Avalanche

AVALANCHE (TWENTY THREE)

"CAN we just stay here?" Ungot ko nang gisingin ako ni Leon kinabukasan ng mumunting halik sa mukha. Niyakap ko ang mga braso sa kanyang leeg at hinila siya sa 'kin. He groaned when his body landed on mine. I pulled him closer.

"If you wanna stay here all day, it's fine. We can stay." Dinungaw niya ang mukha ko at nakita ko siyang lumunok, bahagya pang namumula. He wanted to say something, I knew from the look on his face but he swallowed again. "But we have to join our cousins for breakfast."

Our cousins...

Damn yeah, they're also my cousins now. "Let's go back to bed after breakfast."

"We will."

I bit my lip as I scanned his face. He's so beautiful in the morning. Nadama kong bumigat ang paghinga niya dahil sa malagkit na titig ko. Gusto ko tuloy matawa.

Sinalubong ko ang mapupusok niyang mga mata. "Marami pa akong gustong gawin sa 'yo na hindi ko nagawa kagabi." Anas ko sa kanyang bibig.

I giggled when his jaw clenched because of controlled emotions. Then, he heaved a heavy sigh as he buried his face on my neck. "Fuck," he muttered harshly making my body shivered. "Don't make me lose control. You're still sore."

"I can manage."

Inangat niya ang nakabaong ulo para lamang pukulin ako nang matalim na tingin. "I can barely fit inside you. How can you manage?"

"I managed last night." Nakalabi kong maktol.

"And I hurt you." He gave the tip of my nose a feathery kiss. "Don't do it again."

"A little pain is harmless."

"Pain is still pain, Felicity. It's the least thing I want you to feel in this world."

Bumitiw ako sa kanya. I gripped on the cottony blanket covering my body. "We all have to hurt for the people we love, Leon. If it doesn't hurt, it's not love." Damn. That's deep. But it's true though. Love is a spectrum of emotions and you have to go through all of it. You'll get hurt, disappointed, upset, sad, happy, mad...but you suck it up because that's how you love.

I'm not only talking for myself based on my own experience but for all the people who were loving selflessly and unconditionally. We're the real MVP.

Leon cocked his brows at me. "Take it back."

Kinunutan ko rin siya ng noo. "What? I will not take it back. I'm just—"

"You better stop calling me Leon."

Sa dami nang nilalaman ng mga sinabi ko, 'yon lang ang na-absorb ng utak niya? That I called him Leon? Ni hindi man lang niya napansin ang pagbanggit ko sa salitang love. "That's your name."

"No, it's not. My name's Leonardo Alistair. Leon is just my nickname."

I almost laughed dahil tonong nag-aalburoto na siya. Tila isang batang hindi nabilhan ng baril-barilan.

"Whatever." Umirap ako. "I'll stop calling you that if Denise stop calling you Alistair."

Huminga siya nang malalim, bakas ang pagsuko sa kanyang gwapong mukha. He rested his head gently on my chest. Pinatong niya ang braso sa ibabaw ng tiyan ko saka hinila ang katawan niya palapit sa 'kin, sinisiksik ako. I feel so small beside him but it's nice to feel his warmth.

"If you only stayed that night of the ball, nakita mo sana kung paano ko sinabi sa kanyang 'wag akong tawagin sa gano'ng paraan dahil gusto kong ibigay sa 'yo ang pangalan ko nang buo." He murmured huskily.

Bumilis ang tibok ng puso ko at alam kong naririnig 'yon ni Leon. I wanna say something but words got stuck in my throat. Ang tanging nagawa ko ay damhin ang mainit niyang palad na marahang hinahagod ang aking braso.