Fix It!

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 30th May 2015

Characters: J'ackt, Alina
Description: Alina tries to put rumors to rest-- and fails.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 7 of Turn 7

J'ackt

Alina

It was the first time she'd sought out J'ackt for a long time. They talked in class and she still sometimes helped with his homework, but Alina had been careful to keep her distance otherwise, for all the good it had done her in the end. It was a lot easier to find people when they had a dragon, and Alina headed straight for the practice field where J'ackt was back using a dummy sword against a wooden dummy. Despite herself, she paused in the shadow of the bleachers to watch him.

He was so fast, the muscles on his back rippling as he went through motions she could only dream of replicating. All weyrlings went though some basic
training but Alina had been hopeless at wielding a weapon. In J'ackt's hands, the sword looked like an extension of himself, and he looked more like he was dancing than fighting. It was--

Alina shook her head and scowled. No matter how good he looked, no matter how his body moved in the sunshine, she was still mad at him. **Imarith? Tell Zith to tell J'ackt that I want to talk to him right now.**

}:Zith? Mine says to tell yours that she wants to talk,:{ Imairth relayed faithfully. }:I am going to go hunt! Do you want to hunt with me? I am going to hunt an ovine.:{

Zith relayed the message promptly, and without a moment's hesitation, eagerly went to Imarith. }: Yes, I would love to keep you company. :{ The bronze flared his wings a bit, nudging the smaller green with a light stroke of his cheek.

It was clear the moment that J'ackt received the message, because he spun on his heel to face her, dipping the false blade to rest point down on the ground. He rubbed his hand over his brow to flick the sweat away before he blew his hair away from his face. He spotted Alina in the shadows, arched a
brow and approached the fence around the yard, stopping to lean on it. "You summoned?"

She crossed her arms and glared. Shirtless and sweaty suited him. "You owe me a _huge_ apology."

One brow arched high and he sighed, putting down the sword and crossed his arms right back at her. "For what?"

"For-- whatever you're telling people!" She took a step closer and lowered her voice. "People think that I'm you're-- that you-- that you and I are-- _sleeping_ together! This is your fault!"

His jaw dropped in surprise and then clicked shut as he took a step to meet her. Irritation flared in his expression as he held up a finger. "First off, I haven't told _anybody_ anything about you. I wouldn't." He held up a second finger, "Second, where in the fecking blazes do you get off blaming me for everything? For feck's sake, you're a grown woman now, so stop worrying about what other people think!" He held up a third finger. "And for another, if people think that I'm bedding you because of that peck I gave you, then they don't know what in the blazes really happens in the furs! That was barely even a bleeding kiss, much less a romp in the bed!"

"I don't care!" she hissed. "You need to fix it!"

He looked at her like she was a few firestones short of a full sack. "And how exactly am I supposed, to fix it, Alina?" He took a step towards her and bent slightly. "By proving them right?" He stared at her and then backed away then ran his hands through his hair. "What do you expect me to do? It's just a fecking rumor! You know it's not true, I know its not true. For Faranth's sake, it's really not that shaffing important what people think!"

He didn't get it. **Unbelievable.** And he was going to let the stupid rumor stand. "Yeah, well, what people say actually affects my life. Don't you even care?"

He threw his hands up and turned away from her for a moment, taking several deep breaths before turning back to face her. "How? How does it affect your life? And you didn't answer my question! How exactly am I supposed to stop rumors? Bloody ashes, Alina, what do you expect me to do about it?"

"I don't know!" she said, equally frustrated and feeling hurt. "Just-- fix it somehow! You could try to _pretend_ to care!"

J'ackt pulled at his hair, exhaled through his teeth and a growl of irritation rattled through his throat. He had so many rumors going on about him, that another one simply didn't concern him. In truth, though, it bothered him that she was that upset about the thought of bedding him. It actually stung his pride. Finally, he stalked out away from her into the open and clearing his throat, he raised his voice to the others in the area, half yelling. "I just want to let everyone know that even though I made the mistake of kissing Alina, I have in no way shared a bed with or violated her in any way! I want to make
that clear! She in no way, shape, form, or fashion has ever lowered herself to actually desire me in that way and never will because I am not worthy of her regard!" Numerous pairs eyes stared at him in surprise, jaws dropping open as he turned and stalked back to her, his jaw set. "Is that better?"

Alina went white as a sheet. If she could have melted into the ground and disappear forever, she would have. "Drop. Dead," she hissed, then turned on
her heel and fled from the laughing eyes she could feel burning holes into her back. Everything was suddenly so much worse than she could have ever imagined.

He drew back at the hissed words, blew a breath of frustration and watched as she walked away. There was no pleasing that girl! What in Faranth else
was he supposed to do? Bow at her feet and worship her or something? He snorted and stomped away in the opposite direction, muttering to himself about women and their utter lack of being able to make sense.

Last updated on the June 6th 2015

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