Just One More Hint

Writers: Anika, Leigh M-F.
Date Posted: 2nd March 2015

Characters: Ilyssia, A'kua
Description: Aluka finds out about Ilyssia's upcoming birthingday.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 11, day 18 of Turn 7

Ilyssia

Ilyssia was grinning ear to ear, a small hide-wrapped package in hand.
Dyosha had managed to send a letter and a parcel. She didn't know how
her foster mother had accomplished the feat but she had. Undoubtedly
the package was for her birthingday, but it was the letter and news
that truly had the weyrling walking on air. Contemplating what
Dyosha's letter would say, she was practically on top of Aluka before
she took note.

"Oh, Shards, Aluka! Sorry!" Ilyssia apologized without losing her
joyful demeanor.

"No, that's all right. I wasn't payin' much attention," the tall
Candidate said, turning around to face his friend. He had needed a
larger dose of medicine for another headache about half an hour ago,
and as a result, he was feeling kind of loopy and his eyes looked
glassy. "Got lunch on my mind," he added, motioning to the fork in the
hallway up ahead. The path on the left lead to the dining hall.
"What's gotcha so perky today? Ya look like a li'l kid who just found
a fire-lizard clutch made entirely of gold eggs."

Ilyssia giggled, and lifted the small parcel. "Gift from Dyosha.
Well, I'm really more excited for the letter than for the gift, but
I'm happy for both."

Awww, a care package. That was so sweet. "What's the occasion?" Aluka
wanted to know, studying the little bundle and idly wondering what was
inside. Maybe it was some cute accessory Lys could wear for a special
event.

"I turn fifteen next sevenday, on the 25th. It was awful nice of
Dyosha to make the effort, but then she's thoughtful that way. I
can't wait to hear th news from the caravan!"

Aluka's eyebrows lifted. He had never thought to ask when his friend's
birthday was, which, in retrospect, wasn't very nice of him. Her
continued maturity had thrown him off, he supposed. "I'll have to give
ya a present," he found himself saying, an idea already beginning to
percolate in his medicated brain.

"Oh, you don't have to do that," she assured him. Dyosha was the only
one that ever did anything to commemorate the day she was born.

"You're my friend. Of course I do," Aluka said firmly. Birthdays were
supposed to mean presents; there was no way around that. "And I think
I know just what to give ya." He had seven days to work on it; that
was certainly enough time.

"Really? What?" Ilyssia asked, intrigued by the idea of a gift from a
friend, never having received one. What would it be?

This got a surprisingly lighthearted answer. "I'm not tell-in'," Aluka
replied in a sing-song tone. "You'll haveta wait until your
birthin'day."

"But it's a _sevenday_ away," she whined. "Aluka, this will drive me
crazy! Just give me a hint."

The look on her face as she said that was so adorable. The Candidate
couldn't help but laugh. "Sorry, not one hint," he apologized. "But I
do promise you'll like it. I wouldn' give a bad gift to one of my best
friends."

"But how am I supposed to concentrate on studies and drills while I'm
wondering about what it could be? Can't you give me just _one_ tiny
hint?" She wheedled sounding about half her actual age.

The redhead laughed again. "I think I already did," he said. "I
promised you'd like it." Not that that was any help, but he couldn't
resist teasing. This was rapidly becoming amusing.

"But _Luka_," she tried again her voice modulated for effect and her
blue-green eyes looking up at him pleadingly while her lips pursed
slightly in what some might consider a pout. "That's not _really_ a
hint. Give me one more, pleeeease!"

Aluka started laughing so hard he had to lean on the wall. Maybe it
was partly the medication, but he was absolutely tickled by his
friend's reactions, and by the spontaneous nickname. He called her
Lys, so being called Luka it was only fair, right? Besides, it was
kind of nice. "Keep that up and you'll kill me with cute," he managed
to say. "Okay, okay, one more hint. I'm bettin' no one has ever given
ya a present like it." Still not helpful, but if he said more, he
would give himself away.

Ilyssia laughed along with her friend, partly at her own silliness and
partly because his laughter was contagious. "Well, considering all the
gifts I remember came from either my mother or foster mother, that
allows for almost endless possibilities, but I suppose it _is_ a hint.
Just you wait until _your_ birthingday, though. I bet I can come up
with even less helpful hints."

"I've no doubt of that." And if she did, he could probably tease her
again by acting completely unconcerned about the whole thing. Having a
friend to gently mess with was fun. "I do need to get to lunch,
however," he added regretfully after collecting himself, and pushed off
the wall. "I'll send word when your present's ready, I promise."

"Enjoy your meal. I'll be puzzling over what your gift may be
_instead_ of focusing on my studies," she said dramatically, but
offered a grin to let him know she was teasing.

"Good." The greater the anticipation, the greater her enjoyment would
be. He hoped, anyway.

Last updated on the March 16th 2015

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Just One More Hint