Melted: A MaxTul AU story

Eight: Ice Cream Instead

Author's Note: I have never been to Thailand although I know several people who have. The original idea for this story, as you know, did not take place in Thailand but in South Korea, a place with which I am much more familiar. Thus, I have to spend time asking people and looking up various locations for this story. As you can tell by the title of the story, ice cream plays a role in key moments, so I had to look up ice cream places in Bangkok. All the ice cream places that Max and Tul will visit in this story will be real places as of when I'm publishing. Thus, The Creamery is a real place and a place I really want to visit if I ever get to visit Thailand. You can follow them on IG at creamerybkk. But don't look if you are hungry; their food pics will make you have serious cravings! I don't know if it is a place where you order at a counter or if you are waited on, so I just guessed. If anyone has been, please let me know, and I'll update the section in the future.

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When Max had told Tul "I know a place," Tul had got this funny feeling really low in his stomach that traveled much lower to the point where he had to force himself to think about other things. Max deserved to have his complete focus but not in that way. Max needed a friend right now, and Tul was determined to be that friend, so when Max asked where he had parked, he automatically led the way.

Instead of telling him where he was going, so he could put it in his GPS, Max just gave directions. Usually, Tul hated this. He was impatient and wanted to be able to see the destination, look at the map, and then listen as a voice guided him to where he already knew he was going. Somehow though, he felt soothed by Max's voice. He liked the idea of just letting go and following wherever Max was taking him. He didn't feel nervous about it at all the way he would with many people whom he knew better.

Tul realized then, as he glanced over at the man sitting next to him, that nothing about his feelings for, about, with Max were like the feelings he had had about anyone before. Why did he feel so comfortable with someone who was nearly a complete stranger? Why did he feel so angry at seeing him hurt? Why did he feel at such a loss seeing him sad? Tul thought he knew, but he wasn't ready to acknowledge any of that now because it didn't make sense.

But he was fine with how this was all happening. He didn't feel any need to rush forward. Max wasn't going anywhere, and neither was he.

About 15 minutes into the drive, he started realizing where they were. Max led him to a parking lot near the Faculty of Law at Chulalongkorn University. When they got out, he followed Max until they stood outside of a medium-sized café. Max rushed him in before he could actually see the menu on the chalkboard sign outside, but he didn't mind that either. He just sat down in front of Max at a table by the window. Max looked at the menu and went to counter and ordered.

Tul looked around. Some people were eating food and some dessert. He realized it was an ice cream place, so when Max came back to the table, he looked at him questioningly.

Max smiled at him slightly and shrugged. "Other people drink when they are stressed or worried or depressed. I eat ice cream. People wonder why I work out so much. I actually don't necessarily like working out." And then he gave a grin which Tul thought was going to give him a heart attack. "I just like ice cream."

Finding his voice, Tul asked. "So you don't drink at all?"

"Not really. To be honest. I've never found any alcohol that I liked enough that I wanted to drink a lot, so I guess that helps. I also have such a low tolerance that I don't really get to drink much anyway. If I want to spend time with people, I just don't drink."

"So at karaoke that night . . . ?"

"Apple juice."

"How did you find out you had such a low tolerance?"