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Pran was staring at the ceiling, lying flat on his back and watching the dust particles glitter in the sliver of sunlight that filtered through the gap in his curtain. His fingers were mindlessly running over Pat's back, as Pat slept on, head resting on Pran's chest, nose pressed in as if he was attempting to sniff at Pran even in his sleep. It was a lazy morning, well deserved after the excitement of the previous day, when Pran had been flirted with by a random student, and riled up Pat so much that Wai had come over to flirt with Pran and send the student running. What a brilliant rescue strategy!
Pran had clued in on the student's attempts at flirting quite early on. (He wasnt stupid, thank you very much) But he'd just decided to ignore it anyway. It was his last day to tutor the kid, and Pran had decided to never spend time with him for longer than 5 minutes, if he's forced to interact with the kid again. Preferably, he'd never have to do so again, since they were going to graduate in a couple of weeks.
And then Wai had plopped down opposite him, giving him smirks and knowing looks, asking Pran why he had left their bed so early in the morning - Pran shuddered even thinking back to that moment. It was the weirdest thing he'd experienced, and he was so confused that he failed to realise that the kid had packed up the project and stalked away, shooting dirty looks at Wai.
And then suddenly Pat was there, clinging to him, hand possessively gripping his waist and everything made sense. Pran couldnt help but let out a surprised but proud laugh, ready to tease Pat when he clued in on the very intense glare Korn was levelling at Wai. Huh. That was too intense to just be the result of Korn being pissed at Wai for Pat's sake. Korn looked like it was personal.
A few minutes later, it all got clarified, as Wai pulled Korn in for a kiss that looked like it hurt, but Pran couldn't judge. He's fairly sure him and Pat weren't any better, and Pran loved it when they were rough and desperate, just as much as he loved the soft and deliberate kisses and touches on a lazy day.
Pran was happy for his friends, but at the same time felt a little pang in his heart when he realised that this was something he and Pat could have had, if only their parents weren't enemies and their life wasn't so screwed up. But Pran would take whatever he had, and that thought had made him cuddle up closer to Pat, just as Pat pulled away.
For one bewildered moment, Pran couldnt think of anything except that probably Pat was upset about something, and he reached out to Pat, trying to pull him back, to talk to Pat before he retreated any further. But Pat, his dear thoughtful Pat reminded him that they wouldnt be alone soon, the bell had rung and juniors were sure to throng to the field during their break.
(and wasn't that a surprise? High school Pran probably would never have agreed that Pat was thoughtful. He was though, had always been, what with the guitar pick he'd cut out for Pran, but he was also the one who chased after Ink in high school, and Pran had been a repressed, sad and bitter little kid who pretended to hate Pat when all he wanted to do was push him up against a wall and kiss him senseless.)
And then Pat was getting up and walking away, and what with having to sit through unnecessary and honestly painful flirtatious comments since morning, and having Pat with him, finally, just when he felt like he was going explode. Having Pat being all clingy and possessive like he became everytime he got jealous gave Pran a different sort of rush, but it being cut short within a few minutes made him feel reckless.
Even now, lying in bed and thinking back to his own behavior, the way Pran did quite often (He was a chronic overthinker, it wasn't his fault!) gave him a rush of adrenaline. Others would probably say he'd been possessed, except Pran was fully aware of what he'd been doing. He'd said screw it to everything and did what he'd wanted to do since high school - grab Pat and never let go, damn the consequences.
Pran was distracted from his thoughts to the sensation of Pat slowly waking up beside him, of Pat reaching out and rubbing his palm against Pran's side and the comfort that brought him. Pat tangled their legs together and shifted slightly until his face was pressed to Pran's neck, well aware that Pran was sensitive there. That probably was why Pat liked doing it, and so Pran stoically bore it every time. Besides it was something he'd only ever let Pat do, and that truth was a sure shot way of getting Pran out of his thoughts and into doing much more pleasurable activities.
Pran huffed out a laugh and pulled Pat into a tight hug, crushing them together just for the heck of it. And then he prodded Pat's side, asking him to get off the bed, if was late already, and they fell back into their usual routine of brushing their teeth and getting ready for the day. But the promise Pran had given Pat stayed in his mind for the next few days. He was tired of pretending they weren't dating, that Pat didnt mean the world to him, and with graduation so close and his job in Singapore almost finalised, Pran felt a new itch under his skin, the urge to walk over and stake his claim over Pat.
