Chapter 26 - Witness of Love.

"Can I say something sexy just once in my life, Hia?"

"What is it?"

"Eung."

"Sigh... whatever." Intha paused his finger from pressing the shutter to take a photo of Akara. He was stunned by Akara's confidence in claiming himself to be sexy. And to top it off, Akara even wiggled his mermaid tail back and forth to show off. So sexy. But honestly, Intha wasn't really into the whole sexy vibe. Akara was so adorable, especially with the beaded necklace he'd bought for him. 

Intha wanted him to be sweet and gentle. So, Intha added a touch of pastel-coloured beads. Pastels make everything look cuter. Even the tattoos and muscles seemed cuter. And that sharp face, too. See? Sweet as sugar, my dear. Open your eyes and look!!!

"You don't sound very willin'."

"I told you, I want you to be sweet and gentle."

"Who comes to the beach to be sweet? It's all about bein' sexy, wearin' bikinis, and settin' the sea on fire!"

"The sun in Thailand is already blazing hot, isn't it?"

"Please, just for one day, I want to be sexy."

"Fine, but sit properly. Stop trying to stretch your legs in that mermaid tail, or it'll rip. I'm going to take the photo again. Give me a more graceful pose, like Princess Ariel."

"Ariel was a floozy. She ran away with a man to the surface. Have you even watched it?"

"Of course, I have. She had to trade her voice for human legs. It was so sad."

"Aww, you feel sorry for Ariel."

"Give me an Ariel pose set to show sympathy for the mermaid princess."

"Alright, fine."

After successfully coaxing Akara into the sweet mermaid princess vibe, Intha was prepared to press the shutter again. Akara stared at the camera, striking an Ariel-like pose to genuinely express the sadness Intha had mentioned. He noticed tourists looking their way, intrigued by the scene. He felt a bit embarrassed, but his desire to have photos to show off to the world outweighed it. So, Akara decided to ignore the stares. Better to be noticed than ignored, right? Akara thought. I'm so stunning and sexy that the sea is practically on fire.

"Eung-eung, can you pose like this? Tilt your head a bit... too much, lift it up... your double chin is showing, sweetie."

"Like this?" Akara tilted his head at a forty-five-degree angle to hide his double chin. The photographer gave a thumbs-up and then asked Akara to switch to another pose. Lucky me to have a hubby like Intha. Here I go praisin' my hubby again. Hehe. He's so sweet, taking photos with such enthusiasm. He picks the perfect lighting, sets the scene, adjusts the poses, and even comes over to fix my hair and face. So nice, right? Don't you think so? Right?

"Alright, that's enough. Lemme see the photos you've taken," Akara said as he slid down from the rock with his mermaid tail. He stretched his legs out in front of him, using one hand to prop himself up on the soft sand. He watched as Intha walked closer. The taller man, wearing a tank top, sat down nearby and handed the camera to him, showing him the photos one by one.

"Wow, these are so good!"

"I was afraid you'd complain if they weren't."

"Am I really that much of a complainer?" Akara asked, looking unconvinced that he could be so nitpicky. But Intha nodded in agreement.

"Yes, you complain A LOT. This morning, when I woke you up, you said you were sleepy. By noon, you complained about being hungry. While walking to take photos, you complained about the heat. After eating too much, you complained about being full. And tonight, before bed, you'll complain about not being able to sleep. If I suggest we get intimate, you'll complain about back pain and ask to take it easy."

"Seriously, are you bottlin' up some frustration?"

"No, I was just giving examples to paint a picture for you."

"Alright, I'll tryna complain less."

"No need. I like listening to it. It's funny."

"You're such a weirdo."

"Consider yourself lucky to have a weirdo for a hubby."

"Are you havin' heatstroke and talkin' nonsense?"

"Nope, I think I'm having sea breeze stroke."

"You're talkin' nonsense now. Here, take the camera. Once you're done lookin', don't forget to send the photos to me." After Akara finished admiring the photos, he handed the camera back to Intha, who put it away. Akara began removing his mermaid tail, revealing his long legs in black shorts.

Akara wasn't wearing a shirt because, as he put it, no mermaid wears a shirt. Intha was slightly annoyed but ultimately allowed Akara to walk around the beach shirtless. The intricate tattoos on his smooth skin caught everyone's attention. It wasn't surprising that people kept looking at Akara. I'm jealous… But also a little proud that this person is mine.

"Are you gonna swim? The sun's startin' to set."

"Sure, Eung, bring your stuff over here."

"Okay ~" Akara replied sweetly, dragging his mermaid tail over to where their belongings were. They chose to swim in a spot not far from their things, not really swimming but just soaking to feel the sea.

