Goddess Bless You From Death

Case File 45.

After filling their hands with food and stuffed animals, the two decided it was time to head home. Thup hugged the stuffed animal in his hands, his face beaming.

"Go inside first."

"Aren't you coming in too?"

"I'm going to smoke." Thup nodded before walking into the house. Singha took a cigarette, lit it, and let the white smoke drift into the air. The young inspector sighed and dialled an unsaved number on his phone.

[What's up?]

"I'll pick up my case documents tomorrow. I'll be back in a day or two."

[Hmm, anything else you want to talk about?]

"No."

[Then that's it, right-]

Singha took a deep drag of nicotine before ending the call. He looked up at the night sky, where a full moon illuminated the heavens and stars twinkled brightly. The events he had experienced had opened his eyes to many things. Every story and every belief has its reasons and origins. If he had chosen to ignore Thup and just arrest him to end things quickly. The dreadful events would have continued. Misguided beliefs and the taking of lives would not have ceased.

Singha spent some time outside, lost in thought, before heading back inside. The scene before him made his well-shaped brows knit together. Uncle Chai was being dragged back to his room by Aunt Noi, while Mek and Charn clutched a jar of liquor and an ice bucket, respectively. Darin had fallen asleep with her feet on Sei's chest, who had apparently joined the drinking gang at some point. But what puzzled him the most was the young man who had arrived less than an hour ago, hugging a stuffed animal in one hand and holding an empty glass in the other.

"What the hell?" Singha muttered as he walked closer. The state of each person was evident from the scattered liquor jars. "Thup."

"P'Singh... I'm so hot." Judging by the empty glass, it probably once held strong alcohol.

"Who tricked you?" Thup pointed at the already asleep Mek and Charn. "How many glasses?"

Thup put down the glass and started holding up fingers in front of Singha, one by one, from his index finger to his little finger.

"Young man, everyone's drunk. Let them sleep here. I'll lock up and go to bed myself. We'll clean up in the morning. Go to bed, dear." Aunt Noi said as she walked out to lock the house after finishing her words.

"Hot."

"Go take a shower if you're hot."

"P'Singh, are you hot?" Thup looked up at him with glistening eyes.

"Hot." Singha tapped the back of his hand lightly on Thup's forehead. The gleam in his eyes after hearing the answer was really something. "But I'm going to shower alone."

"Young man, I'm off to bed now."

"Thank you, Auntie. I'll sleep after cleaning up."

"Oh, it's alright. Leave it; I'll clean up myself." 

"No, it's fine." Singha smiled politely and started stacking the plates to wash them.

"Just put them in the sink, dear. I'll wash them."

"Okay." Singha placed the dishes in the sink as instructed and then collected the trash into a bag. He dragged the drunken people to their respective spots while Thup watched, swaying with a stuffed animal hugged to his chest. "Go to your room and sleep, Thup."

"I want to sleep with you"

Singha paused while arranging the jars along the wall to keep them safe from the drunks, then walked over and crouched in front of Thup.

"You want to sleep with me?"

"Yep!" Thup nodded vigorously.

"Then wait in the room." The young man immediately jumped up and ran to the bedroom, leaving Singha chuckling fondly.

It didn't take Singha long to clean up the drinking battlefield. He carried Darin to his room to ensure she wouldn't kick anyone in her sleep.

Once everything was in order, Singha grabbed his shower supplies and towel. He thought Thup would fall asleep waiting, but when he opened the door, he found the boy still awake, though his eyes were droopy.

"Why aren't you asleep yet?"

"Hot."

"How much?" Singha walked over and sat in front of the boy, whose cheeks were flushed and eyes glistening.

"Very hot.." Thup set the stuffed animal down beside him and cupped Singha's face with his hands. "I like you a lot, too."

"And what else?"

".. I want to kiss you."

"Are you sure that's all?"

"I don't know." Thup gently stroked Singha's cheek with his thumb, trying to focus on the man before him. His vision was too blurry. "I just know I want to be with you.. I don't want to be chased away."

"I'm not chasing you away."

"Yeah, you told me to behave so I can stay." 

"And have you been good?"

"I've been good for you, P'Singh." Thup rubbed his nose against Singha's playfully.

"Then come get your reward." Singha pressed his lips to the soft ones. It was clear the boy had little experience. His clumsy kiss made Singha smile fondly, then he nibbled gently on Thup's lip. "Open your mouth."

Thup parted his lips as told. The new sensation and slight bitterness made his heart race. His tongue was overwhelmed by Singha's. His hands wandered unconsciously down to Singha's waist. He didn't know how long it lasted, but Thup never wanted it to end, even though he felt like he was suffocating.

"Take a breath."

As their lips parted, Thup opened his eyes. Singha's face was inches away, and he saw his reflection in those dark eyes. The kiss had truly taken his breath away.

"How was it?"

"A bit bitter."

"Probably from the cigarette."

"Can I kiss you again?"

