Being Helpful, I Promise! ((Jan. chores/open))

[Ruby]

M'kai realized his mind was wandering again. Futh and Reina were napping and sunning themselves outside near the river, and their drowsiness was filtering through to M'kai. Not to mention that untangling and rolling up miles of used-but-sanitized bandages was, possibly, the most boring chore ever. At least he was far, far away from the Creche. Far away. The screaming of a child with a deeply scraped knee reached his ears, and he cringed. Ugh, children. Let him never be cursed with THAT particular misfortune. He had never in his life met someone he would want to share a child with, and if he'd accidentally fathered any in the past, well. He could only pray that they looked absolutely nothing like him.

Again! Forcing himself to concentrate on the task at hand, he finished rolling this particular length of bleach-white cloth and dove into the pile to find another. He had hoped that in the infirmary he'd have something interesting to do, like... shadowing a Journeyman or learning some dragonhealing. Of course, he should have known better by now. All chores were a stupid waste of time. But still, he'd at least expected to see some blood. Maybe after he was done with another bandage or two, he could "find somewhere to put them", and also find a healer to talk/charm into giving him something better to do. Maybe he'd even end up a healer apprentice.

That thought had originally been joking, but by the time M'kai got to the end of it, he was thinking harder (and rolling bandages faster than ever). Not, obviously, while he and Futh were still in training- he never had any spare time, anyway. But once they had graduated, and didn't have to do stupid chores anymore... "Hm," he said, watching an Apprentice's shadow bustle past a half-closed curtain. Interesting thought. Now he really WOULD have to find a healer to bug.

[Requiem]

"Shhhhh. Calen, do you see her over there? Mila? Look how scared she looks. You must be brave for her," the greenweyrling told the boy quietly. He'd pulled the child gently into his arms, working around Calen's torso to clean and sterilize the gash before applying the numbweed that would ultimately still Calen's tears. The weyrbrat, though only four, had enough of the male in him to attempt to appear unmoved upon seeing Mila, which fortunately reduced the wails to small sniffles. "Such a brave boy," X'rx continued. "I have cookies. Would you like a cookie?" Calen nodded, rubbing at his face and looking like he might break into tears all over again. The greenweyrling took out a handkerchief, using it to pass over a cookie to the child while keeping his hands sterile. It was rather deep, but not so wide. A butterfly bandage might be better than pulling out needlethorn. His stitchwork was nowhere near as good as actual healers'.

Calen caught sight of the braid laced with its shells and feathers, playing with it idly while he nibbled at the cookie. Soon enough, X'rx had finished all but the bandaging while an apprentice looked to the unfortunate gash in Mila's forehead. This was what happened when children played on slippery rocks, though why they hadn't been in the creche was anyone's guess. Levering up the small lad on a hip so he could continue to play with X'rx's hair, the greenweyrling found that they seemed to be out of bandages in this room. Bother. Where...? Eveyth touched at his mind sleepily, the weyrling soothing her back to sleep. She didn't like not being with him, but Phremath was looking after her. A sweet green the dragonhealer had. X'rx tended to avoid Kalierre, though. She could be scary.

He was straightening Calen on his hip, and thus wasn't looking straight at M'kai when he found where all the bandages were. Height, long hair...pretty much was all that registered. That and the color. "This little one needs some clean linen. Eveyth didn't mention you were here, Cr'o-" Then the doubletake. He blinked at the face that was so familiar...Calen turning to stare at what had caught the greenweyrling's interest so thoroughly. Another blink. "You're not Cr'oph. Mik?" Blueweyrling, he'd said, but X'rx was having trouble remembering his actual name. Oh, right, that was it. "M'kai." A small, half-embarrassed smile touched his lips. "I didn't realize you two looked quite this much alike. Sorry. I'm X'rx. Can I steal one of those from you?" He nodded toward the rolls of bandages.

[Ruby]

"Do I know you?" M'kai asked rudely, eyeing the child on the other boy's hip. M'kai did NOT like children, and this one was far too close. Tearing his eyes away from the snivelling brat, M'kai's eyes grazed the other's shoulder, looking for knots. Knots or no, if this kid- X'rx, there we go- knew Cr'oph, he must be a weyrling from Mavenath's clutch. Sliding his eyes back to Calen, M'kai waved a hand. "Sorry. It's no problem. You certainly aren't the first to screw that one up. Oh, and nice to meet you." At M'kai's glare, the little boy buried his head in X'rx's shoulder, and M'kai caught the Greenweyrling's slight smile. He returned it tentatively, grabbing a bandage off the table. "Here, your hands are full. I'll just... put it on the table over here."

