What Happens After

After His Shoot

Not so SPG, but may part 2. :)

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"Good evening, Sir. Late na po kayo ah?"

Manong guard is always nice to him. But tonight, he barely managed to smile at his retort. He just want to go and be beside her, but the traffic is just evil. He's sleepy and tired and he haven't seen her in flesh for the whole day, except for their split-screen encounter during Kalyeserye. Everything is bleary and he half-dragged his feet out of the car. Konti na lang. He's just an elevator and 2 doors away from where she is.

The hallway going to her unit seems like forever, it was long and grueling and cold. He fished the spare keys she gave him just a few weeks ago and unlocked her door. Her unit was pitch black except for the metro lights and the moon which seemed to be bigger than usual. He took of his shirt while walking towards her room, carefully twisting the knob, knowing that she did leave it open for his arrival.

He saw her cocooned under her white duvet, her AC in full blast and the space beside her clean. She dropped the book that she was reading and her macbook is still on, her phone silent but is continuously blinking due to the pouring of notification from her social media. He reached to kiss her forehead, and she, feeling the warmth of her lips, crinkled her nose and went back to her slumber.

He went to her bathroom, slightly surprised as her tub was filled with warm water, aroma therapy candlelights are lit. A yellow sticky note was posted on her mirror: I know you're tired from your shoot. I prepared this bath for you. I love you!

He took off the remainder of his clothes and lowered his body on the tub. The bath smells of vanilla and lavender and honey: her favorite scents. Feeling relaxed, he stood up, drained the bath and dried himself. He would like to stay in the bath for a long time but he rather be cocooned beside her. He returned to her room, took a plain white shirt and a boxer from her cabinet. He bought some clothes and gave it to her, it was her suggestion anyway. She said that she can always stay with her whenever his work would finish late since her condo is far more convenient than having him drive all the way to Laguna.

He slowly inched his way to the bed and tried to cover himself with the duvet but it was tightly wrapped around her. He wrapped an arm around her, tried to remove the duvet from her head and kissed her head.

"Maine, love."

"Hmmm."

"Baby, it's cold in your room, pakumot."

She turned her face to his direction, her face covered with hair. He carefully tucked some behind her ear and reached out for a soft kiss.

She unwrapped herself the man-made cocoon and let Rj in. She had her back turned away from him, he then lifted her head and let her use his arm as pillow, a habit he formed whenever he would sleep with her. Maine reached for the other arm, entwined her hands with his as he nuzzled and kissed her head.

At the end of the day, after all the flashing lights and the rolling cameras are done capturing what they can from them, he would always, always prefer to be entangled under the duvet covers with her, exploring her hills and valleys and inhaling the sweet smell of her hair and skin. The darkness of her room with the air conditioning in full blast with only the faint light from her blinking phone as the witness, their souls would mold into one dream. Both of them are tired because of the demand of the business, but with his arm wrapped around her, he knows that he will be ready to face the next day with a smile.

Because he knows, at the end of the day, the darkness of her room and her warmth would welcome him to sleep.

He will not exchange this for anything else in the world.