Original Sin (MewGulf AU)

🌻Chapter 24

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Gulf crumbled instantly to disappointment. It was Bright calling.

"Hello?" Restraining his fluttering heart, Gulf hoped that he managed to sound as calm as he was trying to.

"Hello, Mister Gulf, I'm sorry to bother you, but you weren't at the office."

"Is something wrong?"

"It's about the map for my draft. I tried faxing it, but some of the lines don't come out very well, and I don't have a scanner."

"Oh, I see." Gulf spoke in a cheerful voice, trying to boost himself out of dejection. It seemed to calm Bright down.

"The publishers seem to be in a hurry, so I wanted to take it to the office, but I wasn't sure if the receptionist would still be there."

"In that case, I'll come pick it up. If you tell me the subway station nearest to you. I should be able to catch a taxi from there." Normally, it wasn't the sort of task that required a meeting, but Gulf didn't want to be alone then, waiting for a phone call that would never come.

"Why don't I meet you somewhere? It's too much trouble for you to come all the way to me."

"That might be better, then. Do you have the time to spare?"

"It's no problem. I'm on my way back from work right now."

Just then, Gulf suddenly remembered that the profile in Bright's novel said he enjoyed playing pool. If he went to the trouble of mentioning it, he must have liked it a lot.

"By the way, did I read somewhere that you enjoy playing pool? Or was that someone else?"

"Pool? Um, yeah, I play it pretty often. Why?"

"Would you mind teaching me how to play?"

"Huh?" Bright's voice came back dumbly. Gulf found himself smiling at such an amusing reaction. He realized he was feeling much better already. Bright's voice had acted as a real boost for him.

"Sure, I don't mind, but I'm not sure I'm good enough to teach anyone."

Gulf couldn't consult with his superiors about whether or not to accept the bet with Mew for his manuscript. Clearly he had to accept it. If he took lessons from someone else, Gulf knew that Mew would get upset with him. But Mew didn't trust Gulf anyway, so what it did matter?

Maybe Gulf was just getting desperate.

A little while later, Gulf and Bright were supposed to meet at a cafe just in front of the ticket gates of train station. Gulf was early, so he passed some of the time at a bookstore and when he got back to the station, Bright was standing there.

"Mister Bright!" Gulf forced a smile and walked up to him quickly. Bright's eyes grew wide in surprise.

"What happened?"

"What do you mean?"

"You look like you're going to cry," Bright murmured, laying a hand gently on Gulf's shoulder and drawing him against his body. Gulf felt his cheeks flushing as he stood there, leaning against the chest of a younger man.

"You shouldn't let other people see you like that. Someone might take advantage of you."

"What?"

"Don't you realize how open you are?"

How pathetic---Gulf had let the warmth of the boy's body relax him. The warmth of Bright's skin came vividly through the thin cotton of Gulf's clothes. But the handsome young man, as friendly as could be, had given Gulf something precious. It felt so good.

"Now I understand," Bright whispered in a painfully gentle voice as he patted Gulf lightly on the back. The gesture was tender, as if he were consoling Gulf.

"What?"

"You may look incredibly talented and professional, but really you're a delicate person. It's like you're made of glass."

Even at a time like that, Gulf smiled ruefully at the florid exaggeration Bright used. But then he remembered that they were standing right in front of the station, exposed to the eyes of everyone in the crowd. Gulf had begun by looking utterly vulnerable, but by then was only embarrassed.

"Will you let me go now?"

"No, I'm sorry."

"Why---?"

"It's too dangerous. If I let you go and see you looking so completely exposed again, I'm just going to love you even more."

The polite veil fell from Bright's words as he stripped away the blank face that was typical of his age.

When Gulf was with Bright, he always acted strangely. Even though Gulf never expected to fall for it, he always gut sucked into Bright's way of doing things. Maybe it was Gulf's destiny to be surrounded by people like Mew and Bright who had such attractive power.

"You always look so placid and mature. Why do you look so different today?"

Gulf couldn't see the look Bright was referring to, but he was sure he looked pathetic to the man.

That was obvious.

"Really, please---let me go."

"I'd like to stay like this a few seconds longer, but---oh well."

At the exact moment that Gulf pushed him away, Bright took a step back and so, Gulf stumbled against Bright's chest. The frivolous exchange made Gulf sputter with laughter. Bright chuckled, too.

"You're so cute." Bright said and ruffled Gulf's hair. Powerless, Gulf's cheeks flushed.

"Please, stop teasing me like that," Gulf asked, but be felt like he was being rude, since he was the one who called Bright out that day.

"Let's go." Bright's said, spinning around and starting to walk away. At the sudden loss of another human's warmth, Gulf felt a mysterious confusion.

"Ugh, there are so many people. It's this way," Bright said.

On a weekend evening, there were crowds of people everywhere in the city. Bright swept up Gulf's hand and began walking again, as if it were the most natural thing in the world.

"It'll be easier to keep track of each other this way."

"But you're so tall, Mister Bright, you're a walking landmark."

"What's wrong with doing it this way, though?"

Bright's informal speech was a wonderful change for Gulf. He felt like it had been ages since he'd received such warmth. Lately, Gulf's memories of being close to other people had been nasty, suffocating experiences. But with Bright, he felt incredibly peaceful and restored.

Gulf had already recognized what he was chasing after so urgently. He wanted kindness that flowed unconditionally to rejuvenate his crumbling body and heart. At some point, he had forgotten what it was to be healed.

TBC