#trese x reader

People who should leave:

Literally anyone with shitty ass beliefs. Racists, ICE Supporters, Sex offendors, etc.

Fandoms + Characters I'll write for:

Trese

Basilio (</3)

My Hero Academia ( Character x reader [I haven't watched it all yet :'D still at season 7])

Class 1A

Denki Kaminari

Mezo Shoji

Hanta Sero

Fumikage Tokoyami

Shoto Todoroki

Class 1B

Togaru Kamakiri

Ibara Shiozaki

Manga Fukidashi

Juzo Honenuki

Kojiro Bondo

Heroes

Toshinori Yagi (Small Might)

Snipe

Higari Maijima (Power Loader)

Villains

Stain

Lady Nagant

Himiko Toga

Jin Bubaigawara (Twice)

Shuichi Iguchi (Spinner)

Geten

Zenless Zone Zero (Character x reader only)

Cunning Hares

Billy

Anby Demara

Nicole Demara

Cookie run kingdom (Character x readers only)

Capsaicin Cookie

Burning Spice Cookie

The Epilouge of Endings (Ships Only)

Blu

Mole

Underworld office (Character x reader only)

Boss

Charlie

River

Undertale (Ships only)

Sans

Grillby

Friday night funkin (Character x reader)

Pico

Nene

Darnell

Friday night funkin MODs (Character x reader)

VS Tabi mod

Tabi

VS AGOTI/Entity

Agoti (Platonic[I see him as an AlloAce at best and I still wouldn't write that. I will make you feel a world of pain regardless])

Midfight Masses Remaster

Ruv

Sarvente (I can write Ruv x Sarv)

Selever (nothing sexual okay?)

Riordanverse (Character x reader[I haven't finished ToA, haven't read any books released after ToA except for Magnus Chase, and haven't read the Kane Chronicles])

Percy Jackson and the Olympians

Heroes of Olympus

Ethan Nakamura (my love <3)

Leo Valdez (my second love <3)

What I'll write:

Magnus Chase and the Gods of Asguard

Thomas Jefferson Jr. (<333)

Poly (Romantic only guys)

Platonic

Romantic

Angst (Trauma in general)

Fluff (Y A Y)

Hurt+ comfort (More Y A Y)

Character x child reader / Child character x reader / child character x child reader (platonic only ofc ;D)

One shots

Series (Maybe???)

Gendered reader (Do note that I'm afab so I won't be that good at writing make perspective)

AU (s [😌])

Occasionally (Like, very occasionally):

Lime (Lime means U N D E T A I L E D S E X)

Suggestive

NEVER:

Lemon (Lemon means D E T A I L E D S E X)

Under age sex

Rape

Incest

Any kinks, like, at all, especially weird ones :'D

Account owned by: @amtheracoon

Anyways, that's all, BABAYE :D

(Honorary P.S: Oh my god I reached 30 tags already I didn't even tag all the fandoms im doing😭)

(P.S: I don't know what to write y'all gimmie idea's ^^•)

The loud music flows through your body, and you’re dancing without a care in the world. Your body moves on its own accord. It’s hot even for you, leaving you briefly wondering how the twins were doing in their suits since they hadn't bothered changing attire.

Speaking of the twins, where'd they even go? You swear they were literally just there with you. You entered the place together not even two minutes ago, and you've already lost sight of one other... Unless you didn't actually enter together and you just mistook someone else for one of the brothers? What if you left Basilio in the other bar? Or in the one before that? Oh well, he'll catch up eventually. If he doesn't, you'll just resort to seeing whether he actually got back home tomorrow when you wake up. It's his fault for lagging behind anyway.

Mindlessly, you laugh to yourself. The night is too young to already be thinking of going home and getting back to work. Tonight was supposed to be for letting yourself get loose! Your eyesight right now is a little too clear for your liking, so you make your way to the bar area, stumbling over your heels and bumping into all kinds of sweaty folks in the way. This, of course, lead to you accidentally knocking elbows with some guy seated at the bar with his friends.

"Oh fuck, sorry."

When he turned around to face you, you internally swore. The guy really had to not be just some guy but a cute guy. Some luck you had.

It was later made known to you that you had actually spoken your thoughts out loud when he laughed. "I think you're cute too!"

Feeling hotter by the minute, you quickly averted your eyes waved at the bartender. You tried not to acknowledge the cute guy anymore by leaning on the table and looking anywhere but in his general direction while you waited for your drink to be served. But unfortunately, it seemed all your supply of good luck was sucked out dry the moment you asked Alexandra for a break.

"Hey, I'm Tano by the way."

The gods must have it out for you, you think.

Right as 'Tano' introduced himself to you, the bartender came back with your drink of choice. Obviously, you tried to fix your composure by chugging the entire thing. Then you smiled at Tano before giving him your own name. "Y/N, nice to meet you."

He shook your hand, and you genuinely couldn't tell if he made that gesture sincerely or ironically with the mirth in his expression. Or actually, maybe that was just because you had previously made a fool of yourself in front of him. Jesus, you encounter one attractive stranger then completely forget how to function.

"So," he copied your pose and rested his thick arms atop the bar. "Did you come here alone or..."'

"Oh, no! Actually, I came here with a few friends. No idea where they are right now, though."

"Ahh gege (okay, okay), I see." He thought for a moment. You were left to awkwardly chuckle in his presence. You ordered another drink from the bartender, fully intending to abandon the bar for the dance floor once you've had your fill. Then, "I guess I'll keep you company for the time being then."

You kept light conversation with Tano while sipping on your drink. He was a pretty chill dude and really nice too! The best part was that you were about the same age, so you were able to talk about your common interests really smoothly. It wasn't awkward at all conversing with him considering how you'd initially, and quite literally, bumped into one another.

You checked your phone for the time. 1:27 AM, it read. Realizing you’d have to head back home in a bit, you decided you wanted to end your night of fun out on the dance floor. Not wanting to be by yourself in the mob of drunken, mindless party-goers, you invited him to dance with you, to which he didn't even take a second to hesitate before agreeing and allowing you to pull him along into the sea of sweaty bodies.

You weaved your way through the crowd until you found a spot you were happy with in the middle of everyone, not too far away from the DJ's stage. Your body automatically moved to the music. Dancing was always something you never had to think about since you just let your body flow and let the rhythm of the music naturally take over. The sensation was freeing, to say the least, from the career you worked where constant critical thinking and calculated movement was required.

You felt Tano behind you mirroring your moves with one hand rested on your hips. The contact you currently had wasn't enough for you, though, as you felt yourself feeling much farther away from everyone around you than you actually are. So you turned around to pull him to you. He seemed to like that a lot.

Your faces were closer now, nearly touching, and Tano used that as an opportunity to tease your lips with his own. He kept brushing his lips against yours, chasing them and purposely nudging them with his lips but never actually attaching his mouth to yours. You merely grinned and pulled his body closer.

