Why Not? (Lena)

[Requiem]

Leave me? the gold hissed quietly, before Dmitri fully realized he'd decided to do just that. His light eyes fell on her for a long moment, the small creature decidedly rounded these days. She'd be clutching soon, by the looks of it...hopefully making her less clingy. (Which amounted to protesting every time he moved to leave his room in the barracks, since she would not be seen as a tiny globe. Vain creature.) "Can't eat air, Men." He stroked her back lightly with one finger, careful to keep the touch exceedingly gentle. His own back was sore enough that he knew she wouldn't appreciate a heavy hand. The salamandyr hissed again tempramentally, but didn't move to avoid his hand. He placed her on the pillow of his cot. "Bring something back for you?" Dementia not care. Harperlove no love Dementia, leave queen when queen need Harperlove. Dementia not care no more, no. Go, go no come back, she sulked. "Being silly," he responded at a whisper, flicking the tip of her tail, which drew forth another hiss.

Slipping quietly away, he traced his hand over Dmisk's sleeping form. The blue wouldn't be awake for another candlemark or so, and Dmitri didn't care to disturb him. Running a hand through tousled short hair - it felt so odd to him still, and he found himself shaking his head when he wasn't paying attention to it, as if trying to make his head feel right again - he threw on a loose white shirt over the trousers he'd slept in, pulling on the single long, dark glove over the hand and forearm that had taken the worst of the fire. It didn't actually bother him, the sight of it. (Not having much motor control from it did but reality was reality and Dmitri had never been someone who had that much trouble accepting the truth and moving on from there.) No, he wore it solely cause it seemed to bother other people. Like they didn't know if they should look at it or not. Course, his face provided similar problems but they'd just have to deal with that one; he wasn't covering up half his face. Stupid. Nor was it so bad as to actually be misshapen...he himself found the spiderweb-like scarring to be interesting, especially to the touch, since all the scar tissue was raised and actually fairly sensitive. Doubtless others wouldn't share that opinion, but whatever, it wasn't like he was that attractive a person to start. He'd settle for unique.

A stop by the outdoor kitchen that had been erected since the burning of the main hall later, he did as Dementia bade and didn't return. Not right away. In fact, he bribed the drudges on duty with a song - and quite possibly played up his burns just a bit but hey, if he had to live with them, why not make use of them? - to steal a pair of ptarmigan tenderly cooked by wrapping them in various fragrant leaves and herbs before burying them under the fire (along with various greens, fruits, a wedge of cheese, half a loaf of flatbread and a rather crisp fruit juice they'd made earlier in the day and chilled by keeping the flasks in the river). Innovatively wrapping his catch in Nautic's scarf for carrying purposes, Dmitri made his way down to the infirmary.

He lingered for a moment after stepping off the rope bridge...the smells weren't pleasant for him, and they had rather unpleasant memories that went with them, as well. But he was hoping to catch a certain greenweyrling who should be about ready for a supper. She'd done enough things for him that a small favor in return seemed...appropriate.

[Rei]

Erilena gave a final instruction to the man who had brought his flitter in for a look over. Just a bad case of indigestion it had been, thankfully. The green weyrling pushed a few strands of hair back from her face. They had escaped from her head scarf quite awhile ago. Should think about cutting it again really. With a sigh she grabbed her bag, said a few quick goodbyes, and edged through the hallways. Shift over finally. It had seemed to take forever. Seriously. Now it was dinner, a bit of time with Fey, and bed.

As she left the infirmary and made her way out into the fresh air she untied the scarf to let her hair cascade down. Shaking her head Erilena hastily ran her hands through it. Much better. Yay. You are done with the infirmary right? You are coming back now? Smiling softly, her eyes closed, the girl gave a mental nod. Yeah I will be back soon Fey. I just have to stop and get something to eat ok? The happy acknowledgement coming across the bond was punctuation enough. With a happy bounce Erilena started for the rope bridge that would eventually lead her back to the ground level. She had gotten no more than a few steps when some enticing aroma came across the cross wind and she stopped. That smelled really good actually. It made her hungrier.

It took the weyrling only a few moments to locate the source of the scent and when she did she did a double take. No way…tilting her head she examined the figure one more time just to be sure. Yep. It was him. “Demi!” She called out happily before hurrying over to throw her arms around him in a spontaneous hug. Squeezing very lightly, she didn’t want to cause discomfort, before pulling away Erilena took a few steps back and clucked her tongue. “You clean up nice. Who cut your hair? I didn’t even recognize you at first.” It was the truth, he looked so different. It wasn’t the scars on his face either. She had gotten used to those while he was still in the infirmary. He looked, how to put her finger on it. Less hidden somehow. More approachable.

