Title: Heart's Debt
Author: Tabitha R. Jones (me in other words)
Fandom: The Tribe
Pairing: Jay/Pride (possible others as the story progresses.... if you don't like slash, please don't read!)
Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned the Tribe or its characters. They are all the property of Cloud 9, and I am just playing in their world.
Rating: This chapter, PG-13, perhaps creeping slightly into R. Future chapters? Probably R!
Summary/Genre: Action/romance/slash/drama (come on, it's the Tribe...). Jay and Pride are troubled by something-- could it be a desire for hot man lovin' with each other?! 1751 words for part three.
Archiving: Ask me first. I will be posting it to FanFic.net and to my LiveJournal.
Comments: Yes, please! But be gentle, it's my first fic in years! ; Thanks to everyone who commented before, sorry this chapter was so late!
Episode 3
The bright midday sun beat down on the dusty city streets. Jay briskly walked along the avenue, wishing his Techno uniform wasn't black, as an almost imperceptible bit of sweat beaded his forehead. He glanced casually at the various groups of kids he passed, envying them their comfortable clothes. A cooler outfit would have helped, but Jay didn't want to admit he was also sweating from nerves. He really had no idea what Pride was planning, but that stolen kiss was preying on his mind. He briefly imagined that scene again, remembering the urgency Pride had kissed him with, his own stunned reaction, and most inexplicable of all, his immediate surrender to Pride's lips. He flushed again at the memory, then berated himself- it was already a hot day, why make it even worse? At this rate, he was going to arrive at his meeting reeking of sweat. For some reason, he felt he didn't want to make a bad impression on the dark-haired Eco.
Lost in his thoughts, Jay slipped down a side street, completely unaware that he was being followed. He glanced around before entering what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. Confident no one was watching, he slipped inside, closing the door on the day's bright sunlight. Moments later, Ebony emerged from behind a convenient dumpster, her lovely face marred by a sullen frown.
"He must think me some kind of fool," she muttered to herself, "Who could he be meeting HERE of all places?!" She glared at the closed door, but couldn't bring herself to open it. As she stood, torn by indecision, she heard the telltale sounds of approaching footsteps in the debris that littered the alley. Not wanting to be discovered, she dashed down the alley to hide.
As Jay's eyes adjusted to the dimmer indoor light, he glanced around the room. A large bed dominated the space, covered with a gaudy cow-print blanket. The rest of the room seemed to be in disarray, haphazardly furnished. He couldn't help but notice the many candles grouped near the bed. Realizing the place was obviously a trysting spot, he swallowed hard, then almost yelled when a hand fell on his shoulder.
"Hey," said Pride, "See you made it here all right."
"Uh, yeah, no problems," Jay stammered, then kicked himself for sounding so nervous. He drew himself up to his full, disciplined height, and clasped his hands behind his back. A couple of measured breaths slowed his pounding heart to a reasonable speed. Pride looked at him questioningly, then sat on the edge of the low bed. Jay relaxed to his "at-ease" stance without realizing it, since he now towered over the seated Pride.
There was an uncomfortable pause as the two young men sized each other up.
Clearing his throat, Pride started to speak, "There's a lot we need to talk about..."
"I should say so," interrupted Jay, "What on earth were you doing kissing me yesterday?!" He immediately wished he'd kept quiet- his outburst had sounded childish and frantic, not at all his usual calm tones. Pride didn't seem to notice and grinned at Jay in a maddening way. His eyes sparkled with mischief, a look Jay had never seen before on the dark and usually brooding young man.
"Ha, I thought that'd get you," remarked Pride, "I knew you were human under all that Techno junk. I just did it to get through to you that I had something important to say."
"So it was all a joke, then?" Jay asked. To his surprise, his heart sank. "If so, it wasn't funny."
Pride gazed at Jay for a long, long moment.
"No," he finally said, "It was no joke. I had to do something to ensure you'd talk to me and take this seriously."
"Well, that worked," Jay snapped, disliking his very emotional reactions, "Here I am, ready to listen. So talk."
"Not until you sit down." said Pride, "I don't like having to crane my neck to talk to you."
Jay rolled his eyes, but joined Pride on the edge of the bed.
"That's better," Pride smiled, "Much more comfortable. Jay resisted the urge to roll his eyes again and attempted to sit commandingly on the edge of the very low and rather lumpy bed.
"As you know," Pride began, "We had an --uh-- incident-- at the Power Plant. I'm grateful that you tried to get Ram to shut off the power while I was on the fence."
"I wasn't just looking out for you," Jay said, "I would have fried as well. In fact, I very nearly did." He flexed his arm and winced slightly.
"Exactly," said Pride, "But I pulled you to safety just as you were trying to pull me to safety. We pretty much saved each other."
