From Tumblr: ANONYMOUS ASKED: Ate leeengg, ficlet request po please on Zade's reaction the first time Andreau calls her 'babe' nung official na sila. (Or whoever calls the other 'babe' first). Naalala ko kasi sa isang chap sa tsib when A texted Z calling her babe tapos di pa sila nun. Mehehehe 😊😊😁
I was actually surprised to see a ficlet request about this! May naisulat na kasi akong ficlet na about the babe thingy last year.. and ayoko pa sanang ipublish.. kaso.. you asked for this!
Tweaked the prompt a bit! Another ficlet in Andreau's POV... and it kinda happened in TSIB verse? lelz :) :)
So this is... five times Andreau called Zade "babe" and the one time she did :)
***
1. The first time he called her babe, she was flat out drunk.
Si Ninna talaga ang may kasalanan kung bakit nalasing si Zade. Sure, her sangria recipe was a bomb, pero first time lang makainom ni Zade no'n. Akala siguro ni Zade simpleng juice lang ang pinapainom sa kanya ng kambal ni Roldan. She didn't know (and he's sure walang balak si Ninna na aminin) na mas dumadami ang red wine kesa sa orange juice sa bawat bagong batch na pinapainom sa kanya. Wala siyang planong malasing kaya nag-orange juice na lang siya buong gabi (much to the twin's dismay. sober!andreau was no fun)
Ibang klaseng experience para sa kanya na makitang lasing si Zade. Alam niyang carefree at madaldal ito pag sober, pero mas malala pa pala kapag lasing ito. Sila lang naman ang nasa resort pero may weird instinct siya na lagi itong bantayan at sundan kung saan ito magpunta. Inasar pa nga siya ni Kesh na mas malala pa sa dorm manager nilang si Ate Mel, na notorious sa pagiging Matanglawin (Zade's words, not Kesh's). Aside sa pagiging protective, bentang-benta rin sa kanya ang English Speaking Drunk!Zades. He found Italian Speaking!Zades hot just last week, pero ibang klaseng hotness ang English SpeakingDrunk!Zades. (O nadala lang ng pagiging touchy sa kanya ni Zades? He didn't want to know).
After Zade's 15th glass of sangria (na mukhang 80% wine, 20% juice na), inawat na niya ito at pinasok sa loob ng bahay. Their three companions shot him glares as if saying Hoy Andreau pag may alak, may balak! Of course, he flipped them off. He couldn't do that to any woman, especially to Zade. Hindi niya mapapatawad ang sarili pag nangyari 'yon.
Sa pagkakaalam niya ay first time pa lang malasing ni Zade, kaya hindi na siya nagulat na halos 45 minutes silang nasa loob ng CR dahil sa pagsusuka nito. He couldn't help but laugh at his predicament; gusto niyang mag-unwind sa trip na 'to pero eto siya, taga-hawak ng buhok at tagapunas ng suka ni Zade Pascual.
Since hindi bitbit ni Zade ang susi ng kwarto nila ni Kesh, he had no choice but to bring her to his and Roldan's room. Nahirapan pa siyang alalayan si Zade dahil himalang mabigat pala ito.. at ayaw nitong magpatulong sa paglalakad. Nang makarating na sila sa kwarto, bumagsak si Zade sa sofa.
"Zades.. don't sleep there. Malapit na yung kama o." Sinubukan niyang itayo si Zade kaso nagpumiglas ito. "Zades.."
"I'm gonna sleep here," she replied, words slurring. Nagtakip pa ito ng throwpillow sa mukha.
He was too tired, too elated to move, so he decided to sleep on the floor near the sofa. It wasn't the most comfortable position, but he didn't care. Wala siyang pakialam kung sumakit man ang likod niya bukas. It was all goddamn worth it.
Bago siya matulog, chineck niya muna si Zade at kinumutan ito.
"Goodnight, babe," he whispered before laying down on the floor.
(Narealize lang niya ang sinabi niya pagkagising niya, noong naapakan siya ni Zade. Babe? Why the fuck did I call her that?)
2. He fucking texted it to her.
Bihirang magpanic si Andreau Cortez sa buong buhay niya. Years of practicing his control made him composed as fuck. But nothing, as in nothing, ever prepared him for this one.
Babe, what time will I pick you up?
He fucking called her Babe. Thru text. While he's driving.
Muntikan nang magswerve ang kotse niya nang magsend ang message na 'yon. He wasn't really thinking while typing that. Nasa Cloud 9 pa rin siya dahil nangyari ang imposible: Zade agreed to be his date to the Charity Ball. Isang buwan niyang pinag-isipan kung paano aayain si Zade.. at buti na lang hindi siya nabigo.
