Disclaimer: Don't own AVP. Dughhh. Rated M due to everything that M includes.
Chapter 17: Flow
For long she did not leave her quarters beyond that which was required by Seth. She did not want to infuriate the butcher or any of the members of the execution squad. She went to the visits with Doc, answered questions curtly and did not offer more than what was asked, settling for interrogation rather than dialog. In a way her withdrawal came naturally, offering solace.
Seth dragged her to training, back to his usual manner. At first he demanded her presence in the training circle, yet with her lack of participation and intense removal he gave up. Soon after arrival she sat at each session at the far wall, rolling to her side ignoring her surroundings, which she used to watch with intrigue. Now it only brought memories of pain and mutilation.
Pain, however, struck for real and Jo quickly surmised it was not a physical manifestation of a horrid recall. She looked up at the attacker.
"Setg'syra! Pull the creature up on its hinds into the circle" Jo decided to keep on the translator on at all time in case Seth or Doc had questions or requests. She did not want to activate their annoyance.
"I do not think it is a wise decision Kai di'chak"
"I am not asking. I cannot watch this pathetic display. Enough time has passed"
Jo kept her distance and did not understand why Kai would be bothered by her extraction from the surrounding. It was he who always reprimanded her for the unnecessary talk and what he viewed as impudence.
"It is not your place to give me orders" Seth answered visibly annoyed. Yautja did not argue often. Their social structure disallowed such occurrence, but since Seth and Kai were of equal status it was a more likely situation.
"If you do not order the ooman to her feet I will challenge you for her, and force her to her feet, drag her to the arena" To be the source of their disagreement did not seem favorable to her.
"Only if you win" Seth gave his partner-in-crime a smile, which was not returned by Kai.
"Sei-i, Does it have to come to that?"
Seth shrugged his shoulders. Kai winced at the human gesture. A small smile tugged at her lips.
Jo got up not waiting for Seth's answer. She could be manageable. She stepped into the training arena. Her skin prickled from fear. Kai handed her a stick. She ogled it confused. He stood on the opposite end crouched low in what she knew to be a yautja fighting stance.
Jo held the staff, but did not draw any movement. He came at her, she closed her eyes. He swept her feet from under her. She refused to fight back. It seemed pointless. She had no chance of winning any more than a meteor had a chance of not being melted by coming to contact with a blazing star. Opposition would lead to more pain. She figured when Kai was done indulging, he will either kill her or leave her alone and just like Seth give up. Thus, in effect she will be left to be. Since death shadowed Jo more than ordinarily, it was just catching its second wind. Everything has its end and simply she had no fight in her. She lived among butchers and monsters that any day might decide that they have obtained all she was worth and she would become no longer useful. No one was looking for her. She was presumed dead. Her parents received the dreadful news that brought grief and despair. For the first time she had nothing to offer and no will to care.
It hurt like hell when she hit the floor, but pain was not new.
"Up" Kai barked. She did. That time and few after, but each time she did not fight back and with each time she just cared less. Kai on the other hand was just getting angrier and finally snapped.
He grabbed her by the neck, hauled her up and cut the air. At first she closed her eyes willing to just give up. There was a small ting of satisfaction at his lost restraint. Yet, that satisfaction quickly became panic as she realized the predicament she found herself in. Giving up was easier said than done. When breathing became impossible instincts forced her to grab his palms. She pulled to no avail. She's been in this situation and knew that she did not have the strength to pry his palm open. Instead, she decided to do something else. It was probably more insane, but there was nothing else left. She wrapped her legs around him, pressed her body against his and pushed at his chest.
It was a yautja mating ritual; one of a female accepting a male. Well, the chest pushing was. The leg wrapping and grinding was her personal spin on it. She also needed the elevation to catch a breath. Ball in your court. The result was what she expected. He released and stepped away rapidly as if she was on fire that scolded his body. He was furious and stormed out. Was that a rejection?
