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Pete had a praise kink.
And he was making it everyone’s problem.
Niran certainly wasn’t helping either.
Everyone had noticed. Except Niran and Pete themselves somehow.
It all started after the whole debacle with the Lieutenant General. Life was starting to become normal, normal enough really, for Niran and Pete. Their relationship seemed stronger than ever.
Really… strong.
Jia Hao
Jia Hao hadn’t really paid attention to Niran and Pete’s weird relationship/friendship they had going on. That was too much drama for him. Beer was the most important thing to him. It only became noticeable when the two had visited him at a bar for some reason.
Bored. Just wanting to check in on him. Whatever nonsense Pete had spouted.
Even though Jia Hao had rolled his eyes, he was happy to see those two again. He was drinking some liquor when suddenly Pete turned to face Niran. The three of them were sitting in a booth, Pete and Niran on the same side.
Pete’s eyes were gleaming. Even under the dim lights of the bar. He didn’t say anything at first. Just stared at Niran with this weirdly doe looking gaze. Jia Hao blinked at the sight. He was about to ask what the hell was happening when Niran let out an amused huff.
Jia Hao watched in complete shock as Niran reached over and patted Pete’s head. It should’ve looked like an adult patting a kid’s head but instead it somehow came off as loving. A gesture to express his love.
“Good choice.” Niran simply said before pulling his hand away.
“Good… choice for what?” Jia Hao muttered.
Niran nodded his head towards the empty bowl of appetizers Pete had chosen. It was something new on the menu. Some form of Thai-Mexican tacos. Not bad at all, Jia Hao thought. But he didn’t understand why that warranted a compliment.
“You… praised him for choosing an appetizer?”
“Mhm.”
Jia Hao stared at the two of them as if they had grown two heads.
What the fuck?
Tong
“Here’s the book you wanted,” Tong handed over a book that spoke about Chinese spirits. He stepped into Pete’s house, slipping off his shoes.
“Thanks, Tong.” Pete placed the book on the dining table and opened the fridge, pulling out two drinks. “Here. Do you want to stay for dinner? Niran bought Korean barbecue.”
Tong shook his head. “I already have plans with Fei for dinner. Thank you though.” He took the drink and chatted a bit more with Pete. There was no harm in checking in on the other for a bit.
A few minutes later, Niran walked into the house, holding a bag of packaged Korean barbecue. He bowed his head in greeting—heading straight to the kitchen.
Pete reached over and grabbed the book, leaving Tong at the dining table by himself. Tong watched with curiosity as Pete stood beside Niran. Pete held up the book in front of Niran who took a moment to look up and take notice.
Niran stared at him for a second before a smile pulled on his lips. “ You got it.”
“Mhm,” Pete’s voice sounded light. Even though Tong could only see his back, he could tell Pete was smiling as he spoke. “Did I…?” His voice trailed off.
“You did good. Make sure you actually read it.”
“Aow, I’ll read it!”
Tong stared at them in disbelief.
Did he just watch Niran praise Pete for… getting a book?
Yok
Yok hadn’t intended to run into Niran and Pete at the movie theaters of all places. Maybe the city was smaller than she thought. The conversation was quick. Niran and Pete’s movie was about to start while Yok was just leaving hers. She was with some classmates of hers.
“You’re watching that one too? My friends and I just watched it. It’s great, you’ll love it!” Yok grinned.
Pete glanced over at Niran, a small smile pulling on his lips. His eyebrows raised slightly as he teasingly bumped into Niran’s shoulders.
Niran chuckled slightly. “You made a good choice.” He said. It was a normal sentence on paper but the way he said it made Yok blink in confusion. Her eyes bounced between Niran and Pete. Taking in their expressions.
This felt… flirty somehow.
“Well… I better go join my friends! Enjoy the movie.” She said, quickly running off.
What in the world was that?
Jack, Thua, and Tao
The three musketeers were over at Pete’s house again. A likely place for them to be. Thua was sprawled on the couch, playing some random mobile game. Tao was currently raiding Pete’s fridge for some food.
Jack sat at the dining table, watching something on his phone. Pete and Niran were outside doing something. Watering plants if they could remember correctly. Ever since Pete had started fixing up the house—he wanted to start a garden. Not a big one by any means.
Something small. Just for some greenery.
“Jack…” Tao was suddenly standing over Jack, startling the boy.
“What?”
“Look.”
Outside, Pete and Niran were practically pressed up together. Not the oddest sight. Not even something new that shocked them. But it was still a marvel whenever they saw it. How easy the two pressed together like two puzzle pieces. In such a short amount of time, they were connected as one.
Besides the soul binding ritual.
Jack and Tao quickly waved over Thua. The three sneakily stood by the door that led to the outside porch area. Luckily Pete and Niran’s back was towards them so they wouldn’t notice them watching.
“The flowers are finally blooming,” Pete placed the water can on the ground, standing up straight as he stretched his arms up above his head. A loud grunt left him. “The first three died on me.”
Niran hummed. He gently touched one of the small petals of the flower before standing tall. His eyes flickering over to Pete. “I’m pretty sure ten had died in your care.”
“Aow. You were keeping count?”
“It was my money you were using to buy new ones.”
Pete let out a sheepish laugh. “Ah, sorry. I didn’t realize.”
“It’s fine.”
The two were silent for a second before Pete turned to face Niran. His hands behind his back as he leaned in close. “Isn’t there… something you want to say?”
Niran raised an eyebrow. Even from here the boys could tell that Niran was teasing Pete, “what do I need to say?”
“Nirannnn.”
“Hm,” Niran crossed his arms across his chest. He tilted his head back, acting as if he was deep in thought before looking back at Pete. “You did good.”
