Chapter Text
They found Kinn bloody and unconscious in a club owned by a rival family. Big said he went on a mission alone and they only figured out where he was because they tracked his phone. Thankfully his condition wasn't critical and they got to him just in time, the family doctor said. The only person that had gone in to see him and stayed was Porsche, the rest were told to wait until he gained consciousness again before they all went to meet him. Maybe because Tankhun took one look at Kinn's pale face and threw a fit, only calming down after he got dragged out by Kim.
Kinn finally gained consciousness after a day. The living room was quiet save from the occasional sniffles from Tankhun. Every family member sat tense, waiting for the doctor to give them news on Kinn's condition.
The doctor finally came out of Kinn's room and everyone let out a sigh of relief when he said Kinn was stable enough to meet everyone now. After a warning not to overwhelm him, the doctor leaves the compound.
They all file in quietly, for once not bickering with each other or threatening each other lightly (or seriously, depending on the person speaking). They all came into the room to meet Kinn expecting them with a small smile, Porsche by his side holding one of his hands.
"You look terrible." Kim breaks the tense silence. Chay squeakes in surprise and pulls at his boyfriend's hand to get him to shut up. Kinn laughs suddenly then starts coughing, causing everyone in the room to move from their slightly frozen state and start fussing over him.
"It's good to see you too, nong." Kinn waves off the helping hands extended his way as he sits up on the bed.
"How many times are you going to get shot-"
"This is like my third time-"
Kim ignores him. "Before you try to learn how to actually dodge bullets… at least get a bulletproof vest."
"Then how would I show off my chest, I worked hard for it you know?"
A pause."…you're shitting me, right?" Kim deadpans and Kinn laughs again.
"Thanks for caring, I'll be fine."
"Whatever, it's your funeral."
"Kim!" Tankhun shouts. "He's still injured, don't bring that up." Kim eyes him petulantly.
"He's clearly fine if he's able to talk about flaunting his chest."
"It's true, I can barely feel the bullet wound in my side at all." Kinn snickers then shuts up when his older brother's eyes meets his. Tankhun was furious.
"You! Once you're out of that bed, I'm going to make sure I put you back in for being so stupid. Why were you out there alone? "
"I thought about what Kim said and he was right, I've never had a solo field mission before so I tried it."
Vegas raises an eyebrow. "Without telling anyone."
"Wouldn't have been able to go alone if I did."
"So you're telling me you went out there and got yourself shot cus you had no backup." Kim says slowly.
"Yes."
"…you realise you just proved my point right?"
Kinn smiles. "I know. You were always the smarter one." Kim looks surprised at that but keeps quiet. Tankhun speaks up again.
"You idiot, what if it had been another enemy that found you and not one of our people? What if something worse than a graze in your side had happened just because you wanted to prove yourself? What if you had died ?"
"Then I die."
Tankhun pauses for second then smacks Kinn's head causing everyone in the room to panic.
"Phi!"
"Tankhun!"
"He's injured how could you do that?!"
"Oh my God, do you think he'll have a concussion?"
"No Macau, a normal hit won't cause a concussion."
"At least he doesn't have a tray this time."
"I can't believe you!" Tankhun ignores the people shouting around him.
"You're just so selfish. Throwing your self in danger just to prove some bullshit to yourself. Is your life worth so little? Or does your family matter so little to you that you're willing to risk your life for your ego despite knowing how hurt they would be when they find your body?" The room had gone quiet, no one wanting to get in the middle.
"It's not like that." Kinn avoids looking into Tankhun's eyes.
"Then what is it? Why would you go to hostile territory alone without informing anyone on your whereabouts?" Tankhun asks impatiently.
"I wanted to see what it was like." Kinn says quietly.
"What?" Tankhun frowns.
"I wanted to see what doing a solo mission was like. Kim was right-"
"Dont drag me into this."
Kinn ignores him. "I'm always cocky entering a room because I always have backup and for some reason, they're loyal men. I wanted to understand where Kim was coming from. The reason he made split second decisions and always seemed to act impulsive. I understand it a little now. I don't think I fully got it though, since I got shot on my first try and had to crawl away to a safer area." He chuckles derisively. "Although you might be right, maybe my ego played a small part in me going to that club alone but my main reason was going there so I could experience a solo mission."
"Oh." Tankhun blinks at him in surprise.
"I…" He pauses a little to gather his thoughts.
"I wanted to say I'm sorry. To you and Kim most especially."
"What?"
"Did nearly dying fuck up your brain or something?" Kim looks at him quizzically, like he was actually thinking of the possibility that Kinn had brain damage.
Kinn smiles. "No, it just made me realise that I could have died and you'd be left with the awful way I've treated you. You'd be left thinking I was like father . And it was the scariest thought ever."
Silence fell upon the room again, no one knowing how to respond to that. Porchay speaks up.
"P'kinn just woke up and this is a very heavy topic. I think everyone should rest a little for now since we've been so stressed. This can be talked about later, don't you think hia?" He gives Porsche a look and his brother nods, agreeing with him immediately.
"Yes, we've all had a long day and this seems like a talk for the three of you." He gives the brothers a pointed look. The rest of the family members nod and file out of the room one by one reluctantly.
