Work Text:
Sea slammed his fists on Jimmy’s desk. He had stormed right into Jimmy’s office, unannounced and without knocking. The office was brightly white and spotlessly clean. The sun was up, shining and peeking through the drawn curtains. In contrast with the calmness and tidiness of the hospital and its staff, Sea was mad and chaotic and all over the place.
“You really need to stop this,” Sea firmly said.
Jimmy raised his head from whatever document he was handling. He was wearing his doctor coat and the glasses he always wore any time he was behind the computer screen. He leaned back against the chair, elbows on the armrests. His calm demeanour had Sea clenching his fists.
“What is it this time?”
“You spoke to my parents, right?”
Jimmy shrugged. “What about it? We're neighbours, aren't we?”
Sea was surprised Jimmy didn’t kick him out of his office as soon as he brought out such a trivial matter, compared to whatever important stuff doctors had to type on the computer all day. But deep down, Sea could read the expression on Jimmy’s face: amusement. And if there was something Jimmy seemed to take just as seriously as work, it was teasing Sea.
“You told them I got wasted and crashed at yours? What is wrong with you? Why would you do that?!”
Jimmy sighed. He put his pen in the chest pocket of his coat before he spoke: “I met them as I was leaving for work. They asked if I knew why you didn’t come home last night. I just told them I picked you up from the bar and you were still sleeping at mine. Was I supposed to lie to them?”
“You should have! You could have just told them you didn’t know and I would have come up with a fair excuse. I’m twenty-five, Hia. I don’t need you looking out for me anymore”
“Is that so?” Jimmy took off his glasses and Sea kind of wished that he didn’t. Jimmy in glasses wasn’t a sight he saw often and he looked fairly good in them. He folded them and placed them on the desk. “Then why did you call me instead of a taxi ride home?”
“I didn’t have any money on me. Spent it all on drinks. I might have offered drinks to the entire table…” Sea revealed, embarrassed. “But I was already drunk. So I don’t really remember.” If Sea could hide his face in another drink, he would have done that immediately. Maybe Jimmy was right: he never learned his lessons and always fell into the usual temptations. Maybe that’s also why Jimmy was the first he thought of in the middle of the night. Maybe that’s why he vaguely remembers clinging onto him all night.
“Oh, what a reliable son! You parents must have nothing to worry about, right?”
“Shut up, Hia. You’re not helping! I’ve already apologized for calling you at 3am, so what else do you want from me? It’s already hard enough being my parents’ son, I don’t need you making it any worse.”
Jimmy sighed. He stood up and walked around the desk. Sea backed up, so Jimmy rested his hips on the desk, and now he was in front of Sea again. “Your parents are just worried about you. And so am I. You drink too much for an unemployed kid. It’s bad for you.” His voice sounded as soft as silk, the kind of gentle scolding that got under Sea’s skin the most.
“I know it’s bad, but I’m not a kid anymore! I don’t need anyone worrying about me.”
Jimmy raised an eyebrow at that.
“I need my parents to understand that I want to be an actor. And actors don’t go to bed at 9pm. Do you even have the slightest idea of who I was drinking with yesterday? It’s one of the best directors in the industry. But casting directors and fellow actors were also there. Anyway, they were talking about some movie he’s about to make, and it’s going to be huge. They’re looking for the main character’s friend. That's why P'Off dragged me there”.
"P'Off was there too? Why couldn't he drive you home? I believe he doesn't drink."
"He left at some point to check on his boyfriend. Either way, I didn't feel like bothering him further. He already introduced me and that's enough. What I mean is: if I made a good enough impression, they might offer me the role. Can you believe that?"
Sea’s eyes sparkled with a passion Jimmy could hardly ignore. Still, Jimmy’s role as a phi was to make sure Sea kept his feet on the ground.
“I’m not sure this is how it works, Nong Sea,” Jimmy said, concerned.
“Yes it is! You don’t know the industry! It’s all about having the right connections!” Sea snorted. “Why am I even telling you this?”
“Well, I really hope you make it and really hope you’ll be successful. Truly. But I’m with your parents in this: as long as you live under their roof, you can’t do as you please. While you go to castings, you should work a job. Your parents would be less worried about you.”
“My parents should just fuck off…”
“Language, Nong Sea. I’m saying this for you”.
