Disclaimer: Written with respect towards the creators. Trese is owned by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldissimo. No money is earned in writing for my ship, mmkay? #TreseFanfiction #MaLex
Title: Under the Yellow Umbrella
Series: Trese
Rating: K
Genre: Romance
Status: Complete
Note: This is an AU fanfic (Alternate Universe) and OOC (Out Of Character). Just for kiligs!
Maliksi Armanaz hated high school. He hated waking up early in the morning, attending flag ceremony and sitting through boring classes. He loathed quizzes, homework and group projects. He hated studying, period.
He knew that he didn't need to attend regular school because his family was wealthy and influential. He could live off his trust fund when he reached 21 and he didn't need math to compute his monthly income. The sheer amount of money in the bank was more than enough to sustain him through several lifetimes.
All he wanted when he grew up was to travel the world and live in relative ease and comfort. He was going to buy everything he wanted and eat wherever he wanted.
He would leave their dreary provincial town in Batangas for a city that was both cosmopolitan and sophisticated like Tokyo or Paris. He would never come back.
Being sixteen sucked. He was not allowed to do anything yet. He couldn't smoke, drink or arrive home after curfew. His parents were very strict and they imposed all of their rules on his life.
Unfortunately, he couldn't do anything beyond school and some extracurricular activities to relieve the boredom of his life.
He sighed to himself. It was a regular Monday morning and he was stuck in school.
It was a good thing that he had a seat inside the classroom that normally hid him from view.
His favorite seat was the one at the back and it was closest to the window so he could observe the school yard below. He liked to watch the younger children playing before their classes started and the gossiping teachers who were on their way to their respective classes.
He rarely paid attention to his classes and didn't bother to excel in his schoolwork. His teachers were always frustrated with him. They often told him that he was smart and it was a shame that he didn't apply himself. His parents had given up in trying to push him to aim for a spot in the honor roll.
Maliksi's saving grace was his interest in sports. He was a part of the football team and basketball team but he preferred to focus on his favorite which is track and field. He was the star player of the track and field team because he was very fast.
At sixteen-years-old, he was tall, slim and well-built for his age with muscular legs. When he ran, he left his opponents far behind to eat dust. He'd won several inter-school track and field championships since his elementary school days.
With his looks and sports prowess combined, he'd also gained a lot of admirers from both sexes.
They waxed poetic on his aristocratic nose, his brown eyes that shone like polished kamagong and his chiseled jaw. They sighed after him when he passed them in the hallway. They sent him love letters on his locker. They tried their best to sit beside him in the cafeteria or in the library. His fans were everywhere.
Another sigh escaped his lips.
When he was younger, he thought that he needed the admiration and adulation from his classmates. He sincerely believed that he will enjoy every minute of their devotion. But just like everything in Maliksi's life, he ended up hating the attention.
He wished that they didn't have silly crushes on him and they didn't stalk him so he could enjoy some peace and quiet.
Class hadn't started yet and he was already feeling irritated by the loving glances thrown at him. In his class alone, he had five people who had a crush on him. He didn't pay attention to them because he didn't want to encourage them.
How can I avoid them? Maliksi thought as he stared up at the blue sky through the window. I can't reject them because that's cold. I just wish they'd stop stalking me.
He perked up when an idea crossed his mind. Maybe I should get as girlfriend to throw them off track.
That was it! A girlfriend will solve his problem. She will be the solution to his boredom, the shield to fend of his admirers and the shining beacon of hope to redeem his high school life. He needed a girlfriend to get them off his case.
The noise inside the classroom died down when the teacher entered the classroom. A petite, dark-haired girl followed the teacher inside and stood proudly in front of the room. Their teacher rapped her fist into the blackboard to get their attention.
"Good morning class," Ms. Santos greeted them warmly. Maliksi was fond of their homeroom teacher who was always friendly and kind to them. "We've got a new student who will be joining us today."
The classroom clapped and cheered as they stared at the new girl curiously.
"Let me introduce Alexandra Trese who transferred to our school yesterday. Be kind and friendly towards her, okay?" their teacher said, smiling. The girl smiled at them shyly before looking down at her shoes.
Maliksi couldn't look away from her face. She had pretty features, dark brown eyes and lovely lips that caught his eye. He immediately sensed that something was special about her and he wanted to be the one to unravel her mysteries.
He had found the one that he wanted to be his girlfriend.
"There's a vacant seat near Mal at the back. Why don't you sit there?" Ms. Santos's voice interrupted his train of thought.
He couldn't believe his luck. It was too good. He thanked the old gods for their blessing today.
Alex nodded and made her way to the back of the room with her head bowed. Their classmates looked at her curiously and some of the girls started whispering to each other.
When she reached the chair beside him, she tripped and then dropped her bag.
Maliksi was on his feet in a flash. He went to her side immediately, picked up her bag and then extended a hand to help her up. She studied his hand for a second before she reached for it. He helped her up and placed her bag on the table.
"Thank you," she said quietly as she sat down.
"You're welcome," he replied in a friendly tone. "It's nice to meet you."
They turned their attention back to their class. Neither of them noticed that their classmates had started whispering as they watched their first interaction. Their teacher remained blissfully oblivious as she started writing down sample sentences on the blackboard.
At the end of their morning classes, Maliksi had made up his mind to ask Alex to be his girlfriend. She was new, pretty and unaware of his growing reputation as a playboy.
He kind of hated being tagged as a playboy when he'd never had a girlfriend ever in his entire life but he was a teenage boy who shouldn't complain of his good fortune. A reputation was still better than having no reputation.
Having a girlfriend will change all of that. He will quash his admirer's hopes, stop the incorrect assumptions about him and be able to enjoy his high school life.
So he tore a page out of his notebook and wrote a note. When Ms. Santos faced the blackboard, he laid the note on top of Alex's open book. She raised an eyebrow at him before opening the note.
"Can we be friends?"
She shook her head furiously. Maliksi watched her crumple the note and it felt like his own heart was crushed. She did not look at him for the entire day.
Instead of feeling discouraged, he felt fired up and he never backed down from a challenge.
She will be mine, he thought confidently. She is worthy.
As days and weeks passed, Maliksi showed significant improvement in his schoolwork and sports activities.
His parents were pleased when they saw that he was finally applying himself and making a name for himself as a handsome, sporty and smart young man. They didn't know that he was eager to go to school to see his crush and he was also showing off to her.
Alexandra was smart and serious. She easily took the top spot from their best student because of her diligence and intelligence. The girls in the class didn't like her but they respected her. The boys in their class were awed by her presence and focus on her schoolwork.
School was Alex's number one priority so it will also become Maliksi's priority.
Alex was true to her word. She didn't want to become his friend although they were seated so close together. They had civil conversations and they talked to each other for group projects but she refused to build a closer connection to him.
It frustrated him but he kept himself in his check. She was like a wild animal in the forest. He had to earn her trust before he can be closer to her.
Maliksi simply observed and gathered as much information as he can without speaking to her. He was not the best scout in their family for nothing.
He knew that she was a part of the Filipino Mythology Club, she liked turon with langka, and she liked sitting in a particular spot under a mango tree in the school grounds. Alex liked to read during lunch in the classroom and she also spent a couple of hours in the library before going home.
As far as he knew, she always went home alone.
He also tried asking their teacher for more information while checking her papers for her. It bored him to death but it was the only way for him to have a nice, harmless chat. Ms. Santos didn't disappoint him.
She told him that Alex's family had just moved into the area, she had five brothers and her previous school sent excellent recommendations. Alex was a very good student. One of her older brothers was also one of the youngest professors in the University of the Philippines. Scholarship was in their blood like magic was in his.
So Maliksi began to read more books, watch indie movies and even read the newspaper. He began to bring books to school so he could read in his lunch break. She noticed his new hobby but she didn't say anything.
Other students also started to notice Maliksi and Alex reading together in the classroom.
When he was busy with club activities, he found himself missing her. Alex never showed any indication that she was ready to become his friend. It only challenged him more to have her accept him into her life.
She didn't even need to be his girlfriend.
He wanted to be her friend.
Maliksi had finished club activities for that afternoon so he had already changed into a fresh shirt and shorts so he was ready to go home. He slung his bag over his shoulder and passed by the library as his after-school habit.
He knew that Alex was in the library with some of her friends from her club and he wanted to check on her.
Thunder rumbled in the distance. Maliksi was glad that he brought a long umbrella today. It sounded like it was going to rain heavily tonight.
When he passed by the open door of the very empty library, he noticed that she was all alone. Her head was bowed and her small shoulders were shaking. He felt his cardiovascular organ clenching inside his chest.
Why did she insist on being alone all the time? Why didn't she want to be his friend? What was the burden that Alex insisted on carrying alone?
He knocked on the door lightly. She still had her back turned to him so she hurriedly wiped her eyes. He was smiling kindly at her when she slowly turned around. "Hey. It's going to rain really hard so you should go home."
