Archive of Our Own

What if we don't touch?
What if we only talk about what we want and cannot have?
- Ankles by Lucy Dacus

—

Maloi wakes up face down on Stacey’s bed with a pounding headache. Groaning, she extends her arm to search for her phone. There was a choked noise when Maloi’s hand landed on Jhoanna’s neck. 

“‘Te Maloi,” Jhoanna whines when Maloi doesn’t immediately take her hand off.

“Sorry, sorry,” she whispers, sitting up slowly, “Anong oras na? Saan phone ko?”

“Malay ko,” the younger woman grunts, facing the wall to try and go back to sleep.

Jhoanna normally doesn’t drink, being the self-appointed ’responsible friend’ among the three of them but when she does, it doesn’t take much for her to get drunk. Maloi groans quietly as she squints at the light coming from the windows before standing up. She finds Stacey staring blankly at the table, coffee on hand.

“Problema mo, Staks?” Maloi asks, startling the taller woman. 

Stacey blinks up at her before her eyes widen, accusatory. “Ikaw ang problema ko. Sakit mo sa ulo.”

“Ha? Inaano kita?”

“Napakagulo mo malasing,” Stacey says, “buti nalang dito tayo sa apartment ko nag-inom at hindi sa bar. Inakyat mo pa ‘tong mesa kagabi tapos nagdasal ka.”

Maloi cringes, she does have a faint memory of hitting her thighs on the corner of the table as she climbs over it. Sure enough, there was a bruise on her skin. “Sorry, Staks-”

“Itong si Jhoanna naman nagplay ng Gregorian chant habang tinatawag mo si Aphrodite, nagmamakaawa ka magka-jowa,” she continues, glaring at Maloi. “Kinatok pa tayo ng kapitbahay kaya kinulong ko na kayo sa kwarto, bwisit talaga.”

“Gago, ‘di nga?” Maloi says, disbelief in her voice. “Parang eme mo nalang ‘yan.”

“Sige, antayin mo pag-upload ko ng video niyo sa social media.”

“Huy, joke lang, Staks!” she backpedals, “‘To naman parang ‘di tropa. Nag-almusal ka na? Order ka, sagot ko na.”

“‘Yan, sige,” Stacey agrees easily, smiling, “kahit brunch na talaga, go.”

“Ay, anong oras na ba?” Maloi asks, looking around the couch cushions, “Nakita mo ba phone ko?”

Stacey laughs, producing the device from behind her. “Tinago ko kagabi, jowang-jowa ka kasi baka tawagan mo kapitbahay ko.”

Maloi blushes despite herself. “Gaga! Friends na lang kami ni Gwen.” 

“Friends na naka-dalawang date,” Stacey raises an eyebrow.

“Oo, pero napag-usapan namin para lang talaga kaming tropa.”

“Nanghinayang ka?” she asks, sounding much like a late night show host.

“‘Di naman, Tita Krissy,” Maloi answers, rolling her eyes. “At least nag-try ako mag-date, ‘di tulad ng iba diyan.” 

“Oo na, sige na,” Stacey hisses, tossing the phone in Maloi’s direction. “O-order akong mamahalin, tangina nito.”

–

The sun was still hot on her back, having pulled up her hair in a loose bun as she walked back to her apartment. Maloi opted not to bring her tiny scooter to Stacey’s place the night before as it was only a few blocks away. She regretted the decision as the paper bags in her arms felt heavier, full of snacks and other supplies she might need for the week. After a night of black out drinking with her friends, she’s probably not going to go out again, anyway.

Her keys jingled as she walked up to her apartment of a three-story run down building. She smiles at her landlady, a middle aged woman who was manning the sari-sari store attached to the building.

As soon as she’s in front of her door, she can hear her cat, Juyon, pawing at the door. Before she can turn the key on her door, it swings open to reveal a tall smiling woman in a plain white shirt and what looks to be Maloi’s own pajamas. They regard each other for a moment before the woman says, “Hey.” Maloi opens her mouth to scream but the woman covers her mouth with a hand. She frowns and mumbles, “why isn’t it working?”

“S- sino ka? Bakit ka nasa apartment ko?” Maloi asks, voice muffled through the stranger’s hand. “Nakawin mo na lahat, ‘wag mo lang saktan pusa ko-”

“I’m not here for that!” the woman says, affronted, as though she can’t believe Maloi had the audacity to even think that. “Your landlady let me in!”

“That doesn’t answer my question,” Maloi insists, struggling against the woman’s surprisingly strong hold. “Bakit ka nasa apartment ko? Sino ka ba?”

“If bibitawan kita, will you promise not to scream or hit me?” the stranger asks cautiously. Maloi nods slowly and the woman lets her go, arms raised in front of her in defense.

Maloi looks down and can see Juyon circling the woman’s legs affectionately. Traitor. She catches her breath and puts an offending amount of distance between them. “Explain.”

“Okay, my name is Aiah,” the woman trails off, “and I’m Cupid.”

Ano kayang tinira nito? she thinks for herself. “Cupid? As in kupido?” Maloi asks, skeptically. “Hindi ba mga chikiting ‘yon?”

Cupid had the audacity to roll her eyes. “I don’t know who came up with that but as you can see,” she gestures at her tall, slim figure, “‘di ako chikiting.”

Maloi fights off the urge to follow the wave of her hand.

“Yes!” the woman exclaims. “It’s starting to work.”

“Alin?” Maloi asks warily.

“My powers! It’s been inconsistent since I came down here,” the woman explains, “See, now you’re starting to realize how attracted you are to me.”

“H- ha?” she asks, incredulously despite the blush on her cheeks, “gaano kabigat ‘yang ulo mo? Buti kinakaya ng balikat mo?” Cupid’s shoulders were incredible but Maloi is not about to admit that.

“No, it’s fine!” the stranger appeases, “it’s not your fault, don’t be embarrassed. It’s just my powers working.”

“Shut up,” Maloi waves her off. “‘Wag mo kong gawing tanga, ‘di totoo ‘yang mga mythical creatures na ‘yan-”

“I can prove it! I can speak any language!”

“That doesn’t prove anything-”

“Come on, just try me.”

Maloi wracks her brain for some other language. She doesn’t really have another language in her back pocket aside from song lyrics. “Si te tuviera de frente, la mente te la volaría.”

“If I had you in front of me, I would blow your mind.”

She blinks rapidly at the stranger on her door before pulling out her phone to search for the translation of what she just said.

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Cupid says smugly. 

Maloi glares as she locks her phone. “Voulez-vous coucher avec moi ce soir.”

Cupid eyes her for a second before she answers. “Wow, okay, thank you but I’m not in the mood.”

“Not in the mood-” Maloi cuts herself off before unlocking her phone.

“You asked if I wanted to sleep with you.”

Maloi blushes furiously as she finds the Cupid was correct. “Lahat ba ng alam kong foreign lyrics may kabastusan? Bwisit.”

“Are we good?” Cupid hesitates, eyeing her carefully.

“Ngonoram datkilab atilas?” Maloi asks as a last resort.

The tall stranger sighs tiredly. “Yes, adnag. Aport na oyat?”

Before she could reply, the door across Maloi’s apartment swung open. “Ano ba ‘yan? Ang ingay ang aga-aga pa.”

Maloi shudders in fear as soon as she hears the voice of her notoriously homophobic neighbor. “Pasensya na po, Ate Anna-” she apologizes as she turns and finds the old woman staring at Cupid.

Cupid makes a face at the old woman before turning to Maloi. “See? I told you my powers are wonky. Gumana sa kanya agad, sayo hindi.” She looks back at the older woman. “You wanna marry me, don’t you?”

The old woman nods, eyes glazed over.

“You know, if I had the full extent of my powers, she’d be on her knees begging me,” Cupid brags, smirking in Maloi’s direction while the latter rolls her eyes. “Miss Anna, you are already married to a man and also horrifyingly homophobic so I’m gonna have to say no to that. I’ll tell you what,” she says as a matter of factly and Maloi takes a step back as she notices Cupid’s eyes had gone entirely white, “you’ll forget this conversation ever happened but every time you say or think about anything remotely homophobic, you’ll picture a queer orgy in your mind. That sound good?”

Ate Anna just smiles and nods again.

“Great!” Cupid says. “Have a lovely day, Miss Anna!” She waves as the old woman re-enters her apartment quietly. She turns back to Maloi, grinning, eyes still pure white. “Now, where were we?”

—

“Zeus?”

“Yes,” Aiah confirms on the floor, bored. She had taken to lying down fully flat on her back on the tiled floor. Juyon even joins her in solidarity as he lies on a loaf on her chest, purring loudly as she pets him. Once again, Traitor, Maloi thought.

“Morpheus?”

“Yes, all of them are real.”

“Tantalus?”

“Uh-huh.”

Maloi falls silent for a moment. “God?”

Aiah sighs. “Alright, let’s not get ahead of ourselves here. Let’s start over,” she sits, cradling the compliant cat in her arms, “Hi, my name is Aiah and I’m one of the many, many Cupids. I’m from Mount Olympus. My parents are technically Eros and Psyche-“

“Marami pang ibang Cupid?” Maloi interrupts, pacing the length of her tiny living room “and ano ibig sabihin mo technically parents? What does that mean?”

“Yes,” Aiah answers patiently, “sobrang daming people sa Earth, darling, I can’t do this by myself.”

Maloi can’t help but blush at the endearment. She clears her throat to rid herself of the warmth spreading on her stomach. “Okay, so Greek mythology isn’t mythology at all and is very much real.” She lets out a strange laugh and Aiah looks at her like she’s lost her mind.

“Don’t worry, darling, once I get my full powers back, I’ll make this go away!” Cupid offers, “So don’t go crazy just yet.”

“Your full powers…” she trails off, looking at the strange being on her living room floor. “Bakit wala ang full powers mo?”

“Yeah, about that,” Aiah straightens on the floor, scratching the back of her neck. “I was, um, sort of cast out?”

“Cast out,” Maloi repeats questioningly. 

“Thrown out, really,” she supplies.

Maloi pinches the bridge of her nose. “How does one get thrown out of Mount Olympus?”

“Hey, it’s more common than you think!” Aiah says defensively. “I may have caused a civil war or something with my last matchmaking job up there.”

“A civil war on Mount Olympus?” Maloi falters. This day cannot get any weirder.

“Uncle Apollo’s sacred cows were stolen, too.”

Never mind. “Okay, pinatapon ka kasi pasaway ka.”

“Hell no! My lola just thought it would be better for my job if I learn more about humans.” Formerly blue skies rumbled at the mention of her lola. Aiah rolls her eyes. “Aphrodite doesn’t like it when I refer to her as lola,” she says conspiratorially before she glares at the sky from the window. “You gave birth to my dad, Aphrodite,” she says with a roll of her eyes. The sky rumbled once more. “Is that really the way to talk to your favorite apo?” She shares a look with Maloi as though the human is privy to their conversation.

“K- kausap mo siya?”

“No, not really but kilalang kilala ko na sya so I know what she’s saying right now,” Aiah says cheerfully and Maloi can’t help but stare in disbelief.

The so-called Cupid’s beauty was definitely out of this world, Maloi can give her that. The display of magic with Ate Anna was definitely not an everyday occurrence, too. Though the language thing was a bit dodgy and can be easily done by any human with enough studies.

She doesn’t really know what she thinks of this woman. 

“Aphrodite,” Maloi mumbles under her breath. Oh. “Lasing ako kagabi and I may have called out to her. Is that why you’re here?”

“Honestly, I don’t know,” Aiah shrugs and goes back to petting Juyon. “She just told me to learn about humans. Community service, if you will,” she says, offhandedly.

“Atenistang nasa immersion,” Maloi says, sounding slightly brittle. 

“What’s that?” Cupid asks, curious.

“Mga burgis- never mind,” Maloi cuts herself off. “It’s a human thing. Continue.”

“Anyway, I just woke up in the middle of the street and I was walking around when I heard your landlady mention your name, she was worried you hadn’t come home, so I just told her I was your friend.”

“At naniniwala naman?” Maloi asks incredulously.

“Yes,” Aiah answers simply, eyes flashing pure white for a second before turning back to the normal brown as though to prove a point.

“Right,” she just mumbles timidly, staring at the woman in front of her. She really is quite possibly the most beautiful woman Maloi has ever seen.

“It’s working again,” Aiah smirks, “you want to marry me, don’t you?”

Maloi definitely wants to get married if it was legalized and she’s lucky enough to find someone she wants to marry. No inclination to beg for the Cupid’s hand in marriage though. “Um, kung gusto mo ‘di naman ako tatanggi,” she says coolly despite the blush on her neck.

Aiah smiles wistfully before shaking her head. “Man, if only that weren’t my Cupid powers working.” Before Maloi can even reply, she says, “You’ll let me stay, yes?”

“May iba ka pa bang option?” Maloi asks. She’s always had a hard time saying no to pretty girls. It’s a condition, really. Something to do with her genetics, maybe.

“I could ask someone else,” Aiah muses, “I’m 100% sure they will give me their house.”

She really should get herself checked out. “‘Wag na. It’s okay, dito ka nalang.”

Aiah smiles brightly and claps her hands once. “Great! This is gonna be fun.”

