Like Family

Writers: Devin, Paula
Date Posted: 1st February 2016

Characters: A'dryn, Lenala
Description: A'dryn comes to check on Lenala after the Hatching.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 3, day 21 of Turn 8
Notes: Mentioned: A'kades, B'jon, Lanniya

Lenala

A'dryn poked his head in cautiously. "I don't mean to disturb you
weyrwoman, but I... I just wanted to say you have my deepest
sympathies." His heart ached for Lenala. She had been so brave, facing
down her Queen after what she'd been through.

"Hi, A'dryn. Thank you. Nice to see you," Lenala replied. Her lips
curved to automatic smile that didn't reach her eyes. They were heavy
and shadowed with grief and pain.

He crept closer. "Is there anything I can do for you?" She'd always
been so kind to him.

"If you could keep me a company for a bit?" Lenala asked. Everyone had
headed for the Feast and the infirmary had only skeletal crew.

"Of course." He moved to sit in the chair beside her cot. "Everyone is
very relieved that all the hatchlings found lifemates." A'dryn had
left the Feast early, after congratulating the weyrlings he knew.

"I bet they are. It was very dramatic," Lenala replied. "All is well
when end is well," she added with a sigh.

His arm twitched a bit as he fought an urge to reach over and take her
hand. "Would you like to talk about it? Or would you like a
distraction?"

"A distraction, please," Lenala said. Last thing she wanted to was
thinking near disastrous Hatchings or dead babies.

"Well, I'm... um..." She'd be happy for him, wouldn't she? Lenala knew
what he was and she'd only ever been kind to him. "I'm sort of...
seeing someone."

"Oh, really? Congratulations. Who's the lucky one?" Lenala asked. Yes,
this was what she needed. Reminder that there were still happiness and
things going all right in Pern.

The greenrider went warm all over, both pleased and embarrassed. It
was so different from the way his mother would have reacted... A'dryn
clamped down on that thought before it could ruin his mood. "His name
is B'jon." Just saying his name made A'dryn smile.

"Oh, I know him, a young greenrider," Lenala said. "I'm glad he's
making you happy."

"He is. He's so kind, and very patient." A'dryn twisted his hands
together. "Relationships between men, they really can be like . . .
like regular relationships, can't they?" They could weyrmate and it
was treated just the same.

"Of course they are same. They also fail for same reasons," Lenala
replied. For a reason, she did have rather pessimistic view on
everything right now.

"Well, yes. I suppose." And things were much more casual here. Even
weyrmating wasn't treated with the same seriousness as marriage. Would
B'jon get tired of him someday? Find a person that wasn't so hesitant
about being physical?

Lenala felt tenderness towards A'dryn, like he was her favourite
little brother. She reached to take his hand. "Don't dwell on what might happen tomorrow. Enjoy the moment," she tried her best to encourage him.

He squeezed her hand. "That does seem to be the way of life here." At
the hold it was always about carefully planning for the future. Yet
another adjustment to make.

"Yes, it is," Lenala replied. She didn't want to dwell on why:
dragonriders lives were far too easily cut short. She was also
starting to tire.

"I do enjoy the moments I spend with you. You've been very kind to
me." He was still surprised the Weyrwoman's Second paid any attention
to him, let alone considered him a friend.

"I like talking with you," Lenala admitted. "You're like a brother."

That made him smile. "I like you quite a bit more than my actual
sisters." They'd gotten along well when they were younger, but
emotional distance had grown as they aged. Perhaps his sisters had
sensed the deviance in him.

"And you are much nicer than my real brothers. They are annoying
brats," Lenala said.

"So we've both found better families here." The rejection of his
parents still hurt, but he had people like Lenala and Lanniya and
B'jon to fill his life now.

Families...that word cut somewhere deep inside her and it hurt. She
couldn't reply, just blink her eyes. She could feel tears but they did
not come out. She had wanted a family, with A'kades and their baby.

A'dryn squeezed her hand. "I'm here for you. If there's anything you
need, just ask." He couldn't change what happened or take away her
pain, but maybe he could make things even a little bit easier.

"Thanks, A'dryn," she whispered.

Last updated on the February 9th 2016

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

Like Family