Chapter Text
Xenia describes the concept of hospitality, "guest-friendship" or "ritualized friendship". It was a social institution requiring generosity, gift exchange, and reciprocity.
When Sebastian first hears about the new farmer, it's from Sam.
His best friend is splayed on the couch they dumpster-dived for during their high school days, face red as he takes another hit from the bong Sebastian had to hide after his mother confronted him with a stern, "Your room smells funny. Should I be concerned?"
Sam takes a puff of air and says, "My Mom said that there's a new farmer movin' into Stardrop Farm."
Sebastian scoffs, stormy eyes looking over lines of code that he's reviewed so many times he's sure he's going cross-eyed. "Who the hell would move here?"
"Dunno. Apparently they're from Zuzu City," Sam replies, his body lazily stretched over the dark cushions. "I'm betting they won't last a week. Remember the last time someone from the city moved here?"
He can't help but snort at that. That was a few years ago, when a couple from Zuzu City moved to Pelican Town claiming that they were starting a new life with 'no preservatives' or 'modern evils'. They lasted exactly three days before abandoning their shack in Cindersap Forest and moving to the Fern Islands.
"Didn't that farm belong to…" Sebastian licks his lips, pausing to recollect his memories, "Farmer Jun, right?"
"Yeah, I think the newbie's a relative of his or somethin'," Sam puts down the bong on his nightstand and hefts himself up from his seat. "I gotta bounce, but I'll see you on Friday, yeah?"
"If I finish this module on time, yeah," Sebastian nods. "Put that back in the drawer before you go. I don't need my Mom ragging on me again."
"Yeah, yeah," There's a chipper laugh from Sam, but he obediently obliges and stows it away. "I don't know how you do it, dude. Pretty sure I'd have gone crazy looking at all those numbers. Anyways, seeya!"
Sebastian only hums as his best friend takes off, only reclining back in his seat when the door to his basem*nt slams shut. The words ' compiling error ' in his IDE were taunting him silently. He lets out a sigh, wishing he had a smoke, but he's nearing the finish line and he wants to get this done before Friday.
He decided to play some music before continuing his work, carefully choosing an album from Female Hysteria, his newest favorite rock band. Something about the lead vocalist in the earlier albums just drew him in.
He closes his eyes, thinking about the new farmer. He scoffs.
Out of all places, they chose Pelican Town?
The day her sister killed herself, Mina had forgotten to call out of work. Even when the paramedics zipped Nami's body and towed her away to the coroner, she kept staring at the spot where Nami was. Nami's head was turned away from her, saving Mina from committing her expression post-life to memory, but the dark stain left on the carpet imprinted itself into her brain all the same.
Mina only came to life when her phone vibrated in her back pocket. It was her manager. The bright blue logo of JojaCorp seared itself into her fingertips as she tapped the 'accept call' button.
"Hello?"
"Mina, where are you? You were supposed to clock in fifteen minutes ago."
"I… My sister, she…"
"Do you understand what you're costing me? We have a meeting with the stakeholders today at noon sharp, and I do not accept tardiness. If you want this job, you will be here. Understood?"
Her tongue moved on its own, as if she was possessed by a ghost. "I… Yes."
"Good." Mina only realized her manager had hung up on her when her phone blared that telltale sound, the blue JojaCorp logo fading away to reveal her lockscreen: a selfie of her and Nami, the two twins bearing different expressions despite having the same face. Mina was wearing a deep blue graduation gown, smiling coyly, while Nami had thrown an arm around her shoulder and held up a cheesy peace sign.
Mina drove to work white knuckling the steering wheel. Her car smelled like the Black Opium perfume Nami loved to douse herself in; two twin swan keychains, one white and one black, dangled from the neck of the rearview mirror, dancing with every movement of her car.
She felt queasy when she parked. She was on the verge of vomiting when she walked into the office and saw her manager's face contort into a venomous expression.
"There you are! We have only one-and-a-half hours before the stakeholder's meeting, and we would be ahead of schedule if it wasn't for you ."
