"Two's Company...."

Writers: Devin, Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 21st July 2014

Characters: J'kri, Paetri, R'axe
Description: What: R'axe turns out to a memorial hosted by Paetri and J'kri for D'ret.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 7, day 18 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Introducing Awkward-R'axe.

R'axe

R'axe sat quietly in the corner of the room, a glass of wine in hand
that he had been silently nursing since had arrived. His eyes flicked
across the room to J'kri, who was talking to some of the Weyrlings
that had known D'ret. Had it not been for J'kri's request that R'axe
be there, the bluerider would have been in his weyr, possibly with
some tantalizing company from the Dining Cavern. But R'axe found
himself unable to say no to J'kri, especially when he felt that the
younger rider needed him. He took another sip of his wine.

Eyes puffy from tears, Paetri hung near the back, but stayed near
J'kri ready to step in should J'kri need her. The loss of one of her
best friends had struck her deeply; the healing wound on her leg
didn't even pain her. If it did, she wouldn't have noticed.

The three of them had been near inseparable during Candidacy and it
was only thanks to D'ret that she'd had the courage to continue things
with J'kr. It grieved her even further for J'kri, who had only just
been able to get D'ret back in his life and to be able to have both
she and D'ret together had obviously meant a great deal to him. She
didn't know how to comfort him.

J'kri put on a brave face, doing his best to be a good host. Hugging
the last few guests as they made their way out, he thanked them for
coming. With their weyrling class being so small, everyone had gotten
close and they all mourned D'ret. It had been a struggle not to wallow
in his heartbreak, but D'ret wouldn't have wanted a sad party. Though
it had often felt forced, J'kri smiled and laughed as he and others
told stories about their friend.

As the door closed, J'kri turned to see there were only two people
left. He wasn't surprised to see Paetri, but it warmed him that R'axe
had stayed. He took Paetri's hand and squeezed it. "I left my glass...
somewhere." It was at least the third one he'd put down and forgotten.

R'axe studied J'kri and Paetri as they stood by one another. He was
glad that they had each other to fall back on. The bluerider stood and
approached J'kri, "It was good of you to have the other Weyrlings
over," he said, placing a hand on J'kri's shoulder, "I think it helped
them find closure."

J'kri nodded. "Thank you for coming, and for staying. It means a lot."

"Of course. Anytime." He murmured to J'kri, before turning his eyes to
Paetri, "And how are you holding up, lovely lady?"

Paetri squeezed J'kri's hand back, then stepped away to pick up the
forgotten glass and hand it back to him. "Here it is." She looked up
at R'axe and attempted a small smile. "As best as I can." Her lip
trembled before she stilled it with a sharp breath. "You two go ahead
and talk. I'm going to clean up a bit." Wanting to stay busy, she went
to the small table and began picking up glasses.

J'kri drifted over to the couch and sat, taking a small sip of his
drink. The buzz from the alcohol made things more manageable, though
he was careful not to drink too much. "I keep thinking he's going to
walk through the door."

R'axe joined him on the couch and put a hand on J'kri's knee, "I know.
You can crash at my place again if you need to." He offered.

"I don't want to leave Paetri." She'd been good friends with D'ret.
The three of them had been so close. Now they were only two.

"Well," R'axe lauded, his eyes flicking across the room to the young
greenrider, "you could both stay over. Unless you are just wanting to
be alone, and in that case, I will make myself scarce." The corners of
his mouth lifted as he looked back at J'kri, "I am glad the two of you
have each other to lean on."

After the glasses had been put away, Paetri began wiping at counters,
moving stiffly and with measured purpose. After that, there was little
to clean up. She looked around, searching for anything to do and found
nothing. She heard her name and turned her face back to the two men
and slowly stepped forward, sitting down at the chair across from
them.

J'kri glanced at both of them. Oh, that would be _so_ nice. "You could
both stay here." Just because Paetri had been okay with D'ret, that
didn't mean she'd be okay with someone else. He shouldn't assume. "Uh,
I mean if... would you be upset if R'axe stayed over?" he asked
Paetri.

