Chapter Text
Bakery 3/6 - 6:31 pm
The smell of warm vanilla, roasted beans, and polished wood filled the space, greeting Freen and Becca like a promise. The lights overhead glowed golden, catching on the gloss of the counters and the soft sheen of the glass pastry case. There were wooden beams, soft cream walls, and a window that overlooked the quiet street corner.
Freen spun in the middle of the room, arms outstretched, still beaming from earlier. "Okay. Am I just delirious, or is this... perfect?"
Becca followed her slowly, her eyes taking in the clean layout, the back kitchen space, the sunlight streaming through. "Like, actually perfect. Like dream-level, Pinterest board kind of perfect."
Freen grabbed her shoulders, wide-eyed. "Are we just high on house adrenaline? We literally just signed papers. Did we hallucinate this bakery?"
Becca snorted. "It's giving dream sequence."
They both laughed, collapsing into the same two-seater bench near the front window, staring around in stunned silence.
Freen whispered, "Is there a catch?"
Becca looked at her and grinned. "Probably. But let's just enjoy the illusion for now."
Becca's Childhood Room - 11:42 pm
They were back in Becca's family's house, in her room, the small nightlight casting a soft pink hue across the room.
Freen lay with her cheek against Becca's chest, their fingers intertwined on Becca's stomach.
Becca stared at the ceiling, giddy. "We found our house. Our bakery. We even walked past a school we'd want our maybe-one-day kids to go to. Babe... this is it."
Freen turned toward her, a grin stretching across her face. "I was literally thinking that same thing. Like... this is the day everything starts."
Becca rolled to face her, nose brushing Freen's. "If something goes wrong now, I'll sue the universe."
They giggled, and Freen kissed her softly. "Today felt like a miracle."
Becca was about to respond ... when her phone buzzed.
Once. Twice. Three times.
Her screen lit up with Caleb.
She frowned. "That's weird. It's almost midnight."
She picked it up. "Hey Cales?"
There was a rustling sound, followed by Caleb's voice, strained and ragged. "Bec—can you come? It's—it's Matteo. Something happened. I—I don't—"
Becca sat upright, heart crashing. "What happened?! Caleb, slow down—are you guys safe? Where are you?"
At the same time, a knock hit the bedroom door.
"Becca? Becca! Freen?"
It was Becca's mom, her voice tight and trembling. "Girls, please come out here. I need you—now. Please!"
Freen shot up, eyes wide, already climbing out of bed, grabbing for her hoodie. "What's going on?!"
Becca turned to her, face pale as her phone trembled in her hand. "It's Matteo. Caleb just said—he's in the hospital. Something happened. Someone—someone attacked him."
Freen froze. "What?"
Becca's mother knocked again, voice breaking this time. "Please, girls. Hurry."
Becca was already halfway to the door.
Freen opened it with shaky hands, and Becca's mother stood there, still in her slippers, her phone gripped tightly in one hand. Her eyes were red.
"Matteo... he's in the ICU."
Becca staggered.
And the world that had felt so full of light only hours ago, cracked.
Natalie's Apartment - 11:52 pm
The door had barely clicked shut when Jasmine spun Natalie around, pinning her softly against it with a kiss so full of hunger and heat, it made Natalie laugh mid-moan.
"Babe—" she gasped between kisses, her voice dissolving into breathy laughter, "I'm not going anywhere—"
"You better not," Jasmine growled into her neck, her hands finding Natalie's waist as she peppered kisses along her jaw. "You're banned from ever getting sick again."
Natalie giggled as she walked backward, tugged by Jasmine's relentless affection. "So bossy tonight."
"You've been out of commission for like a week," Jasmine said, her voice mock-serious, dragging the zipper of Natalie's dress down. "Do you know what that does to me?"
Natalie smirked. "I paid two hundred bucks for this dress. Be gentle."
"I'm always gentle," Jasmine said with a grin, just before crashing her mouth back onto Natalie's.
The dress slipped to the floor.
Natalie, in nothing but black underwear now, began tugging at Jasmine's shirt, fumbling with the buttons.
But as her hands moved lower, sliding over Jasmine's hips and back to her bu—
Bzzzzt.
The buzz of Jasmine's phone in her back pocket vibrated right against Natalie's palm.
