The Devil, the Beauty, and the Beast (short story)

Chapter 6

"Daddy?"

Phayu glances at the bathroom door in the mirror while he tilts his head to the side ever so slightly, reattaching his earring after the shower he has taken.

"What is it, bunny?" he asks absent-mindedly, adjusting his collar and the first two buttons of his dress shirt.

Rain is looking back at him with a pout, one of the controllers to his console pressed against his chest. He looks adorable in the soft, oversized white sweater, legs bare and shimmering like the petals of the water lilies that have opened on the pond outside. The sweet scent of honeysuckle and petrichor accompanies him like always, muted and mellow like it tends to be during lazy days at home.

"Can you come play for a bit now?"

"Not today, I'm sorry, angel. I really have to get going now or I'll be late for the meeting," Phayu says and turns around. He kisses Rain's forehead in passing but doesn't stop, instead opting to grab his briefcase from the chair by the desk in the bedroom.

The Omega trails after him like a lost puppy, eyes soft and warm and golden like molten honey.

"But Daddy, I've been bored all day!" he complains. "And you said you'd have half an hour left to play before you had to go!"

"Yes, but that was before you decided to be naughty and Daddy had to punish you," Phayu reminds him with a gently-entertained smile while he pulls on his suit jacket. "You made such a mess that I had to shower again, and that's on you. So no more playing before I leave."

Rain looks ready to cry, and Phayu immediately regrets his amusement over the situation. His little bunny has really been looking forward to playing on his console together for a bit, but he just has to get to that meeting in time. If he shows up late one more time, it's going to leave a lasting impression that won't be easy to fix. With a soothing little noise from the very back of his throat, Phayu opens his arms and lets Rain snuggle up against his chest for a moment, kissing his hair and rocking him gently.

"My sweet little boy, I know you've been excited to play, but there's an important meeting Daddy has to get to," he mutters. "P'Pai will be watching you until I'm back home, okay? I'm sure he can play with you."

"I don't want to play with P'Pai, I wanna play with you, Daddy!" Rain whimpers and presses his face against Phayu's shoulder.

"Well, you'll have to wait for me until tonight," the Alpha says softly and strokes his back. "Now let go, bunny, I have to get going."

It takes him a moment to push Rain back very gently, and just as he turns around, the doorbell rings. Rain sniffs at the sudden noise and his shoulders tense, but Phayu just pats his head and turns to walk into the foyer.

"See, that'll be P'Pai. Be a good boy now and don't make a scene. It's very nice of him to watch you while Daddy's gone, after all."

He opens the door and smiles at the young man standing there, a sunny smile on his face. Phayu steps aside to let him in, and Prapai enters with a little bow before he starts taking his shoes off.

"Afternoon, Khun Phayu. Sorry I'm late, traffic was hell on the drive here."

"Mm, I figured. That's why I really have to be on my way already," Phayu answers with a pointed glance at his watch. "Your usual pay is on the counter. Sorry if Rain is a little fussy today, he's having a bit of a bad day. There's some of his assignments that need to be finished and revised, so please make sure he works on them for at least an hour this afternoon. When he's done, he can watch TV or play on his console. And don't let him have too many snacks."