SGA fic: Gaijin, Part 11/40
Dec. 13th, 2008 11:41 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
sam_gamgeeGaijin, Part 11/40
The complete header can be found in part 1.
Previous parts can be found here.
“Okay,” Kelly said, settling himself on the floor next to Rodney. “We have a few things we need to rectify.”
“Such as?” Rodney asked, not looking up as he worked on refilling some of the plants and other necessary items in Kirby’s bag.
“Such as the fact that you don’t know any of the ceremonies. Okay, mainly that.”
“And why am I learning them now if I haven’t already done so in the past two and a quarter cycles?”
“Because it was a gross oversight on the part of Kirby and me. Normally, these things are taught at various stages in a young Lapran’s life. You know that we don’t exactly get a lot of adults living here from the outside except through marriage – which is where most adult newcomers learn the ceremonies, or our variations if their home has an equivalent. So, let’s just say that we weren’t expecting to have to deal with you.”
“So, what sorts of ceremonies do I have to learn?” Rodney asked as he put the finished bag aside and folded his hands in his lap.
“Let’s see. Kirby will be teaching you the ceremonies for bindings, marriage, birth, death. I’ll be teaching you the tea ceremony, as well as how we go about public fights – which is one way we settle disputes, though it’s hardly used. A lot of the ‘ceremonies’ are also just in the way we do things – such as food preparation, bathing and dressing before a big event, and meditation. I think there’s even one for doing the silk – but you’ll have to ask Laura about that.”
“Okay, so when do we start?”
“I think we should start as soon as possible. Most of it will go fairly quickly, but some things, like the tea ceremony, you’ll need time to learn so you’ll have it down before you have to use it. We’re not sticklers for a lot of things, but the tea ceremony is one of few things we are big on.”
“I haven’t seen it done a whole lot,” Rodney disclosed.
“It usually isn’t done out in the open very much,” Kelly admitted. “It can be a somewhat… intimate activity between friends.”
“Why don’t we get started tonight?” Rodney asked. “I have to get a bath tonight anyway, so if it isn’t sacrilegious, we could get that out of the way then.”
Kelly smiled, amused. “It’s not sacrilegious if the mistakes are made unintentionally.” He stood. “Come on, get your things together and we’ll go down to the pools now. We can get two things done at once and I’ll go over the dressing with you as well.”
Rodney stood and ducked into his quarters. He laid Kirby’s medicine bag on his cot before grabbing his towel, soap, and some clean clothes from the baskets beneath his. When he reentered the commons, Kelly also had his bathing accoutrements and they headed down to the pools. As they reached the pools, Lillian was finishing up with her daughter and they exchanged pleasantries.
“She’s getting big,” Rodney said as Leah grabbed his finger and waved it about happily as she gurgled and smiled at the adults.
“She is,” Lillian agreed. “She eats everything in sight and grows almost too fast for us to keep her in clothes. I’m glad the other parents have been so generous with their old garments.”
Leah suddenly pitched forward and Rodney was forced to drop his things and take her from Lillian. Leah gave a squeak of joy and burrowed against Rodney, clutching his shirt. Rodney looked back and forth between Lillian and Kelly, completely surprised at the turn of events even as he cradled her against his chest.
“Wow,” Lillian said, surprised. “She hasn’t done that before. She’s usually shy of anyone that’s not her father or I.”
“She must know you delivered her, Rodney-chan,” Kelly said, completely amused with the situation. “They say that’s one of the few bonds that can never be broken.”
“I don’t know about that,” Rodney muttered sarcastically as Leah snuggled a little closer and sniffed before letting out a large yawn.
“I better take her home and put her to bed,” Lillian said, gently scooping Leah out of Rodney’s arms. “Goodnight, you two.”
“Goodnight,” both Rodney and Kelly replied.
Once she had left, Kelly said, “Okay, let’s get to it.” He went over to the pool, put his things down nearby and began stripping, his back to Rodney. Rodney watched him, mouth slightly agape. “What are you waiting for?” Kelly asked, not looking back at Rodney.
“I just – I… that is –” Rodney stammered. “Nothing,” he finally managed before stooping down to retrieve his fallen items.
He wasn’t sure what he had expected, but he honestly hadn’t expected Kelly to just start stripping in front of him. He felt his face flush and quickly pushed the unexpected wave of hormones back. This couldn’t happen here. He had resigned himself to a life of celibacy before; this place wasn’t any different than Siberia, Antarctica, or Atlantis in the beginning. He could manage. Even if Kelly was unintentionally tantalizing him and mocking him with the knowledge that he was never going to have anything like that ever again – from someone of either gender.
Rodney quickly placed his things next to Kelly’s, stripped completely and slipped into the water. “Happy now?” he grumbled.
“Ecstatic,” Kelly replied cheekily and splashed Rodney. He turned serious. “The purpose of what we call ritual bathing is to symbolically cleanse ourselves from any negativity, wrongness, whatever you want to call it. As you bathe, be mindful of what you’re cleansing yourself for and make sure that your motives and intentions are pure for what you’re about to do.”
“That sounds surprisingly easy,” Rodney commented.
“It is,” Kelly replied, picking his feet up and using his hands to keep his balance as he floated in the water. “I keep forgetting that you aren’t familiar with our ways. The other tribes we deal with are similar enough that even though there are differences, it’s easy enough for us to understand each other.” Standing up, he said, “We better get washed and get out before anyone else comes in. That way, I can show you how to dress.”
They washed quickly and efficiently. After they had gotten out and dried themselves, Kelly, naked and without what seemed to be any sort of modesty, turned to Rodney, who was tying his towel around his waist, and said, “Okay, let’s get started with the ritual dressing.” He put his hands on his hips and said, amusedly, “I never took you for being that modest, Rodney-chan.”
“Then you must not know me as well as you think you do,” Rodney retorted, clutching at the towel and thinking how insane this lesson had suddenly become. “Oh, could you just put some clothes on, please?”
“Okay,” Kelly replied with a huff as he grabbed an article of clothing. “I’ll show you what to do as I dress, then you can do it.”
“Fair enough,” Rodney allowed, pulling himself up straight and gathering whatever dignity he could muster.
As he started dressing, Kelly said, “The principles are the same as when you’re bathing. But, as you’re dressing, you don’t rush and you’re thinking about what you’re about to do and how you can bring your best to it so that it will be edifying for everyone involved.”
Rodney fought the urge to roll his eyes. “There seems to be a lot of hype for this stuff and not a lot of bang for your buck.”
Kelly paused in fastening his shirt for a moment to process what Rodney said. “I guess you’re right.” He shrugged and resumed dressing. “But you can’t knock it if it works. Are you going to get dressed?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Rodney replied dryly, picking up his pants. “I do appreciate you doing this for me.”
“You’re welcome. Come over for dinner tomorrow and we can start with the food preparation rituals.”
“Okay.” Rodney shrugged on his shirt and fastened it.
As they left, Kelly chuckled and said, “You’re starting to look and act as if you’ve been here longer than you have.”
Rodney laughed. “I’m sure I already sound like it. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see what my old friends would think of me now?”
Kelly sobered. “I’m sorry that the elders didn’t allow you to contact them. I’m sure it must be hard for you to not be able to have any sort of contact with them – even once since you’ve gotten here.”
“Thank you,” Rodney replied. “It’s gotten better – doesn’t hurt quite as much when I think about them.”
“Still… To be cut off completely from your people – I can’t fathom it. Your ability to adjust amazes me.”
“Well, considering some of the things I’ve seen and done – coping becomes an essential skill or you go crazy.” He sighed. “Look, I don’t want to sound rude, since I appreciate the concern, but I don’t really want to talk about it anymore.”
“All right, Rodney-chan,” Kelly acquiesced. “If you do, remember I’m here for you.”
“Thanks,” Rodney replied, suddenly very weary and depressed. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”
Kelly nodded as they parted ways and Rodney went into his quarters. He held up a hand and said, “Please, not tonight,” to Jillian.
She snapped her mouth shut without saying a word and nodded before returning to her work.
