Drinking Together (Part I)

Writers: AL, Clancey
Date Posted: 8th July 2008

Characters: Zelle, J'darin
Description: Zelle and J'darin have a drink...or three...
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 16 of Turn 4

J'darin

At the same time that he invited her, he wondered why he'd asked her.
He barely knew her, and he wasn't _really_ sure Maurgen wouldn't care.
He thought not, but she rarely shared her own feelings - at least in words - with him.

As soon as the thoughts came, though, he banished them. With the news of I'ster a few days ago, he hadn't really had time to grieve. Zelle had come to Dolphin Cove only a day after I'ster had died and he had locked it away, as he always did.

Maybe they could grieve together.

He turned toward her with a smile. "It isn't far, lass." He led her into the corridors and to his weyr in a relatively short period of time. Hasaarth was out on his ledge and crooned a greeting as they entered through the door.

His weyr was neat, really, for a man. He liked things neat and in their place, the same way he and Hasaarth did everything. "Come in and relax, hmm? I'll get the bottle open."

"Thanks." Zelle looked around, taking in the order that seemed so out of place with her own recent chaos. She shook her head and moved to a chair, easing herself into it. She leaned against the table and studied the weyrleader. She almost wished K'hetah were there. Still, she liked J'darin's company and he was a friend too.

He watched her quietly while he opened the bottle. He didn't think they'd have too much to talk about.. at least not yet. "I hope you like wine, too, Zelle." He found two mugs and filled them both almost full and joined her, though he sprawled on his couch. Placing the mug in front of her, he raised his own. "Here is to lost friends and family." And he took a long drink of it.

"Lost friends?" Zelle queried gently. She looked at the wine, let it swirl in thbe glass for a minute before she tilted back her head and downed the entire thing. She slowly set the glass upon the table, then pushed it across in silent indication for him to refill it.

He did, and filled his own at the same time. He nodded, then leaned back and sighed. "His name was I'ster. He was only 15 turns." He took another deep breath then smiled lightly at her. "He wasn't my brother, but still... " More wine was swallowed.

"Why don't you tell me about him, your brother I mean?"

Zelle took it a bit slower with the second glass than the first, but only a bit. "Still, a friend?" She queried, sliding the glass back over. "L'den...he was several turns older than me. He always looked out for me." The greenrider shrugged, took the glass after it was filled and this time took the slips more slowly still. "He was a great brother. We had our spats but...he was always putting me before himself. He took care of me, especially after I impressed."

J'darin nodded, closing his eyes. He had looked out for I'ster, watching him grow into his dragon. Sent him to fight an entire turn early. Was it his fault? He drained his second glass and refilled it again before he answered her. "I'm glad you had that experience, if only for a short time, Zelle. Family is precious. I've not seen mine for turns, though I know they still live. The Weyr is my family now."

"You should visit them." Zelle stated firmly after taking another sip of her wine. "I bet they would love to see you."

He frowned at her over his wine for a moment. "Unlikely, Zelle." He took a deep breath, then drained his glass again quickly and refilled it just as quickly. There had been little communication between he and his father since he Impressed Hasaarth. And any letters had been stilted, formal. He was no longer a son; just a bronzerider.

"As I said, the Weyr is my family now."

"L'den was the last of my family." Zelle stated morosely, then downed the last of the glass of wine. She set the empty glass upon the table. "I've no one left, but me."

"And me. " He raised his glass toward her, and refilled her now empty one. "Sometimes we have to get a new family." He said in his own morose tone. At this rate, they would both be drunk and depressed faster than a dragon could flame Thread.

He drained his own glass. "Thread takes without thought. All we can do is live with the pain and fight again tomorrow."

Zelle sighed heavily and pushed her glass closer. "My weyr doesn't seem much like a home anymore. It was bad enough moving away from the sea, but at least I had L'den, then K'hetah. Now I don't have either."

He peered at her, a little blearily after several glasses of wine swallowed so quickly. He mumbled, "Well maybe you should move here.
Get a new family."

Zelle laughed softly, picking up the bottle and pouring herself another glass since J'darin seemed a bit slow on the draw. "I thought you said you had enough greenriders."

"What? What did I say? Oh.. well I do. But there is always room for more. But because I want you isn't enough to get you." He was trying to make sense, and failing miserably. And shards could she take _that_ the wrong way..

