Flattering the Ego

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 24th January 2007

Characters: U'kaiah, Sarian
Description: When Kalamath catches Ryerth, U'kaiah and Sarian are forced to face each other for the first time since their argument months ago.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 1, day 19 of Turn 4

U'kaiah sat staring at the crack on the ceiling. The greenrider's hair tickled his sides with every breath. He should be worn out enough to sleep through the night. It was an amazing flight, one of the best he had never had. His muscles were like pudding. They knew each other so intimately that even in the heat of dragonlust their bodies remembered. Maybe the months apart had just added to it. But now he sat there, awake, his mind whirling. It hadn't mattered when they were both acting on instinct, but now he had a choice. Stay? Or go? He honestly didn't know which he wanted. His friendship with Sarian had once been so easy and uncomplicated. But then she stabbed him in the back when she had sex with N'vanik on his desk, just for thrills. He had lost his wing over that little incident and he hadn't seen or spoken to her since. Did he want to stay and talk to her? Or at least do again what they had always done best? Or should he just go, leave the past in the past? He was still deciding when he felt her stirring beside him.

Sarian's hand slid up his chest as she shifted languidly, obviously in no state to move quite yet. "By the First Egg... That was quite a flight."

He reached up to cover her hand with his own, still trying to decide what he wanted to do. If he were completely honest with himself, he had missed her. They had been friends a long time. But it was just that fact that made what she did inexcuseable. On the other hand, did Sarian _ever_ really consider the consequences when sex was involved? Still, she should have known better! There was such a thing as common sense! Then again, if it had been anyone elses desk, he probably would have been laughing as much as they were. Was it really his heart that was hurt by their little stunt? Or was it his pride? Did it matter? As a friend, shouldn't she have been worried about wounding both? As a friend, should he have been more understanding?

For the first time in her life, Sarian's voice sounded almost vulnerable as her fingers shifted to curl around his. "U'kaiah?"

"Yeah. It was a great flight," he said, his voice purposely flat and emotionless. Shards but this was... awkward.

"Oh." Her fingers released his and she pulled her hand slowly away.
She'd hoped that the his anger might have mellowed in their time apart, but obviously he was still upset with her. Sarian was surprised to find that it hurt a lot more than she would have expected. U'kaiah didn't want to hurt her, but he certainly didn't want to be hurt any more. Still, he didn't want to push her away until he knew what he wanted. "But you know, Ryerth's flights were always good, weren't they."

"I suppose so." Sarian was silent for a long, uncomfortable moment, and then she sighed. "Do you hate me?"

The bronzerider relaesed a long slow breath as he turned to look into her face. "If I hated you I wouldn't be lying here still. I don't hate you, Sarian. I just... I don't know what I feel anymore."

"I've always been a little stupid when it comes to thinking ahead,"
Sarian said quietly. "I can say I'm sorry, but I can't promise I'll suddenly be brilliant at it."

"Well, sorry's a good start. And its not like I have a desk at the moment." His lips turned up into a tentative smile. Maybe it was a start.

Sarian reached out carefully to touch his chest again. "I _am_ sorry.
For hurting your feelings, I mean. You know that I never mean to hurt you."

No, he didn't really know that. After all, it was doubtful she even would have considered it. But what did it matter anymore. "All right, Sarian. It's all right."

She rewarded his words by snuggling into his side, her hands growing more friendly again. "I missed you, you know. A lot."

"I bet." His body stiffened slightly under her hand. He knew just what those hands could do. They had a lot of experience together. But she had lost his trust. He may have forgiven her, but U'kaiah wasn't sure he was ready to be too intimate with her, even if it was flight lust induced. "What did you miss, then? I'm curious."

"You." She propped herself up on her elbow so she could look down at him, her eyes confused. "We used to have fun, you know. Parties, drinking, adventures... sharding Harki jumping off of rocks and splitting her stupid head open. Though that wasn't as much fun as some of the other times..."

"We did have fun times, didn't we." He smiled slightly as he recalled all the adventures they had together. U'kaiah had missed them too. "You thought I just missed the sex," Sarian said suddenly, her eyes narrowing. "I can see how I might give that impression, U'kaiah, but that's not _all_ we did together, you know."

"No, it's not." But yes, he did think all she had missed was the sex. It was easier to think of her as one-track minded.

"But I did miss the sex, too," she admitted. "Though now I'm half tempted not to give you any more since you obviously think that's all I like about you." She thumped her hand into his chest as she said it, but they both knew it was an empty threat. "You like my taste in wine too," he reminded her. "And my witty humor."

Her hand slid a meandering path down his body. "And your enormous...
ego."

That drew a laugh out of him despite himself. He sighed, almost as if in defeat. "Well, it seems my ego missed you too."

"That's because I know how to flatter it, when I want to." She grinned down at him, letting her hair fall forward to tickle his cheeks. "Do you want me to flatter your ego, U'kaiah?"

The bronzerider couldn't help throwing his head back and laughing. This was the Sarian he had missed. Wrapping his arms around her he said, "Careful. You might over inflate it."

Last updated on the January 24th 2007

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Flattering the Ego