—

It wasn’t, Maloi concluded after a while. Aiah barely did anything but nap all day and eat snacks. Always by Maloi’s side, too, no matter how hot and humid the weather is. It was like living with a cat that’s taller than her. She had also taken to stealing Maloi’s tablet. She does love cleaning though. Maloi noticed that the apartment was always pristine and even Juyon was looking very dapper with his coat of fur being brushed neatly every day.

"Honey, I'm home," she says, spotting Aiah sprawled on the couch playing a game on her tablet with Juyon perched on her back. She toes off her ballet shoes and sighs tiredly.

"Hi!" Aiah greets back with a smile.

"Pwede ba maging mabuting maybahay mo nalang ako?" Maloi asks as she enters her bedroom to change clothes. "Ayaw ko na magtrabaho."

"I thought you loved what you do?" Aiah questions, her back turned to give Maloi some privacy.

"I do," she answers then smiles widely, complains forgotten. "Syet, wala pa ngang 'will you marry me?' nag I do agad ako sayo."

Aiah laughs loudly. "Well, being a distraction for you is the least I could do."

"You could also," Maloi pauses, biting her lip nervously, "hold me?"

"Oh, getting bold, are we?" Aiah teases. "Come here, sit down," she urges, guiding her to the couch and putting an arm around her shoulder. She feels the mortal deflate by her side, as though the tiredness was seeping out of her. "Oh, by the way," she continues, holding up the tablet to Maloi's face. A blue check appeared on the tablet followed by a ping of notification from her phone a second later.

Your payment of P299.00 to Apple Store has been successfully completed on …

"Ano to?" Maloi asks incredulously, eyes wide in shock.

"Stardew Valley!" Aiah answers cheerfully.

"Anak ng pota-"

—

Aiah pauses in her scribbling, having hijacked Maloi’s tablet to draw from her place on the couch. She hears faint notes floating through the air. The melody takes control of her feet and brings her to Maloi’s room. She crosses her arms and leans on the doorway, watching her roommate’s fingers dancing across the cheap plastic keys. Maloi hums and quietly hums along to the music made by her hand.

“Where’d you learn that?” Aiah asks in awe.

“Jesus!” Maloi jumps out of her seat, hand in her chest. “Bigla-bigla ka naman sumusulpot!”

“Sorry,” the taller woman chuckles, pushing herself off from the doorway to lean on the study table beside the keyboard. “I’m light on my feet.”

“On account of the wings, sabi mo nga,” Maloi grunts, sitting back down and fiddling with the knobs.

“So?” Aiah prompts, raising an eyebrow.

“Ano?”

“Did you have a proper lesson on that thing or…”

“Oh,” Maloi’s confusion clears. “Hindi, napakinggan ko lang.”

“Really? Wow,” Aiah nods appreciatively, “that’s amazing, truly.”

“Turuan kita,” she offers with a grin.

“Thanks but another time, you could play me something though?” Aiah asks hopefully. She smiles, for good measure.

“Sure!” Maloi practically jumps at the chance. She wrings her hands and stretches her neck before playing a romantic, hopeful melody.

La-la-la-la-la-la
La-la-la-la-la-la

Aiah almost loses her footing when Maloi opens her mouth to sing. She was vaguely aware that the girl was musically inclined, having heard her humming while in the shower and the number of instruments in her room. 

My cherie amour, lovely as a summer day
My cherie amour, distant as the Milky Way
My cherie amour, pretty little one that I adore

What Aiah didn’t expect was how loudly her heart would be in her ears as she watched Maloi silently. Eyes closed with a slight smile on her face as she sings. Maloi is divine.

You're the only girl my heart beats for
How I wish that you were mine

Aiah doesn’t even notice the way Maloi is clearly showing off as she cuts the song with an exaggerated flourish.

Maloi smiles proudly, almost childlike. “So, what did you think?”

Aiah reaches out and places a hand on Maloi’s cheek, stroking her skin with her thumb. She can’t help but notice the way Maloi leans into her touch.

“Stunning,” she remarks, resisting the urge to lean in.

“I wrote that song for you,” Maloi whispers breathlessly.

“You’re lying, aren’t you?” Aiah asks, eyes practically disappearing with the way she’s smiling.

Maloi chuckles. “Big time.”

—

Aiah feels their presence even before she hears them. She was washing dishes, making sure to wash Maloi’s favorite cup extra carefully. When she feels the hair at the back of her neck stand, she does what anyone rational would do. Hands still covered in suds, she hurls the knife in the general direction of her siblings. Colet, her younger sister, cackles playfully on the couch as she flicks the cutting instrument away from them. Sheena, their youngest sister, jumps out of the way with a yelp.

“Hina, Ate Aiah,” Colet teases. 

“Shut up,” Aiah scoffs, “I barely have powers.”

“The mortal’s domesticated you,” she remarks, chuckling as she gestured at her older sister in a canvas apron, hands slick with dish soap.

“Wow, sipag,” Sheena praised, “kahit satin lagi ka lang nakahiga.”

Aiah just rolls her eyes and turns back to the dishes, already used to her siblings ganging up on her. “Why are you here? Did Dad send you?”

“Nope,” Sheena answers, popping the P. “Nagpunta lang kami para mang-asar. Also, I wanted to see if you were homeless now.”

“Well, as you can see,” Aiah answers, gesturing vaguely around her. “I’m fine so you two can go.”

“Sobrang iritable naman!” Colet teases, looking around the living room and Aiah wants to throw a plate at her head. Her eyes linger on the shelf with the record player and action figures. “Your mortal seems like an interesting individual.”

“She’s not my mortal but yeah, she is,” the older woman agrees, eyes narrowing at her siblings.

“Wow, marunong siya mag-keyboard?” the youngest asks, poking her head into Maloi’s room. “May gitara at ukulele pa dito oh!”

“Hoy, hoy! ‘Wag ka ngang nangingialam ng gamit ng iba!” Colet scolds before turning to Aiah. “Pero seryoso, natutugtog niya ‘to lahat?”

“Ugh, yes kaya tigilan niyo na ‘yan.”

There was a pause before all of them opened their mouths at the same time.

“Hell no!” 

“Uy, mga tipo ni Ate Colet-”

“Pakilala mo ako-”

With Aiah’s voice being the loudest, they didn’t notice the cat patiently waiting by the door as it swung open.

“Honey, I’m home?” Maloi raises an inquisitive eyebrow at Aiah, unable to see the latter's siblings flocking to her.

“Siya ba yon?” Sheena’s eyes widened. “Ang ganda niya, Ate Aiah!”

Colet grins wolfishly. “Kaya pala ayaw ipakilala!”

“Shut up!” Despite having virtually no powers, she’s still the oldest and both of them know it. Though Aiah can tell they’re both fighting off laughter. At the corner of her eye, she can see Maloi taking a step back in surprise. “Sorry, I didn’t mean you, darling.”

“Hindi ako?” Maloi asks, brows furrowed as she crouches to pick up her cat. “Sino kausap mo?”

Aiah sighs, defeated. “My siblings are here.”

“Your siblings,” the mortal repeats robotically.

“Yes, you just can’t see them.”

Maloi starts looking around the room suspiciously, holding on to her cat for dear life. Sheena looks at her oldest sister, hopeful, hovering a few inches from the ground. “Can I meet her please?”

“Ako rin-”

Aiah turns sharply to Colet. “Not you, you’re on thin fucking ice.”

Maloi yelps, startling in place when Sheena wastes no time materializing in front of her while Colet cackles loudly.

“Hi!” Sheena greets happily. Aiah brings a hand to her shoulders to pull her down to the floor.

“Darling, this is my sister, Sheena.”

“You were floating,” Maloi remarks, stunned, letting her cat jump from her arms.

“I was!” Sheena confirms with a smile. “So nice to meet you. We’ve heard absolutely nothing about you kasi ayaw mag kwento ni Ate Aiah. Oh, Ate Colet is here, too.”

“You have another sister?” Maloi asks, glancing between the two of them nervously. Sheena nods enthusiastically. “Bakit 'di ko siya nakikita? Ayaw niya ba magpakita sakin?”

Colet opens her mouth to respond but Aiah throws a glare in her direction.

Sheena laughs loudly. “Gusto ka niya makilala pero territorial kasi si Ate Aiah.”

“Territorial?” Maloi raises an eyebrow at Aiah.

“Alam niya kasing bagay kayo ni Ate Colet,” Sheena cackles.

Aiah blushes furiously despite herself. “Alright, you two, fuck off now. Please.”

Maloi laughs loudly, reaching out to pinch Aiah’s reddened cheeks. “Okay lang, baby, alam kong patay na patay ka sakin kahit in denial ka.”

“Oh, I like her,” Colet says, chuckling and bumps her shoulders on Aiah’s before catching the look her older sister is giving her. “Para sayo! Relax!”

“‘Wag nga kayo magtalo sa harap ng bago kong BFF!” Sheena hisses under her breath, linking arms with the human. Maloi casts a questioning glance at her. “It’s fine, Ate Colet was just being annoying.”

Colet lets out an indignant huff.

“Alright, you two, go home or terrorize humans,” Aiah says, making shoo-ing motions in the air with her hands. “I actually don’t care, just leave.”

“Aww, ‘di talaga ako pwede magpakilala?” Colet asks, pouting uncharacteristically.

“Fine, no funny business then you leave, got it?”

Much like their sister, Colet quickly materializes in a tuxedo to Aiah’s right. Smiling coyly, she conjures a single red rose on her hand and offers it to the human who jumps slightly. “How do I love thee? Let me count-” Her words cut off with choked laughter when her older sister's arms immediately wrapped around her head. “Joke lang kasi!”

Maloi laughs loudly at the two. “Aiah, hoy, ‘wag ka ngang ganyan!”

“Ganyan talaga ‘yan sila,” Sheena supplies beside her, “halos magkasunod kasi pinanganak parang kambal kung mag-away. Ako lang matino samin, actually.”

“Utot mo, Sheena Mae-”

“And you-”

Aiah immediately releases Colet so they can both refute their little sister’s statement. Sheena turns to Maloi while the two argue. “See what I mean?”

–

Aiah’s siblings couldn’t really stay long. They had many duties they had already neglected in order to visit their older sister. Especially now that Aiah was out of commission. The siblings guessed correctly that Maloi and Colet would get along. Colet even went as far as flirting with the human as much as she can to get a rise out of Aiah, with Sheena’s help, of course. It worked like a charm and almost 99% of the attempts ended up with Aiah putting Colet in a headlock. The missing 1% was Aiah throwing a plate at Colet’s head with the latter catching it with ease.

“Hot,” Maloi mumbled under her breath. Colet smirked while Aiah glared briefly at the human as they were seeing them out.

“So,” Aiah starts, crossing her arms and leaning at the back of the couch, “you think my sister is hot?”

“Aba,” Maloi chuckles, “hindi ‘yan ang sinabi ko. What she did was hot. Not her specifically. Well,” she mumbles cocks her head to the side in thought, “she is but-”

“Okay, then.”

“Teka lang kasi, hear me out-”

“Please do not put ‘hear me out’ and my sister in one sentence,” Cupid says in disgust. “Ew.”

“Hoy, ano yan?” Maloi pauses and smiles widely, “nagseselos ka ba?”

“Selos? What’s that? Nakakain ba 'yon?”

The human laughs. “Baby,” she coos and reaches up to pinch Aiah’s cheeks while the latter pouts, “sobrang cute mo! Fortunately for you, ikaw lang ang sinisigaw ng puso ko.”

Aiah continues grumbling under her breath.

“Ano ang binubulong ng baby ko na yan?”

“It’s just proximity exposure,” Aiah contends. “From my abilities.”

“It’s not,” Maloi rolls her eyes. “You don’t even have powers anymore.”

“It’s enough to affect you.”

“Neknek mo,” the human says dismissively before walking away. She only managed to take one step before Aiah catches her wrist. Aiah’s warm hands slowly glide down to her own until their fingers were intertwined. Maloi blinks rapidly in surprise.

“Pupils dilated, heart rate elevated, temperature rising,” Cupid lists and Maloi’s eyes can’t help but dart down to her lips. “I told you, it’s enough power.”

Aiah lets her go.

–

She does have a point, Maloi thought when Aiah walked out the door. She’s seen how the Cupid’s power worked firsthand with her neighbor Ate Anna and when she had the idea to tour Aiah around the neighborhood so she can go out without Maloi. The first time was disastrous, to say the least. They barely made it ten feet outside the apartment building before the marriage proposals started. Aiah took it in stride, saying no politely to the random tambay asking to be stepped on and the little girl asking for her hand in marriage.

Gradually, it did get better. Aiah only had to endure open mouthed staring after a few weeks and overly friendly greetings. Exposure therapy, Cupid had said even after an evening walkabout the neighborhood where everyone, gender and sexuality be damned, stared after her.

"What do you know about therapy?" Maloi asks incredulously.

"Enough to know my family desperately needs it," Aiah cackles. She rolls her eyes when there was a rumble of thunder. "You know what you are, Zeus."

"Alright," Maloi mumbles nervously, "baka pwedeng 'wag natin pikunin ang actual god of the skies?"

"He knows what he is," she insists. "Anyway, things are getting better, no?"

The mortal nods along. "Naks, walang nag-propose today!"

"Yeah!" Cupid agrees excited, "the other day there were a bunch of people circling like a soar of eagles around Prometheus."

"Like a soar of eagles?" Maloi parrots slowly.

"It's what a group of eagles is called," Aiah announces proudly. "I've been watching things about animals on this realm. Oh, that reminds me, you're out of data."

