You don't think you'll get much better

You sigh, shoulders slumping and head hanging in defeat. "Fine... I don't think I'll find much better..."

Fran snaps a finger. "There ya go! Good girl!" She reaches up and pats your head. You can't deny that the affectionate, if patronizing, gesture feels good. "Oh yeah, what was ya'll's name?"

"Um... Rosa," you mumble.

Fran picks up her mug, raising it up. "Let's toast to our newest party member, Rosa!"

The other three raise their mugs, but only one of them says anything. Newton gives an annoyed grumble before downing his drink. After her drink is done, Fran puts the mug on the table and hops off your lap. "C'mon, ya'll, let's head out! We gotta get to the next town if'n we want some more job prospects!"

Newton and Linden grab their weapons and stand, the latter's suit of armor clanking loudly. You have to do a double-take, again forgetting that the cloaked Riley is even there. Wow, his ability to hide his presence is just crazy!

As you follow the four adventurers out of the bar, you get numerous leers and perverse chuckling... and a loud yelp? You whirl around to see Linden lifting a man up by his wrist. "Fuck!" the man cries.

Fran turns to look at her tank, then the man said tank is dangling by his wrist. "Ya'll try to grope our healer?"

The man frantically shakes his head. "No, I swear, I was just reaching to scratch my leg!"

Showing no reaction, Fran turns to Linden. "Lin, did this milkdrinker try to grope our healer?"

The massive armored man merely nods.

"Thought so. Just leave 'em with a warnin'. Probably jus' drunk."

You're about to wonder what kind of warning that would be, but... then you hear a snap.

The wannabe molester howls in pain as Linden drops him in his chair, his wrist broken. The giant armored man shows no further reaction as he turns to follow the rest of the party, who continue on like nothing happened.

You follow after them, brushing some of your brunette hair behind your ear as you look up at the massive tank. To think, he was willing to protect you from a molester...

"Um, Linden?"

He turns to look at you. You think... His face is covered by his helmet, but the face of said helmet is definitely turned to you.

"Thank you... for protecting me." You blush, looking up at him with a shy smile.

Linden clears his throat, bringing his gauntlet up to the mouth of his helmet to do so. His other arm reaches up to rub at the back of his head... He's behaving oddly bashfully for such a massive tank. It's actually kind of cute...