Archive of Our Own

Chapter Text

Rules over feelings became her motto.

It was the only way to survive, especially after Bambi came back into her life. 

Especially when their work kept their paths crossing, such as scheduled appointments, events, parties. Shared spaces where avoidance was never an option. 

Curiously enough, anyone who knew Prim now would never guess that she had once fallen so deeply in love, so, so deeply, that it shattered her own heart in the process. Since then, feelings felt fickle and revealed the weakness she tried hard to hide. 

And if they were going to stand side by side again, the structure had to hold. Because if it cracked, even slightly, everything underneath was bound to blow.

The first few times they hung out at nighttime together, without friends and staff, felt almost pleasant. Smoother than Prim expected.

They sat on opposite sides of the table at first, drinking while talking about different topics such as work, mutual acquaintances they rolled their eyes at, industry gossip, and some boring events. 

Prim would notice the way Bambi would speak with hands moving with enthusiasm as she tossed her long hair to the side. 

Prim's ears would be filled with a sultry voice that she used to hear everyday whispering good mornings next to her ear, once upon a time. 

And if anyone asked, they would say they worked in the same industry and had known each other since college. 

These days, that was all it was supposed to be. Prim told herself it was all that.

But then, on one of those late nights, while sharing a booth seat in their favorite lesbian bar, Bambi's hand found her hand, light at first.

Bambi's thumb traveled up Prim's forearm, her fingernail making slow circles on the inside of her wrist where the skin was thinner and sensitive. 

"We used to be close friends at college, didn't we?" Bambi asked.

Prim's jaw tightened, goosebumps immediately erupted in the wake of that touch, but she didn't pull away.

"That was before we dated each other." Prim breathed.

"I know. But… maybe we can start from scratch…"

Prim's eyes narrowed, listening carefully to Bambi.

"... I think we are very much on the same page now." 

And there it was again. 

The desire, like anger but it was something to deal with rather than let suffocate her.

"You can actually look at me again." Bambi whispered, leaning in toward Prim's left ear. She gave a soft, amused laugh edged with sarcasm. 

Bambi wasn't wrong. When she had first come back, Prim had kept her distance, her answers were short and quite harsh. But then a few weeks later as the conversations became longer, Prim's eyes started to linger without looking away. 

"And we are both adults who can separate things… so, what if we keep things easy as friends?" Bambi finished.

Prim's breathing picked up, her eyes searched Bambi's face. "Are you suggesting that we..."

But then she stopped as she wondered if Bambi was about to say what she was thinking of, and realized she wasn't ready to hear it.

"We can help each other out." Bambi completed with a whisper in her ear, and Prim felt adrenaline racing so fast she felt dizzy. "When we need it and when we both want to."

Prim's eyes fell to Bambi's hand still touching her forearm suggestively, then she tilted her head upon suspicion.

"You mean sex?" Prim asked, hoping for a confirmation. Because if Bambi was talking about anything else, Prim wouldn't be able to give her what she wanted.

"Yes." Bambi nodded with an angelic smile, her pure doe eyes sparkled under the bar lights. 

But the cunning, predatory glint in her gaze afterward shattered that sweet image.

Prim's eyes stayed on her face, searching for cracks in the logic while her mind worked. 

That could be a smaller glimpse of what they had had, but without a risk of hurt. In theory, it could be fun and safe, so it made sense. 

Of course, bodies held memories, but sex wasn't the same as an actual relationship, and Prim had built her life on separating it from romance. 

It could be just mutual pleasure for both, no emotional liability. Especially with someone she once knew so well. 

She repeated the logic over and over until it felt like reality, while Bambi's fingers were still on her skin, watching her the whole time, as if waiting.

Once again, Prim tried to tell herself that whatever that was, it could happen without any significance. 

So, why not? Prim thought.

She gulped and cleared her throat. 

"Ehm… I guess…" Prim breathed, and then nodded, once, like she was agreeing to a business arrangement rather than surrendering the only weakness she had never been able to get rid of, and that being the woman sitting next to her. "Yeah. We can do this." 

Prim would keep her heart locked down. She could do it. She had to.

"Great!" Bambi smiled excitedly, and the word landed breezy, like they had just agreed on dessert.

Bambi's palms briefly pressed to the table as she stood. She slid out of the booth,already turning toward the noise and lights. 

The sudden absence of Bambi made the booth feel lonely, and the sudden emptiness felt like Prim had just blinked and missed the punchline.

For a second, she just stared at Bambi's back as she moved.

"Where are you going?" Prim asked, doubtful.

Bambi glanced back, already a few steps away from the table. "I'm gonna dance."

Prim frowned, still catching up. "Now?"

A small smile tugged at Bambi's mouth, her brows lifted with an edge of brattiness. 

"You're not coming?" Bambi didn't wait and just turned, like she trusted Prim to follow.

Prim blew out a breath and scrubbed a hand back through her hair, pushing it off her forehead, trying to shake the tightness out of her shoulders while thoughts were louder than the music. 

The idea of sitting there alone after that conversation, pretending to sip a drink like she hadn't just agreed to something that could wreck her, felt absurd.

So she stood, fixed her hair to let it fall on her shoulders, then stepped away from the booth and followed Bambi.

The lights were too flashy, but Bambi stood out immediately. She faced Prim as she approached, already moving, her whole body already tuned to the music.

Bambi was acting like nothing had happened, like that was an ordinary night and they were normal ex-girlfriends who hadn't just negotiated the terms of touching each other again.

But she danced so lively, so confidently, her energy was bright and unapologetic. 

Prim's eyes followed without permission.

Bambi was too captivating to not look at, but too tempting to look for too long.

So Prim found herself drifting, lost in Bambi's eyes and her natural magnetism.

But then someone behind Bambi made some jerky movement that made her small body push forward, her stomach grazing the front of Prim's slim top, the contact was brief but made the heat seep through fabric straight into Prim's skin.

Bambi didn't move away, she kept dancing and hips swaying sensually with a soft bend in her knees, her smile intact as if she was enjoying herself way too much. 

Prim tried to mirror her enthusiasm, just to let her own body loosen. 

For a moment, her eyes stayed on Bambi's face.

The shine in her eyes, the way she smiled so brightly almost fooled Prim into forgetting she was someone who was difficult, immature, sharp-tongued, reckless and menaceful. The nightmare Prim was getting used to being around again. 

Bambi stood there looking like someone who could ruin your life without you even noticing the moment it happened.

She lifted her arms, draping them around Prim's neck. Her wrists rested light against the back of Prim's hair, and then she smiled wider.

Prim didn't pull her in, but her stance shifted, her body aligning with Bambi's without conscious thought. She moved too, trying to look relaxed, like the proximity wasn't doing anything to her at all.

The bar kept filling, and more people pressed closer. 

Until Bambi leaned in, lips near Prim's ear. "This calls for a fun escape." 

Prim swallowed, her body gone rigid.

Bambi giggled like that was exactly what she expected, then she let her arms slide down from Prim's neck as she pulled apart and turned toward the exit.

Prim went after her as the music slowly faded behind them.

Prim didn't expect it to hit her strongly until Bambi's soft red lips touched hers.

Her heart reacted before anything else could catch up. 

Butterflies spread in her stomach, the very same ones she felt when she kissed Bambi for the first time. 

Bambi's hips were gripped by large hands, fingers brushing the bare skin where her cardigan had ridden up, and Prim felt Bambi shudder at the warm contact. Her back was pressed on Prim's vehicle door, and then Prim pulled back just slightly, finding it hard to breathe. 

They looked at each other, but no words were spoken before they kissed again. 

Prim guided them inside the vehicle and closed the door.

Bambi laid on the back seat, pulling Prim down to lay on top of her, their bodies pressed together.

"Bambi…" Prim panted against her mouth, and she could swear by Bambi's wide eyes that she might have thought that Prim was going to back away. 

