Logs:Trying Harder
| |
|---|
| RL Date: 1 September, 2009 |
| Who: K'del, Phara |
| Involves: High Reaches Weyr |
| Type: Log |
| What: K'del and Phara catch up after far too long. Phara's pregnant! Intermittent awkwardness results, but doesn't linger. |
| Where: Bennath's Ledge, Fort Weyr |
| When: Day 20, Month 8, Turn 20 (Interval 10) |
| Mentions: Milani/Mentions, Nakasha/Mentions, R'uen/Mentions, Tiriana/Mentions |
| To Cadejoth, Bennath becomes an increasingly louder hum over a period of seconds until his voice crackles through. « Cadejoth, it has been awhile. How are you and yours? » That hum is matched, steadily, by the clinking of chains coiling and twisting; that metallic symphony of sorts is drawn quieter as the bronze responds. « It has! K'del's not so good at the keeping up with people these days, is he? » Nor at the /just going flying/, he adds, unspoken, just the hint of a wishful thought. « We're well. Thank you, Bennath. What about you? And your rider? » (Cadejoth to Bennath) To Cadejoth, Bennath seems amused, equally wistful. « Neither is mine. But it is not her fault. We are bored. Do you suppose yours could spare a few hours to visit a friend? She wishes me to relay that she would come, but is confined to the Weyr for now. » To Bennath, Cadejoth bonds, then, with the blue: oh, riders. Can't live with them, can't live without them. It takes him a few moments to respond to the invitation, no doubt time spent conferring with his rider, but ultimately, it would be difficult not to call his response prompt: « We would be delighted. We will be there shortly. » Phara is excited with the news that K'del is coming. It's entirely possible she was nervous she'd done something wrong, but with company coming, she busies hereself with pulling two chairs out onto the ledge. The storm that was here earlier has passed over, leaning a nice if muggy day in its wake. Not a bad day to enjoy the sun, at least. Bennath is ever so polite in retreating to one side of his ledge to accomodate the bronze when he arrives - a move he's used to, given the number of larger dragons who usually come calling up here. It's probably a little longer than 'shortly' before Cadejoth's pale form pops out from Between somewhere far above Fort, but the bronze is full of apologies - « He got caught on his way out, something 'important'. » - and keeps his flying to a minimum on his way down to Bennath's ledge. Once his rider is down, the bronze adds, « Shall I go elsewhere? I don't want to take up all your ledge! » K'del, meanwhile, takes an awkward step towards the chairs and Phara, and says, "Got your present, Phara, for my birthday? Meant to write a note to say thanks, but..." Guilty. "How are you? Hi." Phara doesn't mind, she's a very patient person. Somehow. It gives her time to fuss with the chair so that the sun will be in no one's eyes. « You're fine, » the blue reassures. « I am very small. And Mecaith is just as big, he sits here with me too. We could go flying, though, if you would like, instead. » Ever ameniable and happy to accomodate, is Bennath. Phara smiles shyly. "I thought you might be mad at me," she admits. "I wasn't sure what to think, when I didn't hear from you anymore. I guess being the Weyrleader though." Story of her life, everyone's the Weyrleader! "Hi." She has to laugh then, and extends her arms. "I'm okay, happy to see you. How are you?" « Flying? » Right. Like Cadejoth could let that possibility go. « Is there something really, really interesting we could go see? Or just flying. That would be fun, too. » His wings stretch out, eager already. "No!" K'del tells Phara, awkward and shaking his head. "I'm sorry, Phara. Honestly didn't mean you to think that. It was just-- a hard couple of months, and then Iovniath's flight, and then-- things've been pretty full on." He reaches, then to wrap his arms around her and squeeze. "Glad to hear that. Really glad. And I'm good. Things're-- good." Bennath thinks about it. Finally: « There are some tight canyons just past the Weyr, out in the mountains. It's a bit of a fly, but it's fun to fly through them. » A quick, chaste kiss is pressed to K'del's cheek and then Phara leans back to grin up at him. "You've grown," she decides with a wicked twinkle in her eye. "And I'm glad things are good. I'm just lonely like crazy and tired of the same old people. I could go play solitaire in the Caverns again, but that's starting to lose its appeal. And it's sort of pathetic." She waves her hand vaguely. "Can I get you something to drink?" « If you're up for