Kindred Spirits

Chapter 2

It's morning already, and Rain wakes up in an unfamiliar place. 'Where am I?' is the first thing that comes to mind. He doesn't recognize the room, the bed seems different and softer for some reason. He turns his head around, to check the surroundings and he notices someone is lying next to him. Then the memories come back, overflowing. This is Phayu, a guy who helped him out the night before. With his car breaking down. But this is also Phayu, a guy who is Ple's boyfriend. Rain would never get in between a couple, never break someone up. It wouldn't be fair to do that, and he is not that kind of guy.

He leaves the bed, no matter how warm and comfortable he feels in it. He doesn't have the right to be there any longer. Even if he wishes he does.

"Good morning, Rain.", Phayu says, and Rain gets shocked because he didn't notice that the man woke up.

"Good morning, P'Phayu.", he says with a smile. "How did you sleep?"

Well, it's a small talk. Nobody can blame him for this, though. What is he supposed to say to his friend's lover? The lover he shared the bed with? Especially, when Ple is not just a friend, she is his sister. Or as close as one can get without being blood-related.

"I slept just fine. What about you?"

"I slept well. Thank you for letting me spend the night, Phi. I have no idea what I'd do otherwise.", he says honestly.

"You're welcome. I wouldn't leave you out in the rain, of course. What kind of person would I be if I left you there?", Phayu shrugs, as if he really doesn't care much.

This makes Rain feel smaller than he really is, because the senior is acting differently. His heart starts beating fast. The heart rate increases as Phayu gets closer to him. What is happening? Why is he touching him? The confusion must be obvious, if the next sentence Phayu says is anything to go buy.

"I'm just getting the blanket. Don't think anything of it."

The smirk the senior gives him sends shivers directly to his spine. He needs to think about something else, anything else. Because thinking about someone else's lover is not. The solution he comes up with is running out of the bed, full-speed.

"You're vile.", Rain mumbles.

"What did you say?", Phayu asks him as he gets up from the bed.

"I said you are vile!", he repeats, loud and clear. He's so angry at the senior, and he doesn't understand why. And the man is grinning at him. Grinning!

"Do you want to see what a vile person is really like?", Phayu asks, as he steps towards him. "Are you scared?"

Is he? Yes, he is. Very much so. He doesn't know what the man is capable of doing to him. Does he admit that to Phayu? No, he would never do it. He is too stubborn to show his weakness.

They are two steps away from each other, and with each step forward from Phayu, Rain moves one backwards. Until his back hits the shelf.

"Who's scared?", he challenges the other. Phayu is getting closer to him, step by step, and his heart is beating so fast.

"You're just a smart-mouthed boy."

Their faces are so close now, closer than they were, closer than they should be. And who is that man calling a boy? Rain is twenty-four years old. Certainly not a boy.

"I meant what I said.", he fights back. Where does this come from?

"Really? Then...", Phayu is getting closer. "Let me try it..."

'So close!', his brain is on repeat. He pushes Phayu back and runs to the door, in fear.

"Go die and rot, you fucking jerk!", he screams at the other and tries to open the door, but it's all in vain. A pointless struggle, one might add. "Damnit, why won't the door open?"