Chapter Text
Joss was having a wonderful dream. He was swimming in a pool (or was it a lake?) brimming with chunks of ice and tiny, adorable penguins perched on the edge. They reminded him vividly of someone familiar, and he found himself voicing that aloud amid their endearing waddles and lively chatter. All of them listened to him with their own questions and opinions. It was the second most adorable thing he had ever seen. He was deep in earnest conversation with their leader, the chubbiest of them all, sitting regally on the edge, about ice bath benefits, when a loud voice shattered the scene. It called his name insistently as hands roughly shook him awake.
Rude.
He felt disoriented and equally furious at being wrenched awake mid-conversation with the penguin leader.
Who had even gotten inside his home? Who even dared to?!
"What?" He glared at the intruder who had woken him so rudely and hauled him into a sitting position, only to come face-to-face with… himself?
What?
“Joss, are you awake?” The figure who looked exactly like Joss tapped his cheek gently a couple of times.
“Who?” he asked, voice thick with bewilderment.
His doppelganger closed his eyes and sighed. “You haven’t seen the mirror yet, have you? Figured as much.” With that, he rose and went to a table located at the far side of the room.
That was also when Joss realised this was not his room either. He glanced around, taking in the details more carefully. The space felt strangely familiar, very familiar in fact. It was Gawin's room; his eyes widened at the realisation. It was not the first time Joss had been inside this room; of course, he would recognise it. But what he could not wrap his head around was why he was here now, sleeping in Gawin's bed, and why a man who looked exactly like himself had woken him up so rudely.
Is this a parallel world? An alternate universe? Time travel into the future? Joss's mind raced a mile a minute.
He wanted to scream and pull out his hair, but he did none of those things. He was too shocked and freaked out to even move an inch.
Then the mirror appeared before his face, and this time, he could not even breathe when he saw his reflection in the damned thing.
"I think we swapped bodies," the Joss in front of him said, confirming the wild conclusion his mind had reached.
He turned to the man, speechless. When he had said in that interview that he would like to wake up as Gawin one day, he had not actually expected it to happen, not even in his wildest dreams.
"G?" he inquired, just to make sure.
Gawin, currently occupying Joss's body, nodded with a grim expression.
Joss laughed hysterically.
King of manifestation indeed.
***
(Gawin’s POV)
When Gawin woke that day, the sun was barely up, much to his disappointment. He had planned to get as much sleep as he could since he had only gone to bed at three in the morning. No such luck.
Strangely enough, despite how little sleep he had managed to get, Gawin felt surprisingly refreshed and well-rested; his body hummed with unusual energy that made the idea of going back to sleep unappealing.
He threw back the covers with a sigh and instinctively reached for his phone on the side of his pillow, expecting it to be right there within grasp. It was not there, sparking a flicker of confusion. He fumbled around, patting down the rumpled sheets and pillows, searching every inch of the bed, growing with annoyance. It took a full minute of blind groping before he finally managed to locate the phone sitting on the bedside table.
Something felt off about it.
Then he understood why. That phone was not his. It was Joss’s. He was the one who always kept his phone on the table, unlike Gawin. The question was, what was his phone doing in Gawin’s house? He would remember if Joss stayed in his home yesterday.
He felt like he was missing something, but could not pinpoint what it was. It took a few seconds before the realisation struck-what had been gnawing at him since he woke up.
The bed sheets were not his, not the bed, or the room or the…. He looked at the phone in his hand and the hand holding the phone. Both were also not his. It was Joss’s! He would recognise those hands anytime.
Gawin would never admit that he screamed at the sudden discovery. Not even to Joss. Especially not to Joss.
He bolted to the bathroom, which was also not his. What he saw in the mirror was exactly what he feared. Joss’s handsome, freaked-out face was staring back at him. That explained why his body roused at the crack of dawn; he thought with a frown.
He touched his face hesitantly to make sure that he was not hallucinating or dreaming. He even pinched his cheek to make sure that was not the case. Nope. The sharp sting assured him this was no dream. “Fuck,” he cursed his luck, mind reeling without a clue what was happening, why, or how.
Then a thought struck. If he were in Joss’s body, that means Joss must be in his. He groaned, the weight of it sinking in.
He needed to go find him fast. He had to make sure if this was some twisted dream his brain had conjured.
If not, if he and Joss had truly swapped bodies, they were both screwed. Utterly screwed. There were so many private and public events lined up for the next couple of months, starting from tomorrow.
Before he could track down Joss, another urgent problem demanded attention, a very serious one. Nature's call pressed with such urgency that he could not ignore it for long. Gawin cursed again.
Once dressed in something resembling Joss's style, keeping his eyes averted the whole time, he hurried over to his own house. He felt restless throughout the drive, his mind churning with uncertainty over what he might find. Everything felt too bizarre to fully grasp. He considered calling Joss but decided against it (there was also a little problem of Joss’s phone being locked, and he did not know the password). If they had truly swapped bodies, letting Joss freak out alone while his mom was in the house would not do anyone any good. And if Joss was already up, Gawin would have gotten a frantic call by now.
His mom answered the door; he almost called her mom when she did.
He gave her some excuse about needing to visit their manager to discuss work and having to take "Gawin" along when she asked about his visit. After a promise to stay for breakfast, he went to his room.
Joss was fast asleep when he opened the door, so out of it as he curled up around the pillow, all wrapped up in the warm sheets. Gawin closed the door and locked it behind him before coming to stand beside him. He stood there and stared at his sleeping face for a few moments. It was so bizarre, to himself, like this. It was different compared to seeing himself on the screen.
“Joss…” he called softly.
There was no response from the sleeping man.
Gawin shook him a little as he called his name again.
Still no response. That was when Gawin noticed that Joss was mumbling something in his sleep. He leaned forward, curious to know what he was dreaming about. He managed to catch some words like ice bath, penguins, and kings. Gawin suppressed a laugh. To be expected from the ice bath cult leader.
“Joss, wake up already” Gawin tried again with a slightly higher voice as he shook him a bit harder this time.
Seeing as Joss still had not woken up, he hauled him into a sitting position. The strength of his new body helped him to do so.
He got a rude “What?” for his efforts and a fierce glare with those bleary, half-lidded eyes.
Gawin wanted to laugh at the disgruntled expression on his face. It was so Joss. He watched as his expression shifted from annoyance, confusion, and bewilderment.
