There's No Love In the Deathzone (BL) novel Chapter 271

Chapter 271: Chapter 264. Safe Space

To that day, Zein still didn’t like parties. _{ƒrēewebnovel.com}

Crowds and noises were just something he avoided, typically. Harder to protect himself. But...did he need to protect himself in this place? He would be in the guild compound, surrounded by people who defended him when his reputation was getting dragged to the ground. He would be among...well, friends.

And Bassena would be there.

So, to Han Shin’s glee, Zein walked to the party. Before, in the summer, he remembered being rather cautious because he was new and the environment was still unfamiliar. Now, as he walked to the venue, he just felt like walking to his hometown; somewhere so familiar that even if he ended up blind drunk, he was sure he would be able to find a way out.

And unlike the last time, Bassena could just shadow him every time because everyone in the guild knew they were in an official relationship anyway.

Still, he told the esper to split up because the guides--except for the cheeky Dheera and the calm Nadine--were getting too antsy when Bassena was around, especially the new ones. And Bassena behaved well that night, letting Zein mingle with the other guild members without acting like a bodyguard. Seemed like living together put him more at ease with their relationship, so he was less insecure now.

In the midst of the party, Zein also spotted Arlo among the newcomers, and he beckoned the esper to come closer. He hadn’t had the chance to speak to the young man again after the test, and he was busy focusing on the new guides during the welcoming ceremony.

The young esper came to him almost scampering like a kid being called by the elders of their family. Well, to be fair, Zein was technically the Patriarch of a family that Arlo was supposed to serve.

"Are you adjusting well?"

"Yes!" the young man answered energetically. It was apparent from his expression that he was full of excitement. How couldn’t he; he got a high score in his examination, and was the top scorer in his rank, so the seniors would have treated him well.

Zein smiled subtly at the youthful response. "Talk casually,"

"I can’t do that, Young Master--I mean...Sir."

Arlo grinned. Even if Zein had dissolved the ’clan’ and his family didn’t have to serve House Ishtera anymore, it was hard to shed the habit of seeing Zein as their master. Since everyone in the family called Zein that, Arlo couldn’t help but pick it up.

And then, now, Zein was the executive in his workplace, so even the cheeky and rebellious Arlo couldn’t bring himself to talk casually to the other man.

"Haa..." Zein sighed and shook his head, before shooing Arlo back to the group of espers that had been looking at them from afar. "Just go drink and have fun."

"Yessir!" Arlo saluted with a grin and skipped back to the group of espers that welcomed him with a series of envious punches for being able to talk to the prettiest person in the guild.

Just as Arlo received his ’punishment’, Zein was being pounced on by the Chief Researcher who seemed to think a party was the perfect place for his cocktail experiment.

"Zein, Zein--try this!" he shoved a glass of liquid with a very suspicious murky purple color that looked like a cartoonish poison. But he convinced the guide by telling Zein he was a healer, so Zein ended up drinking it.

"Huh," the guide tilted his head curiously at the sweet and tangy flavor, with a hint of spiciness to it. "It’s actually pretty good..."

"Yes!" the healer grinned for his success. "Come on, it’s a party! Just let loose for tonight!" he squeezed Zein’s cheeks before scampering to the bar again.

Watching the energetic healer, Zein shrugged and donned the rest of the glass. That would be one of the many glasses he ended up having that night. Just like before, people were eager to talk to him, and every time he was surrounded by people, his hand would end up with a glass of whatever people were bringing him.

"You can’t have this," at one point, his hand was caught by Bassena, who finally came to check up on his boyfriend.

The amber eyes glared at the group of tipsy guides who gave Zein the rather strong concoction, and they ran away while giggling, saying that the Captain’s bodyguard had come.

Innocently, Zein looked up and asked dazedly. "I can’t?"

Bassena narrowed his eyes and stroked the flushed cheek. "How many have you drunk?"

"...a lot?" Zein tilted his head, and Bassena sighed in response.

"Don’t drink anything Shin gives you," the esper said.

"You should have told me that sooner," Zein chuckled and raised his hand to touch the sturdy chest in front of him, fiddling with the small pendant peeking behind the shirt. "You’re not smoking, you only drink moderately, you’re good at house chores...why are you such a good boy, Bassena Vaski?"

Bassena raised his brow at the display in front of him; at the lidded eyes and flushed cheek that reminded him of a dark corner in Radia’s mansion. He caught the guide’s arms and peeled them off his chest. "What is this loose behavior, Guide Luzein?"

Zein’s brow arched as he looked up. "Pfft--you’re mimicking Radia?"

Bassena laughed and gently pulled Zein away from the party to rest so the guide could get a bit sober. Staring at their hands and the wide, reliable back in front of him, Zein suddenly chuckled. "I feel like this also happened the last time?"

The esper just smiled in response. This time, they didn’t go as far as the outside, just to the fountain in the lobby that was still active. The soft water spray was cooling the guide a bit, although he was still pretty much tipsy.

"No, seriously, you are usually so careful," Bassena said while rubbing the guide’s hands.

Zein, who was closing his eyes to feel the stray splash of the fountain, muttered a reply. "I guess...I just feel safe?"

Bassena paused and looked at the guide. The blue eyes opened slowly, with a soft gaze and a gentle smile beneath. "They are the people who won’t hurt me, aren’t they? Friends...colleagues..." Zein looked at the esper, stroking the bronze cheek. "And there’s you," he leaned forward to plant a chaste kiss, and pulled back while whispering against Bassena’s lips. "My esper,"

"I see..."

Zein tilted his head. "What do you see?"

"You’re the type who gets flirty when they’re drunk," Bassena laughed softly.

"I did?"