Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

“I thought I wouldn’t get any more work.” 

Conversations continued around him.  The sound of a sputtering espresso machine could be heard somewhere in the distance behind him.  But for Armin, there was no sound or movement as he sat dumbfounded at a small table near the window of the small cafe.  He was genuinely confused and stunned as he glanced down at the schedule his agent, Janine, just slid over to him to review. 

“What made you think that?” Janine asked casually and carefully, crossing his arms over his knee and leaning forward slightly in a conspiratorial manner. 

Armin hesitated as he thought back to just a few days ago.  Due to the events of the past week, starting with a garden networking gala which then led to an unplanned and unpleasant altercation, Armin wouldn’t blame his agency for punishing him for it, even a little bit.  After all, he had flat out accused the CEO of taking sexual favors in exchange for boosting the careers of his talent; which Armin could admit now was probably hasty on his part. 

Looking over the booklet in front of him then lifting his unfocused gaze to Janine, he responded almost as if he were in a trance.  “Well... your boss said that...”  Wait, what exactly did Thada say at the time?  All Armin could remember from that moment was running away without waiting for Thada to give him any excuses or explanations. 

Gathering his thoughts, he tried again, “If he provided advantages to Narin, it was because Narin did.. Well.. You know..”  He hoped he was making sense to Janine because Armin was barely making sense to himself at the moment.  At least there was a recognition in Janine’s expression when he sighed and shook his head at him.  Keeping on that momentum, Armin tried to continue with his train of thought, as jumbled as it was.  “But since I didn’t agree to that kind of offer, I shouldn’t be provided with such benefits.” 

Not that he could really afford to pass up such opportunities that were staring up at him from the calendar on the table.  Not only did it still have sizable number of gigs highlighted in confirmation for this month, but it also came with the possibility of a few more that were likely still in negotiation. 

Janine took a moment to glance around at the few busy tables, partially to make sure no one was listening in but also in a subtle hint to Armin to be careful about what he says in such a public space.  He was a rising star, after all, and an allegation of this magnitude against the agency’s CEO was sure to make headlines without needing any proof first. 

“Listen,” he finally said in a soft tone full of authority and reason in the way that only Janine could pull off, “if he were going to cut ties with you, I probably wouldn’t be sitting here, right?” 

Armin could only stare back at him, the simple fact he presented carrying so much logic that he started to feel even more foolish by the minute.  Janine dabbed his fingertips against his forehead in an exasperated gesture then blew out his breath.  “The truth is,” he shifted forward on his seat eagerly, “I’m not one to gossip about the boss.  However, the way he gives you everything without you having to return any favors to him, don’t you think that means that you’re someone special?” 

Actually, at first, Armin did think that.  But after bumping into Narin at the garden party and learning of his involvement with Thada during which time Thada was boosting Narin’s career, Armin’s belief that he meant something to Thada had been shaken.  But what had really messed with his head was how his heart hurt at the thought of being just another “Narin” to Thada.  Or, even worse, becoming like Sam and being the third wheel in an established relationship, even if he hadn’t known about the relationship when getting involved with Thada, unlike Sam who damn well knew Armin and Charlie had been together for twenty years. 

Giving himself a mental shake to cut off the train of thought he’d started going down, Armin forced himself to really listen and comprehend what Janine was saying.  He went on to speculate that if Thada ever guessed he’d ever get close to Armin, he probably wouldn’t ever take other lovers for this specific reason. 

In truth, Armin knew that Thada had only initially intended to watch and support him from afar.  But then why did that change all of a sudden when he first saved him from getting hit by a car and then again arriving in the middle of a rainstorm when Armin had been drugged at a party? 

“But then again,” Janine concluded with a shrug, unaware of Armin’s inner battle with his thoughts, “you can’t change the past, that’s just how it is.” 

Oh, if only he knew, Armin thought to himself.  That was precisely what he was trying to do with this new life he was somehow miraculously granted.  Or was he trying to change the future?  But the future he knew had suddenly became his past. 

Either way, Janine was right when he said that at the end of the day, it was up to Armin to decide whether or not he believed Thada and his sincerity.  He wanted to trust Thada’s feelings were not just transactional. So much so that his entire being wanted to find him and talk to him as soon as humanly possible.  But how could he face him after what he’d said to him that day at the garden party or the conversation through the door just afterward? 

He was no closer to having an answer when he finally arrived home after the meeting with Janine. At least the rest of the meeting with him provided enough of a diversion once they started talking about work and no longer speculated about Thada.  In fact, he learned he had a good modeling gig coming up soon which he thought he could use as further distraction while he figured out his thoughts and feelings.  Janine had also promised to look into the brands’ past advertisements to gather any tips for him to help prepare.  Too bad he wasn’t still in 2025 when he could just use Google to look at these things.  But Janine was happy to do it so Armin was grateful for that.  Research and preparation would help keep his mind busy and off of Thada. 

Well, that had been the intention, at first.  When he reached his apartment door, however, all thoughts of burying himself in brand research for the photoshoot went out the window.  There, hanging on his doorknob was a food canister with a note on it that read The food is not to blame. 

He didn’t need to guess who could have possibly left this for him and he found himself smiling against his better judgement at the thought of Thada sneakily making sure he was eating.  Bringing it into his room, Armin set it down on his desk and opened it up.  With each new layer, there was another note and by the end of it, he had: 

The food is not to blame.  I don’t know how to make you understand.  But if you don’t want to understand, then just please don’t hate me.  That’s all I ask. 

The final note was a smiley face with heart eyes, making Armin chuckle at the absurdity mixed with adorableness of the whole thing.  Looking at the feast in front of him, he shook his head, wondering how could anyone stay mad at someone after going through the trouble of making all of this for him. 

He was just digging into the food when his phone suddenly went off in his pocket with that old-time ringtone that still made him cringe inwardly at the sound.  At least he had a cell phone at this point in his past so he couldn’t really complain. 

Thinking it might be Janine with an update about the photoshoot coming up, he quickly got it out of his pocket and checked the caller ID display.  He should have known that Thada would be calling him as soon as he had his mouth full of his food.  The man seemed to have eyes on him all the time which might have weirded Armin out had he not been used to living in the public eye for the last twenty years. 

Taking a second to steel himself, Armin continued chewing and forced a casual tone when he answered the call and immediately announced that he was going to finish the meal since, as Thada had said in his note, the food is not to blame.  And it was damn tasty too but he wasn’t going to say that part and stroke Thada’s ego more than he already did simply by admitting he was eating the food he left at his front door. 

Thada’s deep voice sounded pained on the other end when he asked Armin to come meet him outside.  He paused mid chew as he suddenly realized that Thada was still nearby, lying in wait for him.  A small thrilling chill went down his spine in anticipation as he asked for a quick minute but he promised to meet him by the pond at the backside of the apartment complex shortly. 

He quickly hung up and repacked the food since he had no idea how long this impromptu meeting with Thada was going to take and he didn’t want it to spoil quicker in the open air.  Armin then rushed out of the room, but not before giving himself a quick once-over in front of the mirror.  Sure, he was mad and confused about Thada, but that didn’t mean he couldn’t look good while he scolded him.  In fact, he hoped it would be somewhat torturous for Thada though Armin didn’t want to assume he had that much of an effect on the man. 

When he got to the pond, he spotted Thada almost immediately, standing alone on the bank of the water, looking downright delectable as always in his dark suit.  His stance seemed relaxed with his hands casually in his pockets however when he lifted his head and their eyes met, Armin could see the desperate look in his gaze even through the distance.  His heart did a little flip in his chest as he walked along the edge of the pond toward Thada, trying to look as nonchalant as he possibly could even though he was barely holding it together on the inside. 

When he at last reached Thada’s side, Armin was careful not to get too close or even look at him directly for fear he might forget all about his temper and give in too soon.  Hell, even being just outside of arms’ reach, Armin could still catch a faint hint of Thada’s cologne and that alone would be enough to draw him in.  So instead, he kept his gaze over the water as he told Thada he would get no more than thirty minutes of his time.  In truth, that time limit was more for Armin as he didn’t think he could hold out much past that. 

