Shotgun Wedding

Suspicion

It's a happy evening to get wasted.

Enjoy!

***

"What the fuck is up with you two?"

Gulf looked up from where he has been drafted into frosting gingerbread cookies, seeing Mew's cousin Pailin leaning against the doorway.

"What?" he said unintelligently.

She sighed at him. "I know Mew," she said, walking over to the fridge to get a beer. "I don't know what you're doing to him, but you're sure as fuck aren't dating. Five months?" She scoffed. "With the way he looks at you, there is no chance he'd last more than a month without trying to get you to marry him. And you never touch him. He's all over you but you never touch him." She took a few steps closer to him and Gulf backed up. "I don't know what your deal is, whether you're a friend or a fuck buddy he talked into doing this to keep us out of his hair or whatever, but he is crazily in love you and if you break his heart I'm going to fucking break you, okay?"

She didn't wait for a reply before she turned away from him and stalked out of the kitchen.

-

"Unca Goof! Unca Goof!"

Before Gulf even had a chance to register the weirdness of being called "unca" by a toddler he'd known for twenty-four hours, said toddler had planted himself into his lap, holding up a book to him, demanding to be read to, armed with puppy eyes. It seemed like those puppy eyes were a hereditary trait.

He began reading and the boy relaxed against him. He giggled appreciatively as Gulf attempted doing funny voices and squealed in delight when Gulf surprise-tickled him in the middle of the scary part of the story.

Soon the child in his lap was joined by another one, who brought another book with her. Before he knew it he had a third climbing up his back to be able to see the pictures from over his shoulder.

When he finished the book, the first child pulled at his hair to get his attention.

"Read me go'night!" he said. "Pease?"

Gulf's heart melted. And he didn't even particularly like children.

"Yeah," he said, stroking his palm over his little head. "Later, when it's sleepy time."

"Me too! Me too!" the other started chanting.

He looked up when he heard a low chuckle and saw Mew leaning against the armrest of the couch, looking down at where Gulf sat on the floor, swarming with children.

Their eyes met and something just shifted between them.

Then the one hanging from Gulf's neck jumped down and ran over to Mew, demanding to be held and Mew complied, lifting him high in the air and blowing a raspberry against his stomach.

-

Later that night, they were outside, watching as the kids – and most of the adults – either converse or had their own things to do, the women are making shaved ice. Gulf had a cup of hot chocolate in his hands and smiled as Mew was pushed down on the ground by his sisters and got fistfuls of cold ice shoved down his shirt.

"Fuck!" he shouted as he stood up and felt it slide down his back.

The kids laughed, and more than one giggled "Fuck" could be heard; no one said anything.

"MOOOM!" Mew yelled as the girls descended on him again, this time accompanied by Thanya.

"Are you fucking three years old?" Pailin yelled, joining in.

They ended up chasing him around the yard, where all of them were heavily bombarded  him until Mew sprinted up the stairs to the porch, grabbed Gulf, swung him around and hid behind him.  Rather poorly, since he can still be seen by his siblings and cousins.

But they did give up, probably reluctant to throw Gulf down the ground.

Mew was breathing a little heavily in his ear, and Gulf leaned back against him without thinking about it. After a second or two, Mew's arms went around his waist.

Gulf tilted his head up, one hand going to Mew's jaw to pull him down into a kiss, Mew's lips cold against his, his breath scalding as it ghosted over Gulf's mouth. Later, he would pretend that he did it because he could see Pailin glance at them out of the corner of his eye.

*** to be continued ***

Just got home and rewatching Sex Education. Having my Netflix and chill, literally. Netflix and rain. Good combo.

Be safe love.

ren 💙