Jagged Fel stood frozen in place at the room's
entrance. He'd entered with jedi-like silence, probably looking to surprise
Jaina. Brodey could tell even without the force that every muscle in his body
was coiled and ready to strike at a moment's notice.
"Narundi, perhaps I'm a little hard of hearing," He said, his voice quavering
with what was undoubtedly fury. "Would you mind repeating that?"
Brodey started to answer but Jaina interjected, trying to plead with Jag. He
listened in horror as she inadvertently sealed his fate.
"Jag, he didn't mean it! Right? I was drunk, and I was the one who kissed him!
At least I think I was," She rambled quickly.
"Oh," Jag growled, turning his poisonous gaze back on Brodey. "I see you've been
productive while I was gone. Twelve standard hours and you're already moving in
on my girlfriend. Quite impressive, for certain."
Brodey sensed Jag ball his hand into a fist, recognizing just how much Jag
itched to use it right then. As Brodey felt Jag discard all restraint he
instinctively moved his arm up to block the right hook. Agony burst from the
center of his face as Jag's sucker punch hit its mark. Brodey could hear and
feel a disgusting crack as his nose shattered from the force of the blow.
"Let that be a lesson to you, Narundi," Jag said in a soft yet hostile tone.
"Next time you get Jaina drunk and take advantage of her I'll come at you with
more than just my fists. That's a promise."
Brodey glared back at him over the top of his sleeve which he'd been using to
hold back the blood that was cascading from both nostrils. He was furious; at
Jag because he acted despite his ignorance of the situation, at Kyp for leaping
to conclusions, and at himself for agreeing to take care of Jaina in the first
place.
"Jag, Brodey had absolutely no roll in getting Jaina drunk. She did that
perfectly well all by herself," Kyp explained, finally looking remotely
sympathetic toward Brodey.
"Why would she go and do something like that?" Jag asked in shock.
Kyp went on to tell the entire story. He told Jag about how Jaina drank herself
into a stupor over his absence and threw up all over Brodey's boots. He
mentioned how unstable she'd been all evening, and how she was probably capable
of anything, including kissing a man that wasn't her boyfriend.
"Jaina, is this what happened?" Jag asked with concern.
"I'm pretty sure it is, from what I can recall," Jaina replied, massaging her
throbbing temples. "Brodey, did I kiss you first?"
"Of course you did!" Brodey muttered, his voice sounding muffled through his
sleeve. He winced as the vibrations from his speech traveled through his arm and
sent a new wave of pain through his nose. "I wouldn't even think of kissing her
first," He said, raising his voice as he turned to look darkly at Jag. "I may
not be the most decent of people, but I do respect what the two of you have."
"Why should I believe you?" Jag asked bitterly, still seething.
"Because everyone only gets one good shot at me," Brodey threatened as razor
sharp claws extended from his fingertips.
"That's enough," Kyp said, staring daggers at them as he stepped in to separate
the two young men. "I like you both too much to have you kill each other over
something this stupid. Jag, I believe that Brodey is telling the truth. He has
proven himself trustworthy and I know he'd never lie about this sort of thing.
Can you trust my judgment?"
"I suppose," Jag conceded, still frowning at his taller adversary. "That still
doesn't change the fact that he needed to be taken down a peg."
"Fel!" Kyp barked. "I believe you have a girlfriend here in this room. Why don't
you act like it?"
Jag instantaneously forgot all about his fight with Brodey, rushing over to give
Jaina all the love and attention she'd needed the previous night. It wasn't long
before the two disappeared to a place where they could talk in private, leaving
Brodey and Kyp alone in the living room.
"How's the nose?" Kyp asked as Brodey sniffed, desperately trying to stop the
flow of blood.
"Broken," He replied. "It wasn't that bad of a shot. He's quick."
"He's also quick to judge, unfortunately for you," Kyp added.
"It's more unfortunate for my clothes!" Brodey cried in anguish, examining the
bloodstain on his sleeve. "My wardrobe seems destined for great peril lately."
"Speaking of great peril, you may want to avoid contact with Jag for a while,"
Kyp warned, heading into the kitchenette to get Brodey some ice for his swelling
face. "Things just got a little too heated for a bit there."
"I'm not afraid of him," Brodey muttered defiantly.
"I don't care what you're afraid of. Just stay away from him," Kyp ordered,
shoving the icepack at him.
Brodey collapsed onto the couch, pressing the ice against his face as best he
could. He couldn't help but laugh in spite of himself.
"What's so funny?" Kyp asked seriously.
"Ah, nothing," Brodey chuckled. "I was just thinking about that dream I had. I
can't help but think about what you said."
"What, that your dream was erroneous at best?" Kyp joked.
"No, about me not ending up single," Brodey said. "Even though I'm sitting here,
a loser with a broken nose, I'm happy because I know it won't always be that
way."
"Yeah, broken noses do have a tendency to heal."
"Shut it, Durron!" He cried.
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