Rodney put his things away and crawled into bed, pulling the blanket up over himself and turning to the wall. He took a couple deep breaths to get his emotions in check. The unexpected reminder that he was stuck here had hurt more than he had been expecting, considering he and Kirby had already worked through a lot of it. But one unrelated emotion wouldn’t go away. The sight of Kelly standing in front of him naked and completely comfortable, or probably even unaware of the effect he might be having on Rodney, had hit Rodney hard and he had been surprised that he was able to keep his body in check the whole time.
The rush of lust he had felt had surprised him. Rodney had gotten so used to running on autopilot when it came to his sexual needs that he hadn’t expected anything to happen when Kelly got undressed – going on missions with Ronon worked wonders in that area. (John, on the other hand, was a completely different story.) Add in the fact that Rodney hadn’t ever felt anything even remotely romantic or close to some sort of attraction for Kelly, and the hormones had been a complete surprise to Rodney.
When he had first realized he was attracted to John, he had asked Heightmeyer about it. She had calmly stated that sometimes that was due to a bond forged by a shared crisis, and God knew they’d had enough of those. She had then added that it could also be due to being able to get comfortable in the friendship and that it was a subconscious way that the body dealt with figuring out when it was safe to form attachments and find a mate.
Rodney sighed. He didn’t want to form this sort of attachment; he wanted to keep things the way they currently were with Kelly. While had always self-identified as mostly gay, but open to women if the right one, namely Lt. Col. Samantha Carter, was interested, he had, from time to time, sincerely considered a family and the whole nine yards. But he wasn’t stupid enough to think that seeing if it was possible for him to marry into the Laprans’ population would cure this attraction. He sighed again. He really didn’t want to screw things up.
But his body was hearing none of that at the moment and his cock was starting to stir at the memory of a naked Kelly, who then morphed into a naked John.
Rodney gave in at that point and rolled so he was mostly on his stomach, giving himself barely enough room to take care of himself. He jerked off quickly and without any finesse, biting his lower lip in an effort to make sure he stayed quiet. It was over almost as quickly as it had started, his body rushing towards a long overdue climax. When he finished, he quickly licked his hand clean and burrowed into the cot, his sated body thrumming in contentment and his mind, for the time being, going quiet.
The next morning while they were eating breakfast, Kirby told Rodney, “I’ve spoken with Laura, Matthew, and Lucy, and you’re going to be staying home today for at least the morning to work on some of the ceremonies you need to know.”
“Okay,” Rodney replied. “Why didn’t I learn them before?”
“Because the ceremonies usually aren’t taught with the practical, everyday medical knowledge. We feel that they need a certain amount of maturity in order to be taken in with the dignity that they deserve. I was assessing whether you were at that point or not.”
“And if I wasn’t?” Rodney asked, doubtfully.
Kirby shrugged. “We would have waited. We’ll start once everyone else has left for the day.”
After he finished eating, Rodney spent some time meditating on his own, telling Kirby he needed to work some things through on his own. In general, Kirby had been mediating his sessions less and less of late which Rodney was thankful for, and Rodney was surprised at how easily he had been able to continue what Kirby had taught him.
As he breathed deeply, Rodney shut everything else out and concentrated on his breath, feeling himself become detached from his surroundings. In front of him appeared a white board and some dry-erase markers. Rodney picked one up and fiddled with it as he stared at the white board.
He stared at it for a while, not sure where to begin. He finally sighed and set down the marker before leaning back against the lab table behind him. Crossing his arms, he continued to stare at the white board, silently begging it for inspiration or information or both.
He knew he’d be able to function with Kelly without Kelly knowing about his feelings for him and hopefully, unlike Rodney’s feelings for John, they would go away at some point. He could do this, he told himself. He could be a good, normal, and in no way deviant member of their society. He needed ask Kirby about his chances of getting married.
Feeling himself starting to lose control at the uncertainty of his prospects, Rodney took a few deep breaths and pulled himself back together. This wasn’t a real crisis. He could get through this without going insane. This really wasn’t any different than learning how to cope at the SGC with all of the military personnel. He had denied one of the essential parts of himself before, he could do it again. He would just have to make sure that the predominant part of himself stayed buried deeply and he’d stay focused on anything that could help him cope. Rodney carefully boxed up the image of Kelly and pushed it far back in his mind, next to his feelings for John.
When he came out of his meditative state, Kirby nodded once and said, “How are you doing on your own?”
“Good, I think,” Rodney replied. “Time will tell, right?”
Kirby nodded as he picked up his things. “Let’s go outside and I’ll begin your instruction.”
Rodney stood and followed him, grabbing his stool on the way. “Has there ever been any discussion about adding more tribes to your little cabal, or just generally opening it up?” he asked.
“There have been a few times over the generations,” Kirby replied. “But, we feel that things are precarious enough as it is and to allow too much freedom may doom us to not being suited for our environment.”
“Even if the opposite also dooms you in the long run?”
Kirby grimaced. “We have been starting to seriously consider taking on others to help ease our predicament, but it’s hard to figure out the best course of action.”
Rodney bit his cheek and didn’t say anything as he thought of Carson. With his lab and his ability, it would be so easy for him to help them out. And Rodney knew that they’d never be willing to utilize that option. Finally, he managed, “So. Where do we start?”
Kirby thought for a moment. “I think we will start with marriage. The marriages for our people, as well as those of the Morykons and the Nagdalis, are arranged in the desire of continuing our existence as distinct peoples for as long as possible.”
“But,” Rodney interrupted, “after a while, the three tribes will become mixed enough that they would technically be only one people, right?”
“This is possible,” Kirby replied, “but we have been careful to make sure we preserve our peoples’ integrity throughout the years. Now, the process itself begins when a couple comes to me and expresses an interest in finding a spouse for their son or daughter. I then begin searching through the scrolls to find a suitable partner. If one doesn’t exist among our people, I will then get permission from the parents to search among either the Morykons or the Nagdalis and then move to the other tribe if the situation warrants it.”
Rodney frowned, knowing the odds of it happening at least some of the time. “What if a match can’t be found between any of the tribes?”
Kirby sighed as he shrugged. “This has happened in very rare cases. In such instances, I will then tell the family, and they have to accept it. It isn’t always easy for them to accept, but that’s the way it is.”
Rodney squirmed slightly on his stool and asked, “What if they decide to take matters into their own hands and set something up anyway?”
Kirby shook his head. “No one will have them. It’s a fact of life here, Rodney-chan. There are times when the weak spots are taken out to make the whole stronger. I’m sure you’ve seen that in your native land.”
“I have,” Rodney replied. It still amazed him how knowledgeable the Laprans were about the natural world they inhabited, even though they were the equivalent of a Middle Age farming community, when it came to technology and completely illiterate, Kirby’s pictograph scrolls aside. Getting them back on track, Rodney continued, “So, once a suitable match has been found, then what?”
“I’ll set up a meeting between the two families to present the offer and if they’re willing, the two young people will begin courting.”
Rodney let out an incredulous bark of laughter. “Courting? That’s just – wow.” At Kirby’s surprised, and slightly shocked, look, Rodney waved his hand and said, “Never mind. My native land has very different views of courtship.”
“So I see,” Kirby replied primly. “The courtship process is utilized to make sure that the potential bride and bridegroom are compatible and will have a successful marriage. It’s also a time in which the families will make sure that the person marrying into their family is up to their standards.” Anticipating Rodney’s question, he continued, “There have been times when things don’t work out, and at that point I’ll have to start over. But it works most of the time. Traditionally, the couple will know by their fifth or sixth date whether or not they want to get married, though there have been exceptions. At that point, it’s in the hands of the families to prepare everything. I, of course, do the ceremony itself, but everything else is handled by the families. If one member of the couple is either Morykon or Nagdali, arrangements are made to help facilitate the process.”
“I can’t imagine getting married after five dates,” Rodney commented. “I know, I know – different situations and all.”
“And they do have their whole lives to get to know each other. The ceremony is a simple one where the couple exchanges vows to support each other throughout their lives and gifts are exchanged between the couple and with the family. And afterwards is a feast.”
