"Who's that germ?" Rhett asked while pointing his finger at the little boy that Saxen was holding, "what's that?"

Szadi immediately elbowed Rhett, but the latter one is just staring at Saxen with confusion in his face.

"Don't call him that." Saxen answered as he heave a deep breath, "can we enter first? We have to clean up."

"Did you knock someone?" Szadi asked while giving a way for Saxen.

"That's end game, bro." Naiiling na sagot naman ni Rhett habang titig na titig sa bata. "What's that, Daddy Goals? Get dirty together?"

Saxen snapped back at Rhett, who just smiled shipishly.

"Do you know how to wash him?" Vigo.

Lahat sila natigilan sa tanong ni Vigo. Kanina pa ito hindi nagsasalita at mataman lang na nakatingin sa dalawa na bagong dating.

Alanganing umiling si Saxen dahilan para mapabuntong hininga na lang si Vigo.

Akmang lalapit si Vigo sa bata nang magsimulang manubig ang mga mata nito habang nakatingala sa kaniya. Mahigpit din ang kapatid nito sa damit ni Saxen.

"It's alright." Mahina pa niyang sabi pero nagtago lang ito sa dibdib ni Saxen. "Bathe him with warm water."

Mabilis namang tumango si Saxen at nagmamadaling umakyat sa ikalawang palapag habang nasa mga bisig pa rin nito ang bata.

Wala pa sa limang minuto ang nakalilipas nang makarinig silang tatlo ng palahaw na iyak mula sa second floor.

Parang inilang hakbang lang nila ang pag akyat ng hagdan papuntang kwarto ni Saxen. Halos manakit ang mga tainga nila sa lakas ng iyak ng bata habang nakapikit ito at puro bula ang katawan. Si Saxen naman ay natatarantang pinupunasan ang mukha nito.

"Shit... Shit! What did I do wrong?" Ninenerbyos pa na bulong nito.

"What happened?" Szadi.

Saxen looked at them with begging eyes, "I... I don't know. I just washed him, and then he started to cry—"

"Tanga ka!" angil ni Rhett, "nalagyan ata ng sabon yung mata niyan!"

Lalong lumakas ang iyak nito nang bahagyang padaanan ni Saxen ng tubig sa mukha para sana hilamusan pa ito.

"Move." Vigo, sabay haklit patayo kay Saxen.

Wala na itong nagawa nang magsimulang punasan ni Vigo ang mukha ng bata habang si Rhett naman ay panay ang tutok ng hand shower sa ulo ng bata.

Nang unti-unting kumalma sa pag-iyak ang bata ay mabilis naman kumilos si Szadi para bigyan ito ng towel.

APAT SILANG nakatitig sa bata na halos lumubog dahil sa suot nitong tshirt. Sa sobrang laki n'on ay kahit naka-upo na ito sa couch ay hindi pa rin nila maaninag ang mga paa nito.

"So, you're telling us that this is not your kid?" Szadi. Arms are crossed over his chest.

"That you just pick him up from the mud because he is alone?" Rhett, disbelief in his face.

"And you're too stupid not to bring him to the police station." Vigo stated as if Saxen was the stupidest person he had ever met.

Saxen nodded with eagerness, "he was so pitiful and so dirty that I brought him— aww, shit! Aw!"

Sunod-sunod na pinagbabato ng mga lalake ang kaharap ng mga suot na tsinelas. They can't believe this motherfucker brought a toddler in their place!

"For fuck's sake, Saxen!" Szadi, who is now walking back and fort, "paano pag hinahanap na siya ng magulang niya!? You just kidnapped somebody's child!"

"See you in cell, bud." Rhett waved his hand, "get rotten there—"

"You're not helping, Rhett!" Szadi.

"Bakit ako ang sinisigawan mo?" Rhett asked, his brow arched as the corner of his lips tugged, "that motherfucker who doesn't know where he came from just picked a toddler, and now hello to the court because apparently, we are now involved in this mess."

Saxen tightened his lips, "if they are looking for him, they will not let the child roam around in that rice farm in the middle of the night." They all looked at Saxen, who is now caressing the child's hair, "sa tingin niyo ba hindi ko ipinag-tanong iyang batang 'yan? I was up all night, knocking door to door for a family who might have been looking for a toddler, but none of them claimed him. I even reported this matter in that city's police stations just to be sure, but none of them said that a family filed a missing person. I can't just leave him there. And I know what I did is the right thing to do. He'll be safe here than leave him alone in a place where I am not sure if he'll be taken care of."

The three were silent for a while before they heard Vigo take a deep sigh.

"What's your decision, then?" Vigo asked and crouched down in front of the kid, "anong pangalan mo?"

The kid tilted his head, confusion is in his eyes while his round grey doey eyes are looking at Vigo's midnight coloured eyes.

