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“You should turn over to the next page, Phi,” Rain said, almost bouncing in excitement.
Phayu turned to look at the man curled into his side. “Any reason for that?”
“No,” Rain said, dragging out the syllable. “It’s just what you’re supposed to do, stop bullying me, Phi when I’m being so sweet and loveable.”
Rain was clearly starting to get excited for the next part of the celebrations if he was in this kind of whiny, bratty mood but Phayu had no complaints about this plan so he ignored the gagging noises from their friends and Saifah and turned the page as instructed. Rain had managed to save both the date he’d left him as well as taken pictures of the shelter itself.
“Notice anything different?” Prapai’s voice was teasing but excited like a puppy’s and combined with Rain’s keenness, it made Phayu suspicious.
He looked again.
The shelter did look a little different in the photo.
“I added helmet racks and hooks and shelves for your gear so that we can stop cluttering up the coffee table,” Rain said, almost vibrating. “Plus I wanted to make up for you know… forgetting.”
“There was never anything to make up for but I love your additions, Rain.”
~~~~
Phayu had warned him that the second year would be much harder than the first, but Rain had never really thought about exactly why that would be……..that had turned out to be a stupid mistake on his part, as he was currently tearing his hair out over his final assessment of his second year and panicking about just how much worse the two years he had left until he graduated could get! Just how did anyone pass this course at all, let alone with a Cum Laude level qualification like his husband. Of course it helped that Phayu was a veritable genius……...and as for his ass, well there was certainly no argument there on Rain’s part……..
Focus Rain!
Grumbling to himself that there was literally anything he would rather be doing than trying to design this high-rise building which seemed determined to sink into the ground, fall over, or collapse, whatever the hell he did with it, Rain forced his focus back on his assignment. It was dark outside and Phayu wasn’t home yet…….again…..but Rain wasn’t really worried. He had learned his lesson about doubting his loving hubby when he had stormed off to the beach with Sky in a huff, determined to make Phayu suffer because of cheating on him with some woman. Only to find out that the woman was actually a long time friend of his husbands who Phayu had been working with in order to get Rain a holiday on a private island, before he began his second year. The holiday had been perfect, which had only served to make Rain feel even more stupid about the whole thing, and even more determined never to make the same mistake again. Phayu had told him that he was having a particularly hard time at work, having been made a group leader in the past few months, and Rain had no reason not to believe him.
Although technically Rain still lived at home with his mother, he had more clothes and university stuff at Phayu’s nowadays, and most of his coursework books had emigrated into Phayu’s bookshelves. Even Phayu’s home study, which had once been the man’s escape from the world, had found itself gaining a second desk when Phayu had gotten too fed up with Rain doing his assignments on the floor! One good thing about the office, and the house in general being empty though, was that there was no one to correct him when something went wrong with his high-rise design, once again, and Rain let out a loud and very imaginative round of curses.
What was wrong with this damn thing?
He still had half a term to complete it though, the final assessment was a term long project, so he wasn’t quite screwed yet. Maybe he would ask Phayu, the next time he managed to corner his beloved husband, into looking at what was wrong with it. Although lately Rain was only really seeing the man as he darted out the door first thing in the morning for some meeting, or when he was half asleep in bed as the soothing weight of an arm rested over him, and that muscled back came in contact with his. Even though Rain was never quite awake at those times, he could still remember snuggling up to Phayu’s warm chest and hearing the older man chuckle happily as he soothed Rain’s hair back from his forehead enough to place a chaste kiss. As expected, that was exactly what happened that night. Rain had gone to bed as normal around 10.30, with no sign of Phayu, and he would have known if the man was in the house as he was kinda hard to miss! Half waking up at some point in the night to feel the warmth of Phayu’s larger body pulling him close and kissing him on the cheek, and then waking up properly at the blaring of Phayu’s alarm at some godforsaken hour, forcing himself out of bed long enough to shove a cup of coffee in his husbands hand before he vanished again. Although Phayu had been made group leader a few months ago, whoever this pain in the ass client was, had only appeared in the last week or so, and Rain was already starting to wish the person got run over by a bus, or fell off a bridge or something, just so he could see more of his husband than just his back!