Thada wasted no time, staring at Armin’s beautiful profile while he spoke in a calm tone.  “To be honest, I have no way to prove to you that you’re not just a hookup to me.  But my feeling go beyond that.” 

Armin’s breath caught in his throat but he tried to hide the effect Thada’s words and voice had on him behind feigned indifference.  Looks like he wasn’t even going to make it to thirty minutes, at this rate.  He needed an escape route, and soon. 

“That’s all you wanted to say, right?” 

“That’s not all I wanted to say,” Thada hastened though he tried not to push his luck too much.  Armin was looking like a frightened doe at the moment and he was cautious that the wrong words would send him bolting away from him in an instant.  “I just wanted to see you in person.” 

With that, Armin finally dared a glance at Thada’s face.  The earnest, pleading expression he saw there was almost enough to send him to his knees but he held his ground while allowing Thada to continue. 

“I understand you may not trust me at the moment but, given enough time, I’ll prove myself to you.” 

Warning bells began going off in Armin’s head, telling him he had to get out of here now otherwise he ran a real risk of just saying fuck it and leaping into Thada’s arms.  The sincerity in Thada’s eyes left no room for further doubt to his true feelings which Armin found overwhelming if not endearing.  But he still needed to think... to step away and not be influenced by Thada’s nearness when trying to sort through his own feelings. 

In the end, he simply asked for a bit of time so he could think about it and Thada happily agreed, grateful to have even the smallest olive branch extended to him.  Thada’s bright smile gave away his relief which had Armin tripping over his words when he bid Thada farewell and practically ran back to his apartment.  Finally safe behind his locked door, he glanced over at the food canister and grinned. 

“I will call him after I figure this out,” he promised the empty room.  Sitting back down at the desk, he opened the canisters once more and scarfed down the delicious food.  All the while, his mind and his heart argued, wanting to reach out to Thada but also wanting to seriously consider the situation and sort out his feelings first before he did.  He trusted Thada enough to be true to his word about waiting for him so Armin really could afford to take his time to sort through it all. 

*** 

One day. 

That was the extent of his own hearts’ patience.  Armin managed to get through one full day of looking at past perfume ads and doing a bit of self-care before finally breaking down and reaching out to Thada. 

He’d been taking a shower, allowing the hot spray to soothe the stress tension in his body while his mind drifted between the perfume ad shoot scheduled for the next day and then back to the countless interactions he’d had with Thada ever since he met him.  In truth, he couldn’t recall a single time where Thada had propositioned him or even hinted that he expected anything in return for his assistance in Armin’s career.  He went out of his way to make things happen, sure, like personally driving him to the audition and giving him his good-luck charm necklace to borrow when Armin started panicking.  But in all those times, he never asked for so much as a hug, let alone anything inappropriate.  In fact, Thada had been flat out stunned when Armin had run into his arms and kissed him for the first time as if he never in his wildest dreams thought it would ever happen. 

By the time he was finished with his shower, Armin was restless and anxious to call Thada.  Without even taking a moment to get dressed, he bolted out of the bathroom with a towel around his waist and grabbed his phone off the desk.  He dialed Thada’s number and impatiently waited while it rang, hoping Thada wasn’t working late or that he was disturbing him at this late hour. 

An eternity seemed to pass before Thada finally answered the call.  There was so much Armin wanted to say to him right then but the words escaped him with the simple sound of Thada’s voice.  But it wasn’t enough for him.  No, Armin needed to see him and talk to him face to face. 

“Come see me tomorrow at the perfume photo shoot.”  After a moment’s hesitation, he was struck with an idea and hastily added, “Bring your lucky charm necklace with you.”  He didn’t wait for an answer as he wouldn’t know what else to say right now so he quickly ended the call and rested his head against the wall, taking a deep calming breath as a smile reached his lips. 

Early the next morning, Armin was both excited and nervous for multiple reasons.  Not only did he intend to prove himself with his performance today but he also hoped that by asking Thada to come and to borrow his good luck charm that Thada would understand it to mean Armin had forgiven him. 

But the situation wouldn’t sit well with him until he could actually see Thada and tell him himself just how much he meant to him. 

Unfortuantely, the minute he stepped through the front door of the house that was serving as the shooting location, Armin felt a distracting pang of familiarity and not of the comforting kind.  Even Janine couldn’t save him from the foreboding that suddenly engulfed him as he walked alongside and gave Armin a rundown of the plan for the day. 

No wonder he thought he recognized the exterior of the house.  What started off as a small feeling of déjà vu quickly turned into a horrifying reenactment as he passed by familiar sets, props and faces of the crew members.  Only this time, it was slightly different.  Back when this photo shoot occurred in his past life, he was merely part of the crew, handling props and doing menial tasks that were asked of him from those in charge.  Now, however, he was one of the “talent” instead.  This time, he was being treated with respect rather than looked down on or overlooked altogether by everyone around him. 

Well, almost everyone.  There was one man who hadn’t made him seem insignificant back then.  One man had noticed him in the sea of people and activity, even though he had one of the most important jobs to do at the photoshoot. 

As if his compounding thoughts summoned the man in question, Armin’s gaze suddenly focused on a pair of shoes coming down the grand staircase that he currently was stationed at with Janine.  Slowly, his eyes followed up the relaxed-fit jeans over, what he knew to be, strong legs and thighs; past the narrowed waist that his fingers knew the feel of from holding tightly when they made love.  Then came the broad chest which Armin could almost feel against his cheek as he’d use as a pillow at the end of a long day while he drifted off into what was then contented sleep. 

And then finally he focused on the striking face he knew so intimately, complete with a halo shining around him caused by the large window at the top of the landing.  Sharp, piercing eyes framed by thick plastic glasses focused directly on Armin as the man finally came to a stop just one step up from the floor.  The enticing, full lips under his prominent nose curved into the faintest knowing smile as he stared back at Armin as if they were locked in a contest that neither one would dare lose. 

Armin could feel his hands begin to shake as Charlie’s very presence shook his previous confidence and excitement.  Any and all preparation he’d had come here armed with for this photoshoot had left the room in an instant as flashbacks of Armin’s breakdown over Charlie and Sam’s betrayal and his subsequent fall from the balcony to his death replayed in his minds’ eye. 

The gorgeous, irresistible man standing in front of him had been his lover – his partner – for close to twenty years and then suddenly he had become his worst enemy and one of the top suspects for his death. 

Armin watched in his shocked stupor as those lips he always loved the taste of began to move though the ringing in his ears made it impossible to hear what Charlie was saying.  Then Charlie was holding out his hand toward him and Armin felt a war within himself to either recoil away or fall forward into the embrace he’d always relied on up until just a couple of weeks ago when he woke up in the past and was granted this new restart on his life. 

Thankfully, he was saved from looking like a fool or a rude actor for refusing to shake his hand when an assistant called Charlie over.  Charlie dropped his hand and nodded toward the assistant to let him know he was coming but made sure to smile back to Armin first to say, “See you on set.” 

Armin watched his broad back as Charlie walked around the back of the stairs and finally disappeared from view.  Only when he couldn’t see him anymore did Armin ultimately get feeling back into his body.  His breath came in shallow pants as his lungs demanded oxygen after he’d practically held his breath the entire time Charlie had been speaking to him. 

He needed some air, and fast.  As soon as he could trust that his legs wouldn’t give out, Armin bolted from the foyer and out a nearby back door to a private courtyard on the estate.  Taking in deep breaths through his nose and out through his mouth, Armin tried to get a hold of himself while his thoughts continued to spiral out of control. 

He thought he’d had a new chance at life; to create one that was different from the past so that it wouldn’t end in the same way.  Yet here he was coming face to face with all of his demons once again; Ren, Sam and now Charlie.  He felt helpless, not being able to change anything after all.  Not only that but everything was happening faster than before ever since Thada helped fast-track his career.  Did this mean he was destined to die faster than last time as well? 

He was so lost in his thoughts that Armin didn’t hear Thada’s approach until he was standing right behind him in the otherwise empty courtyard. 

“Armin,” his gentle voice said with caution, “are you okay?” 

