Xanadu Weyr Region - Wooded Clearing
While the trees may not be overly thick the undergrowth certainly is, and there is a large open clearing settled away from the coast and the stream. Trees with large, knotted and in some places split, trunks ring the grassy clearing, large canopies casting everything into shadow. Shrubs grow up around the bottoms of the trees - some with flowers and others with large, leafy fronds. It is these shrubs that give away the presence of a few narrow path cutting back to the coast, as well as one meandering down towards the stream, as the leaves are bent awkwardly halfway up their length.
In the center of the clearing, oddly enough, is a campfire ring, marked out with the smooth, flat rocks from the nearby stream. While its not a perfect circle, it does its job, for settled amidst it is a neatly built fire. What is, perhaps, even odder is that the fire hasn't been lit, despite the circle of large rocks settled around it in a half circle.
Early afternoon in the Xanadu area finds Thea as far from the Weyr as she could get on foot. The clearing is quiet and still in the lazy way that summer afternoons can be with the insects humming a hypnotic song that calms the mind and soothes the heart. Perhaps that is why she is here today, sitting in the shade with her back against a tree, leaning forward with her head on her arms as they rest atop her knees. Apparently asleep.
Quiet. Yes, that's always a nice thing to have. To get that D'had usually ends up sequestering himself on an island somewhere, finding a secluded beach, or, as the case may be this afternoon, flying. Just why the clearing seems to appeal today is anyone's guess as Siebith descends to leave off his rider.
Dragon wings. They'll do it every time. Alas, good naps are hard to come by too. Siebith backwinging to land in that clearing awakens Thea and she lifts her head, blinking the sleep from her eyes. The currents created by the blue's wings stir her hair, sweeping it across her face, tossing it this way and that. She waits until is it quiet enough to comment, then calls, "Seryth tattle on me?" Indeed she doesn't really look surprised to see who has landed. Perhaps it was the other way around.
D'had really wasn't expecting to find anyone in the clearing, that much is evident as he turns quickly towards the sound of that voice, narrowing eyes in that direction. Here he'd thought they were picking a spot where no one would find them without truly looking. After all, who looks for a sailor in the middle of the woods. Right? A smirk tugs at one corner of his lips once its taken in as to who the 'intruder' is and the initial surprise of coming across anyone wears out. "Nah," he replies to the question, "Wasn't spectin ta see anyone here, can find somewhere else."
Thea's hand, freezes midair on the way to brushing her hair out of her face when D'had says that. "Only if you want to." So the words are welcoming, but there's a bit of strain in the tone as she says it and any smile that was there has vanished. Someone has been doing a lot of thinking the past few days.
D'had shakes his head, and even before he has time to give his reply Siebith is taking off for the more open skies. The Weyrsecond turns a glance after the blue only to shake his head again before striding towards where Thea sits. "Like I said, just wasn't expectin' anyone ta be out here."
Thea's hand moves, slowly brushing the hair from her face after Siebith takes off. She rises as the Weyrsecond strides over, "Well, I can leave if you want." She sees that headshake of his and oddly, she is piqued by it. Her eyes are back to wary as she looks at him.
"Now what makes you think I'd want that," D'had remarks, a hand lifting to brush her cheek, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. "Just cause I wasn't expecting anyone don't mean I ain't pleased it's you."
Thea's eyes close as his hand brushes her cheek. When her eyes open, they are full of uncertainty. "I wasn't sure how you'd feel after…" After she saw him drunk and hungover, after he spoke of things he'd never told anyone, after his few days of 'being all right again' stretched onto four with no word… She leaves the words unsaid.
"After?" D'had questions, hand hanging in the air above her shoulder for a moment before he realizes and pulls it back to his side. "After…" he repeats, searching her face for any clue as to what she might be talking about. "I think you're worryin' over nothin'," he concludes hoping that awkward smile of his will make whatever might be wrong better with as little discussion as possible.
Thea has the grace not to pout or flounce off. "After we (translate: Thea made you) talked about… Tailea." She flickers another uncertain glance at him, then lowers her eyes, "You said give it a couple of days and you'd feel alright again." She pauses, still refusing to meet his eyes, before asking in a low voice, "Are you?"