She rolled to her knees, rubbed at her abused throat and stole a look at Seth. Yautjas were difficult to read, but he looked upset. She lowered her head again and smiled – Two birds, one stone.
By the time she got to her feet, most that watched were back to their regular training and Seth was gone.
"You should never do that." She heard Yin from her side.
"It worked. I actually might have found a new weapon." Joanna shrugged. Ooman – Yautja repellent.
"Jo! Your hand gesture showed acceptance and body was a blatant invitation. Many males would not react as he did."
"If you mean Seth, I totally agree. That's why I would have never pulled this little stunt with him." Being left without options called for desperate measures.
"Sei-i, Setg'syra would react different. Yet, he is not the only one. There is much you do not understand." Yin preached.
"I think you make it into more than it is. I'm human remember."
"Sei-i you are not a yautja female. You do not possess features many consider attractive. Yet, there are many that are not new to ooman appearance. There are some that would find you exotic. There are plenty of youngbloods on this ship filled with hormones and need. Your scent is very appealing. If it was me not Kai di'chak that would be on the receiving end of that display, I would be mounting you in mine quarters right now."
"I did not think…am…you…" Every day provided new lessons. This one was surprising. Jo always believed that Seth was simply a deviant.
"It is not what I desire. Our females set the mating rituals. Males do not get to mate as often as they would like. You are a blooded female even if ooman. Many would not say h'ko." That made it clearer and she felt relieved that Yin would not engage in courting attempts any time soon. Her abused body and psyche could not take any more of yautja courting efforts.
"But I was just messing with him. Anyway Kai would prefer to airlock himself than mate with an ooman"
"Perhaps. My words are of advice "
"Understood…Also good to know you are so hard up" She smiled at Yin classic disapproving shake of the head. It was the first joke she made in a long time and it felt good. She wasn't ready in any shape or form to go back to spur-of-the-moment, comedian Jo, but it was a start.
After the Kai incident, Seth did not insist on taking her to training. Jo counted that as a score. She thought that perhaps he would be angry at her, but if he was he never mentioned it. Public male acceptance yet, did not go by without some change in the surroundings. Starting with Seth and ending with an unknown yautja. Difference might have been mostly subtle, but any person with some orientation in one's environment would have noticed.
Seth stopped insisting on sex. Jo did not believe it could have been that simple to just surrender his claim and had a feeling it will not be the end of it. But, for the time being, he left her be. Adi was very curious on why she decided to choose Kai. He asked lots of questions. Jo did not want to give him much insight. She could not trust him. Her willingness to give any of these creatures a benefit of a doubt no longer should take place. She could not afford to be trusting or sociable without suspicion. For a person like Jo it was the most difficult part of the adapting process. She was always too naive and unwilling to allow for misgiving to take root. It was hard finding a balance between her usually laid-back nature and strategist. She detested it with every inch of her being. It was difficult to not bump Adi on the shoulder, grab a lock of his head protrusion or make a silly face. She never questioned his motives, but after a short argument she realized how wrong she really was about his intentions.
"Why didn't you tell me why Seth showed me the sculls?" Jo asked Adi and he simply shrugged off her question. He was definitely abusing the ooman gestures.
"You lied." She accused knowing it will provoke an answer. There was a slight chance that that answer might be delivered with a blade. She did just insult his integrity, but she had to know. Besides, he was unarmed and there were plenty of things to defend with in the lab.
"I did not lie. I simply declined an answer. If you were of a higher status answer must have been given, but you are not. It is not my role to educate you. Setg'syra is your guardian. He should not simply assume knowledge, but provide it. I will not correct one of a higher status. It is not my place. I would offend an honored warrior."
"I always thought humans have a lot of red tape. You guys, beat them by a mile."
