That's What Friendship's For

Writers: Leigh M-F., Miriah
Date Posted: 22nd July 2014

Characters: A'kua, Ninaine
Description: He's not well, but she has the healing touch.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 8, day 27 of Turn 7

Ninaine

Aluka didn't even have the energy to curse mentally, and he dearly wanted to. For
the first time in many months, he was about as sick as the proverbial canine. He had
woken up feeling absolutely rotten, and as soon as it had been realized he wasn't
himself that morning, he had been sent to the infirmary. The healers said it was
just a winter fever, but it didn't feel like a "just" to Aluka. His head was
pounding, his muscles were aching, and even a gentle light was too bright. Of course
the healers had given him willow salic for the pain, spearleek and whitebulb for the
fever, and citrus drinks to help him get better faster, but the Candidate still
wasn't having a good time.

The only upside to being ill, if it could be called so, was the fever was giving him
some pretty interesting dreams that passed the time between doses of medication. The
one currently playing in his mind was about landing his wonderful dragon in Bex and
calling out to all the women of the hold, saying he could escort them to
Dragonsfall, where they would be treated properly. In the middle of the flood of
grateful women, someone drew back the curtain that separated his cot from the other
curtained beds, waking him with the sound. Even though his eyes were closed, Aluka
covered them with a hand.

Ninaine stepped into the area and then carefully tugged the curtains closed behind
her. She walked quietly beside the bed and sat before speaking softly. "How are you
feeling?"

At first, Aluka was too confused by the weyrling's presence to reply. Things had
been so awkward between them for sevendays; he had thought she was mad at him, so he
was almost irrationally happy to have her around. Maybe she was taking pity on him
because he was sick. He was okay with that, though his pride would probably be
dented by the pity when he was well. "Na' good," he finally slurred.

"You don't look it." She pressed a hand to his brow and frowned. "But the healers
say that you'll be better in a few days." Honestly, he looked haggard and she did
feel a bit sorry for him. Ninaine took her hand away and promptly washed it in the
bowl beside the table. "Winter fever feels awful, but it doesn't last too long."

Her skin felt so cool compared to his, the touch comforting. Aluka made a small
noise when Ninaine moved her hand. "Be'er be jus' few days. Don' go' time be sick,"
he mumbled. "T' many chores. Go' songs t' write. Go' keep ya comp'ny."

"No one ever has the time to be sick." Ninaine's voice was prim, but soft." All you
have time for now is to sleep and get well. Don't worry about me, Aluka. I'm not
your responsibility." She dampened a cloth, dipped it in cool water and laid it on
his brow.

"Bu' you're my-" Aluka broke off with an appreciative groan over the cloth. It took
him a few minutes to remember he had been speaking. "You're my frien'. One o' my
only friens. I worry an'way. I know where y'are. Been there. It's bad. Don' wan' ya
t' be lonely...." His voice trailed off. "Wha's I talkin' 'bout?"

She really doubted he knew how she was feeling. Keeping her composure, her
expression didn't alter one bit, though she felt warmer when he spoke of being her
friend. She patted his brow with the cool cloth, being sure to press it lightly
against his temples and then down to cool his neck. "That you worry."

"I do. I rilly do." If his eyes hadn't been closed, the lids would have been
drooping in bliss from the treatment. The headache seemed to be receding slightly
thanks to it. "Glad you're here. Thought ya were real mad a' me, but you're here,"
he rambled. "Hope ya don' ge' sick too. Tha' wouldn' be good." A funny image of
Luneth wearing a healer's knots and trying to bathe Ninaine's forehead with a cloth
held in her teeth manifested in his mind, but he didn't have the energy to laugh.

"It doesn't matter if I'm mad or not." Her facial expression didn't change a bit;
there was an air of somber acceptance around her. She took the cloth, rewet it in
the cold water and reapplied it to his brow. "I'm very healthy. I hardly ever get
sick."

"It does ma'er," Aluka insisted. "I care 'bout how y'feel. Is bad 'nuff when it
feels like.... like the whole o' Pern's out t'getcha. When y'feel so alone an'
wond'rin' wha' it'll take t' get someone, anyone, t'accept ya. 'Specially the people
who're s'posed t' love ya no matter what, and they jus' look atcha with hate, and ya
wonder wha' it'll take t' make 'em look at ya with love 'fore ya jus' stop carin'.
Y'don' need a frien' gettin' up yer nose when y'feel like that." He sighed, feeling
more tired by the speech. "'m I talkin' too much?" he asked drowsily. "Think 'm
talkin' too much. Tha' feels good, though."

"All of Pern isn't out to get me." She knew that, but she had to admit, sometimes it
felt that way. "And I'm not alone. I have Luneth." As for her parents, she didn't
want to think about them and didn't expect that she'd ever hear from them again.
"But you are talking to much. You need to rest." She pressed the cloth against his
temples.

"Aye, aye, Luneth. Lovely Luneth. Aye, y'have her. Which's good." Aluka fell silent
again before remembering something very important. "She okay wi' ya helpin' me? If'n
she's gettin' fussy, 'm sorry." His voice had gotten softer; he was edging toward
sleep.

"She doesn't have a choice." That was said firmly. As a matter of fact, the green
was sulking outside the infirmary. "Don't worry about it. Go to sleep and get some
rest. You'll be better soon."

"Aye, sure. Y'know best." Enough time passed that it seemed as though the redhead
really had drifted off, but he breathed a nearly inaudible "Thnks" before finally
settling down.

"You're welcome." Ninaine left the cloth on his brow and rose, turning to wash her
hands before she left.

Aluka's next dream wasn't grand or heroic or surreal; it was calming. Just him and
Ninaine on a picnic somewhere sunny, and for once, his friend was smiling happily.

Last updated on the July 22nd 2014

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That's What Friendship's For