Work Text:
“Tonkla...Tonkla!”
“Tonkla!” The incessant calling of his name pulls his attention back to the present.
“Sorry.” Tonkla blinks, realizing everybody in the study group is staring at him. “Which discussion question were we on again?”
“Four, but that’s not the point.” His friend nods her head towards the window of the cafe they’re all sitting in. “I think your boyfriend’s looking for you.”
Along with everyone else, Tonkla directs his gaze out the window, where Korn is leaning against his car. When he sees them looking, his lips draw up in to a slow smile as he lifts a hand in greeting.
“He’s not my boyfriend.” Tonkla mumbles, but he’s already gathering his books from the table and rushing to shove everything into his bag.
“Wow, now that’s a car.” Someone whistles quietly. “Think he’d be down to give us a ride back to the dorms?”
“Um, maybe next time.” Selfishly, Tonkla wants to spend some alone time with Korn.
Amidst everyone’s friendly teasing, Tonkla tries to tame his hair with his fingers, swinging his bag over one shoulder. “P’Korn!” He calls out, nervous since Korn’s handsome figure and sleek car is already drawing looks from passerbys. “What are you doing here?”
“Taking you to dinner.” Korn’s hand comes to rest on top of his head, sliding through his hair to cup the back of his head. “You said you wanted to go try that new moo kata place, right?”
“I thought you would be busy.” Tonkla says, hiding a pleased smile when Korn opens the passenger side door for him.
“My parents are driving me nuts.” Korn composes the frustrated expression on his face before turning to Tonkla with a smile. “But I wanted to see you.”
“You didn’t even text to see if I was free.” Tonkla grumbles, not sure why he’s upset at the thought of Korn only wanting to see him to get away from his family.
“When’d you start getting so cheeky with me, huh?” Korn laughs, reaching over to pinch his cheek. “You were so sweet when we met.”
Tonkla shakes his head in annoyance, hoping Korn won’t notice his cheeks flushing.
“I like it.” Korn says, hand returning to the steering wheel, his smile warm and easy. “I like that you can be yourself around me.”
~
The foot grazing up his leg under the table is making Tonkla regret coming to the restaurant, when they could’ve easily ordered delivery to Korn’s place.
“Can I clear these out of your way?” Their server chooses that moment to approach, reaching for the plates that have been sitting empty while they stare into each other’s eyes from across the table, fingers laced together.
“Yes, we’re all done. Thank you.” Korn leans back, but he doesn’t let go of Tonkla.
“Would you care for something sweet?” Their server offers. “We have a special promotion right now for Valentine’s Day, if you take a polaroid together for our Lover’s Wall, you get a free slice of cake.”
“Oh, well...” Tonkla’s eyes drift over to the cork board full of happy, smiling couples, then back to Korn, hesitating.
The situation with Korn’s family is...complicated. They barely take any pictures together in private, Korn probably doesn’t want a photo of them pinned up in a restaurant...
“Sure.” Korn agrees easily, rising to slide into the seat next to Tonkla. “Is this okay?”
“Can I get you to squeeze a little closer together?” The server holds up the camera, directing them. “Perfect! One, two, three!”
Korn’s arm slides around his shoulders just before the shutter clicks, Tonkla sitting stiffly in surprise.
“Can you take another one? We want to keep one.” Korn asks, which their server agrees to happily.
With a moment of bravery that even shocks himself, Tonkla turns his head at the last second to press a kiss against Korn’s cheek. He holds his breath in fear, waiting to be told off, but Korn just chuckles as he accepts the polaroid from their server.
They don’t do this kind of thing. Not in public. Not where people can see. Not when public image is what he cares most about.
But Korn is different today. All the little touches he’s usually so careful to avoid when they’re out together, he leans into rather than ducks away from.
“Cute.” Korn takes the developing polaroid, pleased as he examines it. “We should take more pictures together.”
“Happy Valentine’s.” Tonkla doesn’t know if Korn realized the date, if he knew and made sure they saw each other today on purpose. He’s not sure he wants to know, if that isn’t the case.
“I was waiting for you to notice.” Korn tucks the picture into his breast pocket carefully, fingertips playing with Tonkla’s collar.
