Work Text:
Sky and Rain were lying on Sky’s bed, while Pai was at the garage getting his bike tuned up. The day had been surprisingly calm, their last exam finished and final projects handed in, Rain had insisted on a best friend day. Sky protested for the obligatory three minutes before buying takeout on Pai’s card. They had watched a few episodes of One Piece, gorged on food, and were now gossiping about anything and everything. Things that the two of them had missed during the final’s week.
“And then P’Pai decides to just book the trip without consulting me. He thinks just because I let him into my bed I’ll go along with anything.”
Rain covered his mouth to stop the laughter, which got him attacked by a pillow. They struggled for a moment before Rain was able to get on top of Sky and drop all of his weight.
“Oi Rain,” Sky protested, “get off. You’re heavy.”
Rain grumbled, “But I’m comfy. And you were being mean.”
Sky tsks and makes another motion to get Rain off but ultimately lets Rain stay there. Sky wouldn’t say it out loud but he had missed Rain. Exam season was hard on both of them, but especially Rain. He needed strict schedules and minimal distractions which meant that Sky didn’t get to actually see his best friend outside of group work sessions.
It was weird for Sky to even think about having a best friend sometimes. Before Rain he didn’t know what it was like to have someone you could trust without other things being tied to it. Yes, he did trust P’Pai, and to some degree P’Phayu, but with Rain things were different. Rain didn’t expect anything from him, didn’t expect him to do anything but be himself. Sky had never hidden himself from Rain because at the beginning of their friendship Sky had been trying to push Rain away. It was stupid to think about now. Rain had taken one look at Sky and decided they would be besties for life. It had annoyed Sky innately but Sky was relieved that Rain had already seen the worst and still decided to stay.
Now if Sky didn’t see Rain for longer than a week he almost felt like he was in withdrawal. Which he would never tell Rain, ever.
“Oh,” Rain's head popped up, “Pa wanted to know if you were going to come to breakfast on Saturday.”
“Yes, though P’Pai may try and crash it.”
Rain shrugged, texting away on his phone. “That's fine, P’Phayu has to be there, so it only makes sense for P’Pai to come."
If P’Phayu was going to be there then it meant that Uncle Tharn probably wouldn't be. Sky didn't understand the animosity that Rain’s dad had for Phayu. Uncle Type had briefly explained it, but lacking enough detail that even Sky didn't understand. That reminded Sky…
“How are things going at home?” He prodded.
Rain hummed, “Good. Yesterday Dad showed up for lunch with Pa and P’Phayu.”
Sky sat straight up, dislodging Rain, who couldn’t help but whine as he tumbled onto the bed. “Skyyyyy!”
“Uncle Tharn showed up for lunch? With P’Phayu? Did Uncle Type threaten him?”
Rain sat up, now mirroring Sky's position, “No, get this he showed up willingly.”
There is a long pause as Sky just stares at Rain, trying to process what he just heard. Uncle Tharn does everything he can to get out of spending time with P’Phayu, and now he willingly went to lunch with him?
“Did something happen?”
Rain shakes his head, “Not that I can think of. All of a sudden Dad's been nicer. He even picked me up from P’Phayu’s and had a civil conversation with P’Phayu while I got my stuff. They talked about work.”
Sky really should check outside to see if the sky was falling, it was the only thing he could think of to explain this sudden change in behaviour. One of Uncle Type’s friends, Rain’s Uncle Thecho, had said Type was unbelievably stubborn but Sky didn't believe that. If you asked Sky, Uncle Tharn was the stubborn one in the family. From what he understood about how Rain’s parents got together, it was Tharn’s stubbornness that had eventually won out. That all to say, Uncle Tharn approving of P’Phayu had been out of the question since the day Rain revealed his relationship. Or so he had thought.
Sky looked at Rain more closely, the way that his shoulders weren't as tight and his eyes were brighter. “So it's going well?”
Rain beams, “Yeah, I didn't think this would happen after everything that went down. I'm glad Dad likes P’Phayu.” There's a shine in Rain’s eyes that tells Sky everything he needs to know. He doesn't want to push too hard, knowing how fragile Rain can get so he reaches over and drags Rain back down on the bed, loading up another episode of One Piece.
***
Phayu drives Pai back to his apartment. His bike needs more work than they thought, and since Rain was over it was a kind of two birds, one stone situation.
“So you really don't know what happened?” Pai asks, picking up an earlier conversation as he closes the car door.
“No,” Phayu shakes his head, falling into step with Pai, “One minute I'm sure he's going to kill me, and the next he’s asking me how my job was going and about my hobbies. Poor Rain looked like he was going into shock.”
