He's been planning this probably since he and James actually became a thing (maybe even a little before, if he's being honest. Though at that time, it was more general plans for his hypothetical significant other than specific plans with an actual boyfriend or girlfriend in mind. There was simply no way to get specific with no one to tailor plans to) and working on it for at least two weeks now. There were purchases to be made and supplies to gather. He's had to do things around his schooling so as not to interrupt his studies, and regular visits with James, of course. He didn't want to do anything out of the ordinary lest he make James suspicious. And missing even a single opportunity to see James outside of school would certainly be out of the ordinary for Rain.
Working around his regular schedule has made the whole thing a very lengthy process, but it'll be worth it in the end.
Rain's already dragging some things outside when he sends the text to James that he won't be in class today. Didn't sleep well last night, he'd claimed. Needed to take the day to rest up. And while it's true that he didn't really sleep much last night, that has nothing to do with the reason he told James he wouldn't be there today. But it makes for a good excuse and it lessens the likelihood of James wanting to come and check on him during lunch or something to make sure he's okay.
Truthfully, he was up much of the night talking with his mom for purposes related to his surprise for James. She was talking him through some recipes, through how to make some of his favourite foods from home (foods that he made sure to get the ingredient list for days before so he could start to pick things up and be prepared). Foods he claimed he wanted to make for some of his new American friends so he can introduce them to real, authentic Thai food. In reality, it's his American boyfriend who he wants to introduce to his favourite foods. Sure, he could probably tell his mother that he's dating someone but it's easier to just say it's for his friends (actually, it would have been easiest just to say that it's for him but that's not the first thing he came up with). There's no chance of details slipping about this mysterious boy he's seeing.
In the duffel bag that's sitting next to him in the backseat of the ride share he's taking to James' place, there's a few Tupperware containers of prepared ingredients that need to be cooked at James' (each one having a note taped it to that has very specific cooking instructions as well as what containers belong together and how to put them together), as well as some containers of ingredients that just have to be put together, a change of clothes as well as a few other things. He gets himself comfortable in the back of the car and pulls his phone back out to continue texting James as though he's still in his room. There's still a bit of time before James has to start teaching and before Rain 'goes back to sleep' for a little while. He probably will have a nap at James' place once he gets there since he has all day to kill. At least then not everything Rain told James will be a lie.
One quick detour for one last piece of the puzzle, then Rain's getting dropped off at James'. He makes sure the driver is paid, thanks him, gatheres his things and then heads out of the car, toward James' door. Despite knowing that no one is home, he sets his bang down and knocks. All he's really doing is waiting for the car to pull away before he grabs the spare key to let himself inside (then immediately puts the spare key back where he found it. He knows himself well enough to know he'll forget it if he doesn't).
James will forgive him, right? For lying to him and going into his home without prior permission? What is it people say? It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission? Or easier, or something?
Rain puts his various containers in the fridge, takes the clothing out of the bag and lays it over the back of a chair so it won't look like it just came out of a duffel bag later, then sets the bag, itself, on the floor next to the couch where he settles himself down to send James a few more texts before they part ways. James is off to teach his class and Rain is laying down to have that nap he was considering having.
It's a few hours before Rain wakes up again, just in time for James to go on his lunch break. Which means Rain gets to talk to James while he tries to wake up. He needs to remember how to be a functional person before he turns on the stove. He really should get started soon though. This isn't something for him to be a procrastinator about. This isn't something for him to keep putting off until it's too late. He doesn't want to be scrambling to finish up several hours worth of work five minutes before James is set to get home. Rain doesn't want to half ass this. He wants to do well. James deserves for him to do well.
Once James goes back to work, it's time for Rain to get to work as well. He follows his mother's cooking instructions to the letter. She'd be proud. Especially at him cleaning as he goes. He'd prefer if James didn't come home to a huge mess. He'd prefer if everything's perfect when James gets home. Which means he also has to remember to send James one last text before the end of the school day to say that he's going to lay back down for a little while and he'll text James when he wakes up so James can bring his school work over. Basically, some bullshit to get James to go home first instead of going from school right to see Rain.
