After the Lust

Part 11.

Heart beats like an unorganized rhythm, not good for the ears.

Gulf didn't hear what his son has to say because he rushed to the bathroom to take a shower to calm his nerves. What was that? Why did you have to react like that? You're over him years ago! Gulf scolded himself, though he knows it won't help him. He ran a cold shower to calm and compose himself, he will be sleeping with Mew inside the room with only their son in between, Gulf is confident that nothing will happen but life is always full of surprises.

After a good couple of minutes contemplating inside the bathroom, Gulf went out, then he sees his son already sleeping beside Mew. Aedyn's in the middle which Gulf is thankful of and Mew is on the other side. Gulf take the other side of the bed and he just thanked himself that he bought a king size bed.

"Gulf?" Mew talked after a while.

"What?" Gulf sounds cold though he knows Mew meant no harm.

"Was it hard? Is raising Aedyn alone, hard?" Mew asked sincerely.

"It was, at first. I don't want someone to hold on to him. I don't want anyone to take care of Aedyn, I want to be hands on of him but I realized that I can't even make him stop crying" Gulf laughed a bit, remembering the time that he panicked that Aedyn won't stop crying and he doesn't want to rely to his parents so he called Kao and Up instead. "I even had to learn how to properly bath, change his clothes and diapers but Aedyn is a good kid. He didn't let me suffer, he falls asleep easily and he almost never throw a fit and he grew as a smart and strong kid"

"How I wish I was there with you when that happened because I also want to be there on his first step, his first word, his first run, all of his firsts." Mew said and all Gulf can do is hum because he knows that Mew deserves to have seen all of it but he is selfish so he decided not to say anything at all.

"Did you even think... even just for once to let me know about your pregnancy or about Aedyn?" Mew asked after a while of silence.

"I did, you don't even know how much I hesitated and stopped myself from doing so" what Gulf wanted to say but of course he won't and he can't. "I didn't" What Gulf said.

Mew swallowed hard, it really pains him hearing that from Gulf though he already know that Gulf's gonna say that or something similar to it. He just really hoped that Gulf would somehow hesitated and attempts to let him know about Aedyn.

"Good night Gulf" Mew said and he didn't got a response from his son's mother. Mew just closed his eyes, in anyway it's already a good progress that he can sleep in the same room as him and talk to him casually though most of it is his doing because he is trying to eliminate the distance between them.

Even after closing his eyes, Gulf still fails to sleep. He decided to just ignore Mew who decided to just sleep. Hearing their tiny snores surprisingly calms him down, his heart is beating so fast and he don't know why. Gulf turned to the side facing Aedyn, he pulled his son to hug him and close his eyes - trying to sleep but he still fails.

"Dada... wake up" Gulf heard, the voice is far but he is still hugging someone, someone a bit bigger and taller which is obviously not Aedyn because he can't be that tall overnight. Gulf's eyes widened at the sudden realization and pushed Mew who laughed hard.

"Morning"  Mew greeted with a bright smile that almost blinded Gulf that he almost puke.

"Morning Dada!" Aedyn greeted him cheerfully though his son is confused about his actions and his sudden reaction when he realized that he is hugging his son's father.

"Morning little superman... You're up so early!" Gulf said ignoring Mew while he is regaining his composure.

"Dada! It's almost lunch time!" Aedyn said and Mew laughed, "You're hugging daddy, he can't get up. Dada won't let him go!" Gulf's eyes widened even more.

"What have you done? Stupid, Gulf. Stupid" Gulf mentally scolded himself, he tends to hug Aedyn most of the time whenever he is tired or exhausted and he tends to sleep till afternoon but the reason right now is him being comfortable hugging Mew for he doesn't know how long.

"I don't mind though" Mew said, still smiling ear to ear.

"But I do!" Gulf immediately commented which made laugh even more.

"Dada! Brunch? Aedyn's hungry!" Aedyn started pulling Gulf's hand out of the bed.

"Okay, go down with daddy, I'll just wash my face and I'm sure uncle Mix prepared something for you."  Gulf said, remembering that Mix stayed in one of the guest room who probably already headed to the office, early. Aedyn took his father's hand instead and pull him out of the room, dragging him to the kitchen - leaving Gulf alone inside.

Gulf picked up his phone and got a message from Mix that he doesn't have something important that day so he can just do his work at home which Gulf needed too but at the same time he wants to go to the office just to avoid Mew.

"Mix left a note that to just give Aedyn a cereal so I'm cooking real food for him that's easy to eat." Mew said, he is working on something in the kitchen while Aedyn's sitting on his high chair and sipping his milk provided by his father.

"Uh? Thanks... but I can cook?" Gulf said inching closer to Mew but the latter just slightly pushed him.

"Let me cook, you just wait there" Mew pointed the chair beside Aedyn and Gulf thanked him before he silently move and made a coffee for himself and Mew.

"Oh wow, you still remembered how's my coffee being done, huh?" Mew teased and Gulf just gave himself away and he just blamed himself because he unconsciously just made the coffee for Mew in return of him making a meal for them.

"Dada?" Aedyn looked up.

"Yes?"

"Will Papa gonna visit us? I miss him" Aedyn said, Mew's face looked confused and a pang of jealousy hearing his son calls someone his 'Papa'.

"Oh, Papa Kao? maybe next week or after that." Gulf intentionally mentioned Kao's name because he knows Mew remembers him just fine too. Who knows what memory with Kao that he remembers, not that there's a lot.

"Can you call him and tell that I miss them and I love them?" Aedyn said and Gulf silently grins at the furious look of Mew. He is clearly jealous because his son never told him that he loves him but he is saying it to someone else.

"I will. Eat your food now and your father has to go home to his family, right?" Gulf smirked.

"I don't have another family" Mew emphasized.

"Work I mean" Gulf changed it and Mew can't do anything but to nod. He stands up without finishing his food which confused Gulf because Mew don't act that way, he followed the man using his eyes and sees Mew stopped by and took something from his bag and walked back to the dining so Gulf bring his focus back to his food, acting like he isn't bothered.

"For you" Mew placed a bit old box but looks elegant box on the table. It's some necklace that Gulf is very familiar, he looked at Mew but the latter is focused on his food, "I'm not returning it, it's just similar" Mew added and Gulf doesn't know how to react.

Gulf's heart is beating so fast. He stared at the necklace that's still inside the box though he is afraid to touch it because if he does, he is afraid that it might bring his feelings back even though he knows it wasn't that simple but he still want to avoid it at all cost.

"Take it, Gulf." Mew said, Gulf can see the engraved letters as MG same as the other one.

"It's the one. He is returning it" Gulf said to himself because he can see the hidden engraved heart he purposely requested to put in a part where the wearer can think it's just part of the design.

"Thanks"

~~~~~~

Hello!

How was it?