"Hey..." Bambi said back in a whisper, fast enough. "Don't overthink. Just–" 

Prim didn't let her finish, and kissed Bambi again, but now it was deeper, tongues finally touched, mouths clashed in a tempting dance. 

Bambi opened her legs to accommodate Prim's body and deepen their kiss. 

The moment their clothed centers brushed, Prim's hips immediately jerked on hers, an intense groan escaping her mouth, difficult to contain. 

Instantly, heat rushed under Prim's skin, running through her veins like they were lines of gasoline catching fire altogether. 

And suddenly, the gloominess of the past years completely swept away. 

The mood flipped from blue to red, just as Prim felt something folding in her abdomen. 

Then Prim's eyes met Bambi's gaze under the neon lights illuminating the car inside. Her doe eyes were a dark pool of warmth, lust, need, trouble, longing. Prim stared at her for too long, enough to feel like she had just stepped into deep water and was about to drown again.

Suddenly Bambi's hands traced her face, softly. 

"P'Prim… is this really okay for you?" She whispered, and she could see how large Prim's pupils got at the question. 

"Uh, yeah, of course..." Prim's voice trembled as she braced herself with her forearms. "Is it for you?"

"I don't have any reservations about it." Bambi breathed out. "But if you do, we can stop." 

Bambi stared at Prim, waiting. 

"I don't want to stop." Prim finally said.

And to both of their shock, Prim pressed herself against Bambi again, the younger one held back a pleased moan when their clothed centers humped each other.

Bambi's sultry moans made Prim feel the wettest underneath, the most awakened she had ever felt in a while. 

She could feel herself in flames, her underwear soaking more with every kiss.

But Prim couldn't let Bambi know how she was anticipating to touch her again. So she stayed guarded.

And instead of pure lust, Prim noticed Bambi's cheeks flushing, her swollen lips slightly opened, reacting exactly how she did when they had their first time together. 

Prim thought it was the most endearing thing in the world.

'Stop. You are friends now.'

They were left in their upper clothes, just staring at each other, both sat.

"Are you sure you don't want to stop?" Prim needed reassurance, hesitation evident in her tone.

"No!" Bambi answered abruptly.

"Okay." 

Moments after, the cardigan was gone, Prim's hands had found Bambi's back in search of her bra.

Bambi's fingers slowly slid the straps down her shoulders like she was giving Prim time to keep up as Prim's hands finally found the clasp, but her fingers weren't as steady as usual. 

It seemed Prim's hands had forgotten how to act.

Which made no sense. Because Prim had unclasped bras in darker places, louder rooms, without a second thought, and a fast pace. 

But with Bambi, her thumb slipped.

Finally, the clasp gave and Bambi's breasts spilled free in one unrestrained motion.

At that moment, Prim's eyes locked there, frozen like she had never seen such a beautiful sight before. Like she didn't know where to put her hands. 

Bambi's mouth curved slowly, playfulness slipping back to her face. She leaned closer instead of covering herself.

"You're looking at me like you've never seen my tits before." A soft breathy laugh escaped her mouth, like she enjoyed catching Prim like that.

But Prim didn't laugh. Pride wouldn't let her.

Then Bambi's hands slid down, finding Prim's hands, bringing them to her breasts, her palms touching soft mounds.

Prim's breath hitched before she could stop it.

If her body wanted to act inexperienced, she would override it.

Her hands pressed them firmer, squeezing it.

"You don't have to guide me." Prim muttered flatly, confidence sliding back into place. "I know what to do."

Bambi almost let out a moan when she felt Prim's face on her breasts, mouth sucking sensitive nipples, hands tightening on it. She arched her back to give Prim more access. She said only Prim knew how to give the same amount of attention and devotion to her breasts. 

Prim hovered over her again, hand between Bambi's legs, fingers dripping.

"Please, P'Prim…" She whimpered on Prim's ears, her voice cracking. 

When Prim's finger slipped inside Bambi, she saw the moment Bambi winced, and closed her eyes as her pelvic muscles trembled around the invasion.

"You okay?" Prim tensed as concern spread across her face as her free hand came up to cradle Bambi's jaw, waiting for a signal to continue.

Bambi's eyes fluttered open. 

She leaned into the palm on her face, almost melting under Prim's touch. She met Prim's gaze and gave a sure nod after feeling the initial tension in her tight walls unwinding.

"Keep going..."

Prim moved carefully, letting Bambi adjust, and then she started to insert her finger, slowly, in and out. 

Bambi looked up at her, at the way Prim was moving, her face focused. As if she was scared she was hurting her. 

And somehow, seeing Prim up there, worrying about her, caring that much made Bambi crave for more. She opened her legs wider, which was another sign of approval that made Prim dive her finger further.

Finally, Bambi's gasps turned into proper moans, breathy and needy. 

And just like that, it started to feel good. Really good.

"One more, please." Bambi breathed out,

Prim added another finger and Bambi moaned again. 

The moment Bambi saw the subtle smile that curled Prim's lips was the moment her moans grew louder. 

"Ahh, yes!"

Prim knew how good she was making Bambi feel. 

Her hips rocked against Prim's fingers, chasing the release while Prim speeded her thrusts. 

"P-Prim…" Bambi whimpered, gripping Prim's shoulders. 

Prim wasn't sure if it was a plea or a warning. 

"Hm?" Prim kissed Bambi, softening her movements for a moment. "Does it hurt?"

"No… it's good. You're doing so well." Bambi said softly against Prim's mouth. "It's just that now I'm so close."

Prim let out a sharp breath release, speeding up her pace, bracing herself with one forearm. 

"Oh, don't stop… I'm…" Bambi's mouth stayed open in desperate gasps as she felt the climax coming. She came hard, her body quivering uncontrollably beneath Prim's. 

When her body calmed down, she remembered that Prim was still hovering over her, watching her, completely heady.

Bambi moved quickly, kissing down Prim's neck, her lips brushing her sensitive skin, being entranced by the smell of her perfume, and it was as musky and pleasant as ever. 

Prim spread her legs wide as Bambi settled between her thighs, and Bambi saw the gleaming of her dripping pussy, immediately Bambi bit her lower lip at the titillating sight. 

When Bambi placed her mouth next to her inner thigh, her fingers brushing past her wetness, Prim's whole body tensed. 

Prim's moans started soft, almost timid, before growing louder as soon as Bambi's tongue brushed her clit, sucking it all the area, her lips finding the sensitive glans under the veiny hood.

Bambi's mouth lingered for a while, her warm tongue knowing what to do. That made Prim lose track of time.

But what dazzled Prim the most was the way Bambi looked at her while doing so.

Prim felt like she was high on ecstasy even though they had both drank only a few beers.

"F-fuck, this feels good." Her hand went to Bambi's head, pressing her closer to her thighs.  

A grunt escaped Prim's mouth, her hips lifting off the seat, pressing on Bambi's face, just as she found release and finally came.

Afterward, Bambi had already crawled back up Prim's body and laid on top of her. They stayed there in silence, both breathing hard, and Prim felt her heart still racing.

What have they done?

Bambi slowly turned to look at Prim's side profile. She observed Prim gulping, and how it seemed that she was struggling to not stare back at Bambi. 

"So…" Bambi breathed after a while, now staring at the car window. "How was that for you?"

It felt too good and it scared Prim. 

"That was intense..." Prim talked quietly, facing the car ceiling. Then she sighed, and turned her face to stare at Bambi. 

"Absolutely." Bambi whispered back, arm looping around her waist.

Post midday, Prim pulled up outside the production house, eyes squinting against the glare bouncing off the glass storefront.

For the first time ever, she was late to the scheduled meeting. 

When she walked past the glass doors at the lobby area, she noticed the conference room was full. Min was there sitting at the head of the table, Praew stood near her, the models were sitting at the side of the table, her legs crossed while scrolling through her phone, uninterested. 

