When to Say No

Writers: Devin, Heather
Date Posted: 16th February 2016

Characters: R'axe, J'kri
Description: R'axe talks to J'kri about his conversation with Paetri
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 4, day 3 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: Paetri, F'nix

R'axe

"I talked with Paetri the other day," R'axe said, his eyes following
J'kri's movements as they dressed. Another green had flown, and once
again Jayth and Radermerth had chased. Fortunately for R'axe and
J'kri, losing wasn't so bad.

"Oh?" J'kri was still floating in a satisfied haze.

"She ran into F'nix, he was apparently pretty forthcoming and bragging
about being with you. It hurt her feelings." R'axe said with raw
honesty. He didn't know if Paetri would say anything to J'kri about
it, but R'axe didn't want to see the greenrider's feelings walked on.

"_Bragging_? Shards, the first time we did it, he practically begged
me not to tell anyone." Impressing must have changed that. "Was he
mean to her?" If so, J'kri would drag F'nix by the ear to apologize to
her.

R'axe shook his head, "No, I don't think he was mean to her. He
thought she was just another one of your 'friends' ... Like me."

"Oh. Well." J'kri's heart beat faster. "Actually, you're more than
just a friend."

The bluerider's eyebrows lifted, "I am?"

J'kri took a deep breath. R'axe was a free spirit and J'kri hoped he
wouldn't take this the wrong way. "I love you."

R'axe couldn't help it, despite their age differences, and even though
R'axe tried to keep himself non-committal, J'kri's words brought a
flutter to his stomach.

"You know I feel the same way about you." He'd told J'kri when they
were on the beach, the day they'd gotten sunburned, that he loved him.

"Oh, good." J'kri's shoulders relaxed and he wrapped his arms around
R'axe. "I know you said it but I kept wondering if you meant it like
_that_." Warm happiness filled J'kri and he smiled as he leaned up to
kiss R'axe.

R'axe gave J'kri a squeeze. "It's not an endearment I toss around
lightly. You're only the second person I've ever said that to."

"Now I'm curious who the first one was," J'kri said lightly.

"A greenrider, his name is E'varyn." R'axe hadn't seen or heard from
E'varyn since he'd left the North and moved to Dragonsfall.

"Messy break up?" J'kri guessed.

"Yes, a long time ago." It was one of the reasons R'axe was very
careful with the commitments he made to other people. "I'm glad to
know I'm not just another F'nix."

"Definitely not. And neither is Paetri." They were both very special to him.

"Paetri is afraid to say anything to you about F'nix, or about how
many other partners you have, because she doesn't want you to think
she's trying to change who you are." From what R'axe had seen of F'nix
around the Weyr he would call the Weyrling a brat, but he wouldn't try
to tell J'kri who to hang around with.

"Oh. Does it bother her?" Paetri had always seemed fine with it. When
they started exploring a romantic relationship, he'd already been
involved with D'ret and having sex with others so it wasn't like she
didn't know what kind of person he was.

R'axe looked into J'kri's eyes, wanting the young bluerider to
understand the seriousness of the situation. "Yes, it bothers her. She
sought me out on the beach to talk about it. Regardless of whether
she's trying to be accepting of your lifestyle or not, it still hurts
her a bit."

J'kri dropped his gaze. "I guess we need to talk." He didn't want to
hurt Paetri. He'd never wanted that.

"I know this may sound like the pot calling the kettle black, and I'm
not trying to scold you by any means, but you don't have to sleep with
everyone who offers." That was accompanied with a little grin.

"I don't sleep with _everyone_." He pushed R'axe playfully. "I enjoy
having sex with different people. You know there's nothing wrong with
that."

R'axe's grin blossomed, "You mean to tell me that if a candidate,
afraid he was going to Impress a green, came to you today and asked you
to show him around the bedroom you would decline?"

"How could I refuse _helping_ someone like that?" J'kri looked at him
with exaggerated shock.

"And that, my darling, is sleeping with everyone who offers."

J'kri crossed his arms. "I say no to people I don't like."

"What assurance does Paetri have that you don't tell every person you
sleep with the same things you tell me and her?" R'axe pressed.

That hurt. "I wouldn't tell people I loved them if it wasn't true."

R'axe reached out and took J'kri's chin between his fingers. "I'm not
trying to be critical, I just... I just want you to give these things
some thought. For Paetri." He couldn't describe the protectiveness
that he was beginning to develop toward the greenrider.

J'kri's expression softened. "I like that you're worried about her.
And that she trusts you enough to talk about this." It would be
terrible if they didn't get along.

"Yes, we're becoming some weird, triangular family." He grinned a little.

J'kri lit up. "I love that. Us as a family. And I love that the Weyr
lets us feel the way we feel without being wrong." J'kri was sure he
was just built to love more than one person at the same time.

"I love you, J'kri."

Leaning up, J'kri wrapped his arms around R'axe's shoulders and kissed
him deeply.

Last updated on the February 21st 2016

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When to Say No