"Don't worry. They seemed to be good people. I talked to their parents. They will be joining their sons on the trip soon." Win informed his parents and Bright about Chimon's friends and all while giving Bright his medicine.
"Do I really need to take that many?" Bright carped.
"Take it, Bright. You aren't a child to whine about meds." Gun, who was leaning on the door of his eldest son's bedroom with hands folded resting on his chest, spoke. "And, Win, you put that mini first aid kit in Chi's bag, right?" Win gave a little thumps up to his Pa. Bright had a pout on his face but still took his medicines when he realized he had to. It must have tasted worse than a rotten egg, not like Gun knows if Bright has ever tasted one, but still it was that or more than that bad, Gun could tell just by seeing that poor souls face after taking those meds.
"They left in front of you, right?" Off asked.
"Yep, they left in front of me. We went to their house, talked with them for like ten minutes and then their last trip mate came so they left. The atmosphere was pretty lively there. I liked it." Win replied.
"Is he going to spent his whole holidays with them?" Bright asked in an annoyed tone. He rarely stays at home and now that he has gotten a chance, thanks to his husband, he wanted to spend this time with his family, with Win and Chimon especially, but that brat has gone on a trip for god knows how long.
"Nah. Don't worry. He will be spending some time with us too. With you. You know he loves you, right? After all you two are the Vachirawit duo." Off replied to his dear son-in-law. "I am just worried about him. After all it's our first time sending him away with people we don't know. It feels a bit odd to me but we need to get used to this too, I guess." Off expressed. But Gun wasn't that worried. He knew Chi was with Frank and Drake. Chi must be that cute, high-spirited friend Frank made recently, Drake informed him. Of course he must be. Drake's description screamed Chimon after all, just that Gun didn't think that would really be Chimon. Gun should give them a call to inform about who Chi is. Well, a later thing to do.
......
Nanon kept on giving Drake, who was sitting with Frank on the bench in that mini bus opposite to Nanon, death glares. Tay and New didn't want to tire their sons before the trip even began so they rented mini bus and a driver for their small four hour travel to their farmhouse. The rented bus wasn't any ordinary one. It was kind of similar to sleeper but the difference was that it wasn't divided in sections rather the whole bus was covered with something like bus bed expect for the way to gate and driver's section. Tay wanted his sons and their friends to have a comfortable trip after all. Tay New would be joining them with a car after two-three days, whenever Pluem is OK.
Nanon was long sitting in between Ohm and Perth and while Nanon was busy with his business somebody else was also giving some sneaky longing peeks to someone but maybe no one noticed, he thought. Perth was secretly looking at Chimon who was on his phone but wasn't talking to his internet bestie, Perth. Hell, he hasn't even replied to his massages! His intense goggles at Chimon were like of those homeless who gazes at the stars in an aspiration to own one knowing very well they will never be able to, those who always daydream to own a home, a warm one, but can never have. Perth has always been a homeless and Chimon has become his star, his daydream he can never have knowing very well since the day he saw him.
.....
When Drake stepped foot inside the Vihokratana's home he didn't expect Perth to be there too. Aunt Anong told him Perth won't be home this holidays, true, but him and Perth to be on a same trip was something he would least expect even in a dream. Drake felt a stir in his heart. He have had imagined going on trips with Perth several times, having dinners, idiotic philosophical talks sometimes, sometimes mocking each other for no reason, stealing each others snacks just to annoy, and so on but those are just some false vision he gets whenever he... Well, feels lonely, maybe.
Perth wasn't like Drake. Drake was able to swallow the acrid truth and was still able to breathe in this deadly inhumane air. He was brought up taking small shots of this poison. Tired of escaping, he has accepted his fate but that wasn't the case with Perth. Perth was living in a lie. A lie, so beautiful, from a fairy tale. Drake knew if that lie ever breaks Perth would scatter. He won't be able to survive. Drake doesn't want to see a broken Perth. In Drake's eyes he looked the best while smiling showing his teeth and turning his eyes curve.
