Gulf woke up startled sitting upright on the bed. He felt the sudden rush of dizziness hit him like a tidal wave forcing his eyes shut.
"Relax!" Mild's voice came next to him, he felt him help him lay back down.
"What happened?!?" Gulf said confused not sure what was reality and a dream for a moment.
"That's what I want to ask you" Mild sighed "Gulf what happened?" He grabbed his hand "I found you on the floor next to the body unconscious and bleeding from a wound to the head, do you remember?"
Gulf frowned with his eyes closed, pushing away his nightmare and trying to recall reality. His eyes flashed open.
"The killer.." He looked at Mild "the killer was there Mild. He was watching" he said his voice trembling a bit at the end. This was hitting a little too close to home for him.
Mild saw the pain in his face and knew he remembered, the man who had killed his parents had also been there, watching.
The door opened and Mew walked in with a cup of coffee in each hand. "Oh, you're up! How are you feeling" he said handing the coffee to Mild.
"Coffee..." Gulf whispered and they looked at him weirdly. "There was a coffee stain on the dress, it's his first mistake!"
"Coffee stain?" Mild repeated.
Gulf nodded " I was suspecting since the last kill that the victims weren't killed in the clothes they were wearing but I am sure it's their own personal clothing" he saw them paying attention so he continued closing his eyes to recall the images "it either means he knows them well enough to know their size, or he breaks in and steals it" he kept his eyes closed.
"But we search the victims home, we know they aren't abducted from there and there is no signs of forced entry either" Mew said.
"Yes but I don't think he goes there after he takes them, I think he goes there before" Gulf sighed "Earrings that don't match, necklace that she always wear not found, graduation ring gone" he listed "all things I've noticed, I'm sure the killer is keeping trophies, and I'm sure the clothes they have on is their own" He opened his eyes to see Mew staring at him intently.
"He knows them. It's probably why their phones are gone, when we checked records we didn't check to see if they were talking to anyone in particular." The more he thought about it the more he was sure that the killer knew each victim.
"Did you see his face?" Mew felt anxious if Gulf had seen his face he would be in danger.
"No I only saw a shadow coming at me before I even had chance to react" he saw his worried faced "at least he didn't kill me" Mew frowned
"Why do you attract so much trouble" Mild said teasing trying to relieve the tension " I'm going to have to get you a guard dog."
Gulf chuckled. He closed his eyes. There was something nagging at him in the back of his mind. He furrowed his brows in thought. What was it?! He felt a cool finger land on his forehead, pushing for his furrowed brow to relax. He opened his eyes and found Mew standing there looking at him worried, with his finger on his forehead.
Mild cleared his throat and Mew suddenly realized what he was doing.
"Oh! Sorry, old habit!" He said embarrassed. "My dad used to do that when he worried so I always rubbed it away"
Gulf looked at him. Why did Mew cause this weird feeling in his chest.
There was a knock and then the doctor walked in. Mew cleared his throat "I'll be outside"
——-
Mew paced back and forth. He was happy that Gulf had not seen the killers face, but did the killer know that? Did he think Gulf saw it? Would he come after him?
He felt his anxiety start to rise. He took deep breaths trying to calm himself. He didn't need to start worrying, he was sure Gulf knew better and could defend himself. Right? I mean the killer didn't even know where he lived and he was already jumping to conclusions.
He sat down on the bench and leaned his head against the wall thinking. What if Gulf was right what if the killer did know them? But how? How did he choose them? He racked his brain. The victims didn't share anything in common except the fact that they were all female.
From what they had investigated they all had very different backgrounds. All seemed to fit between the 18-27 age group. He wasn't violent with them, only for one occasion, the bruised cheek, the bodies have not had any signs of assault neither physical or sexual.
Why was he killing them? He has to have reason right? But then again this is a psychopath does he really need a reason to kill? Mew leaned forward and rested his face on his hands. He bit his lower lip as he thought.
Black Rose, own clothing, knows victim. He repeated the words over and over hoping something would click. He needed to find the killer soon. The fact that he had killed 5 victims already made his blood boil. Young women with bright futures and long lives had them cut short, for what?
———
Gulf finished putting his shirt on. The doctor said he could go home. The force in which his head had been hit had caused his skin to split but it wasn't anything serious. The headache he felt though sure was.
He stepped out of the room to find Mild and Mew talking. They both stopped at the sight of him causing him to arch a brow.
Mild laughed nervously "Let's go!" He said taking Gulf's arm. They started walking out of the hospital when Mild paused "Do you want to stay at my place?" He asked.
