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Low, warm light spills across the hotel room. Clothes and props are scattered on the bed - Phuwin’s Sailor Venus outfit and magic wand as well as Pond’s Spiderman mask and dark grey hoodie now useless as they change back into comfortable outfits for the after party.
“Ready?”
Standing in front of the mirror, Pond stops looking at his bruised bottom lip and glances at Phuwin who is all set to return to the ballroom for the highlight of the GMMTV outing.
“Yeah but I’ll probably only stay for a while…”
Thinking that the injury is stopping Pond from enjoying himself, Phuwin steps closer and looks at Pond’s reflection with gentle eyes, “It doesn’t look too bad, Pond.”
“It’s not that.” Pond smiles reassuringly, but winces when it stings from stretching his lip, “You know me, gotta be lean and all, but don’t let me spoil your fun.”
“You sure you’re ok?” Phuwin is sceptical, still believing that the injury is bothering Pond more than it should.
Before Pond can reply, Phuwin turns Pond to face him, fingers gentle but firm as he moves to tilt Pond’s chin towards him to get a better look at his lips.
“Let me see…” Phuwin murmurs, eyes scanning Pond’s swollen bottom lip, “It’s really not that bad.”
“Still handsome then?” Pond tries to joke when he notices how Phuwin’s brows furrow with worry despite his attempt to reassure Pond himself.
Phuwin tuts and gives Pond his famous side-eye as he lightly pinches Pond’s chin before letting go, “Just be thankful for P’ Aoh. Nothing her skills can’t fix.”
“I won’t argue with that.” Pond laughs, secretly relieved that he has managed to distract Phuwin from worrying about him, “Now, shall we?”
Phuwin nods and leads the way towards the ballroom where a chaotic, fun night awaits them.
At 2 in the morning, the walk back to the hotel room alone for Pond after getting the room key from Phuwin is a relief. Putting aside his bruised lip, his introverted self truly needed a break from an entire day and night’s worth of socialising and partying. Unlike Phuwin, he genuinely doesn’t have the stamina any more to forgo sleep after much effort to adopt a healthy lifestyle.
So when he returns to the quiet room (and remembers to leave the door unlocked for Phuwin), Pond takes a quick, warm shower before going straight to bed. Finally, his entire body relaxes as he slides under the covers and sinks into the crisp sheets. Exhaustion sweeps him under almost immediately but not before he makes sure to leave enough space for Phuwin on the queen size bed.
Hours pass.
The hallway is hushed, the carpet soft under Phuwin’s unsteady steps, not because of the alcohol but more so the adrenaline pumping through his veins. His head is still humming from the night’s relentless tide of music and conversation.
But now, as he gently pushes the door of the hotel room open, the silence waiting for him feels like salvation, after hours of dancing, singing, laughing too loudly, and losing track of time with friends and colleagues.
The room is dim, curtains drawn tight against the pale beginnings of dawn, the air carrying the faintest trace of Pond’s Versace fragrance, woody and familiar.
Phuwin closes the door behind him, careful not to let the lock click too loudly. His eyes fall on the bed.
Pond is curled up on his side, blanket tangled around him. His breathing is deep and even, lips parted in sleep.
Phuwin moves into the room with exaggerated quiet, not wanting to disturb the steady rhythm of Pond’s rest. Sliding into bed, the sheets cool against his skin, he edges closer until the warmth of Pond’s body seeps into him where his shoulder is against Pond’s back.
For a while, he just lies there, staring blankly at the ceiling. It takes a minute or so before Phuwin reaches out, hesitant, then brushing his fingertips lightly against Pond’s shoulder. Pond stirs faintly and in the next second, his body simply adjusts, turning and shifting closer in some instinctive pull towards Phuwin.
This tiny motion, that unconscious trust, hits Phuwin like a wave.
He breathes out slowly, the tension of the night falling from him. The laughter, the crowd, the endless chatter — all of it melts away into the simple comfort of being next to Pond.
It takes a moment for Pond to slowly stir awake when his body recognises the shift in warmth.
“You’re back.” Still half asleep, Pond’s voice is coarse as he asks, “What time is it?”
“You’re so warm.” Phuwin murmurs out loud instead of replying Pond.
It’s then Phuwin realises that this is the perfect end to the day. This quiet. This closeness. This certainty that, no matter how late he stays out or how far he wanders into noise, he will always have a safe place to return to.
“You should sleep… you’ll run yourself down if you keep this up.” Pond nags even with his eyes closed.
Phuwin laughs, already drifting to sleep as he then mutters, “You worry too much.”
“I worry just enough.” Pond says.
“Ugh… just go back to sleep.”
Then, wrapped in the steady rhythm of Pond’s presence, Phuwin finally lets sleep take him. And now that Phuwin is with him, Pond easily falls back asleep too.
Just like that, the noise and chaos of the night fade, leaving only this — quiet, steady, safe, and it’s all they both need.
Morning sunlight spills through the curtains. Pond wakes first, as always. He finds himself pinned gently in place, Phuwin’s arm draping over his waist.
Pond peeks at Phuwin with a soft, knowing smile.
The way Phuwin’s hair falls messily across his forehead, the faint lines of fatigue at the corners of his eyes - it all speaks of a night spent apart from him, and yet here Phuwin is, back where he belongs.
Phuwin wakes up a little later, eyes still heavy but warm as he senses that Pond is watching him.
“Too early…” Phuwin groans, voice thick with sleep, before burying his face in the pillow.
“Well, you stayed out all night.” Pond says softly, trying not to sound like he is nagging again, memory of the conversation they had probably less than 3 hours ago coming back to him.
Phuwin peeks at him with bleary eyes, “Guilty. I lost track of time.”
“Had a blast?” Pond asks even though he already knows the answer.
“Yeah. Last night was fun. A pity you couldn’t enjoy it.”
Pond arches a brow, “It didn’t seem to matter to you when you were partying so hard.”
“Hey!” Phuwin instinctively argues but grins sheepishly in the very next moment under Pond’s gaze, “Okay, fair.”
Pond sighs but can’t help smiling at Phuwin’s sheepish expression, “How do you even function on so little sleep?”
“I’m 2 years younger than you, Pond.”
“And because I’ve been your age, I know you’ll wear yourself out before you let yourself slow down. I’m speaking from experience here.”
“Sure, old man, you can continue to remind me to breathe, and I shall remind you to live a little louder.”
There is a pause, a quiet space filled only by their breathing and the distant hum of the city waking outside.
Eventually, Pond says, “Guess we balance each other out.”
Phuwin’s grin softens into something tender. “Always.”
And in that quiet morning light, they are reminded that they have everything they need - Phuwin’s spark, Pond’s calm, and the certainty that, together, somehow, they fit perfectly.