Still, it wasn’t like he didn’t have enough to keep himself busy. Today was morning lectures, and then another afternoon falling out with his leaning high-rise drawings………….ohh yay!
The rainy season in Thailand had started a few weeks ago, which was making things even more dreary with life in general at the moment. Normally Phayu would take Rain to university in his car when the heavens opened, but for the past few weeks Rain had been back to his old, Pre Phayu, life of driving himself. This of course included things he had become too spoilt to bother with anymore, such as bad drivers, fiddling with headlights, and finding parking spaces. Still, Rain knew that Phayu wouldn’t be working this hard if he didn’t have to, and just hoped it was over soon. The lessons that day seemed particularly boring, and even Sky seemed to be dropping to sleep by the end of one professor’s class. Rain didn’t know what was wrong with him, but something about today, the weather, the classes, and not seeing Phayu for so long, just seemed to be more annoying than normal.
At lunch time both Sky and Sig had complained about the class, talking about something to do with it being a repeat of one they had heard last year, but Rain had been too focused on staring at his phone. It had become normal for him to text Phayu during lunch, and usually Phayu would respond almost immediately. Rain was well aware that his husband had a specific tone on his phone which he used just for him, and had done ever since the whole mess with Stop months ago. Phayu himself had said that he didn’t want to go through the fear he had felt that day ever again, and for the first few months had driven Rain nearly insane in how often he texted him to see if he was alright. Although that had calmed down now, Phayu was still a bit obsessive about returning Rain’s texts or calls within a few minutes. Yet today it had been close to half an hour, and still no message back from Phayu. There could be many reasons for that, he could be with a client, in a meeting, just busy, his phone could be dead……..lots of things………so why was Rain feeling abandoned all of a sudden?
‘Can’t face even not talking to P’Phayu for a few hours I see……….a year together and you’re still whipped Rainy boy!’ Sig joked, taking a big sip of his drink.
‘Huh!’ Rain responded, his head jerking upwards and away from the blank phone screen.
‘Did I get the wrong day? I’m sure it was a year today that you started making our ears bleed with your story of the …..ohhh the so hot, big biker, that no one could ever compare to, who saved your ass when your tyre blew out.’
Rain’s head whipped around as if he was expecting to see someone not there………..his eyes darting back and forth in panic……….he could already hear his heartrate picking up.
‘Ohh I don’t think you got the wrong day Sig…….’ Sky spoke up, sounding way too happy while observing Rain’s current mini panic attack…….. ‘I think our little Raincloud simply forgot what today was!’
‘I didn’t forget what today was!’ Rain snapped defensively ‘I just………’
He just what? Had been too busy doing university work that he hadn’t remembered that they had met this time last year? Hell even the physical signal of the damn rainy season hadn’t cued him in……..the rainy season had just begun when they met, why was he so stupid not to realise that the rainy season would signal their anniversary? He hadn’t seen much of Phayu because he had been busy at work, was that why he had forgotten?
Ohh yeah Rain, that’s right, blame Phayu for forgetting your first ever anniversary, because THAT will stop him getting mad!
‘You just realised you’re screwed……..and not in a fun way!’ Sky responded, the jerk laughing at him.
The rest of the day’s lessons had gone even worse than the first half, with Rain half eager to get home and try and salvage what he could out of the complete cock up the day had become, and half never wanting to walk back into the house because he would see Phayu’s disappointed face. He hated it when Phayu was disappointed in him. Eventually though, the last class drew to a close and Rain resigned himself to the fact he would need to go and face the music……….or the storm in this case. Surprisingly Sky gave him a slight reprieve as the two were headed to their cars.
‘Why don’t you drive over to the house, and I will take you somewhere you can buy a last minute gift for P’Phayu……..it might get you out of some of the trouble you seem determined to get yourself in.’
Rain had only been too eager to take his best friend up on the offer, quickly driving to the house Sky now shared with Pai, dropping his car off on the drive and almost jumping in the passenger side of Sky’s own car. Sky just grinned at Rain’s nervous energy.
‘People would think that you are scared P’Phayu will kill you for forgetting!’ He laughed.
