Fated to be yours

Chapter 13

Gulf wakes up disoriented, he doesn't remember the couch being this soft, it feels like he is floating on a cloud. Without opening his eyes, he pats around for his beloved blue blanket but instead of the thready texture that he is so familiar with, his hand catches another soft cloud and he is forced to open his eyes to see that he is clutching a pillow. Huh?

Taking into his surroundings, he realizes where he is and as his mind slips into consciousness fully, he starts recalling the events of the night before. He sits up and looks around to see he is alone and there is no sign of Mew in the room. He wonders where the man slept last night. But then again, the house has many bedrooms, so he doesn't need to feel guilty about hogging his bed. He shrugs and moves to get off the bed when his eyes fall on the other side of the bed. There, neatly folded are kept a fresh change of clothes, with a note on top on it. He plucks the note to read the familiar handwriting, "choose whichever."

He looks down at the prepared clothes. A nice white button-down and jeans and a set of a hoodie and sweatpants, along with a new unopened packet of a boxer.

The thoughtfulness of Mew makes him smile. The man is really a mystery. Until yesterday, it felt like he was back to ignoring his existence and now suddenly he is back to being his considerate self.

From the choice of clothing before him, he chooses one from both the sets, the hoodie and jeans and makes his way to the bathroom to get ready for the day.

After getting ready when he comes downstairs, he finds his mother in law in the living room, reading a newspaper, a cup of tea in front of her. She abandons the paper as soon as her eyes fall on him and stands up from her seat as he approaches her.

"Good morning, Mae" he smiles at her.

"Good morning, Gulf" his mother in law takes his hands in hers, "How are you feeling now? Are you okay? Does your throat still hurt when you talk? Let me see your eyes."

Gulf chuckles as his mother in law bombards him with question after question. He can't help but feel grateful for her concern and affection and gathers her in a hug. "I am absolutely fine, Mae. Thanks for taking care of me" he assures to ease her worries. After what Mew had told him, he feels bad for making her worry, she must have been so scared. He never wants to see her like that again. Pulling away from the hug, he smiles at her and widens his eyes playfully, "See my eyes are totally fine too."

"I am glad, Son" she pats his cheeks affectionately but frowns the next second before touching the back of her palm to his forehead. "Your skin is warm, you have a fever!"

Oh-ho!

He smiles sheepishly at her, "It's not fever Mae, I just took a warm shower so that's why my skin must be warm."

Crossing her arms across her chest, his mother in law gives him a flat look.

"I am telling the truth, I am seriously fine. I was even thinking of making breakfast for you and Phor."

"Gulf Kanawut!" his mother in law exclaims, aghast. "You have a fever and you are talking about cooking breakfast here?"

"But Mae-"

"No. Absolutely No."

*

And that's how Mew finds his mother and Gulf when he returns from his jog. He stands at the door of the living room, staring at that heart-melting scene, but they must have realized his presence because they both turn to look at him at the same time.

"Oh, Good morning, Mr Suppasit" the boy greets him with a smile and Mew's mind immediately goes to the moment that morning, at how he had woken up beside him. If while sleeping earlier the boy looked beautiful, now in the broad daylight with soft morning sunlight falling on his face from the high windows and smiling like that, he looked ethereal!