Stealing Moments

Writers: Aaron, Heather
Date Posted: 25th September 2019

Characters: T'ner, Ayressa, Resser
Description: T'ner and Ayressa try to spend some time together, but things have become stilted ever since T'ner's impression.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 12, day 13 of Turn 9

These moments were harder at first than they had become. When Lehystrath first felt T'ner meeting with his family, there were notes of panic in his thoughts of his rider's feelings of people who were not him. Jealousy, not quite. But perhaps worry. Worry that these two obviously Very Important People might come before him in T'ner's heart.

And part of that was made worse by T'ner's own intense guilt over knowing that he could not, would not ever put his wife and son before Lehystrath. Given what the law actually said about riders and wives, he would have no right to try even if he wanted to.

It had become easier partly because Lehystrath had never even when he was afraid considered insisting that T'ner remove these Very Important People from his life. So as he never yet pushed them away, T'ner never had cause to resent Lehystrath. And as his feelings toward the blue had remained comforting and reassuring, Lehystrath was fairly quickly able to come to enjoy the feelings of happiness his rider experienced in spending what brief time he had available with these people.

The Weyrmate, Lehystrath was not sure about her yet. He and she might have to decide that later. But the Little One? He was an absolute joy, and though the blue pretended nonchalance, Lehystrath found him to be delightful.

"Hey," said T'ner, smiling as he sat down with Ayressa and Resser. The young man was – as always – visibly tired, but his smile was genuine.

Ayressa returned T'ner's smile. "Hey," she lifted Resser toward him, who kicked out his arms and legs eagerly to go to his father. "Someone has been taking his first steps, finally," she revealed.

T'ner took the baby and hugged him, then made silly faces at him as he said, "Someone is a walker now? Who could it be? Is it you? Is it you? Are you my big boy?" He laughed, though his heart ached as he realized that he had missed it. He knew he would. He likely would have missed the very first steps even if they had been back at the Hold. But somehow, it seemed worse than that. T'ner kissed the boy's cheeks.

}:Charming,:{ said Lehystrath, though there was no bitterness in it.

"He was with his foster mother," Ayressa admitted the left corner of her mouth dipping a bit with obvious disappointment. "I missed it, too." She would not have missed it if they were still living their lives at the Hold.

"Well, then I guess we'll just have to watch him take his first steps with his whole family together!" said T'ner, kneeling down and stood the boy up facing Ayressa. Lehystrath snorted and somehow managed to convey the sound through the bond. T'ner shook his head at the oddity of it.

"Well, whole family minus Lehystrath," he amended. "But we can do another first for him another time. Can you get your mama, buddy?" He held Resser's hands until he could steady himself.

Ayressa smiled at the expression on Resser's face, which was one of wonder as he swayed on his chubby feet and clenched his hands in the direction of his mother. "Come here, sweetie, you can do it," she cooed.

T'ner slowly took his hands away but kept them close enough to catch Resser if he fell.

"You can do it, buddy!" he joined in the encouragement.

Resser took three teetering steps before collapsing into his mother's waiting arms. "You did it!" she beamed, cuddling him close to her chest and raining kisses on his upturned face.

T'ner closed the gap to join in a brief family group hug, saying a long, drawn out, "Yay!"

"I daresay that was a much better first than the first one." He grinned. "What do you think, Mama?"

"I daresay we have the cutest baby in the entire Weyr," she cooed.

"That's undeniable!" T'ner said proudly. "You and I make beautiful babies." And once all of this time apart was over, perhaps they could do so again.

}:Can I name the next one?:{

**We'll see.*"

"How is your dragon, um, Lehystrath?" Ayressa still had difficulty with the dragon's mouthful of a name, and they had yet to discuss the implications of the dragon's blue hide.

"He's good, thank you!" said T'ner with some excitement. He was always excited to talk about Lehystrath. "He's listening to us. He thinks Resser is cutest, too!"

}:I really can't tell the little ones apart, actually...:{

T'ner had still yet to allow himself to even acknowledge that Lehystrath's hide had any implications.

"How's work with the weavers?" he asked.

Even though Ayressa wanted to ask him about the possibility of his sleeping with other men, she was grateful for the slight change in topic. "It has been great," she held up calloused fingertips, some sporting small bandages. "Once I quit stabbing myself, that is."

T'ner took her hand in his and kissed it gently, though he avoided actually touching anything that might hurt.

"I'm happy you did!" he chuckled. "I hate the idea of you hurting." He remembered how unpleasant the little stabbies were from when be sewed his Hatching robe.

"Well, anyway, it looks like you'll be a journeyman before you know it."

"I doubt it, but it is nice to have something to keep busy," Ayressa admitted.

"I'm proud of you," T'ner insisted, reaching out to touch Ayressa's arm with an encouraging smile. "You're doing great."

Ayressa smiled up at T'ner. It was hard to describe but she felt more shy around him since he Impressed. Now that he was bonded to a blue dragon and living separately things just felt... Different. "Thanks, T'ner. You're doing great, too."

T'ner looked into Ayressa's eyes for a few moments trying to decide whether something was wrong, whether something was bothering her beyond just the need to be separate for a little while. This was a trial for him, too, so he understood that part of what might be weighing Ayressa down, but every time he saw her, it felt like maybe there was something else there.

"Are you OK, my love?" he asked her softly. "Really?"

She lost her courage to ask the question that weighed most heavily on her. "Yes, I am, I'm just tired, that's all."

T'ner was not sure that she was telling him the whole truth. But he was also not sure he wanted to press her on it. This was something she wanted to keep to herself, whatever it was...

"Listen, I... You don't have to tell me what it is. But I'm here for you. And I want you to know you can tell me anything. I don't care what the law says – to me, you're still my wife, and I'm your husband. And I still want you to trust me."

"It's nothing," Ayressa assured him. Nothing that they needed to talk about at that very moment, anyway. She knew his dragon was young and there would be time yet for discussions on what mating flights were going to mean for them.

T'ner nodded. "OK," he said, agreeing that he would not press her any further. Whatever it was, she was not ready, and he would just have to deal with it when she was. "I love you," he added as he looked her again in the eye, hoping to convince her he meant it.

Ayressa gazed back at him. "I love you too, T'ner."

Last updated on the October 14th 2019

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Stealing Moments