Work Text:
The dressing room was colder than it needed to be.
It always was.
People moved around setting up makeup stations, lining brushes up on the counter and hanging up outfits, the plastic covers rustling every time someone brushed past.
Outside, the crowd was probably already forming for the Central Bangna event.
FirstOne was still in his hoodie and sweatpants, sitting in the makeup chair with a white mask covering half his face and hair falling over his eyes.
He was usually talking by now.
Usually teasing the stylists, asking what they ate for lunch or commenting on someone’s nails.
Today, he was quiet.
Reasonably so…
He’d come back sick from Japan. It was nothing dramatic, but enough to take some energy out of him.
He scrolled aimlessly on his phone, shoulders slightly hunched, like he was trying to make himself smaller.
And Tle… he was across the room plugging in his phone into a charging outlet, glancing over at FirstOne. Just checking up on him with a little extra caution because he was sick.
FirstOne coughed once into his fist.
A second later, the makeup artist, Mai, approached him. “We’ll start your makeup in 5 minutes, okay?”
FirstOne nodded quickly. “Khrap..” His voice came out a little hoarse, even through the mask.
Mai paused. “You sure you’re okay?”
“I’m okay,” he said instantly, eyes smiling to compensate.
Tle was already walking over, stopping beside FirstOne’s chair.
From this close, he could see the faint flush under FirstOne’s eyes.
“Don’t push too much today, na..” he said calmly. “The fans will understand.” He added reassuringly, hand resting on FirstOne’s shoulder like it belonged there.
Steady..
Always steady.
FirstOne’s eyes flickered up to meet his,“Okay,” he said softer this time, nodding.
After a moment, Mai stepped in again, gently tilting FirstOne’s chin up. “We’ll take the mask off now.”
Tle let his hand linger on FirstOne’s shoulder half a second longer before pulling away. He stepped back to give space, but stayed close enough to feel the warmth coming off FirstOne.
As foundation was dabbed onto FirstOne’s cheek, he leaned slightly sideways, shoulder resting against Tle’s side.
Tle watched him through the mirror.
Watched the tension leave FirstOne’s shoulders the second he felt supported.
Tle felt a small pull in his chest, the corners of his mouth tugging into something softer.
FirstOne kept his eyes closed while Mai worked.
For a second, it looked like he might actually fall asleep right there on the chair.
Knowing him, he probably would.
In a slow gentle motion, Tle moved his hand to the back of FirstOne’s neck, his thumb brushing soothingly over the skin there.
FirstOne’s eyes opened immediately.
He looked up, eyes crinkled faintly.
There it was.
That small playful spark.
“Uii… you’re doing that on purpose…”
Tle laughed, mirroring FirstOne’s playful expression before pulling his hand back, tipping his head toward Mai, who was grinning at them.
“Be good. P’Mai has work to do.”
FirstOne obediently turned back to Mai with a sheepish grin.
Mai glanced between them, amused. “No, no. Finish what you were doing. I’ll wait.”
FirstOne laughed, ears going warm. “P’Mai…”
Tle also let out a shy laugh, shaking his head and walking away to his own chair.
Sitting down, he chanced a glance at FirstOne in the mirror but FirstOne was already looking at him..
They shared a quiet look.
It was a look they’ve shared countless of times.
Just soft and familiar in a way that didn’t need explaining.