Eternal Love (MewGulf AU)

🌻Chapter 35

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"Oh God." AA's mouth twisted and he shook his head. He rubbed his temples and gave an unrestrained sigh. "If I'd known you were going to get a look like that on your face, I wouldn't have asked."

Gulf gave AA a wry smile. The man looked so embarrassed.

"It's all over now. More importantly, I'm a little hungry." He wheedled AA with a purposely carefree tone. He didn't want to continue discussing this.

"Oh, that's right."

They left Gulf's room and walked to the dining room. A chandelier of pure gold was hanging in the elegant, spacious room and a magnificent rosewood table sat in its center.

A procession of samptuous food was brough in for their lunch. There was a soup with many different varieties of beans in it, a tomato and olive salad, sauteed lamb, oven-roasted chicken and vegetables. An abundance of fruits had also been prepared for them.

"Is there something in particular you'd like to see?" AA asked, referring to the sight-seeing after their meal.

"Maybe the market," Gulf suggested after some thought.

"Done. Anything else? The race track, a casino, the bars?" The corners of AA's mouth were hiked up in a grin. "You've already taken the desert tour."

Gulf glowered ay the joke. He didn't like being reminded about how he had foolishly run out into the desert by himself and wound up at the brothel.

He paused. He was thinking about Mew. His black hair, the way his eyes crinkled when he laughed, his gaze, his long-fingers...The Mew he saw in his mind was not the Mew of six years ago, but the Mew of today. When his thwab streamed out behind him, he was beautiful---more striking, more manly than anyone else.

A ripple ran through Gulf's body as he thought of Mew. He couldn't rein in his emotions. They were becoming more and more unruly as he began to realize that it was all over. The wonderful food turned to dust in his mouth. He felt bad for putting AA to such trouble.

When they finished eating, they went sight-seeing as promised. Gulf had lost all desire to go out by that point, and the presence of the driver and guards oppressed him even more. But he couldn't back out now, and so he silently climbed into the back seat.

"Madina is a truly beautiful country," AA said. "The tourists enjoy the luxury of the hotels and casinos, and then the next day, they can become desert nomads. And we're one of the world's leading oil producers. Did you know that? Only the royal family is allowed to own oil fields in Madina. No matter how much they try, no one can get their hands on the oil if they're not part of the royal family."

As he listened to AA, Gulf's squinted against the hot breeze caressing his cheek. It would have been wonderful to visit this country as a tourist.

Evidence of Madina's wealth was everywhere. Of course the tourist spots were well-kept. But a glance showed that money flowed freely too, in the closed quarters where people spent their lives, in the hospitals and welfare buildings, and the housing areas. There was no sign of squalor anywhere, and the abundance of low, white buildings hinted that the people were reluctant to spoil the scenery. The date palms that carpeted the city were also well cared for.

Madina was exceptional, even among the United Ridwan nations. Everything related to education and welfare was completely free, something other countries found difficult to emulate.

This was Mew's country. He was born and raised in this beautiful land.

Gulf saw Mew's image---smoldering, unforgettable---whenever he closed his eyes. Once he left Madina, he would never be able to come back, so he wanted to engrave the image in his memory now.

Their jeep crossed into the desert.

Inside the jeep, shrouded by the clouds of dust it kicked up, Gulf tilted his head at AA curiously. "I though we were going to the market."

The man was sitting in the back seat of the jeep, his long legs crossed, looking out of the window at the road ahead. "We are. This will be your second trip, won't it?"

"My second trip?"

TBC