Accidental Cruelty

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 10th January 2015

Characters: J'ackt, Alina
Description: J'ackt and Alina say the worst possible things to each other -- by accident
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 13 of Turn 7

J'ackt

Alina

**Five, six, seven...** Alina silently counted stitches, a length of fine,
sky blue yarn wrapped around the fingers of one hand and a crochet hook in
the other. The yarn was rapidly turning to fabric beneath her fingers in a
series of interlinked flowers that she would occasionally frown at, then
partially unravel. The light was terrible at this hour but she couldn't bear
to sit inside any longer. Instead she had a glow at her side, the faint
light from the moon above, and Imarith jammed beneath her feet as if she was
still as small as she was when she'd hatched. The green was nearly too big
to fit beneath the awning on the Weyrling's Barracks.

A curious gaze watched her for long moments, quiet in the darker shadows as
he watched nimble fingers flick, loop, wind and tug at the yarn. The design
looked girlish and not something that he would probably be interested in
making but the process was interesting. He vaguely remembered his mother
doing something similar, but she had used two metal rods, not one. On silent
feet, he emerged from the shadows coming up behind her. "Might work better
with more glows."

Both the girl and the dragon startled. The ball of yarn bounced off her lap
and into the dark, and Alina glared at J'ackt. "You can't go sneaking around
on people like that!"

}:I did not hear him!:{ Imarith said, sounding offended. }:He must walk
louder!:{

J'ackt's brow twitched as he walked into the dark and retrieved the yarn,
then tossed it at her. "I'm not sneaking. Just walking." He shrugged and
then gestured at the cloth in her lap. "What is that?"

"A head cover." Alina sighed as she held it up. "L'pin suggested I make a
head covering to hide my hair under so that I don't end up having to cut it
all off like Saiti. It'll make me look like an old auntie, but at least I
won't look like a boy."

He crouched, taking a better look at what she was doing. "Oh. Don't see why
you'd have to cut it off. I've seen plenty of riders with long hair. They
just do something to it and shove it under their riding helmets." He paused,
then tilted his head at her then arched a brow. Maybe it was because he was
forced in to celibacy after learning to enjoy bedding women, but it was
suddenly very apparent to him that Alina was definitely a girl. His eyes
flicked over her and his lower lip pursed in thought. "You'd not look like a
boy."

She snorted in a most unlady-like fashion. "You'll excuse me if I don't
believe you. And yes, I know a bunch of the other greenriders don't cut
their hair, but after what they did to Satai I'm not going to take any
chances."

"Satai isn't the brightest glow in the basket." J'ackt replied bluntly. "You
have breasts. You won't look like a boy."

Alina promptly crossed her arms over her chest.

}:Why do you have so many feelings all of a sudden?:{ Imarith raised her
head and tilted it inquisitively. }:It's very confusing, there's a lot...
What happened?:{

**Nothing!** Alina shot back. **I'm just embarrassed! He has no right to say
things like that.**

}:Like what? That Satai isn't smart or that you have breasts?:{

**Shut. UP!**

}:I still don't understand...:{ Imarith trailed off plaintively and put her
head back down with a sigh.

"So what about you?" Alina tried to cover the pause in the conversation as
best she could."Are you going to grow your hair long to bug Sh'del?"

The crossing of her arms wasn't missed. His brow quirked up, but he shrugged
it off before running his hand over his still short hair. Echoing her snort,
he shook his head. "I can't stand my hair getting too long. I usually just
cut it once I start having to blow it out of my eyes. I don't like the
distraction." J'ackt tilted his head at her for a minute. "You know,
crossing your arms so tightly just pushes them up and makes them even more
noticeable." Not that he was complaining. As a matter of fact, he didn't
mind at all. Shards, he couldn't wait until he and Zith /betweened/. He knew
of a certain goldrider who would be getting a visit shortly after.

Alina narrowed her eyes and whacked J'ackt's shoulder with the back of her
hand. "Since you obviously missed that lesson, here's a tip-- you don't get
to go around making comments like that!" she snapped. It was either that or
die of embarrassment on the spot.

The slap on his shoulder didn't even phase him, instead, he flashed a grin.
"Why not? It's true. Not that they don't look nice and perky already, but if
you're trying to get attention away from them, you don't press them upwards
more." Her reactions were only making his interest keener; it was enjoyable
to see that flush creep up on her face. "Besides, think of it as good
advice." His expression straightened, only a glimmer of a smirk on his face.

"Ugh!" Alina stood, surprising Imarith. "If I need advice, it won't be
coming from someone raised in a cave!"

J'ackt's half-smile vanished in an instant and he rose from his crouch.
"Right. Of course." His expression became distinctly cool and remote as he
spun on his heel and stalked back to the barracks.

"Oh, come on!" Alina called after him, and wasn't sure why she bothered.
He'd made lewd comments to make her feel uncomfortable in the first place.
"I take it back, all right?!"

He paused, then with a mocking flourish half turned and, bowed with wave of
his hand, an exaggerated gesture of obeisance. "Of course, Lady Holder. It
was of course, a Holder's right to insult my upbringing. The filthy Holdless
apologizes for the insult to your person by complimenting your body. It
won't happen again." He inclined his head, his voice sharp and sarcastic.
"I'll be a good lad and throw myself in my cell, if the Lady allows it."

His mockery was hurtful, but she bit back what she wanted to say. Elana used
to pull tricks like that. "I said I was sorry, but you saying stuff like
that makes me feel like a piece of meat at the market. I'm _not_."

He stared at her for a moment, eyes still narrow. "Never said or thought
that you were. And I won't say anything about your body again. Good night."

"Fine! Good night!" She sat down again and picked up her crochet but she was
too upset to wind the yarn properly around her fingers. She shouldn't have
made that cave comment, but it was out now and there was no going back. And
maybe he was right-- maybe it was _she_ that didn't know the rules about
what to say or what was actually a complement. Just a stupid farm girl at a
stupid Weyr-- a greenrider now, and fair game for anyone.

Last updated on the February 11th 2015

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Accidental Cruelty