2: Unconditional

     "C'mon Ej, wash yourself first before going to bed." pagpupumilit ko habang hinihila siyang tumayo.

I heard a groan from him, he's drunk but he's conscious.

"I can't do it myself, I'm too drunk Anj." he whined.

Alright, bestfriend duties I guess.

"C'mon I'll help you okay?" pangungulit ko pa.

Sa huli wala rin siyang nagawa kundi tumayo,

hirap na hirap akong itulak pa siya papasok ng banyo because he's too sleepy.

He lazily walked inside and stand under the shower which he didn't turned on yet while I stand there inside watching him with hawk eyes, making sure that he's going to take a bath.

I stood straight there with my folded arms as I watch him pulled up his shirt but stop on his neck when he realized that I'm still standing there and watching him shamelessly, he muttered soft curses while raising his brows at me.

"What? you're going to stand there and watch me wash myself? Jesus, Anjie." he scoffed at me in disbelief.

When he saw that I'm not kidding about staying inside he throw his black shirt to my face.

"Get out, you pervert witch!"

I chuckled.

"Why? I'm just making sure you're going to take a bath, you look like shit in case you didn't know. And it's not like I haven't seen your dick for pete's sake." natatawa kong sabi saka siya iniwan doon.

He curses out loud and I bark a laughter.

Marami sa mga kaibigan at kakilala namin ni Elijah ang nagtatanong kung bakit hindi nalang maging 'kami' dahil sa paraan ng pag-trato namin sa isa't isa. Elijah is my comfort zone, he's always been. Halos lahat na yata ng bagay tungkol sa kanya ay alam ko, at ganun din ako sakanya. Wala kaming itinatago sa isa't isa that's how we're open to each other. Bata pa lang kami ni Elijah kaming dalawa na ang magkasama, halos kabisado ko na ang pasikot-sikot ng pag-iisip niya, kung kaya hindi na rin nakapagtataka kung bakit ganun nalang kami ka-close. I don't mind him being touchy dahil kahit ako ay aminadong clingy kay Elijah pero siyempre ay may mga limitasyon naman. Pagod na pagod na akong mag explain sa mga tao sa kung anong klaseng friendship meron kami ni Elijah, ni minsan hindi ko naisipan ng malisya lahat ng ginagawa namin ni Elijah as long as aware kami sa mga limitasyon namin. Like for example him having relationships, as much as possible I'm giving him privacy to that matter, hanggat maari ayokong umeeksena sa kanila ng girlfriend niya simply because I do respect him. Ayokong maging epal na bestfriend. It's not like I own him just because I'm his childhood bestfriend. For me, as long as he's happy then everything is fine with me kahit pa nga minsan talagang nawawalan na siya ng time sa amin, actually after he met Amber ay hindi na siya gaanong nakakasama sa amin, we barely talk and go out. He's always with her and I've got no problem with that as long as he's happy.

I knocked again to ask if he's done.

"Eli!" tawag ko at malakas siyang kinatok.

He opened the door lazily, thankfully not naked but in his black boxers, gaya nga ng sabi ko sanay na sanay na akong makitang ganito si Elijah but it doesn't affect me. It's not that he's not attractive because my bestfriend is really hot, I mean he's hot as fuck. He's tall with his height of 5"11 plus he got a nice and toned body because of his constant working out, and yes my bestfriend is dangerously handsome too. He's freaking gorgeous should I say but as long as we're not putting any malice in our friendship it's fine. His manly scent from his bodywash attacked my senses as he eyed me sleepy.

"What now?" he ask while raising his brow and a slight pout of his lips.

I walked inside as I took out his shaving cream.

"Damn it, Anj. Do I have to do this at this hour? I can shave it tommorow morning!" he whined but I pushed him to the covered toilet bowl to sit and wala rin naman siyang nagawa kundi ang umupo at manahimik.

"Like I said, you really look like shit." I muttered slowly as I stood in between of his now spreaded legs, I bended slightly as I carefully put some cream to my hands and runs it to his face.

"And I don't trust your words right now so might as well do it with myself." I added softly, eyes focus on his face.

He just stared at me with a scowl on his face while his hands resting on my hips. I grabbed the shaving tool and finished everything till I'm satisfied.

"Now you really look like my bestfriend." I grinned as I stood straight to go get his toothbrush.

He scoffed.

"But I am really your bestriend you idiot." he barked as he stood up too and towering over me and eyeing me down,

Umiling ako at tinawanan siya,

"Well not few hours ago. Mukha ka talagang maligno, no offense." pang aasar ko habang nilalagyan ng toothpaste ang toothbrush niya.

"You should just left you know." he replied annoyed followed by the rolling of his eyes.

