I Want You To Be My Last

Part 13 : Truce

The way he'd sprung from the couch would have been totally hilarious if it was any other time than now, when he was contemplating running to the door as fast as his shaking legs would allow him or locking himself in his room to hide.

To be honest, given the way their conversation had turned out for the worse, he preferred the latter, knowing that the other choice would mean bringing him face to face with the man who'd subtly rejected him earlier - embarrassing as it was, really - although it seemed that at this point, with P'Mew standing outside of his door and asking to be let in, he had no other choice but to give in.

It didn't help that P'Mew thought it would be better to remind him of it, just in case, as if the older man knew exactly what he was thinking.

" If you're having second thoughts about it, Nong, I hope you know that now's not a good time to be deliberating whether you're considering turning me away or letting me in, okay? You told me to come so I came. You can beat yourself up later for it but for now, open this door before someone sees me standing here and report me for stalking or something ."

"Shit," he swore under his breath, vaguely hearing P'Mew's answering laughter as he rushed to the door and opened it without thinking, realizing he still had his phone plastered against his ear when P'Mew helpfully pointed at it. Gulf dropped his hand holding his phone and very openly stared, noting the addition of that stylish hat and facemask obviously to cover half of P'Mew's face. The suit jacket he'd donned earlier was missing, leaving just his light-blue colored dress shirt on with its sleeves rolled up to his elbows, but the whole ensemble didn't make P'Mew look any less dashing that the sight of him there still took Gulf breath away as he stood there looking P'Mew over.

The older man smiled when their gazes met, and whatever nonsense he'd thought of saying had all but threw itself out of the door the minute the other man's eyes met his.

"Hello again, Nong Gulf. Can I come in?"

-

The door closed behind P'Mew and all Gulf could do was stand there and watch him.

P'Mew leaned back against the door and tugged his facemask off. Gulf watched him cross his arms over his chest next, and the action pulled Gulf's attention away from P'Mew's face to appreciate the way those arm muscles flex when he moved. He didn't realize he was still staring until P'Mew cleared his throat, loud enough to startle Gulf.

"Um, what?" he stuttered, embarrassed at being caught off guard.

P'Mew chuckled as if Gulf's reaction tickled him for some unknown reason. "I haven't said anything," P'Mew said, shaking his head. "But it only proves that you're not paying attention. Where did you just go?"

Gulf knew he shouldn't justify that with an answer knowing he would only embarrass himself further so he didn't, finding it appropriate to shrug his shoulders instead.

"I get it, I won't ask anymore." P'Mew reiterated, and only then that Gulf realized the other man was looking at his arm, particularly at the jewelry still adorning his wrist. Gulf looked down on it and wondered what P'Mew was thinking.

He let his fingertip touch the silver bangle, the stones at both ends earning the same treatment. "This is what gave me away, right?" he said, thoughtfully, meeting P'Mew's eyes once again when he raised his head to look at the other man. "Not my voice or how I acted when P'Arm introduced us." he added. It wasn't a question, not at all, because he had a feeling P'Mew knew this was the case anyway.

P'Mew remained uncharacteristically quiet, but something in his eyes told Gulf he was simply trying to be careful.

"If you didn't see this, then you wouldn't have -"