Maloi just groans.

—

“Hi!” she would always greet Maloi with a wide smile as soon as Maloi came in through the door. “How was your day?"

Maloi just grunts, tired from the ride home.

“Tired, darling?” Aiah asks, putting down the tablet and guiding Maloi to her couch as soon as the door is closed. “Here, sit.”

"Sapatos ko, wait-"

Aiah gets down on one knee and yanks the white sneakers off of her feet. Murmuring a quiet apology when she startles a sleepy Juyon when the shoes makes a thud on the floor.

"Hoy, pawis pa ako-“

Maloi flounders as Aiah doesn’t even hesitate pulling her socks off. “Hard day at work, darling?” she asks, slipping off the tote bag from the mortal’s shoulder. She rounds the couch and tugs on Maloi’s blue track jacket, revealing a white tank top underneath.

“Hindi naman,” Maloi sighs into the hands rubbing at her shoulders. “Just draining.”

Aiah hums. “Do you want a massage before we eat?”

That was new. “Nagluto ka? Marunong ka pala?”

“Medyo lang, darling,” Cupid answers. “So, massage?”

“Chumachansing ka lang ata eh,” Maloi teases, “aminin mo na, ‘di naman ako magagalit.”

Cupid laughs loudly, eyes full of mirth. “Darling, I wouldn’t slyly use massage as an excuse to get my hands on you.”

There was that, too, the non-flirting. It wasn’t new to Maloi, she wasn’t born yesterday. There have been plenty of people trying to get her hooked through non-flirting flirting. None were as beautiful as this one, though.

“Mamaya na, kumain muna tayo.”

—

Maloi groans and bangs her hand on the table repeatedly. Aiah’s pretty sure there are tears glistening on the corner of her eyes.

“Alright, settle down,” the taller woman says, sounding exasperated despite the smile on her face. “It’s not that good.”

Maloi shakes her head adamantly, eyes wide. “Ang sarap! Seryoso!”

“It’s just adobo, darling.”

“Pinakamasarap na adobo na natikman ko!” the redhead declares dramatically.

Aiah laughs, already moving to clean up the mess she made while cooking. “Parang OA na, darling.”

“Hindi!” she insists, hands already on Aiah’s hips to guide her back to the tiny thing they call a dining table. “Halika, kain muna tayo.”

“Darling, maglilinis pa ko-”

“Ako na mamaya!” Maloi volunteers, looking up at Aiah with her big, brown, pleading eyes.

Aiah sighs, though she’s already sitting down. She watches as Maloi makes a plate for her with a smile. Maloi takes notice as she’s blowing off steam from the rice.

“What?” she asks.

“You are so beautiful,” Aiah says, watching a blush form on the other woman’s cheek, “and you’re getting laway all over my rice.”

Maloi laughs loudly, setting down the plate in front of Cupid. “Arte mo naman. Gayuma yan, ayaw mo kasi ako halikan kaya dito ko nalang padaanin.”

The taller woman chuckles fondly. “Darling, you don’t need to use gayuma on me,” she replies offhandedly, digging into her food and missing the way Maloi blushes even more at that. “Oh, wow, that is good.”

“Oh ‘di ba?” Maloi agrees, clearing her throat. “Bakit ang galing mo magluto ng adobo? Hindi ba Greek ka?”

Aiah makes a face, chewing her food carefully. “Technically, yes but not really.”

“Huh? What does that mean?”

“I was born in Olympus, which is technically Greek, yes,” she supplies unhelpfully, “but through a Filipino couple.” She takes one look at the confusion in Maloi’s face before she laughs and continues. “Okay, so Cupids are born when pure love happens. So when these Filipino lesbians kissed, I appeared in my parents' living room. My dad said they were arguing about the merits of mint chocolate ice cream when I showed up and I spilled everything.”

“Pure love,” Maloi parrots thoughtfully, “hindi true love? At paano mo nalaman they were lesbians?”

“I visited them once,” Aiah smiles, “they’re still together. One of them is a lawyer and the other is an EMT, studying to be a doctor now, I think. Very cute couple. And there’s no such thing as true love.”

Maloi drops her spoon noisily. “Ha?”

“No such thing,” Aiah repeats loudly, looking up from her plate. “Oh you heard me, you’re just confused.”

“Yes, please explain.”

“Well, you see,” she starts, “I say there’s no such thing as true love because love, as much as we surround the idea with flowery terms, is hard work. People don’t just find the ‘one’, their true love. You can love someone with every fiber of your being and not want to lift a single finger to ensure the love survives. Pure love is consciously choosing someone and actively making choices to make it work. It’s showing up, being considerate, taking another person’s feelings into account whenever you make a decision-“ she cuts herself off. “You’re young, you’ll get it when you find your person.”

Maloi flounders for a bit, opening her mouth and closing it again a few times. Finally, she says, “W- would you do all of that for me?”

Aiah stares at her for a moment before she answers. “Darling, if I wasn’t sure that you’re only attracted to me because I’m Cupid…”

“Ugh, tigilan mo ko with that argument again,” Maloi grunts, irritated.

“I’m just saying!” Aiah chuckles, standing up to clear their plates. “If I wasn’t Cupid and this wouldn’t be a probably unbalanced relationship, I would be totally into you. I am into you.”

“Talaga ba?” Maloi asks, biting her lip. Aiah nods solemnly. “I’ll prove it to you, someday.”

“Alin?” Aiah asks, swatting the redhead’s hands away from the dirty plates and utensils.

“Na walang epekto sakin powers mo like you keep insisting.”

“Sure, darling,” the taller woman chuckles indulgently, unable to keep the sarcasm from her voice, “you do that.”

“Nakakainis naman ‘to kausap.”

“Darling, I’m just being realistic!” Aiah insists, looking over at the mortal as she continues rinsing off suds from the plates. “Tell me if I come close and kiss you right now, you’ll be able to say no and push me away.”

The mortal bites her lip and crosses her arms but doesn’t say anything.

“See?” Cupid continues, turning around to face Maloi with a gentle smile. She kneels in front of the mortal, takes her hand and presses it to her cheeks. “My darling, that would be taking advantage of you and I would never do that,” she pauses, “well aside from the fact that you’re letting me live off of you and your apartment.”

“I mean…” Maloi bites her lip, “is it really taking advantage if gusto ko naman? And like you said you’re already living here?”

Aiah grins and stands. “You wanna kiss me that bad, huh?”

“Ikaw namimihasa ka na,” Maloi says, gritting her teeth and reaching out to pinch Aiah’s arm, who dodges easily and laughs.

“Just seems like so,” she teases.

“Ikaw ‘tong sabi ng sabi na gusto mo ‘ko tapos…” Maloi trails off, cheeks flushed.

“Darling, I do,” Aiah agrees easily, “I’m just not comfortable doing something about it when I know you are only infatuated with me as a side effect of my powers.”

Maloi opens her mouth to disagree but Cupid holds her hand up. 

“Cupids have a long history of taking advantage of enamored mortals like you, my love,” she continues, pointedly ignoring the blush spreading from the mortal’s cheeks to her neck. “Humans immediately fall in love with Cupids the moment they see us and Cupids take what they want then leave. I’m not about to do that to you, you’re too special.”

“You can stay, you know,” Maloi replies, hopeful.

“I’m a celestial being, darling,” Aiah smiles ruefully, “I’m only mortal-ish for now without most of my powers but even I don’t know how long I can stay here before-“ she stops, realizing she doesn’t really know what will happen to her if the gods don’t let her back up. Not to mention the pain it will cause Maloi if the gods just decide to disintegrate her soul.

“Before what?”

Aiah clears her throat. “Before they let me back in or something, anyway, my point is Cupids aren’t meant to stay here for long, darling, we’re supposed to be helping humans with love, not fall in love ourselves.”

“P- paano ako?” the mortal asks. “You’re leaving me regardless.”

“I’ll make arrangements, darling,” Cupid answers vaguely, “to fix things.” To make sure you forget me if I die.

“Bibisitahin mo ako?”

“I’ll watch over you, my love.”

—

It was a holiday, which means most people were probably heading out to do something fun so as to not waste the day. Maloi, however, had woken to her normal time of 6 in the morning due to her body clock. She tried to go back to sleep but was too used to routine. Opening her bedroom door as quietly as she can, she tiptoed to their tiny kitchen to turn on the electric kettle, trying not to wake up Aiah, who had taken up residence on her couch. Maloi had offered her own room, her own bed, for Cupid to sleep in but she declined, claiming that Cupids didn’t really sleep. The mortal isn’t really sure how much truth there is to that, given that Aiah is currently in deep sleep with her mouth slightly agape. She used to find Aiah at random times reading or hijacking her tablet to watch tutorials of various things, the oddest being plumbing videos. Although the next morning, she noticed that the faucet stopped making weird noises whenever she turned it on.

Despite her best efforts to be quiet as she walks over to the bathroom, Maloi notices that Cupid has sat up from the couch. Enveloped in a blanket, looking barely awake and entirely too adorable in the morning light, Aiah stares up at her. 

“Morning,” she greets Cupid.

Aiah yawns, mumbling a greeting of her own as she shrugs off the blanket and folds it into a square. “Why are you awake?”

“Body clock,” Maloi says simply.

Cupid nods as she walks over to where Maloi was standing. She wraps her arms around the fragile mortal and presses her cheeks to Maloi’s temples. Aiah takes a deep breath, seemingly taking in the mortal’s comforting smell before she sighs. She doesn’t move away and Maloi is suddenly so aware that she has not washed her face or even brushed her teeth. Blushing furiously, she was about to push her away when she’s lifted off the ground and was promptly placed on the couch. 

“Hoy!” Maloi yelps. “Parang gago-”

“You snooze, you lose, darling,” Aiah smiles slyly, walking back to the bathroom, “mauna na ako maghilamos.”

—

With the promise of breakfast, Aiah jets off to god knows where and Maloi gets started on her day. As soon as she’s freshened up, she turns on her laptop and reads emails she may have missed. Maloi was already knee-deep in designs and drafts when the door swung open with Aiah holding a bunch of bags. 

“Pandesal,” Aiah says, nudging Maloi with the bag of bread before she gets started on the French press. “Mamaya na trabaho. I’ll make you coffee.”

Maloi bites into the still-hot bread and nods appreciatively. “Bagong luto, ang sarap. Saan mo ‘to nakuha?”

“Bakery.”

The human pauses mid-chew. “Did- did you pay for this?”

Cupid laughs loudly. “Did you think I stole this? Moi?” She puts a hand over her heart and makes a fake offended noise. “Because I definitely didn’t pay. Hell, I don’t even have any money.”

Maloi’s eyes widened, glancing at the other bags Aiah set down on the kitchen counter.

“But, but,” she continues, noticing the mortal’s stunned silence, “sometimes napunta ako ng palengke and you already know, the ladies love me,” she says with a smug eyebrow raise, “they give me extra stuff because they think I’m lucky. Buena mano, as they say and they get to go home early because they’ve sold everything out. Usually, I stay there, help out then have breakfast with Nanay Maring but I figured, since you’re here, you know,” she pauses and places a steaming mug of coffee in front of Maloi, “I’ll have breakfast with you instead,” Aiah finishes with a soft smile as she sits on chair to Maloi’s right.

“Ugh,” Maloi blanches, sniffing at the perfectly made drink, “you are so disgustingly sweet, nasabi ko na ba sa’yo?”

“I’m made of love, darling,” Aiah offers with a wink. “Do you have any plans for the day?”

The human glances at her locked phone. “Magwork ako onti, I guess, walang aya sila Jho eh, baka weird na naman sila.”

Aiah hums. “Do you think it’s because of the guy Stacey met?”

“Guy? What guy? Sinong guy?” Maloi asks. 

“Stacey’s met a guy,” Cupid says through a mouthful of pandesal.

“Ha?” Maloi asks incredulously, “paano mo nalaman?”

“Darling, I’m Cupid,” Aiah supplies simply, “also my siblings told me.”

“What?”

Cupid sits straighter in her chair and swallows, noticing how serious this topic seems to be for Maloi. “Okay, okay, don’t be mad, please?”

Maloi crosses her arms and raises an eyebrow. 

“My siblings gave me the update because,” Aiah glances nervously at the mortal and finishes hurriedly: “I used to be in charge of them and I messed up.”

Eyes widening, and brows furrowing even more, Maloi says, “explain.”

“They both had thoughts of confessing to each other when they were at some coffee shop,” Aiah supplies carefully, “but they were taking too long so I decided to mess with uncle Apollo while waiting. When I got back to them, they’d both somehow changed their minds.”

“Couldn’t you just,” Maloi pauses and makes a vague gesture with her hands, “cupid magic them into not being stupid?”

“Cupid magic doesn’t work like that,” Aiah shakes her head, “I can’t make them do anything. They have to decide for themselves. I’m mostly just there for decoration, if I’m being honest. I can show them signs but they have to look and see and believe it. Cupid work is boring, really, it’s why a lot of us just leave and fuck mortals.”

Maloi rubs a palm on her face, hiding the blush on her cheeks. “Okay, okay, may magagawa pa ba tayo para makatulong? Kasi I need them to stop hiding feelings they’ve had since they were like 12.”

“Just talking to them is always on the table,” Aiah suggested and she brightens, “I can come with you! They won’t be affected by my powers like you are, since they were technically my clients even if they didn’t know it.”

