Love In The Air

Chapter 2

The rain continued to batter down on Bangkok for what seemed like hours. The only relief that anyone could find from it was underneath an umbrella. No matter where you were the intensity of the storm could still be felt and heard, it was so intense that it seemed like the fabric of the umbrella was ready to give way and tear. Rain seemed to be unbothered by the storm but the comment he thought he heard from Phi Payu was racing through his mind. His inner monologue telling himself “Wait a minute. It must be the rain and lightning that is playing games with my ears. Right?” He questioned. There was no way Phi Payu would comment on something like that; especially to someone he didn’t know. He realised he was trying to console and comfort himself. His cheeks still flushed and burning from the warmth of his seniors touch. Rain could not tear his eyes away from Payu; who had since moved to the front of the car. Rain was gripping the umbrella tighter and tighter, his knuckles turning white with the strength of his grip. Rain was trying to maintain a distance between them until he could gain even ground again and get to grips with the embarrassment that was sweeping through him like a tidal wave.

Payu reached to open the bonnet and moved in closer to the engine as if to inspect the problem, how could he be acting as if nothing had happened but Rain was still struggling to control his emotions. His heart was still felt like it was confined in his chest. He could feel it throbbing like it wanted to escape as if it was imprisoned. “Why am I not denying this?” Rain asked himself while Payu tried to start the car, to its very loud protestation. “It doesn’t sound right” Rain mumbled. Rain had convinced himself that he heard Payu wrongly. Phi Payu is this entrancing hero that rides around on a superbike. He was the cool, handsome and respected senior that everyone had a positive story about. “The Messiah” of his department would never have been interested in him. It just wasn’t possible. Maybe he had to get his hearing tested; there could be an issue with his ears. Rain managed to calm himself down a little by convincing himself that the lightning had damaged his hearing and that it was his imagination playing tricks on him. He managed to brave a smile just as Phi Payu turned to look at him. Which made him struggle to keep his composure again? “GOD!” Payu took his breath away. Again his inner monologue decided that it was going to torment him even further. “Why is he sooo handsome?” Payu was making him tremble and it was the first time he had reacted like this to man so he was trying to figure out why his body was reacting like this?

“There is a problem with the starter and the boiler is leaking” Payu began to explain. Rain had to tell himself multiple times to listen and not get lost in Payu’s eyes. “Hence the starter isn’t working. You are going to have to leave the car here.” Rain’s eyes lit with concern. He couldn’t leave his car. How was he going to get home? “I don’t think at this time of night you are going to be able to get a garage that’s open.” Payu could see the concern running through Rain’s eyes. “Also with this weather I doubt you’re going to be able to get someone to come and tow it. You are going to have to wait until tomorrow morning and let’s hope this storm doesn’t cause any flooding.” Rain heard his heart shatter into a million pieces unable to fully understand what Payu was telling him. This wasn’t because he wasn’t listening but the panic that was setting in was causing his brain to malfunction and not comprehend what was being said. He knew he heard the word flooding. His head fell straight to the floor his eyes scanning the ground for any signs of flooding. The ground of the car park was wet but didn’t look like it was in danger of flooding. He didn’t want to take the risk of coming back in the morning and his car being washed away. If for any reason it did flood there was not going to be a garage in the world willing to pull his car out of that car park. Rain managed to contain the tears on the outside although he could feel the dryness in his mouth with the lump gathering at his throat, he could also feel the tears stinging at his eyes ready to drop any second, he was determined that Payu would not see him cry. However inside he was crying the same way that the storm was raging through Thailand right now. Heavily and loudly.

“Right” Payu broke Rain from his trance. “I’ll be leaving.”

“Huh” Rain grabbed at Payu again with panic littered through his voice. Rain realised that he was brought back from his day dream by the crushing blow what his saviour was leaving while he was still in trouble. “Phi please don’t abandon me.” He rushed to grab Payu’s other hand and tried to look at him the same way he believed a puppy would look at his owner. Payu looked down at the tiny hands that had a crushing grip on him and brought his eyes to look into Rain’s flustered face. Rain hurriedly dropped Payu’s hand thinking that the physical contact was going to burn both men. “Phi, do you know any garages that you could recommend?” Rain sounded like he was begging and he didn’t care at this point he just did not want to be left in this car park alone. “Just enough to get my car towed! Pretty please?” Payu thoughtfully stroked at his chin, with a smirk on his handsome face. This made Rain hopeful that he knew someone that was going to be able to help. Payu would have rejected him straight away if he didn’t. Right?

