Nong'Chili 🌶️🌵 Phi'Cactus (TulMax / MaxTul) - FF

#21 - Guilt & Panic

"I would like to disown one and divorce the other," Max said with a groan. "One won't leave me alone and the other refuses to show his face. I am so done with both of them."

That sent everyone into peals of laughter. It was almost a week since the incident.

"Wouldn't you have to get married first to the guy you want to divorce?" Gulf jeered.

"No way am I marrying him even if he asks me on bended knees!" Max was quick to retort, giving them a look of comical horror.

"How about I talk to them." Mew offered tentatively looking at Max.

Before Max could answer Gulf commented. "You are going to talk to both of them? One is Kingkong the other is Godzilla!"

"Eerr... Which one is Kingkong?" Mew queried hesitantly. That once again set everyone laughing.

"Guys don't make me laugh. It hurts." Max complained with a hand on his chest trying hard not to laugh.

"Let me guess!" Aim interjected. "Going by his current behaviour I am placing my bets on Tul being the unreasonable love crazed kingkong." She smiled as Gulf gave a quick nod.

"Well then I pick Godzilla, thank you very much." Mew immediately quipped with a mock grimace.

"Well that settles it then. P'Mew you tackle Mr. Godzilla while I take down Kingkong." Aim declared, her eyes shining with humor.

"Done!" Mew agreed sounding pleased.

"Thank you both!" Max said cheerfully. "And I will pray you both survive."

Max lay back against his pillows listening to the others chatter. He felt tired and weak. Something he was not used to feeling.

He looked at Mew smile at Gulf and in turn saw the way Gulf looked at Mew with pure adoration and it warmed his heart. He wished only happiness for Gulf.

Mew sure was a great guy and Max was touched that Mew had flown all the way from Bangkok to visit him. He knew he was just an excuse and Mew would have been dying to meet Gulf. But nonetheless he appreciated the gesture.

Max recalled the day Mew had called. It had been a couple of days after Max had regained consciousness. Gulf had been sitting with him when Mew had called. Max had then still been hooked to a whole load of wires and tubes and had been too weak to speak much.

"Boss I will be right back." Gulf had said.

"No! Please don't leave me and go. I will close my eyes, ears everything. But please sit right here and talk." Max had pleaded.

"Is he okay?" Mew had asked in concern.

"Yes! He is just afraid if I leave his side his jailor Doctor will come and lecture him before smothering him with overzealous care, not to mention give me a earful, for leaving him alone." Gulf had explained.

Mew had been a little perplexed at the explanation. As far as he knew Tul was neither the short tempered type nor was he the clingy type.

While they chatted Gulf narrated various incidents which though sounded hilarious when narrated by Gulf had a very serious edge to them.

From the way Tul would hover over Max like someone possessed, to losing his temper for the lamest things. The only time Tul left Max alone was if Gulf or Max's mom and dad were in the room with him.

He would supervise the nurses when they administered the medicines to Max and twice he had simply taken over while one of the nurse's was giving Max a sponge bath. He wouldn't let anyone visit Max for over 10 minutes at a stretch and even then, he would sit right there and make sure they left, and in case they didn't he didn't refrain himself from shoving them out.