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Gelo and Mikki are no strangers to each other.
They've only been together for three months, owing to that one fateful night when Mikki faced his fears and asked Gelo to be his boyfriend through a playlist. It was a little out of the ordinary but it's a great story to tell.
Despite being in a fresh and blossoming relationship, the amount of time they've known and spent with each other spans a few years back. So yes, to say that they're no strangers to each other is a total understatement.
They know about each other's quirks and interests. Gelo knows that Mikki's ticklish spot is right by his neck. Mikki knows how to elicit Gelo's eruptive laughter during the most inappropriate times. They can recognize each other's footsteps. They can memorize each other's features like the back of their hands.
But one thing Mikki could never get used to is just how good his boyfriend looks in a suit. One look at him and he loses his train of thought altogether. Gelo's got him wrapped around his finger, it's crazy.
"Oh. Tulala ka na naman diyan." Gelo stops him from his musings (or the total lack thereof), as he fixes his own tie.
They are set to have their One Dream Concert version 2022 today, and despite it being just a replay, they need to gather with their sibling girl group for new and exclusive content.
And it was Mikki's birthday, too. Although they'd much rather spend it alone together, they couldn't. So they agreed on at least ending the day together, which was what the younger guy has been looking forward to since this morning.
"Ako na," Gelo coos as he reaches for Mikki's tie.
He looks at his boyfriend so lovingly, like he's the most precious thing to ever exist on earth. The electrifying stare lingers a bit longer than Mikki is used to, so he shies away. And Gelo's default reaction? Smirking.
"Stop before I wipe that smirk off your face," the younger guy says before proceeding to the bathroom sink to brush his teeth.
Gelo follows suit and the two stand side by side, facing the mirror, brushing their teeth in silence. They share a meaningful smile and within seconds the infamous eruptive laughter covers the entire room.
They still got thirty minutes to spare before they have to leave, so Mikki brings up what's been lurking at the back of his mind.
"We've been busy, no?"
Gelo nods as he pulls out a chair to sit close to Mikki, who's hugging his knees, wearing only his socks in bed. Everything he ever does is too cute for Gelo.
"I miss having alone time with you," Mikki adds. He pouts at him and at that Gelo almost melts into his arms.
"Suuus. May naglalambing," Gelo nudges his knees and sports a toothy grin.
Mikki's brows furrow.
"So di mo ko miss?" He crosses his arms while his boyfriend looks at him with amusement.
Before Gelo could even stand and join him in bed, a knock from the door interrupts.
"Mamaya na bebe time. Aalis na tayo!"
The voice belongs to Akira, who knew better than to enter Gelo's room uninvited.
The two share a look, having been deprived of a few more minutes with only each other's company.
Sighing, Mikki nods as Gelo squeezes his arm, bending over to place a gentle kiss on his temple.
Their sibling group, BINI, are already at the venue when they arrive. The girls are holding balloons and cakes that spell M-I-K-K-I. They each hand out party hats for BGYO to wear, and foil number balloons for him to hold.
Though it doesn't show outwardly, he is happy and appreciative. They've gotten used to his cold demeanor, but they love him nonetheless.
An hour later, the event kicks off. They give commentaries, fun facts, and trivia after every performance. It's all fun and everybody's having a great time, it doesn't feel like work.
There was one part, though, that stirred up Gelo's feelings. He knows it was absolutely wrong of him to feel this way, but he couldn't help but be jealous.
It was a clip of Mikki and one of the girls from BINI slow dancing. It shouldn't be bothering him cause they all got to dance with her, and he and Mikki weren't even together yet at that time. So why does his stomach churn at the sight of it?
JL must have noticed his discomfort, so he subtly places an arm around his friend and taps him reassuringly.
Mikki was too busy to notice, as he is seated across from him.
Gelo shakes it off. Kabag lang 'to, he jests in his mind.
After the concert replay, they had to stay for a YouTube content shoot.
Time seems to move so slowly for Gelo. But then again, a watched pot never boils. So he does his best to stay in the moment and actively engage with the others.
They're playing the Jojowain o Trotropahin Challenge. Just the sound of it is bad news to him. But what could he do? It's part of their job.
A name. A beat.
"Jojowain po," Mikki says, almost abruptly.
Everybody tries to keep it cool, especially the boyfriend, who, on a normal day could easily brush things like this off. But now, he's turning into a green-eyed monster.
Mikki must have finally noticed, as he steals a glance at Gelo who was seated at the second row, right above him. He's unusually quiet and his laughter nowhere to be heard.
Of course he didn't mean to make him upset. That's the last thing he would ever want to do.
After the shoot, Gelo grabs a bottle of water and takes a swig.
"Hi kuya!" Nate chirps. "Are you okay?"
Gelo chuckles at the question.
"Yes. Why?"
Nate was about to answer when the staff calls them for a photo op.
Mikki struggles to find a spot next to Gelo, yet he pushes through, wanting to appease him.