“I was curious, Kirby,” Rodney started and paused, figuring now was as good a time as any to ask, before continuing on in a rush, “I was wondering if it would be possible for me to get married?”
Kirby looked surprised. “It should be okay. You’ve been taken into the community and become a supportive member, so I don’t see a problem. I’ll have to get information from you and we’ll have to talk to the elders about it. Did you have someone in mind?”
“No. I was just thinking about it the other day and was curious.” Going back to the original topic, he added, “So, about nine months after the wedding, there’s a baby. What do you do then? Aside from deliver the baby.”
Kirby looked at him perplexed. “We don’t do anything. While we value the baby’s life, we don’t see the need to go any further than that. I take it your people do?”
Rodney nodded. “There’s a few different ceremonies – usually to dedicate the baby to the parents’ faith, depending on where the family is from or what they believe in. What’s next on the agenda?”
“Next is death. If there is a question about whether the person is actually dead, someone will sit up with the body for a day or two to make sure the person really is gone. Once that fact has been established, I’ll prepare the body by embalming it and then wrap it in a shroud. From there, the deceased person’s family takes body out into the sand to be buried. A memorial service is then held in memory of the deceased.”
Rodney furrowed his brow in confusion. “But between the sand, heat, and the embalming processes, aren’t things a little… crowded out there?”
“Many who marry off-world tend to be buried there as well. And the embalming fluids are simply to keep the body from decaying too rapidly until we get a chance to bury the body. Once the sandstorm picks back up and starts shifting the sand around, it’s not really a problem, is it?”
“I guess not,” Rodney murmured. “These ceremonies aren’t much different than what I had back in my native land.”
“It seems that most places have some things in common, regardless of how dissimilar they are in other respects.”
“What about the binding ceremony?” Rodney asked, suddenly remembering it.
Kirby shrugged. “As you saw, it’s much like a wedding ceremony – though there are some differences, such as rings instead of ear cuffs. And it’s a quickly done affair with only the families as witnesses.”
“Why didn’t you do it?” Rodney asked.
“Because I was standing as part of your family – as you will have to do for any ceremony involving myself or Jillian, unless circumstances prevent it. In those cases, the borough elder will perform the ceremony. And don’t worry about the words right now. We’ll go over those later on.” He stood. “Let me go get my scroll and we’ll put you on it so it’ll be ready when you find someone.”
That evening, Rodney made his way over to Kelly’s quarters. Kirby’s questions had tired him out more than he had expected and had been more thorough than any of his doctors’. And the whole time Kirby was questioning him, he added minute details either to or around the figure he had drawn in his family unit to signify Rodney. When they finished, Kirby looked pleased and told him that he’d make a good match for their people.
Kelly’s father came out of the quarters as Rodney got close enough to announce his presence and gave him a shallow bow. “Hello, Rodney-sensei. How are you?”
“Well, thank you,” Rodney replied with a short bow of his own. “How are you, Kelly-san?”
“I am well also,” Kelly-san replied with a smile. “I consider every day I’m still breathing to be a good one.”
Rodney laughed. “That’s a very good attitude to have, Kelly-san. Is Kelly-chan here?”
Kelly-san bobbed his head. “He is. He’s inside preparing dinner and a tea ceremony from the looks of it. I hope the two of you enjoy your evening.” He looked over Rodney’s shoulder and, with an amused smile, said quieter, “You may want to be careful. It looks like you have an admirer.”
Rodney partially turned and looked over his shoulder, brows furrowed. The girl in question blushed and dropped her gaze as one of the girls sitting with her leaned in and murmured something in her ear. She was pretty and, he guessed, about half-way between himself and Jillian in age. Turning back to Kelly-san, he said, “That’s, um –.” He blanked on her name. “Who is it?”
Kelly-san smiled, amused. “That’s Jaelyn, daughter of Keith and Jessica. She’s in the glass guild. And she’s single.”
Rodney’s eyebrows climbed and he sputtered, “I don’t –. You don’t seriously –?”
Kelly-san chuckled. “I’m simply relaying the facts. You’re the one going to certain conclusions. Have a good evening.”
Rodney watched him walk off, slightly flabbergasted, before giving the top of Jaelyn’s head a quick glare and going into Kelly’s quarters. “I think someone’s stalking me,” he said.
“Stalking you, Rodney-chan?” Kelly asked with a laugh as he looked up from the food he was preparing. “What do you mean?”
“Jaelyn. Your father just caught her staring at me while I was talking to him outside and now that I think about it, I think I’ve seen her watching me before.”
“She could just be interested,” Kelly placated. “You’re a foreigner and she could be interested.”
“It’s been over two cycles since I’ve gotten here and she hasn’t said much more than a ‘hello’ or two in the interim? That’s not interested in a foreigner, that’s stalking.”
Kelly put the utensils down and covered his face with his hands before laughing heartily. “Watching you in the commons is not stalking you, Rodney-chan. She has a harmless crush, that’s all.”
“That’s how they all start,” Rodney huffed as he sat down on the opposite side of the fire pit from Kelly. “So, let’s get started.”
“Huffy tonight, aren’t we?” Kelly commented dryly, but still amused. “Tonight I’ve prepared one of the tea ceremonies so you can experience it before I start teaching them to you. Now, take a few deep breaths and center yourself. Leave whatever you think is going on with Jaelyn until we’re done.”
Rodney did as he was told and felt himself centering as Kelly’s voice droned on, telling him about the ceremony and lulling him into a relaxed state. When the food was ready, they ate in silence before Kelly continued the ceremony by making the tea. Rodney enjoyed watching very specific order of the ceremony and found it soothing.
“Thank you,” Rodney said when they were done, his mind still quiet and centered.
“You’re welcome, Rodney-chan,” Kelly replied with a small smile as he carefully cleaned and put everything away. Once everything was put away, he sat down next to Rodney. “Now, about Jaelyn.”
“What about her?” Rodney asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
“I think you should talk to her. That way you’ll know for sure she’s not stalking you. And the two of you might hit it off. You could do much worse for yourself here.”
Rodney’s eyes widened. “You – you –” He gaped at Kelly. “You think the two of us –?”
“People don’t start looking if they’re not interested in that. And you’ve got a lot of things going for you.”
Rodney opened his mouth to start protesting again, but quickly shut it. After a moment of pulling his thoughts together, he said, “I’ll think about it.”
“Good,” Kelly replied with a slightly sad smile and a quick nod.
“But, if for some reason I do go through with this insane idea, we’re going to fix you up next. I don’t want to be going through this alone.”
Kelly laughed heartily. “Since when have you ever done anything alone here, Rodney-chan?”
“Well, that’s true. You all do have an interesting take on the communal aspect of village life. But I’m serious about finding you someone, Kelly. You’re a great guy and you definitely deserve someone to love you much more than I do.”
Kelly blushed and deflected by saying, “Let’s get you situated first. I have a feeling it’s going to take a lot to help you get through this, so I want to worry about that before we start dealing with me. We’ll start tomorrow. I want you to introduce yourself to her.”
“Will that be okay? I don’t want to –”
“It’ll be fine,” Kelly cut him off. “Everyone usually knows everyone else here almost from birth, so you’ll be given certain allowances in that area. And it’s been known to happen where a couple gets matched because they ask their parents to approach Kirby on their behalf. It doesn’t always work out, but they accept Kirby’s pronouncement if it doesn’t.”
“That’s got to hurt, though,” Rodney grimaced. “Has it happened to you?”
Kelly shook his head. “There’s never been anyone I’ve been interested enough in.”
“I’m surprised no one’s made a bid for you either.”
“A few have, actually,” Kelly replied with a wince. “It never panned out, though, for one reason or another. But, tomorrow – you’re going to talk to Jaelyn and then we’ll go from there.”
“What are we going to talk about?” Rodney asked uneasily.
“Anything. But *do not* mention the ‘stalking’. If you do, I will inflict bodily harm the next time we practice.”
Rodney laughed. “I doubt you could. Okay, tomorrow I’ll try. What do you know about her, aside from her name, guild, parentage, and that she’s been watching me?”
