“Intimacy. Touching.” My heart leaps at the sight of Pravat on the screen. “This of one of the first workshops we did.” Dressed casually, Pravat and I sit on the floor exploring each other’s faces with our hands. It seems like it happened a million years ago.
“Why are you doing that?” Pete asks.
“We’re getting accustomed to touching and looking at each other,” I say, remembering how nervous I’d been that day and how Pravat had calmed me just by being himself. We look so serious, staring at each other likethat.
“God, I can’t imagine doing that with Bruce,” Alex says. When I look at him, he clarifies, “He’s the guy I play opposite in the production we’re doing now.”
“I’d better not catch you doing that kind of thing off stage,” Pete says to Alex before turning to me. “Is Pravat gay, bi, or what?”
“He’s gay, but most bl actors are straight.”
Alex shakes his head. “Look how you’re gazing at each other. No wonder the fans ship you two so hard.”
A second later, Pravat and I lean in and press our lips together, surprising even me because I’d forgotten about that kiss.
Both Pete and Alex turn wide eyes to me, and I can’t help but laugh.
“I can’t believe I just saw you kiss a man,” Pete says.
“We play lovers in this, you know,” I tease him. “We kiss a lot.”
“I feel like I’m watching some weird parallel universe,” Alex mumbles as we watch Pravat’s thumb stroke my face and our lips softly connect again and again.
“How long had you known him when this took place?” Pete asks.
“About two weeks, I think.”
“Fuck, thisskinshipstuff must really work. You don’t even look uncomfortable.You.The guy who hates sitting beside someone on the subway.”
“We’re friends.” I glance at Alex for support. “It’s part of acting. You get it.”
“You two have amazing chemistry. I’m starting to ship you,” he says.
“This is rehearsal. Couldn’t you skip the kiss?” Pete asks.
“We’re practicing being intimate in order to look natural in front of the cameras.”
“Oh, it definitely looks natural,” he says.
Alex clicks on a different video. “This one’s called Reaction Video for Episode Three.”
Pravat and I, dressed in matching pajamas with smiley faces on them, sit on a purple couch with a couple of hosts who are dressed similarly. We all hold plushy dolls as we view the beginning credits of a very popular episode containing the bedroom love scene.
Pete laughs. “What the hell? This reminds me of my kid sister’s slumber parties.”
“It’s supposed to look that way,” I murmur, staring at Pravat and I laughing with each other.
“Did they ask you to sit that close?” Alex asks. He still seems fascinated, and I remind myself that all this is very different from how he’s accustomed to working in the theater.
“We aren’t sitting that close,” I say.
“You’re practically in his lap.” Pete dodges my elbow when I jut it at him.
“Look how close the three of us are sitting right now,” I point out.
“Alex and I are boyfriends, and you and I are cousins. And we’re not doingthat.” Pete gestures to the screen where I’m now leaning against Pravat, his arm around my waist as we watch the opening scene where Tait and Aran’s characters literally run into each other coming around a corner and stand nose-to-nose for a long, drawn-out moment.
Although I wave Pete away, inside my heart’s thumping double-time at how comfortable Pravat and I look snuggling together on that couch. I can almost catch the scent of him and feel his arms around me.