The car ride to set was quiet at first.
Kai scrolled mindlessly through his phone while Eli tapped nervously on the window, watching the city blur past as the car moved.
"You're going to love him," Eli finally said, breaking the silence.
Kai raised a brow. "Love who?"
"Jax," Eli grinned, brushing his curls out of his face.
"He's acting in the series too. He is a close friend from acting school. We did a short film together once. He is super talented but he can also be super intense too."
Kai smirked. "So this is a warning?"
Eli laughed. "No, this is me saying don't be weird. He doesn't like... fake people."
Kai rolled his eyes. "I'm not fake."
"You're a Leo."
"I'm an actor."
"Exactly."
By the time they arrived at the studio lot, the set was already buzzing with pre-shoot energy, lights being adjusted, PAs running with coffee trays, stylists arguing over ties.
The school-themed sci-fi series, After School Anomalies, was one of the most anticipated debuts of the year, and its fresh-faced cast had fans waiting before a single frame had been shot.
Eli led Kai toward a group gathered around a snack table. "There he is."
Jax stood out instantly.
Taller than expected. Sleeves rolled up, biting into a protein bar like he had somewhere better to be.
There was something effortlessly cool about him, like he didn't need to try hard to be magnetic.
His eyes landed on Eli, and his entire expression softened.
"Eli!" Jax grinned, pulling him into a side hug. "You finally showed up."
"And I brought someone," Eli said, stepping back. "Jax, meet Kai. Kai, this is Jax."
Kai offered a hand, not quite smiling. "Nice to meet you."
Jax looked him over, just enough to be noticed, and shook his hand. "You too. I've seen your stuff. You're good."
Kai blinked. Compliments in the industry weren't usually so... direct.
"Thanks," he said. "That means a lot."
The three of them soon found themselves in easy conversation, about the script, the directors, who they thought would mess up the most lines.
Jax had a dry, sardonic humor that clashed and somehow synced with Kai's more theatrical energy. And Eli? He beamed, watching his two worlds overlap.
As they headed to wardrobe, Kai nudged Eli. "Alright. I get it now."
"Get what?"
"Why you like him."
Eli raised a brow. "I said you'd love him."
Kai didn't respond. But something told him he was going to remember Jax's name long after this project was done.
...
Filming moved into full swing, and the chaotic energy of set life became routine.
Between early call times, last-minute script changes, and costume mishaps, friendships naturally started to form. But no one expected them to become a unit.
On the days Eli was absent, called into wardrobe or off filming a solo scene, Jax and Kai found themselves with surprising ease around each other.
What started as casual conversation, complaining about the heat, sharing snacks, laughing at a crew member's ringtone, soon evolved into a comfortable camaraderie.
Jax liked Kai's vibrant, over-the-top personality. Kai appreciated Jax's grounded, sarcastic calm.
They were complete opposites, but somehow, that worked.
Jax taught Kai how to say his lines without overthinking them. Kai dragged Jax into impromptu dance offs during long breaks.
They took turns teasing Eli for being the "glue" that stuck them together, even though, slowly, they were bonding just fine without him.
When Eli was with them, though, the energy shifted from duo to dynamite.
The three of them had a rhythm, bouncing jokes off each other, inventing catchphrases, and starting inside jokes that made the rest of the cast either laugh or roll their eyes.
They were chaos in the best way.
Soon, they were the talk of the set, not just for their work but for their friendship.
The crew affectionately dubbed them, The Space Squad, a nod to the sci-fi high school series they were filming.
Photos and videos of their behind-the-scenes moments began to make their way online.
"ELI. JAX. KAI. I'm living for this friend group omg 😭❤️"
"Their chemistry is off-screen too?? Besties!!"
Memes. Fancams. Edits with sparkles and lo-fi music. The trio were fan favorites, not for romance or tension, but for the realness of their connection.
They didn't try to be anything. They just were.
And maybe, in an industry where everything felt so carefully curated, that was what made them special.
....
The final day of filming ended with confetti, cupcakes, and chaotic selfies.
The set was buzzing with goodbyes and promises to stay in touch, but for Jax, Kai, and Eli, the party was just beginning.
Later that evening, the trio found themselves lounging in a quiet corner of their favorite rooftop café, the city sprawled beneath them and the buzz of filming replaced by the comforting clink of mugs and the occasional breeze.
Eli was halfway through devouring a slice of chocolate cake, Kai was livestreaming to fans for a few seconds before he got bored and shut it off, and Jax was scrolling through his phone.
He smirked.
"Y'all are trending again," Jax said, flashing his screen at them.
Kai squinted at the phone. "EliKai Nation Rise?" he read out loud. "Wait, are we being shipped?"
"Oh, you're being shipped hard," Jax teased. "Fan edits. Theories. One girl made a ten-minute video essay about how you two are meant to be because you passed each other a pen in episode four."
Eli choked on his cake. "I was literally handing it to him."
Kai flipped his hair dramatically. "Well, not my fault I've got irresistible pen-passing chemistry."
They all laughed, the kind that made their stomachs hurt. But then, as the laughter faded, Kai turned to Jax, genuinely curious.
"Okay, Mr. Veteran," he said, nudging him. "You've been in the BL industry for years. What's it really like?"
Jax leaned back in his chair, his smile dimming just a little, not gone, just softened.
"It's a lot," he admitted. "I mean, don't get me wrong, there's fun, the fans, the spotlight… but it comes with expectations. People start treating your real life like it's part of the show. You stop being 'you' and start being half of a fantasy."
Eli frowned. "Sounds exhausting."
Jax nodded. "It can be. Especially when the line between acting and real life gets blurry. Some actors handle it well. Others… not so much."
Kai's brows furrowed. "Did you ever have a partner?"
Jax hesitated for a beat. Then: "Yeah. We were a pretty popular ship. It was good... until it wasn't."
The mood shifted just slightly, but not enough to dampen the night. Eli placed a quiet hand on Jax's arm.
"Well, you've got us now," he said with a small grin. "No shipping required."
"Speak for yourself," Kai said, dramatically raising his glass. "I want to be shipped with both of you. Equally. Respectfully."
Jax rolled his eyes but clinked his glass against theirs anyway.
The stars above them twinkled like camera lights, but for now, there were no scripts, no ships, and no fans to please.
Just three friends. One rooftop. And a brief, golden moment of peace.