Jo mulled over the information and finally added "If you cared, you could have told Doc of my error and he could have informed Seth"
"Sei-i" He exhaled "I could have. In all honesty I did not think of that. I also did not think Setg'syra will decide to take you on a pyode amedha hunt"
That was a wake-up call. He wasn't there to be her friend. She wasn't even sure he was really fond of her. He wasn't being friendly, he was studious. He enjoyed her presence and probably thought of her as an invaluable, interesting subject. Joanna wouldn't mind so much if she recognized that from the beginning. Instead, she grew to like him and in turn it made it difficult not to be at ease around him. Not knowing how to be stern, every so often battling with anxiety and struggling with trust she became absent-minded. That's the best she could do until finding a balance between acceptance and caution. It was clear both Adi and Doc noticed the difference, howbeit better than she was before, they did not seem concern. That was the biggest clue that no one was a friend. When people notice that you are in a funk they visit you with a six pack of beer or a gallon of ice cream, not create a patient chart and a blog entry.
"Jo!" Hmm she turned towards the voice that called her. She was sitting at a table in the dining hall she only vaguely remembered getting to. Seth held a mug with a drink she accepted with a silent nod. Lately she left the quarters only to go to the lab and to eat, but sometimes Seth just brought her something to munch on or she consumed food during lab time. Jo glanced at Kai from the rim of her cup. He was the biggest unknown of them all. Jo expected him to be furious at what she did. She expected a malevolent stare, maybe a Dr. Evil's laugh, a mandible sneer at his public rejection– Nothing.
He was a labyrinth with a Minotaur hunting elaborate routs. At this time, his expression was soft almost peaceful. With mandibles ending in sharp tusks, a large head for which a hat could also serve as a laundry bag, sharp claws slightly drumming the cup and muscular arms and torso it was not a look easy to pull off. This was the part of the maze where you saw a lost kitten, but don't touch it. It bites. The unknown was edgy so she just lowered her eyes.
The short exchange was not unnoticed. Even if she caught his eyes before the gym event, now it was always a source of humor.
"Kai di'chak, you should indulge the female. It appears she has not lost interest in the rut, despite your dismissal" Jo did not know the Yautja that made the comment. The remark, not the first since, made her think of high school. It made her reflect of a time when she dropped an "I love you" note in Peter Salase's locker and signed it, like a juvenile idiot she was. He in turn told everybody and she couldn't get away from the banter for two months. Until some other chick got wasted at a house party and became the new social focus. She rolled her eyes. The Kai act sure as hell blew up in her face. However, it was greatly favored over being suffocated and physically bullied. Verbal abuse she could handle. She could bring anyone down to her level and beat them with experience.
Humor is something you either have or don't. If you do, it does not just go away. It is always there. In Jo's case there was always too much of it and she just changed the audience. Instead of amusing those around her she amused herself with possible retorts. Amusing the external audience might come with deadly consequences. She could take the comment and respond in kind, but just because she had a sense of humor it did not mean that the yautja in question did. He might have been one of the over sensitive types. In yautja's case that was most of them. So, instead of telling him off and rattling his cage, she just turned the corners of her mouth up in a sardonic smile. Jo knew that whatever she said can and would be used against her and might not be received as humor, but an insult. Saying nothing was better than some unknown yautja going medieval.
Surprisingly Kai did not take the jab as an insult. He did not challenge the male. He did not bristle in annoyance. "Is it envy that propels your words, Mehzn'tan'nara?" Kai asked with a lift of the mandible and a quick glance in Jo's direction. Mehzan click – Damn that was a long name –ara shut his stupid face. Seth didn't "She seems to have developed a taste only for you Kai di'chak".
This was quite interesting. She was way too old to blush like a schoolgirl. Instead, she surmised that Seth definitely was not as cool as he acted. He meant to make a joke, but there was clear resentment there. He never asked her intention and in current state of affairs she was not eager to explain. Although Yin told him that she did not choose Kai, but used his disinterest to her advantage. Seth said he understood, but obviously it still bothered him.
Kai took the response with raised mandibles and she took the moment to take leave and hide in her quarters, hoping that she might learn to hibernate. And, dormant she became. For a time at least she still struggled with sudden, but brief attacks of panic that came out of nowhere to keep her captive. After one of those she once again went into self-inflicted isolation. Until one day she could deal with it no longer.