"Yeah, true, but isn't this old news? I owe you one, I already said I did."
"Well, the way I see it, we both owe each other our lives. A debt, of sorts," Pride paused, "It's been on my mind a lot since then."
Jay glanced at the blue-marked face of the young man before him. They were a mere foot apart on the bed. To his surprise, his heart began pounding again.
"Among my Tribe, it's said a life debt forges a bond between two people," Pride continued, "It's a deep connection, something almost sacred. I had to talk to you about it because it's not something I can just ignore."
"Well, what am I supposed to do about it?" Jay blurted out, "I'm a Techno, and you're... well, with the Mallrats at least. I'm going to be limited... just coming here could jeopardize my position..." He realized he was babbling to cover his nervousness.
"Jay," Pride said quietly, stopping the blond in mid-word. A tiny thrill went through Jay as he realized it was the first time Pride had called him by name.
"I can't explain it," said Pride, choosing his words carefully, "But I've felt drawn to you ever since the incident. I can't stop thinking about you. Yes, I kissed you to get your attention, but you can't tell me you felt nothing when it happened."
Jay was silent, remembering the fire that burst through all his nerves during that short kiss. Fire that had been lacking in his recent lovemaking with ebony. He looked at Pride, who continued.
"There's a connection between us now," said the Eco, "Something that's bigger than we are, bigger even than our Tribes. I think we'd be fools to ignore it."
"But..." Jay said, "What about... it's just..." He paused to collect his thoughts, which were racing into dangerous territory unbidden.
"I'll come right out with it," Jay said sternly, "I'm with Ebony. We've been lovers for a while now."
"And I've been with Salene," said Pride, "The last thing I want to do it hurt her, but this is something I just.... can't... fight..." Pride leaned forward, his face only inches from Jay's. Jay felt his hot breath on his lips and cheek, and realized his own breathing was getting heavier. He resisted the urge to grab Pride's face and crush his lips with his own.
"You've got a lot of discipline," whispered Pride in husky tones, "How long do you think you can hold out?"
Pride moved closer. Jay found himself leaning back, little by little, until he was reclining on the bed, with the tight, toned body of Pride over him. Jay was excruciatingly aware of every line of the dark-haired man's frame, his hard flat muscles showing through the thin fabric of his trousers, his strong arms planted one on either side of Jay's shoulders. Pride's long hair fell over them, forming a dark curtain of matted ringlets around Jay's face. Jay realized he was sweating again and his uniform pants felt uncomfortably tight.
"I don't know," growled Jay, trying to sound tough, 'I'm used to doing without things I want."
"But what about..." Pride's face moved closer, "Thing that you NEED?" The last word was whispered so softly, Jay felt the vibration of Pride's lips on his more than he heard the sound. His breathing was coming hot and fast, and he felt Pride's heart pounding as though it was his own.
"I usually do without that as well," Jay quipped.
"It can't be good for you to suppress your emotions like that," said Pride, staring into Jay's eyes.
Jay swallowed hard. Yes, his pants were definitely getting uncomfortable. But this was crazy- and so sudden. Not at all the sort of thing Jay preferred. The seconds ticked away with the two young men locked in their compromising position. The heat between their bodies was almost unbearable.
"Well," said Pride, finally, "I can't force you into anything." He pushed himself over to lie beside Jay, and propped his head on his hand.
"Glad you see it that way," snapped the blond man, "Since I could take you down in a second."
Pride grinned, "I don't think you want to do that."
Jay was quiet for a moment, still dealing with his raging lust.
"No, I don't," he said, "I do need some time to think about what you've told me though."
"And about your reaction just now," drawled Pride, glancing down at Jay's groin.
Despite himself, Jay blushed, "Uh, yes, that too. It's a lot to deal with all at once."
"True. It's been driving me crazy for days," said Pride, "But I felt what just happened between us, and that can't be ignored or denied."
"No," conceded Jay, "That can't. Give me some time, and we'll meet back here again."
"Tomorrow?" asked Pride.
"You're pushing it," Jay said, "Day after. Now I've got to go before I'm missed."
"I should go too," mused Pride, "It wouldn't do for Lex to come in and find someone in his secret rumpus room." He grinned again.
Jay stared at Pride for a moment, shocked that his initial assessment of the room had been correct. Then, with a curt nod, he strode from the room and out the door of the warehouse. He was so intent on his return to Ram's Palace he again completely missed a poorly hidden Ebony. She watched him pass, confusion and mistrust sweeping over her face.
"Oh, there's some explaining to be done all right," she whispered as Pride crept from the warehouse and down the alley, "Something's going on here, and I intend to find out EXACTLY what it is."
