Kongpob, P'Arthit and the Rice Baby (Completed)

Good Fathers

It's more than an hour since Kong left and Arthit is losing some of the bravery he had felt earlier. Kissing Kongpob had felt so natural and so right. But now he's wondering if he should have been so forward? If he were in a relationship with a girl, he would never have acted that way. Maybe Kongpob thought he was easy and thought less of him for starting something so intense?

All the maybe's have Arthit stressing out. He's pacing his room and wondering if he should bother going back over to Kongpob's at all when suddenly his phone rings.

It's Bright, asking if he wants to go out drinking since he has night off from his baby. Arthit doesn't even need to think about his answer.

No. He doesn't want to go out drinking with his friends. He wants to go to Kongpob's room and hang out with him. Just talk. Play with their daughter. Find out what cool samples Kong managed to bag from 7-11.

That's what he wants to do with his evening.

It hits him then that all his worrying is silly. Kongpob flirted first. Kongpob kissed him back. He likes him. He's not worried Arthit is being too forward. He wants Arthit to be forwards.

Quickly, he gathers up the bag he had hesitantly packed earlier and grabs baby Dao. Then he scoops up Kongpob's keys and rushes out the door.

As he locks it behind him, he hears footsteps and turns to find his junior walking down the corridor towards him.

"P'Arthit?" He asks, stopping a few feet away. "Everything okay? You weren't there when I got back?"

The worry in Kongpob's voice squeezes Arthit's heart, and he is quick to reassure him.

"Just Bright, calling about going out drinking because Maprang is in charge this evening."

"Oh." Kongpob says, voice resigned, and then holds out his arms, "That's fine. You go. I'll take Dao back with me."

"No. No!" Arthit insists, holding their baby close to his chest. "I don't actually want to go at all. I'm.. I mean.. we.. we have plans, right?"

Kongpob smiles brightly at him, whole body loosening up at his words. "Yes, yes we do!" His obvious excitement makes Arthit relax too. "Plus, I've got some bizarre 7-11 treats to share with you!"

They do an awkward little dance once they are in Kongpob's room. But eventually, baby Dao is in the triangle of pillows, and the two men are pressed shoulder to knee leaning against the headrest as Kongpob pulls out products from his sample bag.

"So.. we've got.. Unicorn milk, bubble tea chocolate balls, rose flavour Kit Kat's, dehydrated sour plums, cream soda Pepsi and chocolate flavoured.. no wait, I think we can leave those in the bag, we won't be sampling those right now."

Kongpob's flustered fumbling has Arthit intrigued. Very little made his Nong act that way.

"Come on!" He insists, reaching for the bag that is being held out of his reach. "You promised we'd be equal in this marriage! You said we'd share everything!"

They begin to wrestle over the bag, Kongpob pulling one way and Arthit hooking a finger through the plastic handle. As they tug, each leaning the opposite way and using all their weight, the bag splits and a cascade of colourful foil squares shower over them.

They freeze.

"Well," Kongpob begins awkwardly, reaching over to pluck a strawberry flavoured condom from Arthit's shoulder, "So, that happened."

They're not looking at each other. Arthit can feel how hot his cheeks are and knows he's turned cherry red. Mortification is just creeping over him, when his Nong speaks again.

"I don't recall Prae having all these in her bag when she showed me.. I guess they think the married guys are getting more of it?!"

They turn to look at each other at the same time.

Kongpob has a condom packet sticking out from his collar, Arthit has one on his knee. There are almost thirty more scattered around and over them, including one right on top of baby Dao.

Arthit's mouth begins to quiver. Kongpob splutters as he tries to hold in his laughter.

What could have caused Arthit to storm out of the room in embarrassment, actually ends up with them both in hysterics, holding each other as they break out in gales of laughter.

When they've cleaned up the mess, Kongpob opening his top drawer and sweeping the coloured packets into it in a haphazard pile, Arthit's feels the weight of expectation land heavily on his shoulders.

As the eldest, he should start this conversation.

But every time he tries to speak, his throat seems to close tighter and he can't even choke out the first word.

Kongpob, bless him, waits patiently. And when he finallly decides that Arthit isn't ready to speak, he asks if he can. Arthit nods tightly and averts his eyes. But Kongpob reaches out and, with a firm hand, twists his chin so they are looking at each other.

"Phi? Are you okay?"

Arthit nods, the soft fingers still holding his face making him relax.

Kongpob smiles. Then he drops his hand and instead, reaches out to lace their fingers together. "This okay?"

Arthit's confirming croak, makes Kongpob speak. Arthit is grateful he's going to break the silence, because he's scared that whatever he would say might cause Kong to back off and it's the last thing he wants.

"P'Arthiit. I like you. Just in case you didn't know, if I hadn't made that clear or something, or in case you just want to hear it aloud. I like you. A lot. And," he pauses, sucks in a brief breath then continues, "I would like very much if you would agree to be my boyfriend. For real."

Kongpob waits. He waits what feels like a lifetime to Arthit. Longer than he himself might have waited if he'd been the one talking. Then, realising he has to answer before Kongpob looses his nerves, he finds his voice.

"I'd like that too, Kong."

The smile that Kongpob gives him, is pure joy. Arthit definitely knows that he's never caused another human to look that happy before. So he can't help himself. He wants to taste it. Needs to. Needs to find out what something so joyful tastes like.

He leans over, and before he's had chance to over-think it, he kisses his junior.

Kongpob responds immediately, their lips like magnets as they slide over each other.

It's a long kiss. A good kiss. Only, technically, Arthit's third ever. But it feels like magic.

The wailing of the baby throws icy water over them and they draw away, eyes alight, smiles wide.

Arthit calms Dao down and Kongpob heads over for their baby notes to record the time and length of her cry.

"You're so meticulous, Kongpob." Arthit says as he watches him, enjoying seeing the flush on his cheeks and the plumpness of his red lips, knowing that he's the cause of it.

"Well. Just means we'll definitely pass." He says as he scoots back on to the bed and relieves Arthit of Dao, rocking her gently as he cries stop.

"I think we're all going to pass as long as we don't accidentally split her open or cook her!" Arthit says, mind immediately turning to P'Bright as he says the words. No.. he shakes the thought away. Bright might be a bit of an idiot at times, but surely Maprang will have things covered?

Kongpob chuckles at Arthit and then lays Dao down again. "Why are we always interrupted?" He asks.

Arthit grins at him. "Probably because the universe knows that you're incorrigible and I have no chance of escape now you've sucked me in."

"Oh," says Kongpob, innocently, "But I haven't sucked anything yet!"