Marginal Life Ch. 03

Greetings, welcome back to Marginal Life

Same as last time, we pick up right where the previous chapter left off. To those sticking with me, thank you for your support. To those that are new, if you haven't already I suggest you read the first two chapters before this one.

As always, comments, criticism, and suggestions are welcome.

I hope you continue to enjoy my little series.

-Mach Ex Anima, August 2016

Note: This is an edited version, fixing a few glaring holes inadvertently left in the first version.

*******************

For the second day in a row, I find myself waking tucked tight against another person. No noise this time, Doc's - Nadia's - breathing is slow, even, and quiet. Spooning me from behind, hugging me securely along her chest. Her breasts just above my head, their slow rise and fall brushing lightly along my hair. Wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, her curves tickle my imagination, just out of sight. One of her arms is loosely draped around me, the both of us tucked under a light sheet. Yawning, I prepare to face the morning.

First and foremost, I marvel at her foresight. Before collapsing into sleep, the both of us worn out from our day together, she insisted I don shorts and a light shirt. While it's the same as my everyday sleeping gear, when staying over during a visit I usually end up passing out in the nude, clutched tight to my partner. Unfortunately, dealing with my own truths first thing in the morning can be a bit daunting. Not having to see myself now feels... relaxing.

Awake but with no motivation to move, not wanting to wake my warm pillow, I take the time for a mental look. My pool is calm, tranquil. The water is deep, up to what I would consider a normal level. The stone below is smooth, solid. Even the dark void beyond the edges feels somehow less than threatening.

I feel... sated. Mentally solid, physically a bit sore. After that first time got her going, Nadia was insatiable. I almost lost count of the number of times I brought her to a peak over the long afternoon and evening. Almost, but didn't. Every one of them burns in permanent memory, mine forever. Up to, including, and past the time during the light meal left for us by her discreet housekeeper. I'll never look at salad the same way ever again.

There was no way I was keeping up with her time for time, I think it would have killed me. Her talents give her an unfair advantage, an ability to play me like an instrument. I shiver at just the edge of the memories.

So. I've taken Nadia into my heart, placed her near Stefan and Marian. This will certainly make future sessions much more interesting. For certain definitions of interesting. Our long talk in bed before drifting to sleep dispelled many of my worries though. Worries such as if she can remain professional, that she can still help me with myself. Somehow snuggling under the sheets together made her advice feel easier to absorb, more meaningful. It all left me feeling that I took the right step.

Now I just have to not screw it up.

No. A morning like this is not the time for thoughts like that. The sun is barely up, the barest hints of its light penetrating the curtains. With an effort of will I push my thoughts towards something else, something meaningless. Trying to drift away, to claim just a bit more sleep with my newest lover.

***

This time, Nadia is stretching behind me as I wake. Her subtle movements shifting the soft cloth of my shirt, the feeling sensual, delicious. Fingers caress my hair, softly combing the fine strands, untangling them from sleep. The gesture feels caring. Maternal. And yet... vulnerable. As if she's locking the feeling into memory. As well as she knows me, is she scared of my reaction this morning? That I might reject what we did? What we became? Best to deal with that right now.

I move. Rolling around and up, using momentum, I tip her over. Startled, she lets me push her back, allows me to straddle her. On her back, looking up at me, her expression is closed, guarded. Prepared for rejection. I lean down. Affecting an unhappy expression, I frown.

"Why aren't you using your talent?"

Definitely not what she was expecting. It takes her a moment to respond.

"I..." A deep breath, grabbing a shred of composure. "It wouldn't be right to use it like that. It's an invasion of privacy to use the Sight all the time, especially outside of a session. Yesterday was..."

My frown grows deeper. As excuses go, I've heard better.

"Doc. Nadia. You know everything about me. Better than I know myself. Beyond Stefan, beyond Marian, YOU are the one I have no secrets from. Yesterday? Yesterday was amazing. Knowing you could read me like that, that you understood me, was wonderful. So look. Use your talent. As much as you want, as often as you want."

Closed off as she is, prepared as she was, the change is massive. She allows herself to see what she means to me. Gone is the worry, the concern. Replaced with something amazing: joy. Happiness such as I've never seen from her before. Seeing it, I wish we could have taken this step sooner. I wish life was always that easy.