Rain grabs the duffel bag once he's gotten everything on the stove to a point where it doesn't need his constant attention. Keep half an eye on it while it simmers but don't baby it. Really. Leave it alone, Rain. Yes, mae. He places a box of chocolates and a fake rose (the detour on the way here) on a table near the couch and a few battery operated candles in strategic locations. No mess and no fire risk. Well, a little bit of a mess. He does have a bag of loose rose petals that he scatters on James' bed, and then on the floor between the bed and the door. Any petals remaining end up on the floor just outside of James' bedroom. This is his first Valentine's Day with a partner. He wants to hit as many of the schmoopy Valentine's tropes as he can.
A quick check on the time, then on the food, which he pulls off the stove and mixes together the various parts as he was instructed. Now all he needs to do is warm it up later when they're ready to eat. He's pretty sure that means he just needs to get himself ready now. Rain grabs his phone and sends James a quick text that suggests he should just go right home after school and stop by to see Rain later.
Heading to the bathroom with his change of clothes in one hand and the duffel bag in the other, Rain starts in on the final touches of the day. He's not really big on dressing up and hasn't done it once since his temporary move to the US so the nice clothes, alone, would probably be enough but where's the fun in that? He changes into a deep wine coloured dress shirt with a black blazer and matching black slacks. He has nice clothes to wear for special occasions, but there's not been an occasion special enough until now. He dampens his hair with the intent of actually giving it a bit more style than usual. Nothing too involved, but a little something a little different. Normally he's more of a brush his hair and call it good sort of guy but again, this is a special occasion. Maybe it'll become a more regular thing if it turns out that James likes it, but for now, this is the exception and not the rule. The finishing touch on this pretty low effort makeover of Rain's is a little bit of lip gloss. Something to make his lips to shiny and inviting. Drawn attention to the lips that James admitted that he likes so much. A mistake on James' part, really, since trying to get James to notice his lips is something he can do in public without anyone really noticing. Tease him a little when he can't do anything about it. It's kind of fun. This time, it isn't for teasing though. This time they'll be in the comfort and privacy of James' home.
Shoving the mostly empty duffel bag into a closet, Rain has one last look at himself and around James' home, then one final look at the food before plopping himself down on the couch to rest until James gets home. He's not sure he's ever worked so hard on a single project in his life. It'll be worth it though once James gets home. Which should be soon, he hopes.
James spent a good portion of the day worried about Rain. He didn't really have anyone here to look after him when he was sick and, heaven forbid if he needed a doctor or a hospital... Who would be there to advocate on his behalf? But he has to take Rain at his word that he's not ill, he simply slept poorly. Rain isn't the sort of kid who lies about important things. So, James lets his concern move to the back of his mind.
Only to have it rekindled when Rain texts to tell him he should just go directly home. Maybe he is sick and it's not simply a case of poor sleep. But, he simply has to trust Rain. The boy's given him no reason to distrust him. So, James agrees. He'll go home. They'll just carve out some extra time when Rain's feeling better to study the material he missed in his classes. He'll call to check on Rain when he gets home.
Except when he gets home, James is greeted by the delicious scent of food and the very person he's been low-key worried about most of the day sitting on his couch. Looking very well. And more dressed up than usual. A single brow lofts and he tilts his head, a little pleased smile on his lips.
Rain really isn't the sort of kid who lies about important things, and that's only partly because he doesn't trust himself to be able to actually maintain a lie for very long. Which has made this whole Valentine's endeavour very difficult on him. It's been hard to keep all of this from James and lie to him about things he'd been up to. His excitement about it certainly didn't help. Every time they spoke, he wanted to announce his big plans. He wanted to admit to his deceit and tell James everything. But he couldn't. That would've ruined it. He couldn't really tell anyone and it was killing him.
But the day is finally here and it's just a matter of time now.
Rain is practically vibrating on the couch when he hears the key in the lock. James is home. James is home! In the few seconds it takes for James to unlock the door, about a million thoughts run through his head, both good and bad. It suddenly occurs to him that James might not even like this. There's no guarantee that an older, dignified man like James will look for the same things in a Valentine's celebration that his teenage student might. There's no guarantee that he'll like the idea of doing anything for Valentine's Day at all. There's no time to change his mind and tear it all down now though.
The pleased smile on James' lips when he sees what Rain has done does calm some of his fears at least. He likes it? He's okay with it?
Rain climbs to his feet and swiftly crosses the room, pushing the door closed behind James so he can throw his arms around the older man's neck in private. "Mhm. It was! Well, actually the not sleeping much last night was real. Mae was teaching me how to make some food for you. Though she didn't know it was for you."
