Note: I won't be posting in Twitter muna if there are updates. I want to stay away first since medyo toxic, but I'll be checking my DMs here and in Twitter.
-m
—-
Mak
Morning came and it was awkward for us, especially when, as Mayari was turning over the skies to Apolaki, they laughed and told us, "Awat na, buong gabi na yang halikan na yan ha."
"Yes, Sister," Apolaki tells Tala. "Give it a rest. Stop kissing your shuta."
"Brother, 'shuta' does not apply here."
"Shuta is not like dyoga?"
"It's -"
"Shuta, pwedeng wag kayong istorbo?!" Tala said to her siblings. They cut us out of the conversation with Apolaki still defending his use of the terms.
We sat side-by-side on the bed unable to look at each other. My lips were a little sore but I was very happy. "Tala?"
"Yes?"
Her hair was messed up, her clothes askew, and her lips were swollen. "Gorgeous."
She blushed.
"Are we... okay?"
"Yes. Sorry about Apolaki and Mayari."
I smiled.
She nodded. "So, ang gusto mo ba Friends with Benefits?"
You know it, I walked out.
Hanggang living room lang naman. Then, I walked back in an almost hit Tala with the door. "Oh my... sorry, sorry! Nasaktan ka ba?"
She shook her head but sat on the bed checking her toe.
I went to check; it was a little swollen. "Sorry."
"I thought you left."
"No... I just... nagtatampo lang. Ano pa ba kasi yung dapat kong gawin, Tala?"
She bit her lip. "Wala ka naman kasing sinasabi?"
I looked at her, kneeling in front of her and cupping her face, I played with her hair while saying, "I've been beside you for millions of years, I kissed you knowing you're Bathala's daughter and one of the most powerful gods, I do anythjng and everything with you, I want you always happy... have you really never known?"
"I didn't want to assume. I'm also... I'm not certain about how I feel Mak."
"You don't love me?"
If we took breaths, I would have held mine now.
"I'm just saying that I'm confused if this is already love."
I stared at her. "Alright. You don't mind if we start a courtship?"
"Manliligaw ka?"
I nodded.
"Okay."
"Then, I must leave shortly and ask permission from Bathala, but I will be back soon." She agreed. "I'm in love with you, I just wanted to make that clear. I've loved you when the Earth was still in the beginning stages of its creation and I am certain I would love you until the last star in the skies bursts its final glow."
I stood to fix myself up. "Aalis na muna ako para kausapin si Bathala."
"Sige. Bilisan mo ha? Magkikiss pa tayo pag balik mo."
I laughed. "Pero... di ba kapag nanliligaw pa lang... walang kiss?"
"TEKA!"
I winked at her and then vanished.
"Leche kang King Corn ka talaga! Shred ko yang corn kernels mo eh!"
*
The reaction of everyone in Heaven?
"Finally!"
Lakan was even jumping up in joy around me. I requested to speak to Bathala privately.
"Kamahalan, talaga po bang hindi magiging ginto ang aking mga anak kung sakali man?"
The supreme god chuckled. "Hindi naman magiging problema iyan kung sakaling dito kayo sa langit. Ngunit, upang sagutin ang iyong katanungan, hindi. Hindi sila magiging ginto. Will you not accept them if they were?"
"Tatanggapin ko po. Gusto ko lang po malaman. Pero kung sa pagmamahal, wala po kayong dapat ipagalala. Mamahalin ko sila, lalo na kung anak namin ni Tala."
Bathala looked at me. "She has not admitted to loving you."
"This I know, Bathala." I thought of something and asked, "Bathala, bakit po ba kasi ginto yung... uhm..."
"I initially wanted you to start the human race on top of looking over the crops that will feed them. But, Tala heard my plans to make a human woman for you to impregnate and threw a fit. She blew up quite a few stars that messed up the order. I had to change plans then."
I smiled upon hearing this. "I should head back."
*
I watched her playing hide and seek with some children when I was back one Earth day later.
"Ikaw na po yung taya, Ate Tala!" One of the little girls said.
Tala headed to the wall and counted to ten. "Ready or not, here I come!"
When all but one girl was missing, she started to worry. "Nasaan na yun? Naku, baka nawala ko pa. Hala!!! Tina?! Tina!!!! Sige na! Panalo ka na. Labas na dito."
I whispered to the little girl to ask, "Ate! Nasaan po yung asawa niyo? Si Kuya Mak?"
"May inasikaso lang." Tala came close to where we hid and I dashed away. "Bulaga! Hala. Wala pa din. Tina! Nasaan ka?"
"Kailan po ba siya babalik? Sana kalaro natin siya."
"Oo nga eh. Sana bumalik agad. Bulaga! Wala pa din? Tina!"
Tina and I giggled quietly when I hid us again. "Miss mo na po ba siya?"
"Oo. Sobra."
"YIHEEEEEEEEE!" Tina and I then rushed to the base. "Panalo ako!!!!!" She declared.
"Ang daya - Sabi ko na kasama mo si Mak eh!" Tala said, but she was smiling. "Hi."
"Hi."
"Kuya Mak, kiss mo na si Ate."
"Oo nga kiss mo na ako," Tala agreed, pouting her lips.
I approached, caressed her face and kissed her nose. "Hi! I missed you."
"Hi! Hi, King Corn. Pumayag ba si Bathala? Bago mo sagutin, kahit naman hindi siya pumayag, I want you to court me. Akong kakausap sa Ama ko."
"He agreed. They all said it was about time actually."
She beamed and if anyone was looking, at the sky, they would probably wonder why a lot of the visible stars seem to be unusually bright. "Good. And kissing?"
"Ah bawal!"
"Mak!"
"Gusto mo maging sure sa pagmamahal ko sa yo at sa love mo sa akin, di ba? Tiis ka! Walang kiss."
"Mak! Didikdikin ko talaga —"
"Kahit anong threat mo sa golden favorite object mo, no kiss. I'm going to make you fall in love with me and You're going to want me so bad, Tala. I promise you."
She continued to pout when we walked home.
"Naisip ko lang..." I asked, the thought suddenly occurring to me. "Ilang millions of years mo na akong sinisilipan???"
