The Answer is No

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 19th January 2020

Characters: Aviday, L'fic
Description: Aviday asks a hopeful question and gets a painful answer
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 13 of Turn 10
Notes: Mentioned: T'kala

Aviday

If there was one man Aviday secretly wanted, it was _him_. She sighed
as she watched him bathe his brown from around the tree, eyes shining
as her eyes followed the bare line of his muscular back. His dark hair
was tousled and sweat trickled down his back in fetching drops that
made her whole body tingle. She'd never spoken about this particular
desire, but she'd watched this man from the moment she'd arrived at
Dolpins Cove. And he'd never been with her mother, which was even
better.

**If L'fic would just smile at me, I'd melt all over into a big
puddle.** He made her feel things like no one else ever had. A
thrilling tingle that went all over. She pressed her cheek against the
trunk of the tree wistfully. **I wish...** Aviday flushed at the
thought.

Some riders didn't mind helping out a new weyrling. If she was just
lucky enough, maybe he wouldn't. True, the Weyrlingmasters had told
her that she needed to be fifteen, but that was only three months
away. Maybe, just maybe, if she asked him...Dragonriders knew how
important it was, right? And not everyone was asked to do that.

She continued to watch him, eyes bright as she mentally screwed up her
courage. **Just ask, silly!** She straightened, wishing she'd thought
of wearing one of the tops that T'kala had scowled at. Her weyrling
tunic didn't display what little she had. Instead, she tucked it in
and hoped that it showed enough. Stepping out and drawing on a
measure of confidence, she approached L'fic and called out. "UHm...do
you need any help, L'fic?"

L'fic looked up and with the flick of his head he tossed his hair out
of his eyes, sending little droplets of water flying. He eyed the
youth and the shoulder knots. The brownrider was never one to turn
down help washing Gaelith, since the brown was the size of a small
bronze. "Grab a brush," he said, indicating the bucket up on the
shoreline.

She hurried to grab a brush, rolling up her trouser legs to her knees.
Plunging into the water eagerly, she began to scrub, all along
flicking sidelong looks at him. What could she say? How could she ask?
Her mouth began to work before her brain could really answer those
internal questions. "Guess this can take a long time, huh? Do you work
with any weyrlings? With lessons and stuff?"

"Nope," L'fic answered as he set back to brushing away at Gaelith's
hide. He hoped that this wasn't going to be one of those chatty
Weyrlings that asked a million questions while trying to complete the
task.

"Oh." That deflated her a little and for a moment, she just scrubbed
while she mentally floundered. "Uh... well, what if a weyrling asked
you for help with something important? Like really really important?
You'd help, right?"

The brownrider inwardly sighed. **Definitely one of those weyrlings
that asks a million questions.**

"I guess that depends on what it is," L'fic said as he bent over to
rinse his hands.

She began to scrub a little closer to L'fic and couldn't help now but
openly watch him as he moved. Her mouth opened and words spilled out
that she hadn't prepared well. "Uh...what about helping weyrlings
with their first times? Cause my green Kobeth will rise in a few
months and I haven't, you know...so, I really like you and I kinda
hoped you'd help."

L'fic swung around, bewilderment in his eyes. "Me? Help you? Haven't
you noticed you're washing a brown? Brownriders don't sleep with
little," he looked the Weyrling up and down, "boys. You'll need to
talk with a blue or greenrider. Sorry, buddy." He tousled the kid's
hair before turning away to go wash Gaelith's tail.

Aviday's jaw dropped and she stood, helpless with the brush dangling
from her fingers. Of all the times she'd been thought of as a boy,
this had to be the absolute worst of all. It hurt more than
embarrassed her. She wanted to duck away from his hand, but was too
stunned. Her voice was soft and flat, almost a whisper, "I'm a girl."

"What was that?" L'fic called back over his shoulder, unable to quite
make out what the boy had whispered.

She almost felt like crying. "I'm not a boy." It was louder, but there
was definite embarrassment in the tone now. "I'm a girl."

"Oh," L'fic just stared at her for a moment, at a loss for words.
"Sorry about that. The answer is still no."

"But...why?" Maybe she shouldn't have asked. Maybe she should have
just left it alone. But his answer hurt and she felt her confidence
crumble right at his feet.

L'fic had hoped the girl would leave it at that, but since she asked.
"Physical attraction is necessary for sex and well," he gestured
between them, "there isn't any."

Aviday felt like she'd been slapped directly in the face by his brutal
honesty. Not pretty, not attractive... not enough of a girl.
Everything she feared about herself was true. She felt her eyes
stinging and blinked rapidly to hold back the tears. "oh..." She
swallowed hard and put the brush down in the bucket. "...sorry, L'fic.
I guess I shouldn't have bothered you." Hugging herself tightly, she
turned and hurried away, shoulders hunched as though expecting a blow.

Last updated on the February 1st 2020

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

The Answer is No