Small Steps Forward

Writers: Jelena, Suzee
Date Posted: 15th April 2012

Characters: Jylanya, Naton
Description: Naton treats Jylanya to a romantic dinner for two.
Location: Dolphin Hall
Date: month 7, day 6 of Turn 6

Jylanya

Naton was giggling like a little girl as he darted across his room,
arranging everything to perfection. He'd gone through quite a lot of
trouble sneaking everything past Jylanya's ever wakeful eye, after
having convinced the cook that this dinner was supposed to be a
surprise for the Headwoman. Adding a small amount of marks to his
pleas had made sure he'd gotten the best of the best for this private
meal. He had even asked Ohelia's help arranging the flowers and had
carefully placed candles across the room. The end result was, in his
opinion, quite romantic. When he was completely satisfied with the
set-up, the dolphineer marched to Jylanya's office, knocking on the
door enthusiastically.

"Come in," she called while still working to find the error in her
column of figures. It was beginning to frustrate her.

Walking in to the office, Naton couldn't hide the roguish grin that
showed - quite clearly - that he was up to something. "Hey you," he
said as he moved over to sit on the edge of her desk. "A little birdy
told me you were working yourself way too hard again and that you
really could use am evening off."

Her first reaction was puzzlement at the interruption but then it
registered just who had come through the door and she chuckled. "A
little birdy huh?"

Her immediate thought was the little birdy was Veerona but then maybe
it was just some license he'd taken. In either case it didn't matter.
It was very pleasant surprise. "I suppose the birdy is right." She put
down her pen and rubbed her eyes.

"Well, by coincidence, I had a bit of dinner brought to my room, would
you care to join me for that?" Inwardly, Naton cursed his all telling
grin, wanting it to seem like just a spur of the moment thing, until
she saw the spectacle he had set out for her.

"Your room?" Her eyes opened in a little bit of surprise. It was
taking her a little while to get used to the ways of the Weyr and the
Hall. She'd never have been asked that kind of question back at the
Hold. It only took a second for her to make the decisions though. This
certainly wasn't the hold.

"I think I'd like that," she smiled. "I assume you've made
arrangements for Vee?"

"Good!" Naton said with a pleased grin. "Ohelia said she would love to
take Vee to the Dining Hall and play a few games with her afterwards,
or we can take her with us, if you would prefer that." Naton knew what
he preferred, because he had put a lot of work into a romantic dinner
for two and he knew Ohelia could be trusted with Veerona, but he still
didn't want to push Jylanya in to anything that she was uncomfortable
with.

That he was willing to have Vee along spoke well of his intentions so
she didn't feel the need. "Oh good, Veerona needs to spend some time
with more than me and the Harpers." She smiled at Naton. There was no
doubt in her own mind that she was attracted to the tall friendly man.
He was so different from anyone else she'd ever met. But it was well
known how big a flirt he was and she was unsure if he was truly
interested in her as well or if he was still just flirting.

She put down her work and stood to move toward the door. "And I do
believe you're right. I need a break."

"You do," Naton said with a serious nod, hurrying towards the door to
hold it open for her. "No one can work 24/7, not even you, my dear
Jylanya."

She went through the door with a sunny smile for the big Dolphineer.
She really _did_ like the way he said that. Flirt or not, she couldn't
help herself, he made her smile. "Well alright then, let's see this
dinner you've prepared." She took his arm for the short walk to his
room.

"I do have to confess, I have many skills, but cooking is not one of
them. I had to turn my puppy eyes on the cook to secure this meal for
you." Naton turned on a ridiculous little pout to show Jylanya that
alleged 'puppy face' as he delighted himself in the feel of her hand
on his arm. When they reached the door to his room, he opened it with
a flourish to uncover the lovely scene behind it.

"Puppy eyes indeed," she grinned. But when he opened the door her eyes
widened as she saw first the candles and then flowers. "Naton," she
breathed in wonder.

Counting the surprise in her eyes as a victory, Naton grinned widely.
"Milady," he said, gesturing her to come in, so he could pull out her
chair for her.

She threw an appreciative smile in his direction and went where he
indicated. Privately she wondered if this was how a real Lady had her
dinner. She bent to smell the flowers. The fragrance was lovely. "It's
so beautiful," she sighed.

"Not as beautiful as you," Naton said with a face that spoke honesty.
He lightly placed one hand on the small of her back as he pulled out a
chair for her. He couldn't help it, having her right there in his
room, looking like that, had him dying to touch her.

Jylanya felt the touch and a jingle of excitement shot up her spine as
he seated her. She watched him go around and take his own seat with a
sparkle in her eyes and a little blush at his compliment. **Is this
what it feels like to be courted,** She wondered. In all her turns
she'd never been courted and she was finding it very wonderful.

