Jungle Karma

by Starhawk

1. Sleeping Together

They were cool, RJ decided. Slightly smarter than he'd been at eighteen, but still convinced that someone out there had all the answers. That all they had to do was find that person, please them, and then all the secrets would be revealed.

If they ever did find a person like that, RJ hoped they would tell him who it was. In the meantime, he would assume the answers were within and search accordingly. Even if it meant answering a call from the Order of the Claw one more time.

"Hey, RJ!" Casey called. "Can I sleep over here?"

He didn't open his eyes. "Go wherever the spirit moves you, my friend."

"Why do you get to sleep there?" Theo's voice demanded. "I should--I mean, Lily should get first choice. She's the girl."

"Wait, what did you just say?" Lily jumped on him. "Now that we're back in the real world we're suddenly different? I'm confused."

"No, I'm just saying--" Even Theo's long pauses were less than a heartbeat. "If we're all living here, then you should have some personal space. Because you're a girl. You might want to do... girl things."

"What if I want to do guy things?" Casey asked.

"We're all guys," Theo said. He sounded impatient. But then, Theo always sounded sort of impatient. The impatient vibe just vibrated right off of him. "You can do guy things anywhere."

"So you're saying I should feel uncomfortable about being a girl in front of all you manly men?" Lily suggested. "But you guys, you're all the same, so you're fine?"

"What if I'm gay?" Casey added. "Does that mean I have to have personal space too?"

"There's sleeping rooms under the windows on either side," RJ remarked, trying not to smile. Never judge a book by its cover. He should remember to listen to himself when he spoke. Even when he didn't, except he would probably have to listen harder then.

Or maybe not as hard. If his words weren't drowning out what he was saying.

The kids' exclamations were happy and forgiving and he did let himself smile, then. It didn't take much to make them happy. That was good. He didn't have much, really. Maybe more than they were used to, but if they didn't get over that whole "master" thing they were going to have problems.

"Call this side!" he heard Casey shout.

"Seconded!" Lily's voice rang out.

"What do you mean, seconded?" Casey wanted to know. "You can't second a call. That doesn't make any sense."

"Why do you get to sleep over there?" Theo demanded. "And why do you want to sleep with Casey, anyway?"

"Because he's gay and therefore more likely to understand my girl things," Lily informed him. "Also, you're too neat. I'd trip over the clean."

"You should get one side and we should take the other," Theo argued. He didn't pay any attention to her "reason." "You're not allowed to intimidate him into working for you, you know."

"Oh, is that why you want to sleep with me?" Casey asked, possibly talking to Theo. There was a pause, and then, "That sounds so wrong."

"I don't want to sleep with anyone!" Theo exclaimed. "You're all twelve years old!"

"Good," Casey agreed. "That works out. Lily and me over here, and then you can have your personal space. To do your short person things."

"My what!" Theo sounded outraged.

"Good night, Theo," Lily singsonged. "Sleep tight!"

"Don't let the tall bugs bite," Casey added. "Or maybe you should. It's not too late for a growth spurt."

"I could kick your butt, cub."

RJ opened his eyes at that. Contrary to his tone, though, Theo was actually smiling. Casey just laughed. "Maybe," he said, "but you wouldn't have anyone to hand you a towel after you were done."

Theo gave him a tiny salute, and that seemed odd, because the order was really more into bowing than saluting. "Maybe next time."

Casey lifted his chin, but it was more an acknowledgment than a challenge. He gave the distinct impression of having waved, despite the fact that he hadn't moved his hands at all. RJ squinted at him, tilting his head a little, because there was a funny haze around him sometimes--

Just for a moment. It was gone when he looked more closely. And wasn't that just the nature of things, that trying to touch the intangible, to hold it in your hand... like the monkeys reaching for the moon's reflection in the water. Trying to hold it made it disappear.

All things in time, he thought.