LIMELIGHT

03.

"Cheer up, baby?" Tul asked, a little annoyed as he entered his apartment.

Mew, who's busy vacuuming the floor, stopped to look at Tul, who looks still pretty fresh from school.

"What's wrong with it?" He asked innocently. He can't see anything wrong with what he commented on Tul's post nor on his Ig story. "Don't friends cheer each other like that?" He's being sarcastic now.

Tul combed his blonde hair with his fingers, his frustration escalating, "Are you even still on your mind? Have you thought about how rumors will start to stir just because of it? We're an artist for pete's sake."

Mew stared at Tul's face. Why are they even fighting about it? "And a human, too."

Tul paused as he looked away. He knew Mew has a point.

"But you're fine with others?" Mew added.

The frustration on Tul's face turned into confusion, after a couple of second he realized what Mew meant, "Are you for real? We both are on that industry, you should know how all of this works."

"Why should I let people dictate me?" Mew knows he's starting to be stubborn. He understand what Tul meant. He understand everything. He had been in the industry for quite long to be oblivious of the fact that fans only wants what they see on-screen but... they are all human too.

"This is getting pointless." Tul said.

"Yeah." Mew agreed in an annoyed tone before quickly walking inside of Tul's bedroom to change his clothes. Purposely mix-matching his clothes with Tul. He may be annoyed but he still loves his teerak's scent.

As Tul saw him all dressed up, "Where do you think you're going?"

"Gonna walk around. I need fresh air." Mew said before walking out of the door and slamming it shut.

The blonde man sat on the chair frustratingly. He gets where Mew is coming from, even he won't love to be denied. But he also just want to protect him from those judging eyes. Tul opened his phone and checked on that one particular SNS with an X logo. Their hateful comments, their malicious words... Isn't Mew getting tired of it?

After almost half an hour, a notification popped on his phone— Mew's Ig story. He's going all around taking photos of every landmark he sees, even a statue of people portraying different kinds of love. He knew what he meant by it.

Tul stood up and hurriedly went outside. He took a cab and stopped on that last particular place that Mew posted on his Ig story. As he went out of the car, he saw Mew sitting alone on the bench, staring at nothing, completely spacing out.

He closed the distance between them and stopped right infront of Mew. The latter looked at him with surprise, "How did you know I was here?"

Tul smirked, "If you don't want to be found, better stop posting pictures of where you are."

Mew pouted as he took his teerak's hand and placed it on his cold cheek. Tul for a second flinched but after realizing how open New York with it, he felt relaxed. He just hoped that no one who knows them will notice them.

"You're no longer mad?" Mew asked in a soft voice as he tilted his head up and looked at Tul with puppy eyes.

"I was never mad at you. I'm just worried." Tul admitted which made Mew melt under his loves caress on his cheek.

"Okay, bro." Mew answered which made the both of them laugh.

"Bro?" Tul repeated. "Yeah, broskii." Mew answered with a smirk before laughing his heart out.

Mew intertwined his fingers on Tul's as he stood up and pulled the man, "I found a restaurant while I was walking around here, bro. Let's eat."

Tul cringed, "Why do you keep calling me bro again?"

"Lil'bro, then." Mew teased.

Tul rolled his eyes before blushing real hard, "Fine, bro."

---

As Tul was busy with his thesis that night at the dining area, a notification alerted him. Mew, who's already laying on their bed smirked as he heard it.

"You're being childish!" Tul said from the other half of the apartment.

Mew laughed out loud.

---

As Tul grew tired of typing on his laptop, he climbed up to bed and laid beside Mew. It's already a quarter before midnight. Fifteen minutes before he turned a year older.

Mew slipped his hand under Tul's head, letting his arms be a pillow for the latter, "Tired?"

Tul nodded which Mew answered with a kiss on the forehead, "Much better?"

The blonde man laughed before resting his arm on Mew's stomach, "a little."

Mew chuckled, "So spoiled." He showered Tul with kisses: on forehead, at temple, on those eyebrows, on those eyes, at the tip of the nose, on both cheeks, on jaw before landing on those beautiful lips.

Tul laughed as he kicked Mew on the legs before hitting his lover's face with his soft pillow. Instead of hitting back, Mew wrapped his arms around Tul's bare waist, locking him. Tul wiggled with delight in his eyes.

"A minute left." Mew mumbled as he snuggled on Tul's neck.

Tul combed Mew's hair repeatedly with his fingers, the softness of the man's hair made him feel calm.

They both turned quiet. After a couple of second, Mew opened his eyes and looked straight at Tul's eyes, the tip of their nose kissing each other.

"Happy birthday, teerak." Mew greeted with a wide smile.

Tul's heart skipped a beat. He just knew that his world will never be the same if he loses the man in front of him.