As Sailub, or Chef Oab as he was known to others, gazed at the sleeping form of Plawan nestled against him, he felt a wave of emotions he hadn't allowed himself to feel in so long. Gently, he traced the contours of Plawan's face with his fingertips, brushing away a few strands of hair that had fallen across his forehead. Plawan's face was peaceful, softened by sleep, a rare moment where all the guardedness and sadness faded, leaving behind the gentle soul he remembered so well.
Each breath Plawan took seemed to ease a knot in Sailub's chest. He hadn't realized just how much he missed this intimacy—the quiet comfort of lying beside his omega, the warmth that only Plawan could bring him. Every part of Sailub ached with the need to hold on to this moment forever. His hand trailed down to rest on Plawan's shoulder, squeezing softly, as if to reassure himself that the omega was truly here.
Yet as his fingers lingered, Sailub's mind wandered to a place he wasn't sure he could justify. He knew Plawan had built a life with Kluea and their child, had tried to create something meaningful from the pieces left behind when they'd parted. But now, with Plawan here beside him, something fierce and possessive stirred in Sailub's chest. The desire to reclaim what they once had, to be the one Plawan turned to every day, felt stronger than any rational thought he could muster.
"Maybe..." he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible in the quiet of the room, "maybe I could still have you... if I tried hard enough." His thumb brushed across Plawan's cheek, feeling the warmth beneath his skin. It was wrong to think of taking Plawan back, to disrupt the life he had rebuilt, but the thought of watching him live that life with someone else... it was unbearable.
As Plawan stirred slightly, nuzzling closer in his sleep, Sailub felt a surge of protectiveness. He wanted to be the one to provide for him, to shield him from the struggles of the world. The thought of Plawan sharing this closeness, this trust, with another alpha was a sharp pang in his heart.
"I want you," Sailub whispered, so quietly it was almost a confession he hoped Plawan wouldn't hear. "I want to be the one you come home to, the one you look to."
He sighed, wrestling with the complicated feelings twisting inside him. He knew Plawan had responsibilities, a family, a child who relied on him. And yet, here he was, dreaming of a world where that family could be his, where he could hold Plawan in his arms every night without wondering if he'd made the right choice in letting him go.
Lost in thought, Sailub couldn't help but wonder if he would have the strength to let Plawan go again when the morning came. Or if he would finally give in to his heart's desires, regardless of the cost.
As Plawan stirred, his breathing quickened, and his face twisted in a panic that lingered from whatever unsettling thoughts haunted his sleep. Sailub's—Chef Oab's—gentle hand moved to his shoulder, trying to calm him.
"Hey, hey... it's okay," Oab murmured softly, his voice a gentle anchor in the quiet room. "I'm here."
Plawan's eyes blinked open, glistening with tears that had started to form. As he registered the familiar face in front of him, a surge of relief softened his expression, and before he could say a word, he wrapped his arms around Oab, pulling him into a desperate embrace.
"I'm sorry... I'm so, so sorry," Plawan's words spilled out in choked whispers. "Please, don't leave me. I don't... I can't... just don't leave."
Hearing the raw vulnerability in Plawan's voice, Oab felt his heart break all over again. He wrapped his arms tightly around him, pressing a hand soothingly to Plawan's back, grounding them both in the warmth of their embrace. He held him close, his fingers gently tracing comforting patterns across Plawan's back.
"I'm not going anywhere," Oab reassured him, his voice steady yet soft. "I'm here, Wan. Just breathe, okay? You're safe with me."
Plawan nodded against his shoulder, but his grip didn't loosen; he held on as if letting go would mean losing Oab forever. The warmth of Plawan's breath against his neck and the broken, whispered apologies that slipped through only made Oab's resolve stronger. He brushed his hand through Plawan's hair, resting his chin on top of the omega's head as he whispered words of comfort.
