Warning: Chapter contains domestic violence, mild gore.
Karn was surprised to say the least when he received an invitation from Bon Kanakasiri. He barely knew the man, and had limited business dealings with him. As Karn drove onto the Kanakasiri property, he noticed everything was tidy, but lacked a woman’s touch. Then he remembered hearing that Fuse had lost his mother.
After parking his bright-red Ferrari, Karn approached the front door, desperately hoping that Fuse would be the first person he saw.
The door swung open.
Damnit.
It wasn’t the golden, sun god babe he was hoping for...
“N’Karn,” Bon greeted with an ingratiating grin. “It’s a pleasure. I’ve wanted to meet the son of Sunan Tamisonan for a long time.”
Karn smiled in return and wai’d, but was aware of how fake it was as he tried to catch a glimpse of Fuse over the older man’s shoulder. “Good to meet you, P’Bon.”
“Fuse is already in the training room.” Bon widened the door and stepped to the side. “Come in, I’ll show you around.”
Karn followed the older man over a thick rug that ran the length of the entry hall. Discomfort pinched at him but he tried to ignore it. Bon wore a suit and dark, blue tie, whereas Karn was in gym shorts and a gray tank top. This made him feel at a disadvantage—under normal circumstances, when facing a business associate of his father’s, he’d be dressed in a suit as well.
Bon directed him to a long hallway with reproduction antique swords from different countries
decorating the walls. There was a Japanese Katana, Chinese Dao, Thai Krabi, and Korean Hwandudaedo. The Khopesh from Egypt was the most impressive weapon, with a black handle and blade that curved into a hook. It reminded him of a shepherd’s staff, only much shorter.
“Beautiful, isn’t she?” Bon asked, noticing Karn’s focus. He picked up the Khopesh and ran a finger along its length. “I’ve collected many swords over the years. This one comes from Egypt. The Egyptians used these as elite military weapons. A sword like this can do some gruesome damage.”
Karn imagined how cold the bronze would feel against his palm. Though he’d never had a particular love for swords, he’d always admired history.
Bon carefully propped the sword back on the wall. “Maybe you can give it a try after the training session...Once you’ve beaten Fuse.”
Karn wanted to immediately defend Fuse’s combat skills, but he thought it best to remain quiet and go with the flow.
Bon pushed the door open to a large room filled with martial arts equipment. A cushioned mat covered the floor in the middle of the room.
In the back corner, Fuse was punching a bag like his life depended on it. He looked so sexy when he was fighting, muscles tensing and releasing as he made each strike. Karn knew this was not going to be an easy match, but he didn’t reckon on being distracted by Fuse’s gorgeousness.
“Fuse!” Bon shouted.
Fuse immediately jerked around to face his father and Karn, as though he were a marionette. He jogged to them and wai’d to Karn. Karn wai’d back reflexively.
He never wai’s to me.
“Karn’s here to train with us today.” Bon rested his hand on Karn’s shoulder.
The Adam's apple in Fuse’s throat rolled up and down as if he was nervously swallowing, and he looked at Karn, fingers twitching by his sides as uneasy tension filled the space. Karn didn’t know why he was so tense.
“How about we start with some sparring?” Bon moved to the mat.
Karn waited for Fuse to speak up, figuring he’d give his opinion. Fuse always had something to say. Surprisingly, he said nothing and looked at Karn as if he were expecting his opinion instead.
“That sounds like a great idea.” Karn stuck to his initial idea of going with the flow.
“Excellent!” Bon shoved Fuse towards the equipment. “Fuse, go get the sparring gear.”
“Yes, sir.” Fuse dashed to the back of the room, uncharacteristically biddable.
Perhaps Fuse was having an off day, but Karn couldn't help frowning at his crush’s apparent shift in personality. Where was the sassy guy he fell for? It was like he was about to train with Fuse’s meek and submissive twin brother. Did aliens abduct him last night?
“Please excuse his delay.” Bon narrowed his eyes as he glared at his son. “He’s always been a bit slow.”
Don’t talk about Fuse that way, you prick.
Karn politely nodded.
Fuse returned with two chest protectors. He handed the green one to Karn and gave himself the red. They strapped them around their chests, tied the strings, and stepped to the center of the mat.
“I’m sure you’re familiar with sparring, Karn,” Bon said.
Karn nodded. “Yes, I’ve sparred a fair bit.”
“I bet you’re a natural.” Bon smiled. “Let’s start with a practice round to warm up. Whenever you’re ready.”
As thought they’d been doing it for years, both boys bowed, then crouched low, tightening their fists. Karn brushed his nose with his thumb and paced back, eyes focused on Fuse. They circled around the mat, then they both lunged at each other, kicking each other’s sides at the same time, neither being too harsh with these initial blows.
They stepped back. The rush of touching Fuse, even for a second, sent eager enthusiasm into Karn’s pulse. He ran forward and jumped to hook-kick Fuse. Fuse caught his leg as it wrapped around his waist. The rough leg grab sent arousal straight through Karn. Too distracted by his rising heart rate he missed his mark. Fuse threw him to the ground before he could react. Following a curt grunt, Karn got back up with ease. One fall was no skin off his back.
They circled on the mat again, daring each other to make the next move. Karn charged forward and attempted to kick Fuse’s chest, but Fuse leapt back. He soared up, with his leg high, quickly thrusting with a reverse-crescent kick. Fuse dodged his attempt again, but this time Karn missed his head by a hair.
