Chapter Text
“Ma!” Oh-aew’s voice echoed at the resort’s patio, as he and his mother were standing at the main entrance, but he didn’t seem to mind the tourists passing by and eyeing them.
See, he has never been an insolent child, his mother knows that better than anyone, however frustration was getting the best of him.
“Oh-aew! Watch your tone!” Mama Pensri said warningly, but soon she took a deep breath and landed a gentle hand on her son’s shoulder. “I promise you I’m just looking out for you. You’re my only child, my forever baby-”
The boy in front of her snorted jokingly, the mood getting lighter with the woman’s caring words.
“I’m being serious here, Oh. I just want what’s best for you and you better believe me when I say I trust your judgement.” Oh-aew had to fight the urge to roll his eyes at that and of course that didn’t pass unnoticed by his ever observant mother. “I do. I see the way you look at him and the way he looks at you, and I’m happy you both worked things out… But living together is already too much of a big step for adults who have been together for ages, imagine for a couple in their teenage years.”
She took a deep breath again.
“I know it seems exciting to have him as your roommate since you’re going to the same faculty, but I don’t want you to become emotionally dependent on him. I know it’ll be hard moving to a different city and I don’t want you to ever feel alone, but you must be able to take care of yourself first, okay? We don’t know what’ll happen tomorrow and I want you to be on your feet no matter what.”
“Ma, can’t you have a little faith in my relationship? Teh was my best friend first.” Oh-aew let out while pouting, still sounding crossed with the whole exchange.
“Oh.” She caressed his face. “You’ll understand it someday.”
The thing is Oh-aew knew his mother’s concern was coming from a place of care. He knew she was trying her best not to show any judgement towards the fact that he was now dating his friend – not because Teh was a boy, and for that he was eternally grateful, but because she had been the one to lull him out of his sobs when he got his heart broken on that fateful day of their first kiss. He knew she was already putting her protective instincts on hold in order to accept Teh as his boyfriend, let alone to discuss the possibility of him and Teh moving in together as their uni classes were about to start.
Besides, Mama Pensri knew both boys would pretty much spend all their days together once they moved to Bangkok, even when they technically lived in different places. After all, they would attend the same classes and no one would have control over what they did. However, she still wanted Oh-aew to not become too entangled with someone at such a young age. She did like Teh, but the boy had proved to know all the ways to break her son’s heart and she knew Oh-aew just loved too hard, he would gladly accept and forgive all over again. If they made it through the first semester while focusing on their studies, they could have that conversation again, she said to Oh-aew.
In the end, he just nodded his head, whispered “okay, Ma, I trust you too” and hugged her.
Thirty minutes later, the salty breeze made Oh-aew feel lighter. The familiar touch of sand on his feet and the feather-like wind on his face felt like a hug. Oh-aew's favorite place in the world was definitely the beach he was now standing at, even more so when he could spot Teh already there, laying on a hammock, waiting for him.
His previous frustration seemed to slip away and Oh-aew decided that he had a favorite sight too: Teh full of smiles in that ridiculous hawaiian shirt.
“So… How did it go? Does she still hate my guts?” Teh said once Oh-aew approached him, making space for his boyfriend to lay beside him.
“She doesn’t hate you.” Oh-aew tried not to laugh, but his eyes betrayed him. “But you better not pull any stunts.” He side-eyed Teh in a more serious tone, still trying not to break into a grin.
“Shut up.” Teh let out while putting his left arm around Oh-aew’s shoulders and moving his head close enough to leave a peck on his boyfriend’s lips.
The other bathed in affection, getting comfortable in Teh’s embrace. But soon his usual teasing glance was back in place.
“Guess you’ll have to get used to not sleeping with me in Bangkok.”
“As if! I’m going to kidnap you if I have to!” Teh squeezed the laughing boy in his arms.
“No, you will not… Although that might be hot.”
“Shut the fuck up for real now.” It was Teh’s turn to laugh.
“Okay, then you didn’t want to live with me that much.” Oh-aew pouted.
Hearing that, Teh moved his right hand to cup Oh-aew’s face.
“Please, I want it so bad. But I understand your mom’s concern.” He offered a small smile. “It’s okay, really.”
