Orange Sprout~

“You’ve watched Type, I just tagged along.” Gulf pouted. Mew's face softened as he leans in to kiss Gulf's forehead. Just as Mew pulls away his phone screams to life in his pocket.

“You’ll do great. If you need anything- I mean anything at all- call me.”

“What if you're busy?”

“Call Mild. Or Tong. Or your mom. Or my mom. Sweetie, call anyone and they'll help you but I promise,” Mew drops a quick reassuring peck to Gulf's lips. “You’ll be fine.”

Mew steps away to ruffle Type hair, the boy grumbling a goodbye as Mew leaves.

“Just us now kid.” Type turns to look at Gulf with a blank stare. It’s silent -heavy and tense. Gulf blinks. Type blinks. Then Type turns back to his coloring book without a sound. Gulf can feel the stress building and it’s literally not even been a minute.

He’s never babysat before. Technically he has but Mew had always been there with him when he had before. Mew had always been the one to take charge of the care and protection while Gulf just stood back and lent a hand when Mew needed it. He's never been alone with such a tiny human, his sole responsibility to let the kid not get hurt. The pressure.

It’s not that Gulf wasn't opposed to kids. He wasn’t. He just wasn’t... familiar with them. Mew had mentioned, on more than one occasion -read all the time- that he liked kids and wanted one (or two) in the future. He seemed to talk more and more about it when Tong adopted Type a year ago.

Mew was great with kids, probably because outside of work Mew was basically a kid himself. But what did one even do with kids? Gulf couldn't remember anything from the times before when they had babysat Type.

It was a couple of minutes of Gulf just staring at Type before Type turned to look at him again.

“Uncle Gulf." Gulf hummed in reply. "Why are you staring at me?"

Gulf shifted awkwardly in his seat. He hadn't meant to stare. "I uh...."

"Do you want to see my coloring?"

"Yeah?" Type held up the book, he wasn't very good at keeping in the lines nor choosing what colors fit well with each other. "Very nice," Gulf says instead of what he's thinking.

"Uncle Gulf?" Gulf hums again as Type sets his book back down. "I don't want to color anymore."

"What do you want to do then?"

Types face scrunches up in thought. It's very cute and Gulf can't resist reaching out and brushing some of Types hairs from his forehead.

"Football." Type exclaims jumping up.

Gulf blinks then smile, "Alright." He could do football. He helped Type into his shoes and lead him to the back yard where his ball sat by the door from a few days ago. Type immediately kicked it before running after it. Gulf followed. The makeshift goal was two sets of trees and Gulf ran in tiny steps to make it more fair for Type and his tiny legs.

Type had a particular pension for finding all the tiny rocks and uneven spots in the yard and tripping over them so Gulf spends most of the time panicking that Type was seriously hurt until the kid jumped back up to start running again. The game was mostly Type running from Gulf with hints of actual Football rules included. They played for hours, Type winning but only because he found a muddy area left by the rain yesterday and decided that he could run through it. He couldn't, he tripped and was now covered in mud. Gulf proclaimed him the winner so the game could end.

"Alright, little buddy. You won and now it's bath time." Gulf helps Type stand back up. The mud globs plopped off his shirt as they waddled out of the puddle.

"Not done yet." Type squeals, his tiny feet trying to kick at the ball but Gulf still held him up by his armpits. "Let's play."

"I think we're done for the day." Type huffs all tiny and angry, feet wriggling. "You're a mud monster buddy."

Type rawrs, hands going up like claws. "Monster."

Gulf sets the boy down away from the mud before grabbing the ball as Type tiny stomps towards it, growing. "Such a scary monster." He comments.

"Rawr." Type grabs onto Gulf leg, looking menacingly up at him. "I eat human for ball. Rawr."

"Oh no," Gulf plays along trying to wiggle his leg out of Type grasp. "The monster's going to eat me." He manages to waddle them towards the house a few steps from the door. "How about we give the monster a bath and we can eat since the monster is hungry."

"Monster hungry." Type makes some more growling noises, tugging on Gulf pant before he stops suddenly looking up at Gulf with a look of excitement. Gulf blinks at the sudden emotion change.

"Dino outfit?" He yells bouncing on the balls of his feet.

"Dino ... outfit?" Gulf asks and Type nods enthusiastically before running to the door, his dirty hands sliding over the glass as he pushes it open.

"Wait, Type."

Type stops to look back, tiny huff in his direction as if annoyed with him.

"Your dirty." Type tiny eyebrows pinch together before he squeezes through the small opening he made with the door, inside the house. The next thing Gulf knows, Type is stripping in front of the door, his dirty clothes slapping wetly against the floor by the door as he dashes through the house.

Gulf jumps out of his shoes to chase after him. Type runs through the corridors, down the hall. They pass the outside door at least three times before Type slides into Mew's room. Gulf mildly panics as he throws open the door. silently praying Type isn't on Mews bed. Instead, he finds Type pulling open the bottom drawer of Mews dresser.

"Type what are -" Type flops back as the draw slides open all the way before he pulls out something green. "-doing?"

"Dino outfit." Type holds out the outfit happily, bouncing on his knees staring at Gulf.

"Ok, buddy." Gulf nudges Type off the ground and pushes him towards the bathroom. "You can wear the ... dino outfit but only if wash up first."

"Okay." Type gives him a tiny salute.

"Do you need help?"

"No, I'm a big boy I can wash myself. Silly uncle Gulf."

Gulf watches him skeptically as he tosses the dino outfit onto the sink and steps to the shower. Gulf waits until it seems like Type knows what he's doing before he slips off to gather up the boy's clothes from off the floor, throwing them in the washer so that hopefully they will be clean and dry before Mew gets home, Gulf checks the clock, in two and a half hours. He hadn't realized how long they had been outside.