The human glares threateningly. “‘Wag mo kong simulan.”

Cupid raises her arms in surrender. “Sorry for bringing it up.”

“Ubusin na natin ‘to,” Maloi says, “we’re going to Jho’s place.”

—

Maloi didn’t think this through. If it were happening to any other person, she would have been watching and laughing her ass off. She bit her lip nervously, grateful for the full face helmet as she watches Cupid trying to lock the helmet chinstrap and miss. 

“Having trouble there?” she says playfully. “Halika dito.” Aiah steps forward and Maloi has reached up to lock the strap in place. “Okay na.”

Aiah smiles earnestly. “My hero.”

Maloi didn’t think this through. As soon as Aiah slid behind her and wrapped an arm around her waist, Maloi had the urge to turn back and just bask in Cupid’s warmth on the couch. But she had an agenda for today and no amount of possible cuddling should sway her ability to make a decision. Shouldn’t it, though? Maloi shakes her head mindlessly. No. 

“Something wrong, darling?” Aiah asks worriedly, leaning over her shoulder.

Maloi didn’t think this through, she does clear her throat though and starts her scooter. “Nothing, let’s go.”

—

On their very brief ride over to Jhoanna’s place, Maloi had come up with a lie to explain Aiah’s presence. Aiah was a friend from work, coming over for a drink at Maloi's and Maloi thought of inviting her friend.

Maloi stares unabashedly as Aiah tosses her hair out of the helmet, very much looking like a model and all that's missing is a few lighting and camera equipment.

"You good?" Aiah asks with a smile, knocking Maloi out of her daydreaming. 

"Tara," Maloi answers, leading the way to Jhoanna's building and nodding to the security guard, who smiles at her. They practically ran up the stairs in their hurry. Aiah has the audacity to laugh when she notices how winded Maloi was as she leans on the doorframe. Maloi smacks her on the arm. "Kumatok ka na bago kita sakalin."

Jhoanna opens the door to the sight of a smiling Aiah and breathless Maloi. 

"Hi!" Aiah greets, not even hiding how excited she is to meet one of her charges. "I'm Aiah."

"Hello?" Jhoanna greets back, puzzled. 

"I'm a friend of Maloi's," she continues, gesturing behind her. "We walked up the stairs, 'di niya kinaya."

Jhoanna just nods as though this was a natural thing, head cocked to the side as she stares at Aiah. "You look really familiar. Nagkakilala na ba tayo?"

"Nope!" Cupid answers happily. "It's nice to meet you, though. Can we come in?"

Jhoanna steps back in surprise. "Ay, sorry! Pasok kayo. Tubig, Ate Maloi? Soft drinks?"

"I'm good but Maloi might need a nebulizer, if you have it," Aiah jokes lightly as they walk in, her eyes wandering around the living room. "You have a lovely home."

"Salamat," Jhoanna says absently, still staring at Aiah before making eye contact with Maloi. 'Bago mo?' she mouths. Maloi blushes despite herself. Jhoanna makes an approving face and does a thumbs up when she notices Cupid was occupied with her bookshelf. 'Nice.'

'Patay ka sakin,' Maloi mouths back. "Anyway," she says out loud, "shot tayo. Saan si Stacey?"

Jhoanna's smile drops. "'Di ako hanapan ng nawawalang pusa."

"Ano, LQ na naman ba kayo?"

"LQ mo mukha mo," Jhoanna retorts, turning her back to them and walking over to the kitchen area. 

"Say something," Maloi hisses quietly to Aiah before Jhoanna turns to them and hands Maloi a glass of water.

"So," Aiah starts, walking over to them and sitting beside Maloi on the couch, "who's Stacey?" Maloi wants to smack her again.

Jhoanna points with her lips to the picture frame on the end table beside Aiah. It was a photo of the two of them at a very nice dinner spot. 

"Aw, you have a framed picture of the two of you," Aiah coos, picking up said item and turning it over, "that's so cute. You guys make a lovely couple."

The younger woman immediately turns red. "Hoy, t- teka, hindi kami niyan 'no- Stacey and I- we're just-"

"Oh," Aiah hums, "sorry, akala ko kayo. I mean, look at this note at the back. 'Happy Valentines day, ako lang pwede mo maging Valentines date, okay? Love, Stacey.'"

Maloi had forgotten that. She watches a myriad of emotions appear on Jhoanna's face.

"Nagbibiro lang siya, obviously..."

"Okay," Aiah nods in understanding, putting the framed picture back to its place. "That's a lot of x's and o's for a joke."

Jhoanna looks helplessly at Maloi. "Ganyan lang naman magbiro si Staks. 'Di ba, Ate Maloi?"

Maloi just stares back at her friend, raising an eyebrow.

Aiah stands and walks back to the bookshelf. "So, where is Stacey?"

"Probably getting ready," Jhoanna mumbles, deflating. "May date siya."

"Jho," Maloi chides, "hindi mo pa rin sinabi?" Jhoanna glances worriedly at Aiah. "'Wag mo intindihin 'yan si Aiah, isa rin 'yang in-denial." She can see Aiah blinking rapidly, dumbfounded at the drive-by, in her peripheral. She focuses on her younger friend. "You have to tell her."

"Eh paano kung mag-no sya or maging weird?"

"If she says no, but she won't, I just know it," Maloi assures, "respect her boundaries and take time for yourself. At matagal na kayong weird, 'wag mo ‘kong anuhin diyan."

"Hindi pa ba ako late?" Jhoanna asks quietly and it suddenly hits Aiah how young her charge was. Aiah wants to apologize for being a shit Cupid but she can't. She settles for a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"It's never too late with the right one."

--

"We should get one of those," Aiah remarks, tossing her hair back before putting on the helmet. After Jhoanna practically sprinting out of her apartment to catch Stacey and yelling 'lock niyo pinto, please!' over her shoulder, the two left feeling accomplished.

"Alin?" Maloi asks absently, kicking her scooter off its stand.

"The pictures, darling," Aiah answers, holding onto Maloi's shoulder as she swings a leg over the seat. 

"Pictures," the human repeats, "'yung very mag-jowa pictures nila Stacey at Jhoanna? Bakit?"

"Yes. What do you mean, bakit?" Cupid asks and Maloi can see her brows furrow from the side mirror.

“Wala naman.”

Aiah raises an eyebrow. “Why is that surprising?”

“Wala lang nga!” Maloi says, letting out a laugh when she feels Cupid’s fingers about to close in on her waist. “‘Wag mo kong kilitiin, baka malaglag tayo!”

“Parang ‘di ka makapaniwala kasi, never mind na nga.”

“Aysus, nagtatampo ang baby ko!” Maloi coos, despite the rising heat on her cheeks. “‘Pag may nadaanan tayong shop, bili tayo frames.”

Aiah’s hands tighten around her. Maloi can hear the smile in her voice. “Okay.”

—

A few hours later, Maloi was waiting in line at a print shop with Aiah in tow. Strangers were open mouthedly staring at Aiah as they walked by. Cupid paid them no mind, too occupied with making faces in frustration while playing Tetris on Maloi's phone. She almost drops the device when it pings loudly with a message notification. 

It was from Stacey. 'Dinner with my girlfriend,' it read and a second message came in. A photo of Stacey and Jhoanna. 'Thanks, Ate Maloi at sa bago mong jowa-jowaan.'

Aiah smiles widely, not even noticing the way a young teen almost fell to his knees when she did. "We did good, darling," she says, offering her hand in a high five.

"We did," Maloi agrees, taking up the high five offer and slyly intertwining their hands as she often sees in those prank videos. 

Cupid just laughs loudly and brings the back of the mortal's hand to her lips. Maloi practically melts on the spot, feeling heat rise up from the back of her neck to her face.

"Parang gago naman 'to!" she exclaims, smacking Aiah's arm with her other hand. Aiah laughs even louder.

—

Aiah felt it even before she was fully awake. “Ugh,” she grunts out loud, not even bothering to hide her annoyance as she grabs a throw pillow to cover her ears.

“Now, that’s just rude,” a voice behind her says.

“Ikaw ‘tong nanggigising,” Aiah grumbles under the covers.

“Here I am,” the teasing feminine voice replies, “personally checking in on one of my subordinates and said subordinate has the gall to ignore and hide from me?”

“Subordinate,” Cupid huffs, finally sitting up with her hair a bird’s nest and looking up at the beautiful woman, “I’m your granddaughter.”

Aphrodite waves a dismissive hand, eyes practically disappearing when she smiles. She looks every bit the woman described in songs and sonnets, otherworldly beautiful and ethereal in her simple knee length, jasmine white dress. “Semantics.”

“What are you doing here?” Cupid asks, getting up from the couch and stretching her back. Man, the couch really isn’t doing her any favors.

“I just told you I’m checking up on you.”

“Sure,” Aiah says incredulously as she heads to the bathroom, “not like you’re checking up on the blonde soloist you were fighting people on Twitter about. You do know I know about your secret account, Stephanie.”

“Y- yah!” Aphrodite stutters and face immediately turns red at the mention of the name she uses in the mortal realm. Aiah relishes the rare upper hand she has at the moment when Aphrodite continues, “It’s just that people were saying she can’t sing! You’ve heard her! You know she sings like an angel! Like she’s had seven divorces! It’s infuriating!”

“Sure, grandma,” Aiah chuckles, “let’s get you to bed.”

“Oh-ho-ho,” Aphrodite rolls her eyes, “I could kill you right now.”

“Oh, I’m so scared,” Aiah mocks, toothbrush in hand. The goddess crosses her arms in annoyance. “Damn, you’re really hung up on this blonde, huh? Alright, I’m sorry for mocking your future wife, O Goddess who rose from the sea. Kim Taeyeon is the best singer there is in all of the land. Maloi really loves her, too, you know.”

That catches the goddess’s attention. “Wait, really? Should I wake her?” 

“Why on Earth would you wake her?”

“I don’t know!” Aphrodite pauses before she whips her phone out and shoves it in Aiah’s direction. “Maybe she’ll appreciate this Taeyeon photocard at the back of my phone better than you.”

“Jesus Christ.” Aiah rubs a hand on her face. It’s barely seven in the morning.

“Hey, I’m the goddess of love and beauty, of course, I love beauty. Taeyeon is really lovable and beautiful.”

Cupid waves a hand. “What were you here for again?”

“Oh right, here,” Aphrodite produces a clear plastic folder with a snap of her fingers. 

“What’s this?” Aiah asks, walking over to the coffee table. She opens the folder and finds numerous proof of identification. “Maraiah Queen Arceta,” she reads out loud from the papers. “You had fun with the name, huh?”

“Someone had to,” Aphrodite chuckles, “Usually when beings like us come down to Earth they immediately have some fun.”

“Why don’t you have some of that with Taeyeon then?” Aiah shoots back. Aphrodite flushes and swats at her arm.

“It’s not like that!” she says defensively before grumbling under her breath. “The disrespect when I’m only trying to be nice here.”

“Right, sorry,” Aiah says, contrite, “what are these for?”

“For you,” the goddess answers, eyeing Cupid intensely, “in case you decide to stay here.”

“Why would I-” Aiah pauses when she hears Maloi’s alarm in the bedroom.

“Yeah,” Aphrodite says simply. “You’re welcome back to Olympus. My brother’s sacred cows were already found and the cupbearers are back to their posts. Civil war dodged. No need to die like you keep morbidly thinking the other day.”

“Oh.”

An understanding smile finds its way on the goddess’s face. “I’m laying down everything here so you can make an informed choice, okay?”

“C- can I not just come back from time to time?” Aiah asks hopefully, heart in her throat.

“Time works differently for us, young Cupid,” Aphrodite warned, “you might come back to find her old and senile…”

“I don’t think my feelings would be changed by that-” 

“Or worse, with someone else,” she continues with a rueful smile. “Why do you think I’m staying here?”

Aiah sighs heavily and runs a hand through her hair. “The seven-times divorced blonde.”

“Yah!” she scolds half-heartedly, looking wistfully at the stupid photocard on her phone case.

“Guess insanity runs in the family,” Aiah chuckles.

“I’ve been alive for eons, child,” the goddess reminds her, “I’m allowed to be a little crazy.”

Before Aiah can agree, Maloi’s bedroom door opens and the mortal walks out, eyes practically closed. She doesn’t even take notice of the goddess on her armchair as she heads straight to Cupid at the kitchen table to sit on her lap.

“Ayoko pumasok,” she mumbles on her collarbone while Aiah’s arms automatically move to hold the mortal close.

“Valid,” Aphrodite agrees. She couldn’t help but laugh at the sight of her favorite Cupid rendered useless by a mortal.

Maloi’s head shoots up at the unknown voice. Her eyes widen at the sight of the unearthly beauty of the woman in her living room. She immediately tugs at the loose shirt she was wearing. “Ay, sorry, sorry. May bisita pala tayo.”

“It’s no problem,” Aphrodite assures her, standing. “I was just leaving, anyway.”

Aiah taps Maloi’s waist to get her to stand. “I’ll walk you out.”

The goddess nods before smiling at the mortal. “It was nice to put a pretty face to your name, Maloi. Take care of my granddaughter, okay?”

“Granddaughter,” Maloi sounds it out slowly. “I’m sorry, what was your name again?”

“You know who I am,” Aphrodite turns back to wink at Maloi. Her eyes flash pure white for a moment before the door is closed. 

