Positional Play

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 22nd July 2014

Characters: Alina, Ervine
Description: Things don't go exactly as Alina planned...
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 7, day 26 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Ciendra, Ikalis
Notes: The Game 4

Alina

There he was, lounging by the entrance to the outside with a basket over one arm and a gaggle of his stupid friends boxing him in. Ervine. Alina narrowed her eyes as she peered around the corner, then quickly withdrew her head. She'd have to pass him in order to go outside, and after a candlemark folding sheets she was ready to feel the breeze on her face.

Except Ervine and his stupid friends were in the way.

Her hands clenched into fists. Why couldn't he leave her alone? She was seeing him everywhere these days - in the dining cavern, in the halls, in the storerooms. He'd tried to talk to her behind a shelf lined with berry jams, his hand on one shelf to block her in. She'd brushed him off, claiming she was too busy to socialize. Thankfully she'd never seen him in the bathing caverns since that horrid incident when she'd caught him peeping, but that was probably only because she'd switched pools, and times.

But she had to go out some time. She rubbed her hands over her arms, wishing that she was wearing something that wasn't so-- something. Her dress was modest for the Weyr, but she still felt stripped whenever he looked at her. It wasn't a good feeling. But there was no help for it.

Resolutely she grit her teeth and began marching toward the door. She'd say hello, then disappear into the gardens.

"Alina!"

Scorch it, he'd seen her. Alina plastered a semi-pleasant smile on her face, but she kept walking. "Hello."

Ervine's friends were elbowing each other and whispering, and it didn't sound flattering. Ervine pushed away from the wall and moved to intercept her. "You're looking good today. How're you doing?"

"Very well, thank you. And you?" He had positioned himself in her way so she either had to dodge him or stop. She stopped.

"Good. I was thinking--" He glanced over his shoulder at the other two boys, who were grinning like maniacs. "Let's go for a walk."

"I'm meeting someone," Alina shot back. A lie. "Sorry."

"Aww, come on. Just a short one." Anyone else would have found his smile appealing. He put a hand on her elbow, but Alina stood firm.

"I can't. I don't like to be late."

Ervine stuck his lower lip out in a pout. "I raided the kitchens special, just for you."

"I really can't..." His palm was warm against her skin, even though there was a layer of fabric between them. "I have to go."

"I'll walk you there," Ervine said firmly. "No arguing, young lady! Aren't Hold girls only allowed out with an escort anyway?" He tugged her toward the entrance, and Alina reluctantly fell into step beside him. He hadn't let go of her arm.

And he'd catch her in a lie. Alina wondered if Ciendra would be by the Candidate barracks, or maybe she'd see Ikalis. "Maybe the Ladies, but most of us can go where we please. You make the Holds sound like prisons."

"Aren't they?" They stepped out into the twilight and Ervine let go of her arm, but put his hand on her lower back as if he was guiding her. It felt uncomfortably close, and she shivered. "I just spent a turn at the Harper Hall, so really at Emerald Falls Hold. It was-- an education."

"You were at Emerald Falls? What's it like?" Alina asked, in spite of herself.

"Pretty big, actually. I always thought the Holds would be smaller than the Weyr, but Emerald Falls was easily as big only everyone lives on two or three floors, and not all the way up a cliff. And no dragons, of course." He chuckled a bit. "It was fun though. I was getting extra training in records keeping so that I can get a better positon here."

He was steering her toward the beach, Alina noticed. She hated the beach. Sand got between her toes and sometimes people wanted her to swim, which she couldn't. Not to mention all the half-naked people running around. "We should go through the garden, it's faster."

"Naw, let's go down the beach. I don't want fast." He smiled again, and Alina's stomach sank. "Besides, I have a surprise for you."

**I hate surprises.** But she couldn't pull away without making a huge scene, not when he was touching her. So she found herself picking her way down the path to the beach instead. It really was beautiful, if you ignored all the naked people. The sky was a beautiful soft indigo and the waves were black with shadows. Here and there a star was beginning to glimmer, and she could see the edge of Bailor as it began to rise.

"Watch your step." Ervine slipped his hand from her back to her hip, pulling her closer. Alina stiffened. "Let's go a little ways from the path, and I can show you."

"As long as it's quick. I told you, I'm meeting someone," she reminded him.

"Sure." He flashed a quick smile and the dimples reappeared. "I promise."

A little ways down the beach he drew her into an alcove between two trees. He pulled a light blanket from the basket and set it down with a flick of his wrist. "See? Totally worth being late for," he said, extending his hand.

Alina looked at it suspiciously. This smelled like courting, and she did _not_ want to be courted by someone who oogled girls in the bathing pools. "I should go..."

"Come on. Don't be like that." He took her hand in his and drew her down onto the blanket beside him. "I don't bite. Promise. I feel like you're shy around me, and that doesn't feel good."

Shard it. As much as she hated it, walking away at this point would just be mean. She settled onto the blanket next to Ervine with a sigh. "What's the surprise?"

"I'm so glad you asked." He pulled two sweet pasteries from the basket, the kind filled with cream, and presented one to her. "You mentioned that you liked these, so I got us two as a snack. See? I pay attention to pretty girls."

Alina smiled a little in spite of herself. "Well. Thank you."

Ervine grinned like he'd Impressed. "I told you I'm not so bad. What do you have against me, anyway?"

"I don't have anything against you." The pastery melted sweetly against her tongue and tasted divine.

"Really? Because I feel like you've been avoiding me." Ervine leaned back on his elbow. "I think you're facinating."

At that, she snorted. "Don't be ridiculous. You don't know anything about me."

"I know that I like you." Ervine smiled again, showing his dimples. "I know that you're the prettiest girl in the Lower Caverns."

She laughed in spite of herself. "Do women actually believe you when you say things like that?" Ciendra was pretty. She was quite ordinary.

"Depends on the girl." Ervine waggled his eyebrows. "But I want to talk about just you."

"And I'd rather not." She licked her fingers clean of crumbs and stickiness, then stood. "Thank you for the pastery."

Ervine sprung to his feet after her. "Wait! You can't go yet. I just got you here!"

Alina put her hands on her hips. "I _told_ you, I have somewhere to be."

"Wasn't it someone to meet?"

"Same thing," she said with a sniff. "Have a good night, Ervine."

"Wait." He grabbed her hand as she turned to go, and suddenly he was right next to her. One of his hands snaked through her hair, and his lips pressed against hers. He kissed her. Alina froze, flushed, found herself kissing him back even though she didn't want to.

Abruptly she stepped back and he let her go. The dimples had reappeared on his cheeks - he was smiling. "I-- I have to go," Alina said abruptly. It felt more like she was running away. She turned and hurried back into the safety of the trees, rubbing the searing heat of his kiss away with the back of her hand, her face burning like the sun.

Last updated on the July 28th 2014

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Positional Play