I chuckled. That's what I like about teasing him. Sobrang pikunin.

"You can't get rid of me just like that Eli, especially not when my bestfriend needs me." I said sweetly as I hand him his toothbrush.

"You want me to brush your teeth, big boy?"

I continued teasing him but he just rolled his eyes on me and snatched his toothbrush aggresively.

"Get out." he hissed.

And I laugh hard as I walked out of the bathroom and waited for him outside.

I rummage through his closet to find myself something to wear tonight and found his black shirt and boxers, I'm definetely staying here tonight to watch him over. Sanay na rin siyang ginagamit ko yung mga damit niya sa mga ganitong pagkakataon and he doesn't mind at all. Ofcourse he don't want to see me naked on his bed beside him so clearly he doesn't have a choice.

He got out of the bathroom at nagdiretso na agad sa kama at nahiga.

"Finally!" he groaned as he lie on his bed.

Napailing nalang ako at pumasok sa bathroom to take a shower too. I smiled to myself when I took his shower gel, this is my favourite scent of him, mix of mint and sweet flowers.

Mabilis lang akong naligo and soon as I finished brushing my teeth I walked out and found the bed empty, Elijah was not in his room. So I searched for him and found him standing at his balcony staring at the city lights in front of him.

I sighed as I walked through the kitchen cabinet and took the pack of cigarette I hid earlier. I walked towards his spot to join him at the balcony.

"Thought you were sleeping?" I asked as I lean onto the balcony.

He sighed.

"How when I'm seeing her face whenever I close my fucking eyes?" he uttered and my lips form into symphatetic smile to my bestfriend.

"Just give her some more time maybe she'll talk it out to you when she's ready." I advised him.

He throw me a glance and stared at me with those soft eyes.

"Funny that I thought you're going to hate her once you heard our break up. That's one of the reasons why I didn't tell you right away, I'm afraid that you'll hate her."

I lowered my gaze as I pulled out one stick of cigarette, I lit it and smoke beside him.

"The fact that she's the reason why you bought and tried this I should hate her right?" I asked chuckling and I glance at him before releasing a deep sigh.

"But I can't, who am I to hate her when I didn't even know the reason why she did that to you in the first place? Besides I wanted to give her the benefit of the doubt, I wanted to believe that she had a valid reason for leaving you." I told him honestly.

Hindi siya umimik at patuloy na nakatingin sa maliwanag na ilaw ng siyudad sa harapan.

"Besides you love her, I knew it. Since from the beginning I witnessed how you loved her. Soon as you heard her explanations that's when I'll decide to hate her or not." I said smiling at my bestfriend.

"Thankyou.." he mouthed sincerely.

And I smiled at that.

"Thank you for always understanding me Anj, for respecting Amber as well, for treating her nice and now for not hating her. But most of all, thank you for staying and taking care of me." he said sincerely as he took my hand and entwined it with his, he brought it to his lips and kiss it softly.

I blow my cigarette once again and smiled at his sweet gestures.

"I got you Eli.. for life." I winked at him.

"I must say you picked the right flavour, huh." I chuckled pertaining to the cigar between my fingers.

Natawa rin siya at naiiling akong pinagmasdan.

"I remembered it was your fave, and I trust your taste, so I tried." he admit and I laugh at that.

He went silent for a moment. At hinayaan ko lang siyang ganoon, hinayaan kong kainin kami ng katahimikan. Alam kong marami siyang iniisip ngayon, maraming tumatakbo sa isip niya at batid kong nahihirapan pa siyang tanggapin ang sitwasyon niya ngayon.

"C'mon, finish that and let's sleep."

Ilang saglit lang ay sambit niya, pinatakan niya muna ng halik ang ulo ko saka ako iniwan mag isa doon.

I puffed my cigar at the kitchen sink and head back to his bedroom, but I walked first to his bathroom and grab my toothbrush to brush my teeth again because obviously I smoked and I don't want to sleep with my mouth smelling like cigar.

I jump to his bed and tug the comforter as I lay beside him.

"Come here." he mouthed so I scoot over and met his warm body, ipinatong ko ang ulo ko braso niya and I can hear his heartbeat from here, my eyes slowly closing.

"Did you eat dinner by the way?" he asked softly while circling his arms around my frame until his hands rests on my back.

I glance up to look at him and he was just staring at the ceiling.

"Don't mind it hindi naman ako gutom." I replied almost yawning.

"I'm sorry hindi na kita  nalutuan ng dinner. I'll cook you delicious breakfast tomorrow, I promise." he apologize as he kissed my temples.

My eyes are shut but I manage to give him a slight nod and let the darkness of the night took over me.

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❤️