Jo's body was in state of unrest. She was fidgeting with a sudden urgency to escape, to get out. Her racing heart and quickened breath were overpowering. She was itchy. None of it, however, was due to fear. It was the pent up energy accumulated, confined for weeks by dread and exclusion. She was not a person of stillness or thoughtlessness. Seth went for a hunt and left her behind - Again. The sudden experience of solitude and close confines of the cabin rushed forward feelings that threatened to get out. No matter how scared, lonely, displaced and wretched she felt she was not one of the docile types. The new invigorating vitality was at her grasp. It was screaming, requesting freedom. She ran her palms down her face as if trying to experience her flesh under her own fingertips, feel her own skin and solidify her existence that already overtook her mind.
Seth left and most likely so did everyone else; at least those that occupied this level. She walked toward the door and it swished open. Would he leave it opened if others remained? She entertained the idea that he would. Allow someone else to deal with the pesky ooman that provided no more entertainment. Maybe another bogeyman hunted the corridors awaiting her with his sharp blades and cruel intent. The thought alone made her heart race.
She never wondered on her own, but she did not want to stay hidden since there was a good chance that she would not encounter anyone. The view of the corridor almost stole her resolve. But she fought it, peaked through the door. It was quiet and vacant. She stepped into the halls. Her small bare feet made slight noises as she walked. Absent-minded she ended up in the training room. It was silent, lifeless like her current state of mind. She started walking, then jogging, then running. It was elating like fresh air in tense lungs. She ran…
Suddenly she stopped. In the door was Kai. So it was not just another bogeyman assigned to end her it was Kai. He most likely fervently volunteered after the embarrassment she caused and bloodshed before that. Jo knew he was too calm. She knew Seth must have engineered the open door to tempt her to leave.
Jo backed up, pressed herself against the bulkhead and wished for that invisible cloak they had, or at least one from Harry Potter's collection. There was one door and he was standing in it. She pressed her palms next to her hips, flat as her back. She was unwilling to slide down and sit even if her legs trembled and begged for her to do so. This was no longer a good day to die. Not when her body and mind found a spark of energy.
Kai stared then walked inside. The door swished shut behind him. Jo was so intent on following his every move she did not catch if it the access locked or not. He was determined to prolong the despair not on a quick finale. He strode to the wall pressed a panel reveling the weapons assortment she'd seen here before. Jo chewed on the inside of her cheek. She stole a look at the door, looked back to Kai. The panel was gone and he was walking toward her with a staff. Her heart beat harder, her jaw clenched tighter. When he got close tears weld up in her eyes.
He reached out and handed her the stick. Yes please. Jo unglued her right hand from the bulkhead, grasped the gift offered and snapped her hand back, cradling it to her chest. She looked at it and at her white knuckles, as she hanged on to it like a life line.
Kai walked away and took a position at the inner edge of the training circle. He wrapped his arms in front on his sculpted chest and glared at her. Waiting. Jo squint her eyes in mistrust. She unglued the other hand and rolled the stick between her hands. When she accidentally pressed one of the symbols, blades snapped out from both ends. She almost dropped the weapon, startled. Joanna allowed herself a relived smile. It could have opened while she pointed the end of the stick at her head; courtly assassinating herself and reliving Kai of the task.
She gazed at him, then at the weapon. She had a sharp and lethal double blade. He was empty-handed. Even the wrist gantlets were gone. She liked her odds. Jo had seen him fight and was not ignorant to how dangerous he was even without a weapon, but the presence of it in her palm while he had none was reassuring nevertheless.
"Will it give you an excuse?" Jo asked. She really didn't care if a weapon in her hand gave him enough drive to finish her off while maintaining his so-called honor. His head jerked, but he did not answer.
She shrugged her shoulders and pushed from the wall, entering the arena. 'Let's get it over with'
He waited. She defiantly watched him. "What are you waiting for?" she taunted
He spread his arms and before she had time to react he charged. It was so fast. It did not matter that she was the one armed. He came at her with agonizing speed and grabbed her hand holding the stick. She surrendered it without a fight and flinched away. Kai huffed; then handed her the stick back. Seth was menacing, crushing, and suffocating, but he was not this fast.