Tankhun ends up being the last person left with Kinn and Porsche. He looks over Kinn's state once again and something inside his eyes soften.
"I'm glad you're okay nong. I'm really glad." He pats Kinn's arm once and leaves the room. Kinn is left feeling lighter that he's felt in weeks.
~~~~
As expected from the Theerapanyakun brothers, none of them bring up the talk again even after Kinn is fully healed and given a clean bill of health to start work again by his doctor.
They continue like they were before, howbeit a little more conscious of how their decisions affect each other (Kinn) and less death threats (Kim). They avoid being the same room even more than before, the heavy tension visible to anyone around them.
Porsche and Chay must have finally had enough of their game of pussyfoot because next they knew, Kinn, Kim and Tankhun found themselves locked in Kinn's office after they had all been tricked to be there at the same time.
"You called me?" Kim looks at Kinn confused. Since he got shot, Kinn had avoided giving Kim his missions personally. Preferring to send Big or another bodyguard to him instead. Kinn looked just as confused as he was.
"I didn't." As soon as he says that, Tankhun walk in with a message.
"Porsche says you need something? He said to check your phone too." Kinn frowns and checks his messages.
Porsche♡
We've had enough of your weird decision of not talking to each other and behaving like you didn't agree to sort things out after Kinn got well. The room you're in is locked and I've got all escape routes blocked. Talk your shit out or it's going to be a long day. I don't care how long it takes, by the time you're out of there, I want that weird tension gone.
All three men groan after reading Porsche's message.
"Has he learnt nothing about meddling?" Kim grumbles. "He does realise I can break down the door right?" He says, preparing himself to do just that. His phone vibrates with a text message notification and he groans again when he sees what it says.
Angel♡
Baby, if you break down that door like I know you're planning to do, I'm never going to sleep with you again <3
"Damn, he plays dirty." Tankhun says, reading over his shoulder. Kim pushes him off when he recieves another text.
Angel♡
Please, do it for me?
Kim breathes out slowly, then walks to the couch and sits down in defeat.
Tankhun tsks and sits down beside him. He raises an eyebrow at Kinn.
"Are you seriously willing to face Porsche if you don't do as he says?"
"You make it sound like he's my boss."
"Please we all know who's running things here, just sit down and get this over with." He pats the seat beside him. Kinn sighs but obeys as expected.
"I'd like to argue with you but I'm really not ready for him to throw me over his shoulder."
Kim looks at him quizzically, "I'm pretty sure I've seen him do that."
"I meant in a non fun way." Kinn clarifies with a smirk. Kim sends him a look of disgust and Tankhun sighs wistfully.
"Ah when will I get to throw a man over my shoulder seductively?"
Kinn scowls. "You're gay?"
Both Kim and Tankhun look at him like he's stupid.
"Nong, there's no straight person alive that could be as fabulous as I am."
"I just never saw you with anyone, thats it."
"I used to never leave the compound and unlike you, I'm not too fond of dating my workers." Tankhun says with a self righteous smile.
"I think Arm and Pol would beg to differ." Kim pipes up smugly. Tankhun's eye twitches at that.
"Not another word from you."
"Your bodyguards? Really?" Kinn says incredulously.
Tankhun throws him a dirty look. "I don't want to hear anything, especially from you."
Kinn raises his hands in surrender. "I'm not judging…" Kim gives him a look. "Okay I'm judging just a little bit but it's fine you're an adult, do whatever you want."
"There's nothing to judge."
"Right." Kinn didn't sound convinced.
"So we're really just going to ignore the elephant in the room?" Tankhun says, changing the subject swiftly.
Kim stretches and grunts. "When have we never?"
"I know but it feels like we shouldn't be doing that right now."
"If you want to talk, then by all means you can start." Kinn says to Tankhun.
"You know the first time Kim ever came to me after mum died was because of you." Tankhun says casually.
"What?" "What the fuck?" Kinn and Kim exclaim together, one out of genuine surprise and one out of betrayal.
"He heard your conversation with father. When he told you, if push comes to shove you should be able to sacrifice anyone for the sake of the family. And when he mentioned Kim, you still said yes." Tankhun continues, unbothered by the blistering glare Kim levelled on him.
"I was just going along with his words so he would let me go after our talk I- Of course I wouldn't have done it! Kim is my little brother, there's no way I would have been able to." Kinn yells, standing up
"Kim doesn't think so and your behaviour towards him hasn't proved him wrong." Tankhun returns, raising his voice and standing up too.
"Are you guys done speaking about me like I'm not here?" Kim speaks up, waiting for them to sit back down. They do, after staring at each other for a solid minute.
"Look I'd like nothing more than to not have this conversation but I promised Chay I'd try to talk things out with you. I also promised him I'd let him kick your ass if you pissed me off so be careful what you say to me okay?"
"Please don't let your boyfriend threaten me again, he genuinely scares me." Kinn shivers at the memory of Chay talking to him about Kim. Kim smirks proudly.
"Good. You should be scared."
"Get to it Kim." Kinn says impatiently.
