MISSING ROYALTY

Chapter 9 : Tears of The Devil

Inis na napabangon ako sa aking kama. It's already 10 o'clock and I am already awake 8 o'clock pa lang. Hindi muna ako lumabas. Hinihintay kong lumabas ang demonyong 'yon para makalabas ako dito sa kwarto ko.

After what happened kaninang hating gabi, I don't know how to face him. We kissed. We just kissed! And that was embarrassing. I just hope that he's the type that gets drunk and forgets everything that happened.

Pinakiramdaman ko ang paligid. Nice. Tahimik na. Dahan dahan kong binuksan ang pinto ng kwarto ko and scanned my eyes. Coast clear. I smiled triumphantly. Patay pa ang mga ilaw sa kusina at sa sala so I guess tulog pa siya. I could eat very fast and go back to my room.

I tried my very best not to create a sound as I made my way down the kitchen. Thankfully, may makakain naman akong nakita kaya agad ko itong kinuha. Kumuha rin ako ng maiinom sa fridge ngunit halos himatayin na ako sa gulat.

The moment I opened the fridge, naliwanagan ang kusina dahilan upang makita ko si Cross na nakaupo na sa isa sa mga upuan doon with a cup of coffee in front of him. Nakatingin siya sa'kin with furrowed eyebrows. Holy heavens! Why did you give this man the looks that could give a heart attack?

"Why are you sneaking?" Isinara ko ang fridge and adjusted my sight to the darkness. Inabot niya ang switch ng ilaw kaya lumiwanag na ang buong kusina.

"I...uh...I thought you're still sleeping so...yeah." naningkit ang mga mata niya habang nakatingin sa'kin and I felt my heart race again.

"W-why are you here a-alone tsaka bakit a-ang dilim dito? You should've turn the lights on para malaman ko kung may tao ba o wala."

He took a sip from his coffee without breaking eye contact with me. Can I go back to my room now? Nakakasuffocate eh.

"You were waiting for me to get out of the house. You were already awake earlier this time why didn't you go out?"

"Uh... I was cleaning my room?"

Halos mahulog ang dala kong plato nang bigla siyang tumayo at lumapit sa'kin. Ano na namang kaclichéhan 'to? I did not budge from where I was standing. He was making his way hanggang sa nakatayo na siya sa harapan ko. I want to congratulate myself later for I managed not to break eye contact with him. It was hard. His eyes are hypnotizing.

"I did not forget what happened, if that's what you're praying." Gusto ko siyang hampasin ng dala kong plato dahil pinaalala na naman niya ang nangyari. I felt my cheeks flushed as I remembered it again. Sinamaan ko siya ng tingin and he just gave me a smirk. This is bad. I don't find his smirk annoying anymore. Why do I find it...sexy?

"Remind me to smack my head later." I muttered dahilan upang kumunot ang noo niya. "Why are you smirking? Stop smirking, devil."

I heard him chuckled. Nabigla naman ako nang hawakan niya ang dulo ng aking buhok na nakasabit sa balikat ko. He smiled as his fingertips touched my hair. Bakit pala-ngiti na siya ngayon? Is he still drunk?

"This is bad." He muttered. Anong bad ang sinasabi niya? Is he insulting my hair? Akmang magka counterattack ako nang magsalita ulit siya but this time, hindi na siya sa buhok ko nakatingin ngunit sa mukha ko na.

"Very bad." He smiled sadly. Nakakunot ang noo kong nakatingin sa kanya. Why was he looking at my face when he said very bad? What was he meaning to say? Pangit ako? Aba't!

"Stop thinking, Muriel." The moment he said my name, my insides flipped again. This is the first time I heard him say my name and it sounded different. I hate to say this but I want to hear it again. Say my name again.

"You're biting your lip." I blinked many times nang marinig ko iyon. I'm biting my lip? Akmang tatakpan ko na ito ng mga kamay ko nang higitin niya ako sa bewang and pressed his lips on mine.

I was too shocked to move. I was paralyzed for a moment. I wanted to protest but my body says otherwise. His lips moved and I followed his movements. I don't know if how long we stayed like that but as we ended the kiss, we were breathing heavily.

He's staring at my face while I can't even lift my head up to look at him. Nakatingin lang ako sa dibdib niya. Damn. Damn. Damn. Why did I answer his kisses? Why did he kissed me?

Naramdaman ko nalang na ipinatong niya ang ulo niya sa balikat ko. Wait. Is he sleeping?

***

"Anak ng tsinelas!" I muttered nang muntik na akong madulas sa hagdanan. Inayos ko ang pagkakaakbay ni Cross sa'kin. He is sleeping. Turns out, lasing pa pala ang lalakeng ito. Does he always kiss whoever kapag lasing siya? If so, I don't want him drinking again.