They stepped back once more, readjusting themselves. Fuse was too sharp, and his effortless defense was starting to frustrate Karn. With greater assurance, Karn attacked Fuse, bombarding him with moves, twirling around kick after kick. Fuse paced back, avoiding the fish hook kicks. They ended up on the opposite side of the mat.
Just as Karn tried to make another strike, Fuse blocked him and powerfully jammed his fist into his side. Karn sprung back, and Fuse punched his chest, knocking him to the ground. Karn grunted as air exploded out of his lungs.
“Come on, Karn! You’ve got this!” Bon encouraged from the side, and Karn took a moment to wonder why he wasn’t encouraging his own son, or at least, both of them.
After catching his breath, Karn got back up and dusted himself off. “Not bad,” he complimented Fuse.
Fuse’s eyes flashed with determination—he appeared to be in ‘full focus’ mode, his jaw locked and shoulders stiff.
They began to walk away. Without warning, Karn spun and lunged forward, kicking Fuse’s chest. Fuse grunted as he staggered back but held no look of discomfort on his face.
Karn drove forward. His opponent responded quickly and sent two demanding kicks to his chest. Lungs burning, Karn’s body was starting to break down from the constant loss of oxygen.
Before he had time to regroup, Fuse kicked again, another vigorous strike to his side. Pent-up frustration slipped the reins of Karn’s control. Unleashing his onslaught, he drop-kicked Fuse to the ground.
“Atta boy! Let him have it!” Bon exclaimed, clapping excitedly.
Fuse stayed reaction-less and moved back to position.
Surging with confidence, Karn barged through the space between them with another kick. Fuse blocked it and slammed his fist into his lip.
The burst of pressure came as a shock—as if he’d been tasered. Karn staggered back and held his hand to the sharp, yet dull pain seizing his mouth. Warm liquid trickled against his palm. He checked to see a streak of blood across his hand. Probably a busted lip.
“Fuse!” Bon shouted, eyes burning with a startling degree of hate Karn hadn’t seen, even from even his worst enemy.
Fuse just stared at Karn, fists still held up, as if he was ready for more. The rules in sparring were that one was not allowed to punch the head, but perhaps his temper had gotten the better of him.
Bon strode over to Karn and checked the wound as though he were his own son. “I’ll have that tended for you,” he said, looking both pissed and anxious as blood dripped down Karn’s chin. “I’m so sorry.”
“It’s fine,” Karn said, pressing firmly against the wound to stem the bleeding. “It was just an accident.” Judging by Fuse’s stoic expression, it was completely intentional. A skilled fighter like him wouldn’t be so careless. But something about the look in Bon’s eyes made Karn feel defensive of Fuse.
With one last fulminating glare at his son, Bon guided Karn out and down the hall to a bathroom where he retrieved a first aid kit. It took Karn’s repeated insistence for Bon to leave him to deal with his injury alone.
One quick glance in the mirror, and yup, he was given a split lip. It wasn’t anything to cry over, but Karn was never in favor of marking up his pretty face.
When he finished up, he walked down the grim hallway of swords, wondering what he should do to alleviate the tension between Bon and his son.
Suddenly, he heard a loud thud from the direction of the training room. Karn’s heart stalled. Hot blood chasing his adrenaline, he raced to the partially opened door of the room. Bon’s unstable demeanor had broken out into the kind of rage that seemed to come straight from Hell as he began beating Fuse. He threw a strong punch to Fuse’s cheek, stepping back, and glaring at the horrified shock on his son’s face.
“You bastard!” Bon screamed before relentlessly laying into him again.
Fuse fell to the ground under the rain of punches and curled into a ball. Not once did he resist the older man’s beating.
“How dare you embarrass N’Karn like that!”
Karn’s entire being went into a chaotic frenzy, body heating up as he turned away with the instant and fervent desire for revenge burning in his heart. There weren’t enough words to describe how furious he was at seeing this man beat Fuse.
Bashing his own son!
Only a coward did something so pathetic. The thought of Fuse’s dull eyes as he stared at his father left a throbbing sorrow in his gut. Fuse lay there, like he’d seen it and felt it all before. As though he were just a shell of a human being.
Vision and hands growing shaky, Karn turned around and snatched a dao from the wall. Bon was going to receive a ‘punishment’ of his own.
“Don’t.”
The clear, authoritative command from behind Karn made him pause. He looked back to see Ake a few steps from him with a strange mix of fearful sternness on his face.
“He’s hurting Fuse!” Karn whisper-shouted, not wanting to warn Bon of his ambush.
“I know.” Ake’s calm tone held a hint of shakiness, as though admitting to this was testing his ability to remain composed.
“You can’t just expect me to do nothing!” Karn gripped the handle tighter. Slash not stab. That’s more effective. He wasn’t going to leave until Bon was nothing but a mutilated corpse.
“And you think committing a felony is going to help? Traumatizing Fuse? Watching his father getting stabbed?”
“I ought to do more than stab him,” Karn said in a voice sharper than the sword he was clutching.
Ake reached out with an open palm, silently demanding Karn hand over the weapon. The silence cooled his immediate rage enough for Ake’s reasonable thinking to loosen Karn’s grip on the sword. With a defeated sigh, he surrendered the weapon.
