Archive of Our Own

It had only been a week in L.A., but it already felt longer than it should. 

It’s the kind of long that stretches quietly between packed schedules and late-night silences, until even the smallest things start to feel heavier than they are.

Between intense training and pre-arranged commitments, homesickness slipped in the way it always does. First in the breaks between rehearsals, then in the cravings they could not quite shake off. Not just for home, or their pets, but for something that felt familiar in a way nothing around them currently did.

So Stacey decided quickly and with more heart than announcement.

“Filipino dinner tayo tonight.”

She said it casually, like it was just another plan in a long list of plans, but the effect was immediate, almost visible in the way the house seemed to wake up around her.

Adobo. Sinigang. Laing.

They did not say it out loud, but each of them started imagining something comforting. 

They were banned from the kitchen almost immediately. 

“One-woman job,” Stacey said as she tied her hair back, already slipping into focus. 

“Maraming kamay, maraming mali.” Her gaze landed, very deliberately, on Jhoanna. “Lalo ka na, Jho.”

“Grabe ka naman sakin, Staks,” Jhoanna mumbles, though the way she lingered for half a second longer before leaving made it obvious she had every intention of sneaking back in if given the chance.

With the kitchen declared off-limits, the girls scattered into their own pockets of comfort, each of them settling into something that required nothing from them.

Gwen and Mikha disappeared into their room without discussion, because for them, free time had always meant sleep, and sleep had always been sacred.

Maloi found a spot by the pool, book in hand, while Colet sat beside her with earphones in, claiming silence like it was something she had to actively protect.

Aiah, on the other hand, chose movement, chasing a new PR with determination that left no room for distraction. It’s as if numbers and progress were something she could control in a world that often moved too fast and expected too much.

And somewhere in the middle of it all, the rest of the bunso line settled for TikTok, laughter bubbling easily between them until Sheena convinced Jhoanna to do a trend she had no intention of refusing.

“Isa lang,” Sheena promised, already too excited.

“Isa mo mukha mo,” Jhoanna shot back, even as she adjusted the camera with practiced ease, proving once again that resistance, in this house, was often just a formality.

Back in the kitchen, Stacey moved with quiet familiarity, the kind that comes from doing something not because you have to, but because you want to.

A little bit of this.
A little more of that.
Salt. Pepper.

And something else, something that could not be measured or seen, but was always there in everything she made.

Love. Steady and unspoken.

“Jhooo…” Her voice carried through the house, soft at first, like she expected an answer right away.

None came.

“Jhoanna!” Still nothing.

Stacey frowned slightly, glancing toward the living room where she was sure she had seen her just moments ago, before shaking her head and returning to what she was doing.

Asan na kaya yun?

She let it go, choosing instead to focus on plating, on the simple excitement of finally being done and getting to share something she had made for her girls.

“Jhoanna…” She called one more time. Footsteps followed.

Finally.

She looked up, already expecting…and paused. Blinking once. Then again.

“…Ate Colet?”

Standing there, completely unbothered, was Colet. In pigtails. With ribbons. An unreasonable amount of ribbons.

“Wag ka na magtanong,” Colet said, flat and resigned in a way that suggested this had not been her idea. “Gusto ni Sheena.”

That was explanation enough.

Stacey tried to hold it in, she really did, but the image in front of her was too much, too unexpected, too perfectly ridiculous.

She laughed.

Because Colet, their intimidating ate, now looked like she had been styled by someone with unlimited enthusiasm and zero restraint.

Colet ignored her and turned her attention to the table, hope still lingering despite everything.

Please let it be adobo…

Then she saw it. And froze.

“Ampalaya, bai,” Aiah’s voice came from beside her, soft and tragic, as if she had just witnessed something irreversible.

Their eyes met.

No words needed.

Vegetables.

Gulay.

They were eating gulay tonight.

“Ate Aiah, tapos ka na mag workout? Sakto, kakain na.” Stacey continued serving, completely unaware of the silent crisis unfolding in front of her.

Aiah reacted first, quickly and decisively.