She was actually surprised to see him. Since they kept vastly different hours it wasn’t often that she got a chance to see him. Dragon’s didn’t live in the night as whers did. “What brings you to the infirmary? Are you ok? Does Dmisk need anything? What about…Dementia? How is she?” The questions tumbled out before Erilena could stop them. Most people avoided the infirmary particularly those who had spent time there. It just made sense that he had a reason for coming.

[Requiem]

There she was. He thought about calling out to her, but he was kind of hard to miss unless a person was completely blind, and he found that talking to her was a bit...more awkward than with others. Did he feel rejected? No. As like as not she just didn't know, or attributed his behavior to the fact that he was sixteen and hyped up on fellis at the time. Disappointed though? Most definitely. Dmitri wasn't the sort to much like not knowing where he stood with someone, but it was so rare for him to expose himself like he had...and doing so again seemed impossible. So he wouldn't. Not directly.

Sure enough, it took her a very short time to notice him, the boy smiling wryly down at her as he adjusted his grip on the food so it wouldn't end up squished or dropped in the sudden hug she gave him. Plucking the scarf from her fingers as she pulled away and wrapping it around his head deftly in a show of bashfulness, he let his eyes fall to the ground. "Just too kind, miss," the wherhandler commented in his best 'demure,' voice. He let the folds fall from in front of his mouth, the familiar half-smile very much still present, then chose to be nice this once and offered her back her scarf.

Chuckling softly, he ran his hand through his hair, that touch of shyness, at least, not feigned. The short strands stuck up every which way after his hand passed through, though he didn't seem to notice. "Nautic. He does a good job...though it's still too new for me to um...decide if I like it or not." It served its purpose, though; he was far less likely to turn into a human candle if fire ever decided to renew its vendetta against him.

Oh, her questions. Dmitri shifted his weight to the other foot, then stole her elbow on a whim and began walking back over the bridge. Food would get cold, standing here explaining everything. "We're all doing well. Even Men, though she'd tell you she's dying and the world's coming to an end right about now. Dramatic thing. Seems egg-heavy salamandyrs aren't much different from pregnant women, when it comes right down to it." Stepping lightly over the planks of the bridge, his arm fell back to his side. "I just kind of wanted to thank you, I suppose, for all the help. Don't sleep twelve hours a day, after all, so it's not a problem to share a meal with you. This once." Or more than once, but he didn't want to overwhelm her or anything. One step at a time. Yes.

He flashed a smile down at her - one that still managed to be slightly crooked. "Hope you don't mind ptarmigan."

[Rei]

As he pulled her scarf from her fingers Erilena raised an eyebrow and then smiled as he wound it around his head. Silly boy, what was the point of that? Did he like the color purple or something? Somehow she doubted she would be surprised if he did. She shifted from her left to right foot as he offered her the scarf back. Pulling her hair back while still keeping her eyes on his face she fixed it around her head to hold her long hair in place. “Nautic huh?” Nautic was the green handler who had been treated for the head injury. She didn’t really know him, at all, but at least she now knew he could cut hair? Further thoughts on the subject quickly fled her mind as her elbow was seized and Demi began walking.

Not surprisingly the greenrider didn’t resist. To be honest she was too surprised to even think of resisting. Not that she would have anyway. Erilena listened to him speak as she did her best to keep up with his longer stride. The bridge still made her nervous but the presence of Dmitri at her side made it more traversable. She was confident that he wouldn’t let her fall. Not that that was likely anyway, but she still worried. She tilted her head up towards him to better catch his words as he spoke. He image of a large Dementia complaining about pregnancy pains briefly flashed into her mind and she tried not to giggle. The comment he said about egg heavy mandyrs being like pregnant woman however caused the weyrling to raise an eyebrow. “Really now Demi. How would you know what a pregnant woman acted like? Is there something you aren’t telling me?”

Her voice was predominantly curious but there was a playful lit to it as well. Oh she had heard about his little ‘accident’ with the green handler in the Main Hall. It had been going around the gossip chain for awhile, things like that where not easily forgotten. Surely the handler hadn’t gotten pregnant? If she did it was really none of Erilena’s business but…well she didn’t think Dmitri was quite ready for a baby. It wasn’t that he wouldn’t make a good father someday, he just had a bit of growing up to do first. The woman pushed those thoughts aside as he reveled the reason for his presence.

