(ROBIN)
I rubbed a towel on my hair as I left the bathroom. I was freshly washed and feeling great. Spending almost the whole day with my Uncle, Gilbert and Blu might be the reason for my happiness or maybe it's the the good water pressure in my bathroom, I'm still deciding.
I frowned at the widely opened door of my room. I remember closing it enough to feel some privacy but not fully shutting it. Why is it wide open now?
I strode towards it just to stop when I saw an image on the room across from mine. Blu, already in red pajamas, is sitting crossed legged on top of his bed facing his also widely opened door. Facing my room...
Blu gave me a smile. I sighed and let the door go so I can walk to my bed and sat on it's edge. Facing Blu...
"What the hell?" I asked him.
Blu frowned, he gestured at his ear. "I cannot hear you clearly," he said loudly.
We won't hear each other well with the distance between us. I mean, it's only about five meters but that's enough distance that we will need to talk loudly to hear each other.
I waved my hand to him. "Come here," I invited and beckoned him to my room.
Blu shook his head. I scowled at him. "Why not?" I asked him loudly. Blu shrugged. He is draining the happy feelings inside my chest.
But then Blu reached for a pillow, hugged it then smiled at me. Also blinking like he is already sleepy.
He is...fuck. He is something else.
I stretched my body so I can reach for my phone sitting on top of the bedside table. I dialed Blu's number and he threw the pillow he is hugging to get his phone.
"Yes?" Blu answered all innocently.
"Why are you flirting with me?" I asked him while frowning.
Blu frowned back at me. His nose scrunching. "We need to do something about your overly active imagination. No one is flirting with you, Master Robin."
Ah now...that's a challenge.
"I think you are flirting with me," I insisted.
"How can you tell?" Blu asked.
"The top two button of your pajama is not closed. I can see skin from here," I said while studying his appearance more.
Blu gasped before looking down at himself. "Oh, the second button came loose. What should I do?" He wondered while plucking the loose button from his top.
"Button the top one," I said.
Blu shook his head. "Too hot."
I clamped my lips to stop myself from laughing. "So you will just let it like that. You will sleep with half your chest exposed?"
"That's okay," Blu sighed from the other line. "I'm the only one in my room anyways."
Okay...he...wow...
I stood up from my bed and walk towards the door. "Not if I join you there..."
"Don't you dare!" Blu glowered at me. That stopped me from my track. "Don't you dare step out of you room to come here. Stay there..."
I sighed. "Tim is right," I said.
"What?" Blu was confused at that. "Tim? Your teammate Tim? Why is he right?"
He is right that you have too much power on our...whatever this is...
They are all right. I am so over...
I sat back into my bed. "What's up with this set up?" I gestured at the widely opened doors of our rooms.
"So you won't feel alone as you sleep tonight." Blu said.
"In exchange for our privacy?"
Blu sighed, "Mr.Akage and Mr.Gilbert are on the other side of the penthouse. No one will invade your precious privacy, Master Robin..."
"Why are you calling me Master?" I am not sure if I like that word coming out of Blu's lips.
"Because you are acting all high and mighty. Like the master of the house," Blu replied evenly. "You are not thinking of sleeping while your hair is still wet, right?"
I touched my hair, it's still fairly damp.
"I'll sleep however I want to sleep..."
"You will catch cold if you will sleep with wet hair." Blu cut my sentence. "You should use the dryer..."
"Now who is being bossy?" I grumbled as I stood up again to get the dryer. I took it to the bed, find a socket and fire it up. I dried my hair while pinning the phone between my shoulder and ear.
Blu surprised me when he suddenly lay on his bed. His head at the foot of the bed. I smiled at him. "You plan to sleep like that?" I asked him.
"I see nothing wrong with sleeping like this..."
"You are all over the place when you sleep. All your pillows will end up on the floor if you will sleep like that." I said.
"This is the only way I can still look at you even though we are not together in one room," Blu explained. "If I sleep in my usual position, all you will see are my feet."
"So you also expect me to sleep like that? My head on the foot of the bed?"
"Why not?" Blu pouted before lying on his back. I stared at his profile, the phone is on his other side. "This will be okay,"
"Just sleep here, beside me." I am losing patience with him.
"Will you accompany me when I visit my parents' graves tomorrow?" Blu suddenly changed the subject. "I think it's about time that I put fresh flowers on my parents' graves. Do you know that dead people receive more flowers than the living ones? It's because guilt is more powerful than gratitude. Maybe that saying was right. I surely feel guilty for not being a good son to my parents."
Now he is just rambling.
"You are a good son," I defended Blu from himself.
"I hope so. I don't usually speak to them when I visit their graves. I just light candles and pray for their souls. Tomorrow, I want to talk to them."
My hair finally finished drying. I turned the dryer off, pull the plug from the socket and tied the cord neatly. Then I hopped on the bed so I can mirror the way Blu lay on his.