Jasmine paused, forehead resting against Natalie's, chest rising and falling in sync.
"Who the hell—" Jasmine murmured, breathless, already reaching behind her.
She pulled the phone out and frowned. "It's... Freen."
Natalie blinked. "This late?"
Jasmine's gut twisted.
She answered. "Freen?"
Freen's voice came through — frantic, panicked.
"Jas—Matteo. He's—" Freen's breath hitched. "He's in the hospital. Something—someone hurt him. Badly."
Jasmine's breath caught.
Natalie straightened immediately.
"What?" Jasmine whispered. "Wait. Wait, what happened?"
"We don't know yet. Becca's mom woke us up, Caleb called... he's—he's in the ICU, Jas. It's bad. Really bad."
The room was quiet except for the sounds of Becca crying softly through the phone in the background.
Jasmine felt her entire body go cold.
"I'll—we'll be there," she said instantly, already pulling on her jeans. "Just text me which hospital, okay? I'm coming."
Natalie was already halfway into her sweats, wordlessly moving in sync.
The call ended.
Jasmine stood frozen for a second, then looked at Natalie.
"She said it's bad."
Natalie's eyes were dark, focused. "Let's go."
.. . .
The fluorescent hallway lights buzz quietly as Natalie and Jasmine step out of the elevator, still half-dazed from the whirlwind phone call. Jasmine's fingers are laced in Natalie's, their chests tight.
Down the corridor, they spot them — Freen, Becca, Becca's mom, Caleb, and Caleb's mom, huddled near the emergency unit's glass doors.
Jasmine's breath catches. Freen turns, spotting her and Natalie first, her eyes rimmed red.
Natalie speaks quietly, "Come on. We're here now."
They rush forward. Jasmine pulls Freen into a tight hug without a word. Natalie goes to Becca, who's still on the phone with Richie, updating him shakily. Caleb is pacing, phone clenched in his fist, face pale and trembling. Becca's mom sits on the bench, gently holding her sister's, Caleb's mom's, hand.
"Is he—?" Jasmine starts to ask, but Becca just shakes her head, tears threatening again.
"They're still assessing him," she says hoarsely. "We're not allowed in yet."
Caleb finally turns to them, eyes wide. "I just... I left him. I left him alone. I shouldn't have—" His voice cracks. "My father called. He told me the power went out. I—I thought it was just another weird excuse to get me back home..."
Everyone is silent. That's when Natalie speaks, soft but pointed.
"What kind of excuse?"
Caleb laughs bitterly, "Last week it was the car battery. Two days ago, it was the dog vomiting. Today, it was the electricity. It's always something."
Natalie nods slowly, the gears turning.
Caleb swallows. "We were at Woody's, that gay bar downtown, when Dad called. Matteo offered to drop me off. But we drove separately. So we each got into our cars in the parking lot..."
Becca whispers, "And then the hospital called?"
Caleb nods, hollow, "Right as I walked in our front door, I was with Mae..."
Caleb's mom nodded slowly, her eyes sad.
"He's stable now. They said it looks like... a mugging." Caleb adds.
Freen mutters, "In front of that bar?"
Natalie's brows furrow. "That bar's got security cameras all around it," she says.
Caleb glances at her. "You know it?"
Natalie tilts her head, "Kind of? My dad does. Or—he knows the area."
Becca speaks gently, "Can he... help us?"
Natalie nods. "His name's Khun Pravat Kittipong. He used to work homicide under the Royal Thai Police. Retired now, but he works on private cases sometimes."
She glances at Jasmine, who gives a tiny nod. A green light.
Natalie looks at Caleb. "I'll call him, if you'd like."
Caleb exhales, nodding, eyes glassy again. "Yes. Please. Thank you."
Natalie nods, "Of course."
Then, the doors open. A nurse steps out.
"Family of Matteo Manoban?"
They all look up.
"He's awake."
... . . . .
The air in the room is heavy with antiseptic and quiet hums of medical machinery. Matteo lies still on the bed, face partially shadowed by bruising on the right side. One eye is swollen shut. His shoulder is strapped tightly into a stabilizer sling, and the gauze peeking from beneath his gown traces the path of his broken ribs. He looks... fragile — an image none of them are used to.
Caleb steps in first.
