Chapter 24- Lively.

"Are you done yet?" Intha twisted his body back and forth, causing the cloth bag hanging around his neck to sway. He glanced at Akara, who stood calmly in front of the drink cooler at 7-Eleven, while thinking to himself...When is Eung-eung going to finish picking something?

"I still can't choose. I don't know what I wanna drink," Akara replied.

"Sex on the beach?"

"How 'bout sex on the couch instead? Like pin you down or somethin' like that."

"Uh, just hearing that makes my butt hurt," Intha shot back.

"You're always so dramatic," Akara said, lifting the bright orange basket from 7-Eleven and hooking it onto his arm like it was a Chanel bag. He hung it on the arm with the tattoo while his other arm hesitated, reaching out to open the cooler. He opened it, then closed it. Then opened it again. And, still, he couldn't decide what to drink...

"You've been standing in front of that cooler for ten minutes now, Eung-eung, my good boy. My dear Eung-eung," Intha teased

"I can't decide! There are too many options. Should I walk 'round the store two more times?"

"Aren't you tired from being sick? Walking around like this isn't helping," Intha said, stepping closer to Akara. He raised a hand to feel Akara's forehead. Akara still had a slight fever, yet he was dawdling instead of heading home to rest. If he kept this up, Intha was going to spank him. So stubborn!

"I'm tired, but... when I'm stressed, I like walkin' around 7-Eleven," Akara admitted.

"..Ah," Intha responded, unsure of what to say.

"Crazy, right?" Akara said, scratching the back of his neck before leaning his head onto Intha's shoulder. The familiar scent of Intha's cologne made him feel a little aroused.

"Fine, walk around until you're not stressed anymore. It's open 24/7. Walk as much as you want."

"Before I walk, let me stay like this for two minutes. I need to reset myself," Akara murmured softly, staying still as Intha gently rubbed his back. His condition had worsened after dropping Athens off. He'd asked Intha to take him back to the bar, but

seeing the charred wooden walls made him feel like he was losing his mind. The sight of the burnt sign, with only faint traces of its name left, broke his heart even more.

So, he had come to 7-Eleven to calm his nerves before heading to Intha's house to stay the night. He'd have to stay at Intha's house for several days...Akara took a deep, heavy breath and then looked up to meet Intha's soft smile.

"I think I'm okay now," Akara said.

"Have you picked a drink yet?" Intha asked.

"Yeah, I want a Slurpee," Akara replied.

"Can I say something?" Intha rolled his eyes upward, as if zoning out. All Akara wanted to drink was a Slurpee, but had been standing in front of the chiller for ages. If he kept this up, Intha might just throw something at him... with love.

"What?"

"Don't be so annoyingly cute," Intha teased.

"You were gonna scold me for takin' so long to pick a drink, weren't you?"

"Who would dare? How could anyone scold Eung-eung? You're too adorable, my cute baby," Intha said, pinching Akara's cheeks playfully. Just then, a familiar voice called out from behind them.

"I feel like throwing up from all this fake sweetness..."

Intha recognised the voice immediately and grimaced. Akara stopped filling his Slurpee and turned to look over Intha's shoulder.

"Oh, Ong? What are you doing here?" Akara asked.

"Buying cat food. We're out, and my boy needs to eat," Issara replied, squinting sleepily. He looked back and forth between Intha and Akara, his mouth moving lazily like someone who had just woken up.

"Are you even awake?" Intha asked.

"If I weren't, how would I be here buying cat food?" Issara shot back.

"I can't believe you drove to 7-Eleven looking like this," Intha said, eyeing his younger brother with a mix of disbelief and disdain. He glanced at the bag of cat food Issara was holding with a peculiar expression.

"You haven't showered since this morning, have you?"

Issara nodded sheepishly. Intha let out a disgusted noise from the back of his throat.

"How did you even get past Mom to leave the house like this?"

"P'Aon came over. Mom was busy talking to him. Oh, and I walked here because P' Aon parked his car in the way, so I couldn't get mine out. Since I ran into you, can I catch a ride home?"