“You don’t get it. I’ve always been compared to you, ever since I was a kid. It’s always why don’t you behave like the neighbour’s son? I don’t care if I only get called for dumb commercials! At least it’s something I actually want to do!” Sea exhaled a long sigh, trying to collect himself. “My parents still resent me for not going to med school. But how would you know? You have always been the ideal son, so you wouldn’t understand”.
Sensing Sea’s frustration, Jimmy sighed. Teasing him wasn’t funny anymore when Sea started to sound too helpless. He was probably coming from yet another fight with his parents and Jimmy knew how hard they could be on Sea. He knew better than to press his finger on that bruise.
“Nong Sea… We chose different paths and that’s ok. Eventually your parents will understand that as well.” Jimmy placed his hand on Sea’s shoulder, and it felt warm and reassuring. “But for now, you should really get a job. I’m serious.”
Sea sighed, defeated. “I should just marry rich at this point…”
Jimmy chuckled, lowering his gaze for a moment.
“What are you laughing at?” Sea frowned, noticing the twinkle in Jimmy’s eye and the dimples poking his cheeks.
“You said the same thing last night.”
“What? What did I say?” Sea muttered. He was suddenly fidgety. He shifted his weight from foot to foot and licked his lips. Jimmy stepped closer, urging Sea to step back again.
“You asked how much money I make as a doctor. Then asked me to marry you.”
“What?” Sea’s face flushed red. “I’m sure I didn’t say that!”
“Oh yes you did.”
“And what about it? I… I was drunk!” Sea stuttered.
“I would have no problem taking care of you. I already did that my entire life. Just be good and ask nicely, alright Nong?” Jimmy smirked.
Sea’s face heated up, going from a flushed pink to a deeper red in seconds. When did Jimmy’s teasing begin to sound so… flirty?
“…In your dreams!”
“Or in yours." Jimmy crossed his arms over his chest. "Call me Hia again.”
Sea hesitated. “What?”
“Just do it.”
“Hia…?”
Jimmy smiled, pleased. “Have you forgotten you’ve called me that since you learnt how to speak?” Jimmy stepped closer to him again, urging Sea to take another step back. “Have you forgotten how long we’ve known each other? I can tell when you’re lying, and last night, even if you were drunk, you sounded pretty much serious to me. You’re a great actor, but a terrible liar. Does that make sense?”.
Jimmy knew Sea didn’t need to admit it. He didn’t need to hear from Sea what he had known for years. They had orbited around each other all their lives. How could they not be aware of each other’s feelings? Feelings aimlessly swept under the carpet, still in plain sight. Due to Sea’s bottled up love along with other complex emotions, he was a pressure cooker ready to explode at any point. He had pushed his feelings down for so long, scared to be forever seen as not enough to be more than a nong. On the other side, Jimmy treasured Sea’s feelings along with his own and quietly waited for the right moment. He cared too much to let impatience ruin everything. Having Sea close and helping him navigate the hardships of adult life was enough. Still, waiting got harder and harder every day for Jimmy: Sea had grown into a handsome young man, beautiful inside and out, and that was hard to ignore.
Sea's heart beat fast, his cheeks flush with shame at the idea of what else he might have done or said, alone with Jimmy after a night of drinking. Still, the idea of Jimmy remembering everything Sea had forgotten about that night was even more terrifying. So he just asked.
“What else happened yesterday?” Sea asked, suddenly breathless.
“You really want to know? There’s no going back. No more faking.”
Sea nodded and swallowed nervously.
Jimmy inhaled. “I picked you up. You went to the bathroom and you made a mess, Nong. Threw up all over the floor.”
Jimmy stepped closer and closer again, until Sea’s hips hit the examination bed on the other side of the office. Now cornered by Jimmy, Sea didn’t know where to look. His eyes shifted from Jimmy’s soft eyes to his pouty lips.
“Oh… I’m sorry, Hia”
“It’s ok. I cleaned up after you. Offered you anti-emetics. It’s medicine for vomit and nausea.” Jimmy explained, after seeing the confused look on Sea’s face. “But you declined. By the way, how’s your headache?” Jimmy asked, the back on his hand gently pressed against Sea’s forehead. “Do you still have any nausea?”
“I’m better. I’ve taken the hang over pill you left me on the nightstand…”
“Good. So…” As Jimmy resumed his story telling, he placed his hands on the examination bed on either side of Sea’s hips and leaned in. With Jimmy so close, Sea felt like his heart could beat out of his chest any minute. “Then, I found you on my bed, and there was no way to get you to move.”
