An Awkward Thank You

Writers: Shelly, Yvonne
Date Posted: 8th August 2006

Characters: J'nus, Corvera
Description: J'nus delivers Corvera's fixed chair to her weyr
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 8 of Turn 3

After checking with Kopth to make sure that Corvera was in her weyr, J'nus stood in the hallway outside her door and ran a hand down his tunic to smooth out the wrinkles. He straightened his knots and ran a hand over his short hair, making it stick up worse, and then knocked on her door.

Corvera lifted herself off the couch with a degree of effort and set aside her hidework. "Coming!" She called in a pleasant, but tired voice. **_Please_ don't let this be weyr business.** She thought to herself. **_Please_ don't be one more thing to deal with!**

J'nus grinned as she pulled open the door. "Good evening, Corvera. I hope I'm not interrupting anything?"

"Nothing I mind being interrupted from." She shrugged a shoulder and slid away from the door, allowing J'nus inside. "Come in."

"I was actually hoping that you'd come out. Just for a moment." He stepped back from the door and gestured down the hall. "I guarantee that you'll be happy that you did."

Corvera was immediately suspicious. "...Why?" She narrowed her eyes and took a little more defensive of a stance.

"If I told you, it wouldn't be a surprise." When Corvera's expression didn't change, he sighed. "I promise Kopth isn't lurking in the hall, hungry and ready to eat you."

"He better not be." Corvera giggled a little uncharacteristically.
"Otherwise Dragonsfall will acquire quite the reputation for losing its goldriders." She grew a bit serious and submitted to the situation, stepping out into the hall.

The Weyrwoman gasped softly. "The chair!" Her voice was quiet, but her soft exclamation revealed her feelings none the less. "It's perfect." She looked at him with misty eyes, more thankful than she could ever say.

"See? I knew what I was doing all along," the bronzerider said, grinning. He crossed his arms and leaned against the doorjamb, feeling pleased with himself - and her reaction.

Corvera recalled herself and drew herself up to her full height, restoring her calm. "Now, what's protocol, here? What do I owe you?"

The bronzerider shook his head. "You don't owe me a thing."

"Nonsense! Even I know that this couldn't have been an easy task - it must have taken candlemarks!" She touched his forearm and left her hand there.

J'nus smiled. "A thank you is payment enough, Weyrwoman."

The Weyrwoman smiled serenely. "Well then, thank you."

"You're welcome." The bronzerider smiled back, feeling oddly pleased with himself. "Why don't I take that in for you then, and we can make sure that the stain matches the rest of the set." He already knew it did; with Kopth's help, he'd snuck into the Weyrwoman's weyr to hold up scraps of stained wood to her other chairs to find the perfect match. But she didn't need to know that.

"Oh, sure! Sure." Corvera nodded eagerly. "I just don't want to be any trouble." She toyed with the pinky of her left hand.

"You're hardly any trouble." J'nus hefted the chair easily with one hand and gestured for her to lead the way. "I used to know one greenrider who would knock on my door once every two weeks or so to get me to come and rearrange her furniture for her. _She_ was trouble." And in more ways than one, seeing as how she had been weyrmated at the time...

"Well that _won't_ be me." She hadn't meant to sound harsh but, she had a feeling that her words stung. **Shells, Corvera, he was only being nice!**

"I'd be rather surprised if you did. You strike me as the type of woman who is more than happy to do her own heavy lifting," J'nus said carefully. He knew a warning when he heard one. "Where do you want your chair? Over with the rest of the set?"

"Yes, thank you." Corvera could have thrown herself off the heights.
**I've offended him!**

}: Well then, apologize. :{ Mnaiath replied quite sensibly.

"Are you sure there's nothing I can do to repay you, J'nus?"

J'nus shook his head as he gently placed the chair with its siblings crouched around the table. As soon as he removed his hand, it was indistinguishable from the rest. "I didn't fix your chair because I was out for a reward. It's something I enjoy doing, and it gave me a good excuse to indulge in a hobby." He had the sense that Corvera didn't like to be indebted to anyone, and he wasn't going to put her in a situation where she felt obligated to him.

"Well I'm very glad I happened onto such a capable carpenter."
**This...is getting awkward.**

The bronzerider wasn't immune to the slightly strained feeling between them. He smiled a little and turned to face Corvera. "So am I. It would have been a shame to see it redone poorly. But, I can see that I've intruded upon your evening, so I'll leave you be.
Goodnight, Corvera."

"Goodnight, J'nus." She tried to keep from groaning. She was going to have to do something big to make up for this little incident. "And I _will_ find a way to thank you."

"No need," he said, and after a slight hesitation headed for the door. "Goodnight, goldrider," J'nus said again, and then left her alone.

Last updated on the August 9th 2006

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An Awkward Thank You