"No. Eung-eung takes up the whole seat by himself," Intha replied bluntly.

"Rude! I feel like kickin' my hubby."

"Meowww! Why are you stomping your foot? That hurts!" Intha exclaimed.

"I barely stepped on you. Don't be so dramatic," Akara said, his voice tinged with irritation as he bit into the ice crystals in his Slurpee. Issara grinned widely, eyeing the cup in Akara's hand.

"Eung, can you get me one too? Make it as tall as yours. Intha, you pay for it first. I only have enough money for the cat food," Issara said, shoving the bag of cat food into Intha's chest before squeezing past him to stand next to Akara. He handed an empty cup to Akara, flashing a wide smile at the equally tall man to encourage him to fill it up.

"Eung, don't get too close to him. He's gross and doesn't like to shower," Intha warned.

"I'm clean! I stay in air-conditioned rooms all day. By the way.... Eung, you smell really nice," Issara said, leaning in closer.

"Ong, step away from my wifey right now," Intha growled.

"I feel beautiful again. Dunno what to do," Akara said in a high-pitched, exaggerated voice, ignoring the bickering brothers behind him. He figured they thought they were being discreet… But they weren't. People were staring!

"I'm going to murder your cat," Intha threatened.

"Try it, and I'll burn your amulets," Issara shot back.

"Wanna fight?"

"So scary... Oh, and this too. Add it to the bill," Issara said, baring his teeth at Intha before quickly following Akara to the cashier with his snacks. He placed the precious bag of cat food with Akara's items, and when the cashier announced the total, he patted his brother's back to signal him to pay. The points went to Issara's membership, but Intha's paying… I love you, bro. Love you so much.

After Intha begrudgingly paid for the cat food and the largest Slurpee, Issara was practically bouncing with energy, as if he were at a lively Isaan restaurant.

"Is he my brother or my karmic enemy?" Intha muttered, watching Issara's overly cheerful antics. His brother's exaggerated slurping noises while drinking the Slurpee made him want to smack him even more. Forget about getting reimbursed for the money he spent. That was a lost cause...

"Eung-eung, can I have a sip of your Slurpee?" Intha asked, leaning in to take a sip from Akara's cup to cool his irritation caused by Issara. Honestly, he and Akara shared drinks all the time, so he wasn't shy about stealing a sip like this. He was used to it....But Issara wasn't. The bag of cat food slipped from Issara's hands and fell to the floor. He quickly bent down to pick it up and dust it off.

"You're staying at Intha's house tonight, right?" Issara asked.... Something's gonna happen in the bedroom.

"Yeah, for several nights," Akara replied, sipping his drink as they walked out of 7-Eleven with the two brothers. But then they had to stop abruptly because Issara suddenly turned around.

"Do you have condoms? I have one to recommend. It's really good. It's a new model. I just tried it last night," Issara said

"..." Akara's jaw dropped while Intha tried to drag his brother toward the car.

"It's super thin and doesn't interrupt the rhythm," Issara continued.

"Ong-ong..."

"But you need to use lube, you know? If you use lotion, the condom will tear," Issara added.

"Ong, get in the car. You don't need to buy anything else," Intha said, pulling Issara's arm and giving him a pointed look.

"Oh, so you already have some?" Issara asked, raising an eyebrow.

"We go raw," Intha said with a thumbs-up and a loud click of his tongue. The result? Akara started smacking him repeatedly, and even after they got into the car, Akara didn't stop hitting him.

"What the hell of a conversation is this? So dirty!" Akara exclaimed.

"Ow!"

"I'm a princess, okay? Show some respect!" Akara huffed.

"A princess? You're even more masculine than me?" Issara teased from the back seat, his face innocent but his tone mischievous. He loved teasing his brother's partner, especially when it got a reaction. "You're so ripped!"

"I wanna hit you!" Akara snapped.

"Then hit Ong instead!" Intha protested

"Ugh!!!"

"What did I even do?" Intha raised his arms defensively, trying not to laugh at Akara's dramatic gestures, which looked like something out of a soap opera but with the energy of an Isaan restaurant. He was going to end up with internal bruises at this rate.