"I don't want to go home yet," she replied quietly.
"Yes, I understand but you'll be stranded here. Do you have any umbrella?" Maliksi asked in a friendly tone.
She shook her head. "I don't have one."
"Do you want to share my umbrella? I can drop you off at your house first," he offered kindly. She stared at him with a raised eyebrow. "I just want to make sure you'll get home safe."
"Why do you want to be my friend?" Alex asked harshly. Her eyes were crinkled in anger and her fists were clenched. "I cannot have friends. You will get hurt. This is your last warning."
Maliksi shrugged at her statement. "I don't think that's true. You're just afraid to be close to someone who knows who you are and willing to accept you."
She didn't know what to say to that.
Lightning crackled in the sky and thunder boomed. The clouds looked very heavy and they could smell the incoming rain.
"We can talk about it at another time. We have to go home." Maliksi told her firmly. His senses were going on overdrive.
Bad weather usually attracted bad spirits. He couldn't afford to be in an empty school with an innocent girl. He didn't want to fight murderous, lost spirits in front of Alex. "Get your bag and let's go."
Alex also looked alert and on edge. She grabbed her bag and stood up.
Maliksi was waiting for her at the doorway. They started walking down the empty corridors and hallways. Their hackles were raised and their senses were on overdrive.
They can feel the hungry eyes of the ghosts and the other entities who lived in the school.
He vowed to himself that he will protect Alex.
As soon as they reached the school gate, Maliksi opened his bright yellow umbrella. He stepped under the drizzling rain and motioned for her to join him under the umbrella.
Clutching her bag to her chest , she ran to his side.
They started walking together under the rain. Strong wind blew at them to bring raindrops into their faces and hair.
The storm raged overhead but they remained safe and dry under the protective shade of Maliksi's enchanted umbrella.
Alex felt the telltale tingle of magic at the back of her neck. He was holding up the umbrella and walking casually while whistling. It occurred to her that he was tall because she had to crane her neck to see his face. He sensed her gaze and smiled widely. "Like what you see?"
She didn't reply but her cheeks heated up. "Are you a Tikbalang or not?"
They walked at the same pace through grassy fields and muddy roads. The rain faded into the background like a pleasant hum. Neither of them spoke a word until they reached Alex's house. He only knew that it was her house because she stopped in front of it.
Maliksi looked closely at the old, sprawling mansion that occupied an entire block. It was constructed in the Spanish era and it was well-maintained. He'd passed through this house his entire life so he was quite surprised to know that someone actually lived there after it was vacant for a long, long time.
"Well, are you a Tikbalang?" Alex's voice was soft but it broke the silence.
He looked at her, slightly amused. "What gave it away? Was it my good looks or my equine vibe?"
She didn't smile at his attempt to joke. "I know one when I see one. I was taught that your kind was aggressive and mischievous. You snatch up women then discard them when you get bored. I was told not to trust one easily."
"Oh," he said, nonplussed. "I didn't know about that stereotype."
The heavy rain continued to fall around them. It was early evening already and the street lights were turned on.
Maliksi was still holding up a bright, yellow umbrella over their heads. Alex was standing next to him. Both of them were looking intently at each other. They could be the only people left in the world and they wouldn't have noticed.
It was a moment.
It was an eternity.
"Alex, is that you? Come inside with your friend!"
They both glanced at the doorway to see her father, Anton Trese, waving at them. Maliksi smiled pleasantly at him while Alex nodded.
"Shall I walk you to the door?" he asked in a low voice. She didn't miss the tenderness in his eyes or the longing in his voice. She pretended that it didn't prick her heart.
"No, we have protective wards. Thanks for walking me home." Alexandra's tone was brusque. She stepped out of the umbrella's protective shield and ran out into the heavy rain.
Her hair, uniform and bag was going to get wet but she didn't care as she pushed the gate to their house open. She didn't want him to see her smile or sense her change of heart.
"See you tomorrow!" Maliksi couldn't help but shout after her.
"Tomorrow is Saturday! No school!" Alex yelled back as she reached her house. She didn't see her father's amused grin or her new friend's tender gaze.
Maliksi nodded respectfully to her father and went on his way.
"I am hers now," he whispered to himself "and I hope that I will be worthy."
Sunday, March 22, 2020
[Fanfiction] [Trese] [Maliksi xTrese] The Rogue Horse Files
Disclaimer: Written with respect towards the creators. Trese is owned by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldissimo. No money is earned in writing for my ship, mmkay? #TreseFanfiction #MaLex
Title: The Rogue Horse Files
Genre: Romance
Status: Complete
"Hey Alex!"
Alexandra "Alex" Trese glanced at Hank Sparrow who was waving a book at her. She was on her way out when she passed Hank.
She made her way to the bar to check out what the bartender was holding.
Hank laid the book in front of her with a shit-eating grin and a flourish. She raised an eyebrow at him. His sunny smile stayed at his lips as he waited for her to speak.
"What am I supposed to be looking at?" she asked as she looked closer at the book. It looked like a monthly planner of some sort with a red horse on the cover.
She wasn't interested in using monthly planners because her life wasn't predictable like that.
"Maliksi made it to the cover!" Hank was too cheerful and she didn't have enough kapeng barako in the system yet. She wanted to go back to bed after seeing Maliksi's new business venture. "He's the newest endorser to Rogue Horse. If you buy one case of beer, you will get one planner! They just launched it today."
"Please don't tell me we've got boxes of those things in our storage room." Alex silently prayed to the old gods because she didn't even know what they would do to them. She wanted to shoot whoever thought it was a great idea to give away free planners to drunk people.
Hank rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Actually, we do. We can't return them because the supplier won't even take them back."
If this is Maliksi's way of invading my space, I'm going to kill him. Alex resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose to prevent a growing headache. She stared at Hank sternly. "Return the planners to the supplier."
"Since Christmas is around the corner, why don't we give them away to our loyal patrons?" Hank's shit eating grin came back. "I was thinking we could give them out as gifts and to Mal's pals who are our regular patrons."
Maliksi's ego doesn't need any more inflating. Alex thought with some irritation. She didn't know what it was with the young man who ticked her off. Just thinking about him raised her hackles.
But she saw the practicality of Hank's suggestion so she signed inwardly. It seems that there was nothing she could do but to let him do what he wanted which is to promote Maliksi's new career.
"Do whatever you want with them." Alex told the bartender flatly. "Just get rid of them."
"Thanks Boss," Hank said cheerfully. He picked up a glass and started to clean it with a cloth.
Alex sat down on a bar stool and picked up the planner. She flipped through the book to check out what's inside. The front page featured a handsome Maliksi leaning on an expensive car and wearing an Italian suit. She wondered who was supposed to buy these things and which target market are they aiming for.
Every month featured Maliksi in different styles and activities. It was 100% full of Maliksi's face, style and charm.
"Mal must be working hard these days. I haven't seen him in the bar for some time," Hank said meaningfully.
She put the book down and raised her eyebrow at the bartender. His smile stayed because he was teasing her. "What does he do these days?"
Hank was delighted at her show of interest but didn't stop cleaning the glasses. "I guess I'm an old man because I don't really understand it. Mal's just posting stuff online like pictures and videos to promote Rogue Horse. He's a good-looking lad so he caught the attention of the people. Now, he's accepting invitations to talk in podcasts and shoot commercial videos for streaming sites. Kambal told me that he's got merch too like that planner."
Alex realized that she hadn't seen the Tikbalang princeling for the past few weeks. He was a frequent fixture of the Diabolical's dance floor and bar so his absence was easily noticed. She didn't really care whether he went to find a new bar or whatever he did in his free time. No, she didn't care whoever he saw and whatever he did.
Hank was watching her and noticed a subtle change in her facial expression when he mentioned Mal's activities. So his hunch was true.
He went to the coffeemaker to make a cup of coffee for her.
"What does he do exactly?"
Hank's grin grew wider. He added full cream milk and two spoons of honey into her kapeng barako before he answered her question. "He used to work in a bank but he got bored. I guess he's following his heart now."
Alex snorted in an unladylike way. Hank chuckled as he faced his charge and laid the coffee cup in front of her. She picked up the cup and blew on it slowly before taking a sip.
"It must be nice to be able to choose what you want to do with your life," she said slowly.
Hank turned around so she wouldn't see his face. "It must be great to be able to switch careers just like that. I don't think that I can do that.... I have a destiny and I can't escape it. It's all that I know."
He slowly turned around when he heard her get up to leave. All that was left was a cup of coffee and a planner on top of the bar.
Hank turned towards Maliksi who was hiding in the kitchen. The young man's smile was sad. "I'll just leave the planner in her office later. She's too practical not to use it."
"Sure, that's okay." Maliksi sat down at Alex's seat and sighed loudly. "I feel bad for reminding her about her destiny."