He cleans up the mud drippings by the door, down the hall, and off the window before going to check on Type again who was scrubbing himself down. Letting out a breath that he wasn't drowning. A thought he wasn't entirely sure why he was having because Type was taking a shower not a bath but it was still a thought he was having nonetheless.

Gulf reheats some noodles and puts the bowl on the table as Type dashes out of the bathroom clad in his green Dino onesie. The dinosaur hood flopped over his dripping wet hair.

"I'm a Dinosaur."

"You are. A clean one too." Type nods happily, tiny stomping towards Gulf. He pretends to be scared until Type is in reach before he swoops in and plops Type into the chair. "Dinosaur needs food."

Type growls happily, "Dino is hungry."

Gulf ruffles his hair before going to check on the bathroom. He grabs a towel to rub over Type's hair as he eats. Type isn't happy about it and swats at his hands grumbling between bites.

"Uncle Gulf." Type calls, "Dino is done eating."

"Very good." Gulf clears the bowl as Type hops off the chair. "Can we watch a dinosaur movie?"

"Sure."

"Wait." Type tugs at his pant leg point towards Mews room. "You have to wear a dino outfit toooooo."

"I don't have one though."

"Yes you do." Type says exasperated. "Uncle Mew wore it with me before."

Type pushes him back into Mews room, pulling open the drawer again to pull out a much bigger piece of green cloth. "See."

Gulf plucks it from his fingers to look at it. It was almost an exact replica of the one Type was wearing, just bigger. Gulf is confused because he didn't even know Mew had this tiny outfit for Type much less a bigger one. He's not really surprised because it's very  Mew  to have something so cute and childish. He probably looks great in it too. Now Gulf wants to see Mew and Type in matching dino outfits.

"Dino dino dino." Type chanting knocked him out of his fantasies of Mew.

"Okay." Gulf sighs, "Let's get the movie set up and I have to shower first or Mew will ... -" He stops checks his words before saying, "-be very mad at me for wearing something of his while dirty."

"Obily."  Obviously . Type hadn't learned to fully say yet but his attempt was cute. "Uncle Mew says that's how you stay healthy."

"Uncle Mew is just weird, isn't he?" Gulf taps Type nose, earning him an annoyed sound.

"To the Tv." Type tiny stomps out of the room growling as he made his way to the living room. Gulf follows and starts up Jurassic park for him, setting a blanket next to him.

"I'll be right back." Type nods, already thoroughly entranced by the movie.

Gulf watches Type as he backward walks towards the bathroom. He showers the quickest he's ever showered. Drying off enough to pull on the dino onesie. It was.. adorable. Now he really really wanted to see Mew in it.

When he made it back to the living room Type was nowhere to be seen. For a second He felt nothing than the panic hit. "Type?" He yelled. Dashing into the next room, sliding into the kitchen. "Type."

"Soda." Type calls from the counter. His little feet swinging, the fridge door open and a can of soda clasp between his tiny hands.

"Type." Gulf sighed in relief, helping Type off the counter and shutting the door, "Next time just let me know buddy. That's dangerous."

Type shakes his head, "I can do it."

They walk back into the living room, the sound of the T-Rex screeched through the speakers. "I know you can but maybe next time just in case, ask for help."

Type doesn't answer just crawls back up on the couch, soda can left on the coffee table in front of them. They settle in and type sits close to Gulf, part of the way through the move his tiny body slumps over fast asleep. Gulf smiles leaning him to lay on the couch, tucking the covers up to his chin. Gulf moves lean to the other side of the couch watching the movie until he falls asleep as well.

"Gulf," Mew says in a hushed tone. Gulf grumbles, peaking open his eyes when he feels tiny fingers wiggle against his side. He can hear Types (attempted) stifled laugh.

Gulf lets out a tiny fake loud laugh, rolling away from the wiggling fingers as Type laughs loudly, proud of himself for tickling Gulf.

Gulf blinks open his eyes to see Mew smiling down at him. "I told you it would be fine."

----

It was a couple of days later when Gulf pulls on a pair of boxers before closing the drawer with his hip. He glances down the bottom drawer.

"Mew." He calls and he gets a muffled grunt in response. "I think I've decided."

"Decided?" Mew responds then appears in the doorway looking at him with a raised brow.

"We should adopt."

Mew chocks on his saliva, coughing for a moment. "What?"

"Adopt." Gulf pulls open the bottom drawer pulling out the dino onesie in Mews size. "I want to see our kids wear these matching outfits with us."

Mew's eyes get all teary and Gulf can see the emotions already stirring up in Mew. so emotional. Mew steps forwards wrapping him in a hug. "I think that would be great."

Gulf lets Mew get to hug him for a moment patting his back, consoling him before pulling back slightly, "Do you know what else would be great?"

Mew hums trying to pull Gulf back to him. Gulf snickered at Mews grumbling for snuggles.

"We should wear this while we..." Gulf wiggles his brow pointing over his shoulder to the bed.

"You wear it or I wear?"

Gulf ponders it for a minute, looing between the outfit and Mew. "I'd let a T-rex eat my ass any day."

Mew grains squeezing his eyes shut. "Don't say that."

"Godzilla can take me to pound town?" Gulf tries and Mew pushes him away and onto the bed.

"Stop talking or I'm not wearing it."

Mew can't help but think Gulf fits so well within the surrounding beauty. Like something out of a magazine. His skin glowing with its soft undertones of pink wrapped in the soft browns and yellows (because Mew is nothing if not always fashionable and made sure to pick out clothes that he knew would fit their activities) that blend in perfectly with the autumn aesthetic. He looks like he smells of pumpkin spice that they put in everything here in the states.

Breathtaking  was the only word he could think of. But stunning or ethereal might be close seconds. He, like always, was enamored by Gulf.

He could imagine their proposal being in a place like this and is almost sad that he didn’t bring the rings with him. He'd been too worried about making sure Gulf was sufficiently covered up to even think about grabbing them before they left.