"You're crazy. I'm not letting you do creampie anymore," Akara declared.

'Creampie'? Are you hungry, Eung?" Issara asked, looking confused as he glanced between his brother and Akara. Issara wasn't familiar with this term. Akara didn't answer, so Intha cleared his throat and explained.

"None of your business!" Intha said. Akara burst out laughing, glancing at Issara, who nodded in understanding. Whether he truly understood or not didn't really matter.

"Let it go, let it go. Can't hold it back anymore. Let it go, let it go." Akara sang dramatically, gesturing like Elsa as he imagined himself as the snow queen. But this is an Isaan restaurant, he watched the two brothers unload the car while continuing to sing. There was nothing in his hands, only a basket of offerings for monks that Intha had bought. Tomorrow, Intha planned to take him to make merit, so they stopped to buy some offerings.

"Eung, come help carry this stuff," Intha called out.

"No way. If I have to carry things myself, what's the point of havin' a boyfriend?" Akara replied in his Elsa voice once again. He rushed over to Intha, clasping his hands over his chest and blinking his eyes dramatically, as if trying to hypnotise him.

Carry it for me, carry it with love and devotion. Intha flashed a sweet smile, while Issara, now a reluctant porter, furrowed his brows in frustration.

"If you don't carry stuff, what's the point of having muscles?" Issara muttered. He soon realised that Intha and Akara weren't paying him any attention at all. The two had already walked cheerfully into the house, leaving him behind. Issara sighed and carried the bags and the monk's offerings into the house. The moment Akara stepped

inside, what had been a normal conversation turned into...

"Hello, Mom!!! Oh, is this Dad? P' In looks just like you! And this must be P' Aon. Hello! I'm Eung Akara!" His voice boomed through the house...Intha was grinning ear to ear. His wifey was charming the family.

"Eung, you're here! Have you eaten yet, dear?"

Oh, and now Mom was beaming too. She loved Akara's energy.

"Not yet. I planned to come here and eat with you, Mom. I'm starving," Akara replied sweetly. Yeah, sure.. and what about the Slurpee you left in the car?

"Alright then, let's have the kids set the table. You all must be starving," Dad said.

Oh, and Dad is in on it, too.

"I've been wanting to meet you... The princess," Arayha, who had been sitting stoically on the living room couch, even moved aside to make room for Intha and Akara. Guess I'm being ignored here... Issara thought, deciding to retreat upstairs.

"Where are you going, Ong?" Aon called out.

"Upstairs," Issara replied.

"Where's your cat, you punk?" Arayha asked, craning his neck to look for it. Issara's face stiffened. He was definitely being ignored. Even the cat got more attention than he did.

"Aon, speak to your brother nicely. Watch your tone."

"Mom, aren't you used to it by now? In and Ong talk to each other like that all the time," Aon defended.

"You're always blaming your brother. I don't see anything rude about the way they speak," Mom retorted with a sharp glance. Intha nodded earnestly, putting on a pitiful face as if he were being falsely accused. "Exactly! P'Aon always blames In-in unfairly."

"You monkeys," P'Aon muttered under his breath."Mom, you chat with P'Aon and In-in for now. I'm heading upstairs to shower and will come down for dinner," Issara said, excusing himself.

"Goodness! Haven't showered yet? How did you even go outside like that?" Mom exclaimed.

"I'll take care of it right away," Issara replied sheepishly.

"Since last night, right?" Arayha smirked, his face resembling Intha's but noticeably rounder. He had a dadbod...

"More like since yesterday morning. Ong doesn't like to shower. He's a mess," Intha chimed in.

"A clean spirit doesn't need a clean body," Issara defended himself. Oh, I'm getting ganged up on. Mom's definitely going to scold me now.

"From now on, you need to shower morning and evening, Ong. Thailand is hot. You can't act like you're still abroad," Mom said, her tone stern but not overly harsh.

Akara wondered if this was the harshest Mom could get. He felt like giving her some of his energy. She should grab a cane and really lay it down!

