Falling Off the Wagon (2/2)

Writers: AL, Anaria
Date Posted: 1st June 2011

Characters: Briata, J'klin
Description: J'klin gets drunk, and Nimyth summons Briata to tend to him
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 2, day 20 of Turn 6

Briata

"Well... yeah," J'klin said, suddenly feeling very much like an errant
weyrbrat. Briata had a point, he had to admit that. "I just don't know
how to cope when things go wrong. Alcohol is the only thing that makes
me feel any better about things."

"But it's only temporary, and then you deal with the after effects of
the drinking." Briata sighed softly. "Alcohol seems the only
solution to many people, and in truth, it makes things worse in the
long run. If you are truly struggling, find a friend, _talk_ to
someone. It may not have instant results, but it will be a healthier
and better choice."

"I guess I just don't have that many friends here. Everyone has their
little group of friends, I feel like a wherry trying to introduce
myself to new people. I tried going to parties, but I just feel like
everyone is having fun but me, and that motivates me to drink more.
I've been here over 2 turns now, how do I find friends?" J'klin asked,
desperation creeping into his tone.

"You found me, didn't you?"

"Well... actually... I think _Nimyth_ found you. But I suppose you're
right, I just need to get out and talk to new people some," J'klin
mused. "I mean, dragonriders always want to talk about their dragons,
don't they? So that's a safe subject."

"Ask them about themselves too." Briata suggested as she slipped over
to J'klin's side and curled her arm around his. He needed to walk
around, work off that alcohol, though it sounded like he already was.
Still, getting out of that place and walking would be helpful. "What
they like, what they dislike, what they do during their spare time.
Choose someone you haven't met and sit down near them in the dining
hall or approach them at the beach or weyrlake." Funny how she was
giving advice that she didn't usually take herself.

J'klin nodded as he followed her lead. "I think that just might work,"
he said softly. "Do you mind if we go find some water? I fear if I
don't that I am never going to survive the hangover that will
inevitably come."

"Of course. Water we shall appropriate." Briata didn't let go of
J'klin, but she did alter the path she had taken, turning down the
corridor that would lead them to the dining hall. "And hopefully
you'll feel better."

"I hope you're right, although if I feel terrible in the morning, it
would likely do me well. Perhaps I'd learn my sharding lesson about
drinking like a Seacrafter," J'klin joked. "I have no idea how I'll
explain this all to Roana..."

"With her, you should be honest. Admit your mistakes and ask for her
forgiveness." Briata offered by way of advice. Honesty was the best
policy most of the time. "But be truly repentant."

"Yeah, I just... It's hard. I need time and space to myself, but I
feel like when I tell her that she treats me like I don't want her
around or something. But I can't keep using her as a crutch, or every
time we fight I'm going to get drunk. Sometimes I almost wonder if
it'd be better if she just saw someone else for a while, despite how
much I care for her," J'klin said.

"Have you told _her_ how you feel?" Briata had tried to be honest with
B'lamick. Sometimes she held on to her feelings because she didn't
want him to worry, but then she always found that it simply made things
worse. Not that she did well now, keeping her sorrows mostly to
herself. "I'm not sure if that is the answer. I think talking to her
would be a more productive venture."

"I've told her that I loved her," J'klin said. "It's a tricky matter.
You see, we have a lot of history. We were best friends until I
started dating another girl, and said girl didn't want me hanging out
with Roana. She has a lot of resentment built up over that, and over
my drinking... I just wonder if anything that I ever do will be enough
to make her believe that I've changed."

"Don't just tell her, show her." Briata missed that about B'lamick -
he had been so good about telling her _and_ showing. "Actions speak as
loud if not louder than words. If you show her you love her, your
words will have more weight."

"She.... she doesn't want to be intimate with me. How do I show a
woman that I love her without.... doing that," J'klin said. In typical
male fashion, he completely overlooked non-sexual gestures of love.

"Avoid drinking for her, for one." Briata gently guided J'klin down
another corridor. The more they walked, the better he'd feel,
hopefully. "Do things for her, even little ones. Write her notes,
bring her things, flowers you've picked yourself, things she might
like. You don't have to spend a lot of marks, but little gestures like
that to show you're thinking about her."

"I need to find her a present," J'klin said slowly. "Something nice,
that she'll really appreciate," with his blood pumping more, he was
becoming more and more able to think clearly. "Her riding jacket is a
bit worn, I could get her a nice new one. That way she could think of
me when she wears it."

"It doesn't have to be something fancy or even something big.
Something small. A pretty seashell you found at the
beach, beautiful wildflowers you thought she might like.
Even those things can mean a lot." Briata knew they
had meant a lot to her, once upon a time.

"It would also make me look less desperate than something large,"
J'klin said. "Expensive gifts tend to come with an aura of "Oh Dear
Faranth, Please Forgive Me" attached to them."

Briata couldn't help but laugh softly at that. "Indeed, some times
they can. Start small. Sometimes, it's the small things that mean the
most." They had to her.

J'klin nodded. "Start small. Ok. I know she likes some flowers at our
old Weyr that don't grow here. That shows I pay attention to her. That
should be a good start!" He smiled. Perhaps things weren't beyond
saving!

"Yes." J'klin was definitely on the right track and hopefully this
would help him _stay_ on the right track. "That is, indeed, a very
good start."

Last updated on the June 13th 2011

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Falling Off the Wagon (2/2)