Maya and Elias part 2

"Thank you", Maya said as Elias handed him the cup.

"I'm gonna check on my sisters, I'll be right back." He walked through the whole apartment til he met the last room and quietly opened the door. Then he came back.

"They're fast asleep. Let's go to my room."

The man with brown hair and curls led them across the tiny hallway, where they had to watch out to not fall over empty alcohol bottles, to a small room with nothing but a big bed with some clothes all over it, a shelf, a window and a lamp, so destroyed looking that Maya wouldn't be surprised if it turned out not working.

He always thought that there were two kinds of messy. The first kind was when someone was just bad at organizing and the stuff smelled really badly, the negative mess. Then there's the creative mess. The second kind that made others feel comfortable and home. It brought character into a room. This was the second kind. The good kind of messy. It was cozy. He loved it.

"If anything annoys you, just tell me and I'll get rid of it."

"It's nice", Maya said honestly.

"Thanks."

Elias let himself fall onto the bed and Maya joined after him.

"Hey, elias? Can I ask you something? Something personal?"

"Sure, what's up."

"What happened to your mom? Like, how did she die?"

"She killed herself when I was 17. Sliced her wrist open with a knife."

"Oh. That really sucks. I'm sorry."

"It's okay. It's been a while since anyone brought it up."

"She's so selfish, you know. I mean... Aranya and Chariya, my sisters by the way, were just 3 years old."

"Both?"

"They're twins."

"Oh."

"What were these bottles in the hallway?"

"My moms death took my dad kinda harsh. He's been trying to drink it away ever since. What about you?"

"What about me?"

"Why are you working so many hours? I've seen you before somewhere. And I now remember. Your dad is Carlton Nguyen. He is a great businessman here in Thailand."

Maya took a sip of his tea.

"A great businessman he is, indeed. He knows how to deal with finances."

"Why don't you ask him for help?"

"He wanted me to study, he had this brilliant plan for my life, had it all figured out.. but it wasn't me." Maya sighed.

"I told him that I didn't know what I wanted to do with my life yet, so we had a big argument. He told me that I was a disappointment and I told him that he was a cruel dad. One night, I just left. And found an apartment somewhere, a bit outside the city Bangkok, where it's not that expensive. But all my savings went in for the apartment and he cut my money from then as soon as he noticed that I had left."

Elias made a sad face.

"But the funny thing is, he only noticed that I was gone after a couple of days. Because he was never home. He was always working", Maya continued with a light chuckle.

"Can I smoke in here?"

"Sure."

Maya lit a cigarette and exhaled the smoke.

"My dad's an asshole."

"Sounds like it. I'm sorry about your dad", Elias said.

"Thanks. I'm sorry about your mom."

"Do you have a TV here?"

"What's a TV?"

Maya looked at him, not believing what he just heard.

Elias laughed. "I'm kidding! You should have seen your face! But no. I have a radio tho, wait." He went to the kitchen and came back with a nice retro radio.

Maya chuckled to himself. What an idiot. He smiled.

"There. I brought something else too." He put the radio on the floor and handed him a game.

"What is that?"

"Don't tell me you've never heard of backgammon."

Maya shook his head.

"Oh my god, okay. Here, listen..."

Elias explained the rules and they played a few rounds to practice until Maya got the hang of it.

"So does this mean I win?"

"Yes. You win", Elias said.

"Yay."

"How about this: the one who wins can dare the other to do something", Maya said.

"Deal."

Maya won. Elias had to drink three shots.

Maya won. Elias had to do a lap dance.

Elias won. Maya had to shout something into the neighborhood.

Maya won. Elias had to guess who Maya was imitating.

"I was there for you when you needed me, but I don't need you because I am so much better than everyone else and I only care about myself and sex", Maya said with a deep voice.

"Damon", Elias said laughing.

"Correct!"

Elias won. Maya had to drink three shots.

Elias won. "Tell me pretty boy. Who was your first fuck?"

Maya blushed. "She was no one."

"Come ooon, tell me, no need to be ashamed. How old were you?"

"Eleven."

"Whoa, I did not expect that. Who was it?", Elias tilted his head.