"And are you planning to go out again tonight? You should ease up on the women. I'm worried about you," Arayha added, cracking his knuckles loudly, making him seem even more intimidating.

"That's personal," Issara shot back.

"You little-" Arayha threw a pillow at Issara.

The eldest and youngest brothers were playfully bickering while the middle brother clapped and cheered from the sidelines.

"Creampie!" Intha shouted.

"Huh?!"

"Creampie, P'Aon. Don't know that? So outdated.. Bruh!"

"No way, Ong! You can't just do a creampie. That's dangerous!" Arayha blurted out, forgetting that Mom was still in the room. Intha leaned over to whisper sweetly into Akara's ear, "Mom's going to scold him. This is so fun."

"Aon! Ong!" Mom's voice turned sharp. Issara quickly pointed the blame at Intha.

"In-in told me the word!"

"I didn't know what it meant! I only found out when P' Aon said it!" Intha defended himself. "Don't play innocent, Intha. I helped you today, don't betray me!" Aon snapped

"Mom, P' Aon is raising his voice at Intha," Intha whined.

"Aon, you've upset me now," Mom scolded. Akara watched the chaos unfold before him. He was glad he didn't have kids. If his kids turned out like their father... it'd be terrifying. Those innocent faces can't be trusted.

"Where's the medicine?" Akara stood with his hands on his hips in front of Intha, his slightly rounded belly from dinner visible under his sleep shirt. He held out his hand, asking for the packet of medicine the doctor had prescribed.

"Oh, right. You need to take it after meals... I think I left it in the car. I didn't bring it in yet," Intha said.

"Then gimme the car keys. I'll go get it myself," Akara offered.

"No need. Stay here. I'll go get it for you," Intha said, setting his phone aside and stretching lazily before getting up. He opened the door and gestured for Akara to stay put. Akara didn't want to argue, but being left alone in Intha's room made him uneasy. Normally, he'd be happy to avoid walking, but as he glanced around the room, he felt a chill. 

The room was filled with talismans and charms that were far too eerie for him to handle alone. Even the three or four jars of mysterious ointment on the bedside table were creepy. The jars were labelled with permanent ink, saying things like "Cemetery Balm." Then there were jars with preserved venomous creatures, oils, tiger fangs, elephant-hide amulets- so many strange items. My heart can't take this. I'm too weak to be left alone.

"Hia, I think I'll come with you. I feel like exercisin'," Akara said hurriedly.

"Alright, then, hurry up. I want to close the door quickly before mosquitoes get in," Intha replied, nodding for Akara to follow. He quickly shut the door behind them, prompting Akara to tease him.

"Mosquitoes wouldn't dare come in. They're probably scared of your cemetery balm," Akara joked.

"That balm was blessed in an actual cemetery. Want me to anoint your forehead for good luck?" Intha teased back.

"No thanks. My Kiehl's products wouldn't appreciate that. Seriously, have you ever been possessed or haunted? Where do you even get all this stuff?" Akara asked as they descended the stairs. Intha turned to look at him, his expression serious. "Do you want the truth or a lie?"

"Uh, if the truth is too scary, feel free to lie," Akara replied cautiously.

"Heh," Intha smirked. "The truth is, I've tried every method to see ghosts, but they never show themselves to me. It's heartbreaking. Come on, I just want to see one!"

He looked like he was about to cry, but instead of feeling sorry for him, Akara sped up and walked past him.

"You're probably too sinful. Even ghosts are afraid to appear," Akara quipped.

"Bad mouthing your hubby is a sin too, y'know? What about you, Eung-eung? Have you ever seen a ghost?" Intha asked

"No, but I had a fight with one," Akara replied.

"What happened?" Intha's eyes sparkled with curiosity as he walked beside Akara, who was leaning into the car to grab the medicine. Intha loved ghost stories. He trusted that whatever Akara was about to share would be true. Once Akara stood up straight again, he began his two-sentence horror story.

"When I was about fourteen or fifteen, a fortune teller passed by my house and told my dad, 'Your son's luck is bad. A ghostly banana tree spirit wants him. He peed on her tree, so now she wants him as her husband.""

