Work Text:
OCEAN’S EIGHT Group Chat
Sheena: sinong near ayala?
Sheena: i need a lift, guys 😭
Sheena: wala akong mabook na grab
Sheena: uumulan im so kawawa
Mikha: me sheena
Aiah: ako baby shee!
Sheena: ah 😀
Stacey: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA
Maloi: bato bato pick na lang kayo 🤣
Maloi: sorry shee, out of town ako today
Sheena: actually wala akong pake sinong susundo sakin basta sunduin niyo na ako please
Sheena: sarado na yung mall huhuhu
Sheena: nilalamig na ako please guys
Aiah: ako na susundo kay sheena, mikha
Aiah: im on my way na rin
Mikha: okay
Aiah: san ka exactly shee?
Sheena: glorietta po ate, yung entrance na harap ng ucc
Sheena: salamat ate huhu
Aiah: otw
Mikha: message me if need further help, im just in the vicinity in case something happens
Stacey: ayun naman pala may bantay
Mikha: ☠️
Gwen: hala kakabasa ko lang ng messages mo sakin bebe
Gwen: sorry huhu nasa eastwood pa ako, di kita masundo
Sheena: oks lang bebe!
Sheena: nasundo na ako ni ate aiah btw
Sheena: kasama niya si nezu
Mikha: pic ni nezu please
Sheena: *sends a pic of cat nezu*
Maloi: why galit ang middle child?
Sheena: kasi may flash HAHAHA
Mikha: hey don’t use flash shee!
Sheena: oo na, oo na.
Sheena: bwiset na yan, nasa passenger seat yung pusa
Sheena: AKO NASA BACK SEAT?!
Stacey: kahit middle child si nezu, CHILD pa rin nila yan
Colet: okay na kayo shee? sorry now ko lang rin nabasa
Sheena: yes nahatid na me ni ate aiah
Sheena: thanks ate!
Text Message: Mikha
Mikha: hey just asking, is nezu and haru alright?
Mikha: just wondering lang kasi why you brought nezu but not haru.
Mikha: everything ok?
Aiah: hi mikha, yes everything’s alright.
Aiah: it’s nezu’s turn for grooming lang kaya siya bitbit ko
Aiah: they’re back together now na uli
Aiah: *sends a picture of cats nezu and haru*
Mikha: ah ic ic
Mikha: honeycakes is also doing good
Mikha: *picture of honey the dog*
Aiah: cute! miss ko na honey
Aiah: switch this sunday, right?
Mikha: right
Mikha: gonna miss honey tho
Mikha: she’s gotten bigger since the last time
Aiah: yeah
Twitter: Mikha’s Private Account
🔒@privmikhs: i miss u too ice
Twitter: Mikha’s Public Account
@stakusevilleja: may sad girl na naman sa priv 😝
@mixlim ↪️@stakusevilleja: bat ka ba naninita
@stakusevilleja ↪️ @mixlim: bat ka umaamin?
Text Message: Mikha
Mikha: 😃
Mikha: delete
Stacey: ano ba
Stacey: alam naman ng buong bayan na relapse era mo
Stacey: ay relapse era ka pala first day palang
Stacey: ilang buwan na nga kayong break ni aiah?
Mikha: three months, ten days and seventeen hours.
Mikha: staks im gonna be so fucking honest malapit na akong mabaliw
Mikha: nagpapanic na ako kasi parang di na kami magkaka-ayos
Stacey: girl…
Stacey: i think the day she packed her bags dapat nagpanic ka na
Mikha: i know
Mikha: god why was i so stupid
Stacey: do u need me to come over?
Mikha: no na, ma-hyper na naman si honey
Mikha: magagalit sakin si aiah if masira yung body clock niya
Mikha: like last time
Stacey: ah oo nga pala, sayo si honey now tas sa kanya sila haru at nezu
Stacey: nakakatawa kayo
Stacey: mga baliw, nagcco-parent ng mga aso’t pusa
Stacey: bat di mo kasi gamitin yang mga yan para magkabalikan kayo?