—

It was late. Maloi, having done some overtime at work, was tired and slumped across the couch that was normally Aiah’s makeshift bed. Cupid, noticing how exhausted the mortal looked, elected not to tease her and opted to make her tea. She rummages through the cupboard wordlessly and dumps the tea bag in Maloi’s favorite yellow mug. After pouring the hot water, she places the mug on the coffee table and takes the tea bags out once it’s steeped. 

Cupid was deep into the book she was reading when Maloi finally sat up. “Oh,” she voices out, breaking the silence of the apartment when she sees the drink. “Salamat.” To which, Aiah just nods, not even taking her eye off of the book.

Just as she was turning a page, Maloi opened her mouth again.

“Gusto mo ba mag-anak?”

There was a pause and Aiah can see a slight crinkle forming on the page between her fingers. “Darling, take me out on a date first.”

Maloi laughs and Aiah notices a blush coloring her cheeks as the tension of the day leaks out of her. “I mean, in general kasi.”

“Never really given it much thought, darling,” Aiah answers honestly. “Do I wanna know why you’re asking this?”

The mortal kicks at her feet lightly as she cups the mug in her hands. “Wala, naalala ko lang ‘yung naikwento mo, Cupids taking advantage of mortals.”

Aiah can practically see the air quotes. “If you’re asking what I think you’re asking then yes, Cupids can have children with mortals. Their gender doesn’t matter.”

Maloi’s brown eyes turned into saucers in surprise and astonishment. “Totoo?”

“Yes, darling,” Aiah confirms monotonously, finally turning the page in her book. “We can have kids with any mortal as long as we want it to actually happen. It’s rare but it happens.” It was silent for a few minutes and Cupid could see in her peripheral vision that Maloi was chewing on her lower lip. “Alright, what is it?”

“H- how does that… work?” Maloi asks hesitantly.

Cupid smirks. “Well, darling, you see when two people like each other very much-”

“Bwisit ka talaga,” Maloi scoffs, throwing a pillow at Cupid’s face. 

“You literally asked!”

“Hindi ‘yon ang tinatanong ko!”

Aiah just chuckles. “I get it, I was just kidding. Nangyayari lang ‘yon if the Cupid truly loves the mortal and if they actually, truly want it to happen though. Not like a broken condom or something accidental.”

“Ah,” the mortal nods in understanding. “So sadya, ganon?”

“Yes, making babies,” she whistles lowly, “requires a lot of love and loving.”

“Sa mga kwento mo, Cupids already have a habit of spreading love,” Maloi says sarcastically.

“That’s just sex, darling, but loving, and I mean truly loving someone? That rarely happens to Cupids. Why do you think I’m not pursuing you?”

There was a pregnant pause.

“That is to say-” Aiah cuts herself off, arms flailing in her seat, “Wait- I mean- it’s not like-”

“You’ve thought about it,” Maloi points out softly, watching a blush blossom on Aiah’s tan skin, putting her own reddening cheeks to shame.

“No, no! Not the sex part or having kids!” Aiah clarifies, eyes wide, “It’s just that I really do like you and- and I’m not saying we would have to have sex if I pursued you- That’s not- I’m just saying if I pursued you- it would most likely turn into love and it could potentially- not an obligation- it’s not! It’s definitely not an obligation-”

Maloi laughs loudly, delighted at the rare upperhand, despite how red her face has gotten by it. Aiah immediately clams up as Maloi stands and sits on her lap. She can’t help but notice how perfectly she fits in Aiah’s arms and she can hear the Cupid’s rapid heartbeat through her thin shirt. “Okay lang, ‘wag ka masyado kabahan, ako lang ‘to.”

She can feel Aiah relax under her, even adjusting her hold to make sure the mortal was comfortable.

“‘Di pa naman ako sigurado kung gusto ko mag-anak tsaka masyado pa naman tayong bata para maging parents, swerte mo naman,” she teases and Aiah groans in annoyance. “Let’s talk about it again in a few years.”

Cupid doesn’t say anything, just tightens her hold on the mortal.

—

The only warning they got was a sneeze from the night before. Aiah felt the tickle at the back of her nose before it happened. It was a peculiar feeling. 

"Ayan," Maloi scolds from the kitchen as she's gathering up plates and utensils to set the table. "Ang kulit kasi nagpaulan pa."

Aiah just sniffles. "Cupids don't get sick. I'm part god, darling."

The mortal scoffs. "Weird brag but okay."

The next morning, she finds Cupid shivering under her sheets. She immediately turns off the fan directed at Aiah and kneels in front of her, feeling Aiah’s forehead with the back of her hand.

Cupid opens her bleary eyes. “Darling?” she rasps. 

“Tatawag lang ako sa boss ko,” Maloi says, already dialing on her phone. “Mag-work from home ako para maalagaan kita.”

“What? Why?” she asks, squinting up at Maloi, “I’m fine.”

“‘Wag ka na umangal,” the mortal warns before she walks away, phone to her ear, “Hello po, good morning…”

When Maloi comes back with a simple breakfast, Aiah has gone back to sleep. She taps the Cupid lightly. “Aiah, kain na para maka-inom ka ng gamot.”

Aiah grunts and whines, sore joints stretched as she sits up with the blanket around her head like a hoodie. Maloi would have teased her for looking so adorable if not for her looking so miserable.

“Here,” Maloi says, pushing a cup of tea in Aiah’s direction, “‘wag ka na muna mag-kape.”

“No,” Aiah whines cutely. 

“Caffeine will make you more sick,” Maloi points out gently, “makakatulong ‘to sa sipon mo.”

“Wala akong sipon,” Cupid insists, sniffling. 

Maloi purses her lips to keep from smiling. “Try mo lang, baka magustuhan mo. Kain ka rin, pinagluto kita.”

Cupid, very clearly sick with her red nose and tired eyes, just stares at her. “You’re so pretty. Thank you.”

“Lagnat lang ‘yan,” Maloi teases, picking up her own plate to dig in, “kain na, I have meds here.”

After breakfast, Maloi washed their dishes and prepared a towel in lukewarm water. Aiah eyes her suspiciously. 

“OA ka makatingin diyan,” Maloi drawls, squeezing excess water from the towel, “para makasingaw init sa katawan mo.”

“Not happening, darling,” Aiah grunts, “I’m always hot.”

“Kasama talaga sa lagnat minsan ‘yung deliryo, ‘no?” Maloi jokes, wiping Aiah’s face with the damp towel to which Cupid just grimaces.

“I meant my actual body temperature,” she sniffles. 

She lets Aiah nap after, occasionally waking her up for meds and food while she works. After her work day has finished, she gets up to make dinner. It was relatively simple, crab and corn soup from a packet that she found at the back of her cupboard but it will do. Gently nudging Aiah with her feet, she places the bowls on the coffee table. “Gising, babycakes.”

Aiah grunts and pokes her head out from under the blankets. She looks better, no longer on the verge of the flu, just tired.

“Wow, bilis ng resistensya,” Maloi teases, sitting down on the armchair with her own bowl.

“Part god,” Aiah reminds her, eyeing the food. 

“May kanin pa sa rice cooker kung gusto mo,” the mortal offers to which Cupid just shakes her head, “and tea, mayroon pa.”

Aiah hesitates only for a moment. “Tea, if you don’t mind?”

Maloi smiles, resisting the urge to pinch her cheeks. “No problem. Kain ka na muna.”

In no time, the cup of tea was placed in front of Aiah and she smiled gratefully. “Thanks for taking care of me, darling.”

“Walang ano man, babycakes,” Maloi replies, failing to stifle her own wide smile. For whatever reason, even before she got sick, Aiah was quiet. Contemplative, even. Maloi had thought about asking her about Aphrodite’s visit, however, Cupid didn’t come back for hours after. Only coming back to sleep and leaving before Maloi’s alarm, citing her reason as helping out the older ladies sa palengke. It’s been a few days and she clearly doesn’t want to talk about it. As anxious as it makes her, Maloi doesn’t want to push so she keeps her mouth shut. She tucks her red hair behind her ear nervously. “Nga pala, nag-aaya mag-dinner sila Jho. Sa apartment nila,” she pauses and thinks on it, “Well, apartment ni Stacey pero kahit noong ‘di pa sila halos doon na nakatira si Jho-”

Aiah just raises an eyebrow. 

“-and really, they should just move in together para makatipid, the electric bill alone is-“

“Darling.”

“-probably too much! Kailangan natin magtipid sa kuryente pati syempre sa tubig! Worrying rin minsan pinapatayan tayo ng tubig dahil sa lakas ng consumption-“

“Lucky,” Cupid calls out with a chuckle and it breaks Maloi out of her rambling. She shouldn’t have told her that family nickname. It sounds too endearing coming out of her pretty lips. “Where are you going with this?”

Oh, right. “Dinner. Sumama ka daw.”

“Sure, darling,” Aiah confirms with a small smile, “where you go, I go.”

—

Aiah groans dramatically as she sits up from Maloi’s bed after hearing her phone, Maloi’s spare phone in actuality, beep. It was a notification for a missed video call from her father. She groans louder and presses the call back button.

“Dad, if you’re going to ask me to come back,” she says in lieu of a greeting, not even looking at her phone and continuing to doodle on Maloi’s tablet, “I’m gonna need you to grovel a little.”

A melodious laugh brings her attention back to the call. What was supposed to be a hulking brunette man of 6 feet was now a tiny speck of a blonde woman but Aiah knew her father well.

“Aw, my poor baby,” Eros coos at her, only her forehead showing as she pulls the camera closer. “You look thin, baby, are you eating enough? Come here, Psy, doesn’t our daughter look thin?”

Her mother appears on the left side of the screen, squeezing her cheeks against Eros. Psyche has pink hair now though her one slightly protruding ear was still visible under it. Aiah made the mistake of asking her parents why they keep changing their appearance once. Never again.

“You do look thinner, baby,” Psyche agrees, nodding along. “Are you not eating there? Should we send you drachmas?”

“Drachmas are no good here now, Ma,” Aiah reminds her.

“Oh right,” her mother laughs, “I haven’t been down there in so long. Should we send you cows? You can trade them, sweetie, we have plenty up here.”

Aiah laughs. “Honestly, I’m fine. Don’t worry about me, Ma.”

“See?” Eros intones from behind in a complete 180, “I told you she’s fine! She’s my daughter, of course she’d be fine.”

Psyche rolls her eyes with an exasperated smile. “Don’t mind your father. She’s been stress baking since you were sent down there. We have enough pastries to feed the entirety of Olympus-”

“Don’t feed my daughter lies,” Eros mumbles, a dimple on her right cheek appearing despite the frown on her face. She takes the device and angles it to show both of them. “We just wanted to check in with you, see how you’re doing.”

“Well, I conned this mortal into doing my bidding,” Aiah supplies happily, rolling around the bed. “So as you can see I’m living my best life.”

“Okay, well I hope you’re having fun with this mortal,” Eros says. “How is Maloi? That's her, right?”

“How’d you know her name?” she asks, sitting up and brows furrowing in confusion. “How did you know about her?”

“Well, your uncle Apollo’s asking about her!” Psyche butts in. “Said she’s one of his more talented great-grandkids.”

“Great-grandkid…”

“Technically, she’s, maybe, like his great-great-great-great,” Eros mumbles under her breath before shaking her head. “Too many greats to count there but she is definitely from Apollo’s line.”

“Which means-” Aiah interrupts herself, trying to swallow past the lump on her throat. She’s immune to me.

“She’s from Apollo’s line,” Eros repeats. “Are you feeling alright, sweetheart? You’re not normally this thick.”

“Eros!” Psyche scolds her husband.

“What? It’s true!”

Whatever argument they might have was lost on Aiah as she hears the jingle of keys on the door. She scrambles to end the call. “I gotta go, bye, parentals!”

“Bye, sweetie! We love you-”

She jumps out of the bed and out of the bedroom door just as the front door swings open. “Honey, I’m home!” Maloi calls out with a smile. She was in a yellow fitted crop top and plaid skirt. Her tote bag slung on her shoulder while she held a paper bag in her arms.

Aiah stares at her as though seeing her for the first time. Now that she’s made aware of Maloi’s godly ancestor, she can see the faint, barely there, golden glow around her form.

“Binilhan kita turon sa kanto,” she says warmly, toeing her shoes off. “Parang nagustuhan mo eh, tatlo agad naubos mo last time-”

“Punch yourself in the face,” Aiah commands abruptly.

“Ha?” the younger woman asks incredulously. 

“My powers don’t work on you,” she concludes quietly. 

“Malamang,” Maloi says with a roll of her eyes, "Ilang beses ko na sinabi sayo. Ang kulit.”

“B- but you keep doing things I tell you to,” Aiah replies hesitantly.

“Syempre, ano ka ba,” Maloi says, dropping the bags in her arm on the table. “‘Di ba nga may kasabihan: happy wife, happy life?”

Maloi takes a step towards Aiah and the latter immediately recoils. 

“Oh, ano na naman problema mo?” she asks cautiously, already used to Aiah’s mercurial nature.

“I’m just gonna,” she murmurs, inching closer to the door, “head out for a bit.”

Maloi nods slowly as their eyes meet. They stare at each other for a second before Aiah’s eyes dart towards the paperbag on the table.

“Kunin mo na, ‘wag na umarte,” Maloi teases.

“Thanks,” the taller woman mumbles before quickly reaching for the turon and running out the door.

