Cal's POV

I stopped in front of one of the empty cells in the dungeons.

'Cal... paano kung- paano kung patayin mo nalang kaya ako?'

Our wedding- no, our renewal of vows is set to happen the day after tomorrow, in Elysium, and Art and I were already asked to be here in the palace to accommodate the preparations.

'H-Hindi ko na kaya... Cal, wala si twinny ko...'

'I'm sorry, Art... I can't-'

'Please?'

Dahan-dahan akong napayuko.

She was desperate to leave this place, to the point that she begged me to kill her. She didn't want to spend the rest of her life in the Underworld.

I lifted my head and saw a little girl holding on the bars so tight, blood running from her nails to her elbows.

'Palayain mo na ako-'

'I will.'

'H-Hindi-' Umiling-iling siya. 'Pakawalan mo na ako, Cal, ayoko nang magdusa pa rito.'

Guilt and pain slowly crept across my face as I took a deep breath. "Artemia..."

"I can hear you from here, brother."

I closed my eyes for a few seconds.

Why the hell did I forget about him?

Iminulat ko ang aking mga mata. "Shut up, Hector."

From the other end of the hallway, his voice echoed towards me. "Now, what is someone like you doing here?"

I sighed and turned around. I was about to leave when I heard him speak again.

"Cairo."

I immediately stopped on my tracks.

"I loved her."

Bumaba ang aking tingin sa paanan ko, saka ko kinuyom ko ang aking mga palad.

"I did," he said. "But I loved her wrong."

Lumingon ako sa direksyon ng boses niya.

"I loved her, even after I realized that she was not meant for me," dagdag pa niya. "I am not the one for her, and it took me time to accept that."

Both my hands relaxed as I slowly turned towards him.

"I'm sorry," aniya. "I'm sorry if I blamed our mother's death on you. I'm sorry for taking away everything from you... I'm sorry, Cairo, because I failed to be a brother to you."

My brows furrowed.

"Remember when I used to hit you every time you'd look up to me?" His voice slightly faltered. "I didn't want you to look at me that way, Cal."

"Why are you saying all this to me now?" tanong ko.

"Because I know you're still suffering from what I did," sagot naman niya. "You're still suffering from my mistake."

My eyes drifted to the side.

"Believe me, Cal, when I tell you that it's all my fault," saad niya. "You don't have to carry the burden of your past, anymore."

Burden... of my past...

"Let me carry it for you, brother."

I started to walk closer to his cell. I stopped, and looked down on the man seated in the darkest corner, his hand lying on top of his raised knee.

He let out a soft laugh. "It is all I could do for now, but don't worry." Inangat niya ang kanyang tingin sa'kin at nginitian ako. "I will spend the rest of my days remembering what I did to you."

I continued to stare at him for a good few seconds.

'You're doing it wrong, Cairo. Here, let your big brother teach you how to control the shadows.'

"Hector," sambit ko.

'Isusumbong kita kay Dad.'

'K-Kuya, wag-'

'Joke! Hahaha!'

Memories of our time together, although only a few, flooded my mind.

'Good but not good enough, Cal, but hey, at least you tried, right?'

"Brother." I uttered under my breath.

His smile faded, and it only took a single word for him to get taken aback, as if it was hard to believe what he just heard.

"Will you-" I paused to breathe. "Will you come to my wedding?"

Matagal-tagal pa bago siya nakasagot.

"I want to," aniya. "But I won't."

"I want you to," giit ko. "I want you to see me happy, even after everything that you did."

"Because I know you still love Art." I bit the inside of my cheek. "And I want to hurt you, Hector, but not like how you used to hurt me."

He slightly leaned his head to the side. "Well, then..." His smile widened. "I guess I have no other choice but to watch how the one I love, love someone else."

Tumango-tango ako.

I can't believe I just asked my brother to attend.

"One slip, Cairo." He grinned mischievously. "One slip away from her, break her trust, make her cry, and I'll be quick to snatch her."

I scoffed. "Never."

I entered the dungeons with a heavy heart, my mind filled with painful memories, but I left the place without any weight.

Nakapamulsa ako, at napangiti, papuntang kwarto.

No more heartaches... No more shadows in the dark... No more pain...

Binuksan ko ang pinto at natagpuan ang isang babae na mahimbing na natutulog sa higaan.

No more questions left unanswered...

I leaned on the doorway with my arms on my chest and watched her. Silently taking in all that I've been through just for this moment.

After a while, I lowered my arms. I took a few slow steps towards her, and sat on the edge of the bed.

She must've felt the weight shift on the mattress. Nakita ko kasi kung paano kumunot ang kanyang noo pagkatapos akong maupo sa tabi niya.

Dahan-dahan niyang binuksan ang kanyang mga mata. "C-Cal?"

I smiled at her. "Hey..."

Iniunat niya ang kanyang mga braso. "Huwaah! Ang sarap ng tulog kooo!"

"That's good to know," puna ko.

She grabbed my hand and held it on her cheek. She closed her eyes once again, and laughed sleepily. "Nakapag-dinner ka na?"

"Artemia," mahina kong sambit sa kanya.

"Hmm?"

"Did I ever hurt you?" I asked.

She looked at me, obviously confused. Kumurap-kurap siya, at napaupo na rin sa tabi ko.

"Sinong may sabi?" aniya. "Luh! Ni isang beses hindi mo kaya ako nagawang saktan!"

"Sinong bang nagsabi sa'yo n'yan? Huh? Huh?!" She retorted. "Si Hector ba?!"

I chuckled lightly, dahilan na mapasinghap siya.

"No, Art, I'm not taking ambrosia." I informed her in advance.

