samaqi: this is an emotional chapter to write. You may not understand why until a few chapters later... Reaching to the end of this chapter and still unsure what happened? Go to Chapter 13 - Undercover to find out. [sob sob]
"Men's room," Zyma whispered to Acma, triggering an eye roll from her due to the sense of déjà vu with Seifer.
"Can't we find a better place?" she protested.
"My room, then?" Zyma smirked.
She closed her eyes in annoyance, shook her head, and walked in the direction of the restroom.
"When I came back, you guys were already gone," Zyma said as he washed his hands, glancing at Acma's reflection in the mirror.
"Raddie becomes your partner after I left?"
She didn't talk back.
"Rough day?"
No response.
"Not happy to see me?" Zyma pressed.
Still, no reply.
"Okay," Zyma smirked. Suddenly, he lunged towards Acma, seizing her wrist and applying a twist.
What the…
Taken by surprise, Acma instinctively dropped to a seated position, making it more difficult for her tall assailant to maintain control.
"Good. You remember," Zyma taunted.
Frustrated, Acma forcefully swung her heel, aiming for his elbow.
"Good reflex, sloppy though."
Being much more well-versed in martial arts, Zyma effortlessly lifted her up and pressed her against the wall, her arms pinned behind her back.
"Ahhh..." Acma winced in pain as Zyma's rough handling of her triggered the wound on her torso inflicted by the orange monster earlier.
He abruptly stopped and stepped back, releasing her.
"Wounded?" he asked, tossing her a backpack that seemed oddly familiar.
My gear?
"This..." Acma was surprised to see her own gear that she had hidden for G-day.
"You left traces everywhere," Zyma remarked, leaning back against the sink. "Use the first aid kit."
She hesitated.
"What? Are you shy now?" he taunted.
"No. It's called manner, Zyma. At least turn away," Acma retorted.
"Not like I haven't seen your body before."
"You've only seen me when I'm injured in battles! We never..." Acma exclaimed. "Just turn away."
"Ha…"
Acma looked up at Zyma, recognizing the "aha" expression he had whenever he figured something subtle to catch.
"What?" she asked. "Hey… what are you doing?"
He approached her and grabbed her ears, removing her com device.
"Timeth, right? She's here with me in a public restroom," he stated, handing the device to Acma. "Tell him to eff off."
Acma let out a sigh and communicated with Timeth through the device before switching it off. "Timeth, I'm fine. I'll see you later."
"Babe… can we talk normally now?" Zyma asked, taking hold of her hands, but she quickly pulled them back.
"I am talking normally. You just attacked me," she replied, furrowing her eyebrows. What the hell does he want?
"You seemed mad."
"I wasn't, but I am now."
"Treat the wound," he instructed, gesturing towards her injured side, before turning to a corner to give her some privacy. Acma locked the restroom door before removing her SeeD uniform. "Failed mission?" He asked.
"No."
"Deaths?"
"No."
"I heard about the severed arm. That's like a death sentence for her mercenary career."
"It can be reattached."
"Not good enough. There could have been a better outcome."
"How? I didn't expect to encounter a sea of X-90s on a P2 mission. It's easy for you to say. They're just students. One of them is only 15."
"Excuses."
"I did the best I could! What would you have done differently, huh?"
Zyma turned his head halfway.
"You did your best, yet you're still upset. That's what I would have done differently. Pull yourself together. You have loose ends that need to be tied up for G, and they're more important than agonizing over an arm that can be reattached."
Acma froze, finally understanding Zyma's intention. What a roundabout way to make me feel better. [samaqi: but Zyma's way is so much more effective than Raddie's, right? :) ]
"Enough about that. Business?" Acma said, putting her uniform back on.
"Done?"
"Done."
Zyma turned around and closed the distance between them.
"I know what you're up to."
"I don't know what you're..." Acma started, but Zyma interrupted her.
"I've been back for one day and already found five of your gears. And that's just me."
"I won't back down. I have to take this opportunity."
"Reckless."
"Are you going to rat me out?"
"What do you think?"
They stood in silence for a moment.
"We'll end up facing each other anyway, regardless of which side we're on," Zyma said. "You know damn well how that would end."
You mean I'd be dead? Tch. Cocky. I've improved a lot.
But Acma couldn't deceive herself into thinking that she had a high chance of winning. Zyma was given his title "Zyma the Great" by students and staff for a reason.
"What do you suggest?"
"Depends on how you define success criteria."
"No one dies."
"Tch… No way, Miss Rainbow."
"Don't you always say there's always a way, Mister Zyma the Great?" Acma retorted.
"The only way to minimize losses on both sides: we settle."
"Us? Settle? That's nonsense."
"Or would you prefer I turn you in now?"
Acma sighed. "Fine. If we settle, when?"
