Love That's Ugly (Completed)

Merry Christmas

Gulf and Mew were sleeping peacefully when they were attacked by hyperactive Sky first thing in the morning. Mew groaned and rolled over but Sky was having none of that. When Sky demanded attention, you gave it to him. He plopped down his father's torso and pinched his cheeks as he laughed when Mew made faces. Gulf got up and pulled his son in his arms and showered him with kisses making Sky giggle.

"Need dad's kisses too." He made grabby hands towards Mew instantly melting him.

Mew hugged both of them tightly placing kisses all over them. "You woke up so early, dove."

"Yes. It's Christmas."

"Merry Christmas, dove." Mew said with a smile.

"Would like to bake with papa?" Gulf asked him.

"Yes." Sky instantly brightened up.

Gulf, Mew and Sky got busy baking cookies and cupcakes and making various dishes. Their friends would be coming in the evening to celebrate together. Mew had gone a bit overboard with all the gifts but Gulf would let him indulge for today. Giving gifts was Mew's love language. That was his way of showing how much he cared and loved his family. Gulf had tried to dissuade him from buying so many stuffs for him but did he ever listen, no. So Gulf let him do as he pleased.

Somedays this all felt like a dream, too beautiful to be true. All those days of loneliness and suffering, being used and discarded by people, being taken advantage of and looked down, never being enough for anyone seemed like an another lifetime. Those days of hurt and pain were finally in his past, he didn't go to sleep hoping he wouldn't wake up in the morning, he didn't wake up wishing the day would be over soon, he didn't spend his day wondering when would it all be over. He had grown so much as a person with Mew by his side. He had learnt to embrace so many aspects of himself that he had hated before. His weekly meeting with therapist had turned into twice a month. His therapist had been quite pleased with his recovery. He hardly ever regressed these days. Few times that it did happen, he snapped out of it soon.

He was glad that he was healing, regression had been his coping mechanism from everything around him. Now that he feels safe and loved, surrounded by people who would catch him if he fell, he was learning to let go of his younger self. Maybe he regressed because he had never lived his childhood like other kids, or because he didn't get the love every child deserves, it was reassuring to know there had been someone who loved him with all his flaws and yet could see something precious. At first Mew had seemed like an arrogant, rich kid accustomed to having things his own way but when he showed his soft and vulnerable side, how could Gulf not fall for him.

Mew was decorating the cookies while stealing furtive glances at his husband. They had been together for years yet everytime he looked at his man he felt like a teenager looking at his crush. Waking up every morning beside Gulf was something he had thought he would get used to and it wouldn't be that big of a deal anymore but he was wrong. Every morning when he saw his husband sleeping beside him, his entire self felt gooey and warm. He unconsciously smiled whenever he looked at his husband. There were days when nightmares plagued him, of Gulf getting hurt, of Liam hurting him worse, of hik being late. When he would wake up he frantically searched for Gulf and if by any chance Gulf wasn't in bed, Mew felt something close to dread.

Gulf had made him talk about it. Mew was reluctant, he didn't want Gulf to worry at all, didn't want that beautiful face scrunched up in worry but his baby was nothing if persistent. Gulf had chastised him for acting strong all the time, that it wasn't only his responsibility to be the strong one, he could break down too at times. They had talked about it in detail and things had gotten better. Nightmares were far and few now and when they did come Gulf was always there to soothe him back to sleep. He gaze moved to Sky who was stealing cookie dough when Gulf wasn't looking.