"Why the freaking hell are you so heavy?" Pinapasan ko po siya ngayon papunta sa kwarto niya. Hindi ko alam kung natulog ba ang lalakeng ito o wala. Ngayon ko lang din napansin na ang suot niya kagabi at ngayon ay pareho lang. So he was drinking hanggang mag umaga.

I thanked all the gods and goddesses dahil nakaaboy na rin ako sa wakas sa kwarto niya. Binuksan ko ito and put him to bed. Nag tingnan ko siya, he was sweating a lot. Basa na ang buhok niya dahil sa pawis. Kinapa ko ang noo niya and was surprised to feel his hot temperature.

"Saan ka ba nagsuot at nilagnat kang demonyo ka?" I was about to wipe his forehead with a cloth when I stopped. I admit. He looked sexier when sick. I shook my head and started to wipe his forehead hanggang sa leeg niya.

Napalunok ako ng laway when a thought crossed my mind. Am I supposed to change his clothes? Ang upper lang.

"C-Cross?" I did not get a response.

"I..I am changing your clothes, okay? I - er - upper lang." Napalunok ako ng laway as I touched the hem of his shirt.

"God, Muriel! You've seen hundreds of these at your palace why the hell are you hesitating with this one male body?" I breathed deep and lifted his shirt up ngunit pinigilan ako ng kamay ni Cross. He was gripping my hand.

"What are you planning to do? You're not going to flirt with me, aren't you?"

Kung wala lang siyang sakit, kanina ko pa kinuha ang unan at pinatay siya gamit iyon. Hindi ko nalang siya sinagot because I don't want to kill a sick person.

He smirked and lifted his hands. I took that as a signal at hinubad na ang tshirt niya. I secretly gulped nang makita sa malapitan ang katawan ng isang lalake. Back at home, the palace guards would flaunt theirs at the practicing arena.

"Enjoying the view?" Napatingin ako sa kanya. He is looking at me with one eye closed at pinaningkitan ko lang siya ng tingin.

"Manahimik ka." I said and started wiping his body with a warm towel. I also felt his stable breathing kaya malamang tulog na ito.

Binuksan ko ang closet niya and was surprised to see how organized it was. Kumuha ako ng isang tshirt niya at isinuot iyon sa kanya. Kinuha ko na rin ang thermometer at chineck ang kanyang temperatura. 39 degrees Celcius.

Napagdesisyunan kong bumaba muna sa kusina and cook him something to eat later. Iinitin ko nalang ito mamaya kapag gusto na niyang kumain. Bumalik agad ako sa kwarto niya and pinunasan ulit ang leeg niya at mukha. He's sweating so much. Umuulan din sa labas kaya hindi ako makapunta sa bahay ni Lola Karing para makahingi ng gamot.

And wala akong kasama papunta doon. That old woman once attempted to murder me and my twin brother 22 years ago kaya as much as possible, ayokong pumunta doon nang mag isa.

Good thing may sofa sa kwarto ni Cross because I was able to lie down. Hindi ko namalayang nakatulog pala ako. Nagising nalang ako nang maramdaman kong may tumama sa mukha ko. Agad akong bumangon only to see a pillow. Who threw a pillow to my face? Tiningnan ko ang kama ni Cross and there he is with his usual bored look.

Did I say he looked sexy when sick? I take that back. He looked the sexiest after he's sick and when he just got out of bed. His hair is gorgeously messy. Idagdag pa ang seryoso niyang mukha habang nakatingin sa'kin. And his piercing eyes. Holy heavens! He looked like -- no, erase that -- he is a top class model who just came out of the magazine!

"Stop staring." I blinked nang marinig ko ang boses niya. Even his voice sounds sexy to me. Is this still normal? Why is everything about him looked attractive and sexy to me?

I immediately stood up at kinuha ang thermomerter na nilagay ko sa kanya kanina. It read 37.9 degrees Celcius.

"Seeing the reading here and the way you act, you're near to okay." I placed the thermometer on his bedside table and touched his forehead. Medyo mainit pa siya.

"Wait here. Don't move an inch." I immediately went down the kitchen and heated the soup I made earlier. Inakyat ko ito sa kwarto niya.

He was staring at it na para bang iniisip niya kung makakain ba iyon ano. Why does he always do that to my cooking? Okay naman ang lasa ah though it's not edible looking pero may kasabihan naman tayong don't judge a book by its cover. Kahit mukhang lason itong niluto ko, nakakain naman.

Seeing him doubt my cooking wants me to strangle him kung wala lang siyang sakit.

"Eat."

"This looked like a poison."

Gusto ko siyang ibalot sa comforter niya at ihulog sa veranda.

"Ang arte mo ah. Kung ayaw mo edi 'wag! Akin na." Akmang hihilahin ko na ang plato sa kamay niya nang inilayo niya ito sa'kin. Ano na namang trip nito?