Paetri frowned, her gaze flicking between the two men. She looked at
J'kri's face; she knew he needed the comfort and it was a comfort she
couldn't provide by herself. She didn't know R'axe well, but if J'kri
needed him, how could she say no? She shook her head and spoke softly.
"I don't mind."

R'axe had seen Paetri's frown and immediately felt uncomfortable about
J'kri's suggestion, "I don't think it would be such a good idea for me
to stay." He looked away from Paetri and met J'kri's eyes, "But I will
check in on you tomorrow, okay?"

"No, it's really okay, R'axe." Paetri's voice was soft but firm.
"You're wanted here. Needed."

He could tell that the only reason Paetri was offering was to please
J'kri, and while R'axe appreciated that, he also was not the type of
man to force his company on others, "I'm sorry it just doesn't feel
right." He stood and looked at J'kri, "I'll see you tomorrow?"

Paetri looked rapidly between the two men, biting her lower lip.
Camilth quickly sent a message to Rademerth. She rose to her feet to
look at R'axe in the eye. "Stay here with him. Please." She crossed
over and brushed her lips over his cheek, then bent to press her lips
to J'kri's lips, speaking softly. "Go ahead. I don't mind. I'll see
you in the morning." She stood straight, smiled at R'axe and calmly
walked out of the door.

}: Tell Yours to go with him. Mine wants you to. :{

J'kri's stomach sank. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked." It was
stupid and selfish. He got up to hurry after Paetri. She was already
moving down the hall. "Please don't do this," he called after her. The
tenuous hold he had on his emotions slipped and tears burned in his
eyes.

Paetri stopped then turned, her brow furrowed until she saw the moisture in
J'kri's eyes. She hurried to him and immediately lifted her hands to wipe at
his eyes. "J'kri, J'kri, I'm not upset." She held his face in his hands.
"Don't cry, please. I thought R'axe was what you needed right now. It's
okay. Really." She looked at him in the eye and her voice was gentle. "I
want to do what you need. That's all."

"I need you," he sobbed, everything overflowing. "Please don't leave
me." In the back of his mind, he worried that all the crying and drama
would make R'axe never want to see him again. But he couldn't lose
Paetri.

Tears welled in her eyes and she immediately wrapped her arms around
him. "I'm not going to leave you. Ever. I'm yours, and you know it."
She took his hand and led him back to the weyr, her hand tight around
his. She found R'axe and looked up at him. "Please, R'axe. Stay. Stay
for both of us."

R'axe did not want to stay, and he probably would have left, but the
tears on J'kri's cheeks held him rooted in place. **Shit.** He
thought. There had never been anyone who could convince R'axe to stay
when he wanted to leave, even though there had been plenty of men, and
women, who had begged him to before. Now one young bluerider with a
great, sexual appetite had him doubting himself.

"Come here." He said, opening his arms to both of them.

}:I am always with you,:{ Rademerth crooned from the ledge where he
was wrapped around Camilth.

Keeping hold of one of Paetri's hands, J'kri curled against R'axe's
side. It took him a few tries before he could speak. "We could just
sleep."

It took a moment longer for Paetri to do the same. She didn't know
R'axe quite as well, but the comfort was welcome. She laid her head
against his shoulder and found that it was comfortable. She thought
about J'kri's suggestion; in a rapidly short amount of time, she'd
gotten used to curling up with J'kri and D'ret, so she found thought
of sleeping with another man (just sleeping) didn't phase her. She
nodded along to J'kri's suggestion. "That would be nice."

Outwardly R'axe appeared calm and collected, but on the inside he was
practically hyperventilating. He wasn't the cuddling, snuggly, sleepy
type! He was seduction, wine and sex! That's what he did! He never did
the cuddly snuggly stuff because that always led to "icky, sticky
attachment issues", as he had so eloquently coined.

}:Think of it as helping a couple of younglings cope with death.:{
Jayth broke in, although there was a hint of amusing in his voice. He
loved watching his rider squirm.

"Sleep it is." R'axe said.

Last updated on the July 22nd 2014

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"Two's Company...."