Author: Tabitha R. Jones (me in other words)
Fandom: The Tribe
Pairing: Jay/Pride (possible others as the story progresses.... if you don't like slash, please don't read!)
Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned the Tribe or its characters. They are all the property of Cloud 9, and I am just playing in their world.
Rating: This chapter, PG-13, perhaps creeping slightly into R. Future chapters? Probably R!
Summary/Genre: Action/romance/slash/drama (come on, it's the Tribe...). Jay and Pride are troubled by something-- could it be a desire for hot man lovin' with each other?! 1751 words for part three.
Archiving: Ask me first. I will be posting it to FanFic.net and to my LiveJournal.
Comments: Yes, please! But be gentle, it's my first fic in years! ; Thanks to everyone who commented before, sorry this chapter was so late!
Episode 3
The bright midday sun beat down on the dusty city streets. Jay briskly walked along the avenue, wishing his Techno uniform wasn't black, as an almost imperceptible bit of sweat beaded his forehead. He glanced casually at the various groups of kids he passed, envying them their comfortable clothes. A cooler outfit would have helped, but Jay didn't want to admit he was also sweating from nerves. He really had no idea what Pride was planning, but that stolen kiss was preying on his mind. He briefly imagined that scene again, remembering the urgency Pride had kissed him with, his own stunned reaction, and most inexplicable of all, his immediate surrender to Pride's lips. He flushed again at the memory, then berated himself- it was already a hot day, why make it even worse? At this rate, he was going to arrive at his meeting reeking of sweat. For some reason, he felt he didn't want to make a bad impression on the dark-haired Eco.
Lost in his thoughts, Jay slipped down a side street, completely unaware that he was being followed. He glanced around before entering what appeared to be an abandoned warehouse. Confident no one was watching, he slipped inside, closing the door on the day's bright sunlight. Moments later, Ebony emerged from behind a convenient dumpster, her lovely face marred by a sullen frown.
"He must think me some kind of fool," she muttered to herself, "Who could he be meeting HERE of all places?!" She glared at the closed door, but couldn't bring herself to open it. As she stood, torn by indecision, she heard the telltale sounds of approaching footsteps in the debris that littered the alley. Not wanting to be discovered, she dashed down the alley to hide.
As Jay's eyes adjusted to the dimmer indoor light, he glanced around the room. A large bed dominated the space, covered with a gaudy cow-print blanket. The rest of the room seemed to be in disarray, haphazardly furnished. He couldn't help but notice the many candles grouped near the bed. Realizing the place was obviously a trysting spot, he swallowed hard, then almost yelled when a hand fell on his shoulder.
"Hey," said Pride, "See you made it here all right."
"Uh, yeah, no problems," Jay stammered, then kicked himself for sounding so nervous. He drew himself up to his full, disciplined height, and clasped his hands behind his back. A couple of measured breaths slowed his pounding heart to a reasonable speed. Pride looked at him questioningly, then sat on the edge of the low bed. Jay relaxed to his "at-ease" stance without realizing it, since he now towered over the seated Pride.
There was an uncomfortable pause as the two young men sized each other up.
Clearing his throat, Pride started to speak, "There's a lot we need to talk about..."
"I should say so," interrupted Jay, "What on earth were you doing kissing me yesterday?!" He immediately wished he'd kept quiet- his outburst had sounded childish and frantic, not at all his usual calm tones. Pride didn't seem to notice and grinned at Jay in a maddening way. His eyes sparkled with mischief, a look Jay had never seen before on the dark and usually brooding young man.
"Ha, I thought that'd get you," remarked Pride, "I knew you were human under all that Techno junk. I just did it to get through to you that I had something important to say."
"So it was all a joke, then?" Jay asked. To his surprise, his heart sank. "If so, it wasn't funny."
Pride gazed at Jay for a long, long moment.
"No," he finally said, "It was no joke. I had to do something to ensure you'd talk to me and take this seriously."
"Well, that worked," Jay snapped, disliking his very emotional reactions, "Here I am, ready to listen. So talk."
"Not until you sit down." said Pride, "I don't like having to crane my neck to talk to you."
Jay rolled his eyes, but joined Pride on the edge of the bed.
"That's better," Pride smiled, "Much more comfortable. Jay resisted the urge to roll his eyes again and attempted to sit commandingly on the edge of the very low and rather lumpy bed.
"As you know," Pride began, "We had an --uh-- incident-- at the Power Plant. I'm grateful that you tried to get Ram to shut off the power while I was on the fence."
"I wasn't just looking out for you," Jay said, "I would have fried as well. In fact, I very nearly did." He flexed his arm and winced slightly.
"Exactly," said Pride, "But I pulled you to safety just as you were trying to pull me to safety. We pretty much saved each other."