“Looks perfect. Does it have a matching pair?” Mew asks, in a much more muted tone than the yell he had received. Gulf purses his lips, wide eyes flitting around.

Mew lets his eyes wander around the pumpkin patch. He lands on a couple a few rows down, two females who are wearing significantly fewer clothes than he and Gulf. He assumes they must have grown up around here to be ok with only a jacket and a hat. No gloves in sight. He's got a winter jacket, a sweater, and a body warmer on and can still feel the chill.

He watches as one leans into the other for a cheek kiss, he can hear the exchange of praise on her pumpkin find. He spots matching rings on their fingers. A little rumble of jealousy rolling up into him because he's not currently wearing matching rings with his beloved. It's petty and he is fully aware it's his fault, doesn't stop the jealousy though. He watches the girls walk out of the field together happily chatting over their pumpkin before he turns back to Gulf - who seems to have made a friend.

The closer he gets he can hear the small child talking about how he lost his parents. Gulf, who's grouched to the kids level, glances around sending a worried glance Mew's way.

“I think he lost his parents,” Gulf says and the kid sends them a weird glance. Probably the Thai instead of English.

“What do your parents look like?” Mew says in English and the boy purses his lips, looking dejectedly around. He doesn’t blame the kid for not knowing, he couldn’t be more than six. Mew probably couldn’t describe his mom now if he lost her in a crowd much less at that age. Thank technology for phones so he didn't have to worry about that.

Mew spots a couple off to the other side of the field, frantically looking around. Gulf catches the stare before he ushers the kid onto his back. Giving a few bounces to earn a smile.

“Is that them?” Gulf asks in English, the small boy peering over his shoulder before letting out a squeal.

“Mommy.” The boy flapping his hands in that direction. Guess they were right.

“Let me take him over-“

“I got it," Gulf interrupts him with a small and another small bounce to adjust the kid on his back, "Someone needs to protect the perfect pumpkin and he's already on my back.”

Mew stands astonished and flabbergasted for a moment. Gulf was not one to be confident in his English but he didn’t see the least bit bothered as he talked to the kid in broken English. Even now as he watches Gulf head across the field, he can see them chatting together and something pulls in his heart.

He adds ‘adoption’ to his mental list of future events to have with Gulf right after getting a house together but before living a long happy life together. He glances down at the pumpkin at his feet, the best pumpkin as Gulf had named it. It was a nice pumpkin.

Mew looks back up to watch -a bit with bated breathe- as Gulf hands the boy over to his parents, Gulf hands wave around (an odd jerky movement because he's unsure of his words) as he explains. Then he wais and Mew snickers at the instinct. The parents laugh, shouting their thanks even as Gulf shuffles away.

Gulf bounds back over to him, face all red from the cold and embarrassment, maybe a little bit of pride. Mew thinks Gulf looks so beautiful, so gorgeous, and then he’s gone from his vision. A moment of panic before Mew realizes Gulf had tripped. A few more seconds pass (Mew debates how long he should wait before bolting over, three seconds, ten? what if Gulf is hurt-) before Gulf is flapping back into a stand, giggles spilling out of him as a few leaves stick off him. Gulf seems unbothered by them as he makes it back to Mew, explaining the meeting (Like Mew hadn't been watching the whole thing happen), while Mew took it upon himself to pick the leaves off his clothes and the one from his hair before leaning in and kissing Gulfs cherry red nose.

Mew thinks he might be sick with love as Gulf smiles back at him just short of breathe, eyes shimmering with anything and everything Mew could ever want. He's definitely sick with love. He'll never find anything better than Gulf because Gulf is it. He can hear Gulf's voice telling him that he's being too sappy but he can't help it. He's always loved too much for his heart, weighing him down like anchors on his feet.

“You did so well Tue ang.” Gulf preens at the words, the glow under his skin no longer from the weather but from his happiness. Gulf hooking their pinkies together for a moment, and the weight feels justified. Like he's loving Gulf just enough as they other soaks in it.

“Did you find the second one?”

“Not yet, let’s check over there.”

Gulf picks up his perfect pumpkin, holding it close to his torso like a child as they walked to a different part of the patch to look. Mew can't help but wrap his arms around Gulf, pressing against his back till they waddle past a few more pumpkins. He pats the pumpkin likes he's done so many times before to Gulf tummy with a soft tung tung tung sound. Gulf pats it a few times as well making a weird rhythm that matches their mismatches steps.

"What about that one?"

Gulf hums glancing between the newfound pumpkin and his own a few times. "I think we found our match."

"Like us?"

"So cheesy," Gulf laughs before glancing around briefly before sniff kissing Mew temple. "Like us."

Mew gets them hot chocolate -made from a powder that was recommended to them by the owner of the cabin when they’d first arrived - as soon as they make it back. Pumpkins perched on a newspaper lined table. They shed their outer layers; coats, boots, hats, and gloves while sharing a few kisses that warmed them up pretty quick. Mew had tried to go further, you know, for warmth.

“Let me warm you up.” Mew kisses down Gulf neck, hands sneaking their way under Gulf shirt but as soon as his fingers made contact with Gulf's warm belly he was pushed away.

“Your fingers are freezing,” Gulf says his teeth chattering with a tiny shiver. “Pumpkins first. That'll warm you up.”

Mew sulked, made sure that he was visibly pouting, tried to give his best puppy dog eyes but Gulf just laughs and kissed his cheeks. Which is a safe place seeing as Mew would take a kiss to the lips as an attack and he was ready for that naked battle. So Mew settled for hot chocolate a handful of extra marshmallows in his cup that he definitely replenished halfway through his drink, Gulf noses at his cheek mid-sip -which he knows it Gulf way of soothing his sulking- before settling beside him in his own chair.

Mew was a bit worried about letting Gulf free with sharp objects but there really wasn’t another choice if they wanted to carve pumpkins.

