Between Hot Water and Cold Beer, Part 3

“Did you know?” asked Cera, taking a sip of her beer.

“Know what?” asked Violet back, drinking as well.

“In the dwarven culture the beard of a man is very important.”

“Yeah sure, they are a symbol of their age and their honor. And when your beard reaches the floor, you become wise… at least that’s what they say… Braided beards are very common, I heard. Oh, and if an adult dwarf is clean shaven it means, that he did something horrible and has to serve the public until his beard has grown a certain length, depending on their wrongdoing.”

“You are quite informed… but there is one little curious thing, you didn’t mention.”

“And what might that be, Cera?”

“I heard that if a woman complements the beard of a man openly it’s like a declaration of interest.”

“Now that is rather interesting indeed…”

“But wait, there is more! I also heard, that if a woman braids the beard of a man in public, they might as well be naked and do it right there on the spot for all to see.”

“Hm? What do you mean by that?”

“Simply put… a woman touching or braiding the beard of a man is akin to shouting… This one is mine, bitches! Stay the fuck away or you will be made to!”

“Huh… interesting bit of dwarven lore you have there. I did not know that…”

“Are you sure you did not?”

“Nope… I mean I would be sure to remember such critical information… It would be really bad after all, if you accidently did something like that and not realize what you were actually doing… scary to think about, isn’t it?”

Violet took a nonchalant sip of her beer.

“So, you were aware of what you were doing?”, asked Cera.

“What do you mean?”

“The beard!”

“What beard?”

“Alex’s beard!”

“What about it?”

“It’s getting real long, isn’t it… kinda like a dwarven beard, don’t you think?”

“Yeah, now that you mention it… It looks nice on him, right?

“So, you admit it?”

“Admit what?”

“Oh, for all that is good and evil! Young Girl, don’t you fucking dare and try to play this game with me… I’m way too old for this!”

“What? Yeah, I did braid his beard in front of everyone, wasn’t the first time by the way… and I did not know about the meaning for dwarfs behind it… so what?”

“You honestly tell me, that you did not know about it? And you did not do in on purpose right there make it clear to Yona to keep her hands of Alex?”

“No? Why would I do that?”

“Oh, I don’t know… maybe because you are in love with the guy but refuse to acknowledge it?”

“Now that is absurd! Have you been drinking again?”

“No! I mean yes… but that doesn't matter right now!”

“That’s right! It doesn’t matter. But you did mention Yona right now… Can you believe that Girl? How she is all over Alex?”

“Oh, so it does bother you?”

“What? No! It’s just so pathetic. She is just a child… barely sprouting the first hair between her legs and already trying to play in the big league… She should… stay with guys her age… more than 4 years age difference is just creepy…”

“What the… Girl, are you going insane right now?”

“Yes… I think I am actually… I don’t know anymore… I’m just so confused… It irritates the fuck out of me to see that bitch snuggle up to him so much… She is even worse during their training… taking every chance she gets to grapple with him… I saw it clearly where her hand went that one time… Alex pretended he didn’t notice, because he is a gentleman, but that bitch was doing it on purpose. And what’s up with Alex anyway? Why is he so fucking obsessed with her… he even complimented her hair… her red hair… I have fucking red hair too! Did he compliment me for it? No, he did not! Not even when I practically smacked him in the face with it! No, he just brushes it aside as if it were not even worth noticing… I even wear it down now, to try and get his attention… but what does he do? He goes on a fucking date with that young bitch, when he should…”

“Say it.”

“When he should do that with me… he should only have eyes for me…”

“So, you love him after all…”

“I… think I do… maybe… I’m not sure and it’s driving me insane.”

“Aha, we’re entering a new stage…”

“What should I do?”

“Why not just tell him, that you love him?”

“Because… I… told him already on multiple occasions and very, very clearly, that there is and never will be anything more between us than just a very good friendship… I now just can’t go like, ‘Uhm, actually that was bullshit, I do seem to like you more than a friend all of a sudden…’”

“Why not? People change and Feelings do too… You never know the future, so it could very well happen that you find yourself one day having feelings for someone you thought would be impossible… And it would be mean of you to keep that information from him… especially if he is still waiting.”

“And what if he isn’t waiting anymore? Or never waited at all? Who would wait for someone who tells them, not to wait for them… on multiple occasions… very clearly…”

“Oh, I don’t think you have to worry about Alex’s patience… I think he proofed already, that he can wait and endure quite a bit of a thirst period…”

“How can you be sure of that?”

“I just know it.”

“You just said a few moments ago, that you can’t know the future.”

“No, I said… you… can’t know the future… I know what will happen, because I’m very old and that’s why I know things… It’s not my first rodeo, young one.”

“How old are you anyway?”

“I don’t know… I stopped counting after four thousand… and that was a while ago…”

“Damn… you’re an old hag!”

“I prefer the term ancient beauty…”

“Okay, old hag… but what if you’re wrong and he isn’t waiting, and I would theoretically confess my feelings to him…”

“What then?”

“Wouldn’t it be mega embarrassing and scary?”

“It would, but even more for him, if he was the one confessing…”

“What? What does that have to do with it?”

“Just something for you to think about.”

“But…”

“Just do it…”

“Maybe I will… I don’t know… I need time to think…”

“Don’t take too long or someone might actually come and steal him away under your nose…”

“I know…”

“Well, that’s at least something…. Cheers.”

“Cheers.”