Work Text:
The season is England is winter, and although Pran is still not used to the cold weather, today, he decided to go out to distract himself, because he might really ho crazy if he stays in their apartment, especially when today is Pat's wedding. It's been more or less five months since he left Thailand, and he couldn't help but think about the point that brought him to the foreign country. Was it all real? Did it all really happen? But one look at Pa's Facebook page wakes him up from the reality of what he lost, what he left, and what he has to endure. Seeing Pat getting engaged and then now getting married to someone who isn't Pran. Pran walked through the deserted park, just occasionally passing by a jogger or a dog walker. After aimlessly walking for a while, Pran decided to sit on one of the benches, the cold from the metal seeping through his bones making him hiss and shiver, but Pran stayed put.
"Haaa!" He sighed loudly. "They're probably saying their vows now."
'Run away with me, Pran. Let's be together. We can go anywhere that we can be together.'
Pran smiled sadly. "I should have said yes when you told me that Pat, then maybe we're still together right now. Maybe we'll struggle, but at least we're happy."
'You don't care if we won't be together, if we have to break up, or if I have to be with someone else?'
He remembered reasoning with Pat, about leaving their parents, about how it would be so hard for them to run away without any plans, no jobs, and no place to live in. "I should've just let our impulses win. Why did I have to be reasonable at that time? But one of us had to be."
'You won't go with me no matter what, right? You know I'm going to have to get married, right? Are you okay with that? Are you okay with me marrying someone else?'
Of course not, Pran was absolutely horrified just thinking about Pat being with someone else, but now it's killing Pran's body and soul knowing that at this very moment, Pat is getting married while he's here in a park in England, crying pitifully, because he couldn't fight for his love for Pat. "What exactly was my wish after that phone call? To wish for the owner of my heart to be doing fine even if I can't follow my desire?" Pran scoffs. "Is my Pat doing fine?" Pran asks the grey sky. "I'm so sorry Pat, I'm so sorry for being a coward, for leaving you, for being so hopeless." He sobs.
"Bloody hell mate!" A man lying behind the bench suddenly stood up, making Pran jumped up from the bench mid-sob. "The weather's already depressing as it is, don't add to it." The man grumbled.
Pran wiped his tears and slightly bowed. "I'm sorry-"
"If you regret it so much, then go change it." The man said and shoved Pran.
"Wha-" Before Pran could process what was happening, he was now suddenly standing in a dim-lit room. He looked around and slowly realized he's standing in his childhood room. What the hell is going on?
"Pack your necessities and come here right now." A familiar voice said, and Pran realized, he has his phone against his ear.
"Pat?"
"Run away with me, Pran. Let's be together, and go anywhere that we can be together." Pran's eyes widened. Holy shit! Is this really happening? Did he really go back in time? But how did it happen? He was just in a park somewhere in England, and then was shoved by a homeless man. Nothing makes any sense, but either way, Pran is given a chance to change their fate, best believe he'll grab this opportunity and not waste any time.
"Where were you again?" He asks, moving around his room and hastily packed his belongings.
"Main street." Pat replied.
"I'll be there in ten minutes. Wait for me." Pran said and went out through his window.
And so they ran away, went to the bus terminal, and got a one-way ticket to the very first bus that leaves. The bus took them to a quiet, zero-waste village where they met a kind villager who let them stay at his guest house. To repay the villager for his kindness, they volunteer to do any work that needed to be done, like helping with fishing, working at the beach bar, and so on. Pat and Pran were happy. Pran did have a thought of contacting his parents, but decided against it. He's going to choose Pat and Pat alone. What Pat wants, where Pat wants to go, Pran will be there with him.
On one of the nights, their favourite thing to do is sit on top of the big rocks and just talk. Tonight, they're reminiscing about what they've been through since the beginning of their lives.
"We've experienced wonderful times a lot." Pat said. "We've had awful times a lot. We've looked out for each other a lot. We've been happier a lot." Pat looked at him and smiled. "Are you happy, Pran?"
Pran nodded with a smile. "I am. Are you happy?"
"As long as I have you." Pat replied.
"You have me. For always."
Pran has been staring at the sleeping Pat next to him, and he feels nothing but contentment. Pran didn't know he could love a person this much, and Pat of all people. His first love, and probably his last, too.
"Until when are you going to stare at me?" Pat asks in a groggy voice, eyes still close.
"Forever." Pran said, leaning in to kiss Pat's forehead. "I'm sorry, Pat."
Pat finally opened his eyes. "About what?"
About leaving you before, for breaking your heart, for letting you down, for everything. "That our love is too complicated." Pran said instead.
Pat chuckles. "Then I'm sorry too." Pat reached out for Pran's hand and kissed his knuckle. "Go to sleep, baby. We'll have brighter days."
Pran nodded and moved closer to Pat. "I love you."
"I love you more."
Pran slowly opened his eyes and saw a familiar ceiling. He jumped out of the bed in panicked, looking around his childhood room. Why is he here again? Where's Pat? He checked his phone, and the date displayed was 2nd of December 2021, Pat's wedding day. Without wasting another second, he ran out of his room and ran down the stairs, passing by the kitchen where his parents are having breakfast.
"Pran! What's going on!?" He heard his mom yell after him, but Pran ignored her and ran towards the neighbors house.
"Pat!" He shouted as he burst through the gate. "Pat! Where are you!? Pat!" He knocks into the front door frantically, his heart beating even faster. "Pat!" He heard a click, and soon the door opened, revealing the love of his life.
"Pran? What's goin-" Before Pat could finish asking, Pran was already wrapping his arms around Pat's neck, and automatically, Pat wrapped his arm around Pran's waist. "What's wrong?"
"Are we still together? You're not getting married, right? Please tell me it's still me and you." Pran sobs.
He heard Pat chuckles as he tightened his hold on Pran. "Did you have a nightmare?" Pat asked, voice playful, but when Pran sobs even harder, his smile drops. "I'm not getting married. I haven't proposed to you yet." He said and leaned back to see Pran's face. "It's still you and me, baby, always you and me." He added, wiping Pran's tears away.
"You're still mine?" Pran sniffs.
"Will always be yours, Pran. Now and for as long as you'll have me."
"Oh, thank God." Pran sobs again and placed kisses all over Pat's face. "I love you. I love you. I love you."
"I love you too Pran."
"It's too early for you kids to be like this." They heard Ming grumbles.
"Oh, young love." Pat's mom added, before guiding her husband back inside the house, and leave the lovers be.
"And here I thought something serious happened." Dissaya, who followed Pran, said.
It's still a mystery to Pran as to how and why he travelled through time and to even change the past, but he's grateful. If it's that homeless man's doing, then Pran hopes to see him again to thank him. If this is all a dream, a delusion caused by his broken heart, then he hopes to never wake up from this.
The End.