When Chief Phupha takes his sweet time returning from his bathroom break, Tian excuses himself and goes looking for him. He isn’t worried but this is Tul’s wedding filled with people who Tian knows and Chief hasn’t exactly been in his element. He also drank perhaps a bit too much which means that, sooner or later, Tian is needed for some creative Chief-herding.
Probably sooner.
Tian smiles and nods at people he vaguely remembers from years back and exchanges empty pleasantries with elderly aunties who have way too much time on their hands and a frankly disturbing fascination with the younger generation’s love life. Phupha’s ring on his finger helps somewhat but apparently Tian has the sort of face that begs for intervention and matchmaking? He tries not to linger long enough to find out.
The hallway to the opulent bathrooms is dimly lit with lamps that try to imitate candles but not quite managing in it. It’s quiet and the throbbing base of the music from Tul’s reception thumps like a heartbeat in the night. Tian finds himself relieved by the short respite from the crowds—he still loves to visit his friends but nowadays he’s a lot more at home in the Phapundao village than in the big city.
”I’m so sorry,” someone slurs a bit hoarsely and Tian stops. That sounded a lot like Phupha?
”I’m very flattered but I must decline,” Phupha continues as Tian rounds the corner and stops to watch him. ”Not because you’re not attractive—I’m sure you are—everyone is so pretty tonight! It’s a wedding! Anyway—no one is as pretty as my—did I tell you who my Tian is? He’s so smart and beautiful and cute and clever and—”
Tian bites back a laugh and steps forward. ”Chief,” he says, catching him as he swirls around and almost falls on his face.
”Tian!” Chief exclaims happily in a voice that’s definitely too loud for the echoing bathroom. ”You’re here!”
”Uh-huh,” Tian says with a grin. ”And you’re drunk.”
”No, no, but listen,” Chief says and points vaguely around with his finger. ”Look, this is my Tian! He’s the most pretty and clever and pretty!”
”Thank you,” Tian says and shakes his head. He sort of wants to kiss Chief but he won’t because Chief is drunk and smells like it. ”I think it’s time for us to go.”
Chief beams at him and hums happily, leaning his whole weight on Tian as he leads them to the elevators. He’s fervently glad he insisted on a room in the same hotel that had Tul’s reception because while he might manage to act as Chief’s crutch for the time it took for the elevator to climb up to the 48th floor, there’s no way in hell he would’ve managed to wrangle Chief into a car, let alone out of it.
”Tian,” Chief says, suddenly serious.”They started it. I was there, just washing up after—you know, and then they were fondling my neck?” His hand grips the lapel of Tian’s jacket, wrinkling it. ”I would never. You should know that. I wouldn’t. I love you, Tian. You’re the only one for me.”
Tian sighs, pries Chief’s hand off his jacket, and lifts it to press a kiss on his knuckles. His skin carries the scent of the luxury brand soap from the bathrooms which is a lot more appealing than the smell of booze on Chief’s breath.
”I know,” he says. ”And I love you too.”
Chief’s eyes go wide with wonder. ”You do?” He says, almost wonderingly.
”Yes, I do.”
”You said ’I do’!” Chief gasps and dissolves into giggles.
Tian snorts. ”You are an idiot,” he says fondly as he pushes open the door to their room. ”And I’m going to tease you so much in the morning.”
In the bathroom, lit by design lamps and artfully placed candles, a perfectly innocent houseplant is none of the wiser of the declarations a passing brush of its leaves had sparked.