“Well I do know a garage.” Payu started to explain. “But it’s expensive. Are you sure you can afford it?”

“Yes” Rain responded hastily. “I am sure.”

“Okay” Payu replied. “Let me make a quick call.” Rain was sure that his father’s credit card could resolve all of his problems. He smirked in Payu’s direction as he walked away talking to someone on the phone but returned with a smug sneer on his appealing face as he hung up. “Okay” Payu told Rain. “The guy from the garage is on his way.” This was the best news that Rain had heard all day. Rain was unconsciously becoming more and more attracted to his senior. Payu is an alluring, handsome man that had a cool and good nature. He was generous enough to help someone in trouble twice and it didn’t matter who he was helping. He helped those younger and older than him and Rain admired that about him.

Rain was forced to apologise to Ple in his head. “I was wrong in the previous argument Ple” He told himself. “Our superbike senior is everything you were admiring and so much more.” Rain could not even be angry or jealous at the admiration Ple held for Payu. Rain instantly relaxed and the panicked look on his face had turned to a smile. Payu waited for the tow truck with him which helped improve Rain’s mood so much that he began to hum as the rain kept pouring from the sky. “Phi Payu really is the best” Rain looked around to double check that he didn’t say that out loud. He looked towards his senior who was none the wiser. He breathed a sigh of relief, but instantly tensed back up when as if it was choreographed Payu walked towards him.

“I will talk to the mechanic first to tell them about the problem with the car” Payu told Rain. He will be here soon so why don’t you wait in the car?” Payu didn’t want Rain getting sick. It didn’t take long for the tow truck to arrive. A large flat bedded truck pulled around the corner. Relief swept over Rain and happiness replaced panic. Rain sat in the car and watched as Payu approached the mechanic, there was a conversation between the two men. Payu turned on his heels and headed back to Rain. “Come out of the car.” He told him with a gentle tone to his voice. “The mechanic is going to tow your car now.” Rain grabbed everything from his car quickly including all of his essentials he thought he was going to need. He grabbed his bag with the umbrella and climbed out.

“Is there anything I can do Phi Payu?” Rain asked. “I would like to help you rather than being useless.” Payu looked at him quizzically; Rain could feel Payu asking what he was doing. Rain couldn’t do anything but respond with a dim and shy smile unsure of what Payu was trying to achieve. Rain took a step backwards to allow the mechanic to skilfully and quickly load his car onto the van. As the tow truck pulled away Rain realised that he didn’t know how to contact the mechanic. Although his car was four years old it was still quite an expensive car. “Oie Phi! How do I contact the mechanic?” He didn’t have the number and didn’t know the company that Payu had used. He hadn’t recognised the logo on the side of the tow truck.

“You have to go to the garage.” Payu told Rain, who was eyeing him suspiciously. “You have to complete the documentation that needs filled out.”

“Right now?” Rain questioned while looking down at his watch. It was already past midnight. Rain couldn’t help but be grateful that it was Friday night and it was the weekend tomorrow. Payu looked at Rain worried that he was making him uncomfortable. Payu knew that the change in speech pattern Rain was using was to try and comfort himself and probably not to complain at having to go somewhere else this late at night.

“Is there a problem?” Payu asked him gently hoping that he would tell him.

“I just don’t know how I am going to get there” Rain told him timidly.

“In this” Payu told him while pointing a vehicle over his shoulder. The seven seater car was sat waiting for Rain to climb in. When the realisation dawned on Rain the intake of breath was sharp that it caused him to gasp.

“Phi Payu I can’t ask that of you”, Rain objected. “I can’t burden you anymore; you have already wasted so much time because of me.” Rain paused hoping that he would help him find a way there though without taking him. “My parents brought me up to be considerate of others.”

“Wasting a little more time” Payu began to tease Rain affectionately. Although Payu was unsure if Rain knew what he was doing? “Will not make much of a difference.” The hurt that shot through Rain’s eyes was a dagger into Payu’s heart. Both men sat feeling like they had just taken a punch to the gut. Rain looked down at his watch and reached up to adjust his hair trying to hide his discomfort. Rain headed towards the mechanic hoping to be able to jump in the van with him, however when the driver saw Rain heading towards him and smiled towards him in a way that made Rain’s skin crawl; he was creeped out looking at the driver. Rain had never been judgemental and didn’t like to treat anyone with any type of disrespect, his parents had always taught him to be considerate and to never take advantage of anyone’s kindness but Rain couldn’t bring himself to smile back at the mechanic. He was a small rotund man with darkened crooked teeth, his skin, hair and clothes were covered in grease and the man’s hair was dishevelled that it made all of the hairs on the back of Rain’s neck stand on end. Rain instantly ran behind Payu for cover and protection. “You have two choices” Payu told him. “I can take you or you can go with the mechanic? It is up to you?”