—

The dinner falls on a weekend. 

Earlier that morning, Maloi had rummaged through her closet for more clothing choices, her bedroom floor a mess as she let Aiah sort through everything to find something to wear.

“Mamili na kaya tayo ng damit mo,” Maloi mumbles, holding up another pair of pants that was very clearly too short for the Cupid.

She probably would have heard if a pin dropped with how still the room had gotten. “Darling-"

Whatever she was going to say was cut off by the shrill ring of Maloi’s phone. They stare at each other for a moment. 

“It’s nothing important,” Aiah mumbles before grabbing a bunch of clothes and leaving the room. Maloi stares after her.

“Hello?” she sighs into her phone.

“Did I catch you at a bad time?” Mikha’s voice floats through the speaker.

“Hindi, wala ‘yon,” she mumbles, “what’s up?”

“Shot,” she simply replies.

“Pota ka,” Maloi chuckles, tucking her phone between her shoulder and cheeks as she folds a shirt in her hands, “kailan?”

“Now na?” her favorite coworker says hopefully.

“Aba, sobrang sarap mo naman,” the redhead says dryly.

“Please?” Mikha pleads, “sagot ko na. You won’t have to pay for anything.”

“Ano muna mayroon? Na-ghost ka na naman?” she questions then pauses and squints at her own wall. “O nang-ghost ka?”

“No!” Mikha denies vehemently but doesn’t say anything else.

“Alam mo,” Maloi starts, sitting down on her bed, “bata ka pa naman. Dami-dami mo pa makikilala atsaka wala naman masama sa pagiging single.”

“You’re barely older than me,” Mikha points out and Maloi can already tell she’s rolling her eyes, “and ang lakas ng loob mo magsabi niyan habang you’re already living with someone?”

Maloi looks wistfully at Aiah’s back as Cupid was looking at herself in the mirror. She had opted to wear an army jacket that Maloi had thrifted months ago, along with green pants and brown tanktop. 

“Hello, ate Maloi?”

She clears her throat. “May lakad ako today. Bukas nalang?”

“Tomorrow’s a Sunday eh, I don’t want to go to work after a night of drinking.”

“Sobrang arte,” Maloi teases, “sama ka nalang samin. May alak rin naman doon.”

“Where are you going?”

—

The ride was going well. Granted there was a slight hitch when Aiah appeared to be a bit distracted when Mikha picked them up in her car and had asked about how they met. Maloi had to save the situation and answer for her with the lie they came up with (they were in the same club in elementary school and got in touch recently). She could tell Aiah was trying though because after that she was trying to make conversation. Cupid had asked about why she felt the need to drink that weekend. 

Mikha, despite herself, felt compelled to answer honestly with: “I was lonely.”

Maloi watched the exchange with wide eyes, having known Mikha had only answered as an effect of Cupid’s fluctuating power. She catches Aiah’s gaze. There was almost an imperceptible melancholy in her dark brown eyes before she blinked and it's gone.

Mikha clears her throat and laughs awkwardly. "Whoa, you're, like, very easy to open up to. Pretty, too, but Ate Maloi would definitely get mad if I made a move on you."

"Buti alam mo," Maloi replies playfully.

Aiah chuckles along and winks at Maloi. "Wouldn't want that."

Maloi reaches over and squeezes her hand. "Okay ka lang?" she mouths.

Aiah squeezes her hand back but doesn't say anything. "So Mikha," she starts, turning to the driver seat in front of her, "what do you look for in a person?"

"Wow, parang may irereto," Mikha quips, smiling as their eyes meet in the rearview mirror.

"You said you were lonely," Cupid notes, "maybe we can help out."

Mikha hums. "I'm not really looking for anything. I guess I just don't like coming home to an empty apartment?"

Both Cupid and Maloi nod, knowing full well the comfort of coming home to each other.

"You could get a cat," Aiah suggests.

"Won't it get lonely when I'm at work?"

"You could get two cats," Maloi muses.

Mikha laughs loudly, putting the car in park as they round up the corner in Stacey’s building. "We're here and you two are annoying."

They all pile out of the car, a bottle of some expensive scotch in Mikha’s hand while Cupid’s and her mortal’s hands remain intertwined. 

“You sure okay lang sa kanila that you brought me?” Mikha hesitantly asks as they walk up the stairs to Stacey’s third floor apartment. 

“Oo naman,” Maloi assures her friend with a smile, “nag-text rin ako to let them know.”

“Ano sabi?”

Aiah pats her pockets for Maloi’s phone. She hands the device to the mortal and as soon as it lights up, Maloi almost nose dives as she misses a step if it weren’t for Cupid’s steadying arm. 

“Whoa, hey, okay ka lang?” Mikha asks.

Aiah doesn’t say anything but was already checking her hands and legs for injuries as her brows furrowed. Maloi clears her throat and finds Mikha and Cupid looking at her worriedly. “I- uh-”

“What is it?” Aiah implores.

“My ex-” Maloi pauses, unsure how to proceed, “ex-situationship? ‘Di ako sure ano tawag samin but we’re exes- pero ‘di naging kami! Medyo magulo, basta mas better kami as friends and-”

“Darling, darling,” Aiah calls with a barely concealed affectionate smile, “what about your ex-something?”

“She’s here.”

“Oh.”

“Uh-oh,” Mikha barely audibly mumbles, slowly backing away towards the fire exit. “Wow, the red in this sign is really pretty…”

“Ano- hindi naging kami,” Maloi starts, “no bad blood, though, ‘di lang talaga kami swak para sa isa’t isa, I think, pero naka-move on na ako! Matagal na, even before you and I met-”

“Darling, breathe before you hyperventilate,” Aiah says with a wry smile. “It’s alright, I didn’t think you were a nun before me.”

“Sorry,” the mortal says, looking down at her feet, “ayoko lang maging awkward or anything.”

“Don’t apologize, darling,” Aiah smiles reassuringly, hunching a little to meet Maloi’s eyes. She squeezes their hands together. “It’s not an issue. Mikha, you can stop pretending to admire that fire exit sign.”

“Oh thank god,” Mikha exhales heavily. “I thought you two were gonna fight or something.”

Cupid laughs and says confidently, “I know where I stand with Maloi.”

Maloi raises an eyebrow at that, torn between finding the cockiness hot or confusing. Any other day Aiah would have chalked her attraction up to her Cupid-abilities. Granted, they were with company-

“Coming, darling?” Aiah asks from the top of the stairs, derailing her train of thought.

"Y- yeah, tara na," she nods, hurriedly catching up just as they get to their destination. 

Aiah knocks without hesitation as though she's been there before. Granted, she probably has been here given that she was in charge of her friends' love lives before she was stranded here, powerless. She makes a mental note to ask her about it later when the door swings open to reveal a smiling Stacey.

“Hi!” She greets them enthusiastically, pulling Maloi into her arms on a quick hug before turning to the other two strangers as they all enter the apartment.

“Staks, si Aiah at Mikha,” Maloi introduces the two.

“Hi,” she greets, smiling widely, “it’s nice to meet you both! ‘Wag kayo mahiya, maraming food diyan.” She tilts her head to the side as she looks at Aiah. “Pamilyar ka.”

“I just have one of those faces,” Aiah remarks, smiling somewhat nervously as she shares a glance with Maloi.

“Hmm,” she hums, still staring at Aiah before Maloi interrupts.

“Tignan mo dalang alak ni Mikha, Staks,” she points out.

“Ay wow! Mahal nito ha,” Stacey replies, linking arms with Mikha, “buti pa yung bago kong BFF may pasalubong sakin.”

“Tama nang sinipot kita,” Maloi teases as they follow in, “my presence is a present.”

“Sure, sabi mo eh.” Stacey rolls her eyes playfully. “Jho, may bwisita ka.”

“Ate Maloi!” Jho greets from the couch, jostling the startled woman beside her as she stands to hug Maloi.

Gwen looks up at the newcomers, smiling already in place. They have always been good together, even after they decided to end their non-relationship-relationship. 

“Hi,” she greets in her quiet voice when Jhoanna lets Maloi go, “long time no see ah.”

“Hi, Gwen,” Maloi says with a smile. “Tagal na nga huling kita natin, ‘no?” Feeling Aiah’s eyes on her, Maloi turns back to her companions. “Gwen, si Aiah pala, roommate ko, at si Mikha, work bestie ko.”

Gwen raises her eyebrow at the introduction but greets them with a warm smile. Eyes lingering on Mikha’s blue cap. “Nice to meet you both. Matchy tayo ng cap,” she says to Mikha, pointing at the faded maroon cap on the couch behind her.

“A- ay oo nga,” Mikha chuckles albeit awkwardly. 

“Gwen, patulong please!” Stacey calls, coming out of the kitchen with a tray of pasta.

Aiah smiles warmly as Gwen passes by her. Gwen does a very unsubtle goofy thumbs up from behind Cupid’s back. Maloi bites her lip to stop herself from laughing, feeling silly for even worrying.

“Upo kayo!” Jhoanna gestured at the couch, “drinks? May alak at soft drinks.”

“Tubig lang kami, Jho,” Maloi answers for everyone, eyeing Mikha. “Kumain muna tayo, Mikhs. Alak na alak ka naman diyan.”

Jhoanna laughs before standing to get them water. “Wait ka lang, Mikha, lalasingin ka namin.”

—

It was right around dessert time when Maloi almost elbows Aiah in the face. Sandwiched between Mikha and Aiah, she was asking Stacey, who was seated across from her, about her mom’s latest designs when Maloi happened to look past her, to the window.

Out the window, waving maniacally at her and smiling widely, were Colet and Sheena. Floating on air.

Maloi’s knees jump up, jostling the table. “Putang-” she pauses and looks up to find everyone’s eyes on her.

“You alright?” Aiah asks, worried.

“Fine,” she grits her teeth, holding out her phone to Cupid, “your siblings are calling. Doon mo sagutin sa may balcony,” she continues pointedly, inclining her head to the side with comically wide eyes. “Sorry, girls, nagulat lang ako sa vibrate ng phone.”

Aiah’s eyes wander past Stacey as she takes the phone and stands, face unchanging, “I’ll just be a minute, sorry.”

—

As soon as her back was turned from the girls, Aiah puts the phone to her ear, pretending to answer a call while glaring at her siblings.

“What the fuck are you two playing at?” she asks, closing the glass door behind her.

Colet smiles widely. “We need a favor.”

“A favor?” Aiah echoes, “you almost gave Maloi a heart attack because you need a stupid favor?”

“Mukha mo stupid,” Colet fires back.

“Real mature-”

“Okay, okay!” Sheena yells, putting her arms out between the two. “Ikalma niyo nga, sakit niyo sa ulo.” She pauses and points a finger at Aiah when the latter opens her mouth to retort. “I swear, isusumbong kita kay Ate Maloi.”

Colet chortles from behind as Aiah bunches up her face in irritation. “Just get to the point.”

“Si Mikha at Gwen,” Colet starts, “pilitin mo makapag-usap sila.”

“Oh,” Aiah nods in understanding. “They’re paired?”

“They could be,” Sheena answers.

“Yeah, kaya tigilan mo muna kakatitig kay Maloi-” 

“Ikaw na ‘tong asking for a favor-”

“They were supposed to be your charges, by the way-”

Sheena sighs, watching her siblings bicker when a glint catches her eye. She reaches out towards Aiah and holds out a single grey hair sticking out from her older sister’s head. “Oh."

Aiah looks at her with wide eyes and her hand fidgets with the buttons of her jacket. “I-”

“I’m happy for you,” Colet interjects, making the rare gesture of holding her sister’s hand and looking at her sincerely. “‘Pag nag-away kayo, aagawin ko siya sa’yo.”

“I was wondering bakit ‘di mo nararamdaman na andito kami, now I have my answer,” Sheena lets out a watery laugh, wiping her eyes at the back of her hand. “You've made your choice?”

“Not yet,” Aiah answers nervously. “I'm scared. She scares the living hell out of me, to be honest.”

Colet bobs her head in agreement. “Weak shit ka kasi.”

Aiah laughs loudly. “I might not have my powers but you know I can still kick your ass, right?”

—

Aiah comes back to the table with a kiss to the side of Maloi’s head. The latter blinked rapidly in surprise. “Uh- you okay?”

“Yeah,” Aiah answers. “They just called about a favor.”

“Favor?”

“I’ll tell you later,” Cupid smiles mischievously before she turns to Gwen in front of her. “Hey, Gwen, I heard from Maloi you have two cats, is that right?”

“Ah, oo,” Gwen replies, slight confusion in her voice. “Why’d you ask?”

“Mikha here,” she gestures to Maloi’s other side, “was thinking of adopting multiple cats.”

“Multiple agad?” Gwen chuckles while Mikha scoffs.

“They were the ones who suggested that, I didn’t even agree!”

Aiah pointedly ignores Mikha. “Tell us, Gwen, what it’s like to have multiple cats? Maloi only has one, I’m curious what they'd be like if they had siblings.”

—

“So,” Jhoanna starts with a grin as she grabs Maloi over to the side, “musta kayo ni Ate Aiah?”

“Good, she’s fine,” Maloi answers distractedly, watching Aiah animatedly tell Gwen and Mikha a story that had the two in stitches, Gwen having to hold onto Mikha’s forearm to keep upright. “Sabihin ko kaya ‘wag muna siya uminom? Kakagaling lang niyan sa sakit eh…”

The taller woman laughs as she fiddles with the speakers on the shelf. “Sobrang nanay naman! Girlfriend ka, hindi doctor niya.”

