Chapter 12.

Everyone loved “Ace”. Shin, Seiichiro, and the remaining 3 little idiots let their guards down. By the time Jin gingerly crept back into the pub, Yuto was snoring against the table top. Taking his place again, he was noticed by Haruto

“Where did you go? We wanted to leave”

“I drank too much. I nearly passed out in the alley”

“No wonder you’re so flushed and sweaty”

No, no. That would be because his husband had mashed his insides up and made his toes curl

“I seriously thought I’d pass out. It’d be awkward to die in an alley. I don’t like Pigeons”

“Shin thought you’d left. He and Seiichiro were going to hunt you down”

“If they’d gone outside and into the alley next door they’d have found me immediately”

“Just… A serious word of advice, don’t wander off. It’s not a good look”

Haruto probably had his own agenda. He wouldn’t be helping him. Helping him would put himself at a disadvantage. In terms of scheming, Haruto fell right behind Seiichiro. He annoyed him with how like him he could be. Jin didn’t want to talk about it or think about it. Uncrossing his legs, he got back up. Haruto frowning heavily

“I told you not to walk off”

“Apology drinks don’t buy themselves”

For the second night in a row, he and Acshellis delivered the 5 little idiots home. All 5 sleeping soundly. Following him into the guild space, his husband wrinkled his nose

“This place is no better than an animal pen. They really call this a guild space? Where is there respect?”

Jin shrugged

“Up their arses? I didn’t think they drank enough to pass out”

Acshellis nudged Yuto with his boot in disgust

“Sleeping powder. I double dosed them. I think they’ll wake up tomorrow afternoon provided they wake up at all”

“You drugged them?”

Acshellis nodded

“What else was I supposed to do? You won’t let me kill them, yet I can knock them out so you don’t have to deal with them. I wish I could think of something scarier”

Jin felt himself blush. His husband took such care of him

“You shouldn’t have drugged them yet, we weren’t that far in our plan. If they sleep too long then they’ll be suspicious of me”

“Then we’ll simply need to make sure you wake up with them later. I can’t stand how the see you”

“To be fair, we both know I didn’t used to look like this”

“You mean to say you didn’t think you’re so cute?”

“Only you would say I’m cute”

“Lovely Baby is the cutest. Shall we do something? Something to make up for today?”

“What do you mean?”

“You were upset before. Shall I take you into a dungeon?”

“We can do that?”

“With you by my side, we can do anything”

Leaving Seiichiro awkwardly placed, Jin walked over to his husband and wrapped his arms around him 

“Thank you for listening to me. I was jealous they got to go in and I had to wait. They did that to me in the past too… They’re going to kick me out the party once they have more coins... They wanted my gems but didn’t want me. I want to learn how to operate my character. The only thing I’ve swung is a baseball bat, but even then I liked more basketball”

“Baseball? Basketball? What are those?”

“Sports we play at home… I can teach you?”

“Do we need these things?”

“We can play together, unless you want to play against someone?”

Acshellis kicked Yuto’s leg

“No. Only need my Lovely Baby. Can we play now? Is it easy to teach me?”

“Can you teach me how to be a warrior?”

“You want to swap skills?”

Jin nodded quickly 

“Yeah, if that’s okay. Basketball isn’t that hard, neither is baseball… but I’ll do my best”

“I know you will. Shall we go?”

“You’re sure how long they’ll sleep?”

“Of course, who do you think I am? Shall we go to a dungeon?”

“Mmm, unless you have some missions you need to complete. I’d like to be able to help you and I don’t want you being in trouble for taking too many days off”

“Let’s check my desk. If it wasn’t you asking I’d ignore them all”

Jin kissed his husband softly

“This goes both ways. I refuse to be a useless husband”

“My Lovely Baby is never useless. Change your clothes, or we won’t be leaving tonight”

“You don’t like my overalls?”

“I don’t like other people being able to see your nipples”

“They can’t…”

“They can if you take them off”

Jin laughed, his husband was being absurd

“I’ll change once we’ve left here. I feel like I should stay and make sure they keep sleeping. Oh, we need to talk about this sleeping potion too… I should buy an empty book… remind me later?”

“Mmm, if I remember”

“Good. Let’s walk to the Tower. I don’t get to explore when I have the children to take care of”

“You’re calling them children? That’s an insult to children”

“Mentally I call them the 5 little idiots”

“That’s better. If my Lovely Baby wants to walk, we’ll walk”

***

Holding hands with Acshellis, they walked through the city to the Mage’s Tower. The Tower operated at night, Jin couldn’t remember a time when he’d ever seen it not busy. Walking into the entry, the NPC behind the main desk stood

“Sir Acshellis, you have returned. Your presence has been missed”

Acshellis waved the NPC off

“I’ve been busy. This is IdleTrash. Whatever he wants, he is to have, completely free of charge to him. The other party members with him are to be ignored. Unless they can pay their own way, you’re not to help them. Raizing Mushrooms member activity is to be discretely monitored. Do not let them find out or I will not be impressed”

The NPC bowed

“Yes, sir. We all know about IdleTrash. It’s nice to see you again, sir”

Jin blushed, giving a nod as he did

“Thank you, you too. Acshellis came to collect his work”

“Excellent. There’s a scholar that has recently gone missing. His family have written many letters pleading for help”

Jin was surprised to hear that. Part of the quest line must have been to come to Tower to hear what they knew before setting out. Mentally he made a note to see if he could get the others involved. Acshellis sighing

“He’s probably already lining a wolf’s stomach. We’ll be going now”

As Jin looked to the stairs, and secretly dreaded them, he was pulled close to his husband and the pair reappeared in Acshellis’s office. Acshellis’s desk looked ready to cave under the amount of paperwork waiting. He knew how important and busy his husband was, and felt bad he’d distracted him from so much work. Acshellis kissed his cheek

“Ignore it. It’ll go away on its own. Go ahead and change your clothes. I’ll find us something to do. Something fun for my funny Lovely Baby”