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I Don't Want to Hear It

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by Queen of Serpents

A/N: FF deleted my old account so I'm being forced to repost everything. I hope you guys continue to support me like you have last time.

At last my very first Tamora Pierce ficlet! I'm so happy. I was thinking about doing one for ages and at last I have. I hope you enjoy it. It will be short though. Only around 5 chapters the most. May even end in by the 3rd chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own anything that has to do with Tamora Pierce except this plot. Must I say this? It's pretty saddening and pathetic that I'm borrowing a world made by someone else.

Summary: Sometimes looking at things you aren't supposed to can leave you scarred. Sometimes it's for the good and sometimes for the bad. For Briar Moss it's both. The good: feelings for a certain teacher is brewing in his heart and the bad? His relationship with Sandry is at stake.

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Chapter 1: The Praying Mantis

"Briar!" Lady Sandrilene fa Toren yelled, picking up her black skirts and running towards the grey-green eyed boy. His golden brown skin was gleaming in sweat and his black hair was matted down to his forehead, sticking to his sweaty skin. He had just been out in another adventure to the South and finally arrived. The weather was extremely hot and Briar had been running after Evvy to keep her from running off to see the new cave they passed half an hour ago that caught her interest. Now standing in front of Discipline, his home, Sandry caught sight of him and ran towards him and when she reached him, she flung her arms around him in a great hug. He wrapped his arms around her small frame as well, bringing her closer, missing the way she smelled and her lovely smile.

But something was missing in their embrace. Something that only the ex-street rat realized or felt. The usual spark between them had slowly faded and his old feelings of her suddenly appeared again. Right after he had come from Chammur, he felt want and desire for Sandry. Seeing her so grown up had changed his feelings toward her that day. He saw her in another light. He saw her not as a foster-sister but as a young woman. However, now he once again saw her as that sister with whom he grew up with. It shook him to the bone. He didn't understand that suddenly the way his heartbeat would quicken and his breath would be caught in his throat whenever he saw her would end. He didn't understand that he would no longer have interest in the blue-eyed beauty.

Evvy approached and she rolled her eyes as she saw the pair, waiting for Dedicate Rosethorn to arrive. And soon she did, sweating and panting just as Briar was. She caught sight of the couple embracing and she felt a pang of jealousy that she quickly shoved away. It would be wrong to think of her student that way. Very wrong.

The couple parted after Dedicate Lark arrived through the door of Discipline, smiling at them all and shooed them inside. Briar turned his gaze toward Rosethorn. She had let her hair grow during their journey, not having time to cut it so that her chesnut locks were brushing against her shoulders. Her creamy skin was wet and slightly tan, her green habit was sticking to her frame. Her brown eyes were fixed on him and he couldn't seem to look away. A feeling passed through him, causing a flip to occur in his stomach. Thankfully Sandry looped her arm around his and had brought his attention back to her.

When the others had heard that 16 year-old Briar was courting Sandry, there was an uproar. Niko wasn't too pleased but the Duke didn't object and they were together now for over a year. By now everyone was used to seeing the couple sometimes sitting together on the roof. Tris would be the one to stop by sometimes and would return down the trapdoor a bit flush from the embarrassment of catching them and mad too, often giving them a scolding before setting down the steps again.

Today, Sandry wasn't up there with Briar but he was there alone in his spot, leaning against the chimney. He was able to see Rosethorn from up there doing nothing much but checking the plants to see if anything was wrong in their absence. He stared at her, the way her hair fell in front of her eyes and she would slap them away. He was able to see her lips move and after knowing her so well by now, he knew that he was cursing her hair and telling herself to go get it cut.

He closed his eyes thinking about getting a nap.

When his eyelids shut over his eyes, only one picture stood in front of him causing him to immediately open them and sigh. He told himself not to look down at Rosethorn but couldn't help it. His eyes went down and was met by a sight where the Dedicate was washing her hands with a bucket of water. He groaned not wanting to think about her and water but couldn't help it. The images were quickly displayed in his mind.

It was an image of Rosethorn and the way she looked that one day he ventured off towards the public baths for women. He didn't know how he got to the female's area, but he stopped short at the sight of his teacher, water cascading down her creamy skin. Her back was to him, thankfully and he tore his eyes away from her and began to walk away but slowly she turned so that the sides of her right rosy pink breasts were visible as she poured a pail of water over her head. Her nipples were erect due to the wind and the cold water. The water fell down her shoulders and lower to her stomach and hips and down her curvaceous thighs and legs.

He felt himself grow hard at the sight of her and tore his eyes away, forcing his legs to keep walking. Though innocent were his intentions, that day was never erased from her mind and something stirred in his head. Something revolutionary and definitely not right. Sandry wouldn't like the sound of it.

He closed his eyes again, and envisioned the blonde girl. She was a beautiful, you had to admit that, and bossy. Oh so bossy, but not as much as Rosethorn. Rosethorn was one of those women that you had to stay clear of lest they bite your head off. Briar smirked as a thought of the praying mantis came into mind and how the female would bite the heads off the male after mating. Not a happy thought.

Then again, his thoughts shifted. Since when had he thought of 'mating' with Rosethorn?

Since... Forever.

A little boy-crush on a teacher was all it was. Right?

He steered his mind away from that again. Sandry. Think about Sandry, he commanded his mind.

Maybe through his internal battle in his mind, he didn't realize that someone approached. A kiss on his lips quickly brought him back to reality.

"Sandry?" He said, unsure.

"Of course silly," the blue-eyed beauty said. He opened his eyes and relaxed when he saw her. "Who else could it be?" she asked skeptically.

Briar shook his head and pulled her into his lap. "A praying mantis," he said without thinking.

Sandry raised and eyebrow before settling into his arms. "A praying mantis?" she asked. "Whatever for?"

He shook his head again and before he would blurt something else that he might later regret and before Sandry was able to think of another question, he made their mouths occupied with something else.

Still, even through the passionate kiss, an image was buried deep inside Briar's mind. An image of a praying mantis.

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