Mikha: tingin mo ba hindi ko inattempt?!
Mikha: but she got wind of it ofc
Mikha: told me im disgusting for trying to use them.
Stacey: god, ganun siya kagalit?
Mikha: no actually ang words niya ay: that’s disgusting mikha, don’t use them. they’re more confused than we are with this situation
Stacey: kabisado mo?! pucha
Stacey: AKO NA KAKAUSAP KAY ATE AIAH
Stacey: sobrang kawawa na tong tropa ko, hanging on to every word ate aiah says
Mikha: ah
Mikha: if only i did that when we were together
Stacey: 😭
Stacey: idk mikhs, maybe kausapin mo na lang uli. ipangako mo na lahat
Stacey: and make sure you follow through!
Mikha: i know. god i know
Mikha: we’re switching the babies this weekend
Mikha: im gonna attempt uli
Stacey: good luck i guess
Text Message: From Jhoanna
Jho: just read the gc
Jho: awkward
Aiah: hahahahahaha
Aiah: sorry, naiipit talaga kayo samin ni mikha
Jho: girl wala yun
Jho: you know the girls understand
Aiah: yeah but hanggang kailan namin kayo ilalagay sa situation na to
Aiah: i feel so guilty
Aiah: bakit kasi jumowa ng tropa hays
Jho: ay sorry ah
Jho: sorry jumowa din ako within the tropa
Aiah: iba naman yung inyo ni colet
Aiah: kayo na bago pa namin kayo maging friends
Jho: real :p
Jho: childhood sweethearts to lovers
Aiah: hmp
Jho: HAHAHAHAH
Jho: anyway, honestly idk din ate
Jho: but you know, hindi kami pipili between you and mikhs
Jho: we all started out friends, and we'll all see this through
Jho: magkabalikan man kayo ni mikhs or not
Aiah: hindi ko na alam if magiging okay pa uli kami ni mikha
Aiah: and honestly, if hindi na maging kami uli we cant be friends again either
Aiah: so i dont know where to go from here
Jho: huhu
Jho: basta wag niyo kami iiwan
Jho: we wont pick sides, but don’t abandon us
Aiah: syempre hindi jho
Aiah: sabi ko nga, hindi lang yung mga pets ang ni-cco parent namin
Aiah: pati kayong anim din
Jho: speaking of
Jho: sobrang TANGA na nagc-co parent kayo
Jho: gusto ko lang sabihin ate ha, pero ang weird ng ginagawa niyo. im sure naman aware kayong dalawa. this is mental illness.
Jho: kaya hindi kayo maka-usad e, dahil nagkikita pa rin kayo regularly
Aiah: 😀
Aiah: hay oo, i think the reason nasasaktan pa rin ako is because of this
Aiah: i see her every time we switch the babies, and every time, it hurts kasi parang okay lang siya. tumatawa pa rin siya kahit im breaking inside na.
Aiah: haha di niya ba alam na isang tawag lang niya, im gonna ditch all this and go to her again?
Jho: eh bakit nga hindi pa?
Aiah: COZ SHE’S NOT ASKING
Aiah: hell idek if gusto niya pang magkabalikan kami for real, puro parinig sa twitter but doesn’t really address why we broke up in the first place.
Aiah: actually this is one of the factors why we are here. she doesn’t really speak to me, you know? we’re together but i rarely know what’s going on inside her head.