"What will you tell them?" I asked curiously while I kept on staring at his profile.
"That I am fine. That I am living with wonderful people. That they should not worry about me. And I will apologize," Blu scratched his cheek. "For letting myself be swept up with a wish that they are still alive. And for not visiting them more frequently."
"If I die I don't want anyone visiting me frequently," I said conversationally. "Leave me in peace..."
"That's morbid." Blu grumbled.
"Everyone dies Blu. That's why dying doesn't matter. It's what you do while you are still alive that matters. Or how you die and for what." I replied.
Blu moved to lay sideways so we can look at each other. "Well, you are not gonna die alone and scared. Not as long as I am around," he said.
That made me smile, "Careful Mr.Tañada, I might start to think that you like me back. Like really like me..."
Blu snorted, "I already said something about your overly active imagination, right? No one "like really like" you, Master Robin."
He keeps on denying it.
"Okay," I shrugged. Blu chuckled on the other line. "I will accompany you on your visit to your parents' graves tomorrow."
"Thank you, Robin." Blu yawned widely. "I think I'm sleepy..."
"I can see that," I said.
"What about you? You should be sleepy as well. I'm tired." Blu yawned again.
"Sleep," I urged him.
Blu scratched his eyes using the back of his hand. He is like a kid sometimes. Then I heard him sigh. "Talk some more, promise I will stay awake..."
"Okay," I said and then go quiet as I watch Blu closed his eyes while his phone is still against his ear.
I listened to his even breathing and felt peace...like the peace I feel whenever Blu is sleeping next to me.
I can hear him breathing. Blu is alive and well. Everything is okay.
That is enough for me.
.....................
(ZANE AKAGE)
I frowned while looking sideways left and right to the two open doors of my wards' rooms. Standing in the hallways between Robin and Blu's rooms felt bizarre as their doors were widely opened and I found the two boys sleeping with their heads on the foot of their respective beds with phones close to their faces.
Robin and Blu also slept facing each other.
What the hell is going on? Is Robin experimenting again? Does this set up means Robin is moving things along? He now can sleep without Blu in the same room...as long as he can see Blu across from him?
What?
After reading some documents on my office, I decided to check on the boys and found them...like this...
I entered Robin's room first. I gently picked my nephew's phone to get it away from Robin's face. I think I should lecture the boys about sleeping with electric gadgets close to their bodies. It's like they are not reading or listening to the news. Getting electrocuted by gadgets is a real thing.
I crouched low so I can level my face to Robin's. I gently sweep a hand on his hair and smile. "You are getting well, right? I am so proud of you." I murmured while gazing at my nephew. Then I kissed my nephew's forehead.
After making sure that Robin is good, I transfered to Blu's room. Same as Robin, I picked Blu's phone away from my ward's face and place it on the sidetable. I also took a pillow and place it under Blu's arm, knowing how much my ward likes to hug something as he sleeps.
I sat at the edge of Blu's bed to gaze at the boy. "I don't know if I am doing the right thing for all of us, but I really want to protect you and Robin." I said before sighing. Then I stood up to leave Blu's room and let the boys to their slumber.
I walked along the penthouse to get to the master's quarters. Inside our room, I found Gilbert already on the bed, eyes closed. I quietly slipped on the space beside him, careful not to jostle the bed too much to avoid waking my lover up.
But once I settled on the bed and laid on my back, Gilbert moved to hug me. Pressing his face on the side of my neck and throwing his thigh on one of mine. I slipped an arm under his head so I can held him close and more comfortably.
"I put the aircon in full blast so it won't be too hot even if we snuggle as we sleep," Gilbert murmured, still with his eyes closed.
I chuckled at that. "That's okay, later you will push me away and stay near the edge. You do that all the time, making me chase you there. I swear, a king size bed is useless to us. A twin size will be enough with your habit of sleeping on the edge of the bed." I said as I patted his arm slumg across my chest.
"The boys already asleep?" Gilbert asked before yawning.
"Yes. I think Robin is moving our plans along. I found them in two separate rooms but with their door open so he can still see Blu," I said with a sigh.
"Is that a good sign?" Gilbert opened his eyes to look at me.
"I think so," I pursed my lower lip contemplatively. "I hope so."
Gilbert sighed as he closed his eyes again. "Then that's that on that." He settled on a position. I cannot read my lover's mind but I think he is already convincing himself to sleep. I cannot let him because I still have something to say to Gilbert.
"What do you think about taking the boys somewhere?" I asked as I poke a fingertip on Gilbert's nose.
That was enough to get Gilbert's eyes to open again. "Take the boys where?"
"I don't know. Somewhere cold. It's hot here in Manila. Summer heat is raging. Maybe we should take the boys somewhere with a colder weather or close to water for a swim." I said.
Gilbert frowned. "Master Robin is already swimming almost everyday. He practices in school and on the garden pool."
