And Then You

32 / inggo

WRAPPED up in Rinn's small frame on his bed, Inggo feels her warmth clothing his skin and bones.

He feels like he moved from one dream to a better one, waking up like this beside her.

Dati, after he's done using the warm body and the warm body is done using his, Inggo felt sick hating their skin, their prints, their smell, their indentions on his bed and pillows.

Pero ngayon, with Inggo resting his head on Rinn's chest and his arms wound so tightly against her small frame, and her cradling him like a cherished child and a respected lover, holding him like holding him isn't quite enough—Inggo feels like this is a promise for warmer sheets and better days and a love a far cry from breadcrumbs.

How can such a small body house so much love in her? Hindi gets ni Inggo.

She stirs at the sound of her alarm on her phone na nasa bedside table.

Inggo's hands go under the ATENEO MEDICINE sweatshirt she's wearing, tracing the line of her spine. "Leave it," he rasps sleepily.

"Can't," Rinn croaks, one of her hands smoothing down his bare shoulders and the other reaching out to turn it off. "I have my OJT orientation."

Last week na ng first year med si Inggo. Patapos na ng third year si Rinn.

Nag-usap na sila nang maayos tungkol sa time management skills ni Inggo dahil hindi napapagaan ang loob ni Rinn sa previous setup nila. That way, hindi masyadong pagod si Inggo, hindi na-gui-guilty si Rinn kahit wala naman dapat ika-guilty, at parehas silang masaya.

He smiles in her neck and brushes his lips against her skin. "Okay. Good morning, baby."

"Morning," she whispers back, threading her fingers in his hair and back, and he almost moans out loud at how good that feels. "Breakfast?"

"Mm."

She looks like the morning he never knew he's always wanted and needed in only his sweatshirt and cotton shorts, skin golden from the sun passing through the windows and hair in beautiful tangles, barefoot and humming in his small kitchen.

Avocado and toast and coffee lang, pero paborito na ni Inggo, and it has nothing to do with the food.

Rinn spreads the avocado over the bread so carefully and meticulously, and sprinkles the tomato on top as if she were presenting him a gyro sandwich garnished with mint leaves.

Then she brings hers and his over, a breakfast that becomes a favorite, simply because she and he were in the same room at the same time, just rolled out of bed in which there were two head indentations on the pillows instead of one when they left it, and there was such care and joy in how she made the breakfast, like the soft smile and gentle gaze on her face meant she was passing her love onto what she was making for them.

"What?" tanong ni Rinn, wide-eyed, before the rim of the coffee cup hides the lower half of her face.

Nakatitig lang pala si Inggo sa kanya with the corner of his mouth lifted.

He winks.

Rinn covers her face and nearly kicks the table. "Kuya Inggo!"

He laughs. Isang gano'n niya lang e, may butterflies na 'yan sa tiyan, nagpa-party.

He leans forward and takes her free hand and kisses the back of it, brushing his thumb over her knuckles, all the while keeping his eyes on hers. Slowly, he whispers, "Thank you for breakfast."

Rinn smiles. "You're welcome, Kuya Inggo."

*

"Bilisan mo pa. Sige. Isagad mo," sabi ni Inggo.