Akara walked back into the house as he recounted the tale, heading toward the kitchen where Intha had pulled him in to prepare a glass of water for his medicine. Akara popped the pill into his mouth and continued the story.

"My dad wanted the fortune teller to perform a ritual to change my fate. But I remember clearly that I never peed on any banana trees because my dad was super strict 'bout it. The fortune teller said it wouldn't hurt to do the ritual anyway. He said, 

'You're a man, why are you scared of just sleeping in a coffin?' I was so mad that I ran out and kicked every banana tree in sight."

"You were mad at the fortune teller?" Intha asked.

"No, I was mad at the banana tree spirit. What was she thinkin', wantin' me as her husband? I only want a husband. I kicked those trees until they broke and shouted at the fortune teller, 'I'll have a husband, not to be a husband! I'm not straight, and I'm not sleeping in any coffin!' After that, everyone in the neighbourhood knew I was gay. I barely escaped my dad's wrath," Akara said.

"That's how your dad found out you were gay?"

"He already knew. I basically announced it at birth when I screamed at the doctor, 'Congratulations, you have a gal!' But he was mad 'cause I broke the banana trees. He threw an energy drink bottle cap at me. We didn't talk for like a week because of those trees," Akara explained.

"Sounds like your dad's pretty sweet. But where's the eerie part of the story I've been waiting for?"

"He is. My dad's kind, and that's the whole story. Period."

"I just want to see a ghost," Intha sighed, slumping his shoulders in disappointment. So much for proving the existence of ghosts. Whatever… He'd always believe in ghosts anyway.

"I'd better stay out of this," Akara said, shrugging as he finished his glass of water and placed it in the sink. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and watched Inha's broad shoulders as he walked toward the storage room next to the kitchen.

"What's that?" Akara raised an eyebrow as he noticed a large package being dragged out. Intha smiled sweetly, his eyes sparkling with mischief as they locked gazes.

"It's a gift for you, Eung. It arrived a few days ago. I had a friend buy it and ship it from overseas. So, what do you think? Impressed? Just think about how amazing a hubby I am," Intha said, grinning proudly

"A gift for me? What is it? The box is huge," Akara asked.

"Let's go unwrap it in the room. I promise you'll love it," Intha said with a playful grin.

"Alright, let's head upstairs then."

"What kind of lady invites a man into her room?"

"Fortune favours the bold~" Akara sang back, grinning.

"Most men can't resist a seductress... Want me to keep going? I can go on and on."

Akara burst out laughing as Intha continued to sing dramatically, his mischievous eyes sparkling. Akara playfully pushed Intha's head back toward the stairs and nudged him to lead the way up.

Soon, they were sitting on the floor of Intha's bedroom. Intha, with a knife that looked suspiciously like a ceremonial blade, carefully sliced through the tape sealing the box. He pushed the open box toward Akara with a grin.

"Go ahead, open it."

"This is kinda scary... Are you prankin' me with somethin' weird?" Akara hesitated, eyeing the box suspiciously. Intha refused to give any hints, making Akara even more nervous as he pulled the box closer.

"It's something you once dreamed about," Intha said cryptically.

"Somethin' I dreamed about? That makes it even scarier," Akara replied, his curiosity piqued but his nerves on edge.

"Just open it already. I bought it because I thought we should take a little vacation together," Intha explained with a smile.

"Alright," Akara said, giving in. He pulled the box closer, propped his knees up, and opened the flaps. The moment he saw what was inside, Akara's handsome face lit up with laughter. He looked up at Intha, unable to contain himself, and burst out laughing so hard it echoed through the room. Oh my god, I did dream about this, but never thought he'd remember and actually buy it for me. Inside the box was a glittering, pastel-colored mermaid tail. The scales shimmered like a fantasy come to life.

"No way! I can't believe you actually bought this for me!" Akara exclaimed, still laughing.

"See how much I care about you, Eung?" Intha said proudly.

"You're adorable," Akara said, forming a mini heart with his fingers and sending it to Intha, who puffed out his chest with pride. Akara pulled the mermaid tail out of the box and tore off the plastic wrapping. I have to try this on.