He doesn't speak. He just walks slowly to Matteo's bedside and stares, not quite daring to touch yet.
Matteo's good eye cracks open. He croaks, "Hey..."
Caleb chokes on a breath. "You're awake," Caleb whispers.
"You're here," Matteo replies, a small smile twitching onto his busted lip. "You didn't... run off and marry a businessman's daughter, right?"
Caleb laughs — a single sound, half-tear, half-laugh — and brushes Matteo's bruised knuckles with his fingertips.
"Not unless your last name changed overnight," he says, voice trembling.
Behind them, Caleb's mom, Becca's mom, Freen, Becca, Jasmine, and Natalie stand quietly near the door, not wanting to intrude just yet.
Matteo shifts, wincing. "You guys look like hell."
"We should be saying that to you," Becca says softly, stepping forward now. "God, Matty..."
Freen follows, her hand brushing gently down Matteo's arm as if to say We're here.
The room settles in silence again, filled only with the sound of Matteo's slow breathing and Caleb's thumb stroking over Matteo's palm.
"I don't remember who did it," Matteo says after a pause, his voice quieter. "I just remember footsteps. And pain."
Caleb leans in. "It's okay. Don't force yourself."
"But... I think someone was waiting," Matteo continues. "Like, they didn't follow me. They were already there."
The room tenses. Natalie exchanges a look with Jasmine, then Freen.
"That's helpful," Natalie says gently. "When my dad comes by, if you're up for it, he might ask a few questions. You don't have to push. Just... tell him what you can."
Matteo nods slowly, eyes fluttering closed again. "You think it was random?"
Natalie steps closer. Her voice is firm but comforting. "We're not going to assume anything. But we'll find out. I promise you."
Outside the room, a soft rain begins to fall against the hospital windows. Inside, the group lingers — Matteo's breathing slowing as sleep takes him again, Caleb's hand still in his.
.. . .
Matteo has drifted off again. Caleb's thumb still rests over his, but his body has sunk back into the chair, motionless except for the slight bounce of his knee, anxious energy he doesn't know what to do with.
Freen leans back against the windowsill, arms folded, eyes sharp with thought. Becca sits at the edge of a second chair near Caleb, her elbow on her knee, chin on her fist. The room feels heavy, not just with concern, but with suspicion.
Jasmine and Natalie are still standing near the wall, a respectful distance away, quiet but alert — here for Becca more than anything else.
"I just... I don't understand," Caleb finally murmurs, breaking the silence. "Why him?"
"He was alone," Freen says softly, thinking out loud now. "That makes anyone a target."
"But it wasn't random," Becca chimes in. "I mean... you don't wait in a dark alley outside a bar like that unless it's for a reason."
"There was no mugging," Caleb adds, voice tightening. "Nothing was taken. His phone was in his back pocket. Wallet was still there. Keys too."
Becca nods. "Yeah. This wasn't about theft. It was about pain."
"Or punishment," Freen says quietly.
Jasmine's brow furrows, and she shifts slightly toward Becca. "I know I don't know them that well," she says cautiously, "but... do either of them have enemies? Like, anyone shady from work or anything like that?"
Becca shakes her head. "Matteo's too... golden retriever for that. He works in fashion PR. He's constantly charming people."
Freen cuts in. "And Caleb wouldn't be dumb enough to mess with dangerous people."
"Hey," Caleb says quietly, almost to himself. "My dad called me home... said something about the electricity being out. But by the time I got there, everything was fine. Like nothing had ever happened."
The room quiets again. Becca looks up slowly. "What?"
Caleb doesn't blink. "Yeah. I walked in, and mom was like, 'Oh, your dad left just a few minutes ago — some emergency meeting with Mr. Kriangsak.' Like it was nothing."
Freen's arms drop from her chest. "Wait— Kriangsak... That's the guy your dad's been pushing you to marry his daughter, right?"
Caleb nods slowly. "He's been relentless about it. Business alliance bullshit."
Becca's jaw tightens. "So you leave a gay bar... and ten minutes later, Matteo's almost beaten to death in a side alley?"
Jasmine exhales, shaking her head slightly. "That's... not a coincidence."
Natalie, who's been quiet until now, finally speaks up, her voice low. "My dad said he'll be here in the morning, and I think... he's going to want to know this. All of this."
