Caged Slave (MewGulf AU)

🌞Chapter 24🌻

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When Mew finally returned from his golf competition, his eyes widened at the sight of the table set with plates, spoons, and a basket of sliced baguettes.

"You...made all this?" he asked.

"Yes..." Gulf said, doubt pricking at him. He was taken aback by the confusion on Mew's face. Maybe he didn't like what Gulf had done?
When he thought about it rationallte, it made sense that Mew wouldn't appreciate coming home to his pristine apartment to find Gulf waiting for him like a housewife. Even if they were no longer playing a game, Mew still probably preferred a sophistacated adult relationship.

'I got overly excited,' Gulf thought. 'I'm such an idiot.'

Gulf felt overwhelmed by humiliation. He was going to drive Mew away if he kept acting like this. He always tried to impress his lovers, but he just ended up making them lose interest until they finally got rid of him altogether.

"I'm sorry..." Gulf apologized. "I didn't think...I guess this is a little too much." He didn't know what to do to smooth over his stupid actions. He was nearly in tears, imagining leaving behind the doomed near and turning his back on the subdued atmosphere of this lifeless room. When he thought about it, AA also had grown fed up with him after they had started spending the weekend together. Was the same thing happening now? Was he coming on too strong?

"No, I'm really happy!" Mew said.

Gulf, shocked, raised his head and stopped gnawing on his lip. "What?"

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you think that I didn't like it. I just didn't expect to come home and see this." Mew smiled widely. "I had no idea you could cook."

'Once again, he's thrown me for a loop,' Mew thought. Gulf always managed to surprise him, but in a good way.

Gulf, so coldly beautiful, looked like a person who would be domineering and selfish. Mew had been bewitched by his looks and had approached him at the hotel bar, figuring that Gulf was the kind of person who would have no problem with sharing just one night of pleasure.

But from the moment they had first touched, it had been clear that Gulf was much more naive than he seemed. And while their relationship had strerched on to two and then three times, Mew had found himself increasingly drawn to the disparity between Gulf's public image and his inner innocence.

This dinner was yet another example. Gulf looked like the kind of person who would probably announce, "I made it just for you!" and expect all kinds of praise. Come to think of it, Gulf's beauty and his disaffected attitude had probably brought about the trouble with Manager Max.

'I should know better than anyone, but even I fall for it,' Mew mused. Then he remembered his weak reaction towards Gulf's dinner, and frowned. He knew what lurked just below that impeccable beauty that drew so much jealousy and attention.

'Oh, Gulf. I love how you surprise me.'

Mew smiled at Gulf, who was still obviously bothered by how his dinner had turned out.

"How is it that such a beautiful person has no self-confidence?" he murmured, and put his arms around Gulf.

"Confidence? What..."

Being blessed with an attractive figure was probably something he should be thankful for, but it had brought Gulf more hurt than he cared to remember. Maybe his life would have been easier if he really was as mature and unattached as he looked. But no matter how hard he had tried, he hadn't been able to give the men he had loved what they had wanted. He had tried to compensate for their disappointment, but had ended up hated and used. Men were only interested in Gulf's appearance, not in who he was inside.

'Is Mew any different?' he wondered. He wanted to think so, but looking around at the lifeless room, it was clear to him where Mew's taste ran. Even though they had revealed their feelings for one another, that didn't mean the future was set in stone.

"I have confidence," Gulf said angrily. "That's what you want, isn't it?" He knew that asking such a question revealed how pitiful he really was, so instead of digging himself in deeper, he just bit his lip and went silent.

To Mew, Gulf's unexpected depth, and every move he made, only made him more intriguing.

TBC