"So, how was your day," she asked while shaking out her napkin and
laying it in her lap. She couldn't help smiling this all made her so
very happy.

"It was good," Naton said with a soft smile. "But I have to admit I
was a bit nervous, planning all this." He felt his own stomach flutter
at the sight of that smile on her and knowing he had caused it. "I
wanted this dinner to be something special, for you. Did you and Vee
have a nice day?"

She chuckled. "We did," she said. "I started late this morning and we
went out to the fields to pick some flowers for the main entry. Vee
was running and startled a flight of vtols out of the field. You
should have seen them all take off straight up."

"That must have been an amazing sight," Naton nodded in agreement. "I
did see the flowers, you two did a great job," he smiled at her, his
eyes locked on hers and only coming down as long as they needed to cut
a tuber and bring a piece of it to his mouth. "Speaking of Vee, I was
wondering when her birthingday is."

"It's just over a month away," she said. "She'll be seven turns." It
didn't really seem possible. They hadn't been together all that long
but Veerona had become a very important part of her life.

Naton too was fast stealing a piece of her heart. "When is yours?"

"I had my birthingday just before I came here. I missed yours by a few
sevendays as well, didn't I?" Of course Naton had asked around about
her birthingday. He had learned the hard way what a big mistake
forgetting a lady's birthingday was, even if she had never told you.
"All the more reason to make up for that next turn," he grinned
eagerly at the thought, a world of ideas crossing his mind. Where
would they be by then? "Would you mind if I made Vee a pair of
swimming goggles for her birthingday, though? She mentioned how much
she would like having a pair earlier and I think it might be a nice
surprise for her. I still have the one I used when I was little, so it
wouldn't be a lot of trouble to adjust it to her."

"Well I guess we'll have to wait for ours but it would be fine with me
if you were to make her some goggles. She's less fearful around the
water now and I'm glad of it." Jylanya chuckled. "She's becoming a
little fish."

"Well, you can't blame her, growing up amongst all these dolphineers,"
Naton said with an obvious fond look in his eyes. He liked Veerona,
and not just because she was Jylanya's fosterchild. She was a most
amusing young thing. Naton looked at Jylanya for a moment, seemingly
hesitant, but then more serious. "Can I ask your opinion on a matter
that is plaguing my mind?"

Of course exposure to all these people swimming with the dolphins
would give her an interest in learning to swim herself. She had plenty
of people around willing to help her learn. The same could be said of
herself. She tilted her head slightly with a questioning look at the
seeming turn of his usual lighthearted mood.

"Of course!"

"I had this idea, the other day, about some kind of device that could
be useful in rescue operations," Naton started slowly, with a rare
showing of hesitant insecurity. "I would really like to work on it,
make it a proper project and I was thinking about... well..." the
dolphineer paused again, grinning at her sheepishly. "Making it a
Mastery project. Is that crazy?" Naton didn't see himself as a Master
just yet, but deep down he knew he had the skills.

"No," she said. "It's not crazy at all. You should talk to the Masters
and get their permission." From everything she'd seen of Naton she
believed he could do it.

Naton's silly grin returned and he looked at her with crazed
enthusiasm. "You really think so?" he asked, nearly bouncing in his
seat. "That means a lot to me." And it really did.

"Of course I do," she exclaimed. She smiled at his genuine pleasure at
her words. She was finding it very nice that she could please him with
encouragement like that. She'd spent too much of her life with dour
unhappy people. His whole outlook on life made the world around him
that much happier. She liked that feeling.

Naton's grin seemed plastered to his face as he took another bite of
his food. "I think I will, then," he said with a decisive nod. "So,
any good gossip around the Hall I should know of?"

"I'm so clueless to gossip that I wouldn't even know," she chuckled.
"But I did hear there is some sort of influx of tunnel snakes at the
Weyr so we should probably be on the lookout as well."

"Yeah, I heard that," Naton said with a visible shudder. "I have to
admit I'm not such a hero when it comes to tunnelsnakes. They give me
the creeps." Luckily Naton knew he wasn't the only one by far.

"Me too," she smiled. "But Flint will take care of them for me." Her
feline loved to hunt and would go after any kind of vermin in his
vicinity. She took another look around the room and at all the little
touches here and there. No one had ever gone to this extraordinary
length to make her this happy before. A rush of emotion caused her to
reach out across the table and take his hand. "Thank you for all of
this."

Giving her hands a gently squeeze, Naton sought out her eyes with his
own and held her gaze. "It was nothing," he said with a tender smile.
"Anything for you, really, and I mean that."

Last updated on the April 30th 2012

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