Where the Wind Blows

38

The very first thing Phayu was set in doing upon their return home and setting Rain down on the sofa from princess carrying him was to fetch a first aid kit. Nevermind himself, but mostly concerned with the rope burn on Rains wrists as well as the fever he was likely to get from his crying.

Of course it was uncomfortable, no less the accumulation of it all, but the boy didn't say a word. Too much had happened this last hour and a half for him to really process anything anymore and he was tired. So very tired.

Phayu's touch was gentle, meticulous as though he was handling porcelain; and Rain knew for himself that the comparison wasn't far from the truth. He'd never un his life felt weaker, more fragile and on the verge of breaking than he did now.

He had thought, for a long moment, that he was going to die. In fact he was convinced death, amongst other arguably worse experiences, was waiting for him the second he'd realized who was behind it all. It was all still so clear in his memory...

Being cornered, shoved into a concrete wall where his hands were tied and he was gagged so roughly he felt as though he'd either vomit or suffocate then and there. Sky's attempt at fighting the bastards that had grabbed them and throwing punches where he could only to end up the the pitch black of the cold and empty delivery truck together.

He could remember the adrenaline in his veins and the fear settling to leave his muffled sobs the only thing to drown out the picturing of how his parents would react when they heard their only son had died...How phayu would react. What he would say. If he would blame himself, or be consumed by anger? Or if he would just be silent.

"Hey"

The boy's distant gaze fell upon his lover who gently cupped his cheek, thumb caressing the soft skin flushed from crying almost as much as his puffy eyes.

"You're home now. I'm here. I won't leave your side this time. I promise. This won't ever happen again." Phayu whispered softly, stroking his fingers over Rains reddened cheeks and through his hair to soothe the boy.

He himself, however, wasn't quite over his anger. If Rain hadn't been there to see, he would have killed him. He would have killed Stop. And to be a hundred percent honest with himself, Phayu wasn't sure if that scared him. To be willing to kill for someone... In theory a romantic gesture but in practice something much more sinister. What scared Phayu even more? The fact that he knew he would have enjoyed it. But now, that wasn't something to think about anymore. Rain was.

Phayu had only ever really had two loves in his life before he met Rain; Bikes and his work. He was a proud man, proud of himself and his accomplishments. But he'd give them up in a second without hesitation if it meant being able to stay with Rain.

"Phi..?" Rains shakey voice whispered out after a while longer of staring into nothingness.

"Yes love?" He whispered back softly, brushing hair away from Riana forehead to plant a lingering kiss.

Rain didn't respond again, but rather snuggled his face deeper into Phayu's chest, who held him close as they laid down. This made it clear to him that Rain aimed to ask a question, rather simply ensuring that he was there. And that he was.

"I'm here. I'll always be here for you. Try to go to sleep now, love. I'll keep hugging you"

Rain nodded into the man's chest, basking in the comfort of his warm embrace and the masculine scent of his cologne - now faded and subtle amongst his natural comforting smell.

The boy fell asleep quickly, his exhaustion forcing his eyes closed even if he wanted to stay awake a little longer, though his sleep was not much more comforting that the conscious recalling of the past days events. Rather, they only made it worse.

Falling back into that cold empty room, in the chair. He couldn't see though his eyes were open. But this time he didn't watch Stop on the ground being beaten bloody and bruised. No.. it was Phayu now. Grunting in pain as Stop kept pummeling his stubborn fists into him. His face barely recognizable with all the blood and bruises, Rain tries to scream out, tries to beg him to Stop, but his voice won't lend a tone to aid him, and instead he's first to watch as Phayu is beaten... Beaten until his body falls limp and the choking on his blood muffles into a disturbing gurgle before silence engulfs the room.

He tries to scream out again, tries to scream at the top of his lungs with tears flowing, but he still has no voice. And then, covered in his lovers blood, Stop rises. But he doesn't look his usual self. A darkness envelops him, his eyes glowing with something inhuman and a Cheshire grin on his face nothing like anything he'd seen before. He glides his tongue over his teeth- longer than it should be, to wipe Phayu's from his mouth.

"I win."

Rain shoots up, heaving and gasping for air as he's covered from head to toe in a sheen of sweat and face drenched with tears once again.

Stop may not interfere with him in his waking life anymore, no... But instead he'd settled deep into Rains subconscious as the malevolent monster preparing to unravel his mind and drive him to insanity. Stop had won. He'd won the game. Rain couldn't escape something that existed beyond reality... And Phayu couldn't save him from it.

It was game over... And they had lost.