Over the Edge

Writers: Devin, Bree
Date Posted: 29th August 2006
Series: Saving Each Other

Characters: N'vanik, Talryne
Description: N'vanik is forced to recognize how much time Talryne is spending in his weyr when she runs out of clean clothing.
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 13, day 16 of Turn 3

N'vanik

Talryne

Talryne was curled up on the couch when N'vanik returned from drills, wearing nothing but her heavy quilt and one of his shirts. "I ran out of clothing," she said quickly, before he could even open his mouth to speak.
"I--I had to borrow your shirt. Until I can get something else to wear..."

His eyebrow went up. "Well, why don't you bring your clothes down to the laundry and get them washed?" So she'd been here long enough to go through her clean clothing . . .

"A drudge came and got the dirty ones," Talryne admitted, looking uncomfortable about something. "I let her take them, but I didn't realize I didn't have anything clean left." And she hadn't dared to ask anyone to bring stuff from her weyr here. The little bag the healers had sent with her had been one thing... if she started moving things into N'vanik's weyr without his permission, she was terrified he'd decide he'd had enough of her and toss her out the door.

N'vanik crossed his arms. "I _suppose_ I can let you wear my shirt," he said, wondering if she would get that he was teasing. He was trying not to think about how long she'd been here, or how long she intended to stay.

For a moment Talryne looked uncertain, but a smile slowly curved her lips when she realized he wasn't upset with her. "That's very nice of you, N'vanik." Every time she smiled it made him want to smile too. It was . . .
disturbing. "I'd rather not have you running around naked."

Her smile widened a little bit. "Well, that's something I never expected to hear you say!"

N'vanik echoed her smile. He wasn't going to tell her that the idea of her running around naked would bring up thoughts he was trying not to have. "I like to keep people guessing."

"Do you think--" she hesitated, unsure how to ask. Sending him to pick up things from her weyr seemed presumptuous. She could go herself--people had certainly traveled the hallways wearing less than she was--but no one had been very happy with the idea of her wandering the weyr alone.

"What?"

Her voice turned uncertain. "I should probably get some more clothing, though. Or something to wear..."

N'vanik sighed. "I suppose you wanna get more clothes from your weyr?" It was more a statement than a question.

She winced at his expression, curling in on herself. "I don't have to."
Shards, she _hated_ how hopeless she sounded... but she would do anything to keep N'vanik from being upset with her. She felt as if she was standing on the edge of a vast emptiness, and if he let go she was going to tumble into it before anyone else could catch her.

Shards. That expression on her face made him feel like a tunnelsnake. "Come on, let's go to your weyr."

Talryne rose to her feet, the quilt still wrapped tightly around her shoulders. "Are you sure? We don't have to if you don't want to..."

**I _don't_ want to, but I can't say no to you.** "I'm sure."

She stepped up to him cautiously, as if giving him a chance to back away from her. One hand sneaked out from under the blanket, sliding around his waist as she pressed her cheek against his chest. "Thank you."

With a very quiet sigh, N'vanik led her out of the weyr and into the hall.
At the door to her weyr, Talryne hesitated. She hadn't been back here at all since the morning she'd left with Ysanth to prepare for Threadfall. Someone else had brought her what she needed in the infirmary, and she had avoided coming back here because finding her weyr empty would make it real.
"I--maybe this is a bad idea..."

He looked at her for a moment. Of course she didn't want to go back in there. "You want to wait out here while I go get your clothes?" There was a weary resignation in his tone.

The tone stung as much as his expression had before. Still, she tried to hide it as she reached out a hand to push the door open. She was imposing enough on him by making him do this. She didn't want to make it worse. "I can come in," she said quietly, and forced herself to step over the threshold.

N'vanik was close behind her, wondering if he was pushing her too hard when he didn't mean to push her at all. **And if I push her over the edge, I'll never forgive myself.**

The empty silence in her weyr was oppressive, and the entire space seemed dominated by Ysanth's vacant couch. The teetering feeling inside her manifested in a stumbling step backwards, only N'vanik's presence behind her keeping her from falling to the floor. "I can't. I can't be in here--"

"Ok. It's ok." N'vanik's arms went around her and he steered her away from the door. He was mentally kicking himself again. "Let's go back to my weyr.
I can get your clothes later."

Talryne's breathing didn't slow until they were almost back to N'vanik's weyr. Though there was no sign of tears, she had started shivering again.
"I'm sorry," she whispered as she clutched at her quilt and waited for him to open the door.

"Quit saying that." He opened the door and led her inside.

Her shaking didn't stop until she was sitting on the couch, her body curled so tight against his that she was practically in his lap. "Don't make me be alone," she whispered into his neck, pressing her eyes closed. That gaping hole inside her was so huge right now, she didn't know what could possibly fill it.

"I won't. I'm staying right here." N'vanik slowly rubbed her arm and shoulder in a gesture that was still awkward but was becoming more familiar.
**Here I go, screwing things up again.**

Last updated on the August 30th 2006

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