The seawater, warmed by the sun all day, felt cosy. But as they walked deeper, their toes touched the cool, refreshing water. Akara walked further in, with Intha following. The water only reached his shoulders, but Akara wanted to be playful, so he crouched slightly, pretending he couldn't touch the bottom.

"Hia, I'm drownin'! Glub, glub, help me~"

"Oh no, I need to give you mouth-to-mouth resuscitation! Open your mouth, quick, open up~"

"Ugh, I'm not even drownin'! You're supposed to carry me on your back to shore first!" 

Akara pushed Intha away as he tried to pry his mouth open with salty fingers. Akara stood up straight, unfazed by the waves crashing against him. The saltiness of the seawater, thanks to Intha's fingers, made his face twist in annoyance. Not cool. I will not praise Intha anymore.

"Well, you were going glub, glub, like you were choking."

"That was the sound of me pretendin' to drown."

"I didn't say anything, though," Intha replied with a sheepish smile before turning away. He slicked back his wet hair, revealing his perfectly shaped forehead. "So, do you want me to carry you to shore? If you want a piggyback ride, just hop on."

"Huh?"

"Didn't you say you wanted a piggyback ride?"

"Won't I be too heavy for you?"

"Come on, you're my wifey. Why wouldn't I be able to carry you?"

Defeated by the look in Intha's eyes and his calm voice, Akara decided to spare him by not jumping on his back. Instead, he walked over and hugged him, resting his face on Intha's shoulder. His chin rested on Intha's shoulder as he tilted his head up to meet his gaze, then gave a wide, sweet smile, only to get a flick on the forehead in return.

"Don't hug me."

"Can't I even hug you? What did I do wrong?"

"Nothing. You didn't do anything wrong. But have some pity on my heart. It can't do anything but love you."

"Wow, you're gettin' cheesy."

"That's just how people in love are." Akara laughed, his mouth wide open, showing his teeth. He let Intha lead him further into the water. They stayed close, surrounded by the clear water, sweet and romantic like a scene from every love story ever written. They played and teased each other until the sun dipped lower. Akara then asked, "Should we stay here to watch the sunset, Hia?"

"I was just about to suggest that."

They continued playing in the water for a little while longer before sitting together on a rock. The atmosphere was serene as the sun began to set over the water. The sky turned a deep blue, streaked with orange from the sun. The heat of the afternoon had faded, replaced by a cool sea breeze carrying the scent of the ocean. Akara had put on a shirt to shield himself from the wind, while Intha's clothes were still damp. It was a perfect moment to sit and watch the sunset together. Akara started to think it was time to give something to Intha.

He pulled his crossbody bag closer, his messy hair leaning against his lover's shoulder. Intha turned to kiss his forehead, feeling the same desire to freeze this moment in time. If only they could bottle this memory or carve it into stone.

"Hia," Akara called softly.

"Yes?"

"I have somethin' for you. Are you excited? Are you excited?"

"..."

"You've given me so much. I think it's time I give you somethin' in return." The sound of a zipper being pulled echoed in the air. Akara slowly pulled out a ring box that he was so proud of. He carefully opened it, making sure it was in Intha's line of sight. The remaining light reflected off the jewellery, catching their eyes. Akara continued, "This one's for you, and this one's for me. Let's wear them together so everyone knows you're taken. I've claimed you."

"Uh..."

There he goes ruinin' the mood again!

"What's with the 'uh'?" Akara pulled his head off Intha's shoulder, narrowing his eyes suspiciously at the strange expression on his face. He hadn't even accepted the ring yet.

"What should I do?"

"Don't tell me you're not gonna take my ring?"

"No, it's just... I bought couple rings, too."

"No way," Akara smirked, watching as Intha reached into his pocket. Moments later, he pulled out a slightly damp velvet box. He opened it to reveal, of course, couple rings. They locked eyes, and an awkward silence fell over them.

"So, we were thinking the same thing."

"It's actually a good thing that we're on the same page."

It really was something to celebrate. Akara's face lit up with a smile as he alternated between looking at the rings. He liked his own because it had a small diamond on it. But Intha's was nice, too. a simple, sleek band that was easy to wear.

"What do we do now? Whose rings do we wear?"

"Let's wear both. It'll be cool."

"Alright then, let's take turns puttin' the rings on each other," Akara said as he took out the ring he'd prepared for Intha. He carefully slid it onto Intha's left ring finger. Intha did the same for him. It looked a bit odd to have two rings on one finger. But when they thought about why they wore two rings... it felt good. After putting on the rings, there was no sweet kiss as Akara had imagined. Instead, their hands intertwined tightly.

The sea bore witness to their love.

The wind bore witness to their love.

The rocky cliffs bore witness to their love.

A love... that seemed to grow even stronger.