Pai suspects the one who would have fallen over from shock was Phayu. It had taken quite a bit of time for Phayu to even mention how his father-in-law’s actions bothered him. Pai knew Phayu didn't look to outside validation, but someone as important to Rain as his dad? Yeah that would sting.
“Maybe Uncle Type said something?” Pai hadn't gotten into the habit of referring to Rain’s parents the same that Sky did, Phayu was the only one who still used Khun.
Phayu hummed, not sounding convinced. It was a bit weak sounding to his own ears. He had seen the way Type spoke to Tharn, he wouldn't have allowed this to go on for so long.
As they got into the elevator a thought occurred, “Didn't you say that Rain’s grandpa doesn't like Uncle Tharn?”
Phayu nodded, “Apparently he hates Khun-Tharn enough that they haven't seen each other since Rain was a kid.”
Pai cringed, his own family drove him crazy but at least they wholly accepted Sky. Sometimes Pai wonders if his own parents would trade him for Sky, not that he doesn't blame them. Sky is amazing.
“Have you met Uncle Tharn's family?”
“Not yet.” It was the way Phayu's tone dipped at the end, exhaustion dragging it down. The parent that did accept Phayu couldn't be introduced to the extended family, and the extended family that would probably like him the parent didn't like him. Pai did not envy Phayu's situation.
They let the silence lapse as they made their way into Pai’s condo.
It wasn't quiet, Pai could hear the sounds of a show playing from their bedroom, as he took off his shoes. He wasn't all that surprised to find Sky and Rain passed out on his and Sky’s bed, One Piece playing on Sky’s laptop. Despite the impressive home entertainment system, Sky preferred the intimacy of curling up on the bed, huddled around the smaller screen. Pai hadn't understood until Sky had fallen asleep on top of him while watching a show.
The look Phayu gave Rain was intimate enough that Pai almost thought he should leave. It has taken a while for Phayu to find his person, but now that he had Rain he was never letting go.
Pai watched as Phayu sat down on the edge of the bed, leaning over Rain to whisper in his ear, rubbing Rain’s back to rouse him from his sleep. There was an indignant huff, Rain burrowing into the warmth that Sky provided.
“Come on my naughty boy, it's time to go home.” He pressed a kiss to the crown of Rain’s head, “We don't want to overstay our welcome.”
Sky made a noise, “Please don't speak for my P’Phayu.”
That earned a chuckle from both older boys. Sky may not be the loudest in proclaiming his feelings but that didn't mean that he would allow someone else to speak on his behalf. If he didn't want Rain over, he'd state that. The fact the two were curled up together was enough to prove how he felt that day. Sky blinked his eyes open, giving Pai such a beautiful smile that he almost keeled over. How someone could be so beautiful was beyond Pai’s comprehension.
Rain made another sound, resisting the awake world for as long as possible. If he had missed out on even half the sleep that Sky did, he was undoubtedly exhausted. A fond tug almost had him telling Phayu to leave him for a little longer, but then Rain’s eyes were blinking open. Sky said Rain was a bunny, at that moment Pai had to agree.
“P’Phayu?” His voice was barely above a whisper, slightly rough with sleep.
“Hello, my sweet boy,” he ran his fingers through Rain’s bedhead, “why don't we get you home and you can sleep in our bed?”
Rain nodded, though made no effort to move. Sky was the one to get Rain up, pushing against his shoulder.
“A’Sky, stop that.” He whined.
“Get up, go home. Your boyfriend is here for you.”
Rain nodded, flopping into Phayu who had clearly been waiting for it.
“I'll see you on Saturday?”
Sky nodded, which confused Pai, “What's Saturday?”
“Family brunch,” Sky sticks a finger in Pai's face, “you're coming as well so don't be making plans for us.” Ah clearly Sky was still mad about their impromptu trip he booked.
Rain patted Phayu to get his attention, “You have to come to Phi. No skipping this time.”
Phayu pets Rain to keep him calm, “Are you sure? I know this is time with your parents-”
“No Phi,” interrupts Rain causing Phayu to raise a strict brow, “Pa said Dad asked if you were coming. Apparently Dad wants you there, so you have to come.”
Phayu’s eyes go wide, and no one can blame him.
“Are you sure baby?”
Rain nods, trying to wiggle himself closer to Phayu. It’s automatic, the way that Phayu wraps his arms around Rain’s waist, because his brain seems to have shorted out.
Pai all of a sudden can’t wait for Saturday because he needs to see this with his own eyes.