The afternoon sun filtered through the curtains, casting a golden hue over the hospital room. Laughter and the sounds of video game battles had filled the space for hours, only pausing for a brief lunch break before resuming.
But as the doctors neared the end of their shifts, Daotok's visitors gradually excused themselves, leaving him in the quiet solitude of his recovery room.
Not long after, the door swung open, and Arthit entered, his arms laden with snack bags. He placed them on the table with a casual thud before climbing onto the bed beside Daotok. Without hesitation, he leaned in and pressed a soft kiss to Daotok's forehead.
"How are you feeling?" Arthit asked, his voice gentle but laced with concern.
"I'm good," Daotok replied, eyeing the mountain of snacks. "Why did you buy so many?"
"They were sent to me."
"From who?"
"My fans, probably."
"Oh."
Arthit smirked at Daotok's neutral response and tilted his head. "Jealous?"
"No, not really. It's normal for fans to send gifts," Daotok answered truthfully.
Arthit pouted slightly. "You could at least throw some away."
"No."
"Just a little?"
"And how exactly are you going to finish all of this?" Daotok questioned, crossing his arms.
Arthit grinned. "We'll share. We can finish them together." He stretched, then made his way toward the closet. In one swift motion, he peeled off his shirt and tossed it aside, followed by his pants. Turning back, he flashed Daotok a playful smile. "Want to shower together?"
Daotok sighed but nodded. "Sure."
"Are you still sore? You said you're okay now."
"Why do you ask?"
"Why do you think? I want to do it again."
"Not today," Daotok replied firmly, shifting on the bed. "I want to fully recover. I need to get back to work."
Arthit sighed dramatically but relented. "Alright, I'll let you rest today."
Without waiting, he undressed Daotok and effortlessly lifted him in his arms, carrying him toward the bathroom. The large bathtub was already being filled with warm water, the soothing scent of bath oils lingering in the air.
Daotok settled against Arthit's broad chest as they sank into the tub. The warmth seeped into his muscles, melting away the last traces of soreness.
He let out a soft sigh, enjoying the rare moment of peace.
"What did you do with North and the others today?" Arthit asked, his fingers idly tracing circles on Daotok's shoulder.
"Played games."
"Just that?"
"Yeah."
"You're addicted," Arthit teased, wrapping his arms loosely around Daotok's waist. The sudden closeness made Daotok pause as he felt something firm pressing against his lower back. He chose to ignore it, shifting slightly instead.
"How was your day?" Daotok asked, steering the conversation away.
"Boring lecture. Nothing special."
Daotok hummed in response, tilting his head back against Arthit's shoulder. The steady rise and fall of his chest against Daotok's back was strangely comforting.
"You," Daotok suddenly muttered.
"Hm?"
"My fan."
Arthit frowned. "What?"
"My boyfriend."
"What?"
"You're just repeating everything I say," Daotok chuckled.
"Then why are you saying all that?"
"Just felt like it. I like it. Boyfriend, boyfriend, boyfriend," Daotok continued, his voice filled with amusement. Arthit sighed and patted his head gently.
"You once said you'd call me husband," Arthit reminded him.
"When did I say that?"
"At the mall. You said that after changing our status, you'd start calling me that."
"I'll stick with 'boyfriend.'"
"Alright, then say it."
Daotok turned slightly to meet Arthit's expectant gaze. "Boyfriend."
"Say it again and look at me."
Rolling his eyes, Daotok complied. "Boyfriend."
Arthit groaned dramatically. "Oh, my heart." He tightened his hold around Daotok and nuzzled into his neck, pressing playful kisses along his cheek.
"What are you doing?" Daotok asked, exasperated.
"I'm going to kiss your cheek a hundred times per second."
"Is that necessary?"
"Absolutely."
They soaked in the tub for a while longer, with Arthit occasionally grumbling about how much he wanted to touch Daotok properly but had to hold back. Eventually, he helped Daotok bathe and shampoo his hair, though his technique was less than skilled.
"Ow. Don't use your nails," Daotok complained as Arthit scrubbed his scalp a little too roughly.
