Priest Herrick keeps talking to the crowd while Jin considers how much she’s not fond of the look on Cy’s face.

Lilia catches onto her husband’s ire finally, and gently rests a hand on one of his. His expression doesn’t change, but he does take his other hand to cup hers briefly in a strangely affectionate manner.

The man isn’t glaring directly at Jin, most of the time, but there’s enough undercurrents of hostility that she doesn’t have to try to pick up on it. Weirdly, it was when Herrick mentioned that she would be traveling with Sage that his anger was really piqued. Shit… Her method to escape an uncomfortable handshake is really biting her in the ass now, huh? Or more so, using Sage as a part of the act.

Damn actions and their consequences.

Not to mention that Sage keeps staring at her now. It’s not uncomfortable in the same way Moss’s unwavering staring was—it’s how she keeps stealing glances and gets this look on her face. They’ve only known each other for what, two days? But… Sage is proving to be one of the most tolerable people she’s met in life—her near constant stream of chatter aside. So she really doesn’t want to end up estranging the girl by carelessly pissing off her family, or by tactlessly dealing with… A crush? Damn, she is not equipped to deal with that right now. Her tastes don’t lie in the realm of ‘cinnamon buns’ that she categorizes the unreasonably kind girl into. Regardless, ditching Sage is not a move she wants to make.

…But Cy throttling her with his eyes is making it an appealing option regardless.

Dimly she’s aware the priest stopped talking because Cy stands up on the opposite side of the table. Her eyes follow the movement and make contact with his.

Hm. That’s an expression alright.

Nope.

Jin stands up as well, putting together some spell structures in her mind’s eye. Sage jumps to her feet as well and is already starting to wave her hands in a placating manner.

Some of the conversation at the table hushes and people turn curious eyes on them. Fortunately for her it looks like Cy notices too and he tries to smile reassuringly at them—which he does unconvincingly enough that more people are stopping to stare.

Sage finds her voice. “Papa! Ha, I guess I forgot to mention one teensie tiny detail earlier, haha!” Her voice is slightly strained, but this seems to sort out most peoples’ curiosity and a few chuckles can be heard from down the table and eyes return to plates of food.

Jin takes this as an exit cue and casually steps away with her cup towards the mead table. A true haven, that table. Isn’t mead supposed to be expensive? They’re just giving away a fuck ton of it. Last night she thought it was because of ‘cleric’ excitement, but this is two nights in a row now.

She pretends not to watch Herrick speaking a few words about children and growth moments to Cy before pulling him away from the table. Sage follows them, and Lilia huffs and stands to do the same, muttering a few words about …Mother bears?

Although… If she factors in what’s most likely an unusually high apiary to population ratio of the village and the possibility of genetic engineering..? Yeah, she can definitely see mead being a way more common drink than what she’s used to. Would it be wrong to flex her cleric status for a keg to take when she leaves?

Jin fills her cup and swears under her breath. She had instinctively reached out for a perception enchantment that would let her listen in on Sage’s family. Damn. She had no idea how frequently she used magic until it suddenly became so inaccessible. Every five minutes, it seems, she reaches out for another spell only to be met with nothing.

She feels… Crippled? Is this what it’s like when people lose limbs? Constantly trying to use a part of you that doesn’t exist and having to live with the loss every damn time she tries. Why is she even thinking about this right now? She’s in public damnit, and—

Ah, she accidentally drained her cup.

That’s disappointing, mead was basically a luxury for her back at the academy, if only because people don’t tend to share it when you’re bumming off their alcohol supply. She better get another cup so she can actually taste it this time. You’re supposed to frame life in a positive way or something, right? Which means drinking the mead now while it’s so easily accessible is an opportunity—who doesn’t like opportunity?

—

Opportunity is a fickle bitch, Jin thinks idly while staring into her cup, rather than at the other people in the church.

Sage came out of the church a minute ago to drag Jin inside it. She was saying something about her dad, reasonable expectations, and Priest Herrick? Jin wasn’t following along as well as she could have since, aha, she wasn’t counting how many times she refilled her cup. Enough times to be able to forget, at least.

Now she only gets one cup. One she probably shouldn’t drink if her current buzz is anything to judge by, and not everything she drank would have kicked in by now.

