His Zelle

Writers: AL, Jane
Date Posted: 25th November 2008

Characters: Zelle, K'hetah
Description: K'hetah comes across Zelle arriving late for a meal.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 13, day 8 of Turn 4

"Hello," K'hetah said with a smile on his face and warmth in his tone for the greenrider who was crossing in front of him as he was leaving the dining cavern. "You're running late this evening." If she was just coming in for a meal then she certainly was. Most people were settling down for socialising now, though there were a few tables close to the kitchens where meals were still being eaten.

"Oh, hello K'hetah." Zelle paused and turned back to the bronzerider. She hadn't even noticed him there before. She offered a smile, but her greeting of him wasn't as exuberant as it would have been in the past. "Yeah, I was just helping J'darin with getting settled in his new weyr and I volunteered to come down and bring up some food."

"He's eating all right then?" K'hetah said, not sure how his teasing would be received. "I haven't seen you around a lot lately. Been spending a bit of time with him, have you?"

"He's eating when I remind him too and shove food down his throat." Zelle gave a half shrug. "And yeah, I've been spending a lot of time with him. He's had a lot on his plate, the Weyrleadership only part of it."

"Threadscore?" K'hetah guessed. "Always a shock. Is he appreciative, Zelle? Of all your attentions?" He hated to think that the other bronzerider was taking Zelle's loyalty for granted.

"Threadscore, among other things." Zelle shrugged. "He does, but I think right now he's so rattled that..." She shook her head then shrugged again. "He might just be clinging because there's no one else to cling to." Save for his lifemate, of course, but even a dragonrider needed other people in addition to his lifemate.

"Well he had better mean it." K'hetah was glad Loeth had never caught him up in the Weyrleadership but even losing that wasn't an excuse for the other man to mislead Zelle. "Doesn't he have a weyrmate - or someone?"

"There was, but she's left." It was a sad, sorry time to go. What sort of person did that when their supposedly loved one was going through not only injury but a major life change? To be honest, what sort of person made that sort of promise only to break it? That wasn't a kind of promise one broke. "So...it's kind of just him and Hasaarth."

"And you and Rillith," he pointed out. "Even if he hasn't realised that, yet."

"I suppose." Zelle gave K'hetah a small smile. "He seems to at least want me around, which is more than..." The greenrider paused, then finished, "Which is nice."

"Very nice," K'hetah agreed, thinking it wasn't hard to guess where her comment had been going before she had stopped.

"Well, I suppose I should let you go. I wouldn't want to hold you up from anything. I'm sure you have important business to take care of." And Zelle had a feeling he was probably tiring of her already.

"I don't. Important business, indeed. More important than talking to you?"

"I'm not all that important."

"You are to your friends, Zelle," he reminded her, wondering that she needed telling.

"It's nice to hear that sometimes." The girl shrugged. Her friends were extremely important to her, but it seemed that sometimes, some didn't feel the same way. "I just didn't want to keep you from anything else."

"You know my life - there's nothing else in it but Loeth, and he's so enamoured of swimming in the bay I'm starting to wonder if he remembers who I am."

"Poor K'hetah," Zelle's voice dripped with humoured sarcasm, "So unloved, even by his own dragon. Ah well, I suppose you can't win them all."

"Apparently I'm winning none of them and scant sympathy I'm getting," he grumbled, his expression alight with amusement.

"You have my sympathy." Zelle laughed softly, "I certainly do pity you!"

Sometimes he found it hard to gauge Zelle's tone, and most of the time he found himself in that situation it seemed wisest not to seek clarification. Letting sleeping hatchlings lie always seemed like a sensible cause of action (or inaction) between him and the greenrider. "Am I making you miss your meal?" he asked instead. Concrete questions, veering away from any chance of their banter deepening into anything meaningful.

"There's food left I'm sure." Zelle leaned against the wall and cast a glance toward the main portion of the dining hall. "I know you've already eaten, but I wouldn't mind a bit of company if you're up for it"

"Am I ever. I could have seconds," he suggested, "just to keep you company."

"Don't over eat." Zelle cautioned as she turned and went into the dining hall proper. "Then Loeth won't be able to lift you off the ground!"

K'hetah patted his flat stomach as he followed the greenrider. "I think I'll be right for seconds, just this once."

"Well, if you're sure." Zelle clicked her tongue and shook her head "Don't blame me if Loeth can't get off the ground!"

"I'll even let you say 'I told you so' if it happens," the bronzerider promised happily.

"Now that's something I'm looking forward to." Zelle laughed, picking up her pace, "You make sure you eat a lot then because I want to finally say that to you."

Glad to be back on a friendly footing with Zelle after some difficult times K'hetah's smile was wide. "I shall eat e-nor-mous-ly."

"Just stick to the bubbly pies. That will probably do the trick." Zelle plucked one as she passed the table and practically tossed it to K'hetah.

"Whoa." He took a bite and nodded. _This_ was his Zelle. A good friend, a fun companion not worrying about emotions and trust and things he couldn't - or wouldn't - change.

Last updated on the November 26th 2008

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His Zelle