Shit.  He had been so distracted over remembering the past that Armin had completely forgotten he’d asked Thada to meet him here.  Now he had no idea how long Thada might have been waiting for him or, even worse, how much of his interaction with Charlie and his resulting freakout Thada may have witnessed. 

“Thada,” he breathed without turning around to face him.  “When did you get here?” 

“Just a moment ago,” he replied, sending a flash of hope through Armin.  It was quickly doused, however when he continued, “Right when I saw you talking with that photographer.  That was Charlie, wasn’t it?  Is it the same Charlie you talked about in your sleep?” 

Shit shit.  Armin kept his back turned for fear of what he might find in Thada’s expression should he look at him.  True, there was no accusation or hurt in his tone but Armin knew Thada wasn’t a fool.  He surely suspected something had happened between them or, at the very least, knew Charlie was significant to Armin somehow. 

It wasn’t like he could explain his entire relationship and history with Charlie to Thada.  Even if he did, who would believe such a claim?  But he also couldn’t pretend that Charlie meant nothing to him while being in such close proximity.  Hell, he wasn’t that good of an actor and he doubt he ever could be. 

He was still trying to figure out how to answer when Thada went on.  “Remember, anything you want, I’ll be here to care for you and have your back.” 

It wasn’t a new sentiment by any means but something about hearing those words right now when he was faced with the biggest demon from his past, Armin found more comfort in the words than ever before.  Taking another deep breath, Armin finally dared to turn around and look at Thada.  As always, he was in another perfectly tailored suit in a soft grey that immediately had Armin longing to reach out and run his hand over. 

Thada kept his distance even though the anguish and hurt haunting Armin’s eyes made him want to gather him up into his arms to shield him from whatever caused it.  His best guess was that damn photographer although he couldn’t fathom a reason why it could be.  He knew that Armin had never worked with him before so when would they have ever crossed paths? 

Reaching into his pants pocket, Thada brought out his lucky charm necklace, holding it out towards Armin.  “I brought you the lucky necklace,” he smiled.  “I won’t ask you what is bothering you right now but at the very least, I hope this can bring you some comfort to get you through it.” 

Armin glanced down at Thada’s outstretched hand, seeing the necklace that he had worn once already when he’d gone to the audition and gotten the part.  Whether it was luck or whether it was Thada, Armin wasn’t certain.  But something about having the necklace on during his audition acted like an armor to protect him and guide him through it all.  Back then, it protected him from Ren and Sam.  Now he was up against Charlie who had dealt out the biggest betrayal of them all.  Now, more than ever, Armin wanted – he needed – the comfort that Thada and a piece of him could bring. 

Blinking back tears, Armin lifted his shining eyes to meet Thada’s and he attempted to smile back.  “Put it on for me?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.  Thada gave a small nod and Armin turned around so that he could secure the necklace around his neck.  Immediately, the weight of it sitting above his heart acted like a soother, bringing his raging heartbeat down and his breathing to a more steady rhythm. 

Armin was about to turn around to thank Thada but Janine’s voice from the doorway broke into their moment.  “Armin!  Get ready for the first set, alright?” 

Both Armin and Thada’s heads turned to look at Janine in unison as Armin took an automatic step forward out of Thada’s reach.  He didn’t know why he was suddenly so self-conscious but he knew that if he stayed outside with Thada much longer, he wouldn’t ever want to go back in or do the photoshoot at all.  But he had to.  Not just for building his new career but also for himself to face those ghosts from the past and exorcise them from his soul.  Now, armed with the subtle but meaningful protection from Thada, he felt like he just might be able to do that. 

He turned and started walking toward the doors but stopped halfway then glanced over his shoulder at Thada.  “Wait for me?” he asked simply, his lips curling into a small but hopeful wince. 

“Always,” Thada replied without hesitation. 

Chapter Text

He was back. 

Charlie wasn’t exactly sure how he could tell but somehow he knew that the stunning model he’d briefly met by the stairs was back in the room after disappearing for the last fifteen minutes.  It was as if his mere presence demanded the attention of the room and Charlie was no exception nor did he care to fight it.  The kid was not only gorgeous but he also carried himself in a way that seemed both innocent and all-knowing.  Just thinking about the intense gaze he’d received from him earlier was enough to pique his interest and stir something within him. 

Those big, unblinking yet vulnerable eyes had borne into him with something that Charlie could only describe as contempt.  Rather than letting the unwarranted animosity upset him, however, it had instead intrigued him.  It made him want to see more of it somehow, even if it didn’t make sense to him.  He supposed he should be taking it more personally since he knew for certain that he’d never done anything to the man.  Hell, he’d never even met this model before.  A face and a figure like his would be damn hard to forget.  But still, there was a perception in his expression when he looked at Charlie that held so many other interesting emotions including the obvious surprise, disbelief and, dare he hope, lust.  He didn’t think it was simply wishful thinking on his part although then again, he was used to people fawning over him. 

Even so, the strange combination threw Charlie for a loop right off the bat which was not an easy feat considering he had seen and experienced a lot in his line of work.  For someone to make this much of an impact on him in such a shot amount of time was nothing short of impressive. 

Unfortunately, their exchange was over too quickly when he was called away to look over one of the sets.  He had to force himself to put the model out of his mind, at least for the time being, so that he could focus instead on the job at hand.  Even knowing this, he was still all too aware when, in his peripheral vision, he noticed the model leave through the back doors in a hurry.  If he didn’t have a thousand tasks to do before the shoot, Charlie might have followed him out there just for the opportunity to talk to him one on one again as he sure as hell would never get the chance once things were underway. 

Sure enough, no sooner had his foot twitched to step toward the door was he cut off by a more recognizable face.  Ren, another model, slid right into his path, blocking him from going anywhere, a big smile curving his pretty lips that was both irresistible and phony.  Charlie knew Ren from previous shoots though he never went out of his way to converse with the boy.  He was too transparent, even for Charlie who usually liked a bratty type.  But just a few hours in Ren’s presence was exhausting and now knowing he was here, Charlie felt a sense of dread and the damn photo shoot hadn’t even started yet. 

“How lovely to see you again, Phi Photographer,” Ren sang in a voice that made Charlie clench his jaw.  Forcing himself to smile back, he extended his hand toward Ren who excitedly grasped it and shook in greeting. 

“Great to see you again, Khun Ren,” Charlie lied through his teeth with a small dip of his head.  He tried to pull his hand away but Ren held onto it, lightly running a fingertip along the sensitive skin at Charlie’s wrist.  He hated that it sent a quick thrill of anticipation through him but it was easier to quell it with the image of the other model still fresh in his mind.  Because, at this moment, unless it were him making advancements on Charlie, he really couldn’t be bothered with anyone else. 

“I look forward to seeing what you produce today,” Ren continued, either oblivious to Charlie’s lack of interest or he simply ignored it.  “You always make me look exquisite.  Feel free to use me however you want until you are completely satisfied.  I can take any direction you deem necessary.” 

“I’ll keep that in mind,” Charlie tried not to bite back but he did manage to pull his hand free at last.  The heavily suggestive remarks might have been an invitation if Charlie were thinking that way but for now they just sounded like a desperate plea for attention and favoritism.  Charlie had no doubt Ren was feeling mildly threatened by the newcomer and was trying to sow his seed in the hierarchy.  Well, if he wanted to focus on work, then Charlie could certainly meet him there. 

“I assume you’ve read over the storyboard and notes from the brand representative?”  Charlie could clearly see a flash of doubt cross Ren’s expression before he quickly blinked it away and nodded. 

“Yes, of course,” he answered brightly.  “Danger, passion, dark themes.  All up here,” Ren pointed to his head for emphasis. 

“Okay good,” Charlie answered just before someone else called out to him for something.  “Because black is the brand’s signature color so they want to keep with that.  Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ll see you on set shortly.” 

