Gun excused himself with a calm, almost indifferent smile, though the weight of the family drama lingered heavily in the air. He didn’t look back as he walked away, but the tension from the room seemed to cling to him, making his steps feel heavier with every passing moment.

  The hallway felt longer than usual, and his vision wavered slightly. He blinked, willing the dizziness to fade, but it only seemed to worsen. By the time he reached the bathroom, his heart was pounding, and his stomach churned violently.

  Gun barely made it to the toilet in time. Dropping to his knees, emptying his stomach into the bowl. Each heave sent sharp cramps shooting through his abdomen, leaving him breathless and shaking.

  He leaned against the cool porcein for a moment, trying to steady his breathing. His forehead was slick with sweat, and his body trembled as he clutched his stomach. The dizziness refused to leave, and his mind raced.

  What the hell is happening to me?

  Gun reached up to flush the toilet, the sound of the water rushing down almost deafening in the quiet bathroom. He stayed on the floor for a moment longer, his back against the wall, and closed his eyes to calm himself.

  His thoughts flickered to Remmington. ‘He’ll come looking for me if I don’t go back soon,’ he thought. The idea brought a mix of comfort and frustration. He didn’t want to worry him, not when he was already dealing with his family.

  Gun slowly pushed himself up, gripping the edge of the sink for support. Looking into the mirror, he barely recognised his pale reflection.

  “Get it together,” he muttered to himself, though his voice was weak. He turned on the tap, spshing cold water on his face, hoping it would jolt him back to normalcy. But the unease in his stomach lingered, leaving him with the nagging feeling that something wasn’t quite right.

  *

  Remmington closed the door behind his family, exhaling deeply as he leaned against it. His grandfather, father, and brother had left in a storm of anger and disapproval, but he felt a strange sense of liberation. For once, he didn’t bow to their expectations or kept his true self hidden.

  He wandered into the bedroom to find Gun sitting on the edge of the bed, his shoulders slumped and his head bowed slightly. His sluggish demeanor immediately caught Remmington’s attention. He frowned, moving closer and sitting down beside him.

  “Hey,” he said softly, rubbing the back of his neck as he gnced sideways at Gun. “Rough day? Want to go out and grab something to eat, or do you just want to crash? You look like you could use some rest.”

  Gun forced a small smile, though it didn’t quite reach his eyes. “I’ll pass on the food,” he said, his voice quieter than usual. He hesitated for a moment before continuing, “Actually… I need to head back to Thaind. There’s an emergency at work, and I’ve got to sort it out.”

  Remmington’s expression tightened. “Back to Thaind? Already?” His voice held a note of disappointment. “You just got here, Gun. Can’t it wait? Or maybe I can come back with you. I don’t want you flying off on your own, especially not now.”

  Gun shook his head quickly, pcing a hand on Remmington’s knee. “No, you can’t. You’ve got enough to deal with here, Remy. Your family isn’t going to let you off the hook easily, and I can’t pull you away from that.”

  Remmington frowned, his jaw clenching slightly. “Family drama or not, you’re more important. Whatever’s going on at work, is it really that urgent?”

  Gun nodded, though the weight of his lie tugged at him. “Yeah, it is. It’s something I can’t put off. But it won’t be for long, I promise. I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

  Remmington stared at him for a moment, his fingers brushing against Gun’s hand. “You sure? You’re not looking too great, babe. I mean, if you need help—”

  “I’m fine,” Gun interjected with a weak chuckle, squeezing Remmington’s hand. “Just tired, that’s all. And it’s nothing you need to worry about. Trust me.”

  Remmington didn’t look convinced, but he nodded reluctantly. “Alright,” he said softly, leaning in to press a kiss to Gun’s temple. “But promise me you’ll call as soon as you nd, okay? And don’t overwork yourself while you’re there.”

  “I promise,” Gun murmured, resting his head briefly against Remmington’s shoulder. Inside, his chest tightened with guilt. He hated lying, but he couldn’t risk letting Remmington worry about him when he had his own battles to fight.

  “I’ll hold you to that,” Remmington said, his tone light but his eyes full of concern. “You’d better come back to me, Gun. No excuses.”

  Gun smiled faintly, though his heart ached. “I will,” he whispered. “You’re not getting rid of me that easily.”

  *

  Gun stepped out onto the balcony, sliding the gss door shut behind him to ensure his voice wouldn’t carry. The cool air of the early morning did little to soothe the heat of panic coursing through him. He wiped the sweat from his forehead with a trembling hand, his other clutching his phone tightly as he dialed Troy’s number.