Gawin held up the mirror before explaining anything. Joss stared in shock and confusion. Gawin felt the same way. He had no clue how this had happened. He recounted waking up in Joss's body and rushing over to test the wild theory of a body swap. Joss sat there, absorbing every word while his mind spun.
"It's so weird hearing you talk in my voice," Joss finally said after a long silence.
Gawin got it completely. Staring at his own face with Joss inside was just as unsettling.
"What kind of black magic is this? How does this even happen? Magic is not real!" Joss gestured wildly.
Gawin shrugged. He wanted those answers too.
"No idea, man. Who do we even ask? Body swaps aren't exactly normal."
Joss huffed. "We should tell someone."
"Definitely." Gawin nodded. "Maybe visit some monks while we're at it." He joked, though it did not feel like one.
“Should we tell your mom?”
"I don't know," Gawin admitted. "It would just worry her. Let's wait a bit and figure out what's going on first."
"We don't have much time, G!"
"I know that, Joss! But what difference would it make besides making her panic?"
Joss rubbed his temples. "This is a nightmare."
"Tell me about it."
"We have an event tomorrow."
"I know."
"P' Palm is going to kill us."
Gawin huffed. "She loves us too much to do that."
Joss let out a small laugh, too.
Right then, Gawin's (or Joss's?) stomach growled loudly, freezing them both. Gawin's cheeks flushed hot.
Joss did too. "I always eat on time, that’s why…." Joss muttered, averting his eyes.
Gawin knew that about him. "Let's eat first. Mom's waiting for us to have breakfast together."
Joss nodded slowly, still dazed, as he rose from the bed and trudged towards the bathroom. The growling stomach hung in the air like an awkward reminder of their bizarre new reality.
Gawin waited in the room for Joss to finish his morning routine, sprawling out on his own bed as he racked his brain for any incidents that could have led to their current predicament. He came up empty. To whom they could even talk about this remained an unanswered question, he thought, staring at the ceiling. Gawin shifted on the mattress, Joss's heavy body pressing down on the mattress, a stark reminder of how wrong everything felt. Monks, doctors, scientists, shamans, anyone, he mentally listed options, discarding each as absurd or unhelpful.
Tomorrow’s event loomed over their head, fans and cameras waiting to catch any slip. Gawin knew nothing escaped their eagle-eyed fans; they could put Sherlock Holmes to shame with their observation skills. He shoved down the panic that clawed at him and forced himself to take steady breaths as he gripped the edge of the bed until his knuckles whitened.
The bathroom door finally creaked open, and Joss stepped out, towel still swiping at the water droplets clinging to Gawin's familiar face. His expression was haunted, eyes wide with the same disbelief churning inside Gawin. He stared as Joss rummaged through the closet for a change of clothes, then watched him peel off the pyjama top, revealing skin that was technically his own. Gawin's cheeks heated up fast, and he suddenly looked away. He could not explain the sudden shyness watching Joss change; it was not as if he had never seen Joss nearly naked before, or the fact that Joss currently inhabited his body.
“I’m done.”
Gawin turned toward him. His face flushed even redder when he recognised the hoodie Joss was wearing, the one Gawin had "borrowed" from him once and "forgot" to return. The little smirk tugging at Joss's lips did not help matters either.
Gawin fled the room to escape any potential teasing from Joss. He knew Joss would not mock him for it; Joss was far too indulgent when it came to Gawin. But he could not shake the embarrassment.
They reached the kitchen to find his mom already putting the breakfast on the table, steam rising from platters of delicious food.
“Aww… look who’s up before the sun!” she cooed the moment they stepped in, her eyes lighting up as she zeroed in on Joss. She rushed over without a clue that it was Joss inside her son, pinching his cheeks firmly between her fingers and tugging them playfully. “My little night owl is finally learning to greet the dawn? What a miracle!”
Gawin snickered at her failed attempt to embarrass her son in front of his friend without knowing the truth, and at the way Joss froze as his cheeks got squished under her enthusiastic assault, managing only a mumbled protest.
She was not done, laughing brightly as she ruffled his hair. “How did this happen, huh?” she said, as she directed them to sit.
“He finally remembered his New Year’s resolution, Khun Mae,” Gawin said as he slid into a chair across from them, unable to resist joining in. Alas, teasing Joss had always been his favourite pastime.
She laughed, and Joss narrowed his eyes at Gawin, a silent promise of retaliation gleaming in them.
Breakfast unfolded pleasantly, just like always. They laughed, teased relentlessly, and swapped light little stories about recent mishaps on set. For a brief while, Gawin forgot their body-swap problem entirely, the warmth of normalcy washing over them both.
***
(Joss’s POV)
By the time breakfast was over, Joss was sure his cheeks were going to stay red permanently. He knew Gawin tended to tease him every chance he got. And he was a little grumpy that it was not changed in the least. He was secretly happy too, knowing that it was Gawin’s love language.
Both were currently inside a small café, tucked in a quiet corner of the city. It was one of their little hideouts. They were brainstorming the possible causes for the body swap. Joss racked his brain to find something, anything that could help them solve this problem, but came up with nothing, other than his little visit to that tarot card reader last week with Kevin. Joss was sure that she was not the one behind it; it was a sweet old lady who was their fan and pinched his cheek and patted his head as she blessed him to live a long, happy life.
“What is it?”
Gawin’s voice jolted him from his thoughts. “Eh?”
“What are you thinking about? Did you remember something?” He asked again.
“Uh…” Joss hesitated, unsure if it was worth mentioning. “Last week, Kev and I went to a tarot card reader. An elderly woman.”
Gawin narrowed his eyes as he sipped his iced coffee. “And?”
“And nothing. She just read our cards and sent us on our way. She was a fan of ours, by the way.”
“Was there anything suspicious?”
“Nope. She seemed really nice.” Joss shrugged.
Gawin hummed thoughtfully. “What if she had something to do with this?”
“I do not think so...”
“Why not?”
Joss had no answer for that.
“Do you remember the place?” Gawin asked, rising from the couch.
Joss rubbed the back of his neck. “Not exactly… I have a vague idea. But asking Kevin would be better.” Joss admitted.
“He’s gonna ask so many questions.” Gawin rubbed his face.
Joss was well aware of that. Not to mention the teasing that would definitely follow after. Kevin can read Joss like an open book, so lying to him would not work.