Mina could see her coworkers peeking over the edge of their cubicles, mostly interested in the drama. Their faces were complete blanks to her, the features melting into one hom*ogenous sludge. When she looked up at her manager, she could only see a blank void where his face was supposed to be.
He crossed his arms, pulling his JojaCorp blue suit far too tight against his bulbous frame. "Well? Do you have anything to say for yourself?"
"I… I need to apply for bereavement leave."
"Bereavement leave?" Her manager guffawed. "What for?"
"My sister," She gaped, feeling like a fish suffocating on dry land. "She died."
There was a beat as her words sunk into the air, cementing the reality that still felt like a horrible nightmare into the stagnant air of the JojaCorp office. Her manager seemed to collect himself, and for a moment she was hopeful he would have an inkling of humanity, he would cancel the stakeholder's meeting and–
"Well, that's unacceptable. The stakeholders are expecting us, and we need to meet our investment quota. When my great-grandmother died, I wasn't a quitter. I still went to work even if it meant missing her funeral. You need to learn to overcome hardships and–"
The sound of her manager's babbling was drowned out by the blood rushing to her ears. Hardship ? As if Mina hadn't busted her ass creating design documents, outlining product specifications, and conducting research all in the name of JojaCorp. She hardly missed a day of work and she always accomplished her quarterly quotas.
Her fist flew before she could speak. With a deafening crack, her manager's face snapped to the side and it seemed his features rematerialized before her eyes; his bruised cheek, his smashed nose, his wide eyes.
"f*ck. You ." Mina hissed, speaking up for the first time in her four-year-career at this job. "I quit. Effective immediately ."
She ignored his sputtering as she walked to her cubicle, ignoring the shocked murmurs of the cubicle gossip vine. Mina felt oddly calm as she powered on her work computer and deleted all of the programs and product files. She sent a single sentence email to HR for record keeping. Then, she jerked her desk drawer open and grabbed the only thing she cared about in there:
Their grandfather's letter. The letter he left after he died.
Mina drove home with Nami’s old cigarette dangling from her lips and the deed to Stardrop Farm tucked into her pocket.
While we are very pleased with your work, we are sorry to inform you that we have no full-time positions available at this time…
The words were like a mantra in Sebastian's head, haunting his mind and fraying his already sore ego. This was the hundredth rejection since he started applying for jobs three seasons ago– and it was an unending avalanche of I'm sorry to inform you, while we were impressed with your qualifications , and other candidates were more closely aligned with the role…
No one wanted him. Even the company he worked as a contractor for. All those sleepless nights spent polishing those modules so he could put his best foot forward and finally have a way to get out of this godforsaken town were for nothing. At least he had a decent clump of gold to put into his savings.
f*ck. He needed to stop staring at the email and get out of the house. Even in his basem*nt, he could hear the harsh thundering of the rainstorm sweeping over the valley above. But Sebastian never minded the rain, especially in moments like these.
He grabbed his pack of smokes that he always kept in his desk drawer, his lighter, and his phone. Luckily, no one was able to witness his silent escape; Mom was in the kitchen fixing dinner, Maru was probably still at work considering it was a Thursday, and Demetrius was too holed up in his lab to give a raccoon's ass about Sebastian.
In the spring, the rain was cold enough to send goosebumps up his arms, despite the thick sleeves of his hoodie. But Sebastian relished it all the same; when it rained, the valley was empty and quiet, leaving only him and his thoughts instead of the hubbub of Pelican Town's residents.
He skipped on over to his usual spot by the lake, carefully crossing the wooden plank he staked down for his ideal smoke spot. Sometimes he would sit on the island, taking shelter under a tree, just to smoke and watch the world go by around him. On days like these, he preferred to sit in the middle of the makeshift bridge and just… think .
Tucking his left foot under his right thigh, he let his opposing foot skim the water's edge as he cast his gaze onto nothing in particular. Sebastian's life was going completely nowhere at the sweet age of twenty-six. He was still living in his mother's basem*nt and his thirties were quickly approaching. Despite his (quite objectively) accomplished resume, it was like he had a miasma around him that told all employers he was unhireable.