"This time, you lead." Singha kissed Thup once more, allowing the boy to take the lead. Thup, quick to learn, surprised Singha with how quickly he adapted. His hands moved from Singha's waist to explore more boldly.

Singha straddled Thup's waist, lowering him onto the bed while their lips remained locked. He slid his hand under Thup's shirt, lifting it to reveal his pale chest.

"Raise your arms." Thup complied, feeling like he might die from excitement. His body ached, and he couldn't help but moan softly. Those sparkling eyes did not escape the man above's notice. Singha began to grind his hips down onto the hardness straining against the shorts that Thup had been complaining about all night.

"P-P'Singh."

"What?"

"'-l.." Thup swallowed his words as he watched Singha remove his shirt with one arm. The tiger tattoo on his arm looked as fierce as ever. His chest and abs were firm, and his V-line was perfectly defined. Thup was nearly driven to insanity by the sight of his smooth tan skin.

"What is it?"

"I feel like I'm going to die."

"Do you want to die now or do something else first?" Singha kissed Thup's neck, trailing down to his chest. Every lick and nibble made Thup twitch, and Singha's laughter followed. "Choose."

"P-P'Singh ugh P'Singh N... No, I don't want to die anymore." Thup lifted his head to look at Singha, who had moved down to plant lingering kisses on his lower abdomen.

"Shall we continue then?"

"I like you. I like you a lot."

"So, shall we continue?" Singha unzipped Thup's pants with his mouth, revealing the erection straining against his white underwear.

Thup covered his face with both hands, his face burning as if it would explode. He felt dizzy, unable to lift his head even though he desperately wanted to see Singha. His hardened member was freed from his pants, and Singha observed it for a moment before teasing it with his hand, causing a bead of liquid to form at the tip.

"Not bad."

"P-P'Singh, it's uncomfortable."

"And what do you want me to do?" Singha asked while stroking Thup's erection. "What do you want, good boy?"

"H-Help me, please, P'Singha. Help me."

"What's in it for me?"

"Everything... Ah, anything you want."

Singha raised an eyebrow and smirked with satisfaction. He withdrew his hand and leaned down to the stiff part, trailing his tongue along its length to the tip. His warm, moist tongue swirled around the head before he enveloped it with his lips and began to move up and down, eliciting soft moans from the boy lying below.

"P'Singh, ah..."

Singha moved rhythmically up and down, the suction and the swirling tongue making Thup shiver with pleasure. Thup instinctively thrust his hips, pushing against Singha's mouth. Singha glanced up slightly, then smacked Thup's smooth thigh before increasing his pace and gently biting down.

"P'Singh, I-ah, I'm going to.." Before Thup could finish, he came, spilling white liquid from the corner of Singha's mouth. Singha swallowed every drop and wiped away the excess with a nonchalant air. He looked at Thup, who was breathing heavily, with affection. Thup opened his eyes, feeling as though he was on a rollercoaster.

"Get some sleep."

Seeing Singha about to get up, Thup grabbed his hand and pulled him close. Singha grimaced as the pressure on Thup's body aggravated his injury. The soft sobbing made him look up.

"Sob. Did I hurt you? I-I'm sorry. Sob. I'm really sorry."

Singha rolled his eyes, recognising that Thup was crying again. Even when sober, he was prone to tears, and alcohol made it worse.

"Stop crying. I'm not hurt."

"I hurt you."

"If you know it's not good, just be gentler next time."

"Sob. Okay, I'll be more gentle." Thup nodded vigorously, making Singha lean down to kiss his smooth forehead, moving to his prominent nose and those beautiful eyes. He nuzzled Thup's blushing cheeks before settling on his full lips, which had been kissed countless times tonight.

"Goodnight, you little puppy." Singha pulled away and walked out of the room. He glanced down at his own erection pressing against his designer pants. "It's not as small as the rest of you."

After spending more than half an hour in the bathroom, Singha returned to the bedroom. The little rascal had already fallen asleep, wearing only his pants. Singha found a pair of pyjamas in Thup's bag and changed the boy's clothes to make him more comfortable. After finishing everything, he lay down beside him and gradually closed his eyes until he drifted into sleep.

In the room, the steady breathing of the two people lying next to each other could be heard in the night. It seemed like a habit or a magnetic force that turned their separate sleeping into moving into each other's embrace. Thup used to have trouble sleeping due to paranoia, while Singha often had nightmares that woke him in the middle of the night. But lately, they slept soundly as long as they were next to each other, though neither of them realised it.

The rooster's crow at dawn woke Thup with a headache that felt like his head was going to explode. Memories started to flow back into his head. He remembered meeting his mother, bringing back his mother's bones, and going to the temple fair with P'Singh. When they got back home, P'Mek and P'Charn told him to try drinking something. Then they started chatting with him while he drank. After that...

"What happened after that?" Thup tried to think hard until he began to see vague images in his head. He saw P'Singh... He saw P'Singh doing something...

Thup sprang up and looked around the room. The bed was empty. Making him question whether he had dreamed it all. He got up and staggered to the door, but before he could reach the doorknob, it opened from the other side. The person standing there made Thup blush, and his heart raced uncontrollably.

