Love In The Air

Chapter 13

RING

RING

After the intense night spent together, the smaller of the two men awoke to his phone blaring. He grimaced at the disturbance and when he looked to reach for the phone, he couldn’t help but squint when the light hit his face. When his vision was clear enough he looked around the room at the clothes thrown on the floor and on the beside and looked around him at the crumpled bed sheets. It took him a couple of minutes to realise where he was. As realisation hit him he screamed loudly. When he tried to move to collect his t-shirt he felt the pain surge through his hip and to his backside.The pain was aggravated whenever he tried to move. He lay back down on the bed, trying to stay as still as possible with the events of the night before replaying in his head like a movie. “Yup” his inner monologue confirmed. “I had s*x with Phi Payu.” Rain slapped his hands to his face and screamed internally. He started kicking and punching the bed to try and shoo the embarrassment away. He stopped as the pain exploded in the lower half of his body. He could recall every single moment that took place in the shower and in the bed, including the shower that Phi Payu took him for after they had finished the deed. And it was a legit shower where Payu took care of him. Rain couldn’t help but thank God he did or else he would not have been able to sleep. Rain lowered his hands slowly and looked around to look for the man that had caused him all of the embarrassment, but the bed was empty. Rain continued to search the bedroom for Payu who was nowhere to be seen. He didn’t regret what happened between them. He hadn’t lost face, but he definitely lost use of his back for a little while. “How can I beat a man with a chest of three cubis?” Rain had intended to flirt with his senior and dump him after winning the challenge they had set between them, but this was a one way road and there was no way of turning back, but Rain didn’t mind that. He was happy. The 2 weeks of not seeing Payu was torture for Rain, he missed the silly fights that they would have and how Payu would playfully tease him. He missed the comfort that Payu provided when he was at his lowest, but he missed Phi Payu’s handsome face the most. He dragged himself off of the bed and up to the night stand to reach for his cell phone. Fear surged through his body when he saw that he missed eight calls from his mother. It hadn’t even crossed his mind to tell her that he wasn’t going to make it home. It wasn’t like he intended to stay Payu’s house anyway but that was the way it turned out. All he wanted was to tell Payu that he was responsible for himself, but things took a completely different turn. His memory relived the night before an image of him shouting “Rain belongs to Phi Payu” flashed before his eyes. He couldn’t help but feel like he had sold himself. He took a deep breath and tried to muster up courage as he pressed call to call his mother. “Good morning Mama.” He replied gingerly as she picked up her phone.

“Rain!” She asked in a way that told him she was slightly irritated with him. “Have we ever stopped you from staying out? That doesn’t mean you just get to stay out without telling me you’re not coming home.” His mother lectured. She was worried that something had happened. “We were worried last night, and you didn’t even pick up your phone. Do you know how scare we were?”

Normally Rain would have stayed with Sky when he had to stay over for a project or to complete a group study and he didn’t want to lie to his mother so he informed her that he stayed at a seniors house and he couldn’t help but cringe as he looked at the messy bed that was strewn with the bedding. He didn’t want to know what his mother would say if she found out what happened between them.

“What do I do Mama, your son lost his virginity to Phi Payu?” He asked himself silently. He apologised to his mother and cut the call. He realised how exhausted he was as he tried to find his clothing when he saw a set that was kept neatly next to the bed. He wore them and slowly limped to find the owner of the house. As he got downstairs he saw that Payu was sitting in front of his laptop talking to someone on the phone, probably finishing some work he hadn’t finished last night. He took a step towards him and stopped in his track as he saw his back. It was covered with scratches and marks that Rain left last night.

“Rain, if you feel pain, you can bite or scratch me” Phi Payu told him. He remembered how kind and generous Payu had been to him. Guilt surged through him as he realised the reality of what he had done.

“OH NO!” Rain cried internally. “This is sooo embarrassing.” Rain tiptoed backwards and silently left. He walked back to the bedroom and collected his car keys and other belongings and made his way home.

On the other side of this couple Payu had been woken in the morning by a phone call from the office. He had an emergency conference call scheduled at the last moment. He looked down at the guy curled up beside him; his face was pale, so Payu gently placed his hand on Rain’s forehead to find that Rain had a fever. He covered him with a blanket and gently pressed a kiss on his forehead before grabbing his phone and heading downstairs for the conference call.

