On Her Axis

by Jeanette Lynn

I flopped down against Marre as my limp as a noodle body gave out, taking Perre down with me.

  We laid there, sweaty and exhausted as the clock chimed somewhere in the house.

  It was oddly almost peaceful being sandwiched between them, aside from the fact that they were both still inside of me.

  Marre cracked open one eye and sniffed the air.

  “Did you make bacon?” he asked hopefully, his eyes lighting up.

  “Yes,” I huffed, laughing as his eyes lit up, swatting at my knight playfully, giggling when he smacked his lips loudly together and rubbed his hands gleefully.

  Perre was silent as he got up and pulled out of me carefully, walking straight into the bathroom to wash up.

  He came out a few minutes later with a wet washcloth, tossing it at me hastily as he strode from the room, not even glancing at me as he made a hasty retreat.

  My shoulders slumped as I stared at the cool, wet cloth.

  It was probably stupid, but tears stung my eyes, the washcloth still in my hand as I glanced at the door where he’d just walked away.

  Ran off was more like it.

  Is this how it’s always going to be? Perre running off in a snit whenever there was a chance for real intimacy?

  Marre took the cloth from my hands and set me next to him on the bed, cleaning me up as I hurriedly wiped the tears from my eyes.

  “Don’t cry, my love,” Marre whispered against my lips as he kissed me.

  Sniffling quietly, I kissed him back.

  “Fuck him,” he grumbled against my lips.

  I had to laugh at the irony of his statement.

  “I don’t think that will help me out much,” I hiccupped, “I did just that, and look where it’s gotten me so far,” I sighed sadly, a bitter laugh escaping me, sniffling a little more as Marre kissed my forehead and rubbed my back comfortingly.

  “I want to go home,” I whispered quietly as I hugged myself, tightening my arms around my middle for protection.

  Marre’s lips tightened, but he didn’t say anything right away.

  “Why don’t you take a nice, long, hot shower and we’ll discuss it when you get out, yeah? And you can eat some of that wonderful smelling food with me,” he persuaded, kissing me lightly on the lips.

  I kissed him back again and sighed as he worked his magic, his fingers kneading my stiff shoulders and neck as he kissed and nipped me boneless.

  “Okay,” I agreed breathlessly, and he smiled triumphantly against my lips.

  “I’m going to go check on something, but I’ll be back in a few minutes, alright?” He smiled, but it only kicked up at one corner.

  I nodded and headed towards the bathroom, turning on the warm water to let it warm up while I searched for a towel.

  A weird sensation came over me when I finally located an extra towel and began to step into the shower.

  A shock went through me and I stepped back from the shower. It felt like I was being pelted with someone else’s emotions. Enraged and wanting to pummel someone for hurting her.

  Her?

  He’s messing everything up, because he can’t get over his shit. Has to push and push. Testing her to see how far she’s willing to bend over backwards for him. Not anymore. I was silent until now and that makes me as guilty as him in all of this. I’ll take her away if I have to. Keep her from him, if that’s what it takes. The look on her face when he left her is killing me. Eating me alive from the inside out.

  “Oh, Marre,” I gasped as his thoughts faded from my mind.

  I grabbed onto the sink’s counter as more emotions assaulted my senses.

  I felt scared, pissed and worried, hoping I hadn’t scared her off this time.

  Scared who? Me?

  She’s going to hate me now. I couldn’t even look at her as I took the cowardly route and hightailed it out of there. What the hell am I going to do? I can’t keep shutting her out like this or she’s going to leave me. I don’t want to share her. Don’t want to have to watch as she falls more and more in love with Marre, while I skip by on the skin of teeth like a third wheel, stumbling along as I try to hold on to the best thing that’s ever happened to me.

  Perre! It’s Perre’s thoughts now. But... how is this even possible? They’re in my damn head.

  He really does care! My heart screamed, doing little excited cart wheels in my chest.

  But... he doesn’t know I know this... and I can’t just tell him. He still hasn’t accepted Marre as my mate.

  This is all such a mess!

  Magenta May O’Malley, what have you gotten yourself mixed up in girl?!

