The Bridesmaid [MaiChard AU]

Drive Back Home

Maine

They head back down to the restaurant for a quick dinner before driving back to Manila, both of moving almost at a glacial pace, as if doing so will slow down time. They reach RJ’s car and instead of opening the door for her, he keeps his hand on the handle while the other cradles her face. His warm hand on her cheek feels like an inviting cup of hot chocolate on a chilly night she couldn’t help but lean into it, closing her eyes for a few heart beats, a slow smile trailing on her lips. When she opens her eyes, she is quite startled to find him already gazing at her, a hint of sadness dancing in his eyes.

“Huy, babalik lang tayo ng Manila, bat ang lungkot mo?”

“Eh uuwi na tayo e.” He pouts adorably. “Iuwi na lang kaya kita, no?”

“Ikaw talaga!” She playfully pushes him away but he pulls her in for a tight embrace. She breathes him in as soon as she buries her face idly into his chest to hide the blush on her cheeks. But really why does she even try? It’s not as if he hasn’t been noticing.

“Seriously though, we’ll see each other again, diba?” He asks before kissing the top of her head and wrapping his arms tighter around her.

She in turn presses her cheeks into his chest, her eardrums welcoming the music of his fluttering heartbeat. “Oo nga kasi. Ihahatid mo nga ako sa bahay diba? Bakit ba ang pabebe natin?”

“Baka kasi panaginip lang lahat to, tas paggising ko bukas, di ka naman pala totoo.”

Ugh, he looks too adorable with those puppy dog eyes. She looks up at him, meets his eyes. She sure hopes this is not a dream too because if it is, she’d rather stay asleep, so she touches his lips with a soft lingering kiss just to prove him wrong. “Panaginip pa ba yan sa lagay na yan?”

Like a baby tasting food for the first time, he lets his tongue glide up and down the roof of his mouth a few times before flashing her an mischievous grin. “Di ko sure. Hmmm. Di ko nalasahan masyado e. Isa pa nga.”

Before she can even protest, he pulls her to him, his hands wrapped around her wrists, bringing them to her nape as he bends down to kiss her. With his hands splayed across her back and her fingers playing with his hair, their lips dance to the rhythm of their heartbeats and the sounds of the night, their moans chiming in to make such sweet music. Their breaths mingle as their kiss deepens, leaving her breathless and craving for more. He worships her lips as if committing to memory its softness, its every contour, the feel of it as it moves against his, matching his fervor with every nibble and bite. When their lungs are finally desperate for air, their lips reluctantly break away before he lightly brushes his nose against hers.

“Ang harot mo, RJ, alam mo yun?” She whispers, her eyes still closed as she tries to catch her breath and steady her pulse. If it isn’t for her arms wrapped around him for support, she would have already been a puddle of feels right in the middle of the parking lot.  I'm definitely going to miss your kisses.

“Sinusulit ko lang. Ngayon pa nga lang miss na kita e.”

Ako din, RJ. Ako din. “O, so panaginip pa din ba?”

“Hindi na, totoong totoo na. ” He says, punctuating his sentence with a kiss on her forehead.

***

RJ

With the car stereo turned down low, playing songs from a random radio station Maine picked earlier, he drives as slow as SLEX would allow him, glancing from time to time at the sleeping form beside him, comfortably tucked under his jacket, half her face covered with her hair. He reaches for it and gingerly tucks it behind her ear gingerly when she wakes up.

“Hi. Sorry. Tulog ka pa. Medyo mahaba pa byahe natin.”

“Hi. Tulo laway ba ko?” she asks sleepily, wiping the sides of her mouth to be sure.

His laughter bellows inside his car as she gently pinches her left cheek. “Ang cute mo talaga. You’re really something, Meng, alam mo yun?”

“Wan ko sayo!” She sticks her tongue out and pinches his arm.

Chuckling, he turns his attention back to driving when the few lines of a song from the radio softly wafts around them, finally putting into words what he has been feeling since sunset. He checks his periphery and finds her eyes closed as she sings the words, her melodious voice turning into a whisper by the second until she falls back to sleep, her smile never leaving her lips.

🎶Hawakan ang aking kamay, higpitan ang kapit, pwede ka pang lumapit

Kalimutan natin, bukas na sasapit. Dito na lang ako, dito na lang tayo

Walang manggugulo na parang atin ang mundo

Sa sandaling tila habambuhay, bawat saglit magiging patunay

Ito ay itinakda, langit ang may akda. Ayokong kumawala sa’yo🎶

He gently caresses her cheek to wake her. “Maine? Wake up. Andito na tayo.” She hums at his touch but keeps her eyes shut.

“Hmmm?”

“Andito na tayo.”

“Oh, ok.” She stretches her limbs before unbuckling her seatbelt. She then fixes her hair and checks on the rearview mirror for drool.

RJ watching her, chuckles. “Wala nga kasi. Ang cute mo talaga e. Pakiss nga!”

“Yoko nga, kakagising ko lang. Panis pa laway ko.”

“Lakompake.”

“Eeeh, sige na nga.”

He laughs softly before peppering her lips with butterfly kisses.

📷 © EB YT (SC from Love Is)

A/N:

Happy 33rd monthsary, fam! 🎉 Sumisepanx na po sila. Ako din. 😔

Anyway, unbeta'd, unproofread but let me know what you think, ok? 😅

Thanks!