You don't know about Us - A MewGulf AU

Chapter 22: Gay Chicken

Small announcement before the chapter: Make sure you've read chapter 21 before coming here! For some reason, Wattpad decided not to properly publish the last chapter, so I don't know if people have seen it or not. Hereby a reminder for you all to check! Otherwise, you might end up confused :D

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When Art asked about it later, Gulf just diverted the topic. Whether she understood or not, she doesn't ask any further about it. He doesn't know if Beer had contacted her after his abrupt departure that evening, or if Art could just hear it on the tone of his voice, but it seems that was the end of that particular friendship. The break-off was easier than he expected it to be.

Mew asked him about it as well, after another day of busy filming. "Did you have fun on your free day?" he said, whispering in a sweet tone of cajoling a child, when Gulf blinked slowly. Gulf was tired that day, it had been a tiring week after that weekend.

Even with his doubts about what exactly their relationship entails and means, Mew was still his phi, so Gulf ended up briefly explaining what happened. Leaving out Beer's mean words about Mew, he explained how shallow-minded (how homophobic) his friend had been lately. He used Art's story as an example, instead of their own. He got a hug in reply, which didn't have any questionable intentions.

"It's okay," Mew whispered in his ear, "sometimes stuff like that happens. It's a good thing you're distancing yourself if he hurt you like that." It was only slightly soothing, though he did have a point.

Distancing yourself from someone who hurts you, was surprisingly easy.

On the other hand, they didn't talk about anything that's playing between them, as if both of them are almost afraid to breach the topic. Mew probably assumed he was extra on edge after losing a friend and with the extremely busy schedule they had, diverting any tiring or annoying conversations for his nong. The phi had been doing everything to make Gulf relax and cheer up. Gulf couldn't help wondering what it all meant.

However, he didn't have much time to do so anyway. Hence, he let it simmer in the background and promised to deal with it when he can. Later. Not now.

(Every time his brain brought it up, he just said 'later' to it, over and over again. Eventually, he got so used to diverting these strays thoughts that he already stopped them before they could come up in the first place.)

With the ending of filming in sight – slowly but surely having recorded at least one good take of every scene and redoing some to be sure –, extra promotions started and with the increase in hype more and more every day, talk about an on-demand special started going around as well. It was bound to get busier than ever.

With extra promotions, ultimately came a lot more fanservice. Gulf had long grown used to being touchy and clingy around his phi; it came to him like second nature. When he ignored his brain, his body and heart acted out themselves. Fans loved it.

It had evolved to a point between him and Mew, that it became a game. The rules of this game were simple: 1. Attempt to touch each other at any time, even if not specifically needed. Bonus points when it's in a non-obvious (but noticeable anyway!) place or angle, which would make the fans go crazy. (Gulf felt the need to touch his phi all the time anyway, at first like a reassurance and now out of habit.) 2. Regularly come up with new ideas and ways to do fanservice, anything goes as long as both are comfortable. 3. The first one to let go, loses. Both Mew and Gulf were sore losers.

It's like they're both predators, walking around each other without actually delivering the killing blow. It was a little scary at times – not knowing what the other had planned and how intense it could get – but mostly it was extremely thrilling.