Does It Hurt?

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 16th July 2010

Characters: Aileyan, U'kaiah
Description: Aileyan checks on her injured Wingleader
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 9, day 17 of Turn 5

Aileyan peeked her head in to U'kaiah's weyr almost timidly, although
Kjarliheth said (after checking with Kalamath) that it was all right to
meet him. "Hi, I heard you got injured?"

U'kaiah set aside the book that he had been trying to read. It wasn't
proving quite the distraction he had needed. Company might, though. It
was sweet that she was coming to see him. "You didn't notice me missing
the last candlemark of the Fall? I'm a little hurt, greenrider."

"I was too busy to keep my own and Kjarrie's hide intact," Aileyan
replied and stepped in properly. Of course she had noticed that the
Second took over.

"Ah, I see," he said with a small sigh. Too big a breath aggravated the
injury. "I see how you are. All self-preservation and barely a thought
for me."

"I'm here now," she said, wondering if she should just go around and go
back to her own weyr.

U'kaiah chuckled, despite the fact that the movement hurt. "You look so
serious, Aileyan. Can't you tell by now when I'm teasing you?" He
patted the seat next to him. "Come over here."

"No, I can't tell," it was her turn to sigh.

Shards, he wished he knew how to make her loosen up, just a little. It
must be so hard to enjoy life when it looked so black and white. He
held his hand out to her. "Come here, Aileyan. Please."

The greenrider obeyed him. "Is it bad?" she asked after she had sat down
comfortably. She had recently taken a bath, and left her hair open to
dry. Now it curled around her face with most adoringly.

"It hurts to move. Telemon says it will for a couple sevendays at
least." He brushed a tendril of wet hair back from her cheek with the
backs of his fingers.

"What did you do? It's not a Score, obviously," she asked.

"It's a strained muscle. I over-reached for a firestone sack." It was
the most heroic sounding injury. "How about you? Any aches and pains?
You seem to be in one piece."

"I'm fine. I never been Scored by Thread. My biggest scar is from
childbirth. I suppose being small sized makes me hard to hit," she
replied.

"Good. Let's keep you that way." He winced as he reached his good arm
behind her to pull her a little closer.

"I rather like it that way too," Aileyan murmured. "Does it hurt a lot?"
she asked compassionately.

"Yeah," he nodded, chuckling softly. Very softly since even that seemed
to pull on it. "If you haven't noticed already, I have yet to change my
tunic after the Fall. A nice healer offered to help me put it back on,
but neither one of us thought far enough ahead to how I was going to
take it off again. Every time I move that arm just a twitch it feel
like my muscle is being ripped apart."

"I wonder if I could help you out of it," she replied and eyet the
tunic. "If nothing else works, there's always scissors," she added with
rather ruthless tone.

"It's not that bad once you launder it," he said with large eyes. It
was one of his favorite Threadfighting tunics! "Just help me get it off
the other arm is all."

"All right," she agreed. Frankly, she thought that the tunic looked so
well worn and old that scissors would have been improvement. It least
you could have used it as a cleaning rag.

"Ok, I think if we just lift it..." He started pulling on the bottom of
his shirt with his good hand, but could only get it up so far.

Aileyan rolled her eyes and took the shirt from his hands. "Good thing I
have experience," she said when she manipulated it off from him, the way
she had undressed her baby.

All that experience dealing with a crabby child came in handy, as the
bronzerider whined and whimpered like a big baby himself. "I think the
scissors were the better idea," he groaned leaning back into the sofa
cushions, gently of course.

"Told you so," Aileyan said and folded the tunic neatly.

It was U'kaiah's turn to roll his eyes. Women always _loved_ to be
proved right. "How was I supposed to know you were going to throw me
around like Ravyan's little dragon toy?"

"I was not throwing you around. I was being cautious," Aileyan
disagreed.

The bronzerider shook his head in disbelief. "Aileyan, I didn't
actually mean it. I was teasing. I _know_ you were being careful.
Don't you have any sense of humor? Come on, relax a little." He gave
her a small smile, hoping to coax one out of her in return.

Aileyan wrinkled her nose at him. "I have sense of humour, it's just
well buried."

"Well, dig it up," he said, leaning in to bump his nose against hers
lightly.

"Maybe after a glass of wine," she suggested. It might even help his
pain.

"Well, you may not smile much, but I like the way you think," he grinned
approvingly. "But... would you get it?"

"Sure," she replied.

"I'd be the gentleman, but every move I make seems to hurt." He used
his free hand to point her to the right cupboard. "There's red and
white in there. Take your pick. And probably a clean glass or two."

Aileyan nodded and got up, going to the cupboard. She found two glasses
that at least looked clean enought. "What'll you have?" she asked,
pouring herself white.

"Whatever you're having." He didn't care as long as it would dull the
pain!

"White then," she remarked.

"Just make sure to bring the bottle." He wanted to move as little as
possible until he was too drunk to feel it!

Last updated on the July 17th 2010

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Does It Hurt?