Artificial Horizon - A César Fernando Basa x Reader story

XLI - Open-skies

Hindi niya kailangan sabihin sa akin na ako ang nauna sa mga nars ng Sixth Pursuit Squadron na nasabak kaagad sa kaguluhan na ito, I ponder. Dahil wala namang dapat ipagmalaki tungkol doon. Pero...

"Nabanggit mo si César," I start, and suddenly, all buried emotions of worry burst out of me. After almost being an empty body, like a soulless doll, the mention of César instantly makes me alive; though in fear and anxiety. "Nasaan siya? Ayos lang ba siya? Nandito ba siya sa Zablan o—"

"Nandito siya, (Y/N)," interrupts Florencio before scratching his head. "Kaya rin kita linapitan ngayon dahil paniguradong mas kailangan niyo magkita na kaagad, kaysa mamaya niya pa malaman sa iba na nandito ka. Sa tingin mo ba magagalit siya sa iyo kapag nalaman niya ang tungkol dito?"

I gulp in hard. I know that he'll be angry, after how many times he asked me to listen and follow his heed. However, witnessing this immense chaos and pain and death... I believe I am much needed here than anywhere else at the moment. I answer, "Nasaan siya, Florencio? Nasaan si César?"

* * *

Before ushering me to where César and the others may be, he asks me to come with him in washing our hands, arms and faces, at least. There's nothing we can do regarding how bloody our clothes may be right now but having our skins clean are indication that the blood isn't ours at all. And on the way, I focus on his words instead than at the view that surrounds us in our wake.

"Pinatawag siya ni Kapitan Villamor na mapabilang sa mga nag-patrol sa may Bataan kaninang alas otso. Kasama nila sila Juliano, Aclan, Aranzaso at Mondigo," he explains. "Bumalik si Gozar ng mga alas nwebe tapos sinabi niya na may namataan sila na mga squadron ng Hapon kaya... Alam mo na ang nangyari."

Kaya nga sila ang tinaguriang the 'envy of everyone who has wings' sa PAAC, dahil hindi lang sila basta-bastang squadron; they are meant to be on pursuits, trained for aerial combat. Hence, kung may kalaban sa himpapawid, their goal is to fight up there than just be some reconnaissance and the likes.

"Huwag kang mag-aalala, (Y/N). Nakabalik silang lahat ng walang problema, at nagawa rin nilang paalisin palayo muna ang mga Hapon na iyon. Pero, malamang, hindi pwedeng basta-basta lamang makampante," he adds.

There is barely a hangar that can be seen. I remember the rows of it from before during my stay here, and it is quite troubling and sad to see how much the war had costs us already in just the third day since things escalate this way. And despite the fact that there are still too many people who are able to fight, I can hint the fatigue and stress in them. However, with this latest achievement, I can also see the happiness and celebration in the air that despite having almost outdated planes, the Filipino pilots are not someone that can just be judged so easily to be weak-minded ones.

It is a little struggle to find the said group of pilots who've recently returned in the middle of the pack. But César had been one of the taller ones that it had been quite easy to note where he is among them, even if it is just the crown of his head that I can see. And it didn't take long for me to find him, and for him to also do so.

The surprise in his eyes is evident when the two of us make eye contact, and as if the world freezes around us, he strides to meet me at once, surrounds his hand around my wrist, and excuses the two of us, before dragging me onward to wherever.

He is surely aware that all standing establishments are occupied by the wounded. Hence, he takes me somewhere that is not crowded by others and will definitely be somehow private for him to unleash his anger; because I can sense it on his grip.

I gulp in hard and my hand is starting to go numb that I tug him and say, "C-César, teka lang."

He finally lets me go at once and stops walking, just enough for us to be in a secluded area from the others. Raising his head to the sky, he sighs heavily and I can see how tight his grip on his cloth helmet and goggles had been on his other hand. He keeps his back on me for a second before somehow calming down before facing me. The anger on his eyes is still evident that makes me freeze, but when he speaks up, he is constraining that fire as he asks, "(Y/N)... anong ginagawa mo rito?"