But Prim scanned further, to the other side of the table and her eyes immediately caught the way Shasha was standing and leaning against the table next to Bambi.

They were discussing something, Shasha was too close to Bambi's seat, pointing a finger at something on the laptop screen as Bambi scrolled the mousepad with a rare clipped demeanor.  

Bambi looked up at the sound of the door shutting, as their eyes met across the room.

She saw Bambi's cheeks flushed slightly. Just a hint of pink spreading across her face. Her lips parted like she was about to say something, but then Min spoke first.

"Thank God, P'Prim! Finally. We've been waiting." Min said, stretching her shoulders. 

"Pardon me." That was all Prim said, making sure everyone knew her presence. 

She wouldn't justify, nor explain to them that she was tired because she had a long intense night with the woman that was also in the room.

Prim walked toward the conference table, sensing Bambi's body following all her steps. But she didn't look at Bambi.

Then, she picked the seat next to Min. 

But now she could see Bambi directly across the table. They were face to face, but they still hadn't acknowledged each other.

The meeting started with Min discussing the campaign's overall concepts as she showed up on moodboards on the large screen behind her. Prim tried to focus and tried to pay attention to the words.

But her eyes kept darting to Bambi. 

Bambi was wearing a long sleeve off shoulder burgundy dress, her hair cascading her shoulders, her collarbone was evident. She looked serious. And too normal for someone who moaned filthy words the night before.

Prim forced her attention back to Min's presentation, trying to keep herself professional.

Minutes later, when Bambi turned her head, she caught Prim staring at her. They made eye-contact. But Prim cleared her throat and looked away quickly.

Prim knew that Bambi noticed her ears turning red. She could see them even from across the table, the ultimate body sign that meant Prim could be shy. 

Bambi's lips slowly curved in mischief.

Flush flooded through Prim's face.

"So, P'Prim." Praew said, and Prim's attention snapped back to the photographer. "What do you think about the locations we've scouted?"

"I..." Suddenly, Prim's mind went blank. "I think they're..."

She had completely lost track of the conversation that had just happened minutes ago. She had no idea what locations they were talking about. Or perhaps she knew, but her foggy head wouldn't cooperate with her memory in these critical moments.

Bambi glanced at her, the seriousness remained across her face.  

"You should show the photos to Khun Prim." Bambi suggested, her voice absent of any resignation. "So she can make an informed decision."

"Right. Sure." Praew pulled up images on the screen.

Prim tried to focus on analyzing the photos. She really did.

Some locations appeared on the screen and they all looked fine, all looked the same. 

Prim had no idea what she was supposed to be looking at right now. Her eyes drifted across the table again. Bambi was watching her, and when their eyes met, Bambi looked away immediately. 

"So…?" Praew prompted.

"The pool house seems more suitable." Prim said, picking one at random. "The natural light will work better for Khun Bambi's collection."

Praew nodded, apparently satisfied with that answer.

Prim exhaled quietly and tried to calm herself and focus. 

"Nong Bambi?" Min's voice cut through Prim's torment, and directed at Bambi.

"Yes?" Bambi turned to Min.

"Your opinion on the budget breakdown?"

"Uh…" Bambi paused, blinking slowly. "The... budget?"

"We just spent the last minutes discussing it." Gorya said, scoffing as she glanced at Bambi. "Were you not paying attention?"

"Oh right. I was listening." Bambi answered, crossing her legs, while she shot a glare back at Gorya, forcing a smile before turning to Min. "I just... P'Min, can you please show me the numbers again?"

Min nodded and pulled up a spreadsheet on the big screen.

Bambi tried desperately to focus on the columns and lines. But she glanced up, Prim was now staring at her. 

Their eyes met again, but it didn't last long, because they both looked away at the same time. 

"I… I think the allocations are reasonable." Bambi tried to respond, the same way Prim did, as if she had no idea what the actual numbers were. But thankfully, it was her mother's money that was being allocated. "Let's move forward."

The meeting dragged on for another thirty minutes. 

Thirty torturous minutes of Prim struggling not to look at Bambi and then noticing Bambi stealing glances at her. And when that happened, Prim's stomach would flip.

'Don't freak out.'

Moments later, Min wrapped up the meeting and they could finally breathe properly again. 

"Great. So we're all set for the next events."

"Perfect! Thank you, everyone." Bambi said with a polite smile.

They started gathering things and left the room, one by one. Bambi grabbed her bag and headed for the door in fast steps.

Bambi was halfway to the door when she heard Prim's voice. "Wait." 

She turned slowly, her fingers sliding off the door handle.

Prim was standing near the window, her high heels were making her a half foot taller, hands in pockets, and a serious expression. 

Now they were the only people in the room.

"What is it?" Bambi asked, raising an eyebrow, keeping her voice distant.

By the time they blinked again, Prim began to cross the room, high heels tapped the floor as her eyes stayed locked on Bambi's. 

She didn't stop until she was one step away from Bambi. 

"Hey… are you okay?" Prim suddenly asked.

Bambi felt her heartbeat jump to her neck. "I'm fine."

A pause.

Prim shifted her weight. The movement brought her closer to Bambi.

"You seemed distracted today."  

"You too." Bambi retorted, with a small smile. Prim's fingers curled against her palm at the observation, then Bambi continued. "But yeah, I didn't get much sleep." 

Prim nodded, pursing her lips together while glancing at Bambi's face. It was as if she could see right through Bambi's eyes. 

Her gaze traveled across Bambi's face, lingering at her mouth, then back to her eyes. 

Bambi had no other choice but to avoid looking at Prim's eyes. 

Her eyes dropped to Prim's collarbone, where a silver chain rested around her neck. Anywhere but her eyes.

Then Prim took her hands out of pockets, one hand reached out, settling on Bambi's waist.

It was barely a grip, just a light touch. But it sent electricity through Bambi's entire body. Bambi finally looked up, her eyes meeting Prim's.

Prim's thumb brushed against Bambi's waist, and Bambi's breath caught.

It seemed that neither were willing to be the first to address the elephant in the room.

Prim's shoulders relaxed slightly, but her hand stayed on Bambi's waist. Her thumb traced a small circle against the dress fabric. 

Bambi didn't grasp from her touch.

"About last night…" Prim started, then stopped. Her jaw tightened as if she was trying to find the next words.

Bambi already could sense the taste of rejection, the regret and the inevitable end to whatever that was supposed to mean.

"That shouldn't happen again." Prim concluded quietly, eyes dropping to Bambi's shoulder.

Bambi understood that, she truly did. She took a deep breath to gather a bit of steadiness to force her words to come out level.

"I understand." Bambi said calmly. "That was just a mistake that–"

"I didn't say it was a mistake." Prim's eyes met hers again. 

Bambi blinked slowly, her mind scrambled to process the contradiction. 

Prim's hand fell away from Bambi's waist. She crossed her arms over her chest, fingers digging into her arms.

Prim believed that what happened between them wasn't a mistake. But also, she thought it should not happen again. What the hell did that even mean? How could it be both things at once? 

"We have..." Prim started, her breathing audible. "We have a deadline, upcoming shoots…"

Bambi sighed, clearly that wasn't what she expected to hear. "Yeah... I know."

"And we still need to redo the contract details, review the other location options Praew sent over…" Prim stopped, eyes on the conference room's board. "The schedule is really tight…" 

Bambi watched as Prim continued rambling.

Prim was pretty much avoiding talking about the fact that she was supposed to hate Bambi, and they were ex-girlfriends. Not to mention the fact that they touched each other.

Bambi's mind spun because nothing made sense. She gathered her hair in one hand and swept it over her shoulder, away from her neck. The movement exposed her neckline.

And that was when Prim's words died mid-sentence.

Her eyes automatically dropped to Bambi's neck, then lower, to the shadow of the neckline.

