LOG: The Bootlace
Date: Day 27, Month 6, Turn 18
Location: Inner Caverns/Stores, High Reaches Weyr
Synopsis: Kas breaks a bootlace and falls asleep against a wall. Milani has a ready solution for the first and advice for the second.
Log stolen from milaninc
Inner Caverns, High Reaches Weyr(#270RJs)
Within the labyrinth of interconnected chambers that make up the inner caverns, this large, long cavern serves both as a crossroads and a comfortable place for weyrfolk to sit, talk, and keep a nosy eye out for who's going where. Colorful, seasonal tapestries add warmth to the smooth walls and reduce echoes, while large niches house clusters of chairs, and a waist-high stone shelf along one wall provides a perch for drinks or work for residents on the go. Worn brass hooks often hold jackets or other outerwear with workboots stationed beneath, the transitory nature of the cavern lending itself to being treated as a sort of communal foyer where snowy or muddy gear can be kept outside of living quarters. Smaller, higher niches at regular intervals hold glowbaskets kept fresh during the daytime and allowed to dim somewhat at night.
The largest tunnels lead to the main living cavern, to the bowl and to the Weyr entrance, but it's still easy for the uninitiated to get lost within this maze.
The weyrlings ought to be in classes, right about now, at least according to their schedule, but K'del is not among them. Instead, he's lounging against a wall in the caverns, eyes closed, and dressed as though he at least /intended/ to be in his rightful class - riding jacket, heavy trousers, boots-- no, make that /one/ boot: the other sits on the floor beside him, with a broken lace.
Milani comes bustling through, carrying a clipboard and talking to Giorda. "So make sure that that shelf gets re-stocked from the next shipment that comes through with the traders and then we should be all set there. Plenty of room for tithes to come in in C, D and E and we'll handle it just like Hayda did last turn," the Headwoman says firmly. Blue-green eyes lift from her clipboard and come to rest not on K'del, but that broken-laced boot, then lift a little, taken in a sock-clad foot, very long legs and travel up and up to find the rest of the Weyrling. Both brows lift and a little amused grin pulls at the corners of her lips. "All right, go settle that and I'll see to our friend here." Giorda bobs her head, shooting the weyrling a quizzical look then turns back down the corridor. Millie meanwhile waits a moment, head tilted to the side observing then steps forward, tucks her clipboard under her arm and reaches out to straighten the weyrling's jacket front. "You awake, Kas?" she asks softly. "Looking for bootlaces?"
K'del is awake, but he definitely doesn't look it until Milani's hand on his jacket results in him opening his eyes - he certainly hasn't noticed her approach, nor Giorda's departure. He looks sheepish, straightening his posture, and nods. "Broke it, just before we started drills, so they sent me to replace it. I," he grins, ruefully, "Got distracted?"
Milani grins as those baby blues open up and she looks up a little into the weyrling's face. "Mm. Guess so," she says with twinkling eyes. "Come on let's get you a boot-lace. Those at least are easy to get a hold of. This way, my friend." And she bends to catch up that boot, fingers nimbly plucking the broken lace loose as she walks.
K'del returns the grin, pushing himself away from the wall as he wipes at his eyes, looking distinctly more alive now that he's been pushed back into motion. "I was going to move. Any minute," he insists, not entirely serious, as he follows, shuffling along with one booted foot, and one not. "Anyway. How are you, Millie?"
"Mmhm, you sure looked like you were going to," Milani answers as she slips into one of the general stores rooms, walks without looking at the labels to the right shelf and pulls down a box of laces. "Hmm ... long boot lace ..." she murmurs under her breath and pulls one out to start threading into that boot. She looks up at the weyrling, smile warm. "I'm good, Kas. Seems like you could use some extra sleep though, hm?"
"Ready for everything, that's me," grins the weyrling, following the Headwoman into the storeroom, though he surreptitiously gives his eyes another wipe as he walks. While she laces the boot, he slings his hands into his pockets, watching, and matching her smile. "I'm a weyrling," he laughs, not quite brushing off the comment, but too light to be taking it too seriously. "We're always lacking sleep. I'll be okay."
"Oh now that I know," Milani teases back for his first, poking the lace through another eye. SHe leans over to set her clipboard down for a moment, the better to slip the long waxed cording through those holes and pulls up what work she's already done, evens the ends out and keeps going. "Not usually so late in weyrlinghood," she answers mildly, looks back up at him for a second, squinting more closely at his face. There. Boot laced. She hands the item over his way and lifts her hand briefly to his cheek. "Don't push too hard, Kas."