Everyone looks at her. Natalie doesn't shrink.
"I'm serious. If this was coordinated, even vaguely, he'll trace the line. He knows how to get through these things without tipping anyone off. Especially someone with influence like your dad's, Caleb."
Caleb stays quiet for a long time. Then, he nods once.
Becca reaches over and places a gentle hand over his shoulder.
"I don't know what to do," Caleb admits.
"You don't have to know," Freen says, stepping forward and crouching in front of him. "You just have to stick by Matteo. And let the people who do know what to do... help."
Behind them, Matteo stirs, letting out a faint groan.
Becca rises to her feet, silently moving closer to the bed. Caleb stands too, his hands instantly going to Matteo's arm again.
"I want to stay the night," Caleb says, looking at Becca and Freen.
"You should," Becca says gently. "We'll bring you breakfast."
"Should I text your mom?" Freen asks Caleb softly.
"I'll do it," Becca offers. "She'll want to know you're staying."
Caleb nods, eyes fixed on Matteo's face.
Jasmine catches Becca's eye and mouths gently, You okay?
Becca nods.
Natalie reaches for Jasmine's hand quietly, squeezing it once.
Outside the hospital room, the world continues — but inside, the truth is beginning to take shape, its edges sharper with every passing minute.
.. . ..
Next Morning - 8:34 am
The sun spills in faintly through the blinds, casting long shadows across the quiet hospital room. The low murmur of the city waking up can almost be heard behind the distant beeping of machines. Matteo is awake now, half-sitting up in bed, eyes a bit glassy but alert, lips slightly parted as he breathes through the lingering haze of medication.
Caleb sits beside him in the same chair from last night, one hand loosely clasped around Matteo's wrist as if afraid to let go again.
On the couch across from them, Freen and Becca have just finished setting up breakfast on the small side table. Several takeaway coffee cups, a couple of croissant sandwiches, and fresh fruit from the bakery they'd stopped by on their early morning drive back to the hospital.
Matteo manages a small smile but winces when he shifts. "Sorry I can't eat with you guys. My stomach's still... upside down."
"Don't apologize," Becca says softly, offering him a sip of water instead. "We're just glad you're awake."
Freen leans back on the couch with a sigh, unwrapping her sandwich. "Honestly, seeing your eyes open and functioning is already more than enough right now."
Caleb chuckles quietly, brushing his thumb against Matteo's hand. "He's functioning alright. He called me dramatic ten minutes ago."
"I mean... you are," Matteo mumbles, eyes closed again, his voice dry but affectionate.
The small group laughs, letting themselves breathe for a moment.
Freen glances around, her voice turning gentler. "Matteo, your parents... still in Europe, right?"
Caleb nods for him. "Yeah. They've been in Italy for two weeks now. I texted them last night, but I told them not to rush back just yet. Matteo and I both agreed."
"They'd freak out if they came right away," Matteo adds. "And they'd only stress Caleb more."
Becca reaches over and squeezes Matteo's foot gently through the blanket. "You really are a golden retriever."
Before anyone can respond, there's a soft knock at the door. It opens slowly, and Jasmine steps in, her expression careful but kind.
"Morning," she says, her voice soft. "I didn't want to barge in, just wanted to check if it's okay to bring them in."
"Them?" Caleb asks.
Jasmine nods once, walking further into the room.
"Natalie's outside. With her dad."
Everyone straightens a little.
"He's ready to help," Jasmine says. "Natalie's filled him in on the basics already, so he has some direction. But he won't come in unless Matteo's ready to talk."
Matteo doesn't speak immediately. His eyes find Caleb's. Caleb squeezes his wrist gently.
"I trust you," Caleb whispers.
Matteo exhales through his nose, then shifts slightly in bed. "Yeah. Okay. Let's do it."
Jasmine nods. "I'll get them."
She turns and exits as the room falls into a thoughtful quiet.
Becca looks at Freen. Freen offers a small nod. Caleb looks down at Matteo, then kisses his hand lightly.
And then they wait.
.. .
The door opens again with a quiet click. Natalie steps in first, her eyes immediately scanning for Matteo. She's wearing soft jeans and a light blazer, dressed more neatly than usual, out of respect. Behind her, a tall, sharp-eyed man enters. His presence shifts the room's air, calm but commanding. Dressed in pressed slacks and a crisp shirt with a silver watch, he exudes quiet authority.