Aiah: im tired of always laying the groundwork in this relationship
Aiah: if we are getting back together, she should fucking initiate
Aiah: sorry jho
Jho: ate aiah 🥺
Jho: i think need niyo ng masinsinang usapan ni mikha
Aiah: yeah but i aint starting it
Aiah: it takes two
Jho: galit ka na naman tuloy HAHAHA
Aiah: huhu buti na lang andiyan kayo
Aiah: at nandito sila haru at nezu
Aiah: miss ko nang nasa iisang bahay silang tatlo nila nini 😭
Jho: soon ate
Jho: sabi nga ni cols, puhon
Aiah: soon, or never
Jho: uy sana soon naman
Jho: kay mikhs pa rin ang boto ko
Aiah: pag wala pa nangyari in a few weeks, wag na lang talaga
Aiah: it may be hard, but i’ll try to forget
—
Aiah doesn’t seem like her usual jolly self when Mikha arrived at her condo that Sunday.
Even when they broke up and started the pet switching arrangement, Aiah had always been congenial towards Mikha. She would open the door with a chirpy greeting and a smile (even though sometimes they were more uncomfortable grimaces). But now, gone were the greetings she used to give her even way before they started dating. Aiah couldn’t even look in her eyes.
Haru and Nezu, on the other hand, greeted her affectionately.
“Oh hello, Haru bebe, Nezu bebe!” The two cats circled around her legs, meowing and rubbing themselves on her calves. Mikha bowed down to pick Haru up. “Nako, ang taba taba niyo na.”
She looked at Aiah who was on the couch, trying to dodge the licks from the very excited dog that greeted her. “Ouch, Nini. Sakit na ah.” Aiah wrestled some more with Honey.
“Honey, tama na. Nasasaktan na si Mama Aiah mo.” Mikha commented, stepping in to hold Honey by her harness when she saw that the dog was close to scratching Aiah’s neck.
“Okay lang, I got her.” Aiah said coldly.
Oookay…. ?
Mikha could feel her heart drop to her stomach. Just what in hell happened to Aiah?
“Okay ka lang?” Mikha asked, careful not to detonate the apparent timebomb of a mood that Aiah was in.
“Yeah, I’m fine.” Aiah took a deep breath, then stood up to face Mikha with a very obvious fake smile. “Groomed na both cats, I assume Honey also got groomed na since her coat is shorter than before. I’ll lalamove my share of supplies for Haru and Nezu this afternoon.”
With every word, Aiah took a step forward, cornering Mikha onto the hallway by the door. It seemed like Aiah wanted her out of her condo unit as soon as possible.
Looks like I can’t talk to her this afternoon.
Mikha chuckled slightly. “Okay, okay Miss Arceta. I’ll be out of your hair in a second. I’ll just get the kittens into the stroller.”
If Aiah’s face was devoid of any emotion before, now she was blatantly scowling.
Mikha quickly put Haru inside the stroller that was once used for all three pets. Then she faced Aiah again. “Gotta get Nezu.” Mikha pointed at Nezu who was at the far end of the living room, playing with Honey’s tail.
Aiah narrowed her eyes at her, lips in a tight line. Then she stepped away.
Gawd what the hell is happening? Sabi ko pa naman I’ll attempt this weekend. Mukhang abort mission.
Mikha had to wrestle Nezu into the stroller of course. Nezu has always been like that, stubborn and assertive. She once joked that Nezu was just like Aiah and Haru was more like her. Where Nezu was vocal and affectionate, Haru was more laid back and introverted.
But Honey, oh Honey the chowspitz was like the perfect mixture of both of them. Their prized youngest baby. Honey came to them when their relationship was on the brink last year. Having a new puppy to care for made them realize they were a great team.
Hell, they still are a great team. They made it through almost four months of co-parenting these little helions with much patience and grace.
“Honeychow, come say bye na kay Mommy.” Mikha called for the dog.
Honey stood up when she heard her name, then went straight to Mikha’s arms.
She suddenly felt like crying.
“Remember when we got Nini?” she asked Aiah who was probably not listening. “What a great surprise. She saved us then.” Mikha kissed Honey’s head. “Can you save us again, baby?”
“Oh stop it Mikha.” Mikha heard glass breaking, making her flinch a bit. “I told you not to use them?”
