An Experiment

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 5th January 2007

Characters: Zebrekhan, Abrei
Description: Zebrakhan seems unconcerned with Abrei's lack of skill.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 1, day 20 of Turn 4
Notes: Follows "Hard And Not Forgiving"

Abrei

Abrei settled back on Zeb's couch with her feet tucked up under her and a glass of juice cradled in her hands. She'd been sorely tempted to give in and accept a glass of wine, but she wasn't ready to face Jynrek and admit to him that she'd broken his rules for her recovery. "Thank you for inviting me back for dinner in spite of my graceless attempts to flirt with you."

"Graceless?" Zeb asked innocently. "They worked, didn't they?" In fact, it had been rather endearing, though he rather thought she didn't want to hear just how adorable he found her.

Even though Abrei had noticed that pretty much anything worked when a man was hoping to find a friendly companion for the evening, she still felt pleased. "You're very understanding of how out of practice I am, though."

"I find you utterly charming, Abrei." That wasn't an embellished compliment. In that he was sincere. There was no denying that physically she was absolutely stunning. But he also found her to be smart and sweet. "I'm happy you took the time to flirt with an old man like me."

"You're not old," Abrei replied without thinking, smiling again. "Though you might be a losing your mind a little if you find me charming." His mind, perhaps, but not his eyesight. "So I skipped old and fell directly into senility then?" he smiled. "As a healer what would you recommend I do to remedy that?"

"I suppose it wouldn't be particularly effective flirting if I told you to find a more manageable dinner partner, would it?" Abrei wrinkled her nose as she fiddled with the glass in her hands. "I don't have a habit of being good for one's state of mind, I've heard."

"Very few women are, dear," Zeb said with a wink. "How terrible for you men," Abrei replied dryly. "Because you've all been very beneficial for my peace of mind." The master shrugged his shoulder. "Its a calculated risk, but one I'm willing to take."

"Really?" After taking a sip of her drink, she set it aside and turned to face Zeb. "Can I ask you why? Or is it some sort of mystery."

"Well, in your case? I like you. You're beautiful, to be sure. But more than that, you and I have things in common. You like taking long walks, so do I. You are a master crafter, and so am I. You're attractive to me on many levels, Abrei."

"Well, that's certainly nice to hear." Especially after the brownrider who had blithely assured her that she was so pretty to look at that he didn't mind how annoying she was. It hadn't been quite as flattering as he might have imagined. "You're easy to talk to. I don't feel quite as awkward as I usually do."

"I would not want to you to feel awkward. You're my guest." He reached out long fingers to brush away imaginary hairs from her cheek.

Remembering U'kaiah's advice, Abrei slid a little closer so that her legs brushed against his. "This is something of an experiment, you know.
I hope you don't mind."

"An experiment? What kind?" he asked, his smile slightly amused and curious.

She leaned in and lowered her voice. "I'm going to attempt to seduce you. Usually I just ask for sex, but I think I almost drowned one of the wingleaders by doing that, so it's time to learn a better way."

Drowned a wingleader? Shards, she was so adorable, and yet so sexy. Intriguing. "Well, I certainly won't stand in the way of science."

Taking that as an invitation--or at least a declaration of willingness--Abrei closed the short distance between them. At the last moment she changed directions just enough so her lips brushed along his cheek. When she reached his ear she whispered, "I'll take advice, though."

"Well, not leaning against the hand that's resting on a rather sensitive spot would be a good place to start," Zeb said in a calm voice as he gently took her hand. Much more of that and drowning would sound like a nice alternative.

Abrei flushed and jerked back so fast she nearly tumbled off the couch.
She couldn't even bring herself to open her eyes, feeling too embarrassed to look at him. "Still think I'm charming?" she muttered as she brought up her hands to cover her face. Zeb tried his best to hide his smile as he reached up to pull her hands away from her face. "Yes, Abrei, I still find you quite charming. Why don't you try again? This time just lean with your body, not with your hands."

"I'm clumsy. You're taking your life into your hands here..." She could concentrate on thinking up seductive things to say, or putting her hands in the right place. Both at the same time seemed to be beyond her. So she stopped talking and leaned into him again, this time using her hands to caress instead of balance. "I think its a safe bet I'll survive, Abrei," Zeb assured her, his hands beginning to work their way along her body as well. "Besides, I have every confidence that if you break me, you'll know how to put me back together."

"Mmmmm." Not willing to risk saying anything else unfortunate, Abrei decided it was past time to kiss him. That, at least, she could probably handle without breaking either of them.

Last updated on the January 6th 2007

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An Experiment