Weak Spots

Writers: Miriah, Yvonne
Date Posted: 9th February 2014

Characters: J'ackt, Alina
Description: Jenackt and Alina are stuck doing chores together
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 5, day 8 of Turn 7

J'ackt

Alina

Alina suppressed a groan when she saw the duty roster that morning: it was laundry duty, and she was working with Jenackt of all people. He was Holdless-- what could he possibly know about laundry!? At least he'd be good for hauling the bags of dirtied sheets and towels from the Candidate's Barracks to the laundry room, and hauling them back again. And he could probably be trained to pin sheets to a line.

Sighing, she went to go find Jenackt, who was lingering in the dining hall over an empty plate. "If you're finished, we have laundry to do," she said, her hands on her hips.

He looked up, chewing slowly on the last piece of redfruit. He'd been up early as he always was; he found it difficult to sleep past dawn and while others had been asleep, he had groggily checked the chore list and already had mentally prepared himself to deal with the hissing tunnelsnake of a girl. He swallowed, took a drink of water and eyed her through a long lock of hair. "I know. I already bagged it up."

Alina blinked. "Oh. Well... thank you for that. You must have been up early."

He picked up his plate, brushing by her as he moved to put it away with the rest of the dirty dishes. "I always am."

She followed in his wake, absently picking up a glass someone had left behind to put away next to Jenackt's things. "Let's go haul the bags off to the laundry, then," she said.

He stopped and looked at her with his hands on his hips. "You? Haul things?" He snorted and shook his head. "You mean you'll watch while I haul." He looked pointedly at her arms. "You won't even be able to life one bag."

"That's not true!" Alina snapped. "I'm not as big as your are, but that doesn't mean I'm useless."

He huffed, starting to walk towards the barracks and the chores. "And when did you last do anything but sit and look pretty?"

Her eyes narrowed. How rude! "Yesterday, when I did chores just like everybody else did. When was the last time you opened your mouth and _didn't_ sound like a mooing herdbeast?"

He blew hair from his brow and stalked back to where he had piled the bags. He had filled them to bursting and he knew full well how heavy they were. "This morning when I was trying to finish breakfast...like everyone else." He pointed to the bags. "So...go ahead."

She shot him a poisonous look, then bent to pick up a bag. And couldn't lift it. Alina felt her cheeks go red with embarrassment as she struggled, hating him for doing this to her. He'd set her up, and she'd stupidly walked right into a trap set by some Holdless, smirking idiot. But Alina was also born and bred in a farming Cothold where _everyone_ worked, and after a moment's thought she was able to use her toes to lift the bag enough to get her fingers beneath it, and from there awkwardly roll it onto her shoulders. Her legs shook as she stood and she could barely shoot a triumphant look at Jenackt for the weight on her neck. "Told you. Although next time, unless you _want_ to haul everything by yourself, you shouldn't fill them the bags so much."

He watched her struggle, then sighed, stepping forward to take the bag from her shoulders. "You'll hurt yourself lifting that way. Don't they teach you lot anything? Lift with your legs, not your back. " He heaved the bag over his shoulder and grabbed the tie of one of the others, leaving the smaller of the three to her. " Just drag that one. "

"I'm not going to _drag_ it," she huffed. He was bound and determined to humiliate her, and there was no way that she'd let that happen. Alina bent and picked up the third bag, which _was_ lighter, and with embarrassment burning in her chest she swept past Jenackt on shaking legs.

He gave another sigh and followed her, overburdened by his own two bags as they walked to the laundry. Stubborn girl. Three bags meant less trips; he didn't want to have to make multiple trips. Annoyance ate at him. She was acting like he had done this just to put her out. As they got to the laundry, he set the bags down with an audible thump.

Alina set her bag down with considerable less grace. She was sweaty from the short walk, her back hurt, and a few strands of hair that had escaped her braid stuck to her neck and face. Ignoring Jenackt, she walked into the laundry to find out who was in charge. "Hello? I have sheets from the Candidate's quarters."

"Dump them into the boxes over there," one of the laundresses said, nodding to four different bins in the corner. "Sort out the towels from the sheets as you do so. And then go hang the sheets over there," she said, nodding at a pile of wet laundry with her chin, "on the line to dry. Take the wheelbarrows to cart them out, that'll be easiest. There should be enough for all the candidate's bunks. You can come pull them down, fold them, and take them back to the barracks for your afternoon chores."

"Hi Jenackt!" one of the younger laundresses called, then she and her two friends dissolved into giggles.

Jenackt followed Alina to stand behind her, listening to the instructions without comment. It was easy enough and he'd done the same several times before since his arrival here. He spun on his heels, but stopped at the sound of his name. He turned slowly towards the girl that had called after him and shifted on his feet. "Uh...hi." Then he hurried away, shoving his hands in his pockets, the sound of the giggles making his face flush. They _always_ did that. Every single time he came here.

He grabbed all three of the bags, not waiting for Alina in his hurry to get out of eyesight of the three and dragged them towards the bins with a grunt of effort. He opened the first and hurriedly began to sort.

Alina noticed the blush, then hid her smile and went to help. "I didn't think _you'd_ be capable of getting a girlfriend. Congratulations."

His head lifted so quickly that it was amazing there were not audible pops. "Huh?" He blinked rapidly and his face flushed even brighter. "Don't have one." He grabbed sheets and tossed them even more rapidly into the bins, literally tearing through the bags in his haste.

"Oh." Alina gave him a sly look from beneath her lashes. "Does _she_ know that? Because these weyr women..."

Now completely flustered, Jenackt's face was bright red as he shoved sheets into bins and threw towels haphazardly. He dove into another bag, upending it completely before tossing sheets. His voice was strangled, "Will you hurry and help?"

"Are you really that anxious to get away from your lover?" Alina asked sweetly. "Or is it that you've got another girl tucked away somewhere, waiting for you? One of the kitchen girls, maybe? For some unfathomable reason they just _can't_ stop talking about you."

"I don't have a lover." Jenackt burst out then lowered his head, shoulders hunched as he grabbed the bedding. Face flaming hot, he shoved them at her. "You do the rest. I'll get the wet ones." He literally dumped them on her head and hurried towards the piles of wet laundry, gathering them in large armfuls to load them into the wheelbarrows.

"Eeew!" Alina batted at the dirty bedding until she'd wrestled her way free. How rude of him! But what else could you expect of someone Holdless? She sniffed, then turned to her task. With any luck they'd be done around the same time, so she wouldn't have to talk to him anymore.

Last updated on the February 28th 2014

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Weak Spots