Chapter Text
Gulf took his drink and left the table to go find himself a seat at the counter. Every time he went to the bar with the football players, he would get annoyed more often than not with the number of omegas coming to their table and trying to talk with the alphas. It is really one of the drawbacks for being the only omega there.
“You came alone?”
Gulf turned to the voice coming from the seat beside him which was initially vacant. It was another nuisance.
“And what if I do?” he responded coldly.
“I’ll buy you a drink,” the male alpha offered.
“No, thanks.” Gulf lifted his drink, showing it to the stranger.
“Oh, come on.” The man shifted closer before reaching for Gulf’s thigh that was clad in jeans. “Don’t I get a chance with a beauty like you?”
Gulf quickly shoved the wandering hand off his thigh. “Don’t touch me,” he fumed through gritted teeth.
The man smirked before grapsing the smaller hand that had pushed him away. Gulf immediately yanked it from the man, scowling at him defiantly. The man seemed to enjoy it more.
“You’re feisty,” he remarked with a crooked smile. “Makes me want to have you even more.”
The man was again reaching out for Gulf’s thigh, but his hand was grabbed by someone else first. He looked up to see who it was and so did Gulf.
The student was not surprised to see his TA since it was not the first time they saw each other at the bar. It was the same bar as before and most of their university students would often go there. He was just not expecting the older man to be the one who would help him.
“Don’t you dare,” Mew warned, having a dark look on his face. He threw the filthy hand down before nodding his head to the side, signaling the other alpha to leave. “Get lost,” he said sternly.
The man ran his eyes on Mew from head to toe in annoyance. “And you are…?”
“He’s my brother,” Gulf spoke up. He pressed his lips together into a thin smile when the stanger glanced at him, maybe to make sure he was telling the truth.
“You heard him,” Mew said, earning the other alpha’s attention again. “Now go.”
The man finally obliged, though a little bit reluctant. He left for good after shooting the sharpest glare to Mew.
“Are you okay?” Mew asked the omega, full of concern.
Gulf pulled a small smile. “Yeah, thank you, phi.”
“Does it happen often?”
“Um…” Gulf just stared at his drink for a moment before looking up Mew again. “Sometimes,” his voice sounded hesitant.
Mew right away knew it meant more than that.
“You should’ve left him and went back to your friends.” His head turned to look at the group of football players, followed by his body, before leaning back against the counter.
“I was about to, but usually Bright would come to the rescue.” Gulf gladly smiled.
“I think he hasn’t come back from the toilet yet. I bumped into him going in there just now,” Mew said as he couldn’t spot Bright among those students.
Gulf also took a look at his friends and it was true that Bright was nowhere to be found. Meanwhile, the others were loudly talking and laughing with the new strangers they had met on the very same night. “Looks like they’re having fun.”
Mew turned to Gulf. The younger man was looking at his team with a dull look in his eyes, despite his happy smile for them. Mew was not really sure what it was, but to him, it looked more like feeling lonely than being bitter about it.
“What about you?” he asked.
“Hm?” Gulf raised his brows, unsure of the question.
“Do you wanna get out of here?”
Gulf’s brows furrowed this time. “What?”
“Let’s go,” Mew wore an enthusiastic smile, pushing himself off the counter.
Gulf opened his mouth, about to ask more, but the older man was already walking away. Mew stopped and turned after a few steps, beckoning with his head for Gulf to follow him.
Gulf got up and went after the other man. “Where are we going?” he asked after catching up to him.
“I don’t know,” Mew said, stepping out of the bar with Gulf trailing closely behind. He turned to the omega and walked backwards. “We could just walk.” He smiled before turning back to the front.
“To where?”
“Hm…” Mew slowed down his steps so that Gulf would come to walk by his side, and when Gulf did, he turned to look at the said boy. “Nowhere?” He lifted his brows, smiling playfully. “Anywhere.”
Gulf snorted. He could just shake his head at the alpha man’s antics when truth is, he did not usually do this random kind of thing with just anybody. He is the type to have everything planned beforehand, so that an introvert like him could be mentally and physically prepared, moreover when he needed to get social with other people. But there was something about Mew that assured him nothing can go wrong, something that made him feel like everything will be fine.
They walked under the street lights in a steady pace, passing by other people and the shop lots which were mostly closed. They did not talk much, basically Mew commenting about the wheather or the chilly night air, and Gulf just agreed with him.