They are all huddled together, along with the girls, so Mikki takes the opportunity to reach for Gelo's hand and give a reassuring squeeze. He squeezes back, much to Mikki's relief, but has to let go fast to avoid being reprimanded.
The management knows, and they're grateful for the trust and support. So much so, that they're careful not to break it.
Of course there are limitations to their freedom, which gets too tiring to deal with sometimes. But if it means getting to have each other at the end of the day, then they're all for it.
It was a wrap for today's work. They spend a few minutes celebrating Mikki's birthday with the whole crew and he's thankful for the love he receives from people around him. There's just something hanging over his head and he couldn't wait to get to the bottom of it.
Gelo's the first one to hop in their van, all settled in his seat with his AirPods plugged in. As much as Mikki wants to have a word with him, he decides against it and waits for them to arrive home.
Everybody was quiet — they were either sleeping or scrolling through their phones. Mikki, on the other hand, took the time to reply to the birthday greetings sent by his family, friends, and fans.
As soon as the van reaches their gate, Nate opens the door and drags Mikki out of it along with JL and Akira. Gelo says he has to talk to their driver about something and asks the rest of the boys to get in first.
The boys lead a clueless Mikki to his room.
JL opens the door almost too forcefully some balloons started to pop.
"Kuya! Slowly!" Nate chastises him for getting too excited.
"Di tayo maninira ng gamit vebs for today's video." Akira's blurting sends all of them into fits of laughter.
It was an inside joke between JL and Akira, and the latter's a tad too happy to turn it against JL.
"Sorry na, wag ka nang magalit. Uwu," JL fires back and they laugh again.
The three got too preoccupied with their jokes that they didn't notice Mikki already going through the gifts prepared for him.
Placed neatly on his bed were packs of Choco Mucho cookies which he knew were from his sister, gifts wrapped in kraft papers and paper bags, cakes, cupcakes, and a huge bouquet of sunflowers.
He reaches for it, smiling. Gelo remembered. Of course he did.
Mikki gives a quick 360° look around his room, which is filled with so many decors. He chuckles at the three differently-themed Happy Birthday banners hanging successively on his window blinds.
"Pati sa theme hindi pa rin kayo magkasundo?" he asks his friends.
"Turo mo muna alin pinaka bet mo, dali," Akira says, grinning from ear to ear.
Nate looks at him with expectant eyes, and JL with a menacing stare.
"Lahat naman gusto ko basta galing sa inyo."
The three gasp exaggeratedly. Nate reaches out to feel Mikki's forehead.
"Are you sure we're talking to the real Mikki right now?"
He brushes his hand away and laughs. "Mga sira! At talagang sa kama ko pa nilagay yung mga cake. Eh kung nilanggam ako diyan?"
"Dasurv," JL jokes, which earns him a swat from the birthday boy.
Suddenly, silence engulfs them, knowing that the one person Mikki is looking for isn't there.
Akira nods towards the door. "Akyatin mo na. Masyado kang ano kanina eh. Nagselos tuloy."
He says his gratitude once more to the boys, who took the cakes with them when they left.
"Baba kayo pagkatapos ha. Ang daming nagpadala ng food," JL's voice trails off as they take the stairs.
"Just make up already! Or else uubusin namin 'to. Dibs on the pizza, kuyas!" Nate adds.
Knowing he's got no time to waste, he changes into Gelo's sweater which he has officially decided was his.
He bursts through Gelo's door but stops so quickly he almost topples over.
"Babe?"
Mikki gulps and swallows hard when he sees Gelo topless with only a towel wrapped around his waist. His hair is wet and his scent fills the entire room.
It's not like it's the first time he has witnessed this. He's just caught off guard. Gelo looks so impossibly good, it's illegal.
Mikki reaches for the AC to distract himself. He pretends to be busy with turning it on and adjusting the temperature, giving Gelo ample time to get dressed.
It was definitely getting hotter in this room — and in more ways than one.
Gelo puts on an oversized threadbare T-shirt and a pair of plain shorts. He brushes his hair up while Mikki enjoys the sight.
He then turns to face Mikki and prods him to sit on his bed.
"Nakita mo na yung surprise?"
Mikki nods, smiling. "Thanks for the sunflowers."
"You're welcome." He pauses before adding, "Happy ka?"
"Not quite," he pouts.
Gelo frowns and grabs his boyfriend by the waist, guiding him to lean towards his chest.
"What's wrong, love?"
Mikki takes a deep breath before holding Gelo's hands for support.
"I know I've upset you. But I really didn't mean to."
He fiddles with Gelo's fingers to ease his nerves.
"Hindi naman ah," he denies, but then decides it's best to just be honest.
It's something they've established from the beginning of their relationship — to never keep secrets from each other.
"Okay, sige. Nagselos lang ako nang konti."
"Sor-"
He cuts Mikki off by bringing up their intertwined fingers to his lips, kissing Mikki's knuckles.
"Pero, hindi mo kasalanan."
At that, the younger guy's face softens.
After a pause that seems to hang, he inhales deeply and says, "Nagkataon lang talaga na I was feeling insecure. Di ko lang mapigilan minsan mag overthink. Kaya sorry din, birthday mo pa naman."