Out of nowhere, an arm sneaked around your waist from behind and stole you away. At first, you felt alarmed. The alcohol you'd consumed somewhat delayed your reaction, initially, but since you were pulled flush against the intruder's chest, you were immediately met with a certain musk and the outline of a blazer and necktie. You know exactly who this man is.

Another one swerved around Tano and took over his position in front of you. Tano was lost in the crowd in an instant after being forcefully pushed out of the way.

Basilio shamelessly grinds his front against your ass. "Having fun without us, ha?"

"Tangina niyo (You sons of bitches), I couldn't find you anywhere! Can you blame me?"

Crispin brought your arms to wrap around his neck so he could lean his face closer to you and smirked. Neither of them responded so you all just carried on dancing together.

It was so hot being sandwiched between the twins. If you were sweaty before, it only got worse the longer you were there with them. On top of that, they were getting pretty bold. You getting ground on from both sides in no time and the boys were audacious with their hand placements on your body. One second there's a hand inching down your torso, the next theres one caressing your ass. Simply put, they're both all over you in the literal sense.

Naturally, you responded by kicking it up a notch.

You started by slowly running your hand down Crispin's chest, tugging on his tie from the bottom. You felt him take a shuddering breath. Your other hand wound around Basilio as you grabbed a handful of his ass. Pulling both of them close so they could hear you, you offered a proposition: "Either of you know where the nearest bathroom is?"

The boys made brief eye contact before leading you through the crowd. Their impressive physique parted the way for you so you could walk through fairly easy as compared to when it was just you making your way through.

The walk to the bathroom was hasty, and you were barely inside when you already had your mouth attached to one of the twins'. Either being Crispin or Basilio, you couldn't tell with your faces mushed together, and quite frankly, you didn't really care. The only thing passing your mind at that moment was that you were so ready to get dicked down, especially knowing that you were about to get some of that good dick.

Long locks of hair brushed down from over your shoulder as Basilio attached his lips to your neck, licking and sucking every inch of exposed skin he could touch. That only meant Crispin was the one you were making out with. The corners of your lips turned up a bit as you realized this and brought your arms up to tug at Crispin's short hair, knowing full well how that affects the man in question.

He groaned in an instant, gutturally, and the vibrations went straight to your throbbing core. Being the way that you are, you tugged even harder on Crispin's roots, and his reactions were almost immediate, not to mention immaculate. It didn't help that two huge bulges were poking through the fabric of the twins' pants and pressing against your body.

Basilio traced his lips down your spine as you and Crispin showed no signs of giving up your tongues’ battle for dominance. He knelt down behind you, stuck his nose between your legs, and nuzzled it on your clothed pussy. Against your underwear, Basilio’s caresses felt feather light and his little exhales sent the butterflies in your stomach into a frenzy.

Cool air greeted your exposed core as Basilio pulled down your underwear. You gasped into Crispin when his brother licked a long stripe up your folds from behind, bending forward to give him an easier approach. His fingers dug into your ass as he spread your cheeks apart for maximum access. He ate you out like a prisoner on death row having at their last meal, and by the time he was scissoring his fingers in your cunny, your moans were being swallowed by his twin who bit down on your lower lip, drawing blood from your flesh.

You hummed as your mouths disconnected for a moment, running your tongue over your lip and tasting the metallic flavor of your blood.

“You like that, baby?” Crispin smudged it with his thumb, effectively mixing the blood with the saliva on your chin, before sucking on your lower lip to clean you up. He then pulled your chin towards him, drawing a yelp from you as the harsh motion caused Basilio’s tongue to hit a particularly sensitive pressure point below. “Mind telling us who that guy was from earlier?”

“Who, Tano?”

Basilio chuckled. “Gago, tanginang Tano na yan. (That stupid son of a bitch, Tano.)” You tilted your head back to see him slowly stand back up while wiping your juices off his chin with his forearm. He tenderly cupped the side of your face with his clean hand. “Who does he think he is?”

You rolled your eyes. Did they forget that they left you to fend for yourself? “Hey, Tano was actually nice—“

“Ah,” you were silenced. A garbled choking noise left your mouth as Basilio shoved the fingers he used to pump your pussy into your mouth mid-speech, leaving no other option but for you to obediently clean them of your slick. “Don’t wanna hear any of that... kuya?”

His brother was occupied with unbuckling his belt, but he hummed in agreement nonetheless.

The twins adjusted your position so your ass was now perked up against Crispin, and he teased your entrance with his dick, dipping the head between your folds to collect the dripping wetness. “You’ve been pretty pasaway (naughty) today, ha?” He smacked your ass.

You choked on a yelp as Basilio’s thick fingers continued fucking your mouth. You’re sure his brother left a red handprint on you.

Basilio was cooing at you. He was caressing your jaw as the tips of his fingers poked the back of your throat. “Look at you,” he’d said before finally pulling his fingers out of your mouth. He didn’t bother cleaning away all the drool or the line of saliva, so you’d opted for wiping your chin on your shoulder.

You were grateful for finally getting a taste of air. You were heaving in attempt to catch your breath, for you knew being able to breathe with these two was a luxury. It wouldn’t last very long either, knowing them.

Without warning, Crispins cock impaled your pussy all the way through. His grip on your hips tightened, and his nails were surely leaving crescent marks on your skin. You could only squeeze Basilio’s forearms as your jaw dropped wide open, your head lolling forward with the impact.

Of course, Basilio wasn’t having it. He forced one of his arms free of your grip and your hand flew to grab at his bicep. His fingers curled around your neck, squeezing at the sides. He forced you to look into his eyes as Crispin pulled almost all the way out before slamming back in and jerking you forward. The only thing keeping you still was Basilio’s large hand enclosed around your neck.

Crispin’s thrusts were persistent. He was grunting with every plunge. He spread your cheeks apart, so his eyes were trained on the area where you connected.

You failed to notice exactly at what point Basilio undid his pants when his hard cock slapped you in the face. He spat on his hand to lubricate his massive dick for you, and you immediately knew what he was asking for without him having to say anything.

Wordlessly, you shakily transferred your hand from Basilio’s arm to work his shaft. In turn, he loosened his grip around your neck so you could take him in. He was too big to fit all the way down your throat, so you fisted whatever was left.

Loud moans and groans bounced around the small bathroom of the club. Any other sound was lost on you as you could barely even hear the muffled music of the DJs outside. As far as you knew, you only knew the twins from this point on. All your senses were overtaken by them both.

Crispin easily found that spongey spot inside you and laughed when you moaned around Basilio’s cock. The latter groaned and held your hair in his fist, opting to use you for his own pleasure. You submitted to being manhandled by Basilio as you ceased to be able to think for yourself once Crispin made it his aim to abuse your sweet spot.

You could only tighten your grip on Basilio’s arms as your vision was beginning to fail you, moaning uncontrollably as you neared your high, stuttering out Crispin’s name as he went.

