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He shouldn't clench his fists.
He shouldn't bite the inside of his cheek.
He should blink before his eyes get too dry.
But he was stuck, feet glued to the floor as if he was an insect stuck to a spider's web. A spider's web of flirty smiles and constant chatter!
It seemed that everywhere they went, she followed. 'She' being Chant - Lee's latest admirer.
Ghlaijai actually found her name quite fitting. Apparently her mother chose it because, when she was younger, she wouldn't stop screaming whenever she saw someone good-looking. From when she was a toddler who could barely speak to now a student in college, it was clear she'd never stopped her bad habit. Especially not with the way she was always lurking around Lee. She would stalk the halls, hiding around corners and in the dark shadows until Ghlaijai left. Until she could pounce.
He'd only left Lee alone for a few minutes. Just enough time for him to grab the more advanced textbook from his professor. And also apparently enough time for Chant to engage in the most enthusiastic conversation she's ever been seen having. With Lee.
Even just looking at her made him feel sick. She was desperate for Lee's attention. Attention that she would never have. Lee is Ghlaijai's boyfriend. His. Not hers. Never hers. Only his. He knew that.
So why is he stood still, only staring at this problem.
Ghlai watched them talk - saw how disinterested Lee looked. She was twirling a curled strand of hair around her pointer finger, closing in on herself and looking up at Lee to seem weak and fragile. Ghlaijai knew those tricks; he's seen them before. Watched as plenty of Punlee's other admirers did the exact same thing.
She obviously didn't realise she actually just looked pathetic. Not cute. Just stupid. He could see Lee trying to leave, trying to cut her off and stop talking to her. Chant was very persistent. Unlike the others who'd had a crush on Lee, she didn't want to give up.
She was pretty too. And popular. She could get anyone she wanted if she simply batted an eye. And she wanted Ghlaijai's boyfriend. Great.
Some people shipped them as well - online only, but they still supported her advances. There's been so many posts where someone points out how good they'd look together. Lee's fashion sense with Chant's beauty. Match made in heaven.
He hates it. Hates all of it. But Punlee usually deals with it all pretty easily.
That's why Ghlaijai didn't know what to do: let her dig her own grave and let Lee dismiss her on his own or grab Lee and pull him away from her himself.
His legs seemed to gain feeling again, feet lifting off the ground and moving him closer to them.
Punlee turned and locked eyes with Ghlaijai, eyes lighting up with something akin to relief.
"Ghlai!" He called.
Chant turned to look in his direction too. She saw him and her expression changed from blushing and fragile to disappointment, a grimace gracing her face instead of her cheeky smile. Her eyes rolled and Ghlaijai's hands clenched even harder.
Lee rushed over to him, smiling and trying to take Ghlaijai's bag from his shoulder. Ghlai couldn't smile back, his focus still on Chant's face and tired stance. He was tense, keeping his elbows close to him and shoulders tight.
"Ghlai..." His eyes snapped to Lee's. He looked worried now, his eyes scanning Ghlaijai's face for the root of the problem.
Ghlaijai swallowed. Nervous. He looked back over to Chant, who was still waiting for Punlee to come back over. As if he actually would? Stupid.
Punlee followed his eyes, looking over his shoulder at Chant. She straightened up again, smiling at him sweetly when he glanced back at her. Bitch.
His head whipped back around to Ghlaijai and she relaxed again, scowling at him. He frowned back and stared at her. He wished he had laser eyes right then and there - so she would burst into flames and explode.
"Hey... let's go," Lee is tugging on his tucked elbow now, trying to pull him away from the situation. His voice is soft, kind, but not quiet. Ghlai bets he feels the anger seething from him. Believe him when he says he has the greatest amount of contempt for the girl.
When Punlee pulls him enough that it starts to become annoying, Ghlaijai follows him to his motorbike. He gave Chant a lovely glare for her troubles, though.
Chant leaves in a huff - frustrated that she can't speak to Ghlai's boyfriend anymore - and the next thing he knows, his head is being attacked by a helmet!
Lee is placing his spare helmet over Ghlaijai's head and locking the clasp into place before putting his own helmet on. Ghlai crosses his arms and looks to the right.
"Ghlai? Are you ready to go?"
Ghlaijai sighs and sits on the backpack seat as per usual without breaking his eye contact with that very dented pole across the road.
"Have I done something?"
Done something? He wonders if Lee has done something. Or what he hasn't done. Like not walking away from Chant until he showed up? What was so interesting that it took you that long to leave her? Why don't you reject her, Lee? Why is she different from the millions of others you've already rejected?!
Of course, he wouldn't say any of this out loud. He's not going to make a scene in the car park of their college, is he?
So he looks down instead, code for: "Yes. You've done something. But I don't want to talk about it right now."
