“But they call it a farm—”

  “Jason, for the last time, it’s just the term used,” Clive said, his notebook open in front of him. Jason had barely been able to pull him away from his work at all, so he’d acquiesced on a tiny bit brought to the table.

  “Well, with how you described the process, I think bakery’s a better descriptor.”

  “It’s a word translated from Rimarosian, Jason. Some things get lost in the process.”

  “Wait… there’s more than one language here?”

  “Is there only one language in your world?” Clive asked, picking up his pen and looking at Jason with excitement.

  “Actually, there’s more than I could name,” Jason admitted, trying to think of any time he’d noticed another language and failing. He’d just assumed that the world had some common language, like with ‘Dungeons and Dragons’. However, now that he thought about it, there were other languages in the game as well. “I guess, I’m a galah for thinking there was only one.”

  “It’s common for people with translation abilities to get confused like this early on. More so if no one speaks their original language,” Clive said with a sympathetic smile. {“You know, if this is better for you, I could try English.”}

  The sudden swap almost stopped Jason’s heart. It’d been months since he’d heard another person speak English. Well, besides himself, when he occasionally slipped into it. But now here was Clive speaking to him with an Australian accent. In fact, Clive sounded like a bloody librarian! Oh, a sexy— nope, he wasn’t about to ruin another friendship by going down that rabbit hole.

  {“Why do you sound Australian?”}

  {“Oh, that’s your dialect, right?”} Clive asked, seeing Jason nod as he furiously wrote down his observations. {“Well, you’re the first English speaker I heard, so my ability used you as the basis. Though everyone’s ability varies. For example, your accent’s nothing like the Greenstone or the Deltan accents you should’ve heard first.”}

  {“What can I say? I’m one of a kind.”}

  {“There’s always been outworlders, Jason. You’re by no means the first, nor the last.”}

  {“That’s not what I… You know, I don’t think librarian’s the best descriptor for you. Maybe, professor? Yeah, professor has a nice ring to it.”}

  “What? Where’s this coming from?” Clive asked, slipping out of English with a confused expression.

  “Wouldn’t you like to know, professor?”

  “Of course I would, Jason. That’s why I asked.”

  The shop’s bell chimed as Jason heard the owners shout out a greeting to the late-night crowd coming in, laughing and shushing each other in drunken merriment.

  Well, boozy food runs seemed to be a universal constant, Jason thought as he gave a teasing smile at Clive, who just shook his head, knowing full well Jason wasn’t going to further elaborate on his question.

  “Oh, look who it is, the guy with the evil powers!”

  Jason turned, recognizing the voice, and caught sight of a very flushed Phoebe and Neil stumbling against a table with that loose grin that only came with a few drinks.

  “Why doesn’t anyone call me the healer guy? You know I do a lot more healing than being evil, Phoebe!”

  “Well then, you shouldn’t have fucked my brother’s team like that,” Phoebe cackled, as she leaned against Neil for support, who was also cracking up.

  “Doesn’t that add another, what, five people to your list, Asano? How many people have you really slept with here?” Neil snarked, causing Jason to flush a bit at the accusation.

  How had things spiraled this far out of his control?

  He’d been one to keep up with rumors in school, of course. It’d always been a great way to cut deep at a person who was trying to hold him socially hostage.

  But now that he’d found himself on the receiving end of such allegations... He was starting to wonder if it was worse being known as the evil powers guy or the scarlet letter of Greenstone.

  Not that both rumors hadn’t boosted his reputation. The estimated political sway people believed he held between the Gellers, Mercers, and the Magic Society was truly astounding.

  Although it almost felt a little unfair that he was being accused of such Playboy behavior, while not really being able to enjoy the perks of being a Playboy at all. Not that he wanted to be… though, it did feel nice to be considered so desirable.

  Even if that consideration had led to introspection that’d made him rethink all his relationships up to this point.

  A mortifying ordeal that had left him more confused than satisfied.

  What were his true feelings for Humphrey, Clive, and Thad? How did that affect his relationship with Cassandra? How much longer would that even last at this point?

  She’d given him the one phrase no person wanted to hear just that day.

  ‘We need to talk.’

  But she hadn’t further elaborated, only pushed aside his questions as she’d left for her contract.

  How dare she lob a bombshell like that and leave town for several days?

  Well, to throw him off, of course.

  He knew that.

  That’s exactly what he would’ve done as well.

  He looked up at Neil’s drunken smirk and wanted to shake the large man but decided a verbal jab would have to do.

  “That’s big talk from the guy on my current list!” Jason teased, blowing a kiss at Neil, who just waved it off like it was nothing.

  Well, that kind of stung.

  God, was this what being bi or pan or whatever he was, all about?