Maybe, finally, the lord up there wanted to give Drake some joy. Maybe Drake will be able to get close to Perth by the end of this trip. After all, that's what they show in the movies. Hero trying to get close to someone while hiding his real identity all along. Drake wasn't some kind of hero, he admits, but still his heart wanted to follow that movie trope. He wanted to live his dream even if it was for a while. Talking to Perth, that's what his small dream was all about. But Perth wasn't looking so like Perth. He kept sneaking peeks at Chimon. Drake was confused. "Why?" He didn't know. Perth was looking as sad as a silent tear. No one seemed to be bothered with Perth, even his so called best friend, Ohm, was too immersed in staring at Nanon, probably his boyfriend from what he has saw at the window on the birthday night. Oh boy, that reminds him to tell Frank it was this dude kissing his brother back that day. He turned around to see Frank sleeping like a baby with his shoulder pillow on. Drake smiled feeling relieved with the fact that he was Frank's safe place. Frank wasn't comfortable sleeping while there are strangers around. Sometimes he feels restless even in his own bedroom but as long as Drake's there no matter where it is or how many people are around Frank's anxiousness always lowers. Though there's a long way for it to disappear still Drake is happy to help.
Drake has always held hopes to this tiny things. Hope that one day Frank will definitely accept Drake as his boyfriend, that he won't feel wrong for expressing his emotions, that he will start being Frank.... once again.
....
Bright was looking at his world peacefully taking a nap beside him but maybe his stares woke up Win. "Sleep some more. It hasn't even been an hour." Bright suggested Win with a gentle smile.
Ignoring Bright's words, Win got up and started to tidy up his blanket. "Just because you are injured and we are putting an act in front of our family, don't think every thing is OK between us, Bright. B'coz there isn't. You and I are not OK. Don't pretend like our friend wasn't suggesting us to get a divorce just some two days ago. You know it very well, don't you? Dew is right and you know. Only violence is something we haven't use yet but I'm afraid if this keeps on going surely one of us will end up in hospital and other in jail." Win stared at Bright's plastered bandages. OK, maybe he's wrong. One actually went in hospital and other almost in jail but that wasn't intentional, next time it might be. "I don't want to keep this up Bright. We both know we are hurting each other everyday..."
Bright knew where this conversation was going to. He needed to stop Win. He didn't want a divorce. He knows Win deserves better, definitely better than Bright, but he has always been selfish and this selfish person would never let someone, who has took years of his efforts, go. When Win turned around to put the blanket in it's place Bright secretly took the fruit knife placed beside the apple on his bed side table, hiding it under his blanket, Bright still doesn't understand why they can share a bed but not a blanket. With a deep breath, he carefully but quickly removed his dressing and opened his almost healed wound again with the knife. The pain was too intense but Bright gritted his teeth and successfully surpassed his voice. He didn't care about getting infected or anything. He just wanted Win. Cleaning the knife with the gauze he started dressing his hand with that same bloodied gauze again. Win turned to Bright continuing his talk but yet to come on the main topic, divorce. Bright was done dressing his hand under the blanket but the knife was yet to be at his right place.
"Win-" Bright said in a haste "-I think I saw a lizard there just now. Can you just check if it's really in there?" Bright tried distracting Win. Win frowned at his statement. Well, obviously he didn't see any lizard. Still, he turned to check if there really is. Bright settled the knife on it's earlier place but didn't remove the blanket from his bloodied hand.
"There's no lizard here, Bright!" Win, losing his patience, slammed the cupboard doors. "Stop trying to change the topic." Win looked none the pleased. Well, clearly, he was trying to talk about a major arc of their life that Bright had no interest in listening to which must not be very appealing to Win. Win took deep breaths. Must have realized his parents are there too. He came close to the bed. Sitting at its edge, he pinched the gap between his brows.
"I am sorry. I really thought there was a lizard there. I..." Bright sighed "I don't know. I am sorry, Win." Bright wanted his bloodied hand to be discovered by Win but maybe he, himself, had to show it to Win given the situation. He was about to get his hand out of the blanket when he got an idea. Bright started coughing aggressively covering his mouth with the other hand. Win hurried to give him a glass of water and finally, he saw Bright's bloodied hand when Bright tried to take the glass from Win.
"Oh God! Your wound opened up! Why didn't you tell me." Win felt terror seeing his husband's blood all over his one side of pant.
Vachirawit spiced up his drama by playing his part perfectly, feigning shock and horror at the sight of his own injury.
Win was immediately taken aback and once again felt a pang of guilt remembering this is all because of him. He realized how wrong the time was for such conversations. No matter what but at the end of the day, it was because of him his husband was going through so much pain. He quickly tended to Bright's wound, applying pressure and wrapping it tightly with a bandage.
Win called the doctor to be at thr home soon. As Metawin held Bright's hand tightly, Bright couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction. He had successfully gave a break to the topic of divorce and gained Win's attention. Killed two birds with one stone. After all he always has some tricks to manipulate his dear husband into caring for him. Win's love for Bright is his biggest weapon. It wasn't fair or right, even, but, unbeknownst, it was a price Win was paying for falling for a manipulative bastard.
....