"I will keep him for now. If you don't want him here, I will move to my house for a while until someone claims him." Saxen answered with determination in his eyes.

Szadi elbowed Rhett, who felt a pinch on guilt in his chest.

"I... ahm..." napakamot si Rhett sa likod ng ulo, "okay lang naman sakin na nandito 'yang surot—" Szadi elbowed him again, "yang batang 'yan, I mean. S-saka joke lang yung kanina. Ikaw naman, hindi mabiro." Sabay ngiti nito nang alanganin.

"Wala rin naman mag-aalaga sa bata kung iuuwi mo." Szadi. "Dito na lang muna siya."

Saxen smiled, making the three heave a sigh. He's really the gullible guy in their group. And they are very sure they can't just leave him be.

"Thanks, man!" Saxen exclaimed and looked at the child who's now crawling to his lap. "Are you sleepy, little fella?"

The boy looked at Saxen, and with his doey eyes, he started tearing up, and his chubby fingers pointed his chest.

"Ano raw ang gusto niya?" Naguguluhang tanong ni Rhett.

"I'm not sure. Maybe he wants my shirt?" Saxen.

"Ano pang hinihintay mo? Ibigay mo na." Kunot noong utos ni Rhett na agad namang ginawa ni Saxen. Mabilis nitong hinubad ang t-shirt ang ibinigay sa bata, "Ano na lang ang gagawin mo Sax kung wala ako sa tabi mo? Tignan mo, may ESP kami nang batang 'yan kaya alam ko kung anong gusto niya—"

Saxen's face reddened as Vigo's eyes widened. Even Szadi lost his cool facade, and Rhett's lips parted when the boy kneeled, and like a lightning, he latched his small mouth on Saxen's nipple. And when the boy seemed not to get any milk from Saxen, he started to cry and suck harder, making Saxen feel more terrified.

Si Rhett and unang nakabawi sa kanilang apat. Halos lumukob sa bawat sulok ng living room ang hagalpak nito habang naluluhang nakatingin kay Saxen na abot na sa dibdib ang pamumula.

"Fucking goodness, Sax!" Tawa pa rin ito nang tawa habang pilit na lumakad patungong single couch. "Malaki lang yang dibdib mo pero walang gatas."

Even Vigo looked away, but Saxen could see that the man was trying to hide his laughter.

Szadi, who is trying to speak but unable to open his mouth, just tapped Saxen's shoulder.

"May cereals sa kusina... may ngipin naman na siguro yang bata. Iyon na lang muna ang ipakain mo." Parang gusto magpasalamat ni Szadie sa lahat ng santo nang hindi niya nagawang matawa. "He must be very hungry."

Saxen tried to move the child away from his chest, but he was stubborn. The boy clasps his small fingers on Saxen's arms and tightens his teeth on his nipple so hard that he won't be separated from him.

"ARAAAYYY!!" Sigaw ni Saxen, "Oh, Lord! God, help me! OUCH, FUCK!!!"

"Vi, kunin mo yung bata!" Szadi.

"Shit!" Vigo immediately stood up and tried to carry the boy, but its teeth just tightened.

"DAMN IT! ARAYYY! H'WAG MO HATAKIN, MATATANGGAL YUNG UTONG KO!"

"Hala matatanggal na!" Natatarantang sigaw naman ni Rhett.

"Ang alin?" Natatarantang tanong ni Szadi.

"Yung utong ni Saxen, malamang!"

Pare-pareho silang namutla nang ma-imagine ang sinabi ni Rhett. Kaya naman kahit nagpapasag at umiiyak ang bata ay pilit nila itong inilayo sa kaibigan.

Lahat sila napangiwi nang makitang may maliliit ng sugat ang paligid ng utong ni Saxen habang maluha-luha itong pinupunasan iyon.

"Ang sakit..." Saxen

"Mabuti na lang hindi ako naging babae."

Nakangiwing gatong ni Rhett sabay tingin sa dalawa na ngayon ay abalang sinusubuan na ang bata paunti-unti ng cereals na pinalambot sa gatas.

"It hurts." Bulong ni Saxen.

"Yeah, right. Ginusto mo 'yan." Natatawang sagot ni Rhett nang may maalala. "What's that germ's name?"

Saxen gave him a dagger look, earning a shrug from Rhett.

"He has no name. He doesn't speak."  Saxen answered while looking at the boy who was happily eating. "Nakakaawa talaga siya.

"Then let's name him something manly." Rhett decides as he walks towards the boy, "Hello, there our manly Hercules!"

Saxen's eyes widened. Paladesisyon talaga ang loko!

"Hercules?" Vigo and Szadi.

"Yep. That's the boy's name from yours truly, Sexy Rhett—"

"No way." Sagot ng tatlo.

"What the fuck?! Ang macho kaya ng pangalang niya—" Rhett.

"Fuck. Fuck." Gaya ng bata habang ngumunguya.

Oh no...