Vlad Cherevaty

Vlad had noticed Oleg was different earlier in the day. Usually, it was the other way around—as soon as they were away from cameras and prying eyes, Oleg would be right there. He'd silently lean his shoulder against him, tug at his sleeve, or crawl under his lap if Vlad was sitting off to the side. Sometimes Vlad even joked that Oleg had completely forgotten how to keep his distance. Today, however, Oleg seemed determined to prove otherwise.
Vlad approached him in the morning, Oleg moved away. He tried to hug him before the shoot.

• Don't touch.
  Vlad raised an eyebrow.
  Oleg just snorted. But he didn't leave. And that was the strangest thing.
  He didn't want Vlad to touch him. But he didn't stray far from Vlad's side either. He decided not to interfere. Until Sasha showed up.
  Vlad spoke to Sasha quite normally. He joked, laughed, and clapped him on the shoulder a couple of times. Nothing out of the ordinary. But every time Oleg saw this, his face grew darker.
  By the afternoon, Vlad had started deliberately glancing at him. Sasha said something, Oleg looked. Vlad laughed, Oleg turned away.
  They started talking again, and Oleg went off in the other direction.
  "Hmm, " Vlad muttered under his breath. Now things were getting much more interesting.
  By evening, the cameras finally turned off. The team began to disperse. Vlad waited until Oleg left the building and followed him.
• Lay down
• Come here.
  Oleg cast a displeased glance at him.
• For what?
  Vlad chuckled.
  — I missed you.
  Usually, after such a phrase, Oleg would come closer himself. Today, no, he just rolled his eyes.
  — Did you turn on the pest or something?
• Leave me alone.
  Vlad laughed quietly.
• This is what I especially like.
• Usually you're the one who comes to me.
  He stopped in front of Oleg.
• And all day today you've been pretending that I irritate you.
  A pause. Vlad looked at him more closely.
  — And it all started right after I had a normal conversation with Sasha today.
  Oleg remained silent. Vlad smiled. Not widely, just at the corner of his lips.
  — Is it possible... My kitten is jealous?
  Vlad said it almost affectionately, as if teasingly.

Vlad and Oleg have known each other for many years. Their relationship cannot be properly defined.
Too weird to be friends.
Too close to be acquaintances.
And they are too drawn to each other for enemies - even after all the quarrels.
On camera, they are almost perfect in their uncertainty.
They might exchange a few barbs, joke around with each other, exchange a quick glance - but they never reveal anything obvious.
For others, they are simply long-time colleagues, between whom some strange, sometimes tense, connection has developed.
But as soon as the camera turns off and the film crew starts to disperse for a break, everything changes.
Vlad and Oleg find a quiet place where no one will disturb them.
And there they finally stop pretending
They kiss, hug, and cuddle as if the few hours spent apart had been too long.
They are terribly greedy for each other.
It's as if they're trying to make up for the time they had to keep their distance every time.
And then they go back to the rest of the people and pretend like nothing happened.

They had already crossed the line several times, a line they had once considered impossible for themselves. They were asleep.
The last time this happened was about two weeks ago with Oleg.
They watched a movie, drank a couple of bottles of beer, relaxed, and stopped trying to control their emotions so carefully.
Oleg was the first to reach out to Vlad. He found himself on his lap, too close, too openly revealing what he usually hid. Vlad didn't stop him. That night ended with intimacy, which both preferred to keep quiet about the next day. Oleg was later forced to cover up the traces of that night.
But the strangest thing is that neither of them even tried to discuss what happened. Just like before.
only glances. They both remembered perfectly well.
and both knew that the other remembered.