Dagger Series #8: Uncovered

Chapter 22: Mr. One-Liner

Hindi makapaniwalang sinundan ko siya ng tingin. "Hoy, Mr. One-liner! Anong ibig sabihin nang sinabi mo?!"

I heard his quiet chuckle, but of course, in Magnus' typical fashion, he didn't say anything more.

"Kakabasa mo 'yan ng mga libro. Kung ano-anong natututunan," bumubulong-bulong na sabi ko nang tumayo ako para maghugas ng pinagkainan namin. Kumuha ako ng apron at sinuot ko iyon para hindi mabasa ang damit ko. "Lagi na lang nag wa-walk out at pa-mysterious effect."Inilagay ko sa tabi ang mga pinaghugasan ko dahil pupunasan ko pa iyon. I wanted to buy a dishwasher, but Magnus said that it's stupid to pay for one when God already gave us one, which is our hands. Makes sense.

"Trouble, trouble pang nalalaman. Kamukha ni Superman pero kaugali ni Mareng Taylor." Inabot ko ang dish towel at nagsimula kong tuyuin ang mga plato. "I knew you were trouble when you walked in! So shame on me now flew me to places I'd never been. 'Til you put me down, oh, I knew you were trouble when you walked in- ay Superman!" Napahawak ako sa tapat ng dibdib ko at nag-angat ako ng tingin kay Magnus na biglang sumulpot sa tabi ko. "Can you please stop doing that?"

"It's not my fault that you're hopelessly unobservant." He reached for something inside the cupboard above me before he patted my head with a smile on his lips. "And I'd rather you don't call another man's name when I'm around."

Bago pa siya makaalis na alam kong gagawin na naman niya ay humarang ako sa daraanan niya at nameywangako. "Superman's name is not Superman. He's Clark Kent. At tigilan mo ako sa one-liner mo na naman." Tinaasan ko siya ng kilay. "So kapag nasa paligid ang mga kapatid ko anong itatawag ko sa kanila? Hoy?"

"Of course they're not included."

I plastered a mock surprise on my face. "You don't think they're men? Isusumbong kita."

"They're not the kind of men that annoy me."

"What kind of men annoy you? Superheroes?"

"No. Assholes that you're interested in."

Napakurap ako. I need to shut down my brain because I don't want another part of me to misinterpret. Oo, heart. Ikaw ang kinakausap ko. "Wow."

"What?"

"You just called yourself an asshole."

Taking a leaf from his book, I was about to walk out of the conversation by going back to what I was doing before he interrupted me, but I felt his hand on the ribbon on my back. I stilled from where I was standing as he re-tied the apron.

"I am an asshole. One that is yours... since I'm your husband." I felt the heat of his breath on the side of my neck. "But I'm glad that I got the confirmation that I need."

I physically felt his absence the moment he walked away. I let out a huge breath, and for a moment I just stood there as I tried to calm my thundering heart.

Hindi ko alam kung anong mas gusto ko. Iyong Magnus na walang pakielam sa mundo o itong bagong Magnus na nakikilala ko. Mr. One-liner Magnus.

My brain tells me that it likes the broody Magnus. That one is safer. But something else is choosing the other one, and that in particular is the most dangerous of them all.

NAPATIGIL AKO sa pagpasok ng tuluyan sa opisina ko nang makita ko ang nakapatong sa lamesa ko. My temp, Gracie, almost collided with my back at my sudden stop. She took a peek in my office, and I heard her exclamation of appreciation.

There's a huge basket of red flowers on my table, and there's even a box that looks like wine with it. May pamilyar na paper bag din sa tabi no'n. Pamilyar dahil mukhang iyon ang paboritong bilan ni Magnus ng pagkain dahil hindi ito ang unang beses na nakita ko iyon. The first one was when I showed up in his office unannounced and I found out that he's offering his building to Maven.