"My dads coworker. She was supposed to take care of me for a weekend because my dad had some assignments that would keep him busy."

"Oh. Oh crap, I am so sorry. I had no idea."

"It doesn't matter. Let's play another round."

Maya won. Elias had to get rid of his shirt.

"Bet you like that", Elias said, Maya giggled in response.

"Let's play tic tac toe, I am SO sick of backgammon."

The younger grabbed pen and paper and gave it to Maya. "You start."

"As you wish."

"Nonono, I won! You can't just put the whole thing full with your marks, that's not how the game works!"

"Oh really? Let's do another round then", Elias suggested.

"Fine", Maya said with a smirk.

As Maya wanted to set his circle, Elias grabbed the paper and put X's all over.

"Hey! What are you doing?" The other man was laughing really hard.

"Give that back, let's play fair."

"I'm keeping it", Elias screamed.

"The hell you are. Give it back", Maya was laughing too.

"Catch me if you can", Elias laughed, jumped up but was caught by the older immediately who pushed him onto the mattress and pinned his hands down so he could take the paper back.

"Bet you imagined that differently, huh?", Maya smiled proudly.

"You're stronger than you look", Elias said.

"I'm not playing another round if you break the rules", the older chuckled.

"Rules were only made to be broken. I am the winner, because I was brave and fulfilled my destiny."

"To break the rules?"

"Yes."

Maya sighed.

"Fine. For that 'brilliant' excuse, I'll let you win."

"How generous of you. So you have to do something I say, right?"

"Right."

"Hmmm", Elias made.

"Just choose something."

"Kiss me."

"What? No. No I'm sorry, I- I can't", Maya climbed off of the younger.

"I- I should go actually."

"Why? It's literally in the middle of the night."

"I need to get home."

"Maya, it's pouring!"

Only now he noticed how lots of thick rain drops slid down Elias' window. He didn't even notice.

"I'll be fine."

Before Elias could talk him out of it, the other grabbed his belongings and disappeared through the front door.

No, Elias thought. He couldn't possibly let him go. What if something happened to him? Maya was one of the few who was able to stand up for himself and to Elias' stupid friends. He didn't care about Elias' past and accepted him for who he was. He couldn't let that run away. He needed him. To talk to Maya felt like having all he ever needed. Without him, the rain drops got thicker even doubled their sizes. Without him the night would be cold. His bed uncomfortable. His blanket worn-off. The light in the kitchen would be dimmed. The hallway flooded with liquor bottles. He would be caught up in his stupid life, his stupid reality. Maya was able to help him escape. To give him comfort. It should always be like that.

He jumped up, ran to the door and opened not expecting what he just saw. Maya didn't leave, he- ... he didn't leave.

He sat on the first step of the stairwell, in front of the door and leaned on the rail of the banister.

Headphones in, a cigarette in one hand. The other slung around his own body. He was shivering. Elias just stood there for a minute before he walked inside and came back with his blanket. He laid it on Mayas shoulders and sat next to him.

"Thank you."

"I'm sorry about the kiss thing", Elias started.

"I probably just interpreted it all wrong and I'm sorry if I overwhelmed you."

Maya chuckled.

"You didn't get it wrong."

"Then what is it?"

"It just seemed too soon. We barely know each other."

"Romeo and Julia knew each other for about a week and they wanted marriage."

"Thats a Drama/Romance/nevergonnahappen-kind of story. It's like a fairytale."

"I'm actually surprised, you didn't leave if I'm honest."

"I'm actually surprised you came after me if I'm honest."

"Of course I came after you! It's dark, it's pouring and you have no idea where you are", Elias listed.

"And you're scared of the dark."

"I am not!"

"Yes you are", Elias laughed.

"You're an idiot."

"Sure am."

"Thanks for the blanket by the way."

"Come here."

"What?"

"Come here!"

Maya slid closer just when Elias pulled him into his lap.

"You're cold and I'm hot. So I'm helping you out."

"Where do you have that line from?", Maya laughed.

Elias was laughing too and watched the older laying his head on the youngers chest.

He gasped. "You really are hot tho." He snuggled closer into him.

"My bed is comfortable you know. We don't have to sit here for minutes, waiting for something to happen."

