There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL)
Chapter 201 - 195. To Grow New Sprouts

Chapter 201: Chapter 195. To Grow New Sprouts

"That’s smoother than I thought," Bassena whispered, leaning on the railing of the terrace as his eyes followed the movement inside from the window.

Logan was in the middle of finalizing things with the Elder and Senan, and since Zein discussed everything he wanted to with the attorney, he asked to be pardoned for a breath of fresh air--which was why they were on the terrace right now.

"Why, do you wish for a fight?" Zein raised his brow, to which Bassena responded with a chuckle.

"I can go for a few spars,"

"Have some shame, Mister Saint-class," Zein flicked the grinning face on the forehead, although he had a smirk on his own face.

But soon the smile faded, and he was back to staring blankly into the air. Bassena tilted his head, watching the brooding face. He held his sigh and reached for the guide’s hand, stroking the tense knuckles. He recalled what Radia said to him; to keep reminding Zein of the thing he should not forget.

"Talk to me?" he said, gently, shaping it as a request rather than a suggestion. "Are you thinking about the house?"

Bassena could feel the hand flinch under his palm, so he knew he was right.

After they were done talking about the company and the foundation, the middle-aged man took out a box. It was filled with keepsakes; things belonged to Roan and Lucia, as well as a few things left behind by the previous patriarch, Zein’s grandfather. There was that wedding picture, and they saw a small photo album, a pocketwatch belonging to every head of Ishtera, and a box of Lucia’s jewelry--something that the group brought over because they thought they would be reunited with Lucia. Clearly, they didn’t.

Zein had to pause for a bit when he saw a ring that most definitely belonged to his father, but that wasn’t the thing that affected him the most. It was the folder beneath all of those things. Contained inside, was the deed to a lakeside house and a small piece of land surrounding it.

It was the house where Roan and Lucia spent their last days together; the house where he was conceived, and perhaps, where he was named.

--I know we haven’t gone through the procession yet, but I want to give you this as soon as I can.

The Elder had handed the deed and the box of keepsakes with trembling hands and a shaking voice. There was sadness, but also happiness and relief that the things he had been trusted with finally met their rightful owner after almost three decades.

He told Zein that no one had ever come back to that house again, worried that there would be surveillance. But after they heard about the Golden Viper’s fall and the annihilation of the Vaskis, they sent someone to check on the property.

Fortunately, since the place was rather remote, no one seemed to disturb the place. It was, of course, in tatters after almost thirty years, and the land surrounding it had grown wild. But as the deed was still intact, Zein was free to do anything with it--sell it, renovate it, or just leave it alone.

"What do you think I should do with it?" Zein muttered, staring at the leafless tree.

Bassena hummed and interlace their fingers, following Zein’s gaze and staring at the dark branches. "One thing I know for sure, you shouldn’t leave it alone."

"I know," Zein pressed his lips together. Leaving it alone was the same as running away, and he had decided not to do that anymore.

They returned to silence, both wondering about the possible course of action. In the end, Bassena grasped Zein’s hand and brought it to his lips, leaning closer to stare at the blue eyes. "Why don’t we look at it first?"

Zein raised his brows. "You mean, go there directly?"

"Yeah," the esper grinned. "It’s better to see it for yourself, and you might find how you feel about it after that."

"How I feel..."

"Whether you want to let it go, or keep it as a memory. Let’s see if...you know..."

"If I can bear it?" Zein let out a bitter smile, but he knew the esper was right. "Well..." he stared at the warm ambers and felt the bitterness melting away. "I can at least bear it if you’re there."

Bassena blinked, his body froze and his mind short-circuited, cheeks flared with reddish hue. And as if it wasn’t enough, Zein whispered sweetly. "Kiss me."

And so he did, soft and gentle, trying to hold himself back because they were not in the confine of their own room. "Should we go there tomorrow?" Bassena asked, hands on the guide’s waist as they leaned against the railing. "We can borrow the guild’s helicopter."

"Using an office property for personal use?" Zein arched a brow. "You’re setting a bad example, Vice-Guildmaster."

"Don’t you know executives are allowed to use them personally three times a year?" Bassena smirked. "Between us, that’s six--I mean, four left this year."

"Huh..." Zein had no idea. It was probably written somewhere in the section about facilities, which Zein didn’t bother to read much since his brain was too fried from the salary details.

"So?"

Zein looked at the mighty esper who was now tilting his head like an adorable puppy. he raised his hands and ruffled the neat hair, eliciting a soft yelp and a grunt from the esper. Zein laughed softly and pressed their forehead together, before sighing. "Yeah, let’s go tomorrow."

