Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!
Also, happy 4th birthday to The Spaces in Between yay! <3
Here's a little something for you guys. Naisulat ko 'to last year habang pinapractice ko ang pagsusulat sa POV ni Andreau for Come On, Collide ( na malapit ko na ulit i-update haha). Marami kasing humihirit sa 'kin ng TSIB Book 2 kaso...nah. I like how I ended the story already, bakit pa ba natin pahihirapan pa sina Andreau at Zade, 'di ba? Gusto ko lang sabihin na from now on, hindi na po ako gagawa ng sequels sa mga susunod kong kwento rito sa Wattpad. Huli na po ang This Might End Up A Story. (At hindi naman considered na sequel ng TSIB ang Come On, Collide so chill haha). Alam kong may madi-disappoint na iba sa inyo pero nah, ayoko na talagang gumawa ng sequels. Ficlets are okay, though. Just like this one :)
SO! Here's a post-TSIB ficlet for AZ's 4th birthday! This happened between TSIB's last chapter and after the epilogue. Some AZ relationship milestone thing for all of you. Sana magustuhan niyo kasi shet, namimiss kong isulat sila nang ganito. Every week naman akong nagsusulat ng AZ snippets pero pang-alternate universe lagi haha kaya masaya akong nabalikan ko ang TSIB canon for this anniv fic.
ENJOY! :)
***
Title: took a faithful leap
Pairing: established Andreau Cortez and Zade Pascual
Setting: post-TSIB; after the epilogue
JUNE
"So, kamusta na kayo ni Zades?" Dan asked him one night during a rare post-workout dinner. Since he had started taping his new teleserye three weeks ago, ngayon lang ulit sila nagkasabay sa gym ni Roldan. "Any new stuff to share? Any developments?"
"We're good. Thanks for asking." That's the truth. It's been almost three months since they officially together together, and they were happier than ever. Minsan nga, hindi pa rin makapaniwala si Andreau na mahal din siya ni Zade, na hindi panaginip ang lahat ng nangyari sa kanila for the past few months.
"Yun lang?" Dan exclaimed in disappointment. He finished off his tacos before bombarding him with questions. "Wala kang isi-share sa 'kin na details? Imposible. Meron yan."
"Wala nga."
"I'm your best friend."
"I'm reconsidering our friendship if you ask more stupid questions."
"My questions are not stupid. I should know stuff. You should tell me stuff," Dan insisted.
"Saan ba papunta 'tong usapan na 'to, Dan?"
Dan sighed. "Okay? Gusto mo straight to the point? Sige. May nangyari na ba sa inyo ni Za--"
"Roldan." Andreau warned. I really walked into that, huh? He'd mentally slapped himself. Of course, yan ang gustong malaman ng best friend niya. Ganitong-ganito rin si Dan kay Lee noong bago pa lang sila ni Anya. He shouldn't be this surprised at these questions anymore...but still. Eyeing his annoying best friend (and might soon to be former one if he kept asking these questions), he said, "Have you been talking to Kesh?"
"Maybe. I dunno. I haven't seen her for a week."
A total lie. He knew Dan has been spending more time with Kesh lately. Much to Mars' dismay, the two are just friends and actually, Dan's playing the matchmaker between Kesh and Serge, his officemate. According to Zade's latest update, the second date went well and Kesh seemed pretty much enamored with the guy.
"Nasa Instagram story ka niya kahapon. Care to explain that?"
Dan rolled his eyes. "Oo na. Kinuha ko lang 'yong documents na pinakuha ko sa kanya sa registrar. At...may nakwento nga siya sa 'kin.
He froze. If Kesh told Dan something...that means...Zade had told Kesh something. Or rather, Kesh had forced Zade to tell something about their relationship. Si Kesh na kasi ang bagong best friend ni Zade ngayon after ma-upgrade ng status niya to boyfriend. (That's Zade's explanation, though. For the others, especially Mars, si Kesh talaga ang best friend ng girlfriend niya ever since, at siya? Potential boyfriend status since Day 1.)
Holy shit. The girl talk. So that means...Mars knows something, too? Fuck.
"Ano naman sinabi niya sa 'yo?" He tried to calm himself by biting huge chunks off his burrito.
