A flower for your thoughts? (Tags Nausi; Open)

[Rowana]

T'ke leaned back against Garaeth's side, trying not to put pressure on his shoulder. The pair sat outside Aslath's weyr turned infirmary. T'ke's right arm was in a sling and bound tight to his chest to keep him from moving it and reopening his stitches. The healers said he would regain full use of his arm someday, but it would be sore and week for a long time. The whole situation just made him feel worse, if that was possible. He was still kicking himself over the whole attack on his barracks.

Shards, he had fainted. Fainted! In front of everyone! What kind of dragon rider was he anyway? He had been useless in the fight and had only survived through shier dumb luck, not to mention help from Saeo, her salamandyrs, and C'oar. And then he'd gotten himself stabbed and when Saeo had pulled the knife out, he had fainted again! When he thought about all the people who had died that night, he found himself wishing he could trade places with one of them. Anyone had to be better than him.

Garaeth brought his head around and nuzzle T'ke worriedly. You must not be so hard on yourself. You did well. No one thinks ill of you. "Oh yeah?" T'ke scoffed. "Did you ask them that? I bet even you're wishing you'd picked someone else. Like C'oar or C'vin." T'ke-mine... "I mean it, Garaeth!" he felt himself growing angry. "Look at me! I'm useless! Why did I even come here?! If I hadn't been around, you would have picked a real rider! One who might have saved N'lai and the others! Instead you stuck yourself with me!"

Enough! the sharpness in Garaeth's voice startled T'ke to silence. I did not want any other rider. I wanted you. I still want you. I would rather have betweened than chosen another. T'ke stared at him and the blue curled his tail around him gently. You are strong. Just not in the same way as Frosstyth's and Mallowth's. Garaeth burried his nose in T'ke's lap. T'ke rubbed his sensitive ear nubs. "Thanks." Garaeth crooned loudly and happily.

T'ke sighed. He still felt pathetic. But at least Garaeth was glad he was alive. That was something. Now he just had to figure out how he was going to face the others. Not to mention his teachers. What if they were all ashamed of him? There was no way to knowing without seeing them, and he was too afraid to do that yet.

[Tashe]

He had been busy!

He had offered his services to the Healers in lieu of the pitiful amount of them there were, he had then been paired up with a moody Dragonhealer as an assistant. The whole ordeal had felt a little weird because the Healer was not only an ex-Benden Rider but he was younger than himself. But now, he had taken it upon himself to try and cheer up some of the injured Riders and Weyrfolk, having noticed that many wore expressions of sadness or dismay.

Trotting happily into the open Queenrider's Weyr, his arms full of wild flowers, Nautic busied himself with handing out flowers to the healing patients. Sometimes, he'd have to cut the stems so that the flowers could fit into a small discarded cup. The wanna-be Crecheworker gave generous helpings of flowers to those with more severe injuries, and to those who looked as if they were going to cry. He knew that most of the riders, if not all of them, where far braver than he. They at least had done something to try and stop the attack, while he had done little else but hide. Never-the-less, he wasn't going to let his act of cowardess to dampen the day. Someone had to be a positive light in the wake of such a rash act of violence, it also in a selfish way, was his attempt to atone for his lack of courage.

Placing a small bundle of flowers on the chest of a sleeping patient, Nautic felt Mouse leap off of his shoulder. He made a small noise of protest as the Avian flew away, he didn't want the little Songbird to get into any mischief. Flouncing after his pet, the young man paused by the entrance to the landing ledge, a voice drifting out from behind a small blue caught his attention. He didn't notice Mouse's return to her perch on his shoulder, he was to absorbed in listening to the Weyrling's one-sided conversation. Poor boy... Looking down at his flowers, he grinned.

Quietly approaching the Bluepair, Nautic lifted one of the flowers with a long stem from the bundle. Reaching over the young Blue's neck, the young man gently tapped the Human Weyrling on the head with the petals. "A flower or two for your thoughts Rider?"Tossing the flower he had used as a poking tool gently onto the Blue Dragon's head, Nautic gave the two males a smile as Mouse chirped a possible greeting. For some reason, he was glad he had left his Mandyr in his appartment...

[nightingale]

"Now don’t you even think about making a clever escape Ke’rin, or I swear that I’m going to stab you in the other lung!" The boy flinched, but did not look back at his tormentor for fear she would take it as insolence and order him back to bed. Saeo had been exceptionally difficult to deal with since the attack, and unlike most of his classmates she didn’t seem to have calmed down at all since Benden retreated.