Breath catching, Tonkla melts against him, body warming. “How badly do you want to stay for dessert?”
Smirking, Korn’s hand moves down his arm, cupping the curve of his waist, squeezing. “I think I’m in the mood for something else sweet.”
~
“P’Korn! Please!” Tonkla’s arms and thighs are shaking from holding himself up, his body glistening with sweat.
Fingers thread through his hair, pulling him back. Tonkla falls against Korn’s chest, turning to meet him for a messy kiss. He’s close, so close, but he doesn’t want this to end. However cold and distant Korn might be at times, it all falls away when they’re intimate. When it’s just the two of them, when they’re as close as two human beings can be. This Korn is attentive, loving, passionate, who moves like he just can’t get enough.
This Korn belongs to him.
Tonkla’s body tenses, unable to hold on any longer.
“Good boy.” A teasing voice croons next to his ear.
Korn’s hand strokes Tonkla through his orgasm, until he shudders with how sensitive every inch of skin becomes. Tonkla recovers his breath after he collapses against the blankets they shoved aside in haste, vaguely registering Korn getting up to discard the condom.
“You’re very strict about us using a condom.” Tonkla remarks casually after Korn slides back into bed, arm wrapping loosely around him as they’re both too sweaty to cuddle close.
“It’s safer this way.” Korn says, kissing the back of his neck.
“Have you ever...” Tonkla turns, pillowing his head on his forearm. “Gone without?”
“No.” Korn shakes his head. “I don’t like taking that kind of risk.”
“Would you ever?” Tonkla asks. Once the thought is planted in his mind, removing the one little barrier that still exists between them, he can’t think about anything else whenever they’re together.
Korn doesn’t answer right away. And every second of silence feels like an eternity. “I would if I was certain this person was it for me.” Staring at Tonkla with something neither of them have had the courage to acknowledge, Korn leans forward and kisses his forehead. “If we were both so in love that we can’t bear the thought of being with anyone else.”
Propelling himself forward, Tonkla knocks Korn onto his back with the force of his kiss.
“I want to feel you. Just you, P’Korn.” He whispers against Korn’s lips, and finds his kiss returned with just as much ferocity.
Though they’ve barely recovered from the previous round, there’s no less energy this time. Passion seeps through every touch as they twist together just as easily as they fell apart. They spill the lube somewhere that will have to be cleaned up later, but that’s the last thing on their minds as Korn pushes back into him. This time, with nothing between them.
His limbs wind around Korn’s body, hips moving out of habit. Korn draws him into kiss after kiss, chasing after him whenever they break apart to breathe. Air seems so unimportant.
Tonkla is still too scared to say it, but he can’t imagine feeling this way about anyone else.
~
“Do you have time next Thursday?” Tonkla asks as Korn pulls into the parking lot of his faculty.
“I’d have to check, is something happening on Thursday?” Korn turns to him, wondering.
“It’s nothing.” He shakes his head, reaching for his bag in the backseat.
“Tonkla.” A hand stops him before he can leave the car. “What’s happening on Thursday?”
“It’s my birthday.” His words rush out. “I’m doing a small get together with my friends. It’s not a big deal. I know you’re busy during the week and-”
“I might have a meeting with my father.” Korn says, regretably.
“Yeah, no. I get it.” Tonkla replies right away, not wanting to sound needy or too demanding. “That’s more important than-”
“Tonkla.” Korn squeezes his arm gently. “I might show up late. Is that okay?”
“Oh.” Tonkla doesn’t want to get his hopes up. “It’s okay if you’re busy.”
“Tonkla, I’ll be there.” Korn sighs, but he doesn’t sound too upset. “You should’ve told me, I would’ve planned something.”
“You don’t have to.” He says, even though he desperately wants to know what Korn would’ve planned.
When the day does arrive, Tonkla can’t help but glance at the door of the restaurant every few minutes. Dinner is almost finished, only scraps left on their plates, and one noticeably empty seat at the table.
“He’s not going to get here faster if you keep staring.” One of his friends says, rolling her eyes.
“Don’t mind Tonkla,” Another friend laughs. “He’s love sick.”
“So how’d you get involved with P’Korn, anyway?” His friend asks, perching her face in her palms, ready to gossip. “I heard he’s a hot commodity even with all the rich boys in business school.”