Food? Smiling up at him she tilted her head. “That’s very nice of you. However you really don’t owe me.” He didn’t. He was a friend. She would have done it for any of her friends. Plus healing was sort of her job now. Nevertheless Erilena wasn’t one to turn down a dinner invitation, especially not one from a friend. “I don’t think I’ve ever had ptarmigan. Sounds good though.” She flashed him a bright smile in return. “Don’t make me walk too far, I’m starving.” She said dramatically putting a hand against her forehead and eyeing him mournfully. Bit of a drama queen? Maybe.

[Requiem]

Dmitri glanced down at her in amusment. "I lived at Harper Hall at Fort Hold till I was fifteen, so yes, I've been around preg- wait a second, what are you suggesting?" The amusement faded into a slight frown, then suddenly what little color was left in his face fled completely. Oh Faranth, he'd forgotten! What if Yoalla...? But it wasn't his fault Dementia was a horny little salamandyr (nevermind that Devil and Lao weren't Yoalla's fault, either.) "Yoalla didn't say anything to you, did she?" A moment later reason returned and he allowed himself a small chuckle. "No, she wouldn't get pregnant...not unless she wanted to and I'm not claiming responsibility for that." He wouldn't, either. She was a whore, after all, a professional whore before coming here. Since she knew how to keep from getting pregnant that absolved him of all responsibility if she decided she wanted his - though why she would was a mystery to him entirely. No, she wasn't pregnant, Lena was just messing with him.

He flicked her nose. "Don't scare me like that. Tch." He slipped the mangled hand into his pocket, cutting back on his strides when he noticed her struggling to keep up. "I didn't mean I owe you...though technically I probably do. There are some scrolls from the histories of the place before this one where if someone saves your life they own it until they decide to free you." He flashed a wry smile at her. "Lucky for me that's not in practice here, or I'd have to cut myself in three or four pieces so everyone could have their part. All my crazy friends." Here he sniffed pointedly. "You're all lucky, by the way, that no one really got hurt cause of me, cause that would not have been pleasant. I'm not that important. Or important at all, really. Loons."

Her little dramatic demonstration inspired a soft huff from the male, who slid the basket down to his elbow and abuptly picked her up just as he was stepping off the bridge. "Can't let you wear yourself out with all that walking. Might faint," he commented cheekily. So what if he just liked the excuse to feel her against his chest. He wasn't on trial. (Fortunately the tree stump he had in mind was close enough to the edge of the bridge that his strength wouldn't give out embarrassingly. He wasn't a strong person in the slightest.) Dmitri set her down on the stump, executing a mock bow, then unwrapped the meal he'd wheedled from the staff.

"It's still warm, so be careful of your fingers, hm?" Placing things beside her on the stump, he settled near her feet, crossing his legs beneath him and cocking his head as he glanced up at her. "Go on. If it's poisoned I'd rather not be the one to croak," he added. Such a gallant man, Dmitri. His nose wrinkled good-naturedly.

[Rei]

Erilena almost blanched at the shade of white Demi went. Oh dear had she really upset him that much? She hadn’t meant to. Surely he knew his 'liaison' or whatever you called it came with risks? Oh she knew the mechanics of such things even if she had never gone there. It was almost weird knowing Demi had. What was he age wise anyway? She wasn’t sure but he had just told her he had lived at healer hall until fifteen and he had been there when she got here. So sixteen? Maybe seventeen? It was funny how his hair cut seemed to make him look younger. Thoughts of that nature where banished form her mind as Dmitri leaned down and flicked her nose.

Giving a startled cry of surprise she covered her nose with her hand and half glared at him. It was playful though. Brat. Erilena caught a glance at his hand as he stuffed it in his pocket and resisted the urge to grab it to get a decent look. It would be incredibly rude to do, especially since he seemed self conscious about it. So the weyrling decided to leave well enough alone and concentrated on his speech instead. The image of he produced of him being split up caused an involuntary shudder to course through her and she replied with mock haughtiness. “Well that wouldn’t make any sense. If you quartered yourself like that all the trouble we went through to keep you in one piece would have been in vain. Instead you would just have to split your time between us. I‘m sure we could get plenty of use out of you before you dropped from exhaustion.”

Speaking of exhaustion he seemed to have taken her little dramatic fit a bit too seriously. She made a startled sound somewhere between a yelp and a squeal as he suddenly lifted her. Blinking up at him in surprise she didn’t struggle. Instead Erilena leaned back against him so she wouldn’t throw off his balance and send them both tumbling. It was odd being carried so. It had been so long since she had been carried like this. Not since she was little and had stepped on a piece of glass in her father’s shop. When Dmitri set her on the stump she smiled and didn’t comment immediately. Instead she waited for him to bow and then set the food beside her.