"Tonight."
"I'm injured… but fine."
"Tomorrow night then? I also want to spend tonight with you."
Zyma reached out to brush a few strands of hair away from Acma's forehead, but she swiftly slapped his hand away.
"No!"
"That's rude, treating your consultant like that," he smirked.
"Fine. Define 'spend the night'?" She almost screamed. "Just don't set foot in my room."
"Your suite?"
"I'll bring friends."
"Friend."
"Timeth."
"No."
"Raddie."
"Definitely no. I can smell that kid's infatuation from Dollet. A girl."
"I see… Trepie #23 wants to see you, too."
"Okay." Zyma approved, nodding.
"Still playing Triple Triad?"
"I'll bring my new cards. 2000?"
"Good. How about the settle?"
"1900 tomorrow. Fire Cavern."
"Fire Cavern? Kind of unfair for me, don't you think?" Acma questioned, ending their rapid-fire exchange of questions and answers. But of course, she knew better than anyone that Zyma never bothered to explain any of her 'why' questions.
"Tell Timeth to use my car and pick us up at 2000," Zyma said, taking her hand and placing a car key in it.
"One hour? What if it's not enough to settle?"
"You think we wouldn't finish each other in one hour?" Zyma smirked.
"Tch…" she scoffed.
Acma could think of many retorts, but she didn't want to fall into his perverted trap. She looked away, not wanting him to read her emotions.
Zyma's face lit up with amusement. "You know why I love you? You're smart, but you don't show off."
Acma looked at him directly this time.
Don't fall into his trap again.
"You just say that to anyone."
"Who else?"
"Trepie #23, for example."
"I never say that to her."
"Whatever. Are we done?" she asked, ready to end the conversation.
"See you tonight."
Dormitory. 2000.
Acma sat on her bed. It was still before curfew, so he would usually use the door, whether by knocking or barging in without warning. If he wanted to talk after curfew, he would use the window. When it came to discussing business, Zyma had no concept of personal privacy with Acma.
Acma wondered what kind of grand entrance he would make. But wait, was she really anxious for him to show up? Acma shook her head in denial. Oh Hyne, but who was she kidding?
Earlier that morning, Timeth had asked if she would be uncomfortable alone with Zyma due to his roughness. But a gentleman like Timeth wouldn't understand... Acma actually liked rough. Zyma's particular kind of roughness—cold, quick, smart, efficient, and professional (minus the directness)—was appealing to her.
Seifer... Acma occasionally visited him, not solely out of sympathy for the abandoned Knight, but also because his way of talking reminded her somewhat of Zyma. Somewhat, because Seifer was brutally rude as he had zero interest in her.
"I love you." Zyma had whispered those words to her, leaving a tender kiss that melted her heart before he had disappeared.
Acma reminisced about what had happened in this very room a year ago. They had become SeeDs. She had been the last one he danced with. Afterwards, he had asked to come to her room to discuss "business". However, Acma knew deep down that there couldn't be much to discuss, considering they had just successfully completed a major mission together. She understood what he truly wanted.
He vented about what went well and what could have been done better in the SeeD exam.
"You're a magic caster, fine. But you've got to cover your blind spots by moving. If I didn't catch that bullet, you'd be dead," Zyma paced back and forth in Acma's room, as if it was his own, a familiar habit of his during their partnership.
"That makes sense. I'll keep that in mind for next time," she responded. "Is there anything else?"
Zyma hesitated to leave, and he couldn't miss that she also didn't want him to go. He was skilled at reading people, especially her. She didn't blame herself, though. She was a dreamy 16-year-old, and Zyma possessed everything a teenage girl could desire, except for real physical roughness — like twisting her wrists out of nowhere and unafraid of breaking her bones during training.
What a jerk.
But she liked it that way... His body was fully mature, with well-defined muscles and a lean figure that seemed ideally suited for stealth missions. She considered themselves equally smart, but she acknowledged that his execution was often better due to his greater maturity.
He kissed her. Gentle, then rough. And as she groaned in pain from the heightened sensations, the roughness lessened until reaching perfection.
Acma yearned to travel back in time and relive that perfect moment.
Unlike his usual roughness, he was gentle and respectful when they cuddled. She allowed him to stay in her bed until morning. He had removed his SeeD uniform, while she still wore her military tank top. He knew that she wasn't ready, and he respected her boundaries.
Now, at 17 years old, she was ready. But there was no way she would allow him to touch her in that way, not after he had toyed with her feelings by going completely silent for a year and God knows how many other women he had been intimate with.
He made her feel pathetic.
Dormitory 2020.
He's late. Acma looked at the ticking clock.
Dormitory 2040.
Really late. He's rarely late. Anything wrong?
Knock on the door.