“Jaelyn has a quick mind and she’s always been curious, but I doubt that’ll be a problem for you. Her bond friend is Jennifer – she has dark brown hair. They’re practically inseparable, so you better make friends with her too.” He looked like he was about to say something but changed his mind. “I think you’ll do fine,” he said with a certain amount of finality as his father came back in.
“I think we’re going to have a new calf tomorrow,” Kelly-san said with a smile. “And it looks to be an easy birth.”
“That’s good,” Kelly replied with a smile. To Rodney, he said, “We’ve been worried about this one. The last birth didn’t go so well for her.”
“How did things go?” Kelly-san asked.
“Good,” Kelly replied. “I think Rodney shouldn’t have a problem picking this up. Unlike some other things.” He grinned slyly at Rodney before continuing, “He’s going to talk to Jaelyn tomorrow.”
“Good luck with that,” Kelly-san said to Rodney. “And maybe then you can help Kelly-chan find someone. His mother would have conniptions if she knew he’d gone this long without giving her grandchildren.”
“*Dad*,” Kelly replied, blushing and looking embarrassed. After a moment, he said to Rodney, “She died in childbirth. I never knew her.”
“I’m sorry,” Rodney replied. There was a quiet lull in the conversation before Rodney stood. “I better get going. I’m sure you both have things you need to do to get ready for tomorrow.”
Kelly stood as well. “Remember what I told you.”
Rodney nodded. “I will.” He bad them goodnight and went back to his quarters, nervous about what the next day would bring. When he entered, Jillian was beaming. “What’s going on?” he asked, amused.
“Jasmine and I are going to become bond friends,” she beamed. “Will you do the ceremony?”
Rodney glanced at Kirby, unsure. At Kirby’s nod, he grinned and replied, “Sure. That’s great news. When did you want to do the ceremony?”
She looked at him tentatively as he sat down. “Could we do it tomorrow after dinner?”
“Is that too soon?” Rodney asked Kirby, who shook his head.
“Tomorrow will be fine,” he said. “I’ve already questioned them and they have my blessing as well as the blessing of Jasmine’s parents.”
“Why wasn’t I questioned?” Rodney asked.
“Because I already knew the answers from our meditations together, and I talked to Kelly on my own.”
“And Kelly-san?” Rodney asked, furrowing his brow.
“He said he trusted Kelly’s judgment and wouldn’t go any further.”
Rodney licked his lips before changing the subject and asking, “I need advice on how to approach Jaelyn.”
Both Kirby and Jillian grinned, though Jillian’s was a bit more reserved. “I figured you singling out a young woman wouldn’t be far behind those questions you asked me,” Kirby replied.
“Actually, it’s just a coincidence,” Rodney replied. “I was merely curious when you brought the subject up and today was the first time I had really noticed that she was watching me.” He shrugged a shoulder. “So I thought I’d at least talk to her and see what happens.”
“I think that the two of you will make a good match,” Kirby replied.
“Can I go over to Jasmine’s?” Jillian asked as she stood.
“Sure, just don’t stay too late.” Kirby and Rodney watched her go, Kirby shaking his head in amusement. “I think you just made her month.”
“Is there a set date when people get bound?” Rodney asked.
“Not really,” Kirby replied. “And it’s not a necessary ceremony either – some people never become bound – for various reasons.”
“What about you?” Rodney asked.
“Am I? No, I’m not. I was once, but then he was taken by the Korsans and I never found anyone else I wanted to bind with. I still wear the cuff in remembrance, though.”
“And Jillian’s mother?” Rodney asked quietly.
Kirby pursed his lips before replying, “She died giving birth to a younger child – a boy.” He paused and looked away before finally saying, “I hope you find a love like what I felt for her.” He paused again and Rodney could see Kirby pull himself together. “Now, about the ceremony tomorrow.”
At lunch the next day, Rodney took a deep, if shaky, breath after getting his food. Kelly had come to talk with him during breakfast and he, Kirby, and Jillian helped him go over what he should say and do – which helped to allay his nervousness, while at the same time sharpening the idea of what he was going to do into a stark reality. During the morning work period, he brought it up to Laura and she congratulated him on showing interest in someone. She gave him some advice as well, which only made him more nervous that he was going to seriously screw things up.
He let his eyes wander over the group before finding her sitting with another girl whom he guessed was Jennifer. Taking another breath, he headed towards them and they looked up in surprise as he got closer. “May I join you two ladies?” he asked.
They giggled and nodded and Rodney sat down next to them, positive he could feel Kelly, Kirby, and Jillian’s eyes on him. Tact never having been a strong point, Rodney dove in with, “I’ve seen you watching me.”
Jaelyn blushed deeply and stared down into her fruit leaves as Jennifer giggled again and said, “She thinks you’re cute.”
“Oh, really?” Rodney asked, cocking an eyebrow at Jaelyn, who still wasn’t looking at him and, he thought, probably wished she could sink into the floor. “She’s pretty cute herself. Can she talk?” he asked Jennifer.
“She can,” Jaelyn replied, looking up at him. “I just wasn’t expecting this.”
“Well, you had to be expecting something, if you kept staring at me,” Rodney told her. “I’m sure your mothers taught you it’s not polite to stare.”
“I actually never quite learned that lesson,” Jaelyn replied. “At least it had the desired outcome.”
“If you mean getting me to talk to you, you could’ve approached me,” Rodney retorted. “I’m pretty easy to talk to.”
“I can see that,” she replied with a smile. “I’d like to get to know you better.”
“I’d like that too. Getting to know you better, I mean.”
“Then we should probably see about going this the right way,” she said coyly.
“I’ll talk to Kirby, then,” he said, standing.
“Okay,” she replied, impishly. “I’ll be expecting him to approach my parents, then.”
“Until then,” Rodney said before walking away, his knees shaking a bit and holding his plate in both hands.
“How did it go, Rodney-chan?” Kelly asked, descending upon him a few feet away.
“She wants me to court her,” Rodney replied, his eyes going round and he glanced back at the girls, who were talking with their heads together. “Did what I think just happened, happen?”
“It did,” Kelly replied with a chuckle. “You’re going to have your hands full with that one. Let’s go eat.”
That evening, Rodney was nervous all through dinner, despite Kirby and Jillian’s assurances. Once they had finished cleaning up, they gathered in the commons with Jasmine and her family.
Rodney cleared his throat and Jillian and Jasmine came to stand before him. “This evening,” he started, “we gather to bind together Jillian, daughter of Kirby, and Jasmine, daughter of Miko and Jacqueline, in friendship. This ceremony is to recognize their committed friendship to each other and their desire to support each other in ways that a husband cannot.” Turning to Jillian, he said, “Jillian, do you promise to support Jasmine to the best of your abilities in all areas of her life, to help her through the tough times and celebrate her joys?”
“I do,” Jillian replied solemnly to Rodney before flicking her gaze to Jasmine and smiling.
Turning to Jasmine, Rodney said, “Jasmine, do you promise to support Jillian to the best of your abilities in all areas of her life, to help her through the tough times and celebrate her joys?”
“I do,” Jasmine replied to Rodney, before repeating Jillian’s action and looking at Jillian with a smile.
“As is our tradition, a pair that has bonded symbolically shows it by wearing an earring cuff. These are supplied by the families.” Looking at Miko and Kirby, he said, “Do you have them?”
“We do,” they replied and presented the silver earring cuffs. The girls took the earring cuffs their fathers handed them.
Rodney nodded and the girls put the cuffs on the each other’s ears.
“By your intentions and your words, you are now bonded friends,” Rodney pronounced. “May it be so for the rest of your lives and may you thrive in each other’s company.”
The two girls grinned and hugged and the families smiled as they watched.
Rodney was simply relieved he got through it without messing up this special moment for Jillian, the joy on her face worth all of his worrying. Now he just had to get through Kirby checking to see if he and Jaelyn would be a good match and Kirby presenting the idea to Jaelyn’s parents. It might be a different system, but it was still just as nerve-wracking as if he’d asked her out himself.
