Sky looks at the newly built house and can't help but to feel a rush of pride. Although Pai had hired the best contracting firm in Bangkok to build it, the house itself has been completely designed by Sky. It is completely tailored to their family's needs. It is large and spacious with plenty of room inside and a large hybrid friendly play yard.
"What do you think?" He asks Rain and Phayu. He is holding their leashes loosely in his hands. Rain blinks at the house and coos. Sky can feel the contentment coming from him, so he likes what he sees. Phayu on the other hand only rubs his head against his mate. Typical Phayu only soft for Rain and the triplets, he couldn't care less about human matters as long as his family is safe and content.
"Hey!" Pai exclaims from behind him. Sky looks back and can't suppress a laugh. Pai is trying to untangle himself. The three-year-old kittens in their excitement at being in a new place have been racing around his legs and have managed to completely tangle him up in their leashes.
Sky drops the two leashes he is holding, knowing Rain and Phayu will stay in place regardless. Besides, they seem to enjoy the spectacle that their children are creating as much as Sky. Phayu is making a huffing sound that sounds suspiciously like laughter.
"Sit." Sky tells the rambunctious kittens, and they all immediately obey. Sky then untangles the leashes and frees Pai.
"Why won't they do that for me?" Pai pouts.
"You are too soft on them," Sky informs him.
Pai leads the kittens into the house, as he passes Phayu, who is still making that huffing sound, he says, "It's not too late for me to get you neutered you know." This is an empty threat but it shuts the cat up.
Once they are settled in, Pai's sister Phan and her wife Ple bring their eight-year-old daughter Mai to the house. Mist, Dew, and Frost immediately pile around Mai and drag her, giggling, out to see their play yard while the humans and grown hybrids look on in amusement. From the time Mai had been adopted into the family two years ago she and the hybrid kittens have become fast friends and are inseparable when her mothers bring the little girl to see them.
Rain leans up against Ple who scratches him on the head while Phayu curls up at Phan's feet. No one is sure why but although Pai and Phayu are the ones linked, Phan is the only human Phayu actually seems to like. Well except Mai but she is always with his kittens.
"Mae wants to throw you a housewarming party." Phan informs Pai.
Pai groans at this, but Sky says, "I will call her and arrange a date." Sky loves Pai's family, and the feeling is mutual. Pai sometimes gets a little jealous of the way they monopolize Sky whenever they are around.
"Does anyone else want a drink? I thought I would make coffee." Pai says, giving Phan a look as if trying to communicate with her.
Sky and Ple both agree coffee would be nice and Phan, catching on, says, "I'll come help."
Once alone in the kitchen Phan says, "what?"
Pai looks a little nervous and says, "I just wanted your opinion on something." He takes a small box from his pocket and shows her the ring. "Do you think Sky would like this?"
Phan squeals then puts a hand over her mouth before she can attract Ple's and Sky's attention. "Oh, Pai, it's beautiful. Sky will love it. When are you going to ask him?"
"Tomorrow. Tan is coming over to help watch the kittens and I am taking Sky out for our anniversary." He tells her. "Don't breathe a word to anyone okay, not even Mae."
Phan promises she won't and Pai knows that their entire family will know by morning. Hopefully if things go well, they can make the official announcement at the housewarming party.
Rain sits and watches him human get dressed. Sky is so different now from the way he was when Rain adopted him. Rain can feel the waves of happiness from him. Sky holds up some clothes and asks Rain which one he should wear. Rain never really understands the human obsession with clothes, he and the other hybrids wear them, but Rain mainly cares if they are comfortable or not. Why does it matter what they look like? Humans even care about the things that go on their feet. Rain isn't sure how they can stand not being able to feel the ground under them, but humans are fragile and that seems to include their feet as well.
Rain glances over to where his kittens are asleep on the bed in the corner of the room. Then back at the clothes Sky is trying to decide from. If he was going to choose one to put in the kitten's nest it would be...
Sky laughs with amusement when Rain paws the gray suit. He knows Rain is probably choosing it because it's the softer of the two but since Sky wasn't sure which he wanted to wear it's as good a reason as any.
Sky can't believe how happy he is with his little family, just a few years ago he hadn't believed in happiness or love. He was just satisfied with not having too many nightmares and making it through from day to day. Then Rain had come into his life and through Rain he had met Pai and Phayu. Then they had the kittens. Now Sky knows both love and happiness. Not everyday is perfect of course, there are times when Sky could rip his hair out when the kittens or even Phayu and Rain are being especially naughty. There are days when everything seems to go wrong at work and a barely functioning Sky manages to crawl home to his boyfriends waiting arms to cry things out. There are times he fights with Pai over something small and feels like his world is falling apart. The good days more than outweigh the bad ones.