Buuuuut, at the same time, she will be drunk regardless, so shouldn’t people see that she’s drinking to solidify the point? To excuse inevitable drunken mistakes? That’s some incredibly weak rationalization, she thinks while sipping her drink.

She better come up with something more convincing before she finishes.

Not that she gets the chance. Cy walks towards her, and she glances at the other faces in the room in hopes of some kind of back-up. Lilia shadows her husband’s steps and fortunately seems more concerned with him than with Jin. Sage is still standing near her, and Herrick watches with a placid smile from where he was standing beside Cy moments ago.

Jin tries to up her casualness by taking another sip of mead. It’s not very effective.

“Cleric Jin.”

Now it’s more effective to take a casual sip. She does so. “Yes?”

He frowns and crosses his arms at the action, and his words have a bite to them. “What are your intentions towards my daughter?”

She would have spit-take if she hadn’t been trying to time sips. Instead she stares blankly while the cogs of her brain grind to a halt.

“What? Wait, that’s actually what you’re opening with?” Jin can’t help the shadow of a grin creeping onto her face. She expected it of course, but she also expected something with actual substance to be his primary complaint. Maybe something to do with clerics? But no, this is the classic bread and butter fatherly protection act.

Cy’s frown evolves into a scowl, and Lilia shoots Jin a concerned glance before placing a hand on her husband’s arm.

Jin shakes her head. “So to be clear, you aren’t irrationally mad at me by nature of being a cleric, correct?

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His jaw clenches and he glances towards Sage, whose vibrantly red cheeks are still clearly visible beneath her hands. “Papa! No, he isn’t! He’s just being a jerk!”

Sage turns so her face is away from the crowd.

Jin’s smirk broadens against her will. “Ahaha, ah, that’s really all? You’re mad because I am capable of casual flirting?” She looks incredulously towards Lilia, who looks to share a fraction of her exasperation. The woman purses her lips without ire. “I think he is, Miss Cleric. He all but scared Miss Able from tha village fo good, just two years ago.”

Cy shoots his wife a betrayed look and shifts uncomfortably. “Sage deserves—“

Jin cuts him off with a wave of her hand. “Your daughter is an adult Cy. She deserves to make her own choices.”

He raises and hardens his voice. “It’s a parent’s responsibility to protect their children, and—.”

“Yeah and she’s a cool as hell person for it. You did it. Good work. Your child is successfully an adult. Adults make their own choices.”

His face twists. “Are you saying you plan on seducing my—“

“Fuck no. Fuckin shit, what’s wrong with you?”

Jin isn’t sure where she’s going with this, but keeps talking.

“I plan on doing whatever the hell I want, which just so happens to include tagging along with the person who saved my life. You’re the one who’s thinking about seducing your daughter.”

Ah, shit. Bad phrasing.

Now there’s outrage from everyone—mostly from Cy. Jin takes a step back from the wall of shouts that hits her. Her word choice was, perhaps, less than optimal.

Lilia is physically pulling backwards on Cy. Herrick walks up to him and tries to sound placating after shooting Jin a disappointed look. She tries to take a sip of mead to emphasize alcohol loosening her tongue; see everyone? Just alcohol, no real comments here! Aha... That actually just makes her look like more of an asshole, doesn’t it? Shit, it does.

Sage is frowning at her. Hey, on the bright side, if Jin keeps this up she might not have to worry about an unfortunate crush! Damn… Alcohol, this betrayal is too much. She’s good enough at pissing people off while sober, thanks.

She tries to casually move towards the church doors. As much as she’s tried though, she’s not been very successful in forced ease tonight.

Come to think of it, this could get her kicked out of Sage’s house. She frowns and stops edging towards the exit. She sighs.

“Look, Cy. I phrased that last comment badly, but I’m not even capable of feeling attraction.“ Usually. “You know, that feeling of desire upon seeing an attractive person? Never happens to me. So you don’t have to worry about it in the first place, alright?” A half lie, but with any luck it will set his mind at ease? Unless they don’t have any concept of asexuality, in which case she’s fucked.

The hodgepodge of angry sounds quiets as she speaks. Cy stares hard at her for several moments. Jin shifts awkwardly under the scrutiny. She tries to avoid catching Sage’s eye, but notices the girl giving her a curious look anyway.

