What Now? [A'dion]

[Hiko]

The day had been... interesting, Talera thought as she took a much-needed break from inventory lists and kitchen gossip and took up a tray for dinner. It seemed that the effects of her rather relaxing time with A'dion after the flight had not gone unnoticed by her fellow man.
Or gossipy caverngirl.

For most of the morning, Aerroth's rider was met with knowing glances and approving smiles. At break for lunch, some of the more outspoken in her little ragtag group of cavern workers began asking about the bronze rider's prowess under the sheets.
She'd refused to comment, which only fueled more interest to their hopes for a scandal.

And now, at dinner, she was met with curious talk, but not directed solely at her. Sitting down, Talera was within earshot of a gaggle of conversing kitcheners.
“'Dion's got this one in the bag.”
“You say that, but look how things turned out with Talaria.”
“Bah! That was just because of that green of hers-”
“Then why hasn't A'dion-”
“Ooh, and just think about what'll happen if she finds out! You know how she feels about gold riders...”

It occurred to Talera then that she had no business remaining where she sat, to be so close to earshot of that particular conversation. She rose, picked up her tray, and began looking for a new seat.
–

Silence. Silence was beautiful.
And more to the point, there was no one around to put a further damper onto Talera's day. Of course, seeing as she was now dwelling on what that post-flight dalliance might mean overall (thank you, gossip), she really didn't need much help in worsening her mood.

[Deleted]

A'dion's more bold Rider friends were clapping him on the back and cheering him on. Hell yeah, he got a goldrider! The bronzer sighed; really, was his personal life all over the Weyr alre- well. He looked to his dragon, who was lounging on Aerroth's ledge and looking entirely too smug with himself. The Bronze wouldn't talk to him, thus leaving him without any excuse to get away from his fellow riders. Sigh.

"Way to go, A'dion!"
"What a looker! Well when she dresses up."
"Are you nuts?! She's the best kind of beautiful!"

Well this was turning into a chicken coop, wasn't it. Shaking his head, he knocked a few heads together harmlessly,

"All right, you lot, back to your regularly scheduled lives, because mine is officially off the radar." He had to go see Talera, anyway. So leaving his friends, he went to the kitchens to grab some bread and cheese, and just happened to hear the same conversation Talera heard. Ah -shards-. He'd .. forgotten, about Talaria, shamefully enough. But it wasn't his fault, honest! Talera was warm and vibrant and funny and playful. Talaria was ... bitter and cold and completely against any sort of anything from him. Her dragon hated his, and a dragon's feelings had a nasty habit of influencing his or her rider's feelings about another rider.

And Zev was slowly beginning to forget the incident completely, which was super. A'dion didn't want to completely forget Talaria ... but shells. It wasn't like he was going to force himself on a woman that acted like she didn't want him.

So when he found Talera, he nicked a rose from a nearby windowgarden ("Sorry ma'am!"), and sat down next to her, presenting the rose in front of her,

"Hello again. I got all my wing drills and ground drills done, and thought I'd come and find someone I'd -enjoy- taking orders from." Ah, and there was their running joke.

[Hiko]

Chin resting in an open palm, Talera prodded at her meal with disinterest. She'd had half the mind to skip the meal altogether, what with the sudden lack of appetite, when a single rose fell into view. Surprise clear on her face, she looked up as A'dion announced his presence.
“Hello, indeed. My, my, bronze rider,” she began, amused despite her mood, “playing the doting lover so soon? What will people think, I wonder~?”

Of course, they were both aware of “what people thought.” For Talera's part, she would've preferred it if the man hadn't made such an open display of affection; it wouldn't do to rock the emotional boat that was Mavros – at least, not so soon after her arrival. She was still by all rights and purposes an outsider, and likely would feel out of place until Aerroth's clutch hatched and the queen proved herself worthy of remaining within the Weyr.
And there was that bit of gossip she'd overheard.

Wan smile on her lips, she picked up the rose and toyed with it, fingering the stem and causing it to turn as she touched the delicate petals with the other hand.
“Orders, hmmm?” Talera paused, then set the rose down. She couldn't feel comfortable until the question in her head came out her mouth.
“What are you hoping for, A'dion? Word about the Weyr is... a mixed bag. But I don't want to interfere with any plans you had involving others,” Gingerly, she touched a petal from the rose, glancing down to it, “especially when you may need to depend on them – her – come Threadfall.”

[Deleted]

A'dion knew that was coming. He leaned his head back, and rubbed his face,

"I'll be blunt. I .. I dont' know how I feel about her. Her Green hates Zev, and she looks at me with ... I don't know. But I understand." He dragged his hand through his hair, shoulders tense again,

"I'm loyal to my weyrmates, Weyrwoman. Talaria obviously didn't want anything to do with me after her Green's flight, nor did her green want anything to do with Zev. And I'm not one to force my presence on a woman that doesn't want me or my dragon." Obviously he was tired of having to fight for any shred of affection he came across. Call him petulant, but for once he just wanted something to go right for longer than a night.

-

Zevranth raised his head a bit, turning his head to where he felt his rider's agitation. Thankfully it didn't make the Bronze feel the same, else he'd feel kind of ashamed if Aerroth picked up on it.

[Hiko]

Talera was surprised at the bronze rider's answer. She supposed she'd expected him to give a stronger indication, either for or against his dealings with Talaria. For him to say he didn't know put Talera herself into a bit of a confusing situation. She saw no reason to turn the man away, but that didn't mean there wasn't one.
Though, he looked about as frustrated with the whole scenario as she felt. She took in a long breath, careful to keep it – and her nerves – steady.

“I think,” she began in a tone as even as she could muster, taking A'dion's free hand into both of her own, “perhaps we should try things out – slowly. I'm still too new here to want to aggravate any background players. But, I enjoyed myself with you. The flight, and after? I felt like I belonged. Like I didn't have to prove anything.
“It was... nice. And I can't really say I want to give that up.”

[Deleted]

A'dion looked to her as his hand was taken, and she spoke. Now A'dion was used to a woman pretending like she wanted to be around him, because of his status as having the single largest bronze at Mavros at the current time. But a woman talking to him like she actually wanted to be with him, because of how he treated her. Her hand was held in his, and he let loose a wan smile,

"That's all I ask for. I wouldn't want to put you in a spot, Talera; that's not what I do." He kissed her knuckles, closing his eyes. He felt Zev receding from his mind, which meant the Bronze was no longer surreptitiously filtering his words.

Thanks for that, scalebag.

I have no idea what you're talking about.

[Hiko]

Talera wriggled her fingers out from under the light touch of A'dion's lips, her mood greatly improved from when she had first sat down. When they were free, she gently shoved the man's head back, fingers against his forehead.

“Careful now, bronze rider. Between this and the rose, someone might think you fancied me. We couldn't have that now, could we?”
She thought, then, that if a trial run was to be, then why not make a game of it? Slow meant more time for the childishness of teasing, and if there was one thing she enjoyed, it was a good tease.

“Dinner by glow-light, roses, such sweet words – I almost mistook you for a holder lad, A'dion. Tell me, does the gentleman have plans after dining?” Her tone grew into a mock-seriousness. “Will there be a walk by the beach underneath the moons' light? A girl needs to be prepared, you know.”