Maloi flinches unknowingly. “Shut up, nag-aalala lang ako!”

“Hayaan mo na muna siya,” Jhoanna chuckles, eyeing her guests as Stacey joins in on their laughter while topping off drinks and the speakers filter throughout the apartment mid-song, “she’s a charmer, no?”

Mukhang si kupido ang pumana sa akin pero baril ang dala niya

Maloi bites her lip, recognizing the song just as Aiah meets her eyes. “She is.”

It was a song that had Aiah furrowing her brow when she first heard it. ‘What does that mean? Pero baril ang dala niya?’

‘It means malala ang tama niya.’ Maloi had answered then. ‘Parang ako at ikaw,’ she added with a flirty wink. Aiah had rolled her eyes but didn't offer any rebuttal.

By the way a corner of her mouth lifts, Maloi knows Aiah is remembering that day, too. 

Gusto ko ako lang gusto
Gusto ko ako lang ang gusto mo

Maloi mouths the words along, making a show of pointing to herself then to Aiah at the appropriate pronouns. Aiah, crooked grin in place, tips her glass in Maloi's direction, mouths back: Ikaw lang.

Maloi isn’t sure if Aiah is letting her know the song title or something else she isn’t entirely sure she wants to hope for. Of course, she’s blushing nonetheless when Jhoanna clucks her tongue playfully. “‘Di maistorbo, pota.”

—

Aiah’s interference had gone so well that Mikha, who had ended up not drinking at all nonetheless had a very good time, had offered Gwen a ride home, ensuing laughter from everyone as Gwen was Stacey’s neighbor and lived two doors down. While the two were having their own conversation outside the car, Maloi sidles closer to Aiah’s side and wraps her arm around her bicep. She lets her head lean on Cupid’s shoulder.

“You drunk, darling?” Aiah asks, barely concealed affection in her voice.

Maloi just hums. “Gusto ko ‘yon.”

“Alin, darling?”

“When you call me that. Darling,” she sounds the word out, testing the way it feels on her tongue. “Darling, darling.”

Aiah snickers, watching Maloi repeat the endearment in different accents when Mikha climbs into the driver seat.

“Is she alright?” Mikha asks, meeting Aiah’s eyes in the rearview mirror. “Let me know if susuka ka, Ate Maloi, I’ll pull over.”

“I’m fine, Batangueña ako!” she answers defensively, to which the two share a laugh.

“Sure, you are, darling,” Aiah agrees with a soft smile.

“Darling,” Maloi repeats again, sliding her palm down from Aiah’s bicep to intertwine their fingers. “My darling.”

—

Sunday arrived with a pounding headache for Maloi and silence in the apartment. She sat up on her bed, hair in disarray as she contemplated getting up to get water when she glances at the clock on her bedside table and notices a couple of pain reliever tablets next to her water bottle.

Squinting past her door, she can make out Aiah’s form slumped on the couch. Maloi downs the tablets and goes back to sleep.

The second time she wakes up, she can hear faint rustling outside her bedroom door. She sees Aiah’s back to her, likely making breakfast at the stove. Cupid must hear her staggering out of her bedroom as she turns with a smile. “Morning, darling. How’s your head?”

Maloi flops down on the couch unceremoniously and grunts. “Ang liwanag.”

“That’s just the hungover talking, darling,” Aiah hums, walking over and holding out her hand. “Come on, you need to eat.”

She whines but takes Aiah’s hand, of course, letting Cupid lead her to the small breakfast table. “Galing ka na ng palengke?”

“Yeah, just very quick, though,” Aiah nods, scooping out rice for Maloi. “Didn’t want you to wake up without-” she pauses and bites her lip, “b- breakfast.”

Maloi eyes her, too sleepy to analyze what her weirdness means. “You know, ‘di ako nakain ng almusal before you,” she says conversationally, “so ‘wag ka mag-worry masyado about this stuff.”

“That makes sense,” she agrees, setting down Maloi’s plate in front of her, “you’re not much of a morning person.”

“Ito rin,” Maloi continues, gesturing at the spread in front of her, “hindi mo ako kailangan ipaghanda ng pagkain every morning, okay? Ako itong may pangarap na maging mabuting maybahay mo-”

“Shit!” Aiah curses as she accidentally scalds herself with hot water with her shaking hands.

“Ano nangyari?” Maloi asks, quickly standing to fuss over Cupid. She gingerly takes the other girl’s hand and pulls her to the sink. “Ayos ka lang ba?”

“I- uh,” Aiah stammers.

“Diyan ka lang, ‘wag mo galawin ‘yan,” Maloi instructs before leaving Aiah with her hand under the water. She disappears into her bedroom for a moment before coming back with a tube. “Ointment para sa mga paso. ‘Yung Mom ko kasi insists that I keep some just in case.”

She turns off the faucet and leads Cupid back to the table to inspect the burn.

“Masakit pa ba?” she asks, looking up at Aiah with worried brown eyes.

“A bit,” Cupid answers, biting her lip. She feels a blush forming at the back of her neck.

Maloi nods. “I’m just gonna put a bit, ha? Might hurt a little.”

Aiah shrugs, noting the way her brows furrow as she spreads a tiny film of ointment across the burn as gently as she can and Cupid has the dumb urge to bury her face into Maloi’s hair. She shakes her head.

“You okay?”

“Huh?” Aiah responds rather stupidly while Maloi gently wraps her hand with gauze.

“You were sniffing, akala ko naiyak ka.”

“Oh,” she mumbles, mortified. “No, I’m fine. Sorry.”

Maloi eyes her worriedly. “Sigurado ka ba ayos ka lang?”

“Listen, darling,” Aiah starts before her nerves get the better of her, “I’ve been thinking. About you and me. I know you’ve said you felt something for me, or whatever-”

“Or whatever,” Maloi mocks, letting go of her burned hand and going back to her plate.

“Sorry, I- I’m not trying to invalidate your feelings,” Cupid apologizes cautiously. “I’m just having trouble finding the right words.”

The mortal’s brow knits. “Okay,” she encourages slowly. “Anong nasa isip mo?”

“You have… feelings for me, yes?” Aiah asks, hesitant. To which, Maloi just nods. “How do you know?”

“Know what?”

“That it’s actual, legitimate, real feelings?”

“Oh,” Maloi paused in her movements. “Before you were kicked out of Olympus, have you ever had feelings for anyone?” Aiah shakes her head and Maloi hums while chewing on her breakfast. “Wala ka palang point of reference.”

They were quiet for a moment before Maloi snapped her fingers. “Remember when you asked Mikha bakit niya gusto uminom? Ang sagot niya ‘di ba she was lonely?” She pauses and continues when Aiah nods. “That’s the opposite of what I was feeling before we met,” Maloi smiles wistfully. “Masaya ako, my life was going well. I love my job, hanging out with my friends, and living alone in this tiny apartment but when you came along, it just made everything better.”

Aiah blushes despite herself. All she did was leech off Maloi and be lazy. “That’s-”

“Kahit na minsan nahihirapan ako sa trabaho, just knowing na you’ll be here pag-uwi ko is enough to get me through the day. Kahit mag-overtime pa talaga!” she jests, grinning widely.

Aiah tries to return the gesture but her own was brittle and was easily dropped as she looked down at her shaking hands. “Darling, I need to tell you something-” They both turn abruptly at the knock on the door. Maloi hesitates to get up when Aiah pleads, “Just leave it, please.”

Maloi sits back down with a nod when there is a cracking sound that Aiah immediately recognizes and makes the mortal staggering to get up. “Putaragis-”

Aiah turns her head sharply to the sound and barely manages to stand up to catch the tiny woman jumping into her arms. “My baby! Eros, look how our daughter has grown!”

“Psyche, love of my life,” Eros intones from behind, “let our daughter breathe.”

Maloi’s eyes widen in shock as she watches the display in front of her. Psyche in all her doe eyed tiny glory, barely reaching past Aiah’s nose with her shock of pink hair. Maloi’s brows furrow as she turns to look at ‘Eros’, a blonde woman appearing to be of similar stature, with a dimpled, affectionate smile on her face as she watches the two women embracing.

“Mom, Dad,” Aiah beams, “what are you doing here?”

“We came to take you home, of course,” Eros answers, reaching out to give Aiah a brief albeit awkward hug since Psyche still has an arm wrapped around Cupid’s waist.

Aiah’s panicked eyes immediately find Maloi’s heartbroken ones. “Darling-”

“You must be Maloi, I’m Psyche, Aiah’s mother. This is Eros, my husband,” Psyche says with a smile, gesturing at the blonde, “sorry for barging in. You weren’t answering your door and we didn’t sense any sexual energy-”

“Mom, oh my god,” Aiah huffs in embarrassment.

“We’re all adults here, it’s fine,” Psyche waves her off.

“That’s not-”

“You’re leaving?” Maloi interjects softly. 

“Darling, listen-”

Eros bites her lip as she suppresses a smile. “Look at them, so cute,” she says in an awful attempt at a whisper.

Aiah closes her eyes for a moment before turning back to her parents. “Mom, Dad, I love you, really, and I missed you a lot but can you get out for a second?”

“Of course, pumpkin,” Psyche nods in amusement. Eros smiles widely, almost conspiratorially, puts up her thumb at the two before they disappear with another resounding crack.

“Aalis ka na talaga?” Maloi asks, crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“Darling, please listen-” Aiah pleads, reaching for the mortal’s hands which Maloi very easily dodges.

“I was wondering bakit nagbago bigla yung kilos mo,” Maloi harped on, chuckling mirthlessly as she starts to pace. “Bigla ka naging sweet, and you were being so nice-”

Having no choice, Aiah starts to follow her steps. “That wasn’t-” 

“Then you went on trying to make my friends like you-”

“Baby, please just sit down and let’s talk about this-”

“Making me breakfast and acting like my girlfriend,” she spats out, voice rising, and Aiah needs to do something. “Doing all that just to leave me behind-” Just as Maloi was turning the corner, she reached out again to hold her in place. Maloi flinches unknowingly and Cupid immediately retracts her hands.

“I’m sorry, I’m sorry,” she falters, “I didn’t mean to startle you.”

Maloi doesn’t say anything, biting her lower lip as she crosses her arms again. Her ability to read people was rusty but Aiah can finally see it in her big brown eyes. She’s scared.

“Sit down, please?” Aiah implores, gesturing to the chair by the breakfast table. She does the same on the floor when Maloi complies. She sighs. “You scare the living bejesus out of me, have I told you that?” she asks, rhetorically. “I've been living my entire life not giving a fuck, that’s the real reason I was kicked out of Olympus. I didn’t care about anything, I was just there. Even in the court of the gods, I wasn't scared they’d smite me, when they casted me out and threw me tens of thousands feet into this realm, I just closed my eyes and let it happen."

Drumming her fingers on her thigh, she can see Maloi’s attempt to hold back her tears were unsuccessful. She feels a lump forming in her own throat.

“Then I got here and you were all over me,” Aiah pauses, hearing Maloi’s offended scoff. She chuckles. “Don’t even deny it, darling. I was so insanely attracted to you, too, but I can’t do shit about it because I may not care about anything but I do have morals,” she says, huffing like she can’t believe she does. “I would never do anything knowing you were under the influence of what’s left of my powers. Come to find out I don't even have powers and you're immune to me.”

That breaks her silence. “Immune? What the hell are you talking about?”

“Hundred of years before you, one of your ancestors slept with a god,” she says simply. “You have celestial blood, Apollo's to be exact. My powers, if I had any, wouldn’t have had any effect on you or any other person with celestial lineage.”

Maloi’s jaw drops but she doesn’t say anything else. “I have been dismissing confessions, flirty remarks, any attempt at us being closer than we are now because you scare me. I’ve loved you since we first met and you’ve been scaring the living hell out of me,” she chuckles under her breath. “The kicker in all of this, by the way, is your friends are paired, which means no matter what would have happened to me, if I was kicked out of Olympus or not, I would have seen you at some point and fallen for you all the same.”

She stands like it’s nothing, like she didn’t just shake Maloi’s world, and finally, pours hot water on the cup of coffee. Aiah places it in front of Maloi. “You probably don’t need this to stay awake,” Aiah jokes with a half smile before sobering up. “Now, I’m being called back. They want me back in Olympus, crimes forgiven and forgotten because I’ve learned to care,” she says incredulously before kneeling in front of the mortal. She looks directly into those beautiful eyes. “I’m sorry for springing this on you so suddenly. You haven’t even finished the breakfast I made you. And for my parents, they can be a lot. I’m sorry about them.”

“T- that’s- okay, they're fine,” Maloi mumbles, lost in Cupid’s eyes.

“Speaking of my parents,” Aiah says abruptly, standing up and dusting off a non-existent lint on her shirt, “I’ll need to find them and I need a breather, too. Phew,” she continues, actually saying phew like a dork.

“Aalis ka?” Maloi inquires, eyes wide with vulnerability. 

“No, no! I just need to find them before they get hit by a truck or something,” Aiah assures her. “They haven’t been to this realm since before the industrial revolution or something,” she pauses. “Can I touch you?”

Maloi just nods, a blush already forming on her cheeks at being asked for consent. How hopeless she was. Jesus Christ.