Dany eyed him for a second. "Nothing much. Nabanggit lang niya na napapadalas ang sleepover ni Zada sa condo mo lately."
Oh, that. He sighed in relief.
"Yeah. Pinaghahandaan namin ang promotion ng Tila for Cinemalaya and ginagawa rin niya ang thesis proposal niya. I help her out," he said matter-of-factly, only to find Dan smirking at him like an idiot when he looked up. "What now?"
"Is thesis proposal a code for something?"
"It was nice knowing you for 22 years, Roldan. Fuck you."
His asshole of a best friend laughed for a good minute. Tuwang-tuwa talaga 'tong gagong 'to sa mga kahihiyan niya sa buhay. It makes you grounded, dude, he'd remembered Dan saying years ago. Grounded his ass. "Pero 'di nga? Wala pa? As in kahit ano?"
Dan knew he's still having a hard time (no pun intended) talking about...these kind of stuff. Kay Zade lang naman siya mas open ngayon sa ganito kasi, ahem, she's also a (willing) participant. He feels oddly exposed when talking about the intimate things. He's working on it, though. But not like this.
"I don't want to talk about it."
"Hulaan ko na lang, ano?" When he didn't answer, Dan went on. "Wala pa...pero muntikan na. Ano, tama ba ako?"
"Ewan ko sa 'yo."
But...yeah. The asshole got it right somehow. Something did almost happen. A couple of times, actually. They'd almost lost their control and things we-- He didn't want to relive those pretty good and vivid memories in the presence of his best friend and in public. He shouldn't be thinking about this right now at all.
Suppressing a blush, Andreau resorted to sarcasm. "Piece of advice, Dan. If you're sexually frustrated, stop acting like Cupid and re-embrace your manwhore ways. Don't live your sex life vicariously through us."
"Oh, not through you and Zades. Wala nga kayo, 'di ba?" Dan retorted back, smirking.
"Gago ka talaga."
"And correction, I was never a manwhore. I'd been in a monogamous, albeit on and off relationship for the past five years. I'm still nursing a heartbreak. Don't be harsh on me."
Andreau rolled his eyes at that. Last month, umuwi si Diane galing sa US para sana i-celebrate ang 5th anniversary nila ni Dan sa Siargao. Halos dalawang buwan ring pinlano ni Dan ang extravagant anniversary celebration na 'yon...pero nauwi ang lahat sa wala nang makipagbreak sa kanya si Diane after the romantic weekend.
Honestly, hindi na sila nagulat sa break up. Ine-expect na nila 'yon for almost a year now. Si Dan lang naman ang denial na magtatagal silang dalawa ni Diane eh.
"Look, Dreau. I'm sorry for invading your privacy. Hanggang ngayon kasi excited pa rin ako para sa inyong dalawa. You know... kayo na talaga. Hearing the frequent sleepover thing from Kesh was a major development. And also, may FOMO ako lately. Ang hirap maging adult puta."
"Why, though? Isn't it normal with couples?" he asked, totally confused. Naalala niya 'yong tili ni Mars last June, noong naabutan niyang tulog si Zade sa kama si Andreau, na suot pa ang Star Wars boxer shorts na pantulog. She'd said something along the lines of Oh my god my shipper heart can't take it what a developments!! Tell me the details!!!
(Of course, they didn't need to tell her anything. Their blushing faces was all Mars needed for some confirmation.)
"That, my young Padawan, is a relationship milestone. One of many, dude. You know what's gonna happen next, right?"
"What?"
"Step by step process yan, Dreau. First, she's sleeping over. Then you're clearing out a drawer or a portion of your closet for her--"
"I already did that back in May. The drawer, I mean."
"Really? Huh, why am I still surprised. You've been practically together before you even got together--"
"Oo na, oo na. Go back to your original point."
"Okay, sorry. Sleep overs, check. Drawer and closet, check. Maybe in the next few months you'll give her a copy of your keys. Well, eventually the sex of course. Moving in..."
"W-wait. Moving in? That's too fast."
"Hay nako, Andreau. For you and Zade? Long time coming na ang mga bagay na yan. Well, maybe not the moving in part. Yung sex...I think--"
"Shut the fuck up."