"Right. I want to know why you treat those who work for you like they're dispensable." Kim asks seriously and Kinn blinks in surprise.
"Is this about the last mission? I'm not a heartless jerk, of course I don't think they're dispensable."
"Yet you dismissed his near death experience like it was nothing."
"You really think I didn't care? What would causing a fuss have done? We had lost so much that day, I did the best I could to save us on all ends."
"It would have shown the rest of the bodyguards that you care. That they don't work for a stone cold bastard."
Tankhun cuts in. "I think… father has instilled some terrible values in both of you."
Kinn sighs. "I wasn't nonchalant about one of our men almost getting killed for my mistake, it just wouldn't have been wise to show much I cared then."
"It was just both of us, there was no need to pretend."
Kinn scoffs. "There's always a need to pretend in our family. Care is a weakness, it's one of the few things father got right. You know this too Kim."
Kim stays quiet because he knows Kinn is right. However they had both made exceptions to that rule in their lives.
"You were always the golden child. Even before Khun couldn't continue his training, father had already started training you as well even though you were younger. You picked things so easily and you were so loyal."
"I didn't obey father out of loyalty, are you fucking kidding me? I did it out of fear." Kim cuts in.
"What I did with Chay? I did it out of loyalty for you ." Kinn looks at him surprised and Kim continues. "Because I know you. You're so fucking clueless some times and didn't even think about how weird it was that father was so insistent on your little boyfriend."
Kinn smiles ruefully. "You were always the smarter one. It's one of the things he always liked about you. It's one of the things everyone liked about you even when you were being a complete jerk. Including me."
"Well you can't hate genius, can you?" Kim gets an elbow in his stomach from Tankhun for that.
"I guess you can't. I get what Khun said. You should have been the head of the family." Kinn says, prompting a surprised snort from Kim and guilty sputtering from Tankhun.
"If I had been the leader, I would have burned this family to the ground and ran away. "
"No you wouldn't, you care about people way more than you should."
"That's not true, but even if it was, I would have still been a poor choice as the leader. I do well in parts you fail and it's the same the other way around. You couldn't pay me to sit around for hours playing nice with people I'd rather put a bullet through just for the sake of tentative peace. I'm impulsive too and while swift action is good in this line of business, thinking strategically is good too and you're good at that. There's no need debating on who the head should be because it's already you and I don't think anyone else could have handled it the same way you have." Kim finishes and for the second time that week, meets the teary eyes of one of his brothers.
"Oh my god, please tell me you're not crying. I'm not doing this shit again. "
"This is the most you've said to me without threatening to put a bullet through me since you were like 9. I'm happy and a little scared."
"He's nailing this motivational speaker arc, ask him for a hug, he gives really good ones too." Tankhun pushes Kim towards Kinn, causing him to hiss like a cat.
"Absolutely not." He says vehemently.
"It's okay, we're not there yet. I'll wait." Kinn smiles softly.
"Please stop smiling like that, you're making me uncomfortable." Kim says, like a brat.
"Since both of you have made up, I have complaints. You!" He points at Kim, making him jump.
"I basically raised you-"
"That was Chan-"
"Interrupt me again and I'll make sure the only thing that keeps Chay warm at night is your dried up skin after I've skinned you alive." Tankhun deadpans. Kim's eyes widen in horror but he wisely shuts up.
"I basically raised you and yet you got your first taste of freedom and you bolted. You came back only for missions and would hardly talk to me. I was hurt! You're my baby brother, you think knowing you were outside the safety of the family bodyguards wouldn't have gotten my anxiety running?! Do you know how relieved I used to feel whenever you walked in one piece?"
"I'm sorry." Kim says sincerely. Tankhun sniffs and waves a hand dismissively.
"You kind of made up for it already, I just needed to get that off my chest. And you!" He faces Kinn, making him jump too.
"You're an insufferable brat who has given me a headache all these years. I walked you through this leadership thing. I made sure to stay by you when the other families looked down on you after you were picked even though I recognised some of them as my kidnappers. I've been with you since day one and you had the audacity to claim no one has your back and no one supports you. I've supported you in every way I know how. Are you saying it wasn't good enough?" Tankhun pauses when Kinn shakes his head repeatedly.
"Of course not. It was always enough, you were my strongest support and I'm sorry I never appreciated you for that."
Tankhun nods, satisfied with the apologies he managed to shake out of his brothers.
"So we're all settled then? No more talking to each other like we're enemies?"
"That only happens with Kim and I only talk to him like that because he actively tries to piss me off."
"You're no easy person to get along with brother, that's for sure." Kim bites back. Tankhun holds his hands up between them.
"That's enough, we made major breakthroughs today. No threatening talks." He says standing up. Kim and Kinn look at him in confusion as he walks towards the door and brings out a set of keys from his pocket.
"Porsche wouldn't use the normal door locks to trap us inside cmon-" He stops when he hears the lock open.
"I know he didn't, I have the keys he used. I was the one who told him and Chay to lock us up anyway." He leaves the room immediately. It takes a few seconds for the remaining 2 brothers to realise they've been played and they run out of the room, screaming bloody murder and threatening everyone in their way.
But hey, at least they got through a conversation without someone getting punched.