Kinn gave off a sigh as he put down his phone after talking to Vegas. He kneaded his forehead before leaning his elbow atop the island counter. Porsche saw Kinn's shoulders slowly slump in relief, the tension slowly leaving his body. He patted Kinn's shoulders to provide him some comfort and to sympathize with him.
Porsche kneaded the remaining tensed muscles between his shoulders, easing the hardened muscles from the stress it was put through. He heard Kinn let out a chuckle before he felt him reach for one of his hands. Porsche loves hearing his laugh, with its low and full timber filling his being with tenderness. It gives him pride to get Kinn to release even the slightest chuckle in a situation like they were in. Also, hearing Kinn's laugh makes him feel all kinds of warm feelings and Porsche will never tire of it.
Kinn turned around in his seat, reaching out for his figure. Porsche noticed how his face looked lighter and more at ease. The reemergence of Kinn’s fluffy puppy-like radiance made him feel relieved. He doesn't like seeing his lover worried or stressed. It saddens him whenever he sees even a little frown marring his face.
Kinn pulled him close, seeking for more comfort from his lover. Porsche can still feel a little tension remain in his body, so he hugged Kinn back, trying to ease the remaining tension off his body. He pulled him even closer, to also provide the solace and relief Kim was seeking. Kinn relaxed into his hug and let his lover's warmth seep through his clothes and into his skin.
"What's taking them so long?!?" They heard Khun complain from Kim's couch a while later. The eldest brother is restlessly sitting, biting his finger and pumping his leg. Porsche shook his head as he watched the eldest Theerapanyakul offspring anxiously watching the door.
It has only been less than ten minutes since they heard from their cousin and his best friend. He doubts Vegas has picked up Pete and Kim yet. He had to exchange the motorcycle for a car so they could all sit comfortably. Kim’s condo is also in the middle of the city and getting there from the riverside can take a while.
"Vegas had to switch to a car, so he left Kim with Pete. Just be patient, Khun," Porsche muttered, his annoyance clear in his tone.
Khun ignored Porsche and continued to look at the door. Porsche cannot help but shake his head in disbelief. "Kinn, do you want something to drink?" he asked Kinn, instead.
Kinn shook his head, not wanting to let go of Porsche. The gesture made Porsche let out a chuckle, finding the big man adorable in his clinginess. Also, Kinn’s nose brushing the skin on Porsche’s chest left exposed by his unbuttoned shirt was also ticklish.
"But, I'm thirsty, babe," he chucklingly uttered. He felt Kinn tighten his hold on him. "Babe, let me go. I want to get a glass of water," Porsche laughingly tapped at Kinn's arm around his waist. "I'll be just a minute," he promised Kinn who pouted as he let go of Porsche.
Porsche laughingly left Kinn seated at the island bar as he made his way to the other side. He took out three glasses from the cupboard and proceeded to fill it with water. Porsche took the first glass of water and brought it to where Tankhun was sitting and placed it on the coffee table in front of him. Just like he expected, Khun ignored him and the glass of water, continuing to stare intently and anxiously at the door.
He also is still worried about Kim, but now it's because Chay saw them talk through tweets. Porsche walked back to the kitchen and took the remaining two glasses back to where Kinn was sitting. He handed one to his lover and drank from the other one as he took his seat.
Porsche watched as Kinn took a small sip before setting it aside and picking up his phone. He just knows that Kinn will be bombarding Vegas and his best friend with texts. Nevertheless, he let Kinn be and just finished his glass of water. Instead, Porsche also took out his phone to text Macau and check on him and Porchay. He opened Macau's window and began typing out his messages.
After sending his last reply to Macau, Porsche pocketed his phone and stood up from his seat. He took his and Kinn’s glass to the sink and began washing it. He was drying his hand when he, Kinn and Khun heard the door to the condo unit open. He turned around to see Vegas exasperatedly trudging deeper into the unit with Kim and Pete right behind him.
Vegas stomped to the kitchen and took out a bottle of carbonated water from the refrigerator. Porsche watches as Pete looks worriedly at Vegas as he follows his lover to the kitchen. On the other hand, Khun fusses over Kim who is trying to avoid his advances at the living room. Kim dodged Khun and sat on one of the armchairs. Kinn was staring at his brothers, but you can see he's deep in his thoughts.
Although his love for his brothers radiates from him, there is something more than worry and care behind those eyes. He can see deep and intense affection that Porsche also feels for his sweet brother. Yet, no matter how well Porsche knows the man, he still cannot put a finger on just what exactly he is thinking. Porsche gave a sigh and walked to where Kim is being aggravated by Khun.
"Phi…" Kim looked up at Porsche just as he got close to him and Khun. He scrambled to right himself while not taking his gaze off his brother's lover and Chay's brother.
"Your brothers were worried for you," Porsche remarked as he took a seat across from Kim. “We were all worried for you. What happened, Kim?” he asked the younger man.
"You almost gave me a heart attack, you asshole!" Khun shouted as he shook Kim's arm. However, the latter's gaze never left Porsche. "Just where the hell did you hide yourself?" he cryingly uttered.