Frustration clawed and gnashed at his nerves, leading him to clench his jaw. "f*ck, f*ck, f*ck!" He regretted being a puss* and not going to college– he was sure if he graduated with that computer science degree, he'd have a six-figure career in Zuzu City by now. Maybe his own studio apartment. Maybe even a cat that he's always wanted but could never have because of Maru's allergies. At the very least, he would be out of that damned basem*nt and away from his step-father's scorn.
Everything was going wrong and nothing was going right.
He never felt so f*cking unwanted. Unwanted by employers, his family, hell even his friends now that the memories of Abigail's rejections came rearing back. "I'm sorry, Seb, it's just that I don't feel the same…" echoed in his thoughts as he squeezed his eyes shut and held his wrist in a vice grip.
When would someone want him for once?
Ugh. He needed a smoke. Sebastian moved to walk off the bridge and towards the island, but he didn't notice the creaking of the rotting wood until a clap of thunder turned his entire world white.
When his vision returned to him, he was underwater
And he was sinking
deeper
and deeper
with the darkness slowly embracing him.
All his anxieties, fear, and self-loathing froze in the frigid water. The air was punched out of his lungs as the water was pulling him deeper and deeper into its depths. Sebastian tried to fight his way to the surface, but his thick clothes and the cold only served as his shackles to the murky waters.
Was this how he was going to die? A nobody with nothing to his name, no accomplishments for his mother to write about in his eulogy, leaving behind nothing but his computers and Cave Saga X collection?
(The number of rejection emails still sitting at 100?)
Sebastian thought of his Mom. The only person who actually loved him in this world. His heart twisted at the idea of her moving Heaven and Hell to find him, only to discover her son was just a few yards away from their home.
He tried to kick up, only to feel resistance tugging at his ankle. He looked and saw a strand of algae thicker than his jeans wrapped around his leg. His oxygen and consequently, his energy was rapidly running out in the chill of the water.
This was it. Sebastian was going to die as a nobody. An unwanted person.
The vestiges of hypothermia tugged his eyes closed. He allowed his body to relax, knowing that this was his end.
Then he felt a warm arm wrap around his middle.
His stormy eyes shot open to see a young woman staring back at him. Her eyes were the first thing he saw: they were a pale, light gray-blue color, like drops of moonlight. They were full of determination, her brows furrowed as she sawed at the algae strand with a sword in her free hand.
Sebastian watched in shock, his vision turning black at the edges, his head spinning, as his mysterious savior cut the algae until it released them both with a snap. Once they were freed, she held onto him with both arms and kicked off the lake's edge to propel them towards the surface.
He was on the verge of blacking out when they broke the water's edge and tasted air for the first time in Yoba knows how long. The rush of oxygen to his lungs made him light headed as he frantically tried to keep his head afloat. His body was limp, weakened by the cold water, and he was only staying afloat through pure adrenaline.
The stranger, with surprising strength, supported him by hooking her arms under his shoulders. He limply rested his head against her neck, too focused on sucking air through his lips. Sebastian faintly recognized her swimming them gently to shore, lifting his body just enough to place the upper half on solid ground.
She hefted herself out of the water, hooked her arms around his armpits again, and dragged him further onto land in spite of her labored breaths. When they were finally under the shelter of a pine tree, she fell to her knees and took a deep breath.
"Are you okay!?" She cried, voice and eyes full of panic. Sebastian coughed, rolling onto his side as a wave of nausea overwhelmed him. This only caused his savior to panic even more, as she fidgeted over his body before ultimately choosing to clutch onto his sleeves, urging him to stand up.
"We need to get you somewhere warm, I'll bring you to Robin's, she's closest–"
" No ," Sebastian wheezed, clutching her arm and looking up at her with desperation. " Not Robin. "
"But– But–" Her brows inched even deeper down her face in frustration, causing a wrinkle between them as she worried her bottom lip between her teeth. "You're going to freeze. I don't know how long you were in there and–"
"Just," Sebastian forced the words, despite the agony wracking through him. "Take me to yours. I just can't– I can't show this to Mom."