Aiah slides a hand to her jaw, rubbing a thumb to Maloi’s blushing cheeks. Aiah smiles, free and relieved, before kissing her forehead. The mortal’s eyes closed at the contact unknowingly.

“I’ll be back, okay?” she whispers. "I'll be back, we'll talk more then, I promise."

—

“Is that really the best move?” a voice pipes up as soon as Aiah steps foot outside. “Leaving your mortal lover after confessing your love for her?”

Aiah doesn’t even turn, just continues walking out into the street. “I know what you two are doing.”

“Well, babyboy,” Eros replies, “that was never a secret, was it?”

Aiah scoffs. “Unbelievable.”

“Babygirl, we’re just worried about you,” Psyche laments. “You knew we could see you from up there and you haven’t been doing anything.”

“So you two had to be the ones to do something?” Aiah rounds on her parents angrily. “Just because you two are perfect doesn’t mean-”

“Peanut, we’re hardly perfect,” Eros interrupts. “Well, your mother is-”

“Thank you, dear.”

Aiah groans, wringing her hands up at the sky. “I know you’re having the time of your life watching this, Lola!”

The sky rumbles, almost melodic like someone’s laugh.

“Ma!” Eros scolds the sky.

What a sight they must be. Three young adults, two of them barely look old enough to be parents of the third, looking up disapprovingly at the heavens. 

“What we’re trying to say, jellybean,” Psyche starts, grasping Aiah by her arms, “is that you need to get your shit together. You can’t go around being all sweet on her and then backing away when she does the same.”

“That’s not what I’m doing!”

“Oh-ho-ho,” Eros chuckles, “stop denying it, my little poptart, you know what you’re doing. You’re much too smart for that.”

“I’m just,” Aiah mumbles, the fight in her body leaving, “scared. She scares me.”

“You could go back with us, cupcake,” Psyche says kindly. “You do have a choice in this. I know you’ve come to cherish your time here but you can come back with us.”

“I know,” she sighs heavily, “I know I have a choice. I’m just terrified of making it.”

“Of course, honey,” Eros nods in understanding, “that’s completely valid. Leaving everything you’ve ever known for someone you’ve just met is bonkers.”

“It’s not bonkers!” Aiah says in disbelief. “You two got married without ever seeing each other-”

“No, my macaron, she hasn’t seen me then, see, your grandmother-”

“Now that’s even more crazy,” Aiah interjects with a pointed look to her mother. She’s familiar with the story. “And we didn’t just meet, I’ve been down here for months.”

“Wait, really?” Eros falters. “Time really does work differently for us, dear. Jeremy Bearimy, I guess-”

“Crisis at hand, dear?” Psyche implores with a smile.

“Not a crisis,” Aiah mutters.

“Not a crisis,” Psyche mocks, “dumpling, you just ran away from the person that might be your soulmate because you’re scared. I’ve seen that girl get in her feels, worried as hell because she thinks she somehow got a young godling sick. She took care of you when you were being as stubborn as your father.”

Eros grumbles under her breath and shakes her head when Psyche turns to her expectedly, daring her to make an excuse.

“Even when your siblings visit, they tell me she’s been taking care of you this whole time and not expect anything in return-”

Aiah’s head shoots up at that, “my siblings, they visited me and I didn’t sense them- and then the two of you, I was trying to tell her but I- I didn’t sense you and I-”

“You what, muffin?” Eros encourages.

“I got sick after Aphrodite visited, I never get sick!” she continues with conviction before her face becomes devoid of emotion. “I never get sick because I’m part god.”

She pauses and her parents’ don’t move a muscle as though faced with a wild animal, as though one wrong move can set her off.

“Or at least, I was.”

“Is it our fault for not sending her to some sort of school?” Eros whispers. Psyche swats at her arm before Aiah turns to them.

“I’m not part god anymore, am I?”

Psyche sighs. “Listen, sweetheart, we love you. You will always be our child,” she says kindly, “but we have known for a while. We just wanted you to figure it out for yourself.”

Aiah palms her forehead. “How did this happen? When?”

“You've been slowly turning mortal the moment Aphrodite told you you could stay with her,” Eros confirms, tilting Aiah’s chin with her fingers to look at her. Eros sees nothing but acceptance and realization in her eyes. "You might not have been ready to say it out loud but your subconscious knew what choice you'd make."

"I've been so dense," Aiah chuckles, self-depracatingly.

“Sweetheart,” Psyche says, smiling, “we were really worried you were actually stupid.”

Aiah laughs even louder before turning serious. “I’m really gonna miss you, all of you.”

“Miss us?” Eros repeats, brows furrowed but smiling. “You’ll be sick of us soon enough, cupcake, we’ll visit often.”

“Take care of her, okay?” Psyche says, stepping forward into her daughter’s arms. “Take care of each other.”

“Of course, Mom,” Aiah says, holding her mother close and pulling her father into the hug.

“We’ll make sure to announce our arrival very loudly from now on,” Eros jokes.

She groans half-heartedly before whispering. “Is that the reason I was sent here? The gods knew I’d grow to care for her?”

Eros pulls back to look at her daughter, smiling softly as she replies, “Little one, some things are more powerful than the will of the gods.”

—

Aiah enters the house quickly before she chickens out. She flattens her back to the door as though to keep a monster out. She can see Maloi's breakfast was left untouched under a plastic mesh food cover in the kitchen table and she sighs. Noticing that the door to her bedroom was ajar, she pokes her head in.

Maloi was sitting on the floor, sorting through mountains of her clothes. She looks up at the former godling with red-rimmed eyes and barely dried tears before avoiding her eyes.

The former cupid immediately hurries to wipe her tears gently. "What are you doing?" she asks.

"Ewan," she answers uncertainly, watery smile in place. She looks up as Aiah take her hands and pulls her up to sit on the edge of the bed. "I just," she pauses and bites her lower lip, "I wanted you to take something of mine back to Olympus."

"Oh."

"This is dumb, isn't it?" Maloi chuckles self-deprecatingly, letting her hand rest on Aiah's shoulder as the latter kneels and rests her own elbows on Maloi's thighs. "You probably have everything you need back there. I just don't want you to forget me."

"My love, I'm sorry," Aiah whispers, sorrowful brown eyes level with Maloi's teary ones. "I shouldn't have left you alone after telling you all of that." She lifts one hand, palm cradling Maloi's jaw as though she was something precious. "I'm sorry, darling."

Maloi can feel tears streaming down her face again as she tries for a smile. "It was bound to happen, okay lang. I knew you'd have to leave at some point."

Aiah shakes her head, eyes dropping to her lap for a second. "You are so beautiful, my love," she replies in reverence. "Inside and out, have I ever told you that? If not, I apologize, I've always thought that. I used to watch my older siblings and wonder why they keep coming back here for mortals when humanity is so fucking messy then I met you and I just-" she pauses and smiles ruefully, "I understood. The rest of humanity, the gods, can fuck right off when I have you in front of me," Aiah chuckles, gesturing vaguely at the pair of them, a former celestial being on her knees for a mortal woman. She gently wipes off Maloi's tears with the back of her hand. "I think I've known for awhile, I just wasn't ready to face it. The moment I was told I had a choice, I chose to stay, I chose you," she states simply, thumb still caressing Maloi's cheek. "This is the most scared I've ever been in my whole life but darling, I need you to hear me when I say this: you have a choice in this, too. I want to stay here, with you, but that would mean burdening you with the weight of me, the weight of my feelings for you and trust me when I say it would rival the weight of the world on Atlas' shoulders. I've met the guy, darling, he isn't having a good time," she jokes, carefully watching Maloi's face.

Maloi opens her mouth to reply but Aiah cuts her off.

"I'll answer any questions you might have about Atlas later, darling, just let me finish this." Chuckling, she continues, "you are so consistent and I truly love that about you. I love you, is what I'm trying to say. I'll keep loving you as long as time itself, if you'll have me," she finishes.

"You can stay?" Maloi asks, eyes shining hopefully.

"Yes, darling, if you'll have me," she repeats. "I know I haven't been making things easy for you, with the avoidance and the being lazy and not having a job and leeching off of you. Not to mention the omission of a lot of things that I should have told you about. You might think I have a funny way of showing that I love you but-"

Maloi, finally remembering she can move, slides her hand from Aiah's shoulder to the back of her neck. She pulls her closer, wanting to feel Cupid's breath against her lips.

Aiah swallows nervously, eyes dropping down to her lips and back to her eyes. "W- what are you doing?"

"Just trying to figure out when is it my turn to talk," Maloi answers simply before burying a hand in Aiah's hair while the other cups her jaw. She leans forward, could practically feel the way Aiah's lips tremble before meeting hers. She feels Aiah inhale sharply against her, hands tight on her sides, Maloi was sure it would be red later but she doesn't mind. Just responds with the same passion, first with the gentleness, then with the hunger of a starved man under a fruit tree that he cannot reach. Maloi pulls back to take steadying breath and Aiah, eyes still closed and lips swollen from kissing, tries to follow her.

Her eyes fly open when she feels Maloi lean their foreheads together. "W- what-"

"At ikaw pa 'tong may lakas ng loob asarin ako dahil gusto kitang halikan," Maloi smirks against her lips.

"I told you I've thought about it," Aiah reminds her with a calm smile, eyes mapping out Maloi's face. "Beautiful."

"I've been yours for the longest time, 'wag mo na akong bolahin," Maloi teases despite the redness on her cheeks.

"It's just the truth, darling," Aiah hums, pulling her close until her face is buried in the warmth of Maloi's neck. "I love you."

"I love you, too," Maloi whispers, wrapping her arms tighter around Aiah's shoulders. "I want you to stay," she says unnecessarily before bursting into laughter.

"What's so funny, my love?"

"Like I'd ever let you go. You’re not getting away from me that easily.”

—

"Honey, I'm home!" Maloi calls out as she opens the door. She's greeted by the same sight almost every day, Aiah tripping over Juyon in a competition on who gets to Maloi first. Maloi bends down to lift Juyon into her arms, letting him nuzzle her cheeks, while she leans over him to place a chaste kiss on Aiah's lips.

"Hi, darling," Aiah says with a devilish grin, warm hands on Maloi's lower back to pull her closer for a kiss that's not chaste at all. Juyon meows disapprovingly. Maloi pushes a hand over her collarbones with a laugh.

"Antayin mo naman maisara ko 'yung pinto," Maloi remarks, closing the door with her feet and letting Juyon go. As soon as the cat was out of her arms, she immediately had them around Aiah's shoulders and lets their lips meet in a kiss that leaves them both a little bit breathless. She pulls back as soon as she smells something burning. "Nagluluto ka ba?"

Aiah hums before her eyes fly open and she runs back to the stove. "Shit, yung galunggong!"

Maloi chuckles, dropping her bags on the couch and taking her shoes off. They had develop somewhat of a routine. Whoever gets home first makes food for them to eat together at dinner. She watches as Aiah tries to save what's left of the burnt fish in her denim apron over her white dress shirt and charcoal grey slacks. Ever since Aiah started working part time selling condos or cars at malls, she started dressing up more as advised by her work colleagues. She had only started working a few months ago and was only really there for display because she didn't know much about cars or condos other than what her co-workers have taught her but has already amassed an absurd amount of commission.

"Do you think my Lola gave me her special blessing that's why people have trouble saying no to me?" Aiah had asked one day after seeing her first pay. She had already managed to sell three cars, by then.

"Would the blessing work on me?" Maloi asked back to which Aiah nods. "Okay, naalala mo nung gusto mong bumili ng absurdly expensive bathtub na wala naman tayong paglalagyan and I said no?"

"Musta work mo today, baby?" Maloi asked, petting Juyon on the couch.

"Sold a condo this morning to a lesbian couple," Aiah replies, turning off the stove and placing the food under the plastic mesh cover to let it cool off.

"Wow! Mabuhay ang mga bading," Maloi laughs loudly, falling into Aiah's arms when she sits beside her. She feels Aiah's lips on the side of her head. "I'm proud of you, baby."

"I could get us a place, too, if you ever want to move out of here," Aiah offers.

"Pag-isipan ko," Maloi says thoughtfully, "I love this place. May community."

"That's true," Aiah agrees, "mamimiss rin ako ng mga ladies sa palengke. They love me so much over there."

"Dito tayo nagkakilala ng maigi," Maloi reminds her, face turning a violent shade of red when Aiah wiggles her eyebrows suggestively. "Not like that! 'Di makausap ng seryoso."

"Kailan ako 'di nagseryoso?" Aiah asks playfully, peppering her face with kisses. "I'm always serious about you, darling."

Maloi ignores that. "This is where you made me fall in love with you, where you gave up your immortality for me."

"Darling, aanhin ko ang immortality when I only want imong labi?"

Aiah yelps when Maloi pinches her arm. "Kahit kailan ka talaga."

"Weh, you're blushing nga!" Aiah teases when Maloi covers her face. She pokes her sides and Maloi immediately puts her hands down to grasp at Aiah's. Aiah, former Cupid and immortal, stops in her tracks, content with staring at Maloi's face. "You are so beautiful, my love."

Maloi sighs happily, hand cupping Aiah's jaw affectionately. "I love you."

Aiah grins wide and unabashed. "I love you, too."

__


I know you know you're meant for me
Marked in my heart like poetry
I'm writing a script for two
Something for me and you
- Chapter You by Wendy