Hank shrugged nonchalantly. "Not your fault, kid. It's probably her time of the month so she's feeling a little down."
Maliksi nodded in understanding. He wanted to get to know Alex so bad that he had befriended Hank, Basilio and Crispin. He was desperate to show them that he deserved an ounce of respect and their help in winning the elusive Trese's heart.
"Why the long face?" Hank's voice broke his reverie.
The Tikbalang princeling resisted a strong urge to neigh and to face-palm at the same time.
The bartender was laughing so hard, he nearly pissed his pants.
"Cheer up." Hank grinned as he cleaned the glasses. "She asked about you and that's a good start. It's rare for her to care beyond her inner circle."
Maliksi's heart raced faster than the speed of light. He felt his cheeks heat up and his palms became clammy. Damn that woman. She always reduced him to an inexperienced binatilyo who's never been with a lady before.
Hank was watching his expression with a merry smile. "Why don't you come back tonight and give her the planner yourself?"
"Okay! I'll do that!" Maliksi grinned, suddenly revived. "I have to go now. Got a meeting at 10. Thanks Hank!"
The bartender waved him off before moving to clear the coffee and the planner from the table. He stared down at the coffee cup, surprised. It was empty.
Shaking his head, he took it to the sink. He needed one ice-cold battle of Rogue Horse for this because he might have some explaining to do.
That sly Tikbalang drank all of Alex's coffee from the same cup.
In their world, it was the nearly the same as sharing a kiss. It was the most intimate thing that's happened between Alex and Maliksi.
Matchmaking was not bad.
Meddling with a Trese's destiny was bad.
Hank was in really big trouble with Anton now.
Title: The Rogue Horse Files
Series: Trese
Rating: KGenre: Romance
Status: Complete
"Hey Alex!"
Alexandra "Alex" Trese glanced at Hank Sparrow who was waving a book at her. She was on her way out when she passed Hank.
She made her way to the bar to check out what the bartender was holding.
Hank laid the book in front of her with a shit-eating grin and a flourish. She raised an eyebrow at him. His sunny smile stayed at his lips as he waited for her to speak.
"What am I supposed to be looking at?" she asked as she looked closer at the book. It looked like a monthly planner of some sort with a red horse on the cover.
She wasn't interested in using monthly planners because her life wasn't predictable like that.
"Maliksi made it to the cover!" Hank was too cheerful and she didn't have enough kapeng barako in the system yet. She wanted to go back to bed after seeing Maliksi's new business venture. "He's the newest endorser to Rogue Horse. If you buy one case of beer, you will get one planner! They just launched it today."
"Please don't tell me we've got boxes of those things in our storage room." Alex silently prayed to the old gods because she didn't even know what they would do to them. She wanted to shoot whoever thought it was a great idea to give away free planners to drunk people.
Hank rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Actually, we do. We can't return them because the supplier won't even take them back."
If this is Maliksi's way of invading my space, I'm going to kill him. Alex resisted the urge to pinch the bridge of her nose to prevent a growing headache. She stared at Hank sternly. "Return the planners to the supplier."
"Since Christmas is around the corner, why don't we give them away to our loyal patrons?" Hank's shit eating grin came back. "I was thinking we could give them out as gifts and to Mal's pals who are our regular patrons."
Maliksi's ego doesn't need any more inflating. Alex thought with some irritation. She didn't know what it was with the young man who ticked her off. Just thinking about him raised her hackles.
But she saw the practicality of Hank's suggestion so she signed inwardly. It seems that there was nothing she could do but to let him do what he wanted which is to promote Maliksi's new career.
"Do whatever you want with them." Alex told the bartender flatly. "Just get rid of them."
"Thanks Boss," Hank said cheerfully. He picked up a glass and started to clean it with a cloth.
Alex sat down on a bar stool and picked up the planner. She flipped through the book to check out what's inside. The front page featured a handsome Maliksi leaning on an expensive car and wearing an Italian suit. She wondered who was supposed to buy these things and which target market are they aiming for.
Every month featured Maliksi in different styles and activities. It was 100% full of Maliksi's face, style and charm.
"Mal must be working hard these days. I haven't seen him in the bar for some time," Hank said meaningfully.
She put the book down and raised her eyebrow at the bartender. His smile stayed because he was teasing her. "What does he do these days?"
Hank was delighted at her show of interest but didn't stop cleaning the glasses. "I guess I'm an old man because I don't really understand it. Mal's just posting stuff online like pictures and videos to promote Rogue Horse. He's a good-looking lad so he caught the attention of the people. Now, he's accepting invitations to talk in podcasts and shoot commercial videos for streaming sites. Kambal told me that he's got merch too like that planner."
Alex realized that she hadn't seen the Tikbalang princeling for the past few weeks. He was a frequent fixture of the Diabolical's dance floor and bar so his absence was easily noticed. She didn't really care whether he went to find a new bar or whatever he did in his free time. No, she didn't care whoever he saw and whatever he did.
Hank was watching her and noticed a subtle change in her facial expression when he mentioned Mal's activities. So his hunch was true.
He went to the coffeemaker to make a cup of coffee for her.
"What does he do exactly?"
Hank's grin grew wider. He added full cream milk and two spoons of honey into her kapeng barako before he answered her question. "He used to work in a bank but he got bored. I guess he's following his heart now."
Alex snorted in an unladylike way. Hank chuckled as he faced his charge and laid the coffee cup in front of her. She picked up the cup and blew on it slowly before taking a sip.
"It must be nice to be able to choose what you want to do with your life," she said slowly.
Hank turned around so she wouldn't see his face. "It must be great to be able to switch careers just like that. I don't think that I can do that.... I have a destiny and I can't escape it. It's all that I know."
He slowly turned around when he heard her get up to leave. All that was left was a cup of coffee and a planner on top of the bar.
Hank turned towards Maliksi who was hiding in the kitchen. The young man's smile was sad. "I'll just leave the planner in her office later. She's too practical not to use it."
"Sure, that's okay." Maliksi sat down at Alex's seat and sighed loudly. "I feel bad for reminding her about her destiny."
Hank shrugged nonchalantly. "Not your fault, kid. It's probably her time of the month so she's feeling a little down."
Maliksi nodded in understanding. He wanted to get to know Alex so bad that he had befriended Hank, Basilio and Crispin. He was desperate to show them that he deserved an ounce of respect and their help in winning the elusive Trese's heart.
"Why the long face?" Hank's voice broke his reverie.
The Tikbalang princeling resisted a strong urge to neigh and to face-palm at the same time.
The bartender was laughing so hard, he nearly pissed his pants.
"Cheer up." Hank grinned as he cleaned the glasses. "She asked about you and that's a good start. It's rare for her to care beyond her inner circle."
Maliksi's heart raced faster than the speed of light. He felt his cheeks heat up and his palms became clammy. Damn that woman. She always reduced him to an inexperienced binatilyo who's never been with a lady before.
Hank was watching his expression with a merry smile. "Why don't you come back tonight and give her the planner yourself?"
"Okay! I'll do that!" Maliksi grinned, suddenly revived. "I have to go now. Got a meeting at 10. Thanks Hank!"
The bartender waved him off before moving to clear the coffee and the planner from the table. He stared down at the coffee cup, surprised. It was empty.
Shaking his head, he took it to the sink. He needed one ice-cold battle of Rogue Horse for this because he might have some explaining to do.
That sly Tikbalang drank all of Alex's coffee from the same cup.
In their world, it was the nearly the same as sharing a kiss. It was the most intimate thing that's happened between Alex and Maliksi.
Matchmaking was not bad.
Meddling with a Trese's destiny was bad.
Hank was in really big trouble with Anton now.
[Fanfiction] [Trese] [Maliksi x Trese] Under the Mango Tree
Disclaimer: Written with respect towards the creators. Trese is owned by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldissimo. No money is earned in writing for my ship, mmkay? #TreseFanfiction #MaLex
Title: Under the Mango Tree
Series: Trese
Rating: K
Genre: Romance
Status: Complete
Alexandra Trese was aware that she didn't do much during her off days because she usually found herself working on the account books or reading the new books that her older brother who was a professor in the country's top university sent to her.
She would usually stay in the azotea of their old, ancestral house in the Trese family compound under the cool shade of a mango tree. Even if it was the hottest summer day in Metro Manila, it would always be cool and refreshing under the tree's large branches.
They had a small marble table set up in the terrace with a couple of chairs. It would always be her favorite spot.
She didn't realized that she had drifted off to sleep.
When she was six years old, she loved to sit under the mango tree to daydream, play and sleep. Her parents told her that they would always find her talking to the nature spirits, playing with the ghosts of kids and enjoying the company of the mango tree who was fond of her.
As the youngest of a brood of six and with four older brothers, she didn't have any playmates of own age so it was only natural for her to attract the denizens of the other world to play with her.