He only responded to your pleading self by reaching up from behind you to grope at your breast, pinching and rolling your nipples with his calloused fingers. “Cum for me, babygirl,” he said, grinding his cock deep into you as your hole clenched and unclenched.

Your breath stuttered and you choked around Basilio’s dick, which never showed your throat an ounce of mercy for the man was indifferent to your situation behind. You were alternating between squeezing and hitting Basilio, unable to take the amount of pleasure you were receiving. Your only consolation was the verbal encouragement you were receiving from the twins, further overwhelming your senses until, finally, you broke. Your eyes rolled behind your head, and you swear you saw stars.

You heaved breathes through your nose as the brothers coaxed you through your high—or rather, brother since Crispin wasn’t planning on stopping his violent pounding any time soon. You removed your mouth from Basilio’s cock.

“Crispin—“ you were lucky to even be able to say his name. “Hey, wait— stop—“

“You can take it.” He went faster.

You tried to get away, but Crispin only tightened the grip he had on you, even upping his play on your nipples. “I... fuck, I can’t—“

“Oi,” Basilio harshly pulled your hair, forcing your gaze to meet his as you cried out. “You can take it,” he told you, caressing your cheek and wiping away the forming tears. He kissed your forehead. “Now get back to work.”

You shakily nodded before continuing your ministrations of licking and sucking what you could take of Basilio’s shaft.

“Good girl.”

You decided you’d try to focus on him as Crispin tried to reach his peak, which proved a hard job for you as you were shaking all over from overstimulation. You were sobbing around Basilio’s cock, and the only consolation you received was his soft murmurs of praise in your ear that you were ‘doing so well’ and that you’d just ‘have to hold on for a little longer.’

You held onto that as Crispin grew erratic with his thrusts and his rhythm lost its pattern. You could feel him nearing his own high, and you helped him reach it, grinding your ass on his pelvis.

“Fuuuck...” He moaned lewdly as he came all over your back, not caring if it got on your clothes. “I told you you could take it.” He threw his head back and softened his hold on your hips, rubbing his hands up and down your sides comfortingly while you helped Basilio get off.

The younger of the two came soon after. He forced you to swallow all of it, claiming that you couldn’t afford to waste any of his precious seed.

As expected, the twins weren’t done with you yet. The three of you claimed that dirty bathroom for hours, doing it everywhere. Against every wall and atop the counter or the sink—every square meter would be tainted by the three of you. None of you would have broken your little world of euphoria until a barbaric banging happened upon the locked bathroom door.

“What the fuck?”

You have no idea which of the twins offered that exclamation. You were each too busy scrambling to put on your clothes and fix yourself before anyone saw.

Eventually, the door broke and you stood frozen in your spot. Staring right at the three of you, fully dressed in work attire and seething so you could practically see smoke coming out of their ears, was none other than the Boss: Alexandra Trese herself. You really didn’t want to deal with her rage right now, or ever, in fact but here you were.

Red in the face, she crinkled her nose in disgust as the odor of the bathroom you’d selfishly claimed made itself known to her. “Disgusting!”

Basilio snickered but quickly shut up once Alexandra’s murderous glare was directed at him.

“Do any of you know what time it is?”

You grew hot as you checked your phone only to find it dead before shrugging, curling in on yourself. Shame splashed over you and doused you from the top of your head down to your bare toes.

Alexandra sighed, pinching her brows before turning around and walking away, leaving you three clambering after her. “Come on. Time to get to work.”

“But we haven’t even—“

“I don’t care! Now, let’s go.”

You exchanged looks with the twins. Fuck, it was going to be a long day.

© smolla-than-a-bug, 2021. please do not copy or repost my work. reblogs are appreciated!

The way it all started was hilarious. Absolutely fucking hilarious. It happened like a blur. Literally. One second, you were snoozing in your bed. The next? You had a seatbelt on in the shotgun seat of a sophisticated-looking car. Your brain didn't even get to process it yet.

"... So let me get this straight," you grumbled, still half-asleep from your sleep marathon. You just finished a hugely successful project at work yesterday, got promoted, and wanted to make up for the restless nights you spent overtime in the office. Of course you were irritated from being disturbed. You were on vacation leave for two entire weeks, originally planning to go into temporary isolation by deactivating your social media accounts and reserving a beach cabana for yourself in Batangas.

Well, turns out, you weren't going to Batangas anytime soon. All because your unreasonably spontaneous bestfriend of ten hectic years stole you from your apartment at 2AM. Was this considered kidnapping? Was this him just being more in touch with his tikbalang side, taking unsuspecting women in their sleep and leading them to their inevitable death? (He was going over the speed limit, so it was a valid thought.) Will wearing your shirt inside-out save you today? Lord, masyado ka pang pagod para mag-isip ngayon.

"Go on."

"You abducted picked me up in the middle of the night because you want me to be your plus one at your cousin's wedding in Tagaytay?"

"Yup. And technically, the venue is right on the outskirts of Cavite going to Tagaytay," he corrected you as a matter-of-factly.

"Same thing, whatever," you huffed tiredly. "Your cousin's wedding is at 6AM today. In a few hours. In four hours."

"Uh-huh."

You groaned exasperatedly, "Mal naman, eh! You didn't even let me bring anything. Could've at least given me a heads-up a few hours ago. I'm practically emptyhanded right now save for my phone! Sinungaling ka, you said this was just a normal midnight drive—not a freaking wedding!"

The Prinsipe ng Mga Tikbalang, son of the Great Stallion, heir to the Armanaz herd, and the Top Drag Racer of C-5 Expressway—if that was even one of his Game of Thrones-like titles—grinned as he continued driving beside you. He let you continue ranting in the passenger seat while he mulled over his ultimate masterplan that would change his entire life later on. He was a spur-of-the-moment kind of guy, so all this wasn't his thing. But for you? He'll make plans, alright.

"Wala man lang akong dinalang masusuot o kahit konting makeup para maging presentable sa harapan ng buong pamilya mo," you exclaimed, in absolute despair. "Do you know how out of my league you are? Your rich-ass family might judge me—hell, your dad might see me as a hampaslupa if I show up there in my pambahay and tsinelas!"

"Psh, I'm not out of your league," Maliksi waved it off, smoothly turning a corner. "And calm down. We've known each other for a decade! My dad practically loves you as his own daughter. Heck, the entire family knows you and keeps telling me they want you adopted in already. Lolo Andres and Lola Perlita said they'd have the paperwork settled. You just need to sign them."

It would be even better (and easier) if you married into the family. To him, specifically (as if he'd let anyone else have you). God, he was already being so obvious in his advances, but you were just so damn oblivious whenever it came to romance. None of this needed to happen if you just got it through your thick skull that he was madly in love with you.

