Him and I

Of Prapai and Phirun

Rain stood with his back to the wall as he watched the six men moving towards him. They had been trailing him since earlier that day, from the time he and Sky had been in the market. He had noticed it, but had said nothing to Sky, knowing that it could trigger his panic attacks. He had decided immediately that he needed to get his best friend out of there, but what could be his excuse? He racked his brains trying to come up with something that would sound convincing to Sky. He wanted Sky to be as far away as possible. But he could not think of nothing. Finally, he decided to fall back on the oldest excuse in the world. He helped Sky put everything in the trunk. "Sky, I need to go to the washroom. Why don't you sit in the car? And don't forget to lock the door, okay?" he said. "But why? Is all okay?" Sky asked. "Of course all is okay. You know our rule no? Car door locked, if we are alone. Remember?" Rain asked. Sky nodded. Rain waited until Sky had locked himself in. Then he quickly made his way back to where he had last seen those guys and let them follow him. And that is why he was this way now.

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"Do you think they don't deserve your love?" Thankhun asked. "What do you mean Uncle Nu?" Pai asked, looking at his uncle. Khun Nu was known for speaking his mind and according to Pete, he was almost never wrong. Pete always used to say that the only reason he had agreed to marry into this family was because of Thankhun. "Let me tell you one thing. I know we are the Theerpanayakul family, and we have our reputation to uphold. But did you, Kinn or Vegas, did you look into Porche or Pete's background before pursuing them? Did Kim? Did I? You actually looked into two young boys just because Phayu and Pai liked them? Now what? They get permission to hit on them because those guys fit the Theerpanayakul family criteria?" Thankhun asked, making every single person in the room feel ashamed.

"Khun Nu..," Pete started. "No Pete, you of all people should have known how wrong this is! We don't judge people on the basis of their standing in the world! Right? Right?" he asked, furiously. Kit put his arm around his husband, stroking his back in soft circles, trying to calm him down. Not a single member of the family could say a word, knowing that he was completely right. "Well, now they can't unhear it my love! Whatever has happened, has happened. Let the boys decide what they want to do," Kit said. "Do you think it's fair Kit?" Khun asked. "Fair or not Khun, it's their life, and their choice, right?" "But choices about love cannot be made on the basis of a who a person is, but what they are. Isn't that what Phayu and Pai are going through as well?" Khun was adamant.

"Uncle Khun," Phayu stood up and went and knelt in front of his uncle and put his hands on his uncle's knees. Being the eldest son in the family had made him his uncle's favourite, as a kindred spirit. And he was feeling absolutely guilty about doing exactly what his uncle had said. "Uncle Khun, you are absolutely right, and we are wrong. We are guilty of whatever you said. It was stupid and petty, even though we know what they are capable of, having seen what they can do. And actually, it's not that they don't deserve our love, it's actually we who don't deserve them," he said, attempting to make his uncle see reason. "And Uncle Khun, if we ever decide to pursue them, it will be because of what they are, never who they are. They will get the respect they deserve, and not the respect their names have, that's a promise!" Pai said, sitting the way Phayu was, in front of his uncle.

Thankhun looked at his nephews, and then at the rest of his family. All of them looked dreadfully guilty. Although his anger had not completely dissipated, he smiled softly and stroked his hand on his nephews' heads. He knew that his family had meant no harm, they were just concerned about the safety of their children. Which parent would not be? And he loved his family. Being the eldest, he had taken the responsibility of his siblings, from a very young age, seeing how his parents had been completely disinterested in them. 5 boisterous boys, and a sick mom, with a father who only cared about money, Thankhun had become parents to his 4 younger siblings. He had nurtured them and pampered them and given them the roots so they could spread their wings. When he had met Kit, he had at first refused to get involved with him, knowing his brothers needed him. But Kit had never given up on him, instead becoming not only his lover, but also another parent to his brothers.