Continue to Part 12
The complete header can be found in part 1.
Previous parts can be found here.
“Okay,” Kelly said, settling himself on the floor next to Rodney. “We have a few things we need to rectify.”
“Such as?” Rodney asked, not looking up as he worked on refilling some of the plants and other necessary items in Kirby’s bag.
“Such as the fact that you don’t know any of the ceremonies. Okay, mainly that.”
“And why am I learning them now if I haven’t already done so in the past two and a quarter cycles?”
“Because it was a gross oversight on the part of Kirby and me. Normally, these things are taught at various stages in a young Lapran’s life. You know that we don’t exactly get a lot of adults living here from the outside except through marriage – which is where most adult newcomers learn the ceremonies, or our variations if their home has an equivalent. So, let’s just say that we weren’t expecting to have to deal with you.”
“So, what sorts of ceremonies do I have to learn?” Rodney asked as he put the finished bag aside and folded his hands in his lap.
“Let’s see. Kirby will be teaching you the ceremonies for bindings, marriage, birth, death. I’ll be teaching you the tea ceremony, as well as how we go about public fights – which is one way we settle disputes, though it’s hardly used. A lot of the ‘ceremonies’ are also just in the way we do things – such as food preparation, bathing and dressing before a big event, and meditation. I think there’s even one for doing the silk – but you’ll have to ask Laura about that.”
“Okay, so when do we start?”
“I think we should start as soon as possible. Most of it will go fairly quickly, but some things, like the tea ceremony, you’ll need time to learn so you’ll have it down before you have to use it. We’re not sticklers for a lot of things, but the tea ceremony is one of few things we are big on.”
“I haven’t seen it done a whole lot,” Rodney disclosed.
“It usually isn’t done out in the open very much,” Kelly admitted. “It can be a somewhat… intimate activity between friends.”
“Why don’t we get started tonight?” Rodney asked. “I have to get a bath tonight anyway, so if it isn’t sacrilegious, we could get that out of the way then.”
Kelly smiled, amused. “It’s not sacrilegious if the mistakes are made unintentionally.” He stood. “Come on, get your things together and we’ll go down to the pools now. We can get two things done at once and I’ll go over the dressing with you as well.”
Rodney stood and ducked into his quarters. He laid Kirby’s medicine bag on his cot before grabbing his towel, soap, and some clean clothes from the baskets beneath his. When he reentered the commons, Kelly also had his bathing accoutrements and they headed down to the pools. As they reached the pools, Lillian was finishing up with her daughter and they exchanged pleasantries.
“She’s getting big,” Rodney said as Leah grabbed his finger and waved it about happily as she gurgled and smiled at the adults.
“She is,” Lillian agreed. “She eats everything in sight and grows almost too fast for us to keep her in clothes. I’m glad the other parents have been so generous with their old garments.”
Leah suddenly pitched forward and Rodney was forced to drop his things and take her from Lillian. Leah gave a squeak of joy and burrowed against Rodney, clutching his shirt. Rodney looked back and forth between Lillian and Kelly, completely surprised at the turn of events even as he cradled her against his chest.
“Wow,” Lillian said, surprised. “She hasn’t done that before. She’s usually shy of anyone that’s not her father or I.”
“She must know you delivered her, Rodney-chan,” Kelly said, completely amused with the situation. “They say that’s one of the few bonds that can never be broken.”
“I don’t know about that,” Rodney muttered sarcastically as Leah snuggled a little closer and sniffed before letting out a large yawn.
“I better take her home and put her to bed,” Lillian said, gently scooping Leah out of Rodney’s arms. “Goodnight, you two.”
“Goodnight,” both Rodney and Kelly replied.
Once she had left, Kelly said, “Okay, let’s get to it.” He went over to the pool, put his things down nearby and began stripping, his back to Rodney. Rodney watched him, mouth slightly agape. “What are you waiting for?” Kelly asked, not looking back at Rodney.
“I just – I… that is –” Rodney stammered. “Nothing,” he finally managed before stooping down to retrieve his fallen items.
He wasn’t sure what he had expected, but he honestly hadn’t expected Kelly to just start stripping in front of him. He felt his face flush and quickly pushed the unexpected wave of hormones back. This couldn’t happen here. He had resigned himself to a life of celibacy before; this place wasn’t any different than Siberia, Antarctica, or Atlantis in the beginning. He could manage. Even if Kelly was unintentionally tantalizing him and mocking him with the knowledge that he was never going to have anything like that ever again – from someone of either gender.
Rodney quickly placed his things next to Kelly’s, stripped completely and slipped into the water. “Happy now?” he grumbled.
“Ecstatic,” Kelly replied cheekily and splashed Rodney. He turned serious. “The purpose of what we call ritual bathing is to symbolically cleanse ourselves from any negativity, wrongness, whatever you want to call it. As you bathe, be mindful of what you’re cleansing yourself for and make sure that your motives and intentions are pure for what you’re about to do.”
“That sounds surprisingly easy,” Rodney commented.
“It is,” Kelly replied, picking his feet up and using his hands to keep his balance as he floated in the water. “I keep forgetting that you aren’t familiar with our ways. The other tribes we deal with are similar enough that even though there are differences, it’s easy enough for us to understand each other.” Standing up, he said, “We better get washed and get out before anyone else comes in. That way, I can show you how to dress.”
They washed quickly and efficiently. After they had gotten out and dried themselves, Kelly, naked and without what seemed to be any sort of modesty, turned to Rodney, who was tying his towel around his waist, and said, “Okay, let’s get started with the ritual dressing.” He put his hands on his hips and said, amusedly, “I never took you for being that modest, Rodney-chan.”
“Then you must not know me as well as you think you do,” Rodney retorted, clutching at the towel and thinking how insane this lesson had suddenly become. “Oh, could you just put some clothes on, please?”
“Okay,” Kelly replied with a huff as he grabbed an article of clothing. “I’ll show you what to do as I dress, then you can do it.”
“Fair enough,” Rodney allowed, pulling himself up straight and gathering whatever dignity he could muster.
As he started dressing, Kelly said, “The principles are the same as when you’re bathing. But, as you’re dressing, you don’t rush and you’re thinking about what you’re about to do and how you can bring your best to it so that it will be edifying for everyone involved.”
Rodney fought the urge to roll his eyes. “There seems to be a lot of hype for this stuff and not a lot of bang for your buck.”
Kelly paused in fastening his shirt for a moment to process what Rodney said. “I guess you’re right.” He shrugged and resumed dressing. “But you can’t knock it if it works. Are you going to get dressed?”
“Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Rodney replied dryly, picking up his pants. “I do appreciate you doing this for me.”
“You’re welcome. Come over for dinner tomorrow and we can start with the food preparation rituals.”
“Okay.” Rodney shrugged on his shirt and fastened it.
As they left, Kelly chuckled and said, “You’re starting to look and act as if you’ve been here longer than you have.”
Rodney laughed. “I’m sure I already sound like it. Wouldn’t it be interesting to see what my old friends would think of me now?”
Kelly sobered. “I’m sorry that the elders didn’t allow you to contact them. I’m sure it must be hard for you to not be able to have any sort of contact with them – even once since you’ve gotten here.”
“Thank you,” Rodney replied. “It’s gotten better – doesn’t hurt quite as much when I think about them.”
“Still… To be cut off completely from your people – I can’t fathom it. Your ability to adjust amazes me.”
“Well, considering some of the things I’ve seen and done – coping becomes an essential skill or you go crazy.” He sighed. “Look, I don’t want to sound rude, since I appreciate the concern, but I don’t really want to talk about it anymore.”
“All right, Rodney-chan,” Kelly acquiesced. “If you do, remember I’m here for you.”
“Thanks,” Rodney replied, suddenly very weary and depressed. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow, okay?”
Kelly nodded as they parted ways and Rodney went into his quarters. He held up a hand and said, “Please, not tonight,” to Jillian.
She snapped her mouth shut without saying a word and nodded before returning to her work.