"And..." Prim tried to continue. "And the timeline is really... we need to..."

She trailed off completely, her eyes trying to avert off Bambi's bosom.

Bambi bit down her bottom lip slightly upon realizing it.

Prim's eyes were now locked onto Bambi's mouth, watching her bite her lip. Instantly, her adam's apple jumped as she swallowed hard. 

The fact that Prim wasn't talking about work because she wanted to. She was talking about work because she was trying desperately not to want yesterday's encounter to happen again. But she was showing the opposite right now.

And the evidence was written all over Prim's face through her body language. Because she couldn't stop staring at Bambi's mouth…

"Do you regret it?" Bambi asked.

Prim's mouth snapped shut instantly, her eyes snapped to hers. 

She shook her head fast. "No."

Relief flooded through Bambi's chest as a small smile curved her lips. 

"I didn't either." Then, Bambi continued. "Actually... it made me feel better."

Prim's expression shifted and softened.

"I'm glad to know." Prim drawled.  

Bambi smiled.  

Prim's jaw flexed, and for a moment, her eyes dropped to Bambi's red lips again and lingered there.

Bambi took a breath, a small smiling curving onto her lips. 

"Do you want to do it again?" Bambi whispered, more carefully. 

Suddenly Prim's body tensed.

"I…" Prim cleared her throat, then tried again, softer, betraying herself. 

Bambi didn't let her finish, and stepped closer. 

"We don't have to." Bambi said lightly, as if the dense atmosphere between them hadn't just doubled. Then, continued too casual. "Are you hungry?"

Prim blinked. "Hungry?" 

Bambi's smile curved and nodded. "There's a place a few blocks from here. Good food. We could step out for a bit." Her eyes held Prim's. 

Prim swallowed. "So you mean… to eat food."

Bambi's gaze dipped briefly to Prim's mouth before returning to her eyes. 

"That depends." She said softly. "Are you starving?"

Prim's cheeks flushed. She hated how transparent she felt under that look.

"I have work right now." Prim muttered, though it came out weak.

"Then maybe later." Bambi replied gently.  

Prim opened her mouth to argue. Nothing came out.

Bambi took a slow step back toward the door, she lingered there a second long, then she slipped out.

The rest of the afternoon dragged as Prim tried to bury herself in the actual work. 

Back at the studio, she nodded through conversations she barely processed, trying to stay focused. But every time the main door shifted, her pulse jumped before she could stop it.

The light outside the studio windows shifted from bright afternoon light to a soft color that meant evening was settling in. 

One by one, people packed up while Prim pretended she was not waiting for something, or someone.

Then the door opened. Bambi stepped inside. 

But she paused just past the threshold like she had only just remembered something, holding her phone loosely in her hand.

"Hi, again, guys." Bambi said lightly, glancing around. "I think I left my charger somewhere."

A few heads lifted.

Bambi walked further in. "And my lip balm. I lose things constantly. It's tragic."

Someone from styling offered. "We can check the green room…?"

"Don't worry about it." Bambi replied quickly, waving it off with an easy and polite smile. "I'll look. I needed the walk anyway."

Her gaze drifted to the large space, before landing on Prim.

There was nothing obvious in it. Nothing anyone could call out.

But Prim had to swallow hard or else she would choke on her own breathing.

Bambi crouched briefly near a couch, pretending to check between cushions. 

"You would think after all these years I'd be more organized…" Bambi chuckled, almost to herself. "But no... still a mess."

A few lingering crew members exchanged glances. 

Bambi stood again, brushing invisible dust from her dress. 

"Guess I'll just buy another one." She said lightly.

When the last assistant finally waved goodnight and closed the door behind them, the studio fell quiet.

Bambi didn't pretend anymore. She walked toward Prim, steps slower now.

Up close, her voice dropped.

"Come with me." Bambi offered a hand, softer this time, but no less sure.

Prim could hear her own heartbeat, and feel the adrenaline sliding under her skin from that voice. It was ridiculous how much it felt like jumping off something high.  

If she went, it meant something. But if she stayed, it meant something too.

Prim hesitated, eyes still locked with Bambi's. She took a deep breath.

Then Prim grabbed her jacket and took her hand.

That first night was just an appetizer, the second one was all it took.

All it took was a seductive smile from Bambi, their faces meeting, a kiss and a heat between them. All it took was hearing Bambi cry out her name again.

And after that, they fell into a pattern for the next few days.

Prim was back to her nightmare.

A nightmare of fierce kisses, insults, provocations, panting breaths, bodies moving, nails scratching skin, and that overwhelming passion that burned inside both.

And there was Prim back to the woman who once turned her life upside down, back to the woman who once left her with impossible dreams and a bruised heart.

At first, Prim tried to back away, as if she had gone lucid.

But how could she back away when that nightmare of a woman made her heart race so fast it felt like it would explode? How could she back away from someone who made her feel more excited and alive than ever before?

So every time they were together, there was no middle ground.

It was always very intense, very hot, too fast, rarely too slow. Bambi said she wanted to see Prim melt drop by drop of sweat, until nothing but the euphoria of their bodies remained. Bambi said that nobody fucked her as good as she did. Nobody smelled as good as she did, nobody was as charming as she was.

Bambi said so many different things that Prim didn't know what to believe and what not.

But one thing she was certain of.

Every time they met, it was as if the whole world could shatter at any moment, and only the burning fire between their mouths and bodies was enough to hold everything together.

As for Bambi, the location didn't matter. What mattered was the time. It always had to be at night.

But for Prim, the location mattered. It had to be anywhere but their places. Because their places held too much history, too much past and too many memories for both of them to navigate, so for her, there was no way their nightly encounters could possibly happen inside their houses.

Sometimes it happened in Prim's car, parked in a dark alley behind some after-party, with the windows fogged up, while Bambi bounced on her lap, sinking deep on three fingers nonstop in the passenger seat. Bambi's hands squeezed Prim's biceps, aware of the muscles, her teeth on Prim's neck stifling her moans as Prim held her. 

Bambi bit, sucked, squeezed Prim desperately as if she wanted to claim a spot that no longer belonged to her.

Sometimes it happened in a 6-star hotel that Bambi booked at the last minute and called Prim to meet her. And of course, Prim who could never say no to Bambi, betrayed her own overthinking self and went to seek Bambi. 

Inside the fancy suites with king sized beds, she could go from a serious director to a desperate animal full of hunger and thirst and physical needs. And luckily, she would be greeted by an equally hungry and thirsty Bambi, waiting for her with arms wide open, and soon after, her legs. 

It felt immediate, and there was barely time to take off their clothes, or even plan what to do next. Because there was an unsaid rule that they both rigorously respected about never going off limits, although, Bambi gave mixed signals that she would like to be doing more than just the mutual chase of pleasure.

But there were also more relaxing nights after work, which they would do it on the cool marble counter in Bambi's atelier's kitchen, the delivery food they ordered completely forgotten as Bambi held Prim's toned thighs with both hands and devoured her instead, like someone who was starving and had plenty of time to spare to savor a meal as much as she could. 

Prim knew that the next day, Bambi would act as if nothing had happened, because after all that physical passion, an avalanche was bound to fall, burying the volcano between them. For both's sakes.

Therefore, neither of them could stay any longer.

Most of the time, they pretended none of it was happening.

If something felt odd, they swallowed it. If something felt good, they pretended it was the sex.

If one of them said stop, everything stopped. Consent was loud and respected without question.

They didn't ask who the other was seeing. They never scheduled the next time. It always just happened when one of them showed up or called.

Sometimes, libido escalated and hormones shifted so intensely, that a dark alley behind the club became the chosen place for the night.

Earlier before, Bambi had posted a story at midnight. She was at the club with friends, she made sure to angle the camera on the club's mirror, showing a short black dress, the one that clung to every curve. 

Prim had texted within minutes: "Where are you?"