The minute 'Mom' left his lips, the stranger stilled. She opened her mouth as if to refuse him once more, but her jaw clicked shut as she timidly nodded. "Okay… just lean on me, okay? It's a long walk and it's still raining."
He managed to nod in reply, his throat too hoarse to muster anymore words. The woman tucked herself under his right arm, supporting him as they worked their way up from the ground. Sebastian's not sure how far they walked; all he could do was put one foot in front of the other, his memories blurring between each other as the rain lessened into a light drizzle.
When they came to a stop, he looked up to see a familiar cottage. Farmer Jun's house. Sebastian looked at the woman in perplexion as she took a keyring with only two keys out of her pocket and unlocked the front door.
This is the new farmer.
The farmer walked him inside before sitting him down by the fireplace, leaving puddles of water in their wake. Sebastian instinctively curled into himself to conserve his warmth, tucking his head between his knees as the wet slapping of the stranger's feet against the wooden floor echoed through the small cabin.
So much had happened. He couldn't believe it.
He heard a drawer open, the farmer rifling between its contents, before she returned back to his place by the fireplace. Sebastian looked up to see her kneeled on the ground, striking a match against the box before tossing it into the fireplace. It was only a gentle ember now, but the growing warmth soothed his cold bones, causing him to slowly unfurl.
Now that he wasn't in the immediate throes of death, he could take a good look at the farmer: she was a pretty young woman, with long black hair that stuck to her cold skin. The growing flames illuminated the freckles on her face, greatly reminding him of the stars Maru always loved to observe through her telescope.
Whatever he thought the farmer was like, she had gone against all expectations.
She caught his gaze, and he nearly flinched if not for the gentle way she leaned towards him. "Um… I'm sorry, but you need to change out of those."
Sebastian blinked. He was shivering, his body still numb from the cold despite the crackling fireplace. "I… Uh…"
She rose, walking to the dresser as Sebastian realized with a start how small her home was. He was so engulfed by the cold that even when he walked in, he didn't realize that she only had a bed, a dresser, a fireplace, and a small dining table in the cottage. There was a door he figured led to the bathroom, but he couldn't imagine it could fit more than the basic necessities.
She pulled out a t-shirt and pajama pants that were barely Sebastian's size. "You can wear this, okay? The bathroom is over there…"
Sebastian looked down at the clothes she offered him. "This is my favorite band," He said blandly. "Female Hysteria."
Her gray-blue eyes blinked in surprise. "Yeah… Um, you can take a shower over there. Sorry if it's a little small."
Moving on autopilot, Sebastian nodded and escaped into the tiny bathroom. It had barely enough room for him to turn around, much less change in, but he helped himself to a shower anyway. The hot water seemed to instantly relax his muscles– his jaw slacked, the stiffness in his arms and legs loosened, and his head hung low as he digested what exactly just happened.
Did I nearly just f*cking die there? He rested his forehead against the tile walls, letting the hot water run down his spine . If she hadn't saved me, I would've…
He still didn't even know her name.
Sebastian cursed under his breath. The experience of nearly drowning in the lake he grew up swimming in sobered him from his earlier thoughts of self-loathing; all of his problems seemed to pitifully pathetic in comparison to the fact that he nearly just f*cking died.
Yeah, there's no way I'm telling Mom. I'm pretty sure she would lock me in the basem*nt and never let me out again. Meanwhile, I'm sure Demetrius would just say, "if you were like my sweet baby Maru, you would've survived, dumbass."
Shaking his head, he turned off the water and stepped out. Sebastian didn't feel comfortable enough to use the farmer's only towel, so he just wrung out his hair until it was dry enough and changed, leaving his wet clothes hanging to dry. The pajama pants were a bit too short on him, but he wasn't too bothered.
"Hey, sorry I took a bit," was the first thing he said once he stepped out of the bathroom, steam floating behind in his wake. "Thanks for the clothes…" He trailed off, rubbing the back of his neck before looking up and seeing the farmer.
She had changed into a loose-fitting shirt and fluffy pink pajama pants that pooled at her ankles. The farmer was kneeled at the fireplace, the flames lively enough to warm up the entire room. There were two cups of tea by the fire, the water bubbling and steaming from the heat.