“You know,” Mew spoke up. “I wonder why did you come if you’re just gonna sit alone at the bar?”
Gulf huffed. “They dragged me here. Bright to be exact.”
“So, you don’t really wanna be there?”
Gulf shrugged his shoulders. “I don’t really wanna go if I could.”
“Why?”
“It’s just- I don’t know… loud…?” Gulf dithered because he had not really thought about it. He just knew that he is not keen on going to the bar.
“But you couldn’t say no to him?” Mew reckoned.
“Yeah…” Gulf muttered with a pout, his head hanging low as he stared at the ground, walking slowly with both hands shoved in the pockets of his hoodie.
“It’s the same for me. I prefer somewhere quiet and less crowded,” Mew said.
Gulf looked at him in confusion. “But you still came?”
“I was forced by my friends too. They really won’t take any excuse,” Mew clicked his tongue in feigned annoyance, causing Gulf to laugh a little.
“Oh,” Mew stopped in front of a convenience store. “Do you want anything?”
“Do you?” Gulf asked back.
Mew scratched his head, offering Gulf a sheepish grin. “I’m thinking of having some… ice cream…?”
Gulf chuckled. “Sure.”
“Alright!” Mew’s voice rose in triumph. “Come, I’ll buy for you.”
From deciding on having ice cream, getting into the store, choosing their ice creams, paying for them, and getting out of the store, Gulf just could not stop smiling. And of course, Mew noticed that.
“I know. Tease me all you want, but I won’t give up on ice cream,” Mew complained while tearing the wrapper.
Gulf’s smile faded a little at Mew’s grumpy tone, afraid if he had offended the older man in any way. “What? I didn’t say anything.”
“I saw your smile.” Mew glanced at Gulf’s lips for a second. “Your teasing smile.”
This time, Gulf laughed for real. “I’m not teasing you, phi. Why would you think so?”
“Because most alphas don’t like ice cream as much as I do?” Mew stated the fact.
“And how much is that?”
“Very much,” Mew stressed out.
“I have alpha friends who like ice cream, though.”
“I said most alphas don’t. Not all,” Mew cleared up his statement.
Gulf nodded in agreement. “Most omegas should like ice cream.”
Mew froze for a moment. “You don’t?” He stared right into Gulf’s eyes as the said boy just smiled at him and shrugged his narrow shoulders.
“It’s not like I don’t like it. I’m just not fond of anything sweet.”
Gulf then started to unwrap his ice cream too and Mew’s eyes trailed down to his slow hands.
“Here, you can have this one.” Mew gave his unwrapped ice cream to Gulf, taking the other one from him at the same time. Both were the same flavours anyway.
“Oh, thanks,” Gulf said happily before licking the cold sweet. A high pitched noise was released a second later.
Mew took a glance at the boy, smiling fondly at the adorable act. He then proceeded to tear the wrapper again, threw it in the trash and started eating the ice cream right away. “Why did you keep smiling, then?”
It brought back the thought that he had and Gulf laughed again. “Because you seem like the typical male alpha, giving off this intense manly aura, looking dominant and all, but you’re actually quite soft. It’s funny.”
Mew laughed along with the latter. “Most people prefer the typical ones, you know.”
“What? Nooo,” Gulf strongly denied. “I prefer someone who can stay true to themselves.”
It was that moment Mew realized, he never had ice cream while feeling so light-hearted with someone he barely knows. The ice cream never tasted so sweet and he never found Gulf to be this adorable before.
They resumed their walk and the conversations, which were mostly initiated by Mew since Gulf is very taciturn. But the way Gulf laughed and willingly responded to him, Mew knew the boy was having fun.
Then, Gulf’s phone dinged. He took it out of his pocket to have a look. “Bright asked where I am,” he read it aloud to Mew.
“Right, they must be wondering where we could’ve gone to by now,” Mew said, referring to his friends too. “You gonna tell him?” he asked.
“I’ll just say I’m taking some fresh air outside,” Gulf said as he typed it out in his phone. “He told me he’d take me home before we came here. He’d be upset if I left without telling him first,” he explained further to the other man.
“Should we go back now?” Mew halted his steps, followed by the latter.
“Sure,” Gulf said.
