OKAY. Look at the bright side. She's not dead. Kuya Inggo's not dead.

She's just...locked out of the house.

"Baby." Kuya Inggo helps her stand up and caresses her cheek, looking mildly amused. "Don't panic, sama ka sa 'kin."

"Huh?" Maureen whispers, her head scrambling for a single, coherent thought. "Where?"

He shrugs, still stroking her face. His other hand strokes her wrist reassuringly. "Anywhere you want, birthday mo. Then we can come back in the morning, Tita wakes up early naman, 'di ba? Once the door is open, you'll sneak in and pretend you haven't been out with me the whole night."

"Baliw ka," Maureen whispers.

"Pero matalino. Tara na." Kuya Inggo threads their fingers together and leads them to his motorcycle. Maureen, dazed, can do nothing but follow.

Kasi may point si Kuya Inggo. Wala siyang susi for the back door, tapos ang nasa shorts lang niya ngayon is the key to her room, which she locked before stepping out to meet Kuya Inggo.

At least hindi makikita ng pamilya niya na wala pala siya sa bahay...?

Kuya Inggo gently places the helmet on her head and straps it on, his fingers pausing at her throat. Then he knocks on the helmet lightly and laughs, sitting on the bike. "Where do you wanna go first?"

Maureen thinks about it.

The last few times they've gone out this late have always been for food or for walking along Katip. 'Di nagagawa ni Maureen maglakad mag-isa nang madaling araw even though she wants to, kaya she uses her scary dog privilege kapag kasama niya si Kuya Inggo at two or three in the morning, like that time na nag-Shakey's sila after his grad celebration.

Again, he's 6'1. He's tall and big. He looks scary.

Maureen smiles, biting her bottom lip.

Kuya Inggo's eyes go to her mouth. He raises his eyebrows, pushing his tongue against his cheek. "What?"

"What do you think about piercings?"

He spreads his legs and puts his hands on her waist to stand in between them, eyes going to her ears. "For you? Pipila na rin si Tita Sheryl sa execution ko, Rinn, maawa ka sa 'kin."

Alam niya 'yon, kailangan niya talaga magpaalam muna. Pero siya... "No, for you."

His mouth curves. "Oh, yeah?"

HUY, PUTANGINA, may igagwapo pa pala 'tong asshole na 'to???

Oh, yeah? Oh, yeah?

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"You want me to get a piercing?"

Maureen makes a squeaky sound of agreement and nods, heart thrumming in excitement. Oh, boy. Kung papayag siya...

"Ear piercing? Or a Prince Albert?"

She smacks him. "Kuya Inggo! Sa ear lang kase!"

"Okay." Kuya Inggo laughs again and straddles the bike. "Just making sure. Let's go, may alam akong bukas pa." He takes her hands and pulls her closer, wrapping her arms around his waist. Then he kicks up the stand and revs the engine, and they take off down the street.

Maureen screeches in surprise at the speed and knots her hands over the rock-hard muscles of his stomach, pressing her front against his back. She hears his laugh over the wind.

When Kuya Inggo pulls up at the stoplight, he drops a hand from the bar and rests it on her bare knee. Maureen feels her stomach kick with butterflies and burrows herself further on his back, making him stroke his hand all the way up her thigh.

Ugh, why is everything he does so hot?! Hindi gets ni Maureen!

When they go in the small shop, Kuya Inggo leading the way with his hand in hers, sinundan siya ng tingin ng mga tambay sa labas.

May isang nag-drop talaga ang jaw niya pagkadaan ni Kuya Inggo.

Maureen mouths, "Same," then she hugs his arm and scoots closer to him para lang alam nila na taken na siya.

Technically. Actually, hindi talaga at all. Pero practice lang.

Kuya Inggo wraps his hand around her nape at the counter and drawls, "Ear piercing nga po."

Oh, she can't believe he's letting her do this to him.

"Sure ka ba?" Maureen whispers, facing him, hands on his belt loops. "I know it's my birthday, pero kung napipilitan ka lang—"

Kuya Inggo leans down, massaging her neck with one hand and gripping her hip with other, and whispers in her ear, "Baby, shut up."

Okay po.

Maureen fans herself and wills her knees to stop shaking while Kuya Inggo turns back to the counter with a charming smile.

He doesn't even flinch when the gun pierces his ear. He just smiles and winks at her, keeping his eyes on her the whole time.

Maureen cannot believe Kuya Inggo walks out of the shop with a silver stud in his right ear and a packaged black one in his jeans. He looks...God, he looks impossibly hotter.

She wants to suck him off for looking like that and for letting her do this to him, pero pinaalala sa kanya ng anghel na special friends pa lang sila and any sex of any kind is off the table.

"Regretting it now?" tanong ni Kuya Inggo when they get back to his motorcycle, noticing her silence. He checks his ear in the mirror. "You don't like it?"

"No," she whispers. I do. So much.

He turns his head to look at her. Silently, he studies her face.

Then the corner of his mouth lifts. His tongue darts out to lick his full, bottom one. "Ah," he rasps.

