And It Started Like This

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A/N: Enjoy!!!

***

For the first time in his life, he had to work for two weeks straight.

Mew had no idea how much he longed for someone. Every muscle in his body ached for him, every finger longed for his touch, and he missed him with all his heart. How was it possible for something as insignificant as the absence of someone to make all of Mew's senses tingle with such a burning desire? Missing Gulf's cheekbones and those beautiful brown eyes, he wished he could have seen that chaotic spray of freckles on her cheekbones. Gulf's voice, with its soft, resonant bass and his nice, rolling laugh, was missing from Mew's memory. Gulf's black locks were too thick in his fingers, and the perfume of her skin was too unusual for him. Gulf was a place he had forgotten about, and he was It's a lot.

Mew, on the other hand, was desperately trying to get over the fact that Gulf had no interest in him. If Mew was lucky, he only phoned once every three days, and when he did, he was a little distant, inattentive, and brief. Aside from being overly cheery, Kanawut was always nice with him and always comfortable and easygoing on the phone. He never even acknowledged their separation. Was it too much to ask for Gulf to care a little, pine a little, yearn for his homecoming in the same way that Mew felt for his? It was, in fact. It was far too much to ask for Kanawut.

On the day of Gulf's long-awaited return, Mew vowed to stay as emotionless as Gulf while he sat on an uncomfortable and presumably germ-infested bench at the train station. This man would reign as the cavalier's king. He was done being Demetrius' Helena to Gulf's Demetrius. He knew how to play the cool card, which had never worked as well on the brown-eyed Boy-Wonder as it had on him, but it was worth a try.

When he heard the rumble of the tracks, Mew sprang up, thankful for the chance to move out of his filthy seat. As the train arrived at the station, he was distracted by his clothes. He straightened his collar as his heart fluttered at the image of the boy stepping off the platform. When he thought of catching those eyes and seeing that grin, his throat clenched and he adjusted his tie. His gut clenched imagining his fingers in those unruly locks: he tugged at his cuffs. See? Simple. He'd be able to deal with it.

Mew made a mental note to keep his expression bland while the train was unloading. Just like in court, he thought, vacant of emotion, carefully professional. For a reason, he was good at what he did because he could do it.

"Hey, love."

Mew's knees trembled when he heard the familiar voice. Mew turned his head casually, managing an arrogant sneer, tightening his fists in his pockets, a hidden method of reining in his fire nerves.

"His majesty returns," Gulf's body was briefly trailed by Mew's sight before he forced his eyes to flick away. He extended a hand to Thanayut with a nod to Bella and Mild.

"Welcome back to the land of the civilized," he said, shaking Mild's hand.

Mild grinned, although awkwardly. "Thanks for the lift, Suppasit."

"Yes, we really appreciate it," Bella said hurriedly. "I hope it wasn't too much trouble."

"Not at all," Mew replied, reaching for her trunk. "Let me take that for you, Atthaphan."

Gulf walked behind him as he led the way back to the car. "You're being awfully friendly with them today," he said, a curious smirk tracing his lips.

"Appalling, isn't it?" As he fiddled with the remote lock and positioned it at his car, Mew's eyes were on his keys. With a brief beep and the click of the shifting latches, it unlocked. "See what you've turned me into, Kanawut? I'm positively civil. It's embarrassing."