Journey (PONDPHUWIN)

Chapter 17: The Bitter Gift

The days had blurred into a monotonous cycle for Phuwin, each one blending into the next with little to distinguish them. His life at the estate, once merely a gilded cage, had now become a place of deepening isolation. Pond's visits, erratic and filled with possessive intensity, were no longer enough to keep the darkness at bay. Phuwin had become a ghost of his former self, his once vibrant spirit crushed under the weight of his loneliness and despair.

The signs of his decline were subtle at first—loss of appetite, restless nights, and a deepening sadness that clouded his every thought. But as time wore on, Phuwin's health began to deteriorate more visibly. He became weaker, his energy sapped by the endless solitude that filled his days. The luxurious surroundings, once a constant reminder of Pond's control, now seemed to mock him with their emptiness.

Pond noticed the change in Phuwin, though it took some time for him to fully grasp the extent of it. At first, he dismissed it as nothing more than fatigue or a passing illness. But as the weeks went by, and Phuwin's condition worsened, Pond's concern grew. He couldn't ignore the pallor of Phuwin's skin, the way his eyes had lost their spark, or the fact that he spent most of his days lying in bed, staring blankly at the ceiling.

One evening, after a particularly harrowing visit to Phuwin's room, Pond made a decision. He had never been one to show vulnerability, but seeing Phuwin so weak, so lost, shook something deep within him. He realized that he couldn't let Phuwin slip away, couldn't bear the thought of losing the one person who had become the center of his world.

Pond had never been good at dealing with emotions—his solution to every problem had always been control, dominance. But this situation was different. Phuwin's illness was a problem that Pond couldn't simply force into submission, and it terrified him.

The next day, Pond made arrangements. If Phuwin's loneliness was the cause of his decline, then Pond would do whatever it took to fill that void. He had the means, the resources, to bring something into Phuwin's life that might restore the light that had gone out.

And so, with a single phone call, Pond set his plan into motion.

It was a week later when Pond returned to the estate, carrying something that would forever change the course of both their lives. Phuwin was lying in bed, as he had been for most of the day, when he heard the door to his room open. He didn't turn to look; he knew it was Pond. But there was something different this time, something that pulled at the edges of his consciousness.

Pond approached the bed, his footsteps soft on the plush carpet. When he finally spoke, his voice was uncharacteristically gentle. "Phuwin, I have something for you."

Phuwin slowly turned his head, his tired eyes meeting Pond's. He didn't have the energy to ask what it was, didn't have the strength to care. But then he saw what Pond was holding, and his breath caught in his throat.

Cradled in Pond's arms was a baby, swaddled in a soft blanket, its tiny face peeking out from the folds. The baby's eyes were wide and curious, its little hands clutching at the air. For a moment, Phuwin was too stunned to speak, too shocked to fully comprehend what he was seeing.

"What... what is this?" Phuwin finally whispered, his voice trembling with disbelief.

Pond carefully placed the baby in Phuwin's arms, his expression softening as he watched Phuwin's reaction. "I adopted her," Pond said simply. "She's yours, Phuwin. Our child."

Phuwin's heart raced as he stared down at the baby, his mind struggling to process what was happening. The baby looked up at him with innocent eyes, her tiny fingers wrapping around one of his. The connection was instant, a spark of life that Phuwin hadn't felt in what seemed like an eternity.