Love in Politics ( PoohPavel)

19

Pooh and Pavel walked out to their garden, the morning sun casting a warm glow over the lush greenery. The table was set for brunch, with plates of spaghetti and glasses of orange juice.

 They sat down, and the atmosphere was peaceful, but tension lingered beneath the surface.

As they began to eat, Pooh looked at Pavel thoughtfully, twirling some spaghetti around his fork. "Pavel, what are we now?"

Pavel paused mid-bite, his eyes widening slightly. "Huh?"

"I mean, since we almost slept with each other, we're not just regular parliament officers, are we?" Pooh's tone was casual, but his eyes searched Pavel's face intently.

Pavel felt a lump form in his throat. He put down his fork and took a deep breath. "I thought this was just a one-time thing."

Pooh's eyes darkened, and he dropped his fork onto his plate with a clatter. "What did you just say?"

Nervous but determined, Pavel repeated, "I thought this was just a one-time thing. We're both married, Pooh. There's no point in acting like a couple."

Pooh's face fell, the hurt evident in his eyes. "So that's all it was to you? Just a fling?"

Pavel tried to reach out, his voice softening. "Pooh, please, I didn't mean to hurt you. We just need to be realistic about our situation."

Pooh abruptly stood up, his chair scraping loudly against the stone patio. He pointed towards the garden gate, his hand trembling slightly. "There's the exit, Pavel."

Pavel's heart sank as he saw the pain in Pooh's eyes. "Pooh, please, let me explain—"

"No," Pooh interrupted, his voice cold and final. "Just go."

Pavel stood up slowly, feeling the weight of the moment crushing down on him. He took a hesitant step towards the exit, then another, but he couldn't bring himself to leave without one last attempt to make things right.

"Pooh, I—"

"Go!" Pooh's shout echoed through the garden, his face a mix of anger and sorrow.

Pavel swallowed hard, tears welling up in his eyes. He turned and walked towards the garden gate, each step feeling heavier than the last. As he reached the gate, he glanced back one last time.

Pooh was standing there, wiping a tear from his cheek. The sight of Pooh crying struck Pavel like a dagger to his heart. He wondered why seeing Pooh in such pain affected him so deeply, why he felt so heartbroken.

He wanted nothing more than to rush back, to take Pooh in his arms and calm him down, to tell him that everything would be okay. But he knew it would only make things worse. Their complicated lives, their commitments....they couldn't simply erase those with a comforting hug.

With a heavy heart, Pavel turned away and stepped through the gate. He walked to the street and caught a taxi to his home, his mind swirling with confusion and sorrow. As the taxi drove away, he couldn't shake the image of Pooh's tear-streaked face from his mind, a haunting reminder of the love and regret he now carried.