"I'm hurt that it's taken you this long to learn that," K'del teases back, more awake for the banter, now. "I did join the leadership program late," he reminds, quick to make excuses, "So there was catch-up, there. Plus the rest of my classes. I can't let myself fall behind." He accepts the boot, dropping it tidily onto the ground and shoving his foot into it, wiggling it straight. His hand lifts to cover hers on his cheek, and he smiles at her. "I won't, I won't. I'll be in bed on time tonight, promise."
Laughing, Milani just shakes her head for that response. "Oh no, I think I caught on to that pretty quickly," she teases back. "Mmhm. Catch up. I don't think there's much about you that needs catching up on," the banter continues. With his hand over hers, her palm lingers there, thumb brushing gently. "I'll hold you to that promise," she says very seriously, wags a finger at him. "There's not so many months left and then you'll be free to make your own schedule."
K'del smirks, waggling his eyebrows for emphasis. "I thought so," he tells her, grandly. "Hard to miss, you know? No," he adds, sagely, bobbing his head into a slow nod. "Probably right. All caught up." His fingers squeeze hers, lightly, twining lightly about them. "I know, I know. Just have to survive a while longer, and then I'm free. But." In the meantime, his tone says, not glum, but thoughtful. "I'd invite you to come tuck me in, but..."
More laughter from Milani. "Mm, something like that," she quips and looks up and up pointedly, though she doesn't actually need to look that far herself. "Maaaybe," she draws the word out, eyes glinting with continued humor about being caught up. When his fingers shift, Milani's smile turns a little softer and she returns the favor, leaving their hands laced together. "Right, just a little longer," she echoes, takes a deep breath. "Well. Don't put it past me to actually /tuck you in/, weyrling, without any you know, extra meaning," she says with mock archness, then quickly, leans in to kiss him, very lightly. "But yes. /Sleep/ tonight, Kas."
K'del even strains on his toes for emphasis, to make himself /even taller/, though only for a moment - he wobbles, as he does it, his boots not quite designed for that purpose, and his balance not too good to begin with. He's laughing, too, head shaking for her teasing, though he doesn't add anything - instead, he returns the kiss, keeping it as light as she began it. Afterwards, "You mean, you can resist my charms? Aw, man. That's something I /will/ have to work at, then. I will, though. Sleep. I... nearly fell asleep in class, yesterday. Can't do that. Can't miss things. Can't afford to, anyway."
Giggling for that straining upward, Milani just shakes her head, pokes at his shoulder good-naturedly. "Just chalk it up to my amazing will-power instead of any lack on your part." There her smile turns sweet, then fades into a more concerned expression. "Oh, Kas. No, you can't," she says gently and squeezes his hand, then gently unthreads her fingers from his, gives his shoulder a little pat. "If I have to come over to make sure you /sleep/, I will though," she warns and leans over to pluck her clipboard up off the shelf. "If you can after drills, take a nap even, so you're a little more aware for whatever you have going on later."
"Ah-hah!" enthuses K'del, seizing about upon this solution as a balm to his ego, though he's clearly jesting. "Exactly right. Though you know I'd try my darndest to beat your will-power with my insistance." He manages to look abashed for her response to his admission, nodding, rueful, as his hand returns to his side. "Noted, noted. Mm, I might." Take a nap. "Just need to catch up on some notes tonight, but it'd be better if I was awake for it." He kneels, now, to properly lace up his newly-fixed boot, nodding. "Thanks, Millie."
"Sometime, we'll have to do that. My will-power against your insistence," Milani promises, head tipped to the side as she takes in that abashed look. "Okay then. Take care of yourself, please." That's sincerely said, but the next is full of mischief: "I'm very invested in making sure you're well-rested after all!" Big-eyes. As he kneels to deal with that boot, Millie drifs a fond hand across still-fuzzy pate. "Of course, Kas. Just let me know if you need anything."
"But it wouldn't be fair," points out K'del, amused. "You don't /really/ want to resist me most of the time, do you?" His nod is solemn, for her next, his expression equally so, though it breaks off into laughter before he manages to say anything. "In that case... for you, Millie, I will get that sleep. Incentive!" His eyes lift, for her hand on his head, his smile pleased. "Of course. S'pose I should get back to drills." Before he's missed /too/ much.