"Acma, Zyma is here." Trepie #23 said.
"Coming!"
"Good to see you back." Trepie #23 greeted Zyma, a warm smile on her face.
"Me too, I've missed you, Trepie #23."
"Aw… I pray for you all dispatched SeeDs everyday." Trepie #23 poured down her special tea for the three of them.
"Enjoy the operations work?" he asked.
"I love it. Not a lot of actions, but we take care of stranded kids. They are happy, I'm happy. In free time I play cards to feed our infinite magic caster here." Trepie #23 turned to Acma.
"That's why I picked Quezacotl. You're the best, Trepie #23," Acma joined the conversation, gently squeezing her friend's shoulder.
"I'm just trying to be helpful. And thanks for the bounty money you collected, Zyma. Whenever you successfully hunted criminals, Miss Xu would always be in great mood," Trepie #23 tapped on Acma's hand and turned her head back to Zyma.
"I'm glad that my killing nurtures lives eventually." He took a sip in the familiar tea.
Trepie #23 asked Zyma about his recent missions, Zyma told her about the places, tribe customs he had seen without disclosing the victim identities.
Acma noticed that Zyma's hair roots were no longer gray, unlike in the morning. It took Acma months to realize that black was not Zyma's natural hair color. He chose the color to better remain hidden in the dark.
"Shall we?" Trepie #23 shuffled her Triple Triad deck. "Acma, do you want to play?"
"No, I'm good. I'm watching." Acma laid down on the sofa of the common area.
"I collected new cards, I'm sure you two will like them." Zyma took out his deck which surely doubled in size.
Being a bounty hunter, Zyma knew the value of patience. When closing in on his prey, he would meticulously plan their capture, spending days strategizing and waiting for the perfect moment. In those moments of anticipation, he would often indulge in one of his few obsessions — collecting GF cards.
Acma watched the two play and chitchat. She couldn't help but notice that Zyma was friendlier towards others but acted like a jerk towards her. Discipline was important to Zyma, and six months being his mentee or partner taught her way more practical experiences than years in Trabia.
Zyma was added to Garden relatively late, and was two years older than an average S20 classmate like Trepie #23. Acma, who should have enrolled to S21 as Timeth, remained as competitive as ever, acing classes and making herself the youngest member of S20. Zyma was a grown man while Acma, despite being fully mature, got trapped in a small teenage figure.
"Acma, you wanna play?" Trepie #23 offered, "I'm preparing another tea set."
"No, I'm good. We'll wait for you," Acma replied.
As Trepie #23 entered the kitchen, Zyma sat down next to Acma, causing her to shift slightly on the sofa.
"Your wound. Healed?" Zyma asked.
"Enough for tomorrow."
"Good."
"But why do you let your opponent rest?" Acma inquired, hoping for an answer.
Zyma leaned closer and looked into her eyes. "Because I love her."
"Tch…" Acma scoffed.
Zyma smirked. "What? You really think I've told Trepie #23 the same?"
"Sounds like you would definitely do that," she said skeptically.
Zyma called out towards the kitchen, "Hey, Trepie #23! Have I ever told you…"
Acma swiftly covered Zyma's mouth, her eyes widening in alarm. Zyma's grip tightened as he pulled her into an embrace, allowing the weight of her small figure to rest against his chest.
"Tell me what?" Trepie #23's voice came from the kitchen, accompanied by the clinking of tea cups.
Zyma smiled, sensing Acma not pushing him away, "I was going to say that the Zelbagade tribe has tea just like yours."
"Of course! I ordered them through the black market. Traditionally grown tea leaves are the best," Trepie #23 chimed in, returning to the room.
Acma quickly pushed herself away from Zyma, trying to create some distance between them.
"What's that? 7 5 8 1... Is it a new card?" Trepie #23 asked, arranging the tea cups while glancing at Zyma's new hand.
"Maybe. I've honestly lost track of monster names. I only care about GFs," Zyma replied.
Acma's interest was piqued. She moved closer to Zyma's deck and realized...
Krysta?
"I've changed my mind. I'll play. Wait for me, I'll get my cards," Acma said, pretending to casually walk back to her room. 10 precious Holy awaiting, I'm gonna hit him hard.
Acma returned with 20 of her strongest cards. However, with the current Diff trading rule and Random Hand, her attempts to obtain the Krysta card seemed futile. After 10 matches, she kept missing the chance to acquire it, and when she had a good hand, Zyma didn't have Krysta in his.
"2155. This was fun, guys. I'm calling it a day," Trepie #23 yawned.
"I'm leaving too. I need to get back to the boys' dorm before curfew," Zyma announced, standing up.
"Already? You just got here," Acma protested, surprised.