She thought it was normal for her friends to slowly fade away in front of her or to be visible only at certain times of the month. But her parents saw them and accepted them too.
Alex remembered a time when she was seven-years-old when her parents sent her away to Batangas for her safety. She was left to her grandparents who lived in a small, obscure town while her parents dealt with the threat.
She loved her grandparents very much. They lived in a large, sprawling house that looked like it belonged in the horror movies. It was filled with old furniture made of dark wood and lots of curiosities that was passed down to every generation of their family. When it rained, little Alex never ran out of things to play with or dark rooms to investigate.
On sunny days, she would explore outside to visit the fields, the seaside and the town. She would get to know the other kids in the neighborhood and the nature spirits who lived in the woods. She met the sirenas, the diwatas and the other creatures who looked after her secretly.
After lunch, Alex would often go to a field of wild grass to sit on her favorite mango tree. She didn't know why she loved mango trees so much.
She adored it when the tree would lower it's branches so she can climb up to the top and then lower it again so she can jump down. Sometimes, she'd take a nap while lying down on the branches but she would never fall to the ground. The sound of the rustling leaves and swaying branches was her lullaby.
One day, she was surprised to see a young boy around her age sitting on her spot. It was very high up on the tree and impossible for mortal human boys to reach. She frowned when he grinned down at her.
"You're sitting on my spot," she said flatly.
The boy's smile widened. His excitement was palpable. "You can see me!"
"Duh. Your disguise is plain as day. Anyone who has eyes will see you." Alex crossed her arms in front of her chest, frowning.
"Lolo told me that I have to practice my glamour everyday," he told her with a proud grin. "You think I'm just a regular kid. I win!"
"You're not a kid. You're something else." Alex replied. The leaves rustled as the mango tree slowly lowered one of it's branches to reach the ground beneath her feet. She stepped on it and proudly kept her balance as the branch returned to it's original form several feet above the ground.
His eyes were like saucers. He clapped his hands excitedly. "Wow! That's so cool! I had to climb up but you got the tree spirit to get here. Wow!"
She sat down and dangled her little legs at the edge of the branch. The other boy sat down beside her and kicked his own legs excitedly. She wasn't surprised to see hooves instead of feet.
Alex watched as he shed his glamour spell. It slowly melted off the little boy until his true form was revealed. She was now staring at a foal with ebony skin, dark hair and chocolate brown eyes. She was correct in assuming he was a Tikbalang. Only a Tikbalang could jump up that high to sit on the top branches.
"What's your name? How old are you? I just arrived yesterday from Makati. Do you know where is Makati? My papa is so mean. He told me that I have to live here with my cousins until school starts in June." Alex thought that he was very talkative. He looked so excited to meet a new friend who could see him. "But I don't like them! Iglap is a bully and he doesn't respect me. Doesn't he know that I'm older than him? I couldn't beat him up because I'm older so I have to be more understanding! That's so unfair!"
She smiled a little at that. She often heard the same complaint from her own brothers. They were still in Manila because they're focusing on their craft. She was in danger so she was sent here.
The Tikbalang nodded enthusiastically at her story. "I was nearly kidnapped when I was only three-years-old! It was a bunch of Aswangs but my parents kicked their butt..."
She nodded while listening to his story. Without realizing it, she'd already dropped her guard and she started to enjoy herself.
It wasn't long before they jumped off the top branch of the mango tree to drop into the ground. He landed on his feet but she was saved by a tree branch at the last minute. His laughter was infectious. She apologized for making the tree worry but she ended up laughing too.
Her new friend couldn't help but show off the famous speed of the Tikbalang clan. He raced around the field and made dust clouds. She had to close her eyes so she didn't see it. They were both laughing when he came back covered in dust.
Alex took him to the river in the woods to dip their feet in the cool water. Diwatas came out of the woods and the water to play with them. Alex was soaking wet after they splashed around and played in the water. She also realized that the water spirits can control the water level so neither of them were in danger of drowning.
She'd never had so much fun in her entire life.
In the following summer days, she spent her afternoons with her new friends.
They flew a kite. She taught him how to ride a bike. She often lost to him in a game of tag but she won when it was time to play hide and seek in twilight. They played shadow animals, traded ghost stories and pretended to cook dinner using leaves and stones.
He was welcome in their house so her grandparents also fed him taho, turon, peanut butter sandwiches and pancit canton for merienda. When the ice cream man came, they also ate as much ice cream as they want. They would sometimes watch cartoons on their ancient tv set.
When summer ended, Alex's parents came back to collect her. Her grandparents told them about the young Tikbalang foal that was her new best friend. They were glad to hear that she made a new friend before she left.
What was his name?
She saw him in her mind's eye.
A Tikbalang foal sitting on a mango tree's branch with a wide smile, waving at her.
He was my best friend, she thought frantically. I wasn't able to say goobye.
There was a blinding flash of light.
Alex slowly opened her eyes. She didn't realize that she'd fallen asleep in the azotea. It was late in the afternoon. Golden sunshine filtered through the mango leaves. She stretched and sat up straight on the chair.
She could hear the Kambal talking inside the house.
A small, sad smile slipped into her lips. She had a dream that was both happy and sad at the same time. She was dreaming about a golden afternoon in her childhood...
"Hi Alex!"
Her concentration was broken when she heard his voice. It was coming from inside the house.
Then she saw him heading towards her with a serving tray that had a plate of turon and two tall glasses of iced tea. The setting sun blinded her for a moment.
She blinked three times before she regained her vision. When she looked at Maliksi, she thought that she saw a young foal with ebody skin, dark hair and the brightest smile she'd ever seen...
It can't be.
Alex was quiet when Maliksi laid the tray on the marble table in front of her. She stared at her favorite snack as if she'd never seen it before.
"I thought you might be hungry," he said cheerfully. "I thought I'd prepare your favorite turon with langka."
"How did you know it's my favorite?" Her voice was low and full of wonder. I only know one Tikbalang who knows my favorite merienda, she thought furiously.
"I asked the Kambal and they said it's turon," Maliksi replied proudly. He set up the table for her and tucked the tray under his arm. His eyes stared at her lovely profile longingly but he held himself back.
Alex looked up, surprised.
He smiled at her gently. "We didn't get to say goodbye before you left. I'm glad we met."
The Tikbalang princeling nodded to her before he turned around to walk away. He dropped the glamour so she could see his tall, proud form in all of it's beauty. He also knew that she would be seeing the young foal who befriended her all those years ago.
One of his powers was entering dreams. He accidentally walked into her dream while she napped. It also jogged his memory to that season where he met a lovely little girl with a serious frown and eyes that saw through his glamour.
Alex blinked as her eyes welled up with tears that threatened to fall. Her chest tightened and her hands clenched. How could she be so blind? A long tear traveled down her smooth cheek.
How strange to have a reunion under a mango tree in a hot summer afternoon.
How peculiar to know that she'd fallen in love.
Title: Under the Mango Tree
Series: Trese
Rating: K
Genre: Romance
Status: Complete
Alexandra Trese was aware that she didn't do much during her off days because she usually found herself working on the account books or reading the new books that her older brother who was a professor in the country's top university sent to her.
She would usually stay in the azotea of their old, ancestral house in the Trese family compound under the cool shade of a mango tree. Even if it was the hottest summer day in Metro Manila, it would always be cool and refreshing under the tree's large branches.
They had a small marble table set up in the terrace with a couple of chairs. It would always be her favorite spot.
She didn't realized that she had drifted off to sleep.
When she was six years old, she loved to sit under the mango tree to daydream, play and sleep. Her parents told her that they would always find her talking to the nature spirits, playing with the ghosts of kids and enjoying the company of the mango tree who was fond of her.
As the youngest of a brood of six and with four older brothers, she didn't have any playmates of own age so it was only natural for her to attract the denizens of the other world to play with her.
She thought it was normal for her friends to slowly fade away in front of her or to be visible only at certain times of the month. But her parents saw them and accepted them too.
Alex remembered a time when she was seven-years-old when her parents sent her away to Batangas for her safety. She was left to her grandparents who lived in a small, obscure town while her parents dealt with the threat.
She loved her grandparents very much. They lived in a large, sprawling house that looked like it belonged in the horror movies. It was filled with old furniture made of dark wood and lots of curiosities that was passed down to every generation of their family. When it rained, little Alex never ran out of things to play with or dark rooms to investigate.
On sunny days, she would explore outside to visit the fields, the seaside and the town. She would get to know the other kids in the neighborhood and the nature spirits who lived in the woods. She met the sirenas, the diwatas and the other creatures who looked after her secretly.
After lunch, Alex would often go to a field of wild grass to sit on her favorite mango tree. She didn't know why she loved mango trees so much.
She adored it when the tree would lower it's branches so she can climb up to the top and then lower it again so she can jump down. Sometimes, she'd take a nap while lying down on the branches but she would never fall to the ground. The sound of the rustling leaves and swaying branches was her lullaby.