Rain wasn’t in the mood to explain that Phayu would do something worse than kill him………..he would get disappointed……….and Rain never knew how to make him feel better when he was like that. Phayu always knew how to make Rain feel better, always knew how to make him happy when he was upset at things……….Rain always felt inadequate and stupid and not being able to do the same for his husband, largely because he was nearly always the one who made him that way!
Rain was so lost in his own head that he hadn’t realised the car had stopped until Sky patted him on the shoulder to get his attention. Looking around at the familiar surroundings, Rain couldn’t help but let out a confused murmur.
‘I thought we were going to get Phi a gift, why are we at the garage?’
Sky just smiled again before replying.
‘I knew you would forget, so I prepared you something. It’s all ready in the forecourt!’
Rain almost squeaked with pleasure, hugging Sky tightly before almost hopping out the car, eventually remembering his umbrella, and to the gates which signalled the garage was closed to visitors. Rain had been given a key to the garage a while ago, just in case he happened to forget something while working in the office or Phi’s room upstairs. It wasn’t normally closed at this time of day, but he guessed that with Phi being busy with his other job and the rain as bad as it was, everyone might have decided just to go home early.
Reaching out to flip the lights on in the forecourt area, Rain stalled. There was something odd in the middle of the courtyard, but that couldn’t be what Sky had been talking about surely, Rain would never get that home! Upon getting closer, Rain was even more confused about what was actually happening.
The structure was made out of pale wood, although it seemed darker now it was wet from the rain. Three sides of it were covered by a lovely, almost sky-blue plastic that kept out the weather and protected what was inside. The wooden sides reached up, creating an enchantingly artistic roof, lined with the same plastic. The inside of which was covered in dainty fairy lights to give it an almost ethereal glow………Rain had to look at the whole thing twice……..it was beautiful. Then he noticed what was already inside, and felt his breath catch. It was one of Phayu’s favourite bikes, the one he had taken Rain on their first date with, the one Phayu always rode when he wanted to come home to Rain safely. Rain reached out to touch the handlebars carefully……..this was his Phi’s baby, what was it doing here? His eyes landed on a piece of paper clipped to the bike and removed it as gently as he could…………..damaging this bike would be a certain punishment.
Sit!
It was definitely Phi’s handwriting.
Rain looked at the paper again as if some more words would magically appear.
Unsurprisingly none did.
So, as the bike was the only thing in the structure he could possibly sit on, Rain perched himself as comfortably as he could on the seat of the bike without causing it to wobble.
Nothing happened for a few minutes, not that Rain knew what he expected to happen, or even if he expected anything to happen at all. The only thing he could hear was the sound of the rain hitting the top of the wooden structure and wondering what on earth he was doing wasting his time here when he needed to get back home for his and Phi’s anniversary!
Then he heard a click of a door, somewhere near Phi’s office, but he wasn’t quite sure. Out of the shadows a figure appeared, and Rain’s body felt like it was pulling itself in two. His heart wanted to race a mile a minute like he had just been running a marathon, but his throat had closed up and was refusing to allow any more oxygen into his body!
The figure was Phi! It had to be!
It was the same black leather jacket with red detail Phi had worn that first night they met, the night Rain’s tyre had blow on the road. Even the trousers and boots looked the same, dark and thick, but hugging those legs which Rain now knew where deceptively powerful, too tightly, and not tightly enough somehow both at once.! Even the face covering was the same, covering the lower part of his face, leaving only those piercing eyes available to see………those eyes which even back then had seemed capable of seeing into his soul. Rain was trembling before he realised what was happening, wanting to get up, kiss and touch his husband, but Phayu’s message had clearly told him to sit, so he forced himself to stay where he was. It was only then that he realised Phayu had something else with him, something he hadn’t worn that night when they met…………..but Rain HAD! Phayu was holding Rain’s umbrella……the very one he had held over his Phi’s head to shelter him from the rain all those months ago.
Rain didn’t know if he should just run and jump into his Phi’s arms or sit there and cry and the emotions overwhelming him right now…………Phi had remembered it………every last detail of it!