"Let's go to the beach. The mermaid tail is ready, I'm ready, and we've got free time. Let's go!" Akara said enthusiastically.

"At this point, how could I say no? Wherever you wanna go, hell or heaven-I'm in. But first, let me try on this mermaid tail," Akara said, grinning.

Akara slipped into the mermaid tail with Intha's help, zipping it up. The shimmering scales reflected the light, dazzling and almost blinding. Akara couldn't stop smiling.

Once he was fully dressed, the sight in the mirror was more hilarious than graceful. Even Akara laughed at himself, but Intha clapped his hands and declared, "You're so cute! My little Ariel!"

"You deserve an award for hyping me up so much," Akara said, laughing.

"How do fish even mate?" Intha teased with a smirk.

"Watch what you say around all these charms and talismans in your room," Akara joked, pretending to be serious. He started unzipping the mermaid tail, finding that it fit him perfectly. But before he could fully take it off, Intha, who had been kneeling nearby, suddenly scooped him up in his mermaid form. Intha carried Akara to the bed and playfully tossed him onto the soft, fragrant blankets, pulling them over both

of them.

"Under the covers now. No need to hold back," Intha said with a cheeky grin. "You're unbelievable," Akara replied, rolling his eyes.

"Unbelievably nice. I love ma wifey," Intha said, propping himself up on both arms as he gazed down at Akara. Intha thought Akara looked incredibly cute, especially when he smiled wide enough to show his teeth. He was so good at showering his boyfriend with compliments that Akara couldn't argue.

"I love ma hubby, too. Thanks for the mermaid tail. My dream of being Ariel has finally come true," Akara said.

"Hearing my wifey say he loves me... My heart can't take it," Intha said, taking Akara's hand and placing it over his chest. Then he leaned down, pressing his weight onto Akara, and nuzzled his nose against Akara's chest and neck playfully. Intha was always over-the-top, hugging Akara tightly. Akara wrapped his arms around Intha in return, his fingers playing with Intha's light-coloured hair.

"Why are you so good to me?" Akara asked.

"Because I love you," Intha replied.

"Thanks to fate for bringin' us together."

"No, it's thanks to you for following me. That's how we ended up walking this path together," Intha said.

"Cheesy," Akara teased.

"Yeah, agree."

The room fell quiet after their sweet exchange. Akara smiled to himself, knowing that neither he nor Intha was cut out for overly romantic words. He gently pushed Intha away, pretending to focus on unzipping and removing the mermaid tail. He placed it

on the floor beside the bed, turned off the lights, and lay back down. Intha immediately pulled him into a tight embrace.

"Rest. Don't overthink things. Problems come to show us who our true partners are," Intha said reassuringly.

"Did you just quote a sermon at me?" Akara asked, smirking.

"I hate how you always see through me," Intha replied with a chuckle.

"You're my true partner, Hia. Don't ever leave me. Once you love me, you have to love me forever," Akara said, hugging Intha tightly around the waist.

"I won't leave, and you can't leave me either. Once you love me, it's forever, okay?" Intha said, pressing his nose into Akara's hair. Akara, who was as small as a matchstick, fit perfectly in his arms. "Tomorrow will be a good day," Akara said softly.

"Tomorrow will be good... when you believe," Intha replied.

"Though hope is frail, it's hard to kill~ Who knows what miracles you can achieve~?"

"I was trying to be sentimental!"

"Ouch!" Akara yelped as Intha pinched his waist. It hurt, but just as Akara was about to retaliate, Intha hugged him even tighter and covered him in kisses, melting away his resolve.

"I'll get you back for this," Akara muttered.

"Sure, goodnight," Intha replied nonchalantly, unfazed by Akara's mock threats.

Akara grumbled a bit but eventually said, "Goodnight, Hia."

The two of them barely used half the bed, curled up tightly together on one side. That night, they both had sweet dreams. And tomorrow? It'd surely be a good day, simply because they had each other. Bring on a hundred more problems-they could handle anything. And if there were no problems? Well, that'd be fabulous too. :)