Eternal Love (MewGulf AU)

🌞Chapter 3🌻

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Gulf had no idea how much time had passed since his abduction. When he'd awoken, he had found not the England where he'd gone to negotiate a business deal, but a sultan's oasis in the desert. It was like he had teleported to some strange world.

But Gulf recognized this place. He'd seen it on TV many times. This was Saria, an oasis in Madina, which was the richest of the United Ridwan Emirate nations. It's wealth included both its natural wonders and its national economy. Madina was one of the world's leading tourist destinations. It wouldn't be too far off the mark to claim that everyone in the world had seen Madina's landscape at least once, thanks to all the media coverage of the country.

"You haven't changed at all," Gulf heard a voice behind him.

He spun around. The speaker was the man behind it all, the one who'd brought Gulf here. Gulf wasn't sure how long the man had been standing in the doorway, one hand resting on the frame, watching him.

"...Mew," Gulf uttered the man's name at last.

Mew's almond eyes brightened. He took a step from the doorway and approached Gulf. He stood at a slight distance, devouring Gulf's body with his eyes. Uncomfortable, Gulf drew back, and Mew instantly caught his arm.

"Welcome to Madina, my home," Mew said coolly.

Gulf impatiently shook off Mew's grip. He hadn't come here for a vacation. He was more interested in Mew's reason for doing this.

"You don't look well. How do you feel?" Mew asked.

"Awful," Gulf spat back, his lips drawn tight. As far as he was concerned, it was too late to accomplish anything now.

Mew fowned. "Are you still feeling the effects of the drug?"

How was Gulf supposed to keep control of his temper when Mew was grabbing his chin and staring at him so intimately?

Gulf glared furiously at Mew, who was still peering at him through his almond-shaped eyes. Mew had always been a man justifiably proud of his looks, but his maturity had given him more dignity than when they had known each other before. Gulf quailed just to face him now.

Mew was dressed casually, but even so, no other man could have rivaled the elegance he achieved. His lips alone betrayed the doll-like impassivity of his face, stirring with vibrant life as they shaped Gulf's name, only inches from the man's face.

"It was prescribed by a doctor," Mew said, "So there shouldn't have been any side effects." His face clearly showed concern.

Gulf wavered. He looked away, not wanting Mew to know that the man had affected him.

"I'd like to know why you did this to me, out of nowhere," he said. His voice was as sharp as he could make it, but in reality, he feel as if his legs were going to collapse under him. He wanted to know why Mew had drugged him and brought him to Madina without any explanation, although he didn't expect to be satisfied by any of the excuses he would hear.

"Why I did this? I already told you---because I promised I would" Mew replied without the slightest hesitation.

Gulf's eyelashes fluttered at the word "promise". It took all of his strength to hold back his emotions. "Promise? What promise?"

Good. He's sounded calm.

Mew's mouth twitched in a smirk. Who knew what he was thinking.

"I thought you might say that," he said. "That's why I had to force you. I didn't want to, but you've always tended to keep people at a distance, once you decide you want to."

Gulf glared at Mew, resentment flooding through him. He was desperately trying to act reasonable, but the tiniest change in Mew's expression set him off. He was not in the mood to hear the man who had betrayed him talk as if they were the best of friends.

"Fine," he snapped. "I don't care what your reasons are as long as you send me back to England right now. I was there on business. This is going to mess everything up."

"Oh yes," Mew regarded Gulf, his left eyebrow arched high. Gulf was startled by the old familiar gesture. Mew had always done that when he had something to say. "There won't be any problem as for as that goes. The talks were completely faked."

TBC