You're My Person

Writers: Avery, Heather
Date Posted: 5th January 2025

Characters: A'vel, R'nar, E'riz (NPC)
Description: A'vel goes to R'nar when he receives a letter bearing bad news.
Location: Barrier Lake Weyr
Date: month 1, day 9 of Turn 12

A'vel read the letter once. Then twice. Then a third time.

His father was dying.

His mind went blank under a suddenly powerful onslaught of emotions. His vision blurred with liquid, his hands were shaking as they were smoothing the note over repeatedly. His breath was short, his heart pounding, and wherrybumps were on his skin as he shivered.

Then, a voice interjecting, soft and quiet, getting louder and more distraught. }:Mine? Please. Answer me.:{

**Tsogath.** His dragon. She was reaching for him. A'vel became aware of himself and her concern, wrapping around him soothingly.

}:You are so upset. What happened?:{

**My father is dying. And I hate him, and I miss him, and I - ** He took a deep breath, trying to figure out how to explain it to you.

}:I will call someone.:{ Tsogath said decisively.

**NO!** A'vel interrupted. She hadn't said who she was thinking of, but he knew she tended to reach for dragons of rank and - shards he didn't want her to call someone in right now.

}:But you need someone,:{ she protested. He heard a noise and sensed her moving on the ledge, doing something.

**I know, but...let me pick.** He stood up to see what she was doing, and despite himself found amusement as it seemed she was shoving her nose into the weyr and reaching for him.

He grabbed his jacket, then went to the ledge, wrapping his arms around her muzzle before taking up the straps to get ready to fly. **We'll go see R'nar.**

In a few minutes, they were aloft, and he provided the visualization to her for Barrier Lake. As soon as she emerged from /between/, she was reaching out to Iorath. }:Is your rider free? Mine needs yours.:{

R'nar was lying beside E'riz of green Lyraseth in one of the flight room beds. Much to his chagrin, this was the third green flight that Iorath had won in the last two months. Just like with the other two, R'nar felt _zero_ spark afterward. _Zero_ desire to do anything with E'riz other than thank him for the flight and politely excuse himself. And, judging by the way everyone else fawned over E'riz, R'nar judged the greenrider to be the good-looking sort that should have aroused his desire.

}:Tsogath and her rider are here for you.:{ Iorath relayed blearily.

**A'vel!** R'nar bolted upright, startling E'riz.

"Sorry," he apologized. "Iorath just told me there's someone visiting the Weyr to see me." That sounded like a horrible excuse to leave like some brutish minded bronzerider, which made R'nar wince. "I'm truly sorry, but thank you for a nice flight."

E'riz took no offense and said "Anytime," with a wink.

R'nar threw his clothes back on while Iorath relayed to Tsogath that he was on his way. The green and her rider were already on his ledge by the time he arrived. "Hey, sorry," he gestured over his shoulder, "Iorath decided to win a flight today."

When A'vel turned to face R'nar, he looked dreadful, pale in color and still with swollen, puffy eyes. "That's all right. Did you have fun?" A'vel asked, politeness routine running automatically.

"It was... okay. Are you okay?" R'nar asked with concern.

A'vel shook his head, eyes watering. "No, I got some news and..."

}:He needed to see someone friendly,:{ Tsogath told Iorath.

R'nar took A'vel's elbow and steered him inside. "What kind of news? Do you want something to drink?"

"Yeah, I could use something." He sat down on R'nar's couch and wiped at his face with a handkerchief while the bronzerider got a drink.

The letter was short and written in a beautiful penmanship. It said the following:

"A'vel, Your father has been weak and wasting for some months now. The Healers say that there isn't anything they can do, and they don't know how much time he has left. I know you have only been seeing me when you visit. Please come see him. I think he wants to see you before he goes. I cannot get him to tell me so, but he keeps touching your letters and your instrument and the carving of Tsogath I keep on our nightstand."

Your loving mother, Tiralanci"

"I got this letter," he added, handing it out for R'nar to read in exchange for the drink.

R'nar scanned the letter quickly. "What will you do?" He remembered the scene A'vel's father had made when A'vel had impressed Tsgoath, a _green_. He didn't think their relationship had ever recovered.

"I don't know. Like mother said, I only see her when I visit. He hasn't wanted to see me. I ask three times a Turn and he's said no every time."

In some ways, R'nar understood. His own father was always finding fault in him, but he hadn't been rejected for Iorath's color. That was a hurt that went deeper.

"Do you think you'd regret it? Not seeing him?" R'nar questioned softly.

"I don't know. I thought he'd live forever. Impose on me forever. The idea he's dying just doesn't seem possible." A'vel burst back into tears.

R'nar put an arm around A'vel's shoulders. He didn't say anything. He didn't think there was anything to say. Instead, he offered quiet comfort and support.

It took a few minutes before A'vel stopped crying. By the end of it, he'd wound up with his face buried in R'nar's chest. "Sorry for getting your shirt wet. I just...it was a lot."

"It is a lot," R'nar agreed. "I'm glad you came."

"You make me feel safe," the greenrider said, pulling back and dabbing at his face with the handkerchief, then at R'nar's shirt.

A warm tingly feeling ran across R'nar's skin. "And you make me feel..." whole? safe? complete? "Like a person. It's an equal trade-off, I hope." It had taken him a long time to feel like a person again after Ranni's death.

"It's good to be spending time together. Sometimes I wish you'd come back to Dolphin Cove, but I know why you haven't. It's selfish," he mumbled.

“Alternately, you could decide living near a barrier lake would be suitable,” R’nar smiled.

“Maybe you should show me all the best spots so I can think about it.”

"You want to go now? Have a look around and take your mind off things?"

A’vel took another breath and consciously focused on unclenching his hands. “Yeah. We could do that. Maybe a picnic?”

"Sure," R'nar agreed warmly. "I think you're going to be impressed with what Barrier Lake has to offer for scenery."

Last updated on the January 30th 2025

Welcome to Triad Weyrs!

You're My Person