“I have a plan,” Ake said, setting the tip of the dao against the floor.
“What kind of plan?” Hopefully one that didn’t involve Fuse.
“I’ve had this plan for quite a while, but I’ve never had the means to pull it off.” Ake paused. The loud thumps had stopped. “I think we should take him down together and make sure he can never hurt Fuse again.”
There were other ways to make Bon pay. In the mafia, Karn learned that the best method of revenge was lasting pain. A gunshot wound would heal. But permanent damage to businesses was much more rewarding. Karn would make sure Bon would have no way of resurrecting the Kanakasiri Bodyguard Agency.
“We should talk more about this later then. Right now, we need to help Fuse.” Karn could hear footsteps coming from the training room.
“Agreed.” Ake set the sword back on its stand.
Throat dry, Karn slammed the door open. Bon was nowhere to be found. One of the doors in the back must lead to another part in the house.
Fuse lay curled up on the mat, limbs frozen, before he suddenly coughed blood. He looked like an animal torn apart by a predator. The fierce life in his eyes had been beaten out of him, and all that remained was a zoned-out expression. Though Fuse hadn’t shed a tear, Karn sensed that he was more rattled than he was letting on.
“Fuse!” Karn rushed to him.
His heart shattered as though it was a glass thrown at a wall. It took all of Karn’s willpower to not scoop Fuse into his arms and kiss him, but he was afraid of injuring him further.
Karn dug his car key from his pocket and tossed it to Ake. “Drive my car around to the front door. We’ll take him to my place.”
Ake gave Fuse one last concerned look before rushing out the door.
More blood leaked past Fuse’s puffy lips and ran down the reddening bruise on his cheek.
Karn knelt down and swept Fuse’s wet bangs to the side of his face. “Hey, you’re going to be alright.” He stroked his forehead with his thumb, hoping it would soothe him. “I’m here.” Treating Fuse like rice paper, he carefully hooked his arm around his torso.
“Let go—” Fuse coughed again and clutched his chest.
“I’m not going to hurt you. I just need to carry you back to my car,” Karn assured him. Fuse tightened his lips and looked away, his cheeks reddening, but he made no further protest.
Karn supported Fuse as they walked to the car and gently set him in the back seat. Then he slid in beside him. Ake hit the gas and headed to Karn’s place.
Instead of looking at Karn, Fuse stared at the seat in front of him like it was his dead relative. Slowly, Karn slipped an arm around Fuse. He flinched and turned to him with a sharp look.
“I need to hold you.”
“Typical, always thinking with your d—”
“I think your rib is fractured,” Karn said.
Fuse let out a tiny huff.
Karn brushed his thumb along the soft skin of Fuse’s arm, following a trail of goosebumps.
If only I could kiss him better. What should I say?
There wasn’t exactly a guidebook handy on how to approach someone who was just assaulted by their parent. Karn had been through many fucked up situations, but none had affected him quite like this. He felt so helpless. All he could do was watch someone he cared about suffer. As he suppressed the tears welling up in his eyes, an overwhelming sorrow filled his chest.
***
Fifteen minutes earlier...
Smack.
Crush.
Every breath felt like Fuse was being tortured. Though he was used to the beatings, his father had never battered him with this much intensity before. A slap to the face, a kick or punch to the gut, hell, even a cut from a weapon, he could handle. But the constant blows to his chest and sides were devastating. His father had even made the effort to tear the protective gear off, before he beat him.
Fuse felt he couldn’t do anything right. If he defeated Karn, he was pure shit for embarrassing his Dad’s idol. If he’d lost to him, he’d be pathetic for not being able to best someone who didn’t have professional martial arts training. This day uncovered the heart-wrenching truth. He would never be acceptable in his Father’s eyes.
Each kick marked a sadistic reminder that Fuse was alone. He had as much family as the orphans in the streets. Sometimes, he wished he was an orphan.
Fuse thought he’d seen the extent of his father’s ire. But the heat of his words had scalded Fuse. For the first time, he feared his father would accidentally kill him.
He felt Karn resting his chin on the top of his head, arms around him, a small harbour to shelter in. Fuse wanted to shove him away and scream that it was all his fault. But Karn’s soft kiss to the top of his head made him crumble and fall into his side. It was warmth he’d never been shown before. Care he’d never received. And right now, he needed it more than anything.
Armed men stood outside the car as Ake pulled up to a tall, black iron gate and lowered his window to the vested man carrying an AR-15.
“Who the fuck are you, and why are you driving Khun Karn’s vehicle?” the man snapped, pointing the gun at Ake.
Karn rolled down the tinted window and stared pointedly. The guard instantly dropped the nose of his weapon. Turning around, he waved, and the iron gates opened swiftly.
Ake followed the man directing them to the front of the home. The sheer size of the house was far beyond anything Fuse had ever seen, the detail and grandness surpassing what he’d imagined.
A bespectacled man opened the car door for Karn. “Welcome home, sir,” he said in a rich, upscale tone.
Refusing the man’s assistance, Karn helped Fuse out of the vehicle and walked him into the lavish home.
The foyer of white marble streaked with a rich purple and rose-pink reminded him of upscale, European homes. As elegant as it was, it was too clean for Fuse’s liking. Homes that were put together like this didn’t feel lived-in, but rather as if it was always staged for an open house. It was uninviting.
