Chapter Text
Bangkok 1970
He'd noticed the man before. How could he not? He watched as his long black wavy hair flowed in the breeze, his fitted bell bottoms clinged to his slim hips, and his button down shirt was open enough to expose his porcelain chest as he exited the record shop. There was a swagger to his walk and a confidence in his step.
Get a hold of yourself, Tee, he mumbled under his breath. He was out alone in whatever beat up car his best friend and partner in crime Rerk had hot wired earlier that day. This neighborhood was more upscale than where he normally conducted his heists but there was a jewelry shop in the area that Tee had been casing that had lax security. It could work.
Tee met Rerk back at the dive bar to carve out their plan and draw a map of the jewelry shop so they would be ready for their heist which they planned to execute in two days time. It would be a quick smash and grab and if all went well no one would get hurt and they could make out with a good amount of gold jewelry.
The plans had been made but somehow Tee felt compelled to review the neighborhood one more time the next day. And there he was, the man he noticed the other day, smoking a cigarette, leaning against the wall right in front of Echoes of Euphoria record shop. Tee slowed down the beat up car to take a closer look. He almost even took off his yellow aviator shades to take everything in but he stopped himself.
He did apparently slow down and look long enough to make eye contact with the man. The man definitely noticed him. From what he could make out, what happened next was the man stepped forward a little and mouthed out the words "You're cute” and blew him a kiss.
Fuck, he’d been noticed. What was he thinking?
“We need to call the heist off,” Tee told Rerk later that day while they were cooped up in their hideout having a drink.
“Why? We are low on funds. And I need to buy Dao’s freedom from the brothel.”
“Well, I was uh…noticed,” Tee mumbled, not revealing any emotion on his face or what had happened earlier in the day.
“You went back. Why?”
Tee thought about it for a few moments. “Never mind. I’m still in. We'll get the jewelry. I’ll help you with your girl. Anything for you, Rerk.”
Tee was a man of few words. But he’d do anything for Rerk. He was like a brother to him. They’d grown up together and been through some rough times, so of course he had his back. He didn’t understand his romance with Dao, but he’d do anything for him, including making sure he got his girl.
As for Tee, he’d never believed in romance. He was born under a cursed constellation and just struggled to survive. It was probably never in the cards for him. He never even had the time to think of dating, romance, or sexuality. Sex for him was just a means to an end. He’d only ever gone for paid companionship with women and never stayed too long or got attached to anyone.
So whatever happened earlier in the day, he'd have to put out of his mind. Why was he even looking at a man? Was the man actually flirting with him? It was nonsense really. Not something Tee would ever get involved in.
*****
The smash and grab went splendidly the next day. Tee kissed his amulet and recited the chant that worked every time.
Na closes his eyes
Mo can't see
Bud is hiding
Dha is sleeping
Ya disappears
Na-mo-pu-ta-ya!
Ya-ka-put-mo-na!
Tee and Rerk made away with a fair amount of jewelry and in the haze of smoke, they were able to seemingly vanish into thin air and escape in the utility vehicle they had slammed into the store.
*****
“Did you hear a loud crash?” Tanwa asked his best friend Sucha who was lounging in his hammock, smoking a joint.
“Just chill out dude and try to enjoy life,” Sucha said, handing Tanwa the joint.
Tanwa took a long drag of the joint. He'd been nursing a broken heart after his boyfriend Trin had left him a few months back.
The only moment of clarity he really had was the day before when a man was cruising down the street in a beat up car checking him out. He looked a little rough around the edges but super sexy in his opened up denim shirt displaying multiple layered necklaces and yellow aviator glasses.
What a hottie, he thought to himself as the marijuana started to take hold and he drifted off into a momentary state of bliss. He pictured the man’s face in his head and thought he definitely reminded him of someone. He could certainly be the man to take his pain away.
*****
“The jewelry store down the street was robbed,” Sucha said as he came into Tanwa’s bedroom the next morning holding the newspaper in his hand and passing it to Tanwa. “That’s what all the commotion was about yesterday.”
Tanwa rolled out of the hammock and sat down on the floor to properly look at the front page article. He was welcomed by a familiar handsome face as he read the bold letters:
SORCERER BANDIT TEE YAI STRIKES AGAIN
Holy shit, he thought to himself. It was the hottie he'd flirted with the other day. His heart sank a little. Not because he was a hardened criminal. That part actually exited him. But because he was possibly not checking him out, but checking his store out.
“Sucha…”
“Yeah,” he looked at Tanwa waiting for him to speak.
It was on the tip of the tongue. He was about to share that he had seen this Tee Yai man in the neighborhood, but he thought better of it. “Never mind.”
“We should start locking the door to the shop if we aren't open. The bandits may come back,” Sucha warned.
Tanwa considered the picture of the man. “I don't think he wants vinyl records.” He looked a bit longer at his handsome face and cool look in the aviator glasses and smiled to himself. Maybe he would. He wondered what kind of music he might like.
“Tanwa, what are you smiling about?” Sucha took the newspaper from Tanwa with a puzzled look on his face. “I'm serious. That bandit could be dangerous. The article says he has magic powers too.”
“Oh, I know. But don’t worry, if he comes by here, I’ll take care of him,” Tanwa said, the smile still etched on his face.
“I don’t know what’s gotten into you, but for what it's worth, I’m glad you are finally feeling better.”