As if to save Rain from deciding which of his two choices would be less embarrassing. Phayu reached up with his free hand, pulling the face covering down so it pooled around his neck, as he stepped further into the courtyard. As if by some unspoken cue Rain heard some gentle music start up from somewhere, his ears trying to figure out where from……it was as if it was coming from everywhere all at once. Then his attention snapped fully back to Phayu as the other man opened his mouth and that rich, deep voice, that Rain would never get tired of hearing if he listened to it for a thousand lifetimes………began to sing.
If you see me, you will find love in my eyes
You are the half that completed my life
What I am, I will give you without fearing of making a mistake
I believe in you, and I will leave my hope in your hands
I want to be inside your heart
To be able to make you love me like I love you
Rain’s eyes were already unashamedly tearing up as he heard the words. Phayu was a man who did a lot of things with actions……..yes he used words, but mostly to tease. Rain had figured out that teasing was Phayu’s language of love, and even though he did have a tremendously soft and gentle side, it only came out around those he truly loved and trusted.
Seeing his Phi sing a song like this…………here in a place he was in charge of…………even if it was closed right now………seeing Phayu willing to open himself up, make himself so vulnerable in such a place. Made Rain feel so wanted, so special……….he didn’t have the words for it.
I only wanna be the man, to give you everything I can
every day and every night, love you for all my life.
I don't wanna change the world, as long as you're my guy
it's more than enough, just to be the man you love.
Phayu continued walking forwards, his voice loud and confident against the rain hammering down on both of them. It was almost as if Phayu was proclaiming his love for Rain against the very heavens themselves, challenging them to disbelieve what he was saying………..what he was offering………..what he was promising!
Stood in the safety of the small shelter Phayu had spent the last few weeks both designing and building from scratch with his own hands, his boy looked beautiful. Tears where already staining Rain’s cheeks, almost looking like it was raining inside too, but Phayu knew that these tears were of happiness, and that his gift was being received well. He had struggled over which song to use for the longest time. It had to be a song which would show his deep feelings and devotion to Rain, but not something too corny and overdone. Eventually he had found this one and it had caught hold of his heart.
Originally the one the singer had been serenading had been female, but one simple change of ‘girl’ to ‘guy’ and Phayu had made it the perfect song for himself and his boy! The umbrella wasn’t doing a great job at keeping the rain away, the water was already seeping beneath his jacket and through his t-shirt, but he wasn’t really focusing on that right now. Simply the face of the boy in front of him. The face that, if he had his way, would always be there when he drifted off to sleep, and there when he awoke. Smiling, Phayu took another step, another deep breath, and carried on.
I want to be the place where you can take refuge
The fear and in my arms calm your anxiety
From today I am going to be everything for you
Just yesterday I dreamed of you, and now you are here
I want to hear your secrets, what you dream of discovering
I want to love you like that.
Phayu had just about reached the edge of the small shelter where Rain was almost dancing with nerves where he perched on the bike. Rain wanted to get up, jump into his husband’s arms, hug him tight and never let go……...what had he ever done to deserve someone as perfect as Phayu? He had no clue but he hoped that he kept doing it for as long as he breathed, and never let his Phi doubt how much he loved him. Rain’s knuckles were white where they gripped the seat of the bike, trying to stop himself from jumping up and running in the growing darkness and increasingly heavy rain. It was almost like a storm was gathering, both outside with Phayu, and inside Rain’s own heart.
it's more than enough,
just to be the man you love.
Rain forced himself to remain still, to do what he was told, until Phayu finally finished his song……..that rich and beautiful voice finally winding to a close. Rain knew he was openly crying, knew his face must look a mess…….but he didn’t care. No one had ever cared so much about him before. If there had ever been any doubt about Phayu being the perfect man for him, Rain knew that there never, ever, would be again after this.
Phayu finally stepped into the shelter, dropping the umbrella just outside…….he would need it at some point, but not for a while. As if him crossing the invisible threshold set something off in Rain, his boy shot up from his place on the bike and barrelled into him with enough force to nearly send them both back out into the elements. Phayu laughed softly, wrapping his arms around Rain, keeping his boy close as Rain nuzzled into his shoulder, quiet sobs coming from his throat. Phayu gently soothed his partner, stroking his gloved hand down Rain’s back…...letting Rain work through the emotions he was feeling in his own time. He had wanted tonight to be special, but he hadn’t wanted Rain to become this emotional……..maybe he had overdone it a bit.
