Friends

Writers: Cali, Eimi
Date Posted: 29th May 2006

Characters: Arilanna, U'kaiah
Description: Arilanna and U'kaiah talk about J'klin and their friendship
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 22 of Turn 3
Notes: Confirmation 1&2

Arilanna sat at her desk, unconsciously humming a little harper tune, and trying to make sense of the last few sevendays. She had found her heart's desire again in J'klin, and she had found out she was pregnant.
She knew it wasn't J'klin's, they hadn't been together long enough. She wondered... If there had been a possibility that it was his, her decision to abort would have probably been different since she knew he wanted a child of his own. But now it was easy, she knew she couldn't handle another baby right now; she would just ask J'klin to help her go between... "You look a thousand miles /between/," U'kaiah smiled as he stood in the doorway. "I was knocking. Didn't you hear me?"

She jumped at the sound of his voice and whirled around, "Oh, U'kaiah, don't scare me like that!"

"Did you forget you promised me a massage?" he asked with wide eyes. "I've needed one for days."

"Oh, I guess I did, didn't I." she said with a slight smile. "But can we talk for a minute first?" "Sure," he shrugged. "Can we talk while I get undressed? I have to check and make sure the weyrlings are obeying curfew when this is done."

She wasn't sure that their conversation would have a very relaxing affect on the rider, but she nodded anyways and turned her back to him to fetch a few oils. "Well, it's about _us_." she said after a moment, she really didn't know any other way to start. "_Us_?" U'kaiah asked, rather surprised. He was not aware of there being an _us_ involved.

"Yes, us being friends, us spending time together." It sounded so stupid, but she knew if she wanted things to work out between her and J'klin it would have to be this way. "J'klin and I are back together, and he doesn't want me to see you anymore." "That sharding wherry's ass. I should have known," U'kaiah growled as he unfastened the last button of his shirt. "It's not like I'm _sleeping_ with you. We're _friends_!"

"I know," she said in a soothing voice. Getting all worked up wasn't going to make for a very relaxing massage. "But U'kaiah, he told me about Felika. About _you_ and Felika. Can you really blame him for wanting to keep us separated?"

"Yes! Shards, Arilanna, that was _turns_ ago and it happened one night when I was drunk and she was lonely because he was unavailable." When would that man just let it go and move on with life?

She sighed, she didn't think he'd understand J'klin's position, that's why they had never been able to reconcile. "But that doesn't make it right. You have something of a reputation here at the weyr as a womanizer, and don't you act like you don't know it." "Arilanna, it was _her_ choice, not his. Felika needed something that night that he just couldn't give her. This is a _Weyr_. She did nothing wrong."

"U'kaiah," she said as she sat down next to the rider and patted his hand. "I don't think that's the issue anymore. Maybe it was then, he was young and still a weyrling, but I think he was more upset by _your_
betrayal, not hers. And when Kaiafel came out of the whole thing it was just a constant reminder." "My betrayal? Shards, what did he expect? He could take a girl away from her life, her home, her family, bring her to the Weyr, Impress a dragon and leave her alone for months and she wouldn't feel lost and lonely? I was taking care of her for him! And he would _never_ have known if Kaiafel hadn't been conceived that night. I intended to protect them both! I even offered to take her between to lose the baby so J'klin would never know. It was _her_ choice." Not that U'kaiah regretted his son one bit now, but his life had meant the death of one of his closest friendships. It had been a rather painful beginning.

Arilanna didn't know what to say. U'kaiah's version of what happened with Felika were _slightly_ different from J'klin's. The truth of the matter was probably somewhere in between, but after so many years, it didn't really matter anyways. Finally she sighed, "I love J'klin. He may not be entirely right in wanting to keep me away from you, but I understand his fears."

U'kaiah shrugged. There was nothing he could do. He picked his shirt back up off the chair he had spread it across. "If you truly want a man who will dictate who you can and cannot be friends with, and who refuses to trust you, well then, there is nothing I can do but respect your wishes."

"I don't want just any man, I want J'klin!" Her face flushed with anger and embarrassment, "And you aren't even _trying_ to see his side of things!" "I've had to listen to his side of things for turns," U'kaiah said as he slipped his arm into his shirt. "If this is how you feel, I understand. After all, my reputation isn't what it used to be anyway. Perhaps you're right to walk away." And there goes another friend...

"Now that's not fair." Arilanna said with a start. "I care about you and I will always be there if you need me. I just can't be your _friend_ anymore!"

U'kaiah sighed as he looped his other arm through his shirt. "Then what does it matter if you care, Arilanna? How can you be there when I need you but ashamed of me the rest of the time? I'm sorry, but I don't need people who just care, I need _friends_." He opened the door and took a step out. "Now come here, and give me a hug good-bye, and then that's that."

She suddenly felt like crying and that was _not_ like her. She had never meant to hurt U'kaiah. When she had told J'klin she wouldn't see him anymore she had thought he would understand. She kept her tears under wraps but couldn't seem to talk so she just nodded as she stepped out into the hall and buried her head against his chest. She was reluctant to step back from his embrace, it seemed so final, but she finally did; quickly closing the door behind her so she could cry without anyone seeing. U'kaiah sighed and turned back down the corridor the way he had come. As he re-buttoned his shirt he couldn't help but think that he could still feel the warmth of her body on his skin. Just a faint memory of yet another friend he had managed to lose. **Shards...**

Last updated on the May 29th 2006

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