Rodney put his things away and crawled into bed, pulling the blanket up over himself and turning to the wall. He took a couple deep breaths to get his emotions in check. The unexpected reminder that he was stuck here had hurt more than he had been expecting, considering he and Kirby had already worked through a lot of it. But one unrelated emotion wouldn’t go away. The sight of Kelly standing in front of him naked and completely comfortable, or probably even unaware of the effect he might be having on Rodney, had hit Rodney hard and he had been surprised that he was able to keep his body in check the whole time.
The rush of lust he had felt had surprised him. Rodney had gotten so used to running on autopilot when it came to his sexual needs that he hadn’t expected anything to happen when Kelly got undressed – going on missions with Ronon worked wonders in that area. (John, on the other hand, was a completely different story.) Add in the fact that Rodney hadn’t ever felt anything even remotely romantic or close to some sort of attraction for Kelly, and the hormones had been a complete surprise to Rodney.
When he had first realized he was attracted to John, he had asked Heightmeyer about it. She had calmly stated that sometimes that was due to a bond forged by a shared crisis, and God knew they’d had enough of those. She had then added that it could also be due to being able to get comfortable in the friendship and that it was a subconscious way that the body dealt with figuring out when it was safe to form attachments and find a mate.
Rodney sighed. He didn’t want to form this sort of attachment; he wanted to keep things the way they currently were with Kelly. While had always self-identified as mostly gay, but open to women if the right one, namely Lt. Col. Samantha Carter, was interested, he had, from time to time, sincerely considered a family and the whole nine yards. But he wasn’t stupid enough to think that seeing if it was possible for him to marry into the Laprans’ population would cure this attraction. He sighed again. He really didn’t want to screw things up.
But his body was hearing none of that at the moment and his cock was starting to stir at the memory of a naked Kelly, who then morphed into a naked John.
Rodney gave in at that point and rolled so he was mostly on his stomach, giving himself barely enough room to take care of himself. He jerked off quickly and without any finesse, biting his lower lip in an effort to make sure he stayed quiet. It was over almost as quickly as it had started, his body rushing towards a long overdue climax. When he finished, he quickly licked his hand clean and burrowed into the cot, his sated body thrumming in contentment and his mind, for the time being, going quiet.
The next morning while they were eating breakfast, Kirby told Rodney, “I’ve spoken with Laura, Matthew, and Lucy, and you’re going to be staying home today for at least the morning to work on some of the ceremonies you need to know.”
“Okay,” Rodney replied. “Why didn’t I learn them before?”
“Because the ceremonies usually aren’t taught with the practical, everyday medical knowledge. We feel that they need a certain amount of maturity in order to be taken in with the dignity that they deserve. I was assessing whether you were at that point or not.”
“And if I wasn’t?” Rodney asked, doubtfully.
Kirby shrugged. “We would have waited. We’ll start once everyone else has left for the day.”
After he finished eating, Rodney spent some time meditating on his own, telling Kirby he needed to work some things through on his own. In general, Kirby had been mediating his sessions less and less of late which Rodney was thankful for, and Rodney was surprised at how easily he had been able to continue what Kirby had taught him.
As he breathed deeply, Rodney shut everything else out and concentrated on his breath, feeling himself become detached from his surroundings. In front of him appeared a white board and some dry-erase markers. Rodney picked one up and fiddled with it as he stared at the white board.
He stared at it for a while, not sure where to begin. He finally sighed and set down the marker before leaning back against the lab table behind him. Crossing his arms, he continued to stare at the white board, silently begging it for inspiration or information or both.
He knew he’d be able to function with Kelly without Kelly knowing about his feelings for him and hopefully, unlike Rodney’s feelings for John, they would go away at some point. He could do this, he told himself. He could be a good, normal, and in no way deviant member of their society. He needed ask Kirby about his chances of getting married.
Feeling himself starting to lose control at the uncertainty of his prospects, Rodney took a few deep breaths and pulled himself back together. This wasn’t a real crisis. He could get through this without going insane. This really wasn’t any different than learning how to cope at the SGC with all of the military personnel. He had denied one of the essential parts of himself before, he could do it again. He would just have to make sure that the predominant part of himself stayed buried deeply and he’d stay focused on anything that could help him cope. Rodney carefully boxed up the image of Kelly and pushed it far back in his mind, next to his feelings for John.
When he came out of his meditative state, Kirby nodded once and said, “How are you doing on your own?”
“Good, I think,” Rodney replied. “Time will tell, right?”
Kirby nodded as he picked up his things. “Let’s go outside and I’ll begin your instruction.”
Rodney stood and followed him, grabbing his stool on the way. “Has there ever been any discussion about adding more tribes to your little cabal, or just generally opening it up?” he asked.
“There have been a few times over the generations,” Kirby replied. “But, we feel that things are precarious enough as it is and to allow too much freedom may doom us to not being suited for our environment.”
“Even if the opposite also dooms you in the long run?”
Kirby grimaced. “We have been starting to seriously consider taking on others to help ease our predicament, but it’s hard to figure out the best course of action.”
Rodney bit his cheek and didn’t say anything as he thought of Carson. With his lab and his ability, it would be so easy for him to help them out. And Rodney knew that they’d never be willing to utilize that option. Finally, he managed, “So. Where do we start?”
Kirby thought for a moment. “I think we will start with marriage. The marriages for our people, as well as those of the Morykons and the Nagdalis, are arranged in the desire of continuing our existence as distinct peoples for as long as possible.”
“But,” Rodney interrupted, “after a while, the three tribes will become mixed enough that they would technically be only one people, right?”
“This is possible,” Kirby replied, “but we have been careful to make sure we preserve our peoples’ integrity throughout the years. Now, the process itself begins when a couple comes to me and expresses an interest in finding a spouse for their son or daughter. I then begin searching through the scrolls to find a suitable partner. If one doesn’t exist among our people, I will then get permission from the parents to search among either the Morykons or the Nagdalis and then move to the other tribe if the situation warrants it.”
Rodney frowned, knowing the odds of it happening at least some of the time. “What if a match can’t be found between any of the tribes?”
Kirby sighed as he shrugged. “This has happened in very rare cases. In such instances, I will then tell the family, and they have to accept it. It isn’t always easy for them to accept, but that’s the way it is.”
Rodney squirmed slightly on his stool and asked, “What if they decide to take matters into their own hands and set something up anyway?”
Kirby shook his head. “No one will have them. It’s a fact of life here, Rodney-chan. There are times when the weak spots are taken out to make the whole stronger. I’m sure you’ve seen that in your native land.”
“I have,” Rodney replied. It still amazed him how knowledgeable the Laprans were about the natural world they inhabited, even though they were the equivalent of a Middle Age farming community, when it came to technology and completely illiterate, Kirby’s pictograph scrolls aside. Getting them back on track, Rodney continued, “So, once a suitable match has been found, then what?”
“I’ll set up a meeting between the two families to present the offer and if they’re willing, the two young people will begin courting.”
Rodney let out an incredulous bark of laughter. “Courting? That’s just – wow.” At Kirby’s surprised, and slightly shocked, look, Rodney waved his hand and said, “Never mind. My native land has very different views of courtship.”
“So I see,” Kirby replied primly. “The courtship process is utilized to make sure that the potential bride and bridegroom are compatible and will have a successful marriage. It’s also a time in which the families will make sure that the person marrying into their family is up to their standards.” Anticipating Rodney’s question, he continued, “There have been times when things don’t work out, and at that point I’ll have to start over. But it works most of the time. Traditionally, the couple will know by their fifth or sixth date whether or not they want to get married, though there have been exceptions. At that point, it’s in the hands of the families to prepare everything. I, of course, do the ceremony itself, but everything else is handled by the families. If one member of the couple is either Morykon or Nagdali, arrangements are made to help facilitate the process.”
“I can’t imagine getting married after five dates,” Rodney commented. “I know, I know – different situations and all.”
“And they do have their whole lives to get to know each other. The ceremony is a simple one where the couple exchanges vows to support each other throughout their lives and gifts are exchanged between the couple and with the family. And afterwards is a feast.”