“Should we tell him?” Gawin suddenly looked at him.
“He’s going to tease us about this for years…” Joss warned.
“I know.”
That was when Joss felt eyes boring into him. He glanced around discreetly, scanning the crowd for whoever was watching. The café buzzed busier than usual, but no one suspicious stood out. No stares lingered their way.
“What happened?” Gawin asked, concern creasing his brow.
Joss turned to him. “Thought somebody was watching us.” He grimaced. “False alarm.”
Gawin’s expression deepened with worry. “We should leave.”
“It’s f-”
“Come on.” Gawin stood, snagging Joss’s hoodie from the chair in one smooth motion.
Joss did not protest further.
They nearly reached the café entrance when a small crowd surrounded them, asking for photos and touching them. Joss froze, caught off guard. Their fans usually respected their space during personal outings and never crowded like this. He did not know what to do at that moment.
Joss tried politely urging the crowd to give them space, but it fell flat. Gawin was growing impatient beside him. Joss wanted to escape the crowd, too. Still, he stayed courteous until someone grabbed Gawin's hand and tugged. Gawin would have stumbled if not for Joss's grip on his waist.
Gawin looked at him, wide-eyed, the noise of the café fading beneath the rising panic in his chest. The people were getting out of hand, voices overlapping as phones were raised higher for a better shot. Joss asked if he was okay, forcing his voice steady as he fought the urge to yell at them to back off and leave them alone.
Gawin nodded discreetly, trying to laugh it off.
Joss glared at the hand still tugging insistently on Gawin’s sleeve, even as Gawin tried to shake him off. He grabbed the offender’s wrist, twisted it, and shoved it back just enough to make the man stumble away and lose his grip. The brief shock it caused rippled through the small crowd, buying them a few precious seconds. Joss seized Gawin’s hand and pulled him along, shouldering his way through the crush of bodies toward the exit.
He only managed to breathe properly again once he had slammed the car door shut behind them, the muffled shouts and camera clicks finally cut off. Their car pulled out of the parking space as quickly as it could without drawing more attention.
“The fans are going to have a field day.” Gawin was the first to break the silence.
Joss made an inquiring sound. He was still reeling from the surprise attack and adrenaline rush.
“Their shy, introverted lil G grabbing the Big J’s waist, defending him from the threat, and pulling him away from the crowd and running away hand in hand,” he said matter-of-factly.
Joss went quiet for a moment, finally replaying the scene in his head and seeing exactly how their actions must have looked from the outside. Laughter burst out of him.
“It’s fine, G. They already know how downbad you are for me,” Joss teased, a grin tugging at his lips. He suddenly could not wait to read what the fans would say about “Gawin’s” bold little display.
“Ha ha, funny.”
“It is!”
“Shut up and drive.” Joss did.
He only hoped Kevin would not ask too many questions.
***
And that was how Joss and Gawin found themselves in this situation.
Kevin had tears forming at the corner of his eyes as he finally calmed from laughing mercilessly at their expense. "Only you two, I swear," he said, wiping his eyes with the back of his hand.
Seeing Gawin’s glare-delivered through Joss’s killer, sleepy eyes, was unsettling. He had been told many times that his sleepy eyes gave him an intimidating look when combined with his tall, broad frame. Sadly, it had zero effect on Kevin.
“Kevin…” Joss whined in Gawin's voice, practically pleading for help.
“I will. Just wait for the evening, buddy. She only does readings after six.” Gawin groaned as he flopped backwards on the couch that he was sharing with Joss, their shoulders brushing lightly. Joss's breath hitched at the contact. Even in this swapped body, all he could see was Gawin leaning close to him.
Kevin shot him a knowing look when Joss turned toward him.
Then, to Joss’s horror, Kevin smirked before asking, “Did you check everything out then, Gawin? Like you said you would if you ever woke up in his body at that TS event?” Kevin asked all nonchalantly.
Joss blushed to the roots of his hair as Gawin glared at him.
“I’m just asking, sheesh!” Kevin raised his hands, standing from his seat and strolling out of the room with one last laugh.
Joss knew exactly which event Kevin meant; he did watch it a couple of times. Maybe more than a couple. “So…” Joss started.
Gawin turned towards him.
“Did you?” Joss asked him with a straight face.
He anticipated the smack to his arm from a mile away, but he did not expect it to sting quite this much. Gawin with Joss’s arm strength proved a menace.
Body swaps sucked. He thought to himself.
***
Luck was not on their side that day. They could not find the old lady or her little shop, only vacant space remained where the shop had once been.
They turned to look at Kevin.
“Don’t look at me!” He raised his hands in surrender. “That was the first time I ever saw the shop here,” he admitted. “I’ll try asking my friend who recommended it to me,” he added, trying to sound reassuring even as uncertainty flickered in his eyes.
“We are doomed.” Joss closed his eyes, rubbing his temples.
Gawin remained silent.
The drive back was thick with worry and unspoken fears, the weight of what-ifs pressing down on all three of them. Even Kevin stayed quiet, a stark contrast to his usual chatty, bubbly self.
It was only when they reached Kevin’s living room that he finally broke the silence. “Are you guys sure that it was her doing?”
Joss looked at Gawin for a moment before shrugging. “Not completely. That was the only odd thing that happened recently.”
“Are you sure?” He prodded.
“Yeah.”
“No strange-looking magical things or oddly tasting food?”
“Nope.” He replied.
Gawin was still quiet. Joss felt guilty all of a sudden.
“Gawin…” Kevin fully turned to him.
He looked up at that. “It’s going to be alright. Don’t overthink it, okay? We’ll find a way. You two just need to hold on a little longer.”
Gawin nodded.
“Well… Have you figured out what you’re going to do about tomorrow, then?” He asked.
Joss and Gawin exchanged a glance before shrugging. “We can manage a few hours,” Joss replied for both of them, Gawin nodding in agreement.
“Not to make you worry or anything,” Kevin paused for a second before continuing, “you two have a certain dynamic going on, and with your bodies swapped, that dynamic will flip like a switch. Fans will notice. The difference will be so glaring that your supporters might grow concerned…”
Joss shifted uncomfortably in Gawin’s slightly smaller frame, crossing his arms as the weight of Kevin's words settled over them. “We know, Kev,” he admitted, voice low.