"I can't risk Aki finding out I'm in the girls' dorm playing Triple Triad," Zyma explained as he headed towards the hallway. "Bye, girls. Thanks for the tea, Trepie #23!"
"Bye, Zyma! Take care. Good night, Acma," Trepie #23 yawned once more before entering her own room.
Acma hurriedly chased after Zyma as Trepie #23 closed her door.
"Really? You're leaving just like that?"
"I've spent the night. What else do you expect me to do?" Zyma smirked.
"You were 40 minutes late. Can you stay for a few more matches?"
"Since when did you become that addicted to cards? Don't you have to prepare for G-day?"
"Whatever. Can you stay?"
"But where? Aki will be patrolling the girls' dorm soon."
Acma closed her eyes, gathering her courage for what she was about to suggest. "My room."
"Tch... I distinctly remember you told me not to set foot in your room," Zyma taunted.
Krysta. Holy.
"I apologize for saying that. Will you please come to my room?" Acma asked, trying her best to sound sincere.
"Sure, if you ask that nicely." he smirked.
Jerk.
They entered Acma's room.
"Okay, let's make it quick. Let's play our last hands, no Random Hand..." Acma started setting up the table, but before she could finish, Zyma tossed a card on the table.
"I guess you're looking for this," Zyma said, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"You..." Acma rolled her eyes in frustration, "you knew all along that I wanted this card."
"Your expression is priceless, babe," he taunted. "You could have just asked."
Acma narrowed her eyes. "Just ask? And you would have given it to me? 10 Holy spells for free?"
"Nothing comes for free, Miss Rainbow," Zyma flashed a sly smile and took a seat across from her.
"What do you suggest?"
"I have 50 cards. The chances of getting Krysta through Random Hand are pretty low, less than 0.1%."
"I'm well aware of that…" Talking combinatorics with me?
"Good. And I'm not much worse than you…"
"Cut to the chase," Acma interrupted, growing impatient.
"Just so you know, it would take ages for you to win that card, and time is money. The alternative 'payment' has to be good enough, close to priceless."
"For example?"
"Pleasure. Happiness."
Acma's eyes darkened. Pervert.
"Be more specific." Acma breathed in, trying to calm down before breaking his nose.
"It wouldn't be fun if I were more specific than that," Zyma smirked.
Acma rested her head on her palm, trying to unravel how she ended up in this uncomfortable situation.
Timeth. Shrewdya. Arm. Holy. My freaking expensive Limit Break.
"I have Gils… not much, but surely you can buy plenty of your so-called happiness somewhere," Acma offered, trying to keep her anger in check.
"It's no good if it doesn't come from you." Zyma replied.
Asshole. "Geez… what do you want? Spit it out!" Acma snapped. I'm not your freaking toy.
"Fine, I'll write it down. Do it, and this card is yours," Zyma said, jotting something down on a piece of paper and slipping it to Acma.
She forcefully closed her eyes for a moment, bracing herself for the worst, before angrily picking up the note.
Acma's eyes filled with confusion as she read it.
"So?" Zyma asked, eager for her response.
"You're serious about giving me Krysta if I say this?" Acma asked, sounding perplexed.
"Right." Zyma confirmed with a nod.
Say 'I love you'.
That was all.
Silence enveloped the room, stretching on for what felt like an eternity. Acma's eyes remained fixed on the note, the confusion evident on her face.
I don't understand.
Another minute slipped by. Zyma, unable to contain his frustration any longer, let out an exasperated sigh.
"Tch… you're such a good torturer, Acma. Fine, you win. I guess I'm too repulsive for you to even pretend, let alone say it. Take your damn card. Good night," Zyma's smirk disappeared, and his face turned red as he made a hasty retreat towards the door.
Acma rose from her seat and grabbed his arm. "Wait... Why?" she implored, her voice filled with a mix of desperation and frustration.
"Why what?" Zyma shook off her grip, his voice almost reaching a yell.
"Why does it have to do with 'happiness'? Why is it 'not good if it doesn't come from me'? You're confusing me," Acma expressed her frustration.
"What part of this is confusing, my Lord? Do you want me to pour my heart out? I've said 'I love you' a million times already. I just want to hear it from you. Damn it... it even hurts when you ask that," Zyma snapped, his impatience evident as he gripped the doorknob tightly. "Just... see you tomorrow. Good night."
No!
Acma grabbed him one more time.
"But you dumped me. We kissed, we cuddled, and the very next day, you disappeared. You didn't write. You can't just show up and act like nothing happened!" Her frustration laced her words. "What do you want us to be? Say it, for once. Stop oscillating between being a jerk and an anguished lover like this."
"Ha…"
A flicker of realization seemed to dawn on Zyma.
Ha?
"I see… I'm sorry..." Zyma turned back, his voice filled with remorse.
?!
Silence filled the room. Zyma kept looking into her eyes.