“Shower muna ako. Para tuloy-tuloy na.” And before anyone could stop her, she was already gone.

“Aiah, hoy!” Too late. Colet watched her leave, betrayal settling deep. “Bantay lang jud ka nako.”

Then Stacey turned back to her.

“Te Colet, upo na. Tawagin ko na yung iba.”

Opportunity. Perfect and immediate.

“Ako na, Staks. Akyatin ko lang sila. Si Maloi nasa pool. Loiii!”

And just like that, she was gone too.

Maloi came in shortly after, her steps slower than usual and before she could even say anything, Stacey saw it immediately.

Red eyes. Puffy. Still glassy like the tears had only just stopped.

And just like that, something in her chest tightened.

“Hala, napano ka Ate Maloi?” The question came out quick, almost instinctive, because lately, that look had started to mean something else too. Not just pagod, but the kind of hurt that came from things they could not always control. The kind that followed them even here.

“Di ako ni-warn ni Jho, nakakaiyak pala yung libro.” Maloi tried to play it off, even managing a small, breathless laugh, but her voice still wavered at the edges, and for a second too long, Stacey did not respond.

She was looking. Really looking. Searching for something more, something that would confirm or deny the thought that had already crossed her mind before she could stop it.

“Yung libro ba talaga?”

It was a careful question, because it was not just about the book anymore. It was about everything else that had come before it. The past months. The noise. The way tears had not always been simple.

Maloi met her eyes and nodded, more certain. “Oo, yung libro lang talaga.”

A beat passed, just enough for Stacey to let that settle, to convince herself to believe it. “Sige… drink ka muna ng water tapos kain na tayo.”

“Kayo na muna. Idlip lang ako saglit. Parang na-drain ako.” She stepped closer and hugged Stacey briefly before moving to the couch and curling into herself, tucking her legs in the way she always did when she needed to feel safe, or small, or just quiet.

Even with the reassurance, Stacey found herself watching for a second longer than necessary, just to make suree. Because she knew her Ate Maloi. Soft girl. Soft heart. In a world that had not always been gentle with them, sometimes that softness came with weight.

Kahit sampu lang tayong Loicey, ako ang number one fan mo, ate.

By the time Jhoanna and Sheena arrived, the table was already set, every plate in place, the food neatly arranged. Everything was ready. Everything except the energy Stacey had imagined when she started cooking.

Stacey sat there, phone in hand, scrolling through something she was not really paying attention to. Her posture was relaxed in a way that looked practiced more than natural, like she was trying to fill the silence before anyone else could notice it.

Too quiet. Too composed.

Sheena's presence occupied the space immediately. “Alam nyo, nagpustahan pa si Ate Maloi and Ate Colet kung adobo or sinigang.”

She laughed, walking closer to the table, still mid-sentence, still light. Then she saw the dish. She stopped. “…hala.”

Gulay.

The shift was subtle, but it was there. And Stacey saw it. Of course she did. But when she spoke, her voice came out easy, almost teasing, as if nothing had changed at all.

“Bakit, ayaw mo?” she asked, glancing up briefly before returning her eyes to her phone.

Sheena recovered quickly. “Hindi ah! Pero…” she trailed off, already thinking of an escape. “Balik muna ako sa taas. Gisingin ko lang si bebe tsaka si Mikhs. Una na kayo ni Ate Jho kumain.”

“Di ba tinry na natin kanina?” Jhoanna pointed out.

“Go lang, Shee. Di yun nagising kasi si Jho gumising,” Stacey said, the joke delivered on cue, the tone almost right.

Almost.

Sheena laughed, taking it at face value, already halfway out of the dining area.

“Wait lang ah!” she called, heading upstairs. And just like that, she was gone.

The space she left behind felt quieter than before. Heavier.

Jhoanna did not speak right away. She watched. The way Stacey’s smile had disappeared the second Sheena turned her back. The way her shoulders dropped, just slightly, like she had been holding something in and did not need to anymore.

That was all it took.

