Love's So Contagious

Gulf's Place

Mew drove Gulf back home shortly after. It was amusing how he no longer thought of it as "Gulf's place". Although he didn't spend every night there with Gulf, it had become their home in his mind.

They decided to order takeout. It might not have been the healthiest option, especially considering Gulf was eating for two now, but he had a long day and hadn't had the chance to go grocery shopping. They would take care of that later, along with everything else.

They didn't discuss anything until they finished their meal. Once the dishes were cleaned and put away, Mew tucked Gulf into their spacious and cozy bed, joining him. The warmth of their skin touching felt comforting. Mew couldn't explain the scientific reasoning behind why he felt more at ease when pressed against Gulf's bare skin, even without any sexual activity, but he didn't mind. All he cared about was how his worries seemed to fade away.

Running his fingers through Gulf's dark hair, Mew noticed how Gulf relaxed into his touch. It bothered him to think that Gulf might have been hesitant to share this with him. He could somewhat understand it, but he still disliked it. If he could bring comfort to Gulf just by stroking his hair like this, why wouldn't he?

He planted a gentle kiss on top of Gulf's head. "Are you ready to talk now?"

Gulf sighed. "I suppose talking makes it real." He tilted his head back, meeting Mew's gaze with his vulnerable hazel eyes. "And I guess it is."

Mew chuckled. "That bad, huh?"

Gulf glanced downwards once again. "I'm not sure. I already love this baby. I love them so much, even though I haven't met them yet. It doesn't really make sense. They're just a cluster of cells. They don't have any organs or functions or anything like that, but I still love them."

"That's true," Mew replied, taking Gulf's word for it. He had never really thought about fetal development before and had no intention of starting now. "I think it's some kind of instinct or something. And there's nothing wrong with that, you know? If you're able to get pregnant, it's perfectly fine to love your baby. And it's also okay to have mixed feelings about it."

Gulf asked, "Are you?"

Mew asked, "Am I what?"

"On the fence?"

Mew shook his head. "Not at all. I feel good about it, you know? I wasn't eagerly waiting for the day I became a father, but I didn't not want to be one either. I'm nervous, but it's because I want to be a good father. I want to do right by my child." He paused, realizing that the next part might be difficult to say, but he wanted to handle it well. "I'm more concerned about our relationship."

Gulf tensed up against him. "Our relationship?"

Mew gently stroked Gulf's hair, finding comfort in the gesture himself. "There's definitely something special between us," he began, wanting to address their connection honestly. "We make a great team, both personally and professionally. And the intimacy we share... it's truly transformative." He chuckled lightly, realizing that humor was necessary to navigate the changes ahead. "If we can't laugh about the ups and downs of the next eighteen years together, it'll be a long journey."

Gulf chuckled too, but then grew serious. "But," he urged, wanting to hear Mew's thoughts.

Mew interjected, "Plus, we've only been acquainted for a few weeks. I genuinely enjoy your company. I feel more at ease with you than I have with any other guy in a while, you know? However, I have concerns that attempting to conform to societal expectations and using the baby as an excuse might not be the best foundation for a relationship. It may not set the ideal precedent for our little one either."