"That's not the point, idiot!" you slumped back into your seat, hopeless. "Do you think the bride and the groom will get offended? Shit, baka masumpaan ako kung magagalit sila, Mal. Mukha akong patay galing sa South Cemetery."

The long-haired tikbalang rolled his eyes, "Huwag kang mag-alala. Nothing's going to go wrong. Chill ka lang diyan. I've got everything under control, babe."

Babe. Yes, he even called you babe but you thought it was him being a himbo and a massive flirt. Now, it was his common term of endearment for you, but you still assumed it was him just being irksome to you and that you couldn't stop the man from saying it anymore. Thus, you let it be (the most obvious hint of his attraction to you, bestie).

"... Ugh, why didn't you ask Hannah or Amie to go with you?"

He just smiled knowingly, shrugging and making up an excuse, "Nagmamadali ako, eh. Hannah and Amie are also coming, but they already have the other tikbalang as dates."

"'Luh, ako pala ang backup choice mo?"

"Heh. Whatever you want to think."

Little did you know that you were always his first choice. Always. Even when he pursued Alexandra Trese many years ago, trying to convince himself you were just his best friend, it was always you. How did he come to that realization? Well, an international band he was a fan of released a song a couple years ago and he heard it being played in a club in BGC. The song title?

It Was Always You by Maroon 5.

Needless to say, after hearing the song and being unable to get it—get you—out of his mind at night, he stopped courting Alexandra. Unfortunately for him, that time, you'd started dating other men. Therefore, he was left on the sidelines... until your latest and most painful breakup, at least. That was five years ago. You still hadn't dated anyone since then, kind of traumatized from getting into another failed relationship like that.

In the present day, as if the fates were playing on you two, one of your favorite artists played on the radio. A very ironic song given the situation you two were in.

Best Friend by Rex Orange County.

Maliksi knew it was a favorite of yours. He knew it by the way your eyes lit up like a star brightening the twinkling night sky. Like the sun first rising in the morning at Apolaki's command. Like the moon extending its gentle rays from the magic of Mayari herself. If there was anything he wanted to ask of the old gods, it was you—everything else be damned.

"I wanna be the one that makes your day, the one you think about as you lie awake," you half-sang and half-screamed happily, somewhat out-of-tune. "I can't wait to be your number oooooone! I'll be your biggest fan and you'll be mine—"

Maliksi glanced at you, not minding that his eardrums were probably getting microscopic ruptures from your aggressive singing. As much as he wanted to stare at you all day, he had to keep his eyes on the road. But the lyrics you were singing were wrong; the Prince of the Tikbalang was already yours from day one.

"Babe, McDo drive-through tayo for breakfast. Let me make it up to you. Gusto mo ng caramel sundae for your promotion gift? Sige. Ako bahala. Chicken nuggets din? Mabubusog ka ba niyan? I don't think they serve those this early..."

》》》

"Sandali lang!" you shouted out from inside an empty room. You'd just arrived at the venue—the Alta Veranda de Tibig in Silang, Cavite (practically the gateway to Tagaytay)—an hour or so ago. The hired makeup artist just left so that you could privately change into the outfit that had been bought specifically for you. Curse Mal and his ability to buy anything (perhaps anyone) he wanted. "Bwiset, Mal, you didn't tell me we'd be part of the damn entourage. We have to be walking the aisle in thirty minutes, simbako! You just love rushing me, don't you!?"

If only you were the one walking down the aisle today towards him.

When you exited the room, Maliksi couldn't help but let his jaw drop as he skimmed your figure, clad in the luxurious, silky satin blush midi dress he bought in one of those fancy stores in Makati yesterday. He imagined that it would look great on you, but now, seeing it on you in person... you looked divine (and frankly, he wanted to see it off your body to see what was underneath—but don't get too ahead of yourself, Mal). It was a whole 'nother level from his imagination. The deep cowl neckline and thin spaghetti straps showed your lovely collarbones... as well as a peek of your cleavage. His favorite and the best part of it all? It was backless, allowing him to gaze at the tempting curve of your spine.

He hadn't realized he had grown silent until you smiled and closed his mouth, tapping his chin.

"Lalangawin ang bibig mo, Mal," you laughed softly. Never had you seen him so speechless. You then flicked your hair back, ridiculously posing for him like you were on the cover of Vogue magazine (haba ng hair mo, gurl!). "Do I look that good? Char lang."

"... You look absolutely ravishing—I mean, uh, stunning. Hot. Yeah." That was all he could say. He mentally punched himself for not showering you with more suave compliments.

Still, your face brightened up, not knowing that the man in front of you just fell for you a thousand times harder, "Wow! Really? Damn. Ang galing talaga ng MUA na kinuha mo, ginawa akong artista. Give me their contact number later! May work event pa naman ako in two months. I'm shocked, it's like they made me rise from the dead! Even my eyebags are gone, Mal! How'd they do that?" Heck yeah, your confidence was boosted. He offered his arm to you like a gentleman, making you half-heartedly roll your eyes (you took it anyway). From holding it alone, you could tell that your best friend was a sinewy man (well, you knew that already after seeing his tikbalang form before—the little shit didn't even wear a loincloth like all his clanmates; your poor eyes were eternally scarred).

You looked him up and down. You wouldn't lie—Maliksi is and always has been an attractive man. Now? With his hair in a ponytail (pun not intended), definitely one of the hunkiest men you've ever known. "You're not looking too bad yourself, horsey."

"Ako pa!" He puffed his chest out in pride. You chuckled at his reaction.

"By the way, how do you even know my dress size and my shoe size?"

"Babe, I've known you too long. You know almost everything about me, I know everything about you."

You snorted at his confident tone, "'Di nga? You don't know every single thing about me, Mal. Assuming ka masyado."

"Alam ko nga anong cup size mo. Wala lang 'yang shoe and dress size."

You slapped his shoulder, cheeks quickly flushing red, "Huy, umayos ka! Walang hiyang tikbalang na 'to." With this guy as your best friend? You heard dirty jokes at least once a day. "Don't be inappropriate here!"

"What? It's only fair I know!" He looked down on you suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows. "You already know I always go commando, so of course I know that your bra is a size—"

"Shhh! Baka marinig ka, 'nyeta."

"So? Let them hear. My best friend has a nice set of melons!" he shouted. You were grateful there was no one around. Hopefully.

"Oh my God..."

Your best friend chortled at how flustered you'd become. He led you to where some of his family was waiting, with a couple of his relatives already greeting you. You instantly and quite easily mingled with them, your worries of them not accepting you far from even true (they all knew how much their prince loved the innocent you).

"Kayo na talaga, pare?" one of his older tikbalang clanmates asked while you went away to be fawned over by his aunts.

Maliksi chuckled, crossing his arms as he watched you from afar, "Heh. Hindi pa."

Another one of his clanmates—a younger one—laughed, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, "Talaga? That's cap, bro. You two are like a married couple already and you guys still aren't a thing?"

