Please...

Writers: Eimi, Shelly
Date Posted: 31st December 2005

Characters: Gaiya, L'cian
Description: Gaiya and L'cian are beginning to realize there is not taking back whats past
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 9, day 10 of Turn 3

"Can we play with the bronze, Gaiya?" a chorus of young voices begged. "If its all right with his rider," she laughed, looking around for his rider. Her smile almost fell as she noticed who the bronze belonged to.
This could be... awkward... "Hello, L'cian."

"Hello, Gaiya." He was a little pleased to see her - less so to see her children. "I wonder what a pack of tiny children could _possibly_ want with a big strong bronze dragon... I sure hope they'll help me wash him..." L'cian mused out loud to himself to tease the children a bit and to encourage them to set to work and let Gaiya and him alone.

"Oh, they are masters at scrubbing dragons, aren't you?" she asked, turning her eyes towards the small gang.

"Yeah!" they cried excitedly as they grabbed up the bronzeriders brushes and sweetsand like starving children at a feast.

Gaiya laughed as she watched them dash towards the water. "Ferna, make sure your sister washes his head, all right?" She smiled up at L'cain warmly, amused by the children and their love of washing dragons. "I guess you didn't need to suggest that twice."

"I'm just glad I didn't have to! I'm just fine sitting back and letting someone else deal with the great lump for once!" He sat down on the shore and relaxed. "I don't suppose you brought them down here because you knew _I_ was here, did you?"

"Uh, well, no, not really," Gaiya said with a slight blush. "Not that I'm not happy to run into you," she added quickly - politely.

"Don't be embarrassed - I'm only teasing." He assured her. "Gone are the days when I'd hope such an accident would be anything but. But for now you can keep me company while I enjoy a little rest thanks to your fosterlings."

"That sounds nice," she smiled. **And uncomfortable...** She knew she had just encouraged his little crush after the fateful Flight.
**Shards...** "How have you been?"

"About the same as always; I've been visiting my brother a bit more to help him settle in at Dolphin Cove - he's a harper. How've you been passing the days." L'cian knew that she was passing them with Ar'lis, but he figured he'd be polite and ask.

"Oh, you know," she shrugged, "playing with the kiddies. That's about it." Gaiya thought better of mentioning Ar'lis and all the problems the Flight had caused.

L'cian nodded but didn't reply. He had nothing to say. He couldn't ask her about what was going on in her life - that involved Ar'lis; he couldn't flirt with her - that was off limits now; he couldn't just sit in silence - they weren't close enough for it to be comfortable yet.
This just wasn't working.

Gaiya certainly wasn't comfortable as they looked out towards the sea and the bathing dragons. "so... how are drills?"

"How long do you intend to keep doing this, Gaiya?" There was an unexpected edge in his tone.

The sharpness in his voice startled her a bit. "Being friendly?
Hopefully a long time, L'cian."

"I can't just pretend that nothing happened between us. This politeness and civility is killing me. Our friendship wasn't like this before and I hate that it's like this now."

"L'cian, I'm... I'm sorry," Gaiya mumbled, afraid to meet his eyes.
Shards but this was all her fault. "I never meant for _this_ to happen..."

"I know, neither one of us did. I just think it's time we stopped pretending that everything was normal."

Her distress was evident in her voice. "If I had known that you would have felt this way, L'cian, I wouldn't have... Well, I wouldn't have come onto you that night... on the beach. I never thought you'd like me in that way."

"I didn't think things would be like this either. I've had casual relationships - I'm a dragonrider. But for whatever reason you've been different."

"L'cian... you're very sweet... and you were a wonderful... lover...
But..." How did things get so scortching messed up? She had enjoyed her time with him, very much but she had always been so careful not to lead him on. He sighed. "I get it. I can't have you. I'll just have to deal with it."
He got up and headed toward the fosterlings. "I should go do my job and help out those kids."

"Please, L'cian..." She stopped with a defeated sigh. There was nothing she could say to fix things. She had decided Ar'lis would be more than a fling, and with all that had happened to him recently, she couldn't go back on that... she just _couldn't_! "I'll go with you."

"Please don't." His voice was quiet and he didn't turn to face her. "Not just now... I feel much too feminine with all this talk about feelings it's time to be the big tough bronzerider. I can handle the fosterlings on my own."

She nodded silently, knowing that he would not see her. Perhaps it was better that way. Watching him walk away, she hugged her knees to her tightly. Shards... what had she done?

Last updated on the December 31st 2005

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