He had been among the lucky few who had spent the first few days of the aftermath unconscious and drugged within an inch of pickling, so had missed the worst of the chaos. With all that had happened he certainly couldn’t blame her for being in a sour mood, and at least she was letting him go outside for some fresh air now that the damage to his chest was healing…even if it was only to sit out on the weyrledge under her paranoid supervision.

Ke’rin-mine? May I come to visit you? Sorry Jay. I’m on the top of the canyon, and you’re grounded until your wings heal. Kei felt his dragon’s spirits drop instantly, and his own stomach churned with upset. The young bronze had been all but immobilized since having his wings and neck seared by the former Benden wingleader who had tried to take the weyrling barracks. His wounds were not life threatening, but because wing membranes were s delicate they needed to take every precaution against them healing improperly and fusing together.

Being the athletic creature he was, Jaymith had been more than slightly opposed to the idea of laying idle for what had been roughly outlined to him as ‘the foreseeable future’. Now it seemed that he was looking for any excuse to get out and stretch his muscles, as if he was worried they would dissolve overnight. I can take the stairs. There’s no room for you to move up here. You’d have to claw our way through a mess of beds and wounded. I could come to the top of the canyon and call down to you… or…something…I miss you Mine. She boy sighed, deeply and silently. I miss you too Jaymith. I promise I’ll come to see you soon. He sent a pulse of love to the bronze, hoping that soon would come before much longer.

A dark blue figure that he recognized as Garaeth drew his attention, and Kei started toward him on the assumption that his rider wasn’t far away. “T’ke!” He called, wincing slightly as the sharp intake of breath sent a spasm of pain across his chest. Right, stab wound. He’d nearly forgotten that less than small humiliation…oh but wait. The blueweyrling looked as if he was already talking to someone. “Oh, sorry…” He murmured apologetically, lifting one of his hands to emphasize the gesture. Shells…and he had really been hoping they could chat for a while. The bronzeweyrling didn’t have any friends that he would consider close, but his roommate had always been someone that he had got along with well.

Instantly sensing her mindmate’s disappointment, Lamb emerged from Between in a rush of cold air. She perched on his shoulder and pressed her cold forehead against his throat with a small chirp. The tiny green had been very clingy of late, likely a result of his almost dying not so long ago. She warbled her anxiety musically, her spinning yellow-green eyes the only indication of her distress.

Was Hers upset? Was he not feeling well? Should he not go back and lay down and let the loud one give him more medicine? Oh, she did not want Hers to feel unwell! The boy smiled faintly, rubbing the side of her neck tenderly with his thumb as he turned to find himself an occupied place on the weyrledge to claim as his own. Somewhere that the sun was shining on…maybe by that rock…

[Rowana]

T'ke blinked and stared upward, almost to the point of crossing his eyes. There was a flower on his head. How odd. Oh! Garaeth poked at the flower and it fell into T'ke's lap. What a lovely surprise. "Maybe for a girl," T'ke grumbled. He sighed. "Thanks. I guess." He really didn't want to talk to anyone right now. Particularly someone he didn't know and who looked far too happy. Maybe if he ignored him, he would go away.

The sound of his name made him look up. Ke'rin was coming over too. Great, this was turning into a party. T'ke did frown slight in concern at his roommate. Ke'rin looked about as bad as he felt. Should he really be out of bed? Hadn't he been hurt worse than most of the rest of them? T'ke had a hard time keeping track with so many injured. At least he had probably been stabbed for a noble cause. "Hey, Ke'rin," T'ke offered a half hearted wave with his free hand. "Should you be out of bed?"

[Tashe]

"You know, you don't have to be a girl to like flowers, but you're welcome anyways..." Letting his gaze fall to his bundle of flowers, Nautic continued. "Its a funny thing. Destruction always begets Creation. Flowers, despite often being seen only as they are, are actually hardy things. They are one of the first plant forms to sprout and thrive after a fire." He returned his gaze to the Weyrling, his smile still stood, but his eyes had gone serious. "Just like flowers, we adapt to situations and environments, and each flower is different than the next. Some cling to rocks, while others prefer the unperturbed soil on the ground." He paused. "Nature always finds a way to make things right again."

