Unspoken

Chapter 10- Skewers and Rice

     "Have you never fed this boy?!" Auntie Jaritna cried, brandishing a metal spatula in Off's direction. "He looks starved. You need to take better care of him." She scowled at Off, while gently patting Gun's cheek affectionately.
"Don't you worry little mouse, I'll make sure to feed you well, unlike this man here."
"It's really not his fault Khun'Ya." Gun whispered, waiing politely. "He says I'm too skinny all the time too."
Auntie Jaritna was a short and wide woman with a kind face, greying hair pulled into a long ponytail at the base of her spine. She had thin lips, a button nose and pronounced cheekbones. A smattering of freckles dotted her tanned skin, her eyes crinkled with smile lines.
She had an overall aura of affectionate grandmother.
"Well he's right. Were you sick?" She asked, pouring another bowl of soup for him and refilling his rice bowl. Off held up his own bowl plaintively and she studiously ignored him.
"Something like that." He replied, trying to keep it vague.
"Well it's good that Off brought you here. We can fatten you up and you can recover and maybe make some friends. There's always tourists and whatnot, but there's some nice local girls around, perhaps you two could get yourselves girlfriends. Your Aunt tells me you're still single boy." She brandished the ladle at him again. "What have you been doing? Just sitting at your computer all day I bet. Your Grandfather was always telling me that all you do is play on your computer."
"Auntie, I'm a programmer, that's my job." Off argued, crossing his arms over his chest with a wry smile on his face. "I can't believe it, I come back for the first time since I was in middle school and all I get is told I'm a single loser who can't take care of his friends. I'm wounded old lady, really."
"Off! Don't be rude." Gun hissed under his breath, frowning with concern over his lack of politeness.
"Don't bother. This idiot and I have an understanding. We both tell it like it is to each other. I find that honorifics can be such a bother." Auntie explained, gesturing at Gun to eat more.
"Still..." Gun trailed off, putting a spoonful of rice in his mouth, which cause Auntie to smile.
"Don't you worry young man. There's plenty of Aunties around here who will want to fatten up such a cute little boy. You won't suffer for free food, even if you're stuck with this no good." She did a final brandish with the spatula and Off covered his heart with his hands dramatically as though he'd been shot.
"Thank you Khun-" gun trailed off as the older lady cleared her throat, raising an eyebrow at him. "Thank you Auntie." He finished, giving another polite waii with his spoon between his hands before turning back to his food.
"Are you two heading down to the night market tonight? It's the last day before we get a real influx of tourists coming in for the full moon party." Auntie asked, slapping the metal bowl of the rice cooker in front of Off who dug his spoon in with a look of victory.
"Yeah, we need to get pretty near everything for the house. We'll be here a while so we need dishes and food and Gun needs some clothes."
"I might have some that my nephew grew out of that might fit you, wait a minute." Auntie replied, ruffling Gun's hair.
       "Oh, thank you." He said quietly, his mouth full of food. She returned with a plastic bag full of clothes and handed them to him.
       "He's a big guy now but these were from when he was smaller so I think they'll fit."

       Off had to stifle his laughter when Gun emerged from their bathroom in the new clothes that Auntie Jaritna had given him. He was wearing what was obviously a Pokémon shirt meant for a preteen, and some strategically ripped jeans that showed off his knobby knees.
        "Now we don't need to get anything except underwear." He said proudly. "There's even some swim shorts in here."
       "If you say so shrimp." Off replied with a laugh.
        "I'm not sure I like this nickname you've chosen." Gun said, his brows furrowing in consternation.
         "I'll work on a different one then."
         "You could just call me by my name."
         "With your cute face? Nah, you are a guy in need of a cute nickname. I'll keep thinking" Off said, grabbing his hand. "Let's get going."

      The night market wasn't as bustling as it got later at night, but Off wanted to get there before too late as they hadn't eaten dinner yet.
      Gun stared at all the stands looking dumbfounded at all the chaos and selection.
      "Is that Jumpol? You're the spitting image of your grandfather." An old lady called out, and Off grinned, walking over to the satay stand she ran.
       "Auntie Halma! It's been so long!" Off ran over and waiied to her, grinning his roguish smile.
        "You're just as handsome as you were as a child. I always knew you'd be a looker. Is this a little brother I didn't know existed? Did your parents have another child after you left? He's so skinny." She pointed a gloved finger at Gun who blushed.
      "He does look young and cute doesn't he? No, he's my friend, we've been friends since high school, we're the same age." Off pulled Gun into a friendly hug, draping his arm over his shoulders.
      "You're too skinny child." The Auntie said, shaking her head.
      "Sorry na." Gun replied, bowing apologetically.
       "Well don't apologize, here, eat this." She handed over a pair of chicken skewers slathered in peanut sauce and he took them with a bow,  biting into one.
      "Oh! They're so delicious Khun'Ya!" He said, his eyes getting wide as he took another bite. She laughed at his joy, smiling lovingly.
      "What about me?" Off asked, batting his eyes in mock flirting.
      "For you? Fifty baht." She replied, raising an eyebrow.
        "I am wounded Auntie. You give my friend free food right in front of me and charge me, your longtime favorite nephew, full price."
      "I never said you were my favourite. Get out of here, you'll ruin my business. And feed your friend more!" She demanded, smiling maternally at Gun.
     "Fine." He slapped down some cash on the counter and she handed over two skewers to him. "Let's go where were wanted Gun."
      "I never said he wasn't welcome!" Auntie Halma yelled after them, her voice filled with laughter. 
     "Everyone knows you." Gun said, his mouth full of chicken, his cheeks puffed up with food like a chipmunk. Sauce had dripped on his chin so Off leaned over, taking his thumb and wiping it across Gun's lower lip and chin. Gun watched him with wide eyes as he raised his sauce covered thumb to his mouth and licked it off.
      "Delicious." He said, his voice a low growl. Gun visibly swallowed, averting his eyes to another shop.
      "Oh look, dishes. Let's go in there and get us what we need." Gun said, his voice coming out in a rush as he spun and practically ran from Off, his face flushing a deep beet red. Off chuckled, pulling an entire skewer into his mouth with his teeth, tossing the leftover bamboo stick in the garbage before following the smaller man, an expression on his face that was half contemplative and half predatory.