  Being bi-himself?

  Why had he finally come to the realization of his sexuality only to find it mortifying that he couldn't help but notice the tiny things that stood out when he looked at the elf?

  Stolen story; please report.

  His strength, size… that peppering of freckles that ran across his cheeks up to his tapered ears. The way his loose Auburn curls only enhanced his emerald, green eyes that seemed to be judging him rather harshly for one so obviously sauced.

  Why couldn’t he go back to not noticing… well, who was he kidding, he’d always noticed, just not acknowledged. And that’d been enough… but now.

  Now he had to acknowledge everyone.

  Acknowledge how Phoebe’s pixie cut perfectly accentuated her cheekbones.

  How Humphrey’s look of determination when he fought distracted Jason, to his own detriment.

  How his breath would catch when he watched Cassandra put up her hair when the afternoon sun made her skin glisten. How she’d give back his snark as easily as he doled it out.

  How Clive’s pensive expression made his heart do funny things when he studied him as if Jason were a puzzle worth solving. How attractive that made him feel.

  How dare everyone here be so stupidly gorgeous that they all had an edge on him?

  Strewth, what would he even do with a guy? … And what would he be down for a guy to do with him?

  “Please, like I’m brave enough to get on anyone’s list,” Neil snarked back, after a pause, with the barest hint of self-loathing that Jason could detect.

  “Right! You know what that means, Neil?” Phoebe asked with an enthusiastic wave of her hands toward the shop's bar.

  “Another drink for courage?”

  “For Courage!” Phoebe drunkenly cheered, holding onto Neil's arm as they wandered toward the bar, followed by a very sober Dustin trying desperately to keep them from taking out a table in their wake.

  Why was Neil in such a mood about being unable to get on someone’s… Wait, hadn’t Humphrey mentioned Neil and—

  “Sorry about that, guys,” Thad apologized as he appeared from behind his giant teammates, those soft golden eyes glancing from Clive to Jason with an expression that only highlighted the beautiful contrast between his gentle countenance and sharp features. A devastating combo.

  “No worries, mate,” Jason said, suddenly feeling for Neil.

  “Yeah, well, I really don’t know what’s gotten into them tonight.”

  “Not Jason!” Neil shot out over his shoulder, causing Phoebe to howl with laughter.

  Ok, he didn’t feel that bad for Neil.

  “Pheebs, don’t encourage him,” Dustin lightly chided as he pulled her close to him. “Now tell me what you want to eat so I don’t have to carry you home tonight.”

  “Oh, what about I get a taste of your—” Dustin covered Phoebe’s mouth, his face instantly flushing as his girlfriend looked up at him hungrily.

  “You know you’re a menace, right?” Dustin asked only to receive a smug expression as hands came up to grab his wrist, pulling them down enough for him to receive a brazenly deep kiss that left the guy speechless for a moment before he turned to Thad, a look of pure exasperation on his face.

  “How come I’m always on drunk wrangling duty whenever I go out with you?” Dustin lamented.

  “I’m not the reason for this night’s festivities, Dustin. I’m just as confused as you are!” Thad replied, giving him an affronted look. “Also, I’d like to point out, it’s been months since you’ve had to wrangle me!”

  “Oh, I know someone who wants to wrangle—” Phoebe let out a playful shriek as Dustin and Neil both elbowed her simultaneously causing her to fall quiet for a moment, only to then be overtaken by a fit of giggles which spread like wildfire as Neil joined in, his laughter echoing hers, as he glanced over at Thad watching the trio with a puzzled expression.

  Yep, this was definitely Thad’s fault.

  Not that the guy seemed to notice, despite the obvious want Neil had in his eyes as he sauntered back over to Thad, his hand lightly resting on the young noble’s shoulder as he leaned in, his lips ghosting across Thad’s ear.

  “It’s just payback for all those years,” Neil whispered, with drunken charisma. “Now, aren’t you going to ask me what I want to eat?”

  A choking noise came from Thad as the man looked away with a noticeable blush.

  “You know, I think I like drunk Neil and Phoebe!” Jason laughed, earning a scowl from Thad.

  “You just like innuendos, Jason!” Thad snapped, shaking his head, then glancing up at Neil and pushing away the elf who squawked with indignation at the sudden hand to the face. “So, have you guys been here long? We could all move to a bigger table, if you’re interested.”

  “No, just ordered. Clive was explaining how spirit coins don’t grow on trees, despite them coming from a farm.”

  “Wouldn’t that be an orchard, Jason?” Thad asked.

  “Yes, it would be an orchard. If spirit coins grew on trees, which they don’t, and I will not explain that again,” Clive huffed, closing his notebook. “You know, Thad, you may find this interesting. I was just about to show Jason a new coin I was brought for inspection today.”