D'had blinks. "We.. I.. told you about her and…" Realization suddenly dawning on the topic of the question he's been asked. "Yeah," the Weyrsecond replies with a slight nod of is head, though his expression has changed to something more serious than it was upon his arrival. "You upset with me?"
Thea lifts her head quickly at that question, "No, not really, but…" She's confused again if one were to go by the look on her face, "When you didn't come to find me and tell me you were, I thought maybe you-" She breaks off, turns her head away, blinking rapidly, "-might have regretted telling me. And were keeping your distance."
D'had reaches out to gently turn her face back to him, "Hey now, you didn't find me either," he comments as if that might make a difference in anything. "Maybe I thought you were doin the same, keepin your distance."
Thea's eyes are wide, pained as her face is turned back to him, one hand lifts to cradle the back of his hand where it rests on her cheek, "I don't chase." She explains simply, "Was giving you your space."
"Appreciate it," the simple reply is given with a twitch of lips his expression uncertain as to smile or not. "Smile for me?" D'had asks after a short pause, almost a plead though not quite there.
Thea complies, hard though it is to do. The smile comes out rather shaky, not quite reaching her eyes as she tries to read him, her eyes flicker across that twitch of his lips and back to his eyes. "Maybe I should ask for a transfer elsewhere."
D'had shakes his head, sweeping that hand from her cheek to brush through her hair. "No, no, if anyone should be me," he replies, hand coming to rest on her shoulder, the other lifting to do the same. Question in his eyes he continues, "If I did somethin'.. you tell me. Right. Be mad at me. Just not like this…"
That helps. Right. Thea winces and her eyes fill with tears, "So I'm right then. My eyes remind you of her and you don't want to be around where I am." Hence the offer to transfer away. His question has her blinking. She's so confused! "Uh, yeah? I'd tell you." She attempts to sort through what 'be like this' means, "You're seen how I am when I get mad." A half-smile ghosts her lips, "Flailing and boot-whapping. It's about the worst I'll ever get. Though I was more scared than mad that night." Hmm, might have to explain that one. "How I am now? I guess it happens when I'm sad. No guarantees on that one."
D'had chuckles, its an awkward if amused sound as he holds her at arm's length. "Yeah, yeah I did see ya like that.." And he kept carrying her all the way back to her place while she wailed on him, but he's not pointing that part out like he could, perhaps should? "But what would make ya think a thing like that," he continues in all seriousness, "If I didn't wanna see you, I'da been gone a long time ago."
Thea shakes her head, "You don't understand. When I get scared, I get mad. When get mad, I get quiet. Or stubborn." She peers at him as if to make sure he understands that. "It was the flight that night. And you wouldn't let go. I panicked." She blushes, but he is back to the transfer and now she is confused once again, "Oh." She never thought of it like that. He could have simply left. "Well, you started acting like you hated me that last few days, all sarcastic and grouchy with me." She's beginning to tremble with the stress of trying to understand just where he stands.
"Then let me," D'had replies, taking a step forward. "I was confused," though it doesn't sound like he's terribly certain of that himself. "Ain't one much for talkin'," he attempts to explain. And for one who doesn't talk much, he was talking quite a bit the last time they were together. Hand shifts from shoulder to waist and he pulls her to him, leaning down, lips searching for hers though he'll leave that last miniscule of an inch for her to close.
"Let you understand?" It comes out rather breathless as he steps nearer to her. Thea's keeping her eyes on his as one in a daze, not able to look away. There's a nod to his admission of being confused. She can certainly understand that! "Talking… is important, but… actions speak more to the character of a man than words do." As she is pulled against him, her arms slip 'round him and her lips are there for the taking as she leans that last bit to offer them, the response when they meet that is more telling than words about her feelings for him.
Passionate. Deep. His lips part just enough. But then would she expect any less from a man with his reputation? When D'had breaks that kiss its only far enough that he moves so to press his forehead to hers, looking down to meet her eyes though only for a moment before his drop closed and he draws in a deep breath.
Likely Thea has never really spent much time thinking about the way the Weyrsecond would kiss a woman. Might be a good thing? Over her head might be a good way to describe her now, for that kiss undoes her. Hers part in reply, soft, accepting while giving at the same time. She clings to him for support, for her legs are now as if Siebith has given her another wild ride. Breathing? Who can? When she finds his eyes, hers clearly show wonder and nothing else. And for once? She couldn't say a word if her life depended on it.