As they made their way past the columns in the entryway, a slender male dressed in black with a gaze that would make the Devil squirm approached them. “What happened here? Did you go too rough on your boyfriend?” he asked, amusement dancing in his tone.
Karn snarled and pressed Fuse against him. “What’re you doing here, Ai’Sharp?” he asked.
“Just thought I’d give your old man a visit.” Sharp tucked one hand in his pocket. He stared at Fuse, eyeing him from top to bottom like he wanted to eat him.
“He’s pretty. I didn’t know your type had changed.” Sharp smirked. He gripped Fuse’s chin in a powerful hold and tilted his face, as though inspecting a vase. “Great DSLCommon lingo for 'dick sucking lips'.. Any chance you’re willing to give him to me? I’ll pay handsomely.”
Karn grabbed Sharp’s wrist and threw it away like it was something dirty. “Touch him again, and you’ll lose that hand,” he said with a dangerous tone.
Eyes narrowing, Sharp stuck his finger in his mouth, sucking on it for a moment. “Your sweat tastes...sweet.” His gaze bored right into Fuse’s. “I want more.”
That predatory look was more sickening than the beating he’d just taken.
Karn’s fingers dug into Fuse’s hip. “Say another word, and I will—”
“You’ll what?” Sharp cut Karn off and tucked his hand into his other pocket. “Gonna send some guys to rough me around a bit? I still got the scar from last time.”
“I guess idiots never learn,” Karn hissed.
The creepy guy took a step towards Karn. “Then sending over more men makes you just as foolish.”
Fuse leaned more of his weight on Karn, the walls starting to spin as his legs slowly lost strength. This seemed to snap Karn out of his pissing contest. He glanced at Fuse quickly, losing immediate interest in the stranger.
“We need to get you to Doctor Seua.” Karn clutched his waist firmly and hoisted Fuse up.
“Looks like you have your hands full.” Sharp chuckled obscenely. “I’ll catch up with you later.”
As Sharp walked away, Karn walked Fuse over to an elevator. Yes, this freaking house even had one of those!
After he was checked over by the family’s personal doctor, he was given a grand room to rest in. It wasn’t long before he fell asleep from the effects of the high-level painkillers he’d been given.
***
Fuse opened his eyes to a toffee-brown wall while relaxing on the softest mattress he’d ever slept on. As he slowly sat up, a sharp pain shot into his chest. He’d forgotten he was injured.
A young girl sat on the chair next to the bed, staring at him with a pad and pencil in hand. Short hair framed her small face, and she wore a floor-length floral dress. Who the hell is this?
“How do you look so masculine, yet so pretty?” the girl asked, tilting her head as if to get a better look at him. Glancing down, she scribbled away at her paper before shifting her gaze back to him momentarily.
Fuse tensed, squeezing his hand into a fist, not used to attention from some random girl at his bedside. Pretty was the last word he’d use to describe himself. Plain and unremarkable were more accurate descriptors.
Glass of water in hand, Karn stepped into the room and rolled his eyes. “Jeez, Priya. I leave for five minutes, and you’re already being creepy to him.”
“I’m being creepy? I’m not the one who’s been staring at him for the past two hours,” Priya fired back.
Clenching the glass, faint redness spread across Karn’s cheeks. “Just get out.”
“Fine.” The mystery girl popped up from her seat. “Mom said that dinner is ready.”
“Great, thanks.”
She left with a huff and a sketched out face on her paper.
“Sorry about that.” Karn grimaced and took her seat. “My sister is kind of weird. She doesn’t know how to talk to others very well. Probably a side effect of being a genius.”
Most of the time, Fuse wanted to rip Karn’s throat out. But right now, he reluctantly basked in the warmth being shown to him. It was nice, for a change, to have someone care for him after taking a beating from his father. Although he still despised Karn, the hate meter had lowered from a 110 to a 100.
“How are you feeling? Are you still in pain?” Karn asked, brows furrowed in obvious concern. He offered Fuse the glass of water. “Doctor Seua agreed that your rib is fractured.”
Fuse accepted it and took a small sip. “It hurts but not as much.”
“Good.”
For a brief moment, Fuse surveyed the room. Ake was nowhere in sight. Weird that his best friend hadn’t bothered to wait for him.
“Ake went back to the dorms,” Karn said, apparently noticing his lost look. “It’s late.”
Feeling guilty for judging Ake, he nodded and looked down at his water. After Fuse had taken a few sips, he handed the glass back to him. Karn wrapped his warm hand over his as he retrieved the drink and glanced at his cheek before setting the glass on the nightstand. Somehow, Fuse felt more vulnerable now than when Karn had seen him half-naked.
Prior to today, no one had ever witnessed his father abusing him. Ake always hinted that he knew something, but his father was careful not to harm Fuse when others were around. His anger must’ve clouded his judgment.
“About what you saw in the training room…” Fuse bit his lip.
“I didn’t see anything.” Karn shook his head.
Despite his assertion, Fuse was pretty sure he saw something.
“Don’t say a word to anyone about what happened today.” He could handle this on his own. “I’ll explain my injury.”
“I wasn’t planning on it.”
A small wave of relief washed over him. That was one less thing for him to worry about.
“Do you feel like eating? We’re having Italian tonight.”