Gulf glanced between Mild and Mew "I'm fine. I didn't see his face, he won't come after me okay?" He said , by the discomfort in their faces he guessed right.
They were worried the killer was going to find him and wanted to keep and eye on him. Gulf couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face. They were treating him like a baby instead of a grown man.
He got in the car and closed his eyes trying to soothe his headache and quickly drifted off to sleep.
——
Mew glanced at Gulf sleeping soundly next to him. He had dozed off when they pulled out of the hospital and didn't even flinch when Mild called out goodbye to him.
He looked so innocent. He lifted his finger and traced his eyebrows, softly smiling at the way he looked when they weren't furrowed. He ran his finger down his nose, putting his hand down slowly when reaching the tip,his eyes dropped to his lips and he felt his heart begin to hammer in his chest.
His mind flashing memories of them holding onto each other tightly as they kissed fervently. He really wanted to taste him again. He started to lean in closer, the need to have his lips on his making him loose himself for a moment. He was about to reach his lips when his phone beep bringing him back. He blinked rapidly looking at Gulf's sleeping face. What was he doing?!
He leaned back. It was hard enough to get here and he was going to go and mess it up with his impulses. He shook his head. 'Baby steps Mew! Baby steps!!' He reminded himself. Gulf groaned calling back his attention. His innocent face gone and replaced with his furrowed brows. His eyes shifting around rapidly under his closed lids, his breathing became erratic coming in short gasps.
Mew reached out to him touching his arm gently but he didn't react. He felt him tense under his hold. He was having a nightmare. He recalled that in his file he talked about how certain situations triggered his dreams and his parents murder replayed. He shook him gently trying to get him to wake up. Nothing, his breathing was getting more and more erratic. He saw a tear slid down his cheek.
He had to wake him. He placed his hands on either side of his face "Gulf, wake up" he said loud but gentle "it's just a dream, wake up" but his eyes stayed close, tears coming down faster now, Mew didn't know what to do. He thought about it for a moment, and pulled Gulf into his embrace and ran his hand across the length of his back slowly "Gulf wake up, everything is going to be okay"
He continued to hold him tight and rub his back "Come on Gulf, wake up" he said again his deep voice vibrating through his chest.He felt Gulf slowly relax, his breathing regulate, he kept holding him and making circles on his back softly.
He felt him tense again for a moment and then the muffled "Mew?" Came from his chest where Gulf's face was. Mew froze. He pulled back slowly he looking at Gulf's face, he seemed confused. 'Of course he was confused! He just woke up in a strangers arms, what did you expect Mew?' He berated himself.
"Sorry I tried to wake you but you wouldn't and you were crying so I-"
Gulf widened his eyes and whispered "Thank you" his eyes still teary and red. He really had a way of making Mew loose his mind. "Mew?!" Mew blinked and realized he was still holding him by the shoulders, he let him go and felt a piece of himself missing automatically.
"Sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable " Mew finally said after a moment.
Gulf eyed him carefully. "No actually, I think you may have stopped a panic attack, so thank you. I'm sorry you had to deal with this" he said pointing at his face.
Mew smiled. He would deal with that any day. The atmosphere in the car shifted. Mew's eyes dropped to Gulf's lips and he nervously licked them when he saw Mew staring.
Gulf suddenly realized what was happening and snapped out of it, he quickly placed his hand on the door handle "Thank you for the ride! I'll see you tomorrow at work" he said as calmly as he could" before Mew could reply Gulf was rushing out of the car and walking towards his place.
Mew watched him as he made it to the door turned, waved and went in.
——
What the fuck was that?
He felt anger in every pore of his body. He had been waiting near by for any sign of his Kana. He wanted to make sure he didn't hurt him. He had left to go get a coffee near by and when he came by he spotted the car parked in front of Gulf's house.
He maneuvered himself closer and made sure he was hidden in the shadows. When he could finally see inside the car he had seen that bitch ass detective holding his Kana by the shoulders. Why were his hands on him! Why did Kana even allow it!
He had watched how his Kana had rushed out of the car, obviously disgusted by the detectives touch. He bit his lip hard drawing blood. He didn't like the smile the stupid detective had when he left. He felt a prick of jealousy which was stupid! Kana didn't pay attention to anyone! The fact that he had rushed out of that car was proof!
He glanced to the house. He was back and safe. He licked his lips the metallic taste of his blood mingling in his tongue. He needed to be close to him, to keep a better eye on him. He needed to keep flies like that bitch detective away from his man. I guess it was time he became a bigger part of his Kana's life.
He smiled as he saw the lights go out inside. Sleep well Kana. We'll see each other soon.