One day, she was surprised to see a young boy around her age sitting on her spot. It was very high up on the tree and impossible for mortal human boys to reach. She frowned when he grinned down at her.
"You're sitting on my spot," she said flatly.
The boy's smile widened. His excitement was palpable. "You can see me!"
"Duh. Your disguise is plain as day. Anyone who has eyes will see you." Alex crossed her arms in front of her chest, frowning.
"Lolo told me that I have to practice my glamour everyday," he told her with a proud grin. "You think I'm just a regular kid. I win!"
"You're not a kid. You're something else." Alex replied. The leaves rustled as the mango tree slowly lowered one of it's branches to reach the ground beneath her feet. She stepped on it and proudly kept her balance as the branch returned to it's original form several feet above the ground.
His eyes were like saucers. He clapped his hands excitedly. "Wow! That's so cool! I had to climb up but you got the tree spirit to get here. Wow!"
She sat down and dangled her little legs at the edge of the branch. The other boy sat down beside her and kicked his own legs excitedly. She wasn't surprised to see hooves instead of feet.
Alex watched as he shed his glamour spell. It slowly melted off the little boy until his true form was revealed. She was now staring at a foal with ebony skin, dark hair and chocolate brown eyes. She was correct in assuming he was a Tikbalang. Only a Tikbalang could jump up that high to sit on the top branches.
"What's your name? How old are you? I just arrived yesterday from Makati. Do you know where is Makati? My papa is so mean. He told me that I have to live here with my cousins until school starts in June." Alex thought that he was very talkative. He looked so excited to meet a new friend who could see him. "But I don't like them! Iglap is a bully and he doesn't respect me. Doesn't he know that I'm older than him? I couldn't beat him up because I'm older so I have to be more understanding! That's so unfair!"
She smiled a little at that. She often heard the same complaint from her own brothers. They were still in Manila because they're focusing on their craft. She was in danger so she was sent here.
The Tikbalang nodded enthusiastically at her story. "I was nearly kidnapped when I was only three-years-old! It was a bunch of Aswangs but my parents kicked their butt..."
She nodded while listening to his story. Without realizing it, she'd already dropped her guard and she started to enjoy herself.
It wasn't long before they jumped off the top branch of the mango tree to drop into the ground. He landed on his feet but she was saved by a tree branch at the last minute. His laughter was infectious. She apologized for making the tree worry but she ended up laughing too.
Her new friend couldn't help but show off the famous speed of the Tikbalang clan. He raced around the field and made dust clouds. She had to close her eyes so she didn't see it. They were both laughing when he came back covered in dust.
Alex took him to the river in the woods to dip their feet in the cool water. Diwatas came out of the woods and the water to play with them. Alex was soaking wet after they splashed around and played in the water. She also realized that the water spirits can control the water level so neither of them were in danger of drowning.
She'd never had so much fun in her entire life.
In the following summer days, she spent her afternoons with her new friends.
They flew a kite. She taught him how to ride a bike. She often lost to him in a game of tag but she won when it was time to play hide and seek in twilight. They played shadow animals, traded ghost stories and pretended to cook dinner using leaves and stones.
He was welcome in their house so her grandparents also fed him taho, turon, peanut butter sandwiches and pancit canton for merienda. When the ice cream man came, they also ate as much ice cream as they want. They would sometimes watch cartoons on their ancient tv set.
When summer ended, Alex's parents came back to collect her. Her grandparents told them about the young Tikbalang foal that was her new best friend. They were glad to hear that she made a new friend before she left.
What was his name?
She saw him in her mind's eye.
A Tikbalang foal sitting on a mango tree's branch with a wide smile, waving at her.
He was my best friend, she thought frantically. I wasn't able to say goobye.
There was a blinding flash of light.
Alex slowly opened her eyes. She didn't realize that she'd fallen asleep in the azotea. It was late in the afternoon. Golden sunshine filtered through the mango leaves. She stretched and sat up straight on the chair.
She could hear the Kambal talking inside the house.
A small, sad smile slipped into her lips. She had a dream that was both happy and sad at the same time. She was dreaming about a golden afternoon in her childhood...
"Hi Alex!"
Her concentration was broken when she heard his voice. It was coming from inside the house.
Then she saw him heading towards her with a serving tray that had a plate of turon and two tall glasses of iced tea. The setting sun blinded her for a moment.
She blinked three times before she regained her vision. When she looked at Maliksi, she thought that she saw a young foal with ebody skin, dark hair and the brightest smile she'd ever seen...
It can't be.
Alex was quiet when Maliksi laid the tray on the marble table in front of her. She stared at her favorite snack as if she'd never seen it before.
"I thought you might be hungry," he said cheerfully. "I thought I'd prepare your favorite turon with langka."
"How did you know it's my favorite?" Her voice was low and full of wonder. I only know one Tikbalang who knows my favorite merienda, she thought furiously.
"I asked the Kambal and they said it's turon," Maliksi replied proudly. He set up the table for her and tucked the tray under his arm. His eyes stared at her lovely profile longingly but he held himself back.
Alex looked up, surprised.
He smiled at her gently. "We didn't get to say goodbye before you left. I'm glad we met."
The Tikbalang princeling nodded to her before he turned around to walk away. He dropped the glamour so she could see his tall, proud form in all of it's beauty. He also knew that she would be seeing the young foal who befriended her all those years ago.
One of his powers was entering dreams. He accidentally walked into her dream while she napped. It also jogged his memory to that season where he met a lovely little girl with a serious frown and eyes that saw through his glamour.
Alex blinked as her eyes welled up with tears that threatened to fall. Her chest tightened and her hands clenched. How could she be so blind? A long tear traveled down her smooth cheek.
How strange to have a reunion under a mango tree in a hot summer afternoon.
How peculiar to know that she'd fallen in love.
[Fanfiction] [Trese x xxxholic Crossover] Hitsuzen
Disclaimer: Written with respect towards the creators. Trese is owned by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldissimo. xxxholic is owned by CLAMP. No money is earned in writing for my ship, mmkay? #TreseFanfiction #TreseCrossovers
Title: Hitsuzen
Series: Trese, xxxHolic
Rating: R16
Genre: Romance
Status: Complete
There was a rumor going around Metro Manila of a shop that grants your wishes. When you find that shop, your wildest dreams will come true (but you have to pay a price).
Anyone might have heard it from their friends, coworkers or overheard it from strangers. Their interest might have been piqued and they might also wish that they'll be able to find the store that sells wishes.
Soon, the whole city was humming with desire and frustration.
When the Kambal shared the rumor to their Boss, Alexandra Trese's face darkened. Her eyebrows knitted together and she crossed her fingers together in deep concentration.
Her bodyguards stood in front of her, waiting. They knew that it was the right decision to tell her.
"Find the shop," Alex commanded them. "Bring the owner to me."
"Yes Bossing," the Kambal replied at the same time. They disappeared from her sight to search for their mysterious new foe.
She sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. A shop that will grant your wish was dangerous. She could already imagine the repercussions on the wishers if they fail to pay the price.
There will be a lot of disappearances, freak accidents and mysterious events happening to her city. She couldn't afford to have a newcomer wreak havoc on her territory.
Alex knew that she should take care of it soon.
A week passed but the Kambal still hasn't found the mysterious shop and it's enigmatic owner. They'd scoured the entire Metro Manila and followed leads from fellow supernatural creatures.
They've even flown as far as Bulacan but they could not find a trace of it. They told her that the spells and magicks that protected the shop must be strong to make it invisible and impenetrable.
Alex simply smiled. She knew that they will say that. It seems that she will have to look for it herself.
She bade the twins goodbye so they could take an afternoon off. The young woman decided to take a walk in Luneta to clear her head. She wanted to be in a public place and in the middle of the crowd so she can gather clues.
When she arrived in Rizal Park, she walked towards the statue of the national hero. The crowd was always thick in that part of the park. As she passed through the throng of people, she realized that she was alone.
The crowds were gone. She was standing in the middle of a road and she was definitely not in Rizal Park anymore.
Wind chimes tinkled in the distance. The silence was broken. Alex slowly turned towads her right to see a peculiar house beyond the gate. Cherry trees bloomed around the house. Wind raced through the street so she was showered by pink petals and wrapped in the mild, sweet smell of cherry blossoms.
She walked towards the house purposefully. It was magic that transported her to this place. Very powerful and very old magic that she'd never seen in her city.
Alex's eyes drank in the house inside the gates. It was a mishmash of Eastern and Western sensibilities with butterfly, sun and moon motiffs. The house was beautiful but strange. She instinctively knew that she was neither here nor there and she was standing in a world that existed beyond time and space.
Her guard went up when a pair of twin girls came out of the house. They smiled at her brightly before bowing. "A customer for our mistress," they said in excitement before they rushed to her.
