Chapter Text
Team is pissed. He’s consciously been trying to stay calm for a couple of minutes now, but this guy will not stop talking. This, grouped with the beer he was currently nursing, was shaping up to be a terrible combination.
The dorm party he’s currently attending with Dean and Win belongs to another swim team member. Word had spread to friends of friends and the party now also consisted of people outside of the swim team’s inner circle. Unfortunately, one of them happened to be Win’s ex.
Team, currently perched stiffly on an overstuffed sofa in the open plan living room, had been blessed solely with his company for the last 10 minutes. Win and Dean had spotted a couple of their graduated seniors and were catching up with them in the kitchen. From Team’s vantage point, they have their backs to the living room and so cannot see the predicament he has found himself in.
The aforementioned ex-lover, First, had quickly discovered Team had arrived with Win and Dean, and had launched into a full spiel on his history with them both. He’d quickly moved past Dean and was documenting his experiences with Win in detail. Team was feeling murderous, but the reason wasn’t jealousy.
“My time with Win was great, until he wanted something serious. You wouldn’t think it from looking at him, but he’s not the kind of guy who goes for casual relationships.” I know, Team thinks furiously. And who the hell are you to judge a person by how they look? “But I couldn’t get past the fact that Win also likes girls.” First continued, “I mean, if he was going to be unfaithful, that gives him like a 50% bigger pool to choose from.”
Team scowls. “That’s terrible math.”
First barrels on as if he hadn’t heard. “I just couldn’t deal with the paranoia that he’d leave me for a girl because he realised that would be easier. So I broke it off pretty quickly. I’m sure Win was upset, but I never regretted it.”
Team stands abruptly and slams his bottle down onto the coffee table, startling First. At that moment, Win turns and catches Team’s eyes from across the room. He looks from him, then to First, then back to Team in slow realisation. Team knows his face must look lethal by the way Win immediately starts to move towards them.
Team peers down at First, who is still staring wide eyed up at him. “I think we’re done here.” The alcohol makes his tongue loose. “I’d say it was nice to meet you, but I’d rather pull my eyelids off than talk to you for much longer.”
He strides to the balcony door and pulls it open just as Win reaches his side.
Win follows him out onto the balcony and quickly slides the glass door closed behind them. The jumbled noise of the party fades away into the background as it shuts, the muffled sound of upbeat pop music the only sound permeating the night atmosphere. Team dimly registers Dean moving to stand protectively by the door on the inside.
“Team,” Win hurries, “what did First say to you-”
He cuts off as Team grabs his face to lock eyes with Win, cheeks flushed pink from alcohol.
“I like you.”
Win looks bewildered. “Huh?” The sound is slightly garbled from Team’s hold on his cheeks.
Team’s eyebrows scrunch together in an adorable frown. “I said I like you. I like you just as you are, no matter what anyone else says.”
A look of realisation dawns over Win. He gently pries Team’s hands off his face and links them down below with his own. Team begins to absent-mindedly swing their joined arms from side to side. Now that he’s away from First and out in the cool night air, his mind feels pleasantly fuzzy and his earlier anger has faded mostly at the sight of his boyfriend, earrings glinting in the city lights.
Win is so pretty and kind, he thinks. First has no idea what he’s missing out on.
He blinks back as he realises Win is speaking. He looks pensive and worried, and Team feels his residual anger at First flare back up with a vengeance.
“I’m sorry if he made you uncomfortable,” Win releases his hands to cross his arms over his chest, and Team does not like that one bit. “It can’t exactly be easy to hear about your boyfriend’s commitment issues-”
Team resists the urge to go and strangle that asshole and cuts him off immediately.
“His commitment issues. Not yours.” When Win just stares at him, he continues. “He already mentioned that you were the one who wanted something serious, but he doubted your loyalty because of your sexuality. As if that was something to be proud of.”
Win’s eyes dim. He turns sideways to lean his elbows on the balcony railing, gazing out at the city. Team takes in the picture he makes outlined by the Bangkok skyline, and waits.
“I’ve never been ashamed of my sexuality. I’ve known I was bisexual since I was 15, it’s an important part of who I am. But it doesn’t define how I treat my partners in relationships. I would never be unfaithful just because I’m attracted to more than one gender. The hardest part for me has been finding a partner who understands that.”
“That’s because people can be colossal dicks.”
Win is startled into laughter. “What?” He looks at Team, who is now glaring down at the ground with his arms crossed. He huffs like a tiny angry dragon.
“I said people can be colossal dicks! What does being bisexual have to do with being unfaithful?” His voice is gradually rising in volume. “You’re the most loyal person I know! If anybody needed help, whether it’s P’Dean or your family-”
“Or you.” Win cuts in amusedly.
Team gestures wildly. “Or me! You would go out of your way to help them. You wouldn’t stop until they were-” He trails off. Win has been watching his tirade like he personally hung the moon. His eyes are shining, mouth turned up in the warmest smile he’s ever seen. Team would burn cities to the ground if it meant protecting that light in Win’s eyes.
“Why are you looking at me like that?”
“Because I think I found them.”
“Who?”
Win’s fond smile pins him in place. “The person who understands.”
The words float through the air and spread throughout Team’s chest like warm caramel. He deflates completely, anger snuffed out like a doused flame.
Team suddenly feels unbearably, inexplicably shy. Ever since they met, one of Win’s main personality traits seems to be trying to fluster him until he can barely stammer out a reply. At the beginning, it never really worked. He would instead react in objection, loudly protesting his complaints at his senior’s words to anybody who could hear. But as the months passed, and with it their relationship grew into more than friends, Win’s words now tend to take up root in his heart and not let go until they bloom.
