For a Little While
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Devin, Bree
Date Posted: 11th April 2007
Series: Saving Each Other
Characters: N'vanik, Talryne
Description: N'vanik and Talryne make a good faith effort at talking, but neither of them are particularly good at it so they decide to fall back on something they are good at.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 8 of Turn 4
Notes: Follows "Depressiversary" (and would have followed more closely if Bree could post things in a timely manner!)
Talryne couldn't sleep.
It wasn't the act of falling asleep that was difficult--she was cozy and comfortable and pleasantly sleepy, and N'vanik was a warm, comforting presence at her back. And that was the problem. She was terrified that she'd fall asleep, and wake up without him. Terrified that he'd wake up sober and run.
After the fourth time she jolted awake when he shifted against her, she reached out to Loseth. **Is he scared of me now? Is he going to leave?**
}:He's worried that you might leave,:{ the bronze told her. To his rider he said, }:Talk to her.:{ N'vanik had been drifting in and out of a doze. He could blame part of that on the gin, but the rest of his trouble sleeping came from the thoughts that went through his head over and over. Was she going to leave? Did he scare her? What did this mean? **Talking. I hate talking,** he said when Loseth interrupted his thoughts. But it was better than going over the same thoughts yet again. "Tal, are you okay?"
He was well aware that what you did in the moment and how you felt afterward could be very different.
She started at the sound of his voice, having thought that _he_ at least was sleeping peacefully. Guilt made her stiffen a little in his arms.
"Loseth didn't wake you up, did he?"
"No. I was wondering how you were feeling." He rubbed a hand lightly along her arm. Had she seen something in his face, in his eyes? Was she too scared to leave? Was she worried he'd start drinking again?
"Fine." It wasn't much of an answer, so she turned enough to give him a smile. "I'm not... I'm fine with what happened, N'vanik. I don't regret it."
"Good." He smiled back. "I don't, either. But what's wrong?"
His smile made her heart jump. "Nothing's wrong..." She hesitated. "Is it?"
"You seem kinda . . . restless."
She was used to being honest with N'vanik by now, so it wasn't as hard as she'd thought to admit why. "This is usually the part where the man tells me he had fun and then disappears from my life until he's feeling lusty again."
"Oh. Well. This is usually the part where I do that," he admitted. "But I don't want to disappear."
"Oh." Talryne finally relaxed against him and slid one arm around his waist. "I suppose I could have just asked, but I'm not really in the habit of talking to men I sleep with." U'kaiah had been the first man she'd ever spoken to _and_ slept with, and that had been odd enough without any confusing emotions.
N'vanik relaxed as well. She wasn't going to leave. "Yeah, well I wasn't in the habit of sharing a bed with someone I wasn't having sex with, but we know how that turned out." He smiled and kissed her forehead.
Talryne lifted her hand up to smooth some of his hair back from his forehead carefully. "How about you. Are you feeling any better?" He seemed mostly sober, at least, which was something.
"I think I'm getting a headache, but not a bad one. Gin always does that to me." He fell silent for a moment. "Thank you. For making me stop."
She winced. "I wasn't very nice about it. I should have been..."
Comparing his gentle care of her to the harsh way she'd manipulated him didn't leave her feeling like she'd done him any favors.
N'vanik snorted. "You should have punched me in the face. I sharding well deserved it."
"Not for that. You were hurting, and we all do stupid things when we hurt." Talryne smiled. "If you do ever deserve it, though, I will hit you. Don't think I won't!"
He laughed. "I'm gonna warn you, that might turn me on." Even the idea was kind of arousing.
"Might?" She traced a finger down his neck with a laugh. "N'vanik, that wasn't the first time I slept with you, you know. I may be a little out of practice, but I've got a good memory."
Her laugh sent a tingle down his spine. "Ok, probably will. Unless you knock me out." He grinned and leaned in to kiss her.
A quiet voice inside of her warned her to be cautious. She had a habit of smothering her pain and confusion in sex, and the Weyrhealer had already warned her against it. Even when she swore it would just be one night, or one man, it had always gotten out of control...
But it was the first thing in forever that had felt _good_... and it was N'vanik. Surely it couldn't be so bad if it was just him... And surely it wasn't wrong to dig her fingernails into his shoulder, to try to goad him past sweet and romantic and drown them both in feeling. N'vanik made a low sound and rolled on top of her. The desire was ignited so quickly, and it would be nice to leave behind the uncertainty for a while again. There was so much of the old Talryne in the nails against his skin. He knew things could never go back to the way they had been. Too many things had changed, but maybe they could add some of that spice . . . He pulled back, meeting her eyes and letting her see what was on his mind. Her laugh was low and a little wild as she dragged her nails down his back and let go of everything except what she wanted now, in the moment, with no thoughts of consequences. "I want to forget it all. Make me forget." That caused a small ache. "For a little while," he laid a hand on her cheek, "I can do that." Then he let his lust take control, leaving behind much of the tenderness he'd shown her earlier.
Last updated on the April 11th 2007
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