Water On Fire [MileApo | mxm]

18

Mile has wanted to go to India since he was a child. He and Apo were invited by Dior to attend the women's fashion show, and the paperwork finally seems to be in order, making the trip possible. They required business visas, which took time; it was really tight.

An elated Mile and Apo decide to have a picnic, a little romantic recreation of the KinnPorsche date. It was Mile's idea, of course, as is almost everything romantic about their relationship.

Both Mile and Apo post to their stories thinking someone will get it - and most people won't - and that's perfect.

It's very sweet, but seems a bit awkward to Mile. The elephant in the room is this: Apo still thinks they're just friends. Mile doesn't understand his logic at all, but the younger man seems to think that you can practically be dating a person and still just be friends. It makes no sense, the way he thumps Mile on the back and calls him bro one minute and then cups Mile's dick the next minute. Mile regrets planning this date, because it has only left him more confused.

The next day, Apo comes to the set of The Hidden Character to support Mile. Pond thought that Mile would be a good emcee for the show because Mile used to be a DJ when he was young and has the authoritative aura of a big brother. If Mile tells a man to sit, he is sat.

Mile has gotten him a cameo appearance, and it wasn't even hard. The cameo will sell the show; Pond doesn't need convincing to believe it.

Mile is in a constant state of emotional torment and stress. Thoughts of Apo consume him most days. Every time Apo is hanging out with one of his friends, Mile is left to wonder: does he love them like he loves me? Is he fucking them too? On one such day, when Apo has left him on delivered multiple times, the anguish in Mile's chest is so bad he asks his assistant what the symptoms of a heart attack are, and she calls an ambulance. On other days, Mile is perfectly content to listen to him ramble about cats and not receive one iota of romantic affection from him.

They fly to Mumbai at the end of March. Mile's PR lead grabs him by his coat and peers into his eyes before he can follow Apo into the car that will transport them to the airport.