Bottle It Up

[apassingafternoon]

Kaine didn't see Nariko after she returned to the palace. There would have been something oddly poignant about sharing the entire experience, speaking a bit frankly about it, but Kaine wanted to hold it to herself for a little while longer. In the end that was for the best. Sekht and Fyra's wedding was held in the morning and they all stood for it and then danced for it. Everything should have been goddamn peachy. There was no more pressure or tension in her general atmosphere, just the understandable, acceptable level of regret and acceptance. Kaine could deal with that.

What she couldn't fucking deal with was Nariko. Oh, sure, she smiled and clapped and when Sekht playfully asked her for a dance but every warning sign in the book was on full display. Her smile was hollow, her polite manner far too restrained. The natural ease that she'd found with Roland was nowhere to be found, in fact she seemed far too content with pretending he wasn't even anywhere near her. And maybe the obnoxious sleeves of her shirt - it was fucking insane that anyone could be unaffected by this heat - hid her left hand but Kaine saw the black chord around her neck and in that voiceless, deep way she had always possessed when it came to Nariko, Kaine knew that the other woman's wedding ring was hiding underneath her clothes.

This was some bullshit and Kaine, free of her nervousness and caution, was real fucking tired of pussyfooting around here.

So the wedding party continued but Kaine wasn't around to enjoy the latter half of it. She had dragged Nariko off and then returned alone.

Livid didn't begin to describe how she felt. But she made her way over to Bert anyway, jaw clenched tight and her arms folded even tighter.

"I need you to do something for me."

Comments

[askthelookout]

"And destroy her threesome dreams?" Bert pulled a face of comic horror. "I could never!" But his smile, for all that, was really rather gentle. He stood up with her, cradling the kitten in his arms and scratching it between the ears. "Listen. Nariko. I love him. Ever have, and ever will. But he's being an ass, even more than I am. Don't let him get to you. I'm not joking, it's not worth it, even if he is."

As if he didn't let Roland get under his skin more often than she ever did.

[gunslingerqueen]

She paused and considered the unreasonable request he seemed to be making here. The problem was that Roland was already getting to her, the problem was that she loved him, there might not ever be such a thing as not letting him get to her. But of all things she smiled, and just nodded. Bert was really trying to help her this time and it was kind of him.

"I know you're right, we'll just have to see what I can manage, I guess." It wasn't going to be much. She'd be a mess and get fucked up one side and down the other and maybe it would all be easier and clearer tomorrow. Maybe. She reached over to give Sonia one last pet from the back of her neck to the base of her tail. "Go break it to your girlfriend that her dreams have been dead in the water. If you like, you can even tell her i'm not upset with her anymore."

So she didn't have to send Bert around to do all the heavy lifting. But with just that left between them Nariko went on her way, and Bert would too when he was ready.