James sat on a cushion in the living room, scrolling through a subreddit. He saw a funny quote that made him laugh out loud, shaking uncontrollably with mirth. Suddenly, a typical iPhone ringtone filled the air.

"Hey man, sawadee kaa... You good? Yeah, I already sent you the email. You just need to go through them. If it's a go, then you can email it to Mr. Leo. Okay, man. Thanks, I'll see you at the uni tomorrow."

He checked the time on his phone’s lock screen.

"Ugh, goodness. Inn? You done? Your show's starting. You might want to come down here."

He stood up to find the AC remote. "Okay..." He searched around the living room. "Ah, there it is."

He picked the remote up from the dining table and pointed it toward the AC. "Inn hates the heat," he said to himself. "I'd better get the AC on before he gets down here."

James adjusted the settings; the familiar beep of the unit signaled it was kicking into high gear. He checked the temperature display, ensuring the room would be crisp and cool by the time Inn made it downstairs. With the remote back in its place, James settled back onto the cushion. The silence was a sharp contrast to his earlier laughter, but the anticipation of the show—and Inn’s inevitable relief—made the space feel comfortable.

"Hey, you," Inn said, coming down the stairs.

"My potatooo! Come here." James replied with a smile, opening his arms wide.

Inn let out a soft laugh, melting into James's embrace. The cool air was an immediate relief against his skin, a sharp contrast to the humid stairwell.

"I heard you laughing all the way from upstairs," Inn murmured, lying on his back with his head on James’s shoulder. "I love lying on you like this."

James squeezed him tight before pulling back just enough to look at him. "I love you too, baby. But your show is literally about to start. I've got the AC blasting, and there are some chips on the table for you. I wasn't sure if you would prefer a glass of juice or wine, so I brought out both."

Inn’s expression softened. "You’re a lifesaver. Seriously, P'James, you spoil me too much." He positioned himself to sit properly on James's lap, looking toward the TV. "Alright, let's see. Did I miss the intro?"

"Ah, babe..." James breathed, his voice a low whisper.

Inn didn't quite hear him, busy getting comfortable. "Sit properly, please," James added. "I don't want you getting me all worked up right now."

Inn turned around with a smile. Without a word, he tilted his head to kiss James's left cheek. James rolled his tongue over his lower lip, biting it gently. The AC brushed against their skin, but the heat between James's thighs was rising. His chin trailed from Inn’s shoulder to the sensitive curve of his neck, his breath hitching.

"The show can wait a minute, can't it?" James murmured. "I mean, you could either watch this later on YouTube or Netflix."

"P'James???" Inn let out a shaky breath, eyes fluttering. "The show's already started, babe."

James's arms slid upward, his palm grazing the fabric of Inn’s rabbit-printed pyjama shirt. He pulled Inn back even tighter, leaving no space between them.

"P'James!!!"

"Shhhh, baby, relax. I just want to touch you for a bit. Okay? I promise, we won't be doing much."

He slipped his hand under Inn's shirt. Inn turned his head to meet James's gaze, the playfulness in the room being overtaken by a hunger that made James’s pupils dilate.

"Why? What's wrong?" James asked. Before Inn could respond, James captured his lips in a kiss that started slow and sweet.

"Turn around," James commanded softly.

"P'James..." Inn said reluctantly, still holding the TV remote. As he moved to turn, James reached out to help him settle back onto his lap.

"P'James, can we do this later?"

"Do what later? Hmm? Do what later?" James took the remote and tossed it onto the sofa. "Come here."

He pulled him chest-to-chest. "What's wrong, baby? You don't want me?" He took Inn's hand and kissed it.

"It's not that, P'James. I just..."

"You just what?"

James’s hands migrated to Inn's thighs, squeezing firmly. He cupped the back of Inn's head, pulling him in as the TV flickered unobserved. Their kiss filled the air. The room was quiet, smelling of sea-breeze rose air freshener. James unbuttoned Inn's shirt slowly, staring directly into his eyes.

"Inn? If I wanted to make love to you right now, would you stop me?"

Inn's lips parted for a few seconds before he bit down on his lower lip. "No."

Guided by the thought of how badly he wanted his boyfriend, James took Inn's hand and guided it toward his pyjama pants. "Touch it," he said firmly.

Inn rubbed James's dick through the fabric. When Inn moved back slightly, James pulled him back. "Don't do that, babe. I want you to stroke it."

Inn did as he was told.

"Stroke it harder," James rasped, his voice vibrating with a raw edge. He moved his own hand over Inn's, pressing down to emphasize the rigid length. "Fuck!"

James leaned in, forehead resting against Inn's. "You have no idea how bad I want to hear you moan right now. How long I've been thinking about making love to you tonight."

His hand mapped the curve of Inn's hip before settling at the top of his thigh. "Look at me, baby."

When Inn’s eyes met his, hazy and dark, James felt a surge of possessive heat. He reached for the drawstring of his own pants. "Take your shirt off," he murmured.

"You're so beautiful, Inn," James whispered against his ear. "Tell me you want this as much as I do."

Inn didn't answer with words; he arched his back, pressing closer. James buried his face in the crook of Inn's neck, leaving searing kisses before moving lower. When his tongue flicked across Inn's nipple, a sharp, needy moan escaped Inn’s lips.

"P'James... please," Inn gasped.

James moved to the other side, circling it with agonizing slowness. He could feel Inn trembling. He looked up, chin resting on Inn's sternum, his gaze heavy with intent.

DING-DONG.

The sound of the doorbell sliced through the silence. Both of them froze.

"Tell me that was the TV," James groaned. "Ouiiii shiaaaa!"

His forehead thumped onto Inn's chest in pure frustration.

DING-DONG. DING-DONG.

"P'James..." Inn whispered, his face bright red as he scrambled to fix his shirt. "Someone's at the door. It's 9 PM! Who is that?"

"Probably my friends. I asked them to meet me here for our homework."

James stayed facedown for a second longer, letting out a muffled scream into Inn’s stomach. "Ouiiii. If it's my friends, I swear I'm going to knock their heads," he muttered, sitting up with a look of desperate annoyance. "And I'm still hard. Ouiiii."

"I'm sorry, Inn."