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Sometimes, Mew missed having a pack. He hadn’t left of his own volition, instead letting them cast him out like the disgraced wolf he’d become. Over time, he had come to terms with himself, had even built a new life from the ground up. But sometimes, when he wandered the forest under the light of the full moon, listening to the distant howls of other werewolves, he missed being part of a pack.
Suddenly, he felt goosebumps cover the back of his neck. His ears perked up as he halted his movements.
Nights in the forest were cold, but Mew’s body temperature was hot enough that it never truly bothered him. No, the shiver that ran down his spine was caused by something completely separate from the weather.
“Gulf…” he growled in a low tone.
Slowly, a tall, slender figure faded into existence before him. The man had pointed ears and a fluffy tail, delicate whiskers emerging from his smooth cheeks.
“Khun phi~” he greeted, and his tone was full of such pure joy that Mew had no choice but to let himself soften at the sight.
Cheshire cats had a reputation for being mischievous (which wasn’t wholly unwarranted), and while Gulf definitely had a knack for teasing…
“I missed you.”
...he was mostly just sweet.
Mew opened his arms and wrapped his big cat in his embrace. “I missed you, too, Yai Nong.” Gulf purred softly with content, and Mew thought he could stay forever in this moment, just breathing in his love’s scent— a mix of ocean and vanilla— and feeling his gentle heartbeat against his chest.
Of course, Gulf could never stay still for long and soon began wiggling in Mew’s sturdy grip. “ Boooo, ” he whined in his ducky-tone, only for Mew to smile into his shoulder. Even without looking, he could feel the pout the cat now wore. “We’re supposed to go on a date .”
“We will,” he was quick to assure him, pulling back slightly to rub their noses together. “Can’t I just hold my Bii for a while? We haven’t seen each other in—“ Mew glanced quickly at his wristwatch— “eleven hours. That’s too long to go without my Yai Nong~”
Gulf purred and nuzzled into the space between Mew’s neck and shoulder. Mew’s hand lifted to run through the cat’s hair, only to be met with emptiness. His embrace now held only air, and he scrunched his nose up at the realization.
“Yai Nong!” he called, irritated.
“Calm yourself, P’Mew,” his lover chastised, slinking through the air above him. “If we don’t leave now, our date won’t even happen.”
Pouting, Mew crossed his arms and began following Gulf as he floated down the well-worn path to civilization. “What’s so wrong with staying in? Let’s just go back to my place and—“
“ Your place has two nosy roommates that I don’t feel like dealing with.”
“Then what about—“
“ My place is inside a pocket dimension that you can’t enter. So quit whining and let’s go.”
Defeated, Mew’s ears drooped and he silently went along with his Cheshire Cat. Gulf, sensing his boyfriend had given up, grinned and slowed to hover beside the werewolf, linking their fingers together. Despite his sulkiness, Mew couldn’t help the smile that formed at the act.
Soon enough, they’d exited the forest and found themselves in the bustling village that bordered it. While it wasn’t the most popular of places, Timberwood Village was home to a variety of things to do, including taverns, movie theaters, street performances… This season, it even had its own fair.
Both were especially excited for the fair, but they decided to get something to eat first. “Mild said there’s a good seafood place here,” Gulf suggested, though Mew instantly shook his head.
“Stop spitting nonsense, Bii. Why would you even suggest that when you know you’re allergic?”
“Because…” The cat’s cheeks shone a bright red, and he scratched behind his ear while avoiding eye-contact. “...because P’Mew likes seafood…”
Mew had to laugh at his Nong’s shyness; it was a good way to pretend he wasn’t equally as shy. “Ah, what should I do with this kid?” he faked muttering to himself, although Gulf’s sensitive ears easily heard it.
Scowling, he flicked his tail to give Mew a quick smack on the ass, smirking smugly when the wolf yelped in surprise. Some passerby’s glances at them curiously, but neither paid any attention. They’d learned long before to simply ignore the stares they drew. After all, who else mattered when they were so in love with each other?
The pair ended up at a cozy tavern near the center of town. It wasn’t too crowded and offered a variety of menu items— perfect for them.
Just as they sat down at an open table, a waitress approached them, eyeing Mew from head to toe. “I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t serve werewolves here.”
Gulf’s nostrils flared, his hackles raising at her condescending gaze. “How dare you-“
“Of course, we’ll find somewhere else. Have a good day, ma’am.” The waitress merely grunted at Mew’s statement, watching in amusement as the wolf dragged his boyfriend away.
Hissing and fighting against Mew’s grip, Gulf had finally had enough. He extended his claws and swiped at the other’s hand on his wrist.
“ Ouch !” Mew jerked his hand away, cradling it to his chest, even though the wounds were shallow enough to heal completely within hours. “Gulf! What the hell’s wrong with you?!”
The cat flinched back, his ears flattening to his head. “Don’t yell at me,” he bit, eyebrows drawing together. “Why’d you drag me out? I should’ve given her a piece of my mind! The nerve of some people…”
Mew instinctively softened as Gulf grumbled. “Bii, we can’t change everyone’s attitude.”
Gulf pouted, his bottom lip jutting out even further than normal. He’d had his own share of discrimination, so he knew how it felt to be in Mew’s situation. He just wanted his puppy to be happy.
Pulling Gulf to his side, Mew grinned and poked his nose. “How about this: let’s just go and enjoy some delicious food at the fairgrounds. Hm?”
“Khun Phi~” The Cheshire Cat giggled as Mew nosed at his cheek. All of his worries melted away as he swayed in his lover’s arms. He sighed in content. “That sounds amazing.”
“Good, because I’m starving.”
The couple continued to flirt and talk and laugh as they made their way through the fair. Gulf begged Mew to buy his tickets. They played games and wasted their money, but it hardly mattered because they were enjoying themselves so much.
After Mew failed three times in a row to knock over the bottles in one booth, Gulf shoved him aside and traded his own tickets in. “The game’s rigged, Nong. Don’t waste your time,” Mew urged him, but the cat merely batted him away.
Taking a deep breath, Gulf picked up a ball, drew his arm back, and pitched it straight towards the perfectly aligned bottles.
They clattered spectacularly to the ground, leaving both the gamesman and his boyfriend speechless. Gulf turned his proud smile to the gamesman. “I’ll take my prize, now.”
A small, fluffy dog plushie was hanging above the bottles, and Gulf’s eyes sparkled when he pointed at it. Once it was safely in his hands, he stuffed it into a confused Mew’s arms. “It’s a puppy, just like my precious boyfriend~”
Mew really didn’t mean to get as choked up as he did about that.
The rest of the night was spent exploring and playing harmless tricks on a few villagers (Gulf’s idea). By the time they found their way back to the woods, the moon had risen high in the sky, illuminating their path. “Thank you for tonight, Boo,” Gulf spoke shyly, squeezing Mew’s hands.
Mew’s eyes crinkled as he smiled, and he pressed their foreheads together. “Always, Bii.”
They stayed like that for what could’ve been hours (but was more likely only a few minutes), staring longingly into each other’s eyes, until Mew finally retreated.
Gulf smiled sadly, already missing his lover. “I love you.” His voice was quiet yet raw with emotion, as if he was baring his soul to Mew. It was like this every time he spoke those three words, and it never failed to make Mew’s heart race.
“I love you too, Yai Nong.” Gulf slowly, slowly floated away, waving as he faded out of this realm. Mew watched as if this were their final parting.
Damn. The next evening couldn’t come fast enough.