M'kai headed for the table next to where X'rx had been working before, adding an extra bandage roll just in case. He moved back, gesturing for the greenweyrling to take his place. "So you know my brother? Clutchmate?" he asked, half watching X'rx work, and half watching the little girl, still being attended to by the apprentice. Futh stirred in M'kai's thoughts, gently reaching out to the sleeping Eveyth with his mind. The Blue wouldn't wake her if she didn't want to be woken, but he liked Greens, and would be happy to talk if she wanted to. Phremath also got a light touch, more to let the older Green know that he did not mean to disturb her charge than anything.

M'kai grabbed the second, still unused bandage roll off the table and started tossing it from hand to hand, watching X'rx work. "What are you, some kind of Apprentice?" he asked, no rudeness in his voice this time, just eager curiosity. "Did you study at the Healer Hall?" Nosy nosy, M'kai. The Blueweyrling ignored that thought, much more worried about why X'rx had been assigned a more interesting chore than his (even if it did have to do with kids. At least the boy wasn't wailing anymore).

[Requiem]

Never one easily thrown off, M'kai's initial response to him didn't bother X'rx. Especially in the infirmary, when people were hurting and healers were stressed, expecting everyone to be perfectly nice was silly. And a good way to get your feelings hurt unnecessarily. He didn't see M'kai's glare at the little boy, which was probably a good thing. Unaggressive as X'rx tended to be, he was an older brother three times over and tended to be pretty protective of children. "Likewise. Cr'oph mentioned you." Obviously. Though the statement was more made as an explanation for why he thought it 'nice' to meet M'kai. Curiosity and all that. Not that he ever minded meeting a new face, but at present he was more occupied with the child.

"Thanks." He flashed M'kai a genuine smile, before setting to work on bandaging up that nasty gash. "Well, technically we met before that on a rock in the river, but yes, Evvie and Mav hatched from the same clutch. Your brother's very friendly. My mother and her friends adore him." Of course, the kitchen drudges adored just about anyone, especially if X'rx brought them by. Not too many children stayed in the kitchens voluntarily as long as he had. He glanced up from his work at the question, though, a good-natured laugh on his lips. "An apprentice? No. Selenitas is my home. They just know me here...looking after three younger siblings would school anyone in scrapes and scratches. There you go, Calen." Lifting the boy down, he sent him off with another cookie.

Eveyth stirred against Phremath, one of her eyelids sliding up past one eye as she yawned, her sabers flashing. Is that a blue brother? she questioned the probing mind sleepily, not recognizing it right off as any of her clutchsiblings or the other dragons she'd spoken to since breaking shell. Her wings fluttered and she resettled against the friendly adult green. Not Chakkers the blue sister. Hellloooo. Do you want to play? Eveyth loved to play. Or cuddle. Preferably both at once, if that was possible.

[Ruby]

"Cr'oph's met your mom?" M'kai asked, slightly hesitant. That the twins had to spend a lot of time seperately now was a given, but M'kai didn't have to like it. Especially when it seemed he spent a lot of time with this X'rx. M'kai might have chosen to hate X'rx just on principle, but it was hard. The kid just had such an infectious smile, and if Cr'oph approved, M'kai probably would too, given long enough. So instead of dismissing the Greenweyrling straight off, he swallowed the acid in his tone and smiled back, letting it go. "That makes sense," he responded to X'rx's explaination of his status. "I guess that's why I got stuck rolling bandages," he added with a hint of humor in his voice. "I'm not from here originally. Although I'm sure you know that if you know Crys. Cr'oph." So many changes.

M'kai physically relaxed when Calen ran off, taking Mila with him. He'd still be in a bad mood all day, but he calmed himself by imagining a long run with Futh later tonight. "So are you here for chores then, or just for fun?" he asked, lightly teasing. Few new riders in their right minds would spend much time away from their hatchlings if they could avoid it, but X'rx could have duties outside chores to perform. M'kai kept tossing the bandage, occasionally dropping it and having to catch it halfway down his chest. "If it's chores, I've got plenty of bangages left to roll....." he suggested, raising his eyebrows in mock hope. He wouldn't inflict that on X'rx if the other Weyrling wasn't interested, but it would be nice to have company.

