#NSFW: He Can Tell

6: The Erotes

"WHAT'S the matter, Hook?" tanong sa kanya ni North. "Bigla kang natahimik, eh."

"I just remembered the day Hector shot me with his stupid arrow," sagot ni Hook sa tanong ni North. "From that moment on, I was doomed."

Hindi naman siya nag-aalala na baka marinig sila ng ibang tao dahil kaunti lang silang nasa private lounge ng Pahimakas– ang kakaibang resto-bar sa Marahuyo Street– at malayo pa ang mesa nila sa ibang guests.

Si Wilde ang nagsabi sa kanila na doon sila magkita-kita pero ang lalaking 'yon, late na naman. Mabuti na lang at pamilyar sila sa Marahuyo Street dahil bukod sa kilala iyong hilera ng iba't ibang food establishment, doon din nakatayo ang steak restaurant na pag-aari ni North. Pero sarado na iyon ng ganitong oras kaya siguro doon sa resto-bar nag-aya ang kaibigan nila.

And Pahimakas was a nice place with a strange but amusing rule. Sa entrance, may malaking blackboard do'n kung saan may nakasulat na announcement mula sa management. Puro "malulungkot" at "chill" na kanta lang daw ang tinutugtog ng mga performer sa resto-bar.

And true enough, the all-female band called 'Girls Can Say No' had only been singing original sad acoustic songs since their set began.

Which was totally fine because he needed his peace and quiet. Isa pa, pabor din 'yon sa kanila ni North dahil nakakapag-usap sila sa normal na volume ng boses. Hindi naman kasi maingay ang kanta kaya nagkakarinigan sila kahit hindi nagsisigawan.

"You're doing fine, Hook," pag-comfort naman sa kanya ni North, saka nito tinungga ang beer mula sa hawak nitong bote. "Just hang in there until Wilde finds a way to free you from Hector's punishment."

Napabuntong-hininga siya habang iiling-iling. "I miss my youth, mate."

Natawa si North na halatang nakuha ang "translation" ng sinabi niya.

By 'youth,' he actually meant his hook ups. He used to have an active sex life before Hector took that away from him by giving him POIS. Ang mas masama pa ro'n, doble ang epekto sa kanya ng allergy kesa sa mga normal na pasiyenteng may gano'ng sakit.

No'ng una, hindi siya naniwala sa mga sinabi ni Hector sa kanya bago siya nito iniwan. Pinaniwala niya ang sarili niya na masamang panaginip lang ang lahat ng 'yon.

How I wish everything was just a bad dream.

The night after Hector hit him with an arrow, he pleasured himself to see if his former friend was telling the truth then. And yes, as soon as his orgasm seeped into the skin of his stomach, he felt that scorching heat that made him cry his first "adult tears" in years.

Pero dahil in-denial pa rin siya at ayaw tanggapin na naparusahan siya sa isang bagay na hindi naman niya kontrolado, nagpunta pa rin siya sa ospital para ikunsulta sa doktor ang kondisyon niya. Doon nga ay na-diagnose siya sa sakit na POIS. Pero nang ipaliwanag sa kanya ang mga sintomas niyon, alam niyang hindi ordinaryo ang kondisyon niya dahil doble ng nararamdaman ng mga normal na pasiyente ang naranasan niya. No'n niya tinanggap na totoo nga ang parusa ni Hector sa kanya.

So from that day on, he practiced abstinence and lived like a monk. He couldn't even touch himself in fear of getting burned again...

.... Until he met Melody Rose.

"Is that after glow that I see in you, Hook Rushton?"

It was Wilde because even in the dark, it was hard to miss his unruly curly blonde hair and complete set of white teeth since this dude was always smiling.

"Piss off, Wilde Sitwell," iritadong singhal ni Hook sa bagong-dating. "And I thought after glow only applies to women?"

"Well, you're talking to a descendant of a love god so I can tell that you just had orgasm–"