"Is that all? You're sorry?" Acma wasn't sure how to react to his apology.
Zyma nodded, his eyes locked onto hers. "I am. I tried to write but… you know the nature of my missions. Nevertheless, I now understand why you would feel angry and confused. I'm sorry for realizing it somewhat late. I feel kind of dumb right now."
Huh? Dumbass!
"It wasn't that big of a deal anyway. We were never that serious," Acma attempted to downplay the significance of his departure, her voice betraying a hint of vulnerability.
He gently took her hands, and this time she didn't resist. "I was sent on a discreet mission with no clear end. You know how terrible Cid is at reading contracts," Zyma explained, his tone sincere. "I ended up getting injured and stranded in the middle of nowhere for a few months."
Okay…
"I have something for you." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a ring, sliding it onto Acma's finger. "Wear it, I have one too." And he showed her one on his own hand.
Acma examined the intricately carved creatures on the rings. "What are these?"
"They're GF tokens. One of the ingredients used to forge real GFs. Pretty amazing, right?"
Acma feigned interest in studying the rings, her mind racing to process what Zyma had just revealed.
"What are other ingredients?"
"Love," he grinned mischievously and leaned in, planting a swift and unexpected kiss on her forehead, catching her off guard.
Too good to be true?
"Take off your clothes."
"What?" Zyma blinked in confusion.
"You heard me, undress." Acma repeated, her tone firm.
"That's quite a dangerous thing to tell a man…" Zyma's eyes rolled slightly.
"I could buy these rings for 50 Gils at Sean's antique shop. Don't expect me to believe your 'I'm not a jerk' story. You said you were badly injured. Any scars?" Acma challenged.
Zyma scoffed, a hint of amusement in his voice. "Right, I forgot skepticism runs in your blood."
He moved to sit on Acma's bed, removing his black hooded cloak and revealing a large hollow dent in his stomach—a clear sign of a serious wound hastily healed by Curaga.
"I took a hit from a dark GF — last blow before its death. I was lucky to survive with only 10 HP left."
Acma gasped inwardly while trying to keep a straight face, fear enveloping her as she took in the depth of his wound. How could anyone survive such an injury?
"I couldn't manage a long trip to return, and client requests from the same contract just kept pouring in," Zyma explained. "Besides, I would have come back a month earlier if my girlfriend had chosen to cast anything other than Holy." He quirked his head toward the Krysta card on the table, a smile playing on his lips.
Acma clenched her jaw, not due to anger but to control herself not to show a smile.
"Why do you wait until now to tell me then?" She forced her burgundy eyes to flash again.
"Would you have listened if I told you earlier? You were clearly mad at me this morning." He reached out to hold her hands again. "And I know a thing or two about my partner; you don't listen when you're mad. Now seems like a better time, don't you agree?" His tone calm and rational.
Geez… Manipulative jerk.
"Plus... I saw you talking with Raddie. You guys seemed so comfortable. I thought that kid finally made a move and kept you occupied."
Occupied? Jealous?
A heavy silence hung in the room as Acma withheld her thoughts, avoiding eye contact with him. However, she allowed him to hold her hands, feeling his thumb gently caress her knuckles.
"I've said it all… your turn to say something, babe," he murmured, lifting her hands to his lips. Acma swiftly withdrew her hands, reclaiming them from his touch.
"Fair enough. Back to business…," Acma began unbuttoning her blue, long dress, "about our transaction."
Zyma was taken aback by her unexpected action. "What are you doing?"
"What? Are you shy now?" Acma mocked, "I'm not saying those three words until I warm up."
"Warm up? Is that some new teen slang?" Zyma showed a sign of shock - this girl never stop to surprise him. "… I don't want it to feel forced."
"Did we even attend the same sexual harassment training? You can't get more explicit consent than this," Acma snapped. Men, so weird. They act like perverts all the time, but afraid to take a bite near their mouths.
"You're still underage."
"You were gone for a year, I'm no longer 16. Almost 17 and a half now, old man!"
Zyma chuckled. "You still look like 12."
The words hit her ears louder than a Thundaga attack.
T… twelve?
Acma froze in place. A mixture of anger and shame flooded over her. Her fingers still hovered over the buttons of her dress, unsure of how to proceed.
Zyma's smile faded as he sensed her anger. "Too far?" he asked hesitantly.
Acma remained silent, her jaw clenched tightly, her eyes forcefully shut. Her hands instinctively clutched her partially open collar, covering her modest chest.
"I'm sorry, babe. I didn't mean it," he said softly and reached out to her.
Babe? Baby?
"Get out," Acma stepped back, her voice cold and firm.
"Babe, please…"
"Get out!" She took another step back, giving him a clear path to the exit.