"Of course, I'm sorry they're a bit small," She apologized with a sweet smile, before putting on some oven mitts and transferring the tea to the humble table in her home. "I made some tea to warm us up– they're a bit hot, so be careful."
"Thanks," Sebastian only realized how exhausted he was when he took a seat. He tried not to slump too much, focusing his gaze on his savior in front of him. "I never caught your name."
"Oh! I'm Mina, I just moved in on Monday," Mina quickly explained, scratching her cheek. "I haven't really had the time to meet anyone here yet, with the farm and all, but it's really nice to meet you, even though, erm, you know…"
Her shyness made Sebastian grin a bit. "I'm Sebastian," He introduced himself, figuring that was the least he owed her after everything. "I uh, live with my Mom, Robin, up in the mountains. She's kind of a worrywart, so I didn't want to freak her out by having you drag my half-dead body back home."
Speaking of home… Yeah, his phone was a total loss. "Do you have uh, a phone I could borrow? I should probably call my Mom before she starts tearing up the town."
Mina giggled, before taking her phone from her pocket and handing it to Sebastian. "That's probably a good idea. I'll take a shower and be right back!"
Sebastian nodded and powered on her phone. He was greeted with a lockscreen of Mina beside a girl that was practically a carbon copy of her, down to their smile and freckles. The girl standing beside her had a completely different style, however: smudged eyeliner, even more piercings than Sebastian (and he had a lot), and a raggedy Arcadia t-shirt that looked three sizes too large. They were both smiling at the camera, with Mina donning a cute, demure smile in stark contrast to the girl's big, toothy smile.
Her sibling? Her twin? He raised a brow, failing to recall any memories of the new farmer having a sibling. They looked close. He filed this tidbit of information away for later and punched in the digits for his mother's phone.
Ring… Ring… Ring… "Hello?"
"Uh, hey Mom."
"Sebby?" His mother's voice was filled with shock. "Why are you calling me from Mina's phone?"
Crap, she had Mom's number saved? "Uh, I got caught in the rain and it completely wrecked mine. Mina decided to help me out, at least until the rain's over…"
"Aw, okay. I'm glad you're safe, Seb." If only she knew… "Well, thanks for checking in. We'll see what we can do about your phone once we're back."
"Sounds good, Mom. Sorry I'm missing out on dinner."
"It's alright, hun. Chef Mike can whip something up for you later."
Sebastian chuckled at his mother's joke, already feeling a bit lighter than the spiral of self-deprecation he was in before. "I'll be home later tonight."
"Okay, Seb! Oh, and tell the farmer that if she needs a house upgrade, I have her number saved…"
He shook his head, a smile creeping onto his face. At least his Mom was always there to lift his spirits. "Sure, Mom, we'll see if I have a secret talent for being a salesman. I love you. Bye."
"Love you, Seb!" Click.
He flopped back into his seat, figuring the tea was cooled down by now and lifting it up to his lips. Its floral scent filled his senses, massaging out the tension in his body as he took light sips. Sebastian wasn't a huge tea person, but he could understand the appeal.
The door behind him cracked open and he twisted around to see the farmer, freshly showered and now warmed judging from the flush on her cheeks, her old clothes and his wrapped up in her arms.
Sebastian moved to get up. "Hey, lemme take care of that–"
"No, please, I insist," Her fierce politeness stopped him in his place. "They're going to mildew if we leave them in my bathroom– if we put them by the fire, they'll dry faster."
Sebastian watched as Mina hung their clothes by the fire, not too close that they risked burning, but close enough that they would dry off in an hour or so. He rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly, turning back to his tea.
"I'll get out of your hair ASAP once those dry off," He quickly said once Mina sat down on the opposite side of him. "I'm really sorry for all this."
"No, please, don't be sorry!" Mina waved him off, taking a sip of her tea. "I would have done this for anyone, no matter the situation. Plus, honestly, I, erm…" Was the blush on her cheeks darkening? "I was kinda… curious about you, anyway."
Sebastian's brows rose halfway up his forehead. "About me ?"