"I am not waiting for something to happen. I'm just enjoying the moment."

"Aw, you're a sweetheart", Elias made.

"Let's go inside you can enjoy the moment there", he said and picked the older up.

"What are you doing? Put me down!"

"Shh, don't wake the girls."

Maya grumpily mumbled something.

Arrived in Elias room, he carefully sank down and put Maya onto the mattress.

"And carrying me here was worth it, how exactly?" He yawned.

The other shrugged his shoulders and switched the light off. "I wanted to."

He laid down next to the older.

Another after another water droplet slid down his window.

The rain grew into thunder and a big, lit thunderbolt crashed into the ground.

Maya let go of a small whimper as it happened.

"You okay?", Elias asked when he saw how maya had hid his face, buried in the mattress.

"Thunderstorms", he said, "they're scary."

"Fair", Elias nodded.

Mayas breath quickened and he flinched as another bolt lit up the darkness outside.

"It's okay, you're safe here." Elias said and ruffled through his hair. It was incredibly soft.

After good twenty minutes of Maya whimpering and suddenly Elias pulling him closer to hold him, sharing one blanket then Maya burying his face in Elias' chest instead of the mattress and Elias finding it so cute, the thunderstorm continued his tour and moved to some place else.

Maya sank onto Elias, relieved that it was finally over, his muscles relaxed and he immediately fell asleep.

——

"Well well well, what do we have here?"

"Please, man come on, just leave him alone, you can punish me, do to me whatever you want but leave him out of it, please!", Elias yelled from behind, sitting on his knees, his wrists and arms held up by two stronger men. He tried to fight the restraint but it didn't seem to work.

"Why do you wanna hurt him so badly? He did nothing wrong-"

"He did nothing wrong?? He rejected me! Nobody rejects me", Damon said.

Maya peeked through the little opening of his eyelid. Elias noticed.

"You of all people should know that", he continued and grabbed Elias' chin.

After he turned around again to do his revenge on Maya, the bed was empty.

"Where did he go?? Where is he?!"

"What are you doing in my house?", Elias' dad said as he walked through the front door.

"Son, weren't you supposed to tell them to not come around here anymore?"

"He just showed up, dad."

"Then he should just leave again I suppose", Elias' dad said, grabbed Damon by the collar of his shirt, dragged him outside and went back. The men who had held his son immediately let go of him and let themselves being shoved outside by the father.

"Thanks."

"Not for this one. I don't understand how they have nothing better to do. I'm going to bed."

Maya came back to Elias' room.

"And you've been friends with these guys?"

The other just shrugged his shoulders.

Weeks went by and the two of them have been texting, talking and hanging out a lot. Although they've met not that long ago, they felt incredibly comfortable around each other. It felt as if they'd known each other for years.

After some time it got a bit difficult to hang out because the younger got himself a job which made it harder for him to see Maya. But what was he supposed to do? His dad got fired, his sisters were too young to work, his mom was.. well.. dead.

So he worked a part time job at a hospital and another job in a bakery. It was a weird combination, Maya thought.

They actually expected the boss of the hospital to ask for a college degree but Elias did graduate from high school with a good diploma when he was 19 and showed good skills when the doctors wanted to see his talent for caring, so as the assistant, he got in right away. Maya wasn't surprised at how good the younger took care of others. He was brilliant at talking to people and calming them down. It was the perfect job for him.

Everything seemed to be going better. Damon wasn't annoying anymore, Maya was still not talking to his dad, things seemed to be going normal for once.

Normally Maya would have been picked up by his friend but after ten minutes of waiting he guessed that Elias might be working again. He sighed and walked to Elias' home. Maybe he could cook something nice for the girls.

The front door was open.

Elias' dad sat on the couch. Around 40 cigarettes in the ashtray, a vodka bottle half full next to it.

"Mr Vu?"

"How many times am I gonna ask you to call me Ganja?"

Maya shrugged his shoulders.

"Where is everybody? Have you seen Aranya and Chariya? Is Elias still working?"

"Whoa whoa so many questions. I guess Elias is in hospital with Chariya waiting for results to come out from Aranyas accident-"

"Wait, what? What accident?"