Maureen flushes and looks away, grabbing the helmet. "Ah, what?"

He grins and shakes his head. "Ayus-ayusin mo tingin mo sa 'ken, Rinn, sinasabi ko sa 'yo. Where to?"

Maureen smacks his shoulder, straddling the bike behind him.

Then she leans forward, kisses the skin behind his newly-pierced ear, and whispers, "Hulugan Falls."

His hand goes down to her knee, breath hitching from her kiss. He squeezes her leg and whispers back, "Putangina ka."

Maureen laughs loudly.

"Ugh, you're gonna kill me," Kuya Inggo murmurs, putting on his helmet. Nilagay na rin ni Maureen ang kanya. "Daan tayo sa bahay, gamitin natin yung truck. I'll get food and towels na rin."

Her stomach turns over. "Wait, seriously?" Maureen peers around his shoulder to look at his face. "I was joking."

He winks. "Birthday mo, 'di ba? Sabi ko we'll go wherever you want, kaya panindigan mo 'yang joke mo."

Lord??? "You're crazy."

"Ika nga ni Taylor Swift: you make me crazier. Boom, panes. Wrap your arms around me, Rinn."

Maureen does, resting her head on his shoulder.

She squeals when Kuya Inggo lurches his bike forward, and the wind carries the sound of their laughter.

*

Nasa Hulugan Falls sa Luisiana, Laguna sila at two AM.

The windows were open the entire drive. Maureen let her hair loose and put her feet up the dashboard (Kuya Inggo gave up after pushing her knees down for the nth time and just let her be), munching on the Choco Baby Kuya Inggo brought. They blasted Taylor Swift songs on the speakers and sang at the top of their lungs, using the water bottle as their microphone.

Pagkadating nila sa falls, Maureen's jaw drops. "Oh my God," she whispers, taking in her surroundings.

The water is a magnificent blue-green even in the dark, and there's a stillness in its movement in the midst of the fall's steady roar.

It's calming. Dapat nakakatakot na nandito sila, pero pwedeng makatulog si Maureen sa peace and quiet—

"Kuya Inggo!" Maureen screeches, turning around and covering her eyes.

Pa'no ba naman kasi, he ripped his shirt off him through the neckline from the back and went on to slide off his shorts nang walang sabi-sabi, nagmamadali pa.

Laughing, he shouts, "Naka-board shorts ako. Tara na, Rinn!"

Wala siyang balak mag-swim. Bahala siya. Ginusto lang  ni Maureen pumunta para makita 'to in person, lagi silang walang time pumunta dito—

"No!" she squeals in the middle of her very unladylike laughter when Kuya Inggo makes a grab for her.

God, his abs, mukhang bagong baked na pandesal, amp.

His stomach. Torso. Chest. Tanned skin she wants to lick everywhere.

"Strip down or I'll throw you in in your clothes."

Even though he's grinning, alam ni Maureen that he's not bluffing. He will hike her up over his shoulder and toss her in the water without a second thought.

Maureen puts her hands up and says, cheeks hurting from smiling, "Talikod ka."

The scoff he lets out makes her neck flush. "Sus."

"Kuya Inggo."

"Fine, fine," he concedes, turning around and heading into the water first. Maureen sucks her bottom lip in with her teeth watching his back muscles flex.

With a heavy breath, Maureen takes off her hoodie and slides down her cotton shorts, folding them neatly on top of a rock.

Sinasabi na lang niya sa sarili niya na nakita, nahawakan, at natikman na ni Kuya Inggo lahat, wala na siyang matatago.

'Tsaka he's seen enough female bodies to last five lifetimes, 'di naman maaapektuhan si Kuya Inggo sa kanya. Bahala na kahit naka-white cotton bra and panties lang siya.

With that thought, she walks over to the water just in time for him to surge up. He pushes his soaked hair back with one hand, full lips parting at the sight of her.

Lord, I am not your strongest soldier.

She swallows thickly at his slow, heated look over her body in her underwear, like he's tracing every curve of her body without lifting a finger.

Then Kuya Inggo reaches a hand out to her with a smile to tug her in.

The movement makes their chests press together. Kuya Inggo brings his hand to her chin, thumb brushing her lip to make her release it from her bite. His Adam's apple bobs up and down, but his eyes don't stray from hers. "Hi," he whispers.

"Hi," Maureen whispers back.

She stares up at him and he stares back, bringing his hands down to her neck to brush her hair away from her shoulders. His thumbs press on the base of her throat, and then his fingers trace her bra straps slowly from end to end.

Maureen's knees wobble under the water, but she tries to straighten her back.

His touch and his piercing and wet hair and wet skin...all of them a fucking wet dream. Maureen's toes curl under the water.

Kuya Inggo tilts his head down to study her face, gaze intense and charged. Then the corner of his mouth lifts into a smirk as he murmurs, "This piercing is doing something to you. Kung alam ko lang, Rinn, I would've gotten it a long time ago."

Maureen laughs and splashes him.

"Hoy!" Kuya Inggo splashes her back before swimming away.