Clucking her tongue she nodded in understanding and picked a piece of meat off the bird. Holding it up to examine it Erilena raised and eyebrow and looked down at Demi. “So I’m your poison detector? How kind of you.” She commented drolly before popping the meat into her mouth and making a show of chewing and swallowing.

Immediately afterward she blinked and lidded her eyes before allowing herself to slump over and fall off the stump. Upon hitting the ground she stilled for a moment and then dissolved into giggles. “Nope your safe. I think you got lucky this time.” Sitting up she stuck her tongue out at him in a brilliant display of maturity and then gathered her legs under her to sit more comfortably. Reaching up she took another piece of meat and nibbled on it as she regarded the harper with interest. “So what have you been doing since you got released?”

[Requiem]

Bringing up both his hands, he 'weighed' his options visually. "Slave to four different people at once, quartered, slave, quartered..." A pause, then a wry grin. "Think I'll go with quartered on that one, Lena. You're not bad but we're also talking about Eikane." Cue dramatic shudder.

He was grateful she hadn't gone all wiggly and shrieky on him, because that would have made it rather hard for him to carry her, now wouldn't it? Nevertheless, he was more than just a little amused at her response to his claim of using her as a taste tester. Nodding, his half smile drifted toward a definite smirk before flickering for a moment. He blinked and actually half-lunged for her (a bit belatedly). What the shards? He'd been joking, and no, that wasn't an invitation for the universe to take him literally. He was an annoying pest, but surely no one would actually try to- His brows knitted and he pushed her shoulder hard enough to rock her. "Absolutely cruel, you know that?" he growled, but there was definite amusement in his eyes.

"Shouldn't stick out what you don't want to share," he added beneath his breath, eyeing her tongue for a moment, but then he just wrinkled his nose and set to sipping at some water rather huffily. At her question, however, he glanced up, stealing some meat from the ptarmigan. His face lit up a touch. "Other than catering to Queen Fuss, you mean? I've been designing an instrument," he stated quietly, though it didn't quite conceal the excitement that leaked into his voice. Both hands were out now as he described it (something he would have corrected had he noticed it). "It's like...well, you've seen an abacus? Every reasonable number you can imagine can be illustrated on an abacus right in front of you, with no need for translation. Most instruments are more like a line of written figures that you have to calculate before you can know their sum. But this instrument would be more like an abacus. One look at it and you know not just what number you're dealing with, but all the numbers possible. Music is like math. So that's what I'm trying to do - create a musical abacus."

Realizing that Erilena probably wouldn't care that much about his musical interests, he fell silent, stealing some fruit. "So um...you work at the infirmary, but how is that weyrling lesson thing going? Darya doesn't seem the type to conveniently disappear and leave all of you alone," he added with a hint of dark amusement.

[Rei]

Erilena only smiled as Dmitri pushed at her shoulder. Cruel her? Ok well maybe sometimes, but it wasn’t on purpose. Instead of commenting on such however she tried to work out what he just mumbled. Unfortunately all she got out of it was share. Huh? But she was sharing. Oh well. The greenrider was saved from wondering to long by Demi’s obvious enthusiasm in answering her question. Eyes going just a bit wider Erilena nibbled on a piece of fruit as she listened to him. To be honest she hadn’t one clue what he was talking about, but it was obvious that he was excited and that was good. Abacus. She kind of knew what that was, a little. Her father had one for his glass crafting business but she never learned to use it. A musical one of those? It sounded odd really.

She fell to watching his hands as he used them to illustrate his speech. Her eyes immediately sought out the injured one. It didn’t look too terrible really. Obviously he had lost some mobility but with physical therapy he would regain some as well. Providing he actually preformed the therapy. Erilena had to swallow the desire to start asking him about it. It wouldn’t be nice to go all concerned healer on him now. Maybe she would later. Instead she continued to stuff her face as she listened with polite attention. Even if she didn’t understand completely she would still listen. It was obvious that the topic excited him. Harper stuff. Being a harper he no doubt enjoyed music. Erilena like performing. That was harperish right? The story contest had been extremely fun even if she had lost, and dancing was something she adored, however the musical aspect of the craft all mostly escaped her. She liked music but had no desire to make it. Dance to it yes make it no.