They turned to walk in the direction they had came from. Mew waited for Gulf to finish texting his friend as he finished his ice cream cone and dusted off his hands. When Gulf finally put his phone away, he asked, “Are you close with Bright?”
“Yeah, he’s my best friend. I’ve known him since high school.”
“You’re friends with a lot of alphas,” Mew commented.
“Hmm…” Gulf’s lips formed a pout as he considered on it. “Well, you could say I’m mostly friends with males rather than alphas. I couldn’t help it when most of the males are alphas,” he admitted. “But I do have beta friends.”
“Also from your football team?” Mew guessed with a knowing smile.
Gulf gave the man a side-eye.“I have omega friends too.”
“Your classmates?”
Gulf just stared at Mew for a second, wondering how did the man get it right again. “Right…” he confirmed as he finished his ice cream.
“I see,” Mew nodded. “But you’re not that close with them, right?”
“Yeah…” Gulf muttered reluctantly. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand in case he got messy with the ice cream, but thank god he did not.
“Why did you ask, phi? Can’t I be friends with alphas?” he genuinely wondered because if the older man turned out to be prejudice, it would really disappoint him.
“It’s not like that,” Mew quickly denied, afraid if Gulf would take it the wrong way. “Just… sometimes…” he tried to find the right words to explain it carefully. “…between alphas and omegas, they might be more than friends.”
Gulf tilted his head, pondering about the statement Mew just made. A confused frown etched on his face. Of course any pair of lovers would befriend each other before getting to be more than that. But not all friends would have feelings for each other. Or is this a subtle way of Mew asking if Bright is his boyfriend?
“Bright’s just a friend,” he uttered.
“Just a friend?” Mew arched up an eyebrow.
Gulf nodded his head vigorously. “Just a friend,” he repeated before adding, “My best friend.”
Mew smiled. “I was just asking.” He shrugged his shoulders. “I know you’re dating someone right now. A volleyball player, right?”
“How did you know?” Gulf widened his eyes at the man.
Mew sighed. “Who doesn’t? You’re quite popular, you know?”
Gulf snorted a laugh. “No I’m not.” He waved his hand dismissively.
Mew shook his head. “Yes, you are and besides, we follow each other on Instagram, remember?”
Right, Instagram. Even though Gulf was not the type to post much, there are still some photos of him and his boyfriend. And if someone clicked the account tagged in those photos, they would see a lot more in there.
Gulf just nodded and started to play with his sleeves. He knew Mew would start to ask about his boyfriend now.
“He doesn’t come with you to the bar?”
And he was correct. Gulf forced a smile on his face, but never lifted his gaze from the pavement. “Sometimes. He must be tired from work tonight.”
Mew noticed it. He could feel the sudden drop of Gulf’s mood. The drooped shoulders and stiff voice were telling him that something might be going on between Gulf and his boyfriend, but it was none of his business.
“What about me?” he asked the younger man, trying to change the topic. “Can I be your friend?”
Gulf gave Mew a weird, teasing look. “I thought you said alphas and omegas can’t be just friends?”
Mew folded his arms across his chest, his face leaning in a little towards Gulf. “Then, who should I be to you?”
“You’re my TA?” Gulf answered without even giving it a thought.
Mew pouted. “What kind of TA goes out with a student at night to have a personal conversation while eating ice cream?”
Gulf laughed. “I don’t know. Ask yourself, phi. You started all of these.”
“Hmm…” Mew rubbed his chin, looking up to the front. “Didn’t you say that I’m your brother to that scumbag?” He turned to look at the other man.
Gulf nodded, still could remember everything clearly about the rude man from before. “I did,” he admitted with an impish smirk because he could guess where this was going.
“Then…” Mew tilted his head. “Would that make us… phi-nong?” he suggested with raised brows.
Gulf just stared at Mew for a moment, wondering how a handsome alpha who is six years older than him could be so… cute…? It made him want to laugh again, but he held it back and jutted out his bottom lip, just bobbing his head up and down.
“What do you think?” Mew asked without any deep thought, but what he would get in return definitely left a deep impact on him.
“Whatever you say, P’Mewww,” Gulf replied with the softest voice, flashing the widest smile to his phi before going into the bar they had reached.
And Mew was left standing still outside, holding to his heart that was going wild inside his chest.
Yeah, so much for being phi-nong.