"Ilang taon na ba kayong magkakaibigan?" the older one asked him.

"Almost ten years," Maliksi responded, a smile unconsciously pulling his lips up as he remembered your moments together. He watched you converse with his female relatives (who adored you the moment Maliksi brought you to a family event many moons ago).

The two tikbalang snickered as they saw the look on the Great Stallion's heir.

"You're down bad," the younger one said, snapping a photo of his lovestruck kuya. "You've got it so bad for her, dudeparechong!"

"Balak mong ligawan anytime soon?" the older tikbalang inquired.

"Heh. Balak ko na ngang pakasalan. Kung pwede, ngayon."

They looked at Maliksi as if he was crazy. He was very much serious, though, even if there was a huge, lopsided smile on his face. The Prince of the Tikbalang raised a brow at them.

"What? Don't give me that look. Our ten years of being best friends is practically the courting and the dating stage already."

"Eh... you're right. Don't waste anymore time. Go and marry her today, dude. Suporta kami sa'yo, basta groomsmen kami sa kasal niyo, ha!"

"Ge. Without question."

Meanwhile, on your end with the ladies of the family, they started pestering you on your love life (like all typical Filipino aunties). Chismis everywhere.

"O, iha, single ka pa ba?"

"Kailan ka magpapakasal? Malapit ka nang pumasok sa thirties mo."

"Do you want kids? How many?"

"Are you and Maliksi a couple? You look good together! Kayo na, 'di ba?"

"Will you be getting married next? Are you engaged? When's the wedding? Invite niyo kami!"

Before you could get overwhelmed by their questions, Maliksi swept you off your feet to lead you to the entourage that was lining up outside the chapel area. Again, it happened like a blur. He laughed at the partially nauseated look on your face.

"You okay there?" he asked, grinning.

"Your family thinks we're together," you muttered quietly, not meeting his eyes. You weren't sure why you felt... tingly about their statements.

He tilted his head at you curiously, gently setting you down on your feet and helping you stand.

"Do you hate the idea?" It hurt him to ask you the question, but he wanted your thoughts on it. Perhaps doing this was a bad idea. Maliksi was competitive in many things, including wanting you to be his, but if you were so opposed to it, he would never force you into something you didn't want. He let go of your hand; you didn't even notice he'd been holding it until he let go. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

Your wide-eyed gaze snapped back to look up at him, "No! No, it's not that! And... it's not bad." Your hand felt strangely empty now that his was gone. Biting your lip, you disclosed, "You're not making me uncomfortable, Mal. Don't ever think that."

With that, you shyly interlocked your arm with his, tearing your eyes from his to mask the growing warmth you felt spreading in your veins. You two didn't say anything else when the ushers let you walk down the beautiful, petal-covered aisle together.

The man beside you was starstruck. Hopeful. Maybe both of you did have a chance. Maybe somewhere in the depths of your soul, his feelings for you were being reciprocated. For the rest of the sacred ceremony in the gorgeous main pavilion, both of you relished in short, comfortable, and low conversations. He even cracked jokes every once in a while—really funny ones that made it challenging for you to you stifle your laughter.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride."

Maliksi fervently prayed to Bathala that he'd experience the same opportunity he was seeing with you someday. One day.

Even while the sun was brightly out, the sky began showering down light rain onto the land. You were in awe as you looked out the window.

"Hala, totoo nga pala! Tignan mo!" you laughed, tugging Maliksi's suit sleeve, pointing at the window.

"Na ano?" he curiously inquired, not understanding what you were referring to.

"Na kapag may tikbalang na kinakasal, umuulan habang may araw pa," you replied, eyes filled with childlike mirth and wonder. A rainbow had even begun to form by the clouds. "Look, it's magical! Ang ganda pala ng view dito kasama ang old Spanish architecture. Timeless na timeless. It's so pretty, 'no? Picture tayo 'maya, Mal."

Unlike you, it wasn't the sky outside that the prince was looking at. Amidst the loud cheers for the newlywed couple and the bubbles the guests were blowing, his vision could only focus on how magnificent you looked while being amazed. You were his best view. (Ed from 90-Day Fiancé, kabahan ka na, may katapat ka sa pickup line mo.)

》》》

"Smile for the picture!"

You giggled as Maliksi was dragged into a photo-op with the bridesmaids and the important older wedding sponsors a few feet away (funnily, he looked a little constipated around them). All of a sudden, when he was heading back to your direction, you were roughly pushed into the said man's arms. When you turned around, there was nothing (except maybe a gust of wind that came out of nowhere).

"Ooh, gotcha. Careful," the tikbalang steadied you, strong hands holding your biceps. "Natapilok ka?"

"... Huh, hindi naman," you wondered suspiciously, looking around. "I think someone pushed me? Parang tinulak ako... but wala namang tao."

"Weird. Maybe it was just the wind."

It actually was. Really. Maliksi knew for a fact that it was those two taong hangin who were spying on you from the corner, trying to pair you up. He gave them a thumbs-up while your back was turned in the opposite direction. Hannah and Amie returned the thumbs-up before vanishing. Suddenly, the two wedding photographers had moved on from the bridesmaids and were right beside you.

"What a lovely couple you two are!" she praised. Before you could correct her, she held up the black contraption she held towards you two. "Pose for the camera, lovelies!"

And so you did, the photographer guiding you two on what to do. Maliksi wrapped his arm around your waist and you leaned on his side, looking sidewards to the camera with one leg cocked in front of the other. Her assistant, who was holding a polaroid camera, printed out two photos for you.

"Thank you," you told him, taking the photos from his hands then flicking them rapidly to make the images develop. You and Mal were about to walk to the reception area when the photographer stopped you, handing the male beside you a business card.

"If you two need a photographer or a videographer for your wedding, call me," she signaled to both of you before running to another guest, bringing her assistant with her.

You gawked, "Mal, did you just hear what she said?"

"Loud and clear." A grin was on his face. He seemed very pleased at what he heard.

"... How can she even tell if someone is married or not?"

Maliksi's free hand took your left hand, tapping the ring finger, "Nothing here."

"Ooooooh. I get it now." Your brows creased. "Huh. This is like the fifth time today the people here have mistaken us for a couple."

Maliksi shrugged, teasing you, "Who knows? Baka may potential tayo, babe."

Before you could ask him what he meant, he was hurriedly towing you to the reception venue. While he was doing that, you stared at the now-developed polaroid photos you were holding. Huh. Maybe you two did look like a couple.

"Come on, they're serving some snacks at the welcome reception area. Peach pie and mango float-flavored. Paborito mo, babe."

》》》

The rest of the night went by without a hitch. You were actually enjoying the event—the host was great, the food was great, the music was great. Everything was great... that was, until the games.

