Content Warning: This work is intended for mature (NC17) audiences. If you are younger, please kindly leave this site.
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“Payu, how are you? Does it hurt a lot?” Rain asked.
“I’m fine… ugh!” Payu groaned.
“Payu, where does it hurt? Tell me!” Rain urged.
After Chai appeared, the situation flipped completely. With just one of Chai’s men waving a gun, Top’s crew raised their hands in fear and retreated to a corner of the room. Sai-fah stepped forward to support his brother but was told to untie Rain first.
Once Warain was free, the little one didn’t hesitate to rush into the injured Payu’s arms, holding him tightly. Rain’s voice trembled as he asked, tears nearly spilling when he heard Payu’s pained groan.
Payu’s sharp face was swollen and bruised, blood seeping from his nose and the corner of his split lip. Rain’s trembling hands reached out to touch him gently, heart aching. Tears fell from his eyes, his voice shaking as he recalled what had just happened.
“I’m sorry. If I hadn’t been caught by them, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt… You could’ve fought back, but you didn’t—because of me, because of me alone,” Rain said.
The little one collapsed, exhausted, sobbing uncontrollably. It wasn’t fear for himself but relief that the one-sided beating was over. No one who hadn’t been there could understand how painful it was to watch his love get beaten while he could do nothing to help.
Rain’s sobbing, as he sat astride Payu’s legs, made the injured man prop himself up slightly. Using his uninjured hand, Payu pulled Rain into his embrace.
“I’m okay now, it’s alright. It’s not your fault, don’t blame yourself. It’s me who was too careless. As long as you’re safe, this pain is nothing—it’ll heal soon,” Payu said, pressing a comforting kiss to Rain’s tear-streaked cheek. Despite his aching, battered body, he tried to soothe the one who had witnessed him being hurt.
“I made you bow to that animal, let him hit you, when you… you could’ve fought back but didn’t because I was holding you back,” Rain insisted, still convinced it was his fault. Just thinking of his love bowing at that damned animal’s feet made his heart ache.
It wasn’t that Payu looked pitiful for following orders, but Rain was pained that Payu had to throw away his dignity to save him.
“Forget it. Just bowing, just getting hit—if it keeps you safe, I don’t care how anyone sees me,” Payu said with a smile, wincing in pain. Rain quickly reached to touch his cheek gently.
“Rain, listen to me,” Payu said softly, seeing Rain on the verge of crying again.
“You’re important to me. For you, I’d do anything,” Payu said.
Payu’s sharp face leaned in to kiss Rain’s forehead lovingly, his uninjured hand ruffling Rain’s hair gently. He pulled back to look into Rain’s tear-filled eyes, which moments ago had hidden weakness but now brimmed with sorrow, pain, and above all, love shining clearly from those round eyes.
Come on, Warain thought, crying for Payu.
Grab!
“Mmph!” Rain threw himself into Payu’s arms, hugging the injured man tightly. Payu nearly collapsed but braced himself, not wanting the boy in his arms to worry. The onlookers almost laughed.
Even this beat up, he still wants to look cool for his kid, they thought.
“Enough, Rain. Payu won’t hold up much longer,” Sai-fah said.
“Oh! Sorry, I’m sorry! Did I hurt you?” Rain pulled back quickly, grabbing Payu’s shoulders with utmost concern as Payu gritted his teeth to stifle a groan. Payu shot a look at his brother, clearly saying…
Pick a side!
“You’re mocking me? Got the strength to walk to the hospital yourself?” Sai-fah said.
“My Mia can take me,” Payu replied.
“Your Mia’s this small—you’ll both end up tumbling down the stairs,” Sai-fah said, shaking his head.
“I’ll tell your boss!” Top’s voice suddenly roared from the corner of the room.
All three turned to see Top glaring at Chai, furious but too scared to act because of the gun pointed at his face.
“I was gonna take you to the hospital, but hold on a sec, big brother. Let me watch the fun first,” Sai-fah muttered, chuckling in his throat.
“Go ahead and tell my boss,” Chai said calmly.
“You don’t know who I am? My Phô’s close with your boss, you shit-lizard!” Top, still arrogant, tried to use his Phô’s name as a threat, as he’d done his whole life. Chai gave a cold smile.
“Yes, your Phô’s close with my boss. But that doesn’t mean others aren’t closer,” Chai said.
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Top demanded.
Chai looked at the cocky youth with a calm gaze that sent a chill through Top.
“Did you know the person you just injured is my boss’s favorite mechanic? Payu’s the only one he allows to touch every car in his private showroom. Now imagine how my boss will feel when his favorite mechanic’s hand is injured, delaying the races,” Chai said, raising an eyebrow.
“I…” Top stammered.