Gulf gulps his drink as he watches a video of someone explaining how to carve correctly. His right hand holding a knife while the other caressing the pumpkin in a pattern that Mew assuming he's going to try and carve.

“Doesn’t seem hard.” He turns to Mew showing his screen as if Mew hadn’t been watching along from beside him the whole time. Mew leans in to kiss the leftover chocolate residue off Gilfs lips with a soft hum of agreement. Gulf stares at him for a second, something flashing in his eyes before he hazily licks his lips turning back to his pumpkin. Mew smirks.

“Don’t hurt yourself.”

Gulf grunts in annoyance, “I’m not a child. I can handle knives.”

Mew bite his tongue from the sassy remark as he bandaged Gulf fingers. Somehow managing to slice across three of them before stabbing his palm. None of the wounds were deep but they were enough for Mew to call the pumpkin carving event over.

“I'm not done with mine though.” Gulf whines, hissing as Mew daps his palm with medication.

Mew blows gently over it before placing the gauze over the wound. “They’re good enough.”

"I'm not going to cut myself again," Gulf grumbles, eyeing his hand now wrapped in white gauze.

"You're right, you won't." Mew puts the first aid kit back together. "Because we're finished carving."

"What are we supposed to do instead-" Mew sends him a look that immediately tells him exactly what they could do instead. "Fine, no more carving. Not that either. There's a stand up the road I saw that had caramel apples. Can we go see that?"

Mew pouts, "I didn't have anything else planned for this evening though."

Gulf slinks forward wrapping his arms around Mew's neck, "It's like 4 in the afternoon. Let's go check out the stand and later when it gets darker we can light up our..."

"Jack-o-lanterns."

"That's it, Jack-o-lanterns, I knew having you around would be useful."

Mew tugs him closer, sniff kissing his neck than his cheek. Pumpkin and chocolate.

They wrap themselves back up and walk hand in hand down the road until they got to the stand, Gulfs hand loosens but he doesn't let go as he looks through all the products and different candy-covered fruits.

Gulf convinces him to buy a Carmel apple slice and a slice of chocolate pear. Gulf shrugs after a small bite, not really liking the taste, so Mew finishes them off. The stand owner is a cute little old woman who ushers them behind the stand when she learns they are foreigners here for vacation. Her excitement shows as she all but swoons over how handsome they were and tuts at them for never having tried s'mores.

"They're mandatory for this time a year." She had exclaimed and who were they to argue when they've never had them.

A small bonfire was going, with about six kids sitting around it. According to her, she's the local babysitter. She sits them down and hands them a stick and marshmallow. The kids show them how to roast it and make s'mores.

"You got to let it catch on fire." A little boy, Tim, yells excitedly as he shoves his marshmallow in the fire. He tugs Gulf stick closer to his, further into the fire.

A little girl, Lily, beside Mew gives an angry noise, "No, you want it to be brown and crunchy. Not burnt."

She places her hand over Mews as they watch their sticks in the fire. Mew is careful to keep an eye on Gulf, his instincts would let him not. The boy's grip on Gulg injured hand was making him weary. Gulf seems unbothered by it.

Gulf's Marshmellow catches on fire and Tim helps him pull it out of the fire. "Blow on it. Blow on it!" Tim flaps a bit and Gulf blows out the tiny flame a little more exaggerated than he needed to but Tim seems more than amused before handing Gulf graham crackers and a piece of chocolate.

"Now smash them together." This Tim and Lily seemed to agree on and Gulf did. The marshmallow oozing out the sides before he plops it into his mouth. Mew moves his marshmallow out of the flames to watch Gulf chew, mouth stuffed and lips pursed out. Marshmellow goo over his thumb and bandaged wrapped pointer finger, which he pulled out of his glove to hold the sandwich. Adorable.

"Yummy." He says once he's swallowed enough to talk. Tim laughs, giving Gulf a high five, that looks and sounds rather sticky before turning to his own quickly darkening marshmallow.

"Is it really good Tua eng?" Mew whispers, nudging his leg.

Gulf turns to him, chocolate and marshmallow rimming his lips. "Pretty sweet but not bad. I think one is enough for me."

Mew tries too, with plenty of help from Lily. She seems like a born leader and she knows it. He likes it but Gulf was right its pretty sweet. He ate one more and stopped there if only because he knew he'll have to work them off later. He might have been on vacation but he still had an image. Gulf likes the biceps so he keeps his biceps. That's just how it works. Also, he's pretty sure that if he didn't stop himself with two he'll eat the whole bag. He definitely sees the appeal of smores and roasted marshmallows.

A while later they head back to the cabin, the sun low in the sky, by the time they make it back the sun has gone down for the day. The moon rising in the sky as they set the half-carved pumpkins outside the doors. The tea lights they put inside glowed minimally through the holes in the pumpkin. It was pathetic and comical. Mews was basically done, two eyes and a jagged mouth starred back at them but Gulfs only had a mouth and part of one eye. Neither were even but they look kind of cute leaning against each other.

They take pictures and post them along with a few they'd taken during the picking stage. Mew sets a particularly cute one as his lock screen. It’s one of them smiling at the camera, cheeks pressed together with the beautiful trees in the background. He changes his Home Screen to one of him kissing a surprised looking Gulf on the cheek, the same beautiful trees in the background.

“We look like a real couple,” Gulf says looking at their matching lock screens.

“In the picture or the marching screens?”

Gulf chuckles, leaning into Mew side. “Both. But also right now. Standing here looking at our masterpieces by the front door.”

They soak it in, the calm of the evening, the chill of the night, their wonkly carve pumpkins. Just let them be in their love. Mew had a thought that this might be one of those moments but Gulf turns to him, a soft smile on his face.

"I love you." And fuck if Mew's heart didn't melt and resolidify so he could continue to let Gulf hold it and take care of it. The next moment they're stumbling through the cabin, Gulf tasted sweet, chocolate and marshmallows against his tongue. The tang of arousal heavy in the air as Gulf raised the warmth through his body chasing away anything that wasn't Gulf from his mind.

