After the meeting, they all went their separate ways for the night. Once again, Kit was reluctantly forced to work with the Janitors to coordinate their patrols of the 25th Zone, leaving Sero alone with Elizabeth and Amaya.
Ever since he and Amaya kissed in the chamber, there had been a weird, almost awkward tension between them and Elizabeth. It was as if they were all walking on eggshells, afraid to say or do the wrong thing.
Sero was surprised to sense the bit of jealousy from Elizabeth, considering he assumed his attraction to her was one-sided. On the other hand, even after the intimate moment he and Amaya had shared, the fact that she continued to label them as friends made him wonder if the kiss meant nothing at all. Sure, it helped snap him out of whatever it was he was going through, but did that mean anything more?
"What are you planning to do now, Sero?" Elizabeth asked, causing Amaya to sneak a glance at him.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I just want to keep looking for a way to stop Culling, even though there's nothing to go off of. Maybe I'll just rest at my penthouse for tonight."
"Do you want company?"
"I can drive you back!"
Sero blinked, caught off guard by both Elizabeth and Amaya. He couldn't help but feel a little embarrassed by their offers. "Um... sure?"
The women glanced at each for a moment, and Sero swore he sensed some kind of silent competition between them. It was a strange feeling, and he wasn't quite sure how to react. Finally, Elizabeth spoke up. "I'll... I'll see you both later. I need to go home and... talk to my family about things."
She stood up, nodding stiffly in their direction, and then walked away, leaving Amaya and Sero alone. Amaya took a deep breath, trying to compose herself. "Look, Sero... I'm sorry if I... if I made things awkward between us. I shouldn't have kissed you like that. It was just... I was just trying to help you snap out of it."
Sero didn't reply for a moment, watching as Elizabeth disappeared from sight. He sighed and turned to Amaya.
"Want to go back to my penthouse so we can talk about it?"
Night had fallen by the time Amaya had driven them both back to Sero's place. They were silent during the entire car ride and up the elevator. Finally, when both of them entered his penthouse, they plopped on the couch, facing away from each other.
Exhaustion had settled into his body, and he was certain Amaya was feeling tired as well. He hadn’t eaten all day, but the events earlier was still fresh in his mind, ruining his appetite.
"You want anything to drink?" Sero finally broke the silence.
"Yeah, that'd be great. I think something strong would do the trick, something that'd help us forget what happened today," Amaya replied with a sad smile.
Sero nodded and disappeared into the kitchen, returning a moment later with a pair of glasses and a bottle of liquor. They began to drink, lapsing back into silence.
"Look, Sero, about what happened back there..." Amaya started, her voice uncertain as the alcohol began to take effect.
Sero stopped her with a hand, shaking his head. "First, I just want to thank you for snapping me out of it. Who knows what else I could've done?"
She turned to look at him, a small smile on her lips. "It's okay. I'm just glad I could help."
"But, now I want a semi-straight answer from you. It doesn't have to be the whole thing, but it does have to give me some sense of what you're feeling," Sero continued, gazing into her blue eyes. "Last we spoke, you were still uncertain about your feelings for me because we might just be under the influence of all the shit that's been happening to us. I understand that you don't want us to jump into anything that might end up badly in the future, but for me, that's a risk I'm wanting to take."
Amaya paused for a moment, considering her words carefully. A faint blush appeared on her cheeks, whether from her emotions or the alcohol, Sero couldn't tell. "I... I don't know. Since we kissed, I can't deny that there's something there. Something between us. It's just... it's complicated. I don't want to lead you on, or make things weird between us, but at the same time, I don't want to ignore it either."
"Then, I'll be blunt," Sero calmly replied. "I honestly think that I've fallen for you for real. And I won't lie, I've been feeling this way towards Elizabeth as well. I think the reason why I haven't tried to explore anything with her is that I keep holding onto hope for... us."
Amaya bit her lower lip, clearly taken aback by his words. "I-I don't know what to say..."