However, Kim ignored Khun, too busy watching Porsche. He thought that man would not care for him. The older man refused to acknowledge his presence ever since he hurt Chay. Yet, Kim cannot blame him. His brothers will do worse if it was him. Also, he got an earful from Kinn when everything got revealed. His older brother almost disowned him. He should have, because he cannot even forgive himself for what happened. Porsche stood up again to go to the kitchen. Khun continued to scold and shout at him while Kinn was only staring at them from where he was sitting. His face is emotionless, but his eyes are saying things Kim cannot decipher. Khun shaking his whole being took him back to reality.
"KIM! KIMHAN, ANSWER ME!" Khun shouted to get his attention. "JUST WHAT THE HELL HAPPENED TO YOU!? Why are you full of bruises? What the hell did you do?!" Khun fired at him as he fussed over every mark on his face.
"That was my fault,” Vegas interjected. “I punched that asshole," he coldly answered. His face looked furious and fed up. Pete stood behind him, fiddling with his fingers while biting his lip in anxiety.
"What the fuck Vegas!? Why did you punch him?" Khun is now angry at his cousin.
"Because he deserved it, that's why," Vegas uttered while squeezing the bottle in his hand hard.
"What do you mean he deserves it?" Khun was baffled.
"That asshole has been spewing nonsense when we found him," Vegas was exasperated. Pete walked close to his lover and started patting his back to try and reduce his anger. "He's been uttering that he deserves to die, that his life is now meaningless—like Chay would come back to such a pathetic asshole," Vegas gritted.
"But you did not have to beat him to a pulp, you bastard," Khun fumed.
"He's lucky I only got in a few punches before Pete stopped me. I would have killed that bastard, if not," Vegas retorted before throwing the bottle he was holding inside the trash bin.
Vegas started for the door still looking enraged and full of it. Pete immediately followed behind him. They were halfway through the living room when Vegas suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and faced Kim. "Put this on your thick head, asshole," he began slowly. Anger radiating in every word he utters. "It was your fucking fault Chay left! You hurt him beyond measure and you deserve to feel the same way he did. Oh, how you deserve to feel so much excruciating pain," Vegas remarked in a sinister sneer.
"And, doing this… worrying all of us to death because you decided to fucking disappear?" Vegas gestured to everyone in the room. "Exclaiming that you don't deserve to live? Just proves how right Porchay was for walking away from you. Because no one will be willing to stay with a motherfucker who cannot get his life together and become better," he spat at his cousin. “We’re all here for you, bro. I was ready to listen and help, and instead what?!! You fucking closed yourself off, drown in your misery and just shut us off? Well, guess what?! I have had enough of that bullshit!” you can hear Vegas’ pain through his voice.
"You are my cousin and I very much love your fucked up ass. But, this is beyond my patience and understanding. I cannot get myself to find even an ounce of desire to understand you," Vegas fumed in a softer but colder voice. "And Kim? You really don't deserve such an amazing person like Chay. This stunt just fucking proved it," he sneered at Kim before proceeding to walk out of the condominium unit, Pete hastily catching up with his every furious step.
–– T H E –– N E X T –– M O R N I N G ––
You did not have anything to do today, and did not feel like doing anything. Your head was still pounding from the amount of alcohol you consumed the previous night. You can only be grateful that you had half a mind the night before to close your black out curtains. You could have been suffering more due to the harsh sunlight that is sure to be streaming through the large windows of your unit.
Thinking about your fridge, you tried to remember what to make with its scarce contents. Then, you remembered how it contains nothing save for a few bottles of water and some grapes. You checked the time and found that you are just in time to eat brunch at one of your favorite cafes. Begrudgingly, you stood up from your bed to take a bath. You hope it will also somehow eliminate the pounding of your head. Rising up, the sight of your dog comfortably sprawled out at the other end of the bed made you giggle.
You trudged to the bathroom connected to your bedroom, sluggishly dragging your feet under you. Unlike your bedroom where curtains cover the large windows, the one inside your bathroom remains bare and very much open. It streamed so much sunlight that the pounding in your head intensified. Wanting to get the ordeal over with, you turned on the shower before stripping your clothes to enter the soothing stream.
It took you less than ten minutes to finish your shower. Even so, it managed to calm your raging headache and soothe the tension at the back of your neck. You hurriedly finish your other self-care rituals since your stomach is rumbling with hunger. Too lazy to think about what to wear, you just took out the first thing you got your hands on and thanked the heavens that it still managed to match.
Taking out a simple purse, you transferred everything you needed from the other purse, including your phone and car keys. After transferring your essential items, you bid your dog goodbye and proceeded to walk out of your room and, ultimately, your condo unit. You drove out of the basement of your building and into the street.
You decided to head to the nearest small artisan cafe called ARTiS, your favorite, for the morning. It's near a large supermarket, which will make going to shop for groceries later much easier. You can also save on some gas. It only took you 10mins to get where the cafe is. However, you had to park a little ways away since cars are already lined up in front of the shop.
You turned your engine off and made your merry way to the small coffee house. To get to the front door, you had to pass by the large window occupying the whole side of the shop. You was about to turn the corner when you noticed a man sitting at one of the window seats while fiddling with his phone. The unexpected sight of him made you smile along with your whole day. You decided to take your phone out and snap a photo before he looked up and found you lurking outside the large windows. Satisfied with the snap, you proceeded to the front of the coffee shop to get inside and have your caffeine fix, hoping the gods above will hear your prayers and let you cross paths and meet him again soon.
