Down To The Wire

Writers: Anika, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 26th May 2015

Characters: Ilyssia, A'kua
Description: Aluka gets one final kick in the pants. Ilyssia gets a kick out of seeing it happen.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 27 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Ninaine, E'naer, D'kere

Ilyssia

The redhead added a little more lemon juice to his tea and had a cautious
sip. When swallowing the citrus actually felt good, he had some more. He
had been doubtful when the healers suggested using lemon to help his throat
keep recovering, but maybe there was some merit to it. Still, the resulting
sourness made him mumble "Blech," in disgust and turn to his dinner to help
get the taste out of his mouth. Why couldn't the healers have suggested
oranges instead?

"Thyme," Ilyssia said approaching her friend. She hadn't seen as much of
him lately and those times she _had_ seen him things hadn't gone as well as
she might have liked. Though she'd tried her hand at flirting, either she
wasn't very adept or he wasn't interested. Weyrling lessons, drills, and
elevator duty had kept her particularly busy lately so opportunities hadn't
been plentiful. Graduation to senior weyrling was fast approaching and
she'd all but decided on the more direct approach once that milestone had
been met.

The Candidate automatically looked up at Ilyssia's voice, and the second
his eyes met hers, he felt a rush of embarrassment over how he had been
avoiding her, alarm at realizing the deadline Ninaine had set was all too
close when his voice was shot, happiness at seeing his friend, a moment of
hopeful and worried wondering if she was going to flirt with him again
(should he flirt with her now? He didn't know how, though!) and other
tangled emotions that made his cheeks flame. But he couldn't get up and
avoid Ilyssia, so he gathered his courage and huskily asked "What's this
about thyme?"

"One of Dyosha's favorite remedies for sore throat was thyme, usually
steeped in your tea. You should try it," she said taking a seat and
cocking her head. "Are you feverish?" she asked, noting his flushed cheeks
she reached out a hand to check for a temperature.

Aluka almost jerked away from Lys' hand, but her touch felt too good. "I'm
not sick," was all he said. "I just- I- Well, I had a fardlin' blow-up of a
tantrum three days ago. It had to be done. There was a lot that needed to
be said. Screamed, rather," he babbled nervously. Hey, she would have heard
it from him at some point, and he didn't think he could shut up right now
if he tried. "Cursed out my ma and grandsire, all the holders, my stupid
whorin' sire. It was drainin', but finally sayin' it or sayin' it again had
to be done. I had to go back to go forward."

"Thyme should still help," she said, trailing her hand to tenderly cup his
face before removing it. "Did it help?" she asked softly, worried for her
friend. She knew how deep some of those emotional wounds were. "To get it
all out?"

The Candidate found he actually wanted to tilt his head into Lys' hand, but
she moved it before he could. "It did," he admitted. "I think- I think a
lot of what I want to do, but never did, is possible now." He cleared his
throat and had a gulp of tea. "So, um- speakin' of movin' forward, how have
ya and Gwynnyth been doin'?"

Recognizing that Aluka didn't want to elaborate and understanding,
especially given their current location, she grinned at his change of
topic. Good! Really good, but they're keeping us plenty busy. You need to
come check out our weyr! It's great!"

His heart started hammering. There was a chance here. "When would be a good
time?"

"Tomorrow is rest day so this evening would be good or anytime tomorrow,"
she answered hopefully. "Or actually, anytime at all. I've been swamped so
I haven't had time to decorate yet but it came fully furnished. Not real
close to the dining hall or anything really, but it's good sized. It's got
both internal and external access. I thought that would be nice for having
visitors." Realizing she was babbling, she stopped, a gentle flush creeping
onto her cheeks. One visitor in particular really. How many times had she
imagined Luka in her weyr with her? Taking a calming breath to regain her
composure she decided to try her hand once more at a bit of innuendo, "I'll
be graduating to senior weyrling next sevenday, so I'll be free to
_entertain_ soon," she tried for a sultry smile and cocked her eyebrow,
practically daring him to ignore her meaning.