it... » It's hard to miss how excited Cadejoth is about this prospect: his tail wags against the stone ledge, his wings rustle, his mind is full of mountains and canyons, and perhaps they look nothing like the reality, but that hardly seems to matter. Letting go K'del sticks out his tongue at Phara for her 'grown' comment, then settles back into a chair, legs stretched out in front of him. "Aw, Phara. Lonely? I'm sorry." He's going for a record. "And no, but thanks. Think I'm good for the moment." « Of course I am, » responds the blue. « After you? » Being as the bronze is the bigger more space-filling individual. Phara sits in the other chair, tipping her head back. "Don't be sorry. It's hardly your fault, and even if it was, how could you know? It's as much my fault as yours, not visiting. Well, I had Weyrlings to take care of for awhile, and then getting back into the swing of being in a wing again. You know, busy." A record? Cadejoth's response is wordless, just a blast of jangling chains and pure exhilaration as he hurtles himself from the ledge and up into the sky again. It seems to take K'del by surprise, distracted from his response to Phara for a moment, gaze seeking upwards. Then, glancing back, "Guess we all get busy. Still. Have to try harder. /Will/ try harder." No apologises, this time; guess that record will have to hold a little longer. "Back in the same wing? Weyrleader's Wing, now, I guess." Phara just grins at K'del, especially when the dragons take off. "He's excited to have someone to fly with." Like two kids taking off together to play, more or less. Bennath launches himself next, quickly taking the lead and flipping up over the Bowl wall and out towards the canyons he spoke of. "Yeah, T'rev's wing. Things are pretty good. Hoping I'll manage myself a wingsecond position at the least, one of these days." Shrug. "Been a lot of reshuffling going on. So stranger things could happen." "So's Cadejoth." The bronze hurtles after Bennath as the blue takes the lead, letting out a loud rumble as they disappear out of sight from the ledge, off and away. "That'd be great," says K'del, grinning at Phara. "If you could. Doesn't seem like an impossibility, surely? Always did fly well, from what I could see, and being an Assistant Weyrlingmaster has given you some experience in other stuff, which seems kind of useful." Phara licks her lips. "T'rev's been giving me some more duties, seeing how it goes. you know, working up to it. But.." she grimaces nervously and blows out a breath. "There was a flight, about six weeks ago. I guess I wasn't careful enough..." she trails off. Frowns. "I'm pregnant." "That's gr--" begins K'del, obviously in relation to the extra duties, given how quickly off the mark he begins; he's grinning, enthusiastic. And then, breaks off, hesitates for a moment and then, "And /that/ is fantastic. Isn't it? You always wanted kids, didn't you? Or-- not?" Now he's frowning. Phara looks embarrassed, ducking her chin down to her chest. "Of course I want kids. Always thought... it would be with someone I was /with/... or at least cared about. Not that he's not a great guy, the father. But he's not... I don't know. You, or T'rev, or someone else I'm close to. But I guess that's silly to even expect, or care about." K'del breathes out a long breath, perhaps in relief, perhaps not; it's hard to tell. And then he nods, slowly, keeping his gaze firmly on his friend. "Guess that would feel pretty strange," he allows, finally. "Don't think it's silly at all. /I'd/ rather have a child with someone I cared about, too. Big step, having a baby. Important. But. He's all right with it? He knows?" Phara nods and blushes faintly. "He knows. He's...thrilled. I think I just haven't gotten over the shock of it yet. To be honest... I feel a little bitter about the timing of it. How can I get promoted to anything if I can't...do anything." She's exaggerating, obviously. She can still fly, just not stunt, and no Betweening for a few more weeks. "And sillier yet... worried nobody's going to want to touch me now, especially once I get bigger. Everyone's going to know." Grimace. K'del looks instantly pleased about this news regarding the father, beam returning wholeheartedly, although he says, quietly, "Get what you mean. The timing. But-- it's only for a while. And it's not as though there's /nothing/ you can do." As for the rest, he shakes his head: "And that? That's the dumbest thing I ever heard. Phara, Phara, Phara. Bet you're going to glow like nothing else; people won't care. They'll