“Huy, Staks,” Jhoanna said, softer now, stepping closer. “Okay ka lang?”

“Mmh.” Still not looking up.

“Ba’t ang quiet mo?” No answer.

So Jhoanna did what she always did when things felt just a little too serious for comfort. 

She flicked her forehead.

“Ano ba, Jhoanna!” There it was.

Flick.

“Jho, wag nga…”

Flick.

And just like that, the tension cracked, the moment shifting into something easier to hold.

Stacey lunged. Jhoanna ran.

For a moment, everything else disappeared, replaced by laughter, by the kind of chaos that only existed when they let it.

“Tama na!”

Ceasefire.

Even as the laughter faded, Jhoanna knew. Something was still there.

They ended up in the living room, close in the way they always were, boundaries blurred in a way that no one questioned anymore.

Jhoanna sat on the armrest, one arm hooked around Stacey’s neck, her leg draped casually over hers as if proximity alone could fix whatever felt off.

“Staks,” she said, softer now. “Ba’t di ka namamansin?”

Stacey sighed, glancing at Maloi before looking back at her.

“…Parang ayaw nila ng niluto ko.” It was simple. Honest. And heavier than expected. “Una si Ate Aiah…tapos si Ate Colet…si Ate Maloi tulog…si bebe umakyat ulit…”

Her voice dipped slightly. “Pinaghirapan ko ’yon.”

Jhoanna did not interrupt. Did not joke. She just stayed. Closer.

“Gusto ko lang naman sana sabay tayong kumain.” And there it was. Not about the food. Never just about the food.

“Gets kita, Staks,” Jhoanna said gently. “Miss ko rin yun.” A pause. “Ano ba niluto mo?”

“Pinakbet.” Silence.

“…Patay.” Too honest. Too quick.

Stacey caught it immediately. “Tingnan mo. Maski ikaw ayaw.”

“Uy, gusto ko kaya yan. Luto mo yan eh, syempre gugustuhin ko yan and gusto ko rin kasama ang girls.” Jhoanna held her hands, grounding, steady. “Thank you for taking care of us, Staku. Kahit gulay pa ’yan, kakainin ko lahat yan.”

Stacey softened. “Thank you, Jho.” They hugged.  Then, just as quickly, she pushed her away.  “Ew. Baho mo. Maligo ka nga.”

“Wow ha.”

Jhoanna stood there for a second after Stacey walked back to the dining area, watching her go. She took in the way Stacey carried herself like nothing had happened when Jhoanna knew something had, even if it was unintentional, and decided right then that she was not going to let the night end like that.

Pakainin ang BINI ng pinakbet. Mission accepted.

She started with Maloi. The easiest, she thought.

Maloi was still curled up on the couch, one arm tucked under her cheek, breathing steadily. Jhoanna crouched beside her and started with gentle pokes.

“Te Maloi…Ate…psst, gising.” Maloi swatted at her hand without opening her eyes.

“Jho, stop.” But Jhoanna did not.

“Ate, sige na please. Kain na tayo. Sabay tayo nila Staku.” No response.

So she shifted tactics, voice softening, slipping into the tone she knew Maloi could never fully ignore. 

“Te Maloi naman eh…please? Magtatampo ako sa’yo. Sige ka.” That did it.

Maloi cracked one eye open, squinting at her. “Di mo nga sinabi sa akin nakakaiyak yung libro.”

“Ay, sorry na. Bawi ako. Kain na tayo, please?” A beat. A sigh.

Then, slowly, Maloi pushed herself up. “Oo na. Tara na.”

Jhoanna grinned, already counting that as one win.

“Wait, pababain ko muna sila Ate Colet.” 

Maloi shook her head, already moving toward the table. 

“Pasalamat ka, Jho isa ka sa kahinaan ko.” She whispers mostly to herself.

Next stop, Colet and Sheena.

One knock, then Jhoanna pushed the door open.

“Bebe, baba na.” Sheena immediately pulled the blanket over her head.

“Ayaw. Ate Colet o, si Ate Jho.” Colet, lying on her side, did not even bother pretending.