He knew exactly what his friend meant, now that he was allowing himself to
believe. Aluka's throat went dry, and he gulped more tea, hoping Lys
wouldn't look below the table. "Tonight it is, at the evenin' free time,"
he managed to say, and made a mental note to get more drinkable numbweed
from the healers before he went. His heart began to beat even faster, pulse
fluttering in his neck. "So, um, what's next for ya and Gwynnyth now that
you'll be a senior weyrlin' soon?"

For the first time, she thought maybe she'd seen a response in her friend
and a frisson of excitement coursed up her spine. Encouraged and a bit
curious, she decided to continue down that same vein. "Well, next sevenday
I plan on going to E'naer or D'kere and asking for some advice about some
likely male riders - you know, to gain some experience. I've plenty of
time of course, before Gwynnyth rises but I'm not really sure exactly how
much experience I might need. You know what I mean?" she asked innocently,
though she was watching the red-head closely for his response.

Aluka's heart stopped, the blood drained from his face, and the mug dropped
from his suddenly nerveless fingers. It bounced on the table and tumbled
off the edge, hitting the floor hard enough to put a healthy chip in the
rim and spill the tea everywhere as his mother's dream-words came back to
him: **Which hurts worse?**

His now panicked mind gibbered a chorus of **_NO!_ NO NO _NO_! CHOOSE ME,
CHOOSE _ME!!!_** The idea of Lys (_his_ Lys) looking for experience with
strangers -people he thought wouldn't truly care about her- was unbearable.
A whirl of fury and possessiveness and sheer heartache shot through him and
started his blood pumping again. It was _not_ going to happen. He was going
to say something before it was too late and Ilyssia really did give up on
him. If she was saying something like that, maybe she was on the verge of
it anyway!

He swallowed hard, bent to retrieve the mug, and set it on the table. "It
only takes one person," he somehow stated.

There was no missing his reaction, but Ilyssia could not be certain exactly
what it meant. Could it possibly mean that he truly did see her in that
way? But why had he been ignoring her advances then? She wasn't above
playing a little dirty to get some more information. "Really? You think
so? I just wasn't sure. Of course I never would have considered multiple
partners before, but things have changed and I _am_ a complete novice.
Though I think I'd be more comfortable with just one person," she said, her
earnest blue-green eyes meeting his as she thought that she'd be more
comfortable with one person in particular. "I just wasn't sure if I
shouldn't try to get experience with multiple partners. I understand that
the weyrling staff has a whole list of those that are willing. I don't
really know how a person would go about choosing, though. Maybe you could
help me figure out who to pick."

**_PICK ME!_** The mental shriek was so loud, Aluka was briefly astonished
Ilyssia couldn't hear it. "I have someone in mind," he rasped, taking a
desperate gamble. "We'll discuss it when I visit tonight." Anxiety,
anticipation, terror and other emotions too tangled to separate overwhelmed
him, making him dimly hope he wouldn't faint now or in his friend's weyr.
This was too important!

Taken a bit aback by that answer, Ilyssia blinked. "Oh, okay." The young
greenrider was confused now, but she supposed she'd just have to wait until
tonight to figure out what Aluka had in mind. Ilyssia had been so excited
to have him come for a visit, but his coming to recommend someone else with
whom to gain some pre-flight experience wasn't exactly what the she'd had
in mind. Was it possible that she'd just completely misread his reaction
moments ago? Well, she was tired of dancing around the truth. Tonight she
was going to tell him how she felt and let the linens unfold as they may.

**I need a drink,** Aluka thought weakly, and banished the notion a second
later. There was no way he'd be able to even take a sip when the smell was
enough to turn his stomach. He would probably forever associate alcohol
with bad things. So, he was just going to have to do this with what
reserves of courage he had left. He hoped to the Ancients the upcoming
get-together would go well. If Lys turned him down, he had no idea what he
would do.

But he was going to try anyway.

Last updated on the May 29th 2015

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Down To The Wire