Chewing thoughtfully as Dmitri voiced his question Erilena considered. Swallowing finally she shrugged. “It’s going good I guess. Darya isn’t that bad really. I think she is just really lonely. Her ice queen temperament doesn’t endear her to many people but I think maybe it is all a front. She really isn’t mean, even if she tries really hard to come off that way.” Nodding decisively she brushed a few crumbs off her lap. “Feyrianth is six months old now. We should be learning to fly soon. She’s really excited.” The tone of Erilena’s voice clued into the fact that her green wasn’t the only one excited about that fact. Flying looked so fun and it was much, much faster than walking. Flying also meant they would be getting their own weyr soon. Which would be nice considering how big their dragons where getting. Now what? She could bather on about Feyrianth but she really doubted that Dmitri would care to much.

Reaching for a piece of fruit she decided to ask something else. “So how are your other friends doing? Nautic? Eikane? I don’t think I made a good impression on that other handler. I don’t remember his name but he had a bronze. Something with a P I think. Maybe? Do you know him?”

[Requiem]

Dmitri didn't have much to say about Darya. He could tell that he'd lost Erilena in his explanation, but he hoped that he could show her. Not how to play, of course, simply by playing for her. That was something anyone could appreciate whether they knew what went into it or not. The music itself. No, she seemed more interested in his hand, which he supposed made sense. Healer. He dropped it into his lap, though, feeling subconscious about her staring at it. No, he didn't have much to say about Darya, not because he didn't care, but because he had absolutely no idea who the woman was. What she was like. None of it. He knew Erilena seemed - sheltered, too trusting? - so he couldn't help but be a little skeptical, though if Darya was the weyrlingmaster she probably was all right. There was a whole Weyr to choose from, after all.

"That's probably the only thing I envy about dragonriders," he admitted easily. "It would be fun to fly." She didn't stay on that topic long, however, and he found the conversation turned back on him. A small little quirk at the side of his mouth followed it. "Uh, Nautic's fine, a bit subdued but he'll bounce back. Eikane's pretty unflappable. Moved out of his apartment, though. They're...they've got something going and I'd just be in the way." Not precisely how he'd phrased it when he'd announced he was leaving, but Dmitri could smell when something was on the wind. It was easier for them if he was bratty about it; that's what they expected. (To be honest, though, the thought of Nautic and Eikane together really did give him the creeps. He was heterosexual to the core. It didn't really matter if other people chose to do things differently, but Eikane and Nautic were his friends. He didn't want to talk to them together and get...that...mental picture. Yuck.)

The harper stretched, laughing at mention of Piden. "Oh, I don't know. He's a recluse. Frankly, I'd forgotten he even existed until he started screaming and banging on doors like a banshee or something the day we were attacked. Haven't seen much of him since, either." Dmitri fiddled idly with the hem of his shirt. "Nah, Eikane and Nautic are my friends, and Yoalla joins us sometimes. I think she wants to be part of what's going on but doesn't really know how. To relate. Then there's you and R'ven. I guess R'ven's probably my best friend; he doesn't mind it when I drop by to wake him up in the middle of the night, anyway. He's doing good from what I can tell. Pretty quiet person. And...Elysia's kind of sort of a friend I guess. Maybe. Rae I don't think ever has a bad day."

He smiled slightly at Erilena. "I think that was probably more information than you were really asking for. Talk a lot. Sorry."

[Rei]

Erilena nodded happily. Yes it would probably be great to fly. To be honest she couldn’t wait. Then Dmitri continued on about his friends and she tilted her head to listen in polite interest. Nautic and Eikane had something going on? As in like boyfriend stuff? Her eyebrow raised but she said nothing. It wasn’t her place to judge such things and they where Demi’s friends. Still, it would make speaking to them ever again awkward. Now that she did know it would be awkward at best to speak to them. Truth be told she was a little relieved that there would be little chance of ever meeting them again. She was a day lighter and they where not. Although Erilena personally had no problem if that was their thing, she was still holdbred enough to feel that such things where…well wrong. It was probably for the best that she didn’t know them that well.

It was a good thing however that the bronzehandler wasn’t Demi’s friend. He seemed like a real jerk. The weyrling was interested to hear that Yoalla liked to hang around with them as well. Yoalla…she was the one with the flitter who caught Dementia. Maybe there was a reason she liked to hang around Demi? Before she could further track that thought he mentioned her and then R’ven. It wasn’t her name that made her suddenly self conscious. It was R’ven’s.

Oh Erilena remembered that Demi and her classmate had been friends but well, she hadn’t known the smith was his best friend. For some reason that made her particularly nervous. Had R’ven said anything to Demi about her? Unconsciously she bit her bottom lip. Would R’ven care if Demi knew he had kissed her? That she had kissed him back? Really it shouldn’t matter but there was a part of her that wasn’t willing to just go around volunteering that information. It wasn’t that she was exactly embarrassed. It was just that Erilena didn’t share personal information like that. To anyone really. She hadn’t even told Nephele yet. She decided it was best just not to mention it.