Naglaro pa sila ng Marco Polo 'tsaka wrestling sa dilim sa tubig, the latter of which was not a good idea kasi parang lamok lang si Maureen na Kuya Inggo swats with one hand. Nag-clog tuloy nose ni Maureen tapos tinawanan lang siya ni Kuya Inggo.

He brought towels and a blanket so they can lay on the flatbed of the truck. Maureen lies down next to him, smiling in contentment and closing her eyes.

Kuya Inggo lies down next to her in silence.

Akala ni Maureen nakatulog na siya sa pagod because he's so still for so long, but when she opens her eyes, he's hovering above her with his cheek pressed to his fist, gaze on her face.

Maureen clears her throat. "What?" she murmurs, suddenly self-conscious. She should've put on her clothes before she lay down, pero basa pa kasi siya kanina at wala naman silang dalang pamalit.

He keeps his eyes on hers as his fingertips brush along her shoulder and collarbone, and Maureen sucks in a deep breath. "What did you wish for?" he asks.

Maureen purses her lips.

Kuya Inggo's mouth widens to a challenging smile. "You won't tell me? How am I supposed to make it come true?"

She zips her lips in answer.

Before she can throw away the key, Kuya Inggo grabs her wrists and pins them above her head with one hand, then swings his leg over her hips to kneel over her and start a tickling fight.

"Ah!" Maureen shouts, unable to control her laughter, wiggling under Kuya Inggo's weight. His body is locking her legs so she can't kick him, and his grip on her wrists is tight. "Kuya Inggo!"

He's grinning so widely and his laugh is loud in her ears, and Maureen has never seen anyone look so happy. "'Di mo sasabihin, Rinn? Nagpa-pierce ako para sa 'yo tapos 'di mo sasabihin sa 'kin?"

Hindi alam ni Maureen when Kuya Inggo stops laughing, kasi hindi niya rin alam na she's been squirming underneath him too much that her hips were meeting his.

Almost like she was fucking him through their clothes.

Oh, the moan Kuya Inggo lets out is sinful and dirty. His hands are off her in a second, fisting the blanket on either side of her head, while his face drops to her shoulder and he breathes in deeply, panting.

Pucha. Yung position nila right now was one of the many positions she and Kuya Inggo were in that night sa condo niya. Him gripping the headboard as he fucked her. Her writhing beneath him, nails scraping his back.

"Rinn, stop."

"What?" she rasps, blinking, only to meet his heated gaze.

"Stop thinking about it," Kuya Inggo snaps, jaw tightening.

"You're right on top of me and we're basically naked and we—you tickled me!" Maureen snaps back in defense, neck heating up. "Sorry!"

A pained laugh escapes his lips. "Putangina," he whispers in her ear before tipping his head down and pressing a sweet and sensual kiss on her neck. "You're so...so fucking tempting."

Yes, well, Maureen can feel it. That big thing. Between his legs.

She's also tempted to say fuck it and just get right into it. Spread herself open for him and he can take her right here and now.

But the logical part of her brain, the part that is firmly protecting her heart from getting shattered again, is holding a big stop sign. If Kuya Inggo really wants to be with her, he can wait.

Even though he's never had to before. Even though he can get sex whenever he wanted and from whoever he wanted.

She can't shame him for his sexual life before just as much as she can't shame those girls for being a part of it. Pero that part of his life before her...is so different from what Maureen wants. And if he's being honest with Maureen na siya lang ang babae—joke, special friend niya ngayon, na he wants her beyond her body, then being with her should be enough.

What she wished for is this: I wish Kuya Inggo would be with me for the rest of my birthdays.

O 'di ba. Advance na naman mag-isip 'tong ambisosyang 'to habang hindi pa nga sila sigurado ni Kuya Inggo.

She manages a smile when he lifts himself up on his elbows and brushes her hair behind her ear, eyes on hers.

Maureen opens her mouth to remind him na no sex habang wala silang label, but she doesn't get a word out because Kuya Inggo smiles and pushes his body away from hers. "I'm not gonna break the rule, Rinn," he whispers, stroking her cheek. "I want you, but I want you as my girlfriend more. So we're gonna sleep while I hold you for a few hours before we drive back. Okay?"

Well, now Maureen wants to do it. Now, because he's so hot and sexy for saying that.

"Cuddler ka?" Maureen squeaks, heart dancing in joy.

Kuya Inggo bites his lip and smiles shyly, rubbing the nape of his neck. He's so fucking cute. "Baby, 'di ko alam, nagpa-panic ako. Paano ba ang cuddling?"

That makes her laugh really loudly, too.

"I want to ask for something," she mumbles, her hand reaching out to touch his earring, and Kuya Inggo smirks while he watches her. "It's against the rules, pero isa lang. It's a thank you for getting the piercing, and for bringing me here."

"Which lips, Rinn?"

She smacks him. "Are you gonna do it or not?"

Kuya Inggo laughs and puts his hands on her face, eyes on her lips. "Fuck, yeah," he rasps before he completely devours her mouth.