Mostly Nice

Writers: Devin, Bree
Date Posted: 9th March 2007

Characters: Abrei, K'mai
Description: Abrei finds out what might have been behind M'galec's odd behavior when K'mai gives her the latest weyr gossip.
Location: River Bluff Weyr, Smith Hall (NPC)
Date: month 2, day 26 of Turn 4
Notes: Follows "A Very Surreal Apology"

Abrei

K'mai

Abrei plopped down on K'mai's couch with very little grace and glanced up at him. "Thanks for letting me barge in on you. I had... I needed to get out of my weyr. I just had the _oddest_ visitor..."

His brow arched. "Who?"

She made a face. "M'galec, of all people. And acting... well, I'm not sure how to describe it. Did he fall and hit his head while I wasn't paying attention?"

K'mai also made a face. "Was he being a jerk to you, too?"

Abrei made a rude noise. "I said he _wasn't_ acting like himself, K'mai."

"So . . . he listened to you and admitted he was wrong?" The bluerider guessed.

"Did you just guess the most unlikely thing possible?" Abrei demanded, her eyebrows narrowing. "Or is something really going on that I don't know about?"

His mouth dropped open. "Wait, did he seriously act like that? I just thought of what would be the complete opposite of his usual behavior."

Abrei nodded grimly. "It was... it was a little scary. He apologized for our fights and tried to tell me how much he worried about me and cared about me... I thought he might be a little drunk."

K'mai sneered uncharacteristically and snorted. "I wouldn't be surprised if he _was_ drinking, after Lenala threw him out and he lost his little power play."

"Lenala _threw him out_?" Abrei demanded, sitting up straighter suddenly. Then she laughed. "Well, that explains all that strange talk about how they were unsuitable for each other. He didn't tell me he'd gotten thrown out, though!"

"Yeah. She threw him out, he accused me of trying to replace him, and even K'sedel couldn't get him to shut up and leave!" K'mai had rarely been so angry with anyone. Abrei gaped at him. "You were _there_ when it happened?"

"Uh-huh. Lenala came over here and had some drinks. She stayed to sleep it off--and I was a prefect gentleman," he added before Abrei could comment. "I went with her the next day as moral support. Trust me, she needed it." "I can believe it," she replied darkly. "I've never met a man who can twist words as fast as he can. Shards, he tied me in knots for a while..." She trailed off when she realized that was _not_ the direction the conversation needed to go. "_You_? If M'galec can bully you with his words, he's even worse than I thought." K'mai shook his head.

Abrei had a sudden sneaking suspicion. "Did Lenala throw him out for good?" "Faranth, I hope so!" If she got back together with him, things would only get worse.

She groaned and let her head fall backwards. "Oh, shards."

K'mai frowned. "What?"

Covering her face with her hands, Abrei started to laugh. "Don't you see? Lenala throws him out, and he shows up at my door being sweet and apologetic?"

"Oh, no. He's after _you_ now? Is he insane?" He couldn't imagine what M'galec was thinking.

Abrei groaned again. "If I tell you something, will you swear to me that you will _never_ repeat it to anyone else? And I mean never, or I will _hurt_ you." He gave her a serious look. "I promise, Abrei." Maybe she would tell him why she'd been upset enough to chop off her hair.

"I... have bad judgment when I'm upset," she started, sounding a little hesitant. "And a few months ago... I sort of got in a fight with M'galec. And I was very upset." "And?" K'mai prompted.

She didn't take her hands from her face. This was certainly a truth she wanted to hide from. "So I had some really bad judgment. I have this terrible weakness for awful men."

He sighed and shook his head. "Oh, Abrei." She couldn't have found a better awful man than M'galec. "So he has a reason to think he has a chance with you?"

"I tell him _constantly_ that I loathe him!" she retorted, lifting her hand up to peek at him. "I would have thought that might make him leave me alone, but it doesn't!"

"Perhaps he likes stubborn women?" he asked, unable to keep a smile from twitching his lips.

"Oh, that's just wonderful." The urge to reach for one of the pillows and hit him with it was nearly overwhelming... but she wanted advice before she decided to get violent. "This is going to be a problem."

"You aren't going to let him get to you, are you?" His smile turned to worry. "Please, Abrei. I don't want you to be his next victim."

This time she did throw a pillow at him. "I am not _anyone's_ victim."

K'mai took the blow and grabbed at the pillow before it could tumble to the floor. "Just keep it that way, alright?"

"Easier said than done, if you're me..." She sighed and let her head drop back again. "I seem to love bad ideas."

"You're so smart, Abrei. Use your head. You know he'd only hurt you and manipulate you." He shook his head. "If you need to sleep with awful men, at least find a less possessive one."

She made a rude noise. "I'm _trying_ to take a break from sleeping with awful men all together." Which had meant cutting back on her romantic entanglements completely... she still hadn't quite mastered moderation.

"What about nice men?" He lifted an eyebrow.

"Don't know any," Abrei replied innocently. "I didn't know there _was_ such a thing!"

K'mai chuckled and leaned closer. "How about _mostly_ nice men who can be a little naughty?"

Abrei studied him for a moment, considering. Maybe if she let herself have a _little_ fun with someone who was safe enough, she wouldn't end up doing anything foolish. Now that she knew what she was missing, it seemed a lot harder to give up on men completely. "I think I'd prefer mostly nice men who can be a lot naughty."

"Then I have just the man for you." He gripped her tunic and pulled her into a kiss. Abrei had been far too gloomy lately, and he was determined to show her some fun.

Last updated on the March 10th 2007

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Mostly Nice