Awkward!

Writers: Eimi, Yvonne
Date Posted: 1st April 2006

Characters: J'nus, U'kaiah
Description: J'nus and U'kaiah have an awkward lunch together
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 10, day 21 of Turn 3

It seemed there was only one seat left in the crowded lunchtime
dining hall, and it was right next to the one person he truly didn't
want to sit down next to. Well, _one_ of the people U'kaiah didn't
want to sit next to. That list had grown in the last month. He knew
it was childish of him, but he just didn't feel like trying to make
conversation with the man who was now leading _his_ Wing.

**Shards,** he muttered internally when he realized he had been
spotted. There was no escaping it now. "Good afternoon, J'nus. Do
you mind if I join you?" he asked with his friendliest smile.

**Yes.** "No. Not at all." J'nus inched his plate over slightly to
give the other bronzerider some room. This was awkward. He glanced up
at the dining cavern and hoped that U'kaiah merely had nowhere else
to sit, rather than choosing to sit next to him deliberately.

Though he had nothing against J'nus personally, the mere fact that he
had been chosen Cyan Wingleader in U'kaiah's place made him rather
wish he could find a seat next to a venomous tunnelsnake rather than
the bronzerider. But he had to accept the fact that he had screwed up
_big_, and the consequences were long lasting and far reaching -
especially, it seemed, in the dinning hall, the scene of the crime.
"Could you pass me a roll please?"

J'nus picked up the basket and handed it to U'kaiah, and once U'kaiah
had chosen a roll, put it back where it had started. He picked up his
fork and poked his tubers; he'd lost his appetite. "How have you
been, lately?"

Oh... How to answer _that_ question... "Not bad. Settling in."
U'kaiah took a long sip of his juice and wished it would have been
appropriate to replace it with straight liquor in the middle of the
day. "How are my riders treating you?"

A self-depreciating smile flitted across J'nus' face, then was gone
as he stabbed the offending tuber. "As well as can be expected.
You're a good Wingleader, and they're missing you." Leading a Wing
was hard enough without everyone knowing that you were going to be
replaced the moment someone _better_ came along.

"They're not giving you any trouble, are they?" U'kaiah asked with a
sidelong glance. Part of him hoped that they were, but another would
have been rather disappointed in them for their unprofessionalism if
that were the case.

J'nus refrained from rolling his eyes. Barely. Obviously he'd been
spending too much time with Kenza. "Of course not. They know their
job. And the last Fall went smoothly - but I'm sure you know that
already."

"Well, I'm glad to hear that," U'kaiah said with a nod. "Well, it
sounds like you have everything well in hand then." As much as it
galled the former Wingleader to say...

That was one 'well' too many to mean it, and J'nus hid a smile. "I
do. There's been no problems. How has working with the Weyrlings
been?"

"Well..." U'kaiah took another long sip of his juice. "The junior
weyrlings are learning how to fly, which is exciting."

J'nus smiled; a genuine smile this time. "Definitely. I still
remember Kopth and I's first flight together..." It had been short,
only a few dragonlengths, but suddenly anything had seemed possible.

"Who doesn't remember." Kalamath had to be commanded to land. }:But
we are meant to fly!:{ he had protested. The memory brought a
chuckle out of his rider. He had been so afraid that he had truly
made D'wrayt angry with that little stunt.

"There were no accidents, hopefully? I remember in my class one
little green was put so off-balance by her rider that she did a
face-plant landing. It was more embarrassing for her than anything."

"No, they all did just fine," U'kaiah assured him. "A few near
misses and a couple over-exertions, but over all quite a successful
first attempt."

"Good to hear." The older bronzerider's smile faded slightly. Their
first flight was a milestone, but there were fewer happy moments
after that.

"It won't be long until they start going /between/, and then its a
quick slide to Blooding and graduating to the Wings," U'kaiah nodded.
He was looking forward to their going /between/ for personal
reasons, but it still made him nervous.

J'nus stared at his tubers. "Not long at all." If they all made it
that far.

"It will be good to fill out the ranks, though," U'kaiah said with a
bit of a brighter outlook. "And the other riders will look out for
them."

"They usually do, as much as they can, anyway."

"Well," U'kaiah said drinking down the rest of his juice. "I think
I'd better be getting back to work. I have a lot to do." **If I'm
ever to get my wing back from you...**

"As do I." **If I'm going to keep Cyan...** J'nus set down his fork
and stood. "It was nice talking with you."

"And you too," U'kaiah smiled, and picking up his tray walked away.

Last updated on the April 9th 2006

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Awkward!