Teh was aware of how much his own feelings scared him sometimes. Maybe not living together was the best choice for the sake of his studies, after all. He was really excited to start chasing his dreams alongside Oh-aew, but at the same time he knew he needed to focus on school, especially now that he was aware of how much of an inconsequential mess he could be — having relinquished his spot at Anantasart University not long ago, only to take the exam like everybody else and make it again by a stretch.
Bangkok. First day of uni.
“Is my hair okay?”
Teh asked for the second time in less than five minutes. He was in front of Oh-aew’s bedroom mirror, fixing his hair yet again, as Oh-aew was pacing in the middle of the room, ready to go.
“Teh, I swear I’ll leave you here and I’ll go to class by myself!”
They still had time to catch the skytrain, but Oh-aew didn’t want them to risk being late on their first day.
“Meanie.” Teh turned his head around to pout at his boyfriend's direction. Oh-aew responded with an eyeroll and walked over to where Teh was standing so he could cup the latter's cheeks with his hands.
“Ugh, you look amazing and I already know I’m gonna have a headache because every girl will want you as their boyfriend, okay?” He said as if that was the most unmoving truth, looking straight into Teh’s eyes.
Teh stuttered a bit and felt his cheeks burn. He suddenly felt bare with the way his boyfriend’s words came out so naturally. Yes, he joked about being good-looking all the time, but that was just him being goofy, not his actual belief.
“Now can we please get going?” Oh-aew caressed the face still on his hands, suddenly frowning as he noticed the dumbstruck look on the other’s face.
“I love you.” Teh said before he could think any better.
“What?” Oh-aew let out a bit too loud and wide-eyed.
Said boy gulped looking at his boyfriend's shining eyes. It was his first time hearing those words coming out of Teh’s mouth and now he was sure he was malfunctioning.
A beat passed between them.
“I love you.” Teh repeated with burning cheeks, showing off that boyish smile of his.
Oh-aew, on the other hand, suddenly felt light-headed.
“Teh, what the fuck.” He cried. “Out of all times, why did you choose now to say that? God, your timing is awful!” He said exasperated, unable to contain his tears.
Teh put his hands on top of Oh-aew’s as he took his sweet time to look into the latter’s eyes. He noticed a tear running just beside Oh-aew’s mole and chuckled lightly when he felt his own tears wetting his face.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry.” His dimples were on full display now and Oh-aew felt like he could faint.
Instead, he just rested his head on Teh’s shoulder and hugged his torso.
“I love you too.” Oh-aew spoke in a wet voice, squeezing Teh as tightly as he could.
Anantasart's Communication Arts building stood in all its glory in the morning sun. Teh and Oh for sure had a mesmerized look on their faces. Their shared dream was about to start taking form into reality.
“I’m so happy to be here with you.” Teh whispered in Oh-aew’s direction, already showing signs of being emotional.
“You big sap." Oh-aew smiled fondly, eyes getting smaller and cheeks turning red. "Let's get going, you said our classroom is on the second floor, right?" He started to drag Teh inside the building by the hand, but Teh didn’t move.
Oh-aew searched for his boyfriend’s face and followed the direction Teh was looking at. Their intertwined hands — Teh was frozen because of their intertwined hands. Oh-aew watched as Teh quickly looked around, probably trying to see if anyone had spotted them like that.
Oh-aew let go of Teh’s hand and quickly blinked when he felt some tears daring to fall. He put on a fake smile before looking back at the other’s apologetic face.
“Right. We didn’t talk about this.” Oh-aew tried to sound understanding, but his mind flashed with memories of when he and Bas walked hand in hand back in Phuket.
It’s not fair to compare, he tried to reason, even though he felt his heart ache. No, they didn’t have a proper conversation about being out as a couple on campus. And he knew Teh was still fighting his own demons.
“Oh… I’m sorry.” Teh’s voice broke mid sentence.
Teh looked… Defeated. He didn’t want things to go that way, however the thought of being openly affectionate with a man, even when said man was Oh-aew, still scared him.
“It’s okay, let’s just get through this day. We can talk later.”
Teh certainly did not feel like he deserved the small forced smile Oh-aew had thrown his way.