Now tonight on the anniversary of the day that Sky accepted Pai as his boyfriend, it's only the happiness and love that matters. He had given Pai his gift that morning, A framed drawing of the seven of them Sky had made himself. Pai had gotten teary over the drawing and said he would hang it in his office at work. He had promised Sky's present was coming that night at dinner. Sky has a small hope of what it could be but he pushes the thought back, so he won't be disappointed if he's wrong.
At the restaurant they are shown to a table on the balcony. Sky looks around in interest at the decorations, there are several bouquets of flowers surrounding their table and a band in the corner is playing soft instrumental music. Other than that, they are completely alone.
"Oh, I thought this was a popular restaurant?" Sky says, "I heard it was packed solid from lunch until closing and reservations have to be made months in advance."
"That's right," Pai says with a grin.
That's when Sky realizes, "You booked the entire balcony just for us?" When Sky turns to stare at Pai he sees he is down on one knee in front of him holding up a black velvet box. The ring inside is platinum with a single sapphire the color of the sky on a clear day.
"Sky, meeting you, getting to hold you and to love you. It has been the privilege of my life. Will you give me one more privilege and marry me?" He says.
"So cheesy," Sky answers smiling, "but yes I will."
They embrace and Pai kisses him happily. There is the sound of applause behind them and Sky breaks away blushing. The band and the staff offer their congratulations.
"I still can't believe you rented the entire balcony. It must have cost a fortune." Sky says. He is turning his hand so that the sapphire catches candle light.
"Nothing is too much for my Sky," Pai says causing Sky to roll his eyes.
The housewarming party becomes a housewarming/engagement party. Everyone gathers around to offer them their congratulations.
"Son," Pai's dad says to Sky, "Are you sure this one is good enough for you? I am almost certain you could do better."
"Pa," Pai whines.
"I agree." Pai's mom says, "I will front the bride price if you want to find a more appropriate husband."
Sky laughs and says, "Pa, Mae, thank you for the offer but I couldn't possibly separate Rain and Phayu like that. There are the triplets to think of after all."
Everyone laughs as Pai pouts at this.
Sky looks out to see the triplets and Mai are playing a game of chase in the yard. Rain and Phayu are both curled up together on the patio keeping an eye on the children's play.
"Have you thought about what sort of wedding you want?" Pai's mom asks him.
Sky considers and says, "Nothing too big, I would like something outdoors. Mainly I want to include Phayu, Rain and the kittens in the ceremony. After all, they are the main reason Pai and I got together."
"That sounds lovely, dear." She frowns over to where her other son Plerng is flirting with one of Sky's work mates, "At least two of my children have settled down. Now if I could just do something with that one."
If Sky had realized how much work went into planning a wedding, he would have suggested they just elope. Even with Pai's family helping there barely seemed time to get everything together before the ceremony was to take place.
They had decided to get married at Pai's parents' house. The grounds are beautiful, and they didn't have to worry about the hybrids being naughty. Rain was as well behaved as always but Phayu could be moody at the best of times and the triplets were always into everything.
As if on cue a crash comes from downstairs making Sky sigh. He is in the middle of a suit fitting.
"I'll be right back," he tells the tailor.
"It's okay dear, I have grandchildren, I completely understand." the tailor says with a smile.
Sky takes the stairs two at a time and finds the kittens and Mai gathered around one of Pai's parents' prized vases in pieces on the floor. They are looking at it solemnly.
"It was an accident, uncle Sky," Mai looks like she is on the verge of tears. "I threw the ball and frost was chasing it. He slipped and ran into the table." Dew and Mist nod as if in agreement. Frost only sits on his haunches looking at Sky with his best practiced pleading look.
Sky sighs. "You need to tell grandmother what happened." He tells Mai. "And are we supposed to be playing ball in the house?" He kneels down in front of her, softening his words so she doesn't think he is mad at her, she just needs to understand.
"No, uncle Sky," she says sadly.
"Go find grandmother and tell her you are sorry," he tells the little girl. "I will deal with these three."
Sky didn't think it was possible, but Frost's eyes become larger and more pleading. Sky thinks it's a good thing these three are so cute.
"Are you hurt?" he asks Frost. Frost immediately lifts a paw in the worst acting job Sky has ever seen. Sky rolls his eyes at this. At least this tells him the kitten is fine.
"Oh, is your paw hurt?" He asks Frost, playing along. Frost nods and whines. "Poor baby. I guess we will need to go to the vet then."
Frost immediately pouts and puts his paw back down. The vet is not a fun way to spend the afternoon.
"A miracle, I guess you are feeling better now?" Sky asks. Frost nods vehemently.