“We’ll manage.” Gawin said firmly.
Joss turned in surprise. “We will?”
Gawin nodded. “We pretty much know everything about each other. Our mannerisms, habits, way of talking, everything can be easily mimicked. We are actors, man. We can do this.”
Gawin had a point.
“I guess that’s enough for a couple of hours, right?” Kevin nodded at them with a light smile.
Joss hummed.
“You should stay for dinner,” Kevin announced suddenly. “Fai will be here in half an hour with my little angel. You can go home after that.”
Joss wanted to stay. But the exhaustion of the day pressed down on him so heavily that all he craved was sleep, curled around his favourite pillow.
“Sorry, Kevin,” Gawin said, draping a hand around Joss’s shoulder. “This body needs some rest so he won’t look like a zombie tomorrow.”
Was his arm always this heavy? Joss wondered.
Kevin nodded at Gawin in understanding, noticing the small bags under Joss’s eyes. “See you later than?”
They agreed before grabbing the car keys and heading out of Kevin’s house.
Joss did not protest. Instead, he slumped into the passenger seat and passed out through the entire ride home, completely oblivious to the city lights blurring past or how they even pulled into the driveway. He stayed lost in that deep, boneless sleep, unaware of how he ended up in his own room, shoes kicked off haphazardly by the door, or ended up on his own bed.
He stirred only faintly when Gawin helped him change, peeling off the hoodie with careful tugs over his head, then easing the t-shirt underneath up and away before wrestling his jeans down his legs. Cool air brushed his skin for a moment, replaced quickly by the soft cotton of sleep clothes Gawin must have grabbed from the drawer. It felt loose on his body. Joss mumbled something incoherent, already half-buried in the pillow.
Gawin was the sweetest person ever. Joss made sure to slur that much through his half-asleep haze, fingers weakly clutching at Gawin’s arm like a lifeline, refusing to let go even as sleep tugged him under again. Gawin should know he was the best, hands down, no question. Everyone should know it. Joss drifted off with that thought looping fuzzily in his mind, safe in the warmth of Gawin’s presence lingering nearby.
***
(Gawin’s POV)
He was not sure if he was in heaven or hell in that moment.
The object of his affection slept without a care in the world, while maintaining a firm grip on his arm. Gawin could easily loosen Joss’s fingers and be on his merry way to the now familiar guest room. But just as the thought crossed his mind, Joss’s hand tightened instinctively, and guilt surged up inside him. For some reason, he did not want to leave Joss alone like this. He looked so vulnerable, small, and unguarded in sleep, and the weight of it anchored Gawin in place.
He decided to fuck it and stay with Joss that night. Consequences be damned. It was not as if it were the first time they had shared a room or a bed.
Gawin sighed, the things he does for this man… Was the last of his thoughts before he slipped into sleep.
Gawin woke up to a mouth full of hair. And a slight pressure on his bladder. He tried to move away, but he found himself unable to move. Something was keeping him from moving. With a grunt, he pried open his eyes and looked at what was keeping him captive.
There was a head on his chest, a leg thrown over him, and an arm gripping him tightly across the stomach.
Yesterday’s event came at him in full force.
Oh.
His cheeks flooded with heat.
Gawin tried to get out of that grip to no avail. Joss was clinging to him like a koala. A very adorable, softly snoring koala.
It took him almost half an hour to finally extricate himself from the bed. Mainly because Joss refused to let go, his fingers curling tighter every time Gawin shifted. And Gawin was reluctant to wake him; he had looked so utterly exhausted earlier. The event was in the evening, and there was plenty of time for Joss to sleep before they had to leave.
He made breakfast, worked out, watered the plants, took a much-needed shower, and started breakfast again while waiting for Joss to wake up. Gawin was beginning to wonder if something was wrong with Joss, or rather, with his own body that Joss now occupied, when he heard the frantic calling of his name. Without wasting a second, he turned off the stove and bolted toward the room, heart pounding in his throat.
What Gawin found in the room sent a chill through him. Joss sat bolt upright on the bed, wide awake, his wild, glazed eyes were darting frantically around the room as if searching for something or someone still caught in the grip of a nightmare that refused to let go.
Gawin dropped onto the bed beside him in an instant. “Joss…?” he murmured, voice pitched low to pierce the haze without cracking it. Joss showed no sign he had heard, his eyes still moving wildly across the room.
Gawin eased closer with deliberate care, not wanting to jolt him from whatever gripped his mind. “Joss,” he said again, firmer this time, his fingers closing gently over the white-knuckled fist clutching the bedsheet.
Joss lunged in blind panic, nearly hurling him backwards, but Gawin wrapped his arms around him tightly, pulling him flush against his chest. Violent shudders racked his body as Gawin held on tight, murmuring nonsense reassurances into tangled hair until the tremors ebbed. Slowly, Joss began to relax, his body going limp as he slumped fully into the embrace and slipped back into sleep.
Something was wrong with Joss; his mind whispered as he watched the man sleep peacefully on his chest.
Gawin lingered on the bed long after Joss’s breathing evened out, his own heartbeat slowing to match the quiet rhythm against his chest. He did not move until he was certain that Joss was relaxed in his sleep. Then, he carefully eased Joss onto the pillows, tucking the blanket around his shoulders before slipping away to the kitchen.
He methodically finished preparing breakfast as his mind kept circling back to Joss’s episode. Something was not adding up. He settled at the table with his phone, thumb scrolling absently through notifications. He did a few searches for body-swap myths or nightmare side effects, but they turned up nothing useful, just forum speculation and bad fanfictions.
Gawin refreshed social media instead, bracing for the inevitable. When he saw the captions of some of their videos that were posted by their fans yesterday, He could not help but laugh. Many of them called out the rude behaviour of the people who cornered them in the café. What delighted him the most was the ones that called out Gawin for being more possessive than Joss. He could not wait to show those to Joss…
Footsteps shuffled down the hall, unhurried. Joss appeared in the doorway shortly after, his hair tousled, wearing the same sleepwear. He yawned massively, rubbing sleep from his eyes, and slid into the chair across from Gawin. The gesture was so Joss that it made a pang through his chest. There was no haunted glance or any mention of the nightmare or hesitant pause, other than the grogginess of any other morning. “Smells good. Starving.”
Gawin forced a smile, sliding a plate over. “Slept alright?”