Not allowing Ren a chance to respond, he quickly made his escape and went to oversee the rest of the set-up.  There were three different shooting locations to check throughout the house; one being a small space in a back office with just a few backdrops, red mood lighting and a single chair.  The second one was in the living room with fancy Victorian style furniture and soft floral fabrics draped everywhere for a colorful but not too busy look.  Then the final shoot of the day would be on the grand staircase which required the most set-up as the final shot called for the female model to stand above the men with fake blood pouring down behind them from above. 

The concept Charlie and the marketing team for the perfume had come up with was indeed danger, lust and darkness, as Ren had summed up.  The female would be surrounded by the two men who represented the dark and light trying to seduce her to their respective side.  They use various methods of persuasion including threats or persuasion, as the first two sets conveyed.  Then the final scene was the climactic “angel verses devil” reveal where the two men show their true form and the woman chooses to refuse them both and stand on her own with the blood of her former self raining down in the background. 

It was an ambitious shoot but Charlie had a clear picture in his mind of how it would look and, if the actors could pull it off, he truly believed it would be a memorable campaign for a long time to come. 

But that meant he had to put faith in Ren, who he knew all too well, Lola, who he’d only met a handful of times before, and the newcomer who he didn’t even know the name of let alone his ability to act. 

Heaving a sigh, he motioned to the stage manager that they were ready to begin and to bring the models out.  When they filed in together, Charlie wasn’t surprised to see Ren in the black suit and the new model in white.  He supposed it didn’t really matter as he assumed the new model would look good in anything. 

“Armin!” 

Charlie turned his head to find Janine, a talent manager he knew from Crown Enterprise, rushing after the new model with a water bottle in hand, holding it out for him to drink from. 

Armin.  Such a fitting name for a strong and breathtaking specimen, Charlie thought with an inward smile. 

“Okay,” he called out loudly, immediately commanding the room and gaining everyone’s attention.  “Let’s get started.  Lola,” he smiled to the pretty woman dressed in a lethal red dress and held out his hand to her palm up.  “Come sit down.”  He led her to the singular chair in the middle of the room.  Crouching down in front of her, he fiddled with the skirt of the dress to make it flow just right and gave her a few tips on how to sit.  He then waved over Ren to stand behind her. 

“Bring the silver gun,” he instructed the props department and they hurried to hand it off to Ren.  He gave a few more pieces of direction to the two models then Charlie started snapping his camera.  After about ten pictures, he switched up their pose. 

“Alright, let’s give it a try first,” he encouraged them, stepping away and checking over the settings of his camera.  He brought it up to his face then lowered it, looking over to Ren.  “Just like this but with a bit more deep emotion.”  A few more snaps and then Charlie paused to look at the pictures he just took, not quite happy with the results.  He tried one more time to draw the emotion from Ren and took a few more pictures before finally dropping his arms in a huff. 

“No, it’s not stress or anything like that,” he said, uncaring how harsh his tone sounded in the moment.  “Do you understand what I mean by emotional depth?”  By Ren’s reaction he could see his words finally got to him and so he tried to soften his direction slightly.  “You’re promoting the product just fine,” he praised, “but please stay in character the whole way through.”  He pointed to the storyboard that was sitting on a desk just off set but still clearly visible for quick reference.  Blowing out a long breath between pursed lips, Charlie instructed Ren to take a rest and for Armin to come to set. 

Maybe he was being too hard on the models or maybe he was just in a hurry to move onto the mysterious enigma that was Armin, he wasn’t sure.  But as soon as Armin came into view, Charlie immediately perked up.  While he watched Armin walking hesitantly onto set, Charlie could feel himself calming down and feeling a renewed sense of optimism. 

Perhaps it was the way Armin still looked at him as if he were a caged tiger looking at his captor.  His eyes would be wide one minute then narrowed the next; frightened yet fierce, like he could either bolt or pounce at any moment.  And Charlie found the gamble of which way he might go incredibly sexy. 

As soon as Armin stood in front of him, dressed in a fitted white suit with a black bowtie and a blood red flower at his pocket, Charlie lost all sense of frustration from directing Ren and felt a different kind of frustration from wanting to reach out and touch the man. 

“Kiss me,” he said without thinking, drawing a subtle stunned response from Armin.  He never looked away from him, however, as if he were just as drawn to Charlie as he was to Armin.  That didn’t exactly help keep the growing desire at bay but it did snap him back to his senses.  Charlie quickly went on, trying to cover his blunder. 

“The essence of this perfume is all about killing softly, you know?  It needs to be seductive.  An obsession so deep that even a killer can’t bring themselves to end you.  I want to see desire.  A killer’s deepest desire lies within you, buried deep inside.  Okay?” 

He could see by Armin’s expression that he understood what Charlie was saying; perhaps even a little too well.  His lips were parted and his eyes narrowing, staring back at Charlie as if he was the target.  It was the perfect expression and exactly what he was looking for.  Not wanting Armin to lose that focus, Charlie called everyone back to their places. 

As soon as he had his camera lifted, it was like Charlie were watching the entire scene unfold.  A killer struggling with his inner desires as he held onto the gun in his hand.  It was as if he were watching someone handling their new favorite toy, shifting it while looking at it in wonderment, testing the feel of it as his fingers closed around the handle. 

Charlie’s finger itched on the shutter button, snapping pictures that he knew he wouldn’t use for the campaign but simply wanted for his own memories.  A brief sideways glance to his lighting tech confirmed that Charlie was not the only one captivated by every movement and nuance coming from Armin.  He looked dangerous as if he might snap at any moment, made even more so by the shine of the silver gun as it caught the light occasionally with the movement. 

When Armin finally looked up, Charlie moved closer, getting some shots that focused on Armin’s anguished face.  He couldn’t tell if Armin was sending that murderous glare at him or the camera but he was excited to capture it all the same. 

Then suddenly out of nowhere, it was like a switch had been flipped inside Armin.  In a flash, he lifted his arm, pointing the gun at Charlie and yelling “Why?!” over and over as his finger pulled the trigger.  Again and again, like he wouldn’t be satisfied until he unloaded an entire clip of bullets into him.  Armin looked like a madman who’d finally broken down and given into his darkest demons and for some reason, in that moment, that demon was Charlie. 

And it was probably the hottest thing he’d ever witnessed on a job, in all his years of working as a photographer. 

The room was deadly silent as everyone watched the unexpected stand-down between them, confusion and tension filling the room but no one willing to move or speak for fear of breaking it. 

After a moment, Charlie slowly lowered the camera from his face, needing to see all of Armin’s raw emotions with his own two eyes instead of through a lens.  He was captivated, completely lost in Armin’s orbit, exactly the way he had imagined for this campaign.  However, nothing could have prepared him for the way it felt like he was punched in the gut, completely knocking the wind out of him. 

It took him a while but he finally recovered when he caught the slight trembling of Armin’s lips while he struggled to hold himself together.  Charlie couldn’t recall a time he’d ever seen this level of acting before, especially for a photoshoot.  It made him want to reach up and press his thumb against those lips, just to see if they felt as soft as they looked. 

Instead, he whipped right back into photographer mode, effectively breaking the strain in the room.  “Stay there,” he instructed Armin in a much calmer tone than he actually felt.  “Good.”  His words seemed to get life back into the crowd as he made it seem like this was all planned instead of Armin going off script. 

Once everyone was back to normal, the crew stepped in to make adjustments and answer to any of Charlie’s directions.  He called Ren back in and took some pictures of the three of them with minimal notes then finally called an end to the first part of the shoot. 

They immediately moved on to the next set in the living room since the models would be in the same outfits as the first set.  In this shoot, however, the men took off the outer jackets and unclasped the first couple of buttons on their dress shirts for a more relaxed look.  Charlie, having only somewhat recovered from the first part, kept himself distracted by giving more miniscule directives but in a calmer, polite tone.  The crew was able to work quickly and efficiently and before they knew it, the second set was completed without any further outbursts from Armin or shotty acting from Ren. 

A lunch break was called and everyone dispersed to partake in the catered meal laid out in the dining room, buffet-style.  The models and their agents were the first to go as they had a wardrobe change to get through before the last part of the day.  They soon disappeared into the designated dressing room with the costume and make-up departments while Charlie took the opportunity of the break to step outside for a cigarette.  He didn’t smoke often, since he didn’t particularly enjoy it, but sometimes he found it helped him calm down and focus on the task at hand when something was bothering him. 