Sero took a long sip from his glass, feeling the warmth of the liquor spread through his chest. He put the glass down, finally looking Amaya straight in the eye. "I get that my emotional stability isn't in the best shape right now, so pursuing romance might not be a good idea. But I really think that getting some sorta closure or answer in this area would help lessen the weight on my mind."
She looked at him for a moment, her expression softening. "I... I'm just scared. We've both lost so much. When Casey... when someone I care so much about is suddenly ripped away from me, I just get so terrified of letting someone in again. I don't want to feel that; I hate feeling that. I know you've felt that too, and that's why maybe I started seeing you differently. You know that feeling better than anyone else, and I found myself comforted by the fact that someone else shares my experiences."
Amaya trailed off, her words beginning to slur. Sero was faintly surprised to realize the intoxication was hitting him quickly too. It made sense; after all, they had endured so much within the day.
"I get it," Sero murmured, glancing at his cup. "You're scared that by letting me in, there's a chance you could lose me too."
"Especially since you've been on the verge of death a couple of times. Not to mention your state of mind and emotion." Amaya replied quietly with a dry smile.
Sero smiled back at her. "You make a good point. I guess I can't exactly expect you to just dive into something with me. Plus, I have a feeling it'd be uncomfortable for you at first, since I'm the one who's fallen in love with you."
"Sero... you idiot," Amaya mumbled, gazing down at her hands. "Why did I expect anything less?"
"Pardon?" Sero leaned in closer to her. "What'd you say?"
Before he could react, Amaya lifted her face, pressing her lips softly against his.
Surprised, Sero's mind went blank as he registered what was happening. As soon as he comprehended the situation, Amaya pulled away, her face flushed underneath the moonlight.
"Who said I haven't fallen in love with you, either?" The Spellblade replied softly with a small smile.
"I just... I thought you... I mean," Sero stammered, still a bit stunned. "I mean, I thought you were still trying to make sense of your feelings."
"I still am," Amaya admitted with a small laugh, her cheeks still flushed. "But I can't deny it anymore. I've... I've fallen in love with you too. After that night we cuddled, I realized how much I missed having someone else to comfort me."
"But... what about Enzo?"
Amaya gave a small snort. "It was just a work-place crush. Enzo was the one who realized it first, and he simply gave me the space to figure out my feelings. He told me he's interested in women stronger than him anyway."
"He said that?" Sero asked, a little surprised. "I can't imagine anyone stronger than him."
Amaya smiled, her cheeks still red. "That's why I knew it was just a work-place crush. He's always been so self-deprecating. But I'm glad I got to know you better. You're... you're the strongest person I know, Sero. You've been through so much, and yet you keep going. You keep fighting."
Her words seemed to hang in the air as they looked at each other, the connection between them growing stronger with each passing moment. The alcohol, the pain, the loss... all of it faded into the background as they focused on the here and now, on the person in front of them.
"Are you going to regret this?" Sero asked, his mind becoming hazy. "I still have the same habits back when you first met me."
"Probably," Amaya replied with a wry smile. "But you're still you. And I think I'd rather have the bad with the good."
"So... what are you saying?" Sero whispered.
"I'm saying that for now... let's take things slow. If we somehow manage to make it through whatever Culling plans to throw at the world..." Amaya trailed off, taking a deep breath. "Let's see where we stand after that. Deal?"
"I'm... fine with that," Sero replied, his voice barely a whisper. He knew where she was coming from. They had been through too much together already; it would be impossible to ignore their feelings for each other any longer. But it was also not a time where they could be carefree or rash. The world was still out there, and it needed them.
Amaya gently pushed Sero backwards onto the couch, burying her face in his chest. He responded by wrapping his arms around her, cuddling together for the second time.
"You reek of sweat," she murmured, inhaling deeply. "And blood."
"So do you," Sero mumbled, his breath warm against her ear. "We never got the chance to wash up, after all."
"We can clean tomorrow," Amaya mumbled into his chest. "I'm too tired to do anything right now."
She could feel Sero's heartbeat slowing down, matching her own. His breathing became deeper and more regular as sleep claimed him. She rested her head on his shoulder, listening to the sound of his heart, feeling the warmth of his body. The moonlight streaming in through the window cast a soft, eerie glow across the room, making everything seem almost surreal.
