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To anyone who had functioning eyes, it was obvious when Cher was not in his usual chipper mood. Sure, Cher was good at putting on an act, all high volume and exaggerated movement, but there would always be something missing, a puppet that moved quite well but for one little thing.
For Gun, it was more obvious that something was wrong in the way Cher sought comfort. It was the way the gamer curled up on himself, inviting a hug in bed without hugging back. It was the way Cher balked at Gun buying something to cheer he up, but looked pleased anyway despite the pout on his lips. It was the way Cher's touch was distant and unfeeling, even in the midst of a kiss.
Gun knew that Cher could hold on to a secret if he truly wanted to, the other man's loud persona was reality and mask in one. The truth hides the lie and the lie is the truth. But Gun also knew that this level of hurt, especially so plainly writ on Cher's demeanor was one that demanded intervention, especially since reaching for his wallet had the response of Cher flinching.
Tucked away in their own private booth at one of Cher's favorite higher end restaurants that Gun had taken him to for one of his many allotted expensive dates, Gun found he had no choice but to intervene since Cher had started frowning the minute Gun asked for the wine menu.
"What's wrong? We always order wine here," Gun asked as he waved the waiter away.
"It's expensive," Cher replied sharply. "Just have water today."
"You've never been bothered by the price of wine before."
"Maybe I've decided to be frugal."
"But I'm paying for dinner." Gun leaned in. "Do you need money? Did Thup's tuition go up?"
“Not everything is about money,” Cher muttered lowly. “I can manage my finances.”
"And I can manage mine enough to pay for a bottle of wine, Cher. What are you actually upset about?"
"I'm upset you just keep spending money on me for no reason! You spend so much, even my viewers point it out and one called me a gold digger!"
Gun leaned back. “Excuse me?”
Cher deflated and rubbed his forehead. "I was talking the other day about how you were a good boyfriend and helped me with a few things and someone called me a gold digger and said I was taking advantage of you because you're rich."
Gun frowned. It wasn't that Gun opted to foot the bill nine out of ten times because he believed Cher couldn't manage his own finances or support himself. Cher had managed that and to put another boy barely younger than himself through college while supporting his mother out in their village for years . But Gun had plenty of money, money that could make life comfortable and ease burdens that Cher had to carry. Gun liked anything that made his boyfriend's life less miserable and allowed him to spend more time together , so spending money to make Cher's life less miserable was not a thing Gun avoided by any means. And it wasn't as if Cher had a large habit of asking for things outside his own budget. It was often Gun wondering why Cher needed a new MMO mouse (he slammed it against his desk too many times because of an Overwatch match) or why there was a receipt for two thousand baht worth of Korean fried chicken in Cher's desk drawer (Cher had filmed another mukbang while Gun was away on a business trip) and asking Cher to justify the expense for his personal budget.
Gun came back from his thoughts to find himself clenching a fist in his lap and Cher stabbing a piece of baguette. "Do you think you're taking advantage of me?"
"…no." Cher's stabbing continued. "But with how you say yes all the time, it feels like I am."
"I have lots of money. Your video game ideas helped me earn some of that money." Gun consciously tried to relax his own fist before reaching over to stop Cher's torture of food. "I like spending that money to make your life easier. "
“So I am a gold digger.”
“A gold digger would be dating me because of my money. Are you dating me just for my money?”
"Of course not!" Cher scowled and crossed his arms, thankfully dropping his knife in the process. "I chased you and tried to make you more human and less moneybags. Dating you for your money was the last thing on my mind!"
"Then you're not a gold digger and you should ban that jerk from your stream platform." Gun reached over to pull Cher's face close. "I love you, I spend money on you because I want to make sure you are happy. I'm not going to hand over my whole bank account, but I'll make sure you and Thup are going to be fine." Gun pressed a kiss to Cher's forehead. "And if you want a formal agreement, a formal budget, whatever, we can do that. But I trust you aren't going to ask for anything ridiculous and stupid and neither will Thup."
"You make it sound like you're adopting N'Thup as our child."
“I could call a lawyer…”
Cher loudly protested and Gun could feel the weight lifting from Cher's demeanor. The loudness which prompted their own private booth becoming reality instead of mask again.
“You promised to talk to me if you had a problem and I promised to talk to you,” Gun said after wine and entrees were served. “Tell me next time that someone said something and you feel insecure. It hurts you and I hurt seeing you hurt."
Cher made a face as he'd been stuffing his mouth, but the way he linked their ankles together under the table made it clear Gun was understood.