Chapter Text
Mew looks at his faen’s face. Did he really just say that to Gulf? Did he really just suggest they break up? “Tua-aeng? Say something.”
He nods in his slow and deliberate way. “Makes sense,” Gulf says with determination. “We’re both too busy to devote much time and attention to each other. And you know how important attention is to me.”
“I do.”
“So, the best option is for us to break up until we have the time again to really focus on each other.”
Mew grabs his hand. “You know I still love you, right? More than anything.”
Gulf’s laugh is soft and indulgent. “Of course. Only an idiot would doubt your love for me. Phi knows it goes the same way, right? I’ll never stop loving you.”
“I know.” He kisses Gulf’s hand. “Also, I don’t think there’s a need for either of us to move out, especially since we don’t have the time. We could be roommates. You know, since we still love each other.”
“Roommates, yes.” Gulf shrugs. “And since we share a bed- and since we still love each other- I don’t see why we can’t still cuddle at night.”
“Right, right.” Mew purses his lips in thought. “No point in changing our sleep patterns. Since we still love each other and all. And, you know, if we ever feel… in the mood.”
“Right!” Gulf agrees a little too loudly. “I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that if we have the time- since we still love each other. Roommates can have sex with each other, right? No big deal.” He avoids eye contact after he says it. The names Tharn and Type hang in the air.
“So, we’re agreed.” Mew pats his faen- ex faen- on the knee. “We’re being very mature about this, I think.”
“Absolutely.”
“Shower with me and we’ll go to bed together?”
“Shai.”
_____________________________________
“Tua-aeng, I made you breakfast.”
Gulf cracks open an eye to find Mew holding a tray with congee and soy milk. Breakfast in bed? Is it his birthday already? Their anniversary? But no- they’re not dating anymore. Is it National Roommate Day or something? Mew almost never lets him eat in bed. “What’s the occasion na, Phi?”
Mew places the tray over his lap and kisses his forehead. “Just because I love you. It’s our first day broken up and I miss you already.”
“Aow.” Gulf reaches for him and pulls him in for a proper kiss on the lips. “I’m right here, Thilak.”
“I know. But I have to go to work.” He pouts and caresses his cheek. “I’ll text you when I have a break? Is that still okay?”
Gulf feels pressure behind his eyes. “Yes. You better. We may not be faens anymore, but friends still text each other. Especially because we still love each other.”
Mew leans back down for another kiss. It’s slower and softer this time. “Then I’ll head out now. I love you, Tua-aeng.”
“I love you, Thilak.”
Gulf looks down at his congee and smiles. He misses Mew already, the way he always misses him as soon as he leaves the condo. But today is different, because it’s their first day being broken up. He’ll have to do something special for his ex faen too.
_______________________________
Mew
Have you eaten yet, baby?
Gulf
Not yet, will break for lunch at 13:30
Mew
I’ll have some food sent to the CH3 studio.
Gulf
Thank you na, hubby
I mean roommate
Mew
You’re welcome na, baby
...roommate
Gulf
You can still call me baby
Since we still love each other
_______________________________
Gulf takes a seat next to P’Best after his live. He gladly accepts the water bottle he hands him and chugs half of it in one go. “P’Best, can you send some flowers for me?”
“What did you do this time?”
“Aow. Nothing! Well…”
“You might want to send him some I’m sorry chocolates instead of flowers. You know your faen’s sweet tooth.”
“About that.” Gulf rubs the back of his neck. “We, uh… we broke up last night.”
P’Best gasps and clutches at his chest. “Alai wa?”
Gulf shushes him and nods. “It’s okay. We still love each other. We just don’t have time to focus on both our relationship and our careers. It’s more like we’re on a break.”
Best looks unconvinced. “Uh-huh. So what are the flowers for?”
He shrugs and takes another drink of water. “I guess I miss you flowers? It’s only the first day, but it hurts so much. You should’ve seen him this morning.”
“Was he cold to you?”
“No, he was very doting.” Gulf sighs and plays with the knot bracelet on his wrist. The one that Mew gave him. “He made me breakfast in bed.” He can’t help the shy smile that creeps across his face.
“Riiiight… because that’s how men always behave after they break up with you.”