The thing about James that Rain will learn with more time (do they have that time? Rain's going back to Thailand at the end of the school year...) is that he appreciates effort. Valentine's Day hasn't been something he's celebrated in some time being mostly single whenever it rolled around, but he likes the spirit of it. He definitely likes what Rain's done, but even if it wasn't to his taste perfectly, he appreciates the work that Rain put into this surprise that's only for the two of them (even more special).
However, this is just the sort of thing James thinks of when he thinks of a romantic Valentine's Day. Just him, Rain, and a private, intimate get together. It's as perfect as anything he could imagine.
"Thank you," he murmurs, looping his arms around Rain's waist. "This is all wonderful." And he hasn't even tried Rain's meal yet. "What did you cook? It smells wonderful?"
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Working around his regular schedule has made the whole thing a very lengthy process, but it'll be worth it in the end.
Rain's already dragging some things outside when he sends the text to James that he won't be in class today. Didn't sleep well last night, he'd claimed. Needed to take the day to rest up. And while it's true that he didn't really sleep much last night, that has nothing to do with the reason he told James he wouldn't be there today. But it makes for a good excuse and it lessens the likelihood of James wanting to come and check on him during lunch or something to make sure he's okay.
Truthfully, he was up much of the night talking with his mom for purposes related to his surprise for James. She was talking him through some recipes, through how to make some of his favourite foods from home (foods that he made sure to get the ingredient list for days before so he could start to pick things up and be prepared). Foods he claimed he wanted to make for some of his new American friends so he can introduce them to real, authentic Thai food. In reality, it's his American boyfriend who he wants to introduce to his favourite foods. Sure, he could probably tell his mother that he's dating someone but it's easier to just say it's for his friends (actually, it would have been easiest just to say that it's for him but that's not the first thing he came up with). There's no chance of details slipping about this mysterious boy he's seeing.
In the duffel bag that's sitting next to him in the backseat of the ride share he's taking to James' place, there's a few Tupperware containers of prepared ingredients that need to be cooked at James' (each one having a note taped it to that has very specific cooking instructions as well as what containers belong together and how to put them together), as well as some containers of ingredients that just have to be put together, a change of clothes as well as a few other things. He gets himself comfortable in the back of the car and pulls his phone back out to continue texting James as though he's still in his room. There's still a bit of time before James has to start teaching and before Rain 'goes back to sleep' for a little while. He probably will have a nap at James' place once he gets there since he has all day to kill. At least then not everything Rain told James will be a lie.
One quick detour for one last piece of the puzzle, then Rain's getting dropped off at James'. He makes sure the driver is paid, thanks him, gatheres his things and then heads out of the car, toward James' door. Despite knowing that no one is home, he sets his bang down and knocks. All he's really doing is waiting for the car to pull away before he grabs the spare key to let himself inside (then immediately puts the spare key back where he found it. He knows himself well enough to know he'll forget it if he doesn't).
James will forgive him, right? For lying to him and going into his home without prior permission? What is it people say? It's better to ask for forgiveness than permission? Or easier, or something?
Rain puts his various containers in the fridge, takes the clothing out of the bag and lays it over the back of a chair so it won't look like it just came out of a duffel bag later, then sets the bag, itself, on the floor next to the couch where he settles himself down to send James a few more texts before they part ways. James is off to teach his class and Rain is laying down to have that nap he was considering having.
It's a few hours before Rain wakes up again, just in time for James to go on his lunch break. Which means Rain gets to talk to James while he tries to wake up. He needs to remember how to be a functional person before he turns on the stove. He really should get started soon though. This isn't something for him to be a procrastinator about. This isn't something for him to keep putting off until it's too late. He doesn't want to be scrambling to finish up several hours worth of work five minutes before James is set to get home. Rain doesn't want to half ass this. He wants to do well. James deserves for him to do well.
Once James goes back to work, it's time for Rain to get to work as well. He follows his mother's cooking instructions to the letter. She'd be proud. Especially at him cleaning as he goes. He'd prefer if James didn't come home to a huge mess. He'd prefer if everything's perfect when James gets home. Which means he also has to remember to send James one last text before the end of the school day to say that he's going to lay back down for a little while and he'll text James when he wakes up so James can bring his school work over. Basically, some bullshit to get James to go home first instead of going from school right to see Rain.
