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Chapter 33: Troubled Love n’ Friendship

Beta-Reader: Ant0nius

Ambar has always been a very observant individual. It has been a trait she carried from the very moment she could think properly and utter words.

So, when she spotted Pulsar directing jealous looks at her as she tended the cute little human she knew so little about and yet grew fond of, she couldn’t help but feel frustrated and amused by this behavior. The Ice Crest was fairly funny in his own antics, and his flirtatious mannerism wasn’t lost to her. But if she had to be honest, one can only enjoy that sort of attention for so long. After all, the Bear Prime was not one that enjoyed the inner suffering of someone that was her close friend and ally. So, a solution had to be found and… perhaps the source of the bad mood coming from her ‘admirer’ could be of use to her in this situation.

Recluta was what one would rarely see in individuals stuck in this situation. A simple story with a cruel tale to narrate about how he lost his squad during that first contact. He wasn’t a tough guy in its entirety, but the way he held his nerves before the bloody outcome of that orbital barrage showed a degree of dedication that the Wisdom Crest found refreshing. A confirmation that many humans were willing to bravely sacrifice themselves for their good cause. Not the royal cause, that was a Prism-only duty. The cause of peace, the just cause of walking the road of damnation for the sake of preserving a warless future.

“How are you now?”

Recluta blinked, having been caught by the redhead in the middle of cleaning his equipment for the… umpteenth time. It wasn’t necessary, not for the many times he already did that, but it soothed him and Ambar agreed that handling such a fine and quiet duty may provide some serenity when one’s mind was troubled. So, when it came to a young mortal soldier, it made sense to her he would try to force his mind away from the bloodied field. Yet he couldn’t. A shame, a pity.

The hug definitely caught him off-guard but his posture was just barely tense. Habit, she had been doing this for a while with other individuals. She wasn’t pulling everyone in hugs, but the very few that were having it rough enduring the traumas of the battles. And Recluta was easily becoming her favorite in that regard.

“Lady Ambar?” He inquired, surprised by the interruption.

“Apologies, I just needed one myself as much as you needed one,” The Bear Prime hummed before detaching from the human. “So, I suppose your wounds are fully healed.”

“They are, yes. But I suppose this isn’t about these anymore, right?”

She smiled. He sure got accustomed to her antics already. “Indeed. Sorry.”

“...How may I help?”

“I have a question, but it is more driven by curiosity since… I have an issue with someone. One that may fancy me.”

“I think many fancy you, Lady Ambar,” The soldier remarked, causing Ambar to erupt in giggles.

“Yes, yes… but this one is a bit of a special case- no, it’s not you.”

“I wasn’t thinking that,” He answered truthfully, urging a huff from the redhead.

“How come you don’t see me in a fanciable manner?” She half-whined and the man sighed.

“Because I have someone back home to think about. And I think you already know that.”

“Yes- Yes I do. Which is why I need your help in this case.”

He perked his head at the comment. “You like this one?”

“...I would say yes, but it’s a bit of a secret.”

A nod, then he looked eager to listen and Ambar presented her case. The room was just occupied by them and no one was eavesdropping on their conversation. After what felt like an eternal debate between being restricted or explaining the whole situation, the woman settled for the latter and… the end results were sure intriguing.

“You should try to approach him too. Make it clear you are looking at him at least.”

“But I thought I’m already doing a fine job with that,” She argued and Recluta scoffed.

“You are aware that he thinks I’m trying to get in your pants, Lady Ambar. I believe that is a sign he doesn’t know well enough.”

She had the decency to flash a sheepish look. Was she so blind in that regard? Then again, it was difficult to handle and understand emotions as stormy as those tied to love. And… Love was in the air, or at least that’s what she was noticing as she spotted the few loving glances a certain former captain was throwing at the Love Crest herself. Ambar wasn’t sure if Grace knew that she had the eyes of Kayin Ravenhurst on her, but she knew for a fact Carmesi was suspecting Howl was interested in her beyond mere friendship. With that thought extending towards her current paramour much to her growing chagrin.

Ah yes, Ambar loved these romances where things were so complicated and yet on the way for a pleasant ending.

“So, how would you solve this?”

He hummed thoughtfully, a solution already forming and she was instantly frowning at him.”

“With a two-step method; first you would talk to him and bluntly tell him he is a dumbass; and then you tell him you like him as well in order to spare yourselves some stupid what-ifs.”

Some part of Ambar wanted so badly to say that was stupid, but her more reasonable side held more sway, and knew what was said was the truth. And Theo had told her the same thing. Tell him, date him, try to be with him. There was no excuse she could find to not try but… she was having cold feet in this case. Why? Ambar was unsure. Maybe it was the many years she engaged in familial peace. She barely engaged with people out of desire, especially now during this war, but in the past she did try to set a relationship or two. It didn’t work and… she was frightened by how this could easily hurt their chances of victory. What if Pulsar does something that endangers them all out of love?