"Why are you so startled?"

"N-Nothing. Y-You wake up so early."

"I woke up to check on the drunks." Singha leaned against the doorframe and handed Thup a cup of coffee. "Do you have a headache?"

"Y- Yes."

"Then drink this. Auntie made breakfast in the kitchen. If your headache goes away, go eat and take a shower so that we can go to the temple."

"Last night..."

"What about last night?"

"P'Singh.." Thup averted his eyes before shaking his head, making his hair even messier. "Nothing."

The young boy watched the older man's back in the black tank top as he walked away. He could remember the touch, the warmth, the voice, and the look in his eyes, but he just didn't know if it was all. The youngest boy in the house walked dejectedly to the bathroom, leaving the newly awakened drunks confused.

"What's wrong with him?"

"Last night, he was still laughing his head off after we got back from the temple fair," Charn said, rubbing his eyes.

"Because you got him drunk. The kid got drunk from just one drink," Mek said, pulling his toothbrush out of his mouth, spraying foam everywhere.

"Sorry." Charn sighed and made a remorseful face. "Gross! Brush your teeth properly!"

"And who the hell puked on me this morning? Are you so clean?"

"Shut up!" Sei used a pillow to hit both of them before getting up and walking to the bedroom.

Thup was standing in front of the bathroom mirror, looking sad. If last night were just a dream, it would have been a good one. But if it wasn't, why was P'Singh acting as if nothing happened?

"Sigh," the young boy sighed dejectedly before taking off his shirt to get ready to shower. But then the reflection in the mirror froze him. It wasn't a dream... Last night wasn't a dream!!

Because if it were a dream, there wouldn't be these love marks all over his body. His shoulders, chest, stomach, and lower abdomen were covered with kisses and bite marks. Thup hurriedly put his shirt back on before running out of the bathroom again.

"P'Singh!!!"

Singha turned to see the excited boy standing at the kitchen door. A smile tugged at his lips, seeing the boy's expression, as he had just found a gift. Thup beamed at him before running back to the bathroom. Meanwhile, Singha went outside to help Uncle Chai fix the car, leaving Charn and Mek puzzled as they exchanged confused glances.

"Why did he call and then not say anything?" Charn asked first.

"And why was he so excited just to call Singh?"

"They must have had se-" 

"A secret."

"How'd you know what I was going to say?"

"I looked into your eyes..."

"Is this a romantic scene?"

"I looked into your eyes and saw only mischief."

"Compliments like that make me shy, Mr Mek."

"If that's a compliment to you, Mr Charn, it means you have a dirty mind." They exchanged a smile before departing to manage their own affairs.

After the morning chaos subsided, everyone gathered at the old temple in the area. The seven of them, including Uncle Chai and Charn, went to pay respects to the Buddha image in the ordination hall. Thup placed his mother's bones in front of the Buddha statue before asking Uncle Chai to guide him through the religious rites and to dedicate the merit.

"Are you sure you want to bury the bones here?" Uncle Chai asked, gently patting the boy he saw as one of his nephews.

"Yes, I think Mom would like plumeria."

"Then I'll get a shovel for you."

"Thank you, Uncle." Thup held the cloth-wrapped bundle, sprinkled with water and jasmine flowers, close to his chest as he walked out of the hall to the burial site.

"I'll be back," Singha couldn't help but follow the lonely figure of Thup.

They stopped under a plumeria tree within the temple grounds. Thup often played there because he liked its scent. He never thought he would come back for this purpose. Thup slowly dug the soil with the shovel while Singha watched closely. After digging a sufficiently deep hole, Thup placed his mother's bones into it.

"Mom, the weather here is nice. It's not too hot. I think you would like the smell of the plumeria, so I brought you here. In the mornings and evenings, you can hear the monks chanting." Thup spoke and smiled, though there was only emptiness before him. "I forgot to introduce; this is P'Singha." Singha sat beside Thup and gently patted his head.

"Hello, Auntie."

"P'Singh has always looked after me. I'm very lucky to have met good people. I have Luang Pu, Uncle and Auntie, P'Singh, and Mom...That's enough." For him, that was enough. He had a mother who was everything to him, who loved him even in death. That was enough; it made everything perfect without needing a father.

"I'll take care of him." Singha's words made Thup look at him immediately. "This kid isn't hard to take care of. I can manage."

Thup reached out his hand to his big brother, and their hands intertwined tightly.

"Rest in peace, Mom. We'll meet again someday." Thup gently filled the hole with soil until it was full, just like the void in his heart that had now been filled. A gentle breeze passed over Thup and Singha, as if acknowledging this farewell.

"Ready to go?"

"Yes, let's go."

They walked away, still holding hands. Thup didn't know if Mae Seu were real. He wondered whether they looked like ghosts or angels, or had animal heads, as people said. But for Thup, the one who had been with him since birth, watching over his growth, helping him from afar, and always wishing him well, that person wasn't Mae Seu. It was his real mother.