Dazed by you

Everything is at stake

Rain turned white as a sheet, all emotion drained from his face and he stared blankly into Pai's face. His head was spinning and hundreds of thoughts seemed to rush at him all at once, threatening to take him by surprise.

How could he do that?

What if he loses control, falls and gets injured?

Can you really trust Stop and his word?

What does Stop want from me?

Why is he that interested in me?

Do I mean so little to P'Phayu that he takes me as a bet?

All these thoughts were swirling in his head and Rain felt like he was going to get dizzy, sick and throw up. Panicked, his eyes searched for Sky, who looked at him worriedly and then placed a warm hand on his shoulder, gently patting his back in reassurance.

"Don't worry Rain, Phayu is a great driver. I've had the pleasure of racing against him a few times and not even I won against him," Prapai said, standing right next to Sky.

"And that must mean something if he wins against the great P'Pai," Sky added with a slightly sarcastic tone, rubbing his back caringly and winking at his best friend.

Rain knew he should be livid and give Phayu hell for this stupid bet and this crazy race he got into and for a few seconds his blood boiled, but when he thought about how he was lying in Phayu's arms, who gently stroked his back, pressed a kiss to the top of his head and promised him that he would never let anyone hurt him, he calmed down again.

Phayu would never do anything if he wasn't confident he could do it, Rain thought.

He gave me his word that he would never put me in danger. Phi protects me no matter what. Phi loves me.

Rain clawed his fingers into his shirt, just above his tattoo, lifted his head and stared in the direction of the race track toward his heartmate with a firm and confident gaze.

P'Phayu will win.

After another deep breath, he sent a wave of confidence through their bond that was meant to make Phayu a promise. A promise that he trusted him and his decision and loved him unconditionally and when Phayu turned to him and looked over his shoulder, giving him one of his most heartwarming smiles, he knew Phayu felt the same way.

Rain stood up, clenched his hands into fists, turned to his friends, and said in a firm voice, "He'll do it! Phayu achieves everything he sets out to do. And now let's go to him. I want to cheer on my boyfriend and watch him polish the racetrack with Stop's pride."

————————

Stop had already chosen his bike for the race and was sitting on the red motorcycle with a confident, crooked grin, his helmet resting casually on his thigh, watching Phayu choosing his bike.

Phayu knew each of these bikes inside and out, having been the one who had inspected and tuned them over the past few weeks. He knew every weakness and every strength of the bikes, how they cornered and how they accelerated. He slowly slid his hand over the blue and white motorcycle he chose and swung one of his muscular legs over the seat.

"I believe in you P'Phayu," was all Rain said to him as he handed him the helmet and Phayu believed him, seeing the trust he had in him in Rain's eyes. There wasn't a shred of doubt in it, just pure trust and confidence and that was all Phayu needed from him.

"I won't disappoint you," he replied, tucking the strand of hair that had fallen into his face from the wind behind Rain's ear and fondly kissed his hand that had just been holding his helmet.

Phayu didn't know how he could be so lucky to have Rain as his heartmate and how he could be so calm even though he was, in the truest sense of the word, at stake. He wouldn't have blamed him if he had turned his back on him and gotten in the car in a rage and driven home, only to punish him later by ignoring him. That would be the worst punishment for him because he hated it when Rain became very quiet, gave him the cold shoulder and only felt what was going on in Rain through their bond. Such situations overwhelmed him. Yelling and letting out the anger was something he could deal with so he could begin damage control. However, Rain was calm. No trace of hot anger or sheer disappointment. This boy was incredible.