"Yes...I know that. But, I just want to change things up a bit for the boys. I think Blu needs a road trip. He has adjusted well living with us since his parents died...so I want to reward him with a trip somewhere he will enjoy. And Robin, it won't be bad to change his routine for a while." I explained my reasons to Gilbert.
Gilbert took some moments to think about my reasons before he nodded. "I understand." He said.
I smiled before kissing his cheek. "I know you will get it. And we need a change of scenery too. Manila is all good and beautiful, this concrete jungle, but I think it will be good for us to change our surroundings, even for just a few days."
Gilbert smiled. "So this is not for the boys' sakes but for us as well? We are escaping Manila as well..."
I nodded. "I will admit that seeing Robin's mother was not pleasant for me as well. But it's a necessary evil I had to do if I will want any of my plans to move. Having said that, it's draining having to deal with her. She is clearly not yet well enough for Robin."
Gilbert gave me a worried look. "Master Robin is not stable enough to endure more instability from another person. He cannot absorb that much pressure on himself. Madam Misaki is also not ready for Master Robin."
"I know that." I agreed with my lover's sentiment.
Gilbert stared at me. One of his hands moved slowly to touch my cheek. Then his finger traced my nose and eyebrows. I let Gilbert think as he touch me.
Then after some time, my lover nodded. "Okay, let's go somewhere away from Manila. Lets go for a trip with the boys." He finally smiled and nodded at my suggestion.
I smiled and leaned forward to kiss his smiling lips.
It looks like we are indeed going on a trip.
......................
(BLU)
"SEA! IT'S THE SEA! WOW!"
After an hour of flight, two hours of car ride and another hour of boat ride, we finally got into our destination. I excitedly raised my arms before running towards the oncoming wave on the beach. The fine white sand on this exclusive and private island where we will spend the next four days intruded on my slippered feet as I ran towards the wave.
I feel giddy when the water lapped on my feet, up to my ankles. It felt nice. The water is not cold nor hot. Just right.
It's Summer! Everything feels perfect. The cool sea breeze, the clear blu sky, the green surroudings on this beautiful island and the sea.
It's perfect.
"I love Summer!" I shouted before turning around to look at my companions on this trip. Mr.Akage, Mr.Gilbert and Robin also came nearer the water but in a slower, more sedated fashion, than me.
Mr.Gilbert and Mr.Akage looked satisfied with themselves in this trip but Robin...Robin is scowling.
"What is your problem now?" I slapped Robin's sidearm. "Look, it's the sea! Water! You love water, right? You are a swimmer after all..."
Robin gave me a disgusted look. "Why do you think so simply like this? Just because I am a swimmer, I'm supposed to be excited looking at water? Are you really this stupid?" He growled at me before turning his irritated eyes on his Uncle. "Why are we here? We've already been here before. I think three years ago. I told you, I want to go to Paris or Berlin this time. Why here? We didn't even leave the Philippines, you cheap old man. Fuck!"
"Language," Mr.Akage scowled back at Robin. "Traveling abroad will eat the limited alloted time we have for this trip. Staying here in the Philippines guaranteed a shorter traveling time. And if I am needed back to the bank's headquarter, I can easily travel back to Manila." My guardian clucked his tongue. "And who are you calling cheap? One day stay in this island cost a quarter of a million pesos. We are staying for four days, I am spending more than a million pesos on this trip."
My eyes widened at the figure he stated. "A million...? Wow..." I look around to the almost painted like surrounding. "It cost that much to stay in this island? Why...?"
"The accomodation came with a beach mansion, delectable meals and several activities lined up for us to try. On day two, we will be out on a yacht to fish during the day and star gaze at night." Mr.Gilbert explained to me. "There are jetskis and speedboats available for us. There are small caves that we can explore with the help of an expert guide. We can try paragliding, zip lines, water boarding, surfing, snorkeling, scuba diving, hiking, camping,...etc. They have the facilities and people to accomodate any kind of adventure their customers might want to do."
"Do they also sell cocaine and women here? I might want to try those," Robin said and Mr.Akage quickly smacked the back of Robin's head. Mr.Gilbert and I nodded in approval at what my guardian did.
Sometimes, Robin deserves a smacking like that.
I nudged his shoulder, "Stop being such a grouch! We are on a vacation! We are in a beach! We can swim, eat fresh seafoods and take lots of pictures using this!" I showed Robin the new digital camera that Mr.Akage gave to me. It's actually a set, the other one is with Robin but I think he stashed it on his luggage while grumbling that he won't act like a tourist with a camera on his neck.
He is grouchy. I nudged him again. "This will be fun! Yay!" I raised my arms again in glee.
Mr.Akage and Mr.Gilbert gave me approving looks as Robin sighed with that exasperated look on his face. He is really weird.
We are on a vacation. All four of us. Our weird family.
Yup, I said it! I think this is a family vacation. I'm part of a family again. It's not my version of normal family, the one I grew up with knowing, but this is my family now.
I'm so happy.