“Like a baby.” His grin flashed easily.
Gawin hummed thoughtfully. He then turned his phone screen around, thumbing open the top trending video. Grainy footage from the café swarm captured it all. “Gawin clutching “Joss’s” waist protectively, then yanking free and bolting hand-in-hand with “Joss” through the crowd. The clip looped endlessly, already racking two million views.
“Woh!” Joss almost spilt the water he was sipping. He looked at Gawin and the video back-to-back, delightedly. “You are never going to live this down, ever.” He snickered. The fans are going to hold this against your head for years. Joss teased. “Just like that Jealous Gawin video.”
Gawin scowled at him at the reminder. “I wasn’t jealous!”
“Right…” Joss went back to watching the video, ignoring what he said.
A comfortable silence lingered between them throughout breakfast. Gawin’s mind was elsewhere, thinking about what happened earlier. They need to find a solution fast before someone inevitably notices something is wrong with them.
“Are you sure you can impersonate me?” Joss interrupted him mid-thought.
“Gawin glanced at him, can you?” he raised an eyebrow.
Joss smirked. “Much better than you.”
“Is that a challenge, Khun Way-Ar?” Gawin could not help but fall for the bait.
Joss just took the last sip of his coffee and took their plates to the sink.
Gawin could not wait for the event to start.
***
(Joss’s POV)
He clutched the change of clothes in his hand as he stared at the bathroom door, speculating whether he should shower. He was trapped in the body of a man he had loved and lusted after for more than a couple of years.
He could skip it for one day, right? he bargained with himself, heart thudding.
Who was he kidding? No way in hell could he go without.
He sucked in a deep breath, muttering a fierce pep talk under his breath- they are both boys. There is nothing to worry about. Just take a quick shower and get dressed. Quick in, quick out. Easy, before marching resolutely toward the bathroom.
By the time he finished getting ready, Gawin was already waiting. They decided to head to the event together and had informed their manager beforehand. The only warning was to avoid getting spotted on arrival. She had not even scolded them for yesterday’s chaos.
Miraculously, they both slipped inside without detection. Their makeup artists for the day were ready with their outfits for the day.
They dressed him in a deep red silk shirt and black slacks, paired with a golden necklace that dipped low into the space between his pecs, a matching earring on one side, and a couple of rings on both hands. They did not ask him to remove his VC bracelet, though. Joss appreciated it. After the makeup was done, he stared at his reflection in the mirror. He looked pretty dressed like that. In Gawin’s body-his mind supplied.
“You look tired, Phi” Khom, P’Palm’s assistant, came up beside him with a bottle of water for him.
“Thanks, Nong. I’m not getting enough sleep these days.” Joss said with a small smile.
Khom was such a sweet person, always looking out for them both, just like P’Palm. Especially when it comes to Gawin. Joss could not even fault him for it.
“P’Joss is almost done. He’ll be here shortly,” Khom informed him before leaving him alone in the room.
Joss was contemplating posting something on X when a heavy hand landed on his shoulder and his own face suddenly appeared in the mirror. Gawin was standing behind his chair, looking at Joss through the mirror, with a small smirk on his lips. “Give me your phone, it’s time for a selfie,” he said, curling his hand around the front of Joss’s neck in a loose hold, grabbing his jaw, and tipping his head slightly back. Joss swallowed hard at the intimate gesture.
Joss did as he was told.
Gawin took their picture and showed it to him.
It looked so good.
It is a pity no one would ever know it was Joss inside Gawin’s body, jaw gripped firmly from behind, peach-tinted lips parted just enough to tease, eyes heavy-lidded and smouldering like every kind of sin wrapped in silk. Behind him, Gawin served face just as fiercely, those sleepy eyes paired with a regal posture that commanded the mirror. Unlike Joss's look, Gawin's midnight blue shirt and black suit gleamed under silver jewellery, the top half of his buttons left teasingly undone.
Gawin posted the picture using Joss’s phone.
“Let’s go.” He said, handing over the phone to him. “It’s almost time.”
Joss rose from the seat with a deep sigh and determination.
“It’s going to be okay.” Gawin gave him a pat on the shoulder. Joss was so grateful for that little gesture.
The event kicked off with their song, and the audience welcomed them by singing along word for word. It instantly lifted Joss's spirits, washing away worries and nerves as if they had never existed, just like old times.
The only difference now was Gawin’s hand, loosely curled around his waist as they sang together the final lines of "Ever After," leaving Joss burning hot under the collar. The fans were smiling and clapping for them, and Gawin’s grip tightened a little bit before releasing him.
His heart was beating like crazy even after they were seated.
“Before we get into things…” The host paused with a mischievous smile, glancing between them both. “Would you mind telling us the reason behind the black VC bracelet on Gawin’s wrist, which we clearly know is yours, Khun Joss?”
The crowd went wild.
Joss looked at his wrist where his own black VC bracelet gleamed in the light. Only then did he realise that he messed up; he had forgotten he was not in his own body. His ears heated up as he risked a glance at Gawin to gauge his response.
He flashed them a shy smile, face flushed red, eyes crinkling at the corners. “It just looked good with his outfit.”
The host did not let up, and soon the fans joined in on the teasing, their cheers and whistles filling the air until they both dissolved into a blushing, laughing mess. They finally managed to steer the conversation elsewhere.
“Okay… okay, let’s get to the Q&A session,” the host said, taking pity on them to Joss’s immense relief.
It turned out to be great fun, and the games that followed were even better. They both enjoyed it thoroughly, judging by the responses from the fans, they did too. The event organisers cleverly worked them into the games too. It was a blast. He did not even realise the time was passing quickly.
Then came the photo sessions.
Somehow, most of the poses ended up with Gawin’s hand resting on his waist or shoulder. It was ridiculous and not good for Joss’s heart. Never in his life had he felt this small standing next to someone else. He did not hate it, though. Quite the opposite, actually.
One fan suggested a vampire-human themed pose. Naturally, Joss played the human, with Gawin as the vampire looming behind him, fingers gripping his jaw just like in that earlier selfie, but with both of them standing this time. The audience erupted as Gawin tilted his head gently to the side, lips hovering near Joss's pulse point.
Joss's heartbeat thundered in his ears, drowned out only by the heat of Gawin's breath fanning his vulnerable neck. Gawin's other hand wrapped around his stomach, tugging Joss flush against his body.