When he had finished the call he made his way back up to see Rain, but he had vanished. Payu checked where Rain had parked his car to find that gone to. “It’s too late to run away from me now Rain.” He told him with a smile on his face. “You belong to me!”

As soon as Rain made his way into his house he apologised to his parent and took a shower in his own room. As he undressed he saw all of the love bites and marks that Payu left on his pale skin. There was so much evidence left behind of what had happened the night before. He showered and made sure to choose a shirt that would hide what happened so that his parents would not find out. He made his way downstairs for his mother to notice that he was very pale, she touched his forehead, and he was burning with a fever. She scolded him and sent him back to his room to rest with breakfast and a fever reducing tablet. As Rain made his way back to his room he couldn’t help but feel guilty that he had ran away from Payu, he had come home without informing him. What he didn’t think is that running away would have angered the other person. If he knew it would have angered him them he would have climbed back into the bed and slept soundly under the safety of the blankets and made himself look as pitiful as possible. What Rain didn’t know was that a strong storm was going to hit him at home with the strongest winds he had experienced.

Rain had learned that no matter what was happening Payu could make him suffer from heatstroke just by being near him. If Payu touched him he would shiver, and his body would boil from the inside out. But now Rain’s body was sweating with chills and a high temperature. “Yeah that’s right” he told himself. “I was dizzy because of the fever not because of his kisses.” Rain kept trying to justify himself. What a stupid boy! “This is crazy” he whispered as he covered himself with the blanket trying to escape the cold. The aching in his body got worse and he was amazed at how he even had the energy to drive home. He was feeling sleepy as the medication started to kick in. He tried to look at the phone which was on silent. Does Payu know that I came home? He asked himself. He didn’t want to act like the toddler that had lost his favourite toy, but his heart was yearning for the person who comforted him the most. Rain knew he was actively trying to avoid Payu but also knew it was immature of him to act that way, but he couldn’t help it he was embarrassed. If Payu knew he was sick would Payu help him and take care of him? Rain questioned. He wouldn’t! They are back to being friends now.... Rain thought as he drifted off into sleep, but what he didn’t know was the number of calls that his phone was receiving. Payu had called him 3 times more than his mother had in the morning.

“Thank you so much, I was really worried.”

“Why are you worried? His mother should be saying that. I also haven’t thanked you for the car yet, but you even made time to visit him when he is sick.”

“It’s not an issue at all, I came willingly.”

“Why do the voices sound so familiar?” Rain asked himself as he awoke to the voices inside of his room. He drowsily rubbed at his eyes with the back of his hands. He looked at the familiar broad shoulders and the familiar hair talking to his mother. “YAH!” Rain scolded himself. “You are so desperate to see him that you are hallucinating. How can Phi Payu be in my room? Talking with my Mama to? Ha” Rain continued to dose as he heard the voices again.

“Mama, I will wait until Rain wakes up if that’s okay?” Payu asked Rain’s mother.

“Okay” She agreed. “I’ll be back.” she reassured Payu and went downstairs. Rain almost closed his eyes but the widened when he realised it wasn’t a dream.

“How did you get here?” Rain was sure he was shouting but it came out as a hoarse croak. It sounded like his voice wasn’t his own. The weakling looked into the piercing hawk eyes that gazed down at him staring at his face. He approached the bed slowly. Rain looked at him as if he was a giant. “Mama?” He questioned Payu. “You must be joking! How...” He stuttered and started to cough. “How did you get here?” Rain asked in surprise. He was still running a fever so forgot that he had ran away in the morning. All he could remember was the longing his thumping heartfelt for the man in front of him. He wanted to see him the most. He wanted to tell him his head was aching, and he wanted to talk about so much, but it confused he how he got here.

“Why?” Payu asked. “Am I not allowed to come here?” Rain was surprised at Payu’s question.

“Phi Payu....” Rain asked while coughing harder. “Why are you asking that?”

“Oh” Payu replied. “It seems that you don’t want me here.”