  “Why would I find a spirit coin interesting?” Thad asked as he watched Clive produce the coin from his inventory and hand it over.

  “It’s a counterfeit. One based on your family’s design.”

  “How do you know it’s a fake? It looks just like every Mercer coin I’ve ever seen,” Thad said, turning the coin one way then another, his brow furrowing. “Is the magic density off or something?”

  “No… It’s a spirit coin in all ways but legality. The thieves obviously stole half of the mold from the Magic Society and tried to impersonate a Mercer farm. See, the society crest is flawless,” Clive said, pointing towards the coin. “However, there’s a flaw with the Mercer crest. Do you see it, now?”

  Thad turned the coin over again, studying the crest, which held a winged serpent crowned in sunlight, guarding what appeared to be three spirit coins but, on closer inspection, were Pallimustus and its moons.

  “I don’t see—”

  “Where’s Pranay?” Neil asked as he leaned back over Thad, his finger touching the tiny Pallimustus in the center, where the large island should’ve been.

  Jason couldn’t help but notice the way Neil's free hand lightly took hold of Thad’s waist as if for stability.

  “Oh, oh god, yeah… the world’s all wrong, isn’t it?” Thad murmured, further studying the coin. “How could I have missed that?”

  “Let me see,” Jason said, plucking the coin from Thad’s hand, who looked up at him with wide eyes.

  “Wait, Jason—"

  “You know… it sort of looks like Earth.”

  “Earth?” Clive asked with a raised brow. “Is your planet really that similar to our world?”

  “Yeah, surprisingly so,” Jason mused. “You know, this coin looks way more like Earth than Palli now that I look at it, see it has the Mediterranean sea and everything.”

  “I mean, if it’s a criminal organization doing it, then maybe they were just lax with the map design,” Thad said, reaching for the coin again, only to have Clive snatch it up instead.

  “A coin with this amount of magic fidelity would’ve come from professionals,” Clive stated, his face pensive as he glanced up at Thad. “The location scouting itself would’ve taken a mastery of lay lines and cartography at a minimum. In fact, I’m starting to suspect this coin came from a looting ability.”

  “Aren’t those super personal though?” Jason asked, pulling out his own coin, and being confronted with his chin.

  How could his own ability be this disrespectful?

  “Very,” Clive said, taking Jason’s coin and comparing them. “But stealth-based looting abilities exist. Maybe this one can copy coins.”

  “Want to see mine?” Neil whispered into Thad’s ear, causing the young noble to turn on Neil, who gave him a stupid grin as he pulled out a spirit coin from his dimensional bag.

  “You're being almost as bad as Jason, you know that?” Thad playfully glared at his healer, his hand coming to rest on Neil’s chest.

  Oh… so the feeling was mutual then.

  “Does that mean there’ll be more rumors about us?” Neil asked with a grin that made Thad look at him, mouth slightly agape, before his face darkened further.

  “That’s it, Jason, detoxify this man right now!”

  “No, I like this version of Neil!”

  “Thank you, Asano! You know you’re not such an arse afterall!”

  “Jason’s fine, and are you calling me an arse because I called you fat that one time?” Jason asked, though he could see full well from the impeccably tailored shirt that the guy was remarkably built.

  “I’m not fat, see!" Neil said as he started to take off his shirt, to which Thad's hands immediately grabbed it, pulling it back down.

  “Neil, he’s just baiting you.”

  “Oh, sorry, did you want to be the one to take it off?”

  “God, you’re such a flirty drunk,” Thad lamented as he looked back towards Dustin at the bar ordering food. “Did you order for us as well?”

  “Of course! Straight home after?”

  “If we can get him home.”

  “Oh, I’d let you take me home,” Neil smirked, only to stop. “Well, not yet, I’ve got to be courageous first.”

  “You keep saying that, Neil, but you won't say what about!”

  “Shhh, it’s a secret,” Neil said conspiratorially, placing a finger on Thad’s lips in a shushing motion, only for Thad to look like he was about to combust. “And if you get to have secrets, I get to have secrets too.”

  Strewth, how could both idiots be able to dance around like this?

  Family politics? Maybe, but really, that was a dumb reason for them not to get together.

  Perhaps he could help a bit?

  “You know, tonight’s young, ever drank with an Aussie, Neil?”

  “What’s an Aussie?”

  “Jason, don’t,” Thad warned, only to watch in horror as Jason pulled out a bottle of shimmering green liquor, taking a long pull before offering it to Neil, who did the same.

  “Me, I’m an Aussie, mate.”

  “Oh, I don’t like where this is going,” Clive muttered, as Thad covered his face with a groan and Phoebe whooped in the background.