"Morning," Natalie says gently. "Sorry, we're intruding."
"You're not," Caleb says, standing. "Thank you for coming."
Natalie offers him a soft smile before stepping to the side.
The man beside her nods once to the room. "Mr. Matteo, I'm Pravat Kittipong," he says, voice low and measured. "I'm a private investigator and legal consultant. Natalie gave me a summary of the situation, but I'd like to hear it directly from you, if you're feeling up to it."
Matteo nods weakly. "Yeah. I... I'll try."
Pravat pulls a small notebook and pen from his breast pocket and sits on a small stool near the foot of the bed, facing Matteo directly but not intrusively.
"I understand you were attacked last night. Can you walk me through everything you remember, in your own time?"
Matteo swallows and shifts slightly, his fingers brushing Caleb's wrist for grounding. Everyone else in the room falls into a thick silence.
"I... we were at Woody's," Matteo begins, his voice raspy. "It's a gay bar downtown. Caleb and I met some coworkers there after work."
"I left earlier," Caleb adds quietly. "My dad called, said something was wrong at the house. Power was out or something."
Matteo nods. "We walked out together but took separate cars. I stayed to smoke before driving off."
Pravat makes a small note. "What happened next?"
"I was leaning against my car," Matteo says slowly. "I remember sending Becca a TikTok or something. Then I saw someone crossing the road toward me. Hoodie. I didn't think much at first."
His eyes darken.
"Then he said my name. Full name. And when I turned —" he gestures loosely toward his shoulder. "Something hit me from behind. Hard."
Becca winces. Freen's jaw tenses.
"Two men," Matteo continues. "One hit. The other held me against the car. They kept saying things. Nasty things. Slurs. They knew I was gay. Knew about Caleb."
Caleb grips the edge of the blanket tightly.
"They said..." Matteo's voice catches. "They said I was ruining him. That I needed to disappear before I destroyed his future."
Pravat pauses, pen hovering above his page. "You're certain those words were used?"
Matteo nods, his eyes flickering between Pravat and Caleb. "Yeah."
Pravat clicks his pen shut, then leans forward slightly.
"I want to be transparent with all of you," he says. "I don't think this was random. It wasn't a mugging, and it wasn't a crime of opportunity. It was targeted — planned. Likely paid."
Natalie's lips press into a thin line.
Becca finally speaks. "So someone... hired those guys?"
"I believe so," Pravat confirms. "And I have suspicions about who might benefit from silencing Matteo, particularly if they're invested in Caleb's public image or future."
Everyone turns to Caleb.
His eyes are wide. "My father."
Becca doesn't look surprised. "It makes sense."
Caleb breathes in through his nose. "He's been pressuring me for months to break up with Matteo. He wants me to marry his business partner's daughter — someone from some old-school Bangkok family. It's all about connections."
"He's trying to control your life," Freen murmurs.
Caleb looks at Pravat. "Do you have proof?"
"Not yet," Pravat answers. "But I will. I'm pulling security footage from the area outside the bar. There's a bank and two retail stores nearby — at least one of them should have captured the sidewalk or parking lane. I've also requested hospital logs and called in a favor at Immigration to confirm if any unusual flights were taken by men matching the potential attackers' descriptions."
He leans back. "And I've already started tracing any large bank withdrawals your father may have made. Quietly."
Caleb swallows hard. "Thank you."
"I'll find out who did this," Pravat says firmly, eyes sweeping the room. "But if it was your father, Caleb... the process may be messy. We need to be careful."
Caleb nods once. "Do whatever it takes."
The room falls quiet again.
Matteo exhales shakily. "I just want to know why someone would hurt me... for loving someone."
Becca reaches for his hand and grips it tightly.
Freen looks across the room at Natalie. She's already watching her dad with pride in her eyes.
Pravat closes his notebook.
"Justice, Mr. Matteo, doesn't always come easily," he says. "But when it comes, it will come loud."
.. . .
Hospital Washroom - 10:11 am
Freen pushes the restroom door open slowly, her brows furrowed in concern. Becca's been gone longer than expected, and something in her gut has her on edge.