Love was a finicky thing. It can provide one with strength, but it also made people do stupid things. And she couldn’t afford to make people more stupid than they were now. Yes, Adela and her knight were working things out in that regard. Same with Grace and Carmesi- but they had time to make it work. It was a lie to expect them to make a mess through it. They relied on each other and- A growl left her lips as she felt the human poke at her chin.

“Stop it.”

“You are ignoring me,” Recluta flatly rebuked. “So, I suppose you are failing to find a reason to not be honest.”

“I actually found plenty,” Ambar rebuked, but the man snorted.

“Sounds more like grasping at things now.”

“I don’t need to explain myself,” The redhead remarked with a faux petulant tone. “Alas, I have to go and… leave you to your brooding.”

“At least I have the guts to tell my love interest that I like her.”

That was just a low blow, one that Ambar knew best on how to retort. She leaned down and licked his cheek. It was not something she would usually do, it wasn’t something anyone would expect from her and… the human tensed up in a quick panic. His wide-eyed glance back at her was just delicious.

“And yet you are still a prude at times~.”

Giggles emerged from the huff coming from the human, improving Ambar’s mood as she resumed her stroll around the international barracks. There was still much for them to do after all and…

_ So much to think about on how to solve the Pulsar situation. _

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It was night and Geecku was unable to catch some good rest.

It wasn’t like something was actively preventing her from seeking a long nap but… there was something. Sorta. It was a complicated thing. Geecku never skipped sleep over thoughts, but there was always a time for a first and… this was indeed one of those cases. Huffing quietly to herself, she was enjoying being entangled in bed with Addie and Buddy. Both were sleeping quietly, enjoying the extra company, so that wasn’t the issue.

No, the issue was the fact it was just sleeping. Was Geecku in the mood for mating? Something of the sort. She felt the tingles of it, yet she wasn’t in the mood for it. No, she was entertained enough by just cuddling. But why? Why not mating with them? Why not bring these two closer to her?

Wouldn’t mating do that?

She wondered about it and it became clear that Geecku was… happy. It wasn’t just a mate to use for relief. No, they were more than that. Her buddy definitely was atop in that list, with him being so interesting and nice and would definitely be a fun time for her in bed or elsewhere. But Geecku wasn’t up to it. Something inside her held her back. She wondered what it was since it was the first time she felt so… unsure of what to do. She was spontaneous most of the time, always knowing where to set her mind on and go for it. She was ‘willed nature’ as Theo had called her. Her buddy knew things that made sense to her. He approached her with impressive kindness and… understanding.

How long has Geecku missed understanding?

As a feral entity for a while, the girl had lost the need for that. Or so she thought. It felt quite intense when that trust was back to her. That sense of long-standing kinship. That was the tingle which felt like mating, and yet it was ‘duller’, but longer in its duration. It was warm, but not scorching. It was… pleasant. And it was nice. It made her smile, it made her happy.

And Geecku loves being happy.

Which is why she found it easy to copy what Carmie had done. It was so impressive, to tap into that inner strength they all were meant to have. Many struggled, some were in the right path of copying that form of power and… Geecku did it with ease. Or rather, it wasn’t much of a novelty to her. It happened to her, just once, to tap into that power. Back then she forgot as it was so… amazing. It wasn’t even done on purpose, she had glimpses of that part of her past.

But as she ended up tapping into her own ‘Prima’ Power, she felt something else rush to her that she had long ignored. Her mind opened, her thoughts broadened and her perspective got greater. And it was incredible. It felt like so many things made sense to her and, among those details she usually missed, was the way she looked at Theo and others. Her greater mind made it more obvious to her: he wasn’t a mate, he was a friend and maybe more. The intense affection she aimed at him was not out of sensual gratification but borderline romantic. Did she love him as a permanent feature in her life? Not to the degree of true romantic love. But she cared for him. He was the first individual that wanted her around not for the things she could do to him, but what her mere presence alone brought. It was the silliness, the genuine and honest simplicity of her mind and… her cuddling.

Theo loved to cuddle with people, and Geecku loved to cuddle with people too.

It was a match made in heaven as far as she cared. And with Addie and others sharing the bed with them from time to time, Geecku found this entire matter particularly… interesting. And lovable. She liked it here, and she wanted to endure this war. It definitely was going to. She just had to be less worried of a potential outcome in that regard and…

Yet, why couldn’t she hold back herself from being worried? Why did she fear this wasn’t the case?

_ Something while she was in her Prima form told her things were going to be tougher and, for the first time in decades, Geecku was genuinely frightened by what this gut feeling truly meant. _

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AN

Dilemmas on the left and on the right.