CH248

Out of nowhere, Ben shivered as a chill ran down his spine as they relaxed in Jake’s home, enjoying the food and drink his servants had brought to them. “Feels like someone just walked over my grave,” He muttered, doing his best to ignore the brief sense of dread that brushed through him.

“Given the circumstances that might have actually happened,” Will said with a shrug as the expression made a question pop into Jake’s mind.

“Do you think they ever recovered our bodies? Dying in a cave-in, well it wouldn’t be shocking if they left us there, would it?”

“We aren’t talking about that,” Will told him with finality. “Instead we’re talking about the fact that you have two girlfriends. What the hell man?”

“Jealous?” He asked with a raise of his eyebrow, getting a swift response from them both.

“Nope, I’m happy with Steph.”

“No, that sounds like a nightmare. I’d heard some otherworlders were setting themselves up with harems, but I didn’t think it would be anyone I knew,” Ben said with a shake of his head.

“Hey guys, at least hear me out, it’s complicated,” Jake said in his defense as he shared the same story that Amy and Yuzu had told both Steph and Thera, getting more judgemental looks with each word.

“Why would you agree to marry some random girl as soon as you met her?” Will asked with his head in his hands. “Thank god Amy stuck around to take care of you, you’re absolutely the type to get scammed.”

“No wonder your teachers gave you hell after,” Ben said in complete agreement. “I can’t believe you agreed to marry her on your first meeting while standing beside a girl who’s been interested in you since before the beginning of high school.”

“But I didn’t know that!”

“That’s because you’re an idiot,” Will told him bluntly.

“Hey, it’s not like you knew that Steph was interested in you!”

“Yeah, but I also wouldn’t have just agreed to marry some random girl. Heck, I probably would have spoken to Steph if any had shown any interest beforehand anyway because I’m not insane.”

Seeing he had nothing to go with against Will, Jake turned his attention to Ben. “Well what about you? You said your engagement is fake, but there’s no way things are that easy! How do you know Thera isn’t interested in you!”

“Oh, I’m almost certain Thera’s at least a little interested,” Ben said calmly and getting a shocked look in response. “I mean, I’m not dumb guys, I’m able to pick up on things, especially since I have a skill with some mindreading aspects. If I’m being honest I’m really interested in her too. Sucks nothing’s going to happen, really going to have to figure out what to do about it one of these days.”

Will seemed somewhere between amused and confused while Jake was picking his jaw up off the floor.

“Wait, you’re both interested in each other and nothing’s happening? Come on guys, you can’t act like I’m a bad guy here when you’re straight-up ignoring her feelings! At least I did it by accident!”

“I’d literally bet all of the money I have that Ben has a proper reason,” Will said in his defense as he looked at him.

“I mean, it’s nothing too crazy. Thera can expect a real long lifespan so she doesn’t want to get involved with anyone. She’s made that abundantly clear over and over. If she changes her mind then that’s great and all, but I’m also her best friend. I’m not going to put her in such an awkward place by telling her how I feel when I already know she doesn’t want to hear it.”

It wasn’t something he was thrilled about. He wanted to tell her, wanted to see where things would go if he did, but she was someone he cared for. Saying it would be for nothing but his own self-satisfaction and could ruin one of the most meaningful relationships he had on the planet, not to mention how she would feel about it. He knew she valued having him in her life, he couldn’t do something that could ruin that for her. Better to try to move on eventually, still staying close and leaving her with nothing but nice memories of their time together when he eventually passed.

Will pat him on the shoulder as Jake fell silent, finding the answer to be far heavier than the bravado or fear of rejection he’d been expecting.

“Anyway, enough with my non-existent romantic life,” Ben told them, trying to break the mood. “There’s gotta be something better to talk about.”

“Like whatever skills you have?” Jake asked again, feeling plenty curious as Ben looked surprised.

“What, Yuzu didn’t tell you?”

“Ha, we were told in no uncertain terms that if we wanted to know then we’d have to ask you. So come on, tell me already!”

“Fine, just don’t go trying to murder me for it. The skills were partial demonic body that I got from an organ transplant, sacrilege from… well a few things at this point, and the title enemy of Eneth.”

Both men with him were drawn to different things as he said it.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.