  I can’t make anyone happy. I’m causing tension between them, and unless I can find a solution, it always will.

  I groaned pitifully into my hands.

  I could just picture it now, Perre hurting my feelings, shutting me out when I need him most or just simply want to share things with him. Marre riding in to the rescue, easing my fears as he secretly plotted maiming Perre in retaliation.

  And children! What if there are children?

  We haven’t been using protection! There could already be one on the way...

  I can’t bring a baby into all of this madness!

  What kind of example would that set for him or her, them, for that matter, if we decide on more than one?

  I shook off the weird feelings and threw on some of Marre’s clothes, following my instincts to the backyard as they began to egg me on, urging me to hurry.

  I ran, sliding the door open and running outside, barefoot in the snow, as my mind screamed ‘Hurry! Hurry!’

  I entered a clearing and found Marre and Perre beating the tar out of each other, fists flying as they swung at one another, dodging blows repeatedly.

  “STOP!” I shouted, rushing towards them, “Just stop it, damn it!”

  But I couldn’t be heard over their own shouting as they exchanged blows.

  “This is all your fault! You pushed her too far and now she wants to leave!” Marre bellowed, landing a well-aimed punch to Perre’s left eye.

  “How the hell is this my fault?! You had her come here! That’s not your jacket, it’s Ponne’s! You lied! Just to get her here in the first place!” he growled out, landing a punch of his own, this one hitting Marre in the cheek.

  “If you didn’t spend all of your time comparing her to Ausha, we wouldn’t be in this mess!” Marre bellowed back, kicking his leg out to trip Perre.

  Perre landed flat on his back, and I leapt on Marre’s back to stop the fist he was about to land in Perre’s face.

  “Enough!” I shrieked, grappling for Marre’s closed, shaking fist, stilling him before he could really hurt Perre.

  “You defend him?” he growled, sliding me off of his back and turning around to face me, hands on his hips now as he waited for me to answer him.

  “I am so sick of this!” I yelled, poking a finger into Marre’s chest. “I won’t be the reason you two fight!” I shifted slightly, turning to glare at Perre, who was still on the ground. “I won’t be fought over like this! This is insane!” I shrieked, glaring at them both alternately, my hands fisted on my hips.

  “I don’t care what your hang up is! Hang ups- whatever! I won’t be toyed with and dumped on like some little doormat for your convenience!” I growled, pointing at Perre accusingly. “How dare you use sex against me for any reason! Trying to make me choose between you and Marre, leaving one of you behind!”

  My breath rushed from me as I panted out heavily, my air coming out in little white puffs around me.

  “I refuse to choose between you two! I can’t believe you could even try to make me!” I ranted, getting good and riled. “And I refuse, absolutely refuse! To marry either one of you!” I bellowed, glaring between the two of them.

  “You can’t beat the shit out of anyone who hurts my feelings either,” I told Marre warningly as he took a menacing step towards Perre. “How could you two expect me to live like this?” I let out in inarticulate shriek, gesturing around wild
ly, “Arguing and hurting each other constantly! And for what? Your pride!” I stomped my foot a little and let it fly, kicking snow at Perre.

  They both looked like they wanted to speak, but I slashed my arm through the air, silencing them both.

  I’m not done yet!

  “The fact that you can’t let anyone in, even for one damn second! You’re killing me,” I told Perre on a half choked sob, spinning around as I began rushing towards the house.

  Both of them were staring off after me, stunned expressions on their almost identical faces.

  I walked inside, slamming the sliding glass door with a satisfyingly jarring thud behind me. Heading for the com to call a cab, I quickly changed directions when then the doorbell rang.

  I walked over and answered it to find Tawn standing there, smiling at me excitedly. Her expression quickly changed, though, when she took in the expression on my face.

  “Good,” I grumbled snappishly, streaking past her, still barefoot. “Get me the hell out of here!” I barked, slamming the door closed behind me and heading straight for her hovie, hopping in and buckling up as she hurried and hopped in too.