"Yeah!" Mina cleared her throat, leaning back in her chair. "Uhm, I met your friend, Sam– he actually showed me around town for a bit. He talked a lot about you, how you were his best friend and you made music together."
Oh, Sam . Another person that would flip out if he found out he nearly drowned today. Still, Sebastian's heart swelled with fondness for his childhood friend. "Hah, yeah, he's right about that. We've been friends since we were in diapers."
Mina beamed at him, her eyes practically sparkling at his words. "That's really wonderful. My sister is– was – someone like that to me. Relationships like those really should be treasured."
Was? Did something happen? It felt a bit private to ask further, so he brushed it aside for now. "I'm glad you talked to him. He's the more… sociable one out of the two of us," Sebastian sheepishly explained. "I don't really, uh, leave my room a lot, so it might've taken us a while to meet."
"Well, I'm glad we did meet. Er, not glad that you had to experience all that for us to meet, I just meant that–" Sebastian watched in amusem*nt as Mina stumbled over her words. "I'm sure that was really traumatic and scary but I'm glad we got an opportunity to meet and I'm very grateful for your company and–"
"Relax. I get it," Sebastian soothed her with a grin. "I really appreciate you saving my ass out there. I'm pretty sure if you didn't cut that algae off of me, I would've been a goner."
"I was just walking by, it wasn't a big deal," Mina said. "Still… You should be careful. It gets really slippery when it rains that hard."
"Yeah…" Admittedly, he felt a little embarrassed to be chided by Pelican Town's newest resident. "Um, listen, I'll pay you back, okay? Once I get my sh*t together and all." Thankfully, he didn't bring his wallet, though his bank account would be crying once he ordered a replacement phone. His smokes were a total waste though…
"Please, that's not necessary!"
"No, I insist." Sebastian wasn't the most sociable or charismatic person in town, but his mother raised him with manners and to always repay the help he received. Suddenly, he remembered Sam's words. "Are you coming to the saloon tomorrow?"
Mina blinked, tilting her head in a way that reminded him of those cute puppy videos he saw on YobaYok. "Oh! Sam invited me. He said everyone in Pelican Town goes to the saloon on Fridays."
Why was he feeling so shy? "Well… I'll treat you. At the saloon tomorrow, I mean. If you want."
There was a brief pause as Mina stared back at him in bewilderment. Sebastian just stared at his reflection in his cooling tea, ready to melt into the floor at his words. He's pretty sure he was just crowned the Lamest Person in the Ferngill Republic .
"I'd love to!"
He looked up, seeing Mina's sunny smile. Sebastian didn't expect her to agree.
(His heart skipped a beat.)
Mina stared at herself in the mirror, biting her lip as she twisted to see her outfit from every angle. Was this the right thing to wear on a night out at the saloon? She was never the type to go clubbing on the weekends unlike most girls her age; she was too busy with her job to even consider it.
She took a quick look at her phone's time. It was a quarter to six– she needed to hurry if she didn't want to be late. Mina took another look at her outfit, a lacy white dress that reached her mid-thighs, decorated cutely with ribbons, and knit leg warmers that sunk slightly around her boots. Most of her outfit was too delicate to wear farming, so she usually just wore overalls or jeans with an old t-shirt. It was nice to have an excuse to dress up…
Figuring she was very close to running late, Mina grabbed her handbag and headed out the door. There was still a chill in the spring night that caused her cheeks to flush– she was grateful she had the wisdom to layer up– as she started down the path to Pelican Town.
Mina hadn't been to the saloon before, but finding it was easy enough. When she opened the door to the Stardrop Saloon, she was met with a cacophony of sounds, smells, and sights. Sebastian was right, practically the entire town was here.
He said that they usually met by the pool table… Mina recalled, looking around with a slight nervousness in her gaze. While she felt quite exposed, she was actually excited at the idea of making new friends. Her face flushed deeper when she remembered how she squealed into her pillow after Sebastian left, promising to introduce her to his friends.
She gulped, taking a step forward. "Hi, Emily!"