As soon as their hands came in contact with her arms, Alex shivered. They were not human. The two girls exchanged feline smiles before pulling her towards the house with unnatural strength. Alex knew that it was pointless to struggle when you've been captured.
They pulled at her arms as they walked through the strange but lovely house. She could almost swear that the butterflies stenciled on the paper walls moved their wings when she passed. There were odd objects on display. When they reached the sitting room, the twins released her and sat down on each side to open the sliding door.
"A visitor for our mistress," the twins declared in unison.
Alex didn't move as the door slid open and a sickly, sweet smoke escaped to the corridor. It made her eyes water but she did not show any weakness. She held her head high as she entered the room.
What surprised her was the woman who was waiting for her. She was tall and slim with the right curves that was shown off by her luxurious silk kimono. Her hair was very long and her eyes were red like apples. She was smoking a pipe and the room reeked of opium.
"Who are you?" Alexandra Trese asked, point-blank.
A small smile slipped into the woman's pretty lips before she blew a perfect smoke ring into the air. This child was very honest. She deserved the same treatment. "I am Yuuko Ichihara."
"What are you doing in my city?"
"I am the Time Space Witch. I am the Witch of Dimensions."
"What does that mean?"
Yuuko Ichihara smiled again. "It means that I am here because I have a client. It means that I run a shop that grants wishes."
"You're endangering the population. I am ordering you to leave." Alex replied coldly.
Small shoulders shrugged elegantly. "I cannot leave even if I wanted to."
"What do you mean?" Alex asked. Her voice was low and quiet. Her fists were clenched at her sides. She knew that she had to keep her temper in check.
Yuuko rolled over to her side on her chaise lounge for a more comfortable position. She fixed her gaze on the young lady who was also the protector of this city. Her sigh was soft. "It means that I will stay here until my client comes and I fulfill their wish. That is the magic of this place. I cannot change it or control it. I am merely a shopkeeper."
The young woman nodded, finally understanding.
"My shop will only appear to certain individuals who have a strong wish. That is the condition of my shop. Rest assured that not just anybody will be able to find it. Only humans with a strong will and a strong wish will find their way to me," Yuuko explained as she slowly sat up. "Why don't you sit? We can have a chat before my client arrives."
Alex nodded again and slowly sat down on the tatami floor. Her ears perked up when she heard a cart slowly entering the room. Then her eyes widended when she saw a young man pushing a cart full of food towards them.
Yuuko grinned at her. "This is Watanuki. He's my assistant."
"Hello," Watanuki greeted her shyly. He bowed respectfully to her before he started serving the snacks.
He was a tall, young man with effeminate features and wore circular glasses. Alexandra could sense a faint, aura emanating from him. She realized that he was also gifted with the same ability to see the supernatural.
"What's your name?" Yuuko Ichihara asked cheerfully. She looked visibly excited to eat turon with langka.
"Alexandra Trese." Alex did not eat even if it looked rude. She did not know them so she was still on her guard.
The witch looked even more excited. "You're Anton's daughter! What a pleasure. I am so glad to see that you've managed to escape the Balete Tree."
The young woman tried very hard to hide her shock.
Yuuko waved her hand at her. "Please eat or Watanuki will be offended. He had to learn how to cook those bananas in wrappers for you. I am a friend of your father's."
"How did you know my father?" Alex was shaking from shock.
"My shop opened here sometime in the '90s. He came to visit me and asked for help because he needed something to control a couple of children," Yuuko relished telling the story. She was very happy to see Anton's daughter all grown up and well-suited to her cosmic responsibility.
"Children?"
"Yes, he bought a pair of theater masks that can control bloodlust. That was his wish. I am glad to know that the masks are working well and the children are also well taken care of." Yuuko was always looking after the children of the universe. It was her maternal instincts that kept them out of harm's away.
"The masks came from you?" Alex looked shocked.
Yuuko's smile was gentle and tinged with regret. "Yes. They were for your father. I am just sorry that I wasn't able to give them to him on time."
Alex swallowed hard. She had to go. She didn't want to stay a minute longer.
"You may go, little Trese. I don't have any quarrel with you. I am merely a handmaiden of the universe. My job is neither good nor evil. I am merely here to fulfill wishes." Yuuko told her as she got up.
"Thanks for your time." Alex replied, still shaking. "I have to go."
Watanuki followed her outside. She didn't even realize that he was behind her. He called out to her and she stopped in her tracks.
"Yuuko-san is not a bad person. She's stuck here," he explained with a rueful smile. "So am I."
"Just leave my city when you're done with your errand." Alex gritted her teeth.
"Yes, of course. We had to pay our respects to the protector before leaving. Thank you again for your visit. Watanuki bowed to her respectfully before leaving her alone in the yard.
Alex blinked and she was in the middle of Rizal Park again. In the distance, she could see the twins had parked their car and they were playing Mobile Legends while waiting for her. The little children. The war children that her dad had taken in. The twins who were birthed by war.
She now understood why she met the Witch of Dimensions. In the end, the rumors of the shop that grants wishes died away. Alex also understood that she met Yuuko Ichihara and Kimihiro Watanuki under very special circumstances.
When news that Watanuki had replaced Yuuko, she was not surprised because someday Alex will have a child who will also take her place.
Her role in the universe was neither good nor bad and neither here nor there. Alexandra Trese was going to make the most out of this life as the protector of this city and as the Kambal's only family.
Title: Hitsuzen
Series: Trese, xxxHolic
Rating: R16
Genre: Romance
Status: Complete
There was a rumor going around Metro Manila of a shop that grants your wishes. When you find that shop, your wildest dreams will come true (but you have to pay a price).
Anyone might have heard it from their friends, coworkers or overheard it from strangers. Their interest might have been piqued and they might also wish that they'll be able to find the store that sells wishes.
Soon, the whole city was humming with desire and frustration.
When the Kambal shared the rumor to their Boss, Alexandra Trese's face darkened. Her eyebrows knitted together and she crossed her fingers together in deep concentration.
Her bodyguards stood in front of her, waiting. They knew that it was the right decision to tell her.
"Find the shop," Alex commanded them. "Bring the owner to me."
"Yes Bossing," the Kambal replied at the same time. They disappeared from her sight to search for their mysterious new foe.
She sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. A shop that will grant your wish was dangerous. She could already imagine the repercussions on the wishers if they fail to pay the price.
There will be a lot of disappearances, freak accidents and mysterious events happening to her city. She couldn't afford to have a newcomer wreak havoc on her territory.
Alex knew that she should take care of it soon.
A week passed but the Kambal still hasn't found the mysterious shop and it's enigmatic owner. They'd scoured the entire Metro Manila and followed leads from fellow supernatural creatures.
They've even flown as far as Bulacan but they could not find a trace of it. They told her that the spells and magicks that protected the shop must be strong to make it invisible and impenetrable.
Alex simply smiled. She knew that they will say that. It seems that she will have to look for it herself.
She bade the twins goodbye so they could take an afternoon off. The young woman decided to take a walk in Luneta to clear her head. She wanted to be in a public place and in the middle of the crowd so she can gather clues.
When she arrived in Rizal Park, she walked towards the statue of the national hero. The crowd was always thick in that part of the park. As she passed through the throng of people, she realized that she was alone.
The crowds were gone. She was standing in the middle of a road and she was definitely not in Rizal Park anymore.
Wind chimes tinkled in the distance. The silence was broken. Alex slowly turned towads her right to see a peculiar house beyond the gate. Cherry trees bloomed around the house. Wind raced through the street so she was showered by pink petals and wrapped in the mild, sweet smell of cherry blossoms.
She walked towards the house purposefully. It was magic that transported her to this place. Very powerful and very old magic that she'd never seen in her city.
Alex's eyes drank in the house inside the gates. It was a mishmash of Eastern and Western sensibilities with butterfly, sun and moon motiffs. The house was beautiful but strange. She instinctively knew that she was neither here nor there and she was standing in a world that existed beyond time and space.
Her guard went up when a pair of twin girls came out of the house. They smiled at her brightly before bowing. "A customer for our mistress," they said in excitement before they rushed to her.
As soon as their hands came in contact with her arms, Alex shivered. They were not human. The two girls exchanged feline smiles before pulling her towards the house with unnatural strength. Alex knew that it was pointless to struggle when you've been captured.
They pulled at her arms as they walked through the strange but lovely house. She could almost swear that the butterflies stenciled on the paper walls moved their wings when she passed. There were odd objects on display. When they reached the sitting room, the twins released her and sat down on each side to open the sliding door.
"A visitor for our mistress," the twins declared in unison.
Alex didn't move as the door slid open and a sickly, sweet smoke escaped to the corridor. It made her eyes water but she did not show any weakness. She held her head high as she entered the room.
What surprised her was the woman who was waiting for her. She was tall and slim with the right curves that was shown off by her luxurious silk kimono. Her hair was very long and her eyes were red like apples. She was smoking a pipe and the room reeked of opium.
