Beyond The Fine Line

Chapter LXXI - Bangkok

The early morning light filtered through the small window, casting long, angular shadows across the brick walls. The steady hum of the air conditioning kept the industrial-styled space comfortably cool, sharply contrasting with the heat outside. The large bed with duvet precariously clinging to the edge before spilling onto the floor dominated the organised chaos ruling over the room – lived in but no longer home. The outside world seemed still suspended in slumber, but within the loft, every muffled moan, every unrestrained shift of the mattress told a different story.

With one hand, Sean pinned Jay's wrists above his head, the other sliding slowly but firmly up his thigh. Their skin was flushed and slick with sweat, making every movement that much more intense.

"Fuck... I stand corrected," Sean breathed out. "Your idea of dealing with jet lag is way better."

Jay smirked, meeting his gaze head-on. "Of course, I'm always right."

At this clear challenge, Sean rolled his hips in a slow, much deeper motion while leaning in to seal Jay's lips with a passionate kiss, swallowing any sound that might have escaped his throat.

The sudden clatter of tiny, hurried footsteps echoed up the metal stairs, and before they could fully process the sound, the loft door flew open.

"Uncle Sean! Uncle Jay!"

Lizzy's excited squeal barely gave Sean a second to react. He yanked the duvet over them just as she dashed in, bounding towards the bed with all the force of an overexcited five-year-old. He was still on top of Jay when she flung herself against the mattress and them, leaving him with nowhere to go but down. With a muffled groan, he buried his face in Jay's shoulder.

"You came at night! That's not fair... I didn't get to see you right away!" Lizzy pouted with the full indignation of a wronged child. Then, as if just noticing the situation, she peered at them with wide, curious eyes. "What are you doing to Uncle Jay?"

Jay choked on laughter beneath Sean, who tightened his grip on the duvet as if sheer willpower could make this nightmare end. Obviously, explaining was not an option.

"Are you sick? You are all red," she said, then gasped dramatically before either could answer. "Did you get a fever on the plane? Is that why you're so sweaty?"

Sean let out a slow, pained exhale against Jay's skin, who – utterly useless in Sean's eyes – was shaking with barely contained laughter instead of trying to defuse this awkward situation.

"We are fine, don't worry."

Then, just as Sean thought the interrogation might end, Lizzy, unhappy with them being so close, puffed up her chest with righteous fury and pointed directly at him. "Uncle Sean, let go of Uncle Jay!"

Sean looked at her, his eyebrow raised slightly. "Excuse me?"

"I said let go!" Lizzy rose to her feet, towering over them, and stomped against the mattress, making the entire bed jolt. "I'm going to marry Uncle Jay when I grow up, so you can't have him!"

Jay lost it completely, his laughter spilling out as Sean glared at him. "Don't encourage this!"

"I'm not!"

Sean turned back to Lizzy, unimpressed. "Well, that's too bad because he is mine, and I'm not sharing."

Lizzy huffed with hands on her hips. "Mummy says that not sharing is selfish!"

"So what?" Sean didn't even blink. "Find someone else."

"I don't want someone else! I want Uncle Jay!"