I Know That Look

Writers: Eimi, Paula
Date Posted: 4th July 2014

Characters: Uetia, Sabonus
Description: Uetia realizes that Sabonus is getting itchy feet.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 8, day 3 of Turn 7

Sabonus rubbed her naked thigh with a callused hand, not in a way to
excite her passions, but rather in the manner of someone who knew her
skin as well as he knew his own. It was that familiar way that
established couples have - habit more than romance. He didn't mind that
they had fallen into a pattern - she had sweeps, drills, and Fall, while
he had his duties down on the docks. Living with Uetia was almost like
living in a dream. There she was, every day, in his bed, in his arms.
And yet, even as he ran his fingers over her flesh lovingly, breathing
in the salty air and feeling the hot sand warm him from beneath and the
sun shine on him from above, something kept calling his eyes back out to
a boat off on the horizon with a familiar ache.

Uetia was trying to read a book while they enjoyed leasure time on the beach, but his touch kept distracting her. Finally she just closed the book and dropped it on the blanket. "The harpers are going to complain of sand between pages when I return it," she noted absently. "What's on your mind?"

"Hmmm?" he hummed, only half hearing as he peeled his eyes off the sea and back onto his weyrmate. "Oh. Nothing. Just relaxing. You don't like the book?"

"Too distracted to read it," she shrugged and ruffled his hair affectionately.

"Oh?" he asked absently, his eyes turning back towards the sea once more. Another ship was just rounding the finger of rock that stretched into the sea at the end of the beach. It looked like they were coming into the Weyr. He wondered if that was the one he had heard about. The one in need of a carpenter... But that boat was not due to reach them for another sevenday yet.

"You seem distracted too," she noticed.

"Just, you know..." Sabonus waved out towards the sea in front of them. "Watching boats and whatnot. Nothing special."

Uetia sighed and considered banging his head with the book. Did he thought she didn't recognize that look in his eyes? Her father was fishcrafter and most of her brothers were sea- or fishcrafters. She had seen that look before.

"What?" he asked with an innocent shrug, not oblivious to her sudden displeasure.

"I know that look, you long to be there," she nodded towards the ships.

"I'm just looking, is all," Sabonus said, trying to reassure her. Sure, he would _like_ to be given another ship assignment... soonish... But for now he was completely content. Truly. He was! Why wouldn't he be? "I'm just happy to be here with you. I just was wondering which boats were coming in, is all."

"Yhmh," Uetia snorted, not believing a one word of it. She knew seacrafters.

"I _am_," he protested. "Besides, there haven't been any assignments for me to take even if I _wanted_ to." At least none that would having him back in her arms in less than half a Turn.

"Prove it," Uetia said with challenge in her voice and leand towards him.

He leaned closer in response. "Prove that I'm happy to be here? Or prove that there haven't been any assignments?"

"That you're happy here, with me," Uetia replied and stroked his arm. Yes, she did have feelings of insecurity...wondered if Sabonus would just grow tired of her one day. They were established couple now, but that didn't mean it couldn't...wouldn't change. Perhaps not today but someday in future.

His fingers snaked around the back of her neck and he pulled her close for a deep and thorough, if not just a little bit guilty, kiss. Yes, he missed the sea. Yes, he knew he would go out again someday. But he also knew that as happy as he was riding the waves, he would miss Uetia every single day, and wonder how long it would be before he was with her again.

"Well, that's more like it," she murmured, wrapping her arms around him. She was determined to enjoy every moment with him, while he proved his love. For she knew he was going. Maybe not on this ship but the next one. Only Faranth would know when he came back. She realized this was something her sister-in-laws experienced every time their husbands left to the sea. "Shards, I'm a seacrafter's wife," she murmured.

"Did you say something, darling?" Sabonus stopped to look her in the eyes.

"Nothing, just keep doing what you were doing."

Last updated on the July 13th 2014

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I Know That Look