VIGNETTE: Come See, Come See!
Date: Day 26, Month 6, Turn 18
Location: K'del and Cadejoth's Weyr, High Reaches Weyr
Synopsis: K'del falls asleep over his books (again). Cadejoth watches a green in flight.
K'del woke with a start as his head hit the desk with a /thwack/. He'd probably only just dropped off - probably dropped his head at that same moment, but he was utterly disorientated, all the same. Up to late again, last night. Shells, there were never enough hours in the day, not between classes, and Cadejoth, and study, and-- and those extra-curricular activities. It seemed like there was barely a night he didn't have company, or didn't fall asleep elsewhere; it was good, but morning kept coming far too early.
Which didn't mean, of course, he was going to stop. He just needed to be a little more careful about not dropping off in class. Or getting to the end of class and discovering he'd made no notes, and barely remembered what it had all been about. He hadn't worked his fingers to the bone to flunk out; yeah, he'd have to work on this.
But this afternoon - this afternoon, he had some time. And he'd made no plans: today he was going to catch up, read over those notes, learn. So long as he could stay awake. Last night had been ama-- he broke off from the thought. Concentrate, he told himself. Concentrate.
So he went back to his notes, scanning the page with as much attention as he could muster. It wasn't that it wasn't interesting, because, to be honest, he found most of what he was learning interesting. It was just that his eyes kept shutting of their own accord, and he couldn't seem to make them stop. He blinked back the sleepiness, as best he thought, wondering, for a moment, whether it'd be worth taking the time to go down and get klah.
Instead, his thoughts were interrupted by Cadejoth, whose relentless cheerfulness pushed itself forcefully into his consciousness. << Come see, K'del! Merieth's getting chased, but she's too quick for them. Come see, come see! Go Merieth - go faster! >>
He'd seen plenty of flights from the ground, but since they'd moved into their weyr, they always seemed to be in class, or out and about somewhere, not at home. Interest piqued, he couldn't help himself but to get up, and walk to the entrance of the weyr, where he leaned against the sun-warmed stone, watching. Cadejoth was entranced, moving with little fluttering movements, wings twitching, tail bounding against the stone ledge.
Wish you were up there, too? K'del asked, as the apple green soared past, a good distance away, higher and higher into the sky, her suitors trailed behind her like a swathe of multi-coloured silk.
<< Chasing her? I could catch her. >> Beat. Then, teasingly, << Like you catch all the girls! >>
Laughing, K'del agreed. Like that. Exactly like that. Want to? Guess you're nearly old enough, now. They're talking about that stuff with us, this seven. What to expect.
He could feel the bronze thinking this over, hear those mental chains plinking against each other like some bizarre chain-run clockwork, and the rattle of thoughtful enthusiasm. << I bet it'd be lots of fun. Chasing! Bet I could beat all the others, too. I'm bigger. Than lots of them, anyway. Bet I'd win. >>
Bet you would, too. Maybe you should try, next time.
<< Maybe. Depends if I like her or not. The green, I mean. Merieth's okay, but I don't think she likes me much. She told me to go away, this morning. I think maybe she was distracted. >>
K'del nodded; despite his questions, he was in no rush. It wasn't as though he needed Cadejoth's assistance to get a girl, after all. There was time.
The wind, rushing down onto the ledge, was helping wake him up, too. He could keep his eyes open, now. The cobwebs, all whisked away, as it were. He was about to turn and go back in, when he felt Cadejoth's tug on his chain again, and turned back, to find the bronze looking at him.
<< Will it be just us, tonight? Just us, in Our Weyr. >> He sounded - plaintive. Hopeful. Chiding? << No one else? >>
You don't like it? I thought you didn't mind, me being with the girls.
<< But this is Our Weyr. They shouldn't stay too much. >>
Surprised, K'del hesitated. Then, he nodded. No one else. Not tonight, anyway. I need some sleep. Maybe I'll head out for a little while, in the evening, but... Just us, when I sleep. Promise.
<< Good. Go: study. Maybe I'll go and see if Yyth will let me chase her around the bowl. >>
... If you like. K'del swallowed, but nodded again, heading back in. Games. Just games. Nothing wrong with that.