"Yeah, true, but isn't this old news? I owe you one, I already said I did."
"Well, the way I see it, we both owe each other our lives. A debt, of sorts," Pride paused, "It's been on my mind a lot since then."
Jay glanced at the blue-marked face of the young man before him. They were a mere foot apart on the bed. To his surprise, his heart began pounding again.
"Among my Tribe, it's said a life debt forges a bond between two people," Pride continued, "It's a deep connection, something almost sacred. I had to talk to you about it because it's not something I can just ignore."
"Well, what am I supposed to do about it?" Jay blurted out, "I'm a Techno, and you're... well, with the Mallrats at least. I'm going to be limited... just coming here could jeopardize my position..." He realized he was babbling to cover his nervousness.
"Jay," Pride said quietly, stopping the blond in mid-word. A tiny thrill went through Jay as he realized it was the first time Pride had called him by name.
"I can't explain it," said Pride, choosing his words carefully, "But I've felt drawn to you ever since the incident. I can't stop thinking about you. Yes, I kissed you to get your attention, but you can't tell me you felt nothing when it happened."
Jay was silent, remembering the fire that burst through all his nerves during that short kiss. Fire that had been lacking in his recent lovemaking with ebony. He looked at Pride, who continued.
"There's a connection between us now," said the Eco, "Something that's bigger than we are, bigger even than our Tribes. I think we'd be fools to ignore it."
"But..." Jay said, "What about... it's just..." He paused to collect his thoughts, which were racing into dangerous territory unbidden.
"I'll come right out with it," Jay said sternly, "I'm with Ebony. We've been lovers for a while now."
"And I've been with Salene," said Pride, "The last thing I want to do it hurt her, but this is something I just.... can't... fight..." Pride leaned forward, his face only inches from Jay's. Jay felt his hot breath on his lips and cheek, and realized his own breathing was getting heavier. He resisted the urge to grab Pride's face and crush his lips with his own.
"You've got a lot of discipline," whispered Pride in husky tones, "How long do you think you can hold out?"
Pride moved closer. Jay found himself leaning back, little by little, until he was reclining on the bed, with the tight, toned body of Pride over him. Jay was excruciatingly aware of every line of the dark-haired man's frame, his hard flat muscles showing through the thin fabric of his trousers, his strong arms planted one on either side of Jay's shoulders. Pride's long hair fell over them, forming a dark curtain of matted ringlets around Jay's face. Jay realized he was sweating again and his uniform pants felt uncomfortably tight.
"I don't know," growled Jay, trying to sound tough, 'I'm used to doing without things I want."
"But what about..." Pride's face moved closer, "Thing that you NEED?" The last word was whispered so softly, Jay felt the vibration of Pride's lips on his more than he heard the sound. His breathing was coming hot and fast, and he felt Pride's heart pounding as though it was his own.
"I usually do without that as well," Jay quipped.
"It can't be good for you to suppress your emotions like that," said Pride, staring into Jay's eyes.
Jay swallowed hard. Yes, his pants were definitely getting uncomfortable. But this was crazy- and so sudden. Not at all the sort of thing Jay preferred. The seconds ticked away with the two young men locked in their compromising position. The heat between their bodies was almost unbearable.
"Well," said Pride, finally, "I can't force you into anything." He pushed himself over to lie beside Jay, and propped his head on his hand.
"Glad you see it that way," snapped the blond man, "Since I could take you down in a second."
Pride grinned, "I don't think you want to do that."
Jay was quiet for a moment, still dealing with his raging lust.
"No, I don't," he said, "I do need some time to think about what you've told me though."
"And about your reaction just now," drawled Pride, glancing down at Jay's groin.
Despite himself, Jay blushed, "Uh, yes, that too. It's a lot to deal with all at once."
"True. It's been driving me crazy for days," said Pride, "But I felt what just happened between us, and that can't be ignored or denied."
"No," conceded Jay, "That can't. Give me some time, and we'll meet back here again."
"Tomorrow?" asked Pride.
"You're pushing it," Jay said, "Day after. Now I've got to go before I'm missed."
"I should go too," mused Pride, "It wouldn't do for Lex to come in and find someone in his secret rumpus room." He grinned again.
Jay stared at Pride for a moment, shocked that his initial assessment of the room had been correct. Then, with a curt nod, he strode from the room and out the door of the warehouse. He was so intent on his return to Ram's Palace he again completely missed a poorly hidden Ebony. She watched him pass, confusion and mistrust sweeping over her face.
"Oh, there's some explaining to be done all right," she whispered as Pride crept from the warehouse and down the alley, "Something's going on here, and I intend to find out EXACTLY what it is."