"Alright! Now that the bride's garter has been removed, let's have the bouquet and garter toss... starting with the females!" the host announced. "Dear bride, please stay here in front. And all single ladies—and by single I mean ready to mingle and are not married—please rise and stand here on the dance floor. Let's play matchmaker tonight, everyone!"

"Uy, single ladies daw," Maliksi nudged your side. "Sign mo na 'yan." You snorted like a pig.

"Nope, ayokong madamay sa bouquet toss," you whisper-yelled at your best friend. "Do you know how embarrassing that is?! Besides, they won't notice if I don't join! Special tactic ko 'yan sa weddings: pretending I'm not single. Katabi naman kita."

More women came to the front, making you feel assured that you didn't need to participate. The host was about to say something, when the bride interrupted to whisper something into his ear.

"Hala, halaaa! Sabi ko all single ladies, pero may isang single lady na nagtatago pa!" he announced, making you freeze. Please don't let it be you. "What's her name, beloved bride?"

"Y/N L/N." You nearly spat out your champagne. You? Did they just call out your name? How did they know?

"Oh fuck," you cursed quietly.

"'Di ka makakatakas dito, babe," Maliksi jabbed, making you stand up. "Tinatawag ka na."

"Baka may ibang Y/N L/N dito," you resisted, attempting to sit back down. "I can't do this, Mal."

"'Sus, ikaw pa. And it's just a symbolic ceremony!" he encouraged, as if he didn't have any underlying intentions. "I doubt the bouquet will go to you anyway."

Sheesh, what a big fat liar you are, tikbalang prince.

You expressed your dissatisfaction with the situation, "Bwiset, fine. I'll just... dodge it. Or evade it. God, I swear..." You calmed down, confident. "I'm not going to worry. I've never caught the bouquet at my own friends' weddings anyway."

When you were at the dance floor, Maliksi snickered, seeing the bride—his cousin—wink at him. After all, he had thoroughly bribed her earlier.

《《《

"It's about time you settled down with someone, Mal," the bride commented while he slipped her the newest Hermés designer bag filled with a bunch of jewelry (plus some bills) two hours ago, right before the reception began and while you were in the restroom freshening up. "Hehehe, this is why you're my favorite cousin."

"Do we have a deal?"

"Of course. I'll make sure she participates. I'll also try to throw it in her direction."

"Good. Thanks."

"You better invite me to your beach wedding. I can tell how much you love her."

"Not a problem. I'll even make you a sponsor."

The bride stared at her bouquet, already practicing how she was going to throw it, "Tito's going to thank me so much for ensuring that he's going to get grandkids soon, hihi."

》》》

Back to the present, on the other end of the room, Maliksi saw a familiar duo give him a sign that they were ready. Bingo. Time to execute the most important part of his plan.

《《《

"I don't care how you do it," he told the two wind elementals after he bribed the bride. "I've already instructed the bride on what she should do, pero siguraduhin niyo lang talagang lumipad sa kanya ang bouquet."

"Mmhmm," Amie flipped her hair, a hand on her cocked hip. "And what do we get in return, oh great Señorito Armanaz?"

"Sagot ko bar-hopping niyo for one month."

The two girls pretended to think about it, making Maliksi roll his eyes. He had to pull out the big guns, huh?

"Fine. Magbibigay ako ng cash deposit plus pwede niyong gamitin ang black card ko for a one-week shopping spree in Ortigas." There. Bullseye. That's what they liked.

"Deal!" they exclaimed excitedly.

Hannah let a cool gust of wind enter one of the nearby windows, testing out how they're going to do this. "Ano pa bang pinaplano mo for Y/N mamaya?"

Maliksi hummed, "Basta."

》》》

You tried your best to hide within the densest part of the group of women. The bride seemed to have her eyes on you, weirdly enough, and she looked almost feral wanting to throw her flowers into someone's face.

That someone being you. Most likely.

"Target locked on," you saw her mouth move. She positioned herself like she was about to throw a football at someone (ahem, you). Holy shit, was she talking to you? Miss ma'am, it was a bouquet toss not a bouquet throw. The bride seemed to notice this, and once more regained her elegant composure.

"3, 2, 1," the host counted down. "Go!"

Surprisingly, the bouquet flew very high into the air (it was a wonder it didn't get tangled in the ceiling decor), but quite a distance away from you. You grinned, knowing it was too far to even touch you. Squeezing through the crowd of women eagerly awaiting the bouquet, you went to return to your assigned table.

Ah, what a wonderful evening.

Sike!

Something painfully landed right into your face, leaves and flowers getting into your hair and mouth.

... Wait, leaves and flowers?

Before you could comprehend it, the bouquet dropped right into your arms. What kind of ungodly, inhuman force allowed this to even happen?

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have our lucky girl for the night!" Everyone clapped, with some—those guests you knew—even cheering your name unbelievably loud. The host approached you, a glint in his eye which you couldn't understand. "Miss Y/N, kindly sit here while we await the lucky guy who catches the garter from the groom."

What just happened?

"All single gentlemen, please proceed to the dance floor. Remember, the man who gets the garter gets to slip it onto the lucky lady's leg later!"

Oh, God. You pinched the bridge of your nose. What you'd give to be back at home or to be in that resort in Batangas you'd planned on going to for a solo vacation.

"To make this even more exciting," the host stated, handing you a black blindfold. "Our lucky lady has to keep her eyes closed until her lucky man for the night captures the bride's garter! When the music plays, only then can she uncover her eyes."

See? Humiliating, just as you expected. Still, you wrapped the blindfold around your head (albeit hesitantly). You attempted to guess who it might be, thinking of all the tikbalang friends Maliksi had introduced to you back then whenever he invited you to his clan reunions.

"Groom, are you ready?" the host asked, microphone loud and clear.

"Ready na ready!"

"Single gentlemen, are you ready?!"

"Ready na ready! Awoo, awoo!" they loudly chorused, exactly mimicking Spartans about to engage in battle. You sweatdropped in the seat you were in. This was actually kind of scary. Maybe you felt a bit objectified.

"3, 2, 1, go!"

There was a brief moment of silence, which made you concerned. Ba't ang tahimik? Then, everyone erupted into roars and bravoes much louder than when you caught the bouquet—perhaps even louder by tenfold. What the heck was happening?!

The music played. Very raunchy, spicy, babymaking music. You expected it to be the typical Careless Whisper by George Michael or Pony by Ginuwine (corny songs which you could probably laugh at, at least), but no. Nuh-uh, this was probably worse. The DJ must be pretty young, the song of their choosing being a slowed, bass-boosted, sexier remix of Earned It by the Weeknd.

Ano 'to, bold? Fifty Shades of Grey? The hell was this?

Alright. This was embarrassing. Thank the heavens there were no children at this party. From the music alone and its implications, this was strictly for adults.

You removed your blindfold (that was okay now, right?) as the guests whistled playfully. You peeked one eye open reluctantly, then inwardly groaned. Oh, no. You should've expected it to be him of all people from how loud the reactions were. And all those yells from the crowd were from his family.