Futh trotted up to the Infirmary, always interested to meet more dragons. Yes, I am Mavenath's... bluetwin, Futh claimed, stumbling briefly over the unfamiliar word. He still did not quite grasp how humans born at the same time from the same dam were special- he had eleven twins, after all. But M'kai was Cr'oph's twin, or so he said, so Futh was convinced that he was Mavenath's. Futh. And I would be happy to play, Greensister, he added. I just need to find you first!

[Requiem]

X’rx nodded, not entirely oblivious to the somewhat strained nature of the question as he set about putting all the supplies used for the two children back in their proper places and wiping down the surfaces. “Actually, you probably have, too. Not that you’re likely to remember her – or know that she was my mother at the time. I come from a family of drudges, you see,” he finished cheerfully, in an attempt to put M’kai more at ease.

Electing only to nod at M’kai’s statement about not being from here – he didn’t trust himself to speak Benden’s name without anger or hurt or something sneaking into his voice, after all – X’rx finally straightened, depositing the cloth in with the used linens and straightening his clothes ritualistically without looking. There was blood on his sleeve. If he looked and saw it he would have to scrub right this instant or run off and change, but as long as he didn’t see it he could pretend it wasn’t there. Mostly. His skin crawled along his forearm though.

Fortunately, the blueweyrling spoke again, breaking X’rx from the uncomfortable line of thought. “I’m claiming it as chores,” he acknowledged, dark eyes soft as they scanned M’kai’s face. “Though…I miss Evvie and she’s right outside.” A flicker of confused unease in his gaze. Dozing, no less. Why did he always feel the need to touch her? Shaking himself, he flashed a sheepish smile at M’kai. “Sure, I wouldn’t mind helping roll the bandages.” Mindless drudge work. Right down his alley.

What is a twin? It must be special if you are Maverick’s. Maverick is special. If you are special like Maverick, you should have a special name. Mine calls me Evvie. Would you like a special name just between the two of us? she questioned Futh, climbing up to shaky sleep-stiffened legs and stretching. I am with pretty Phreya on the ledge of the place that smells funny. Do you know it? Eveyth flashed him an image just to be sure.

[Ruby]

M'kai relaxed a little when X'rx explained his mother's presence in the Weyr. At least Cr'oph probably hadn't gone out of his way to meet her, they'd just run in to her. That must be it. No, M'kai wasn't jealous of his brother's attention, not at all. "Oh, I see. Well... I'm glad Cr'oph likes you. He doesn't like too many people; you must have caught his attention somehow," M'kai went on, chuckling a little at that last bit. It was true- as far as M'kai knew, Cr'oph only liked him, Megs, and Dia. And now X'rx.

Maybe he WOULD have to have a quick chat with Cr'oph sometime soon. Not jealous. Never.

M'kai gathered up a few stray bits as X'rx started cleaning up, returning a tiny pair of scissors to the drawer he'd seen them come out of. He glanced over at the Greenweyrling when he started speaking again, and happened to catch the gentleness in his eyes. M'kai looked away, but mainly to hide a smile. He remembered being a new Weyrling. But more importantly, he liked that X'rx was soft, or at least capable of it. Maybe he would be alright after all. "I still miss Futh as soon as I turn my back on him," he offered quietly, half to himself. "That feeling never fades, you just learn to deal with it better over time. There's only a few more," he added a little more loudly, smiling back. "Race you?" he asked, grinning wider with the end of a bandage in hand.

A twin is the same, but different. M'kaiMineLove looks exactly like Maven- like Maverick's, but he is not Maverick's. I like Maverick. And Evvie too! Futh explained. And I would love a name. But mine is so little already... he trailed off, slighly wistful. Futh loved his name, but he sometimes wished it was grander, like his mother's. He picked up Eveyth's image, and then his pace. I do know it, and I am almost there, he said, making good on his word only moments later as he turned a corner and saw the two snuggling greens. So what shall we play, pretty Evvie?