Alejandro's Hombre

Ch. 29: kalawakan

"what's this place?" Xander ask Gabriel as he dismounted from the bike and look around the area. "I thought you're going home?"

"yeah, that's what I thought at first. but I want to show you something, to give you something else to think of. to clear off those painful things in your head, or your heart." Gabriel said. "you can sit back here. let's just wait for a while."

Xander sit back on the bike and Gabriel stands beside him. He wondered what it is that Gabriel will show him---he sees nothing in this place but a 3-storey building, tents  and a very wide plain which resembles to a racetrack. there are lamposts surrounding the building that illuminates the area, making it look like a huge Plaza.

"there it is." Gabriel said, pointing at the sky. "look up, Doc."

Xander did, and he saw in the vast expanse above him a formation of stars that somehow resembles a flock of birds. it was a clear night with the legions of stars gracing the dark skies.
It's magnificently beautiful.

"that's the Pleiades, or the Moroporo. and that one is Balatik. they're the constellations visible in our skies." Gabriel explained to him, pointing at the other formation of stars that resembles a hunting trap. "this place is a former mountain area developed to become a race track for motocross competitions. I brought you here for you to see these stars, hoping that it'll make you feel better. I know you're going through hell of whatever it is that's hurting you right now. and I want to help you get through it."

a gentle breeze passed by, blowing Gabriel's hair away. Xander forgot to breathe for a moment, and it seems that time stopped. the man is standing there in his dark gray t-shirt and denim jeans, hands on its pockets and his jacket is tied around his waist. Xander got lost in those eyes, with Gabriel's lips curved into a smile and just looking at him like that, as if he's the only person he'll ever look that way.

Xander hop off from the bike and stand next to Gabriel, facing him. His eyes are tearing up as he close the distance between them, holding him close. Gabriel encircled his arms around his body, as Xander bury his face on the man's shirt, on his chest. there, he cried once again as Gabriel held him tight.

nobody made him special, or made an effort to make him feel so. He was always the one who does things to make the people in his life happy, to make them see their worth. even from his ex-Fiancé, it was him who's holding on the most. it was him who remembers the anniversaries, the most important dates, the first kiss, the hugs and even the little things. and he's the one who is more deeply in love... and the one who's hurt badly the most.

"thank you, Gabriel. thank you so much..."

He said, looking up to him with a tear-strained face. Gabriel smiled and wipe the tears again, like he did before.

"you're such a baby, Doc. a Polar Bear kind of baby." Gabriel gently squeeze his now very flushed face. Xander pouted and blow up his cheeks, making Gabriel laugh heartily. "don't act so cute like that, Doc. I might seriously take you home."

"isn't that what you said earlier?"

Xander said, as Gabriel put his arms on his waist again and squeeze it. Xander rest his head on Gabriel's chest, smiling at how the latter's heart beats. for a heart surgeon, this is the best heart he has ever heard. It is the heart that makes him feel valued and seen. He may have known Gabriel for only a short period of time, but Xander feels secure and safe around him.

"yeah, I did. you still wanna come with me?"

Xander nodded. wala rin naman syang ibang lugar na gustong puntahan maliban sa penthouse ni Khairie, dahil iniiwasan pa nyang umuwi sa kanila. He's avoiding his father as much as he can as of now, dahil alam nyang gagawa na naman ito ng paraan na ipakasal sya sa ibang babae ngayong pumalya ang plano nitong ikasal sya sa dati nyang nobya. gagawin ng kanyang ama ang lahat manatili lang sa pwesto nito, even at his own son's expense.