"I think the three of you can spend the next couple hours in time out." It's not really a punishment, the kittens are probably badly in need of a nap, which is why they are acting out.
He takes them to their room where Rain and Phayu are being fitted for their own suits for the wedding by a hybrid specialist tailor. The kittens had their fittings earlier, and Sky glances at the tiny two dresses and the suit that he has picked out for them. After he puts them to bed.
He only hopes the wedding survives these three. He glances at Phayu looking grumpy as the tailor takes his measurements and amends the thought to these four.
Dew, Mist, and Frost never mean to be bad. The humans like it when they are good. Humans are strange but the kittens love them anyway, so they want them to be happy. Dada likes it when they are good. Even Papa, who sometimes does whatever he wants regardless of what the humans say, wants them to be good.
The only problem is there is always so much to do, so much to explore, and so many adventures to be had. So, while they want to be good it is so very hard.
If only the humans didn't have so many silly rules maybe it wouldn't be quite so hard. Except for Mai who is a kitten like them, the others always seem to have rules for everything. Don't run in the house, don't play with the grownups' things, always wear clothes, eat properly, don't make a mess, and worst of all don't eat the pretty cake that was in the kitchen. It was this last one they were currently in trouble for. Pai had yelled at them, and Pai never yelled at them. Sky had cried. All the humans except for Mai who had helped them eat the cake and was also in trouble, acted with varying degrees of anger and disapproval. The kittens aren't even sure why.
It's just that the cake had looked so good and no one else had seemed to want it, it had just been sitting there. Usually anything they didn't want the kittens to eat was locked up so they had thought it would be okay. Now the kittens were in time out in their room and Mai's parents had made her go to her room. So, they couldn't even see each other.
Dew, Mist, and Frost lay with their head down on their arms, pouting at the unfairness of life.
"It's going to be okay," Sky says, Pai isn't sure if he is trying to convince himself or the others, "It's just the cake. Who made the rule that there has to be a cake?" Rain is rubbing his head against Sky in a comforting way and even Phayu is lying next to him. Perhaps sorry that it was the kittens that had caused the trouble.
"I am going to skin those three for fur coats," Pai says. He doesn't mean it; he would never hurt a single hair on the kittens. He just hates seeing Sky cry.
Phayu lifts his head and growls at Pai but only halfheartedly. Everyone knows the kittens have caused a real problem this time. Not just the kittens.
"Look, we will find a cake if we have to search all of Thailand," Phan says, "We owe it to you for Mai's part in this fiasco. She should have been old enough to know better. I think those four lose their minds when they are together."
"They are just spirited," Pai's mae says, taking the grandmother's role of forgiving her grandchildren for anything. Pai swears if the triplets and Mai dragged home a body his mae would say they had just been playing.
"The wedding isn't until late this afternoon. Phan, Ple, and Plerng can go search for a cake." Pai's pa says, "Meanwhile we will get everything else ready."
Sky nods and sighs, "It's not about the cake, anyway, right?"
"That's right," Pai's pa says, clapping Sky on the shoulder, "Still I think we can leave the triplets and Mai alone for a little while longer to think about what they have done."
Sky and Rain inspect the gardens. There are two sections of white seats on either side of the aisle which has a real-life flower border on either side that Mae and Ple had planted themselves. They know Sky loves plants and thought the flowers would make it special. The ushers have been instructed to seat everyone from the other side, so they don't accidentally crush the border. At the front of the aisle there is an arched trellis filled with roses in white and pink.
It looks simple, but that's what Sky had wanted. He would be embarrassed by an elaborate wedding, and it's very beautiful as well. Even the guest list is small. Sky only has his Pa and a small handful of friends from the university. Pai's family had invited around two hundred guests so they will be seated on both sides. Sky knows they could have invited four times as many between family, friends and business associates but had kept the number relatively low for Sky's sake.
In a side garden a wooden platform has been built just for today. This is where the reception will take place. It's large enough to have several tables surrounding an area that will be used for dancing.
The caterers are starting to set up a small buffet to the side, but the place of honor where the cake should be is notably empty. Hopefully his soon to be in-laws will have some success in finding one, even if it's just a simple bakery cake. The DJ is checking his equipment, and a small bar is being set up.
"Ready to go get dressed?" He asks Rain.
Rain gives a little chirp that Sky takes to be yes and turns back to the house. Despite the bad start to the morning, Sky is starting to get excited and nervous. It's hard to believe that this day is finally here.
