phone talking while his mother has a mug (of coffee, he is guessing) in her hand.
the small coffee table is covered with her mother’s rough sketches and drawings, ideas for her next book. random doodles to full-on drawings of different made-up creatures, fairies and monsters. team takes a seat opposite of his father, who smiles and pours him a cup of coffee while he listens to the person on the phone. on the other hand, his mother pulls him in to place a kiss on his cheeks.
the contrast did not escape him, he has been aware of how different his parents treat him for as long as he could remember. when he was young however, it confuses him - he couldn’t figure out what was expected of him by his parents. was he supposed to be the doted and coddled son, letting his mother overindulge him? or be the serious, intellectual son his father treats him as? as he grew older he learned to juggle between the two.
“teerayu,” his father tends to call him by his first name instead of his nickname like his mother does, “mae and i will be going to town early tomorrow morning so, make breakfast yourself.”
team looks up from his phone, checking all the missed notifications from last night. 15 texts from manaow alone. internally, he rolls his eyes. “yeah, sure,” he shrugs. the town isn’t that far away, only a 15 minute car-ride but their family home is fairly isolated, hidden behind a fruit orchard and perched at the top of a hill that is led by a rocky road. “groceries?” he asks further.
“no, we’re picking up a guest. he’s staying with us for a few weeks.”
this isn’t a new occurrence either. their parents often open their house to any of their friends who are willing to visit. last year it was his mother’s relatives who decided to stay in chiangdao for a few days before flying to laos. “who’s visiting?”
“a student, he’s doing his final paper on philosophy and asked for my help.”
oh. this is new.
worried wouldn’t be the apt descriptor of his feelings, curious and concerned maybe. the new visitor is like an upcoming storm, an anticipated disruption to his chiangdao home. despite the concern and slight apprehension, team couldn’t help with his curiosity, to peek at the eye of the storm.
his mother’s palm rubbing his cheek softly brings him out of his thoughts. “there’s fried rice on the stove, love.”
team looks at his mother who is still cradling his cheek, and gives his mother a sweet smile. he nods, already getting up from his seat to get his brunch.
the older woman turns her head around to face team. “you want anything else?” she asks, offering to cook something more to her son.
team shakes his head. “it’s fine, i’ll fry an omelette myself.”
his mother nods, focusing back on the drafts strewn on the coffee table.
*
so? how’s chiangdao? manaow’s voice crackles from the screen.
weird that you asked for a facetime team. something wrong? pharm quips in, always the observant one.
that’s why their friendship works, he guesses. three is perhaps a crowd but with them it’s perfect. the bubbly, cheerful and talktative manaow have endless stories and gossip to tell them that team and pharm doesn’t feel pressured to say anything. pharm, despite his small stature, is admittedly the strongest one among them. perhaps not physically, but he could take on so much, and is always available to listen to their worries and help them. he likes to see himself as manaow and pharm’s defender, the first in line to fight if needed. his short-temper doesn’t help, getting into verbal and physical fights more often that he wants to admit.
team bit his bottom lip, as if trying to stop himself for saying anything.
pharm, easily could sense team’s growing nervousness, jokes, or is chiangdao that boring?
“hey!” team lashes with scrunched up eyebrows. “chiangdao is great i don’t care what you city folks say!”
at that, pharm and manaow laughs. team has always been the easiest to tease, largely because of his short temper.
the house is quiet, since his parents has already head to bed an hour ago. it’s almost midnight, considerably late but team has always been a late sleeper anyway. the sound of cicadas sharp and blaring, filling in the silence. he is by the front porch again. the connection is considerably better in his room but he likes the cooling air during the night.
“apparently we’re having a guest tomorrow.” manaow and pharm are unresponsive, so he continues, “some random senior wants my dad to advise or help him with his final paper.”
from our uni? manaow asks.
team shrugs. “guess so. he’s a classical lit major.”
both of his friends winces hearing the major. “yeah, i know.” team is never one for believing in stereotypes but living with a writer for a mother and a philosophy lecturer for a father makes him see the book-reading types differently, a thin line between intimidation and interest.
well at least- y’know?