“No!” Rain protested. “It’s not that, it’s just....” Rain shook his head as the dizziness violently attacked his senses. He was saddened by the angry expression that Payu held on his handsome face, the man who hugged him so tightly, the man who Rain sought solace in his arms was angry at him. Rain tried to reach out and hold onto Payu’s arm, but he took a step back. Rain’s heart shattered.

“Then why did you run away?”

“No, I am not....” He tried to make amends but instead he ignited the fury more inside of Payu. The eyes turned sharp as he looked down on Rain. Rain couldn’t help but think that if he wasn’t sick he probably would have been beaten.

“Are you trying to tell me you didn’t run away?” Payu asked Rain again. Goosebumps spread over Rain. “If so, why didn’t you pick up the phone?” Payu questioned. “It would have been okay if yesterday hadn’t happened and you didn’t pick up your phone.” Rain could sense the anger surging through Payu, and it made him nervous. “Do you know how worried I was when I knew you had a fever? I didn’t wake you because I wanted you to rest but in between I had an emergency meeting which I couldn’t skip.” Payu’s voice was not shouting but he knew he spoke in a cold and low manner. He knew he couldn’t lose his temper because Rain’s mother was downstairs so he tried to restrain it as much as he could. “I finished with my meeting as soon as possible rushing to look after you and you weren’t there when I came back. On top of that you even managed to drive back by yourself despite being sick. What if you had an accident?” Payu knew he was being harsher than he needed to be but didn’t want Rain to repeat this again. “How would that make me feel?”

“Phi Payu....” Rain started.

“Do you even care about my feelings?” Payu interrupted. Rain burst into tears when he heard Payu’s words.

“Phi Payu I am sorry.” Rain hiccupped between the cries. “I am really sorry, I am sorry” He kept repeating, his eyes red with the tears that were running down his cheeks. Payu looked down at him thinking he could make anyone weak. Payu was struggling though his anger that didn’t subside because when he woke he saw Rain was sick and his heart had sank. He wanted to go and get medicine straight away but the call from the office delayed him. When he got back Rain was gone. His heart had stopped. He was nervous thinking that Rain had regretted what had happened between them. Did he hate the s*x? Did Rain hate him? No matter what he wasn’t going to let Rain escape! To make matters worse Rain didn’t even pick up the phone when Payu called. It made Payu more nervous, but the nervousness soon turned to worry and that’s when he thought to visit Rain at home. He didn’t think twice and drove straight to the house. He wasn’t afraid of meeting Rain’s parents, he was just relieved to see Rain was safe and sound at home. He was just ran down with the fever. He mustered the tactics he had needed to build a positive reputation with his parents, so that they would have enough trust in him to let him inside Rain’s bedroom, but inside he was raging with anger.

“How dare he run away?” Payu asked himself.

“It’s not that I didn’t think about your feelings.” Rain started to explain. “But when I went down to see you I got embarrassed, so I came back home but I wasn’t feeling well. My Mama gave me medicine and I fell asleep. I swear I didn’t know you called me! Please don’t be mad at me Payu!” Rain was scared after hearing Payu’s cold tone towards him. He tried to push to sit up and hold his hands. Payu pushed his hands away making the tears swell. He knew Phi Payu wasn’t teasing or joking with him. He was seriously angry with him. Payu looked at him and the tears that were building up and his heart melted instantly. “Phi Payu...” Rain coughed covering his mouth. Payu looked at the tormented expression on Rain’s face who was trying to hide the coughing fits he felt rise in his chest. It made Payu sit straight back down on the bed and pull Rain into his chest and hug him.

“Then don’t ever disappear on me again.” Rain nodded relishing in the warm embrace that he yearned for. He promised to never do it so that he didn’t have to see Payu’s angry face he again. The hug felt warm and homely as the big hand rubbed against his back. He felt a kiss press against the crown of his head.

After a while Payu seemed to have calmed down and it made Rain think that he didn’t hurt his feelings too much. He hugged Payu as tight as possible wrapping both arms around him giving it his all. When....

“Now...” Payu interrupted “How should I punish Rain.”

“Huh???” Rain raised his head in disbelief when he heard the word punish. He looked up to meet the sharp eyes which looked like they held a grudge in it. It made him scared. “Punish......punishment?” He stammered, swallowing hard.