think you're beautiful." Phara snorts, turning her gaze aside. "Yeah, right. Beautiful isn't a word I'd use to present myself, dear." She drums her fingers on the edge of her chair though and then smiles, looking back at him. "Guess you're right though. Won't be forever." K'del reaches out to grab for Phara's hand, intent upon squeezing it. "/Phara/. Don't be so dismissive of yourself." He returns the smile, warmly, and nods enthusiastically. "Won't be. True, probably going to be as big as a house or so for a bit, but after that... You always wanted a baby. No reason why you can't have both, right? Wing'll wait. You'll see." Beat. "How're you feeling, anyway? My sister-in-law is pregnant again, and she's apparently /fine/, but I know my sister suffered a lot, early on." Phara returns the hand-squeaze, managing to look shy, despite being very unshy. "You sound like T'rev now. He hates it when I'm down on myself." She rolls her eyes. "Big as a house? Thanks, Kas, that's charming. Remind me to booty call you when I'm /big as a house/ and see what you think." At least she's smiling again. Don't get her started on how she feels though. "Mostly terrible. I think the sleepies are starting to wear off at least, but I still throw up some mornings. Not really hungry much, either. The Healer promised it goes away though, round about the time I can start Betweening again." With another squeeze, hand staying where it is for the moment, K'del notes, "Must be a bronzerider thing, then. A Weyrleader thing?" He's teasing though, grinning. "Bet there's a whole subset of men out there who find heavily pregnant women enourmously attractive. Must be, right?" More seriously, though the smile remains, he adds, "Guess that probably sounds about right. Don't know that much. But. Hope it gets better soon, honestly. Got to suck." Phara rolls her eyes, "Yeah, but who says I'd be around /those/ perverts?" Yeah, K'del's a pervert, but at least he isn't one of THEM. "It does suck, but I suppose it's the price you have to pay, right? Nothing's free. It's not all bad. I'll ... well, I get a baby at the end of it, that seems like the only perk I'm coming up with right now." K'del is not a pervert. Much. Really! Just a teenage boy. Man. Thing. "Point taken, point taken," he grins. "Still. Bet it'll be less of a problem than you'd think." For the rest, just another nod. "Something like that. And yes: baby at the end. S'what you wanted. Glad you're finally getting it. Now I gotta think of something to get this child of yours. But as an uncle many times over, suppose I'm prepared for that." Phara laughs. "Are you already fixing yourself as the baby's uncle?" She teases. "Faranth. What do you get a baby, anyway? I mean, I helped my mama take care of Odaette when she was born, but that was... shards, more'n five turns ago now. Bennath hadn't shelled yet even. I was just a girl." She grimaces. "I gotta do some research. Shards but you're happy about this." Mock seriously, "Well, I have lots of practice. Not... hands on practice. But the uncle that drops in every so often to make parents frown because of all the spoiling that happens? Can /totally/ do that." K'del laughs at her grimace, albeit not unkindly, and adds, "Research is good. And why shouldn't I be happy? Like seeing people I care about get things they want." Dryly: "How about you baby sit for me and get /lots/ of hands on experience then?" Dimples crease her cheeks when she smirks at him. "I don't know. I don't really know how people will react. I guess I'm still a Hold girl at heart, even after all this time." She reaches up to run her hands through her hair. "How are you doing... on the getting things you want, front?" "Sorry Phara, but... pass." K'del looks rueful - amused, but still rueful. "Already go from high and mighty Weyrleader to mama's errand boy every time I drop home. Not keen on adding 'babysitter' to that last." His hand draws away again, finally, and he stretches out, thinking outloud. "From what I've seen, people do it all the time, in weyrs. Guess I'd find it hard, too, but... Don't think people, in general, much care. And me? What /I/ always wanted was rank and respect; guses I kind of got that. But. Things are good. Settling down, I guess." Phara laughs. "Didn't really think you would. A girl can try." Her eyelids lower for a moment, studying her hands as she places then in her lap. "Yeah, you managed that. Could barely wait to get yourself out of Weyrlinghood, too, huh?" "That," he tells her, laughing. "Is what nannies are for. Benefit of being