Stuck on you

chapter 8

Summary: The bottom line was that he exchanged company and sexual favours for money, and that made him a whore.

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Frong

There were many opinions flowing around when it came to being an escort but they could easily be divided into two big categories: those who thought of them as high-class hookers living the best life, getting paid to look good and do nothing but sleep with beautiful women -and men; and those who found them disgusting prostitutes with no morals nor self-value, losers unable to go anywhere in life. He never cared to discuss with anyone about that, especially since his secret life was known to one person only, Kao who was in charge of making sure he was safe every time he had work. The bottom line was that he exchanged company and sexual favours for money, and that made him a whore. One who didn't have to work on the streets, one who wasn't anybody's slave. One who had the priviledge to dine in starred restaurants and sleep between high thread count sheets. But he was still a whore and even if he never found the choice he had made to be embarassing, after a job he would feel like crap most of the times  because regardless of the amount of money or of the type of clients he was still being used and thrown away, time after time.

At beginning it hurt: feeling like trash, having no connection with the people he was  sleeping with. Until he was able to distance himself from what were merely tasks. Being into the business meant he had to be unaffected by the physical and the emotional closeness, because sometimes over dinners they would open up to him about their problems, talking to a stranger being easier than seeking comfort from a close one who might judge them. So instead of being swallowed by his and their emotions, he had learned how to distance himself and be unswayed by anything related to his job. And he had become pretty good at it.

Until Thara.

He constantly dealt with good-looking people, the majority of them even richer and more successful than him. Being with the doctor was fun, that day confirming how well they got along. They secretely mocked a few guests for their fashion outfits gone wrong, laughed when one of the ladies who had almost tripped into the pool, the fall avoided only thanks to another guest's quick reflexes, had a small breakdown because her wine hadn't been saved too -not an issue since she had clearly had one too many glasses already. His friends too seemed alright, he fit right in and nobody had made him feel awkward or left out. Even meeting the ex-boyfriend had been a piece of cake.

In the beginning, despite Thara's denials, he had really thought the young doctor to be still into him, stuck onto a past that clearly wasn't coming back since the guy had started a family. But he had observed him as he looked completely fine, even congratulating the wife and asking about the progress of her pregnancy, praising her doctor in charge who turned out to be a very skilled senior of his.

Today's job was different and he was having a blast playing his role, this character allowing him to be more like himself than he had ever been. He would have spent hours just sitting there and listening to him as he calmly talked, his voice deep and steady as he caught up with his friends' lives. Holding hands with him felt natural and he liked getting lost in Thara's eyes when they wanted to look romantic and into their world.

"Seeing them didn't affect us at all because we're very much in love, P'Doctor," he says, a cocky smile plastered on his face. Too cocky for the words that come out next from his date's mouth, his reaction too slow .

"You know, I think that if you keep looking at me like that I might start to believe we really are."

He hadn't expected those words, nor the soft gesture that follows. He swallows hard and probably forgets to breathe while Thara's hand brushes his hair.

"You're good at this," he manages to say letting out a chocked laugh. Thara moves out of his personal space and leans back in his seat, eyes on him for a moment before telling him they can relax a bit and have a good time for the rest of the night. Frong nods and before he knows it he is lost in a whirlwind of chats, delicious dishes appearing in front of him, glasses of wine being filled when he doesn't pay attention. The people at the table are more entertaining than he expects, used to boring work related events or one on one dinners where he has to spend the whole time doing his best to pleasure his client and make them happy. He particularly likes hearing embarassing stories about Thara, never having pictured him for one who would get wasted and sleep on the lawn in front of his dorm because he couldn't remember how to open the door. He swears he stopped drinking so heavily six months into his freshmen year, his eyes squinting as he holds his laugh at the memory. Frong thinks he is the cutest when he does that and looks at him lovingly while he chestise his so called friends for revealing stuff they shouldn't.

"So Nong Frong," one of the girls across the table starts as she takes a bite of the wedding cake. "How did you meet? Thara has kept you as a secret and we don't know anything about you."

They had agreed on a madeup story to feed anyone who asked and he is about to tell their tale when Thara himself interrupts him before he can utter a sound.

"I saw him at a work gathering, he came with a friend of his who is a collegue of mine."

Frong turns his head at the speed of light, the story not the one they had agreed on. He wonders why Thara isn't following the script they have worked on but can't do anything except listen to him as he continues and hope this is not where they mess up.

"Of course he was the most handsome in the room, it was hard not to notice him."

The girls giggles, encouraging him to keep going and Frong is surprised he is chosing to reveal a half truth of their first meeting.

"But we didn't even talk that night. Coincidentally we saw each other again a few weeks later because it turns out he is friends with one of my relatives. We had dinner, talked and then I asked him out."

"Actually," Frong intereves to spice things up instead of using such a boring version of their story. "I gave him my number at the end of the night and he didn't call for weeks! It took him so long to contact me that I had almost forgotten him!"

His outraged tone makes the table laugh, Thara joining them as he mocks an apology with a wai. "I was slightly intimidated."

"He gave you his number, man. It was definitely a move," says the guy on his left, gaining a high five from him in agrrement.

"So it was pretty much love at first sight for Thara. What about you?"

Frong pauses, partly to make the moment more dramatic and to have some time to gather his thoughts. He could tell anything at this point, truth and lies already meshed together into a messy web.

"Handsome guys? I got plenty of them," he says stirring up a loud reaction from his fellow diners. "But handsome, incredibily nice and extremely smart? I'm gonna be honest and say I didn't expect him to even notice me."

The chorus of boos intesifies, guys and girls alike incredulous. He goes back to that night, to the neverending flow of praises for Thara he had to listen to as he ate, as he drank, as he shook hands and pretend to be interested in what was going on around him. He remembers how this brilliant doctor looked like someone who lived in a world far away from his, one where he could barely understand the words used to communicate. And he remembers the fire in Thara's eyes as he they looked at each other for the first time at the end of the night.

"All of you know way better than me that he's some sort of god of medicine, or at least that's how everyone made him seem because as far as I know he might be a quack," he explains getting a few nods and laughs in return. "He was totally unapproachable. But the second time I saw him, even though he was still like that, he also seemed like an entirely different person: easy to talk to, a bit awkward. And very, very cute."

He realizes Thara is watching him and gives him a small smile. "But since he didn't make a move, I decided it was on me. I didn't even know if you were into guys. I risked it all."

"And I'll be forever grateful for that," Thara says clinking their glasses.

"You guys are adorable," one of the girls says.

"That's how we roll," he winks at her, the show over for the moment, before gulping down the rest of his wine, set on ignoring the warmth he feels at her statement. It's definitely the alcohol.