As the sun completely disappeared below the horizon, Akara, who was sitting on the outer edge, stood up first. His bare feet stepped onto a moderately high rock, not realising how slippery it was, causing him to slip and fall. A thud echoed as his back hit the sand. Akara bit his lip and lifted his stinging foot to inspect it. The rock had cut him, and he was bleeding. Though it didn't hurt that much.

"Don't get up yet, Eung. Let me check your wound first," Intha said as he knelt at Akara's feet, his brows furrowed. He lifted Akara's injured foot, now slightly bleeding, and placed it on his thigh, searching for a bottle of water to clean the wound. The wound was a small, shallow cut, and fortunately, it wasn't too deep. Akara gently pulled his foot back, not feeling as much pain as Intha seemed to think. As he explained, "It's not that bad."

"I didn't take good care of you, and now you're hurt."

"It was just an accident," Akara teased, ruffling the small bun on Intha's head. Why was he moving so close? Before Akara realised it, he was pushed to lie flat on the sand. His pale foot was kissed tenderly, soothing the wound. Goosebumps ran all over his body.

"Can you walk? If not, I'll carry you."

"It's just a tiny cut," Akara said, pinching his fingers to show how small it was. He pushed himself up from the sand to sit upright. Intha extended his hand to help him up, and Akara used it as support to stand. The wound didn't hurt. What seemed like pain was probably just the shock. He's been through worse, but because of his size, not many people had ever taken care of him like this. Since he was born, the only one who had ever pampered him this much was Intha...Wait, I've promised myself not to praise him more today.

"I have some medicine in the room. Let's walk back slowly, okay?" Intha said, gently grabbing Akara's tattooed wrist. He led Akara along the beach. The night was much more pleasant than the day, with a stray beach dog walking alongside them as another witness to their love. It wasn't too dark to see, as there were still some lights along the path.

"I'm hungry."

The mood breaker was none other than Akara himself. And his mermaid tail, when wet, was ridiculously heavy. Who was carrying it? Intha, of course. Intha alone.

"I want a popsicle."

"Take a bath and change first, then I'll take you to get some."

"Gimme a kiss.”

"Alright, Hia..."

"Hmm?"

"Gimme a kiss."

"Ah!" Intha, walking ahead, was startled when his shoulder was grabbed. He let out a surprised yelp. Akara tilted his head up, parting his lips to meet Akara's warm tongue. His hand wrapped around Intha's back, and sweetness spread through their mouths. Eung is such a good kisser. Really good...

When their lips parted, Intha scooped Akara up in a bridal carry. Don't tell Akara, but his knees hurt. His ankle sank halfway into the sand.

"With moves like that, let's continue this in the room," Intha said, his eyes gleaming.

'No, no, no! I'm scared... scared I'll lose my virginity," Akara said, burying his face in mock embarrassment. But really... he wasn't embarrassed at all -How far do you think Intha's ability to carry Akara goes?

1. All the way to the room, then toss Akara onto the bed.
2. To the door of their room.
3. To the end of the beach path.
4. None of the above.

The truth was… Not far at all. Intha only managed eight steps before setting his companion down. Akara thought the reason Intha couldn't carry him farther was all the stuff he was carrying. Akara was so small; if Intha wasn't carrying anything else, he could probably run ten kilometres with him, no problem. Right?

They walked together until they reached their room. Intha told Akara to bathe first while he prepared their outfits for dinner that night. But even after he finished preparing, Akara was still in the bath. Intha decided to peek into the bathroom.

Luck was on his side! The adorable seventy-kilogram man hadn't locked the door. The sound of splashing water came from behind the white curtain. Bubbles of soap foamed over the edge of the tub, with some water pooling on the floor.

"Eung..." Intha called, stopping just behind the curtain. He took a deep breath, inhaling the fruity scent of the soap, perfect for summer. It was refreshing. And invigorating.

When Akara realised Intha had joined him in the bathroom, he didn't seem embarrassed. He pulled the curtain slightly aside, revealing his wet hair. Leaning his arm on the edge of the tub, he looked up at Intha.

"Wanna bathe together?"

"Sure."

Intha agreed easily, pulling off his damp tank top over his head. He was about to remove his shorts to join Akara in the tub when Akara tugged at the drawstring, pulling him closer. Akara tugged at the elastic waistband, lowering it. His hands rested on Intha's thighs for support. Intha's breath hitched, his eyes closing as a warm tongue touched him.

"Is this the kind of popsicle you were talking about?"

"You could say that."

"Eung-eung, your lips are so soft."

Intha's thumb brushed against Akara's smooth cheek as he watched those soft lips take him in.