Today, that something was actually a someone and that someone’s name was Armin. 

Fuck, it was like he couldn’t take his eyes off of him.  He’d barely even heard his voice, as the only words he’d spoken near Charlie was when he yelled “Why” at him and an occasional “Okay” when following Charlie’s direction. 

But the man didn’t need words when his eyes were so goddamned expressive.  They bore into Charlie with such fire for the last couple of hours that it was really taking its toll on his self-control. 

Dumping his cigarette with still half of it to go, Charlie turned to go back inside when he suddenly stopped, having just noticed that he was no longer alone in the courtyard. 

“Wow,” he said by way of greeting, “I didn’t expect the CEO of Crown to show up at my humble photoshoot.” 

Thada winced from where he stood near the patio doors, keeping his mannerisms and tone as casual as possible as he stuck his fisted hands in his pockets.  Ignoring the complete lack of formality, Thada simply inclined his head toward the doors, indicating the photoshoot beyond. 

“I would hardly call this humble,” he praised, hoping it would lower Charlie’s guard.  “In fact, I would say it’s pretty damn impressive.” 

“I appreciate that, especially coming from you,” Charlie replied honestly.  “But it is still small beans to warrant taking up your time which I would assume is quite limited.” 

Leaning a shoulder against the doorframe, Thada simply shrugged and feigned a bored expression.  “I pop in to check on my talent from time to time.  Especially when working with such an influential photographer like yourself.”  Thada wondered if he were being too obvious with the flattery, especially since he really didn’t know much about Charlie or his work.  He could only hope that the man wouldn’t call his bluff. 

“I’m honestly surprised you’ve heard of me before,” Charlie said as he came to stand next to Thada by the door. 

“Of course I have,” Thada grinned.  “In fact, I’ve heard your name direct from my talent himself.”  It hurt Thada to say it out loud, even if it were technically the truth.  But if he wanted to find out the relation between this man and his Armin then he would have to bear a bit of discomfort. 

“Ahh, I assume you mean the new kid, Armin?” 

Thada tried not to let it show how his teeth ground at the way Charlie said Armin’s name so personally, as if he were all too comfortable with it.  “He is new to Crown, yes,” Thada answered carefully before lifting an inquiring brow.  “Perhaps he’d worked with you before?” 

To Thada’s surprise, Charlie shook his head.  “Never.  I would have remembered someone like that even if I’d met him when we were just kids.” 

Thada knew the feeling.  Armin had a lasting impression and was not someone who could easily fade into the background, despite what his previous directors may have thought.  He did relax, however, at the realization that Charlie and Armin had never actually met before though it brought up a million new questions at the same time. 

He opened his mouth to respond but was cut off by someone calling out for Charlie from inside the house.  Glancing down at his watch, Charlie realized that break time was now over so he quickly excused himself and rejoined the crew in the front of the house in the foyer. 

By the time he arrived, all three models were ready in the new outfits and the crew was at their posts, waiting for his command.  An assistant handed him his camera and he instructed the props team to put the wings on both Ren and Armin. 

Their outfits for this part of the storyline looked like designer rags, giving them a rough but ethereal esthetic as their characters showed their true form to the female protagonist.  Ren’s black wings were bigger and more detailed than Armin’s white ones as to create a dark contrast to the otherwise light-colored set of the marble stairs they stood on. 

They started out with a few pictures of the three of them together then took turns with close-ups of Ren and Lola, then Armin and Lola, ultimately switching to Ren and Armin near the end.  Since the final shots had to be with the fake blood pouring behind the three of them, they had to make sure to get everything else first before the floor would get covered in red liquid. 

“Let’s take Armin’s wings off for a minute,” Charlie suggested, deviating from the storyboard only slightly.  With the intensity and commitment coming from Armin, he didn’t need big bulky props to draw attention.  He could do that simply by existing and Charlie needed to capture that on film. 

Switching out his cameras to forgo the digital, Charlie waited for the props team to leave the stairs before going back to snapping photos.  He was more conservative with this one, however, since he’d only brought one roll of film with him and wanted to make sure he captured the perfect shots on them. 

“Armin, I want you to sit on the first few steps and Ren, stand behind him, casually holding the sword to the floor but looking menacing.”  The two moved to position themselves the way Charlie instructed and posed.  The crew was all gathered behind Charlie, watching the scene unfold and marveling at the brilliant sight before them. 

“I want this kind of emotion, okay?” Charlie said, coming closer to the two of them and mounting the first couple of stairs to get the first shots.  As expected, Armin was giving the exact look he was hoping for; a mixture of anguish and vengeance.  His slackened jaw and his eyes full of intent beckoned to him yet warned that if he got to close, he may just get mauled in the process. 

Ren, on the other hand, was just... there.  He barely gave Charlie anything to work with so finally Charlie called the producer over to take Ren for a rest.  He waited while she escorted Ren up the stairs and out of the line of sight of the camera before he turned all his attention back to Armin. 

As soon as their eyes met, Charlie forgot all about the other people in the room.  Gently placing his camera on the stairs next to Armin’s hip, he crouched down in front of him to take his head into both his hands. 

“This mood, alright?” he said softly as their locked gaze lingered.  Their faces were awfully close but for Charlie, it still wasn’t close enough.  How easy would it be to close the short distance and finally learn what those lips tasted like?  Would Armin allow him?  Would he maybe even kiss him back? 

Running his thumbs over Armin’s cheeks in a gentle caress, he flicked his gaze downward in an obvious suggestion that caused Armin’s eyes to widen slightly in alarm. 

“I love your eyes when you look at me,” Charlie blurted out the words without care for who might hear them.  He then tried reaching blindly for the camera with one hand while the other moved to cup Armin’s jaw.  His thumb seemed to move on it’s own accord when it traced Armin’s bottom lip, confirming that it was indeed as soft as it looked. 

A surge of pure lust shot through him as Armin stayed perfectly still, allowing Charlie to run his hand down his neck and to his shoulder, softly pushing or pulling his body in minor adjustments to fix his pose.  Only when he reached Armin’s thigh did Charlie seem to snap out of his trance and ask an assistant to hand him his camera that he couldn’t seem to locate on his own. 

Stepping back into his role as director and photographer, Charlie backed off and returned to the floor of the room instead of on the stairs looming over Armin. 

“I want an angry emotion,” he said, trying to shake himself from the agonizing longing he’d just been consumed with.  “Something like... as if I’ve killed you before.  Now look at me.” 

Charlie brought his camera back up to his face, trying to put some extra distance between them by looking through the viewfinder instead of directly at Armin.  He likened the situation to be like a helpless man being drawn to Medusa, as if any direct eye contact could completely destroy him just for wanting to bask in her beauty. 

Armin definitely had that effect and, instead of warding off Charlie, it only made him want to see more of it.  He wanted to see what else he might be able to draw out of him however he knew now was not the time or place to experiment with it.  For now, he had to concentrate on the job at hand. 

Giving words of encouragement, Charlie took pictures as Armin moved from the seated position to standing, hovering from above with the light from the big circular window behind him casting him in the perfect light. 

He couldn’t check the shots he’d been getting on this camera but Charlie had no doubt they were some of the best he’d ever captured.  Armin was the perfect subject and he produced the exact result that Charlie had hoped for.  Honestly, this session could not have gone any better. 

Until, of course, all hell broke loose. 

Out of nowhere, while Armin stood there on the stairs, the bucket of fake blood above him started tipping over and the dark red liquid began to pour over Armin.  A gasp sounded through the room as everyone watched the scene unfold.  His head was immediately drenched and the white of his costume now had pools and streams running down him. 

Charlie jumped back in surprise, the woman next to him letting out a shocked scream that rang through the otherwise silent room.  A couple of people tried to step toward Armin to help him but Charlie immediately held out his arms to stop them. 

“Don’t go on the set!” he ordered quickly, looking around at them with a pleading look before bringing his focus back on Armin.  “I like this moment.” 