“I’m not involved-” Tonkla begins to say.
“Oh don’t even.” She rolls her eyes. “I saw you guys kissing when he dropped you off. That man looked like he was about to drag you back into the car.”
“Maybe we’re...seeing each other.” He thinks he can say that safely. “It’s not a big deal.”
Can he keep Korn? Is it delusional to think that what they have, when it’s just the two of them, can remain that way forever? It’s just so addictive, the way Korn makes him feel. Like Tonkla is the center of his universe.
The restaurant lights suddenly dim, and as they all glance around in confusion, Korn walks out of the kitchen with a cake in hand, carefully shielding the candle flames. Tonkla just stares as he approaches, completely speechless. They have the attention of the entire restaurant now, but he only has eyes for Korn.
“Sorry I’m late.” Korn’s still in formalwear from his meeting, though he’s shed the jacket and rolled up the sleeves. There’s a slight sheen of sweat around his hairline, like he rushed to get here on time. “Oh, wait, one more thing.”
From one pocket, he pulls out a paper crown like the ones they give out for free with the purchase of a cake and gently places it on Tonkla’s head. “Happy birthday.”
“I can’t believe you came.” Tonkla says, voice thick.
“Why would I miss this?” Korn’s brows knit together, as if that’s unthinkable. “Come on, make a wish before the wax gets everywhere.”
Pressing his hands together, Tonkla closes his eyes and wishes for this. Just this. For every birthday from here on.
His friends cheer when he blows out the candles, and shuffle around the table so Korn can have the seat next to Tonkla.
“P’Korn, did you bring a present?” His friend asks curiously.
“I can’t bring it into the restaurant.” Korn says, turning to Tonkla. “I’ll give it to you when we get home.”
“What is it?” Tonkla leans in, whispering, wondering just what sort of a present it could be. “It’s not a...”
“Your boyfriend’s here and your friends don’t get to see the front of your face anymore, huh?” His friend teases loudly, making Tonkla lean back, flushing.
It’s one thing to joke around with his friends, but he’s never thrown around the word boyfriend in front of Korn. It seems so serious, so official.
“Thanks for keeping Tonkla company today. Something with my family came up last minute.” Completely unfazed, Korn turns to address his friends. “Dinner’s on me.”
“See? If none of your partners are willing to pick up the tab, don’t even bring them.” His friend says to the table as they all laugh.
“You really don’t have to do that.” The money aside, it’s an incredibly nice gesture that Tonkla is sure just won over his friends in an instant.
“Did you have good birthday?” Korn asks instead, taking his hand under the table.
Tonkla beams. “The best.”
~
There’s a calico kitten meowing in annoyance in the middle of Korn’s living room.
“What...” Tonkla looks to Korn in surprise. He’s never gotten the impression that Korn was a person that liked to keep pets, but she doesn’t look like a stray that wandered in by accident.
“Oh, she got through the gate.” Korn seems equally surprised, but not by the fact that there’s a cat in his house. “This is your present. Happy birthday.”
The kitten seems unimpressed by both of them, and ignores them in favour of investigating a plant in the corner.
“She’s...” Tonkla stares at the kitten, then Korn, unable to speak.
“We can keep her here.” Korn says softly. He wraps an arm around Tonkla, kissing his temple. “But you can come see her anytime, how’s that?”
Something rigid slides into Tonkla’s palm, and he looks down to find a keycard. That, the permission to come over whenever he wants, and the kitten now sniffing curiously at his ankles is entirely too good to be true. Like something conjured up by his imagination.
“She’s mine?” Tonkla asks again, just to be sure. “Really?”
“Yes.” Korn chuckles, dipping his head down for a kiss. “But you’ll have to come over to help take care of her. I have no idea what I’m doing.”
“I’m going to be here all the time.” Tonkla promises, kneeling down to see if she’ll let him pet her. “Hi baby, you’re home.”
Korn takes a seat on the floor, watching them fondly. “Your birthday’s almost over.” He says, glancing at his watch. “Any last wishes?”
Watching the seconds tick close to twelve on the watch face, Tonkla closes his eyes. He rests his head against Korn’s body as they take one more breath together.
I hope this Tonkla gets to live his happily ever after.