Accidental Dousing

Writers: Ames, Eimi
Date Posted: 7th June 2019

Characters: Relkeyi, T'nep
Description: The candidate accidentally dumps some rather unclean water on the Weyrling
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 11, day 4 of Turn 9

Relkeyi was actually happy to be on _normal_ duties like the other
candidates for the very first time. The healers had cleared him fully,
stating he could do any of the work the other candidates were doing.
His mood had changed a bit, however, when he'd heard exactly _what_
his duty was for the day. Latrine duty. Rekleyi wrinkled his nose as
he finished the last area. He longed for a bath to wash away the muck
and the smell that he knew had to be clinging to his clothes, his hair
and even his skin itself.

His shoulder ached a bit, simply from not being used as much until
today, but overall, it _had_ felt good to be able to do normal things
once more. Carrying the bucket back to the candidate barracks he ran
straight into someone as he rounded the bend, spilling the bucket of
less than clear water on them both.

"Oh gosh, I'm so sorry!" He exclaimed quickly.

T'nep's face was none too pleased as he looked up into the Candidate's
face. "Watch where you're going, will ya?"

"I am _so_ sorry. I truly am." Relkeyi's cheeks were flushed with
embarrassment. "I can go get some rags to try and clean things up. It
will only take me a moment to remember where they are in the
barracks." He felt more and more foolish by the moment.

"Try the cupboard labeled 'rags' in the cleaning supply closet," the
young brownrider said as he fluffed out his shirt. It wasn't doing
much good, but at least it got that wet spot away from his skin. At
least it wasn't all on his pants so he looked like he wet himself.

Relkeyi hurried into the barracks, found the cabinet, grabbed the rags
and hurried back outside. He immediately began patting at the wet
spot. "I _truly_ am sorry." He gulped a bit, uncertain as to how the
other boy would react. So far, most of the people he'd met at the Weyr
had been kind and welcoming, but what if some of them weren't? He had
visions of a time in the past when he had spilled something on one of
his elder brothers. It had not ended well for Relkeyi. The fear of
that memory was evident as he looked at T'nep wondering what reaction
he would now receive. Relkeyi's heart beat fast as he waited and
worried.

"Ok, let me do that," T'nep said grabbing at the rag that was starting
to dab a little too close to home. "I'm not that much of a kid, you
know. Why don't you just clean up the floor?"

"I'm sorry," he mumbled again as he knelt on the ground and cleaned up
the puddle he had created. He hardly cared about his own clothes. They
were soaked too, but he knew they needed clean after the chores he'd
just finished. Relkeyi hated the fact that he almost wanted to cry, so
he ducked his head as he wiped up the mess. He was too sensitive. He'd
heard that his whole life. His brothers had told him to man up all the
time, but it just wasn't who he was. He swallowed passed the
embarrassed lump in this throat and threw the wet rags into the
bucket. When the floor was mostly cleaned up, he stood again,
uncertain if he should say anything more or just leave.

"What were you doing with that water, anyway?" T'nep asked as he
dabbed at his soaked clothing.

"I'm not sure you want to know," Relkeyi mumbled it a bit. "I had just
finished my chores and was heading to dump and clean the bucket before
dinner. I, um, had, latrine duty today." He actually bit his lip,
waiting for the other boy to explode at him. Relkeyi was preparing
himself to accept whatever the other boy would throw his way. He knew
he could have fought back, but Relkeyi _hated_ fighting. It had never
gotten him anything in his life except more blows and more punches.

"Ewwww," the brownrider said, his nose scrunching as he automatically
lifted the hem of his shirt to smell it. Thankfully, it didn't smell
like a latrine as far as he could tell. "Why didn't you just dump it
down the drain there?"

Relkeyi shrugged, "I dunno. I mean, it was my first time on latrine
duty and one of the other candidates told me you had to take the
bucket around the back, over that way," Relkeyi pointed to the far
corner of the candidate barracks, "to dump it out." Relkeyi happened
to look towards the corner and spot a flash of hair peeking back
around the corner. He thought he heard a bit of a chuckle, but he
wasn't really sure.

T'nep was unaware of what Relkeyi had seen and so he informed him in
the most experienced voice he could muster, repeating what he had once
been told, "Well, they were wrong. You don't have to carry it all the
way back here. That's why there are sinks and drains in there."

"Okay, point taken. I'll remember that for next time," Relkeyi
replied. "I am really sorry. I think I should go and get cleaned up
myself now. Unless there was something else you needed first?"

"No, I think I need to just change." He was not going to go to wander
around with a wet crotch. "And so should you. Just make sure you
take those rags to the laundry."

"I will," Relkeyi replied, moving around the other boy and hurrying
away. He was glad _that_ encounter was over.

Last updated on the June 24th 2019

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Accidental Dousing