16. Bjorn

16

Bjorn

“Anyway, you were telling us about shibari.” I kiss Xander’s cheek and go back to prepping my ingredients.

Kaino rolls their eyes but humors me. “Right before you and I split up, I stumbled on a YouTube video about it.” I nod, remembering bits and pieces of that conversation. “It was fascinating, and watching the videos was soothing, almost hypnotic. Anyway, after we split, I bought a bit of rope and learned some of the knots on my own. When I felt I had those down, I began watching videos on how to connect them. The patterns are beautiful, and focusing on knot tying and rope placement is centering in a way I haven’t found with anything else.”

Xander takes a sip of his wine. “I love the way dragonfly and spiral futomomo look.” We both stare at him, and he shrugs. “What? I can look at YouTube videos, too.” I have no idea what those are, but I try to memorize the names so I can look them up later.

“Anyway, I knew it was time to find a mentor. Learning knots on my own was one thing, but there’s so much more to the art than that, and I wanted to learn it all. Once I began working with a teacher, I quickly discovered that the rope overcame my issues with touch. There was no hesitation on my part. No crawling skin or even the slightest discomfort. I could touch my class partner or the model as long as rope was involved, and it felt pleasant because they were part of the art I was making.”

“So you only do the tying? You’re not into being tied?” They shake their head, and I’m not the least bit surprised. “Have you ever been tied?”

“Yes, as part of the classes I took. It would have been rude to expect someone to play mannequin for me but not to do the same for them. But I’ve never been, nor will I ever willingly be, immobilized. My arms and legs have always been untethered. Though I have been bound into corsets, harnesses, sleeves, thigh cuffs, gauntlets, and other variations that leave me free to move.”

Xander tilts his head, eyes focused on some distant spot. “I’m trying to decide if I’d be willing to have my wrists and ankles bound at the same time. I feel like I could handle having my wrists tied or my ankles tied. In either case, it would be easier to get help if something happened to the person tying me.”

Almost automatically, Kaino clarifies the terminology. “The rope top.”

“Yes, the rope top. Anyway, I’m pretty sure I could handle one or the other. I don’t think I’d like both.” He turns to me. “What about you, Bjorn?”

I pause in the middle of deveining a shrimp. “Yeah, I don’t think I’d have an issue with it. In case I haven’t made it clear, I’m not into the suspension thing at all. That’s just asking for trouble.” I wink at Kaino. “Not that I question your rigging abilities. I just know my luck.” I pat the scar on my side.

“Someone’s been doing their homework.” Kaino grins and takes a sip of their wine. “But yes, let’s not tempt fate.”

“Hey, I like to take an interest in my—” I hesitate, unsure what we should call whatever we are. ‘Friends’ is too platonic, but it’s too early to be in the partner category. Right? Though, with our history, ‘date’ seems way too understated. ‘The person I’m seeing’ is too cumbersome. “What are we calling ourselves?”

Xander shrugs. “I vote for ‘boyfriends.’ This is round two for all of us. We get to skip over the generic ‘my date’.”

Kaino chuckles. “Well, besides the fact that two of us are a bit old to be using the word boyfriend, and by us I mean you two, I’m non-binary, so the term doesn’t apply. ‘Partner’?”

Xander’s face moves from outrage at the age comment to contrition. “No need to be cruel about the age gap, but I should have remembered about the gendered word. I’m sorry.” He wrinkles his nose. “There really isn’t a good term.”

I turn on the burner and pour oil into the pan, then add the onion, bell peppers, and garlic, stirring as I continue our conversation. “There isn’t. So, significant other? Partner?” They shrug noncommittally, and I’m pretty much out of viable options. “Boo? Snookums? Honey bunny? If we spoke Norwegian, we could go with kj?reste , which means dearest, but since neither of you speaks it, that seems a bit contrived.”

Kaino shrugs. “Let’s think about it. We don’t have to come up with a term right now.”

“So, back to the topic you glossed over so easily.” Xander waves his hand in the general area of my scar. “Bjorn, how is your side? Are you still in pain?”

I shake my head. “Nah. It’s fine. The muscles can get fatigued if I overuse them, but it’s been eight weeks, and I have a clean bill of health from the doctor.” Both Kaino and Xander raise an eyebrow, with the same ‘I call bs’ look, and it’s the most unnerving thing I’ve seen in a very long time. “Don’t do that.”

Xander sets down his wine. “Do what?”

“The eyebrow and look thing at the same time. It’s disturbing.”

Kaino doesn’t hesitate to call me out. “Then don’t lie.”

I grab the bottle of wine and add some to the pan. “Fine. The truth is, I’m at about eighty percent. At last week’s follow-up visit, my general physician said he’s happy with my progress. I’m still not allowed to lift heavy things for another month, which is bullshit, but whatever. Other than that, my instructions are to listen to my body and not overwork those muscles.”

Kaino still looks like they don’t believe me, but Xander seems to accept my answer. “Well, let us know if you need us to do anything for you.”

I add the chicken and rice to the pan, then cross the kitchen and gently take Xander’s face in my hands. “Thank you.” I press a soft kiss to his lips. “That means a lot, and I appreciate that you’re concerned for me.”

Xander loops an arm around my waist and leans into the kiss, only reluctantly allowing me to end it before things get too heated. His fair skin is a beautiful pink under his beard. “We’re both concerned. We only just got together again. You can’t jeopardize that by being stubborn.”

“Okay. I promise.” I turn around and place a hand on Kaino’s thigh and kiss them as well. “And thank you for pushing. I’m not the best patient, and even if I hate it, I appreciate that you call me on my bullshit. I know it’s because you care, and it means everything.”

Kaino places their hand over mine, their eyes sparkling mischievously. “I do care. And I promise you, Bjorn. I will always call you on your bullshit.”