You don't know about Us - A MewGulf AU

Chapter 17: Red

They went on a date.

Actually, in fact, it wasn't a date. It did feel like a date, but with the camera on them and the stylists constantly checking their make-up and the staff checking the lighting, it wasn't one. It's a professional date, Gulf's mind helpfully supplied, yet he found himself still calling it a date.

(Whatever makes you happy, nong.)

The voice in his head sounded happy for him. It's been a while since Gulf heard him, and somehow, that made everything even better. It was as if the voice was happy along with him.

What did feel like a date, was the skinny jeans Art had told him to wear. They're a bit uncomfortable, if not a little hard to move in. However, when Mew 'accidently' put his hand lower than usual on his back, Gulf felt pretty satisfied. He had seen the way the elder's eyes lingered just a second too long after he got changed – he made sure to pay extra attention to his reaction – and beamed at his sun when he looked up to meet his eyes.

They shared unspoken words, and Gulf couldn't help but wonder if Mew thought of it as a date as well. It seemed he did not, but when he said "this is how we always are, pretending to be just friends would be harder," the nong's heartbeat in a whole different way. In a I am special, more than a friend way.

He might just end up calling all their phone calls, shared car rides and silent moments on the set, just between them two, dates as well.

Not that they were dating. But maybe... one day. There was hope present in Gulf's heart now.

There was also a clear understanding that when they're on set, when they have to act, both males maintain their professional demeanour. Mew still helped Gulf out, watched his scenes, but now with the fact that his phi knows he has had previous experiences, it was different. In a good way.

Mew was harder in teaching Gulf, pointing out his mistakes, but he was also softer when Gulf did well, proud when he praised him. Instead of Gulf being the student and Mew his teacher, they were equals, proving and improving their skills.

Which was how this conversation started. If you could call it that.

They were sitting in the break room on set, completely left alone as the crew focussed on Boat and Jame' scenes. They were originally reading lines from an old scene back in season one, somehow spurring this discussion.

(The director wanted to put couple of flashbacks from season one in the later episodes, but because the actor was different, they were scared it would look unnatural. So instead, they suggested redoing some of the scenes from season one – a fine middle ground – and Gulf had enthusiastically jumped on the idea.)

"I never really understood it, you know," Mew said, paging through the excerpt of the old script they've received the day before. Just like Gulf's, it was filled with notes and colours. He leaned forward a little to read the words, describing underlying emotions with Tharn's lines. Gulf felt impressed, and mentally noted the idea down for his own use later.

"What don't you understand?" he put a hand on Mew's script, stopping them on the scene they performed during his audition. Both knew the lines out of their head, but since they'll be performing it tomorrow, Gulf thought it was a good idea to go through them in preparation.

Mew nodded in reply, agreeing with the proposition. Then he continued their conversation. "Why Tharn and Type love each other so much," Gulf looked up from the script at his words, a frown forming on his face.

"You don't?" he said, confused. They'd been acting as Tharn and Type not for more than a month, excluding workshops and last season. How could Mew not understand? He should understand better than Gulf, if things had been normal.