Son of a—

"Well, this has proven to be a very interesting arrangement!" the host proclaimed. "Our lucky man for tonight is none other than our great clan leader's heir, Maliksi Armanaz! Congratulations, sir! You get to slip the lacey little garter on Miss Y/N!"

The said very smug tikbalang stood a few feet away from the chair you were sitting on, smirking at you. His hair was no longer in that mesmerizing ponytail—instead, he'd tied it into a more sinfully attractive man-bun, loose strands framing his face and accentuating that sharp, angled jaw of his (say yes and thank you to Manny Jacinto's jawline, besties).

"Let's cheer him on in his new mission, everybody!" the host pushed. Was this that glint in his eye earlier? And was that a one thousand peso bill sticking out of his pocket?

The groomsmen, Mal's cousins and uncles whom you've met before, hollered words of encouragement to the tall man (who was, oddly enough, not one bit fazed). In fact, Maliksi seemed like he was famished as he stared you down.

You swallowed, feeling like you were going to get eaten (heh, say that again). Maliksi had shrugged off his dark suit blazer to the beat of the song (holy fuck, he also unclasped the suspenders attached to his pants right before your eyes—asdfghjkl). Were you prepared for this? No. Will you ever be prepared? No!

"Mr. Armanaz, before you begin," the host interrupted. "We have an additional challenge for you in this mission. Kaya mo ba? It was a request of the newlywed couple."

"What is it?"

"Use your teeth!" the bride and the groom cheerfully shouted, clapping with the other guests. Whatdidtheysaaaaay???

The cocky bastard didn't even hesitate, his smirk at you growing wider; those pearly whites of his on full display. Was it just you or were his canines a little sharper than usual?

"Anything for the newlyweds. Challenge accepted," he dashingly replied, winking at you. You sputtered indignantly. Pisteng yawa. Putangina. Putek. Pakshet. You swore you thought of every swear word in the book at that moment. What did that YouTube parody song about Filipino mythological creatures say again? About the tikbalang? Ah, yes. Half-macho dancer and half-stallion. Maybe the joke was true, especially when you saw what Maliksi did next.

He bit the shred of lace, loosening his necktie (bestie, you good there?), unbuttoning some top buttons, and rolling up the sleeves of his collared white undershirt up to his elbows (consequently showing off his toned, veiny forearms—those lucky bridesmaids behind him nearly fainted). Honestly, you felt like you were about to lose your mind from embarrassment. With how tantalizing your guy best friend was being? Let our response be: San Pedro, kunin mo na ako. Was he doing all this to tease you? To rile you up?

Because damn it all, it was working. In your ten years of knowing Maliksi Armanaz, withstanding all his daily dirty jokes and flirtatious attempts, never had you seen him like this. So... wolfish. Ravenous. Like he was a man that hadn't been fed in years.

He stalked closer towards you, falling to his knees in front of your legs. Your gown had a long slit that extended up to an inch or two below where your left leg began—your best friend was eyeing his target already, knowing where to place the garter. Normally, you would never even wear something as revealing as this gown. It just wasn't your type, but Maliksi was the one who bought this for you for this specific occasion, so you had no choice. It was this or your pantulog he stole you in just hours ago. At first, you were confident in the gown. Now? You felt too... naked.

Somehow, in the heat of it all, you'd muted out the noise of the venue. Maliksi teasingly lifted your foot up, fingertips slyly grazing the thin shoe straps around your left foot—his calculated touch leaving fire in its trail. Once the garter had been successfuly inserted past your high-heeled stilettos, the man kneeling in front of you kept his hands to himself. Despite the fact that now there was absolutely zero skin-to-skin contact between you and this man, your body felt hotter than it ever was before as he expertly slid the lacy bit of cloth up your ankle at an agonizingly slow pace.

Maliksi's warm eyes had turned dark, his pupils blown, a tinge of red in them—of his true beast—while he maintained striking eye contact with you, pulling the garter up your calf with his teeth. Smoothly tugging... tugging... tugging. Tangina, it was like he was undressing you with his eyes alone; like he was telepathically telling you to keep your eyes open.

To keep your eyes on him, where he was knelt inbetween your legs, his hands intentionally locked on his back. Did you ever imagine this? Him between your legs? Maybe. Once or twice. But you never thought about it seriously; Maliksi dated girls left and right in the past.

His lips... his lips were so close... so close to your leg that you could feel the heat of his breath along with the lace. Were you about to die? Perhaps you already did. Maybe you were in heaven. Up... up... up... snap!

Suddenly, he stopped, grinning up at you mischievously and letting the elastic bounce back to the skin of your left knee.

"I'm not going any further, don't worry, babe," he whispered, noting that your eyes had become misty and glazed over. Internally, he grew worried. "That's enough." Did he think it was from discomfort? From you being uncomfortable? Bitch, no. It was the exact opposite. You had never been this turned on in your entire life.

You felt like your soul had left your body at that moment. Did you just have a heart attack? Was your blood pressure okay? Before you or Maliksi could stand, however, someone bellowed from the wedding sponsor tables.

"Higher! That's an order!"

Fucking hell, it was Maliksi's father who shouted. He wasn't in the huge tikbalang form you'd normally meet him in, but he was still very intimidating in his humanoid form, commanding attention and subservience wherever he went. You could tell where Maliksi got it from.

Instantly, the other guests—already half-drunk and wanting the spirit of partying to continue on—joined in.

"Higher! Higher!"

The host cheered, "You heard Señor Armanaz! Higher!"

Maliksi gave you a questioning look. Even if it was his father who spoke up, he still wouldn't do anything you didn't want. Well, you two made it this far; there was no point in getting embarrassed now. You bit the inside of your cheek, nodding. You probably couldn't erase the redness on your skin with how much you'd blushed from this night. It was as if the heat was tattooed onto your skin.

"Go on, Mal," you whispered to him, bending your torso down closer to his face, eyes half-lidded from want. "Finish what you started, babe."

With those sultry bedroom eyes he'd never once seen you show him before—plus you turning the tables with that familiar term of endearment, how could he refuse? Like a switch had been flipped inside him, he immediately complied, taking the frilly scrap of stretchy lace between his teeth once more, moving it further up to your thighs until where your high slit ended—centimeters below the warming juncture between your legs.

Your legs felt wobbly... boneless, as you stood up from the chair, the fabric of your gown cascading over where the lace sat securely on your upper left thigh. The party was still going strong even after you two finished the garter wearing tradition.

"'Atta boy! That's my son!" Señor Armanaz blazoned, standing up and raising his glass for a toast. "Cheers to the newlywed couple! May they last forever!"

You guys weren't the newlyweds, but it did sure feel like it. If the clan leader was hyped up, everyone was hyped up. Heck, the groom and the bride didn't mind one bit what had just transpired on their dance floor. In all the chaos, Maliksi took you out of the reception area and somewhere quieter. More private.