"I always use my nails when shampooing," Arthit said, clearly confused.
"Just massage gently."
"Oh, like bathing a dog."
"Have you ever done that?"
"No, but I imagine it's similar."
Daotok sighed as Arthit continued. "What are you doing now?"
"Making your hair look like Ultraman's. It's so cool. Can I take a picture?"
"Are you a child? Just rinse it already."
Arthit chuckled but obeyed, tilting Daotok's head back to rinse the suds away. Unfortunately, some soap trickled into Daotok's eye.
"Ah—ow! It got in my eye!"
"Shit, sorry, sorry!"
"Give me the showerhead, I'll do it myself."
"No, I've got it—"
"Now it's in my ear! Ow!"
Arthit laughed sheepishly. "How did that even happen?"
Later, as Daotok sat at the vanity, Arthit stood behind him, roughly towel drying his hair. Daotok watched his reflection, unimpressed.
"Do you feel like you're being physically abused?" Arthit teased.
"My scalp hurts."
"Cut me some slack. I'm new at this."
"You don't need to do it."
"I want to."
Daotok sighed as Arthit switched to blow-drying, then—without warning—grabbed a container of hair wax.
"This style looks cool! You should show off your forehead more."
"No thanks."
"Come on, just once. From cute to dashing."
Daotok relented, only to regret it as Arthit burst into laughter at the final result. "Are you messing with me?"
"No, I swear! I just missed a step."
"My hair's sticky now."
Arthit grinned but quickly backpedaled when Daotok brought up where the wax had come from.
"Throw it away," Daotok said calmly.
Arthit blinked. "You're serious?"
"Using wax that an ex gave you on my hair? How thoughtful."
Without hesitation, Arthit tossed the container into the trash. "Done. Who even dared give me that?"
Daotok smirked. "Come closer."
Arthit leaned in, curious, only for Daotok to sink his teeth into his shoulder.
"Ow! Why'd you bite me?"
"Why do you bite me all the time?"
"To claim you."
Daotok smirked. "Same here."
☆☆☆☆☆
Arthit stared at his phone, his fingers tapping impatiently against the screen as he waited for a response.
[ARTHIT]: Are you awake yet?
[ARTHIT]: I told North to stay with you.
[ARTHIT]: Has he arrived?
[ARTHIT]: Babe!
[ARTHIT]: Reply!
His brow furrowed as silence stretched between each unanswered message. Worry gnawed at him. Has something happened? He was about to call when a new notification appeared.
[EASTER]: [Sends photo]
[EASTER]: Dao's sleeping.
Arthit exhaled, tension easing as he opened the image. Daotok lay curled up on his bed, his features soft and peaceful in sleep. But Arthit's eyes narrowed when he noticed Daotok's arms wrapped snugly around Easter's waist. A flicker of irritation surfaced before he pushed it aside. Knowing Daotok, he probably thought it was him.
A smile tugged at his lips as he saved the photo.
"Fah," he called out, turning toward his friend.
"What?" Tonfah barely glanced up from his notes.
"How can I help someone recover from back pain quickly?"
Tonfah finally looked up, raising a skeptical brow. "What caused it?"
Arthit smirked. "I went overboard."
Tonfah rolled his eyes. "Soak in warm water."
"Really?"
"Yes."
"How long does it take for the body to adjust?"
"Why are you so impatient? You've been asking nonstop." Tonfah sighed, rubbing his temple. "It depends on the person, but it'll take a while."
"Oh, okay."
His phone buzzed again. A message from North.
[NORTH]: Dao's awake.
But still no response from Daotok himself. Arthit figured he was probably gaming—North had a habit of dragging people into playing with him.
Deciding to check for himself, he logged into the game. Sure enough, Daotok was online. A notification popped up inviting him to join.
The match was chaos. Arthit knew assassins weren't supposed to tank damage, but he couldn't stop himself from protecting Daotok. Anyone who so much as looked at him the wrong way got wiped off the map. By the time the game ended, the opposing team had been annihilated.
Satisfied, Arthit called Daotok. "Hey, feeling better?"
"Yeah," Daotok's voice was soft but reassuring.
