[Prapai's Room - Night]
Rain lay in Prapai's bed, his heart racing.
They'd changed into pajamas separately, giving each other privacy. Now they were side by side, careful space between them.
"Are you comfortable?" Prapai asked softly.
"Nervous," Rain admitted. "But good nervous. Not scared."
"We can stop anytime. You can go back to your room—"
"I don't want to." Rain shifted closer, resting his head on Prapai's shoulder. "This is nice. Different from... before."
Prapai understood. With Phayu, sharing a bed meant obligation.
"Tell me about your childhood," Rain said suddenly. "I want to know everything about you."
Prapai smiled in the darkness. "I grew up with Vegas and Pete. They adopted me when I was five—my biological parents died in an accident."
"I didn't know that."
"Pete especially understood loss. He'd been through trauma too, with Vegas. They taught me that love could be healing, not harmful." Prapai's arm tightened around Rain. "That's why I recognized what Phayu was doing to you. I'd seen the opposite—healthy love after trauma—with my parents."
"Tell me more," Rain murmured, feeling safe and drowsy.
Prapai talked until Rain's breathing evened into sleep. Then he lay awake, grateful for this trust, this moment.
Prapai would spend forever proving that choice was right.
[Morning]
Rain woke to sunlight and Prapai watching him with soft eyes.
"Morning," Prapai whispered.
"You're staring."
"Can't help it. You're beautiful when you sleep." Prapai brushed hair from Rain's forehead. "How did you sleep?"
"No nightmares." Rain smiled. "First time in months. Maybe your presence scared them away."
"Or maybe you're healing."
They lay there talking quietly until Rain's stomach growled, making them both laugh.
Breakfast was with the family—Kinn, Porsche, Vegas, Pete. They'd accepted Rain completely as part of their world.
"Rain, your graduation is next week," Porsche said. "We're all coming. No arguments."
"I wasn't going to argue," Rain said, touched. "I'd like you there."
"And afterward," Kinn added, "we want to discuss your job. We have a project perfect for you—a trauma center that needs architectural redesign."
Rain's eyes lit up. "Really?"
"Really. Your thesis impressed us. We want you to bring that vision to real projects."
Rain looked around the table at his chosen family, at Prapai beside him, and felt overwhelmingly grateful.