Oh wait he was still speaking. The weyrling blinked and smiled. Whoops. “Yes he is very quiet. I’m afraid I don’t know who Rae or Elysia are? Are they handlers as well?” She queried in an attempt to redeem herself for her earlier lapse in attention. Erilena let a smile come across her face and she waved his apology off with a flick of her wrist. “No, no, Your fine really. It’s not like I’m not a chatterbox. Believe me your fine.”

[Requiem]

He was most definitely losing her interest. Dmitri didn't really know how to interact with people, however, unless he was being a snot about it. (Yes, this qualified as Dmitri-not-being-a-snot.) Okay, that wasn't entirely true. He could act just about any way you wanted him to, but the harper didn't think it right to put on little shows of what he thought Erilena would want him to be like. That would get tiresome pretty quickly, on his end. Of course, she seemed to be growing tired of him.

"Raebeli." He smiled wryly, mentally shrugging. Why bother attempting to be more cordial? Dmitri was Dmitri, after all, and if nothing else people were often amused by his rather juvenile attitude. He could at least serve that purpose, he supposed. Jester extraordinaire. "The mindhealer. You know, the one who never stops smiling and always has something good to say? Like she's the one who got dropped on her head half a dozen times, and some brilliant concerned citizen decided that this was how people should be and put her in charge of others' mental health. Impossible not to like, really, unless you're the sort who goes around kicking puppies," he finished drolly. That didn't mean she couldn't irritate you, though.

"Elysia's not a handler either. We um...met in the communal baths." A small flush was creeping into his face. Why had he mentioned her at all? Now it was a bit awkward. "I don't know what her deal is; she probably just found it amusing to fluster a kid. But she came onto me real strong and has been continuously popping up and acting suggestive since. Only good thing about it is she leaves when you tell her to." That and she was becoming a rather stable staple in his life, despite how much he might have wished otherwise. There was always something comforting about the familiar. Even when the familiar wasn't particularly comfortable.

Dmitri shrugged it off, then. "You haven't really told me anything about your friends. I've met Nephele..." And that was it, actually. Strange how she knew far more about him than he did about her. Then again, friends tended to turn up (if they were good ones) when you decided to see if human beings actually melted at the heat of dragon flame. Answer? Yes. They did. He had the privelege of passing that on to posterity now. Joy.

[Rei]

Raebeli. Erilena tried to put face to name. She couldn’t remember ever having met her. She was probably on a different shift, and since she was also the only acting mindhealer likely busy. The greenrider made a mental note to see if she couldn’t meet the woman. She sounded really nice. The comment about kicking puppies had the woman raising an eyebrow. “Hopefully we don’t have very many puppy kickers about. Puppies are far to cute for kicking.” She quipped lightly.

Nibbling on her fruit her eyebrows nearly went to her hairline as he described his other acquaintance? They met in the communal baths? Oh dear. Eyes widening as he spoke she finished her food and rubbed her hands on her knees. Tilting her head she frowned. “This Elysia sounds…ummm…Well not very nice. I know she leaves you alone when you ask her to, but be careful.” She implored eyes going to his face. Why was she messing with Dmitri? It just didn’t make sense to her.

Smiling softly at Nephele’s name Erilena nodded. Her friends. Well lets see. She really didn’t have as many as Demi. “Umm well there’s Nephele. Who you already met once. She is my best friend definitely. I love her. She’s like my sister." That about summe dup Nephy. "Then there is K’sel. He’s a brownrider. His dragon was from the clutch Millieth had before this newest one. He is like an older brother I suppose. We tease each other a bit but he really cares about me. He kind of took me under his wing when I first got here. He helped me with my first ever chore in the kitchens. That’s where I actually met both him and Nephele. To be honest I think they may have a bit of thing going on even if neither of them acknowledges it.” Trailing off she tilted her head in consideration. “Besides them I have you, and well R’ven. That’s about it. I am afraid I am not as popular as you. I am sure there are others I talk to a bit here and there but as far as people I could truly consider my friends. Only you four.”