**
SEPTEMBER
Andreau knew for a fact that Zade was capable of knocking properly. He'd seen it with his own eyes when they'd visited people together, knocking the door a few times with normal, polite tapping.
But her approach was different when she visits him in his home.
Actually, he didn't mind Zade's imitation of Sheldon Cooper's annoying door knocking ritual as a way to announce her arrival. His only issue was every moment he didn't answer, the louder her voice and pounding knocks became. Zade never got angry or anxious--just louder. Although none of his neighbors have complained about this, Andreau did whatever he can to keep it that way. He had to stop whatever he's doing and scram to answer the door, leaving the faucet running in the bath, phone conversations cut short...and the other private things.
Zade used to borrow the spare key from Marisse before they got together. (Kaya nga siya na-corner tungkol sa Nat Geo folder niya last April, 'di ba?) She eventually got tired going up and down from the 19th to 46th floor just to get the keys. May isang instance rin na naghintay siya sa lobby ng halos dalawang oras para lang maiabot sa kanya ni Mars ang spare key ng condo ni Andreau. Ngayong sila na talaga, hinihiram na lang ni Zade ang spare key na 'yon during emergencies, kaya napapadalas ang pagkatok niya sa pinto.
Once, Zade came by earlier than expected, and he was in the shower, having just applied shampoo, when her voice suddenly echoed inside his bathroom. Cursing under his breath, he'd managed to make it to the door, towel slung lowly around his waist and soapy water dripping into his eyes, just as she was inhaling in preparation for another epic yell.
She just blinked.
"Come in, Zades," he said, with only slight irritation.
Zade nodded and ran inside, closing the door behind her before anyone came down the hallway.
"Hoy, seryoso bang ganyan mo binubuksan ang pinto mo!?" she yelled toward his departing back, and he turned around to his girlfriend's reddened cheeks. "Wala ka man lang bang dressing gown or something?"
He pushed wet bangs out of his face and blinked away the burning soap. "I do have a bathrobe inside, Zades."
"So do you normally answer the door like that?"
"Goodness, I knew it was you--"
"Paano kung hindi pala ako 'yon, ha? Paano kung kidnapper, or worse, isang fan mo na may rabies?"
"Zades, please be rational. Teka, dyan ka lang. Make yourself at home, 'kay? I'll just rinse this off," he said over his shoulder as he returned to the bathroom.
His girlfriend couldn't look at him straight in the eye the whole night.
Anyway, that towel incident didn't spark the idea of giving Zade her own key to his place. Honestly, he hadn't thought about his conversation with Dan that night. Andreau only remembered that just two weeks ago, when he'd found Zade asleep on his bed, exhausted after crying for hours. Late na siyang nakauwi from taping at sa biyahe lang niya nabasa ang texts ni Zade na makikitulog siya sa condo noong gabing 'yon. Good thing nakalimutan niyang ibalik kay Marisse ang spare key the other day, kung hindi mga apat na oras siyang maghihintay sa lobby para kay Andreau.
That had been an emotional night for the both of them. Hindi pa rin siya sanay na makitang malungkot ang masiyahin niyang girlfriend. It broke his heart to see her cry out of frustration like that. They had spent the whole night talking, kissing and hugging each other until dawn.
When he woke up the next day with Zade sleeping sounding on his chest, he'd decided that Dan was right after all. That very afternoon, Andreau had his keys duplicated for her.
**
He honestly didn't think it was that big of a deal. He knew how would Zade react to these things: lagi lang siyang chill at kung minsan pa nga, no reaction pa. Katulad no'ng pinakita ni Andreau ang empty drawer na pwedeng paglagyan ng damit o kung anumang bagay na gustong iwan ni Zade sa condo four months ago. She'd just smiled and thanked him for doing such thing before dumping some shirts inside. No big deal. Or no'ng unang sleepover niya sa condo. Or the thing that happened the morning after their first night on his bed. She'd taken them all coolly, too cool to the point Andreau thought he would get the same reaction with the keys.
But the way Zade reacted when he absentmindedly tossed the key with dark brown leather keychain into her hands, it was like he was giving her the TARDIS key. "Teka, bago ko makalimutan. I forgot to give this to you yesterday. Here you go. Please don't lose it."
