Brand New Shoes, Walking Blues

Writers: Aaron, Halyonix
Date Posted: 20th November 2024

Characters: M'trel, K'don
Description: K'don might have some unrealistic expectations about his relationship with M'trel.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 5 of Turn 12

K'don

Since M'trel had taken K'don aside to work out how he was fitting in with the wing, K'don's thoughts kept floating back to him, over and overâ€" the kindness of his voice, and how it had made K'don feel... Well, it was hard to describe how it made him feel. A little tingly? But more than anything, like he wanted to keep on hearing it.

Any chance he got, whenever he saw M'trel, he found an excuse to go talk to him, to sit with him if he was having a drink or eating in the dining cavern. He rarely had anything in particular to say, but he always hoped that M'trel would. They could talk about how Maciath was improving in the sky, or how much K'don was learning in the dragon infirmary. Anything, as long as he got to listen to M'trel talk. He would smile and nod along and keep it going as long as he could each time.

He knew M'trel was so much older than he was, but older people mentored younger people all the time, and there was no reason they could not grow to care deeply about each other. Right? Whatever it was, K'don was absolutely convinced that they were becoming friends.

"Oh! M'trel, hi!" K'don noticed him in the baths one evening after the day's drills and duties were finished and scooped up a handful of soap and sloshed over to him before anyone else could manage to engage him in conversation or otherwise take up space nearby him. "How did we do today?"

"K'don! Ah...better! Yes, better. You..." M'trel said, then fumbled. He was trying to remember exactly _what_ K'don had done better about the practice that day and was coming up blank. Partially because he had been thinking about something else at the time and now had to switch mental gears. But also, was it just his imagination or was K'don more...present around him now? Interested? No, that was the wrong word. But there was something...different about the vibe and M'trel couldn't put his finger on it yet. He'd have to figure it out later.

"You were sharper on that left turn during the forward attack maneuver," he finally dredged up. "Has Maciath been working on it?"

"He has!" K'don was thrilled that M'trel had noticed. He beamed with pride as he scrubbed himself clean. "I've had to make him stop and get some rest just about every day since you pointed it out to us-- he just doesn't want to do anything else until he has it perfect."

While technique mastery was important, M'trel's expression turned pensive as he said, "Don't let him push himself though, okay? Perfection isn't the goal." Perfection was unattainable anyway but M'trel also had a habit of trying to get something down to as close to perfect. "How's your Infirmary studies going?"

K'don nodded, his expression taking on a concerned tinge as he worried he had disappointed M'trel with letting Maciath practice so much.

"O-oh." K'don smiled again, successfully redirected. "Good. Great. It's my favorite part of the day. I mean. Of course, it's hard to see dragons hurting. But it's good to be able to help them get better."

"Do you have a favorite part of your studies?" M'trel asked. Part of him felt like maybe he shouldn't invite more conversation because it would just encourage K'don but the moment M'trel thought that, he felt terrible for some inexplicable reason. He should always be available for Wingriders to talk to. That's what leaders did.

"Hm. I don't think so," said K'don. "It's all important. What about you? I never did much more than muck out stalls when I was a beasthealer apprentice."

"Well, I only made it to senior apprentice before Impressing Noruith so I think you may be the one getting further along with your studies than I did," M'trel said as he lathered his hair. "I did enjoy suturing though. There was something about nice, neat stitches, knowing how they'd heal with barely a scar."

K'don dunked his hair into the water for a moment to wet it. M'trel had reminded him what he was actually there for.

"I got a lot better at that while I was learning to make riding straps," he said. "But I'm still not the best. It can be pretty high stakes with dragons. Especially wings."

"That would make sense. Luckily, from what I remember from weyrling classes, most wing injuries don't need stitching, only the really bad ones. Dragonhide grows back faster than sutures would really be able to help. But it's still important to know how to do it for those critical times. I bet those injuries are left to the journeymen and masters, right?"

"Oh, of course!" K'don nodded. "But I do want to be a journeyman and a master someday."

"Mastery is a lofty goal," M'trel intoned. "You'll have to work hard on it for sure." But K'don was young yet. With any luck, he'd get those knots before he got gray hairs. "But it's good to have those goals."

K'don beamed happily at what he perceived as praise.

"I'll work hard!" he promised. "As hard as I can."

There was something oddly bright about that statement that M'trel couldn't quite place. He smiled as encouragingly as he could. "I know you will. You're a dedicated young man. You'll get there," he said. He stepped out of the bath and grabbed a towel.

K'don followed him out-- or began to.

"Ope!"

He had to rush back in to rinse his hair quickly before following again. He, of course, was planning to tag along wherever M'trel was going at this point.

The older brownrider turned at the sound, his expression puzzled. "Something wrong?" Did K'don slip in the bath?

"No! All good! Just almost walked off with soapy hair." K'don chuckled nervously, but it was clear he was embarrassed. M'trel was hardly going to want to be his friend anymore if he acted like a child.

M'trel shared a sympathetic wince. "I've done that before for sure. Even showed up to Wing practice with a streak of soap still in there."

K'don was visibly relieved-- his smile returned in full force. If even M'trel could make the same mistake, then maybe he was not so in danger of seeming childish as he had worried.

"Caught it this time! So... were you thinking about dinner, or...?"

M'trel _had_ been thinking about dinner but something in K'don's tone made him consider otherwise. And he felt bad for doing so. He was just being _nice_! Where was the wrong with that? Still, M'trel edged on the side of that tone, answering with, "Paperwork, unfortunately." Which wasn't a lie. It was just further down the priority list than originally planned.

"O-oh... Well... maybe I could help you!" K'don went from disappointed to hopeful in a flash. "I might... I mean, maybe I could be a wingthird someday. So. Maybe it would be good if I started learning...?"

His eagerness was too much. M'trel immediately tried to squirm out of any further interaction. "Ah, uh....not today. It would take me longer to explain than for you to catch on, honestly." And he hated how evasive that sounded. "I appreciate the offer though. You focus on becoming a master dragonhealer. Then look towards being Wingthird."

"Yeah... right, of course." K'don tried to smile, but it was obviously a fake. He was never any good at hiding how he really felt. It was obvious that M'trel was not as eager to spend time with K'don as K'don was to spend time with him. "Um. I'll, uh... Thank you, sir. For your help."

Now he felt extra bad and didn't know how to fix it. He couldn't just invite K'don into his paperwork -- he'd never get any of it done! And he really wanted just a quiet moment to himself. Was that too selfish? No, but why did it feel like it was? This was more complicated than he thought!

Trying to make it right even though he knew he was going to regret it in some way, he clapped a hand on K'don's shoulder. "Let's have lunch tomorrow?"

K'don perked up instantly, and his smile became true.

"Oh, I'd love that! I'll see you then, sir!"

Last updated on the December 4th 2024

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Brand New Shoes, Walking Blues