A New Safe Space

Twinkling Stars and The City Lights

(Please revisit the EPILOGUE to refresh your memory, as the next chapter picks up directly from where the events in the EPILOGUE left off.)

As they left the bar, the world felt like it was moving too fast for Akk. His heart pounded in his chest, and doubt crept into his mind. What was he doing? He had never imagined being in this situation—heading to a hotel with someone he had just met. A beautiful stranger, no less. His mind raced as Ray walked beside him, effortlessly confident, leading the way as if this were something he did all the time.

Akk's steps were hesitant, while Ray seemed amused by his silence. The quiet in the car on the way to the hotel made Akk feel even more out of place. He wondered if he should back out now. He barely knew Ray—why was he doing this? But every time Akk glanced at Ray, his doubts were met with a teasing smile, a sparkle in Ray's moonlit eyes that made him question his fears repeatedly.

"You always this quiet?" Ray's voice broke through Akk's thoughts, pulling him back into the moment.

Akk shifted uncomfortably, glancing out the window as the city lights flickered by. "Just... not used to this."

Ray chuckled, a low, teasing sound. "Not used to going home with handsome guys, huh?" His grin widened, playful yet somehow comforting. "Relax, Bambi-eyes. You look like you're about to bolt."

Akk flushed, the nickname catching him off guard. "It's not... that," he stammered, but his thoughts betrayed him. It was that. Everything about this was new, strange, and reckless. But something about Ray's presence, his easy charm, kept Akk grounded, curious even.

Ray leaned back in his seat, his eyes glinting with mischief. "I think I like you already. You're a puzzle. Quiet, but you've got something deeper going on." His gaze never left Akk's face. "I'm going to have fun figuring you out."

By the time they arrived at the hotel, Akk's nerves were still a mess, but there was a part of him that was intrigued by Ray's attention. Ray didn't make him feel judged; instead, something was comforting in the way he teased like he knew exactly how to get Akk out of his head.

The suite Ray had booked was luxurious, far more than Akk had expected. A spacious room with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the sparkling city lights of Bangkok. Ray led them to the veranda, where the night air was cool, and the stars twinkled above.

"You really didn't need to go all out for this," Akk said, a little embarrassed as he took in the surroundings.

Ray shrugged, grinning as he popped open a bottle of champagne. "I don't usually, but you seemed like you deserved a little extra." He poured the bubbly drink into two glasses, offering one to Akk. "Besides, a view like this? It's the perfect backdrop for getting to know someone."

Akk accepted the glass, still unsure but grateful for the distraction. They sat together on the plush chairs on the veranda, the champagne fizzing between them as they shared strawberries and drank more than they probably should have. Slowly, as the alcohol warmed his body, Akk began to loosen up.

He found himself laughing—really laughing—for the first time in what felt like years. Ray's teasing and wit were infectious, and before long, they were both sharing stories of heartbreak. Ray spoke candidly about Mew, how complicated his feelings were, and how things had changed between them.

Akk had expected Ray to mock him or dismiss his own story, but instead, Ray listened attentively. He laughed with him, not at him, and for the first time in a long while, Akk felt understood. They weren't so different after all—two people nursing wounds that seemed impossible to heal.

As the night deepened, they sat closer, the distance between them shrinking with each passing moment. Ray reached out suddenly, his hand firm but gentle as he gripped the back of Akk's neck. He pulled him in, and before Akk could think, Ray's lips were on his.

Akk froze for a moment, startled by the intensity. But then, something inside him shifted. His doubts faded, replaced by the heat of the kiss and the undeniable pull between them. He melted into it, the taste of champagne still on their lips, his body responding in a way that felt so foreign yet right.

Ray's fingers tangled in Akk's hair, and the kiss deepened, slow and unhurried, but filled with a kind of passion that Akk hadn't expected. He couldn't believe he was kissing someone else, someone who wasn't Ayan. And what surprised him even more was how much he was enjoying it. How much he wanted more.

Without a word, they rose from the veranda, their bodies naturally gravitating toward the bed, moving as one. The city lights outside twinkled softly, casting a faint glow over the room as they stumbled together, the moment thick with anticipation. Ray led the way, his hands never leaving Akk's body, guiding him with a confidence that was both grounding and exhilarating.

As they reached the bed, the cool sheets brushed against their skin. In that instant, Akk realized something—he didn't feel lost anymore. For the first time in what felt like forever, he felt alive. Wanted. Free.

Ray's touch was deliberate, his kisses lingering as he undressed Akk, every second a release from the weight of the past. They made love slowly, the night stretching endlessly as they explored each other. It had been a while for Akk, but Ray's touch was patient, his hands roaming over Akk's ivory skin, admiring every inch. Beneath the clothes that usually concealed him, Akk's body was a revelation—ripped, his abs and biceps well-defined. When Akk's self-consciousness began to surface, Ray's knowing smile was quick to soothe it. He stripped off his own clothes, a confident smirk spreading across his lips as he caught the look of admiration, the darkening lust in Akk's wide eyes. Those Bambi-like eyes betrayed everything, Ray mused, before claiming Akk's lips in a deep, passionate kiss.

There was no rush. No urgency. Just the warmth of their bodies and the tenderness of their connection, two souls finding solace in each other's arms.

Akk's tentative touches sent shivers through Ray, the soft gasps and moans escaping Akk's lips heightened Ray's desire. Each touch seemed to short-circuit his brain, every gentle caress leaving a trail of electricity in its wake. Ray moved with care, exploring Akk's body, his hands skimming over every erogenous zone, watching with satisfaction as Akk trembled beneath him, whimpering, pleading for more.

Ray was mesmerized by the awe in Akk's eyes as he touched him, his hand moving in firm, steady strokes before drifting lower to open him up. By this point, Akk was practically sobbing with need, his voice a broken plea for Ray to finally take him.

With a practiced ease, Ray tore open the condom and slid it on, his own heart racing as Akk's nails dug into his shoulders, the slight pain only heightening his pleasure. As Ray pushed inside him, he silenced Akk's guttural moan with a kiss, their lips moving in perfect sync with the rhythm of their bodies. Ray felt utterly consumed, lost in the sensation of being inside him, the connection they shared, unlike anything he'd felt before. When Akk finally found his release, Ray followed soon after, his climax accompanied by a breathless moan of Akk's name, a prayer on his lips as they collapsed together, sweaty and spent.

As the first light of dawn crept through the curtains, they lay entwined, the city still asleep beneath them. Akk hadn't expected this—a night that felt like a beginning, even if it might not be. He hadn't expected Ray to feel so much like home, a space where he could let go of all the pain he had been holding inside.

As sleep finally claimed them, Akk knew one thing for sure—for now, the pain didn't hurt as much. And maybe, just maybe, there was hope for him yet.