The next morning, Sero awoke on his couch, realizing that Amaya was no longer in his arms. For a moment, he thought that she had left without a word, but then his bedroom door opened, and out stepped the Spellblade wearing a simple white shirt that was a bit oversized for her. With a towel wrapped around her head, Amaya looked absolutely stunning.
"There's the 'good' to my morning," Sero blurted without thinking.
Instead of the scowl Sero expected Amaya to have, she simply chuckled, pulling the towel off her head and tossing it in his face.
"Definitely didn't miss that," Amaya remarked as she walked to the kitchen. "You should wash up."
"I'll get to that," Sero replied, still lying on the couch. He propped himself up on one elbow, watching as she busied herself with making breakfast. The sight of her moving so gracefully, even as she cooked, filled him with a warmth that he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Sero..." Amaya finally scowled without looking at him. "We're not officially dating yet. Stop gawking at me and go shower."
He groaned, rolling his eyes before standing up. "Fine, fine. I'll get to that," he muttered, trudging to the bathroom. While he was gone, she busied herself with making breakfast. Eggs and toast were sizzling on the stove, and the smell of coffee filled the air. Sero returned to the living room a few minutes later, still yawning and rubbing a towel through his hair. Amaya had set the table with breakfast, idly tapping away on her phone on the couch. She glanced at Sero as he took a seat next to her.
"Hey- Aren't you going to put on a shirt?!" Amaya blushed as she glanced away.
"Huh? Why should I? It's my place, and it's not like you've never seen me shirtless."
"Yeah, but..." Amaya sighed, still unable to face. "I just feel a little weird about it, that's all. You know, with... everything." She gestured vaguely between them.
"Ugh, fine, I'll put on a shirt," Sero grumbled, beginning to stand up, but Amaya grabbed his wrist.
"Actually, it's fine..." the Spellblade hesitantly turned towards him. "Your body's gotten... better-looking."
Sero's eyes twitched. "Are you saying you thought my body was never that good-looking until now?"
"No! I mean..." Amaya's face flushed even deeper. "It's not like you've gotten huge muscles or anything. You just... look... better."
Sero sat back down with a scowl. "Only because of all the fighting I've had to go through."
Amaya smiled wryly. "Well, it's not like you didn't have time to work out. And it's not like you don't deserve it." She paused, looking away for a moment before meeting his gaze again. "You're... you're not half-bad to look at."
"Wait, you fell in love with me even though you thought I was ugly?"
Amaya laughed, rolling her eyes. "I never said you were ugly. But you weren't exactly my type, either. It wasn't until... until we spent so much time together that I started to see... you know." She paused, fidgeting with her fingers. "You're a good person, Sero, personality aside. And you're strong, too, in ways that have nothing to do with your muscles." She took a deep breath, meeting his gaze again. "You're the kind of person who deserves to be happy."
"Ah, thanks, I guess." Sero scratched the back of his head.
They ate in comfortable silence for a few minutes. The food was delicious, and Sero couldn't help but feel grateful to have someone like Amaya in his life. She was so much more than just a pretty face or a good cook; she was smart, strong, and kind. She'd been through so much herself, and yet she'd never given up on him or herself.
"Champion!"
Aphiel's sudden voice in his head caused Sero to jump and choke on the eggs and toast. Amaya glanced at him with a surprised look.
"You okay?"
"Uh, yeah," Sero coughed, taking a sip of his coffee. "My Sponsor just contacted me."
"Oh," Amaya nodded understandingly. "Do you need to meet her?"
"Yes, champion, this is urgent!"
"Seems like it," Sero grimaced, standing up. "Sorry to leave you so soon, Amaya."
The liaison shook her head, smiling at him. "It's fine. I knew things like this would happen with you. Go and meet with her. I'll be at the Ascendants Association when you get back."
Sero nodded, thanked her, and then went to his room to put on a shirt before willing himself to appear before the goddess.
