"Can I have a pat too?" Bassena asked, placing his hand lightly on the guide's waist.
Zein leaned back against the firm chest and tilted his head up, staring at the twinkling amber eyes. "What about a kiss?"
"Even better," Bassena chuckled and leaned down, welcoming the hand caressing his hair and a pair of lips smiling against his.
The guides scampered away while giggling, leaving their Captain frolicking away with his esper. His only esper. But since they were still in the open, they kept it chaste and public-friendly; soft and brief, just enough to satiate a little longing.
Hand-in-hand, they walked along the lakeside, which was no longer bordered by the wall of trees. An empty valley with green fields and sparkling rivers reminded them of the view they could see from the hill where Bassena's mother lay. It was rather melancholic, savoring the sight of their hard work, basking in natural light instead of the one coming from the beacon.