Not knowing what else to do in the silence, Jin takes another sip of her mead. It’s almost gone. Damn, wasn’t she going to find a better rationalization to drink it? Uhh, luxuries ought to be enjoyed when had! Life is short, and all. …The emotional impact of a confrontation is lessened whilst drunk? Yeah that’s a good one. That’s why she’s drinking now. She deserves another sip as a reward.

She looks at the door, then back towards the group of people. “I’m gonna go get more mead.” She takes a deliberate step—

“Cleric Jin.”

Damn.

She looks back at Cy. He has an odd intense expression on his face she’s not sure how to parse. They stand there in silence for another moment.

“I will always protect my children.”

That doesn’t have nearly the impact you think it does, Cy. Jin shrugs. “Good?” She resumes her escape attempt.

She can hear Sage’s footsteps behind her, but her father calls her back and says something about an unfinished conversation. Jin isn’t sure, she’d rather make sure the church’s door is firmly barricading her from fatherly ire.

—

She’s filling another cup of mead when Oak comes up to talk to her.

“So what’s going on in there?” He asks, gesturing towards the church doors. Jin sighs and drinks before answering. Oak fills his cup too. She doesn’t feel like being subtle right now.

“Your dad is mad that Sage has a crush on me and tried to be threatening.”

There’s a moment of silence. Then, Oak says musingly, “Yeah, that makes sense.”

Jin raises an eyebrow and leans against one of the church’s outer walls. “Oh?”

He sighs, then says, “He’s always been weirdly protective over Sage’s social life. I think it’s because he’s trying to make up for all the times he can’t protect her when she vanishes to explore somewhere.”

He fixes Jin with a look. “She falls for pretty girls easily, so if you’re definitely not interested you should let her know now and save everyone some trouble.”

Looks like Cy isn’t the only protective one. Oak is at least reasonable about it, though.

Jin shrugs. “Impossible to say. Takes a while for those thoughts and feelings to build up for me. I tend to, uh, prefer different personalities, though.” She looks away and shifts. This topic is getting a little personal.

Oak doesn’t pry fortunately, and nods a response. “Don’t worry about Papa too much. It looked like he was just learning about Sage moving away, so I think you were just a convenient target.”

“Hm.”

She glances towards the feast table. One girl is sitting there staring at them, and tries to wave Oak over when he looks towards her. He smiles and waves, then looks back, his expression falling.

Jin tries to piece it together. “Girlfriend?”

“Yes, but… I haven’t told her I’m leaving yet. I told her we need to talk after the feast but…” He glances back, then away again. “I’m very worried she thinks I’m going to propose.”

“Yeesh. Not a forever girl, eh?” She takes a drink.

He shoots her a quick glare, then looks uncomfortable. “I—Well. Gale is great and all but…” He glances back at her again. “I don’t know. Maybe when I come back, but I expect she will have found someone else by then.” He sighs and runs a hand through his hair. “I guess I’ve always assumed I’d find someone in Travelers Rest.”

Jin can’t help but snort, and then laugh. “Ha! I’ve been involved in more drama these past two days by existing around your family than I have in the past decade.” She does some math and corrects, “Well, eight years, technically.”

Oak looks relieved by the prospect of not having to think about breaking up with his girlfriend. “What happened eight years ago?”

Ah shit, she forgot people get curious and expect you to explain shit. She shifts uncomfortably again. “Aha… Well, see…” She drinks from her cup while stalling.

Oak laughs and waves her off. “You don’t have to tell me. I’m sure it’s something personal.”

“Very.” One of the few memories she has of her mother, even.

She pauses while her brain shifts tracks away from the subject. “I could, publically requisition you so it seems like you had no choice in the matter? Or, can clerics do that? Maybe we can get away with it if I feign enough confidence in the statement.”

Oak blinks. “That’s… No. I won’t do that to her. She deserves the truth.”

Truth, lies, manipulation… For as much as she condemned it to Sage, Jin really does instinctively try to manipulate others to her will, huh? Maybe it’s just governments that shouldn’t do it. Can’t trust that kind of authority to them and all. Individuals do it a lot and that’s fine, right? Or… Ugh, she’s not going to think philosophy right now.

She shrugs a response to Oak. “Suit yourself.”

There’s a moment of awkward silence.

“I should go. Gale is expecting me, so—“

Jin waves him off. “Go. I’m just drinking.” He smiles and leaves.

Then, she’s alone. She takes another drink.

No one is close enough to hear her, so she lets herself relax.

“Sage is cute, though.”