“what did you say pharm? sorry, the video froze for awhile there.”
pharm smiles, i said, at least he’ll be with your father most of the time right? so it’s not like you’ll have to talk to him.
team purses his lips in thought for a moment. “guess you’re right. i don’t know why i’m so bothered by it.”
“so do any of you care enough to hear about the cute girl who worked with me last week?” manaow feigns nonchalance, even though both and team and pharm knows manaow has fallen head over heels over del, her new summer co-worker.
*
he wakes up a little earlier than usual today. the sun seeping through the cracks of his window making his room a little warmer than he is used to in chiangdao. instead of the usual dim, grey sky that greets him, it is a surprisingly warm and sunny day. the house is quiet, and team remembered yesterday that his parents were leaving early. he could see the bright blue sky from his bed and immediately jumps off his bed, excited to start the day.
team’s favourite part of the day has always been when he lounge around in the pool. the old pool is probably the only thing his father bothered to refurbished. the pool walls stays the same, made up of large rocks stacked up together and held by cement. the pool floor is now a mosaic of different shades of blue made of small square tiles.
the pool water is always warmer than the chilly chiangdao air, perhaps heated by warmth from the rocks. the 20 year old lets his body float on the water with his eyes casting upwards to the blue sky above him. being in water like this is his favourite place to be in. with his ears submerged in water he likes to make little waves in his hands, letting himself get lost in the sound. becoming increasingly more relaxed, team closes his eyes.
“team,” his father’s voice brings him out of reverie.
team whines and hums for being awakened. he has to blink a few times to get used to the light again. expecting to see his father standing near him, he is surprised to see a tall, blond man standing at the edge of the pool.
with the shock, he sinks to the water. “shit-”
with a quick gasp of air team emerges back from the pool, his eyes immediately trained to the tall stranger with shining golden hair. he could physically feel the air being knocked out from his lungs again.
“how long were you in the water teerayu?” his father standing a few steps behind the stranger with two carry bags by his feet. “you’ll get sunstroke again.”
team could feel heat creeping up his neck and blushing his cheeks under the quiet gaze of the tall blond. without thinking he submerge himself back under the pool before going back up, letting his long front bangs cover his eyes. “i wasn’t out long, it’s okay.”
his father ends it at that with a light hum. “well, can you help carry the two bags teerayu?”
the blond suddenly speaks, “it’s okay, i can carry it myself. they’re not that heavy.”
“nonsense. you’re our guest.” the professor waves his hand dismissively. “i’ll show you around.” he walks into the home, fully expecting the guest to follow him closely behind.
the quick glance being thrown at team did not escape him, as they lock eyes for the first time. was that a small nod? team thought, as he watch his guest walk away from him.
team spends time in his room the rest of the day. he could hear his father and the guest from time to time, just very quiet unintelligible murmurs and occasional muffled laughters. his father’s study is near the stairs, right below team’s room.
with the windows opened he looks up to the clear blue sky and bask in the sunshine. whenever he closes his eyes he starts drawing up the image of the guest, with the sun shining right behind his head as if forming a halo above his already golden hair. he couldn’t shake the butterflies in his stomach away even if he tried.
is it possible? is it possible to fall for someone so easily and seamlessly?
*
when night falls only then did team decide to walk out of him room, after spending his day reading and drawing and playing on his phone. his two friends are already online, ready for their daily facetime calls.
to his horror and surprise, the guest he tries so hard to avoid is standing by the kitchen counter, a glass of water on one hand while his eyes are casting downwards to the phone set on the counter.
team’s heart immediately picks up. he tries to ignore the sight of the older blond with an oversized thin white shirt and black shorts. before he could think of a proper way to greet the other male, the blond looks up to see team standing by the doorframe.
like a deer in headlights, team freezes. after staring for a few seconds (or what seems like hours to team), the guest turns back his attention to his phone.
