There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 100 - 97. Anger Management

Chapter 100: Chapter 97. Anger Management

Trinity’s third-level basement was almost like a different world on its own.

For a start, it was huge. An arena that was enough for friendly competition between espers of any type was set in the middle. Three sides of the arena were filled with doors leading to private training chambers of various sizes; from one that was enough for meditation, to one that could contain a destructive skill.

For that, the whole area was made of reinforced material that could withstand esper’s mana, as well as fitted with barrier formations. Should a high emergency occur, the place would be the safest bunker in eastern Althrea. An arsenal, a medical center, and a logistic warehouse were there too, both to be accessed by the espers and for emergencies.

When Zein came down to this place, Lex had already waited in front of the elevator. Without further ado, they walked straight to Bassena’s training chamber, garnering a look from the few high-star espers using the area today. Seeing Zein following Lex, they knew instantly where the guide was heading, and watched in interest.

Unlike the other rooms, Bassena’s room was only accessible to him, and wasn’t allowed to be used by anyone. It was because the room had much more mana-resistant material, catering to the saint-class destructive power. It could only be opened from the inside unless they used the guildmaster’s key card. All means of communication were cut off inside the training chamber to allow the espers undivided focus, and the only way to contact the room was through the intercom beside the door.

The door to Bassena’s private room was noticeable from how further away the other doors were. There was also no waiting list screen for scheduled usage in front of it since he was the only user. And no one--no one--would ever disturb Bassena Vaski’s training time unless it was a total emergency.

Or so they thought.

In front of the intercom, Lex pushed the speaker button for Zein. "Bas," the guide spoke calmly, and did not delay in his demand. "Let me in."

Zein did not bother with courtesy or sweet words. It didn’t suit him and only sounded empty. But he had confidence that Bassena would unlock the door, for all the feelings that the esper had for him.

Although, on the occasion that it wasn’t, then...well, what could he do? He’d just wait until Bassena came out. He could bombard the esper’s commlink with messages if he must, although he rarely used the massaging app.

Fortunately, not long after, a beeping sound came from the door, to the silent exclaim of the other espers. So as long as it was the right person, they could disturb the Serpent Lord with no problem?

Without wasting any more time, Zein entered the room and closed the door, which automatically locked itself, and looked around.

The room was basically a plain, empty cube. It had nothing but a shimmering mana barrier on all sides of the wall, the floor, and the ceiling. Zein could see deep gashes all over the surface, which were in the middle of self-reparation. As he wondered about how much money was poured into making this room, something nuzzled his side, and he saw the wriggling darkness tug at him.

Turning his head to the side, he saw Bassena sitting on the only furniture in the room; a simple velvet bench that could be used as a small bed. Leaning back to the wall, the esper glanced at him with a simple, little smile.

"Hey," Bassena spoke quietly. Either because he was tired from training, or because his head was still messy.

Zein walked closer with the darkness that coiled his hand like a child asking for a walk, retracting his mask while at it. "Are you always this diligent, or are you just throwing a tantrum?"

Bassena laughed lightly at that, leaning forward with arms propped on his knees and fingers on his chin. "Neither," he said.

"Neither..." Zein repeated, stopping beside the esper.

"This is...my anger management effort," Bassena said, chuckling at himself.

"Were you angry?"

The amber eyes flashed then, but Bassena immediately closed his eyes, as if doing preventive measure. "I was upset...when I saw the news,"

"Mm," Zein nodded--he already predicted as much.

"I know I could just ask you about it and you’ll give me an answer, but..." Bassena let out a bitter smile as his brow knitted in a frown. "There’s a part of me that got afraid of the possible answer. If--if--it turned out to be an answer that I don’t like..."

Bassena paused, and tilted his head slightly to look up at Zein, who had been watching him keenly. "I don’t want to end up saying hurtful things to you--things that would upset you and make you distance yourself from me."

"So..." Zein turned his gaze toward the room, which was still undergoing self-repair from how damaged everything was. "You turned to this?"

"It calmed me, projecting my emotions outward in a safe environment," Bassena leaned back to the wall, watching the room’s healing process with Zein. "Once I calmed down, or run out of energy, I wouldn’t hurt anyone anymore--Joon taught me the method in the academy."

It made sense, Zein thought. And it explained how Bassena could turn more docile under the Mobius Captain. He imagined that after having Bassena exhausted himself, Radia would be the one giving him lectures about the foolishness of his way.

"Have you calmed down, then?" Zein looked at the esper again, who was smiling softly at him.

"I have. When you come here looking for me, the upsetting feeling is gone,"

Sighing to himself, Zein reached out to brush the hair falling down the esper’s forehead, caressing the slightly scarred eyebrow. "You do know that I’m not the type to breach a contract, don’t you?"

Bassena blinked at the tender gesture, and shifted to lean toward the guide’s side, pressing his head on Zein’s abdomen while the older man stroke his hair.

"I know," the esper answered in an uncharacteristically weak voice, which reminded Zein of the puppy esper he saw on the last morning of the expedition.

"So that wasn’t what upset you," Zein looked down, almost chuckling to himself for all the right predictions he made. "Are you really that upset about Askan?"

Immediately, Zein could feel Bassena twitch at his words--or was it at the name?

"What are you getting anxious about him for?" Zein asked with a sigh.

To the point that he had to lock himself in some anger management therapy. And from the condition of the room, it seemed to be a pretty serious anger too.

"I’m anxious about anyone you met before you meet me"

Zein raised his brow at the answer that seemed to be delivered with a pout. He rubbed the esper’s neck and angled the man’s face upward, just to see Bassena purse his lips.

"Because their presence might be bigger than mine in your heart," the esper added, jealousy all over his face.

Right--Zein did mention that he met Askan Bellum before he ever met Bassena. And just like fate, they met again in Althrea, while Bassena had to search for Zein before they could meet again. He could see why Bassena would get anxious about it--wasn’t that why Zein immediately try to look for the esper? Because he thought Bassena would be upset?

Although, granted, he never thought Bassena would be that upset.

And then Zein heard Bassena murmur in annoyance. "You even remember his name..."

Pfft--was that why he was upset? Because Zein couldn’t recall Bassena the first time they met again, while he instantly remembered Askan Bellum?

Zein scratched the esper’s scalp, smirking while holding back his laugh. "I don’t even have his contact, you know."

Immediately, the jaded, upset puppy perked up at that information. The darkened amber eyes suddenly glowed brightly as Bassena blinked. It was a starkly different expression from just a second ago, Zein couldn’t help but smile at that.

"Haa...you’re cute,"

Bassena pulled away from the older’s side, still blinking without averting his gaze. He reached out and held the guide’s hand in a gentle but firm hold.

"Kiss me then," Bassena said with unblinking eyes, with a voice that was too adorable for Zein to consider it as a demand. When the guide playfully raised a brow, Bassena added with persistence. "Since I’m cute..."

This time, Zein really laughed, the melodious clear voice rang inside the heavily reinforced room. Normally, Bassena would need to persuade the guide more, but this time, Zein just held the esper’s face with his other hand and lowered his face for that requested kiss.

Putting one of his knees on the bench, he pressed his lips lightly, in a soft touch that taste like affection rather than lust. And Bassena didn’t chase it, just savoring the rare taste, placing his hands lightly on the guide’s waist to keep the man in balance.

This time, he didn’t think about any desire, and just felt thankful for the opportunity. This kiss, for him, tasted like progress. Because he could feel that rare tenderness and affection that Zein didn’t show anyone else. And the thought that Zein seek for him after that fiasco made the kiss taste even sweeter.

For this, Bassena could even thank Askan Bellum.