She remained rooted to the floor blinking. He was already preparing for another assault, and then came at her again. Once more shocking her, not allowing her to think or strategize. Once more she capitulated without so much as a grimace. He gave her back her weapon and backed up, roared and came at her. She didn't gain much even knowing he will charge, but this time she was not eager to allow him the blade. When he grabbed on, she pulled it back and he let her have it, retreated. Charged. It kept on over and over again and with each time she was getting less scared and angrier.
When Jo drew blood, slicing through his shoulder she grinned like a loon, and was sure he will use the opportunity to exercise the weapon he's taken away in retaliation, but he just gave it back. So she stopped caring and batted the blade at him like a bat next time he came. She attempted at throwing the staff like she did to Seth, but having seen her do it before he was prepared for it. She should have left her greatest hits for when they were really needed. Then, Jo attempted to slash, stab and rend his limbs useless, and each time she tried he just took away the weapon or pushed it away like a nuisance. She was fuming. Stamped her feet in annoyance, hissed and when he prepared to attack again she propelled the staff at him, but instead of running away she ran at him. He caught the staff, but did not predict her follow-up. The impact was bruising to her, but he was surprised and lost balance. She went down with him. The staff thumped to the floor and slid out of reach.
The victory didn't last long. As soon as he hit the deck, he twisted and rolled Jo under him. She was so enraged; at this pointless, demoralizing undertaking. She trashed wildly. His body pressed on to hold her down. Jo was sickened of his attitude and him toying with her. She knew how to play too and she knew he will not like it. She ignored the danger. She dared a look at his fierce countenance, wrapped her legs around him and rolled her hips against him. Yin warned her not to do that, but this was Kai.
He eased up, looked down his body and at hers closely pressed together. His long tresses fell from his shoulders and curtained around her head, obscuring all view, but for Kai. She thought he'd get up, brush her off violently. He didn't. Instead he open his mandibles, closed them with a slight click. She stilled. They were locked like that for a while.
Finally, Jo gave an investigational wiggle. Kai growled and increased pressure. She tried to focus on how he threatened her life. She knew what she is worth, but to him she was expendable. That alone should have made her lay down her arms and admit defeat. However, after weeks of cowering, being picked on and being pissed off, she felt bold and careless. Jo narrowed her eyes, fully aware of his raw strength, but she was resolute to bait him further.
Her bare leg brushed against his exposed thigh. His observation refocused on that area, but he still was not reducing pressure. His eyes returned to hers and she noticed amusement. He called her bluff; arrogant ass. Determined and irritated she latched onto one of his locks and pulled. This time he groaned and huffed. She grabbed another lock on the other side of his head and pulled down. He did not resist. His face buried in the slant of her neck. His mandible shifted, his head moved higher. His hot breath tickled her sensitive skin and she felt his forked tongue lap at her ear lobe. Goosebumps covered her skin. Joanna stunned allowed her fist to unclench and Kai to lift his head. The dreadlocks pulsed in her palms sliding through her fingers. He shifted on to one of his forearms and his palm swiped over the prickled skin of Jo's upper arm. Kai looked at her with his emerald eyes and lifted his mandible in a smirk.
Jo knew how he learned of how sensitive her earlobe was and now used it in a game against her – smirking. Unwilling to lose, and surprisingly exited she repeated the leg brush. Her palms slid up and down his locks, in an insinuating manner, and wedged onto the locks solidly. She pulled him to her again. As before, he did not resist. His tongue licked up her neck to the ear that he also nipped at with those needle-like teeth of his inner maw. His hips rolled between her thighs, and she felt his member jerk with the contact. Jo inhaled sharply.
Jo wanted to provoke a reaction and she did. The response however, was a game changer. One she did not consider. She also did not consider that her body would react the way it did either. Her hips involuntarily moved up and forward seeking friction against his rising cock.