His brain short-circuited completely. The audience's cheers blurred into white noise, the world narrowing to the press of Gawin's chest against his back. Heat pooled low in his belly, traitorous and overwhelming, his borrowed body betraying every secret he had buried for years.
What infuriated Joss even more was the fact that Gawin did not look affected at all.
Joss felt a mix of relief and disappointment when the event eventually ended. They said their goodbyes to everyone and were nearly ready to head home when their manager approached. She chatted briefly about yesterday's chaos and how some antis were twisting the narrative. P’Palm assured them she would handle everything and urged them to rest while they could, since their schedule was packing tight in the coming days. They thanked her with smiles and hugs after she helped load their things into the car.
The event had been a success, much to their relief, with no major casualties. Well, other than the bracelet incident. Gawin teased him mercilessly about it the entire drive. Joss could not utter a word in his own defence. After all, it was his own stupid mistake. He nursed a quiet suspicion that Gawin had noticed the bracelet earlier and kept quiet just to make more teasing material.
By the time they pulled into the driveway, the sun was already set. Joss could feel the tiredness clinging to his bones. He just wanted to sleep for a week. Gawin killed the engine but did not move. Joss turned to him.
“Aren’t you staying here?” Joss asked, worried. He did not want to be alone at the moment.
“I am.”
Joss exhaled, slumping back against the seat. “Good. That is good. I barely managed to survive today.”
Gawin chuckled softly, unbuckling his seatbelt. Then he paused, eyes filled with concern. “Hey… about this morning. You, okay?”
Joss was confused. “What about it? I slept fine.”
Gawin’s brow furrowed, but he nodded slowly. “Nothing. Just checking.” With that, he climbed out of the car, grabbing their bags, though Joss caught the flicker of lingering worry before the door slammed shut.
“What’s with him?” Joss mumbled as he watched Gawin walking away before he too grabbed the rest of their things before following him inside.
“I’ll get us some water,” Gawin informed him on his way to the kitchen.
Instant relief washed over him as he kicked off his shoes and flopped onto the couch after the endless day. That was when he got Kevin’s text, exactly what he had dreaded. Tears pricked at the corners of his eye. That shop had been their only hope. He had no idea what to do about this situation anymore.
“What’s wrong?” Gawin asked, coming to stand before him with a water bottle in hand.
“Kevin texted. Still no luck on the shop.”
Saying it out loud only made him feel worse.
Gawin knelt in front of him, voice gentle as he tried to catch Joss’s gaze. “Hey… It is going to be okay.”
Joss gave a nod of acknowledgement, accepting the water with shaky fingers.
“I’m going to take a shower and make us something to eat. You do the same, alright? Then we can talk, if you want.” Gawin’s tone stayed kind, steady as ever.
Joss nodded again. His friend always knew exactly when to give space and when to stay close. God! he loved Gawin so much.
***
It took Joss a while to get his emotions under control, to get his thoughts in order. The warm shower helped him immensely. By the time he padded into the kitchen, Gawin was still busy at the stove.
“Pass me the soy sauce?” Gawin asked without looking up, pulling Joss into small tasks that kept dark thoughts at bay, grounding him to the present.
It was Joss who broke the silence this time. Gradually, their laughter bubbled up, filling the room and easing the tension like the snow melting in the sun.
Joss felt like he could smile for hours while watching Gawin talk about his music with so much passion. He did not understand half the technical terms, but he hung on every word regardless, rapt and smiling.
That was when Joss’s phone rang, the sharp trill jolting him from the easy warmth of the moment. He fumbled for it, heart skipping as he saw the caller ID. P’Palm. He shot Gawin a quick glance before swiping to answer.
“Joss, is Gawin with you?” she asked right off the bat, her voice clipped with urgency.
Joss opened his mouth to say yes, then froze. Shit, wrong body. He could not exactly speak for himself like this. He tossed the phone to Gawin instead, who caught it with a flicker of surprise.
Gawin’s eyes widened at the screen, but he recovered fast, hitting the speaker. “Hello, Phi!” he greeted, pitching his voice into Joss’s usual casual lilt. “What did you say? Signal’s weak here.”
“I can’t reach Gawin. Is he with you?” P’Palm repeated, undeterred.
“Y-yes. He went to take a shower. Maybe that’s why…” Gawin trailed off, flicking his gaze to Joss with a hint of shared panic.
“Okay, okay, no problem.” She exhaled audibly. “I called because your schedule’s shifting tomorrow. That new project? They want to start pilot filming tomorrow.”
“What…?” Gawin’s face twisted in shock and annoyance, grip tightening on the phone. “We agreed on next week. Why the sudden change?”
“They’re rushing production,” P’Palm explained, her voice tight with frustration. “Budget issues, director’s timeline, take your pick. The point is, you’re expected on set at 7 AM sharp. Both of you.”
Gawin’s jaw clenched, his knuckles whitening around the phone. “Phi, it’s impossible. We’ve got no prep, no line runs, nothing!”
“Learn them tonight,” she cut in firmly. “Khom had already emailed the script to both of you. It’s a simple pilot. You’ve got great chemistry both on and offscreen. You’ll do fine.”
Joss leaned in, pulse racing as the stakes skyrocketed. ‘What kind of scenes?’ he mouthed, but Gawin waved him silent, forcing a strained laugh.
“Got it, Phi. We’ll be there. But do not blame us if we fumbled the lines too much.”
“That’s all I’m asking, my boys! I’m sorry for all this. I tried negotiating with them. But…”
“Phi, it’s fine,” Gawin reassured her.
“Okay then, sleep if you can, alright?” With that, she hung up.
Gawin tossed the phone onto the counter, dragging a hand through his hair. “Pilot trailer filming. Tomorrow.” He repeated it like a curse, eyes locking on Joss’s. “I’ll have to kiss my face, FUCK!”
Joss could not help but laugh, a sharp, nervous bark cutting through the tension. “We’re screwed.” The thought of kissing his own lips while being in Gawin’s was daunting. Joss had no idea how they would pull that off.
“Let’s take a look at the script.” Joss agreed and went to get his iPad.
They both settled on the carpeted floor of the living room and huddled over the screen.