“Jho, gulay kasi.” There it was. Honest. Straightforward. Very Colet.

Jhoanna crossed her arms, expression shifting in an instant. Leader mode.

“Gulay na pinaghirapan lutuin ni Staku para sa atin.” No reaction. She took a step closer.

“Ayaw ko rin naman ng gulay.” That got their attention. “But that’s what she made. So that’s what we’re eating.”

Silence. Then, softer, but no less firm. “And Shee…gusto mo di ba na mag-bonding tayo? Eto na yun. Steak man or pinakbet, pareho lang yan kung sabay tayong kakain.”

She did not wait for a response. She just turned and walked out. Behind her, Sheena groaned from where she was sprawled.

“Ate Colet…” But she was already sitting up. Because even if she complained, she always followed. It had always been like that.

Ate Jho said eat, so we eat. 

“Baba na tayo,” Colet muttered, already getting up. Sheena stretched, dragging herself to her feet, still half-dramatic about it.

First born, Colet thought quietly, watching her with fondness.

Gwen was next.

Jhoanna entered quietly, almost instinctively lowering her voice the moment she saw her.

“Gwenny…wake up ka na. Kakain na.” She shook her shoulder gently. Nothing.

“Gwenny…” Another shake. Still nothing. 

Jhoanna frowned slightly, about to try again, when suddenly the bed dipped behind Gwen.

Sheena.

“Bebe…” Sheena wrapped her arms around her, voice soft in a way that only existed for moments like this. “Wake up na.”

Gwen stirred almost immediately, letting out a sleepy sound before turning into the embrace.

“Good morning sayo…”

Jhoanna blinked.

“Ah, ganun?” 

Sheena just grinned.

“Nagluto si Staku. Sabay tayong kakain.”

Gwen groaned, burying her face deeper into the pillow for half a second before finally pushing herself up.

“Fine…” even as she complained, she was already moving because Sheena will be there. And that had always been enough.

Sasamahan si bebe mula PBB hanggang saan nya gusto.

That left Aiah and Mikha. The farthest room. 

Jhoanna knocked and waited for a response. “Ate Aiah?”

Aiah opened it almost immediately, fresh from the shower, hair still damp. Behind her, Mikha was buried under the blanket, a hint of red hair peeking out like a warning sign.

“Kain na tayo, Ate,” Jhoanna said, already stepping inside, a small dog plushie catching her attention from the vanity.

Aiah hesitated, glancing back.

“You girls go ahead na lang. Sabay na lang ako paggising ni Mikha.”

There was something protective in the way she said it, like it was the most natural thing in the world to match Mikha’s pace, to wait until she was ready.

Because she always did. Because it was a known secret that Mikha Lim is Aiah’s favorite bunso.

On the bed, Mikha shifted slightly under the covers, still deep in sleep, still untouched by the noise around her. 

Before Jhoanna could respond, Colet’s voice cut in from behind her. “Sabay daw tayong walo. Tara na, bai. Gisingin mo na rin yang bunso mo.” 

Aiah looked from one face to another, the decision already made for her. No escape.

Jhoanna, meanwhile, had already picked up the plushie, tossing it lightly from one hand to the other, a grin slowly forming as an idea settled in.

“Five minutes,” she said, backing toward the door. “Hintayin namin kayo sa baba.”

Then, without warning. She threw the plushie. Direct hit. 

Square on Mikha’s face.

“Service ace!” 

Aiah looked horrified. “Jhoanna!”

But Jhoanna was already gone, laughter trailing behind her as she slipped out of the room before retaliation could happen.

The room fell quiet again. Aiah turned back slowly. Mikha had barely moved.

Aiah exhaled, somewhere between disbelief and fondness, as she walked over, sitting at the edge of the bed.

“Grabe,” she murmured, gently pulling the blanket down just enough to see her face. “Tulog mantika ka talaga, Mikha Lim.”

Her hand hovered for a second before lightly brushing Mikha’s hair away.