  The ringtone seemed to drag on forever, each second making his anxiety spike higher. Finally, Troy picked up, his voice calm but tinged with curiosity.

  “Gun? What’s wrong? Calling me this early can’t be good,” Troy said.

  Gun leaned against the railing, his breath uneven. “Troy, I’m not feeling well. Something’s… wrong. I need to go home. Can you book me a ticket back to Thaind? As soon as possible.”

  Troy didn’t hesitate. “I’ll take care of it. Don’t worry. Should I also schedule an appointment with Dr. Cassidy when you nd? Just in case?”

  The mention of Dr. Cassidy’s name made Gun freeze. His chest tightened as memories of his miscarriage fshed in his mind—the pain, the loss, the lingering emptiness he’d tried so hard to bury.

  He swallowed hard, his voice barely above a whisper as he responded, “No… I don’t know. I mean, maybe…” He paused, dread settling heavily in his stomach. A terrifying thought cwed its way into his mind: Could I be pregnant again?

  Gun’s free hand instinctively went to his abdomen. The possibility made his blood run cold. He wasn’t ready to go through that again—the hope, the heartbreak, the overwhelming fear of failing all over again.

  “Gun?” Troy’s voice pulled him out of his spiraling thoughts. “Are you okay? You’re scaring me. What’s going on?”

  “I don’t know,” he admitted shakily. “I don’t know, Troy. Just… book the ticket. I need to leave as soon as possible.”

  “Alright, I’ll handle it,” Troy said firmly. “And Gun? Whatever it is, you’re not dealing with it alone, okay? Call me when you nd. I’ll be waiting.”

  “Thanks, Troy,” he murmured, ending the call.

  He remained on the balcony for a moment, staring out at the horizon as the weight of uncertainty pressed down on him. He wiped his face with his hands, willing himself to stay composed. Remmington was still in the shower, blissfully unaware of his turmoil.

  He sighed deeply. If I am pregnant… what am I going to do?

  *

  Gun and Remmington sat across from each other at a cozy table in a quiet restaurant. The low hum of other diners provided a gentle backdrop to their conversation. Gun had managed to push past his earlier discomfort and was now sipping on a light soup, his appetite somewhat recovered. He smiled faintly as Remmington recounted a story from his childhood, his voice warm and soothing.

  “And then my brother dared me to jump off the dock, ciming he saw a mermaid,” Remmington chuckled, shaking his head. “Turned out it was just a stray net bobbing in the water. I came up coughing, covered in seaweed.”

  Gun ughed softly, appreciating the effort Remmington was making to keep things light. “Well, at least you survived to tell the tale. Though I’m guessing you never found your mythical mermaid?”

  “No,” Remmington replied with a smirk, leaning forward slightly. “But then again, who needs one when I’ve got you?”

  Gun rolled his eyes pyfully, hiding the small blush creeping up his cheeks. “Smooth, Remy. Real smooth.”

  *

  The drive to the airport was quiet, the weight of their coming goodbye settling between them like an unspoken presence. Remmington’s hands gripped the steering wheel tightly, his knuckles white as he occasionally gnced at Gun.

  “You sure you have to leave so soon?” he asked, his voice ced with disappointment.

  Gun gave him a small, apologetic smile. “Yeah. Work’s calling, and you’ve got your own stuff to sort out. Your family…” He trailed off, not wanting to add more weight to the situation.

  Remmington sighed heavily, pulling into the airport drop-off ne. He turned off the car and sat in silence for a moment before turning to Gun. “I hate this.”

  Gun looked at him, his own heart aching. “I know. Me too.”

  Remmington leaned over, brushing his fingers along Gun’s cheek before pressing a lingering kiss to his lips. “Call me when you nd?”

  “I will,” Gun promised, his voice soft but firm.

  They stepped out of the car, and Remmington helped him with his luggage. Standing by the terminal entrance, they faced each other one st time.

  “I’ll be back,” he said, trying to keep his voice steady. “And when I do, I expect all this family drama to be sorted out. Got it?”

  Remmington chuckled, though his eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Yes, sir. Safe flight.”

  Gun hesitated for a moment, then leaned in, wrapping his arms around him tightly. They stood there for a few seconds, neither wanting to let go.

  Finally, Gun pulled away, grabbed his bag, and disappeared into the airport. Remmington stood by his car, watching until Gun was out of sight. With a heavy heart, he got back into the driver’s seat, gripping the wheel as he whispered to himself, “Come back to me.”