ELC43
"Papa, why is your house so small?"
I chuckled a little when I heard Aza ask. The questions sound rude but since he has a small voice, it sounded more like he's just curious. Maybe he just got used to our mansion.
"Are we in heaven?" he asked again and look at the glass wall. He ran back to Six's side fast after he looked down for it for a second. I think he got scared of the height.
"It's not a house, Az. It's a condo."
"What's a condo?"
"Hmm, it's like a house too but it's in a building and there are few other people living in the same area as you..."
"Like neighbors?"
"Yes..."
I walked to give myself a tour of his own space while he's busy answering Aza's question. It's not really small unlike what Aza was saying. He was just really used to being in a big house. It's quite spacious for someone who lives alone and for someone who doesn't really stay in Manila often before.
It has four doors, I don't know which of which are the bedroom, though. The whole color of the condo somehow reflects his room in their mansion, as far as I can remember it. White and gray. The minimalist design was making it look elegant and comfortable. It looks really clean. Well, maybe that's because it's been a long time since he stayed here. Walang gumagamit kaya hindi rin dumudumi, aside from some dust that's already expected.
"So this isn't heaven?"
"Nope. We're just in a high place, baby..."
Six eyes are on me while he's talking to Aza. I walked towards them when I was done exploring around.
"How high?" Aza asked, holding Six's hand so he could steal his attention again. Six easily gave what his son wanted, tearing his eyes off me.
"Very high..."
I chuckled when he struggled to find an answer that matches Aza's level of understanding of things. I stood up beside Six and his hand immediately flew on my waist.
"Are we going to stay here?" Aza asked.
Six and I exchanged looks. He let go of my waist to carry Aza on his arms. I frowned. I know that Six missed a lot from Aza's time but he really loves carrying Aza! I mean, he's already growing up. Dapat hindi siya sinasanay na palaging karga!
"Nope, baby. Papa just had to get something."
We never talked about moving out of my parent's mansion but I also don't think he's okay with staying. He's casual with them but he's not really comfortable and interactive even if he's been staying in our house for almost two months now. He still addresses them, Sir and Ma'am. Even to my brothers...
He's not talking about it but he seems to be struggling on how can he relate to them, still.
"Do I have a room here?" bagong tanong ni Aza.
We stopped by here because Six needs to get some mails. Actually hanggang lobby lang naman dapat kami but we ended up visiting his unit because I told him I wanna see what it looks like. We just came from Aza's session.
"Do you want to?" he carried Aza in one arm while his other hand search for my hand. He walked towards a door, pulling me with them. He let go of my hand to open the door before he held it again.
"Is this my room?" Aza said, his eyes are focused on looking around the room.
"Guest room?" I whispered on Six, slightly moving my face near his. He looked at me and I saw evidence of a little shock when he saw my face close. But then, he managed to smile at me, move his face closer, and give my temple a kiss.
"Yes, baby..." he answered me.
Naglakad kami papasok ng kwarto. It was very plain with gray walls and white furniture. Obviously, there are no touches of anything personal in here.
Six put Aza down on the bed. Umupo naman ako sa tabi niya. Six choose to kneel one of his knees on the floor to be on Aza's eye level. His hand is still holding and playing with mine while the other is in Aza's side.
"We'll transform this one as your room."
Aza's eyes widen when he heard it. He likes the word because it sounds like an anime term.
"Transform?!"
We both chuckled seeing how cute that expression is to him. I put my hand to caress his back. I will forever treasure little moments like this with them in my mind.
"Hmm. Choose from Tito Theo, Tito Rash, and Tita Santh, baby. We'll ask their help for your room."
Aza's face looked like he was thinking. He even pursed his lips while humming.
"Tito Rash..."
"Why him?" Six asked as his brow shot up.
"Because he's Siu's Papa!"
"Siu?"
"Cassius, Pa. His name is too long so I gave him a nickname like mine!"
"You like him now huh?" I teased him and try to tickle his tummy and waist. He laughed loudly while moving fast trying to stop my hand but he can't succeed. I laughed.
"He's my friend now!" he laughed more. Sobrang likot ng kanyang katawan dahil sa kiliti. "Mama, stop! Papa!"
Six immediately opened his arms to catch Aza when he suddenly jumped on him so he could escape from me. The room became filled with our laughs. I shook my head when Aza stick his tongue out to me that's why I smirked and tried to reach him and his tongue with my two fingers acting like scissors.
He screamed before he clung more to Six's neck while laughing so hard.