in a weyr, surely." He's more quiet as he answers the rest, head shaking. "Wish it hadn't been that way. Wish-- it's hard, being so young. People feel like they have to respect you, but they don't, not really. Not properly. Messed up a lot of things for me. Wish it'd waited a few turns. Five. Ten. More." Phara sniffs. "Who says it was about the baby? Maybe I was just trying to cleverly commit you to more time in my company." She's all sneaky that way. She considers his words though and nods her head. "Well... You can't really help Cadejoth chasing, or Iovniath's choice. Could always step down though, next time she goes proddy, take Cadejoth out. Try again... in a few Turns." K'del laughs again, and that. "If that's what you're after, just ask. Came this afternoon, didn't I? Going to try harder. Can't let you get /too/ bored." His eyes half close as he considers the rest, finally saying, "He wasn't really her choice. An accident, mostly. And I could... can. Just don't want more turmoil in the weyr, you know? Stability is a good thing. Don't know. In some ways, I'm kind of used to it all. Kind of... like. In others? It's still a bad idea." Phara blushes. "Don't wanna seem desperate, K'del." Okay, maybe that's not quite it. But it suffices. "You know... Bennath hatched with Iovniath. Don't think /anything/ that gold does is an accident." That's right, it's a conspiracy! "Hey, just saying. There's always Rev there, too, now. He's been a Weyrleader for two Weyrs now. You might not even catch next time. Guess it's kinda moot." "You don't," he promises, a moment of seriously before, "Dunno. Doubt she /made/ A'son stab himself to get her choice to drop out. They seemed pretty pissed off afterwards. As for R'uen... Suppose she may want him, sure. Don't know, really. So. True: might be entirely moot. Just have to wait and see, and, in the meantime, just do the best I can." His gaze slides away from her, out over the weyr, as he adds, "As a general rule, I'm trying not to think about it too much." Phara gapes at him a little. "I had forgotten about that part," she admits wryly. But slowly, carefully, she reaches out to touch his cheek, to try to draw his attention back. "So then don't think about it, and I won't talk about it anymore." At her touch, K'del's gaze returns, and he gives her a rueful grin. His hand lifts to take hers in his again, to kiss it once, and then let go. "Done deal. Reckon you have any idea, yet, if it's a boy or a girl? Any preference?" Phara turns red again, just a little, for the affection. "No clue," she admits. "I know some women know, but I'm stumped. I'll be happy with anything, honestly. Though... P'draig and I just aren't sure what we're going to do about the name. Padraig and Ephara sorta make letters limited. Phadraig?" She bursts into giggles. The redness makes K'del smile, though otherwise, he doesn't comment. And though he looks as though he's about to nod along to her 'happy with anything', he stops short as she mentions P'draig. "P'draig? P'draig is the father? I swear..." Beat. Recovering; "Phadraig is pretty awful. Phadra, maybe? That's a little better. Phadran. Edra. Adara. Names aren't too conducive to this." Phara blinks at K'del a few times, utterly confused. "You don't like P'draig?" she asks slowly, eyebrows curving to meet in the middle over the bridge of her nose. "I like Adara.. Well. Guess we'll have to wait til the baby's born anyway so we'll know if we're naming a boy or a girl, huh?" Sigh. Beat. K'del shakes his head rapidly. "Not that I don't like him, shells, Phara. Don't worry about that. Seems like a good guy, from what I know. It's more--" He hesitates. How to put it? "More a comment on how incestuous my friendships are, I guess. P'draig's sister and I are... close. Just strange, that of all the riders out there, it'd be someone I know." Hastily, after a moment more, he adds, "Guess so. Sure something'll come up that works for you. Months to figure it out, anyway." Phara snorts. "Yeah, I can see how that would be...strange. I barely know him, honestly. I know he's T'mic's weyrmate. Bennath has a flame for Aath or something, chases her all the time. That's how I got into this. But other than that... I don't really know him at all." She looks him over and sighs. "You and P'draig's sister, huh?" "Cadejoth finds Aath amusing. So-- glittery. Probably would chase, if it weren't for Iovniath. Doesn't chase greens much, these days." K'del's expression is considering as she says this, then turns more serious: "Nice guy, nice family. Could do a /lot/ worse, believe me." After another moment, he nods. "Me and his sister. Milani. Not like we're-- it's casual. Least, that's the way it all began. Guess it's a bit less so, now." Phara nods her head. "Yeah, Bennath just likes how fast she is, and she likes his tricks. But then again, he's infatuated with Chielyth, so I'm not putting good stock in his taste." Snort. She hesitates and asks with the furtive air of someone who knows they have no business going where they're about to go. Like a moth and a candle though, she can't help herself. "Do you love her, then?" That last question draws an obvious pause from K'del, whose lips draw together, then part, then release a long breath. What he says first, however, is, "Chielyth? That's-- B'kaiv's green, right? Met him at a gather a few months ago. Name seemed familiar." Which leaves him with that other question again. "Maybe. I-- don't know. Anymore. Was always supposed to be just casual. Just friends. And then she took a break, because-- doesn't matter. Things. And I /missed/ her." Nose wrinkling at the name of the greenrider, she nods, resigned. "He was one of my weyrlings. He basically spits on the ground I walk on. So there's a fun situation, huh?" She shrugs her shoulders and then nods quietly. "Yeah, I... know what you mean. Exactly what you mean." "Yuck," says K'del, of the B'kaiv-Phara situation, his nose wrinkling in echoed response. He goes quiet after that, though, watching her with drawn lips - instantly rueful. Phara tilts her head a little for the look on her face. "Oh," she finally says uncomfortably, embarrassed. "What's that look for, huh?" "Now I feel all awkward. You know what I mean, but you're obviously not in a relationship unless you're not telling me something important, so--" K'del sighs, scrubbing at his face with both hands. "Don't even know what I'm talking about. Any of it." "Never /had/ a relationship." Phara brushes fingertips across her forehead, brushing the short fringe of hair away there. "But just because you're not ... /with/ someone... doesn't stop you from missing them when you don't see them, or spend time with them." K'del sits very still, hesitating, his eyes focused on Phara, his arms resting on his upper legs, hands resting palm-upwards. "Oh, Phara," is all he says, still awkward. Phara's eyes narrow. "What?" And then she decides she doesn't want to know and waves her hand. "Don't... look, hey, let's talk about something else, okay?" She surpasses awkward, hits downright uncomfortable and surges restlessly to her feet. "I need a drink." Which probably implies something stronger than the juice she actually heads to fetch. K'del's mouth opens, as she moves to head away, then shuts again. Whatever he was going to say, he's evidently decided better of it. On her return, he's composed his expression again, resettled himself, and says, "What should we talk about? Did you get to any interesting gathers, before all of this?" Phara apparently needed the time as well to compose herself. "Um. A few, one or two of the smaller ones." Even though he didn't ask for it, she comes back with two cups and passes one to him. "Have you done?" K'del takes the cup, head tilting into a silent appreciative gesture. "Buy anything interesting?" He turns the cup around in his hand, considering it for a moment, then glances back up at Phara, grinning. "A few. Went to the Nabol one, and on my turnday... My sister and I went to one. Ate ourselves silly, and danced." Phara shakes her head. "Nope, no big purchases. A couple new dresses...which I suppose I'll at least get a few wears out of, huh?" She traces a fingertip along the top edge of her cup and watches him intently. "That's good. You and ... Kash, right?" "A few now, a few next turn. Probably back to your normal size by then, right?" grins K'del, head bobbing appreciatively. "Right. Kash. Nakasha. She's staying with one of my brothers and his new wife at Tillek, now, though. Mother wants her to get married, and Kash... Let's just say she's not so convinced of it. Apparently, she's having a grand old time. Chopped all her hair off, and got told to stop showing up to help the seamstresses... but having a great time." "Hope so. Can't say I would mind a little more flesh. Seems like I've gotten skinnier since we started stunt riding, you know. Takes a lot more endurance." She snorts. "Your mother sounds like mine. That's why I ran away, did you know? She wanted me to get married, have babies. That route. Ironic, the things that sound so appaling when you're 14... give it a