Fuse’s stomach answered that question with a loud grumble. The only Italian food he’d ever eaten was pizza, if Thai pizza could even be counted as Italian.
Karn laughed. “I’ll take that as a yes.”
He helped Fuse up and brought him downstairs to an extravagant dining hall. A long, carved table adorned the room, and a crystal chandelier hung proudly above the dinner. Pristine, white dishes with pasta rested next to velvet-red napkins. The weird sister was drumming her fingers on her silverware and sat next to a beautiful woman with long, sleek hair and warmly inviting eyes.
Fuse wai’d to the family, and they graciously wai’d back.
Karn sat across from Priya and settled Fuse into the seat next to him.
“Hello, boys.” The man at the head of the table greeted them with a smile and took a sip of red wine.
Sunan Tamisonan. Fuse had only met him once, but he knew of him. His father made sure he did. From what his father said, he was a great businessman, always fair and calm.
“Are you feeling better?” the woman next to Sunan asked, reaching out to grasp Fuse’s hand. She gave him a small squeeze and pulled back.
“Yes, AuntAs with Chinese and Korean culture in Thai culture non-related individuals address each other by terms used for one's relatives in Western culture. i.e. She's not actually his Aunt, this ain't Alabama. 😉,” Fuse said.
“Call me Chailai,” she said warmly.
Chailai reminded Fuse of his mother. She had the same calm, encouraging smile. He wondered if his mother would’ve been like this with him, considerate and gentle.
“Fuse Kanakasiri,” Sunan said, drawing him out of his thoughts. “You’re Bon’s boy.”
“Yes, sir.”
Fuse didn’t know how to speak to one of his father’s largest clients. One slip up, and he could ruin the entire business. It was best not to speak often.
Fuck. The bodyguard program.
“Sir, thank you for the dinner,” Fuse said, heart trembling as he spoke. “I’m afraid we have to be in the dorms soon. The Bodyguard Program is expecting us.”
Sunan waved his hand. “That’s already been taken care of.” He twisted a forkful of pasta. “Stay the night, at least.”
A whole night in a place like this? He didn’t want to overstay his welcome, but had to admit that the on-call doctor and safe space were too appealing to pass up. Just one night. Tomorrow he’d go back to his cold bed in his dorm.
“You know, I didn’t understand why Karn wanted to be in the Bodyguard Program. But now I totally get it,” Priya said, eyeing Fuse.
Karn kicked her foot.
Sunan chuckled. “I’m sure the Program has more to offer than boys.”
As soon as Karn began eating, Fuse twirled the pasta on his fork and took a bite of the delicious sauce. The flavor exploded in his mouth and introduced him to an amazing, new world. He could get used to eating like this. Next, he tried the roll of bread and bit into the soft, chewy goodness.
A man approached Sunan and whispered in his ear.
“Shoot him, but make it quick,” Sunan said nonchalantly.
The man nodded and walked away.
Fuse gulped. Right. Contrary to the stereotypes, this was still a mafia family.
Who were more warm and loving than his own.
“Karn,” Sunan grinned and pointed his fork at him. “I’ve been meaning to show you my new card trick.”
Chailai shook her head and sipped her wine.
“He does this all the time,” Priya explained to Fuse with a mouthful of food.
“Dad, I always figure it out,” Karn boasted.
“Sunan has been showing Karn card tricks since he was little. It’s a game they’ve made up. Sunan shows his new trick, and Karn figures out how he did it,” Chailai said, smiling at the two men.
“Card tricks are the only hobby Karn’s ever stuck to.” Sunan nudged Karn’s shoulder and chuckled deeply. “He’s always been a bit of a hobby hopper.”
“I’m not a hobby hopper.” Karn playfully glared.
“Oh, no?” Sunan began counting on his fingers. “Let’s see, first there was the trumpet, then drog trainer, axe thrower, and what was that one about wood burning? I never understood how you got into that.”
“Okay.” Karn made a surrendering gesture. “I get your point.”
Fuse never took Karn as the noncommittal type. Based on his serious approach to most things, he assumed Karn was a dedicated man. Not to mention that his father was always shining light up his ass. It would’ve made sense for him to not be fickle.
Thinking about it, Fuse didn’t have the opportunity to ‘hobby hop’. He was too busy training to consider other ways to spend his time.
“How about you show him after dinner,” Chailai suggested
“Excellent suggestion, dear. I’ve been meaning to talk with you anyway, Karn.”
“I already know all about the birds and the bees,” Karn joked.
“That’s one less thing for me to worry about then.” Sunan winked.
Chailai peered over at Fuse. “Do you like the bread, Fuse?” She asked expectantly. When he nodded, she said, “I baked it myself.”
Sunan frowned. “You don’t care about my opinion?”
“You’ve tried plenty of my cooking before.” Chailai said, lightly smacking his arm. “I want to know someone’s thoughts outside this family.”
“It’s delicious,” Fuse spoke up. “I love the softness.” To prove his point, he took a large bite of his bread.
She grinned widely. “You can take some home for your family.”
“He doesn’t have to do that,” Karn said. Fuse heard the subtle intensity behind his words.
“Are you saying my cooking is bad?” Chailai asked, sounding genuinely upset. Fuse held his breath. Are they about to argue?
“Never.” Karn adamantly shook his head. “It’s just that I’m sure his dad has already eaten.”
