Chapter Text
– I –
It starts with Phum’s birthday party.
Well, that’s not quite right. It actually starts with Phum’s very non-informative text about his birthday without declaring it such, which then sends Peem to seek out Fang to demand some answers. Or rather, it starts with his not-quite-joking threat that he will absolutely kick Fang where it really hurts if someone doesn’t tell him right this second why his boyfriend is acting weird.
But excuse him. The last time Phum acted weird and refused to tell Peem what was going on, he proceeded to disappear for a full day, nearly making Peem lose his head with worry. Only for Phum to pop back up with endless sadness in his eyes and too many apologies on his lips. Peem would very much like to avoid a repeat of that.
Last time, Peem confessed being in love with Phum in order to get rid of that sadness as well as any potential misunderstandings about where exactly Peem might stand on any even vaguely Phum-related issues. This time, he has no clue what he’ll do if someone doesn’t tell him right-the-hell-now what is going on, so he can go ahead and fix it and make it boyfriend go back to being his usual ever-teasing, overly affectionate, no-shame-whatsoever, could-bring-the-world-to-its-knees-with-his-pout-alone, puppyish boyfriend self. You know, as in not weird and very much not sad.
Also, unlike last time, Peem is allowed to take people to task now. That’s his boyfriend they’re talking about. Peem’s got privileges.
And okay, maybe the threat of kicking Fang comes out a little harsher than intended. But Fang knows him, just as Peem knows Fang, and in this they are definitely on the same page. As in, they care first and foremost about Phum, most everything else second. So, Fang knows Peem wouldn’t actually fight him, if only because it would make Phum sad. Just as Peem knows Fang won’t beat him up for the threat for that exact same reason. See, they get each other.
So, Peem nods his thanks to Fang after he gets his answers as well as a promise to help with the surprise party. He is admittedly fairly distracted as he leaves the architecture building, already on his phone to text the others, all the while making a list of everything he will have to get done in order to make said party happen.
Still, maybe he should have paid a little more attention to the whispering students scattered all around the hall, staring at him, or the way not a single person dares to cross his path as he leaves. If he had, then maybe he would have had the wherewithal to smile, if only to put them at ease from whatever had them so clearly in some sort of tizzy.
Alas, he is busy thinking about his puppy of a boyfriend, so he doesn’t pay the surrounding students any mind at all.
That’s his first mistake.