Forever Here Now

Writers: Ames, Devin
Date Posted: 6th June 2019

Characters: N'vanik, Relkeyi
Description: The Weyrleader stops in to meet the new arrival and offers Relkeyi a new home
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 10 of Turn 9
Notes: Mentioned: J'ackt OOC -- late due to my LOA in May!

N'vanik

Relkeyi had rested as best as he could. They'd given him some fellis
to numb the pains he felt, but it had made him feel groggy and
unfocused. He wanted to know what the Weyr was like now that he was
awake. He still ached all over and had been told he would need to
remain in the infirmary at least another day so they could reassess
his injuries.

Staring around the curtained off area, he sighed. What was he going to
do now? Would they let him stay here? What if they said no?

N'vanik had heard about the holder boy brought in during a sweepride,
so after visiting J'ackt he went to check on Relkeyi. The Weyrleader
brushed the curtain aside and stepped into the small space. "Hi
Relkeyi. How are you feeling?" Shards, the poor kid looked awful. It
reminded him so much of the way J'ackt had been brought to the Weyr,
only Relkeyi had been a victim of his own family.

When the curtain shifted, Relkeyi assumed it was another healer come
to check on him. He shifted, and his eyes caught sight of the man
before him. Definitely not a healer, yet he knew his name.

"Um," the young boy stumbled for words, finding himself taking in the
sight of the muscular man before him. "I am okay." Was this man
someone important here? He scrambled to try and remember bits of the
conversations he'd had with the healers about staying. They said
someone would be by to speak with him. The Weyrleader. Could this be
him? Relkeyi found his mouth went dry at the thought. Would they make
him leave? He shifted with his good arm to try and get into a better
sitting position. The sling around his other arm made it hard to use.

"Take it easy. I don't want you to hurt yourself. I'm N'vanik, the
Weyrleader." He held up a hand. "Don't worry, this isn't a formal
visit. I just wanted to check on you."

"Oh, um, okay, sir?" Relkeyi wasn't sure how to address the man
specifically. He sure didn't wan to make him angry. He'd been told
that the Weyrleader was in charge which meant he would be the one to
decide if Relkeyi could stay or had to return, though he had nowhere
to go back to. What would he do if the Weyrleader said he couldn't
stay here? Relkeyi gulped. "Um, thank you for, um," he pinched at the
covers nervously, "for taking care of me here."

"Well, the healers are actually doing the work," N'vanik said with a
gentle smile. "We'll take care of you for as long as you need." He
paused, wondering if he should bring this up. "I heard your family did
this to you."

Relkeyi picked at the blanket as he looked down, embarrassed. He
nodded slowly. "They don't appreciate my....choices," he finally
muttered. "They don't want me."

"Well I do." N'vanik's tone was gentle, but there was a fierce edge to
it. While he'd been raised with holder attitudes, it hadn't taken him
long to shake off the prejudice against men who were attracted to the
same gender. And for the boy's own family to do this to him... well,
N'vanik was no stranger to being abused by a blood relation. "The Weyr
can be your home now, if you want."

Relkeyi was so stunned by N'vanik's words that his mouth actually
gaped open. He tried to sit up and hissed a bit at the pain he felt.
"You mean I can stay? Forever? Here? And it will be...." he paused,
"different for me here, or so some of the healers mentioned?"

"Well, no one's going to be beating on you for one thing. But if you
mean about liking men, that's normal here. Plenty of people like you
around, and they're treated just the same as everyone else."

Relkeyi felt as though his whole world could change with those words.
"The same as everyone else?" He repeated almost in awe of those words.
"I would be happy to stay here forever then, N'vanik, um, sir? Um? Do
I call you sir?" He blushed a bit at not knowing proper protocol
within this place. He had been trained to call his own father sir.

N'vanik smiled. "You don't have to call me sir unless I'm mad at you.
I'm a pretty informal Weyrleader." Initially it had been more to do
with his discomfort at everyone suddenly calling him 'sir', but he
liked having a little less distance between him and the other
weyrfolk.

"Um, okay, sir, I mean, um," he blushed a bit at his embarrassment
over using the title again. "Thank you for letting me stay." He
finally got out. He still wasn't sure what he would do here at the
Weyr, but at least he would have a place to call home.

Last updated on the June 24th 2019

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