Chapter 295 - 287. Consolation (M)
Bassena stopped talking for a while, as if saying the name of the animal itself was too much for his sanity. "Well, I guess it wasn’t such an effective method, because I only got even more scared," he laughed nervously, before sighing and smiling wryly. "Well, it is pathe--"
"No," Zein raised his body, cupping the esper’s cheek and kissed the forehead. "No, it’s not pathetic."
Bassena blinked in surprise as Zein cradled his head and embraced him. Hesitatingly, he reached up to hold the guide’s back, and pressed his head onto Zein’s chest.
No one truly knew why Bassena was so afraid of that small, weak animal. He never told anyone, because it felt like a weakness, and he was groomed to never show any weakness. But it was comforting that the person who mattered most to him did not see it as a weakness, and told him he wasn’t pathetic because of it.
"I’m sorry," Zein pulled away and stroked Bassena’s cheek, before kissing the esper’s face. "Baby, I’m sorry."
"Oh, it’s fine," Bassena smiled, enjoying the rain of kisses on his face. "You didn’t know."
Zein clenched his jaw. That wasn’t an excuse. That shouldn’t be an excuse. He felt ashamed for thinking it was funny and laughed about it, even being playful and brought that source of trauma closer. No one should treat someone’s fear like that.
He pulled away and looked at the handsome face that looked so innocent right now. He couldn’t begin to imagine it, how would it feel like to be locked inside a small space with something you were most afraid of. Honestly, it showed how tenacious young Bassena was to come out of those tortures without getting crazy.
Or well, perhaps that was what drove him ’crazy’ in the academy; why he ended up being so wild and seeing everyone as his enemy. Living inside a house where everyone seemed to try to get him, manipulated him, ruling him with fear and guilt...
Zein leaned down and this time, kissed Bassena on his lips, softly, with all the affection he had for the esper, his esper. His lover. He lingered there, stroking the esper’s cheek all the while, before whispering against those lips. "How should I make it up to you?"
"I told you it’s fine, you don’t have to--oh..."