Bambi's fast reply came with a location.

Now they were there, pressed against grimy brick, humid night air brushing their faces, and Bambi was already working Prim's belt open with desperation.

"Bambi! We shouldn't..." Prim's voice was weak, already losing the battle.

"You know the rules. Just say it and we stop." Bambi said, pulling away.

Prim didn't tell her to stop as her hands grabbed her nape to kiss her feverishly. Then Bambi's lips found Prim's chin, her jaw, then her neck. Her hands travelled under Prim's shirt to squeeze her breasts before she crouched down.

Bambi pulled down Prim's pants. 

Prim's head fell back against the wall with a soft thud when she felt Bambi's mouth and tongue.

The way she did it always drove Prim crazy. Her hand hovered near Bambi's head, not holding it, until Bambi pulled back and whispered.

"You can pull my hair if you want."

Prim tried her best to stay calm after hearing that.

Her fingers threaded through her hair, makeshifting a ponytail, guiding her head as Bambi resumed.

When Prim came, she gasped for air, hips jerking against Bambi's mouth.

Bambi stood from her crouched position, wiping her mouth, with a smirk, and Prim was already pulling her pants, fastening her belt, her expression shuttering closed.

"We should stop doing this." Prim muttered, not meeting her eyes.

"Okay." Bambi gave a nod, heading back to the party, leaving her behind. "Good night, P'Prim."

Two days later, Bambi showed up at Prim's production house unannounced with some excuse about needing to review photos.

But they both knew it was complete bullshit. The studio set was empty except for one or two staff members working late on the first floor. Bambi walked straight to the stairs, and Prim followed without a word.

The editing suite on the second floor had a lock. And Bambi used it.

"Bambi, we can't keep..." Prim's protest died when Bambi pressed her against the desk.

"Then be quiet." Bambi ordered, her fingers pressing against Prim's neck, almost choking her, as a warning. "You look way too fine in this outfit. If we were still together, I'd never let you go outside looking this hot."

Prim's smile turned into a smirk, enjoying the bold touch. "And what would you do if I did?"

Bambi's answering smile was wicked. Her grip tightened on her neck. But all Prim felt was a heat crawling under her skin at her roughness. 

They kissed frantically, desperately as if they hadn't seen each other a day or two before.

Bambi reached between them, sliding harshly as her hand dived into Prim's jeans, doing slow circles around the clothed center. 

Prim moaned in her mouth.

"I couldn't stop thinking about you today." Bambi whispered in her mouth. 

Prim thought of Bambi just as badly. But she didn't tell her.

Bambi's hands moved to Prim's jeans, fingers fumbling with the button as she pulled down the zipper as Prim freed herself from it and threw jeans and underwear on the floor.

Prim bit down on Bambi's neck to keep from crying out. They could hear footsteps from the floor below, and the risk made everything more exciting.

She leaned against the desk, and rocked against Bambi's fingers, sliding inside her, chasing the pressure and when she came, she hugged Bambi and buried her face in Bambi's shoulder to muffle the sound.

But they didn't stop after that, that had been only the start.

An hour later, they sat on the studio chair, breathing hard. Bambi was perched across Prim's lap, her half naked small figure curved comfortably against her. 

Their hearts beat in sync. 

Prim's arm stayed loose around Bambi's waist, her other hand sunk into Bambi's hair, fingers soft as they combed through it in slow, gentle strokes.

'You feel it too. I know you do.'

Once again they were almost violating the rules.

In the aftermath, they would dress quickly, straighten their clothes like two strangers mending a wall, and then both would part ways, giving no hope of a second chance. Even though their skin remained warm, their lips swollen, and their bodies still felt the strange urge to touch and kiss again.

Prim tried to convince herself that she didn't have to do that again, and that perhaps it was better that way.

It seemed ironic that the very next day, Prim did something she had sworn never to do again.

It was past eight o'clock in the evening. Prim sat in the office chair, one leg crossed over her knee, her posture elegant, her brows furrowed intently as she listened to the client speak. She was doing well.

Not until she glanced at Bambi.

Bambi leaned against the desk beside Prim's chair, wearing a black top, short black skirt that Prim was fairly certain she had chosen to torment her the whole day at the shoots and meeting. She stared at Prim with undisguised interest, her bottom lip caught between her teeth.

Prim felt heat crawl up her skin, the familiar heat low in her belly had become her constant companion for the past two weeks.

She shifted slightly in the chair, and watched Bambi's eyes darken when she uncrossed her legs and spread them to sit more comfortably.

Bambi pushed off the desk and moved to stand directly in front of her. Prim raised an eyebrow, as if questioning her, but Bambi just smiled a menaceful smile that always preceded bad things and slowly sank and sat on Prim's lap.

Prim's breath caught, but her free arm automatically went to Bambi's waist to steady her as she heard the client ask a question she had completely missed.

"Sorry." Prim cleared her throat. "Could you repeat that?"

Bambi's arm slid up to loop around Prim's shoulders, and Prim felt her nails dig in slightly through the fabric of her shirt. The feeling of Bambi sitting on her lap made any rational thought extremely difficult.

The client repeated the question, and Prim answered mindlessly while Bambi leaned in, her mouth finding Prim's neck, she pressed soft kisses which made Prim's grip on her waist tighten involuntarily.

"Correct..." Prim nodded to whatever the client had just said, she had no idea what she was agreeing to, because she couldn't concentrate on anything except Bambi's soft lips brushing over her sensitive neck area.

Bambi's hand travelled Prim's chest, cupping her breast through the fabric of her shirt, she gave a hard squeeze and Prim swallowed hard as her whole body responded to Bambi's touch with shameful arousal.

"I need to go." Prim said abruptly into the phone, cutting off the client mid-sentence. "Emergency just came up. I'll email you tomorrow about the next phase."

She hung up before they could protest. Soon after, she threw the phone onto the desk, and both hands immediately went to Bambi's hips.

"You shouldn't be here anymore. And you know that." Prim snarled with a serious face.

"I enjoy working overtime." Bambi whispered sultryly, not minding Prim's hostility. "Besides, you're very nice to look at when you're working. It's distracting"

Prim's eyes narrowed slightly.

"Oh. Am I?" Then her eyes dragged over Bambi's body again, lingering on the way her outfit clung to her curves, the way the hem of the skirt had ridden up slightly when she sat on her lap. "Or are you just easy to distract?"

"Both." Bambi admitted with a sarcastic tone. "But you are very hot when you're being professional, it's this whole sexy-director thing you have going on."

"You think everything I do is hot?" Prim raised an eyebrow with genuine interest. Her lips slowly curved in a warm way that was rare.

"Because everything you do is attractive." Bambi said, reaching out to touch Prim's face, her fingertips tracing the line of her jawline and Prim almost melted onto the touch. "I'm very objective about this."

Bambi's smile was so lovely that it softened Prim's eyes for a moment as she brought Bambi's hand to her mouth, she pressed a gentle kiss to her palm, causing Bambi to widen her eyes in surprise.

"You're the least objective person I know." Her other hand came up to cup the back of Bambi's neck, then she pulled Bambi down into a kiss.

Bambi gasped as Prim kissed her slow and deep, tongue sliding against hers as Bambi immediately circled both arms at Prim's shoulders.

"It's been a while, don't you think?" Bambi commented as if they hadn't been touching each other almost every day.

"We literally saw each other in the morning." Prim replied flatly, but her thumb stroked Bambi's cheek in a way that contradicted her dull tone.  

"That doesn't count." Bambi protested, fingernails brushing Prim's chin. "I couldn't touch you, and had to sit across from you and Min and pretend I wasn't thinking about what we did yesterday."

"Bambi!" Prim growled and stood abruptly, Bambi stood too, gasping in surprise as Prim's hands found the back of her legs, lifting Bambi easily onto the desk. "You can't say things like that and expect me to not do anything about it."