Mew was picking up, Tul and some of his college friends were coming over for scary movies because that’s what you did, apparently. Not that he was mad, he just wasn’t a fan of scary movies but he was interested in the food they had talked about eating during the movies. Plus he could just pull Gulf into his lap and hide behind his back if he got too scared.

“How did these...?” Mew grabs the boxers hanging from the oven door next to the towel. He definitely remembers their morning activities where they made use of the big counters but he’s pretty sure he tossed Gulfs boxers to the ground, not the oven. Doesn’t really matter just means he made a good decision cleaning before the guest arrived. How awkward would it have been if Tul (or one of his friends) had found them instead? Though it could be worse, at least it wasn't lingerie or a toy.

“All finished?” Gulf says clad in one of Mews long sleeve shirts and flannel pants, hair fluffy atop his head from his previous shower, a few strands sticking up wildly. Mew pats then down before rubbing his fingers through the soft locks. Gulf groans softly in his chest, eyes fluttering to gives him a stare, a very tempting one. So very tempting.

They'd been having so much sex the past couple of days, Mew was pretty sure they were making up for the lack of sex they’d not been having the past few months because of busy schedules while also maybe stacking up for the sex they wouldn’t be having for a while once they go back to Thailand. Mew quickly pushed aside the thoughts of his already planned out busy schedule to pepper kisses all over Gulf face. Making sure to leave a big noisy one on his lips last before pulling away with a pop. He can't be tempted, people were on their way over and he doesn't want to be caught in the middle of something when they arrived.

“Yeah, we should be ready to have guests over.”

It’s a few hours later when Mew finds himself watch Gulf stir a pot of cider. There had been jokes about it being a witches cauldron and now that the dark amber liquid inside was bubbling it really did look like it. Mew was glad that Tul's friend Ann had already basically finished the apple cider because it takes hours to simmer, according to her. He wasn't sure but he trusted her judgment as someone who says they make it regularly.

Gulf giggles as he stirs the pot, Mark plops a witches hat over his head and the giggle turns to a witches cackle. Mew is the first to start laughing and everyone follows after in a chain reaction. Gulf seems pleased with himself with a satisfied grin on his face as Ann pulls him over the table to help with the cookies. The witches hat falls off and leaving his hair sticking up in the back and Mew has the urge to walk over and fix it.

Mark nudges Mew to turn his attention back to the pumpkin pie, he takes one last look at Gulf who shakes his head, the strands of hair falling back into place.

Mew wasn’t good at baking or cooking but this pie didn’t seem hard. Which it wasn’t. Basically, throw everything into a bowl mix, and dump it into the pie crust - a cinnamon pie crust Ann had made.

Mew sat back watching when the pie went into the oven to bake. Tul was mixing fresh popcorn with Carmel with Ann's girlfriend Veera who was also making ‘the absolute best’ roasted butternut squash soup. The cabin smelled of pumpkin, spice, and every nice while soft indie band quietly filled any silence with melodic guitar riffs.

“P’Mew.” Mew tips his head towards the voice, Gulf is holding up a cookie that looks like a ball with four stubs. “Chopper.”

Mew crinkled his nose in acknowledgment, a smile still plastered across his face, it was enough for Gulf as he turns back to the cookies. It didn't look like chopper but then it didn't need to, it was the thought around the cookie.

“He’s cute,” Mark comments handing him a cup of apple cider that was done deemed done by Veera moments ago. “You guys seem close.”

"Yeah, we are." Mew sips, coughing for a moment at the onslaught of cinnamon and clove spice hitting him in the back of the throat. Mark gives him a few sympathetic pats on the back.

“Should have warned you, Ann likes the kick.” Mark chuckles and Mew gives a small one as well once his breathing feels right again. He shoots a glance to Gulf who waits for the eye contact to send him a brief smile.

“It’s not bad,” He says taking another sip now expecting the spices. “I could get used to this.”

“Alcohol makes it better too.” Mark sloshes his cup before pointing to the fireball on the counter. Mew shakes his head declining the offer.

“Better watch out for your boy, I think Ann might try and adopt him.”

Mark was right Ann seemed smitten as she coos at Gulf. Pinching his cheek before wiping some cookie dough he’d gotten magically on his nose.

“He might take her up in that offer.” He laughs maybe a little too loud. “He’s probably tired of waiting for me to propose.”

Mark leans against the back of the couch and Mew follows taking a big sip of the apple cider. It's better now that he's used to the taste.

“Why haven’t you?”

He hears a question in his mind, one that he'd been silently asking himself for a long while now.  Are you waiting because you think he will walk away, that he’ll leave you? That he'll find someone more worthy of his love.  

Though he would never admit that to being a major underlining reason for his hesitance, it was. It rumbled through his mind more often than he would like to admit. It seemed like a silly worry to have when Gulf showed him how much he loves him every day in his own way. So instead he settled on the one that he blamed more often than not.

“I want it to be perfect because he’s perfect for me.”

Something big and dopey crossed over Mark's face as he nudged Mew's arm a few times cooing loudly. “I know what you're feeling buddy.”

Mark looked over to the table, Tul was now helping them clean up, cookies now in the ovens. “I’m engaged to Ann's sister.”

“Yeah?”

Mark chuckles, “Yeah we had decided we would get engaged and I told her I would figure it out. Every moment felt right but not perfect so I kept pushing it back and back until a year had passed and Mealie got so mad with me. ‘Do you not want to be married to me anymore?' she asked. I was a valid question. I told her I couldn’t find the perfect moment. Do you know what she said to me?”

Mew shook his head, sipping his drink.

“Every moment I’m with you is perfect so pick one or I will. And she did. Like a month later she found my rings and proposed to me right in the middle of the family barbecue.”

