Bitterness

Writers: Avery, Paula
Date Posted: 24th March 2014

Characters: Jessmyr, Talwynn
Description: Talwynn gets help from Jessmyr and feels a bit of kinship with him.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 6, day 10 of Turn 7

Jessmyr knocked the assigned greenrider's weyr. "Hello, ma'am? I'm Jessmyr, your helper today," he called. He felt rude to enter before given permission. When he wasn't running errands for P'nal, Jess was often assigned to help riders crippled by Thread. Even the most horrid scarrings didn't bother him and most found his company worth complimenting him to the Headwoman. Perhaps it was Jess's ability to understand how having a life altering injury affected you. His injury didn't show out but it still shaped his life.

Talwynn shuffled to the door and pushed it open. "Good morning," she said, stepping back so he could enter. "I promise I don't have any gross tasks."

"As long as you stay away from my behind, I'm fine," Jess replied. He had just helped elderly greenrider to dress and he pinched Jess's arse everytime it got into his reach.

She snorted. "I'm a bit better behaved then that." She waved him into her sleeping area, then pointed at the sad heap of bedding on the floor. "The laundry brought it back, but I'm not quite able to move it all up and onto the bed."

"Right," Jessmyr nodded and rolled up his sleeves.

She watched as he worked, trying to figure out where she recognized him from. He might have helped her carrying some crafting equipment, she thought. "Oh, I'm Talwynn." She'd been a little rude.

"Pleased to meet you," Jessmyr flashed a smile. He have to stop working for a little while to let his heart beat calm down. Those beddings were surprisingly heavy to lift and it made his pulse go too high. Last thing he wanted was another attack.

She noted that he slowed, but didn't say anything. She had plenty of time, it wasn't like she had drills to get to. "So do you meet a lot of interesting people?"

"Oh, yes, starting from randy old greenriders to blind brownriders," Jess replied.

"Hopefully you don't get too much trouble from them. We can be a little..." Bitter. Resentful. Aggressive. "Troublesome," is what she settled on.

"You mean bitter? I know all about bitter from first hand experience," Jess said.

"Do you?" She tilted her head, wondering what he meant, and felt Riveth stir in curiosity as well.

"Yes," Jessmyr said with a deep breath and shrugged his shoulders. "I was born to a Runner family and I couldn't run. They sent me to Weyr and I found out I can't Impress either." Yep, he was bitter all right.

To be unable to do the things you'd wanted to do...she understood that. "Feels like your dreams went up in smoke and your mouth tastes like ash?" she guessed.

"Exactly," Jess replied and stared the bed instead of meeting her eyes.

She considered putting a hand on his shoulder, but remembered she would have found that condescending, once. "It makes you a good person to work with us, then."

"Yes. I know how it feels to pitied," Jessmyr replied and gave a bedfur a shake before spreading it out.

She found herself impressed by the strength he showed in dealing with it, and Riveth made a soft croon from the dragon part of the weyr. "Want to have dinner sometime?" she blurted.

"whuh?" the question took Jessmyr completely by surprise.

Maybe it had been a bad suggestion. "Eating a meal together," she said, a little slower.

"Oh, sure, I'll be happy to," Jess answered. He was bit worried that she wanted more than just company for a meal. Jess had never felt any interest towards sex and even gold flights left him unaffected. He had received more than a few suggestion or straight out offers, from both gender and they just made him uncomfortable.

She smiled, feeling hopeful. She sometimes felt awkward at eating around others, but she figured Jessmyr wouldn't make her feel awkward. "Good."

Jess nodded and continued working, wonder if he should warn her that he wasn't interested in that other stuff, that seemed to posses the minds of all other weyr residents.

He'd done a really good job of helping her, and she thought maybe she should mention it to the Headwoman. "I appreciate it," she added when he was done.

"You're welcome," Jess replied with final smooth down on the day cover. "Anything else you need help with?" he asked.

"No, this was the worst of it." Most things in her weyr she'd adjusted to work with or around, but bedding was hard to fix.

"Well, let me know if you need help, or just company to talk to," Jess replied.

"I will. Thanks a ton."

Last updated on the April 13th 2014

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Bitterness