Tapos... baka dahil sa isang text na babe.. mawala ang lahat.
Alam niyang nasa klase si Zade kaya nabawasan ang kaba niya kahit paano. Hindi naman 'yon mahilig magcellphone kapag nasa kla--
Then his phone rang.
This time, bigla siyang napapreno. Buti na lang malapit lang siya sa may Skyline at walang sasakyan sa likuran niya. Nang medyo kumalma na siya, tinuloy na niya ang pagdadrive at sinagot na ang tawag ni Zade.
Kabado siyang sagutin ang mga tanong ni Zade. Obvious kasi sa boses nito na uncomfortable ito sa pagtawag niya ng babe. He hated lying to her, per kung anu-anong palusot na lang ang sinabi niya para makatakas.. at himalang tumalab naman. Successful din ang tactic niya na pag-offer ng pagkain, na dinamihan pa niya para hindi na nila pag-usapan sa sasakyan mamaya ang text na 'yon.
His prayer was answered though. Zade never brought up the babe thing nung sinundo siya nito. Busy kasi ito sa pagkukwento ng burn moments ng kaklase niyang mahilig gumamit ng Shakespearean puns. Nakinig siya sa kwento.. kaso hindi niya maamin sa sarili na nabother siya sa sinabi ni Zade na I find the endearment babe so juvenile. Tsaka na lang niya poproblemahin 'yon.
3. He didn't care if she heard it the third time.
For nine years, naasanay siyang mag-isa kapag death anniversary ng parents niya. Iyon lang kasi ang panahon na nilalaan niya sa sarili para magpakalunod sa lungkot. Ayaw niya kasing may nakakakita ng vulnerable side niya. Gusto niyang mapreserve kahit paano ang image niyang composed at parang walang problema.
(Nine years na siyang nag-iisa. Nine years na rin siyang naghihintay na may maghahanap sa kanya.)
That someone came on the 10th year.
Zade found him.
She saved him from the darkest moment of his life.
She chose to be with him.
And that's all that mattered.
(Months back, he'd told himself, maybe.
That maybe changed to eventually when
can i hold your hand?
no. but i'll always hold yours)
They were on his childhood bed when she said, "O sige na nga. Goodnight na, Francisco."
Ang dami niyang nararamdaman at gustong sabihin that moment, pero sa sobrang pagod niya, ito lang ang nasabi niya kay Zade.
"Thank you for finding me, Babe."
Wala na siyang pakialam kung narinig man 'yon ni Zade. He meant it.
4. The fourth time was a slip of tongue... in front of everybody.
After the Great Fight Over Cordon Bleu (Zade's words, not his), bumalik ang kapayapaan sa Noche Buena nila. Kunwari masaya siya sa successful na pagnakaw niya ng cordon bleu sa plato ni Zade.. pero deep inside.. ilang beses na niyang sinipa ang sarili niya dahil sa ginawa niya. What the fuck's that acting, Andreau!? Divorce?! What if I ask now?! Are you fucking out of your mind!? (This only showed na ibang klaseng tao siya pag gutom. Pagbigyan na.)
At dahil natakot na si Zade na mawalan ng pagkain, bantay-sarado na ito sa mga natirang cordon bleu, to the point na hindi nito binitawan ang tray. Nagkaron na ako ng trust issues sa pagkain nang dahil sa 'yo, Francisco. Wag ka na ngang magnanakaw! Inassure niya si Zade na sa kanya na lahat ng cordon bleu at puro salad na lang ang kakainin niya. She accepted it with a smile, thus ending their food fight.
Favorite salad niya ang Caesar salad na gawa ni Mars, lalo na ang super secret dressing nito. Pasko naman, kaya dinamihan ni Mars ang salad dressing as part of her heartfelt gift for him. Of course, jinudge siya ni Zade sa pagkain niya ng salad, aka pagkain ng mga rabbit, pero nakitikim din ito ng dressing na gawa ni Mars.
He was already on his fourth salad serving nang mapansin niyang wala na sa tabi ng plato niya ang bowl ng dressing. One quick scan and he located the bowl near Zade's plate, which was just across him. "Babe, yung salad dressing nga paabot," he said absent-mindedly as he dumped a load of croutons on his salad bowl.
"O, here you go," inabot nga ni Zade ang bowl, na kalahati na lang ang laman. "Ooops.. sorry kung yan na lang. Ganti lang yan sa cordon bleu shit mo kanina."
