Phayu

"Yu, pleeeeaseeeee," Pai whined, as his brother continued to ignore him, busy calibrating the big bike he had just worked on. Three new bikes had come in this week, and he knew that his Dad and his Papa Porche only trusted him with it. It was easy for him to pay no attention to Prapai's whining, as he didn't even know what the other was saying.

"Yu, no one is gonna kill you if you don't finish up these bikes today itself. The race is in three weeks! Weeks my friend, weeks! Not days! No one expects this level of dedication from you!" Phayu looked up, knowing Pai was right. While it was true that no one expected that from him, he himself had very exacting standards. How else would it have been possible for someone like him to have the perfect scores throughout school and college, and also hold down two high-powered jobs, apart from being one of the heirs to an empire even he didn't know the limits of? But he didn't say anything, knowing it was pointless when it came to Pai. Pai was like a horse with a bit chomping in the mouth when it came to one of his drastic ideas, and it was always Phayu who had to pull him out of the shit he found himself in.

"What is it? What do you want now? What bee has gotten into your bonnet this time?" Phayu asked, peeved at the disturbance. He rarely got complete off on the weekends. Especially Saturdays since many clients preferred meeting that day. "Papa said that P'Yok has started a new 'Drag Queen Night' at the bar. You know how P'Yok was also once a Drag Queen, so they wanted to give a platform to the others who wanted to try it out. Today is opening night and we are expected to be there. I refuse to go without you!" Pai said, pouting, mutiny clear on his face.

"Then don't go!" Phayu said, even more irritated now. "C'mon Yu! The whole family is going to be there. We rarely get that chance, right? It's been so long! Please na Yu! Na, na, na Phiiiii!" Pai brought out his best younger brother voice, which always got Phayu to melt when they were younger. Phayu glared at Pai and finally relented when he saw his brother's puppy dog eyes. Despite the fact that he was 24, nearly 25, this was an expression that still got him out of lot of tricky situations. "Okay, okay fine! Let's go!" Phayu said, wiping his hands on the cloth that was stuck on his work belt. "Give me 10, I will change and come," he said to Pai. "You just need 10 minutes to get ready? Dress up well. It's the inauguration for the Drag Queen Night! P'Yok will get upset," Pai said.

Phayu stalked off without uttering a word. He showered and put on a pair of black jeans, black shirt, leaving the top 3 buttons off, his favourite black boots, and added a teal blue jacket. He re-tied his hair and sprayed on his usual perfume. He deemed himself ready and walked down. "Let's go, I am ready," he said to Pai, before picking up his phone, wallet, and keys. "Are you taking the car?" Pai asked. "Yes, why?" "I brought my bike, so you take yours, okay?" Pai said. Phayu sighed. Sometimes he wondered where Pai had left his braincells when he was younger. As far as he remembered, Pai had never fallen on his head, so that probability was out of the question. "Okay, let's go," he said. At least one good thing about taking the bikes would be that he would not have to listen to any more boring monologues from Prapai.

Yok's Bar was originally an exceedingly popular dive bar, where Pai's Papa, Porche, had worked as a bartender, before he became Papa Kinn's bodyguard. The bar quickly became the favourite of the family, including Uncle Khun. Over the years, P'Yok had expanded, and with help from Papa Kinn and Papa Porche, and even from his fathers who had become regulars. Slowly P'Yok started adding different nights. This was a new one though. Phayu had already decided that he would stay for a while and leave as soon as it was politely possible. He was already tired and disinterested. He was only here because Pai had insisted, and because he really hadn't met his Dads and Uncles in a while. So, he would go, smile, make polite conversation and depart quietly.

"Boys!! So happy to see you!" P'Yok hugged Phayu and Pai as soon as she saw them. "P'Yok! We are happy to see you too!" The boys hugged her back and smiled brightly. She was truly one of their favourite people. "WE ARE HERE!!" Phayu and Pai looked over at the voice calling out, and then looked at each other. "Only Uncle Khun!" Pai mouthed. Phayu grinned lopsidedly. They walked towards their family, smiling more broadly now. "Hello, my babies," Pete held out his arms as both their sons bent down and hugged Pete first, and then made their way around the table, hugging or high fiving, as the case maybe. "What would you like to drink Hia and N'Pai?" Saifah asked, grinning at his brothers.

"What are you doing here? Why were you not at the garage?" Phayu asked, glaring at his twin. "Hia, today is Saturday. Only you work on Saturdays. For normal people, it's the weekend," Saifah rolled his eyes. "We have three bikes to get ready before the next race. Which is after three weeks. Not three days. I think you can chill," Saifah said. "I am now convinced that Pai and Fah share only one single braincell between them," Phayu said, rolling his eyes towards the ceiling. "What do you mean Yu?" Vegas asked. "Because they both said the same thing about me working on Saturday. I don't understand why working on the weekend is such a big deal for the two of you. Hopeless!" Phayu said, turning away. "I am getting drinks. Anybody wants anything?" he asked. "Sit Yu. I have already placed the order. Someone will get it," Porche said.

