I'll scratch your back.. (Completed)

I'll Scratch Your Back...

The house is enormous, even larger and more impressive than their own, and Arthit has to admit that marrying into this family was clearly seen as a reward. But for him, it would be the opposite - the worst kind of punishment, the loss of his free choice and his chance to free himself from the family business that he has no interest in whatsoever.

It is bad enough that his father has chosen all of his schooling so far, and that in a few weeks time, he is embarking on a university degree that he has zero interest in. Now, his father has taken it upon himself to saddle him with a fiancée of his choice, who is probably stuck-up and just after a good match, or, possibly, in the exact same boat as Arthit - unhappy and unwilling.

It is a lottery as to which is better in Arthit's opinion. At least if she feels the same, there might be some discussion around them choosing their own paths through the marriage. Perhaps, he thinks, Namtarn wouldn't mind being a mistress? If there were enough diamonds and gold involved..

Just as Arthit is musing on his future wife (because there was absolutely no way he could refuse his father), they reach the Greek style pillars that frame the house and the door swings open.

They are invited to hand over their invitation and then a private butler brings them into the main room and right into the hands of Kerkkrai Sutthiluk.

Arthit has met him once before, at an enormous party to celebrate some kind of achievement of his father's company. He really hadn't cared at the time, more interested in messaging Nam and his friends than in learning about the family business.

But Kerkkrai had stood out to him, mostly because of the circle of space that seemed to exist everywhere he went. No matter how many people he was conversing with at once, there was always a gap between him and the nearest person, like an invisible force field, that everyone respected. Arthit could remember being impressed at the time. But now, as he and his family stand beyond that gap, he just feels irritated.

He doesn't want to be here, and he guesses it shows, since Kerkkrai addresses the issue almost immediately after greeting his father.

"Arthit?" Kerkkrai's voice is calm yet demanding, "I would like you to go and meet Gift now."

Arthit finds himself nodding, unwilling to argue with this powerful man in his own home until he's scoped out the situation. Luckily, his mother sees it as compliance and rewards him with a squeeze to his elbow as a different servant leads him away to a more secluded part of the room.

"I will bring Miss Gift, Mr Rojnapat." The man says and then bows slightly at the waist and dashes away.

"For fuck's sake!" Arthit groans lowly, banging his fist repeatedly against yet another stupid white column, in frustration.

"You'll bruise your hand if you keep that up," a melodious voice interrupts.

Arthit whirls around and finds himself face to face with a young man, wearing a slim fit suit and tie. It's moulded to his shoulders and clearly tailored. The tie is a deep burgundy and matches his pocket square, which makes Arthit scoff.

"Do I care?" Arthit asks sullenly. And beneath a matching burgundy mask, the man's lips quirk into a genuine smile.

"Do you?"

For some reason, Arthit feels comfortable, talking with this stranger while he waits for the moment of his doom to arrive.

"Not really." He admits, "Maybe if I break it I'll have a chance to leave this infernal party."

"Hellish? An interesting description. Anything in particular that's causing you to compare it to the underworld? The blazing open fires perhaps? Or the devil greeting people at the door?" The man gives a small laugh as he speaks and Arthit suddenly feels at ease. Not that he trusts this stranger with his whole life, but that he feels like they have something in common.