Old Habits

Writers: Yvonne
Date Posted: 9th September 2014

Characters: J'nus
Description: J'nus doesn't know what he wants
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 9, day 11 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Kapera, Cyradis
Notes: Follows 'A Glimmer of Hope'

}:You do not want that,:{ Kopth told his rider sourly.

J'nus ignored him, choosing instead to sit with his legs dangling over the edge of Kopth's couch, a book in one hand and a large bottle of the beer Kopth disapproved of in the other. The book was uninteresting, and the beer was already warm. Behind him, the bronze dragon let out a gusty sigh and lay his giant head on the stone near his rider. J'nus ignored him.

He shouldn't have transferred here. Transfer, yes, but coming to Dolphin Cove was a mistake. If he'd known that Kapera was here, he'd have avoided the Weyr like the plague.

Kapera was trouble. She was young enough to be his daughter and as self-centred as every goldrider on Pern. Her time land-locked with Riyanth and her own illness seemed to have left a mark on her, but... J'nus shook his head and took another swallow of beer. How much of a mark?

Even if she had changed, Kapera was no sort of woman to get tangled up with a second time. Once was enough. It had barely even been once. They'd occasionally shared a bed and a few conversations, but now his thoughts were again full of a long-legged goldrider with dark hair and an easy laugh, and he didn't want to go through that again. He'd fallen for her, and she'd drifted away like a flower on the wind.

But then, he was old. Who could blame her? There were dozens of younger bronzeriders and hundreds of younger men who would better suit her tastes and whims. And yet there he was, preening like a wherry and bringing her gifts to court her favor. Because that's what it was-- courting. The thought left a sour taste in his mouth. Sure, he'd offered to build Cyradis a fan as well, but that was different. Kapera had gotten the first one, which should have rightfully gone to the Weyrwoman. He was just showing off and finding another way to stand out from the crowd.

And then she'd gone and kissed him... he sighed and picked up his book, determined to think of something -- someone -- else for a change. But he couldn't focus, not when the memory of her body against his kept intruding. The way her lips tasted, the scent of her hair... **Shards and shells.** J'nus reached for the beer and finished most of the bottle in one swallow.

**We could transfer again,** he told Kopth. **Maybe to the Weyr in the North, where U'kaiah went.**

}:You do not like U'kaiah, and you like Riyanth's rider.:{ Kopth rumbled deep in his chest, his eyes closed against the hot evening sun. }:I like Riyanth. I wish to stay.:{

Draconic logic. Everything was so simple for them. **What does Riyanth's rider like?** he wondered.

}:Ask her that,:{ came the immediate reply.

Ask her. Asking her, after this long, inspite of everything... J'nus wasn't sure that he was man enough to hear the answer.

~*~

Last updated on the October 3rd 2014

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Old Habits