"Kill..." Six called me to make me stop yet was also smiling while trying to carry his frolic son in his arms. I just raised my brow on him. What?
We stayed for a couple of hours in Six's condo. Thankfully, I already cleared my schedule this day so I don't have to worry about anything but them now. We took a private dinner out before we went back to the mansion.
Hinayaan ko na si Aza kay Six at dumiretso na ako sa kwarto ko. Aza's liking Six's assistance than me these days. He was insisting that boys shall be with boys. It was making my eye roll every time I'm hearing it. Duh! I'm an exception! I'm his mother!
But then, I know I have to give in because they just started having their father-son bonding after not knowing each other for too long.
When I entered Aza's room, he was already asleep and Six was just watching him like someone could steal his son away from him if he looks in another direction. I smiled. The sight of them warms my heart completely.
My little family... the loves of my life. I just dreamed of it before. Akala ko hindi na ulit pwede... pero may magagawa pa pala ako. And right now, I felt like I just made the most perfect choice of my life.
Six's eyes went on me when I sat on Aza's bed. He was lying on the other side while his face is on his hand as support while looking at Aza.
"He's fast asleep..." he whispered with air so that it won't disturb Aza. I smiled at him.
I look down at Aza before I held his face gently and kiss his forehead.
"Sweet dreams, baby..." I whispered.
Nahawa ako kay Six sa panonood kay Aza. We became so drawn to him even if he's just peacefully sleeping. I just sat properly when Six started moving out of Aza's bed. My eyes followed him until he reached my position to caught my hand and pull me off with him.
I chuckled a little, enough not to wake Aza up. We walked towards the adjacent door to my bedroom. We both look back at Aza once again before Six closed the door.
He sat on my bed and pull me on his lap. I immediately circled my arm on his neck while his hand went on my waist to support me.
"Hi, baby..." he huskily greeted me like I wasn't with him for the rest of the day. I giggled before I lean my forehead on his chin.
"Hi..." balik ko. "Baka magising si Aza..."
He turned to me to put a chaste kiss on my lips. It automatically made me smile.
"He won't. It's time for my other baby..."
Since Aza requires a lot of our attention, we rarely find time for ourselves. Commonly, the only time we can be like this is when Aza was already sleeping.
"What? Other baby?" I frowned and move my head backward. He laughed. My forehead knotted and my brows almost meet each other.
Kainis! Why is he making it sound like I was an option or a fall back? Kala nya ba nakakakilig yon? Hmp!
"Ayusin mo nga, Sinjin Xylus!" I demanded. I was all serious but he was still chuckling while staring at me with his amused eyes.
"I love you..."
Natigilan ako. I heard it a lot of times already but my heart can't still get used to hearing it from him. I pouted at him and my frown automatically went off my face.
"I love you, too..." mahina kong sagot.
He chuckled lowly while looking at me with his dark eyes. My lips curved into a smile while looking at him. The beatings of my heart didn't change and if there could be a change, maybe it just grew larger and deeper like how my love for him does every day.
I felt like I never aged. Before, he let me know what youth feels like. And now, he's making me feel youthful and free again.
"Six..." I called him in the middle of our kisses. I move my head a little away from him. I smirked when I saw him moving his head to catch my lips. I chuckled before I put my forefinger on his chin to stop him.
"What, baby..." he asked, lazily and with a little objection.
My finger on his chin went up to trace his jaw. His cold eyes are lazily looking at me while my eyes are busy following what my finger is doing.
"Do you want me to tell my parents that we're moving out?" I asked him before brushing his face with the back of my palm. Binaba ko ang kamay ko at pinatong sa kanyang balikat.
His eyes darkened when I decided to look back at him. I waited for his answer but we are just filled with silence for long seconds. I watched how his chest moved slowly as he heaved a deep sigh.
"Baby..."
"We can use your condo or well..." I said while drawing small circles on his arms. "I have this mansion my parents gave as a gift. We can use that..."
"Why are we suddenly talking about this?" he asked.
I gasped. His eyes are starting to pierce on my soul once again!
"I just thought it's also the time..."
Before, I don't really have any plans of moving out of this place even if you say that I'll have my own properties. I just don't find it necessary especially because it's my home and this is where I am very comfortable to. And also, I worry that the house will turn lonelier if I move out with Aza. I always worry about Mama and Papa.
But now that Six is already with us, I started to see why it's important to have a place different from my parent's home.
"Is it okay with you?" his eyebrow raised on me. "It's your and Aza's home. You both grew up here."