Armin stayed where he was on the stairs, looking down at his hands in disbelief.  His breath quickened and his fingers itched to wipe the “blood” from his body but he forced himself to hold still so that Charlie could get the shots he wanted.  What seemed like an eternity later – though it really was closer to ten minutes – Charlie finally called an end to the shoot. 

Once they got the all-clear, members of the crew along with Janine rushed forward and checked on Armin.  Charlie stood frozen from his spot at the center of the foyer, watching earnestly while they helped him back up the stairs and to the dressing room.  Charlie never once looked away from his retreating back, even long after he’d turned the corner at the top landing and disappeared. 

He wanted to follow, to check on Armin but also to just get more time in his presence.  But he knew it wasn’t his place to do so.  Especially when he finally looked around at the flurry of activity around him only to settle his gaze on Khun Thada who seemed to be burning daggers into him from afar.  He stood near the back, staying out of the way but making sure to have a clear view of the shoot while it was going on. 

Charlie had to wonder if he was really only there to oversee his people.  Something about the quiet challenge he sensed from the man told him he had a more personal interest in something here and it didn’t really take a genius to guess it was most likely the irresistible new model. 

Not that it was any of his business, Charlie reminded himself reluctantly.  Whatever Khun Thada’s interests were had no effect on him at all.  Although he would be lying if he said the fact that a powerful CEO were perhaps smitten with an actor didn’t make him want to know said actor a little better to see what the appeal was. 

The problem was that Charlie knew he wouldn’t have another opportunity to speak with Armin today.  Not after the mishap with the blood and with someone like Khun Thada hovering nearby. 

No, he would have to figure out a way to see Armin by himself.  He needed to get him alone and see just how much Armin would allow him to get away with. 

Chapter Text

The water ran red for what seemed like forever as Armin stood in the shower.  The private bathroom in the master bedroom was technically off limits to the cast and crew since it was not being used for the photoshoot but Armin was allowed access to it under the circumstances of being covered in the fake blood. 

A team of two crew had escorted him to the third floor, holding towels against him and mopping up any drips along the way.  Then he was shoved into the spacious walk-in shower still with the costume on so that he couldn’t make a mess on the bathroom floor either.  He first stood under the warm spray with the clothes on, trying to get as much of it off him as possible before finally removing it and scrubbing down his body. 

It took longer than he would have liked to get the blood off as it was more like a thick syrup that stuck to him like glue.  They had to thicken it up in order for the camera to be able to capture it which looks great visually but was a pain in the ass to wash out. 

He was still scrubbing shampoo in his hair when there was a knock on the door.  It opened just a crack and Armin could hear Janine’s voice come through.  “It’s me, Armin.  Are you okay?” 

“I’m fine,” he called out.  “You can come in; it doesn’t bother me.” 

Seeing as the shower had a glass door plus an inner curtain, he wasn’t too concerned with Janine possibly seeing him naked.  Hell, he’d probably already caught glimpses here and there when he would change costumes for work.  It wasn’t exactly a business that allowed for much modesty, after all. 

“I promise I won’t peek,” Janine said as he came inside and shut the door behind him.  “I brought you your clothes and a fresh change of underwear.” 

“You’re the best,” Armin smiled with just how true that statement was. 

“I’m not rushing you,” Janine prefaced, “but are you almost done?  Khun Thada was getting anxious down there wondering how you were holding up.” 

“I’m perfectly fine,” Armin assured.  “Although it looks like the scene from Psycho in here.” 

“Oii,” Janine exclaimed, his hand coming to his mouth.  “Don’t say that!  That movie gave me nightmares for years.” 

“Sorry,” he said sincerely although he couldn’t quite keep the laugh out of his tone. 

“I’m going to rip the crew a new one,” Janine went on as he placed Armin’s change of clothes on the counter next to the sink.  “This was not supposed to happen.” 

Armin sighed but shrugged, even though he knew Janine wouldn’t see it.  “It’s okay, it was an accident.” 

“Still,” Janine persisted, “it’s unprofessional and you could have gotten hurt.  What if the bucket fell on you instead of just tipping over?  Or if you slipped on that... that.. goo and fell down the stairs?” 

“But I didn’t,” Armin pointed out, this time allowing his laugh to come through freely. 

“But-” 

Armin pulled the curtain back slightly and slid the glass door open enough to stick his head out and look at Janine.  “Seriously,” he said gently but earnestly, “it’s not that big a deal.  No need to raise Hell over it.” 

Janine pouted and leaned back against the counter while crossing his arms over his chest.  He then brought up a hand and pinched his thumb and forefinger close together, lifting pleading and shining eyes to Armin while tilting his head slightly to the side. 

“Maybe a little bit of Hell?” he asked, the hint of a shit-eating grin pulling at the corner of his lips.  Armin laughed at him before rolling his eyes and shaking his head. 

“The most I’ll allow is a stern talking to,” he compromised.  “Deal?” 

Janine brought his hands together and gave a slight curtsy in thanks then turned to pat the pile of clothes pointedly in case Armin might miss it when he came out of the shower.  “The crew said to leave the costume in the shower and they will deal with it later.  I’ll go keep Khun Thada occupied while you wrap up in there.” 

Armin nodded and thanked him.  “I’m almost done,” he promised.  “The water is almost running clear.” 

Sure enough, it only took one more round of shampoo to get the last of the stickiness out of his hair and by the time he toweled off and changed, Armin felt so much better and there was not even a hint of the “goo,” as Janine had called it.  He was happy to find Thada’s necklace in his jeans pocket and hastily put it on, feeling more complete than before with the weight of it pressed against his sternum under his shirt. 

As he walked out of the bathroom and down the hall, almost everyone around him was apologizing for the mishap.  Armin wasn’t sure if it was due to Janine causing a fuss over it but it still made him feel both pleased and guilty for making them all worry. 

He was just coming down one side of the staircase when he noticed Charlie on the opposite side, talking to one of the props department and asking him how this could have happened and who was responsible.  Armin tried not to feel pleased that Charlie was also concerned about it, even if he didn’t seem upset in the moment when he was taking pictures.  Giving himself a mental shake, he continued down the steps, trying to pass by without their notice.  He didn’t want to feel anything for Charlie or see a side of him that he could mistake as gentleness and caring.  Armin knew the real Charlie and he refused to fall for it ever again. 

Unfortunately, he was just reaching the landing halfway down when Charlie noticed him and called out to him, effectively halting him in his tracks.  Charlie dismissed the guy he was talking to and came down his side of the staircase to talk to Armin. 

“I really liked our work in the shoot today,” he said softly, smiling at Armin in a way he always used to during their many years together.  “I felt thrilled every time I... every time the camera was focused on you.”  Armin wondered if the blunder was accidental or intentional as if Charlie were coming on to him.  He had the same thought during the shoot when Charlie had his hands on him and seemed to forget where he was.  Armin had felt it too; that all too familiar draw to Charlie that was always so heady and irresistible.  In that moment, it didn’t matter that he knew what their future held because right then, all he could remember was the rush he used to feel when they’d first started seeing each other and they could barely keep their hands to themselves. 

Those were happy times, at least.  Then over the course of their relationship, there were other good times, or what Armin had thought were good times.  True, he didn’t know how long Charlie had been cheating on him and with who, but still, twenty years of blissful ignorance was hard to shake. 

“I have to hurry to a small farewell party for a client,” Charlie continued, cutting into Armin’s thoughts.  “If you are free someday in the future, I’d like to take your portrait, and I hope you won’t say no.”  Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled out a business card to hand over to Armin.  He stared at it for a moment, unsure if he should take it or not but, in the end, he silently nodded and took the card.  Not that he really needed it since he still had Charlie’s number memorized after twenty years. 

Thankfully, Charlie was called away after that and left Armin but not before giving him a long, lingering glance that clearly hinted at an unspoken desire.  It shook Armin to the core as his conscious and his own desire battled for supremacy.  He hated how Charlie could still have this effect on him, even after finding out the truth of everything from his past life.  But feelings like this don’t just magically disappear after a week and to assume that they would was very naive of Armin. 