Kai responded with another groan, lifted his head from the flesh he has excited. She was trembling, but not from the cold or fear. He rested his mass on one hand, the other dipped into the hollow of her throat, trailed down her sternum and halted at the low belt of her lower covering. The gesture making her damp in places she should have not been damp. As if recognizing her arousal he lifted himself of her, spread his mandibles and inhaled, then exhaled with an animalistic growl. She stopped breathing and his eyes briefly captured hers. It was her time to protest, to deny, to bring sense into the madness, but she was too far gone for reason. She dragged in a lungful of air and bit her lower lip. For a brief moment she thought he will renounce his urges, regain his sanity and leave her to finish on her own, realizing that she was not his kind. But, Kai curled his large paw around her hips, pulled her against him, spreading her legs wider. His erection stressed the fabric of the loincloth and brushed against her in a sweet elusive caress.
Kai's palms stroked up and down her flanks; Firm, controlled and purposeful. His power was embossed into every piece of flesh. He had a stunning body, sculpted to perfection; Promising pleasure or pain. And, he was so erotic when not intent on murder. He watched her with greedy eyes. He removed his hands. Then, he returned one to her stomach only to move it down and stroked her through the fabric. She moaned at the contact, closed her eyes.
When she opened them he was already done untying her lower covering. The cool air fluttered against the moist skin. He avidly gazed to the exposed surface, spread his mandibles, and ravenously gulped the air. He tasted her scent. It might have started as a game, but sure as hell wasn't one any longer.
Jo eyes were hooded with desire as he removed his loincloth. Her gaze rolled down his length. His size alone should have scared her, make her reconsider. It didn't. She licked her lips. Her muscles clenched in anticipation. He noticed the movement and placed his burning hand on the inside of her tight and grazed her labia with his thumb. She jerked, he removed his hand. "Don't stop" she crooked. If he wasn't going to fuck her soon, she will jump his bones like a horny rabbit. His palm returned boldly, encouraged by her demand. He stroked eliciting another moan. She clenched her fist and eyes. She could take no more teasing. As if sensing it Kai moved down in position above her and reached between them, then halted. Mercy "Please" she begged undignified. He entered her, pushing his large cock in, agonizing slow. She gasped, arched below him. Her head fell back. It hurt, but the pain was only a minor inconvenience on the road to much needed relief. Her palms rested on his forearms. She was afraid to touch. Before she feared his wrath, and now for fear that he might stop.
His movement halted. She assumed it was to let her adjust, but when she looked at him she realized he was trying to regain his composure as well. His eyes were closed, his massive chest moved quickly. Her pain subsided. Kai opened his eyes, pulled out and thrust in. His movement was intense and animalistic in its purpose. Suddenly he started purring. It came somewhere from deep inside and at an instant the vibration transferred into her at the place of their union increasing the pleasure that threatened to push her over. He grabbed her hips changing the angle, burring himself deeper. She didn't even realize he wasn't in all the way. Now he filled her more than she has been ever filled. He didn't allow her to tune in, he was already moving.
Then, he increased the tempo. The empty space filled with the sounds of flesh against flesh, her moans and his growls. His body lowered and the ridge at the base of his shaft accidentally grazed against her clitoris making her jump. Kai noticed and made sure the next time it did, it was purposeful. After a few strokes she wasn't gasping anymore she was moaning. He held her body tight. Kai was strong and his body temperature hot. The smell of ocean and hint of vanilla assaulted her as he leaned closer, driving into her without pity. She has never been with someone that intense. The build-up was inhumane and undeniable and she came with a silent gasps, hard, clenching her muscles and him inside her. The pressure coaxed his release. He roared as he came and extended her climax. He buckled, but leaned on his extended arms as if attempting not to crush her with his bulk. Then, Kai slowly pulled out and slouched down next to her. They were both heaving.
Throughout the event she forgot they were still in a public place and the act would have been considered public lewdness.