The fact that graduation was close seemed to have suddenly gripped the entire university, because everywhere he went, Pran could see people asking others out, people kissing in the corridors or on the field, people being thronged by juniors wherever they went. This last part was really annoying to Pran. He supposed it made sense that the juniors would like a photo with their idols, like to confess their admiration, even if it led to nothing, because this was their last chance. He'd probably be flattered too by the fact that many of his juniors looked up to him, even though he'd definitely be turning them all down. And in fact he did do that to the few students who came by to give him flowers during the last week of university. They didnt appear too disappointed, in fact they barely looked surprised, and Pran supposed it had always been fairly obvious that he wasn't ready to move on, since he'd been grumpy and isolated after the 'break up' with Pat.
So while most of Pran's admirers had been respectful and merely wished him the best for his future, and one had even winked at him and said that maybe he should pursue Pat again, since it was his last chance, Pran had noticed that the same couldn't be said for Pat.
Pat was way too hot for his own good, and much more popular than Pran. Not to mention that his frequent football practices and gym schedule made him interact with a lot of people from all the faculties. And so, Pran noticed with a frown that Pat was being asked out left and right. Pat's gang had taken to walking everywhere with him so that he wouldn't be caught unaware in a scandal, and also so that Pran wouldnt murder Korn. Pran didn't know what Korn had said to convince the other two, who still didnt know about Pat and Pran still dating, but he didnt honestly care much about it, as long as it worked.
Things became a lot worse a couple of days later, the day of the largest football match of the year and just a couple of days away from graduation. Pat was playing that day, and Pran had woken Pat up early to give him a lot of motivation kisses before pushing him into the shower. Pat had pulled him in before Pran could retreat, drenching him, and then kissing Pran's protests until all Pran could do was stay upright and let Pat strip his wet clothes. They'd gotten only slightly frisky though, because Pat still had a game to get to and he had to be in the best possible condition for it. But the lingering touches and heated gazes had lit a fire in Pran, which kept simmering even as he made his way to the field.
Pran climbed up to the best spot on the bleachers, on the Fine Arts side of the bleachers, and away from the Engineering side. It was an unspoken agreement among them all that while Pran's friends and Pat's were allowed to mingle, Pran himself wouldnt go over to them and neither would Pat come over to meet him. Their friends couldnt very well ignore each other after all, not with Wai and Korn basically pouncing on each other whenever they were nearby. It was kiss though, and not to punch each other like they'd been doing the entirety of their first year at university. Sometimes Pran wondered if maybe that had been the better option after all.
Pran settled on the bleachers, looking out at the field where Pat was stretching with Korn. Wai plopped down beside Pran, wincing slightly, and Pran reached over to pat his knee. It didnt take a genius to figure out what he'd been up to. Wai glared at Pran, which quickly turned into a smile as Korn came running over to give Wai a bottle of juice and a small kiss on his temple. Pat followed behind Korn, with the excuse of pulling him back to practice, and risked a small glance and smile at Pran's direction, but quickly looked away as the bleachers filled up.
Pran felt that same pang from a few days ago as he saw that, but before he could do anything, Pa and Ink turned up, settling themselves on the bench beside him, giving Pat an excuse to send a flying kiss to them. Pran blushed only slightly, as Pa snickered beside him and sent a kiss back at Pat, shooing him and Korn away. The game was about to start.
It was an intense game, as all finals end up being. The Fine Arts team and Engineering team were surprisingly well matched and most of the crowd were on their feet cheering. Many had flowers in their hands, and Pran was sure they'd use this opportunity to gift it to their seniors as well. A fact that made him feel slightly bitter, and he sent some glares at the crowd, because he was sure many of those were for Pat. He might be exaggerating slightly of course, but they were making eyes at someone who belonged to him, belonged with him, so Pran supposed they should be grateful he hasnt fought anyone yet.
As the game progressed, Pran and Wai had gravitated towards the side of the ground, much closer to the Engineering team than before. He had been too busy watching Pat on field, gasping when Pat got elbowed on his side and called for a break, holding his side. Pran's fingers itched to reach out for Pat and he would have run over, if it wasn't for Korn pulling Pat's shirt up and placing an ice pack there, showing Pran that nothing was seriously wrong.
After that however, Pran was more restless than before, and just wanted the game end so that he could bundle up Pat in his blanket and keep him safe. He knew that they both got fairly banged up during the game, that was the nature of that sport, but that didnt mean Pran couldnt be worried when his boyfriend was hurt.
Pran had zoned out again, retreated from his surroundings while watching Pat on field, when he was suddenly brough back by Wai gripping his forearm.
"Don't listen to them, they dont know about you two, and they all think Pat is still single." Wai whispered hurried to Pran, answering Pran's questioning gaze.
