Boun was the first to come out of the room. Perth stood once he saw the older male emerged from the door. His hair was disheveled, like he had made a run from where he was, probably sleeping, to get here.
"He's dehydrated" Boun spoke, putting his hands on his hips "I'm going to head to the hospital, see if I could sneak a couple of drips out for him."
"The pharmacy should sell some" Perth suggested. He then fished his wallet out of his back pocket and took out his golden credit card "here, buy as much as you need for him."
Boun stood unmoving, staring at the shiny card in Perth's large hands. The name Tanapon could be seen clearly engraved onto the card - a name that was so powerful in his field. A name that could be seen on the packages of the most reliable drugs - miracle drugs, if Boun was to say. It still awed him sometimes how he came to know Perth, a heir to such influential empire.
"Please. It's the least I can do" Perth spoke again, seeing the hesitation in Boun's face "I did this to him. I'm not running away anymore, I'm taking responsibility."
Boun took the card finally, slotting it within the many cards his own wallet held before putting on his coat and walking out the door. Perth sighed in relief, having known that he was doing at least something for Son. His eyes darted back to the door of Prem's room and laced his fingers together.
As his mind searched for words that he was going to say to Son when he has the chance, Perth waited for Prem to let him in.
•••••••
"Speak to him, Son. He's devastated. My own heart has gone soft seeing him how he was before you woke up. At least, let him apologise properly."
"But I'm scared, Prem."
"I'll be right here."
"What if he hurt me again?"
"He won't."
"How do you know?"
"Because he is Perth. Perth loves you, remember? And if he tries anything, I'll be the first one to kill him - literally."
Perth didn't realise how long he stood just staring at the door until Prem gave him an encouragement nudge.
He could hear his own heart beat in his ears and his breakfast stood at the junction between his stomach and his throat - just waiting to escape his insides. It wasn't facing Son that scared him, heck, Prem nearly killed him, it was the possibility of Son rejecting him that terrified him to his knees.
What would he do if Son doesn't forgive him? Knowing he would never be able to lay eyes on the beautiful brunette ever again and, he would never ever see his children. His twins, his babies - the very thought of it was able to knock him off his feet. He would fight any man, any being to be apart of his babies' life.
But if Son decided to forget him, to have Perth out of his life forever - then Perth deserved it. He deserved every torture the blue eyed boy casted upon him because honestly, his own thoughts told him he didn't deserve Son's forgiveness. If he doesn't then, he was still going to take responsibility - he was going to take care of Son and maybe his children - without them even knowing it
Of course, all his confidence were thrown out of the window when the door opened and he saw Son. Despite his tired eyes, chapped lips and sorrowful expression - Son was stunning. It wondered Perth why did he take so long to notice how much he fell for the boy. He even wondered how he chased vaginas before meeting Son.
Perth turned to see Prem was standing by the door, giving him a curt nod. Obviously the lad wasn't planning or haven't trust him enough to leave him alone with Son - and Perth understood his reasons.
"Hey, Son" he said softly, approaching the smaller male lying propped up on the bed.
Perth didn't miss how Son winced when he spoke, his tiny fingers gripping the duvet slightly. Son hasn't heard that voice in a while, he wouldn't deny on how much he yearned it despite everything but it was still ever so painful to hear.
The air was thick and on both ends - Son's and Perth's - it was suffocating. When will such upheaval between them, within the air, ends? Will it ever? Will they return back to the feeling of comfort and safety in each other's arms? It all depended on Son.
Perth dropped to his knees, and because he couldn't hold Son's hand, he grabbed the end of the bed. The heaviness in his heart was weighing on his shoulders, he could feel himself crumble, trapped underneath it.
"Son, love" he heaved, why does it feel so strangulated?
"Perth" Son spoke in return, eyes for a minute catching Perth's before falling back to his lap.
Perth took in a shuddering breath because it was so gratifying to hear his name in that voice again. His eyes started to water and the pain in his chest intensified, "I made a terrible mistake, Son."
Son just nodded, eyes still low.
"Will you look at me? I need- I need you to look at me. I know, it's so much for me to ask of you after what I did and I don't deserve any attention from you but I- Son, darling, I need you to look at me when I say this, please."
It took a while, he hesitated, Perth saw but at the same time, Perth saw a glint of hope and when those eyes met his, the hope that entwined with such devastation within the depths of those blue pools - they were calling out to him, begging him to say something that would change the glimpse of the devil that Son saw in the past.
"I love you, Saint."
And Perth could hear the sharp intake breath Son took, in defiance of having known the fact from Perth's letters - it was different to have Perth actually said it.
"I love you, I want to be with you and I made a mistake. A mistake that doesn't deserve the slightest forgiveness from you, I hurt you. But all I ask is for you to give me a chance, Son. Give me a chance to show you that I am not the man that- that you saw in the car. Allow me to atone my sins towards you. Because truly, I- I can't live knowing that you hate me forever, knowing that I hadn't done anything to prove to you how much I love you."
If Son couldn't look at Perth before, now he was staring dead into Perth's eyes - and Perth didn't know what to make of it.
"Please, Son."
Son tore his gaze away from Perth and fell onto Prem's. The hazel eyed lad shrugged, mouthing - "it's all up to you, babe." It was true, everything was up to Son. To forgive or not, to give chances or to completely eradicate Perth from his life.
Closing his eyes, Son took one more deep breath, exhaling it then catching Perth's eyes again. Prem was being truthful - Perth looked like a proper wreck. How long ago did he had a good night's sleep? Why did he look like a mirror of Son whenever he saw his reflection?
It hit him that how much this ordeal was killing him, it was killing Perth too.
So, Son nodded.
Son didn't say anything but everything was clear to Perth on what he meant with that simple gesture. Now, he couldn't stop smiling. Sure he was crying with snot out of his nostrils and tears that seemed to beat the English downpour - but he was smiling. Half of the weight on his shoulders and chest had been lifted. Everything wasn't into place just yet; Son had given him his say, now it was up to Son to return the remaining pieces back to where it belonged.
He wanted to badly to hold Son at that moment, his heart was aching.
"May I- may I touch you?" he asked softly, Son's permission was key - he didn't need a reminder for that.
Son nodded again, his face a pretty shade of crimson.
With the allowance, Perth wasn't planning to tackle the boy, no, as much as he wanted to but he couldn't. Not yet. He needed to take it slow, to gently carve his way back into Son's heart. So he took Son's hand in his and brought kissed it, multiple times.
"Thank you, Son. I promise you - you won't regret it. I promise you, I love you so much."
And there may or may not be a ghost smile lingering on Son's lips.
