Earlier that day.
Shortly after the team got back from the raid, Devon arrived at the top floor meant for the Guild's S ranks. Alisha was still downstairs last he checked.
As for Bruce—the combat type brute—he'd seen him sneak off to come up here while they were comforting the families.
He honestly can't blame the guy.
Yes, most of them survived. Yes, they cleared a dungeon even after expecting more monsters to show up.
But it was still an S-ranked dungeon. And still very much terrifying.
Right now though, all that was just background thoughts. The one that stuck out like a throbbing sore was what happened right before they escaped the dungeon.
"A permanent link," Devon murmured. "With him?"
How that was possible was still beyond him. Yet he knew it was real. Denying it would only be foolish. The one question gnawing on his psyche was:
What does he do next now that he's permanently linked to Ambrose Hale?
A ding down the hallway behind him made him pause before he could get to his suite door. He glanced over his shoulder in time to see Alisha walking out of the elevator, her now beaten-up headphones dangling lazily from her fingers.
"Ugh," she groaned, snapping her neck. "What a raid."
Devon was about to keep moving but he knew it was useless.
Once she saw him she was bound to start a conversation.
"Hey, Devon!" She shouted despite being so close, making him sigh. There it was. "You already up here? What? Guide Han didn't tag along with you?"
He slowly turned to face her, getting the chance to take her in. She wasn't alone, a familiar figure trailing shyly behind her. A young lady around her age, with short brown hair, wandering eyes and dressed in a black hoodie with the Phoenix Flight crest stitched to the chest.
She was one of the only B-rank Guides in the Guild. And also Alisha's permanent Guide.
"I don't need him this time." Devon cleared his throat, rubbing the back of his neck. "All I need right now is some shut-eye. The Guild master is definitely going to summon me for a report on the mission this evening."
When the two women got in front of him, Alisha shook her head. "You mean your grandfather," Her arms folded in front of her chest. "How can you be so formal even with your only family?"
Devon stopped himself from scoffing.
She shouldn't even go there.
It's not like being formal with his grandfather was a choice he made easily one day.
"I take it you and your Guide are off for a guiding session," he straightened, fluidly swerving the conversation. "You should get to it. I know you exerted yourself quite a lot today."
"And so did you." Alisha shot back, eyes squinted. "Yet here you are. Stable. You barely look like someone who got hit by an S-rank dungeon boss."
The eyes of her Guide widened while his jaw tightened.
Of course, Alisha would notice something was off.
Inhaling once, his head shifted to her guide. "Trina, right?"
She nodded, chin raised like she was expecting some grand directive from him.
He only had one.
"Can you give Alisha and me a second?" He smiled. "She'll be with you shortly, don't worry."
The Guide gave Alisha a glance. The latter only tapped her shoulder once, signalling her to go ahead. As Trina waltzed to Alisha's suite—
"I know what I felt, Devon," Alisha whispered. "After that queen centipede struck you, your energy… it faltered. Like it was about to burst. I couldn't go check on you because of how occupied we were with taking advantage of the opening you made…"
She stopped, arching a brow. "...That's when HE darted toward the crater."
"He?" Devon echoed.
"The C-Rank Guide," Alisha persisted. "Ambrose. I might've been occupied, but I picked up when he left the group. Also picked up the exact moment your heart beat stabilised."
Bloody hell.
That was the annoying thing with Alisha.
With a power like sound manipulation, it was nigh impossible for crucial details such as these to pass her without her noticing.
"Of course, I couldn't focus much on what you guys were talking about." She raised her hands, trying to sound reassuring. "But—"
"He's my permanent Guide." The words left his mouth before he could stop them. His eyes closed for a second. "Ambrose—he guided my aether energy. Stopped me from going berserk."
'Saved me.' he added mentally but didn't admit it out loud. "And in the process, he created a link that was permanent."
Sound drained from the hallway, leaving a hollow ringing behind. One second passed. Then another. Still, all Alisha could do was stare at him with parted lips.
Seeing that, Devon laughed dryly. "I know it sounds crazy—"
"It does." She found her voice at last. "The craziest thing I've heard in my career in fact. And that's coming from an S-rank permanently linked to a B-rank Guide."
That part.
Guides were ranked based on how much energy they had to guide an Esper's aether energy. C-Rank Guides could safely handle B-Rank Espers. Or at most, an A-rank Esper.
In the same way, a B-rank guide could safely guide two or more A-rank Espers or one S-rank Esper with whom they're usually permanently linked.
So—
"You're certain you felt the link?" Alisha questioned.
"Yes."
"And has he said anything since it happened?"
"No."
"Have you?"
He looked away, head lowering.
That was enough of an answer.
"You don't get to hesitate on something like this." Alisha's tone became more serious. "Once a permanent link is created, the guiding energy of other guides becomes ineffective. And if you and this guy are circling each other like a bunch of disgruntled chickens—"
"I know." He rubbed a hand down his face. "Which means I'll have to get close to him. Reconcile any grievances."
"And," Alisha chimed, "discuss things with guide Han too. As much as I hate your boyfriend's guts, he deserves to know if you've found your permanent Guide. And you need to decide if you still want to be with him."
He knew all this.
God, he fucking knew all this already.
But—
"Where do I begin if I want Ambrose to feel close to me?" His voice was barely above a whisper.
Alisha's lips thinned for a heartbeat. Her eyes scanned him from head to toes.
Then—a smirk.
"You've still got your mom's chicken soup recipe, right?"
★★★★★
And that's how he found himself here.
Standing in front of Ambrose's door, holding a flask of the soup. Just like he imagined before coming here, the Guide showed hesitation.
Like he was pondering if he should let him in.
Fortunately, that didn't last long as Ambrose took a step back. "S–Sure. How can I say no to chicken soup?"
Devon subtly let out a relieved sigh, his smile broadening. However, when he crept into the suite and Ambrose closed the door behind him… his gaze fell on a little boy sitting on one of the sofas.
Stuffing his mouth with sandwiches.
Devon froze.
It was the same little boy from the last time he came here. The one who called him 'papa' and had golden eyes that oddly reminded him of his.
Sure enough, when the boy raised his head, he beamed. "Papa! You made it!"
Ambrose came to his side, scratching his head awkwardly. Last time he didn't bother asking who the kid was. But now?
"Ambrose?" He twisted his neck slowly to him. "Who's the kid?"