A Shade of Midnight

THREE

"You're not supposed to put it there, dumbass," Al said and Bryen just glared at her as he tried to put some piece of wood on someone's house. 

Kasalukuyan kaming nasa syudad kung saan malaki ang naging damage. Together with the soldiers, we all helped to repair the damages. So far, so good. The damages have been slowly repaired. It's been days anyway. 

I looked at Raven who was busy talking to Azrael in the distance. Hula ko'y pinag-uusapan nila ang tungkol sa mga impormasyong nakuha ni Az sa mga bihag. How he does it? Hindi ko alam. But I have an idea. They kept them in Raven's other home where Marion and his cronies are. Where the screams of the tormented could be easily heard. I bet it's where they keep them. Where Azrael could get them to scream, as loud as they can. And just thinking about it makes me want to shiver. 

Raven caught me staring and gave me a feline smile. To which I wasn't prepared to kaya naman agad akong nagbawi ng tingin and focused my attention on Mel who was apparently also staring at me and probably caught all that awkward moment of me being caught staring at the High Lord.  

"Young people these days be making things more complicated than they should be," she whispered and shook her head but didn't fail to reach my ears and I couldn't help but feel my face getting hot. Alam kong para sa akin ang sinabi niya. 

Getting things more complicated than they should be, huh. I wish it would be that easy. I took one last glance at Raven who was still talking to Azrael before I went back to helping Al painting the furniture that was just handed to them. 

It's been days since the attack happened and we were busy helping the city and the people repair the damages. But I still couldn't forget the look on his face when he witnessed the city--his city--being damaged. Hindi ko makalimutang ang galit sa mukha niya nang makita ang mga taong responsable sa pag atake sa kanyang syudad. Even me, I wouldn't deny that I was furious. Maybe it was because this was the place that offered me a safe haven. Maybe it was because I have grown quite comfortable with this place. Or perhaps I have grown quite fond of the people. 

It's quite unbelievable that I used to think that these people are the enemies. I have been kept in the dark. And I hated the fact that I even thought about that. I hated that I was thinking they're the enemy when they're the ones who saved me. 

"I am impressed you still could do your job well given the fact that I have caught you staring at me several times in a span of fifteen minutes." 

I jolted when I heard Raven's voice. And he was awfully near that I leaped back and got away from him as far as I could that I knocked the paint. Thankfully, hindi pa nabubuksan iyon. 

I glared at Raven and he just chuckled. His hands were stuffed inside his pockets. He was just wearing a black shirt with its sleeves rolled up to his elbows. The first three buttons were unbuttoned showing whorls of his tattoo on his chest. The wind has ruffled his hair as if making it intentionally look good. 

"Is there something wrong with my face?" he asked. 

There wasn't something on his face. It was only sheer arrogance because he knew he is good-looking as how my mind claimed him to be. 

"You're beautiful," I mumbled even before I could stop myself. And the sheer surprise on his face was an indication he heard it. I wanted to run in another direction. Narinig niya ang sinabi ko. Al and the rest went to another house. I remained there, standing in front of Raven getting embarrassed for what just said. But then I figured it would be better to face it.

"Of course, you're used to compliments like that. Don't mind me--" 

"This is one of the rare occasions you compliment me. I don't want to not mind it," he said and continued to stare dahilan ng pagkailang ko. I am not used to it. Still not used to his deep blue orbs. I felt like they were taking me to other dimensions. His flirting...I know it was just to keep my mind away from things that made me scared. I know he was doing it for me. To distract me. 

But am I fine with it? I flirt back but what for? 

I cleared my throat and despite trying not to make it all obvious they're secretly looking at us, Bry and Mor were certainly not good at it. I could feel their burning stares directed towards me and Raven. 

Bago pa man ako makapagsalita, hinatak na niya ang kamay ko at hinila ako papalayo doon. 

"Raven, we are helping these people fix their houses where are you two going?" rinig naming sabi ni Mel but Raven ignored her. Mel is known to be someone with an unusual authority. Despite her youthful look, napagtanto kong mas matanda siya kay Raven--sa akin. And that we should not mess around with her.

"Raven, saan tayo pupunta?" I asked him and he just gave me a sideward glance before he said, "Somewhere quiet." And then he winked. 

I gulped as he opened the car and pumasok ako doon. He ran to the other side and immediately started the car. 

"If you're going to kidnap me, I just want to tell you that Al and Mel are watching and they are ready to claw your face once they find out." 

Raven paused for a moment and looked at the window where he could see Al and Mel looking at us, brows furrowed. He then laughed. 

"I think I'd have to recheck where their loyalties lie because clearly, they've been starting to be more loyal towards you than to their High Lord," he mumbled but with a smile on his face. Something that I love to see. Something I  would love to see for a long time. Was it the reason I wanted to help him? Was it the reason I was determined to save his Court? Was it the reason I agreed to join his Court? 

Before, it was solely for the purpose of helping Sandovia. To stop whatever happened before. To make sure it won't happen again. Before, it was all about stopping war from happening. But then I have to realize, the more I spend time with these people I treat as villains before, I was more determined to save them. The more I spend time with them, the more I want to protect them. To protect the people of their city. To protect their smiles. Because it was them who saved me when I was drowning. It was them who saved me when I was suffocating. It was them who saved me and did not treat me as a fragile object, ready to break any moment. It was them who saved me when I couldn't even save myself. And Raven...despite the hateful words I have thrown towards him before, he helped me finish Meredith's tasks. Even if I have an eternity to live, I would be thankful to him for the rest of my life. 

I looked outside the window and watched the trees dancing in the wind. It was peaceful. But if we are not careful, this place would become bloodshed. 

"It's not...scary to talk about it now," I said out of the blue and in my periphery, nakita ko siyang napalingon sa akin. But he was silent as he waited for me to continue what I wanted to say. 

"I am not scared to talk about it anymore. Meredith...and what she has done." I looked at him and his face softened. A sly smile escaped his lips as he turned to look at me. 

"Of course. I mean, I was given this face for nothing," he said and grinned. 

I gave him an incredulous look. "You are--" I sighed and just shook my head. Hindi ko nalang tinuloty ang gusto kong sabihin because I know it's going to become a conversation about how good-looking he is.  And I said it out loud earlier which was something I would not want to think about. 

I heard him chuckle. "For the record," he said as he looked at me, "I find you beautiful, too." 

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