Anchor Soul Series #2: Finding My Sanity

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R18: KINDLY READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

I bit my lower lip as I watched his reaction. His soft side suddenly came out again without even realizing it. Nang mapatingin siya sa akin, kumunot-noo ito at nagkunwaring kumakain lang uli.

"He called you 'Dad'." Bulong ko sa kaniya.

"Baka nadala lang ng emosyon." Kumurot siya ng kinakain niyang manok at sinubo iyon sa akin. "Kumain ka na lang din."

"Aray naman." Napalayo pa ako nang bahagya. Bilang pangbawi sa ginawa niya, sinundot ko siya sa tagiliran. "Sus, kinikilig ka lang."

"Shut up, bambina." Masama niya akong tinignan at padabog na kumain. "Nagkamali lang 'yan si Fabio. Kapag ako na mismo tinawag niyang 'Dad', maniniwala na 'ko."

"You're nice pala. Akala ko masungit ka. Tsaka, paano mo 'ko naiintindihan? Hindi ka naman nag t-tagalog masyado." I heard Steven speaking again.

"I can understand your language since I used to hear that language since then. Do you want to hear me again speaking tagalog?" Fabio laughed like he was planning something. "Don't tell this to anyone, okay?"

"Okay." Tumigil pa sa pagkain ang kapatid ko para pakinggan siya.

"Futangina-"

"Fabio!" Lucius quickly stood up and went near them. Napatayo rin tuloy ako at sinundan siya. "I told you not to curse."

"Lucius, b-baka naman iba lang pandinig natin." Inawat ko na siya bago pa siya magalit.

Fabio just chuckled and looked at us. "I actually cursed. I'm sorry, Dad. That's the only word I mastered."

Hindi naman nakasagot agad si Lucius at napabuntong hininga na lang. "O-Okay lang, 'no. Usap lang kayong dalawa, huwag niyo kami intindihin."

Gusto ko na lang matawa nang malakas dahil sa pamumula ng mukha niya hanggang tenga. Nauna na akong tumalikod at bumalik sa pwesto namin kanina. Pinanood ko lang silang mag-usap na parang 'di na naman nag-away kanina.

Pagbalik ni Lucius sa tabi ko, nawala agad ang ngiti niya nang mapansin niyang mas malaki ang ngiti ko.

"Stop teasing me."

"Wala naman akong sinasabi, eh." Depensa ko sa sarili ko.

"I mean. . . stop teasing me with that." Napunta ang tingin niya sa dibdib ko. Doon ko lang napansin na nakabukas pala ang polo ko kaya agad ko itong tinakpan.

"Manyak." Bulong ko.

Natawa naman ito at yumakap pa bago nagnakaw ng halik sa pisngi. "I know you love seeing me like that."

"Ulol. Tuturukan kita kapag 'di ka talaga nanahimik." Iniwas ko na ang tingin ko sa kaniya nang mag-init ang mukha ko.

"Do you know that I fear syringe?" Kalmado niya ng tanong dahilan para ibalik ko ang atensyon ko sa kaniya. "But the way you treated my wound before made me feel safe. I suddenly forgot that I fear those."

"You're being cheesy."

"It's the truth." Sinamaan niya ako ng tingin. "Do you really hate being romantic?"

"Hindi naman. I just don't know how to react."

"That's fine. Just seeing you listening makes me okay already. You don't have to respond at everything I say." He pulled me closer to him, making me lean on his exposed body. "Let's just watch the kids everywhere, thinking that they are ours."

I chuckled and smiled while looking at the random kids running on the sand. "How many kids do you want to have?"

"Don't ask me that. It's actually up to you how many kids do you want."