“A man’s stomach is a bottomless pit,” Chailai pointed out.
“I’ll be sure to bring some for my father. Thank you,” Fuse said.
Ever since he could remember, Fuse would try to avoid anyone he perceived as a senior being angry with him. Not that it really mattered, but for whatever reason, he couldn’t stand knowing he’d made someone upset. His nerve endings would tingle, and he could barely function with the unresolved issues in his life.
The rest of dinner was rather...delightful. It was Fuse’s first ‘family’ meal in a long time. Actually, he couldn’t recall the last one he had. When it came to dinner, he was often in the training room, taking bites of food as ‘rewards’ for improvement. And during the times he wasn’t training, his meals were spent in his room while he studied.
As soon as the meal was over, Karn helped Fuse to the bedroom and asked him if he needed anything, before he went to talk to his father. By this point, Fuse was mentally and physically exhausted. He just wanted to be alone with his full belly. So he told Karn no and went to bed.
***
“Dad, he’s human scum,” Karn said with a voice full of hatred.
After dinner, Karn’s dad brought him into his office to discuss Sharp, a true snake in human form. Karn had a good reason to despise the loathsome soul. Sex-trafficking was just the tip of it.
“Trust me, I don’t like him anymore than you do.” His father let out a deep sigh as he sat back in his office chair. “But Ai’Chakan is important to the business, and I need to keep him happy.”
Karn scoffed. “So I have to babysit his son? Isn’t that his job?”
“Not babysit. Just check up on him every once in a while,” his dad corrected. He pulled out a cigar and lit it. Sucking in deeply, he let out a puff of smoke with a relaxed, “Ah.”
“He doesn’t have his own people for that?” Karn propped his elbow on the armchair. Sharp was the son of a mafia leader. It wasn’t like Chakan couldn’t afford to keep an eye on him.
“None N’Sharp wouldn’t recognize.” His father tapped a bit of ash into his ashtray.
Karn sighed. Sharp’s father had caught him running a large sex-trafficking ring in Bangkok. Needless to say, Chakan was not pleased and was trying to lead his son away from that life. In Karn’s opinion, Sharp was a lost cause.
“Alright.” Karn pursed his lips. “I can try having dinner with him.”
“I knew I could count on you.” His father smiled. “Don’t forget to report back to me.”
“I will.”
A smirk settled on his father’s face. His dad only ever smirked when he thought of something amusing.
“What?” Karn asked wearily. Do I even want to know?
“Fuse Kanakasiri?” His dad cocked a clever brow.
Karn’s jaw tensed. “What about him?”
“You always find ways to stir the pot.” He drew another puff of smoke, the taste of rich exhaust teasing Karn’s nostrils.
“Must be from all the cooking lessons Mom gave me. She only let me stir things.”
Karn’s dad knew he was gay since he was fifteen and had caught him kissing another boy from school. At first, his dad was shocked, mainly because Karn didn’t fit the gay stereotype. But his father quickly learned that there was a spectrum of personalities within the gay community. They weren’t all painted nails, dyed-hair, queens. Not that there was anything wrong with that. It just wasn’t Karn.
His father chuckled briefly but changed to a more serious expression. “You be careful with him, Karn. I don’t know how he got that fracture—”
“It wasn’t anything mafia related. Just some assholes from school.” Karn wasn’t going to fill him in on Bon’s monstrous alter-ego. That was his job to take care of, and knowing his father, he’d find his own way to solve that ‘problem’ permanently. He’d made a promise to listen to Ake’s plan, and he was going to keep it.
“Fuse looks pretty tough. I’m surprised he took on such a beating.”
“It was ten to one.”
He nodded, seemingly unconvinced. They sat in silence for a moment. Then he said, “Want me to show you that card trick?”
I liked the beginning.
Made me smile.
It wasn’t the golden, sun god babe he was hoping for…
Karn looking for his golden boy Fuse.
Karn enters this cold house lacking a woman’s touch, to meet the father of Fuse.
I like.
Discomfort pinched at him but he tried to ignore it.
Karn senses tension atmosphere and notes Bon has an ingratiating smile, being determined to impress the son of the noted Mafia businessman.
Karn enters this cold house lacking a woman’s touch, to meet the father of Fuse.
I like.
Discomfort pinched at him but he tried to ignore it.
Karn senses tension in the atmosphere and notes Bon has an ingratiating smile, being determined to impress the son of the noted Mafia businessman.
Having a fascination with collecting swords fits the sadistic father.
This offer is a wonderful ironic foreshadowing of the events to come.
Bon: “ Maybe you can give it a try after the training session…Once you’ve beaten Fuse.”
Right away Bon is disparaging Fuse and his fighting skills. The father only sees the worst of Fuse.
Karn does care and wants to defend Fuse,but decides to keep quiet and observe.
I love Karn being distracted by Fuse’s gorgeousness as he observes him practicing.
This is so painful and so symptomatic of toxic abuse victims.
The cocky Fuse that Karn know has disappeared.
He is practicing as though his life depends on it.
Fuse immediately jerked around to face his father and Karn, as though he were a marionette.
This is a strong image. But so very painful. Fearful Fuse has no choice but to respond as puppet being jerked around by his dad. No life of his own. Moving to the demands of the puppeteer.
Totally a powerless, lifeless doll in his father’s hands.