No, he couldn’t escape Charlie’s attentions but he could put some distance between them.  He would simply not seek him out like he had in his previous life. 

Armed with a new plan, Armin absentmindedly put Charlie’s card into his pocket and continued down the stairs.  He passed Janine along the way and told him he would get himself home.  After bidding him a good day, Armin navigated the large house on his own in a trance as his mind flooded with thoughts of the past.  As he approached the front door to the mansion, he was so out of it that he barely heard Thada approach until he called his name and was suddenly standing right in front of him. 

Looking up into his calm, handsome face, Armin could immediately feel the tension draining from his shoulders.  His hand unconsciously came up to grip the necklace through his shirt as he attempted a smile. 

“You must be so tired from working all day,” Thada sympathized.  “I’ve made a reservation at a great restaurant.  Shall we head out?”  Thada reached for Armin’s hand but Armin halted him and took a step back. 

“Wait,” he glanced around to make sure no one else was within sight.  “I don’t want anyone to speculate,” he hastened to explain when Thada looked slightly wounded at the rejection.  “Also, if you don’t mind, I don’t really feel like being around a lot of people right now so would you be okay if we went to Aunt Jeed’s instead?” 

Armin didn’t want to seem ungrateful but he really didn’t know if he could take much more commotion as he’d had plenty for one day.  After everything with the shoot and meeting Charlie again, he just wanted something friendly and familiar with Thada by his side.  They were also less likely to run into anyone they knew except for Jeed and Phat so they wouldn’t need to be as guarded as they would be in a restaurant. 

Thada could see the strain in Armin’s face as he studied him in silence for a moment.  As much as he would love to show off Armin and flaunt him as his would-be boyfriend, Thada would much rather Armin be happy and comfortable so if he wanted to go to Jeed’s food stall, then he would of course make it happen. 

Lifting a hand palm-up toward the door and nodding agreement, Thada flashed a bright grin and simply said, “Shall we?” 

They rode in Thada’s car with minimal conversation as Armin rested his head back and closed his eyes.  He needed to come down further from the high of the day and just being in Thada’s presence was a huge help in that regard. 

When they got to the river, they walked slowly and casually toward the stand.  Armin glanced down more than once at Thada’s hand near his, wondering if it would be inappropriate to take hold of it as they walked.  There were very few people around so it wasn’t like they could possibly cause a scene by doing so.  But he knew all it took was one leaked photo to make or break a career and he wondered if he should chance it. 

They could see Jeed and Phat standing at the table closest to the stand, talking to someone who was currently blocked from view.  Phat noticed them first and called out to Armin, waving him over.  He grinned toward Thada in a knowing look that Armin barely saw for being distracted by the first glimpse of the lone customer they’d been talking to. 

There, smiling brightly up at him, was Sam, his former best friend and the one Charlie had been cheating on Armin with. 

Why was he there?  And today, of all days, when Armin had just run into Charlie as well.  It was as if the past was mocking him by saying he could never escape these two even if he tried.  Did knowing the future ever actually change the future? 

Armin could feel himself panicking, much like he did earlier today when he saw Charlie heading toward him.  He couldn’t do this right now.  The scabs of the wounds these two inflicted on him had already been picked at today and now they were open and aggravated. 

A hand at the small of his back snapped Armin out of his head and back to the present.  Glancing over, he remembered that he had Thada here next to him and somehow, that realization along with the encouraging touch grounded him.  He was able to get a hold on himself and finally acknowledge Sam with as polite a nod as he could muster.  He had to keep reminding himself that at this point in their acquaintance, Sam had not done anything to Armin and if he treated him in an unfavorable way for something he didn’t do, he could run the risk of getting a bad reputation. 

Coming over to the table, Armin and Thada sat down opposite Sam, who gave a respectful wai to Thada in greeting.  Jeed had returned to the cart to prepare some food for Armin and Thada while Phat hovered nearby, overtly excited to have such famous company sitting around their humble “establishment.” 

“Hey Min,” he said as he slapped a hand on Sam’s back and poking him in the shoulder with his other hand.  “They are a fan of the photographer you went to shoot with today.” 

Armin staggered slightly as he stared across at Sam’s shy but smiling face.  “So you’re just a fan?” he asked, subtly trying to figure out if their affair had been going on for this long.  Sam glanced from Armin to Thada and back again in mild confusion but nodded in the end. 

“That’s right,” he answered.  He looked like he were about to say more when Jeed’s voice cut them off as she called for Phat to help her with something at the cart.  Once he was gone, Sam continued as he asked about his idol.  “Is Charlie strict when working?  Actually, I really admire his photos.  I’ve also gone to see his solo exhibition.  Only famous people get to be photographed by him.” 

Armin glanced at Thada who was keeping a carefully blank expression.  He wondered what he was thinking about this exchange but he was most concerned with his curiosity of how Thada managed to get Armin into such a gig when he was not that famous yet. 

Sam, on the other hand, kept rambling about how much he loved Charlie’s work until Armin returned his focus back onto him.  “As for me,” he was saying, “I’m super jealous of you.” 

Armin wished the floor would open up and swallow him just to get him out of this conversation.  Somehow, he’d never known of Sam’s view of Charlie in his past life and yet here he was laying it all out in the open, even to the extent of admitting he was jealous, as off-the-cuff as the comment was. 

Thada could feel the tension coming from Armin even if he had no idea what might have been the cause of it.  All he really knew was that Armin needed some support and he tried to think of a subtle way he could provide it. 

Under the table, Thada carefully placed his hand on Armin’s thigh and gave it a reassuring squeeze as if to tell him “I’m here for you.”  Armin kept his face casual though he slowly moved his hand to rest on top of Thada’s, closing his fingers around it in a desperate and appreciative grasp. 

“Armin,” Sam finished with a hint of hesitancy to his tone.  “If you get to meet Charlie again sometime, could you get his autograph for me?” 

How was he supposed to respond to that request?  After everything he and Charlie did to him in the past, it was an outrageous request, to say the least. 

Fortunately, Thada chimed in at that moment, saving Armin from having to answer.  “As far as I recall,” Thada said politely, “Armin is not scheduled to work with Khun Charlie anytime soon.  But I’m sure if the opportunity were to ever arise again, he could probably get that for you.” 

If Sam was surprised or confused as to why Thada spoke up for Armin, he didn’t show it.  The thought of potentially getting his idol’s autograph was enough for him and so he gave a wai of gratitude to both of them individually and thanked them. 

“Here is your food,” Phat announced as he brought Armin and Thada their plates, effectively cutting off the conversation.  Armin had half a mind to jump up and hug his friend for the save but instead, he gave Thada’s hand another squeeze under the table. 

“I should let you enjoy your meal,” Sam said, rising from his seat.  “Thanks again and I will see you around, Armin.” 

I’d rather you don’t.  The words were on the tip of his tongue but he bit them back and nodded instead. 

Once they had the table to themselves, Thada moved to sit across from Armin so he could better see him while they ate.  Thankfully, Phat had gone to help Jeed and serve other customers so they could talk more privately.  After everything he’d witnessed today, Thada had so many questions for Armin and he didn’t want an audience around to hear them.  But with all the thoughts roaming around in his head, Thada didn’t know where to begin. 

Armin could feel Thada’s eyes on him while they ate, even though he kept his head down most of the time.  No doubt Thada was curious as he’d already asked him about Charlie when they were in the courtyard.  But how much of his past/future should he reveal?  Even if he mentioned being from the future to Thada before, it didn’t mean Thada truly believed the claim. 

Noticing the tight set of Armin’s shoulders, Thada set down his fork and reached across the table to wrap his fingers around Armin’s wrist.  “Are you okay?” 

No matter what else he may want to know, Armin’s wellbeing always came first for him.  He knew he didn’t technically have the right to do so but he still couldn’t help taking it upon himself to make sure Armin was happy and stable. 

Armin knew the inevitable was drawing near.  Especially after the day they had today, there was no way he could deny it any longer and, quite frankly, he was tired of having to tiptoe around it.  Suddenly losing his appetite, Armin placed his fork down and turned his arm so that his hand met with Thada’s. 