I smiled at him but I didn't answer. I reassessed his question unto myself even if I know I already thought of it hard enough. I just don't want Aza and I to be comfortable alone. Gusto ko siya din. And if this is what it takes, then why not? Besides, the material structure of a house doesn't really make one home, right? The most important thing is I'm with both of them.
"It doesn't mean we have to stay here forever."
"I don't think I'm following you, baby..." he said with a little creased on his forehead, confused.
Tinaas ko muli ang kamay ko upang hawakan ang kanyang noo. I massage it a little so it would relax. I put my hand back on his shoulder when it did.
"You're not okay with my parents." I directly said. I didn't hesitate on saying it because I really wanna hear his thoughts about it and try to see if I can do something. Of course, I want the man I love to have a good relationship with my family.
"What?"
I look at him with scrutiny. Nanliit ang mata ko habang nakatitig sa kanya. "Don't deny it..."
He stared at me before I saw a little smile playing on his lips. I heard him chuckle before he pulled me close to him like we still have a distance from each other. Hello? I'm already in his lap! When will he be satisfied?
"How did my baby end up in thinking of that, huh?" he said, putting butterfly kisses on my temple.
"I'm serious..." I said, pouting because he's being playful but I really wanna talk first.
"Seryoso din ako." he said before he gave me a calm smile. His other hand went on my hand that's peacefully resting on his shoulder. He held it to intertwine his and mine.
"You're okay with Mama and Papa? And my Kuyas?"
My back felt a little stiff even if his arms are supporting me so I leaned my side on his chest. I wasn't able to have a clear view of his face but the shape of his jaw looks perfect in the angle where I'm looking at it now.
He sighed deeply.
"Why won't I? They are your family, baby. They gave me you...I'm very much thankful of them."
"Then why? Do you feel intimidated?"
I unconsciously frowned. That doesn't seem to fit well. Sinjin Xylus... intimidated to someone? Nah...
I rose from his chest when he didn't answer me. Weh? Seriously?
"You are?!" I said with a higher tone while being shocked at the same time.
He smirked at me before he chuckled. I don't know what he's laughing about between my reaction or my words but what? He's intimidated?
"I witnessed how precious you are to them..." he said with his husky voice while looking straight at me with an unconfident smile. "I feel sorry and embarrassed. Ang kapal din ng mukha ko na nandito ako. I sometimes think that if it weren't for Aza's needs, I will never be welcomed here."
"Six..."
"Your family deserves a proper apology from me but every time I thought of that, I chicken out because I don't know how to make them understand. Even you though that I don't deserve forgiveness, right?"
"That was before..."
"Because you love me," he said with drunk eyes and a small smirk.
"They will love you."
"That is weirder."
We stared at each other for some seconds before we started chuckling. Yeah, that was weird. But who knows?
"You see Six..." I said to him with a smile. I played on our intertwined hands while looking straight at him. "My family has a lot of flaws. No riches can fix what we lack towards each other and the people around us. But do you what I'm proud of?" my lips quivered.
I don't talk about my family often but if I do, I am always emotional. No matter how hard it is to be a Legrand, I will choose them over and over again.
"We're not perfect and we accept imperfectness," I said.
I silently caress his hand using my thumb.
"They will understand, Six. You don't need to be afraid of my family because in the first place, it was them who lead me back to you..."
Mama, I think I understand now... I think I know what you really wanted me to do.
"You think so?"
I smiled at him. "I believe so, baby..."
His eyes turned darker. Oh... you have to stop being too hot, Six. We're still not done talking.
And like he knows what I was thinking, his tongue licked his lips to make it wet. Naibaba ko ang tingin ko sa mga labi niya.
Gosh! We're done talking, right? Can we proceed?
"Even so... I still have to apologize formally to them and at the same time, ask for your hand..."
My heart created a loud beat that was able to wake all my sleeping blood. It continued its unusual beatings like it aims to ruin my ribcage. My eyes widen. Parang nabingi ata ako dahil sa sinabi niya. Am I hearing right?
"W-what?"
The intensity of his eyes became heavier. His face is serious and determined. It was making me lose my own sanity and air to breathe.
"You want to move out, right? We will, baby... but I wanna do it right. I'll get you the right way this time, Aquilah Therese..."
I know I am well-positioned in his lap and he's holding me tightly but why do I feel like I can fall any time now? And it seems like my heart already went falling earlier than I do. I thought I suddenly stopped breathing.
"Marry me, baby..."