"I did not say I won't eat this." He said and stared at the bowl. Akala ko ba kakain na siya? Bakit nakatitig lang siya sa plato?

"Hindi lilipad 'yang sabaw papunta sa bibig mo. You have to use the spoon sir, kung 'di niyo alam 'yon." He looked at me with his usual blank face at bumalik iyon sa bowl.

"Feed me." Hindi ko napigilang magtaas ng kilay. He looked at me boredly. "I'm too tired to even lift my hands."

"Then use your feet!" He gave me a death glare kaya kinuha ko nalang ang kutsara at sinubuan siya.

After minutes of exchanging glares natapos rin siya sa waka sa pagkain. Nakahiga na rin siya sa kanyang kama at natutulog. I checked his temperature once again and bumaba na ang lagnat niya.

It's already 5 in the afternoon at madilim na sa labas because of the rain. Malakas pa rin ang bagsak ng ulan. Napabuntong hininga nalang ako. Ano nalang kahihinatnan ng lalakeng 'to kung nagkataong hindi ako napadpad rito. He may looked tough but pakiramdam ko madali siyang tablan ng sakit. Nagkalagnat siguro ito because he stayed too long outside at nag iinom. Ibang klase.

Kinuha ko ang monobloc chair na at itinabi iyon sa kama niya. I watch him as he sleep. He looked peaceful and I found myself smiling looking at him. Who would have thought a devil could also get sick? Hinawi ko ang buhok na nasa noo niya to see his face clearly and I found myself touching his forehead, to his closed eyes, to his nose, his cheeks and his lips.

Napalunok ako ng laway. He just kissed me twice. Hindi ko alam ang nararamdaman ko. That was just nothing, isn't it? For him, that was just nothing. And the same goes for me. It had to. It should held no meaning to me.

Akmang lalabas na ako ng kwarto niya when I heard him say something. Nakapikit pa rin siya at nakakunot ang noo niya. Is he dreaming something? Bumalik ako sa pagkakaupo ang touched his forehead.

"Ma." He's dreaming of his mom. Nasaan kaya ang mama niya?

"Ma, don't leave me yet. Please." Napatingin ako sa kanya and was surprised to see a tear rolling on his cheeks. Pinahid ko iyon gamit ang likuran ng palad ko at bigla nalang siyang gumising at bumangon.

"A-Are you alright--" hindi ko natuloy ang nais kong itanong nang bigla niya akong higitin at yakapin. I was too shocked to move. Is he always clingy kapag nagkasakit?

I was about to joke him about it but I heard him sniff. I automatically put my hands on his back at hinagod iyon.

"Was that a sad dream?" Malumanay kong tanong. I felt him nod like a child on my shoulders.

"S-Stay." His voice broke nang sabihin niya iyon and I don't know if I should say this but it also broke my heart. Naramdaman ko rin na basa na balikat ko. He's crying. It must've been a very sad dream. The devil's hurting. He's a broken man that needed fixing.

"I will. You have to sleep now. Para gumaling ka na."

Umiling iling siya na parang bata sa balikat ko.

"I d-don't want to." His voice cracked again and he broke down crying. He was hugging me tightly and burried his face on my shoulders. Hearing him cry also broke me. I felt my cheeks getting wet. He's like a child who was left alone. He is vulnerable and broken inside. How hard was it for him to build a wall to isolate those weaknesses?

Hinagod ko ang likuran niya to comfort him.

"I'll be here Cross, I won't leave." I said the moment he stopped crying. He's still hugging me and burrying his face on my shoulders.

Kumalas siya sa yakap and looked at me. Basa ang pisngi niya. I smiled at him. Pinahid ko ang luha niya gamit ang dalawang palad ko.

"I'll be here so you won't have sad dreams anymore." Akmang tatayo na ako para umupo sa monobloc chair nang higitin na naman niya ako and we ended up lying in his bed. He's hugging me tightly.

"You have to stay this close for the bad dreams to go away." I looked at him suspiciously.

"Is that why you always bring girls here for your sad dreams to go away?"

"No. Sleep, Muriel."

"I should be the one saying that. And since when are we close enough for you to hug me tightly like this?"

"Since last night when we're about to flirt with each other." He showed me his smile that always makes my heart skip a beat.

Magpoprotesta sana ako ngunit inunahan niya ako ng halik sa labi.

"This is part of your service, maid. Now, sleep."

Napasimangot nalang ako. How am I supposed to sleep when we're so close like this?

Napatingin ako sa payapa niyang mukha. Nakatulog na siya. He just showed his weak side to me. At kahit demonyo siya minsan-- no, always, behind that tough facade, he is a broken man. A broken man who is suppressing his tears until now.

I let myself hugged by him. Just for tonight, Muriel. Just for tonight.

***