Chapter Text
They are in Phuket and the news spread like nothing short of a wildfire among the fandom. Soon there are fans everywhere they go. Lile and Yunkai enjoy the warm welcome from fans, and since they are still in the promotion period of their first work together they expect this popularity as well in a country like Thailand. But the recent behaviour of the fans has started to annoy Lile a little bit. He can't help being angry at times.
When they first signed up for the new drama, they were somewhat nervous. It wasn't their first work, but it was the first time they were starring in a BL. Growing up in China, both of them had known BL culture, of course, but probably never thought of acting in one because of the heavy censorship prevalent in the country. Especially after what happened to the actors playing lead roles in a watered down ‘bromance’ version of a BL novel, they knew how murky this water was. So they had taken up the project with excitement and fear simultaneously. The directorial team ensured that they had taken necessary measures to minimise the risks. In fact, the whole team of cast and crew made them nothing but comfortable. When the show started to air, they expected a good number of viewers. But what they didn't expect was the overwhelming response and creation of an international fandom. People welcomed them with open arms, and soon the Huaein-XiaoBao fandom drew more people than expected. With popularity came the inevitable trouble of never being left alone. This wouldn't have been much of a problem, unless the other unplanned thing happened.
After the initial couple of days of introduction, they were already comfortable with each other. Reading the novel together, learning necessary skills for the characters, and practice sessions made them understand their own characters. But once the shooting began with full costume and set up, they found themselves deeply absorbed in the characters. Soon, caring for each other became a part of their daily routine, and before they could figure out anything better, Lile and Yunkai had become attached to each other emotionally. With time, Lile understood that possibly it's more than just attachment or friendship, at least from his side. Looking at the bright smile of Yunkai from close proximity, gripping the small soft hands tightly, and kissing the person so many times as multiple trial shots in the first few days made him feel butterflies in his stomach. He had never been in a relationship before, and this sort of feeling was new to him.Yunkai is a serious actor, engrossed in his character, acting as he is expected to. So it was hard for him to find out whether the other person felt anything similar for him, or if it was just his professional response. He stole glances at the younger man whenever he could, admiring him, and cherishing the moments together. The kind of devoted attention Lile got from Yunkai made him feel so special- the way he made sure Lile was comfortable in the situation both during shooting as well as behind the camera. His bright sunshine smile and the way his eyes squeezed to tiny crescents when he smiled, made Lile gasp each time, no matter how many times he saw that. His hand placements and the way he looked at Lile when they shot the scene beside the lake fueled his feelings, or was it just the effect of wine working up in their nerves that they drank beforehand to warm up their bodies. The walls of rational fear and self control were dwindling for him that evening. Only the presence of the crew with their cameras and microphones, and the flow of instructions from the director kept his last string from snapping. Yunkai didn't drink that much. Was it because he is more comfortable with the cold, or to ensure that the professionalism is not broken? Lile didn't understand. But when they were done with shooting finally, and they parted ways to go back to their own cities after these months, the pangs of sadness made him sure about his own desires. The water of desire is a murky thing: you cannot fathom the bottom unless you step into it. When you step into it, you have chances of being reciprocated and comfortable, or drift afar from your loved one, pulled by the sub-surface currents of awkwardness and fear, and the blatant blows from public humiliation. Your career can be ruined, public image distorted, left alone to suffer the sunless depths of despair. Lile knows. So he carefully kept his distance. He waited by the shore, dipping his toes, but refusing to plunge in. He would wait. He doesn't know for what, - for the promotional period to end? For Yunkai to approach first? For getting some full proof evidence of the other's emotions? Maybe all of them, maybe none.
Now that the promotion period is coming to its end, the October Macao fanmeet being the probable last of its kind, Lile found himself more hopelessly attached to this human as well as afraid of the consequences. The day they arrived at Bangkok for the big fanmeet, some fans had gone astray and Yunkai was trapped in a crowd of aggressive fans. He is too polite to ever shout or fight back seriously. Moreover, he was injured- the back pain wasn't improving, rather the dance choreography made it worse. Lile could not stand and watch. He grabbed Yunkai from behind, trying to shield him from the crowd, and pulled him inside the car safely. He knows that Yunkai isn't very comfortable with physical touch, he is rather sensitive. Moreover, behaving differently (more like Huaein?) would mean stepping into the water farther. But he had no choice at that moment. He did what he thought was right. Kaikai was back inside the car, safe and sound. No one said anything offensive about it. However, a thin invisible line had been tipped at that moment of chaos. Lile understood that soon, once the car pulled out of the airport premises, Yunkai silently held his hand, squeezed it softly, and smiled at him. The smile was not the regular one everyone saw. It was less bright, more sincere, and more like Yunkai than XiaoBao. It was a gesture of thanks, but a stream of currents bolted through Lile's body. It felt amazing.