Try Again and Again Pt 1

Writers: AL, Suzee
Date Posted: 19th February 2013

Characters: Y'gel, Briata
Description: Y'gel and Briata move forward in their relationship.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 12, day 18 of Turn 6
Notes: Pt 1 of 2

Y'gel

Briata

Briata cradled the babe to her breast. He was a strong nurser and
honestly she had a feeling he'd just nurse all day if she let him. He
pretty much stayed attached to her most of the night, but she didn't
mind. He was a baby, he needed her. She looked up as the door opened
and Y'gel stepped inside. She greeted him with a smile. "Hey. How
was your day?"

"Good," he smiled at the picture of mother and child. Bringing a
couple of bags from behind his back he set one on the table next to
her. "Something for you," he said and took the other to the table.
"Are you hungry?"

"I could do with something to eat." Briata's eyes drifted to the bag
he placed near her. "For me?" She reached out to the bag with her
one free hand and pulled out a small parcel that was well wrapped.
With deft fingers, she unwrapped it and let out a soft breath the pair
of earrings that lay upon the cloth. The pearls had the slightest
hint of rainbow that winked into existence in just the right light. A
round pearl was connected by a silver link to a teardrop that would
dangle elegantly from her lobes. "Oh! Y'gel, they're lovely...but
you didn't have to."

Y'gel was busily pulling their meal from the other bag and laying it
out. There was a full fowl and some tubers with bread and fruit. He'd
taken K'sedel's advice to heart and was making himself indispensable
to the best of his ability. "Nothing's is too good for you my dear,"
he smiled. "I'm glad you like them."

Briata reached over and covered Y'gel's hand with her own. "You are
very sweet..." What else could she say...well, obviously. "Thank
you."

"Not a problem," he replied and with the food laid out returned to her
side. "Why don't you let me take him and you go eat." Little Brigel
didn't seem a fussy baby but he did take up a great deal of Briata's
time and energy.

"I'm fine. I've gotten used to eating with one hand." Briata cradled
the baby in her left arm and wiggled the fingers of her right hand.
"One hand's enough . We can eat together."

Y'gel smiled to himself and decided to put it another way. "Briata
dear, may I please hold my son? I can eat with one hand too you know.
But I don't get to hold him all day." He smiled and winked.

Briata's laughter was soft. The baby was full so she unlatched him,
then straightened her tunic before she allowed her son to be passed
over to his father. "I suppose if you insist."

"Oh, I rarely insist," he smiled. "But maybe just this once." He
carefully cradled the boy with the practiced ease of one who'd been a
father before. Was it possible that Gelira had ever been this small,
he wondered. Y'gel sat at the table and peered down at the baby face
then kissed the soft head.

It was heartwarming to see the love the baby's father had for his son.
Briata smiled as she wrapped the earrings and put them away, then
moved to the table so she could make plates for her and Y'gel. "You
should eat. I don't want you to waste away."

"Sure sure," he said absentmindedly and looked at the boy's mother.
"I'll eat, not to worry." But there was no secret that his mind was on
the bundle he held.

Briata took the opportunity to eat. She didn't begrudge her son, but
it was nice to have her hands free for a few minutes. "I think he has
your nose and chin."

"Do you think so?" He smiled and deep dimples puckered the sides of
his mouth. "Well, I'm glad he has your eyes."

"Things may change." It was funny how the babies she had experience
with had looked one way, then changed as they had gotten older. "By
the way...I've come to a decision."

He looked up even as he gently rocked Brigel. "Oh?" He wasn't quite
sure what kind of decision she was talking about.

"I've decided not to continue with my craft."

"Really? Why not?" That thought puzzled him in the extreme. Briata
loved to work with threads and colors it almost seemed odd to think of
her without some kind of project in her lap.

"Because I want to stay with him." Briata did love the craft, but
even more she loved her son. "And to continue with my craft would
mean someone else would have to watch over him, even if only for a
little while."

His eyes grew gentle. "I understand," he said. "And the dragons?" He
was sure he needn't remind her they'd hardly stop talking to her. Nor
did he have to tell her that everyone in the Weyr had a job of some
sort.

"I can still help in the infirmary." Briata stated in between bites.
"And when he's a bit older, I will approach the headwoman about
becoming a foster mother." It would mean she could contribute to the
Weyr and yet still stay with her son.

He nodded and began eating with one hand himself. "Sounds like you
have it planned all out then." He couldn't help but dread the day when
she finally decided to move out of his weyr but he rather hoped if he
didn't bring it up she'd just stay. His back was tired of the couch
and he missed his bed but he'd rather let her have it unless...she
were to invite him into it.

"For now, I'm going to enjoy my time with him." It would end all too
soon, but Briata thought the idea of having at least one foster child
was quite appealing. Still, she was going to enjoy the amount of time
she could have Brigel only for another month or so before she looked
into that.

The baby began to wriggle and fuss, his mouth opening and closing and
Briata chuckled softly. "He wants to nurse again." He'd just eaten
so he wasn't hungry, but he had a tendency to want to nurse himself to
sleep - and Briata was more than happy to oblige.

Y'gel just smiled and put a clean finger in the boy's mouth. "This
isn't my first," he grinned. The baby promptly gave a half-hearted
suck and settled back down to sleep. Y'gel crossed his foot onto the
top of one knee and settled the little guy in the crook where he could
sway, pacify and eat at the same time.

"You're welcome to stay here as long as you want. You know that right?"

The smile that Briata offered was small but sincere. "I know, and
that's sweet, but you're going to want your own bed eventually. I've
already burdened you enough."

He looked at her intensely for a few moments. He'd taken K'sedel's
advice and had been trying everything he could to show her how he felt
but it seemed that no matter what he did it went over her head. That
or she just didn't want to see it... he couldn't quite tell which.

"Bri, you think I'm doing all this because I'm sweet?" He shook his
head puzzled. "Haven't you seen me in the dragon cavern?" He'd never
thought of himself as what one would call 'sweet.'

"I'm doing this because I care about you, and about Brigel. If you
gave the smallest sign you wanted me I'd be in my bed _with_ you. But
day after day, no matter what I do to show you... you keep me at arms
length." Again he shook his head, picked up the baby and put him
carefully in her arms.

"Sweet," he spit out the word over his shoulder and went to the couch
to pick up his book and begin reading.

Last updated on the February 21st 2013

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Try Again and Again Pt 1