Emily turned around, a wide smile on her red lips. "Hey, Mina! It's good to see you out tonight. Is this your first time at the saloon?"
Mina nodded, a small smile growing on her face. "Yeah. It's really nice here, and I like the music!"
"You're so sweet, Mina," Emily giggled. "Anything I can get for you?"
"Umm," She felt completely lost, staring at the menu of drinks. The fanciful names were practically another language to her. Just as Mina was tempted to pick one at random, Emily swooped in with a gentle laugh.
"Here, how about I make something just for you. Do you like sweet drinks?"
"Er, yes– thank you very much!"
"Okay, I'll make you a Rosette Nebula. That'll be fifty gold."
Mina fumbled for her wallet, but just as she was about to pay, a hand shot out to fork over the gold instead. She looked up in shock to see Sebastian, his expression unreadable.
"I've got it," He said gruffly, shoving his hands back into the pocket of his hoodie. "Oh, I'll take a pizza, two beers, and a Joja Cola too."
Mina sputtered, finally regaining her senses. "Sebastian– that's really not necessary, I can pay for myself."
"Ah-ah," As if placed under a spell, Mina quieted when Sebastian placed a finger on her lips in a shushing motion. "I said I would pay you back. Let me do this."
She huffed before obediently nodding. There was a small smile on his face as Emily eagerly got to work on his order. It seemed like the chaos of the saloon was soothed by Sebastian's presence– he just had this calming aura that made the tension in her muscles just… relax .
"Hey, I said I would introduce you to my friends, right?" When she nodded, he turned and pointed to a room off to the side of the main saloon. "They're over there. C'mon, let's go."
Mina followed him into the pool room, where she saw a familiar face and a girl she hadn't met yet. When Sam looked up, his smile seemed to widen at their arrival.
"Hey, it's Seb and Mina!" Sam waved at them eagerly, which Mina happily returned and Sebastian only nodded in response. "I didn't know you two knew each other."
Just as Mina was about to respond, Sebastian answered for her: "Yeah. I got caught in the rain, and she helped me out." His words were oddly curt, as if warning Sam and their other friend not to get too curious. She looked between Sebastian and Sam in bewilderment as the two seemingly had a silent conversation through their gazes.
"Welp," Sam turned, grinning widely at Mina. "Any friend of Seb is a friend of ours. Oh, have you met Abby yet?" He jerked his thumb at the young woman sitting on the couch. She had bright purple hair that fell around her shoulders, wore a sleeveless denim jacket with a ripped band t-shirt and black jeans.
"Yo, I'm Abigail. My Dad runs Pierre's, so you might see me there sometimes," Abigail casually greeted her with a lazy wave. "I mostly just watch these losers play though."
"More like loser , considering how sh*t that one is at pool," Sebastian retorted, grabbing a cue stick.
"Hey, I resent that," Sam playfully whined, but judging from the smile on his face and the way he reached for the cue stick, he didn't seem hurt by their words. "You play, Mina?"
She could feel Sebastian's gaze on her as she scratched her cheek thoughtfully. "Um, I'm not very good– I don't really play often."
Abigail couldn't resist the opportunity to rib Sam. "It's okay, you can't be worse than Goku over here."
"Hey!"
Mina giggled, content to just watch the three chat among themselves. But then Sebastian turned to her, leaning slightly against his cue stick.
"I can teach you," He started, stuttering a bit when he noticed Mina's puzzled expression. "Uh, teach you how to play pool. If you want."
Her lips parted in surprise as she stared up at him, before she grinned and nodded. "I'd love that a lot."
Sebastian smiled softly at her, which Mina gladly returned. She turned to Sam and Abigail and co*cked her head at their shocked expressions. "What's wrong?"
"Uh, uh, nothing!" Sam stammered before straightening his posture, "Why don't we uh, get the game started Seb? Then you can teach Mina!"
"Mina, lemme show you my favorite game until those dweebs are done," Abigail offered, taking her hand and leading her to the arcade machines. Mina stumbled forward, looking over her shoulder at Sebastian, who only gave her an encouraging nod.
She grinned. She was starting to feel like she actually belonged .
