Seducing the Guideverse With My System — Raising an Anomaly [BL]

Chapter 277: _This One’s For All the Marbles

"What are you doing here?" Ambrose glanced around before taking a second look at the chaos lord. "I specifically said I need space."

"Did you?" Loki feigned cluelessness, folding their arms over their chest. "Must’ve slipped past my ears. Besides... I’m meant to watch you after all."

Ambrose’s nostrils flared.

This interaction had barely gone past ten seconds and he was already regretting not having Gabriel’s teleportation abilities yet.

"Loki," he said with a smile, keeping his voice low. "I appreciate the company. But I really don’t have the energy for—"

"Good day." A bubbly woman wearing the shop’s employee vest approached them just then. "May I help you?"

Ambrose held his breath for a beat.

Shit.

"Actually," he spun to her. "I’m only here to—"

"We," Loki did something Ambrose would probably spend the rest of the month thinking of. They grabbed his hand, pulling it to their side, "would love to see anything you have in stock. Surprise us."

Ambrose couldn’t believe it.

Loki was holding him. Like actually holding his hand like it was the most casual thing in the world.

The woman blinked once. Then her brows furrowed as her gaze roamed between the two of them. "Uhm, sorry for asking. But are you two—?"

"A couple?" Loki grinned before Ambrose could utter a word. "Oh, definitely. People can hardly tell most times because this stubborn head here," they tugged at Ambrose, pulling him even closer, "rarely shows PDA."

That made the woman’s smile change from a professional one to something genuine. "Aww." She giggled lightly. "You two look cute together..." A pause, taking in Loki’s bold outfit.

The latter instantly knew what that look was. "You can refer to me as sir if you want. I’m all and none at once." They winked. "Most times anyway."

Both of them laughed while Ambrose stood in the middle awkwardly, fighting hard to not be a buzzkill.

Meanwhile, Aura chimed mentally with a notification.

[ALERT: Physical contact with target detected. Would the host like to proceed with creating a permanent link?]

Ambrose stared at the notification. Then his eyes slid to Loki’s hand clamped on his.

As much as he felt an ache in his stomach knowing Orion was still out there and needed his help... he also knew creating this permanent link would be another vital step in getting stronger.

A part of him almost declined the notification. But another part—pushed him until he clicked naturally on yes.

[Aether strands materialising...]

[Host’s aether is reaching out to the target’s.]

"Follow me," the woman blurted just then, pulling Ambrose’s attention back to her. "There are some couple-themed chocolates I’m sure you’ll love."

Loki beamed, head swerving to Ambrose. "Isn’t she just so kind?"

The woman blushed hard, unaware she was already getting actively influenced by Loki’s charms. Without them having to even think about it.

Ambrose made sure to keep his fingers locked with Loki’s as a new notification popped up.

[Permanent link creation process has begun!]

[Progress: 2%...]

He cut the Esper one last look.

They didn’t seem alarmed in any way... so at least that was a hopeful sign that they hadn’t noticed.

’This one’s for all the marbles.’ Ambrose thought as the woman guided them deeper into the shop.

★★★★★

"Can you imagine?" Loki chuckled the second they walked out of the shop, taking a bite from a bear-shaped chocolate streaked with rainbow colours. "How much do you want to bet she picked these out simply because we’re queer?"

Ambrose’s fingers were still latched to Loki’s as he responded. "Give her some grace. She was really sweet about it."

"Pfft. I guess if you put it like that." Loki said after devouring the rainbow bear, licking off the stains from their lips.

They tried withdrawing their hand away from Ambrose—only to notice how tightly he was holding on. Loki arched a brow. "Uh, you know we don’t have to go on with this, right?"

"Hmm?"

"The hand holding." Loki’s voice dropped with suspicion now. "I only went with the couple’s story to get us a discount. That clearly worked so..."

Ambrose neither retrieved his hand nor answered them. Instead, his gaze went to the holographic screen hovering before him.

[Progress: 29%...]

Fucking hell.

It was probably because someone of their rank had stronger mental barriers but Ambrose was struggling longer than usual with this.

So far he hadn’t gotten any spark from Loki’s emotions. Not even their thoughts. It was like standing in the middle of an ocean, hearing distant seagulls without actually seeing them.

He wanted to reach for them. He tried. But he just couldn’t.

"I’m..." Ambrose’s mouth parted and closed as he thought of an excuse. "I... I’m sorry."

Loki halted.

Their eyes narrowed on Ambrose. "Sorry? Why should you be—"

"I know I said I needed space," Ambrose couldn’t believe the excuse he was about to pull. But fuck it. "I do. It’s just... It’s really hard. I was supposed to look after Orion. Make sure he is safe from the madness of this world."

Actual emotions he’d bottled up were allowed to break free, making his words all the more authentic.

Loki’s expression softened by a fraction.

For someone who constantly smiled and joked their way through life, that tiny shift somehow carried more weight than a grand display of sympathy ever could.

"You didn’t fail him."

Ambrose laughed bitterly.

"Didn’t I?" He swallowed hard. "He trusted me. He kept calling for me, and when I finally found him..." His jaw clenched so tightly it hurt. "I still couldn’t bring him home."

Silence stretched between them.

Then Loki did something that surprised even them. With visible reluctance, they stepped closer.

"This is... really not my thing," they muttered under their breath.

Before Ambrose could ask what they meant, Loki wrapped both arms around him.

Almost stiff.

One hand hesitantly came up to pat his back.

Like they were following instructions from a guidebook titled ’How To Comfort Someone Without Dying Of Embarrassment’.

"There," they mumbled. "You’re... being comforted."

A weak chuckle almost escaped Ambrose before it dissolved into a shaky breath. One stubborn tear slipped down his cheek anyway.

He shut his eyes.

Meanwhile, the system screen floating before him pulsed quietly.

[Progress: 31%...]

[Progress: 43%...]

[Progress: 59%...]

This time there were no interruptions or resistance.

Relief washed through him.

It’s actually working.

[DING!]

A brand-new holographic notification forced itself above every other screen.

[ALERT: Orion’s life signature reacquired.]

Ambrose’s eyes flew open.

Suddenly, even the permanent link no longer mattered.

Nothing else mattered.

His gaze locked onto the new map as a blinking marker appeared once more.