"But I don't want you to hold back." Bambi soothed, her legs instantly wrapped around Prim's hips. "I want you to fuck me on this desk like you've been thinking about in your head."

Prim's eyes darkened, and she stepped between Bambi's spread thighs, close enough that she could feel the heat of Bambi's body through her parted legs. 

"This is not a safe place…" Prim noted, but she pressed herself further on Bambi, their clothed centers almost brushing.

"Everyone went home, I checked. We're alone, P'Prim." Bambi whispered softly, hands cupping her face as Prim's hands gripped Bambi's thighs. "I locked the door." 

Prim tried to resist the invitation, but soon after, her mouth was buried in Bambi's neck, her hands fully grabbing her body, her nostrils filled by a pleasing and expensive perfume that blended nicely with Bambi's natural smell. Too alluring to resist.

Instinctively, she needed space, so she pushed aside the keyboard, mouse, the props and mood boards with the same aggressiveness that made Bambi moan incessantly in heat. Bambi's skirt slid up to her ribcage, revealing more perfect tanned skin. 

Then Prim saw something sitting inside Bambi's opened bag, partially visible, and stopped kissing her.

A second of silence.

Prim's half lidded eyes met Bambi's piercing ones as a cynical smile plastered on her lips.

"Oh, so you checked if everyone went home, made sure to lock the door and brought a... toy?" Prim murmured, hoarsely, reaching over to pull the strap-on fully into view. "Were you already planning this?"

Bambi tilted her face, her nose brushing Prim's, their mouths closer.

"Hush... just kiss me and we can talk later, will you, Director?"

Bambi teased with a sexy smirk as if she didn't know that Prim was ready to attack back and claim her again.

Prim closed her eyes, feeling her own low laugh vibrate over her mouth, smiling genuinely for the first time in the day.

What an infuriating, beautiful woman.

Desire grew intense in the pit of Prim's stomach, hot as lightning coursing through her body.

The kisses returned intense, Bambi showed all the signs that she was ready to be consumed by Prim once again. Under the conditions.

Prim inhaled deeply through Bambi's skin, trying to maintain a glimpse of rationality but her hands had already slid Bambi's bralette straps down, face already sunk onto her exposed perfect breasts.

There was something terribly addictive about the way Bambi's body summoned her. How her fingers gripped Prim's hair, desperate. How her vibe made Prim lose self-control and self-respect. 

Her mouth was too busy to talk back, sucking into her nipples with lust fully overtaking her calmness from minutes before.

Even knowing she was digging her own grave, Prim didn't dare to stop.

Prim didn't stop when Bambi nibbled her earlobe. She didn't stop when Bambi's fingers slid inside her underwear, fingers trailing her soaked pussy as Prim let out muffled moans with Bambi's lips crashing against hers again.

And Bambi didn't stop when Prim stepped back to quickly wear the strap-on around her bare hips. Bambi didn't stop when Prim turned her around and bent her over the desk. 

Prim's hands found Bambi's hips, gripped them firmly, and she leaned down to press kisses along Bambi's sexy back, following the delicate tattoos that decorated her golden tan skin.

Bambi moaned, arched into the touch, and Prim felt her shiver under each kiss. 

"Oh, God, Prim…"

Prim smirked, one hand sliding up Bambi's back, pressing her down more firmly against the desk while the other positioned the shaft. "Stay still."

She watched Bambi's body easily accepting the intrusion, and heard small gasps turn into a long moan as Prim filled her completely.

"Yes, just like that." Bambi breathed, her hands scrambling for purchase on the desk surface. 

Prim thrusted her hips, rolling in a steady rhythm, her hands gripping Bambi's hips as she watched the way Bambi pushed back to meet each thrust, moaning.

Bambi's moans pulled a rush out of Prim, knowing she was the one making Bambi feel good. Because Bambi's pleasure mattered to her more than she let on.

The office was partially dark, the curtains were closed, and the only source of light was from the LED of the TV screen on standby and a desk lamp. 

And the only sounds besides the air conditioner were the noise of their pantings, skins slapping and furniture creaking. 

Time flew by. 

At some point, they ended up on the couch, still half-clothed.

Prim slid back between Bambi's thighs and entered her again. 

Bambi's moans echoed through the office, breathy and unhinged, her body welcoming her rough hip thrusts. 

Prim planted her hand against the couch beside Bambi's head, holding herself steady as she thrust in a fast pace as the pleasure built for both of them.

Bambi's touch was everywhere at once, hands slipping beneath Prim's shirt, one tracing her waist and abs, the other scratched her back, coaxing a low groan from Prim, her skin still sensitive from all the scratches Bambi had already given her.

Prim watched her from above, mesmerized by the way Bambi's breaths grew even heavier as she fucked her harder. Then Bambi's hands gripped Prim's shoulders tightly, her eyebrows twitched, her mouth parted slightly. 

Their foreheads touched.

"You're beautiful." Prim drawled as she felt a knot tighten in her stomach.

And suddenly a long, loud cry came out. 

Bambi shuddered under Prim's body, breathlessly. She had reached the peak of such intense pleasure as Prim came hard enough to shake with long, trembling strokes.

Bambi's chest heaved erratically. Prim slowly withdrew the strap-on and removed it, gasping, dazed by the intensity of the orgasm. 

That felt incredible, reinvigorating. How did she survive without that?

Their eyes met again, but now an awkward atmosphere had formed between them.

For a moment, silence grew between them.

Prim was taken by surprise when Bambi pulled her into a kiss, one that made Prim's heart race. But the kiss was calm as if Bambi wanted to extend that moment for as long as possible.

Bambi's mischievous demeanor vanished completely, replaced by a gentler and more vulnerable side. 

For a moment, Prim saw that the girl she once loved still remained beneath that bold facade.

Bambi sighed against Prim's mouth, and the fingers that had been gripping her shoulders moved up slowly, until they touched Prim's delicate face. 

After another gentle kiss, their faces remained close, breaths mingling between parted lips. 

They were not supposed to look at each other during vulnerable moments. 

Prim tried to not break that rule. She really did. But whenever Bambi's eyes got soft after sex, whenever Bambi held her face gently before kissing her, Prim couldn't look away.

She held her breath, her heart did strange somersaults. 

And without much thought, Prim's head naturally fell on Bambi's chest, her eyes closed, inhaling deeply, as if she could hold that moment inside her. Bambi's heart, which had been racing, slowed down, beating slower, but heavier.

Suddenly she wasn't having dirty thoughts anymore. 

She was thinking about how safe she felt in Bambi's arms, how Bambi held her like she was something precious, how it was starting to feel less like sex and more like what they weren't supposed to feel anymore. 

And then she felt Bambi's fingers moving through her hair, gently stroking it.

"My day was terrible..." Bambi whispered, brushing Prim's hair back from her face.

A small pause, like the words caught in her throat.

"But with you…" Her fingers slowed, tracing gently along Prim's scalp. "It felt better. A lot better."

Those kinds of moments were always the most risky ones. Because in that silence, in that moment of afterglow, feelings outgrew rules. 

And each time the good times faded, each time she felt Bambi's affection, Prim felt her own rules weakening, trembling, and about to break. 

Prim sighed deeply.

'I'm drowning.'

In that very moment, sweet words almost slipped out. 

So Prim took a small step back, took a deep breath, and tried to rebuild the safe barrier between them. She told herself she was preventing disaster.

No matter how badly she wanted to stay, they always have to leave after pleasure. 

Days before the Valentine's campaign shoot, their original model landed in the hospital and a medical clearance that damaged their timeline.

Now it was mid-morning and Min paced the studio floor like a caged animal, phone pressed to her ear, leaving another voicemail that probably wouldn't get returned in time.

Prim sat at her desk watching her friend in distress, while her phone rang quietly with incoming texts. 

She glanced down, felt her mouth curve despite the meltdown unfolding around her.