Strong hands grip me, sliding me forward so I can lean down for a kiss. No heat, just tenderness. She knows I'm not up for anything more this morning.

Satisfied, she lifts. Moving us, carrying me to her dining room. It's a strange thing. Ever since we took that first step yesterday, I've barely walked a step. She seems to really enjoy carrying me, having me in her arms. Can't say I don't like the contact. Yesterday skin on skin provoked heat, today the thin cloth barrier of my shirt shifts it to a close companionship.

A light breakfast of fruit and pastries awaits us, laid out buffet style. Someday I'll meet Doc's housekeeper, that presence efficiently coordinating behind the scenes, but not today. All too soon it's time to leave. Dressed in a loose sundress, with me in my freshly laundered jumpsuit from yesterday, she leaves me with a small bag and some advice.

"The bag you should recognize, it's the smokeweed from yesterday. Try it out, see how the visualization handles it." Her expression gains a touch of slyness. "Share it with someone special."

I ponder who she means. Stefan prefers brandy as his relaxation agent, and Marian hates the taste of smokeweed. Who else is there? Filing it away to think about it later, she continues.

"Now. One last important bit. I know you're avoiding even thinking about it. But. If you see the candle again, don't let it panic you. Just consider what you're doing, what you're thinking. You might gain some clues." Pointing a finger to emphasize her next statement. "Your episodes. No pushing! If you feel the need to do anything, try to focus on a low, even burn. It might help."

She leans down for one last hug, normal for one of our sessions. Then tacks on a kiss, a sign of how it's changed.

"I'll see you the next time Marge swings back around. For a session, and a date."

And with that final word to leave me looking forward to the future, we part.

***

Equations, diagrams, formulas. Lists of parts, arrangements of energies, more. A thousand and one details all swirling about as I tinker in the mechanica shop. Working on my little surprises for the class tomorrow. I do new ones each time, imagination and intuition set free to guide me where they will.

Part science, part engineering, part art, part gut feeling. Logic mixed with feelings. The sum total of my experiences as a Mechanic. My knowledge of what it means to BE a Mechanic. To be a wielder of Dragonkin magic, the magic of form, of substance, of the physical world.

Having the visualization going while I tinker is a novel experience. I can almost SEE what I want to design, the image growing clearer the closer I come to a complete blueprint. It almost feels like rather than taking some of my concentration to keep the visualization going, it's instead working to narrow my focus, freeing up more of me for the work. A very strange sensation.

A part here, a conduit there, and I'm done. Four hours of solid, focused design work and I have the plans for my toys. From here the rest is simple, I should be able to have them all built by dinner.

Needing a break, my thoughts turn to food. To having missed yet another scheduled mealtime. I wander towards the mess hall. It's early afternoon so I expect the place to be fairly quiet. Perfect for what I want. But Fate has something else in store for me.

Stepping through the hatch, I'm greeted by a strange sight. Marian, Sinem, and Teresa are all sitting around a table towards the back, chatting. Teresa looks cheerful, sipping away at a steaming mug of something hot. Tea probably.

Sinem looks... gruff. So, same as she always does. Her bulky, bodybuilder frame looks almost masculine slouched in the blocky mess hall chairs. Her black hair, kept short in a tight fuzz, accentuates the image. If it weren't for the delicate scale patterns over her rich chocolate skin, she might be mistaken for a man. Or at least, more often than she already does. Many a bar visit have ended in what she terms "a good dustup" after such a mistake is made. A mug sits forgotten to her side, a bowl of nuts next to it.

As for Marian, she looks... exhausted? Head down, nearly asleep at the table, one hand clutching a steaming mug. Was there a rough injury, something that required a long run of her healing talents? But, the mood doesn't seem quite right for something like that. In fact, despite everything, she has a sort of shine about her. Almost like... Huh.

Sinem notices me right away, giving me a once over, which for some reason produces a grin. As I grab some sliced bread and cheese, she waves me to their table. Teresa perks up even more than she already was, nearly bouncing in her chair. Happy to see me, or excited for tomorrow's class? Probably more the class. And Marian... Marian finally notices my presence once I've sat, raising tired, bloodshot eyes to blearily gaze at me.