Rain pulled himself together enough to lift his head and look back at Phayu. He didn’t think his husband had ever looked more handsome…….even if his hair was wet through, the bun half falling out, and his jacket was dripping water all over the floor! Rain himself could feel the cold dampness of the rain against his skin, where it had already soaked through his thin university shirt. Phayu though was looking a little uncertain, and Rain wanted to wipe that doubt off his face immediately.
‘That was beautiful…….’ Rain said, almost sobbing again as soon as he opened his mouth….. ‘you remembered …….you remembered everything!’
‘How could I forget even one detail about you my sweet boy. I knew from the moment you held that umbrella over my head that I had met the one for me!’ Phayu responded, the smile firmly back on his face.
Rain buried his head back into the cold dampness of Phayu’s jacketed shoulder, murmuring over and over in his mortification.
‘I forgot……….I forgot……...how can you be so perfect when I can’t even get this right!’
Phayu gave Rain a moment to mutter to himself and get it out his system, before pulling Rain backwards, so he had no choice but to be face to face with him once again. His poor boy looked totally embarrassed, but Phayu has an easy way to deal with that!
‘You feel bad for forgetting what today was……..then you can decide how you get to make it up to me tonight!’ Phayu said, with a suggestive raise of his eyebrow.
As expected, Rain responded by half-heartedly punching him in the shoulder and muttering something under his breath, but at least he was smiling which is all Phayu cared about. Anyway, he had tonight's entertainment fully planned out. For now, though Phayu lowered his head, catching Rain’s lips before the younger man had time to even try and turn away.
As if by a silent signal, or maybe just as if on instinct, Rain remained still just long enough for Phayu to run his tongue along his love’s bottom lip, before Rain opened his mouth in invitation. Phayu had never needed to be asked a second time, certainly not when it came to Rain. His tongue found its way inside as naturally as he breathed, Rain as always being so good and following his lead as the two of them fell into a deep and more animalistic examination of each other’s mouths. One of Rain’s hands had found its way to Phayu’s hair and was tugging at his bun with a strength just side of being painful, whereas Phayu’s gloved hand had already left wet finger marks down Rain’s spine and was now firmly palming his ass through his trousers, leaving damp patches everywhere he touched.
The kiss carried on, neither of them wanted to break the intimate moment, before the need for oxygen overrode everything else. Rain leaned back, his eyes wide, panting slightly and with wet patches on his clothes from Phayu’s touches. Phayu wasn’t much better, and he knew that if he didn’t get them inside soon then his bike was going to be used for much more than he had originally planned.
‘We need to get inside……...I need a shower!’ Phayu said. Hoping it sounded even a little like he wasn’t choking on the oxygen he was supposed to be breathing.
‘Maybe I will give you a hand’ Rain said with one of those smiles that always made Phayu’s heart stutter.
‘Sounds like a plan……’ Phayu responded, but pulled Rain towards him before whispering slowly in his ear. ‘but before you even think of any of that………..I believe you haven't answered my question?’
Rain pulled back slightly, obviously confused at how the playful flirting had turned into question-and-answer time, especially when he had no idea what the question actually was. Phayu tried not to grin at the mix of confusion, annoyance, and frustration, flashing in Rain’s eyes, before his boy actually gave up and asked.
‘What question, Phi?’
Phayu pouted, slapping Rain’s ass gently in mock annoyance as he pretended, he was hurt at the question.
Of course, Rain had no clue what the question was!
‘I spend all this time setting up a romantic evening for us both, and you can’t even remember the question I asked you!’ Phayu tutted, but made sure to continue speaking before Rain could think he was being serious. ‘Will you let me be the man who loves you…….and who you love…..for the rest of our lives Rain?’
‘You sound like you are proposing!’ Rain said, startled.
‘Not yet……..but one day!’ Phayu promised.
Rain blushed, bright red, he buried his face in Phayu’s shoulder once again. This time mumbling something about Phayu not playing fair. Phayu once again stayed still and quiet, allowing Rain the time he needed to process what he was being asked. After a few minutes though Rain lifted his head, those bright eyes seemed to be staring into Phayu’s soul as he spoke.
‘For the rest of our lives!’