“Oh, and we have a rule: the races are confidential. Imagine if this gets to the police and they trace it back to the races. How grateful do you think my boss will be?” Chai continued, ignoring Top’s protests, his voice cold. Rain instinctively gripped Payu’s shirt tightly.
Rain had thought Chai was scary before, but now he seemed even more terrifying.
Chai’s expression could only be described as… bloodthirsty!
“And another thing…” Chai turned to look at Payu and Rain, though Rain thought he was looking at Payu, before turning back to meet Top’s eyes.
“I hate cowardly methods from big talkers!” Chai said.
“You dare insult me?” Top shouted.
Smack!
As soon as Top finished, Chai’s fist slammed into his face. Top didn’t just turn his head—he collapsed entirely. The sound of flesh hitting flesh echoed, and Top seemed to lose consciousness for a split second. Cough cough! Something flew out of his mouth… a tooth.
“Ugh!” Top clutched his bloodied mouth, staring at his fallen tooth in shock.
Damned shit-lizard! That’s horrifying! Rain thought.
Rain could swear that single punch was heavier than all of Top’s punches on Payu combined. Not only that, Chai handed his suit jacket to a subordinate, unbuttoned his cuffs with casual ease, as if possessed by a demon, and rolled them up to his elbows.
“Get up. I want to see if a punk like you can take on a lackey like me,” Chai said.
No need for ropes— one punch had Top trembling in fear.
“Let’s get outta here. Staying’s just creepy,” Sai-fah said with a nervous grin, no longer finding it as fun as he’d thought. He helped support his brother, and Payu agreed.
Let Chai handle this. It’s better than us getting revenge ourselves, they thought.
You shouldn’t have mouthed off, calling him a lackey from the start, the twins thought in unison.
But…
“Hold on a sec, big brother,” Rain said.
Before anyone could stop him, Rain stomped forward into the circle about to erupt into a man’s lesson. Though scared of Chai, he wanted to settle things and not owe anyone.
“Give me one minute, please,” Rain said, turning to Chai, who smiled back.
With permission, Rain turned to Top with a hateful glare and…
Smack!
“Aaagh!” A howl like a wounded animal echoed through the floor as Warain stomped full force on the crotch of the writhing Top.
“That’s for daring to touch my Phûa!” Rain shouted in Top’s face.
He started to walk back to Payu, but…
“And this!” Rain turned back, kicking Top’s side as Top had done to Payu.
“Thought you’d have your guys ‘take’ me till I couldn’t walk straight? Get it in your head—only Payu gets to do that!” Rain yelled.
Warain strode back to the twins, who stood frozen, as did the entire room, unable to believe the young man’s boldness. Sai-fah was stunned, wincing for Top, but Payu was frozen by Rain’s words, loudly claiming who he belonged to.
“Talking all cute like that, how can I resist?” Payu said.
Rain grinned widely, moving to support Payu’s other side, while the younger twin couldn’t muster a smile.
Sometimes Sai-fah wondered about his brother’s taste. He didn’t get what was cute about this, but one question lingered… Did it break?
“Chai sent his apologies. He said he was tied up with other work and didn’t get a chance to warn Top. He didn’t expect this to happen in just three days. But Chai promised he’d handle it and guaranteed those guys won’t bother you again. Honestly, seeing Chai’s face creeped me out. He seems pissed about being called a lackey. With Pakin’s permission… Top’s probably in worse shape than you,” Sai-fah said.
Inside the car heading home, Sai-fah recounted what happened to the two injured men.
After Payu left the house, Sai-fah contacted Chai, who came immediately but spent time ensuring no lookouts escaped to warn those inside, which delayed him until after Payu was already beaten.
“Top’s about to learn there’s always a bigger fish,” Sai-fah said.
The last thing they saw was Chai ordering his men to haul Top up, saying if Top landed one punch, he’d let him go. But from the looks of it, Top would be wrecked before touching that scary man’s face.
Rain burned into his brain never to call Chai a lackey.
“Here we are,” Sai-fah said, pulling into the house and helping his brother out.
“You could stay a night in the hospital—no one would blame you,” Sai-fah said.
“No way. I want to go home. Besides, hospital beds aren’t comfy. Rain would get a backache, and he’s already hurt enough,” Payu said.
In the end, Payu didn’t avoid the hospital for himself but for the little one who insisted on staying with him, worried he’d be uncomfortable. Sai-fah rolled his eyes but said nothing. They’d just been through hell—teasing could wait until they were better. For now, getting Payu back to his room was the priority.
Not for nothing… he was heavy!
Once Payu was settled on the bed, Rain bustled about, propping pillows behind him.
“I’m heading to bed, then,” Sai-fah said.
“Thanks, Sai-fah,” Rain said.