Karn states noticing the changes in Fuse. Using wa’i.
“Where was the sassy guy he fell for? It was like he was about to train with Fuse’s meek and submissive twin brother. Did aliens abduct him last night? “.
I love this description but also like Karn for observing this Fuse with care.
The father is sadistic. All of his interactions with Fuse are toxic. Glares.
Always slow.
The contrast is striking. Bon smiles at Karn. Glares at Fuse. This juxtaposition of contrasts accentuates the polarity in the dad.
Again Karn feels protective but keeps these thoughts to himself.
Your fight scenes were excellent. They were vivid. Visual and very realistic to fighting encounters. It felt very real.
I like this
The rush of touching Fuse, even for a second, sent eager enthusiasm into Karn’s pulse.
I like touching sending eager enthusiasm.
I love all the definitions of the various kicks. It is so visual.
Even experiencing arousal,
Karn experiences a determined Fuse fighting machine. He is defensive.
Fuse was too sharp, and his effortless defense was starting to frustrate Karn.
With greater assurance, Karn attacked Fuse, bombarding him with moves, twirling around kick after kick.
I love this action. Bombarding. Twirling.
Fuse paced back, avoiding the fish hook kicks.
Karn retaliates. It is noteworthy that when hit, Fuse shows no signs of discomfort. He is used to pain. Sadly. No look if discomfort.
Then there is the bizarre encouragement of the dad for Karn, not Fuse.
This is toxic dad behavior.
Pent-up frustration slipped the reins of Karn’s control.
I love this image.
So Karn retaliates :
Unleashing his onslaught, he drop-kicked Fuse to the ground.
Toxicity: Dad.
“Atta boy! Let him have it!” Bon exclaimed, clapping excitedly.
This though is what is so hurtful.
Fuse stayed reaction-less and moved back to position.
Fuse has closed off all emotions. He can only display no reaction
This is years of abuse of training Fuse not to show any feelings. To hide feelings. This victim behavior leads to such abuse, that the victime cannot even identify their own feelings anymore as they hide them.
Frustrated Fuse loses control and breaks the rules of spa, giving a split lip to Karn.
There are three important discoveries with this split lip.
Bon is basically a sadistic bastard. He is trying to hard to please Karn because of his Mafia dad. That he becomes infuriated and dangerous to Fuse.
Bon strode over to Karn and checked the wound as though he were his own son.
This pathetic.
Also the intensity of hatred is frightening.
Even Karn knows this.
Bon shouted, eyes burning with a startling degree of hate Karn hadn’t seen, even from even his worst enemy.
Second. Karn is highly observant of Fuse. Although he knows Fuse was very likely acting intentionally,
Karn is perceptive. He could be angry but he sees beyond the unfair hit, to see Fuse’s desperation and to understand him.
Judging by Fuse’s stoic expression, it was completely intentional. A skilled fighter like him wouldn’t be so careless. But something about the look in Bon’s eyes made Karn feel defensive of Fuse.
The fact that Karn can see the desperation maybe sadness in Fuse’s eyes is telling.
Like a hurt animal.
Third factor. Despite knowing what he did was illegal , Fuse does not apologize and remains stoic.
This is also indicative of the despair of Fuse. He can’t show weakness in front of his dad. I bet he even feels bad and wants to apologize to Karn.( I stand corrected. Guess may not be feeling sorry as his hatred of his dad’s favoritism for Karn was too strong. )
Noting the fulminating look of Bon, Karn now thinks about trying to help Fuse.
I love the grim hallway of swords. The environment reflects the bleak interactions with the father.
Although logically I should not have been surprised at Bon beating Fuse, I was.
And so was Karn.
This is powerful writing.
Hot blood chasing his adrenaline, he raced to the partially opened door of the room. I love hot blood chasing his adrenaline.
Bon’s unstable demeanor had broken out into the kind of rage that seemed to come straight from Hell as he began beating Fuse.
This is so painful. It hurts to see this happening to Fuse.
Fuse fell to the ground under the rain of punches and curled into a ball.
This is a strong image. Rain of punches. Curled into a ball.
This is the line that breaks my heart. Fuse lies powerless. Just accepts this toxicity because he has been there before. This is his life. A curled ball of passivity and fear.
Not once did he resist the older man’s beating.
This is so well written. Karn is upset with the abuse.
The dad is a coward.
Only a coward did something so pathetic.
The thought of Fuse’s dull eyes as he stared at his father left a throbbing sorrow in his gut.
Karn sees the dull eyes of despair in Fuse.
Fuse lay there, like he’d seen it and felt it all before. As though he were just a shell of a human being.
This shell of a human being is powerful but so sad.
Karn reacts and wants to return the physical punishment to Fuse.
Grabbing the Bao.
This is the nice twist on Bon saying, well you can test the swords after practice.
Now after practice , Karn wants to attack Bon with Bon’s own bao, and punish him.
I like this twist.
Ake advises restraint and drops out his plan of destroying Bon’s business.
I’ve had this plan for quite a while, but I’ve never had the means to pull it off.” Ake paused. The loud thumps had stopped. “I think we should take him down together and make sure he can never hurt Fuse again.”
He invites Karn to join.
Karn with his mafia background like the idea of revenge being lasting pain. He likes the revenge making sure Bon would have no way of resurrecting the Kanakasiri Bodyguard Agency.