“Code of the Cursed” Joss read out loud. When the offer first landed, he had pictured wizards and dragons. How wrong he had been. It was about an undercover cop infiltrating a ruthless crime lord’s empire, the story of betrayal, revenge, and something far more dangerous. Joss had snagged the role of Niran, a tall, dark, and handsome cop with a sunny personality: Gawin would be playing Amnat, the charismatic menace of a Mafia Kingpin in a tailored suit with a predator's edge.
Originally, the casting ran opposite: Gawin as the sunny cop, Joss as the silver-tongued kingpin. But the director swapped them after the audition. “Joss is my Niran!” he had declared. “And you, Fluke Gawin, are born to be Amnat, dear” That was the end of it.
“Oh! The first scene is me kicking your ass!” Gawin declared.
Joss raised his brow. “You are obsessed with kicking my ass.”
Gawin snickered.
“You know what I mean.” Joss rolled his eyes. Gawin was such a brat sometimes.
“Let’s see what else we got… Mm… Standoff, bullets, and explosions, kicking ass again, kissing and sexing up each-oh. There is eh…” Gawin’s voice snagged abruptly, eyes flicking over the screen.
Joss leaned in, then froze. An explicit scene demanded a full make-out session with little to no clothes. Was this for a pilot trailer? He wanted to curse someone. His new body was not under his control at all. And they wanted him to be close and personal with Gawin, with little to nothing on him?
Bad idea.
It was not even about being naked. The fact that it was Gawin was enough to get him all hot and bothered.
Joss risked a glance at Gawin. He was staring at the script with a thoughtful frown.
“I think we can pull this off,” Gawin said and suddenly looked up.
Joss fought the urge to look away. “You think…?”
“Mm. It wouldn’t be hard. Just think of it as playing a double role.” Gawin shrugged. “You just have to play me and the charming Mafia boss who is desperately in love with the crazy cop.” Gawin teased him lightly.
Joss laughed. “Right…”
“It’s pretty great that they are not stereotyping our roles, though,” Gawin said thoughtfully.
“We were versatile in MGB.”
“But not in OFDO. And I was saying that in general.”
Joss hummed. He took a deep breath. “Let’s go through the lines.”
Gawin nodded.
They spent the next couple of hours reading the script and practising those lines with each other, even during dinner. It was pretty fun with all the dramatic dialogues and half-cheesy lines. They laughed so much, teasing each other as they delivered their respective lines.
They took a small break after a while. Joss was feeling sleepy, which he should not have been, considering Gawin’s body was used to staying up all night.
“We should practice the NS scenes a bit,” Gawin suddenly spoke up from where he was sprawled over the couch. Joss glanced up from his spot on the floor by Gawin's legs.
Joss was puzzled. They never actually needed much practice for intimate scenes before, thanks to their insane chemistry. It would not do anyone good if Joss blushed red every time Gawin came close enough to breathe near him.
With that in mind, he got up from his spot. “Let’s do it.”
Gawin met his gaze with an unreadable expression for a second before it morphed into a playful smirk. “Come sit,” he said, patting his thigh to indicate where he wanted Joss to settle.
Joss knew Gawin was enjoying every second.
Joss was not the one to admit defeat!
Without breaking eye contact, Joss moved closer, bracing his hands on Gawin’s shoulders for balance, and tentatively settled on his lap. Gawin’s raised brows showed his surprise. Still, he clamped Joss’s hips with a firm hold. His pulse hammered wildly. The searing warmth of those hands on his sides and Gawin’s intense stare overwhelmed him. Joss felt his ears burning red; those traitors always betrayed him first.
Joss shifted slightly to find a comfortable perch. Gawin was no small man by any means. Since bulking up, Gawin’s frame nearly matched Joss’s broad build. Nearly.
Gawin tightened his grip. “What are you doing?” He asked in a low, gritted voice.
Startled, Joss stared at him with wide eyes. “I was just- It was”
“Sit still,” Gawin ordered.
He swallowed and nodded.
“Let’s go line by line,” Gawin suggested, opening the tablet again.
Joss did not dare even breathe loudly.
“You need to hover over me, one knee between my legs,” Gawin said while checking the script. Joss noticed that too.
They shifted into place. Gawin reclined on the couch, head propped on the armrest. Joss planted a foot on the floor, knee digging into the cushion between Gawin’s thighs, one hand tangled lightly in his hair per the scene and the other bracing near Gawin’s head to hold himself steady.
Joss drew a slow breath and moved forward, his cool lips grazing Gawin's ear as he started, voice deep. "You know... most men tremble at the sight of me. But you." His fingers tightened in Gawin's hair, just shy of pain. "You're practically aching for it."
Gawin's jaw clenched, eyes blazing with fury as he tilted his chin defiantly, “Keep dreaming, asshole.” His voice cracked rough, hands fisting Joss's shirt despite himself, pulling him in. "You're the parasite I can't scrape off."
Joss chuckled, knee nudging higher between his thighs. “Then why are you gripping me so desperately, officer?” Joss trailed his lips along Gawin's clenched jaw, nipping the taut skin with a graze of sharp teeth, before hovering just above his mouth, close enough for their breaths to mingle in the charged space between.
"Get off me," he growled, but his hands betrayed him, fisting Joss's shirt tighter, dragging him fractionally closer. Joss lost his grip on the couch, crashing fully against him with a groan, their bodies aligning in a tangle of heat and hard lines as he responded in kind, fierce, devouring, hands tightening Gawin's hair to angle him deeper.
They kissed, kissed, and kissed as their arms tightened to pull each other impossibly closer, as if letting go would make the other vanish. Joss parted his lips, sucking deliberately on Gawin's upper lip with a teasing hunger that drew a sharp reprimand: Gawin's teeth sank into Joss's bottom lip in retaliation, hard enough to sting.
Gawin devoured Joss's mouth with raw fervour, all pent-up need and vigour exploding as his tongue claimed dominance. Joss yielded just enough to let Gawin lead, but gave everything back with just as much passion. Gawin's hips bucking up, Joss's weight pinning him, until a sudden, painful tug twisted low in his, sharp as a blade through the haze of lust.
They both stiffened and broke the kiss, pulling back just enough to gasp for air. Joss saw Gawin’s face twisted in agony as he stared back with raw pain and confusion.
“What is happening?” Gawin asked through clenched teeth.
Joss wanted to answer, but the pain lanced sharply and unbearably through him, forcing him to rest his forehead against Gawin's.