"I am, however..." My eyes slowly drifted to her lips. "In love with you."

Nakita ko ang pagtakbo ng dugo sa magkabilang pisngi niya, kaya muli akong natawa nang marahan.

She held her cheeks and pouted. "Cal!"

I sighed, and stopped myself from leaning in. "We should get dinner-"

My eyes widened as I felt her lips suddenly land on mine, though she was also quick to pull herself away from me.

"Artemia," I looked at her, surprised.

What the hell was that?

Tinawanan niya lang ako. "Akala mo ikaw lang ang nakakabasa ng utak dito, ah."

My heart was beating unusually fast. I pursed my lips and tightened my grip on the sheets as I tried to stable my breathing.

Nag-abot ang kanyang kilay. "Cal?"

I swallowed the lump of tension in my throat.

Gods.

"I'm sorry," I said, before leaning in.

I heard her gasp the moment I held her face and pulled it closer to me.

I'm sorry, but that wasn't just enough.

Along with the kiss, I felt the world spin slower around me... and I got occupied, from the warmth of her palms that gently pushed against my chest as she began to fall back on the bed.

"Cal-"

I kissed her, deep. Deep enough to distract her from talking.

"C-Cal- teka-"

I smirked, after she struggled to speak.

My hand gripped her waist and crawled under her shirt, causing her to shift her body slightly.

She risked being touched when I unfastened the clasps behind her back.

I broke the kiss, giving her time to breathe, and giving myself time to take off my shirt. I leaned in again, kissing her passionately, while guiding the bottom of her shirt upwards.

"Artemia," I whispered. "Take off your shirt for me."

She arched her back and followed. The moment she took off her top, my hands followed, immediately running to the loosened straps on her shoulders. She didn't need to do more than raise her arms, as I was the one who slipped her bra off of them.

I trailed my lips against the base of her jaw... her neck... and then against her bare chest.

It scared me, if I were to be honest, when I realized how small her frame was compared to mine. And so, every time I moved, I tried my best to adjust my weight according to her comfort.

That is, until, I reached the base of her stomach.

I continued to brush my lips against her skin when I heard her call me.

"Cal..."

I looked up, and met her gaze.

She looked too nervous.

"Close your eyes," I said.

Napalunok siya. "P-Pero-"

I just smiled and crawled back where I could kiss her on the lips again.

It took longer than I thought, for me to distract her once again, but I persevered, and when I heard her sigh in between the kisses, meaning she has calmed, I led one of my hands under her silk shorts.

She inhaled a quick breath, and I continued to distract her by kissing her.

She slightly lifted her head and let out a soft moan when I let her get used to the feeling.

As much as I want to quicken the pace, I can't. Because for now, she's all that matters. What I am able to give her, comfort, and love, and care... I will not fail to give.

As soon as her head fell back on the bed, I have already loosened whatever clothing I have left.

Fortunately, she didn't notice when I thoroughly kicked my pants off of my feet.

Gods. I want to take her right here and now.

I kissed her even harder.

My heart's starting to beat fast. My skin and throat is already scorching hot.

I need to... I want to-

"Cal?"

I paused to look at her, concern written all over my face.

"Thank you," mahina niyang tugon.

"For what?"

"Kasi pinakita mo sa'kin kung gaano mo'ko kamahal."

Kumunot ang aking noo. "What do you mean-"

I didn't get to ask properly when she pushed me to the side and rolled on top of me.

"Art-" She immediately crashed her lips unto mine.

I can feel heat radiating from her palms that roamed freely against my body.

Her ability... she's using her ability.

"Gods-" It was my turn to moan when she slightly moved her hips while on top, intentionally brushing hers' against mine.

I heard her chuckle afterwards.

She's teasing me.

"Art," I looked at her seriously.

She raised her brows. "Mmm?"

"I'm not in the mood to play." I used my ability to darken her sight for a moment to pull her and get her back to where she was before.

Under me.

I commanded the shadows to hold her wrists above her head and let my hands hold her everywhere. "Why do you always keep getting on my nerves?"

I soon took off the rest of her clothing, as well as mine.

A grin formed on my lips after she averted her gaze. We both risked being seen, and while she didn't want to look at me, I cherished the entirety of her.

"Now..." I drew myself against her naked body. "Where were we?"

"Cal- wait lang-" She attempted to free herself. "Joke lang naman yun, ih!"

I looked down on her thigh and brushed my fingers against it.

"Mmm." I settled myself on top of her and noticed how her chest heaved as she struggled to control her breathing.

"Breathe, Artemia." I murmured close to her ear.

"Cal-" She gasped. "Ah!" She immediately broke free from the shadow that tied her hands.

"A-Ah-" Her arms fell heavy on my shoulders.

'One slip, Cairo.'

I captured the pain from her lips, lightening her burden by letting her adjust on her own, until she finally let out a long sigh.

'One slip away from her, break her trust, make her cry, and I'll be quick to snatch her.'

"Hey..." I dipped my head on her shoulders. "Are you okay?"

She nodded.

"Good." I touched my lips against her ear. "I don't want to see you hurt."

"I-" A wave of relief came over me. "I love you, Art."

She slowly raised her arms to embrace me. Then, she laughed lightly. "Mahal din kita."

I started to move, slowly introducing her to me.

And needless to say, this is going to be the only time I get to hurt her.

I heard her whimper with contentment, it echoed in my mind, and it broke the chains that held me against myself, because I too, felt fear before, but I never had the courage to accept it.

Not until I escaped the Underworld, with her in my arms.

I carried her, in a way that I was afraid to put her down.

I held her... The whole time I held her, with the fear of letting go.