"Who are you?" Alexandra Trese asked, point-blank.
A small smile slipped into the woman's pretty lips before she blew a perfect smoke ring into the air. This child was very honest. She deserved the same treatment. "I am Yuuko Ichihara."
"What are you doing in my city?"
"I am the Time Space Witch. I am the Witch of Dimensions."
"What does that mean?"
Yuuko Ichihara smiled again. "It means that I am here because I have a client. It means that I run a shop that grants wishes."
"You're endangering the population. I am ordering you to leave." Alex replied coldly.
Small shoulders shrugged elegantly. "I cannot leave even if I wanted to."
"What do you mean?" Alex asked. Her voice was low and quiet. Her fists were clenched at her sides. She knew that she had to keep her temper in check.
Yuuko rolled over to her side on her chaise lounge for a more comfortable position. She fixed her gaze on the young lady who was also the protector of this city. Her sigh was soft. "It means that I will stay here until my client comes and I fulfill their wish. That is the magic of this place. I cannot change it or control it. I am merely a shopkeeper."
The young woman nodded, finally understanding.
"My shop will only appear to certain individuals who have a strong wish. That is the condition of my shop. Rest assured that not just anybody will be able to find it. Only humans with a strong will and a strong wish will find their way to me," Yuuko explained as she slowly sat up. "Why don't you sit? We can have a chat before my client arrives."
Alex nodded again and slowly sat down on the tatami floor. Her ears perked up when she heard a cart slowly entering the room. Then her eyes widended when she saw a young man pushing a cart full of food towards them.
Yuuko grinned at her. "This is Watanuki. He's my assistant."
"Hello," Watanuki greeted her shyly. He bowed respectfully to her before he started serving the snacks.
He was a tall, young man with effeminate features and wore circular glasses. Alexandra could sense a faint, aura emanating from him. She realized that he was also gifted with the same ability to see the supernatural.
"What's your name?" Yuuko Ichihara asked cheerfully. She looked visibly excited to eat turon with langka.
"Alexandra Trese." Alex did not eat even if it looked rude. She did not know them so she was still on her guard.
The witch looked even more excited. "You're Anton's daughter! What a pleasure. I am so glad to see that you've managed to escape the Balete Tree."
The young woman tried very hard to hide her shock.
Yuuko waved her hand at her. "Please eat or Watanuki will be offended. He had to learn how to cook those bananas in wrappers for you. I am a friend of your father's."
"How did you know my father?" Alex was shaking from shock.
"My shop opened here sometime in the '90s. He came to visit me and asked for help because he needed something to control a couple of children," Yuuko relished telling the story. She was very happy to see Anton's daughter all grown up and well-suited to her cosmic responsibility.
"Children?"
"Yes, he bought a pair of theater masks that can control bloodlust. That was his wish. I am glad to know that the masks are working well and the children are also well taken care of." Yuuko was always looking after the children of the universe. It was her maternal instincts that kept them out of harm's away.
"The masks came from you?" Alex looked shocked.
Yuuko's smile was gentle and tinged with regret. "Yes. They were for your father. I am just sorry that I wasn't able to give them to him on time."
Alex swallowed hard. She had to go. She didn't want to stay a minute longer.
"You may go, little Trese. I don't have any quarrel with you. I am merely a handmaiden of the universe. My job is neither good nor evil. I am merely here to fulfill wishes." Yuuko told her as she got up.
"Thanks for your time." Alex replied, still shaking. "I have to go."
Watanuki followed her outside. She didn't even realize that he was behind her. He called out to her and she stopped in her tracks.
"Yuuko-san is not a bad person. She's stuck here," he explained with a rueful smile. "So am I."
"Just leave my city when you're done with your errand." Alex gritted her teeth.
"Yes, of course. We had to pay our respects to the protector before leaving. Thank you again for your visit. Watanuki bowed to her respectfully before leaving her alone in the yard.
Alex blinked and she was in the middle of Rizal Park again. In the distance, she could see the twins had parked their car and they were playing Mobile Legends while waiting for her. The little children. The war children that her dad had taken in. The twins who were birthed by war.
She now understood why she met the Witch of Dimensions. In the end, the rumors of the shop that grants wishes died away. Alex also understood that she met Yuuko Ichihara and Kimihiro Watanuki under very special circumstances.
When news that Watanuki had replaced Yuuko, she was not surprised because someday Alex will have a child who will also take her place.
Her role in the universe was neither good nor bad and neither here nor there. Alexandra Trese was going to make the most out of this life as the protector of this city and as the Kambal's only family.
[Fanfiction] [Trese] [Trese x Bantay] primal instinct
Disclaimer: Written with respect towards the creators. Trese is owned by Budjette Tan and Kajo Baldissimo. No money is earned in writing for my ship, mmkay? #TreseFanfiction #BanLex
Alexandra Trese was very, very drunk.
As she stumbled up the stairs leading to her private quarters, she cursed to herself. The lights were still off on the staircase and hallway landing. She’d forgotten to turn it on in her drunken haze.
It was so dark. Only the moonlight was streaming into the large windows lining the staircase. The Trese ancestral house was done in the Gothic style so there were low ceilings, sparse lighting fixtures and a certain aura of heaviness.
She really hated the architect who drew up the plans for this house. If it was up to her, she would have a house that had high ceilings, large windows for light and plenty of room. None of this spiral staircase and long hallways business. She would have a house that would always be full of light.
Her stomach churned and her head throbbed. She hated drinking but she hated being sober more.
Valentine’s Day automatically turned into Ladies’ Night so there were free drinks on the house. She went to the Diabolical to check on things early on. There were usually crimes of passion committed on this commercial holiday that were both normal and supernatural. She was pretty sure that she needed to keep an eye on her bar and the rest of Metro Manila.
When she was going through the account books, she was visited by an unlikely guest who bore unexpected news.
Alexandra hated herself for her weakness. She hated herself so much. She despised her weakness, her humanness and her traitorous heart.
When she received the news from the messenger, she was cool and collected. She pretended that she was an ice queen, a maiden made of snow. But when he left, she’d clenched her fists so tightly that crescent moon marks bloomed in her palms and rivulets of blood trickled down her wrists.
So she’d bade the Kambal and Hank goodbye way too early.
They noticed the change in her demeanor and felt the subtle shift of her mood. But they didn’t bother to stop her.
Sometimes, women needed to be alone. She wanted to be left alone. She needed to mourn her own loss in isolation.
But she’d known that the Kambal would check on her in the early morning hours when she’d fallen asleep. They thought that she wouldn’t notice but she’d always known. Her boys had grown up into fine, reliable guardians.
She’d gone to Quezon City to buy alcohol, chips, soft drinks and a pack of cigarettes because she didn’t want anyone to recognize her. She’d even worse a face mask. She bought cheap whiskey and salty chips to go with it. Then she drove herself home to that dark ancestral house in the heart of old Manila.
It was a fine thought that she was going to drink alone at her house with ghosts of her family as her companions.
If she wasn’t so angry and sad, she would have laughed.
Even the chosen ones need a day for themselves. Even the last babaylan and the last hope of humanity needed one night for herself. Even the almighty Alexandra Trese wanted to be just a heartbroken woman for one night.
So Alexandra set up her table with whiskey, chips, a shot glass, an ashtray and a cold glass of Sarsi in the garden set in her terrace. She opened the bottle and poured the amber-colored liquid liberally into the ground.
“For the ones who’ve gone ahead,” she whispered reverently.Once the old ritual was completed, she poured herself a shot. Then she lit up a cigarette and started to smoke.
The full moon slowly climbed up to her zenith in the smoggy sky of Metro Manila. She stared at it without seeing it. It was a night of magic, mystery and procreation. That was for sure.
So Alexandra drank as much alcohol as she could stomach. She was neither a seasoned drinker nor budding alcoholic so it didn’t take much for her to get good and drunk. When she knew that she’d finally loosened her vice grip on her self-control, she started to cry.
It was a good thing that her house stood in the middle of a lot so none of her neighbors heard her howls, her growls and her weeping. It was the middle of the night and she was all alone.
When she knew that she couldn’t drink anymore, she decided to go upstairs.
So there she was in the middle of the staircase and stumbling on her way up.
“Alex, are you okay? Do you need help?”
Hearing his voice rise out of the darkness made her recoil in shock. She didn’t need night vision to see his face clearly in the darkness. The five o’clock shadow on his strong chin, his gentle brown eyes and his tender smile. He was standing in front of her in her house like he was meant to be there.
“What are you doing here?” she croaked out. He watched her lean slowly towards the wall as if her strength had left her body. “Bantay, you’re not supposed to be here.”
A small grin leapt up to his lips. “I used to come here every day with my pack. I know this place better than you. This used to be my home too.”