“You got sick, ran away from me and didn’t pick up the phone calls I made.” There was the evil grin that spread across his face again, it didn’t look welcoming.

“But...” Rain stammered during his coughing fit. “But I am sick.” Rain told Payu looking for any sort of sympathy he could get.

“Yes” Payu told him. “This particular punishment is made especially for those who are sick” Rain’s big doe eyes looked at Phi Payu’s hands which pulled something from his pocket. It looked like a medicine tube.

“I just have a fever, no rashes, hives or allergic reactions.” Rain questioned himself. “Then what is that for?” Rain tried to figure out the purpose of the tube. “Wait don’t tell me” Rain questioned.

“Hmmmm” Payu hummed. “Where is Rain sick now?” He questioned as his eyes scanned Rain’s body.

“NO!” Rain protested realising where Payu wanted to put the medicine tube. “No, no don’t come near me, no!” Rain tried pushing and shoving Payu away, he was trying everything he could to break free from the strong hands that held a tight grip on him. Rain was already weak and skinny compared to Payu but on top of that he was sick and even weaker to fight against the raging bull that Payu was. Rain stared at the medicine in Payu’s hands like it was an alien from a different planet. This particular tube of medicine would be placed where he was hurting...... his buttocks.

“It will help believe me.” Payu told him in a soft tone as his hands reached to pull the blankets away. Payu held Rain in his arms tightly and pulled his trousers past his hips.

“No!” Rain pleaded. “No, no....”

“Rain” Payu replied sternly. “If you are going to be loud then your mum is going to hear us. You don’t want her to see this right?” Payu asked as he looked at Rain who was already eyes wide and shaking his head not wanting his mother to see anything.

“Phi Payu, don’t let that happen.”

“So let me apply it then” Payu’s smirk turned into a smile.

“But.....”

“Are you going to take it off or do you want me to do the honours?” Payu questioned Rain. “You only have two options, think wisely.” Rain wanted to cry, scream and swear but he couldn’t. All he could do was pull his pants down, but he was damned if he was going to do it while Payu was so close. “Back off Phi, I can take them off myself.” Payu took a step back but made sure he was not too far away. “Don’t look at me.”

“If I can’t look at you how do you expect me to apply the medicine?” Payu questioned.

“I will do it myself” He argued. He pulled his trousers down but held himself in his hand to cover himself.

“Do you dare apply it yourself?” Payu asked with amusement in his voice. Rain didn’t know how to apply it, but he was too embarrassed to let Payu do it. There was no way of escaping, and he knew he was going to have to ask for help. He shook his head in response to Payu who smiled and moved closer to touch and pull Rain’s legs apart.

“Phi” Rain said nervously.

“I will count to three, I can’t promise that I will be gentle.” Payu knew he had to do it quickly, for it to be over quickly. Payu hadn’t even started counted before Rain spread his legs but was also covering his face with hands slightly peeking through the gaps of his fingers. Payu couldn’t help but smile at the cute guy acting silly.

“Are you making fun of me?” Rain asked making Payu look down on him with the dazzling hawk eyes that made Rain melt every time.

“No, I am not joking.” Payu told him. “I am here to punish a stubborn child.” Rain swore the second he felt a cold but coated fingertip start to rub and dab inside of him. He promised himself never to make Payu angry at him at all.

“This going on for a while!” Rain told himself silently before asked Payu to stop. As Rain pleaded Payu was still dabbing at his wounds.

“Wait a minute” Payu told him. “The medicine won’t work and get to where it needs to go.” Rain started to protest telling Payu that he was pulling a prank on him. He tried to close his legs, but the strong hands pressed against his thighs moving them towards the bed. Rain’s heart started to hammer. As much as he wanted to have Payu again he was to sore, and he wanted to resist.

“I can’t let Phi Payu continue!” Rain’s inner monologue kicked in. “I can’t let him get what he wants.”

CLICK

“Payu, I brought you some snacks.” The female voice announced as she entered the room. “Oh, Rain you are awake too! Payu was here to visit you and he has waited for a long time.” Rain was relieved at the click of the door. Payu quickly grabbed the blanket and covered Rain so that everything, but his shoulders and head weren’t. Rain’s mother walked in carrying a tray so it took her some time to open the door with her hands which both men were thankful for or else she would have to witness a shocking sight that would have probably given her a stroke. “What’s wrong?” His mother asked as she turned to face him. “Do you feel hot? You look very red, do you want me to wipe you down?”