You would need to have a serious, urgent talk with your boy best friend.

》》》

You two silently sat on a stone bench in a gazebo somewhere in the reserved venue for the wedding, trying to cool down and get yourselves back together (at this point, you needed ice from that steamy, half-scandalous event you just went through). Here, there was no one else except for the chirping of crickets, the lush trees surrounding the area, and the golden fairy lights strewn all over the roof. Awkwardness was something you'd expected after what just happened, but somehow, you still felt comfort in this man's presence. For the past thirty minutes, both of you just stayed still, lost in your thoughts and reflecting.

"Mal?" you finally spoke up.

"... Hmm?"

"Ano tayo?"

"Whatever you want us to be."

Your fingers instinctively reached out for his, just like they always did when you were anxious. Sensing this, he grasped your hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Soothingly. He massaged the skin of your fingers, distracting you from your nervousness. It seemed like both nothing and everything changed between both of you. The gesture was the same, but so different at the same time.

"Mahal mo ako." It was not a question. It was a statement. A truth—one that you'd been too blind to see before. One that you only discovered while you stared into each other's eyes in that party not as best friends. You realized with a jolt in your heart what he really felt for you, and now, what you really felt for him. In those thirty minutes of silence, you knew. You just knew.

"Yes. I do."

"... Just as a best friend?" you probed.

"..."

Finally, you gazed into his eyes, previously so dark and full of hunger. Now? Just reluctant. Vulnerable. Open. Unsure of what to do next.

Seems like you had to be the one to take initiative tonight. Taking out your phone, you opened your music app and pressed play on a certain song. Ikaw at Ako by Johnoy Danao. You removed your heels (which were starting to blister your ankles and toes), then pulled him up to stand.

"Dance with me," you murmured, grabbing his arms to wrap them around your waist. He was stiff. Tense. What was he to do when the woman he's been pining after for so long let him hold her? All his gallantry and ability to romance disappeared out the window the moment you let him touch you so intimately.

You two weren't even waltzing. Just swaying. Slowly, you leaned your head on his broad chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart.

"... I love you," Maliksi admitted in the middle of it all, feeling like he was dreaming. Your head on his chest kept him grounded to reality, however. "More than anything in the universe. I fell for you ever since you patched me up when you were nineteen and I was a reckless drag racer who didn't have a purpose in life. 'Nung dinala mo ako pabalik sa Armanaz Tower on the verge of death. Simula noon, ikaw lang."

"I realized that," you smiled, reminiscing the old memory. You were just a broke college student that time, coming back to your dorm from making your group thesis at a classmate's house. Imagine your panic when you found a half-man, half-horse bleeding out by some bushes on the way home at night. Despite your fear and your little money (only enough to feed you for the week), you went out of your way to buy a first-aid kit at the nearest 7/11. It was scary, but you managed to mend the creature's wounds by the side of the road. When he was finally able to speak, turning fully human (which you admit, freaked you out initially), you arduously carried him back to his address—to his father and his clan, even if you had classes the very next morning. Because of your heroic deed of saving their precious heir, the tikbalang clan had become indebted to you: a teenage girl on the verge of a mental academic breakdown, just making her way through the cruel adult world. How old of a memory that was, you thought, yet you still recalled it in perfect detail. "Just a while ago."

"Ah." He swayed you gently.

"Lahat ng ito, plano mo?"

"... Yes," Maliksi fessed up. "Except for this part where we're here dancing in this belvedere. Wala sa plano ko. Gusto ko sanang magconfess doon sa may fountain para sweet, pero..."

You lifted your head off his chest, smiling at him with one brow raised, "You know, between both of us, you're supposed to be the spontaneous one. Planning isn't usually your thing."

"I know. It's a failure, huh?" Maliksi sighed.

"Nah." You shook your head, then suddenly locked lips with him. It was so fast and surprising he didn't even get the chance to return your first kiss. For once, you caught him off guard. You pecked him on the lips again. "It's not a failure."

"Wha—"

"I'm sorry for making you wait, Maliksi. Ten years. We're twenty-nine now, and only tonight do I realize how blind I've been. We've been going around in circles, wasting so much time. Ayoko nang mag-aksaya ng oras," you whispered guiltily against his lips. How could you have been so blind? Andaming nasayang na taon. Making up your mind, you told him, "Yes. Sige, I accept. I'll be your plus one."

The tikbalang was flustered and baffled from the kiss, as well as your revelation, "... But, you already are?"

"No, silly. I meant that I'll be your plus one for life. For as long as you'll have me," you laughed, now processing that you were currently dancing barefoot with your boy best friend and had just kissed him in a wedding you didn't even plan on going to. The universe had a mysterious way of doing things. "Guess I'm the spontaneous one now, huh?"

Maliksi was tongue-tied. "Seryoso ka ba? Is... Is this a marriage proposal?"

"Whatever you want it to be," you echoed his words back to him. "Best friend, plus one, girlfriend, wife—mmpf!"

He kissed you so hard your lips bruised. After an impromptu makeout session which was definitely more in character for Maliksi, you both pulled away, panting heavily in search for air, still desperate for passion. He cupped your cheeks, giving you a sweet, featherlight Eskimo kiss.

"You're missing one more title."

"Hm? What do you mean, Mal?"

"Love of my life." He kissed you again, this time lifting you off your feet and spinning you around (his sneaky right hand was resting on your bum, too, giving it a tight squeeze). You know in the Princess Diaries where the main character's foot just... pops whenever the prince charming kissed her? Yeah, that happened to you on that humid summer night. This was right. You two were meant to be together. Everything was falling into place.

The bungalow you reserved for your Batangas vacation leave ended up being the site of your very eventful honeymoon with the Prince of the Tikbalang (with his libido, it wasn't that difficult to continue where you'd left off in the garter toss; that scrap of lace came off your leg the same way it went on). Actually, nauna pa ang honeymoon sa actual wedding (it was definitely spontaneous). Right after your confession in that alcove, you two went to Maliksi's father to ask for his blessing (which he gladly gave, cackling and saying that it took you long enough) before you guys went driving off to Batangas that night. You and Mal indeed had lots and lots of fun in that resort (I'll let you imagine the rest). More beautiful memories were made from that point on—this time, not just as best friends.

All that and your small, intimate wedding occurred in early April. Just when you thought that it'd be impossible to fulfill Maliksi's life goal of having a baby within the year (nine months of pregnancy meant that the earliest you'd give birth would be January next year), the impossible happened.

Exactly thirty-two weeks later, on New Year's Eve, the Armanaz herd welcomed one prince and two new princesses into the world. Triplets who were instantly adored by everyone in the clan.

Señor Armanaz had never been happier, and so were you and your husband. Your best friend. The love of your life. Your forever plus one.

Maybe being spontaneous wasn't so bad after all.