Win waits as patiently as ever for Team to finish processing. He moves a little closer until they’re face to face. Team glances sideways through the glass door, warily considers who might be able to see them framed against the backdrop of the city lights. He comes to a decision as his arms reach up to pull Win into an embrace.
Win lets him hide his face over his shoulder, a fact Team is eternally grateful for. Win has learned that when Team gets shy and overwhelmed like this he needs a moment to collect himself, somewhere he can work out his thoughts where Win can’t see. Team closes his eyes and nuzzles his cheek against Win’s.
“I really want to be that person for you.”
Win tightens his hold on his back. “Thank you, Team.”
“You don’t have to thank me for being a decent human being.” He mumbles.
Win manages to side-eye him even when he can’t see him. “I’m not, I’m thanking my boyfriend for defending my honour.” He smacks a kiss onto the nearest cheek. “My hero.”
Team smiles contentedly, eyes still closed. They sway gently in the embrace for a while, the gentle breeze cool on their cheeks.
When Team opens his eyes, he spots First staring at them incredulously from inside. Without dislodging Win, he lifts his middle finger in greeting.
“Are you flipping him off?” Win’s tone is amused.
Team quickly retracts his hand to Win’s back. “No.”
He feels Win’s grin against the side of his neck.
Worth it, Team thinks.
Win pulls away and holds his hand out. “Let’s go back and join the party. Dean has been complaining about how much he misses Pharm so we need to find him before he escapes and literally Captain America-runs to Pharm’s apartment.”
Team snorts, but takes the proffered hand. “P’Dean already left. He guarded the balcony until he knew we were good and then took off.”
Win laughs, and something inside Team settles at the noise. He lets himself be dragged inside.
They call it quits after one more drink, a fact which Team is infinitely pleased for. First’s weighted stare followed them around the whole time, and Team was rapidly edging toward the level of tipsy that makes him confrontational. Win, wise as ever, had steered him abruptly away and out the door before he could reach that point.
Team is feeling pleasantly buzzed, both off the alcohol and the rush of affection from the balcony, as they walk hand in hand to Win’s room. Once inside, Win flops back onto the bed with a contented sigh. Team cocks his head and considers him.
“Have you ever celebrated pride?”
Win shakes his head against the sheets. “Not really. I was never quite sure how to go about it.”
Team nods, then wanders to the other side of the room. He rummages under Win’s desk until he pops back out with a blank piece of paper salvaged from the printer.
“Do you have anything I can colour with?”
Win sits up curiously and points to the low coffee table where a pack of colouring pencils lies.
(One night when they got takeout last week, Team had accidentally ordered Win a children’s portion from one of their local restaurants. When it was delivered, it came with a free colouring sheet and mini colouring pencils. Team thought it was hilarious until Win stole half his food to make up for it.)
Team settles cross legged on the floor under the low table and starts to colour, his arm a blur of movement over the page. Win’s curiosity gets the best of him as he moves to peer over Team’s shoulder. Team throws his body over the paper and glares back at him.
“No peeking!”
Win holds his hands up in placation, endlessly amused by his tipsy boyfriend’s antics, and backs away to the bathroom to change and wash up for bed. When he returns, patting his face dry with a towel, Team is staring down at his finished drawing.
Win throws the towel at Team’s head. Team squawks and hastily pulls it off.
“Is your masterpiece complete, Leonardo DaVinci?”
Team stands hesitantly, making a show of brushing himself off, before holding up the paper for Win to see.
It’s a bisexual pride flag. The pink at the top has bled over a little into the purple in Team’s enthusiasm, and the blue has a few gaps of white where his hand has missed, but it is unmistakably, without a doubt, a bisexual pride flag.
The room falls silent as Team watches Win take it in. Win is looking down at the crudely drawn flag in such awe that Team swears his eyes are glistening.
Team clears his throat, suddenly embarrassed. “I know it’s kind of messy, I can throw this away and buy a better one-”
Win snatches the flag from his hands. “No, I’m keeping this one forever, back off.” He punctuates this by cupping Team’s jaw and kissing his protest away.
Win pulls back and squeezes Team’s cheeks. “You are the cutest most thoughtful person in the world.”
Team bats at his hands. “Don’t go around telling people, it might ruin my bad boy reputation.”
Win snorts and ruffles his hair, then wanders off to find tape. After Team washes up for bed, he emerges to see that Win has proudly taped the makeshift flag onto the back of his bedroom door. When Team crawls into Win’s waiting arms, he’s happy to note the flag can be seen from the bed, warm with the knowledge that Win probably planned it that way. Team snuggles further into Win’s arms, eyes closed.
“Team?” Team hums in question. “I like you just the way you are too.”
Team’s eyes open. “I don’t know what I am, Hia.” He smiles at Win a little sadly. “I think I might be gay, but I’m really not sure.”
“You don’t have to be anything if you don’t want to. You can just be Team.” Win kisses his forehead. “And if one day you decide a label is right for you, I’ll still be right here.”
Team smiles, warmly this time, and burrows down into Win’s embrace.
(A couple of weeks later, Team will officially come out to his friends as gay. Pharm will make him desserts to celebrate. Dean will tell him he’s proud of him. Manaow will give him the tightest hug he’s ever received. And Win will gift him his own hand-drawn gay pride flag. Team will vehemently deny that he teared up, then tape it in its rightful place below Win’s on the back of the bedroom door.)