“the connection sucks here,” team’s voice wheezed a little when he speaks and only then did he realised how dry his throat is. he fakes a cough, trying to mask nervousness that dries out his voice from speaking.
the blond doesn’t even look up to acknowledge team, only a quiet hm escapes his lips. the response hurts team a little bit. the juvenile, immature part of him feels wronged to see that he doesn’t arouse the same effect to the guest as he does for him.
why am i the only one feeling nervous? why should i be the only one feeling like my heart turns every time i see you?
he takes quick steps to stand closer to the other male, now they’re both at either side of the kitchen counter. “i’m team, by the way.” his palms put together to greet the older politely.
the other does the same, although with slight hesitation. “win,” he simply answers back.
team stares at win’s pursed, strained lips and is immediately embarrassed at how easily it roused agitation in him, utterly upset that he couldn’t catch the older’s attention, even just a fraction.
desperate for win’s attention, team steps closer to win and only then did win looks up from his phone. his eyes showing that he seems a little taken aback by team’s actions.
“the connection is better at the verandah upstairs,” team says.
win looks confused. “there’s a verandah upstairs?”
“yeah. you just need to get through my room.” his room was initially a reading room, hence why he has a separate personal verandah. a room divider separates the verandah area with his bedroom.
win’s face is unreadable to team, not stoic but it is as if he feels a thousand emotions all at once that it muddles together into incoherency.
“i’ll think about it.” at that win grabs the phone on the counter. he raises the glass on his hand slightly, muttering a quick night as he leaves team alone in the silence of the kitchen.
*
“i don’t like win,” confesses team during breakfast to his parents. win, their guest, has decided to skip breakfast and would not join them until later at noon to discuss his paper with mr. teerayu.
team’s mother pauses for a second, her spoon hitting her plate slightly. “why?” she asks without looking up to her son and continues to cut corners of her toast. “he has been nothing but polite as far as i know.”
“funny guy, actually,” his father chirps in. “intelligent, knows quite well about philosophy considering he is a literature major.”
team has to stop himself from rolling his eyes. win has been nothing but rude to him. “he hasn’t said one word to me since yesterday.” the older male barely talks to him, barely even look to him.
not giving me any attention. team seethes slowly in his seat at the thought. he grabs his cold mug of coffee to hide the growing pout forming on his face.
his mother glances up quickly to look at her son in interest. “you’re usually fine on your own here. why the sudden need for company?”
at that team blushes a light red, realising that his mother has caught on. maybe not fully, but she knows something is different. that team’s unsettlement extends more than win’s perceived rudeness.
“i am showing win around town tomorrow,” his father chirps in. a silent, open invitation, glaring red for team to take.
yet the young man hesitates.
“i’ll think about it. i might feel tired tomorrow morning.”
*
the same night, team hears slight creaks of footsteps and he knows it is from win. he didn’t see the blond man at all today, other than glimpses of him walking in and out of his father’s study and his muffled voice in conversation with his father.
the younger man waits for a few minutes, before opening his bedroom door and walks downstairs, making a beeline to the kitchen.
the same sight as last time. win by the kitchen counter, a glass of water now replaced with a mug and his eyes casted downwards on his phone. this time though, win looks up and a friendly smile stretches on his lips.
“hi,” win greets and team’s heart did somersaults. “did i wake you?”
team gapes, unable to process the situation. unable to comprehend the vast difference between yesterday’s win and today’s win.
“hello? earth to teerayu,” win speaks again. teerayu, win’s voice echoes in his mind as soon as he hears it.
“sorry. i just,” team takes steps closer to win, “didn’t realise you’re talking to me.” another few steps closer and now the two men are standing opposites of each other, on either side of the counter. “you barely looked at me yesterday.”
“i didn’t know if it was appropriate. you’re the professor’s son and i’m here for work so…” win trails off, his eyes casted downwards in hesitance.
“why would it be inappropriate?” team could hear win’s sharp inhale, as soon as the question is asked.
the younger man could practically feel the shift of pressure surrounding them. the silence is dense, heavy and yet it tells so much.
there is an edge to win’s gaze now. for a moment, a quick moment, team felt fear. he has never seen win look at him like that before. win looks at him like it is full of good promises and bad intentions, and team wants to know them, wants to know each and every detail.
“guess.”
and just like before, win leaves him to his own thoughts with one word full of possibilities lingering in his mind.