“No big deal. You rest too, Rain—you went through a lot,” Sai-fah said as his final words, stepping out and locking the door behind him.
“Payu, want anything? Just tell me, I’ll get it,” Rain said.
Rain approached the bed, looking at Payu’s battered, no-longer-handsome face with concern.
“Come here,” Payu said, patting the bed with his good hand, then wincing.
“Payu! The doctor said not to use your hand yet!” Rain exclaimed.
Rain grabbed the splinted hand gently, stroking it as if soothing a child, making Payu chuckle.
When his hand was stomped, Payu thought it was broken from the pain that made him scream. But after a check, the doctor said only his pinky bone was fractured, the rest intact. It looked broken because the skin was torn from being crushed under a heel.
A wound like that would heal in days, and he was lucky only one finger was fractured.
Payu’s body had no serious injuries—just bruises and cuts, nothing internal damaged. Maybe because Top’s wild punches weren’t as heavy as Chai’s. Now, Payu was just sore all over, but the nurse with an equally bruised face didn’t seem to think so.
Rain looked at him like he was a critical patient.
“I’m sorry. Don’t make that face,” Payu said.
“But I’m worried,” Rain said, kissing the splint lightly and holding Payu’s hand tightly.
Payu looked at Rain’s bruised cheek, touching it gently with his good hand.
“Does it hurt a lot? I’m sorry you got dragged into this,” Payu said.
“It’s nothing, Payu. It’ll heal soon,” Rain said, only noticing the sting when Payu mentioned it. Compared to Payu’s injuries, it was trivial. It’d be back to normal in days. But Payu? When they’d removed his shirt for the nurse to treat him, Rain was so angry he wanted to go back and punch Top again.
“Should’ve kicked him one more time,” Rain muttered vengefully.
“Rain, you know what?” Payu asked.
“Huh?” Rain turned, tilting his head curiously, making Payu want to pull him into a tight hug, if not for his wounds.
“When you said, ‘That’s for my Phûa,’” Payu said, brushing his knuckles lovingly against Rain’s red cheek.
“Oh, that? I was pissed! He dared do that to you. Good thing I crushed his balls once. Should’ve kicked again, made them useless. Hmph! Let his guys ‘take’ me till I can’t walk? Who’d let him? If he tried, I’d fight to the death, just watch,” Rain said, irritated. Thinking back, two kicks felt too few.
Payu laughed at Rain’s attitude, saying softly, “You made me fall for you all over again.”
Thud!
The angry Rain froze. Payu felt Rain’s cheek heat up, the flush spreading across his face. The bold little one ducked his head.
“Crazy! Saying that now?” Rain mumbled.
“For real, I thought, My Mia’s so damn cool,” Payu said, chuckling. He looked at Rain, blushing shyly, knowing Rain only showed this side to him.
“Love, huh?” Rain whispered.
When Rain asked, Payu realized he’d never properly said “I love you” to the little troublemaker—just “I like you” when they started dating.
“Wanna hear it?” Payu asked.
Squirm!
Rain buried his face, embarrassed, as Payu pulled him to lie beside him.
“I already sang you a love song,” Payu said.
“That’s not the same! You were teasing me then,” Rain said.
“I meant it, no teasing. Don’t believe me?” Payu asked.
“Well… no, but I wanna hear it properly,” Rain said, tilting his cheek up, pleading. If Payu weren’t injured, Rain would’ve shaken his arm, begging. But this was enough for Payu to take Rain’s pale hand and place it on the left side of his chest.
Thump thump thump!
Under Rain’s palm, he felt Payu’s heart racing, fast—maybe matching his own.
Payu leaned closer, looking into the eyes of the one who never gave up.
“Hear what my heart’s telling you?” Payu asked.
Rain listened intently, his heart trembling, watching Payu’s lips move.
“I love you, my little rain,” Payu said.
Rain’s round eyes shimmered with tears, and he carefully nestled against Payu’s chest.
“I’m the same,” Rain whispered.
“The same what, hmm?” Payu teased, knowing Rain was playing along. Rain snuggled closer, aware Payu could feel his racing heart, and said softly, “I was so scared when they took me like that, but I believed with all my heart you’d save me. I nearly died watching you get beaten. I wanted to take the pain, take the hits for you. If that’s what love is…” Rain buried his face in Payu’s chest, shy.
“I love you too,” Rain said.
Payu smiled widely, wrapping his arm around the small figure, holding him tightly, listening to their hearts say… We love each other.
They fell asleep like that, wrapped in the feeling of love.
Though they faced awful things that day, with each other’s embrace, the bad turned to good.
“Wow! Were you beaten or stabbed?” Sai-fah exclaimed.