They both chuckle, Mark a little bit louder as a sense of remembrance crosses his features. “She sounds wonderful.”

“She is." Mark agrees, nudging him again this time it was softer, waiting till Mews attention was back to him before saying, "Not everyone gets to enjoy the opportunity of marriage they way we do, she said, I don’t want to waste it when I found the love of my life.”

Mark throws his arm over Mew's shoulder pulling him close. The smell of cinnamon and spices from the cider hitting him in the nose.

“Even here in the states, there are places that don’t accept it and other countries that condone it. If you get the opportunity to marry your true love, and it’s something you both want. Don't waste the opportunity waiting for the perfect moment, instead just make every moment perfect.”

“...Thank you.”

Mew hadn't pulled Gulf into his lap during the movie instead Gulf leaned against him as they shared caramel corn and cookies. Halfway through Gulf's fingers laced with his under the blankets, giving him a small squeeze every so often. Marks words rumbling around in his head, he drops a kiss to Gulf head, he didn't want to wait any longer.

(Mew hadn't forgotten to get all the recipes that day for Jom, he thinks she'll like these especially the gingersnap cookies.)

Mew wraps his arms around Gulf, looking out at the snow-covered forest. First snow of the year - said the news earlier. Mew was glad that they got to see it. Gulf seems entranced by the ethereal sight as well. The white snow packed down over the earth covering everything into something soft and quiet. Seemingly absorbing all the negativity of the world and leaving behind peace and tranquillity. Everything seemed to have a sheen of sparkles to it like someone had mixed them with the snow as it was falling. It was quite a sight.

“I sent some pictures to the family.”

“They jealous?” Mew rubs his nose into Gulf nape, inhaling the crisp cold air and Gulf's natural musk.

“Maybe a little bit it might not be all because of the weather.” Gulf wiggles until he turns to face Mew. Tugging the blanket around them both, cocooning them in its warmth.

“What else could they possibly be jealous over, if not this gorgeous view,” Mew whispers, placing a butterfly soft kiss to Gulf's redden nose and chilled soft cheeks. Then one to his lips because Gulf pursed them just so and how could he resist?

“You know I thought you had asked me out here to propose finally.” Gulf words were teasing and gently as he curls in to nuzzle at Mew's neck. Mew's hands rub over his back instinctively, holding him close.

They stand in silence for a moment before Mew begins to sway them softly. One hand caressing Gulf waist while the other moving to cup Gulf's neck, fingers burying in his damp chilled hair. Gulf sighs contently against his chest, fingers half holding the blanket and half gripping Mews shirt at his shoulders.

“I thought about it. So many times, I thought about it.” Mew's lips brush against Gulf temple as he speaks, wayward snow crunches under their slipper clad feet as they sway. “At the pumpkin patch, where you looked like you were made for autumn. Or after we got back from the stand and you tasted like chocolate and marshmallows. Or watching you talk in English with such confidence. So proud of you for that-”

Gulf places an open mouth kiss to Mew's neck before another peck to his jaw.

“-I thought about when we woke up and made love with the falling snowed as our backdrop this morning.”

“Did all of your thinking get you anywhere?” Gulf mummers against his chest and Mew tightens his hold. Their swaying slows to a stop.

“I thought every moment could have been the moment but then I worried that there would be a better one later if I just waited.”

Gulf leans away, eyes searching, and patient. "Will there ever be a moment perfect enough for you?" Mew knows Gulf would wait forever for him to find what Mew calls the perfect moment to propose.

"I'm starting to think my standards are too high." Mew feels the soft rumbley laughter against his chest. He lets out a small chuckle as well shifting to begin the soft swaying once more.

"Do you want me to do it so you can stop stressing over it?" Gulf looks up at him with sincerity and love and just a little bit of teasing.

Mew nibbles on his bottom lip, contemplating the offer, Gulf leaning against almost limply as they sway. Everything calm and serin, perfect.

"Maybe I should?" Gulf hums softly against his neck. "Maybe I should just do it because every moment with you is perfect."

Gulf pulls back scrunching his nose playfully as he shakes his head. "Cheesy."

Gulf tugs at his hair pulling their mouths together into a kiss - soft needing filled with everything Mew every wanted and will ever want.

“Will you?” He asks, a little desperately yet filled with hope. Lips brushing against Gulf as he speaks.

“Will I?”

"Marry me?"

Gulf exhales a little puff before rubbing their foreheads together. It's a little aggressive reminding Mew of their workshops for the first season of Tharntype when Gulf didn't understand how to show his softness through touch. When everything he did was stiff and firm and Mew had to ease his hand to be held or show him had card fingers through hair in a loving manner. Gulf huffs again and this time the kiss is forceful. Much like their kisses back then were. Like Gulf was trying to brand his lips with his own.

“I love you Ti Rak,” Gulf says in a low gravely voice before forcing their lips back together, teeth-gnashing and tongues wrapping around each other like he could get enough. It tasting like wanting and need. And a hint of desperate love. But that might just be from Mew.

Mew pulls away the reciprocated 'I love you too' on the tip of his tongue but Gulf cups his face, fingers gentle now as he pants softly. "Your perfect proposal is lacking rings."

Mew was sure it was supposed to be a joke but Gulf breathless words a small feeling of panic within him. Gulf seemed to sense his impeding overthinking by the hitch in his breath and forces another long, slow, kiss from this mouth. "I'm cold."

Gulf looks up at him from beneath his lashes, eyes swirling like a vortex sucking Mew in. "Warm me up?" He asks so softly.

Mew pulls him inside and tosses him to the bed, the blanket fluttering around him. Mew pulls away from the kiss with a pop. He almost lets those sparkling golden eyes draw him back in but he tears himself away, all but throwing himself at his stuff in search of the tiny velvet box. Gulf pushes up on his elbows to amusedly watch Mew.