Idly her eyes flicked to the harper and back wondering what else there was to say. It was weird, this awkwardness that seemed to have suddenly cropped up. She couldn’t remember ever feeling anything of the sort before. Odd to be sure. She fell to picking at the food again as she considered the possible reasons for the invisible wall of awkward. Hmm. Scrunching her nose up she made an odd face and turned to Dmitri. “I don’t know what is with me. Normally I am such a chatterbox but I am drawing a blank. I’m not ignoring you I promise. Maybe I’m just to hungry or something.” Popping another bite of meat into her mouth she considered that possibility.

[Requiem]

"Never know where those puppy kickers might be lurking," Dmitri responded drolly, amused by her comment, but only mildly. His eyes studied her facial expressions, the amusement growing at her reaction to Elysia. Not nice, huh? "I don't know. I don't think she's mean, really. Just looking for something and too northern to really care how it effects anyone else." That was way oversimplifying it, and he wouldn't have said it at all, except Elysia seemed wholly uninterested in the female sex so there was no need to warn Erilena away from her. Because no, he wouldn't suggest anyone tangling with the Benden greenrider unless they were prepared. (He wasn't sure he was, to be sure, but he didn't have much of a choice, really. That wasn't entirely true. He was fairly certain he knew how to get her off his back, but oddly he was no longer sure that was really what he wanted. It was being held in reserve for later.)

Nephele, like a sister. This K'sel, like her brother. (Apparently incest was perfectly fine in her 'family' of friends.) He attempted to refrain from analyzing everything, but...then he wouldn't be Dmitri. "Do you always identify with your friends like that?" As family. The wherhandler was genuinely curious; his idea of family was um...limited to the greenrider mother who fostered him out, the father who'd never bothered to play any role in his life whatsoever, his foster parents (grandparents, actually) one of which had died and the other had pulled strings to get him into Harper Hall at the age of six before vanishing from his life completely. If he had siblings, they were half-siblings, and he knew them no better than he did his father. Who apparently spawned everywhere he went. Weren't there at least three children the man had produced in the last five turns alone? Faranth knew, Dmitri may well have enough half-siblings to form a hold of their own.

(He was hoping the fertility wasn't genetic. In a weyr setting that could be very problematic.)

"She's still a weyrling, isn't she? Besides, if it's not acknowledged you can't be hurt when the other party isn't interested," Dmitri commented, amusement behind his voice. That it was a joke of sorts didn't mean it was any less true, however. "I didn't realize you and R'ven were friends," he added. "Do you consider the both of us brothers, too? That could make it difficult later if one of us wants to be more than a brother," he finished teasingly. Semi-teasingly. It was almost self-depricating, actually, given the night she'd probably forgotten already. He blamed the fellis. Not for the feelings, but for acting on them, and in a sappy, childish way, too. Well, it was done.

"I'm boring you," he responded, a half-smile touching his lips. "Not much of interest to talk about...Harper Hall holds a few secrets but mostly it's just music and music composition, which is something only harpers usually like to discuss. I could talk about the north, but you find puppy kickers distressing." He wrinkled his nose good-naturedly at her. "To me Selenitas is backwards and provincial. I've never heard of anyone building quarters in trees, with Thread falling and dragons fighting overhead. At least everyone's being moved to the general weyr. Why don't you talk about what you're interested in...I really have no idea beyond flying, healing and telling the occasional story."

[Rei]

Erilena titled her head and listened with attention as he further commented on Elysia. It did nothing to quell her worry as far as the woman was concerned. As long as Demi was careful though it would be okay. Surely he was a bit too young for her anyway? Probably nothing more than a passing fancy. That was okay with the weyrling as long as this Elysia didn’t push Demi for anything. Instead she clicked her tongue as she considered his question. Did she always view her friends as family. Gathering her thoughts she spoke.

“No. Not always. K’sel really does act like my annoying older brother back home. So I suppose I just see him that way.” She smiled softly at thoughts of K’sel. “and Nephele well. I’ve never had a female friend. My sister and I never where close so I guess I default to wishing Nephele was my sister. We are just really good friends. I love her and want her to be happy and all that. We have fun doing girly things. I suppose that’s just how I thought a sister was supposed to act. My sister is mean and spiteful. She and I never got along at all. Still don’t. When she learned I got searched she was really mad. I think because she just figured I’d get married and find a craft and end up just like her. Unhappy.”

The weyrling through off that sobering thought to nod at the harpers next question. Yes Nephele was still a weyrling. The comment about acknowledging feeling had her blushing but she dropped her head. Then he went on about R’ven and she adverted her eyes. Dmitri was getting awfully close to her little secret and well she didn’t want to put R’ven on the spot. Instead Erilena blushed and stammered. “I uh guess that no. Neither of you I view as brothers.” She planned on leaving it at that and would have if he hadn’t gone on. What if one of them wanted to be more than that? She suddenly remembered the night in the infirmary and well at the time she had just attributed it to him being slightly drugged and a bit loose and out of touch with his feelings but now. Well she had to wonder. Did Dmitri like her as well?