Arthit leaned back, a small smile playing on his lips. "Good."
Just then, a voice interrupted his peace.
"Arthit," a girl called. He turned to find a classmate standing nearby shifting awkwardly.
"What's up?"
"I just found out you make music. It's really good! I followed you online."
"Oh, thanks."
Her eyes flicked to his phone. "Is that picture in your video... your boyfriend?"
"Yes. Cute, right?"
She hesitated before nodding. "So you were showing off, huh? My friends and I were wondering why you didn't use your own picture. Turns out you just wanted to show off your boyfriend."
"Exactly."
She laughed. "Well, okay. I'll keep supporting your work. I'm a fan now."
"Great, thanks."
As she walked away, Johan snorted beside him. "What a show-off."
Arthit smirked. "Your boyfriend may not be as cute as mine, so don't start."
Johan, still focused on his phone, simply shrugged. "He's the cutest to me, and that's enough."
"But I want everyone to see how cute my boyfriend is," Arthit said smugly. "If anyone says otherwise, I'll make them eat piss."
Johan grimaced. "You're disgusting."
Arthit merely grinned. "Hey, Joe."
"Yeah?"
"I have 200 million in cash right now. What should I do with it?"
Johan finally looked up, eyes narrowing. "200 million?"
Arthit nodded. "Thinking of investing it with you. Partnership. You make profits and share a percentage with me."
Johan studied him before smirking. "You're smarter than you look."
"Of course. Oh, by the way, have you guys shared my song yet?"
The group murmured in response. Hill shrugged. "It's alright."
"Pretty good," Tonfah added.
Johan, as usual, had the last word. "North played it so much I got annoyed and memorized it."
Arthit laughed, pleased. They chatted until class ended, after which Arthit headed home. As he walked in, he found Daotok sitting on the bed, waiting for him.
Placing the snacks he had received on the table, Arthit leaned in to press a soft kiss to Daotok's forehead.
Later, as they showered together, Daotok got possessive over old things someone had gifted Arthit. Honestly, he couldn't even remember who had given them to him, but if Daotok wanted them gone, he didn't hesitate to throw them out.
Unable to resist Daotok's cuteness, he pulled him into a deep, lingering kiss before guiding him to the bed.
No matter how difficult it was, Arthit knew he had to be patient. Daotok's body needed time to adjust. For now, he would wait. That night, they stayed up watching movies until they drifted off to sleep in each other's arms.
☆☆☆☆☆
Finally, the day arrived for them to move into their new place. Daotok had been practically glowing with excitement all morning. Arthit had arranged for everything to be set up in advance.
As they arrived at the penthouse, Arthit watched Daotok's reaction closely. The moment the door opened, Daotok's eyes widened in awe.
"Wow..." he whispered, taking in the minimalist design, neutral tones, and floor-to-ceiling windows offering a breathtaking view of the city below.
Arthit followed him as he explored every inch—the sleek kitchen, the oversized bathroom, the spacious bedroom. When Daotok turned to him and hugged him tightly, Arthit felt a deep warmth spread through him.
"I love it. Thank you so much."
Arthit smiled, pressing a kiss to the top of his head. "As long as you love it, it's all worth it."
Daotok hesitated. "I feel like I'm taking advantage of you."
"Why?"
"I didn't contribute anything."
Arthit chuckled. "Then pay me in another way."
Lifting Daotok onto the bed, he captured his lips in another kiss, deep and unhurried.
Later, as Daotok lay exhausted in his arms, Arthit carried him to the bathroom, taking care to clean him up before wrapping him in fresh clothes.
He led him to a special corner he had set up—an art space just for him. Daotok's eyes glistened as he took it all in. "I've always wanted something like this."
"It's yours," Arthit murmured. "Paint the walls, the ceiling—whatever you want. This place is yours."
Daotok turned to him, speechless. Then, without warning, he hugged him tightly, standing on his toes to kiss him.
"Thank you. I love you."
Arthit cupped his face, looking into his bright, adoring eyes. "Yeah, I love you too."
And in that moment, there was nowhere else he'd rather be.