"Can I sleep in your place tonight?" Bassena asked sheepishly, rubbing the lean waist with his thumb. "So we can go immediately tomorrow. I’ll get the permission and take the key so we don’t have to bother the staff."

"You’ll fly it yourself?" Zein arched his brow again, recalling that Bassena did have a license for flying aircraft. He smirked, pulling the esper closer, and whispered in a sultry voice. "You definitely can sleep over tonight."

Bassena bit his cheek and hissed. "Don’t seduce me here, I’m at my limit."

Zein chuckled, before entangling himself from the esper’s arms. He tilted his head then, staring at the corner of the house. "You can come out now," he said, and heard a clattering noise after, along with subdued curses and bickering.

A moment later, they could see the youngsters--Arlo and Lisa--peeking their heads from the corner. They had been there for a while, probably wanted to talk to Zein and Bassena at first. But then they saw the two were getting intimate and couldn’t find the timing to come out. And the mischievous adults kept on with their frolicking even though they already realized the youngsters’ presence.

"Do you have something you wanna say?" Zein asked, leaning into the railing again instead of into Bassena.

The cousins elbowed each other before timidly stepping into the terrace. As he watched them, Zein wondered about a scenario when everything turned alright. These two, and also Cohen, would probably be like siblings to him, even though they had no blood relations. But then, if things were alright, he wouldn’t meet the twins, and that thought was just horrible. It seemed like in any kind of route, he was bound to lose someone precious.

"Umm...S-sir..." the boy, Arlo, got Zein out of his brooding.

"Yes?"

The boy, who was usually shown himself as headstrong and rebellious, suddenly looked hesitant and timid. He cast a glance at Zein and Bassena, with hands behind his back as if he was getting scolded, before speaking carefully. "So, uhh...about the things I want to do," he started slowly. "I’ve been wanting to be an active esper and raiding dungeon so I...can I come to Trinity?"

Ah...Zein shifted his gaze toward the girl, Lisa, who was saying she wanted to work for the foundation. He was glad that the kids seemed to move on quickly, perhaps because they had no real bond with the loyalty that the Templar had.

And Zein preferred that very much.

He glanced at Bassena, the Vice-guildmaster, who proceed to answer seriously. "There will be an entrance test in January. You can try then," the esper said. "I can’t guarantee your admission, but I can at least grant you a pass for the administration process."

The boy widened his eyes, and that rebellious face instantly brightened. "O-okay! I’ll train hard--thank you, Sir!" he bowed deeply, and then scurried off with his cousins, the sound of their laughter could be heard from the terrace.

Zein watched the two run to the back of the house, lips curling slightly. "He’s rather cute,"

Bassena snapped his neck to look at Zein, face rigid and looking totally scandalized, which got the guide laughing in response. He could almost hear Bassena’s mind gasping. Zein patted the bronze cheek and kissed the hardened lips briefly. "Not as much as you."

* * *

"Then, we will meet again on the twentieth for the official document and registration," Logan concluded as they walked to the car.

Senan, who followed him outside, nodded in confirmation, holding the gate to let the guest out. The Elder, due to his health, could only escort them to the terrace. But his eyes never left Zein, watching with a distant longing.

Perhaps feeling those gazes, Zein stopped before he entered the car. With one hand perched on the car door, he turned slightly, looking at Senan and the Elder.

"I’m not going to lie and sugarcoat it," he said. "I have no attachment to the clan, much less the organization."

Senan swallowed his sigh, and just nodded at those words.

"But I’m still going to say this," Zein took a deep breath. "You did well."

The voice was soft, but it could easily reach the terrace, as the Elder widened his shaking eyes.

"Thank you, for maintaining the household. Thanks to that, I’m able to know the truth about my parents, and retrieve their names."

Senan clenched his fists tightly, holding back the tears that threatened to fall freely. This man...this man was supposed to grow up in his arms, within his protection. He was supposed to be the man’s uncle, guard, friend. But before he could do that, Zein had already survived on his own, and found his own guards, his own friends.

He felt bitter. Toward himself, toward the world. But that man--his young master--let out a smile, one as beautiful as his mother’s, before vanishing inside the black car.

It was fine--Senan told himself as he bowed low toward the retreating car.

It was fine even if the man didn’t want to have anything to do with them. It was fine even if he couldn’t see the man anymore. Because he didn’t deserve it.

It was fine, because, at the very least, House Ishtera still has a sprout.