Broderick finally breaks away from Marjorie’s embrace and looks me in the eye. “Apologies for the public display of affection, my good friend! I know a lot of people don’t like it, thinking it indecent! Bahahaha!” He then begins to laugh boisterously.
I believe that in your case that’s mostly because your wife is a literal fucking land whale and everyone else is disgusted by her, but who am I to say? Maybe more people have a fat fetish in this world than I expect. If I remember correctly a couple thousand years ago fat women were popular back on Earth too.
In any case, I will leave the obese ones for the rest of the boys while I indulge in the beauties of my own preference.
Marjorie wipes her tears, her demeanor shifting to the cheerful one I saw when we met. Before I can respond she speaks up; “right! I have to introduce the kind people who helped me in finding you! Without them you may have really perished this time!”
She then turns to us and smiles; “The tall boy is Quinlan, the dog-kin is Luna if I’m right and… What was your name again, sweetheart?” She questions Ayame.
“Hana.” Ayame replies nonchalantly.
“Oh, nice to meet you! Anyways, we owe each of them a big favor. Hana spoke up in our favor when she heard our team name, and Luna was the one who actually helped find your suicidal ass. And Quinlan was also vital because… yes.”
Hey, where’s my praise?
Just then, Broderick, who was lying flat on his back one moment, plants his massive hands above his shoulders then drives his body upwards with a sudden burst of raw power. His bulging arm muscles flex as he propels himself off the ground, flipping through the air with surprising agility for a man of his size. He lands on his feet with a heavy thud, the impact rippling through the earth beneath him.
The veins in his biceps stand out like rivers on a map, and the display of raw strength is enough to make even the bravest of warriors take a step back. As he straightens up, he shoots us a confident grin, every inch the unstoppable force he appeared to be when I first laid eyes on him.
I hate praising other men, but this guy is really the real deal. If he didn’t have such a weird taste in women I’m confident he would have one amazing harem of outstanding beauties.
I glance at his armor, once mighty, is now in tatters. The orcs really did a number on him, but the item probably played a major role in preserving his life. The loss of his gear alongside the artifacts Marjorie used when we met makes me wonder if they will even be green once the operation is over and they get paid by the guild. Maybe mithril quests just pay that much.
It certainly wasn’t an easy mission.
Broderick stands in front of me and examines my person from head to toe, I stare him in the eyes and straighten my back. Now that we are standing still, I can see that he is slightly shorter, probably 190 cm (6’2″), but he is much wider than me.
I’m very muscular myself, but while I’m more like a ripped basketball player he is a straight up bodybuilder. Honestly, I’m perfectly happy with my body, I prefer my athletic musculature heavily over his bulging frame. Now I just have to get a hairdresser to cut my long, wild hair which I’ve not had a chance to address as of yet.
I don’t quite understand why it had to grow out so much after I unlocked Primordial Breeding Physique, but here we are.
Broderick finally nods to himself. Did I pass some test just now? Certainly makes me feel as such. He reaches his hand out and I reluctantly accept his handshake. I really hope he is not the kind of arrogant macho guy that would put his real strength into the gesture to have a cock measuring contest, but you won’t find me back down from a simple manly handshake.
That would be way too much of a sissy move, even for my rather calculative nature.
Our palms clap together loudly and I’m happy to see that while he put lots of power into the handshake, it isn’t enough to cause me pain. I respond in kind, and I can feel a manly bond form between the two of us.
This is a first for me; my friends back home resembled couch potatoes much more than gym bros, so our interactions were a lot less ‘masculine’, but I’m no longer the same loser I was back then. Through this simple gesture I can feel a potential budding friendship with this guy.
“Bro! Bahahaha! I like you, let’s be friends!” He seems to have come to a similar conclusion.
“Sure.” Why would I say no? He is obviously quite experienced and if he really can help me evade taxes then he must have the exact connections I’m looking to establish in this world. Furthermore, I really do have a rather favorable impression of him.
I couldn’t care less about his taste in women, to be honest. You do you, my friend. Just don’t try to fuck her in front of me, please.
“I will make sure to repay the favor I owe you!”
“I already had a deal with Marjorie, but I appreciate the gesture.”
“Oh? I insist anyways!” He finally releases my hand and turns towards Ayame and approaches her.
Once close enough, he bows and reaches out, asking for her hand in an obvious effort to kiss it. Ayame grimaces slightly, rather uncomfortable with the situation, but in a show of politeness, she hesitantly takes off her gauntlet and offers her hand for the gesture.
I watch the scene unfold as if it was playing in slow-motion. Time around me stops briefly as I watch in muted silence. What should I do? Is this what I want? I mean, it’s just a greeting, right? He is just being courteous as a man.
I should just clench my teeth and bear with it.
Then, something snaps in my head.
No… No! I didn’t transmigrate to another whole fucking world just to see someone else kiss her hand! I hate this feeling- this rapidly exploding pain and jealousy within my heart.
I simply can’t do this. Not mentally nor spiritually. I’m way too possessive to let this shitty greeting go through.
I’m physically unable to restrain myself from acting as I dash over to them and grab Ayame’s hand into my own before he could reach her.
After which I address him with a cold tone. “Broderick, let’s just stop with the greetings here for now. I consider Hana to be my woman, and I don’t appreciate other men touching her, even if they are my good friends.”
Then, as if gravity suddenly decided to let all of us know that it also wants to be a part of our conversation, tension descends on the bloody battlefield.
Ayame snaps her head towards me with a wide array of emotions evident on her face.