"Six Feet Under"

Writers: AL, Heather
Date Posted: 26th July 2014

Characters: Esiah, Meledei
Description: Esiah sorta admits he likes Meledei.. and Meledei... Well....
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 8, day 3 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Kapera

Esiah

Once Kapera left his weyr Esiah cleaned up the painting he was working
on and then headed for the youngest goldrider's weyr. He knew where it
was simply because he had been there before to paint her portrait.
Esiah wasn't sure if he knew Meledei well enough to guess what her
reaction would be to the rumors that were being spread about them.
Knocking on her door, he rocked back on his heels as he shoved his
hands into his pockets.

The door opened and although her face was still battered and bruised
and probably hurt with any sort of expression she made, Meledei still
smiled when she saw who had come to visit her. "hey Esiah! Come on
in...I didn't expect you. Come to do another portrait?"

"Actually, no, I came to chat." He said as he entered her weyr.
Without sitting he turned and asked her, "Have you heard what the
latest bit of gossip is around the Weyr?"

"Oh come now, you don't want to get my good side?" Meledei turned the
bruised portion of her face toward Esiah and struck a pose. Then,
upon registering hat he said after, her grin faded as she realised he
was dead serious. "Gossip? No. Why?"

Esiah leaned against the back of her couch and crossed his arms over
his chest, "Do you remember when we were in the Dining Cavern and we
overheard those people? It wasn't just coincidence. Somehow the Weyr
has gotten the idea that not only was I with you when you got that
black eye, but that I am the one that gave it to you. Lover's quarrel
or something, and I hit you."

"Oh. Really? Huh." Meledei knew gossip abounded in the Weyr. It was
inevitable with so many people in one area. Although a different sort
of atmosphere, she imagined Holds were very much the same and
generally just ignored what she heard. "Well. At least we both know
it's not true."

For probably the first time since they had known each other a
frustrated expression crossed Esiah's face, "Look, you may be able to
brush it off, but the entire Weyr thinks I am some sort of holdbred
mongrel who beats women." Didn't she understand that he earned marks
by selling his paintings and that his reputation was his livelihood?

"Well, I'm sorry Esiah, it's just that it's a rumour. It's not true,
and if anyone asks I'll be the first person to set them straight, but
what do you want me to do?" Meledei raised her hands, palms upward
and shrugged. "Rumours happen around here. A_lot_. I mean, if you
really listened, you might find there are a lot more rumours passed
along about me than you may have realised. Nasty ones too. It's not
easy, but I try not to let it get to me. You and I both know that the
rumours are unfounded. They will fade and everyone will forget, just
give it a few days."

Esiah shook his head and pushed away from the couch, "Well, I am glad
to know that my reputation means so little to you. Here I was, some
naive little holder trying to get to know a goldrider, because I liked
her, and all she can do is shrug off my feelings. Perhaps when I have
been here longer I will learn to be as blase as you."

"Hey, calm down. I didn't say I didn't care about your reputation,
but I've lived here my whole life. The truth will get out and
everything will be restored. It goes in a circle, it always does.
And I like you too, but you're over reacting. Seriously, what do you
want me to go? Climb to the top of the Weyr and shout out, 'it's not
true, Esiah's a great guy, really, don't listen to the rumours!' or
something?" Meledei tossed her hands in the air then let them fall to
slap against her thighs. I mean, I hate it when there are rumours
about me and yo know what, sometimes yeah, it still gets to me, but
there's nothing I can do about it."

**She likes me too?** Was about about the only thing that Esiah really
took away from what Meledei had to say, "I never said I wanted you to
try to fix it or find a solution. Just a little concern, or perhaps
some empathy would have been nice." Maybe she was use to being in the
rumor mill, but he wasn't, especially about something that offended
him so deeply. He sighed, some of his agitation fading.

"I'm sorry, Esiah. I didn't mean to be hardhearted about it. I'm
just...well, I was in rumours on occasion before I Impressed, but
since then I seem to be in them monthly at the very least. I guess I
just...get tired of worrying about it. I swear, it's all going to be
forgotten within a few days, sevenday at most." And really, Esiah?
Beating her? Yeah, right. "Besides, anyone who_really_ knows me
would know that if you ever tried to pull something like that I'd hit
you back and then have Elleth eat you."

Esiah chuckled at the mental image, although he had no doubt that
Meledei meant every word of it. He also was not a stupid man and had
no future plans of getting into any entanglements with dragons. "About
that part where you said you like me too... In the way that you like
an elderly little old man.. because you feel sorry for him and you
have to? Or..." What was he trying to say? "Or as in maybe we could go
on a date some time?"

"You are hardly elderly." Meledei snorted, but stopped short at the
second part. "Um." One hand lifted to scratch at the back of her
head. "Look, Esiah, I do like you, I really do. You're a neat guy
and fun to be around..."

**"Neat guy.... fun to be around..."** Each word was like a stab to his
already wounded ego. He was fairly sure his ego was buried six feet
under by that point. He held up his hand, "Please, Faranth, don't
continue. That was painful enough." Esiah was no fool, he realized
that his ship had sailed right into the "friend zone". And that was
not where he was interested in being.

He made for the door, "Look, I am sorry I bothered you. I just wanted
you to know about the rumors so you would expect them."

"Esiah, wait, please."

It hurt more than he thought, maybe because he had never really
experienced very much rejection when it came to women. But then, he
had never liked a goldrider before had he? He was just some crafter
who painted, she deserved something much better than that, a
bronzerider at the very least. **Who was I kidding?**

"It's okay, really," he lied, and he wasn't a very good liar,
"um...Have a nice night." Without looking at her, because he couldn't
make eye contact at that moment, he slipped out of the door and closed
it gently behind him. Every instinct within him told him to "Run!" and
"Retreat!" and go back to his room and lick his wounds.

"Esiah..." But his name was tossed at a door and Meledei sighed then
flopped onto her couch. She hadn't meant to hurt him. It seemed all
she did lately was push people away - even her newest friend.

Last updated on the July 28th 2014

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"Six Feet Under"