Pete chuckled. His lips spread impossibly wide.
“Did he…?” Jack whispered.
Thua blinked, “praise him…”
“Like a dog…?” Tao finished.
Huh?
Fei
When Fei had asked for help from Niran and Pete, she didn’t think she would have to deal with two lovebirds. Everyone knew Niran and Pete were basically dating. Even if those two didn’t confirm anything.
But she wasn’t expecting this level of affection. She had only wanted them to help her track a Yao that was being sensed at a morgue. Usually she wouldn’t struggle finding it but it appeared that Yao was doing everything it could to hide from her.
She wanted Pete to listen out for it and point her in the right direction.
Realistically she only needed Pete.
However Niran and Pete were a packaged deal at this point. One wouldn’t come without the other.
“I can hear it,” Pete whispered. He nodded his head towards a strange vase that was conveniently hidden behind the large medical cabinet.
Fei huffed. “Thank you. I’ll handle it from here.” She stepped forward and began the ritual. Her focus shifted however when she could hear Niran and Pete whispering behind her.
“What?” Niran spoke first.
“Wasn’t I good?” Pete asked.
“You’re always good.” A chuckle escaped Niran. “I didn’t doubt you for a second.”
“Mhm, right. I’m pretty good, huh?”
“The demon is quite good.”
“Huh?” A whine left Pete’s throat. Fei didn’t know he could make a sound like that. “The demon—? Not me?”
“It’s technically his power.”
“Niran, don’t be mean.”
“Is it being mean if it’s the truth?”
“Nirannnn.” Pete huffed. “You said I was good.”
“You are. I’m just saying the demon was good too.”
“Jerk.”
“Pete. Pete. Face me.”
“No.”
“Pete, ok, ok,” Niran sighed. “You’re good. Great, even. The demon is under your control, no? So everything you do… is because you’re great.”
A soft laugh left Pete. “Hm, I should pout more. That got you to do what I wanted.”
“Brat.”
“You take that back!”
Fei wished she was deaf.
Niran
“Stay still.”
“Ow, ow, it hurts.”
Niran’s eyebrows furrowed. A scowl on his face. He grasped Pete’s chin and forced the man to look at him. His free hand that held the swab leaned over and continued to dab at the cut on Pete’s cheek.
Pete’s eyes screwed shut. Lips pressed into a straight line. He gripped the bedsheets beneath him and let out a stuttered wince. “Ow… ow…”
“This wouldn’t have happened if you didn’t stand in front of me.” Niran said.
“But,” Pete opened his eyes, a worried expression on his face. “If I didn’t you would’ve gotten hurt.”
“And you getting hurt is better?”
“…I can handle a punch.”
“Can you?”
Pete nodded his head. Or at least attempted to but it was hard with Niran’s tight grip on his face. “I can. I just didn’t want you to get hurt. You’re not really a fighter.”
Niran scoffed. “Because I’m not a fighter I should be okay with you getting hurt?”
“Well, I got the other guy good. He looked worse than me.”
“If it was up to me you wouldn’t have gotten hurt at all.”
“Oh.”
“Mhm. ‘Oh.’” Niran pulled away. He scanned Pete’s face for any more cuts before tossing the swab in the nearby trash bin. “I hope you know that you don’t need to sacrifice yourself to save me all the time. I can handle myself too.”
“I know.” Pete frowned. “I only…” his eyes were wide. “Just wanted to protect you.”
Niran sighed softly. “You can protect me without hurting yourself.”
“Okay.”
The room was silent. Pete looked as if he was going to continue pouting the entire night. Niran sighed to himself, reaching over to place his hand on the back of Pete’s neck. The other flinched, looking over at Niran with a confused expression.
“Thank you. You did great but,” Niran’s voice was stern. “Don’t put yourself in danger like that again. I hate seeing you hurt.” His gaze flickered to the red cut on Pete’s face. “It’ll make you ugly to have so many scars.”
“Aow!” Pete grabbed the nearby pillow and whacked Niran in the head. Niran laughed. “Asshole, I put my face on the line and this is how you repay me for it?!”
Niran grabbed the pillow before Pete could hit him again. He easily wrestled it out of his hands and placed it behind him. A smug expression on his face. “How should I repay you then?”
Pete rolled his eyes. “You know how.”
“Hmm, do I?”
“Niran. I’m not in the mood this time.”
A laugh left Niran. The sight of Pete always made him smile. He knew Pete had a praise kink. Did Pete know? He doubted that. Pete never directly stated that he liked being praised. But he would always allude to it.
Always smiling as soon as Niran said he was good or that he did a good thing. It was confusing at first. Technically it came out of nowhere. But he didn’t mind it. Not when it earned him those wide smiles and light laughter.
“Ok,” Niran reached over and teasingly poked Pete’s nose. The look in Pete’s eyes, that deer in headlights look made him laugh once more. “You were great.”
“Mhm. Was that so hard?”
“Really hard.”
“You’re not funny.”
“I think I’m quite hilarious.”
Pete punched him on the shoulder. “Asshole.”
“Ow, ow. You protected me only to hurt me yourself?”
“Yes!”
End?
“I really like it when he tells me that I was good. Is that normal?”
Tong blinked. Y’know, when he came back to get the book he had lent Pete earlier, he didn’t expect to be bombarded with the most unhinged question ever.
“Excuse me?” He asked.
Pete’s cheeks flushed. “Uh, Niran… I really like it when he… compliments me after I do something. Does that mean anything?”
“Doesn’t that just mean you have a praise kink?”
“A what now?”
Pete now had to confront the fact he had a praise kink.
And the fact that he liked it whenever his partner/not-friend/not-boyfriend was the one to praise him.
Shit.