decade." She shrugs, waves vaguely at her abdomen. "She's young, she /should/ be having fun right now. There's plenty of time for the rest of it." K'del lets his gaze laze over Phara, as though he's appraising whether she really is skinnier or not, but instead of remarking on it, he nods. "Kash is my mother's baby, her little girl. I /get/ it, but... It just doesn't suit Kash, for now. She's more like me than is probably good for her." Rueful. "But that's my take on it, too. Let her enjoy herself. I'd bring her to the weyr with me for a while, but my mother would /really/ kill me, then. Tillek's safer. How's your mother feel, about your pregnancy?" Phara snorts. "Oh yeah, /really/ get her into trouble up at the Weyr. Brilliant strategy." But she grins at him to soften the tiny criticism. "You'll take a nice, cheerful girl like her and get...me." Gasp! Terrible fate!! "My mama? I haven't...told her yet. I'll go visit her, tell her in person... when I can." She obviously looks like she's dreading it. "I know, I know. Bet she can get in plenty of trouble /outside/ the weyr, though. This is my sister we're talking about." And from his expression, K'del knows far too well what she's like. "You? Oh no, save us all." It's a tease, too, made obvious with the sticking out of his tongue. "You should. I bet she'll be delighted. Grandchild! My mother'd probably be thrilled if I was having one." Phara grins, though she looks a little wry. "I know, right." She exhales deeply and is about to point out she has five older brothers, just to remind him, but instead she starts laughing, maybe a little hysterically. "I hear I'll be open to try again around the third month or thereabouts." A poor joke, probably, but she needs a little silliness right now. The laughter, and the comment that follows draws a pause from K'del for a moment, and then he joins her in it: he laughs and laughs and laughs. "Oh, Phara," he says, still grinning, once he's controlled himself enough to be able to get the words out. "Missed you." Phara masters herself eventually, enough to hear his comment. She licks her lips and smiles at him, but there's a shade of sadness to it. "Did you?" rhetorical. "Missed you too." "I'm sorry." There he goes again. "For not being better about keeping in touch. For... must've felt like I abandoned you." K'del swallows, then takes a sip from his cup - his very first. "Going to be better, now." "It's okay," reassures Phara, sounding slightly annoyed at having to even say it. "I thought..." she trails off, hesitates. What she says next costs her dearly to even say, it's writen all over her face. "I figured you just got scared. Realized I might like you more than you were comfortable with and called it quits. I can understand, if that's true." It makes K'del go very still, and then his face falls. "Oh, Phara," he says, his voice very soft. "No. It wasn't that at all. It /wasn't/." He reaches out again, grasping for her hand. "I didn't... realise." "I don't like it when you do that. Feel bad about things I say. Please? We're just friends, K'del. I'm not stupid, and I'd never ask you for more. So wipe that silly guilty look off your face, okay?" She pats his hand holding her other and gives it a squeaze. K'del makes a face. "I'll try? Do feel bad, though. Hate the idea that I've hurt people." He squeezes her hand in return, and ventures a smile. "Okay. Trying not to feel guilty, now. Promise." Phara chuckles. "Story of my life, dear. I have this thing for men who go on to be Weyrleaders. I think I either have really good taste...or very /very/ bad luck." And probably more of the second than the first. "Good, don't. Or I'll beat you up!" Oooh, threatening. "Fortuneteller! Young men will come from all around to see if you have a thing for them, to find out if they'll be Weyrleader or not." K'del grins, using his free hand to draw his cup back up for another sip. "You'll beat me up will you? Uh-oh. You've told me now." His tongue goes out. Again. Either he's not feeling so guilty, or he's putting it aside really well. Phara snorts and rolls her eyes. "Riiiight. 