His whole little speech had been a metaphor, for the sake of the Blueweyrling. Hopefully the young man caught on as to what he had been talking about. Turning slightly to face the newest arrival, Nautic gave the young man a smile and a small wave in greeting. "Don't worry, I was just preaching about flowers to er... T'ke here." He hoped he had caught the boy's name right. Tossing the Bluerider a glance as he spoke up, Nautic shuffled his flower bundle before stepping over to Ke'rin with a grin. "Oh so you're a patient too. Here, have some flowers. Odd thing to offer I know, but, a little cheer in the Weyr will do wonders for the moral." He turned his head to give Mouse a smile as she trilled and chirped at the little Green flitter that had appeared. The Avian had always been intrigued by them.

[nightingale]

Ke’rin lifted an eyebrow curiously. Preaching about flowers? Well, that didn’t sound like the most profound thing a person could preach about…but he supposed that there couldn’t be any harm in it. Lamb warbled softly as the flower bearer approached them, sinking back against her bonded’s neck as her shyness applied itself. Still, her curiosity was obvious as her eyes remained a striking shade of yellow-green. What an interesting fluffy creature he had perching on his shoulder! It reminded her of her eggbaby, only smaller and with strange pointed feet…could it talk?

“Um…thank you.” Kei offered simply, appraising the bouquet with a hesitant eye before choosing a small, cup-shaped flower the colour of a rising dragon’s eye. He offered the boy a small smile and a genuinely grateful nod of his head. How often was it that someone came to visit you when you were injured and offered you a flower? For him, the small act of kindness it was a first. Taking his cue from the that pain raising his voice had caused him earlier, the bronzeweyrling moved cross the ledge to stand more or less beside T’ke so that he could be heard without having to shout.

He smiled weakly down at the younger boy, automatically mistaking his melancholy for the pessimism he was typically renowned for. “I’m assuming it’s alright, considering that I wasn’t jumped by any healers on my way out here.” He offered in response to his roommate’s earlier question. “It still hurts if that’s what you were asking, but I’m not about to fall apart any time soon.” Lamb cooed, hopping down onto the blueweyrling’s shoulder and snuggling around his neck. Blue T’ke did not seem well. Were his wounds hurting him? Was there anything she could do to help?

The tiny green flitter had always served as an empathetic barometer for Ke’rin, and so her sudden preoccupation with the boy drew his attention sharply. Was there something wrong with him? Considering their current circumstances that didn’t seem so very unlikely. He glanced over his shoulder at Nautic, wordlessly inviting the boy to join them as he carefully lowered himself to the ground. “Something on your mind?” The question was vague and left T’ke with plenty of options should he decide that he wasn’t in the mood for talking about it.

[Rowana]

T'ke stared blankly at Nautic. Was he actually losing flowers as a metaphor? How did that even make sense? The beauty of the speech may have been lost on him, but Garaeth liked it. He crooned appreciatively at Nautic. He seems very nice. T'ke scowled. You think everyone is nice. You probably would have tried to make friends with those Bendans if they hadn't been killing people. Garaeth refused to be baited and continued to croon his appreciation.

T'ke looked up as Ke'rin came over. "That's good," he mumbled. The bronze weyrling did look better than he had been. Walking and talking were already a huge improvement. When T'ke thought about how close they had come to loosing him, it made him shudder. A weight on his shoulder made him turn and look. Lamb looked back at him as Ke'rin voice his question. Something on his mind? T'ke looked at his feet. He didn't really want to talk about it. It would mean admitting it, and he didn't want Ke'rin of all people to hear.

Garaeth had other ideas. T'ke needed to talk about it and if he wasn't going to, than Garaeth would. He didn't have a problem talking to another rider if he needed to, and this seemed to be more than important enough. He opened mind to Jaymith and Ke'rin as well as T'ke and, out of politeness, Nautic. My T'ke thinks he is of no use. He says he wished he had never come. Never impressed me. He even says it might have been better if he had not lived. T'ke glared daggers at his dragon, but Garaeth just nuzzled him in an attempt to comfort. Privately Ke'rin and Jaymith, he added Please say something. I do not want T'ke-mine to go between. He will not listen to me.

[Tashe]

Tossing Garaeth a smile as the Blue crooned, Nautic bobbed his head happily at Ke'rin in response to the boy's own nod. "You're quite welcome." Using a finger to scratch Mouse's breast as she spread her feathery wings with a chirp directed at Lamb. The Avian fluttered those same wings as the Firelizard flew from Ke'rin's shoulder, she wanted her twolegger to turn around so she could watch the featherless one.