“You remember how I told you I came from the future?” he asked carefully.  He still kept his eyes averted, afraid to look up at Thada and potentially see pity or disbelief there. 

“I do,” Thada answered easily, gently running his thumb over Armin’s wrist in a soothing gesture.  It was a simple caress but it reiterated to Armin just how much he could lean on Thada if he only just allowed himself to. 

“Well, without going into too much detail, Charlie and Sam were both a huge part of my life and, well, they betrayed me in a way that I believe led to my death.” 

An eerie silence fell between them as the grave statement hung in the air.  Thada could feel the uncomfortable disquiet begin to stir within him that always came whenever Armin mentioned dying.  It was like a stab in the heart at the mere thought he could lose him at any moment.  It made him feel restless and helpless, not being in control of something when he was so used to having it all the time. 

“I know you may not believe me,” Armin went on after the stillness became too much, “but, well, at the very least, I don’t want to have anything to do with them this time around.  Yet, somehow, I still find myself coming face to face with them anyway.” 

When his breathing started to become shallow and haggard, Armin clamped his mouth shut and focused on taking in air through his nose.  Thada immediately got up from his seat and crouched down next to Armin, still holding onto his hand and using his other to rub along his back soothingly. 

“That’s enough,” Thada instructed softly yet sternly.  “You don’t need to tell me any more.  If you don’t want them in your life, that’s all I need to know.”  Thada made a mental note to talk to Wenai and Janine later to make sure that Armin would never have to work with Sam or Charlie ever again.  But for now, his only concern was to help Armin through this so that he wouldn’t work himself into a full-on panic attack. 

Armin finally allowed a glance at Thada and the expression he saw there made his heart ache with how sincere it was.  Thada never looked at him with skepticism or wariness, even though Armin could admit that his own words sounded crazy at best.  But Thada’s faith and support in him never wavered which was a miracle in itself. 

It was also exactly what he needed in order to finally catch his breath and calm down.  All thoughts of Charlie, Sam and the memories of his death soon faded into the recess of his mind as he leaned into Thada’s side.  The hand at his back never stopped making circles, the heat from Thada’s body penetrating through Armin’s clothes and reaching all the way to his soul. 

They stayed like that for a while, both getting lost in their own thoughts while they sought comfort in the simple yet meaningful contact.  A sense of peace that he hadn’t felt in a long time washed over Armin.  It was amazing how different he felt now with Thada than he ever felt with Charlie.  He’d barely known Thada that long and still he couldn’t recall ever feeling this content in his whole twenty-year relationship of his past life. 

He supposed if he really thought about it, Armin could probably come up with a million little things from over the years that could have been hints as to Charlie’s infidelity.  Perhaps even he might recall something suspicious from Sam that would bring attention to his crush and admiration for Charlie earlier on. 

But if there’s one thing he’d learned from this entire reset on his life, it was that he spent way too much time with the wrong people the first time around.  With a boyfriend like Charlie and a best friend like Sam, who needed enemies? 

Now, however, he had this man standing next to him.  Even just the way Thada looked at him as if Armin was the center of his universe was overwhelming but admirable.  He never voiced it out loud, having fought against it for so long, but Thada’s attentions and help in Armin’s time of need were greatly appreciated and he wondered if he would ever be able to repay him or convey just how much he meant to him. 

A loud ring and buzzing against Armin’s temple suddenly cut into the moment as Thada’s phone went off in his pocket.  Automatically, Armin pulled back and encouraged Thada to answer it which he did reluctantly. 

“Wenai,” Thada said simply by way of greeting. 

To give him some privacy on the work call, Armin gathered their finished plates and brought them to Jeed at the stand.  He immediately began washing them as he figured it was the least he could do for the free food but also because he wanted to help out Jeed as much as he could to lighten her load.  He was drying the last plate by the time Thada came over having finished with his call. 

“I really hate to do this,” he began, looking just as forlorn as he sounded, “but I am needed back at the office as soon as possible.”  Thada didn’t want to go into details but a new problem involving his brother suddenly arose and needed to be doused before it got out of hand.  It meant he would have to leave Armin when he was still feeling vulnerable, which he hated more than he could say, but this was for Armin’s better interest in the long run.  He’d briefly entertained the idea of bringing Armin along with him but the risk of him learning of all the trouble surrounding him was too great and he couldn’t bear to put that extra weight on Armin’s shoulders.  Especially after today. 

To his credit, however, Armin simply smiled and nodded encouragingly.  “You can go do what you need to do.  I’m going to stay here and help out Aunt Jeed for a while before heading home.” 

“Are you sure you’ll be alright?” Thada asked, wanting to reach out for Armin but holding himself back for Jeed and Phat’s sake. 

“I’ll be fine,” Armin assured and Thada could tell he meant it.  Thada’s gaze slid down to where his necklace still sat underneath Armin’s shirt, wondering if he should mention it or not.  It made him feel good to see it there but he also didn’t want Armin to feel pressure to accept it either.  Sure, he’d given it to him during the photoshoot as a good luck charm but now that the shoot was over, he should, in theory, be taking it back.  But it just looked so damn good being on Armin as if it said Armin was his. 

“Keep that safe for me,” Thada said as he kept his eyes fixated on the curve of Armin’s neck.  Armin’s hand came up to fiddle with the necklace then met Thada’s eyes as he nodded agreement.  With that, Thada bid farewell to the three of them and quickly made for his car while Armin watched after him grinning. 

Ignoring the teasing whistle from Phat, Armin went about menial tasks to give them a hand with the stall.  It was getting busier with the dinner crowd so there was plenty to keep him occupied.  By the time the customers thinned out and he was told to go home by both Jeed and Phat, Armin was blissfully exhausted, hoping that would aid in him being able to go right to sleep once his head hit the pillow. 

Walking along the quiet street toward his apartment, Armin casually put his hands into his pockets then stopped short.  He hadn’t even realized he’d barely spared a thought for Sam or Charlie since he left the riverside but when he felt Charlie’s business card against his hand, it all came back and flooded his mind. 

Pulling out the card, he looked it over, wondering what his next move should be.  Should he just ignore Charlie and Sam in the hopes he could avoid them in this new life?  But if he went that route, would he constantly be on the lookout, afraid he would bump into them and be caught off guard while falling into a rabbit hole of despair and bad memories? 

Or should he go the proactive route and make sure they wouldn’t pay him any mind going forward?  Should he find a way to bring them together sooner rather than later and save himself from either of their attentions?  After the way he was completely shook today by both of them, the latter option was certainly more appealing at the moment. 

Before he could talk himself out of it, Armin pulled out his phone and dialed Charlie’s number.  It only rang twice before he heard the familiar, deep voice on the other end of the line. 

“Hello, Khun Charlie.  It’s Armin.  I’d like to arrange a meeting.”  He didn’t want to stay on the phone for longer than he had to so he made sure to get right to the point.  “When would you be available to meet to talk about a private shoot?” 

“Good evening, Armin,” Charlie drawled into his ear.  “I’m really glad you called me.  Unfortunately, I’m booked up the next couple of days but I have some time around lunch on Wednesday if you would like to meet at a cafe or something.” 

“That would be perfect,” Armin agreed, wanting to get this over with as soon as humanly possible.  The sooner he could meet Charlie and get Sam to come face to face with him, the better for his sanity and overall mental health. 

“May I call you that morning with a more specific time and location?” 

“I look forward to it,” Armin replied before forcing himself to hit the End Call button.  Already the conversation had gone on longer than he would have preferred.  He absolutely hated how just a few words from Charlie could make a tingling of anticipation run down his spine.  After all, it was less than a month ago – at least from his perspective – that they were still living as boyfriends. 

He needed to move on from the memory of Charlie’s touch, his voice, his very existence as soon as possible so he could continue peacefully in his new life.  The best way to do that was to get Charlie and Sam together now and hope that the only time he ever saw either of them again would be through work. 

Satisfied with his new plan of attack, Armin unceremoniously dropped Charlie’s card to the gravel sidewalk and walked away without looking back.  It was the first step in banishing Charlie from his life and Armin had to admit it felt absolutely amazing.