Tanwa had spent the last few months endlessly making origami stars, laying in the backyard inflatable pool staring at the moon, and taking whatever drugs he could get his hands on trying to get over his ex-boyfriend Trin.
He was apparently ready for his next state of depression which would hopefully involve mindless hook ups with hot criminals, or at the very least fantasizing about them. Well, at least that was the mindset he was in at the moment. He kinda half-wished Tee Yai would come back to the neighborhood to rob his store.
*****
Knock, knock, knock
Tanwa was startled by the noise at the front door. He wasn't expecting anyone and was pretty sure Sucha wasn't either. He was taking an afternoon nap in the other room and he did not want to wake him.
He had taken Sucha's advice and locked the front door when the store wasn't open. Technically, the store had not been open in awhile. Precisely, since Trin left him. He'd half destroyed the store, including breaking so many of the records as well throwing paint over the sunset mural he'd painted with Trin. Him and Sucha had just begun to clean up the shop to make it in a condition to be opened again.
“Store's not open,” Tanwa said loud enough so the person at the door would hear.
Knock, knock, knock
The rapping at the door was a bit louder this time.
Wow. This customer was pretty persistent. They must be in desperate need of some vinyls.
Tanwa peaked through the opening of the door.
Fuck, it was Tee. Tanwa's heartbeat accelerated. He wasn't sure if it was because of his crush on him or if he was scared. Maybe a combination of the both.
Maybe he was right and Sucha was wrong. Maybe he was just looking to expand his record collection. Or maybe he was here to rob the shop. Most likely the second. Either way, like he told Sucha, he could handle the man.
*****
Tee was surprised when the man just opened the door for him. He wasn't entirely sure why he'd come but by the man letting him in he could guess he had no idea who he was nor had he read the news.
“I know you,” the man greeted him delightfully.
Tee reached behind his waist to get his gun, but stalled.
“I'm Tanwa,” the man continued. “This is my record store. Sorry that it's still not in order. I kinda half destroyed it when my boyfriend left me,” he chuckled a little, a hint of sorrow in his laugh. “But what can I help you find?”
“How do you know me?” Tee grumbled in a deep voice.
“From the other day,” Tanwa looked at Tee as if it was obvious and made eye contact with him through his transparent yellow shades. “Remember, you were checking me out and I called you ‘cute’ and blew you a kiss?”
“Oh, right,” Tee responded. This Tanwa guy really had no idea who he was. “You think I'm cute?” Tee really never got this before and had no idea how to react to it.
“Very cute,” Tanwa reached out to cup Tee's cheek and look at him closely. He then playfully booped him on the nose.
It made Tee flinch. He was not used to this type of affection. But he had to admit, for as bizarre as it was, he kinda liked it.
“So what kind of record are you looking for? What kind of music do you like?” The man continued when he realized Tee didn’t quite know how to respond to his advances.
“I like rock, I guess,” Tee answered, not even sure why he was playing this out. He should just rob the man already. After surveying the situation, he could tell he was a man that had money. Sure, he was a hippy, but a classy looking one at that. And a shop owner. He was sure he had cash stashed somewhere in the place.
“I just got a couple of new albums in. There’s King Crimson - they have a kinda dark, rock, proggy vibe. Or this new band Santana with a masterful guitarist and a Latin vibe. There’s also…”
Tee just grabbed one of the albums, he wasn’t sure which, maybe the Santana one. “I'll take this one.”
“Great choice,” Tanwa smiled at him and Tee got lost in the beautiful smile for a moment before quickly regaining his composure.
Tanwa rang him up at the register and Tee had to make the quick decision whether he'd reach for the cash in his pocket or the gun tucked into the back of his pants. He opted for the gun. He held it out to Tanwa.
“Empty out the register,” Tee demanded.
Tanwa held his hands up. “Can we talk about this? Why do you need the cash? Maybe I can help you out?”
It was then that Tee noticed the newspaper article with his face on the cover behind the counter. So Tanwa did know who he was and still let him in. It made him momentarily panic. What was he up to? He needed to do this quickly.
He nudged the gun closer to Tanwa, “The cash, put it in here.” Tee put out his bag on the counter and Tanwa nervously emptied out the register and put the cash in the bag. It wasn't a sizable amount. “The safe, get whatever money you have from the safe. This isn't going to be enough.”
“Ok. I'll do it. But can we talk first?” Tanwa pleaded, a tear coming to his eye. It broke Tee's heart a little. In another life, things could have been different. Maybe they could have been something to one another. In the short amount of time they knew each other, Tee already was growing an affinity for the man.
Tanwa emptied out the safe and put the money in the bag. It was a fair amount. It would do.
Just then, Tee heard a noise from the other room. “Is someone here with you?”
“It's my roommate. Please don't hurt him.”
“I promise I won't hurt him or you if you do as I say. Go tell him you are going on a trip with a friend for a while. You are coming with me.”
Tanwa did exactly as Tee said. Tee tucked his gun back into his pants and the two exited the store together.
“You almost forgot your record,” Tanwa said, as they exited the store. Tee grabbed it from him impatiently.
Tee politely opened the passenger seat car door for Tanwa before getting into the car himself. Then he threw the bag with the cash along with the record album on the back seat before taking off headed out of the neighborhood as quickly as possible.