"Why do you keep crying?" Zein chuckled, wiping the esper's cheek with the sleeve of his pajama.
But Bassena merely shook his head, and pressed his face on the guide's chest, holding the man close to him, as close as he could, listening to the steady heartbeat of his most beloved.
Zein kissed the crown of the platinum hair, before pulling the esper back so he could look at the messy face. Not quite handsome anymore with all those tears and scrunching, but still adorable nonetheless. He stroked the stubbornly wet cheek and whispered. "Won't you give me a reply?"
Bassena flinched, eyes widened as if he were someone who just committed a great sin. "I love you," it was just three words, but Bassena sounded out of breath, as if each word weighed a thousand—no, a million more. "I love you," Bassena repeated, pulling Zein into his embrace, tightly, like his promise to never let go. "Gods, I love you so much."