Nautic turned just in time to see the Bronzeweyrling's invitation, or at least what he thought was one. Strolling quietly over, the Whercandidate crossed his legs before sitting down next to Ke'rin, reducing the movements of his legs. All but one of the flowers were set to the side, the remaining one staid in his hand, gently being spun. My T'ke thinks he is of no use. He says he wished he had never come. Never impressed me. He even says it might have been better if he had not lived. So that was what T'ke and his Blue had been discussing when he had caught snippets of their conversation. Drawing a knee up to his chest, Nautic wrapped an arm around it and rested his chin upon the very top. He wasn't sure if he should say something or not, but being the person he was, the young man ventured something in response. "We're all still very young, with so much left to learn. If you had not lived, then you would not know the love of Garaeth. As a pair, you have room to grow and flourish together in ways people like myself cannot."

(Sorry short post bleh)

[nightingale]

A sort of painful vibration seized Ke’rin as the blue dragon’s words touched his mind. His outward show of alarm was subtle –possibly imperceptible from a distance- but clearly evident in the way his husky-pale eyes suddenly forgot to smile. Well you can tell him that is simply not so. Jaymith was faster than his rider in responding, and his words came sharply over the open connection of minds. How could he ever imagine that he was no good after impressing you Garaeth? It simply does not make any sense! He knows that you are smart and that you would only pick a rider that you considered the very best.

Kei listened quietly as Nautic offered his own reassurances, wishing desperately that he was capable of articulating himself in the profound and meaningful ways that the candidate and his own dragon seemed to do with no effort whatsoever. He knew what he wanted to say…or at least the feelings that he wanted to express. Actually figuring out how to phrase his thoughts was another task entirely. The fact that his heart felt so painfully constricted was not helping in the slightest. Lamb warbled softly, hopping carefully onto the bluerider’s knee and peering up at him with spinning yellow eyes as Ke’rin reached out to place a hand on his shoulder.

“When things get hard…sometimes is seems easier to give up.” He began tentatively, his eyes flying low across the edge of the weyrledge. “But the thing is…giving up stopped being an option a long time ago. Garaeth is with you now. His life is your life…when you think about what some people would do just to feel that kind of love and acceptance, even for a moment…then…you realize that you didn’t even start living until the day you felt his mind against yours…so if this is just the beginning…then doesn’t it seem just a little bit tasteless to put the end right after chapter one?”

I love you too Ke’rin-mine.

[Rowana]

T'ke stared at his knees as they talked, which didn't help any when Lamb stared at him from them. Shards, wouldn't they just go away and leave him in peace? All he had wanted was some quiet time to think. When had this turned into cheer up T'ke time? Garaeth nudged his rider privately. Please, T'ke. Please listen. I want you to be happy. I know you are lonely, even if you will not admit. Jaymith and His want you to be well. The boy does as well. How can you think they would not miss you? How can you think I would ever want to live without you? Do you really wish I had never chosen you? Do you really wish I were not with you?

T'ke could feel the hurt and concern deep in Garaeth's mind. Garaeth was trying his best and it didn't seem to be enough. He just wanted his rider to be happy. Wasn't it enough that they were together? T'ke looked up and stared at his dragon. He knew the truth of what Nausi, Jaymith, and Ke'rin said. He had always known it. Maybe it just took hearing it from someone else for it to finally sink in. Overcome with emotion that he rarely let himself feel, T'ke hugged Gareath with his good arm and buried his face in his neck. I'm sorry, Garaeth. I'm so sorry. I do love you. I would never want you to be unhappy. Never. Can you ever forgive me? He could feel tears coming, and for the first time since the attack, he let them come, hiding behind his dragon. Garaeth returned the caress and crooned loudly. Always, T'ke-mind. Always.

The blue's eyes swirled a happy blue once more as he touched the minds of the other three. Thank you.

[Tashe]

Smiling almost shyly from behind is knee at the Garaeth as the Blue's voice entered his head again, Nautic twirled his flower a little faster. He thought it was adorable when men cried, not the reason why they were crying, but the fact they let themselves do so. Though, now was probably not the best time to be thinking along those lines. But he couldn't help it. T'ke cuddling with Garaeth was such a cute and touching scene he actually thought about joining in on the hugging. But for everyone's sake, he kept his hands to himself... for the time being.

