Mindjacker vs Mindreader: Who’s the best BF for Kira?

In Closed Hearts, Raf (Kira’s boyfriend) and Julian (the revolutionary jacker who wants Kira to join the cause), meet briefly. It’s not a pleasant encounter, well, not for Julian in any event. The lovely and talented Sher A. Hart asked me to put Raf and Julian in a room together so that they could discuss which one of them would be better for Kira. Which is an interesting question, given that Kira is completely in love with Raf…

Raf takes a seat on the couch of the mages’ (jacker revolutionaries’) warehouse and glances nervously at the mindjackers milling around him. Julian takes a chair from the kitchen table, turns it backwards, and sits facing Raf. Julian temples his fingers and taps his lips.

Raf: “What?”
Julian: “I just can’t figure it out.”
Raf (*shifts uncomfortably*): “Don’t hurt yourself trying.”
Julian (*smirks*): “I mean, I can’t figure out what she sees in you.”
Raf: “That’s really none of your business, is it?”
Julian: “Why would Kira want to be with someone she can control so utterly?” *waves a hand at Raf* “You’re just a mindreader! She could jack into your head and make you do anything. Feel anything. Believe anything.”
Raf: “Kira would never do that.”
Julian: (*looks skeptical*) “How would you know?”
Raf: “I trust her. Besides, she knows I would do anything for her anyway. All she has to do is ask. I’m not the one trying to drag her into some kind of crazy war with the world! You and your demens ideas about jackers being the” (*makes air quote fingers*) “next evolution of mankind. All you’re going to do is get her killed.”
Julian: (*narrows his eyes*) “Oh, and I suppose you can keep her safe? With your vast ability to – what is it you do again? Oh right, read minds. You’re like a guppy trying to guard a shark. You can’t even keep yourself safe.”
Raf: “I’ll keep her safe by being smart. By helping her hide. And by letting the world figure out it’s own mess. To me, Kira’s the only thing that matters, and I’ll do whatever it takes.”
Julian: “You don’t even know what she’s capable of.”
Raf: (*stands*) “I know better than you ever will.”
Julian: (*looks up from his chair*) “Really? I guess you saw that coming, then? Her performance with the changelings? On the tru-casts?”
Raf: “It doesn’t surprise me. That’s kind of girl Kira is. Brave. Strong. And she’s always looking out for people.”
Julian: “Which is precisely why she belongs with me. I mean, with us, leading jackers forward, not hiding out in a diner in the suburbs pretending to be a waitress. Wasting her potential. She could be so much more. Will be, as soon as she stops playing mindreader and joins her kind.”
Raf: (*clenches fist*) “You leave her alone!”
Julian: (*stands up from chair*) “Careful, reader. The only reason you’re still standing is because Kira cares about you. But don’t push it.”
Raf: “If you get her hurt, I will kill you.”
Julian: “I’m not the one you have to worry about.”

Kira: (*strolls from the back*) “Um, what’s going on?”
Julian and Raf eye each other. “Nothing,” they both say at once.