  “You might want to get a move on,” I motioned for her to speed things up as she started to take off, my new 'other sense' telling me they’d figured out Magenta had left the building, Tawn’s foot stepping on the gas as she got the message and sped off, two pink dots running into the street behind us, visible in the rear view mirror suddenly, but getting smaller and smaller as we rushed off.

  “Tawn,” I ground out after a few minutes.

  “Yeah, Mags?” she said uneasily, maybe even a little squeamishly, glancing at me worriedly.

  “Don’t ever lie to me about anything ever again,” I clipped out tersely, turning my head to stare out the window as we sped by. “Even if you just want to help and it’s something as stupid as a jacket,” I elaborated.

  “Promise,” she vowed solemnly, and I closed my eyes as I sped further and further away from my men, hoping I’d made the right decision.

  ˜˙˜˙˜˙˜

  “Uhhmm, Mags?” Tawn said hesitantly after a half an hour of deafening silence.

  “Hmm?” I murmured, not bothering to open my eyes as I rested my head along the back of my seat.

  “I, uh... know this is terrible timing but... I promised Ponne’s mom I’d stop by to drop off Spunky’s medication...”

  “Who’s Spunky?” I asked, my eyes popping open to stare at her.

  “Ponne’s mom’s dog. He has west nelem virus and he’s getting worse. The vet said he has to have it for his lungs or they might build up with fluid and suffocate him to death. She’s his baby...”

  “It’s alright, Tawn, I get it. No biggie,” I cleared my throat carefully, smiling a little at her.

  “Why not,” I muttered quietly so only I could hear, resigning myself to a meet and greet with Perre and Marre’s mother.

  Might as well get it over with already. It’s not like this whole thing hasn’t happened at lightning fast speed anyways, right?

  One second I’m single and the idea of two men sounds crazy, a few crazy days later and the idea of one without the other sounds empty. Even hard headed Perre with his ridiculousness.

  I groaned a little and rubbed at my eyes.

  Man, maybe I really broke my brain when I hit my head and it made me wacky or something.

  I know some alien races believe in kismet, but I never did before, not until now. How else could I explain everything? My feelings, their feelings, the very, very short courtship-if you could even call it that.

  There’s no other way to explain it though, my ass is hooked and I’m inexplicably stuck on them.

  Tawn made a few turns that led us onto a dirt path, the purple snow canvassing the landscape as we headed towards a beautiful farm house that spread out in front of us.

  Tawn pulled up in front of the drive and put the hovie in park, a sudden tapping sound startling me on her window before she could even get out of her vehicle.

  She unbuckled and grinned at the woman on the other side.

  This must be their mother, I thought, studying the statuesque Cardanian female on the other side.

  She had a thick winter coat on and a beanie covering her head and ears, but I saw Marre and Perre in her deep, chocolate brown eyes as she caught me staring through the corner of her eye and looked over at me to wave at me too, a welcoming smile on her happy face.

  I waved back, caught by her enthusiasm and open friendliness towards someone she didn’t even know.

  Tawn opened her door and hopped out, eagerly greeting the Cardnanian with a big hug.

  “Tawn, honey, did you bring Spunky’s medicine?” she asked and a worry line creased her brow.

  “Of course, Mama,” Tawn answered, quickly releasing her to pull the vials out of her coat pocket.

  “Well, come on in, it’s frostier than Nero in a snit out here! Let’s get inside! Oh, and bring your friend too, sweetie, she looks cold!”

  Tawn gave me an apologetic shrug and followed ‘Mama’ into the house.

  I girded myself for the cold weather and whatever else was in store for me.

  Well, it’s now or never.

  Taking a deep breath, I hopped out, running up the steps and rushing into the house as my toes prickled from the icy contact with the snowy ground.

  “You don’t have any shoes on!” Perre and Marre’s mother exclaimed, grabbing a blanket off the back of the couch and rushing over to me.

  “You must be freezing,” she burst in, shivering on my behalf as she threw the blanket around my shoulders and gestured for me to sit down by the fire place.

  “I’ll get you both some tea,” she gestured towards the crackling flames, “warm your bones.” And then she was off in a flurry of pink fluttering limbs, heading towards a kettle of tea she had warming on the stove already.