Mikki buries his face in his neck and mumbles against it.
"You know what I love?"
"Hmm?"
"When you're fresh from a bath and then I get to smell you. Sobrang bango."
He sniffs Gelo's neck before placing a small kiss on it.
With just a little bit of playful bitterness in him, Gelo decides to tease and stir the pot a little.
"Si ano pag jinowa mo yun, baka mas mabango pa sakin."
Mikki jerks forward and sits up, ramrod straight.
"See! You're not over it. Nagtatampo ka pa rin ba?"
Gelo enjoys seeing him so worked up.
"Bakit? Totoo naman ah. Mukha naman siyang mabango, diba?"
"Baby naman eh. Game lang naman yun. Tsaka ano laban niya sa'yo? Siya jojowain lang, ikaw jowa na."
He wiggles his eyebrows to look convincing and it worked like a charm.
Gelo tries so hard to keep a straight face but ends up failing miserably. The smile that crept across his mouth wins.
"Alam ko naman yun. Binibiro lang kita."
Mikki studies his face for signs of dishonesty, but he already lost the moment he felt Gelo's stare pierce right through his soul. No one could ever compare.
He stands up in haste, switching the lights off and turning the LED lights on instead.
The other guy has his eyebrows raised, following Mikki's every move.
He turns Gelo's PC on and looks over at him who's all wrapped up in a blanket in bed.
"May I have this dance?" he walks towards him and grips his hands.
But Gelo can be stubborn sometimes. He was deliberately making himself heavy.
Mikki's dark eyes peer down at him, and he finally caves.
Mikki takes Gelo's right hand in his left and slides the other under his arm around his shoulder.
"Walang music."
He lets go of Gelo for a while and hits shuffle play.
♫ Nahuhulog ang loob sa 'yo
Nahuhulog ang loob sa 'yo ♫
Their sibling group's boppy song plays, and a happy laughter rings out around the room.
Mikki hits next.
♫ Woo
Hear the sound of your body drip, drip, drip ♫
Gelo looks at him suggestively, and they both laugh, shaking their heads.
"Let's keep it wholesome."
Several songs were skipped, until they finally find something they could call their song.
They sway to the beat of the music, bodies pressed against each other, pushing heat against Mikki's face as Gelo whispers the words to the song in his ear.
♫ Why is everybody so obsessed with you?
I mean I can't blame them
You're a holy emblem
You could be a saint
Your touch is heavenly
I couldn't even think of loving anybody
After you ♫
Something flutters alive in his rib cage. It was the first time today Mikki allowed himself to really smile. And it's also the first time he dared himself to swim in the lovely, clear pool of Gelo's eyes.
"Happy birthday, Mikki," he says, caressing his boyfriend's face which has turned beet red.
It feels illegal to break the staring game, so Mikki makes sure to glance at the wall clock in record time.
"Happy Valentine's Day, Angelo Troy."
They could swear they hear a squeaking outside. And some hushed voices. Definitely human voices.
"Huy anong ginagawa niyo diyan? Bumaba nga kayo."
It was certainly Akira who was whisper-shouting at their two bandmates whose rooms were located downstairs.
"Mga marites talaga."
They went out just a few minutes after they heard the dissipating footsteps. It was Gelo's idea at first, but it was him who ended up sitting on the passenger's seat because Mikki had told him he wanted to go somewhere specific.
"Teka, saan ba tayo pupunta?"
"Just trust me, okay? You'll love it."
Mikki starts driving and Gelo starts to worry that the others might hear the sound of the engine.
But he couldn't care less. He wants to savor the moment just this once.
"You think pag nalaman ng mga tao, matatanggap nila?" Mikki asks, momentarily glancing at the older guy.
"Oo naman no. Edi sana walang Lomiverse kung hindi," Gelo jokes, although beneath it is some layer of truth.
And then he looks at him, really looks at him properly, and sees the love radiating from Mikki's eyes. That same expression of love he sees whenever their eyes meet during interviews. That same expression written all over his face when he does something small, yet is enough to make Mikki the proudest. That same expression that appears whenever they do the most trivial of things.
He shakes his head, finally knocking some sense into his brain and realizing that there really isn't anything to be jealous of. Mikki truly loves him and he would be too stupid to deny it.
Mikki waves a hand at him. He's been spacing out.
"So di mo nga ako ipopost?"
Gelo's eyebrows twitched.
"At kailan mo lang naging gustong i-flex?" He laughs. "Have I turned you into a softie in love?"
"Bakit? Di ba pwedeng as a bandmate lang?"
"Bandmate ka diyan. Baka kuya," he teases.
Gelo tucks a strand of Mikki's cowlick hair behind his ear. The latter appreciated the gesture as it was covering his eyes.
"Sige bahala ka. Basta sakin okay la—"
He stops midway as Gelo leans into him, kissing the side of his face.
"The world doesn't need to know, love. I'm happy as long as my whole world knows."