A Little While...

Writers: Shelly, Yvonne
Date Posted: 21st May 2006

Characters: Corvera, J'nus
Description: Corvera stops by to check on her chair
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 12, day 10 of Turn 3

In some ways, J'nus missed being a Wingrider. There were no reports to write, no flight charts and weather predictions to mull over, no visits to the Infirmary to check on the wounded, no wary circling around his Wingsecond and 'Third, and nothing to worry over except what the dragon-rider pair beside him were going to do next. But despite the headache that it sometimes caused, he wouldn't trade it for all of Pern - it was a new challenge, and it was a good feeling to know that he could rise to it.

Still, it left little time for other things. Like Corvera's chair.
J'nus stretched and his shoulder popped softly, releasing some of the stress of being hunched over a wooden leg to sand off the varnish. As much as he liked leading Cyan, being able to do something with his hands and see a result was just as gratifying. He ran his fingers along the grain of the wood, then blew the varnish dust off and picked up the sandpaper again. Kopth stirred and sighed, resigned to the scraping, hissing sound that had invaded his couch. J'nus' weyr might have been untidy, but it wasn't _dirty_, and he wasn't about to cover his things with sawdust.

Kopth interrupted him just as he started sandpapering again. }:The Weyrwoman is at the door, and would like to be let in.:{
**What?** J'nus set aside the sandpaper. **I didn't hear anything.**

}:You are making too much noise, that's why.:{ Kopth's tone made it perfectly clear what he thought of J'nus' evening activity. }:Go let her in. It's rude to make her wait.:{ "Why am I getting etiquette lessons from a _dragon_?" J'nus grumbled, setting the chair leg aside and climbing to his feet. He brushed the worst of the sawdust from his pant legs before hurrying through his weyr to answer the door.

"Hello, J'nus." Corvera smiled. "Sorry to drop by unannounced, but I was curious about my chair and close by..." She hoped he wasn't busy...

"Of course! Come in!" J'nus held the door wide, then found himself embarrassed as he watched Corvera got her first look at the inside of his weyr. Blankets and rugs cluttered up the floors and walls, and wooden carvings decorated just about every available surface - those that weren't occupied with working models of machines, books, tools, or scraps of paper or hide. "Uh - sorry about the mess."

"It looks better than my weyr - I still have boxes and bags everywhere. I won't complain." She looked around, fascinated. It was like a whole different side of the ordinarily ordered and controlled J'nus. Everywhere she looked there were things of beauty, delicately carved with patience and a gentle hand. "So you did manage to save the chair?"

"I'm, ah, still working on it." The bronzerider hurried around her to clear off a chair by the fire, dumping the stack of books underneath a small side table. "My knots have left me with less time for side projects."

"I understand - I just couldn't help being curious about it." If anybody understood the demands of a sudden change in rank, it was Corvera. "And I have to admit, I was a little curious to see you at work..."

"It's not all that exciting. I'm just sandpapering off the varnish."
He shrugged. "If you really want to see what I've done to your poor chair, though, the bits are out on Kopth's couch."

}:And the sawdust is getting up my nose,:{ the bronze grumbled.
}:Mess up your own weyr!:{ "I'd love to see the progress you've made - if Kopth wouldn't mind, of course."

"Of course Kopth won't mind." J'nus smiled and gestured for her to precede him. "The only thing he minds is me cluttering his couch up with kindling."

"Well I'm sure Mnaiath wouldn't be all that pleased, either." It was small talk, and she knew it, but Corvera was utterly out of things to say. She was hopping the chair would spark some conversation.

J'nus led her out onto the bronze dragon's couch, and Kopth raised his head and examined the newcomer from glittering eyes. Set up in one corner was a chair and a table containing the remains of the chair that Corvera had entrusted to him. It had been taken apart and was currently being stripped of varnish, and looked more like kindling than furniture. J'nus smiled sheepishly. "I know it looks bad now, but there's still hope. You don't need to confess furniture murder to your family just yet."

Corvera was a little pale at the sight of her beloved furniture. "All right..." Was about the only thing she could manage to say. "I...
trust you..." This was worse than it being in itty bitty pieces.

J'nus put a tentative hand on her shoulder. "And you haven't misplaced your trust. I _do_ know what I'm doing. Just because I can't keep my weyr tidy doesn't mean that the rest of my skills are a mess," he said, trying to lighten her expression.

}:Tell her that her hair is pretty,:{ Kopth suddenly said. J'nus looked startled. }:Tell her that.:{
**No! It's not appropriate.**

Kopth turned his head to regard the pair, his eyes glittering mischievously. }:You do not think that her hair is pretty?:{
**That's not the point,** J'nus shot back. **We're talking about chairs.**

}:But you like her and want her to be happy, and talking about chairs is not working, so tell her that her hair is pretty!:{
**Shut up, you overgrown tunnelsnake! You don't even _have_ hair.**

}:Tell her, or I will tell Mnaiath that you think her hair is pretty, and other things too. _Lots_ of other things,:{ Kopth said, sounding smug.

J'nus refrained from rolling his eyes - but only barely. What other dragonrider was blackmailed by his own sharding dragon?! He let his hand drop. "Kopth says to say that he thinks that your hair is pretty."

The dragon in question snorted. }:You should have said, 'Your hair is pretty'. You know nothing about females.:{ Corvera gave J'nus an impressed look and then turned toward Kopth with a slight curtsy. "Well thank you very much, Kopth. I do hope that my chair isn't intruding upon your couch too much."

"It's just the sawdust he doesn't like," J'nus said.

"Well, such a handsome creature shouldn't have to put up with any sawdust. Perhaps he'd like to join Mnaiath outside sunning?" Mnaiath immediately started preening and fidgeting anxiously. She, it seemed, had taken a liking to Kopth.

}:Can I really?:{ Kopth asked, surprised.

**If _she_ says so, get your blobby bronze butt out into the air and out of my weyr!** J'nus shot back.

}:But _my_ couch,:{ the dragon replied softly, but his mind was already on other things. He rose to his feet, but took his time leaving his couch so as not to seem _too_ eager. He had his pride, after all.

J'nus watched him go with his arms crossed, then shook his head.
"Honestly. I wouldn't trade him for all of Pern, but if I'd really known what I was getting into when I came to the Weyr, I'm not sure I would have gone through with it."

Corvera laughed. "Yes you would have." She reminded him softly.

He absently rubbed the mark on his wrist. Kopth was everything to him, but... "Maybe. Can I get you something to drink? I've been a terrible host, haven't I."

"Oh no, it's fine!" She fiddled with a finger, absently. "I should probably be going anyway - hide work and all that..."

"If you're sure it can't wait a half candlemark or so. You could help me with the sanding?" J'nus said, realizing that he didn't want her to go just yet.

Corvera pressed her lips together. "All right. Maybe just for a little while." **Maybe just for a little while...**

"If a 'little while' is all you can spare, then I will gladly take it," J'nus replied, grinning. He pulled out a chair for her and dusted off the seat with his sleeve. "M'lady?"

Last updated on the May 22nd 2006

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