Colet came down first, steady as always, with Sheena right behind her, still muttering something under her breath about gulay and fairness, and trailing just a step behind them was Gwen, hair slightly messy, eyes still heavy with sleep, and very clearly not happy about being awake.

She did not even make it fully to her seat before she spoke.

“Staku,” Gwen called out, voice thick with sleep and just a hint of accusation, “akala ko magkakampi tayo?” She dropped into her chair with a soft thud, arms crossing as she pouted. “Ganda na ng tulog ko.”

The complaint hung in the air, half-serious, half-lambing, the kind that only Gwen could pull off without it sounding like an actual protest.

Stacey looked up, caught between amusement and guilt, before immediately softening.

“Sorry na, Dhai Bhie,” she said, a small smile breaking through. “Masarap to, promise.”

Gwen squinted at her for a second longer, like she was deciding whether to hold onto the grudge or let it go. 

“…Sige,” she finally muttered, reaching for her utensils anyway.

Colet snorted as she took her seat. “Ang dali talaga kausap nito.”

“That’s very eyyable of you, bebe.” Sheena laughed, sliding into her own chair. 

You will always be eyyable to me, bebe. 

By the time Jhoanna made it back down, the table was almost ready. Maloi was talking animatedly with Stacey as Sheena and Colet’s attention was on Gwen.  

Jhoanna watched the exchange as she washed her hands, the corners of her lips lifting slightly, before making her way to her seat beside Stacey like it was the most natural place for her to be.

“Diba?” she whispered lightly, nudging her. “Sabi ko sayo.” I will always have your back, Staks.

Stacey huffed, but this time, there was no mistaking it. There was a smile there now and a sweet memory echoing in her head. Iyak-iyak ka pa, habang buhay naman tayong magkasama.

Forever with Jhoanna and BINI doesn't sound so bad.

A few minutes later, footsteps echoed from the stairs.

Aiah appeared first, one hand gripping the sleeve of Mikha’s pajama, dragging her along like a very uncooperative piece of luggage. Mikha looked half-awake, eyes barely open, hair a mess, walking purely on instinct.

As they passed by Jhoanna, Mikha suddenly lifted her hand and tried to smack the back of her head. Fast. Precise. But Aiah was faster. She yanked her forward. “Behave.”

“Sayang,” Mikha muttered, already plotting. She sat down, then slowly raised a fist toward Jhoanna, eyes narrowed in sleepy revenge.

“Ate Aiah, yung manok mo o,” Maloi sang from across the table.

Mikha immediately dropped her hand and looked away. “Innocent.” She muttered.

“Tama na kayong dalawa,” Aiah warned in her Ate tone, but her body was poised like she was ready to defend Mikha at a moment’s notice.

“Thank you, Ate Aiah,” Mikha told her favorite Ate with a grin, then secretly stuck her tongue out at Jhoanna.

Aiah gave her a gentle smile, and Mikha felt a small warmth settle in her chest. I will burn everything just to keep that smile on your face, Ate Aiah.

Noise filled the room again, natural and easy and exactly what it was supposed to be.

Before it could spiral further, Colet spoke up. “Prayer muna. Ikaw na mag lead, Shee”

Maloi watched her quietly. Thank you for keeping this little family in check, Col. 

Sheena groaned softly, but as she glanced at the full table, at the people who had become her home in ways she could not fully explain, she smiled.

“In the name of the Father…”

Eight heads bowed.

Eight voices quiet.

Eight hearts, finally, in the same place.

“All this we pray, Amen.”

“Thank you, Staks,” Maloi started. The others followed, their voices overlapping, sincere in a way that mattered more than anything else.

Stacey raised a brow. “Kahit gulay?” A chorus of groans answered her.

“Ughhh!”

“Staks naman!”

“Pwede bang next time…”

But the laughter that followed said everything. Because in the end, it was never about what was on the table. It was about who was around it.

About the way they showed up, even when they did not want to, even when it was easier to stay upstairs or pretend to still be asleep.

About choosing, again and again, to sit down together anyway at a table for eight. Always eight.