'Hmmm. I think you're lovable. Come back if you Impress a bronze and we'll screw and see if there's magic.'" She laughs again and sticks her tongue out back at him. K'del has to withdraw his tongue rapidly, and then his hand from hers, because he's started laughing again. "New way to search?" he offers, once he's got a little more control over himself. Phara's lips curl up in a satisfied way. "Much more fun way to Search, if you ask me. Though someone else has to Search the girls, I'm not going that way." "You can leave them for me," decides K'del, with a grin. "The girls, I mean. Reckon you're right - much more fun. Not that Cadejoth's ever searched anyone, anyway. Mostly avoided our last group of candidates. Most of 'em were older than me." Phara snorts. "In that case, start with me, huh?" Teasing. "Really? Bennath's Searched a few, here and there. Supposedly, blues have a knack for it." Not that she's ever noticed one. She's amused though, about the candidates. "Sometimes we get a couple older than me. You're not /that/ young. But when we take them up to 25... some of my weyrlings were older than me. It's hard getting them to listen when they think they ought to know better because they're older." K'del's brows waggle, enticingly. Or mock-enticingly, at the very least. "Don't know if it was just that Cadejoth was too concerned about the eggs, them being his, or if he just doesn't see candidates. Guess we'll see." Grinning, albeit ruefully, he adds, "Reckon I'm almost the youngest in the wing I'm supposed to be leader of, let alone the weyrlings, the weyr, the whole bit. Strange, sometimes. Awkward." Phara smirks and looks skyward for a moment. "I /will/ jump you," she threatens. But, more seriously. "Shouldn't matter though, so long as you're competent. I'm sure you're a good Weyrleader, good Wingleader." "Oh no, how will I cope," says K'del, watching her. More seriously, "Hope so. Think I'm getting better. Leave a lot of the Wingleadery stuff to my Wingsecond, though. At first, it was just because I had so much to learn and deal with, and now... it's hard. Still trying to learn from Sisha, and she does a good job, so..." "Hopefully, with a smile on your face." Phara gives a sympathetic nod about having to learn things. "Yeah. I guess nobody gave you baby steps into the role, huh?" "A very large one," he promises, with a grin, "No, not really. Mean... got help. B'sil's one of the Wingleaders, and he's been an advisor, which has helped a lot. But. Even so. Not like I'd been in the wings long enough to really get them. Or been Wingsecond. Or any of that." Phara nods her head. "Sort of a disadvantage," she agrees. And then idly she sets down her cup and reaches to do the same with his if he'll surrender it. "But I've always found you to be a quick study. I know you'll have it all down soon enough." K'del lifts a finger to her reaching hand, giving himself time to drain the rest of his, before he hands it over. "Hope so," he tells her. "Think so. Doing better, anyway. Feeling more comfortable." Phara sets the cup down next to hers and then sets herself quite pointedly in his lap. Not that she does anything once there, except make herself comfortable and smile at him. "Glad to hear it. Comfort is important. People feel better when the Weyrleader feels better and all of that stuff." K'del's expression doesn't shift, as she settles down, but his arms shift around her, holding her loosely. "That a precursor 'can I make you feel better, now, Weyrleader'. Or maybe a 'reckon it's important for you to feel better, too, Phara, and how can I accomplish that'?" Though, notably, he's grinning as he says that, drawing his face closer to hers, as one hand traces lightly down her leg. Phara sighs with some hint of relief at the reception. "Can it be an 'I'm horny and you're hot and I'd almost forgotten that fact?'" She leans in slowly, just barely not kissing him. "Or I guess we could go with making each other feel better." She slides one arm loosely around his neck, closing the gap. K'del is the one, then, to initiate - or finishing initiating, anyway - the kiss, which he does with evident enthusiasm. "Don't imagine it especially matters /what/ it is. Just is," he tells her, when he draws his head back some lengthy time later, looking well pleased. "Here, or shall I carry you to bed?" Phara can agree to that. At least, there's some measure of agreement in the silence that follows. And then: "On the ledge?" she laughs. "Doubt my neighbors would like that. The bed's much more comfortable than the ground anyway." "Your neighbours can--" Something unintelligable, because K'del's gone in for another kiss. "But... in the interests of them not hating you..." That's his cue to - impressively, at least a little! - adjust his grip on her, and then draw himself to his feet, her in hand, and start making his way indoors. Hurray! Phara would laugh anyway, if it weren't for that kiss. Hurray indeed! Pleased as punch to be carted off inside, too. |
Leave A Comment