2 years later

Celebrating his 24th birthday Peter realized how he truly didn’t enjoy birthdays. The awkward congratulations from co-workers, customers and friends made him want to stay at home to avoid it. Staying at home alone would make him lonely though, he wasn’t too good with being alone, which is why he appreciated friends like Meen. Meen didn’t like commitment, but he wasn’t hard to ask to come over. There was no romantic attraction between the two, just familiarity and comfort. Meen knew what Peter liked and vice versa. Right now Meen wasn’t available though, so Peter couldn’t stay at home alone, it would be worse than going out in the public space. 

A couple of hours into his shift at The Bar one of the other bartenders, an older woman who had been working there for more years than him, nudged him with her shoulder while her gaze was focused on the door where new customers were entering the bar.

‘Did you hear some new rich guy bought the hotel down the street,’ she murmured close enough that Peter could hear her. Peter shook his head at the question, curiously following her gaze. 

‘They renovated the top 4 floors for the family and bodyguards,’ she continued. ‘I hear his son likes to drink, it was just a matter of time before he showed up here.’

Sure enough a man no more than 20 years old walked into the bar with flashy, extremely expensive clothing. The clothes were something else Peter noted, but it wasn’t what really caught the eyes. Behind him a group of older men dressed in immaculate black suits tailored to them followed along. They kept scanning the room with quiet steady faces. 

What really caught Peter’s eyes though was the man in the middle, the one the rich kid kept pulling along excitedly. His long hair was dark brown and pulled back into a bun, not a hair out of place. He had sharp, thin features and a tall and lean body. There was something erotic about the way the suit clung to every curve of the body. Even the cold expression on his face made Peter’s stomach flutter. And the eyes-

The glass Peter was holding crashed to the floor when his eyes connected with the bodyguard. For an eternity he stared into Tawin’s eyes and Tawin stared back without any sign of recognition. Managing to tear his eyes away, Peter started quickly cleaning the mess he had made behind the counter, cursing quietly to himself. His heart was beating uncomfortably fast, every beat echoing in his ear as a drum being continuously struck. 

‘You okay?” His colleague dropped down beside him to help. He quickly shoo’ed her away. He needed the time it took to clean to get a grip on himself again. It felt like he had broken in a thousand pieces when the glass had. 

Tawin had grown a lot in the two years he hadn’t seen him. There weren’t any bruises visible and Peter wondered if he had grown out of his past habits. He exuded a quiet confidence that was starkly contrasted by the emotions Peter could see swimming in his eyes. How could someone so visibly ignore their feelings and project a persona that was so different. An actor would be envious of the show Tawin was putting on for people. Peter caught himself thinking he would like to do what he could to break the persona Tawin put on, he found himself wanting to see the real person behind the eyes. 

In his own thoughts Peter finished cleaning and stood up, He nearly jumped out of his skin when he came face to face with the person occupying his mind. Still there was no signs of recognition, Tawin didn’t even bat an eye at Peter’s comical jump of surprise.

“Two beers,” Tawin murmured in a low deep voice that sent shivers down Peter’s spine. Peter nodded and quickly poured two beers into glasses. Tawin grabbed them and left without letting Peter get a word in and his place was quickly taken by one of the other bodyguards who pulled out a card and gave it to him to pay for the beer.  

The entire night Peter kept finding his eyes wandering back to watching Tawin sit quietly next to the very animated rich kid, giving short polite answers if prompted for an opinion. The kid seemed to be fine with Tawin’s lack of enthusiasm, as if he preferred talking and just wanted someone to listen. 

Peter saw these types of kids at the bar all the time. They lived in a home where they were told to shut up and stay out of the way, their parents too busy to listen to anything they had to say, so they spent their times in places where people had no other choice but to listen. Sad really. Then again, they had everything they could ever want and every opportunity to make it in the world. 

One of the bodyguards was sitting at the counter so Peter decided to try some friendly casual talk. 