What? Listen to whom?
That was when Pran zoned in to what was happening around him.
The game was almost over, and it looked like Engineering would be winning by a landslide, even though Fine Arts had started playing ugly. And now the crowd had gathered behind him, fighting to rush over to Pat when they'd won, and gift him their roses.
What. The. Hell.
Pran overheard one girl saying confidently to her friend, "Of course Pat is going to accept my proposal, have u seen me? He'd definitely pick the hottest junior of our batch. No one else can compare."
"But maybe he's just not into girls?" One of the others asked, since Pat hadn't really dated any one after Pran, all throughout university. Well, obviously, it was because he had always been dating Pran, but they didnt know about it.
"Oh no, I'm sure he is. I asked a couple of his friends, and they told me he'd been interested in Ink, except she liked his sister. So Pat backed off." She said with a smirk. "They'd have suited each other better, if you ask me, but now it means he's single so im not going to complain."
Pran wasn't sure which part of this conversation he was more annoyed with - the idea that Pat would pick that girl as a date, or that Ink and Pa were anything less than lovely together. He could see the same sentiments reflected in the stony glare Ink sent the girls, while Pa clutched Ink's hand and attempted to calm her down.
After that, Pran was more interested in hearing what the others were saying. Just how badly had they misjudged Pat? It was slightly gratifying to be the only one who knew Pat inside and out, but at the same time, Pran wanted everyone to know and appreciate the real Pat and not just who they thought he was.
He heard another girl arguing behind him. "Pat is much more than just hot. He's really sweet too. He helped me pick up my books when we collided on the staircase and even apologized. I think he remembers me, im going to ask him out later."
Okay, Pran was taking his thought back. He did want people to appreciate Pat, but he didn't want them thinking they had a chance with him!
"I dont get what Pat saw in Pran. He's from the enemy department, and things were just ridiculously complicated. He could have had someone a lot better." Someone else said.
Okay that was a low blow, especially since that had been Pran's initial thought about their relationship. They had progressed from that of course, but sometimes Pran still got nightmares of that time, before they'd actually started dating properly, when things were uncertain and messy and Pran felt so afraid of jumping into it with Pat, but also equally afraid of not doing so and walking away, of losing Pat forever.
Pran didn't know what his face showed, but he felt Pa squeeze his hand once before turning around and yelling at whoever had said that last sentence. "Don't speak shit if you dont know anything. Pran is the best thing that happened to my brother and neither of them regret it."
There was a moment of silence after her outburst and then murmurs broke out all around them, some contemplating what Pa meant, others still intent on oogling Pat. Pran had had enough.
He had always been careful around people, always afraid of what his mother thought, worried that something would go wrong. And though he had definitely improved over the years, and was now sure in his decisions, and believed in the strength and the truth of his relationship with Pat, he had never really shown it in public. He had never staked a claim or shown his jealousy, not even to Pat, preferring to swallow down the feeling and go about as if it hadnt awoken a raging monster in his chest. One which came out when he and Pat were in private, usually in the forn of a rough kiss, claiming all of Pat's moans for his own. But never in public.
Besides, Pat's last attempt at making him jealous failed so badly that Pat had never tried to do anything similar ever since.
Pran was naturally more secretive than Pat, but he had meant what he'd said to Pat the other day. He was ready to stop pretending. It was time the others knew just who they were dealing with. He'd break anyone who tried to flirt with Pat.
The game had wound down, Engineering had won and as the final whistle rang, the team began making their way back to the stands. Pran's eyes twinkled, and he was sure his smile probably hinted at his thoughts, because Wai groaned beside him, asking him "Sure, of course you're going to waste all our efforts at hiding you both. You're going to kiss him aren't you?"
Pran just grinned back at him, as Pa and Ink whooped in joy. "Go get him, P'Pran!" Pa cheered.
***
Pran pushed his way to the front, ignoring the dirty looks he got, accompanied by Wai who was evidently trying to reach Korn. But before he reached Pat, he realised a couple of girls had run over to Pat with flowers in their hands. Pat was still clutching at his side, and was now limping, evidently having injured his ankle as well, when the girls ambushed him. He looked surprised to see them, but firmly shook his head, refusing them as he kept walking.
Pat had reached the side of the field with Korn, just as Pran and Wai arrived. Korn saw Pran and was about to tell Pat, who hadn't noticed Pran yet, and was still scanning the bleachers for Pran, when Wai pulled Korn to the side, hissing at him to shut up. That was good. Pran wanted this to be a surprise.