The triplets have fallen asleep during their timeout. Pai had ordered them not to move a whisker from the bed and for once they had listened. It's probably a good thing, it will be a long night and the last thing they need is three grumpy kittens on their hands. Sky decides to let them sleep a little while longer. He takes Pai's and Phayu's suits to the room where they are going to be getting dressed then lays out the triplets' outfits. The two dresses are dark green with pink ribbons around the girl's waists and their hair. Frost's suit has dark green pants and a pink vest over a white shirt. The clothes are simple and very durable. The tailor was a genius making them both adorable for the wedding and sturdy enough to stand up to three rambunctious kittens. Sky is just glad they have already done their pictures because asking the kittens to stay clean after the ceremony would be like asking for a miracle.
Next, he finds Rain's suit. It is a light pink that matches the pink in the kittens' outfits. Phayu's is the same dark green. These are the same outfits they had worn for the picture and the effect of the family together was stunning. They matched the roses from the trellis, perfectly. Sky and Pai are going to be all in white. Sky helps Rain into his suit and reminds him to try to keep it clean. He then pulls on his own white suit. It's well tailored to his slim figure.
His Pa comes in to see him before taking his seat in the garden. "Your Ma called, she said to tell you she loves you." Sky gives a nod; he has barely seen his mother a handful of times since his parents were divorced but they do manage an occasional phone call for birthdays or holidays. "You look stunning, son. I am so proud of you."
Sky has to hold back tears at this. He and his Pa have always been close, despite the fact that Sky moved to Bangkok as a teenager to attend school. His Pa holds up a small box and opens it to display a lapel pin, it is a silver flower with an emerald in the center. "This was your grandfather's; I would like you to have it." He pins it on Sky's suit and makes a show of adjusting it. He gives a sigh and turns to go take his seat.
Next in is Pai's Mae who is going to help Sky with the little bit of makeup they have decided on, just a light powder and a tinted lip balm, and help him fix his hair.
"Are Phan, Ple, and Plerng back?" Sky asks. Finding a cake wouldn't be worth having them miss the wedding.
She smiles and says, "They are, and they found not one but two cakes." She shows him the pictures on her phone and the cakes are, if anything, more stunning than the original one. "Apparently Plerng has dated the owner of a famous bakery downtown and he pulled out all the stops to remake two cakes he already had in the shop. I told him to invite the owner, Sin, to the reception if he is available as a thank you."
Sky hides his smile; Mae's thank you sounds an awful lot like a little matchmaking to him.
Rain chirps and Sky sees the triplets are waking up. He and Mae help them to get dressed as well. They seem a little subdued, Sky just hopes their calm mood lasts at least through the ceremony.
Soon it's time to join P'Pai under the trellis. Rain and Phayu are holding their rings for them, and the triplets are standing next to Rain looking like little angels in their outfits. Sky thinks this might be a small miracle.
Sky and P'Pai repeat their vows they have written themselves and the officiant pronounces them husband and husband. The crowd cheers as they kiss.
The reception is more on the casual side with the triplets, Mai, and some of the children of wedding guests racing around and playing while the adult guests drink and take full advantage of the buffet.
After dinner Sky and P'Pai cut the cake, now it seems funny how the morning had started out. P'Pai gives Sky a rueful look and Sky bites back a case of uncharacteristic giggles and the memory of the triplets and Mai covered from head to toe in wedding cake frosting when the family had come down for breakfast. Sky hopes someone thought to get pictures, he would like to include some in his wedding album. Maybe P'Plerng or Mae had taken some.
After they have the first bite of cake together and share it out among the guests, P'Pai and Sky lead the first dance. Soon the floor fills with adults and children alike. Sky glances over where Rain is sitting with his head on Phayu's shoulder watching the humans quizzically. He doesn't know how much of today the hybrids have understood but he is glad they have been here on his and Pai's special day.
Rain chirps his question to Phayu who just shrugs. He doesn't know why the humans are moving in such strange ways either. The kittens, both hybrid and human, he understands. They are always full of such energy and have a need to move. He isn't sure about this strange activity the adults are engaged in. He thinks it might have something to do with the strange things they have been drinking tonight. Phayu had tried smelling one of these drinks when someone had set down their glass, but it had burned his sensitive nose and the smell had made him gag. He isn't sure what the appeal is to the humans.
Then again, the whole day had been strange. Still, he can feel the love his human has for Sky. It is very much the same as Phayu has for Rain and their kittens. Even if they hadn't needed to dress in odd clothes and say weird words in front of a bunch of people, but then humans are stupid that way. They needed these things to show they belong to one another. Hybrids are much smarter. Rain had been his from the time he had chirped to Phayu that he was handsome in the elevator all those years ago. And Phayu had been Rain's. Forever.
He reaches over and nuzzles his mate's neck before finding where his children are racing around the feet of the human kittens, making a game of it. His perfect little family.