"W-what is this?" she asked, lifting the key up and looking at it intently. "Is this the replica of Rose Tyler's TARDIS key?"
He raised an eyebrow. "Nope, that's just a normal key. You use it to unlock normal doors. You know how that works, Zades."
She gave him a withering look, the one he couldn't ever not smirk at, ever since he met her. "Andreau..." she huffed, her voice a warning.
"That's yours now. You can use that to let yourself in whenever you want," he shrugged, returning to his iPad. "And I can finish my showers and other stuff without interruption."
Zade blinked at him blankly for a moment before her brows knit. "Y-you're giving me keys..." she looked back and forth between the key and the door as if it would confirm for her, "for...here?"
He glanced at her from the corner of his eye. "Yeah," he said, in a tone that made it clear he thought it was obvious. The dawning look on her face made him realize he better drop his iPad--and fast-- in preparation of a full on Tackle Hug Attack.
"OH MY GOD FRANCISCO REALLY!?!?!?!"
Andreau managed to twist his body just in time to keep her head from crashing into the side table lamp, and settled her onto his lap, even as she tightened her arms around him so tightly it almost hurt. For someone who despised exercising, she was a lot stronger than she seemed sometimes.
"SERYOSO KA BA??? AKIN TALAGA 'TO????" She kissed him so suddenly and quickly he didn't even have time to respond before she scrambled up and ran to the door.
"HIndi ba 'to prank key, Andreau?" She hurriedly opened the door and inserted her key into the outside knob, twisting it back and forth. "I-try nga natin! Lock me out! Dali dali dali!!!"
"Zades-"
"Hay nako ako na nga lang!" The door slammed, and the few seconds of almost deafening silence in her absence were broken with the click of the lock and deadbolt, and Zade danced inside like she'd entered a real-life TARDIS or something. "Oh my god gumagana nga!"
"Of course," he said. "Tinest ko yan bago ko ibigay sa 'yo."
She was already settling in next to him on the sofa, pulling her knees to her chest and looking at the key in her palm fondly in silence for a very long time, while Andreau returned to his iPad.
Finally, Zade turned to him, chin to his shoulder. "So...kailan ko 'to pwede gamitin?"
He couldn't help but give her a teasing look. "Kapag papasok ka nga rito, Zades." She let out a frustrated groan.
"I mean, I know there are times when you wouldn't want me around here. I can't just use this anytime I want. So gagamitin ko lang 'to kapag hindi kita aabalahin, gano'n?"
"You don't bother me, Zades."
"Andreaaauuu." Clearly that was not an acceptable answer. "Seryosong tanong kasi 'yon."
"Ako rin." He didn't look up from his iPad, but his eyes had stopped scanning the screen. "You don't bother me, Zades. Come over anytime you want."
Her hands tugged on his wrist until he let go of his other "girlfriend" and turned to her disgruntled little face. It was hard not to laugh."
"Paano kung may bisita ka rito? Okay lang na pumunta ako?"
This time he did laugh a little. "Because you know me, always throwing lavish parties here and there." Her pout was deepening from cute to dangerous and he dropped the teasing tone. "Alam mo namang bihira lang ako magkaron ng bisita rito, 'di ba?" he pointed out. "Kayo-kayo lang naman nina Mars at Tristan ang pumupunta rito. And besides, alam ko ring pupunta ka rito kahit may ibang bisita ako kapag narinig mong may masarap na pagkain."
"Ugh, you got me. Eh paano kung nagme-memorize ka ng script or something?"
"That's what I'm doing now and you're here. There's no difference," he said, amused at how she wrinkled her nose in response.
"Paano kung natutulog ka?"
"Then you can still come in and sleep beside me if you want. Nagdadamit na ako pag natutulog so you can't harass me," he said with a wink.
"Tse! Seryoso nga kasi. Paano kung wala ka rito?"
"Okay nga lang. Basta wag mong uubusin ang pagkain ko sa ref."
Zade opened her mouth, and closed it again. She was clearly trying to wrap her mind around something big, Andreau just didn't know what it could be.