Mikha stood up to face a very angry Aiah who was standing behind the kitchen counter. Even with a scowl on her face, she looked divine and angelic. She’s just sorry she couldn’t kiss her anger away anymore.
“Sorry.” She sighed. “I’ll go na. Baka magpatayan na yung dalawa sa stroller.”
“Good bye.”
Mikha was just about to open the door when she turned back. “Aiah I just have to clear this out. I’m not using the babies. I love them too much, you know that.”
“Yeah, right.” Aiah laughed derisively.
Huh?
“What’s that supposed to mean?” Aiah looked like she wanted to say something, but she just raised a brow then turned back to face the sink. “I love the babies, Aiah. You know that.”
“Yeah, Mikha I know.”
Mikha’s heart clenched when she heard her small voice. She knew Aiah too well to know that was hiding her tears now.
That was when Mikha decided she’s had enough.
“You know I love you still, Aiah, right? I do. Very much. I don’t think I ever stopped.”
“But not enough to try and get back together?” Aiah faced her, tears streaming down her face. “You’d bring Honey and Nezu and Haru home but not me eh.”
Mikha’s heart shattered to a million pieces. She doesn’t care anymore, she crossed the distance and hugged her. “Oh Ice no.”
Shit, shit, shit!
“Ice, I thought ayaw mo na sakin.” Mikha hugged her tighter. “I thought you were done with me, that I just made you miserable by being in a relationship with me.”
“What?”
“When we broke up you said you were tired.”
“I was, I still am.”
“Oh Ice, I am tired too. So very tired. I’m not perfect. Alam ko that I don’t communicate as much. That I can be tiring because you have to carry much of the emotional burden of the relationship. But if you tell me right now na okay lang sayong mapagod paminsan-minsan, I’m in. I’ll work on it. Let’s see this through please.”
“You’ll work on it?”
“You have my word Miss Arceta.”
Mikha heaved a sigh of relief when she felt Aiah’s arms wrap around her waist. “I missed you, Mix.”
That was when they registered Honey’s barks. Just like Mikha predicted, Haru and Nezu were fighting inside the pet stroller.
God, pang-tatlo na uli yung pet stroller.
OCEAN’S EIGHT Group Chat
Mikha: gift ideas for my birthday: mas malaking pet stroller
Jho: huh?
Jho: bakit may bago ka bang pusa?
Mikha: wala
Mikha: nakakatakot lang nagaaway kasi sila haru at nezu sa loob
Mikha: baka madamay si honey
Maloi: ah sige
Stacey: hindi na ba switching? tatlo at a time na sa isa?
Gwen: lakas tama niyong dalawa ni aiah
Colet: i second the motion
Colet: ang sagwa guys
Colet: ang asim
Aiah: wdym
Maloi: sabi niya, ang sagwa at ang asim niyo ni mikha
Mikha: k
Mikha: mga hater
Aiah: diyan lang kayo nagkakasundo
Aiah: ang batikusin kami
Mikha: maasim ka daw ice
Aiah: ikaw ang maasim
Stacey: ICE?????
Sheena: HEP HEP, STOP THE CAR
Aiah: teka asan ka na mix, naiinip na si honey
Maloi: HUY?????
Gwen: hahahaha
Mikha: coming, may dala ako pup cups.
Aiah: and my coffee?
Mikha: pup cup lang din for you sorry
Colet: tangina first time ko sasabihin to pero namiss ko yung landian niyo
Colet: pero please sa PM na kayo mag-usap
Jho: awww bati na kayo?
Colet: obvious ba?
Jho: gusto mo tayo ang mag-away?
Maloi: HAHAHAHAHAHA
@icearceta: Haru and Honey habang nakikipaglaban sa vet si Nezballs
*picture of Mikha, Honey, Haru and Aiah together*
@mixlim: home at last
*picture of Honey going to Aiah*