Calming A Racing Heart

Chapter Eight

          When he returned to his apartment, Larcin called his superior officer to request an extended leave. He was scheduled to navigate a ship to Arcorna in the Della system in the morning. He couldn't leave until he had his relationship with Joshua resolved. He was informed that Commander Klun had already submitted and approved leave for both him and Silka. He was sure Silka would welcome some extra time with Leavac.

          Later that night the three of them had dinner together. Larcin told them about his meeting with Joshua.

         "How could that happen? How could one our people be raised all this time by an Earth Human and no one was aware of it." Leavac was livid. On their home world, Leavac worked as an elementary school childcare worker. She had no tolerance when it came to the mistreatment of a child. 

          "Shouldn't we inform the authorities or someone?" she asked Larcin.

           "I don't think that would be a good idea just yet. It's going to be chaos when word gets out. I'm not ready for that and I'm sure Joshua isn't either. We have more important things to get settled first."

          "No wonder it was so hard for you to find him. How did he take it? The news that he wasn't who he thought he was."

          "I don't think he believed me. He seemed way too calm about it all."

          "Do you think he was put off that you were a man?" Silka asked.

          "We really didn't get into that. It was kind of got lost in all the other shocks I had to lay on him."

          "What about you? Are you feeling any better about him being a man?" Silka asked. "I mean, do you feel like you would want to....well you know." Silka make a well know but obscene hand gesture to clarify his meaning.

           "Silka!!" Both Larcin and Leavac yelled at him at the same time. Larcin raised his hand to slap his little brother across the back of the head but Leavac beat him to it.

          "Could you please be serious for a change?" Leavac chastised him.

          "I was being serious. It's a serious part of a pair's relationship," Silka defended himself.

          "Only if you are paired with a sex crazed other like you," Leavac responded.

          "I didn't hear you complaining about my craziness last night." Silka gave his other a smirky smile. Leavac tried to smack him again but Silka managed to duck away in time. Having been privy to their antics since they first met, Larcin just laughed.

           "Let's be adults here." Silka continued seriously. "We all know how this goes. The emotions involved when a pair first bond. I don't imagine it's any different for same sex pairs as it is with anyone else."

          "Honestly Silka, I'm confused about what I feel. I mean, we've all heard how people talk about jastuk pairs." Larcin used the least offensive term he'd heard. There were other terms with far worse connotations. "I do admire his strength. What it must have taken for him to endure what was happening to him without even knowing why. I don't know what I would have done these last ten years if it wasn't for the support of all of you. Other than that, I just don't know."

          Larcin wasn't ready to discuss the yearnings he felt building inside his heart, and other places. He was having trouble facing them himself.

          "Do you think he's attracted to you?" Leavac asked. "In that way, I mean."

          "I think he might be. He kept touching my hand." Larcin rubbed his fingertips. The memory of Joshua's touch still made his fingers tingle. It was a pleasant feeling.