He ignored Zade's quip and then turned to Mars, "Marion Jane, can you make me an--" natigilan siya nang makita niyang nakatitig sa kanya sina Tristan, Marisse, Roldan, Kesh, at si Mars na halos sumayad sa table ang panga dahil sa pagnganga. "What's wrong?"
"You called her babe!?" Mars mouthed, completely in shock. Nang hindi siya nagsalita, tinuro ni Mars si Zade na busy sa pagkain ng cordon bleu. "Tinawag mo siyang babe?"
Agad siyang napatingin kay Zade. Shit, I called her babe? How come she didn't react or something? Maybe she didn't hear it? Or.. she heard it.. but...
"Oy Francisco! Anong tinitingin-tingin mo dyan?" sabi sa kanya ni Zade na masama ang tingin. "Wag mo nang pagplanuhang kunin pa 'tong cordon bleu ko! Hindi na kita mapapatawad!"
Yep, she didn't hear it at all.
(He wished he could make the others unhear it, though.)
5. The fifth time.. well.. he's blaming Mars.
"Andreau, have you seen my phone?"
He was in the kitchen, busy preparing his all time favorite Nutella mug cake. "Huh? Di ba hawak mo kanina?"
Salubong ang kilay ni Zade nang lumapit ito sa kanya. "Oo nga eh. Bago ako pumunta sa CR, 'di ba? Saan ko kaya nalapag 'yon?"
"Baka nahulog sa toilet? Tapos naflush mo?"
"Ugh you're not helping me at all!! Nasan phone mo? Tawagan ko muna!" Tinuro niya ang nagchacharge niyang phone sa may counter at dali-daling pumunta don si Zade. "And excuse me ha, I made sure na wala 'yon sa backpocket ko! Wag mo nga akong i-paranoid dyan!"
"I was just exploring other possibilities, Zades," he countered. "Sorry if I tho--"
"WHAT THE FRESH HELL IS THIS!?"
He almost dropped the hot mug in surprise. Nang tignan niya si Zade.. nagulat siya na inis na inis ito. "What the fuck happened!?"
"Bakit ganito ang pangalan ko sa phone mo!?" pinakita sa kanya ni Zade ang phone screen niya at.. oh. Oh.
Babe ang pangalan ni Zade sa phone niya.
"What the hell?" was all he could say.
"Talagang what the hell mo mukha mo! Ba't mo ba ako tinatawag niyan ha!?" she tossed his phone, which he caught miraculously. "How many times do I have to tell you na ayoko ng mga endearment na ganyan! Ang bantot! Ang juvenile! Babe!? Hindi ako baby! Zade ang pangalan ko! Hala, baguhin mo yan!" Zade threatened before walking out of his kitchen.
Binago na niya kaagad ang pangalan ni Zade sa phone. Kahit lasing siya, never niyang aatimin na palitan ang pangalan ni Zade sa phone niya, lalo na't alam nito ang passcode. Takot na lang niya sa Beastmode!Zade, 'di ba? Now.. who could've ch--
Oh right. Si Mars. Nakitext nga pala ito kanina bago umalis papunta sa condo nina Tristan.
Bago niya habulin si Zade, he sent a short text to his road manager. Patay ka sa 'kin, Mars.
(Mars replied five minutes later. Sus, I didn't know you're such a softie. Babe.)
+ 1
"Babe?"
Napatitig na lang siya kay Zade, as if bigla itong nagsalita ng Latin or something. "Huh?"
Shaking her head, Zade smiled as she handed him some papers. "Babe."
"Huh!?" Now he's more than confused.
"Wala lang. I'm just trying it out."
"For.. what?"
She sighed. "Just curious. Yung ibang couples may endearments sa isa't isa, right? I was thinking.. ba't tayo wala?"
He couldn't believe she's initiating this conversation. "So...?"
"I think okay na sa 'tin yung babe. Pero wag lang masyadong gamitin. Nai-imagine ko kasi na baboy yung ulo mo."
"What!?"
"Naman, Francisco! Babe nga, endearment nating dalawa! Ikaw nga 'tong nagpasimuno na tawagin ako no'n ah tapos.. para kang sira!"
"So.. you're okay with the endearment thing? I thought you find them juvenile?"
"Sus, tolerable naman," she said, shrugging. "And besides, we're one of those icky couples who call each other icky names. Might as well sagarin na natin. So.. babe."
It took him seconds before a wide smile formed on his lips. "Yeah. Babe."
(And that endearment stuck for a long, long, long time.)