*
guess. the word turns to an anchor for team. hook, line and sinker, he has now fallen in deep for win.
team decides to follow his father and win to go around town. it’s still quite early in the morning, so the town is not as busy as it is later during the day. professor teerayu brought them to a side-street cafe and bar his father frequents. it turns to a bar during the night, during the day there would be people sitting outside the establishment enjoying the sun.
the younger man notices that win is acting differently around him now. more comfortable, closer. during the car ride win had joined in on his father teasing team as he told embarrassing stories of team’s childhood.
team lingers around the cafe, checking his phone out of boredom. his father is busy talking to the patrons of the cafe, all around his age and team has no reason or interest to join in on the conversation.
“hey,” team feels a light shove on his arm before he turns around and sees win, with his gleaming handsome smile and golden halo of a hair. “anything else fun to do around here?”
“you came here at the wrong time, my guy. usually there would be festivals almost every other week but it’s not in season yet. maybe in a month, when the rain subsides.”
“it rains here?”
team nods. “a lot.”
“it hasn’t rain since i got here.”
team hums, surprised at the realisation. “you’re right. huh. that’s weird.”
“no offence team but your dad has been introducing me to a bunch of his old friends and i think my brain might combust from trying to keep up with them. i’m too dumb for this shit.”
team laughs out loud at the confession. it feels refreshing to know he isn’t the only one who’s trying to keep up with his father’s intellectual friends.
“no offence taken. i know he can be a little overbearing. but he’s like that because he thinks you’re smart,” team smirks, “if that’s any consolation for you.”
“he said that? really?” win looking back at team with hopeful eyes. team thinks win isn’t the kind of person he initially thought.
“yeah. i believe the actual word he said was…intelligent.”
win sputters dismissively. a light shove to team’s chest. “fuck off. he did not say that.”
“he did! i swear!”
“so you two talked about me?” there is a glint of mischief in his tone, “behind my back?” win walks closer to the younger, successfully caging the other in between his body and the brick wall.
and only then did team realise how close they are. lingering between the alleys of the townsquare, tucked at the side of the cafe where no one is around. a realisation dawns on him, are they flirting? is he flirting with me?
“maybe.” team answers with his lips a little pouted and his chin a little higher. then a slight grin tugging the edge of his pink lips. he plays along.
win catches on. or perhaps it was team who realised it later. but the two of them are now inches close, the closest they have ever been.
when win pushes his face downwards, and closer to team, his breath catches in his lungs. team does not close his eyes, he watches intently as win dives in nearer to his face until they are breaths close.
“i guess that’s fair. since we talked about you too.” the blond flashes a wide grin, full of wickedness and mischief.
it is team who runs away this time.
*
team has been actively avoiding win for the past three days. he rarely comes out of his room, opting to be on his phone or spending time reading the yellowing books he never bothered to read. it gets really boring after the third day though, so when he sees his father’s car leaving the house he feels elated. this means win is also tagging along and he has the house to himself. free to roam around. the younger looks out his window and sighs at the warm sunshine hitting his skin. he decides it’s a perfect day to lounge by the pool.
to his surprise, he sees win sitting at the edge of pool. his damp skin seems to glisten gracefully under the sun.
before team could have the chance to turn back around and leave, win notices him.
“hey, teerayu.”
“y’know you can call me team. only my dad calls me that.” team replies a little grumpily.
win purses his lips and nods. “right. team. noted.”
he likes the way his monosyllabic name rolls off win’s tongue.
“i thought you left with dad.”
win shakes his head, while his legs swing loosely swishing the pool water. “taking a well-deserved break today. i might actually puke if i read or hear anything about wittgenstein.” team could only nod his head, pretending to know what the older is talking about.
the guest is wearing dark blue swimming trunks and team tries very hard to not make his staring too obvious, but how could he? win is lean and yet strong, the way his muscle moves as he swings his legs is hypnotising. team’s gaze stops by the waistline of win’s trunks and he immediately notices the black mark by the other’s hip. is that a…tattoo?
team looks up and realises that win is staring at him too, catching on that he has been staring at the peeking tattoo. to spare the embarrassment, team jumps to the pool.
when he resurfaces back, win has already left him alone.