"I was kidding about the rings-"

"I'm not though..." Mew makes a sound of excitement, box clutched in his hand before turning back to Gulf, one the knee on the ground. He tugs at Gulf's hand until he's sitting up and he holds the box out to him.

"You didn't answer before." He opens the velvet box letting the two matching rings glimmer in the dim light.

Gulf covers the rings with one hand while the other cups Mews cheeks, thumb rubbing a slow circle over his cheekbone. "You just want me to say it out loud."

"It's nice to hear."

Gulf snorts a small chuckle before pulling Mew up and over him on the bed. He pulls a ring out and slides it over Mew's finger even as the older boy is trying to shake him off muttering 'I get to do that.'

"Silly Phi." Gulf says slowly once the ring is on Mew before putting the matching on his fingers "I have been ready since the day we first kissed. I was just waiting for you."

Mews breathe hitches and his eyes water, Gulf rubbed their noses together. "Yes, I want to marry you."

Mew didn't know what he wanted to look at more, the way the ring sparkled in the rays of light streaming through the window, glimmering as snow falls outside their window reflecting off the ring or at Gulf. His beautiful, stunning, gorgeous, wonderful fiance.

"Cheesy," Gulf says looking smitten.

Mew pulls on Gulf hand to kiss the ring, then finger it's settled on, right under the bandage still covering his fingertip before trails his lips over Gulf palm to kiss his wrist. "But you like it?" Mew says hopefully.

Even now as he stares at Gulf willing them to become the Clair de lune -though he knows that their melodies will never become that one, he still hangs on to the fermata- he can hear the eerie notes of his next failure in the form of Chopin Fantasie Impromptu and his heart quicks at the thought of hearing something else instead of his beloved Clair de lune.

He worries that he might be the only one interested in what they... have? Whatever it is. He feels his heart is searching for a melody that he isn’t strong enough to grasp. Or that he ventures might not exist. Maybe he's singing just slightly higher than those around him like the whale that sings at 52 hertz constantly alone unable to connect. The loneliest whale.

Does that make him the loneliest Mew? Sometimes he feels like. Sometimes even as the diminuendo rolls the waves of sadness through his being, He thinks his frequency might be off as well.

He wants to tune himself to match Gulfs. To harmonize together in something effervescent and melodic.

Gulf stands in his grasp, slightly stiff and waiting.

“I’m just not used to this attention, to this touch.” He had said many times when Mew asked if he was ok with his touch. “But I don’t mind it.”

It wasn’t comforting that he ‘ didn’t mind it ’. It just was. was something that hung on Mew's heart ringing like a deep bass.

Mew pushed through as he played his role, much like each note in the page connecting together in an arrangement of something worth listening to. He could play the part of ‘partner’ on screen. Sometimes slipping into the off-screen as his heart pleads to get in time with the metronome of Gulf heart.

He learned very quickly that he could get lost in those deep caramel eyes, swirling galaxy of everything and yet nothing at all.

The emptiness sounded great against the cacophony of misstep notes in his head. He knew Gulf held deep to the rhythm, steady and strong. unwavering unlike Mew who's notes twisted and changed.

But then out of nowhere or maybe he just had been so distracted by his own sheet music he never noticed the change in Gulf; they connected.

Gulf smile would face him, loud and clear. Sparkling with reassurance, confidence, and something that Mew wants to say is affection. He created the dolcissimo notes with his lips. Sweet against his as they spoke softly not answer the question at hand but answer the silence Mew had within his heart after pushing away all the noise.

Tiny ears turned red, cheeks a blush, warm skin just under his touch, enclosing him like a blanket that he never wanted to unwrap from.

The worry he had that Gulf didn’t feel the same disappeared at the small touch to his arm or his leg - Gulf silent acknowledgment that he’s there. The harmony he played by simplicity. The way he wants more touch but doesn’t know how to ask and Mew can feel his every word, though none of them spoken.

The way Gulf stands open and turned slightly towards him, waiting. Waiting for Mew arms around him.

The way Gulf asks to join him whenever he goes - through most of the time he can’t.

The way Gulf eyes get teary and soft when Mew gets emotional and he speaks in delicate tones to soothe his phi.

The way the notes fluttering around him until waiting for Mew to be ready so that they can become a whole piece.

Mew had been worried that Gulf didn’t feel the same because he had been looking in all the wrong places. Looking at it the wrong way. Searching for a melody that they would never, could never be.

He had been looking for Clair du lune when all along they were Nuvole Bianche.  White cloud .

A piece so simple yet elegant. A piece that washes over you with tranquility, calmness, and lets you feel like your floating.

A piece that is Gulf incarnate. Something that has trickles of Mew sprinkled in with the delicate notes trilling softly together in something that could only be described as harmony allowing for the ebb and flow of their relationship through the cords until the climax when instead of burning out or ending, it begins again.

Mew thinks he likes this better. This airy light tone fits the lilting of his heart. Fits the way Gulf smiles at him. The way Gulf kisses him. The way Gulf talks. Needs. Feels.

The Gulf makes him feel.

He had unknowingly been searching for a song that was perfect for him but what he really needed was a song that was perfect for them.

---------------

Terms used that you might not know (Glossary)

Decrescendo - decreasing in loudness

Dolcissimo - Used as a direction in music, meaning “sweetly, softly, with tender emotion”

Fermata - A symbol that allows a note or rest to be held for as long as desired

---------

This came about because I've been listening to too much classical music. I don't know very much about musical terms, I'm sorry if I used them wrong, I did try to research to make sure they were right but just in case, sorry.

Song mentioned in this piece (in order)

Debussy - Clair de Lune https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XkgyOZxIw0k

Chopin - Etude Op. 25 No. 5 (Wrong Note) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g7C2it9cCsY&list=PLFv3ZQw-ZPxju8P84jZ0pQ_zb8GR6eFh6&index=10

Chopin - Fantaisie-Impromptu (Op. 66) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gus4dnQuiGk

Ludovico Einaudi - Nuvole Bianche https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VR-6AS0-l4

Mew could smell it, had been able all night. The tempting sweet smell of his mate. He was well aware of the despondent attitude Gulf had with such events. He hated them as well. This event was long and boring and Mew has shaken enough hands to get the funding he needed, for now. That meant he was free to go for the night.