Pran saw that those two girls just couldn't take no for an answer, and still hovered over Pat. One of them was the girl who had proudly stated that Pat would go out with her. Urgh. Pran hated the sight of her so much.
The others in the crowd waited for her cue. Or they'd probably noticed Pran standing there. Either way, Pran didn't bother looking around, didnt try to overthink or talk himself out of what he was going to do. He wanted this, he's thought about it, dreamt about standing in front of Pat and chasing away his annoyingly persistent 'suitors'.
"Come on P'Pat. Its been so long since you broke up with Pran." The girl said, dropping the honorifics for Pran's name. Pran didnt care, but he noticed when Pat straightened with a glare, eyes flashing.
Oh. That did things to Pran. Why was his boyfriend so perfect?
The girl must be stupid because she still continued. "You should go on a date with me. I would treat you better. Pran doesn't deserve you, you're much too good for him." She said and actually stepped forward, trying to touch his arm. Pran saw red. What was that girl trying to do? That was way over the line.
Evidently he wasn't the only one who thought so because a soft gasp rose up in the crowd, which became louder because as soon as the girl had stepped forward, Pat had stepped back. Stepped back and put pressure on his injured ankle, which couldnt hold him up any further and had sent him tumbling to the ground.
"Pat!" Pran yelled, and ran to Pat's side. This was worse. It wasnt just about Pran's jealousy anymore. Pat was hurt and Pran had to be there beside him.
The other girl just barely managed to pull the idiot away before Pran almost bowled her over in his haste to get to Pat. He knelt beside Pat, one arm curling around Pat's shoulder as Pat tried to sit up without futher injuring his side. It was sure to have bruised now, and was evidently much more painful than before, if Pat was moving so gingerly. Pran helped him sit up and pulled Pat against himself, allowing Pat's uninjured side to rest against Pran.
"Are you okay?" Pran asked Pat, who was still gasping for breath and looked thoroughly shocked to see Pran there. Pat nodded slightly, struck speechless by Pran's proximity, and the look in Pran's eyes. Pat decided then and there that while watching Pran get happy and confident when Pat got jealous and clung to him was hot, watching a Pran whose eyes showed concern for Pat but also flashed dangerously with jealousy was a hundred times better.
Pran whispered to Pat, " Just a second." and pressed a small kiss against Pat's temple, the crowd gasping again as one entity, and Pat stared at Pran with questioning eyes. No way. Was Pran going to.....? Pat couldnt even complete that thought because Pran had pulled away from him and stood up, facing the girl, who still hadnt taken the hint and backed off. How stupid.
"I know Pat is hot, that you all would love to date him. But if he says no then its a no. Get the point." Pran said stonily. Pat smiled to himself. Of course. Of course Pran's objection would be the fact that Pat's wishes had been disregarded.
Pran kept glaring at the girl, until her friend prodded her in the back and she awkwardly apologized to Pat. But it seemed that she hadn't quite understood the implications of Pran standing beside Pat, speaking up for him, because she looked back at Pran with a defiant look and said, "But Phi. Why are you getting in the way? You're nothing to him."
The crowd went silent, and everyone could hear Pa when she muttered, "Oh, bad move."
Bad move indeed.
Pran felt Pat shuffle slightly behind him, definitely angry at the girl's statement. At least he didn't try to get up and get more injured. Pran steadily looked at the girl in the eyes.
"Wrong. He's my boyfriend. And its no one's business except ours. We dont need to announce it to you all. But what is your business is to recognize when you're being rejected. Don't come near him again." Pran said and then turned away from her, dismissing her. He was sure they had all got the point by now.
Pran knelt down beside Pat, one hand on his knee as he said in a low voice. "Are you alright, Pat? Sorry, I couldnt help it. I think I made a scene, but they had it coming. Come on, let's get you back home."
"Pat?" Pran asked when there was no response, and saw that Pat's eyes were a bit glassy, as if he was about to cry. Pat reached up to grab Pran's tshirt and pulled him into a kiss that Pran melted into happily, all the tension leaving his body. He was so wrapped up in the kiss that Pran didn't even care about the screams and hoots coming from the crowd. A couple of seconds later, Pran pulled back. They were still in public after all, but when Pat followed his lips blindly and then pouted in the most adorable way possible, eyes wide and pleading in the way Pran could never resist, Pran gave in and kissed Pat again. "Let's go home." Pat whispered against Pran's lips.
It took half an hour for Wai and Korn to disperse the crowd after Pat and Pran had left, they were much too excited about what they had witnessed. Pat and Pran however, were oblivious to all this, busy in their own world, exchanging kisses until their lips bruised. And Pran wouldn't have it any other way.