Some Fluff... I felt like writing it.
Shh...
Author: Ghost of Eternity
Pairing: Lirrel/Jobber
Fandom: The Oran Trilogy by Midori Snyder (between "Sadar's Keep" and "Beldan's Fire")
Archive: here, fanfiction.net, Passion and Perfection
Summary: Even in the coldness of the room, Lirrel felt so warm and safe.
Note: I love this book series, and I always knew there was subtext between Lirrel and Jobber. So, ergo... here it is.
Disclaimer: I own nothing.
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Lirrel lay there on the bed, crying quietly. The sobs were muffled by the pillows, but they were audible to any who passed.
The sight of her father's body still haunted her every time she closed her eyes, and it took all of her strength to fight back the revulsion she still felt.
Zein... her strong, loving, caring father... the man who had left without a word when she was so young. The man whom she had tried to emulate in her ways as a peacekeeper. She could still see him as he was when she was a child, smiling and happy. He used to tell her stories, and bring her little presents and trinkets. She still had a few of the animals he had carved for her, in her old trunk in Amer's tent.
But now... now he was gone. She had never told him that she still loved him, still wanted him to pull her into his arms and call her his little Lirrel, and tell her everything was all right.
Alas, it could never be.
And that thought brought fresh tears and the sobs anew. This time Lirrel allowed herself to grieve, her cries becoming more audible with every passing moment.
Jobber and Shedwyn stood outside the door. Both were still weakened by the attempt of the Queen's to use them as pawns, but even in that they had come to see their friend.
Shedwyn looked over at Jobber, watching the flame-green eyes tinged with worry... and maybe something else. "How long has she been in there?"
"Since they took Zein to be buried with the rest." Jobber answered quietly, remembering the agonized scream that had escaped from Lirrel's lips when she had told her the news. The Ghazali girl had collapsed into Jobber's arms, and even though it took all of her remaining strength, she had carried her to the room, cradling her like a child.
She looked over at Shedwyn, and swore quietly, "Z'blood... what do we do?"
"You need to go in there." Shedwyn said softly, her eyes watching Jobber's widen slightly.
"Me?"
"Yes, you Jobber. You're the only one who can get through to her." Shedwyn said, knowing she was right. She'd seen Lirrel’s adoration of the fire girl, her quiet way of watching her showing more than friendship. She had also seen the way Jobber would leap to protect the air girl, defending her to the last if need be. She knew that they needed each other. "Go to her Jobber. She needs you."
Jobber knew Shedwyn was right. She nodded, and then carefully opened the door. “Lirrel?”
Lirrel looked up to see Jobber standing in the doorway, watching her. The copper hair shone bright, and in even in the dark, Lirrel could see the green eyes she loved shining.
“Jobber… what do you want?”
“Z’blood Lirrel. Can’t a friend check on a friend?” Jobber asked, sitting on the edge of the rickety bed, concern in her eyes. She reached over and cupped Lirrel's cheek, stroking it with her thumb. “Your da is gone… it makes sense as to why I’m in here, don’t it?”
Lirrel relaxed into Jobber’s touch, the heat of the other woman flowing into her and making her feel safe. She nodded her throat still tight with tears.
“Lirrel… you can cry in front of me. It’s all right.”
At those words, the Ghazali threw herself into Jobber’s arms, laying her head in her lap and crying. She cried for her father, for the dead both Oran and Silean. She cried for all of them, for Eneas, Wyer, Faul, Treys… she cried for the water girl, whenever they would find her. She cried for Shedwyn, who was almost lost to Huld’s power…
She cried because she had almost lost Jobber. Her dear, dear Jobber, who she loved with all of her heart, without whom she would be lost. And she cried for herself.
Jobber stroked her hands through the henna-tinted black hair, murmuring softly like she had seen mothers with their children. Her heart ached to see the pain Lirrel was in, and she swore to herself she’d see to it she never had to go through it again.
Because she loved her.
“Here now Lirrel… shh, shh… come on, you’re getting me trousers wt, hey? Faul just nicked these for me, and I don’t want ‘em getting dirty just yet.”
A small laugh and Lirrel looked up at Jobber, her face streaked with tears, but a tiny bit of mirth in the pearlescent eyes. “Nicked them?”
“Yeah. Nick means to steal, pinch. You know, to take? Zorah’s tits Lirrel, you ain't nothing listening to me and Finch?” The fire girl asked, earning another tiny laugh from the girl in her lap.
Lirrel sat up, wiping the tears from her face. After a moment of silence, she said quietly, “Thank you Jobber.”
“O’course,” Jobber replied just as quietly.
The two of them looked at each other, and then, Lirrel surprised herself by leaning over and ever so gently pressing her lips to Jobber’s.
Jobber froze at the sensation of the cool lips on hers, her eyes wide with shock. After a second or two of that, she closed her eyes and gave in to the kiss, reaching around and pulling Lirrel into her lap. Z’blood, it’d been so long since she’d had another dell kissing her. But of course, this wasn't just any dell; this was Lirrel… the girl she loved.
Jobber’s lips were warm and soft and Lirrel could feel herself drowning in what she'd wanted after so long. She was a little startled when Jobber pulled her into her lap, but she let it happen. She straddled Jobber’s lap, knees on either side of her thighs and wound her arms about her neck, shyly kissing back.
Finally, she felt the calloused hands on her shoulders and felt herself being pushed away slightly. She opened her eyes to see Jobber’s, fire, happiness and confusion dancing in them.
They both said nothing, merely watching the other. Finally, a slow smile spread across Jobber’s face, and she leaned forward, nuzzling Lirrel's nose with her own. “Z’blood, Lirrel… how come you never said?”
“I didn’t know… I wasn’t sure if you’d understand how I felt.” Lirrel said, a blush coloring her dark cheeks.
“But you could’ve heard my thoughts-“
“I didn’t want to.” Lirrel said. “I didn’t want to be rejected.”
Jobber had to laugh. “By the fire Lirrel, anyone who rejected you would have to be mad.”
Finally, Lirrel laughed too; a happy, joyous sound that Jobber had sorely missed. Jobber let her laugh for a few moments, and then cupped Lirrel's cheek once more.
“Lirrel… I love you.” There, she said it.
The answering smile on the Ghazali’s face made Jobber smile back to as she answered, “I love you too Jobber.”
With that, Jobber leaned back, pulling Lirrel on top of her and lying back on the bed. Lirrel curled into the fire girl, the heat from Jobber’s body making her feel warm and loved.
Finally, both of them succumbed to sleep, nestled in each other’s arms.
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2/22/2008 10:57 AM