He sat back down. He watched as the whole family talked to each other. He knew why everyone insisted that he come with them. They knew that he was brooding. Three years ago, he had found his girlfriend in bed with another man. However cliched it may sound, he had actually loved Lana, and had grand plans with her. He had been so enamoured that he had missed all the warning signs that were clear as day to everyone except him. And when the shit had hit the fan, he had been broken-hearted. And then he had started to withdraw, burying himself in work and staying alone. He rarely went out, and he couldn't even remember the last time he had slept with someone. To be honest, he had lost in any interest in any kind of human touch, and all that he wanted was to run away. But just as he decided to leave, the lights in the club dimmed and P'Yok stood on the stage, one single spotlight on them.

Rain

"I don't know Sky. Do you really think this is a good idea?" Rain asked his best friend in the whole wide world. "Do you have a choice babe?" Sky asked. Rain closed his eyes and laid his head back on the couch in their dorm room, where they were both currently sitting, with their work laid around them. "Rain, I know it's not going to be easy. But you love doing make-up and dressing-up. And you love dancing. All those routines that you have worked on and managed to teach a clumsy fellow like me. All those cute videos on YouTube, you enjoy that," Sky said. "It's a far cry from that to what you are proposing, Ai'Sky," Rain said. "Rain, right now, your priority is different. You need the money, and frankly, so do I," Sky said. Rain looked at Sky, and then outside, unfocused. There was so much he wanted to say, but he knew Sky was right. They had worked too hard these past years to just let it all go.

"Okay Sky. If you think that this is right, then I am with you. Only one question though. Will it be safe? Will we be safe?" he asked. "Of course. Do you really think P'Pai will send you, or for that matter me, into anyplace that is not safe?" Sky asked. Rain shook his head. "Sky, P'Pai is his cousin no? Will he be there too?" Rain asked. "Rain, you have been crushing on P'Phayu for the better part of a year. Why don't you just go and talk to him?" Sky said. "Well, first, he is a senior. Two, he is grumpy. Three, he doesn't know I exist. Four, he is so handsome. Five..," "Okay, okay, stop. I got it. He is out of your league," Sky said. Rain's face fell. "Yeah, that's the whole truth, of my life," Rain said, sighing. "I can say that about P'Pai too," Sky said. "But he is the one who pursued you Sky, not the other way around. Give yourself some credit," Rain said, smiling at his friend. Sky snorted. "Anyway, we are doing this, right?" he asked. "Yeah, we are," Rain said, determination ringing in his tone.

"This is the dressing area. The costumes are lined up in there. The make-up is all set out here. Rain, Sky said that you will be doing the make-up for everyone?" the person Sky called P'Yok stood with them, explaining what needed to be done. "Khap Phi. That's me, Varain the make-up man!" he saluted snappily. P'Yok smiled. "You are such a cutie Rain! Anyway, I will leave you both to get ready. You will be opening together. Then Sky will perform, and few others. Finally, Rain, you will close. I hope that works for you?" "Yes Phi, works perfectly!" Sky and Rain both smiled and waiied. The next three or four hours went in applying make-up in the ultimate street style. Doing make-up was not exactly the easiest thing to do. And it was even harder since this was not regular make-up. This was make-up in the Drag Queen style. Rain had sat for hours and practiced different styles on himself and on Sky. He had even roped in Sig and Por to participate in his home created videos and his different vlogs.

P'Pai had taken one look at them and said that this was perfect for what P'Yok had wanted in their bar. He had introduced P'Yok to Rain and Sky. When P'Yok laid out the plan, at first both the boys were sceptical, but eventually, after much cajoling by Pai, and then even Pete and Porche, the boys had given in. It had taken them three months to perfect the dance routines with Rain's help. The four of them, Rain, Sky, Sig and Por, with a bit of help from Ple, had slowly become more confident, until they were ready to perform on the big night. And they were getting paid very well, which as two young boys growing up in orphanages, Rain and Sky needed a lot. Apart from their studies and another part-time job that they were doing, this would be perfect for them. A few hours on a Saturday evening would not be too bad in the larger scheme of things. Sky and Rain were already top students, and Sig and Por were not too far behind. So all in all, they were ready to take this on.

"C'mon guys. P'Yok asked me to show you the way to the wings. She is doing her big speech," one of the bartenders came and said. "Hey, you guys, are you ready?Music is cued?" Ple stood just outside the dressing room. "I hope so Ple," Rain said. "Rain, it will be fine. You guys are awesome, okay? Don't let anyone tell you otherwise," Ple bumped fists with all of them. The boys quickly made their way backstage. "Please welcome my beautiful queens with a huge round of applause!!" P'Yok announced. The spotlight faded and the music started playing.'I Adore You by Adore Delano' was the first song on which Sky and Rain were performing. The four boys huddled together once before Rain and Sky stepped up for the first ever performance of their lives, and the first time ever as DragQueens.