JE T'AIME

CHAPTER 13

CHAPTER 13

"I APPRECIATE you cooking for me, but, how about the Count?" Tanong ni Dimitri kay Cloud habang nagluluto ito ng hapunan. For some reason, last night, Cloud crashed in his place after getting drunk. Then the Count's butler woke up late, got drunk again, and now, eight hours later, Cloud's cooking them dinner. "How about Lord Jacques?"

Cloud froze for a second but Dimitri caught it.

"What happened with you and the Marquess?" Tanong ni Dimitri kay Cloud.

"Nothing." With a perfect happy smile, Cloud faced him with their dinner. "Let's eat."

Mas lalong tumiim ang titig niya kay Cloud. "Don't lie to me, Cloud. This is not nothing. Ito ang unang beses na iniwan mo ang Conde ng mag-isa. Remember your promise not to leave his side?"

Iritadong inilapag ni Cloud ang pinggan na may pagkain sa pangdalawahang lamesa. That stunned Dimitri. Cloud was always calm and collected, not ill tempered.

"I just need to breathe." Ani Cloud. "I'll go home tomorrow morning."

Dimitri frowned. "Tell me what happened."

Umiling ang kausap. "Drop it, Dimitri. I'll figure it out on my own."

"But—"

"Let's eat."

Napabuntong-hininga nalang si Dimitri saka napailing at napipilitang itikom ang bibig. Cloud was the kind of person that has impenetrable walls built around him. People has no effect on him. Only one man was able to get through that wall and made Cloud care, and that was the Count.

Dimitri stared at Cloud, studying the emotion on his face. "May nakapasok ba sa mundo mo, maliban sa Conde?"

Cloud didn't stop eating. He didn't answer him. Nothing. Cloud just ate silently, after that, Cloud went to open his refrigerator to get some cold beer, then he started drinking again.

What the fuck happened to this guy?

Napailing nalang si Dimitri, kapagkuwan ay napatingin sa cellphone niya na nasa gilid ng kama na nag-iingay.

Dimitri stood up to answer the call. It was the Marquess.

"Hey." The Marquess' tone was unpleasant as ever. "Is Cloud still with you?"

Napatingin siya sa lalaking umiinom ng beer habang nanunood ng pelikula. "Yeah. Why?"

"He's not answering my call." There was a hint of sadness in the Marquess' voice, making Dimitri frown.

"Well," Dimitri sighed. "He's not talking, but it seems like he's not in a good mood right now."

Natahimik ang nasa kabilang linya ng ilang segundo bago nagsalita. "Did, ahm, did he sleep in your place last night?"

"Yeah."

"You two share a bed?"

Dimitri was getting more confused by the Marquess' questions, but he still answered. "Yeah. Why?"

"Nothing. Ahm ... bye."

"...yeah, bye."

When the phone call ended, Dimitri was even more confused. "Hey, Cloud?"

"Mmm?"

"The Marquess just called."

Cloud tensed before relaxing, "yeah?"

"Yeah. He's looking for you. Maybe it's time for you to go home?" Dimitri suggested. "Looks like the Marquess' misses you." He joked.

Cloud snorted. "Yeah, right." Then he sighed. "Just let me stay here tonight. I'll go home tomorrow."