Jimmy’s voice sounded sultry all of a sudden. Sea started to miss Jimmy’s usual teasing tone, so irritating but at least comfortable and familiar. Sea had let his guard down and Jimmy seemed to have done the same. Sea wondered how close they could get, with no walls between them.
“Damn… I’m so annoying when I’m drunk. Why would I ever insist so much?”
Jimmy bit his lip and hesitated, so unusual of him, before he answered: “You said the bed smelled like me.”
Sea’s cheeks flushed red. “Oh.”
“Do you want to know what else happened?”
Sea nodded, so Jimmy kept going.
“You clung to me and pulled me to bed. You know damn well I think it’s inappropriate to sleep with a drunk person. I told you so many times.”
“I know. I’m sorry”
“Especially if it’s you. You get really… touchy. And while I know you’re very touchy-feely with your friends even when you’re sober, it had been a while since you hugged me like that. Since you rubbed your nose on my cheeks. I just didn’t know how to react.” Jimmy admitted. If Sea wasn’t worrying too much about his own embarrassment, he could easily read the shyness on Jimmy’s face. His ears were red and he struggled to keep eye contact. “But maybe it’s just because… I don’t know where I stand in your life.”
Fighting the knot in his throat, Sea asked the hard question. “Did something else happen?”
Jimmy snorted. “No, Nong. You were drunk. I would never.”
“Oh. Right.” Sea nodded to himself. Somewhere inside his heart, Sea wished they had kissed. Or better, he wished he had pressed his lips against Jimmy’s and that Jimmy was the one to forget about it the next morning. Sea just wanted to know what it would feel like, to finally reach for the stars. He wondered what a glimpse of happiness tasted like.
“I’ve been waiting too long to screw up things like that. But since last night, I feel impatient. Kind of restless, you know?” Jimmy leaned in closer, and now their faces were only inches away.
“Yeah I… I get what you mean,” Sea muttered.
“Do you?”
“Hia…” Sea breathed out, barely audible as their noses brushed together. Jimmy’s hand cupped Sea’s cheek, and that was the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Sea pulled Jimmy in by the back of the neck, and their lips met in a quick peck. The world seemed to stop as Sea looked at him, uncertainty and desire battling in his big doe eyes. Jimmy couldn’t help but kiss him again.
Their lips met in a more fervent kiss, and Jimmy managed to melt all of Sea’s doubts. Floodgates open, Jimmy tasted Sea’s lips like he had always wanted to do.
Jimmy’s hands moved to Sea’s waist and then to his hips, brushing up and down in soothing possessiveness before he picked Sea up to sit him on the examination bed. Sea locked his hands behind Jimmy’s neck, urging him close again.
Then Sea tilted his head and felt the tip of Jimmy’s tongue. He parted his lips to let it slide inside. He let out a muffled moan, suddenly feeling so warm. Sea’s heart was racing and nothing could slow it down. Finally… That's all he could think about.
The sounds of their kissing echoed in the room, until…
A gentle knock on the door startled the both of them. Sea pushed Jimmy away with a hand on Jimmy’s chest.
“Khun Mhor? Excuse me, but if you’re done with your guest, your next patient is waiting!” The voice behind the door politely said.
Jimmy’s hand left Sea’s hips. He quickly fixed his clothes and hair before answering. “Yes. Give me a minute!”
“Very unprofessional, Khun Mhor,” Sea teased. He gently tugged on Jimmy’s coat, hoping to get another kiss.
Instead, Jimmy gently patted Sea’s thigh. “Go home,” he just said, but he couldn’t ignore the forming pout on Sea’s lips.
Luckily for Sea, Jimmy hated to leave his business unfinished. The Pandora box was now open, he might as well do things right.
Jimmy exhaled, trying to catch his breath, then checked the watch on his wrist. “I’ll be done around 6pm. I’m thinking maybe we could… go eat something. Together. How does that sound?”
Sea’s smile appeared again as he nodded. “Is it… a date?”
“Only if you want it to be.”
“We just made out, of course I-”
“Shh, don’t let them hear you! If they fire me I can’t be the bread winner anymore!” Jimmy teased, patting Sea’s head. “I’ll pick you up at 7. Now go.”
“Will you tell my parents about this too?” Sea teased.
Jimmy chuckled, nervously running a hand through his own hair. “I think I better keep this one to myself.”
Sea hopped off the examination bed and quickly fixed himself. He looked back at Jimmy one last time as the doctor impatiently gestured to the door.
As Sea left, Jimmy couldn’t help but smile to himself, touching his own lips in disbelief.