"You don't want me." Zelle shook her head, then stopped because the world started to swim. "Why would you want me. And even if you did want me, what would be enough to get me?"

"You're lovely and drinking with me; do I need another reason?" His wine fogged brain was not functioning well. "You need a family. I want to provide it." He said more seriously, and then added, "... I don't know. You need a reason to transfer. Your Weyrleader may understand wanting to leave your memories behind, perhaps. Do you and Rillith have anything special? Crafting or anything?" For wonder of wonders, he did not stumble over women crafting. Maurgen had made him appreciate that in much more depth than he had previously.

"I used to be a seacrafter." Zelle commented. She lifted her glass and held it eye level, then slowly rocked it back and forth, back and forth. Fortunately, it was only half full, so it didn't spill.
"Rillith searches. Oh, and you should see her loops. She can turn on a wingtip!"

"All greens can turn on a wingtip." He snorted. "I may be drunk but I know that much..." His words were beginning to slur a bit and he thought he'd filled his glass again. Or had he? Maybe it had a hole. He peered underneath it curiously, then showed it to her. "Is there a hole in this, that you shee.. see?"

Then a little slower, as he realized what she'd said.

"Did you say Search?" he tapped her, trying to get her to pay attention, but he missed her knee entirely.

"Yes, sear." She paused, then giggled, correcting herself. "Search.
She's really got a knack for it too. I've only had one or two candidates she's searched that didn't impress, and they could have stood longer but decided not to. More wine? Please?"

"Why didn't you say so, silly greenrider?" He poured wine for her and managed it alright, if a little shaky. "I've one Searchrider.. maybe two... but I could use another for certstain..." He filled his own glass again too. "Zelle, are you sure there isn't a hole in this?"
He waved his glass toward her and it tipped, splashing all over his wherhide breeches.

Zelle slapped the table, tilting her head back and laughing. "There mus' be! She reached out to 'help' by 'brushing' away the spilled wine, but managed only to spill what was left in her glass upon him. "Ooops. On in mine too." Her hand slapped playfully at his knee, vainly trying to brush off the stain.

What a sight they must have been! Both trying to 'brush off' each other, even though she had no wine on her. He stripped off his now wine stained shirt, bare chested and started to stand. He started to strip off the pants as well, but was still sober enough - barely - to reconsider that idea. "I'm all sticky!" He complained, frowning in play at her.

"You better transfer now; I'll say I need a Searchrider. Howz that?"

"Someone needs me!" It was a good thing that Zelle's cup was empty, for she lifted it into the air with such exuberance that it surely would have showered down upon her had there been anything in it. She set it down and slid her arms around J'darin's neck, hugging him, then placed a kiss upon his cheek. She pulled back just a bit without letting him go, giving him a rather sodden smile. "Thank you."

Suddenly faced with a drunk greenrider in his lap, J'darin found he didn't quite know what to do with her. So, he smiled lopsidedly (though he thought it was straight) and nodded seriously. "You'll be happier here, with K'hetah to bother every day." He chuckled. "You are welcome. I need a bath." He announced.

"I need another drink." Zelle proclaimed, her arms still draped over his shoulders. "And even better, I get to bother you every day now too."

"Hmmph!" He stated, trying to put all his Weyrleader dignity into the arch of his neck and the way he raised his chin. "I am a Weyrleader!
You cannot bother me every day!" He tickled her in mock admonition.
"Is it too late to change my mind?"

Zelle squeal, writhing on his lap and her hands slapping at his. "No!
It's too late! Stop!"

"Are you sure, greenrider?" He did stop tickling her but pushed her back from him armslength. His tone was barely serious. "Do you want to call this place home?" His eyes were far too fuzzy to lend the tone much weight, but he _was_ trying.

"I would love to call this pace...pace...place home." Zelle reached out as if to grasp his shoulders in mimicry of the weyrleader, but his arms were longer than hers. Instead, she let her hands rest upon his upper arms, then slide back to cover his hands and she laughed, giddy from the wine. "I have family here."

He smiled at her and tapped her nose. "Yes, you do. We need more wine to shelebrate.. celebrate...!"

Last updated on the July 9th 2008

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Drinking Together (Part I)