Twelfthtide

3

"Keep them open."

The edge of the sink in the bathroom dug against the small of Leni's back. With her eyes shut, she threw her head back, while her hands desperately held onto the counter to keep herself balanced. It was an uncomfortable position, but she tried her best.

Risa held Leni's thighs open with her elbows, her fingers spreading Leni wide open for her, as she worked Leni's clit with her tongue, focused, unrelenting, sending white spikes both hot and cold up Leni's spine to her neck every time Risa's tongue pressed on Leni's clit just right. Leni opened her eyes and looked down, her chest heaving visibly as the tension built and curled up in her lower abdomen, her gaze meeting Risa's gaze, completely absorbed in her. And if it were only up to her, she would be kissing Risa right now, if only Risa weren't making out with a different part of her.

Here she was, being eaten out by Risa in someone else's bathroom, while Teddy blasted out his off-key rendition of Parokya ni Edgar's The Ordertaker in the background. A more present Leni would be laughing if it weren't for the swirl of emotions in her gut that led her to this moment.

-

Leni entered the kitchen to find it completely empty. She sighed in relief. Finally, she could take a breath. The noise of people's conversations in the dining room was muted through the screen door of the kitchen. She headed for the faucet, looking around to take in the unfamiliar surroundings. In the few times she'd been invited to Chel's house, she had only been in his kitchen once or twice. She opened the tap and let the water flow over her hands, the coldness of it grounding her.

"Okay ka lang?"

Leni looked behind her in surprise. Kiko. He had followed her into the kitchen.

"Ha?" Leni answered vaguely with a confused smile. She wasn't really in the mood to talk right now. "Oo. Bakit?"

"Akala ko kasi ano..." Kiko trailed off, observing Leni closely.

Leni tried to be as unreadable as she often prided herself to be. He wasn't getting anything out of her even if he tried. Then Kiko shrugged, tipped his empty glass in the air to Leni, and headed for the jug of cucumber lemonade.

"Siya nga pala," he continued in a cheerier tone. "Congratulations nga pala sa inyo ni Risa. Diba one year na kayo?"

Leni turned the tap off. Was Kiko doing this on purpose or what?

"Kiks," Leni said. She faced him with a stony expression.

Kiko paused upon seeing it. Then he focused back on filling his glass with the juice, chuckling to himself, as if amused.

"Hindi lang kasi niya alam," he said. "Kung alam lang niya, sigurado akong lalayo 'yun. Ikaw pa. Takot 'yun sa'yo."

That didn't make Leni feel better. But she didn't let it show on her face. She busied herself by taking a clean glass and filling it with cucumber lemonade, too.

"Wala naman siyang kailangang malaman," Leni said lowly. "At saka..." She looked Kiko in the eye and smiled. "Risa can handle herself."

Kiko eyebrows shot up a little at that. After a second, his facial expression softened, and he nodded approvingly. "Totoo nga naman." He approached to give Leni's shoulder a proud squeeze. "Kaya ikaw ang manok ko eh."

Leni only gave him a confused smile again, this time an honest one.

"Pero kung kailangan mo ng backup, my manok," Kiko said, "sabihin mo lang. Pwede ko naman siyang kausapin kung gusto mo."

"Ano?" Leni laughed. She didn't understand half of what Kiko was saying now. "Ewan ko sa'yo, Kiko. Balik na nga tayo do'n."

"Yown!" Kiko smiled. He headed for the kitchen door, holding it open for Leni. "Balik ka na. Hinahanap ka na ng Risa mo."