Within My Stratosphere • SOTUS

Chapter 21. Cream Roses

[Kongpob]

Arthit was asleep.

From sitting straight up, slumping over, to laying down; Arthit had essentially established himself within the embrace of the velvet green cushions.

Kongpob knew he was being mean when he didn't allow Arthit to win. But if had he lost too soon, they wouldn't have been able to spend all this time together. Date number three would have ended... uncharacteristically uneventful. Case in point, the clock currently pointed to 23:03. He looked back at the paused TV screen as it read, 'Batman WINS.'

Literally minutes after letting Arthit win, he had instantaneously knocked out. Kongpob smiled down at the adorable man, reaching across to take the controller out of his slack fingers.

"Arthit?" Kongpob softly called out. "Arthit, wake up."

After waiting a moment for a response, Kongpob slowly crawled over. His hands sunk into each side of the cushions, as he positioned himself directly over Arthit. "Arthit, if you don't wake up I going to take advantage of you," he threatened in a low voice.

Arthit didn't budge.

Kongpob observed the soft outline and almost delicate structure of Arthit's face. He watched as his long eyelashes fluttered with content as he incoherently mumbled through his parted lips. As he listened to Arthit rhythmically breathing, his chest moved in accordance, Kongpob's eyes glazed over with ardor. In his eyes, Arthit was a beautiful masterpiece, meticulously crafted into perfection. He wanted to touch Arthit, to breath in his scent, taste him and see him make expressions nobody has ever seen before. He wanted to explore every inch of his being.

Kongpob's hands clenched into a fist as he gripped onto the hem of his desires, reining them in. Slowly breathing out, he backed away from his yet innocent prey.

With his hands balled tight, he looked over at his oblivious counterpart. For now, his love for Arthit had subjugated his burning passion. But as a thin line rests between love and hate, for Kongpob, the same theory seemingly applied with love and desire— because he loved Arthit, his desire for him was much stronger. He could feel this line wearing thinner by the hour, nearing transparency. 

Getting up on his feet, he glanced down at his sleeping beauty, the crowning example of blissful ignorance. Carefully scooping up the unconscious man into his arms and making sure that he was comfortable, he turned away from the couch, walking away from the sitting area.

[Arthit]

The first thing he noticed was the darkness. Stretching himself out in the covers, he twisted onto his side, letting out a soft groan. It was the best sleep he's had in a long time. As he rubbed the veil of daze from his eyes, he tried to remember how he fallen asleep. 

Today, he met Kongpob after the convention ended, they went to a lotus pond, rode the ferris wheel, and came back to Kongpob's presidential suite. He couldn't fall asleep so he came downstairs and ran into the taller man and ended up playing a game. Then... then... he—

"How'd you sleep?" rang out Kongpob's voice, interrupting his thoughts. The voice carried, taking an entire spin around the room, breaking the silence before Arthit reacted.

Almost falling out of the bed from shock, Arthit rapidly blinked his eyes, first checking his state of dress; he was still fully clothed. Letting out a breath of relief he looked about the room. From the high ceiling, king-size bed, and the soft silk sheets running underneath his fingers, there was only one place this could possibly be. He slowly turned his head to the opposite side of the bed. He was right. Lying next to him, propped up on a couple of pillows was Kongpob.