*
that night, the images come to him. it starts all foggy, grey silhouettes and barely-there lines but slowly and surely, the images materialise in his dreams. golden hair, bouncing off light and a smile that beams. then, a hand trailing softly along his thigh. he knows that hand well. physically, team trembles, win’s touches pressing his fair skin like cold water. win’s hand grips his thigh tightly and team couldn’t hold the moan that escapes his lips.
team wakes up heaving heavily, skin warm with cold sweats.
and yet even in consciousness the images continue to seep into team’s thoughts, grows and lingers. he thinks about the older’s hips, narrow yet strong, curved beautifully. the fair expanse of his skin. the tattoo peeking by the waistline of his underwear, as if teasing and mocking him. team thinks about kneeling down until he is eye-level with win’s waist, kissing and licking the tattooed skin.
the young man let out a desperate whine at the particular image, turning his body so that he is lying on his chest. his palm caress his body down and stops by his crotch.
he lets out a slow exhale, imagining his palm over his cock with a larger, sturdier hand.
“fuck,” says team shakily. he knows he is embarrassingly close, a few strokes until he is sent to the edge.
a name hangs by the tip of his tongue. he holds it there, in fear of his desire becoming too real if he says it.
*
the morning after, team steers clear away from win. the possibility of win having feelings for him seems more real now, and he is afraid. afraid of what his parents might think, fear of it being true — fear of him being completely wrong and the possibility of this being a one-side love. a heavy, one-sided affair.
it is 10pm, team has just closed a call with manaow and pharm. the call this time is slightly longer than usual. manaow told both of them that del has agreed to go with her to watch movies, even though she isn’t sure if del knew that it is supposed to be a date; not just two co-workers hanging out outside work. team keeps quiet about his own personal problems, he doesn’t even know where to begin. the fact that he likes men? that he has a big, fat crush on the graduate student his father is teaching? that there might be a small chance the man likes him back? or perhaps win is just playing with his feelings, trying to fill up his time while he has nothing to do in chiangdao. win could never like someone like him. the man is a golden boy, too perfect, too smart, too proper.
there is a quiet knock on his door, so small and hesitant that team thought he imagined it. until he hears a louder knock, a little more stern and solid.
team is surprised to see win at the other side of the door. before he could say anything, win pulls up his phone and says, “the connection sucks downstairs. you said the verandah is better?”
team visibly gulps. “yeah, um,” he steps away from the door to allow win to walk in then belatedly realise the messy state his room is in. “sorry about the mess. verandah is that side.” team points to the left side of his room. “behind the divider.”
“thanks.”
team calls out for win, and the older turns. “do you want me to leave the room?”
win shrugs and yet his hand waves around, indicating no. “no, no. this is your room. just— do what you normally do. i’ll try to not be too loud.”
team nods slowly, looking around his room like it is the first time he has seen it. he watches win walk behind the divider, opening the door to the verandah and closing it slightly, just enough to let the cool night air seeps into the room.
the younger stands in the middle of his room, wracking his brain trying to think of something to do in order to look natural. he opts for sitting on his bed, with his back resting against the bedframe.
it’s wrong to eavesdrop, team knows this. but win told him to stay in his room and the older is not exactly being quiet. he does not know who win is talking to, but the older speaks to the person on the phone animatedly, all excited, the way team never heard of him before.
team realise he has fallen asleep only when win wakes him up. he isn’t sure how long he slept.
“thanks for letting me in your room,” win says.
team, still trying to beat his grogginess from sleep, only nods. he rubs his eyes, and only then did he notice that win has left his long hair down. his blond hair now fanning softly at the sides of his face. team did not think it was possible but the man look even more good-looking.
“what?” win says, noticing quickly that the younger is staring at him.
in the dimness of his room, team feels like no one else exists outside of it. just win and team, and nothing else matter. win looks at him in hope, like he has been waiting for team to call his name.
guess. the words echoes back in his head as he stares at win who is standing at the edge of his bed. he feels a surge of courage.
“guess,” team says.
“huh?”
“guess what i’m thinking,” the younger answers.
win purses his lips, and there is a hint of fear in his eyes. he wants to say the answer, but is afraid to be wrong, afraid of what happens when puts it out to the world. team understands that look, because he knows that’s what he looks like every time he thinks about win.
so team gets on his knees to reach win’s face and pulls the older man down to press his lips against the other’s. the kiss is brief, barely a peck, almost a brush. team has never kissed anyone before.
a small chuckle spills through win’s lips when team pulls away, and then stretches to a grin. “i guess we were thinking of the same thing.” he cups team’s face gently before pressing his lips to the younger, this time a little more sure.
the way win cradles his face, the way his palm could cover the side of his head, it made team feel dizzy. win covers his lips around the bottom of team’s lip before sucking it softly and team gasps. every movement, every action, every touch feels new to team he couldn’t do anything but take, take everything win is willing to give him.
