So Much For Friendship

Writers: AL, Suzee
Date Posted: 14th February 2013

Characters: Meledei, R'enh
Description: The pair don't repair the rift.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 12, day 1 of Turn 6
Notes: NOTE: Comes after "Desperate Measures"

R'enh

Meledei rapped on the door, then opened it when she heard R'enh give
her leave. She then closed it behind her, but didn't really go
further. She had given him a few hours to cool off and she wondered
if she should have given him more. At the same time, she really
didn't want the sun to go down with anything like that between them.
She liked R'enh a lot, and she didn't like the fact that she had
managed to hurt him. "Hey."

R'enh looked up to see the young goldrider in his door. He wasn't
still angry but he wasn't in a good mood right then. "Hello," he said
and pushed away the hide he'd been working on.

Meledei stood there a moment, her fingers twisting one another. "I'm
sorry R'enh." She said finally. "I didn't mean to hurt you...I
didn't mean what I said the way it sounded..."

He looked at her steadily for a moment. Then he took a deep breath and
shook his head. "So, then what_did_ you mean?"

"Not much, really." Meledei's mouth twisted. "I didn't mean to
indicate that I had dislike for you. It was more of a joke, really. I
thought you were teasing me...I was teasing back."

That didn't really explain what she said but perhaps she still didn't
realize. "I didn't think you dislike me Mel," he said softly. "But you
_did_ said you might turn to me if you were _ desperate_. Desperate?
Really?" He should his head with a puzzled frown. "How do you think
that would make_anyone_ feel. Let alone a friend. Which is what I
thought we were."

He held up a hand when it looked like she was about to speak. "Your
words carry weight because of who you are... who Elleth is. Whether or
not you're young for the position you're looked up to in this Weyr.
Maybe this is just a learning experience and we move on?"

Meledei didn't understand. She'd teased her other guy friends in
similar manners on more than one occasion. She heard guys making fun
of other guys with various cracks and insults all the time, so it
boggled her that what she had said had bothered him. She hadn't meant
to hurt him. "Are we still friends?"

"Yes," he said. "We're still friends." Truthfully he knew he was just
frustrated and perhaps he'd over reacted but her wording had hurt. Or
then it could have just been his pride that was injured. After all, he
was a not unfortunate looking bronzerider and that didn't make him the
choice ladies made when they were 'desperate.'

"Now, if you don't mind. I've got work to do." He pulled the hide he'd
been pretending to work on back to him and tried to concentrate on it.

Meledei's face twisted at the sting of his words. She had hurt him,
yes, but it had been unintentional and his reaction to her tease
seemed overdone in comparison to what she had done. The dismissal
that R'enh gave her, however, was not unintentional. If they were
still friends, wouldn't he have forgiven her? He didn't_sound_ like
he'd forgiven her. "Okay." It was a half whisper and the last thing
she offered before she turned to head out the door. How had the day
gone so horribly wrong? And why wouldn't he accept her apology?
Meledei sniffed and stuffed her hands in her trousers. She had
managed to make a mess of things and the one thing she had thought
would fix it didn't work.

"So much for that friendship." She muttered as Meledei ducked her
head and hurried through the halls.

Last updated on the March 7th 2013

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

So Much For Friendship