Location: K'del and Cadejoth's Weyr, High Reaches Weyr
Synopsis: K'del falls asleep over his books (again). Cadejoth watches a green in flight.
K'del woke with a start as his head hit the desk with a /thwack/. He'd probably only just dropped off - probably dropped his head at that same moment, but he was utterly disorientated, all the same. Up to late again, last night. Shells, there were never enough hours in the day, not between classes, and Cadejoth, and study, and-- and those extra-curricular activities. It seemed like there was barely a night he didn't have company, or didn't fall asleep elsewhere; it was good, but morning kept coming far too early.
Which didn't mean, of course, he was going to stop. He just needed to be a little more careful about not dropping off in class. Or getting to the end of class and discovering he'd made no notes, and barely remembered what it had all been about. He hadn't worked his fingers to the bone to flunk out; yeah, he'd have to work on this.
But this afternoon - this afternoon, he had some time. And he'd made no plans: today he was going to catch up, read over those notes, learn. So long as he could stay awake. Last night had been ama-- he broke off from the thought. Concentrate, he told himself. Concentrate.
So he went back to his notes, scanning the page with as much attention as he could muster. It wasn't that it wasn't interesting, because, to be honest, he found most of what he was learning interesting. It was just that his eyes kept shutting of their own accord, and he couldn't seem to make them stop. He blinked back the sleepiness, as best he thought, wondering, for a moment, whether it'd be worth taking the time to go down and get klah.
Instead, his thoughts were interrupted by Cadejoth, whose relentless cheerfulness pushed itself forcefully into his consciousness. << Come see, K'del! Merieth's getting chased, but she's too quick for them. Come see, come see! Go Merieth - go faster! >>
He'd seen plenty of flights from the ground, but since they'd moved into their weyr, they always seemed to be in class, or out and about somewhere, not at home. Interest piqued, he couldn't help himself but to get up, and walk to the entrance of the weyr, where he leaned against the sun-warmed stone, watching. Cadejoth was entranced, moving with little fluttering movements, wings twitching, tail bounding against the stone ledge.
Wish you were up there, too? K'del asked, as the apple green soared past, a good distance away, higher and higher into the sky, her suitors trailed behind her like a swathe of multi-coloured silk.
<< Chasing her? I could catch her. >> Beat. Then, teasingly, << Like you catch all the girls! >>
Laughing, K'del agreed. Like that. Exactly like that. Want to? Guess you're nearly old enough, now. They're talking about that stuff with us, this seven. What to expect.
He could feel the bronze thinking this over, hear those mental chains plinking against each other like some bizarre chain-run clockwork, and the rattle of thoughtful enthusiasm. << I bet it'd be lots of fun. Chasing! Bet I could beat all the others, too. I'm bigger. Than lots of them, anyway. Bet I'd win. >>
Bet you would, too. Maybe you should try, next time.
<< Maybe. Depends if I like her or not. The green, I mean. Merieth's okay, but I don't think she likes me much. She told me to go away, this morning. I think maybe she was distracted. >>
K'del nodded; despite his questions, he was in no rush. It wasn't as though he needed Cadejoth's assistance to get a girl, after all. There was time.
The wind, rushing down onto the ledge, was helping wake him up, too. He could keep his eyes open, now. The cobwebs, all whisked away, as it were. He was about to turn and go back in, when he felt Cadejoth's tug on his chain again, and turned back, to find the bronze looking at him.
<< Will it be just us, tonight? Just us, in Our Weyr. >> He sounded - plaintive. Hopeful. Chiding? << No one else? >>
You don't like it? I thought you didn't mind, me being with the girls.
<< But this is Our Weyr. They shouldn't stay too much. >>
Surprised, K'del hesitated. Then, he nodded. No one else. Not tonight, anyway. I need some sleep. Maybe I'll head out for a little while, in the evening, but... Just us, when I sleep. Promise.
<< Good. Go: study. Maybe I'll go and see if Yyth will let me chase her around the bowl. >>
... If you like. K'del swallowed, but nodded again, heading back in. Games. Just games. Nothing wrong with that.