There were so many nights when Bassena imagined intimate moments with Zein. A lot of time spent picturing the moments when he would, finally, had the permission to embrace the guide in the best and truest sense.
None of them involved the use of alcohol and palpable depression.
So, even when the love of his life was all over him, gripping his hair and grabbing his lapel for another kiss while their bodies were sticking to each other, he took a deep breath and pulled away.
"What are you doing, Zein?" he grabbed the guide's shoulder and pushed the man back as gently as he could.
But the devil worked harder.
"What's wrong?" Zein tilted his head, face slightly flushed but otherwise looked like he was sober, which made it harder for Bassena to stave the temptation away. Especially when Zein leaned his face closer, lips hovering above the esper's ears, and whispered in a sultry voice. "Isn't this what you always want?"