“Watch your mouth, Sai-fah,” Rain said.
“Uh, sorry. I’m just jealous of Payu,” Sai-fah said.
The next afternoon, Sai-fah visited Chai to discuss the previous night, stopped by the garage, and returned home worried about his brother. He found he’d wasted the trip. His twin was half-sitting, half-lying, propped on pillows, looking cheerful despite his bruises. Beside him, a makeshift nurse was spoon-feeding him porridge, and Sai-fah couldn’t resist teasing.
He expected Payu to snap back, but Rain glared, making Sai-fah backtrack.
If they’re gonna be this lovey-dovey…
“Jealous you don’t have what I have?” Payu smirked, annoying Sai-fah.
“If I were sick, my romantic partner would do more than that,” Sai-fah shot back.
“I’ll call Dok Khem and tell her you want this,” Payu said.
“Don’t! She’d chew me out,” Sai-fah said, horrified, thinking of his headstrong girlfriend of four years, since university. They’d confessed their feelings the day they submitted their final project, hitting it off years before Payu. But don’t expect sweetness from Dok Khem. She was the same as a friend as she was as a romantic partner.
The type to call you ‘you’ and me ‘me’—no cutesy nicknames, Sai-fah thought.
“You’re fine, good. I’m gonna nap. I was running around for you all night and out early this morning,” Sai-fah said, yawning and heading to his room.
Once Sai-fah left, Rain turned to the injured man.
“Getting teased, huh? Eat by yourself, Payu,” Rain said.
“My hand hurts,” Payu said.
“Didn’t you say only your pinky’s fractured?” Rain wrinkled his nose. Not out of cruelty—Payu woke up sore all over, worse than yesterday, but painkillers helped. He’d gotten up to wash his face and brush his teeth, ignoring the doctor’s advice to avoid water. But when it came to eating… he wouldn’t do it himself.
Not that Rain minded feeding him, but he wasn’t skilled. The first bite was too eager, burning Payu’s tongue. The second spilled porridge on Payu’s chest, startling him. Too much or too little—no movie-like romance here. Payu eating himself would be safer and faster.
“I’m injured,” Payu said.
There’s the teaser—more like a whiner, Rain thought.
Payu made a pitiful face, making it hard for Rain to look at him.
“I’ll give you more wounds,” Rain said weakly, his heart softening.
“Or maybe now that my face is messed up, you don’t care about me anymore,” Payu said.
“No way!” Rain knew he was falling for Payu’s trap but jumped in willingly.
“Even if you’re not handsome anymore, your Mia won’t stop loving her Phûa,” Rain said, indulging him. He scooped porridge, blew on it to cool it, and fed it to Payu’s mouth, who accepted it obediently.
“Delicious,” Payu said.
“Go compliment Sai-fah. He made it this morning,” Rain said, deflecting.
But Payu didn’t stop. “The porridge is ordinary, but with you feeding me, it’s way tastier,” he said.
Don’t make me blush! I’m holding hot stuff—don’t make me spill it, Rain thought.
Rain’s cheeks flushed, so he quickly fed Payu more porridge to avoid a scalding mishap. After the last bite, Rain meant to wash the bowl, but Payu set it on the table, not looking like a weak patient at all. And…
“Come here,” Payu said, pulling Rain back to his side, as he’d done all day.
Is it just me, or is Payu clingier than usual? Rain thought.
“Payu,” Rain said, his voice soothing.
“I’m really okay, Payu. Just a little cheek pain, and this won’t happen again. Don’t worry. I look like this, but I’m fine,” Rain said firmly, sensing Payu’s clinginess came from lingering worry. But Rain had already forgotten it—caring for Payu left no time to dwell.
Payu sighed at Rain’s strong demeanor, resting his face in Rain’s soft hair.
“Don’t get annoyed with me yet. I’ll probably be worried like this for a while,” Payu said.
“I’m not annoyed. I know you’re concerned,” Rain said, rubbing Payu’s back. Now he was the one comforting Payu, and that felt good in its own way.
Silence blanketed the bedroom for a while before Payu sighed again.
“I want something tasty,” Payu said.
“Then heal fast, and we’ll go eat something,” Rain said with a bright smile. But…
“I meant you,” Payu said.
“Huh?” Rain blinked.
Payu looked into Rain’s eyes, speaking seriously. “I want to heal fast so I can eat something tasty right now,” he said.
“Uh… heal first, then you can eat,” Rain said, tilting his chin defiantly, though his cheeks burned.
Who taught Payu to talk like this? Rain thought.
Since the tasty thing was him… he’d let Payu have it, but only after he healed.
Rain snuggled against the larger man, and Payu sighed long and hard. Waiting to “eat” his tasty treat seemed more stressful than any race challenge.
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