Gathering his Darter onto his hand, he leaned in close. "Mouse. Handkerchief." Tossing her into the air in a flurry of wings, Nautic watched her until she disappeared from sight. Like children, the Candidate found out that Avians can learn through repetition of tasks. Mouse had lived with him since she was a chick, and Nautic had trained the little Wherry to complete various tasks. Making a small noise as a white material covered his face, the young man removed it from his head before giving it back to Mouse. "To him. Not me." This time, the handkerchief ended up in the right place more or less, it landed on the ground next to T'ke. Turning his head toward Mouse as she alighted on his shoulder, Nautic smiled as she rubbed her head against his cheek... then proceeded to preen his hair, appearently having decided he wasn't clean enough and needed to be groomed again.

[nightingale]

Oh he WAS upset! Oh, poor blue T’ke! Lamb chirruped unhappily, pressing her thin body against the boy’s chest in an awkward full-body hug meant to take all the sadness away. She did not want him to be sad! Oh, Hers would help make it better? Hers would? Ke’rin sighed quietly, giving his roommate a pat on the shoulder before pulling his arm back against his chest. He gently informed his flitter that it would probably be best if they just let the boy alone for a little while. Human males are not supposed to cry. Jaymith clarified. And they are also not supposed to hug one another.

This information startled the tiny green, but she only warbled questioningly as she continued to force as much love and happiness as she could on the young bluerider. Oh, but that could not be so! Hugs were nice…why were they not supposed to cry? Oh, that seemed dreadfully unpleasant! What were they to do when they were sad if not cry? Come off it Jay, you’re confusing her. The boy warned his dragon, his tone gently scolding. I did not say that I minded seeing him cry Ke’rin-mine. The bronze protested, seemingly oblivious to his own insensitivity. I was only saying that most human males think it makes them look weak, and many others agree with them. And why is that? Well…because human females cry when they are upset, and they want to make sure that they do not behave like females.

The young bronze seemed very pleased with his answer, but Kei countered it sharply with a small stab of annoyance. Jaymith, just what is it that’s so wrong with the way women act? Nothing I suppose…but really Mine, if I decided to jump of a weyrledge and call queens to chase me, would I not look rather foolish? Some things are best left to females. That has nothing to do with it. Everyone gets upset. To prove his point to both himself and his dragon, Kei leaned over and wrapped a gentle arm around T’ke’s shoulders. He didn’t think that the gesture would be much of a comfort, but at the very least it would serve to reassure him that he wasn’t being judged.

[Rowana]

T'ke released his hold on Garaeth and dried his eyes on his sleeve. He looked at Ke'rin. The other boy didn't seem angry or disappointed in him. Maybe he had been overreacting before. Maybe people didn't hate him as much as he thought. At least Ke'rin and the other boy didn't seem to. "Thanks," T'ke mumbled. "I'm alright now." He wasn't really, but he was much better. He was also feeling embarrassed for crying in front of them. He supposed he should count himself lucky that more people weren't present.

T'ke stared at Mouse as she brought him the handkerchief. He picked it up automatically and blew his nose, still looking at her in amazement. Shards! Why wasn't Akyo that useful. Maybe later he could ask Nautic how he'd done it. If Akyo could be taught, maybe he would be more bearable to keep around. As if he knew he was being thought about. A'kyo swooped down onto T'ke's shoulder and nibbled his ear. Then he spotted Mouse. Another darter and a female at that! Akyo puffed up proudly, displaying his red feathers to their fullest. He knew he was a handsome male, surely she would agree.

[Tashe]

"Well, I'm glad your feeling better." He paused in his flower spinning as a thought occurred to him. "I forgot to introduce myself. I'm Nautic, the resident Wher enthusiast and Crecheworker. Nice to meet the both of you." Another smile, this one broader than the last, spread across his face. In the wake of the attack there had been little to do in the Creche, the mothers being to paranoid to leave their children alone, so he had been helping the others with Gathering food and medicinal herbs. He missed playing with the children, they were always a joy to be around, even Absinthe (when she was plastered) liked playing with the children. If she wasn't sleeping that was.

"So. The both of you are Weyrlings? How are... were?... your classes going?" Idle chat to be sure, but since T'ke was feeling better, there had to be a subject change otherwise an awkward silence would descend upon them. Nautic hated awkward silences, they were annoying, so when ever one appeared he was usually the one to break it with a random comment or action.

Tilting her head to the side as Ayko appeared, Mouse fluffed up her feathers with a cheep. He was so bright colored! The only color she had on her body other than light brown and white, were two purple feathers in her tail. Twitching said tail as she hopped from one foot to the other, Mouse cheeped again at the male Darter. Maybe he'd be her friend!