Rain grabs the duffel bag once he's gotten everything on the stove to a point where it doesn't need his constant attention. Keep half an eye on it while it simmers but don't baby it. Really. Leave it alone, Rain. Yes, mae. He places a box of chocolates and a fake rose (the detour on the way here) on a table near the couch and a few battery operated candles in strategic locations. No mess and no fire risk. Well, a little bit of a mess. He does have a bag of loose rose petals that he scatters on James' bed, and then on the floor between the bed and the door. Any petals remaining end up on the floor just outside of James' bedroom. This is his first Valentine's Day with a partner. He wants to hit as many of the schmoopy Valentine's tropes as he can.
A quick check on the time, then on the food, which he pulls off the stove and mixes together the various parts as he was instructed. Now all he needs to do is warm it up later when they're ready to eat. He's pretty sure that means he just needs to get himself ready now. Rain grabs his phone and sends James a quick text that suggests he should just go right home after school and stop by to see Rain later.
Heading to the bathroom with his change of clothes in one hand and the duffel bag in the other, Rain starts in on the final touches of the day. He's not really big on dressing up and hasn't done it once since his temporary move to the US so the nice clothes, alone, would probably be enough but where's the fun in that? He changes into a deep wine coloured dress shirt with a black blazer and matching black slacks. He has nice clothes to wear for special occasions, but there's not been an occasion special enough until now. He dampens his hair with the intent of actually giving it a bit more style than usual. Nothing too involved, but a little something a little different. Normally he's more of a brush his hair and call it good sort of guy but again, this is a special occasion. Maybe it'll become a more regular thing if it turns out that James likes it, but for now, this is the exception and not the rule. The finishing touch on this pretty low effort makeover of Rain's is a little bit of lip gloss. Something to make his lips to shiny and inviting. Drawn attention to the lips that James admitted that he likes so much. A mistake on James' part, really, since trying to get James to notice his lips is something he can do in public without anyone really noticing. Tease him a little when he can't do anything about it. It's kind of fun. This time, it isn't for teasing though. This time they'll be in the comfort and privacy of James' home.
Shoving the mostly empty duffel bag into a closet, Rain has one last look at himself and around James' home, then one final look at the food before plopping himself down on the couch to rest until James gets home. He's not sure he's ever worked so hard on a single project in his life. It'll be worth it though once James gets home. Which should be soon, he hopes.
no subject
Only to have it rekindled when Rain texts to tell him he should just go directly home. Maybe he is sick and it's not simply a case of poor sleep. But, he simply has to trust Rain. The boy's given him no reason to distrust him. So, James agrees. He'll go home. They'll just carve out some extra time when Rain's feeling better to study the material he missed in his classes. He'll call to check on Rain when he gets home.
Except when he gets home, James is greeted by the delicious scent of food and the very person he's been low-key worried about most of the day sitting on his couch. Looking very well. And more dressed up than usual. A single brow lofts and he tilts his head, a little pleased smile on his lips.
"All that was a ploy for this? Well played."
no subject
But the day is finally here and it's just a matter of time now.
Rain is practically vibrating on the couch when he hears the key in the lock. James is home. James is home! In the few seconds it takes for James to unlock the door, about a million thoughts run through his head, both good and bad. It suddenly occurs to him that James might not even like this. There's no guarantee that an older, dignified man like James will look for the same things in a Valentine's celebration that his teenage student might. There's no guarantee that he'll like the idea of doing anything for Valentine's Day at all. There's no time to change his mind and tear it all down now though.
The pleased smile on James' lips when he sees what Rain has done does calm some of his fears at least. He likes it? He's okay with it?
Rain climbs to his feet and swiftly crosses the room, pushing the door closed behind James so he can throw his arms around the older man's neck in private. "Mhm. It was! Well, actually the not sleeping much last night was real. Mae was teaching me how to make some food for you. Though she didn't know it was for you."
no subject
However, this is just the sort of thing James thinks of when he thinks of a romantic Valentine's Day. Just him, Rain, and a private, intimate get together. It's as perfect as anything he could imagine.
"Thank you," he murmurs, looping his arms around Rain's waist. "This is all wonderful." And he hasn't even tried Rain's meal yet. "What did you cook? It smells wonderful?"