“I was curious, Kirby,” Rodney started and paused, figuring now was as good a time as any to ask, before continuing on in a rush, “I was wondering if it would be possible for me to get married?”
Kirby looked surprised. “It should be okay. You’ve been taken into the community and become a supportive member, so I don’t see a problem. I’ll have to get information from you and we’ll have to talk to the elders about it. Did you have someone in mind?”
“No. I was just thinking about it the other day and was curious.” Going back to the original topic, he added, “So, about nine months after the wedding, there’s a baby. What do you do then? Aside from deliver the baby.”
Kirby looked at him perplexed. “We don’t do anything. While we value the baby’s life, we don’t see the need to go any further than that. I take it your people do?”
Rodney nodded. “There’s a few different ceremonies – usually to dedicate the baby to the parents’ faith, depending on where the family is from or what they believe in. What’s next on the agenda?”
“Next is death. If there is a question about whether the person is actually dead, someone will sit up with the body for a day or two to make sure the person really is gone. Once that fact has been established, I’ll prepare the body by embalming it and then wrap it in a shroud. From there, the deceased person’s family takes body out into the sand to be buried. A memorial service is then held in memory of the deceased.”
Rodney furrowed his brow in confusion. “But between the sand, heat, and the embalming processes, aren’t things a little… crowded out there?”
“Many who marry off-world tend to be buried there as well. And the embalming fluids are simply to keep the body from decaying too rapidly until we get a chance to bury the body. Once the sandstorm picks back up and starts shifting the sand around, it’s not really a problem, is it?”
“I guess not,” Rodney murmured. “These ceremonies aren’t much different than what I had back in my native land.”
“It seems that most places have some things in common, regardless of how dissimilar they are in other respects.”
“What about the binding ceremony?” Rodney asked, suddenly remembering it.
Kirby shrugged. “As you saw, it’s much like a wedding ceremony – though there are some differences, such as rings instead of ear cuffs. And it’s a quickly done affair with only the families as witnesses.”
“Why didn’t you do it?” Rodney asked.
“Because I was standing as part of your family – as you will have to do for any ceremony involving myself or Jillian, unless circumstances prevent it. In those cases, the borough elder will perform the ceremony. And don’t worry about the words right now. We’ll go over those later on.” He stood. “Let me go get my scroll and we’ll put you on it so it’ll be ready when you find someone.”
That evening, Rodney made his way over to Kelly’s quarters. Kirby’s questions had tired him out more than he had expected and had been more thorough than any of his doctors’. And the whole time Kirby was questioning him, he added minute details either to or around the figure he had drawn in his family unit to signify Rodney. When they finished, Kirby looked pleased and told him that he’d make a good match for their people.
Kelly’s father came out of the quarters as Rodney got close enough to announce his presence and gave him a shallow bow. “Hello, Rodney-sensei. How are you?”
“Well, thank you,” Rodney replied with a short bow of his own. “How are you, Kelly-san?”
“I am well also,” Kelly-san replied with a smile. “I consider every day I’m still breathing to be a good one.”
Rodney laughed. “That’s a very good attitude to have, Kelly-san. Is Kelly-chan here?”
Kelly-san bobbed his head. “He is. He’s inside preparing dinner and a tea ceremony from the looks of it. I hope the two of you enjoy your evening.” He looked over Rodney’s shoulder and, with an amused smile, said quieter, “You may want to be careful. It looks like you have an admirer.”
Rodney partially turned and looked over his shoulder, brows furrowed. The girl in question blushed and dropped her gaze as one of the girls sitting with her leaned in and murmured something in her ear. She was pretty and, he guessed, about half-way between himself and Jillian in age. Turning back to Kelly-san, he said, “That’s, um –.” He blanked on her name. “Who is it?”
Kelly-san smiled, amused. “That’s Jaelyn, daughter of Keith and Jessica. She’s in the glass guild. And she’s single.”
Rodney’s eyebrows climbed and he sputtered, “I don’t –. You don’t seriously –?”
Kelly-san chuckled. “I’m simply relaying the facts. You’re the one going to certain conclusions. Have a good evening.”
Rodney watched him walk off, slightly flabbergasted, before giving the top of Jaelyn’s head a quick glare and going into Kelly’s quarters. “I think someone’s stalking me,” he said.
“Stalking you, Rodney-chan?” Kelly asked with a laugh as he looked up from the food he was preparing. “What do you mean?”
“Jaelyn. Your father just caught her staring at me while I was talking to him outside and now that I think about it, I think I’ve seen her watching me before.”
“She could just be interested,” Kelly placated. “You’re a foreigner and she could be interested.”
“It’s been over two cycles since I’ve gotten here and she hasn’t said much more than a ‘hello’ or two in the interim? That’s not interested in a foreigner, that’s stalking.”
Kelly put the utensils down and covered his face with his hands before laughing heartily. “Watching you in the commons is not stalking you, Rodney-chan. She has a harmless crush, that’s all.”
“That’s how they all start,” Rodney huffed as he sat down on the opposite side of the fire pit from Kelly. “So, let’s get started.”
“Huffy tonight, aren’t we?” Kelly commented dryly, but still amused. “Tonight I’ve prepared one of the tea ceremonies so you can experience it before I start teaching them to you. Now, take a few deep breaths and center yourself. Leave whatever you think is going on with Jaelyn until we’re done.”
Rodney did as he was told and felt himself centering as Kelly’s voice droned on, telling him about the ceremony and lulling him into a relaxed state. When the food was ready, they ate in silence before Kelly continued the ceremony by making the tea. Rodney enjoyed watching very specific order of the ceremony and found it soothing.
“Thank you,” Rodney said when they were done, his mind still quiet and centered.
“You’re welcome, Rodney-chan,” Kelly replied with a small smile as he carefully cleaned and put everything away. Once everything was put away, he sat down next to Rodney. “Now, about Jaelyn.”
“What about her?” Rodney asked, eyes narrowing slightly.
“I think you should talk to her. That way you’ll know for sure she’s not stalking you. And the two of you might hit it off. You could do much worse for yourself here.”
Rodney’s eyes widened. “You – you –” He gaped at Kelly. “You think the two of us –?”
“People don’t start looking if they’re not interested in that. And you’ve got a lot of things going for you.”
Rodney opened his mouth to start protesting again, but quickly shut it. After a moment of pulling his thoughts together, he said, “I’ll think about it.”
“Good,” Kelly replied with a slightly sad smile and a quick nod.
“But, if for some reason I do go through with this insane idea, we’re going to fix you up next. I don’t want to be going through this alone.”
Kelly laughed heartily. “Since when have you ever done anything alone here, Rodney-chan?”
“Well, that’s true. You all do have an interesting take on the communal aspect of village life. But I’m serious about finding you someone, Kelly. You’re a great guy and you definitely deserve someone to love you much more than I do.”
Kelly blushed and deflected by saying, “Let’s get you situated first. I have a feeling it’s going to take a lot to help you get through this, so I want to worry about that before we start dealing with me. We’ll start tomorrow. I want you to introduce yourself to her.”
“Will that be okay? I don’t want to –”
“It’ll be fine,” Kelly cut him off. “Everyone usually knows everyone else here almost from birth, so you’ll be given certain allowances in that area. And it’s been known to happen where a couple gets matched because they ask their parents to approach Kirby on their behalf. It doesn’t always work out, but they accept Kirby’s pronouncement if it doesn’t.”
“That’s got to hurt, though,” Rodney grimaced. “Has it happened to you?”
Kelly shook his head. “There’s never been anyone I’ve been interested enough in.”
“I’m surprised no one’s made a bid for you either.”
“A few have, actually,” Kelly replied with a wince. “It never panned out, though, for one reason or another. But, tomorrow – you’re going to talk to Jaelyn and then we’ll go from there.”
“What are we going to talk about?” Rodney asked uneasily.
“Anything. But *do not* mention the ‘stalking’. If you do, I will inflict bodily harm the next time we practice.”
Rodney laughed. “I doubt you could. Okay, tomorrow I’ll try. What do you know about her, aside from her name, guild, parentage, and that she’s been watching me?”