‘Is it because of the fucking body-swap curse?’ Joss had time to wonder before everything went white, oblivion swallowing them both in a blinding rush.
***
Joss stirred awake to the gentle strum of a guitar, its melody flowing softly, clearing the fog in his mind.
His eyelids fluttered open, his body slightly heavy and disoriented. Then the melody paused in mid-chord.
“Joss?” a soft voice called. It distinctively felt like Gawin’s, he noted absently.
Joss rubbed his eyes, sitting up, and froze. He had to do a double take when Gawin’s face, his actual face, swam into view on the periphery, no longer trapped in Joss's own. To say that he was shocked would be an understatement.
Gawin was sitting at the end of the couch where he had been sleeping. Joss blinked again.
Gawin set his guitar aside on the nearby table, offering a small, shy smile. “Yeah… we switched back.”
The visuals crashed back in a rush: the script, the kiss, the searing pain, everything. Joss could not hold back the laugh bubbling up, half-disbelieving. “All it took was a kiss?” he asked Gawin incredulously.
Gawin shrugged, his face flushing a faint pink under the low light.
Joss groaned and rubbed his face.
“Are you okay?” Gawin asked.
He nodded. “How long did I...?” Joss asked, looking at him.
“Passed out? Maybe an hour. I woke up ten minutes ago. You were still glowing, and I didn’t want to risk it. So, I waited for you to wake on your own, as I did.” Gawin rambled on, words tumbling out too fast, and Joss nearly teased him for it before the sheer terror of their first body-switch hit him again, killing the impulse to do so.
It was then that the thought struck Joss out of nowhere. “Hey, will the switching happen again if we kiss?” he asked, eyes wide.
Gawin stared at him, horror flickering across his face like a shadow. “Don’t even joke about that,” he said, voice tight, scooting back an inch on the couch as if Joss might lunge.
“I’m not joking,” Joss said. He felt like there was more to it than what meets the eye. Nothing could be this simple. Not in Joss’s experience. “This feels like a simple solution to whatever happened with us.”
Once voiced it out, Joss could not shake the suspicion clouding his mind.
“When you put it like that…” Gawin trailed off.
“Right? ' Coz, things are never this simple! It does not make sense.”
Gawin looked conflicted.
“Should we test it?” He asked.
Gawin raised his brows, which made him embarrassed. “It's just a kiss, bro! We kiss all the time.” Joss knew he was becoming the human equivalent of a tomato.
Gawin just stared at him with that expression, which Joss did not know meant what and what to do without uttering a single word.
It felt like a millennium until Gawin’s face twisted into a teasing smile. “If you insist…”
“G…!” Joss exclaimed. He asked him to kiss to test his theory! Not because he wanted to kiss Gawin. Not at all!
Gawin just turned towards him, folding one leg to sit sideways on the couch. He dipped his head a little, asking Joss to come closer with that infuriating kiss still on his lips.
Joss wanted to wipe that off with a kiss. He immediately halted that line of thought.
Swallowing, he crawled over the small space between them and settled near Gawin, mirroring his pose. He had no idea what to do with his hands and decided to put them on Gawin’s legs since he had decided to be a little shit and was making Joss do all the work. With a huss, Joss leaned forward and planted a brief kiss on his lips and started counting to ten.
He pulled back when nothing happened. “Maybe I was wrong…” He said, staring at Gawin’s lips.
“Maybe…” Gawin agreed, his tongue flickered over the lips. “Maybe we kissed wrong…”
Joss looked up to meet his eyes. That smug smile was still there. “What?” he asked.
“I said, maybe we kissed wrong.”
Joss did not get it. Kissed wrong? What does even that mean?
“Come here,” Gawin said, and then proceeded to melt the last of his brain cells by dragging him in with a hand on his neck and kissing him.
All his thoughts paused that moment. His brain tended to malfunction whenever Gawin took the lead. Today was no different.
He whined as Gawin sucked and nipped on his lower lip. Whimpering when that hot, wet tongue slid against his and explored his mouth. Joss pushed him back as Gawin’s free hand came to hold his jaw, angling it to get better access. Their kiss depends as they both lie on the couch, Joss practically in Gawin’s lap. Joss did not even realise the change that was happening to his lower body until Gawin pulled him towards himself with a hand on his waist. They both were impossibly aroused. Realisation hit them both at once, and they pulled away from the kiss, panting and kiss drunk.
There was a pause when both stared at each other in silence.
Joss looked away first and put a small space between them.
“Looks like your theory was wrong,” Gawin said matter-of-factly.
Joss was on the verge of his sanity and was trying desperately to calm himself down. He did not dare to look at Gawin. “Yeah...” He managed.
“That’s settled then,” he heard Gawin move as he straightened from where he was lying down from their kiss. “Moving on to the next scene,”
Joss turned just in time to see Gawin reaching for the tablet kept near his guitar. “Okay.” He agreed.
“By the way…” Joss tried to get his attention. “What was that song you were playing just now?” he could not identify the song at all, and Joss was very much familiar with every song Gawin sang. It sounded familiar, but not at the same time.
Gawin just smiled at him cheekily.
“Fine. Keep it to yourself.” He huffed and scooted closer to look at the screen.
The rest of the night passed without any incidents. Both managed to get a hang of the script, which was enough for tomorrow. The rest they could do at the set. It was not their fault that the schedule was postponed.
Utterly exhausted, he and Gawin fell asleep on the living room floor. They barely had the energy to sit, let alone to walk towards the bedroom.
***
The morning greeted Joss with warmth and safety. A smile stretched on his face when he understood the reason. The insane urge bubbled up inside him as he felt the arm tightening on his stomach.
Gawin was spooning him!
Without jolting the man cuddling him, Joss turned and could not suppress the little yelp when he saw his own face sleeping peacefully.
“Ten more minutes, mom…” Gawin mumbled as he turned to the other side.
“G, wake up.” Joss tried to wake him. It took him a few more tries until he did.
“What?” Gawin asked groggily.
Joss did not say anything; he did not have to. Gawin understood when he turned to Joss.
Both lunged at each other without a second thought and kissed. The painful tug in their gut was unbearable, yet welcome, and the faint spell that followed the kiss was a blessing.
Joss woke up for a second time that morning.
“You were right,” Gawin said in a pensive voice from where he was lying near Joss.
End of part one