But I didn’t want you to see me like this. “Couldn’t you have waited until tomorrow?” she snapped. “We were planning to congratulate you properly at the bar!”
Bantay’s smile became sad. “I couldn’t tell you in person so I sent Juancho. But I realized that you deserved to hear it from me.”
“What do you want me to say?” Alex couldn’t stop the tears from forming in her eyes. She was so angry right now! “Congratulations on your wedding? Is that it?”
He stepped aside as she rushed up the stairs without bothering to block her. The faintest scent of sampaguita, ylang-ylang, sweat and cheap wine whiffed up to him. His nostrils flared; he couldn’t help himself when his animal instincts took over.
Alex stopped walking midway when she felt his hand catch her wrist. She marveled at his firm touch, his calloused fingers and his warmth… His hands radiated heat and she wanted to curl up next to him. It was a desire so strong that she caught herself before she did something she would regret.
Bantay pulled her and she went to him as helpless as a ragdoll. She blinked when she realized that he’d backed her up against the wall of the hallway. In the faint moonlight, she could see the faintest outline of his muscular body, his metal arm and his intense gaze.
There was regret, desire and love in his eyes. She couldn’t look away. Oh! How she wanted to avert her gaze before he saw the same things. She froze and felt his hand on her left cheek. Her body hummed in response as he caressed the side of her face lovingly. She felt something hot rising at the pit of her stomach and she belatedly realized that it was desire.
He might have known that she would be weak right now but she was still drunk and angry. She was drunk so she could excuse her actions later.
Bantay was surprised when she kissed him. He didn’t try to stop himself from kissing her back or when he pushed her up against the wall. Pure animal instinct took over them.
Was it love?
Was it lust?
Was it something else that drove them to consummate a long-standing desire?
Alex didn’t care. For once in her life, she wanted to claim something for herself. She wanted to have him right here, right now.
She’d loved him since she was a teenager and she’d watched over him as he met that woman. Her dark eyes didn’t miss their easy manners around each other or the future that was meant for them. She’d known in her heart that they belonged to each other. His love was for her, her love was for him and none of it was for Alex.
So she stepped back and allowed Fate to run its course.
Yet here they were…
She shut her eyes tightly. Please, please let me get what I want. This time. Please, just this time.
It was a good thing that her house was far from the street and the neighbors that night. Alex would never be able to explain the howling and the supernatural sounds coming from her house on the night of Valentine’s Day.
Title: Primal Instinct
Series: Trese
Rating: R16
Genre: Romance
Status: Complete
Series: Trese
Rating: R16
Genre: Romance
Status: Complete
Alexandra Trese was very, very drunk.
As she stumbled up the stairs leading to her private quarters, she cursed to herself. The lights were still off on the staircase and hallway landing. She’d forgotten to turn it on in her drunken haze.
It was so dark. Only the moonlight was streaming into the large windows lining the staircase. The Trese ancestral house was done in the Gothic style so there were low ceilings, sparse lighting fixtures and a certain aura of heaviness.
She really hated the architect who drew up the plans for this house. If it was up to her, she would have a house that had high ceilings, large windows for light and plenty of room. None of this spiral staircase and long hallways business. She would have a house that would always be full of light.
Her stomach churned and her head throbbed. She hated drinking but she hated being sober more.
Valentine’s Day automatically turned into Ladies’ Night so there were free drinks on the house. She went to the Diabolical to check on things early on. There were usually crimes of passion committed on this commercial holiday that were both normal and supernatural. She was pretty sure that she needed to keep an eye on her bar and the rest of Metro Manila.
When she was going through the account books, she was visited by an unlikely guest who bore unexpected news.
Alexandra hated herself for her weakness. She hated herself so much. She despised her weakness, her humanness and her traitorous heart.
When she received the news from the messenger, she was cool and collected. She pretended that she was an ice queen, a maiden made of snow. But when he left, she’d clenched her fists so tightly that crescent moon marks bloomed in her palms and rivulets of blood trickled down her wrists.
So she’d bade the Kambal and Hank goodbye way too early.
They noticed the change in her demeanor and felt the subtle shift of her mood. But they didn’t bother to stop her.
Sometimes, women needed to be alone. She wanted to be left alone. She needed to mourn her own loss in isolation.
But she’d known that the Kambal would check on her in the early morning hours when she’d fallen asleep. They thought that she wouldn’t notice but she’d always known. Her boys had grown up into fine, reliable guardians.
She’d gone to Quezon City to buy alcohol, chips, soft drinks and a pack of cigarettes because she didn’t want anyone to recognize her. She’d even worse a face mask. She bought cheap whiskey and salty chips to go with it. Then she drove herself home to that dark ancestral house in the heart of old Manila.
It was a fine thought that she was going to drink alone at her house with ghosts of her family as her companions.
If she wasn’t so angry and sad, she would have laughed.
Even the chosen ones need a day for themselves. Even the last babaylan and the last hope of humanity needed one night for herself. Even the almighty Alexandra Trese wanted to be just a heartbroken woman for one night.
So Alexandra set up her table with whiskey, chips, a shot glass, an ashtray and a cold glass of Sarsi in the garden set in her terrace. She opened the bottle and poured the amber-colored liquid liberally into the ground.
“For the ones who’ve gone ahead,” she whispered reverently.Once the old ritual was completed, she poured herself a shot. Then she lit up a cigarette and started to smoke.
The full moon slowly climbed up to her zenith in the smoggy sky of Metro Manila. She stared at it without seeing it. It was a night of magic, mystery and procreation. That was for sure.
So Alexandra drank as much alcohol as she could stomach. She was neither a seasoned drinker nor budding alcoholic so it didn’t take much for her to get good and drunk. When she knew that she’d finally loosened her vice grip on her self-control, she started to cry.
It was a good thing that her house stood in the middle of a lot so none of her neighbors heard her howls, her growls and her weeping. It was the middle of the night and she was all alone.
When she knew that she couldn’t drink anymore, she decided to go upstairs.
So there she was in the middle of the staircase and stumbling on her way up.
“Alex, are you okay? Do you need help?”
Hearing his voice rise out of the darkness made her recoil in shock. She didn’t need night vision to see his face clearly in the darkness. The five o’clock shadow on his strong chin, his gentle brown eyes and his tender smile. He was standing in front of her in her house like he was meant to be there.
“What are you doing here?” she croaked out. He watched her lean slowly towards the wall as if her strength had left her body. “Bantay, you’re not supposed to be here.”
A small grin leapt up to his lips. “I used to come here every day with my pack. I know this place better than you. This used to be my home too.”
But I didn’t want you to see me like this. “Couldn’t you have waited until tomorrow?” she snapped. “We were planning to congratulate you properly at the bar!”
Bantay’s smile became sad. “I couldn’t tell you in person so I sent Juancho. But I realized that you deserved to hear it from me.”
“What do you want me to say?” Alex couldn’t stop the tears from forming in her eyes. She was so angry right now! “Congratulations on your wedding? Is that it?”
He stepped aside as she rushed up the stairs without bothering to block her. The faintest scent of sampaguita, ylang-ylang, sweat and cheap wine whiffed up to him. His nostrils flared; he couldn’t help himself when his animal instincts took over.
Alex stopped walking midway when she felt his hand catch her wrist. She marveled at his firm touch, his calloused fingers and his warmth… His hands radiated heat and she wanted to curl up next to him. It was a desire so strong that she caught herself before she did something she would regret.
Bantay pulled her and she went to him as helpless as a ragdoll. She blinked when she realized that he’d backed her up against the wall of the hallway. In the faint moonlight, she could see the faintest outline of his muscular body, his metal arm and his intense gaze.
There was regret, desire and love in his eyes. She couldn’t look away. Oh! How she wanted to avert her gaze before he saw the same things. She froze and felt his hand on her left cheek. Her body hummed in response as he caressed the side of her face lovingly. She felt something hot rising at the pit of her stomach and she belatedly realized that it was desire.
He might have known that she would be weak right now but she was still drunk and angry. She was drunk so she could excuse her actions later.
Bantay was surprised when she kissed him. He didn’t try to stop himself from kissing her back or when he pushed her up against the wall. Pure animal instinct took over them.
Was it love?
Was it lust?
Was it something else that drove them to consummate a long-standing desire?
Alex didn’t care. For once in her life, she wanted to claim something for herself. She wanted to have him right here, right now.
She’d loved him since she was a teenager and she’d watched over him as he met that woman. Her dark eyes didn’t miss their easy manners around each other or the future that was meant for them. She’d known in her heart that they belonged to each other. His love was for her, her love was for him and none of it was for Alex.
So she stepped back and allowed Fate to run its course.
Yet here they were…
She shut her eyes tightly. Please, please let me get what I want. This time. Please, just this time.
It was a good thing that her house was far from the street and the neighbors that night. Alex would never be able to explain the howling and the supernatural sounds coming from her house on the night of Valentine’s Day.
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