Post by Zen on Sept 23, 2021 14:40:08 GMT -5
The day after Taking Chances
A lesson on history and life at Mavros was a welcome distraction, both from yesterday’s confusing confrontation with Siorreya and tomorrow’s impending vote. It had been quite an enlightening lecture, though it didn’t seem as though many of his fellow candidates had been terribly interested in it, but Weyr life was still new to him. Some of the history served to remind him of conversations he’d had on the Hold side of the island when he’d been trying to learn more of Mavros’s beginnings, but it was interesting to hear the Weyr perspective on it. B’rax was mentioned on several occasions and he wondered if he would have proper cause to meet the new Weyrleader in person and hear his own perspectives, seeing as he had been part of Weyr leadership since the founding. It would be intriguing, but he didn’t want to waste the man’s time.
Throughout the lesson, he kept catching a young woman’s glances and her flirty smiles and waves and soft giggling were not lost on him, but he did his best to ignore her. As if he wanted to deal with that right now. Heading out of the lesson once S’bol had ended it, he was surprised to suddenly find her latched onto his arm and honestly had no idea just how to respond to such a careless invasion of his personal space by a stranger.
“Hellooo there. You’re new, huh? I’d love to get to know you better…,” one of her hands slid up his arm and she giggled, eyeing him hungrily, “I’m Yvinka… but everyone calls me Yva unless I’m in trouble.” She winked playfully.
“Ah… forgive me, Yvinka, but-”
“Oh, am I in trouble already?” she asked with a mock innocence, giggling again as she looked up at him.
Shells but the women at Mavros really did trend towards bold, didn’t they? He really wasn’t much in the mood for this. “That depends… are you going to continue clinging to me like a burr? I would like my arm back, if you would.”
She stuck her tongue out at him and for a moment all he could see was Siorreya, and when she did release him he pulled his arm back from her perhaps a bit too roughly. “You’re no fun… what’s got you so tense? Maybe I could help you relax, hm? Are you nervous about being a candidate? It’s really no big deal, not yet anyway, not until the eggs are the sands, I suppose. I dunno, I’m fairly new to it myself. I haven’t had a chance to be on the sands yet.”
Despite releasing him, and his best efforts to put at least a little distance between them, she continued to stick to his side. “I’m not nervous,” he assured her, but hardly felt the need to further explain himself.
“Well you are tense. It’s not because of me, is it? I’d be more than happy to help you loosen up…,” her hand reached up to trail her fingers over his arm and she made a pleased sort of noise, “You sure have some impressive arms… a girl can’t help but wonder how they would feel wrapped around her.”
His hand came up to cover hers where it was still on his arm, to stop it from moving further, as he tried to process that bold statement, “I… appreciate the compliment, Yva, and your… flattering interest, but I must decline.” He plucked her hand from his arm and released her.
She couldn’t seem to take the hint, continuing to follow him. He didn’t even really know where he was going, he was just hoping she would realize she wanted to be somewhere else and leave him be. “Hm… are you not interested in women?”
That made him stop altogether to look at her, “Excuse me?” She burst out laughing at the look on his face and he felt a flicker of annoyance as he considered whether that had been a serious question or if she was only teasing him. What a thing to ask a stranger. She fanned herself as she was calming down and he glanced away from her, “I’m so glad I can bring you such amusement.”
She let out another giggle, “Oh, forgive me… oh! I haven’t caught your name.”
Still annoyed, he turned his attention back to the girl, “Podrell… now if you don’t mind-”
“I’ve just never met a man that was so very clearly not interested in me unless he had a preference for men,” she continued, eyeing him, “Especially when I’m so very clearly willing.”
“Unfortunately, Yva, two must be willing, and I am not,” he continued walking, feeling entirely uncomfortable with this girl. Yvinka. Wait… hadn’t that been one of the names Siorreya had listed when he’d asked her about bold women at Mavros? Yvinka. It seemed so long ago and the names hadn’t meant anything to him then, but he was pretty sure that was one of them. He stopped again, surprising her apparently as it took her another two steps to realize it, “Do you know Siorreya?”
She tilted her head at the question and sudden topic change, but replied brightly, “I do! Do you? Well, obviously. Are you a friend of hers?” A suggestive smile pulled at the girl’s lips, “Or a lover?” The question caught him off guard and it must have shown on his face because Yva grinned, “Is that why you’re not interested? I admit I’m not as experienced as Sio, but I’d love to learn something new from you. Or perhaps you prefer blondes?” She reached up to brush her dark hair back behind her ear, eyeing him with that hungry look again, “I’m sure she wouldn’t mind sharing, if that’s what you’re worried about.”
Shells, just what was he supposed to say to that? This girl was something else. “Again… I’m flattered, Yva, but my answer remains the same. If you’ll excuse me.” And because she’d gotten ahead of him, he turned back the way he had come and lengthened his stride to gain some distance on her, eager to escape her probing questions for which he didn’t really have any proper answers… and not at all wanting to dwell on the implications of Siorreya being alright with sharing him. Now he wished he hadn’t even brought her up at all.