Punlee stares at him, worried. But he still gets on his bike, starts the engine, and waits for Ghlaijai to hold onto him before he moves off into the road.
Yes - Ghlai is annoyed with him, but he's not going to risk his life over it!
So he holds tightly onto Lee like he always has, leaning on his back as he takes in the surrounding landscape.
It's not much. Skyscrapers and markets flood most streets. A few office buildings here and there. Quite a few apartments too. But counting the buildings helps him calm down a bit at least.
20 minutes later. They arrive at Lee's condo. Ghlai gets off the bike first, clambering his body into awkward positions to reach the ground safely.
Punlee watches him head to the front door and he rushes to get off the bike himself, hoping to unlock the door for him like he always had.
He tries getting off too quickly, however. And Ghlai watches from the front door as he stumbles towards him, key extended. It takes him a couple tries, but he is able to put the key into the lock and open the door somewhat like normal. Ghlai actually finds it quite funny. Punlee's cool, pretty boy act crumbles entirely when he's in trouble with Ghlaijai.
He enters, removing his bag off his shoulder as he unclips his helmet, placing them on one end of the couch before sitting by the other end.
Lee has to run back to his bike, turn it off, grab his things and take off his helmet before he can close the door behind him.
Once he's in, however, he drops everything and rushes to Ghlai's side, "What have I done to upset you Ghlai?"
"..."
"Why were you speaking to her?" Ghlaijai doesn't look towards him as he speaks, he's not ready to give in to Lee's puppy eyes just yet.
"She ran over to me and started chattering on about this project she was doing. She wouldn't shut up so I couldn't butt in to tell her to leave."
"You could've just walked away."
"I tried, Ghlai, she kept blocking every direction."
"Why can't you just tell her to leave you alone? Even Teerak told P'Oh to leave him alone when he started liking P'Fah."
Ghlaijai had turned to look at him now, frowning and glaring almost into his soul.
"You know I've tried that too, she goes crazy and says that you're trying to keep her away from me!"
Ghlai looks forward and Lee realises that probably wasn't the best answer to that question.
He pauses then. It's quiet, and everything around Ghlaijai seems surreal.
"Ghlai. Why is it bothering you this much?"
"Well- she's this popular, pretty girl;" Ghlai's volume raised sharply, "what if you decide one day that you want to date her instead?! Or anyone else for that matter!"
Lee was taken aback for a second but was snapped back to life when Ghlaijai's eyes started to tear up.
"So many people confess to you. And all of them are these... beautiful people that fit with you. Or- look... better with you than I do. And-"
Lee pulls him into a deep hug, letting him cry on his shoulder and choke on his tears.
"It- it hurts, Lee."
There's a pause then. A simple space perfect for Ghlai's crying to fill. Then:
"Ghlai... why do you think I'm dating you?"
"I... I don't know, I-" Ghlaijai pulls out of the hug to look Punlee in the eyes but he gets cut off.
"Because you're kind. You're compassionate... You're so smart. You always understand how I feel! And... you're the most beautiful person I've ever seen..."
Ghlai's eyes widen.
"Your smile is beautiful, your laugh is- contagious. You have impossibly even skin... and round cheeks that you'd only ever see on a squirrel... Ghlai, you're perfect for me."
Punlee's eyes start to produce their own tears, accumulating in his tear ducts before a couple race down his cheek.
"I don't think you realise how many people I've had to scare off so that they didn't ask you out before I could..." He laughs through his tears.
"You deserve the world, Ghlai, and I would give it to you in a heartbeat if you asked. I will never leave you - whether you want me to or not..."
"I love you so much Ghlaijai Borirat."
They both have streaks on their faces where tears have fallen and Ghlaijai pulls Lee back into that hug as relief overwhelms him, sniffling and tightening his hold around his waist. Punlee presses a delicate kiss to the top of Ghlai's head before burying his face in his neck and inhaling his scent.
"..."
The silence is appreciated this time around.
"I'll tell Chant to fuck off, hm?" Ghlai chuckled at his language. Punlee almost never talks like this around him.
Ghlai pulls back to give him a peck on his lips. Remembering Punlee's speech, he replies, "I love you too..."
Punlee smiles brightly before dropping his head and leaning against Ghlaijai's chest, "You're so cute..."
Ghlai giggles, rubbing Punlee's back in consolidation.
"Thanks, Lee..."
Punlee sits up, focusing on Ghlai's beaming mouth.
"Thank you for telling me. Although, now you know how much I'm obsessed with you..." Punlee feels his cheeks get hotter as he speaks.
"Now you're being cute." Ghlaijai accuses as Punlee wraps his arms around him once again.
Nobody but them need to know if they cuddled to sleep that night. And, if they held onto each other just that extra little bit tighter? Well, that's between them and their subconscious state only.