  I watched her as she hurried into the kitchen, bustling around busily to get us warm mugs of tea as quickly as possible.

  She walked back in a few minutes later and handed them to us, taking a seat by us on the love seat.

  I nodded my head in gratitude.

  “Thank you,” I murmured quietly as I took a sip of from the hot, steaming mug.

  “You’re quite welcome...” she started, but paused when she took in the ‘I’m with stupid’ shirt I was wearing and the dark blue pajama bottoms that read, ‘horny little devil’ all over them in white print, complete with little winking red-horned devils patterned on them.

  They were peeking out from beneath the blanket I had draped over my shoulders, and you could make them out perfectly.

  “What did you say your name was, my dear?” Perre and Marre’s mother asked innocently, an excited gleam in her eyes before she closed them and inhaled deeply, taking a few yoga type soothing breaths as we sipped our tea.

  Weird, I thought uneasily. I think she’s friggin’ sniffin’ me!

  “Uh, I didn’t.” I glanced at Tawn but she seemed just as befuddled as me.

  I tried to study her profile a little closer, looking for clues, but she turned ever so slightly, shadowing her expression from me.

  Perre and Marre’s mother just sat there cradling her mug, watching me intently, as if waiting me out, I felt, when I brought my gaze back to hers. She smiled encouragingly and cocked her head a little to the side, gesturing with her lower limbs, that odd, blinking gaze of hers curious.

  “Erm, I’m Magenta,” I felt the need to blurt, “Magenta O’Malley, but, uhm, everyone just calls me Mags.”

  And there went the yoga breaths again.

  Is this a female Cardanian thing?

  A gasp escaped the strange female’s lips, and she opened her eyes and popped up, startling me as she cupped her hands over her mouth and bellowed towards the back of the house, “Oren! Nero! Come meet Tawn’s friend, Mags! I think you’ll really like her!”

  I watched, wide eyed, as an older version of Marre entered the room, wiping his hands on a grease r
ag as he tried to swipe black grease smudges off of them, all four of his hands covered in black goop.

  “Yes, Ah Cah Eema? What was it you wanted me to see, my love?” he asked quietly in a deep melodic voice, looking over at his wife tenderly.

  “Meet Mags,” she enthused, introducing us quickly, pulling me up to usher me over to him. “She’s Tawn’s friend,” she explained gleefully, grinning from ear to ear, her hands clamped on my shoulders as she walked me over to Oren.

  “Umm, hello sir.” I cleared my throat awkwardly, the tea still clutched in my hands.

  “Why, Mags, I love your pj’s, sweetie, where ever did you get them?” she asked cheekily, and I turned three shades of red, my face flushing hotly at her not so subtle hint.

  She knows!

  Oh, god, she knows!

  Wait...

  She could smell that!

  Oh, eewww!

  I knew Cardanians had super sniffers- Perre smelling Marre and me goofing around in the kitchen with his back turned is testament to that- but... I didn’t really think about how well or how awkward that could be.

  Mother’s should not be trying to tell stuff like that! Just... no!

  Oren studied my choice of ensemble, taking me in from head to toe. He shrugged his massive shoulders and his brows beetled.

  “Quit teasing her, love, you’re making the poor girl uncomfortable,” he chided his wife after a long pause, giving me a small, friendly, but slightly confused smile, as if to say ‘heck if I know, honey’.

  “But, Orie, don’t her jammies look familiar? Don’t they just, erm, smell like a certain fabric softener we know?”

  If she stresses that anymore, I’ll dig a hole and bury my head in it myself, I thought, mortified.

  “What have you been up to, wife?” Oren demanded quietly, lowering his voice, arching his eyebrows at her questioningly, “You been doing something I should know about? You're acting uh... odd.” He frowned, puzzled, scratching at his head in confusion.

  “Oh, for Pete’s sake! Smell her already!” she cried, pushing me towards him.

  Grunting stubbornly, I pushed my heels into the ground to try and stop her, ducking under all four of her arms and running over to the back of the couch to hide behind Tawn for protection.