"Pero paano kung..." she shifted up onto her knees, bringing herself up to his level. "Paano kung hatinggabi na tapos ang himbing na ng tulog mo at ginising kita? O kung hindi mo ako mamalayan tapos gigising ka na lang na nasa tabi mo ako?!"
"You've slept beside me on my bed 31 times now and have you heard me complaining, Zades? No, right? I don't know where you got the idea that's something I'd dislike. I love sleeping beside you."
Shocked into silence, her cheeks flamed red before Andreau quickly added, "But shouldn't go out that late, Zades. If you want to go here late at night, just tell me and I'll pick you up."
"As if papayagan ka ni Ate Mel na sunduin ako sa dorm ng 12 midnight ah."
"Pinayagan ka nga niyang matulog dito, 'di ba? 31 times."
Zade nodded. "Okay, good point." Her free hand was still nervously fidgeting. Her fingers twisted through the ends of hair, sliding through them in a way that Andreau was trying very hard not to find hypnotic. (And fine, hot. Sue him.)
"I can't....really? There must be some time you don't want me here, Andreau. Imposibleng wala."
"Sasabihin ko naman sa 'yo pag may naisip ako," he said with an easy shrug. There was a pause, and he reached out and closed his hand over hers, stopping her finger combing. "What's wrong, Zades?"
"S..Sure kang okay lang sa 'yo na basta-basta ako pupunta rito? I mean, I know I do that lots of times pero...this is a big deal, Andreau." She wasn't looking at him as she continued, "This is gonna be different. I'm used to borrowing keys, to you letting me in here. Inviting me. You do realize by giving me this key, you're also giving me unlimited access to your home, to your life and-"
"Babe, you do know that when I said you're worth everything, I meant it, right? You're already a part of my life since I met you...and I want you to be a part of my home, too. You're not a guest here anymore, Zades. You're even a part of my family now, and they love you more than me." Both of them laughed for a moment before he continued, "This is a part of every version of us that I've always dreamed of. Don't ever think for a second that I don't want you here. What's mine is yours. That's what's being all in means to me. So...are we good?"
Zade smiled, eyes brimming with tears. "Kainis, gumagaling ka na sa feelings thing ha. Ginugulat mo ako."
"Of course. You make me better. And I'm still learning. For you." he said, and she flushed prettily before straddling his lap to kiss him.
Between kisses, Andreau grinned and wrapped his arms around his waist. This was exactly like the kisses in his dreams, too: sweet and hot and messy, laughing into each other's mouths and noses bumping. Until now, he couldn't believe he could kiss the love of his life freely like this.
"Okay, okay," Zade breathed out, pulling away, her free hand resting against his chest, mouth swollen and hair mussed. "As long as you're sure. Thanks for this, Andreau. Promise hindi ko 'to iwawala. Takot ko na lang na kidnapin ka ng fans mong may rabies!"
"You better," he said, dazed and he couldn't help but get distracted by her weight on top of his.
She leaned back a little, looking at him with a flirtatious sparkle in her eye that he still wasn't quite used to. "Okay...just so we're clear. So wala nang chance na pagbubuksan mo ako ng pinto ng naka-towel ka lang?"
"Most likely."
She sighed, shaking her head. "As in ever? Sayang, bagay pa naman sa 'yo ang gano'ng look."
"Hmm...maybe I can do that upon request."
"So can I request it every time, then?"
"Eh, it kind of beats the purpose of having the key, Zades." He eyed her for a second. "You just want me to drop the towel, don't you? That can be arranged t--"
"JOKE LANG!" she hissed, jumping off him. He laughed. "Hay nako, wag na wag mong gagawin 'yon, Andreau!"
"Ay ang gulo. Sabi mo gusto mo nung naka-towel tapos ngayon may upgrade sa opti--"
"Ayoko ng upgrade!"
"Go back to your thesis proposal, Zades," he said, biting back a smile and picking up his iPad to resume reading."
Instead, she went back to staring at the key in her palms, her head leaning onto his shoulder, a little smile playing across her lips.
Yeah, this is what home feels like.
*****
So, if you've squinted a little bit, may ilang relationship milestones akong na-mention sa ficlet na 'to. Lahat yan may kwento haha! Tignan ko kung mai-si-share ko sa inyo i
the future :D