That could create more problems and she really had no desire to get between him and R’ven. Oh Faranth. There was the problem. She had been so caught up in her desire to find out what R’ven felt and she had gone and practically ignored how Demi might feel. She was horrible obviously. The flirting, the song, all of it made more sense now. Seriously now unobservant could she have been? It was probably more out of denial than being unobservant to be honest. Struggling to push her thoughts on the matter aside Erilena gratefully latched on to the next topic he offered.

Her interests. Okay that might be easier. The weyrling frowned at his comment about her being bored however and decided to comment on that first. “I don’t find you boring. Don’t be silly. As far as the puppy kickers go. Yeah I get enough depression in the infirmary. I will say your not the only one who finds the tree thing odd. I thought it was very unsafe to. Especially with the kitchens being in the trees.”

That done the greenrider began to think about her interests. “Hmm well to tell you the truth I’m probably pretty boring to. I like dancing. I’ve done it since I was little. Purely for my own amusement of course, but a few people who have caught me said I’m good. I disagree but.” She shrugged to indicate her helplessness. “My father is a master glasscrafter my mother an apprentice healer. I like to dabble a bit in glass work. I don’t know much glasscrafting. Just easy stuff like beads and simple things. Nothing too intricate. I like rain and the stars and I’m babbling.” She blushed and dipped her head.

[Requiem]

Dmitri wasn't familiar with what siblings were like, but for Erilena considering K'sel annoying, her expression was definitely one of fondness. Hrm. He supposed that siblings were supposed to be fond of each other, even if they didn't get along all that great, but seriously doubted that it happened as often as people would like you to believe. Getting on with people wasn't an easy thing, especially living in close proximity. That thought was only further validated by her next comments on her sister, which sounded a lot more like he would have expected. (So what if he was somewhat pessimistic? Family had never come through for him, and he'd seen enough of other people to know he wasn't the exception to the rule.)

At least she seemed to have found whatever she was looking for in Nephele. He didn't know anything about the girl beyond what little he'd observed upon seeing her with Erilena at the hatching that had produced his newest annoyance - and love, but whatever. You couldn't very well not love creatures that were so blindly devoted to you. Especially when there was absolutely no way you could possibly misinterpret it, being mindbound as Dmisk and Dementia were to him. He wasn't sure he could actually trust Erilena's judgment when it came to friends. She seemed more than just a touch naive. But R'ven was a good enough sort, so maybe she'd lucked out with the other two as well.

He blinked at Erilena as her face flooded with color and she began stumbling over her words. Now that wasn't quite the response he'd expected, and as a result it caught his attention quite well. Dmitri's eyes narrowed slightly as he studied her, evaluating her words in the context of her reaction. She didn't see him and R'ven as brothers. Well, that at least was good, though it would have been a lie to say he was relieved to hear that. Maybe the blush was from what he'd done that night in the infirmary. (Purely innocent, too, but still...his interest was definitely clear. At least in his mind. Thank you fellis for getting rid of inhibitions. Thank you so much.) Or it could be that she had some sort of interest of her own. If that was the case, impossible to tell in who, and he wasn't going to press her when she looked that flustered. Tempting as it might have been.

He smiled, expecting as much from her. Dmitri, on the other hand, was always curious about almost everything, even if he didn't often reveal himself by voicing it aloud. He was very observant and often didn't need to. Nor was it hard to find the gossiping heads and prod them in whatever direction he wanted them to go. But yeah, he could see why she wouldn't want to heart about anything like what he might be able to tell her after having already worked in the infirmary all day. People could only handle so much of that sort of topic at once.

"If they hadn't decided to rebuild the kitchens in the cliffs like they should have to begin with, I'd probably have taken up hunting. Or at least letting Dmisk hunt for me." The reason why should have been obvious. Not many people survived getting burnt like Dmitri had, and he definitely wasn't keen on trying his luck for a second time. Having a building up in the trees, where food was cooked, was just asking for it.

He smiled, amused at her. "Babbling? After I just talked your ear off? You're fine." Dmitri cocked his head to one side, considering for a moment. "Have you learned to dance formally then? If you haven't, I could teach you." He lifted a hand, then, a wry smile twisting on his lips. "It's not flirtation, I promise. I've had formal training...quite a bit actually, so if you're interested I'm more than willing to share it with you."