A Present For Meledei

Writers: AL, Devin, Chelle
Date Posted: 21st April 2011

Characters: Qorri, Z'ku, Meledei
Description: For Meledei's birthingday, Qorri sends her a present.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 10 of Turn 6

Z'ku

The Headwoman had been watching, but she bided her time. And then she
looked at her calendar and decided she would just give them a little push.
After all, it was the goldrider's birthingday and she was tired of watching
her mope around. So, she sent an invitation for the young bronzerider to
come to her office.

After receiving permission to enter, Z'ku stepped into the office.
"You wanted to see me Headwoman?"

"Indeed. Have a seat, Z'ku. Tell me, do you have plans for this
evening?" Of course, if he knew her reputation, he might have been quite
afraid at that point.

As he sat down he resisted the urge to make something up. A question
like that from the Headwoman probably meant she wanted him to work.
"No. Nothing important," he admitted.

"Good. Today is Meledei's birthingday and like a good little bronzerider,
I would like you to go to her, show her a good time and let it be a
memorable
day." Qorri pulled out one of her drawers. "However, you must be well
dressed."

"Her birthingday? Oh sh--" He caught himself. "Oh, no I forgot!" Then
the rest of her words sank in. "Um, Ma'am, what exactly do you mean by
show her a good time?" This was the Weyr and he accepted how things
were here, but Meledei wasn't that kind of girl.

"If I ever hear the word F'gol again, I will find a way to /between/ myself.
So, your job is to make her forget him, to make her happy, and to make
yourself happy in the process. I haven't missed the time you've been
spending
together." She pulled out a key from the drawer. "An unhappy goldrider is
not good for the Weyr, Z'ku."

Z'ku felt his cheeks warm. "We're friends ma'am." **And she might want
to keep it that way.** "I'll do my best to make her happy."

"Aye it is your duty to do so. And remember, Elleth may decide to fly in
the coming months and it would be good for her to choose someone who
will treat Meledei well." So maybe she was trying to tip the scales for the
boy and the girl, but she needed her Weyr to have as little strife as
possible.
It ran better that way. "And friends do not always have to stay just
friends."

Guilt tugged at him, remembering his initial reason for making friends
with Meledei. "I know, but what if she isn't ready to have anything
more than a friend?" It was almost a confession of his feelings and it
made him feel exposed.

"Then you wait and when she is, you're there. Till then, though, it'll keep
her occupied and end this moping around." Qorri was determined that it
would stop.

"Okay." Since he had forgotten her birthday, that brought up another
issue. "I didn't get her a present."

"Way ahead of you, son." She opened her drawer and pulled out a small
parcel. "It's not much, but I managed it. Found it in stores."

"What is it?"

"A bracelet. Not too flashy but enough to get her to think you put thought
into it." Qorri waited for him to open it.

"Oh." He swallowed and carefully opened the parcel.

"So go on and take it. You only have so much of the day left." Qorri almost
shooed him out of her office.

"Thank you," he said as he backed into the hall, the bracelet and
wrapping still cradled in his hands. Now to see Meledei, and hopefully
making her birthingday a happy one.

~*~

Z'ku knocked at her door, the bracelet carefully re-wrapped and hidden
behind his back.

"Z'ku?" The answer didn't come from inside her weyr, but outside.
Meledei drew up behind Z'ku, surprised to see him there. He'd had
good timing, coming just as she was arriving. She glanced at the
package, an eyebrow arched upward, then looked to him. "Hey, coming
to see me?"

He spun so his back -- and the package -- were facing the other way.
"Yes. I hear it's your birthingday." He smiled.

"Oh yeah?" Meledei's mouth quirked to the side in a half grin and she
stepped past Z'ku to open up her weyr and invite him in. "Says who?"

"Does it matter? Unless you want to keep it a secret?" He arched an eyebrow.

Meledei laughed and shook her head. "It doesn't matter. And no, I'm
not keeping a secret." She motioned to the open door. "You coming in
or not?"

"Oh. Yes." He stepped into the weyr. He was sure she'd already seen
it, so there wasn't much point in hiding the package any longer. "I
got you a present." Z'ku held it out to her.

Meledei's eyes skipped down to the parcel and she slowly reached out
to take it. "That's very thoughtful of you." The goldrider's lips
curl up into a smile and begins to work on unwrapping it. "You didn't
have to."

He felt guilty because it wasn't really _his_ gift. "I wanted to get
you something." That was the truth, so he didn't feel guilty saying
it.

The package opened to reveal a bracelet of alternating deep green and
blue beads. "Oh, it's pretty!" The goldrider breathed, turning so
that she could look at it better in the light. "Where did you get
it?"

"I ... well ... actually, the Headwoman gave it to me." He just
couldn't come up with a good story.

"She did?" Meledei slipped her hand through the bracelet and secured the
delicate clasp. She knew just what she could wear it with too. "Why did
she give it to you?"

"I mentioned I didn't have a present for you yet, and she happened to have
this set aside, in need of a good home." It was a bit of embellishment, but
the core of it was true. "I thought it was perfect."

"I think it _is_ perfect. I have a gather dress it will go well with."
Meledei twisted the bracelet around her wrist, admiring it. "Thank you
Z'ku." She took a step forward and gave him a peck on the cheek. "You're
very sweet to have thought of me."

He felt his cheeks warm. "I always think of you."

"You're a good friend Z'ku." She reached down to squeeze his hand. "I'm
grateful for having you as a friend." And Tanom and Cosani. They had been
the three she'd been closest to and she had been grateful for their support
during everything when the world was tumbled upside down. "I do appreciate
you."

"Do you ever think maybe ..." He lost his courage before he could finish the
sentence.

"What?" Meledei tilts her head. He wanted to ask her something, but she
wasn't sure what.

"Could we ever be..." Z'ku took a breath and plowed on, "more than friends?"

The goldrider stood there and blinked. And stared. She hadn't expected
_that_. Or maybe she should have. After all, he did hang around her a lot.
Had since she Impressed. Since he Impressed. Since they both Impressed.
Her teeth worried her lower lip and finally she sighed, lowering into a
seat. "I don't know, Z'ku. I...I don't feel that way about you. And right
now, I don't think I should start thinking about a relationship. Especially
after my _last_ experience."

His shoulders slumped. "I wouldn't do that to you. I wouldn't hurt you like
that, and I wouldn't reject you." He knew he shouldn't have said anything.

"I'm not saying you would!" Meledei stated quickly, looking back up to the
young man. "I'm...just not ready for another relationship right now. Not
with anyone. Not even one of my best friends." And F'gol had been a best
friend too. She winced at the thought. Had. "Not...not right _now_. I
need more time."

"I didn't mean right now." Although he had hoped. "Just maybe ... someday.
When you're ready."

"I can't promise anything Z'ku. I like you, I do. But I can say maybe.
Some day." She could see that happening, though Meledei definitely wasn't
ready to pursue any sort of relationship beyond friendship right now. She
was still hurting too much from the last one.

He swallowed and nodded. That was something, at least. "Can you promise me
something else then?"

Meledei tilted her head, a cautious expression creeping over her face.
She had to be careful. She hadn't realised that Z'ku might have
wanted more than just friendship - and she didn't want him to have
false hopes. She didn't want to lead him on when she couldn't
guarantee anything. "What's that?"

"Promise me that you'll be happy today. It's your birthingday, and you
deserve to be happy." He hoped he hadn't ruined it for her.

"Z'ku, you've already made it happier."

Last updated on the April 27th 2011

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A Present For Meledei