“NO!” Rain yelled. His hands started clutching at the blanket so she couldn’t pull them away or down. He shifted uncomfortably on the bed as mother came closer to him. He was soaked through but not because of heat but the situation they were in was uncomfortable and awkward for him. He was naked under the blanket, and he couldn’t find his pyjama bottoms. He looked around to see them in Payu’s hands behind his back.

“What’s wrong with you?” His mother asked. “Are you shy because your Mama is going to clean you in front of your senior?”

“Ahhh...” Rain stuttered. “Yes, I can do it by myself. So, you don’t have to worry Mama” He replied while clinging onto the blanket for his dear life. He was panicking and he could hear Payu laughing at the side of the bed.

“This boy gives me a headache” His mother complained. “Well, that is my son for you Payu.” She turned and smiled at the senior who loved the interaction between mother and son even if he did feel slightly uncomfortable at what she had nearly walked in on. “Sometimes he goes wild.” She turned to walk out of the room before she turned back. “By the way is there anything you can’t eat son?” She was talking to Payu.

“No Mama.” He responded. The sick man was looking at them with confusion, why was his mother looking so affectionately at Payu.

“Did she also fall for Payu’s handsomeness?” His inner monologue declared. “I mean who doesn’t but why did she ask him if he dislikes any food?” He continued to talk to himself in his head still slightly fuzzy from the medication and confused.

“I asked Payu to stay for dinner” Rain’s mother informed him. “He has been so nice by letting you stay at his home when you were stuck in the rain. Last night when you didn’t come home, Payu even called your Papa.” She smiled as she looked at Payu again. “We know he is your senior and you took the care to his garage to fix it, we should thank him for it and how he has looked after you.” Rain understood that his mother wanted to thank him from the moment he told her that he fixed the car for free, but who knew it would have come so soon.

“I know Mama.” Rain announced impatiently. “You can go downstairs now.”

“I live here to MR!” She told him as she stood rooted. Rain was crying on the inside and he looked at Payu begging for help. Payu laughed.

“I think Rain is worried that you will also get infected with the cold” Payu told Rain’s mother.

“No way!” Rain’s mother objected. “I know my son isn’t so considerate.” Payu had to swallow the laugh that wanted to escape.

“I don’t think Rain thinks that way.” Payu explained. “He really is concerned for you.” Rain looked at the man who kept engaging in conversation with his mother in long discussions while he was suffering.

“Why were his feet turning cold?” Rain asked himself. He realised it was because that his pants were in Payu’s hand and if his even tilted slightly then she would be able to see them. Rain hid under the blanket covering his face; he wasn’t in any state to argue and he knew one thing for sure. He was never making Phi Payu angry again. He couldn’t endure another punishment. His mother sighed at the weird behaviour of her son and left the room.

“So Payu is a senior in Rain’s faculty?” Rain’s father asked as they were all sat at the dinner table.

“Yes sir.” Payu responded. “Rain also belongs to the same fraternity.” After his mother left the room Rain fell straight back to sleep and slept until it was time for dinner. His fever had reduced a little so that he had enough energy to walk to the dining room for dinner. Rain kept swinging his eyes between his father and Payu who were deeply involved in their conversation. He wasn’t able to understand what they were talking about and it frustrated Rain. They were both entranced with each other that it made Rain look like he was an adopted dog and Rain still was angry with Payu for what happened in his room earlier.

“I really want to sue him for making fun of me” Rain fumed to himself silently. “If you really have the guts” he told himself. “Ask if he was faking; ask what he wanted from me?” He was still sitting silently at the table sipping the porridge his mother had made for him. Rain’s father started to ask Payu about his jobs. What was his job like? How many siblings did he have? The conversation then moved on to his studies, which made Rains mother jump.

“Rain, I heard you asked Payu to help you with school during your semester break?” Rain’s mother turned to ask him.

“Who will teach me?” He asked himself silently again. He looked at his mother as if she was growing a third head. He almost shook his head in disagreement because he didn’t remember asking for the help, but before he could say anything someone answered for him.