And then she sees her.
Becca stands in front of the mirror, her hands gripping the edges of the sink, her head bowed. Silent tears slip down her face, trailing over her flushed cheeks. Her body trembles as she tries to breathe evenly, her reflection blurry behind the glassy shimmer in her eyes.
Freen hurries toward her, voice soft but urgent.
"Babe? Hey... baby, what's wrong?"
She places both hands on Becca's shoulders, turning her gently. Becca doesn't speak—just lets out a sharp exhale as her arms instinctively circle around Freen's middle, pulling her in tight. She presses her face into Freen's shoulder, breath hitching as more tears come.
"Nothing happened," she whispers finally, voice cracking. "I just... I don't know, Freen. It's such a cruel world we live in."
Freen holds her tighter.
Becca's words rush out, raw and heartbroken. "So cruel. A person gets beaten so badly he's in the hospital on six thousand painkillers—all because he loved someone. Because he dared to fall in love. What kind of world is this?"
Freen closes her eyes, the weight of it sinking into her chest. "I know, baby. I know."
Becca pulls back just slightly, eyes searching Freen's. "And I keep thinking... what if it had been you? Or me?" Her voice breaks again. "What if one day someone sees us walking together—holding hands, kissing—and decides that's enough reason to hurt us? How do we live in a world like this?"
Freen brings a hand to Becca's cheek, brushing away the tears with her thumb. Her other hand slides down to hold Becca's waist steady.
"And then I start thinking even further," Becca continues, her tone unravelling into something even more fragile. "What if our kids are gay? Or trans? Or bi? What if we have a little boy and he figures out he likes boys, or wants to wear dresses, or is too soft for this world? What if we have a daughter who falls in love with a girl, and—someone out there decides that's wrong, and hurts her for it?"
She stares at Freen, hopelessness clouding her gaze. "How do we protect them, Freen? How do we protect our kids from this kind of evil?"
Freen exhales shakily, holding her close again, grounding both of them. She waits until their breathing matches, until Becca's trembling starts to ease, before speaking.
"We protect them by making sure they know exactly who they are is worthy of love. From the moment they open their eyes to the moment they go to sleep every night, we love them out loud. Every day."
Becca presses her forehead to Freen's, eyes closed. Silent tears.
Freen continues. "And we fight like hell for them. We raise them to be brave, to be kind, to know their history. We build them a home where they feel safe enough to be themselves. We teach them about people like Jasmine and Natalie, Matteo and Caleb—not just about the pain, but about the love too. The kind that's worth it. The kind that stands back up after being knocked down."
Becca sniffs, a sad smile pulling at the corner of her lips. "But how do we keep them from the world?"
"We don't," Freen whispers. "But we make sure they never walk through it alone. They'll have us. Both of us. And they'll have chosen family, and friends, and love. So much love it spills out of the walls."
Becca finally lets out a small laugh, broken but real. "You sound like a mom already."
Freen leans forward and kisses her softly. "Maybe I am. A mom in training."
They hold each other a little longer.
Becca lets out a breath. "I hate that this happened. I hate it so much."
"I do too," Freen says, rubbing circles into her back. "But we're going to help them through it. We're going to make sure Matteo heals. We're going to find who did this. And one day... we're going to build a world for our kids where this kind of thing gets rarer and rarer, until one day, maybe, it just doesn't happen at all."
Becca nods. "Okay."
"Yeah?"
"Yeah," she whispers, pulling back and wiping her eyes. "Okay. Let's go back."
Freen reaches out and gently fixes Becca's hair, tucking a lock behind her ear. "You're the strongest person I know."
"Right back at you, Freen Armstrong," Becca says, giving her a tired smile, with a sneaky wink.
Freen chuckles. "Let's go. The boys are waiting."
They step out of the restroom together, hands clasped, hearts a little steadier than before.
_____________________
thank you for reading <3
I also just want to say... I hope this chapter, or this storyline with Matteo and Caleb, shows us something positive in the midst of all the negative.
Though it's all fictional, I know, but... whether you're gay, bi, trans, etc. I think we all face the same fears in this aspect. It is actually sad how cruel the world can be.
But I hope this storyline shows us that there is light at the end of the tunnel. That there are people who will love you and support you and protect you. And those are the people you hold on to.