Melted: A MaxTul AU story

Eighty-six: Sugar and Spice

They sat together under a blanket at the edge of the ridge, looking at the sky. It had cleared some, so they could see some stars. They held hands, and Max couldn't help himself, but he couldn't stop rubbing his thumb over the ring on Tul's finger and glancing down at the ring on his other hand.

Tul chuckled, and without looking at Max said, "They aren't going to disappear. Their platinum, one of the most dense metals. It doesn't oxidize. It's one of the few metals that does not react over time to bodily fluids and other acids. Believe me, that ring won't disappear unless you take it off and throw it away. I'm never taking mine off."

"Pfft, okay Bill Nye the Science Guy. And you were teasing me earlier about my geeking out about the tent," Max joked, trying to pretend that he wasn't still stunned about what he had agreed to earlier. Engaged. Tul had asked him, and he had said yes. Amazing.

Tul tugged at his hand. "Hey," he said reaching over to Max's chin. He wanted Max to look at him. "You can't take it back, you know. You're stuck with me."

Max nodded and swallowed. "But that means that you are stuck with me, too, Tul. Are you sure? You could be with . . ."

Tul kissed Max again to stop him from talking, and he took his time. He felt they were owed lots of kissing for all the time they had been holding back. When he felt Max relax into the kiss, he pulled back, looking his new fiancé in the eye. "Stop thinking like that. Stop thinking those things."

He gripped Max's hand again and looked back out at the valley. "You know, I haven't met him, but I really hate your father for doing this to you. I think I probably hate him as much as I hate Metinee for what she did to my mother. Who are these self-righteous, toxic people? I hope he is sick with fury and regret every time he sees your success. Uncle Pong told me how Kuhn Bagnet makes sure every single one of your articles and magazine covers and books and books reviews are sent to the village school library. I know she does that because she is proud of you, but I also suspect that she does it to rub it in your father's face. I'm with uncle Pong. I aspire to Kuhn Bagnet revenge levels."

Max smiled. "In his letter? He told you all this in his letter, right?" Max asked, shifting to readjust the blanket but not wanting to let go of Tul's hand.

"Some," Tul responded. "But he told me many things even before that. The day you left that damn packet of money for the clothes I bought you, he asked me straight out if I loved you. I must have looked so hurt because I really was. He just asked me point blank if I loved you as much as it looked like. I almost lied, but I just couldn't."

Max was surprised. "Uncle knew that long ago? He didn't say anything to me." He frowned a little. Uncle Pongpat and restraint about pairing people up did not go together.

"I think when you left that packet of money, it put a damper on his original planning. He knew that if he pressed you anymore, I probably wouldn't have had a chance at all. He knew you'd pull back just like you pulled back because of the clothes. We both went too far in our desire to bring us closer together."

Max was thoughtful. "I was trying to keep it professional, Tul. I couldn't just think of them as a gift from you. The clothes were so comfortable and beautiful and sexy."

Tul looked at him curiously. "Those were work clothes, Max."

Max chuckled. "I know, but they felt so good on my skin. It made me think of you in other ways that I didn't want to. The entire time I was wearing them, it was like I was thinking of you wrapping yourself around me. It was unnerving. Remember, I still thought you were straight at the time. Those clothes were a boyfriend type of gift. It was painful. I didn't even like staying over and using your things because I would smell like you; it was hard."