Clueless about what was funny, Ayen remained silent. He watched Devion laugh with listless eyes.
"What happened?"
Khal's voice sounded this time, prompting the two to look in his direction. Devion calmed down a bit, but it was obvious that he had not laughed enough.
At Khal's appearance, he almost laughed hard again.
"Whoa, been a while since I laughed like that." Rubbing the corners of his eyes for the imaginary tears, Devion sighed in contentment.
Khal put the tray in front of Ayen and looked at both of them before staring with a questioning gaze at Devion. Clearly, he did not want to repeat what he just said.
Devion smirked deviously. "Do you know what he just asked me?" He even pointed at Ayen, who was now beginning to eat, not bothering himself with Devion's antics.
Khal almost rolled his eyes, but still played along, knowing Devion's personality enough.
"What did he ask?"
Devion glanced at Ayen, laughing. "He asked if I'm not ashamed of flirting with him when my boyfriend just left?" Once he finished, he burst out in a laughing fit once more.
Ayen truly did not know what was funny about that, but his brows twitched, and he could not help but point it out.
"I never said you're flirting with me."
His exact words did not have the word flirt in them.
Devion did not look bothered.
"Same thing."
Ayen frowned, not getting the logic. However, it was basically the same thing as Devion was indeed flirting that time.
Khal finally got the gist of it, but he did not laugh as Devion did. There was only an understanding, and he nodded, smiling gently.
"Ah, because of what you saw last time, you assumed we're together?" Unlike Devion, Khal had more sense in his words.
Ayen paused, scooping the hot vegetable soup, and lifted his gaze.
"You're not together?" Though he asked, there was not much interest in his tone.
Whether the two were together or not had nothing to do with him.
Devion finally calmed down and stared curiously at Ayen, finding his behavior unique in some way. Khal was the one who answered. By this time, Ayen could barely figure out how the two worked.
"Not romantically." Khal crossed his arms and looked at Devion, who nodded. He crossed his arms and leaned on the wall. "We're what you call..."
"Fuckbuddies." Devion finished his words.
Khal glanced at him, and the corner of his eyes twitched, hoping to say a more subtle word. He nodded.
"That's basically it. No feelings involved."
In this fuck up world, the two just found a little enjoyment for themselves, and all started from there.
The two watched Ayen and his reaction, but seconds had passed, and he was still not showing any reaction, and was focused on his meal.
"Aren't you saying something?" Devion clicked his tongue, as though all his laughter earlier was already exhausted and was now frowning. "Is the food I cook that delicious?"
The question was not serious, as he thought Ayen could not possibly praise him even if it was indeed good.
"Yes, it's good," Ayen answered honestly. He did not feel like lying about it. He licked his lips. He "As for your relationship, I won't comment as an outsider."
In other words: I don't care.
There was silence, and even the usual loud Devion did not react much. Ayen continued eating, not minding the silence.
"You're saying... Is it good?" For some reason, Devion appeared surprised. He did not mind Ayen's view of his relationship with Khal, and his mind was fixated on his answer about the food.
Ayen nodded. "Indeed, it is."
It was surprising that Devion could cook good dishes, but not that mindblowing. Ayen was not someone who would label or give unnecessary impressions about someone.
"Hey, Khal..." Devion, who just earlier was praising his dish like crazy, found this scenario unexpected. "The saying is true..."
Khal grimaced and sighed. "What saying?"
"The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. Look, he's softer."
Khal looked at Ayen's default listless expression and then back at Devion, his expression strange.
What do you mean by soft? Devion was truly crazy.
Ayen refuses to comment on that. And he was too lazy to do so.
The fuss that morning ended without a continued drama. The two espers also did not bother him too much. After he was done eating, Ayen washed up and was given a set of clothes.
Although aside from underwear, which was new, the clothes he was wearing were Devion's old pair of combat suits. They were still huge for him, but suited him better than the new ones.
"Such a sleeping beauty," Devion commented, looking at Keeran.
Ayen visited the woman who was still sleeping peacefully, and if not for an IV connected to her, no one would think she was a patient.
"When do you want to leave?" Devion asked a normal question this time.
"Oh, we have not reported the two of you." Khal chimed in, checking something on his phone. "Things will get complicated for you once we're involved."
Without needing explanations, Ayen immediately understood. He also did not intend to be mentioned in the same names as the two SS-class espers.
He was merely an E-class guide; involvement with the two would turn his life upside down. Even if they said he was only rescued by the two, the government took things seriously when Devion and Khal were involved.
This was the same for Keeran. Nothing good would happen with them.
Ayen thought about it. The matter with the yellow zone would take a long time to be resolved, and they were not important enough and could be easily overlooked.
"After Keeran wakes up, we'll leave."
For Keeran's condition, it was better to be monitored here. And although this place was the most dangerous place in the world, it could also be said the safest in a way that the two strongest espers of humanity were staying here.
"If that's okay with you."
Ayen did not want to overstep. This place was theirs, and while he could talk casually and the two were more approachable than rumors said, that did not mean they were already friends.
"No problem."
"You can stay as long as you'd like."
Ayen became curious why the two appeared friendly and did not care for them to stay, so he directly asked.
Khal casually shrugged. "It's been a while since someone other than us stayed here."
Devion agreed and winked. "And I won't refuse a beautiful guide like you."
"Tsk, behave, sweetheart." Khal put his arm on Devion's shoulders and acted as if choking him again.
Devion cursed. "You're just jealous, babe."
Of course, endearments were only for fun; they said a lot worse. For Ayen, their relationship... was strange, but somehow it worked.
Subconsciously, Ayen felt more comfortable than he had ever been for years. Was it an illusion or not?