But only for a moment. Her eyes narrow, focusing, seeing... something.

"Oh." A tired greeting. "Oh... my." Whatever she sees in me is waking her up. "Oh my. Jaya. Oh my. It all makes sense. Oh my. Holy! Fuck! YOU FINALLY SLEPT WITH NADIA!"

Her final shout at incredible volume. We stare at her in shock, even the normally unflappable Sinem.

How did she know? What did she see? I've been in the shop all morning after getting back. I should look just like normal. What's going on? Wait. What did she mean by "finally?!" Only one way to find out.

"What do you mean by 'finally!' And how did you know!"

My exclamation provokes a tired chuckle before she settles back to just "tired," her burst of energy spent.

"You hair." Instinctively my hand goes to my head. What about my hair? Oh. I didn't braid it. Nadia said she liked it loose. "Also, you're practically glowing. As for 'finally.' How many patients do you think Nadia would clear an entire day for, at just a moment's notice? How many has she been working with for fifteen years, watching them grow? Fate's Dice Jaya, she's loved you like a daughter for years. You're just too dense to see it."

From anyone else calling me dense would invite anger. Marian has the right, and to much worse if she wanted. Had I really missed it? Never seen how much she devoted to me? It seemed like such an easy step yesterday. Was she inviting it, waiting for me to see it, without even realizing it?

"To answer your next questions. It wasn't my place to say anything. And, I'm like this because of Stefan." What? What happened? Was he injured? "Let me ask you. When did you and Nadia start? I bet it was early afternoon, right?"

How could she possibly know that?

"Let me tell you what my day was like. I was ambushed in my office a bit after lunch. I've never seen Stefan so worked up. Do you know how long it took for him to have me bent over my desk? Not long. Which is about as long as he lasted. The first time. Guess how long we were at it? EIGHT. FUCKING. HOURS." Hysteria plainly audible in her final statement, momentarily overriding the exhaustion.

Eight hours? Wow. Must have been some experience. I try to imagine what it was like, if he'd ever do that for me. Though I suppose it did take me about that long to wear Nadia out and holy shit!

"Marian?" My voice surprisingly small. I mouth the next part, afraid to speak it aloud. "The bond?"

She nods, knowing what I meant. "Yes. It bled over and Stefan tried to equalize it. I was the only outlet available. It was one of the best experiences of my life, and I'm so sore that if he visits me anytime within the next week I'll probably castrate him."

Caught up as we were, I completely forgot about our other two table companions. Teresa's squeak brings them back into focus. Normally one doesn't casually discuss maiming their captain. She also seems to be blushing so hard I can almost see bits of red marble flaking off. Definitely have to do something about her inexperience. Especially considering her shocked look when hearing about me and Nadia.

Sinem is a much stranger beast, as her question reveals.

"Wow Jaya. Is that going to get you in trouble? You cheated on the Captain! With your Therapist!"

Unfortunately for her, at "cheated" Marian and I crack up laughing. Sinem's confused look just spurs us on, almost cackling with the sudden release of tension. Tension I hadn't even felt gather. Her growing annoyance forces me to recover faster than I would have liked, the laughter feels good.

"Mind letting me in on the joke?" Her acid tone of voice moving from annoyance towards anger.

"Ok, ok." Still chuckling a bit. "Gimme a second." A deep breath. "Ok. I'm going to guess, you don't really know anything about Nobles."

Still looking annoyed, she gestures to herself.

"Do I LOOK like I rub noses with politicians?"

She does have a point. But then, I don't look it either.

"Ok. This is going to take some explaining. Before you ask, none of this is a secret or anything. It's just not usually discussed outside of those that are a part of it. Anyway. You've heard us talking about being Stefan's Crew, and not just our jobs here on Marge. It has to do with that. It goes all the way back to when we were kids. Marian and I were roughly five. Stefan was seven. When they're in that age range, noble children are brought in and socialized with large amounts of other kids. Many are like me, wards of the state. Others are like Marian, brought in by their families. To the kids it just looks like a big play group, with adults occasionally moving you around to meet other kids."

A pause for a sip of water.

