Seram didn't answer right away, only tightened his arms around Silke's waist, like holding him a little closer could say what words wouldn't.
For a man with an SSS-rank ability, he was surprisingly gentle, almost reverent in the way he held him.
"I'm glad you do.." Seram said finally, voice low. "I know I'm not easy...but I'm glad. You haven't given up on me."
"I'm a guide..." Silke said dryly. "It's literally my job."
Seram huffed a breath of laughter into his neck. "Liar. You're not here because of the job." he sighed inwardly, but he knew they were only together as guide and Esper.
"No?" Silke raised a brow.
"No. You're here because you like me."
Silke turned around enough to give him a look. "I tolerate you."
"Mm." Seram leaned forward, nudging his forehead against Silke's. "You tolerate me a lot then."
Silke opened his mouth to retort but paused when Seram's hands slipped up, cupping his jaw. The kiss he pressed to Silke's lips wasn't demanding. It was soft and gentle, like Seram wanted to savor it.
Silke closed his eyes.
Maybe he did tolerate him a lot.
When they finally pulled apart, Seram brushed their noses together and whispered, "Dinner's almost ready. You want to set the table?"
Silke blinked. "Are you domesticating me?"
"Yes…grooming you to be a lazy house cat."
"..."
"Yeah? Are you saying I get to sit down and get fat?"
Seram chuckled, "I'm rich, if you want thousands of maids at your feet or a castle…I can make it happen."
The smell of stir fry soon filled the room, as Seram focused on dinner, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.
He checked the caller and saw that it was his younger brother Siran.
He answered the call, placing it on the counter while on full volume.
"Big bro! I heard you're an Esper, so cool, what kind of ability do you have?"
".."
"Siran, how do you know about this?"
The voice at the other end of the phone quieted down for a while.
"The whole family knows. Dad's super pissed, he said he can't accept you having a partner that's a man, mum's not saying anything. Seira is also not saying anything, Sevran isn't also saying anything, he's part of the secret service you know, he's the one who told dad."
Seram sighed, he saw this coming..he would probably be called to a family meeting soon.
"I've been meaning to call you Siran. Help me run the company for a bit, at least until I get my full freedom. Right now I can't leave this building on my own."
"They're rules are that strict?"
"Yeah" Seram answered as he began plating the food.
"So what's in it for me? Am I going to get your salary for that duration, you know I just got married, I'm leaving my precious wife and…"
"..."
Seram lips twitched, was he rubbing the fact that he had gotten married before him. He wasn't even discreet anymore.
"I get it, I get it, you can have my salary for the first three months."
Siran couldn't help but leap in joy, his monthly earning was 800 hundred thousand dollars but Seram's was a whooping sum of 15 million dollars, he would be getting 45 million dollars, that would be enough for him to get his dream house.
"Take it as a wedding gift for your new family…and don't be like dad. There should only be friendly competition among siblings…it shouldn't be to the death.."
"Yes. I understand what you mean, I know what dad put us through….I won't make that same mistake with my kids."
Rubbing his neck, Seram leaned against the counter. He guessed the conversation was over.
"I'll see Dad tomorrow, Christmas is close…..I have someone who's happy to spend it with me…I want to be there for him. Yeah and I guess I'm Bi now, I like this guide of mine, he's pretty cute."
There was a pause on the other end of the line. Then Siran let out a low whistle.
"Whoa. You really said it. Out loud."
"I did.." Seram replied calmly, transferring the last of the rice into the bowls. "Kind of liberating, actually."
"I bet.." Siran said, then added with a laugh, "You think Dad's going to die of rage or just disown you quietly and pretend you never existed?"
"Probably both. In that order too."
"Good.." Siran muttered. "He deserves to choke on his own expectations."
Seram didn't respond to that, but the silence was loaded. He understood what his brother meant.
Their father's expectations had always been ironclad.
He never tolerated failure.
"What did Seira say?" Seram asked.
"Well.." Siran answered, his voice more careful now. "She didn't say much, but… she's not upset I guess. Just kind of processing…"
"And Sevran? So called older brother that doesn't check up on his siblings…that bastard is just like Dad"
"..."
Siran scratched his chin, his wife joined him on the couch, she focused on her knitting while he watched her.
"He's the one who leaked it to Dad you know.." Siran reminded. "But I think that was more about protocol than malice. He's still with the agency. I don't think he was trying to hurt you. He's just…" Siran paused.
"I think he was worried. You know how they get about SSS-class Espers. You, accepting a male guide, he's only ever seen you with women.."
Seram exhaled through his nose, his shoulders tensing up. "And…so he cares about my well being? He probably didn't want an anomaly…just like Dad."
"Yeah..maybe, you know how he is. But I do care about you."
That made Seram go still. Siran continued, voice softer now, more serious.
"You've always been the one keeping everything together. Even though Sevran is the older one. Even when Dad was.." He cleared his throat.
"When things got bad. You still protected us. So if you say this guide means something to you, then I'm on your side. Even if it means dealing with the old man's tantrums."
Seram looked toward the living room where Silke had sprawled again on the couch, flipping through a file with one hand while sipping tea with the other, unaware he was being watched.
"He does.." Seram said quietly. "He means something…i haven't figured it out yet though.."
"Then that's enough for me..." Siran sounded like he was smiling. "Also, I'm totally buying a sports car with your salary. And a 120-inch OLED. Just saying."