Water On Fire [MileApo | mxm]

16

After eating out with Pond, Gift and Mos, Apo and Mile order takeout - BHC chicken - because Apo wants to try the various fried chicken chains in Korea in their hotel room. Apo feeds him while Mile rambles about a weird dream he recently had. In the dream, they were both spirits, but neither knew the other was also a spirit, and they tried to possess each other but couldn't. It's a recurring dream, which he first had almost a year ago, and talked about in their joint iQIYI interview.

Now, Apo is giving Mile a vicious grin while poor Mile is just trying to enjoy a tall, refreshing glass of water after some spicy chicken.

"Mile, what would you do if I treated you to a little something special?"

"I'm almost scared to ask..."

Apo opens his mouth. "Wait." Mile halts him with a pointed index finger. He makes a show of finishing his water and setting it safely down on the table with a thump. "Okay, now say what you were going to say." Apo catches him off guard too often. Not today.

"What if I gave you a strip show?"

Mile's eyes widen; he is grateful he had the foresight to prepare himself.

"And what's brought this on?"

"I saw the way that hot waitress looked at you," Apo scowls, not even trying to veil his jealousy. "She looked so...experienced. She probably licks elbows erotically, exactly your type. I could never compete. All we've done is blowies and handjobs; I know you're getting bored."

"You think I'm bored, huh?"

Apo needn't worry. Even though Mile used to make spiteful plans to invite an entire harem of women over on days when Apo broke his heart, he could never follow through.

But such a clinical assessment of their sex life reminds Mile that this is just sex for Apo. The kind of sex that's either exciting or boring, depending on what's involved, completely divorced from love. Love is what makes their clumsiest tryst amazing to Mile. Apo being his unique self is erotic enough for Mile. But the sex doesn't need to carry so much meaning. It can be easy and simple. Mile's life can be so much less complicated. After the novelty wears off, they can just go their separate ways. When they're done with each other, it can be a clean, quiet separation, no heartbreak, no headlines.

Except Mile is sort of inclined to stay with Apo for an embarrassingly long time, maybe forever. And it has nothing to do with how exciting Apo is in the bedroom.

He thinks about saying this. But Mile can just see it in his head, Apo's mouth curving in mockery. Don't you know what wise men say, Mile? Only fools rush in.

"Of course! How could you not be?" Apo's leg fidgets restlessly.

Apo's mentality is perfectly sensible. It's perfectly fine if they fuck around a bit while they're in the mood. It's a phase. But what if he gets bored of Apo? Will he move on to the next, hotter, thing? What if one day Mile meets a beautiful woman he wants to spend the rest of his life with? Rumors of a raunchy history with his male costar would sabotage his chances with her. He needs a clean slate. Keep your options open. Don't commit too much to one person too soon. That's the smart thing to do.

Mile knows this. He just doesn't want to accept it, in the same way he doesn't want to get up early and work out in the mornings. But a workout is nothing compared to swallowing the bitter pill that Apo thinks their relationship is boring.

Mile understands. Sex was once a mindless blur for him, too, an outlet to release tension. And he didn't keep anyone boring around for long.

Part of Mile resents Apo, feels wounded, but he trains himself to focus on better understanding his partner, rather than bottling up his pain.