Artificial Horizon - A César Fernando Basa x Reader story

V - Out of Trim

Referring to a situation in which the aircraft is not in static balance in pitch, so that if the pilot releases the yoke or control stick, the aircraft will start to climb or descent.

* * *

If Clara didn't greet him, I'll certainly not be able to figure out that César is there. Still on the same uniform as he had worn when he left this morning, topping it all with a matching hat, as he leans against the hood of a black car, looking almost like a model straight out of a promotion magazine. Very much with the same vibes as Elian radiates with just his mere presence, making every shoot ethereal as my colleagues from the PR team considers him photogenic. That's another characteristic that Elian and César shares, and it is weird of me to be captivated by his mere presence right there... even if I've only known him for just a day.

To add, if this is really a dream, I doubt that it had been that long at all.

But, for some reasons, I'll admit that my heart skips and I feel happy seeing him there. Like a giddy child, clearly in the soft clouds of joy, upon seeing him. All when the mental and rational part of myself is reminding me how weird everything had been as it is quite too rushed for me to be attached with this non-existent relationship. Well, it is too much to consider it 'non-existent', when in this plane, it is very 'existent'.

I find myself having a skip on my steps when I head to where he is waiting. No doubt that he is here for me, waiting for who knows how long. But it is a big question mark to me how come he is here, causing me to ask at once, "Paano mo nalaman na nandito ako?"

César scoffs and his smirk widens with a tip of his head to the side. "First things first, good evening, (Y/N)."

I flush and chew the inside of my mouth. In the end, I greet back, "G-Good evening, César."

He then opens his arms wide, and out of instinct, I step in to his embrace with a relieved smile. And by the time his arms surround me, he repeats my earlier question, "Paano ko nalaman na nandito ka? Naramdaman ko na nandito ka at hindi sa PGH."

Uso na ba sa panahon na ito ang mga trackers? "Hmm... 'di ako naniniwala," I answer as my voice somehow turns muffled against his uniform. "Alam mo na dapat sa PGH 'yong training namin, at nalaman ko nga lang na rito noong una kong pinuntahan ang PGH. Imposible na mas madali mong nalaman kumpara sa akin."

"Sa tingin mo, paano?"

"Pinasundan mo ako, o hindi ka talaga pumunta ng kampo at sinundan ako."

César laughs. "Sa tingin mo na pagdududahan kita para ipasunod ka? Hindi ka ba naniniwala na talagang pinatawag kami kanina sa kampo ni Tenyente Villamor?"

I pout and raise my head to look at him. "Eh kaayos-ayos kasi ng tanong ko kanina tapos pinapahula mo pa sa akin kung paano mo nalaman. Hindi ka ba naawa sa akin na pagod na ako kakaisip at kakaintindi magdamag, tapos dadagdagan mo pa."

"I'm sorry," he replies and then presses a soft kiss on my forehead. "At wala ka ng kailangan gawin pagkadating natin sa bahay. Akong bahala sa hapunan, kaya 'wag ka na magmukmok ng ganyan." He lightly pokes the tip of my nose, moves away from the car's hood and ushers me to the front passenger seat, opening the door for me. "Alam kong nakakapagod ang araw na ito, kaya wala ka na dapat pang isiping iba."

"Hmph." I settle on the leather seat and watch him circle the car after closing my side's door. Doing so, I realize that this had been the same car that I've seen parked at the apartment when I've left this morning.

Tangina. Sa kanya ba talaga ito? I mean, alam ko na milyon ang isang sasakyan sa panahon ko; pero sa panahon na ito? Paniguradong mas mahal, 'di ba?!