“is this okay?” win talks with spit-slick lips. team barely compute what the other was saying, instead is entranced by win’s lips breaths close to his own. he doesn’t want to stop kissing. he wants to pull win close to the softness of his bed and kiss him until morning.
team nods. win licks his lips and team gulps, finally noticing the deep desire in win’s eyes. “kiss me again,” team says and he is surprised at the whine he lets out. how willing he is to give himself to the older male.
for a moment, win hesitates. he knows, once this is done they could not go back to how they were before. that this will change everything.
“i want this,” team adds, as if he could hear win’s thoughts. his hands pull win down so that they’re both lying on his bed. “please, please, please, please, please,” team begs in a desperate whisper, opening a vulnerable part of himself that only win could see. please love me back, his eyes screams.
and win dives in. he pulls himself down to press kisses on team’s neck, placing light bites along his collarbone and team makes a loud gasp. every inch of his body feels warmer, and when win touches his skin he swears he could feel sparks. it is electric.
win kisses him slow and soft, built up from pecks to full kisses. and even then team feels like he wants more, unsated. when win bit his bottom lip he lets out a soft moan, and the younger subconsciously grinds his crotch on win’s thigh.
the older let out an amused laugh, and he pushes team’s hips down. “not today,” he warns and yet all team could think about is the possibilities of tomorrows with win. not today, but tomorrow, or the day after, or the day after that. endless days to spend with the blond.
“kiss me then,” team replies with a slight bite in his tone.
win laughs but did not fight. with quiet laughter spilling his lips he kisses team fully.
*
unlike other days, win joins the family breakfast this time.
“humid weather today,” team’s mother says, while she pours hot coffee for herself.
team’s father hums in agreement. “it was pouring rain last night, but today it’s pretty warm.”
after pouring coffee for herself mrs. teerayu sets the pot of coffee back on the table. win picks it up, pour one for himself then fills team’s mug.
the action did not escape any of the teerayu family. team tries to act nonchalant, hoping the creeping blush up his neck and on his cheeks would not be too obvious. his parents share a look, but did not say anything.
*
“i like kissing you,” win confesses, punctuating every word with a smooch on team’s lips. the younger tastes like warm honey and his kisses settle on his tongue like bitter coffee.
team gleams. “i can tell,” he adds, a little bratty.
the two of them are in team’s room, behind locked doors, entangled with each other despite the humid weather.
when team grabs win face for another kiss, win’s shirt rides up and team’s eyes immediately turns to the tattoo right by the older’s hips. the look did not go unnoticed.
“you can ask you know, i’ve seen you staring.” the blond lifts up his shirt with one hand while he pulls his pants slightly with another. team gapes, because win isn’t wearing anything under his pants.
the older looks at team who is staring intently at his tattoo and chuckles. he grabs team’s hand and pulls it down to press on his tattooed skin. the younger first gasp in surprise but quickly recovers.
win watches as team looks at his tattoo with full curiosity. something in him stirs to know that team is looking at him with interest and desire.
“when did you get this?” the younger asks, his voice soft and quiet. his thumb presses slightly to win’s hip.
win’s heartbeat picks up as he watches the younger touch his skin. “years ago. during my undergrad years.”
“does it mean anything?”
the blond shakes his head with a light laugh. “i was drunk and picked a drawing off a wall.”
team looks up to face win. his heart flutters, he has always knew that the younger is good-looking, stupidly handsome but…has team always been this pretty? win asks himself.
“i think it matches you though. fire.”
“why? because i’m hot?”
team scoffs and rolls his eyes. “fuck off.”
“and yet i hear no disagreement from you,” win teases.
“because you shine,” team answers. “like…” the younger runs his fingers along win’s blond hair, “you emit light.”
win kisses team at that. “what a poet.”
team smiles, it is him who shines now.
“only when you’re my muse.”