“Jaelyn has a quick mind and she’s always been curious, but I doubt that’ll be a problem for you. Her bond friend is Jennifer – she has dark brown hair. They’re practically inseparable, so you better make friends with her too.” He looked like he was about to say something but changed his mind. “I think you’ll do fine,” he said with a certain amount of finality as his father came back in.
“I think we’re going to have a new calf tomorrow,” Kelly-san said with a smile. “And it looks to be an easy birth.”
“That’s good,” Kelly replied with a smile. To Rodney, he said, “We’ve been worried about this one. The last birth didn’t go so well for her.”
“How did things go?” Kelly-san asked.
“Good,” Kelly replied. “I think Rodney shouldn’t have a problem picking this up. Unlike some other things.” He grinned slyly at Rodney before continuing, “He’s going to talk to Jaelyn tomorrow.”
“Good luck with that,” Kelly-san said to Rodney. “And maybe then you can help Kelly-chan find someone. His mother would have conniptions if she knew he’d gone this long without giving her grandchildren.”
“*Dad*,” Kelly replied, blushing and looking embarrassed. After a moment, he said to Rodney, “She died in childbirth. I never knew her.”
“I’m sorry,” Rodney replied. There was a quiet lull in the conversation before Rodney stood. “I better get going. I’m sure you both have things you need to do to get ready for tomorrow.”
Kelly stood as well. “Remember what I told you.”
Rodney nodded. “I will.” He bad them goodnight and went back to his quarters, nervous about what the next day would bring. When he entered, Jillian was beaming. “What’s going on?” he asked, amused.
“Jasmine and I are going to become bond friends,” she beamed. “Will you do the ceremony?”
Rodney glanced at Kirby, unsure. At Kirby’s nod, he grinned and replied, “Sure. That’s great news. When did you want to do the ceremony?”
She looked at him tentatively as he sat down. “Could we do it tomorrow after dinner?”
“Is that too soon?” Rodney asked Kirby, who shook his head.
“Tomorrow will be fine,” he said. “I’ve already questioned them and they have my blessing as well as the blessing of Jasmine’s parents.”
“Why wasn’t I questioned?” Rodney asked.
“Because I already knew the answers from our meditations together, and I talked to Kelly on my own.”
“And Kelly-san?” Rodney asked, furrowing his brow.
“He said he trusted Kelly’s judgment and wouldn’t go any further.”
Rodney licked his lips before changing the subject and asking, “I need advice on how to approach Jaelyn.”
Both Kirby and Jillian grinned, though Jillian’s was a bit more reserved. “I figured you singling out a young woman wouldn’t be far behind those questions you asked me,” Kirby replied.
“Actually, it’s just a coincidence,” Rodney replied. “I was merely curious when you brought the subject up and today was the first time I had really noticed that she was watching me.” He shrugged a shoulder. “So I thought I’d at least talk to her and see what happens.”
“I think that the two of you will make a good match,” Kirby replied.
“Can I go over to Jasmine’s?” Jillian asked as she stood.
“Sure, just don’t stay too late.” Kirby and Rodney watched her go, Kirby shaking his head in amusement. “I think you just made her month.”
“Is there a set date when people get bound?” Rodney asked.
“Not really,” Kirby replied. “And it’s not a necessary ceremony either – some people never become bound – for various reasons.”
“What about you?” Rodney asked.
“Am I? No, I’m not. I was once, but then he was taken by the Korsans and I never found anyone else I wanted to bind with. I still wear the cuff in remembrance, though.”
“And Jillian’s mother?” Rodney asked quietly.
Kirby pursed his lips before replying, “She died giving birth to a younger child – a boy.” He paused and looked away before finally saying, “I hope you find a love like what I felt for her.” He paused again and Rodney could see Kirby pull himself together. “Now, about the ceremony tomorrow.”
At lunch the next day, Rodney took a deep, if shaky, breath after getting his food. Kelly had come to talk with him during breakfast and he, Kirby, and Jillian helped him go over what he should say and do – which helped to allay his nervousness, while at the same time sharpening the idea of what he was going to do into a stark reality. During the morning work period, he brought it up to Laura and she congratulated him on showing interest in someone. She gave him some advice as well, which only made him more nervous that he was going to seriously screw things up.
He let his eyes wander over the group before finding her sitting with another girl whom he guessed was Jennifer. Taking another breath, he headed towards them and they looked up in surprise as he got closer. “May I join you two ladies?” he asked.
They giggled and nodded and Rodney sat down next to them, positive he could feel Kelly, Kirby, and Jillian’s eyes on him. Tact never having been a strong point, Rodney dove in with, “I’ve seen you watching me.”
Jaelyn blushed deeply and stared down into her fruit leaves as Jennifer giggled again and said, “She thinks you’re cute.”
“Oh, really?” Rodney asked, cocking an eyebrow at Jaelyn, who still wasn’t looking at him and, he thought, probably wished she could sink into the floor. “She’s pretty cute herself. Can she talk?” he asked Jennifer.
“She can,” Jaelyn replied, looking up at him. “I just wasn’t expecting this.”
“Well, you had to be expecting something, if you kept staring at me,” Rodney told her. “I’m sure your mothers taught you it’s not polite to stare.”
“I actually never quite learned that lesson,” Jaelyn replied. “At least it had the desired outcome.”
“If you mean getting me to talk to you, you could’ve approached me,” Rodney retorted. “I’m pretty easy to talk to.”
“I can see that,” she replied with a smile. “I’d like to get to know you better.”
“I’d like that too. Getting to know you better, I mean.”
“Then we should probably see about going this the right way,” she said coyly.
“I’ll talk to Kirby, then,” he said, standing.
“Okay,” she replied, impishly. “I’ll be expecting him to approach my parents, then.”
“Until then,” Rodney said before walking away, his knees shaking a bit and holding his plate in both hands.
“How did it go, Rodney-chan?” Kelly asked, descending upon him a few feet away.
“She wants me to court her,” Rodney replied, his eyes going round and he glanced back at the girls, who were talking with their heads together. “Did what I think just happened, happen?”
“It did,” Kelly replied with a chuckle. “You’re going to have your hands full with that one. Let’s go eat.”
That evening, Rodney was nervous all through dinner, despite Kirby and Jillian’s assurances. Once they had finished cleaning up, they gathered in the commons with Jasmine and her family.
Rodney cleared his throat and Jillian and Jasmine came to stand before him. “This evening,” he started, “we gather to bind together Jillian, daughter of Kirby, and Jasmine, daughter of Miko and Jacqueline, in friendship. This ceremony is to recognize their committed friendship to each other and their desire to support each other in ways that a husband cannot.” Turning to Jillian, he said, “Jillian, do you promise to support Jasmine to the best of your abilities in all areas of her life, to help her through the tough times and celebrate her joys?”
“I do,” Jillian replied solemnly to Rodney before flicking her gaze to Jasmine and smiling.
Turning to Jasmine, Rodney said, “Jasmine, do you promise to support Jillian to the best of your abilities in all areas of her life, to help her through the tough times and celebrate her joys?”
“I do,” Jasmine replied to Rodney, before repeating Jillian’s action and looking at Jillian with a smile.
“As is our tradition, a pair that has bonded symbolically shows it by wearing an earring cuff. These are supplied by the families.” Looking at Miko and Kirby, he said, “Do you have them?”
“We do,” they replied and presented the silver earring cuffs. The girls took the earring cuffs their fathers handed them.
Rodney nodded and the girls put the cuffs on the each other’s ears.
“By your intentions and your words, you are now bonded friends,” Rodney pronounced. “May it be so for the rest of your lives and may you thrive in each other’s company.”
The two girls grinned and hugged and the families smiled as they watched.
Rodney was simply relieved he got through it without messing up this special moment for Jillian, the joy on her face worth all of his worrying. Now he just had to get through Kirby checking to see if he and Jaelyn would be a good match and Kirby presenting the idea to Jaelyn’s parents. It might be a different system, but it was still just as nerve-wracking as if he’d asked her out himself.
Continue to Part 12