“Haven’t seen you guys around here before,” he said smiling at the man who was sipping a coffee to stay alert in the late hours. 

“Our employer just moved here,” the bodyguard offered with a short twitch of the lips that could be described as a smile.

“I didn’t think bodyguards were allowed to drink,” Peter commented with a nudge towards Tawin who was nursing a beer. 

“Oh, P’Tawin is Khun Tin’s personal bodyguard,” the bodyguard said as if that explained everything. 

If he was the personal bodyguard wouldn’t that put more pressure on him to be alert at all times? Peter also noted how the bodyguard had used P’ to address Tawin even though Tawin was clearly the younger one. There was something more going on here.

“Peter,” A familiar voice caught Peter’s attention, drawing it away from the bodyguard. It was Meen who came walking over with a big smile on his face. “Happy Birthday!” He said far too loudly for Peter’s taste, making him cringe and scowl. 

“Please keep it down,” Peter begged him. He automatically got a can of beer he knew Meen liked and handed it to him across the bar. 

“Come on, it’s your birthday, we need to celebrate,” Meen insisted. “I’m sorry I’m late, I thought you weren’t working tonight?”

“I was bored,” Peter casually stopped the conversation from delving any deeper into the subject. “You didn’t have to come.”

Meen laughed at that, leaning back in his chair, studying the room while Peter made drinks for customers approaching the bar. His eyes landed on the loud kid in the corner. It was hard not to notice him with how loud he was, the way he dressed and the amount of guards surrounding him. 

“Who’s the new kid?” Meen asked when Peter joined him at his end again. 

“That’s Khun Tin, from what I’ve heard, his family bought some buildings nearby,” Peter explained, his eyes landing on Tawin again. He wondered how it would feel to run his hand along the sharp edges of his jaw, along his impossibly long neck, run his hand through the thick dark hair. A blush heated up his face, pulling him back to reality and he forced himself to look away. 

“When’s your shift over?” Meen asked absentmindedly, shaking his head at the loud rich kid and giving his attention back to Peter. Noting the redness in Peter’s face he curiously studied him. “Are you blushing?” It was a question spurred by genuine surprise, he’d never seen Peter blush before. Not much could make Peter lose his posture.

“I’ll be done in an hour,” Peter ignored the second question, failing to meet his friend’s eyes. He was truly embarrassed by his own body reaching and his mind fantasising about such ridiculous things. 

An hour later, Meen was helping Peter with his things as they got ready to leave the bar. Meen kept glancing at him with curiosity and Peter tried to ignore it. Once outside The Bar Meen gently pushed Peter against the wall, using his arm to block him from getting away. 

“You’ve been distracted all night, what is going on?” Meen pressed. Peter rested his hands on Meen’s waist, contemplating if he wanted to push Meen away and ignore it or just let his friend in on it. He’d told Meen about Tawin two years ago, it wasn’t like it was a secret. 

“I–” Peter started, but the sound of The Bar door opening distracted him. Tin was slumped over Tawin, clearly too drunk to stand on his own feet, and barely awake it seemed. Tawin was guiding him with care, and seemed to not be affected by the alcohol he had consumed. 

Peter and Tawin’s eyes met. Tawin did a quick glance over Meen and their position before connecting back with Peter’s eyes. The intensity Peter saw in those eyes made his breath catch and he clenched his hands at Meen’s waist, effectively pulling him closer although he hadn’t meant to. Meen, who was too focused on Peter didn’t notice the two leaving The Bar. 

“Not here,” Meen whispered against Peter’s ear as he misinterpreted Peter’s reaction. He trailed his lips along Peter’s neck, but Peter could not look away from Tawin, over Meen’s back. His body shivered with the dark possibilities that seemed to radiate from Tawin. 

That night he spent in the arms of Meen his mind was completely and irrevocably occupied by Tawin. Afterwards, after tossing and turning with no sleep coming to him, Peter had to give up. He sat in the bed staring at the wall, trying to figure out these foreign feelings attacking him,  while Meen slept silently next to him.