The Deep End

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 26th August 2017

Characters: Kaiafel, Aileyan
Description: Aileyan faces Kaiafel...
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 9 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentions: J'nev
Notes: Follows "DFW: Alive to See Another Day (2/2)"

Kaiafel leaned his arms on the top rail of the fence, resting his chin on his hands. It was nice now that he didn't have to peek through the rails or climb up on them to get a good view. It made him feel tall. Adult even. And with both feet on the ground, he could enjoy the feel of the vibrations as the herd stampeded toward him, spooked by a large brown picking out a meal.

Aileyan was bit shocked to realize that Kaiafel was nearing at height with her. How fast they grew! "Hi, Kaiafel," she said with soft voice, still embarrased by the fact he had seen her intimate with J'nev.

"Oh, hi Aileyan." Kaiafel pushed himself off the rail, a little startled by the sound of her voice. It wasn't that he didn't like running into the greenrider, but he certainly remembered their last meeting, quite vividly. He wondered if she was angry at him that he had seen her... doing things... to that bronzerider, J'nev. He wondered if she knew he had stood there for a moment and watched them before actually saying something... **Shards... I'm in trouble...**

"How are you?" she really didn't know what to say and couldn't quite meet his eyes. Did he think she was a terrible slut?

"I'm all right, I guess," he said, kicking at the ground with the toe of his boot. He found the scuff it left quite fascinating. It was better than looking at the greenrider. She didn't sound happy with him.

"So, no permanent traumas then?" the end of Aileyan's question was almost inaudible murmur.

"I don't understand." What trauma would Kaiafel have?

"Umh," Aileyan didn't know what to say. If she had walked in when her parents were having sex at his age, she would have wanted to scrub her brains and probably gauge out her eyes. But she was Hallbred. (And she just couldn't imagine anyone wanting sex with master Eilomar).

"I really don't understand, Aileyan." Trauma, as far as Kaiafel understood the word, had something to do with emergencies or injury. Was there some reason he _should_ have trauma? "What happened?"

"You know, no lasting ill effects from seein me and J'nev," Aileyan just wished fervently that the ground would open up and swallow her.

"You and J'nev?" Why would that have any effect on him? Sure, it did make him feel strange, but he had no idea why that might be. But Kaiafel was Weyrbred, and Aileyan was certainly not his mother, and so he could not grasp the fact that in the Hall-bred greenrider's mind there was a reason that it should have traumatized him. "I just don't understand why."

Aileyan covered her face now and groaned. "Me neither," she sighed. This was not going well.

Kaiafel was even more confused. Why did she ask the question if she didn't understand what she was asking? "Why don't you know?"

"Because it's so confusing. This is confusing," Aileyan really wanted to sink under the ground.

The boy's brow furrowed, so like his father's when he was perplexed or thoughtful. It was obvious that Aileyan was having trouble thinking about this for some reason. He certainly wanted to help if he could. "What confuses you?"

Aileyan groaned again. Who could she explain it to twelve Turns old when she didn't understand it by herself?

"What I feel for J'nev. How you feel about me and J'nev," she tried to simplyfy. Only thing she wasn't confused about was the feeling of being embarrassed.

Kaiafel couldn't really understand how his mind and body were suddenly reacting differently to seeing men and women together being intimate, but he was starting to catch on to small hints about relationships. About how two people could become a 'we'. She wasn't just talking about sex with the bronzerider. She was talking about feelings, and that suddenly made Kaiafel suspicious. "What about Da? How do you feel about Da?"

Now they were at the very deep end of the pool. "Well, that's confusing too," Aileyan said. "I was very angry at him when he left. Yet I miss him too, I've not stopped loving him, " she admitted with rare moment of self-honestly

The boy felt a knot of fear in his stomach. Was she giving up on him? "He'll come back. He loves us and he misses us. He'll come back for us, Aileyan. He promised, and my Da keeps his promises."

"I do hope so," if not for any other reason than to spare Kaiafel and Ravyan from the disappointment.

Kaiafel leaned into her, wrapping his arms around her both to comfort her and find a bit for himself. "Please don't have feelings for J'nev, Aileyan. Da will come home. You'll see."

Aileyan let out a helpless little laugh and hugged him back. How could one resist an appeal like that. "Okay, no feelings for J'nev."

Last updated on the September 2nd 2017

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The Deep End