This was so painful but beautifully described.
He looked like an animal torn apart by a predator. This is very sad.
The fierce life in his eyes had been beaten out of him, and all that remained was a zoned-out expression.
I love this image. The fierce life in his eyes. Zoned out expression.
And Fuse not shedding a tear is indicative of being an abused victim.
I love caring Karn feeling like his heart shattered as though it was a glass thrown at a wall. Beautiful image.
Caring Karn.
Though Fuse hadn’t shed a tear, Karn sensed that he was more rattled than he was letting on.
Karn is so loving as he treats Fuse like rice paper , telling Fuse he won’t hurt him.
This is the pain of abuse as an outsider. Your writing is eloquent with these helpless feelings.
If only I could kiss him better. What should I say?
This is sweet Karn.
There wasn’t exactly a guidebook handy on how to approach someone who was just assaulted by their parent.
This a a tragic abuse to a child or son.
Karn had been through many fucked up situations, but none had affected him quite like this.
Perhaps Karn is more affected because he loves and cares about Fuse, even if he does not know it.
This is a strong passage. Literally helpless and being filled with sorrow.
He felt so helpless.
All he could do was watch someone he cared about suffer. As he suppressed the tears welling up in his eyes, an overwhelming sorrow filled his chest.
This reminds me of finding parent abuse with my young students.
And from Fuse’s point of view this was the worse abuse he had received.
This passage is the pain of the victim who has an insatiable toxic parent.
You are damned if you do and damned if you don’t. You will never please them.
Fuse felt he couldn’t do anything right. If he defeated Karn, he was pure shit for embarrassing his Dad’s idol. If he’d lost to him, he’d be pathetic for not being able to best someone who didn’t have professional martial arts training.
This day uncovered the heart-wrenching truth. He would never be acceptable in his Father’s eyes.
This is despair.
Fuse wishes he was an orphan. He might as well be one as he has no real family.
Each kick marked a sadistic reminder that Fuse was alone. Beautiful sentence.
He had as much family as the orphans in the streets. Sometimes, he wished he was an orphan.
This is so poignant with sadness.
I love Karn shows for Fuse a warmth he has never been shown before.
I love him taking Fuse to his own home.
It was a nice discovery that Karn has a loving family. His mom, his sister, his dad accept Fuse.
This was very soothing to Fuse after the harsh toxicity of the dad.
It was also very sweet that Karn kept his promise to Fuse and did not tell his dad about Bon.
This Karn family encounter was warm.
I like the contrast of families. A caring dad, a caring mom and a quirky genius sister.
This is a lovely depiction. Fuse fights his hatred jealousy of Karn.
Most of the time, Fuse wanted to rip Karn’s throat out.
Finally Fuse has someone who cares for him.
But right now, he reluctantly basked in the warmth being shown to him.
It was nice, for a change, to have someone care for him after taking a beating from his father.
Fuse basks in the warmth of a family. Something he is not used to.
I contend that this line not only represents the physical food but a new world of a caring family. Was it pumpkin pasta?
As soon as Karn began eating, Fuse twirled the pasta on his fork and took a bite of the delicious sauce. The flavor exploded in his mouth and introduced him to an amazing, new world.
The flavor exploding is lovely. And I still think it is both a new food world as well as a new family world or even just Karn taking care of him.
This passage depicts the victim people lesser mentality that a victim develops.
They cannot stand to have people mad at them. Even on a tiny issue like taking bread to the family.
Karn rightly says no. The toxic dad needs nothing. But wanting to please Karn’s mom, Fuse says yes.
I recognize this all too well.
Ever since he could remember, Fuse would try to avoid anyone he perceived as a senior being angry with him. Not that it really mattered, but for whatever reason, he couldn’t stand knowing he’d made someone upset. His nerve endings would tingle, and he could barely function with the unresolved issues in his life.
This is an excellent description of the victim people pleaser. Beautiful writing.
I fear the section with Sharp and Sharp’s dad is foreshadowing trouble ahead.
Sharp troubles.
Here at least Karn has a dad who agrees with his feelings. Karn is being pushed to have contact with Sharp. This is a red flag.
I love the dad accepting his son as gay.
I also like Karn be very aware that there is no one stereotype to being gay.
At first, his dad was shocked, mainly because Karn didn’t fit the gay stereotype. But his father quickly learned that there was a spectrum of personalities within the gay community.
There are a wide spectrum of personalities in the lgbtq community.
I like this.
This chapter added a depth to Fuse being a victim. I was not expecting this painful deeper look at the abusive dad.
It shows even more despair and dangerous toxicity in Fuse’s life. Even to the point of wondering if the dad might kill him in rage.
I can’t be happy about the toxicity. But I do love your chapter.
I love your writing. You explored a very painful encounter with sensitivity and depth.
The question is why does the dad go off and give Fuse the worse beating of his life?
What really has set this Bon off to a new depth of rage .
Why does he want to curry the favor of Karn and his Mafia dad .
This I do not know.
This is a dangerous life.
And I still want to know why Bon went off the deep end.
The beauty is that Karn dropped his teasing flirtatious manner totally out of care for Fuse.
Karn has now exposed an even more nurturing side to him than before. It is quite beautiful to see this protective side. I have no doubts he will pursue his plan.
This was a beautifully written chapter with the pain of abuse balanced by the caring of Karn.