"Are you busy or can I distract you?"

Prim typed back quickly while keeping eye on Min's pacing: "Min is freaking out."

"I know. She texted me asking if I knew anyone. But I was still half asleep and thought I was dreaming about work." Then another text was delivered fast. "Btw, I'm hiding in a bathroom right now because the seamstress keeps stabbing me with pins."

Prim bit back a laugh as Min scrolled frantically through portfolios.

Then Bambi sent a photo.

In the image, Bambi stood in front of a full-length bathroom mirror. The dress wasn't fully pinned yet, her hair was clipped up. She did a dramatic eye roll, but her mouth was curved in a goofy way.

She looked lovely. Too cute. Which made Prim's lips tug upward before she could stop them.

"Gala fitting?" Prim sent back.

"Yep and it's torture." Bambi's reply came fast. "My mother keeps sending me photos of different dress options but all I'm thinking is that I still haven't eaten because of this fitting."

Prim felt warmth spread in her chest at how Bambi got when she was restless, at the way she shared these small pieces of her life like Prim had a right to them.

"Noodles is definitely not an option then." Prim joked.

"Disappointing. I could use some carbs right now."

"Speaking of which, dinner later?" Prim asked, surpised by her own bravery.

Three dots appeared and disappeared like Bambi was typing and deleting, and then finally: "Are you asking me on a date, Director?"

"I'm asking if you want food after work. And my company." Prim clarified, even though they both knew it wasn't just about food.

"Yes, I want food. With you specifically." Bambi replied, then added. "Also my mother is flying back from Tokyo today and I really don't want to be home when she arrives because she's totally going to lecture me about diet."

Prim's chest tightened at the casual way Bambi shared this, at the glimpse into her life outside their arrangement.

"8 then?" Prim sent back.

"Perfect. I'll wear something you can't take off in public."

Prim smirked and typed back: "That's very considerate of you."

"I'm thoughtful like that. Also I'm already thinking about your hands again…"

Prim felt her skin flushing again, her heart skip a beat, but then Min's voice rose in frustration nearby, and Prim glanced up, watching her friend's shoulders tense with visible stress as another call went to voicemail.

"Sorry. I have to go. Min's about to combust." Prim typed reluctantly.  

"Okay okay, save your best friend! I'll see you at the meeting in a bit anyway. And then tonight." Another message came through immediately after. "For food obviously."

Prim felt heat crawl up her neck and her lips almost curved into a smile, then she quickly typed back: "See you soon."

The message was ambiguous, because it could mean the meeting or could mean dinner.

She set her phone down just while Min was halfway through the studio's portfolio. Then she stopped scrolling. 

"Oh." Min said suddenly, already reaching for her phone. "Fuck, man. I hope this works." 

Prim glanced up in time to catch Min angling the screen back toward herself, the tension in her shoulders easing a little. 

Whatever Min had found, she looked convinced the problem had just solved itself.

Later that day, the studio door opened. 

Min walked in first, then someone followed behind her. She called everyone into the meeting room, her voice neutral but tight at the edges with the stress she had gone through.

People started drifting toward the meeting room, abandoning whatever they had been doing, and Prim followed.

The meeting room filled quickly, and Min stood near the door.

"I found our replacement for the Valentine's campaign." Min said once the noise died down. 

The figure stepped forward slightly, and Prim got her first good look at her. 

Long dark hair, porcelain skin, pretty smile, pretty face. 

Prim knew her. 

The woman brought her palms together at chest height, fingers pointing upward, bowed her head slightly in a thai greeting. 

"Hello, I'm Christie. Some of you may know me already." Her eyes went straight to Prim's and lingered for a moment, her voice still charming, but Prim felt something in her head ached at her gaze, at the memories of nights she would rather forget.

"Christie, this is the team." Min introduced the campaign team, one by one, except Prim. 

Min and Prim had already worked with Christie in another campaign before, so there was no need for introductions.

When Min reached Bambi, she slowed, her smile turning soft. "And this is Bambi, the designer whose collection you'll be modeling."

Christie's attention landed on Bambi, and her smile widened with what looked like genuine amusement. "Khun Bambi, I've heard so much about your mother's work. The fall collection was stunning."

Bambi returned the smile with pursed lips.

"Thank you, sweetie. But that was my collection." Bambi's smile didn't falter. But Prim knew the difference between Bambi's real smiles and her fake ones.  

Christie kept her smile with the same intensity. "Oh, of course! My bad." She continued, leaning forward slightly, and Prim recognized the body language, the calculated openness meant to invite connection."I'm always curious about–"

"We're on a tight schedule." Prim cleared her throat. "We should probably review everything before the shoot sessions."

She felt Bambi's gaze swing toward her, nodding quietly.

The meeting proceeded. 

But underneath the smooth workflow Prim could see the way Bambi kept glancing at Christie, and then back at Prim, especially when they spoke to each other, her palm pressing against her face, a signal that meant Bambi was thinking too hard about something.

When Min finally called an end to the meeting, Bambi was the first one out the door.

Prim watched her go and felt dread settle heavy in her stomach.

Later, dinner happened as planned. 

They did exactly what they always did. 

By the end of it, everything felt unexpectedly good, so good that it seemed like the unease had existed only in Prim's head.

Then the next morning came and Prim was greeted by a conversation she wasn't supposed to hear. 

Two production assistants who clearly thought they were being quieter than they were, talking to each other about something.

"Wait, P'Prim and Christie used to hook up?"

Prim's hand froze on the coffee pot.

"Yeah, like... months ago."

"I wonder if Khun Bambi knows…"

Prim turned, ready to shut them down, but found Bambi standing in the doorway with arms crossed.

Their eyes met across the space and Prim watched Bambi's expression, her face went blank, her smile going tight, and Prim felt her stomach drop because she knew that look, and knew what it meant.

"Morning, Khun Prim." Bambi greeted her, flatly.

"Morning, Bambi." Prim said, feeling the word stick in her throat.

The production assistants startled, and then scattered, and suddenly Prim was left standing there with her coffee while Bambi walked out, her spine straight.

When Christie arrived moments later, Bambi greeted her with a smile that could have cut glass. 

"Morning, Christie. Let's start working, shall we?"

Bambi's voice stayed warm, but her eyes were winter. 

Christie either didn't notice or pretended not to, following Bambi toward the wardrobe area while Prim stood there watching them, already aware she couldn't stop whatever had just been set in motion.

The shoot became a test of Prim's patience. 

Christie kept finding reasons to stand close to Prim, touching her arm when asking about camera angles, and kept leaning in when speaking to her. 

Prim moved away when she could, trying to create distance without being obvious about it. But Bambi saw every too-close conversation, every moment that suggested something between Prim and Christie.

At one point Christie lowered her voice, smiled in that particular way that Prim recognized. "So... maybe we could grab some lunch after this? Catch up properly?"

Before Prim could respond, Bambi appeared beside them with eyes sharp enough to cut glass.

"Is there a problem with the styling?" Bambi asked, sweet as poison.

Christie straightened, clearly caught off guard. 

"No, I was just asking P'Prim if she could help me with–"

"I understand." Bambi cut her, not unkindly, but making it very clear she didn't want the conversation to continue. "We need you for final fitting."

Christie's face flushed, her jaw setting. 

"Okay."

Bambi turned and walked away before Christie could respond, and Prim stood there feeling like she had just witnessed Bambi draw first blood while smiling the entire time.

The second shoot of Valentine's Day happened in the afternoon. It was Shasha's turn to be on set. Christie lingered off to the side, already dressed, waiting for her turn.

Prim stood by the monitor, scanning through the last batch of shots, when Christie drifted closer.

"These look good." Christie said, tilting her head. 

Prim hummed, still scrolling. 

Christie leaned in slightly, hand brushing Prim's shoulder while talking gibberish.

But Prim's focus remained fixed on the screen.