“Alai na, Phi?”
“Nothing. I’ll call the florist.” He pats him on the shoulder. “I’ll let you continue to… mourn.”
“Thanks na, P’Best. I’m lucky to have you during this tough time.”
P’Best mumbles something under his breath, but Gulf doesn’t catch it. He’s too busy planning what to order for dinner tonight. Definitely from one of Mew’s favorite restaurants.
It’ll be to celebrate making it through their first day broken up.
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Mew slumps into the back seat of the MSS van. He pets Chopper in his little doggie car seat and pouts at his mother. “Mama, I need to tell you that Gulf and I broke up.”
“Alai?” She nearly drops her Louis Vuitton handbag.
“Last night.” He explains it to her as they ride home from the live they did together. It’s almost too painful to recount, but he soldiers through it all the same.
“I see.” She pats him on the knee. “Will he move back to his old condo?”
“Oh, no we still plan to live together.”
“Ah. Separate rooms, then?”
“No, everything is the same.”
She raises an eyebrow at him but says nothing. Mew doesn’t know what she’s trying to say. Everything is the same but everything feels different.
He calls up to the driver. “Can we stop at the pharmacy? I want to pick up Gulf’s acne cream. He’s on the other side of the city today.”
His mother chuckles. “So, you said you broke up because you don’t have time to take care of each other?”
Mew sighs and leans his head against the window. “Yeah, I’m not able to dote on him like I want to, you know? I barely had time to make him breakfast in bed this morning.”
“Riiiiight.”
_______________________
Gulf beams at his ex faen when he enters the condo. Mew’s tired face lights up with surprise when he spots the kitchen table laid out with candles and his favorite foods. He all but tosses his bags on the floor next to his shoes.
“Tua-aeng, you didn’t…”
“Of course I did.” He offers his cheek for Mew to kiss. Mew takes the hint and follows it up with another soft and slow kiss to his mouth. It takes his breath away, the way Mew’s kisses always do. And as his tongue slips into his mouth, Gulf can’t restrain the soft moan that comes out of him.
Mew wraps his arms around him and squeezes so tight Gulf can barely breathe. “I missed you so much, baby…” He plants kisses along his neck.
“Come on, you drama queen.” Gulf pulls away, though he can’t deny he’s felt the same all day. “Dinner’s getting cold.”
They exchange stories of their day. Mew’s live with his mother. Gulf’s live with Kao and Up. Their upcoming projects and updates. They continue talking long after they finish eating and the candles have melted down to tiny stumps.
“This was great,” says Mew. He reaches over to hold his hand. “Spending time with you like this makes it that much easier to cope with breaking up.”
________________________________
Mew plops down on the studio sofa. Who knew singing could be so physically draining? He pulls up the Lazada app on his tablet to do a bit of shopping while he waits for lunch to arrive. There are no new figures since the last time he checked (yesterday), and somehow he ends up in the hoodies section.
“Perfect.” He clicks on one that would look cute on Gulf. He can’t wait to see him in it.
By the time his food arrives, Mew has purchased four new hoodies for his faen… ex-faen. Which is okay. Friends buy each other gifts, don’t they? Besides, they still love each other.
_______________________________
Gulf finishes his video at the last LED project. He takes one last minute to watch his and Mew’s faces light up the screen. They really do look good together. He sighs and follows P’Best and his mother into a convenience store for drinks.
“Are you okay na, luk chai?” His mae rubs his back as they browse the aisles.
He nods and picks up a few bags of Mew’s favorite candy out of habit. “It’s just taking some getting used to. By the way, we can come for dinner tomorrow night after all.”
“Ah, good. I’ll make enough for everyone.”
“Just dinner, though.” He looks off to the distance and smiles. “Mew said he wants to take me somewhere special afterwards.”
“I see.”
He tosses a bag of Mew’s favorite chips into his basket. “I bet it’s that light display in the park I’ve wanted to see. Tomorrow is the last night of the exhibit.”
"This sounds an awful lot like a date night."
Gulf pauses and looks at his mother. "You think so?"
"Well, what would you call it?"
He rubs the back of his neck and chuckles. "Roommate bonding?"
She laughs and pats him on the cheek. "And you two would know all about that."