Veneers

1-2

"Of course,  the first thing that bothers you is my teeth. You don't even know me, but you're talking about my -"

"P'Aou!"  Job appeared from one of the  rooms. He smiled bright, childishly but knowingly. He wasn't innocent, but that's only because of the environment he was in. He looked at Boom as he thought of how corrupt they could make Job. The little boy jumped at Aou, making him fall over, he'd gained some weight. Much more healthy than when they last met.
He was shown into a small room where books lined the shelves at every corner of the room.
Now this was a study room.
Light was being Let in at every shelf, a total of eight slender vertical windows and one single lamp. In the only dark corner of the room. That's where a wooden recliner sat, a blanket draped on it.

Boom followed them in there. He saw how amazed Aou was at this. This small room that smelled musty with the scent of old books and light that appeared out of the wrong angles, directly piercing him in the eyes. This room where he was punished over and over again for not getting full marks as he went to school. He despised this room. The only place his father showed only him how much he loved him.

It was disgusting.

But although all these things hadn't changed, the room looked a little brighter, spacious, even, and the light pierced his eyes the same way, but Aou... This man, made the place bearable at best.
"You have a nice smile" Boom said to Aou.
"You want to take my teeth or what? Can you leave? I want to start with Job."
"Okay, that's just offensive. Your teeth don't draw me too much. You're safe."  Boom said smugly.

But he did leave. The earlier the better.
He hadn't seen his father in six years. The family heard from him, they knew his general whereabouts, but it'd been six years already since he left this mansion. The mansion he built with sweat and blood, but not his own of course, he was far above that.

His hands started tremble at the thought if his father, he'd distract himself with his work.
"Khai, get me a bottle of wine and one cigarette. Bring it up to my room. Take your time."

"He had one sister already,then why does he need another one? Aren't they a waste of resources? Or they're good at manual labour,  like the women in the basement? " Job asked,  looking up from his english book. " what sort of book is this? The only women that deserve praise should be our kind. Mom said the best ones have the neatest teeth. The ordinary rich ones only have one gold tooth. "

"Oh? Is that what mom told you? I'd say she's wrong but- you'd take my teeth from me too. You still have to read this comprehension passage if you want to pass english. So suck it up, rich boy, we have work to do." Aou handed Job the highlighter and stepped away for a bit.
This kid was so scary without even knowing. He loosened his shirt buttons and sat back down. Job took his hand and stared deeply into his eyes, right past his soul.
"P'Aou, I'll never let anyone take your teeth away from you. Because you're my favorite. As long as you don't mess up, you'll be fine. But if you do, I'll still help you." that was supposed to be comforting?
He could only smile at the kid and urge him to finish the reading.

**
"You've had to deal with a creepy child and his smug uncle for a whole week? I would quit if I were you." Fluke said and took a plate out of his washer for Aou.
It was finally Saturday and Aou had to help Fluke meal prep for the week.

Fluke's kitchen was a small one, that creeped him out more often than not, especially after work when the sun was down. With one small island and a two person dinner table facing it, bunch of cabinets almost touching the ceiling, a sink and of course a stove. He couldn't put too much in there, the light had blown and the only other source was the window at the sink that over looked the slums.

He had Aou over as usual and Aou started to talk about his new job and the Piriyankul family as soon as he got the chance. Almost cut his finger because he was talking about how Boom had gone and painted his car again without his permission. Sure it was the same color, but it really wasn't.
He took the plate off Fluke's hands and started to put spring rolls on it.
"But hey," Aou suddenly remembered. " The big guy, Job's  other grandpa, P'Thor! He says he hasn't seen you in a minute. I didn't want to ask at first, but I have to. So are you going to tell me or do I have to go ask him? You know I can. "

Fluke suddenly slowed down. As if to stall. Aou had all the time in the world for this.
"I think we both know I won't leave until I get you to give me an answer. You can take all the time you need."
Fluke sighed, he was right.
But if he told him, he would he react? What happened was completely out of character, especially for Fluke. But he could just lie about it right? No, because he doesn't lie - to Aou, anyway

"Fine. First, promise with your life you won't judge me,or scream, or ask me questions. "
"Cross my heart. "
Fluke turned of the stove and sat on the island across Aou.

"Remember when I first moved here from the third neighborhood? And my old job let me off because they thought I was making the kids think things they weren't supposed to... All that drama, remember?"
"Yeah..."

"Well, I may or may not have met someone who had a Hand in that and I may or may not have confronted him about it and it may or may not have escalated and I may or may not have bashed him in the head with a crazy expensive whiskey  and we may or may have slept together that night. And also that person happened to be Thor. Maybe."

"I lost track with all the 'may or may not's." Aou said, visibly confused.

"I had sex with that man"  Fluke said and hopped off the island, taking position back at the stove.
Aou's eyes widened at what he heard.
" You slept with Thor?!"
"Shh! You said you wouldn't ask questions or scream or judge. You promised."

"I'm not judging you. I'm just-I just -what happened?! "
"I don't want to say it again. You better listen and listen good. I broke whiskey over his head, I couldn't pay for it. It was either that or jail. I wasn't about to go to jail after just living here. You know these rich people,they can afford it,but still ask for their money just to make a Fool of you. I was desperate not to get trapped, but I was already trapped from the start. "

Aou nodded, he wouldn't say anything like Fluke asked but one thing confused him. Without all the school drama, Fluke was still going to move here. To get closer to his boyfriend, Shin. Or had they broken up all those years ago and he didn't know? Because he was pretty sure they were still seeing each other.
After all ,literally half of the food they were making was his.

"Okay, but what about Shin? Did you break up or something? ... You cheated on him!?!"

"I'm not proud of it, you know! I could've walked out on that offer, but I didn't. I wasn't about to go to prison, I made that clear. I slept with another man while dating Shin, I'm a horrible person. I lost everything when I was born and I still had nothing to lose so of course,I paid with my body."

"You should break up with him for your own good. I just wish you'd told me about it, that's all." and they continued in pin drop silence.