Zyma knew he would be a fool to leave her in this moment. He waited, watching as Acma took a few deep breaths, calming herself before he spoke.
"I am very sorry. That was a terrible joke," he apologized sincerely, "You know I love you and I want to be with you. I risked life and death just to come back to you. I even had to fix those damn granny trains in Timber..."
Acma's memory suddenly flashed back to why Zyma couldn't return in time to assist Raddie during the field exam. She remembered the jealousy she had felt when she misunderstood that Zyma was in the infirmary room with Xu, and the immense relief she experienced when she discovered it wasn't him.
"I got this as a reward from fixing the trains… Here, for your ice spells." Zyma took out a card.
Acma rolled her eyes. "A Shiva card? Do you think I'm that addicted to cards?" she attempted to sound skeptical. "Are you gonna increase your payment or something?" 100 North Winds. 2000 Blizzagas.
"No, no, no," Zyma quickly responded. "This is another gift." He quickly slipped the card into Acma's hand, causing her to unconsciously smile at his endearing gesture.
Acma held the card in her hand and admired the beauty of Shiva depicted on it. "What a loss! Trading this hot lady for a twelve-year-old..." she mocked.
Zyma hesitated, not daring to delve further into that reference. Sensing an opportunity, he pleaded, lightly touching her crossed arms. "Babe, can we… reset?"
What a jerk. 'You still look like 12?' That's the price for liking bad boys, Acma. Sure, they're fun, but... Is there any other 'but'? Raddie would never say anything inappropriate to you, but… there's no fun. You don't even want to have coffee with him...
Acma… you'd better not regret tonight…
"Fine… reset," Acma uttered, her voice filled with a mix of hesitation and anticipation. Slowly, she settled onto her bed and reached for the lamp, switching it off.
Not wasting another moment, Zyma's hands found her small braids in the dark, and swiftly brought her head closer to his. He let their noses lightly brushed against each other to prepare her for a hungry kiss. He remembered how she enjoyed the sensation of his lips pressing against hers with a hint of force, yet still allowing her to savor each moment. Her hands shyly traced a path from his shoulders to the back of his neck.
A year had passed, she had changed a lot but one thing remained — she had never openly expressed her true feelings for him. However, in that fleeting moment when her nails pressed firmly against his skin, conveying both anger and a trace of hesitation to avoid causing him pain, he finally realized that she loved him just as deeply as he loved her.
[…]
Acma turned on the light, opened her drawer and lit up a cigarette.
"You smoke?" Zyma sat up, "I have to say, you've changed a lot."
"This is the first time. The girls say it's good after getting 'high'."
"I see," Zyma snorted as Acma coughed and swore. "Was the 'high' good?"
Acma nodded and bit her lip, attempting to conceal her blushing. "It was alright. I don't have anything to compare it to, obviously, but I can understand why spies are trained in this skill. It's an interesting way to gather information."
"No, no, A. I was extremely patient with you. People don't ask that many questions when doing it," he laughed. "Don't tell anyone that I taught you that."
"Anyway, there's no way they would give me such missions because some people think I look like 12," Acma teased.
"You're beautiful, babe," he stroke her red hair, "but stay in the lab, I'll make enough bounty money for your research."
"Aw, that's sweet… screwing criminals for your chick back in Garden."
Zyma chuckled heartily. "You're certainly two-faced, A. Everyone thinks you're a good girl. You're just acting like this with me, aren't you?"
"Aren't you the same, Z? 'Bye, girls. Thanks for the tea, Trepie #23.' Blah," Acma mimicked Zyma's words in a sarcastic tone.
"I guess it's good thing that we're comfortable enough to show our different sides with each other." Zyma said, smiling.
Acma smiled back and nodded. It was rare to see Zyma full of assassin vibes this relaxed. She cherished those moments when he smiled. She had been under immense stress for months since receiving orders from G, but tonight, she finally managed to let go of it all and live in the present moment.
"Can I have one cigarette, please?" Zyma asked.
"Sorry, this is the only one I have."
"We can share."
"No."
"Selfish."
"Kidding," Acma smiled mischievously and handed him her cigarette. "All yours. This is tasteless."
"There are fruit flavors, you know," he said, looking at her kindly.
Acma picked up the Krysta card and used Quezacotl's Card Mod to convert it into Holy.
"Can't wait to card it out? I haven't heard the words yet." Zyma pulled her back onto the bed.
"Aren't you satisfied with my alternative payment?" Acma continued casting the Card ability, and the Krysta card floated, emitting a soft light as it dispersed.
"I'm not sure whose payment it was, considering I had to do 99% of the work while answering hundreds of your 'why people do this and that' questions," he whined.
Acma laughed. "'Had to'? Wow, was I really that bad? I thought you enjoyed it, at least the last part."