Then her gaze drifted past the monitor, landing somewhere across the studio.

Across the room, Bambi stood near Shasha, adjusting the drape of fabric across her shoulder while Praew circled Shasha with a camera. 

Prim saw the moment Bambi touched Praew's arm gently, keeping her voice gentle. 

"Could you try shooting from slightly lower? Maybe crouched down, angling up toward Shasha's face?"

Praew nodded, adjusting her position, already moving into a crouch.

"Hold on." The voice sounded low and deep through Praew's walkie-talkie.

Suddenly, Prim slammed the walkie-talkie on the desk and walked over from where she had been, shoving her hands in her pockets. 

She stopped in front of Bambi, as the latter tilted her head back slightly.

"Can I speak with you?" Prim asked directly to Bambi. "In my office." 

Bambi kept her face neutral, and nodded quietly, following Prim to the office.

The door closed behind them, muffling the sounds outside. Prim turned to face her, arms crossing over her chest. 

"I appreciate your input, but that is my field." Prim looked at her with a serious expression.

Bambi frowned. "I was just suggesting an angle."

"No. You were directing Praew." Prim muttered, her face still as if she had been insulted. 

Bambi's spine straightened, defensiveness rising hot in her chest. 

"Well, the angle wasn't working!" 

"Then you tell me firsthand, and I will handle it." Prim replied sharply, her eyes boring into hers. "You hired me, so let me do my job correctly."

Bambi tilted her head, raising an eyebrow. "I hired you to execute my vision."

"Your vision needs technical expertise to actually work." Prim mumbled, her voice hardening slightly. "And you were undermining my ability in front of my entire crew, Bambi!"

Heat flooded Bambi's face, her hands curling into fists at her sides. 

"But… this is my brand. My campaign! I am the client!"

"And I'm the director!" Prim snapped back with a sharp voice that she didn't intend. "Everything I produce meets a standard, and I need you to trust on what I'm doing!"

Bambi gritted her teeth, her chest rose and fell with heavy breathing.

"Alright." She forced the word through clenched teeth, her voice tight with controlled despair. "Do it your way, Khun Prim."

Then she turned to walk back into the studio, her hand already reaching for the door handle, when Prim's voice stopped her.

"The lower angle idea was good. I would have used it for the next series anyway."

Bambi scoffed.

"Ah, such a high praise from Director Prim." The sarcasm dripped from every word. "I'll be sure to add it to my resume!"

Prim sighed and massaged her nape. It was going to be a long, long day.

They returned to the shoot session, then Shasha caught Bambi's eye at one point and raised an eyebrow in silent question, but Bambi just shook her head and returned to reviewing look books on a tablet.

Hours later, Min called out across the set and announced the shoot was wrapped for that day. 

The crew started packing up equipment while Bambi returned to organizing wardrobe pieces for the next shoot.

"Hey, is anyone up for drinks?" Min suddenly asked with a beam. "Praew gets on her shift at the bar in an hour. We could meet up there."

"I'm in!" Shasha was already grabbing her bag. 

Prim heard it all, her eyebrow raised, doubtful.

"You're coming, right?" Shasha looped her arm through Bambi's. "You look like you need it."

"Sorry, I'm not in the mood for drinks." Prim heard Bambi answer flatly.

A few minutes later, Prim ended up finding Bambi in the storage room with movements that were too sharp, flushed face despite her obvious efforts to contain it.

"Hey, Bambi." Prim closed the door behind her.

Bambi didn't look up, but her voice raised. "What do you want?"

"You've been weird all day..." Prim finally said, feeling frustration building. 

"I've been perfectly professional." Bambi corrected with a scoff, finally meeting Prim's eyes with a glare. "Which is more than I can say for some people here."

The jab landed, Prim furrowed her brows. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

Bambi set down the prop she had been holding and crossed her arms. 

"It means that maybe you should consider maintaining some boundaries with models who are clearly trying to get into your pants during work hours."

Finally, Prim got it. "Is that about Christie? She was just–" 

"She's touched you countless times today!" Bambi cut her with a scowl, and Prim heard despair in her voice. "She stands so close to you I'm surprised you can breathe, and you just... you just let her!"

"I was being polite." Prim said, feeling defensive heat crawl up her neck as she stepped closer. 

Bambi scoffed, a quick, dismissive sound, rolling her eyes like she was bored of the conversation even as her jaw tightened.

"I don't care. I don't fucking care." Bambi repeated too fast, then continued. "You're free to do whatever the fuck you want."

They stared at each other, Bambi was breathing too hard, and Prim felt everything they weren't saying pressing against both of them like broken glass.

Prim tried to speak again, forcing her voice to soften. 

"We could go back to that place from yesterday." Prim said lightly, leaning into the recent memory of them acting normal around each other. "You liked it. We can…"

"I'm not hungry." Bambi said raspily, and picked up her bag. "And I have plans anyway."

Prim's eyebrow raised. "Plans?" 

"Yeah." Bambi said, as she headed to the door. "Some of us have lives outside of this thing."

It was the wrong thing to say. Prim's restraint snapped.

She lunged forward and grabbed Bambi's wrist, enough to stop her mid-step.

Bambi stumbled half a step and whipped around. "What the–"

"Don't do that." Prim mumbled, pulling her closer.

"Do what?" Bambi shot back, trying to twist her wrist free, glaring back.  

"Act like you don't care." Prim snapped. 

Bambi let out a bitter, disbelieving scoff. "Sorry I don't revolve around your schedule."

"You're jealous and mad." Prim shot back. 

Bambi barked a humorless laugh. "Of what? Your little fan club? "

"Of the fact I don't chase you." Prim said, stepping closer. "Or the fact I'm not the one pretending I've got 'plans' just to prove a point."

Bambi's jaw clenched. "I don't need to prove anything to you."

"Then why say it like that?" Prim challenged. "Why make sure I heard it?"

Bambi's eyes dropped briefly to Prim's mouth before snapping back up. 

"You don't get to interrogate me." She muttered, quieter but bitter. "And you don't get to be mad at anything. We have rules!"

So now, Bambi cared about rules.

"That doesn't mean I don't see what you're doing!" Prim exasperated, brows furrowing.

"And what is it?!" Bambi demanded.

"Trying to make me react." Prim accused, and snapped again. "You're trying to get a rise out of me!" 

Bambi tilted her chin and scoffed. "Looks like I hit a nerve then."

In one sudden movement, Prim let go of Bambi's wrist and grabbed her by the waist, pulling her in. 

Their lips crashed, and Bambi didn't hesitate, her arms flew around Prim's neck just as fast, pulling her closer, one hand sliding down to cup Prim's jaw, thumb pressing beneath her cheekbone as she kissed her back with the same intensity. There was a bite in it, heavy breathings, desperation. 

Prim tightened her arm around Bambi's waist, strong and possessive. 

Bambi's fingers curled into Prim's hair, tugging slightly, and Prim responded instantly as her other hand came up to Bambi's face, holding her there, their foreheads colliding.

The kiss felt like they were both trying to win something.

But then a voice cut through the battle from outside.

"P'Prim? Aren't you coming to the bar?" Min asked.

They broke apart abruptly, Bambi's cheeks were flushed, her pupils wide. She could only inhale sharply at first, then she recovered with a smile and smoothed her dress slowly. 

"See you tomorrow, Khun Prim." Bambi murmured.  

Prim's hands dropped reluctantly from her waist.

Bambi stepped toward the door, glancing back over her shoulder with a devious little smile. Then she slipped out, leaving Prim flushed and furious.

Soon after, Prim walked out the storage and grabbed her jacket off the back of a chair at the studio and shoved her arms through the sleeves with a sharp exhale.

Prim refused to say anything, because they weren't supposed to talk about feelings. That was a rule.

A rule that neither of them had violated. 

Yet.

But Prim felt like they were about to.