“I will choose a third option” Rain interjected. He kept avoiding eye contact with the mechanic. “I will take a taxi.” A laugh slipped from Payu. He hadn’t meant for the laugh to come out so loudly. “Why are you laughing Payu?” Rain asked indignantly.

“Rain, look around you” Payu told him. “It’s raining really heavily and it’s past midnight. This restaurant and the garage are both quite far away from the city.” Payu could see the look of fruition on Rain’s face. “It’s dark and there are not many people around. I read of a young student whose body was found in a deserted area like this. The student was raped, the body cut up into little pieces and there was blood everywhere” Payu watched as the colour drained from Rain’s face. Rain all but ran to the door of the silver car.

“Phi Payu” Rain sang cutely. “Please could you take me to the garage?” Payu couldn’t help but picture a little boy walking to the car with his parents with the way Rain ran to the car. He reached for the door and climbed in. It didn’t take long before they arrived. Payu climbed out of the car and pulled a set of keys from his pocket. He opened the door and held it open for Rain who looked very confused.

“This is my garage.” He told Rain. “It’s my family’s business.”

“Huh!” Rain could only communicate in sounds with the surprise. “Oh?” He questioned further. “You didn’t tell me before.” Oh thank god!” Rain said comforted with that information. “My heart was racing because I was so nervous what was going to happen after you left. I am relieved to know it’s your family business.” Rain looked around the garage in awe of his surroundings. He looked at the expensive motorcycles and cars parked around and couldn’t help but wonder how much all of the cars together were worth. The garage looked like everything was top class, even the tools. The garage was a small one but definitely had top of the line for everything inside of it. Rain couldn’t help but think that the owner of the garage had to be from a rich family. Rain noticed the mechanic paying his respects to Payu as he left.

“Have fun tonight, boss” The driver shouted as he walked away. Payu and Rain walked towards the car that was now being lifted up onto the hoist. Rain’s inner monologue was running wild causing his heart to race. He was conscious of every move he made; it caused the annoyance and attraction he felt towards Payu creep back into every muscle in his jaw, shoulders and back. How was he going to get home? He tried to brush off all the feelings that were rushing through him. When he turned to see what was happening behind him he says Payu standing with the documents he needed to fill in.

“Just put your name, phone number” Payu watched as Rain took the pen and paper from him. “And address.” Rain gave all the information requested but didn’t know the smirk that had spread across Payu’s face when he read that he had give him everything that he asked. “Once the car is ready, I will give you a call.”

“But what if I wanted to call you?” Rain asked flirtatiously. He didn’t realise they way he had asked. “What number do I need to call?” Rain walked over and picked up the business card that was sat on the desk in front of them. He wanted it to have Payu’s number on it and was secretly disappointed when he found that it just had the garage telephone number on it. Rain still couldn’t help but put his senior on a pedestal and kept thinking about how cool Phi Payu was. Well at least I am going to get know him better than I do now. This had to be a positive point of this negative situation. Rain wasn’t complaining though, he wanted to be the closest person to Payu. Emotionally and physically. “I’m going to head back now...” Rain told Payu.

“Follow me!” Payu snapped at Rain.

“Where are we going?” Rain was heading home but followed after Payu at the drop of a hat. Both young men headed into the office. Rain chanting inside his head to think positively and try to keep his cool. Rain couldn’t help but admire the man that’s stature that towered over his own, the strides that was a walking pace for Payu turned out to be a running pace for Rain. Rain couldn’t help but be entranced by everything around him that he didn’t notice Payu come to a dead stop and barrelled into Payu’s back.

“Ouch” Payu commented as he felt Rain’s elbows connect with his rib cage.

“Why did you stop?” Rain challenged.

“I am just unlocking the door” Payu told him, he couldn’t help the smirk that turned into a beaming smile as he watched Rain rub his nose from where he had walked into the brick wall that was Payu’s back. Rain took a step inside was surprised to see a spacious apartment that held a large desk that doubled as a working table. He could see the bed that was attached to the dark coloured walls. Rain was slightly intrigued as the layout of the room, he could see that the bed looked like it was attached to the wall but could see the wall of glass that shone the daylight peeked through the blinds. Rain giggled thinking that he couldn’t help but think that Payu had the ultimate bachelor’s pad. Payu took his watch off and placed into the middle of the desk with a wicked glint in his eyes. Rain swallowed harshly allowing the magnetism to pull him into the dreamland that Payu was his. “Here” Payu told Rain leading into large bedroom. “This is my room. It’s pretty late you should stay here tonight” He walked towards a cupboard and pulled out a dry set of clothes and a towel. “Go take a shower and freshen up” Payu told him. Payu could feel the tug of s****l chemistry. That made his lions burn with want. How did this guy cause such a reaction in Payu, but he was loving the experience.