@#$%^&#($

@$L@$*@%!$%#^*@$*_

Oh my, I'm going to die. Akara adjusted his position in the water, sitting with his knees up for better leverage. His head bobbed

rhythmically: Those lips...

I love them.

Oh my goodness - 0-

"Ah... Eung, ugh," Intha's toned abs flexed, contracting and relaxing in a mesmerising rhythm. His face flushed, sweat dripping as he thrust into Akara's mouth a few more times. His broad shoulders trembled, and muffled sounds escaped his throat. He released a wave of warmth into Akara's throat. He, ever so attentive, swallowed it all and even licked him clean.

With someone this perfect...how could I possibly leave him?

"Feelin' better?"

Intha shook his head, kicking off his shorts. He stepped into the tub with Akara, positioning himself beneath him. He pulled Akara onto his lap, their hips pressing together intimately. His lips trailed kisses along Akara's shoulder, his hands alternating between caressing his stomach and gripping his firm length. His fingers teased the sensitive tip, causing Akara to shudder repeatedly. The growing tension returned, pressing against Akara's soft entrance.

With a guiding hand, Akara lowered himself, taking him in completely. He turned to kiss Intha, their passion reigniting. Akara spread his legs wide, bracing against the tub's edge as he moved up and down. The friction heightened their desire. His hand worked his own length in sync with their rhythm. Though Akara hadn't reached his climax yet, it didn't take long before he did. He collapsed against Intha, his pale hand brushing over Intha's chest, teasing the hardened peaks. Intha didn't thrust again, allowing Akara to rest. Akara panted heavily, planting kisses along Intha's sharp jawline.

"I'm hungry."

"Well, who started it?"

"Well, you're just too handsome."

"Sweet talker. I'll make it quick, then," Intha said, dragging his tongue along Akara's damp skin. He resumed their passion, gripping Akara's waist firmly. He lifted Akara, guiding him up and down while thrusting into his tender entrance. The bathroom filled with moans and the sound of their bodies meeting. 

Despite their earlier exhaustion, they found renewed energy. Akara's hand returned to his own length, stroking in time with their movements. This time, they reached their peak together. Intha then helped Akara clean up, gently washing away the remnants of their passion. Soon after, Akara stood awkwardly in the bedroom. His tiny cut tended to.

"When did you buy this shirt for me?" Akara asked, holding up a white shirt with red patterns from the hanger. He shook it out before putting it on.

"Whenever I felt like it. I'm rich."

"Uh..."

"Just kidding. I bought it yesterday when you went out to buy shoes. Do you like it? You must. I knew it'd suit you."

"Yeah, I like it. By the way, where are we having dinner tonight?" Akara asked, pulling on a pair of shorts. He shook his wet hair dry before sitting to watch Intha blow-dry his own hair on the bed. His short bangs would puff up if he didn't style them. Intha carefully set them in place.

"A beachside restaurant. We'll have some beer and relax."

"Speaking of beer, it reminds me of our bar. It probably won't open until next week."

"Who said it'd open next week?"

"I did."

Intha turned off the hairdryer and looked at Akara seriously.

"Let's check the auspicious date for the opening first. And we'll do a blessing ceremony for the bar. This time, we want everything to go smoothly without needing renovations again."

"I don't really believe in that stuff."

..."

"But okay, I won't dismiss it. Let's check the opening date. Just tell me what I need to do," Akara quickly said before Intha could respond. He wasn't the superstitious type at all, but if it meant keeping things smooth with Intha, then why not? It's not like it'd hurt anyone... right?

"While we're picking a date for the bar opening, should we also pick a date for our wedding?"

"We're kinda married, y'know?"

"When?"

"Since the moment we exchanged rings."

"No way, I don't remember agreeing to that," Intha said, placing the hairdryer back in its spot. He then stepped toward Akara, pushing him down onto the wide bed. Hovering over him, he locked eyes with Akara, unflinching.

"So, are you sayin' you don't wanna marry me?"

"Let's just go to the district office and make it official."

"Don't skip steps. You've got to ask my dad for permission first."

"Alright, let's go see your dad when we're free."

"It's a beautiful night, we're lookin' for something dumb to do."

"Hey, baby, I think I wanna marry you"

"Bruno Mars, huh?"

"Bruno Mars or Intha, choose one."

"Course, I'd choose you."

"Good choice, baby," Intha said, releasing Akara. He stood to his full height and grabbed the car keys. "Let's go. Time to eat."

"Alright, I never say 'no to food," Akara said, springing up to follow him. Before long, their cosy room transformed into a candlelit dinner table by the sea.

The dinner table, under candlelight tonight, was filled with love. Let the sound of the waves crashing against the shore be the witness. The starlight, the moon, the dew, the clouds- Let them all bear witness to the love between Akara and Intha.