"They're actually carefully observing, looking for specific traits to pair with the nobles. Eventually, it's pared down to just a few with each noble child. Sometimes one or two, sometimes as many as four or five. Then they form what's called The Bond. They let it strengthen over the course of years of being together. I don't know the how of it, it's something related to Fae magic. It allows Stefan to draw strength from us. Not literally, more of a subconscious mental fortitude thing. It helps us all, to a greater or lesser extent. And it usually leads to a Crew becoming romantically involved. Sometimes between all the members, sometimes just with the noble. But not exclusively. The thought that he might ever even consider 'cheating' a bad thing is what makes it funny. That's the long winded lead up to our laughter. Yes, I visit Stefan. Alot. But he doesn't own me. I can, and have, had other visitors. Marian is the same."

"Wait... isn't she married to the Captain?" This from Teresa.

"Ah, that." Marian fields this one. "Among nobles, marriage is just a commitment that one day, you plan to have a child. A promise that you'll set your resources to raising that child. And it's why I'm married, and Jaya isn't."

Teresa seems to be absorbing this all fairly well. I can tell she wasn't, and still isn't really, comfortable asking about my relationships before this. I make a note to discuss it with her later. Sinem seems... doubtful.

"So. If that's the case, then what was that about your doctor? How did Jaya affect the Captain like that?"

In what is probably my most assholish action in recent memory, I dodge the question entirely.

"That's a really good question. I'm sure Marian can figure it out. Gotta run, bye!"

Downing my last bite of cheese, I flee for the shop.

***

Pushing a cart of gear in front of me I take in the architecture of the Academy. Behind me, Teresa does the same while pushing her own cart. We both spent six years here as apprentices, her a decade more recently. Little has changed over the years. Large brown stone buildings, green stained copper roofing. But while it looks similar to other parts of the city, here the stone goes all the way through. No thin facades over more modern materials. The stone itself has been altered, strengthened. An expensive treatment used to make a statement: Here there be Dragonkin.

I reflect that it's too bad Stefan and Marian couldn't join us. During previous classes they've enjoyed exploring, taking in the sights. They're just too tired still. Marian herself cornered me just before we left, extorting the promise of a visit tonight. Not the usual kind of a visit. She's tired and sore, and just wants a massage and some company. Honest.

As we approach the auditorium doors, I wave Teresa up next to me, so that we enter together. The main aisle is wide enough for us both, and allows me to take advantage of my Marker for once.

A deep breath from each of us, to calm excitement more than anything, and we're ready.

Pushing open the doors, we enter. The auditorium itself is like any other classroom ever made. Long slightly curved tables lined with chairs, sloping up and back in rows from the central podium area. The whole room shaped like a wedge cut from a circle, with one wide central aisle and a few smaller side ones.

Our entrance anything but silent, many pairs of young eyes turn to watch our advance. Most follow Teresa, with her more mature looks. A few older sets join them: several teachers sitting in the back. Most seem to be there as minders for the many apprentices, but there are a pair of older men I know that are administrators. Those two are following me. Strangest of all, sitting in his white robe trimmed in yellow, is an Aeronaut. What is he doing here? Wonder about that later.

A rough headcount tells me I guessed about right for my toys. Just under a hundred students, compared to my hundred twenty five toys.

Making it to the front podium, we park the carts, and turn to face the students. I immediately frown.

"Elston, what are you doing here again? I told you last time enough was enough."

In the front row, looking somewhat embarrassed, is a young Leviathan. Or Jormun, as they're often referred to in formal conversation. Classified as Water Dragonkin, as a whole their Markers are some of the most physically striking, adapted as they are to an ocean environment. Always strongly muscled, when living primarily in the water they maintain a dense layer of insulating blubber under tough, rubbery skin. Said skin is usually a dark grey in color, sometimes incorporating white or black patterning. Its form very much like that of the dolphins the clans train. In general they're also completely hairless. A small row of gill slits on their neck allow for extended time underwater. It allow them to strain air from the water like a fish, but doesn't allow them to be truly amphibious. Something about energetic activity needing more air than that. Biology isn't my strong suit, Marian understands it better than I do.

As an aside, Leviathan are considered one of the strongest Markers, even a small amount of the bloodline produces the full expression. An important factor when you're talking about the ability to live underwater or not.