"Yes, after I told you to shut up," he laughed. "Just to be clear, babe, I didn't say it wasn't good… Hyne, it feels so good doing it with the right person… I'm just saying, it's not a fair payment if you don't contribute as much."
"Too late!" Acma junctioned the Holy spell, her eyes sparkling as her stats increased.
"Selfish," Zyma sighed.
"What did you say?" Acma narrowed her eyes playfully.
"Nothing, babe." Zyma quickly assessed her face, making sure she didn't want to send him to the door again. "Anyway, business... I was late today because I closed a few loopholes for you. Let's make some changes to your plan."
Zyma took out a map and explained his suggested modifications.
"There you go. If executed perfectly, no one has to die."
Acma looked skeptical. "Right... but it's impractical. It assumes I have superhuman abilities. No one can run that far and survive at least ten battles along the way. It's not even feasible for a Legendary SeeD."
"No, it's not. That's why I'll lend you my GF to help you out. But honestly, you're not far from being a Legendary SeeD yourself. I've trained with them, and you have better stats and quicker reactions when you stay focused. Just remember, things don't always go according to plan. Be flexible, be creative. You can do it."
"Wow..." Acma was taken aback by his gentle side. "I'm not used to this side of you at all. Maybe I should have gotten you 'high' earlier. It would have saved me from a lot of broken bones two years ago."
"You were really bad back then, A," Zyma shook his head, "and extremely competitive. I had no interest in you at that stage, and it was fun to torture you and push your limits. But I have to admit, you're a fast learner."
"And now the student has become a research instructor," Acma said, rolling back towards Zyma. "Babe, about the unfair payment... I'll make up for it this time. What do you want me to do?"
Zyma scoffed. "Forget it. You don't know how to do any of those things."
"Teach me. I'm a fast learner, am I not? Besides, I know guys have a thing for instructors wielding whips. Lucky for you, your chick happens to be a lasso user with quite the collection." Acma opened her closet, offering, "Take your pick."
[…]
"Good?" Acma asked.
"A+."
"Thanks. Glad I pass your bar, sensei."
Zyma chuckled briefly before returning to a serious tone.
"A."
"Yeah?"
"I'm being dispatched tomorrow, right after we settle," Zyma informed her.
"Uhm hmm." Top SeeDs are always in high demand.
"Another long, stealth mission."
"Okay..." Acma's voice trailed off, a hint of disappointment in her tone.
"Don't wait for me. Have fun."
"Right, I'm not your girlfriend or anything. Have fun, Z," Acma responded sarcastically and turned away.
"Do you want to be my girlfriend?" Zyma suddenly looked at Acma.
"Tch... in my next life. Just because we like each other doesn't mean we have to be together or put a label on it." We are SeeDs. We can die anytime.
"Like?"
Acma fell silent, unsure of how to answer.
Zyma grabbed Acma's head and kissed her passionately.
"Reminder: payment not yet complete," he teased.
Acma smiled and bit her lip, her eyes sparkling. I didn't know love can be this sweet… Love?
"I love you, A."
"I love you, Z." she finally let go of her reservations.
"There… complete." Zyma said with a smile on his face.
Tuesday moring, SeeD Ceremony day.
"Ready for the 'tradition'? You have to get Diablos. Don't let Raddie take it," Acma whispered to Timeth in the infirmary.
"Your new plan sounds reasonable. I'll do my best," Timeth replied.
"Good luck! I understand things might not go according to plan, though. Don't stress too much if Raddie ends up getting it. We'll find another way," Acma reassured him.
"That's... thanks. You look... happy today, Acma," Timeth observed.
"Yeah? I got 10 Holy spells from Zyma. Our problem is solved, T."
"Is that all? Ahem… it's all written on your face. Last night, you two..."
"Oh... are you too shy to say it? Adult, adult, adult. We're all grown up now," Acma teased back.
"Acma, remind me, who was scolding me just yesterday about 'complicate things'?" Timeth retorted.
"Well, we're both very good at separating our 'personal' life and 'business' matters."
"Everyone says that…" Timeth muttered.
"Hey, T, if you ever want to make a move with Shrew soon, I can teach you a thing or two..." Acma teased, but Timeth quickly cut her off.
"No! That's... ew. Anyway, I should get going. I don't want to be late for the SeeD ceremony," Timeth said, changing the subject.
"See you, cutie. Don't forget to pick up us from Fire Cavern at 2000."
Tuesday evening, 1900, Fire Cavern.
"Zyma! Are you here?" Acma entered the Fire Cavern, a usual location for the field exam. Many students had already ventured into this spot over the past week, so there weren't many monsters left.
"Over here. Let's move closer to the pit," Zyma waved her over.
Straight to business.