“Tirak,” Gulf whispers beside him, tugging on his sleeve. “Let’s go home.”

Mew can’t say no to those big pout lips and bright eyes. Not like he wanted to stay any longer either.

Mew does the final rounds, bidding his goodbyes so he can leave the venue.

They stood on the sidewalk waiting for the valet to bring his car around. Gulf leaning heavily against his arm, nosing softly at his shoulder as he stares up at Mew with big pleads eyes. He was up to something.

They slid into the car and began the journey home. It was quiet, Gulf's fingers laced between his on his lap.

“Can I suck you off?” Mew jerked at the wheel at the innocent-sounding question. He was thankful that they were at a stoplight so he could look over, at those pleading eyes. Why does Gulf have such pleading eyes? “I want to suck on something.”

“Daddy?” Mews head swivels around so quick he can hear it crack, there standing the doorway is Gulf. Sauntering towards him basically naked. Cat ears perched on his head, black silk collar with a silver bell, draped with silver chains that cascaded over his chest and shoulders, delicate silver chains wrapped his waist accentuating its tiny form. Mew eyes almost didn’t want to leave the pretty sight but a bit further down, a black cock ring wrapped around Gulf half-hard member and .... a cattail swaying behind him as he moves.  Fuck.

It was the butt plug Mew had joked about getting him recently when Gulf had found the cat ears from the set. Gulf had seemed huffy about it mostly because he hates butt plugs;

“They're just fucking teases. Never long enough or big enough. I’d rather just have your dick stuffing me.”

Mew happily obliged in showing Gulf that his dick was better than a butt plug after that because he can’t often resist Gulf in his arms or on his dick.

But this. This was nothing like what he imagined when he joked about the cat tail butt plug. This was something from his dreams.

“Exquisite.” Mew sucks in a breath. Gulf steps closer, close enough that Mew can run his fingers over the cool chains around Gulf waist. “Fucking gorgeous.”

“Does daddy like it?” Gulf voice was tiny and nervous. It seems the roleplay had started and Gulf was already drifting towards subspace.

"Daddy loves it." Mew pulls him into his lap, careful of the plug. Fingers playing in the chains at his waist. “You’re so beautiful, baby.”

His heart is .. hurt. It’s not broken like he thought it would be because this isn’t anything like what he felt when he let .. Gulf go.

This was different altogether because he was supposed to be forgetting about Gulf. He was supposed to be moving on. Living. Experiencing. But fuck, look what’s done. He was careless in his excitement to forget because he'd been pinning for so long. (Who was he kidding he was still pinning.) He feels humiliated and ashamed and there’s no one to blame but himself. He can’t even stop the sobs at this point he just hopes they’re not loud because he doesn’t want to disturb the rest of his family.

He misses Gulf so much right now and that plus his mortification and degradation of his character. The slander of his name because he was callous. It hurt.

Sobbing harder at the thought of them finding out. Disgrace. That’s what he was.

His family. Everything they build. What was going to happen to them? He could have prevented this. He should have prevented this.

Of course, he should have noticed the signs. The ones that say;

‘This was all for show’. and ‘he doesn’t like you the way you like him’.

or even;

‘You’re only seeing the parts that reminds you of Gulf while forgetting that Art is nothing like Gulf.’ and ‘You’re pretending that everything is real so that you don’t have to remember it’s fake, That he’s not Gulf.’

Art had told him so many times that he was a flirt. That he liked to flirt. And he did, with everyone. And that was fine because Art was his own person and he could. Art was honest from the beginning about what he did but Mew wasn’t. And Mew couldn’t handle it. He couldn’t handle it because it wasn’t Gulf. Gulf wasn’t like that. Gulf wasn't a flirt. He was an angel. Quite literally.

Art couldn’t handle his emotions. ‘You’re so needy’, is what Art had said on numerous occasions. ‘Too much to handle’. ‘Why are you so childish?.

Mew pulls at his hair as Art's voice flickers through his head, he hates it. ‘We can fool around but I don’t do relationships.’

And Mew did. Mew was hardcore about relationships. Mew wanted to spoil the one he loved and be with them all the time. He wanted their eyes to only be on him. So, Mew pretended not to hear those words. He didn’t hear those words because he was hoping that every step he got closer to Art the further he would get from Gulf until he could forget. That maybe Art would fold and be what he was hoping he would be. So he kept pushing and pushing and pushing.

He forced himself onto Art and Art told the world his secret. Something he wasn’t ready to tell the world just yet. Something that could kill his career, tarnish his reputation. Ruin him. He was scared. He wasn't ready.

He had known he was gay since…. Probably since the moment he meets Gulf. Definitely since then, from the first moment, Gulf looked up at him with those big Bambi eyes. Gulf was … He gasps as his lung twist in his chest. He was so scared of the repercussions of his actions. He couldn’t stop the panic from filling his veins. Flooding his system. His family. What would they think of him? Could they even love him? Would they?

Would he family kick him out?

Oh fuck, he wasn't sure he could live without them and their support.

“P’Mew.” Mew pressed his chin into his chest, knees curling up, fingers fisting over his eyes. No, he can’t see him now. Gulf shouldn’t see him like this. Shouldn’t see him at all. Mew can’t handle it.

“P’Mew.” The soft voice whispered like a cool drink of water after a hot day. Fingertips bush over the backs of his hands. He digs the heel of his palm further into his eye sockets. It hurts but at least for a moment, the tears have stopped.

“Go away.” Mew forces out, it’s weak and wet like tumbling rocks into a lake and Mew hears him tsk in annoyance.