“But....” Rain tried to get a full sentence out but was stuttering with nerves.

“Do as I say” Payu snapped at Rain. “Then we will discuss the expenses.”

“Then I will be out as quickly as I can” Rain said as Payu directed him into the spacious bathroom. Rain had to admit that ever since Payu told him about the murder of a student his blood had run cold and he was freaked out. All of his hairs stood on end. He was nervous about heading home by himself. There was no one at home. So even if someone broke into his house and he screamed bloody murder, there would be no one to help him. Rain finished in the shower and headed to find Payu. Payu looked Rain up and down then showed Rain offered his bed to Rain for the evening and Rain jumped at the opportunity. Rain’s inner monologue was beginning to irritate him more and more. “Phi Payu said the cost of the repair would be expensive.” He told himself. “This room shall need to be paid for to?” He questioned. What Rain didn’t know was that the cost of him staying he night was going to be much more anticipated.

“If I were Ple,” Rain narrated. “I would like to have someone like Phi Payu as my husband.” Rain’s face held a snicker on his face for most of the night, but ever since Payu had turned up that snicker had been a beaming smile. He took small sneaky steps out of the bathroom wearing a black tank top that revealed the wide shoulders that were on full display causing Payu’s heart to stop beating. Payu felt the excess saliva gathering in his mouth from and forced a hard swallow that he would have sworn Rain could heard. Payu’s gaze moved from the wide shoulders that he wanted to trace kisses down to the muscular definition of his arms was on display. The shorts he wore came to the knee. God the s****l pull he felt towards Rain was intense. The thick arm muscles ensuring that Payu’s trousers definitely began to feel tight. Payu watched as Rain was playing around on his mobile phone and the aura around him was unbelievably god damned sexy.

Rain couldn’t help but feel himself shrinking in front of this Grecian god like man. “Thank you Phi for letting me use the bathroom.” Rain managed to say over his Saharan desert like dried throat. The owner of the room looked up and met Rain’s chocolate brown eyes.

“Come sit here.” Payu told him while patting the bed next to him. Rain couldn’t help but hesitate. He was fighting the urge to ask Payu what would be the cost of sitting on the bed but he was obedient and did what he was told. “Dry your hair properly or you will catch a cold.” Rain raised his hands and started to rub the towel to dry is hair. He suddenly felt Payu move to sit behind him and as he moved took the towel from Rain and started to lightly rub the fabric across his head.

“Isn’t this a bit to close?” Rain’s inner monologue started to chime in. “I am not attracted to men. I have liked women all my life. But why do I like this, with him.” Rain could feel the heat rise from his core to his cheeks. He was flustered and nervous and it made him uncomfortable as to why.

“I hope I am not being too rough?” The booming voice said from behind. Rain could feel the Goosebumps and tingles emanate from him stomach. The senior was being gentle with his junior as he closed the proximity even closer. The scent of soap floated and filled Rain’s nose. Payu must have taken a shower elsewhere.

“I.... I tthhiink we are sitting a a little bit too cccccclllose”” Rain stuttered.

“I don’t think so” Payu replied. The bass ringing in Rain’s ears as he whispered.

“Ummmm” Rain started nervously. “Phi we said we would talk about the expenses.” He could hear this heart thumping so he could feel it in his neck.

“We will as soon as I finish drying your hair.” The warm breath tickled the nape of Rain’s neck. Rain clenched his fists into the fabric of his shorts, his cheeks going a even deeper shade of red that he was sure they were.

“Okay Rain” He told himself. “Let’s confirm again, you don’t like men.” He was trying to reassure himself when he felt Payu’s fingers slow trace down the length of neck and into his shoulder blades. This made Rain even more nervous and now it wasn’t just his checks that were a deep shade of red, he was pretty sure his whole body had followed. “Phi, I think it’s better I dry my hair myself.” He felt a sudden sharp movement that had him leaning against the rock hard wall that was Payu’s chest with his sharp handsome face looking down on him.

“Are you sure you will be able to do it by yourself?” Payu asked. He leaned over and placed a gentle kiss on Rains neck.......