They walked in silence. Acma noticed that Zyma's steps seemed heavier than usual. She wanted to ask if something was wrong, but she hesitated.
It doesn't hurt to ask, though. So much misunderstanding was resolved last night when we both decided to talk more.
"How are you?" Acma finally asked.
Zyma's steps came to a halt, and he looked at her for the first time. "Good. You?"
"Great," she smiled and pulled out a small box, "I have some free time this afternoon, so I baked some muffin. If you want to…"
Before Acma could finish her sentence, Zyma embraced her tightly. She happily returned the warmth of his embrace.
"Hey… what's wrong, babe?" she asked.
"Nothing. I want to eat them."
"Okay."
He opened the tiny box and took a bite.
"Sweet," Zyma said, his expression somewhat displeased.
"Really? I didn't add much sugar because I know you don't like it," Acma explained.
"No, they're delicious, and you're sweet. Thank you," Zyma clarified, folding the box neatly and put it into his pocket.
"You're welcome. I thought that since you'll be leaving soon, you won't have a chance to enjoy homemade food anymore."
"Thank you… I'll miss these muffins."
Silence hung in the air.
"So… back to business, how do we settle then?" Acma asked. "I bring simulation gears, in case you don't want to risk getting actual wounds."
Tuesday evening, 1910, Infirmary.
"Timeth, get here as soon as possible! He's trying to kill me!"
"What? On my way in 10!"
"Timeth, who's that?"
"I'm sorry, Shrew. I have to go now."
"Okay…"
Wednesday morning, G-day.
Acma found herself wake up in her own bed.
"You're awake?" Timeth happened to be sitting next to her.
"My head hurts," she groaned. "Did my memory get erased again?"
"What do you remember?"
"I remember going to Fire Cavern with Zyma... Did we fight? What day is it?"
"It's the morning after the fight. You didn't miss much. You won, and he got you a GF," Timeth explained quickly.
"I see... That explains it. Has he already been dispatched?" Acma inquired.
"Yes… he gave you this gear and told you to keep it until he comes back next time," Timeth handed Acma a backpack.
"Classic." Acma sighed. Last time, a kiss, then he'd gone for a year. How long would he be gone this time? "Yikes, did we use simulation gear to settle? Why does it hurt like hell? And I lost 4 Holy spells! That jerk…" **Acma exclaimed, her voice filled with surprise and pain.
"Acma..." Timeth hesitated.
"Yes?"
"Never mind..."
"What is it? Whenever you're about to say something, it's usually important," Acma pressed.
"I think… Z really loves you." Timeth said with a fainted smile.
Because I called him a jerk?
"I know, Timeth. I know..." Acma smiled, nodding, indicating that she felt the same.
"Okay, let's get prepared. It's happening soon."
"Will do."
Timeth left the room, and as soon as Acma unzipped Zyma's gear, Trepie #23 called out to her from the kitchen.
"Did you see Zyma last night?"
"He's already been dispatched, Trepie #23," Acma replied.
"Oh? That was quick. Who's going to play with Commander Leonhart to get Miss Trepe's card then?" Trepie #23 wondered.
"You can do it, love! Zyma already gave you a couple of GF cards, right?" Acma suggested.
"Haha... I prefer to keep them and play with him only. He'll get mad if he can't win his cards back," Trepie #23 chuckled.
"Up to you. He gave me Krysta. I already carded it to get 10 Holy!"
"Wow! With that, you can wipe out the whole garden, Acma."
"I won't. I don't want the T-rexes to go extinct again haha."
Inside Zyma's gear, there was an envelope with title "From Z to A" on it.
Cheesy.
Inside was a letter with Zyma's handwriting.
"
A,
I've had to rewrite this letter multiple times because there are so many things I want to say. However, I want it to be concise so that you can carry it with you. So, I've turned it into a to-do list — I know you love to-do lists, babe.
—Personal
+—Remember our amazing time last night. My only regret is that I couldn't make us breakfast. Trepie #23 occupied the kitchen so I jumped from the window :(
+—Save the cigarettes for the next time you get "high". I got you cherry-scented ones. Like I said, don't wait for me. Have fun, babe.
—Business
+—I hope you like my gift. He has the same hair as me, so I named him Aczyma (see what I also did there?). He'll help you through our no-one-dies plan, Miss Rainbow. There's no manual, he'll automatically appear with Hell's Judgment when your HP is low.
+—Use my assassin's equipments. Yours are for kids :).
+—I've left you some cards to trade along the way. All of my GF cards are with Trepie #23, find her when you need to restock. Don't carry too much magic with you, or it might raise suspicion about your stats.
A serious question: in our next life, would you be my GF?
I love you. Forever.
-Z
"
Acma opened her drawer and discovered two cigarettes tinted red.
Jerk. Cheesy jerk.