Lay Me Down to Sleep

Chapter 9

Once they realize there isn’t much else to do but go join everyone else at the pool, that’s what they do. Kinn can only hope some fun - or watching Kim and Chay have fun - can help take his mind off of things momentarily. It probably will, even if it is due to Kim’s habit of demanding everyone else join his imaginary games. 

Kinn just doesn’t expect it to happen as soon as they walk through the door. 

“You’re too late!” Kim yells at them as he and Chay swim away from Khun and Arm, “We already said ‘I do’ and you can’t object anymore!”

“Yeah!” Chay agrees, then looks at Porsche nervously before going underwater.

Kim looks at Porsche too and does the same. 

“What are they talking about?” Porsche asks with a sigh, glancing at Khun and Arm. Khun shrugs and gestures in the boys’ direction. 

“They are now husbands,” Tankhun says, causing Porsche to jerk back, “They wanted a pool wedding, just like Kim demanded the two of you have yesterday! But I think it’s a political move, more than anything. Kim’s royalty, you see. Chay accepted the proposal to gain power during the dolphin war. Don’t worry, I told them they weren’t allowed to kiss. And when I told them that, they acted disgusted I would assume they’d do such a thing. Chay said Kim is a toddler and too young for him, Kim then accused Chay of being a toddler and even younger than he is. Then, they both called each other babies and fought for a bit. I thought the wedding would be called off!”

“They even argued over who would swim down the aisle, even though they were already in agreement that it would be Kim,” Arm adds, causing Tankhun to nod. 

“Ah, yes,” Tankhun says, “They only got over their conflict and friction over the ceremony when I told them they were husband and husband and could splash the groom. You came just in time for their honeymoon. They have decided Porsche is the villain who is going to tear apart their union and take over the kingdom. It’s all very compelling.”

Kinn rolls his eyes because he really doesn’t remember Kim being this imaginative when he was young. Maybe with his semi-adult mind, he is able to be more layered and focused in his play. It’s kind of cute. Maybe it’s healing for him, in some ways. For all of them, being able to just play was something that wasn’t often rewarded to them. If it weren’t for Ma, it would have been so much worse. 

And Kim lost her when he was seven. At least Kinn got to have her until he was thirteen. Khun got to have her even longer, not losing her until he was sixteen. But they all still needed her so badly. Kim had been so young, while Khun got kidnapped six months later and Kinn had just needed his mother because everything felt so overwhelming.

He forces himself not to dwell on it anymore and shakes himself out of the spiraling, depressing thoughts. He is clearly the only one going through them since Porsche just looks offended by being assigned as the villain. But he must move past it since he goes over to the side of the pool to cannonball in the water right in front of Kim and Chay. Both boys squeal as Porsche emerges from the surface and growls. 

“Come on!” Chay says, grabbing Kim’s arm to pull him away from Porsche, “He’s going to get us! We have to get back to the castle!”