Roaring Hearts

Unchain My Heart

Build is standing in the dark corner of the dimly lit room. His eyes are on the floor as his hands are folded before him.
A firm but soft, manly voice breaks the silence, "All in!"
Build is tempted to look up, but he knows better. He shudders as a dark voice responds, "Me too."
"Hey, that's not enough!" A voice from the opposite corner complains. Build does not know why, but he looks up as the man with longer hair steps out of the shadow.
"The boy is right," another man sitting around the poker table utters. Build watches the attractive man's features distort at the word boy.

"Slave!" The dark voice calls out, and Build knows that this ungrateful word is directed his way. With hesitant steps, he moves out of the shadow, which acts like a shield for him. His eyes are on the floor, but he can feel the stares of the men in the room on him.
Build is pulled closer to the table, and the dark voice proposes, "Will he be enough?"
"We don't..." The handsome man starts but is interrupted by an older man who seems to be the leader.
"He will do." The man declares, looking at Build. In the corner of his eye, he can see the man giving him a comforting smile.
"Straight Flush!" The man who still holds onto Build, shouts triumphantly. He is about to collect his win when the other leader halts his hand.
"Royal Flush," He declares as he puts the cards on the table.
Build cannot grasp what is happening. He suddenly is pulled away from the old gross man and passed to the handsome one.
The winner states firmly, "Bible, you bring him to the car!"
"Earth, I want another chance to..."
"Sorry, but we have to go," Earth states hastily as he collects the money from the table. "Maybe next time, P'Ton."

During the drive, Build sits in the back while the men, who now seem to be his new owners, sit in the front. No words are spoken until they reach the rather big house outside Bangkok.
Silently, the older man opens the back door and gestures for Build to follow him inside the house. The younger has long been gone inside.
"Sit!" the older man orders before he continues, "My name is Earth. I am the leader of the Chatri Motorcycle Club."
Build looks at the man, unsure if he should say anything.
Earth can feel the young man's hesitation. He orders the man who was earlier in the car with them, "Bible? Bring him some water."
When the handsome man comes to the table with an open water bottle, Build urgently takes it out of his hand and gulps the whole thing in one go. Build is a bit embarrassed, but he has not been allowed food or drinks since yesterday afternoon. As he wipes his lips, Earth inquires, "Feeling better? Are you hungry too?"
The MC leader can see the anxiety in the young man's eyes. He leans closer, hoping to show the other man that he has nothing to fear and asks softly, "What's your name?"
"Build, Khun Earth. But you can call me whatever you want."
"Khun Earth!" Bible starts to laugh, but Build hides behind his hands to protect his face and head. Seeing someone so full of fear breaks the MC leader's heart.
"You can call me Phi. No one here will harm you." Earth assures their new acquaintance.
Build looks up, and he can see how sincere the man is. He replies, still shy and hesitant, "Thank you, P'Earth."

"So here is the thing. We are not into keeping slaves. Therefore, you are free to go." Earth explains with a reassuring smile.
"But... I... I have nowhere to go." Build reveals with a tear running down his cheek. Worries about what to do next set in.
"You are kidding us?" Bible remarks, not believing that such a thing truly exists.
"No," Build's expression saddens further as he looks at his hands on his lap.
"That's okay. You can stay here." Earth offers, and Bible quickly intervenes.
"What the heck, Phi? This house is already too small for all of us!" Bible exasperates.
"I don't see a problem here. Mix and I are going out of town for a month anyway." The leader reasons with his right-hand and best friend. "Do you want to stay here, Build?"
"But I don't have a job, and I don't want to stay for free." The younger man hates owing other people, knowing it will only bring problems later.
"You see, he can't..." Bible tries to find any good reason for pushing the man out of the house.
"Can you cook?" Build nods at Earth's question. "Clean? And do the laundry?"
Build now shakes his head more confidently, and even a light smile spreads on his face.
Earth smiles, feeling like he's doing the right thing, and states, "Great. We really need someone to take care of this household, especially when my boyfriend and I are out of town. Do we have a deal, Nong Build?"
Earth extends his hand, and in what seems to have been an eternity, Build feels human. The young man smiles brightly when he gets up and hugs the MC leader.