"Maybe, maybe not," Milani answers with a little coy slip of her mouth to the side. "I can be pretty stubborn when I put my mind to something." Laughing again she agrees though. "But you're right. Most of the time, no, I don't." She smiles widely for that promise. "Good. Me and everyone else you're trying to keep up with," she can't help teasing, gives his shoulder another little pat. "Yes. Go be good and dutiful now, so you can sleep and then have fun later. I've got work to do myself so that I don't wind up with a stack of hides a mile high to get through before this evening." This time she puts that kiss on her fingertips, drifts it to his cheek. "I'll see you later, Kas. Or tomrrow. Or whenever you're /most/ well-rested," she challenges with a wink and then saunters on by, making sure to make her walk /very/ interesting as she heads back out into the corridor.
"But so can I," insists K'del, amused, as he finishes, his boot laced and ready to go. "Oh, the /wailing/, were I to be to tired to--" He breaks off, but laughing, nodding again. "Oh, you will. No matter how much sleep it takes." She has /all/ his attention, for that saunter, eyes wide, mouth just slightly open, a grin - oh, very salacious. And then he's getting up, wiping his knees off, and following out into the caverns again, off to his drills.
Location: Inner Caverns/Stores, High Reaches Weyr
Synopsis: Kas breaks a bootlace and falls asleep against a wall. Milani has a ready solution for the first and advice for the second.
Log stolen from milaninc
Inner Caverns, High Reaches Weyr(#270RJs)
Within the labyrinth of interconnected chambers that make up the inner caverns, this large, long cavern serves both as a crossroads and a comfortable place for weyrfolk to sit, talk, and keep a nosy eye out for who's going where. Colorful, seasonal tapestries add warmth to the smooth walls and reduce echoes, while large niches house clusters of chairs, and a waist-high stone shelf along one wall provides a perch for drinks or work for residents on the go. Worn brass hooks often hold jackets or other outerwear with workboots stationed beneath, the transitory nature of the cavern lending itself to being treated as a sort of communal foyer where snowy or muddy gear can be kept outside of living quarters. Smaller, higher niches at regular intervals hold glowbaskets kept fresh during the daytime and allowed to dim somewhat at night.
The largest tunnels lead to the main living cavern, to the bowl and to the Weyr entrance, but it's still easy for the uninitiated to get lost within this maze.
The weyrlings ought to be in classes, right about now, at least according to their schedule, but K'del is not among them. Instead, he's lounging against a wall in the caverns, eyes closed, and dressed as though he at least /intended/ to be in his rightful class - riding jacket, heavy trousers, boots-- no, make that /one/ boot: the other sits on the floor beside him, with a broken lace.
Milani comes bustling through, carrying a clipboard and talking to Giorda. "So make sure that that shelf gets re-stocked from the next shipment that comes through with the traders and then we should be all set there. Plenty of room for tithes to come in in C, D and E and we'll handle it just like Hayda did last turn," the Headwoman says firmly. Blue-green eyes lift from her clipboard and come to rest not on K'del, but that broken-laced boot, then lift a little, taken in a sock-clad foot, very long legs and travel up and up to find the rest of the Weyrling. Both brows lift and a little amused grin pulls at the corners of her lips. "All right, go settle that and I'll see to our friend here." Giorda bobs her head, shooting the weyrling a quizzical look then turns back down the corridor. Millie meanwhile waits a moment, head tilted to the side observing then steps forward, tucks her clipboard under her arm and reaches out to straighten the weyrling's jacket front. "You awake, Kas?" she asks softly. "Looking for bootlaces?"
K'del is awake, but he definitely doesn't look it until Milani's hand on his jacket results in him opening his eyes - he certainly hasn't noticed her approach, nor Giorda's departure. He looks sheepish, straightening his posture, and nods. "Broke it, just before we started drills, so they sent me to replace it. I," he grins, ruefully, "Got distracted?"
Milani grins as those baby blues open up and she looks up a little into the weyrling's face. "Mm. Guess so," she says with twinkling eyes. "Come on let's get you a boot-lace. Those at least are easy to get a hold of. This way, my friend." And she bends to catch up that boot, fingers nimbly plucking the broken lace loose as she walks.
K'del returns the grin, pushing himself away from the wall as he wipes at his eyes, looking distinctly more alive now that he's been pushed back into motion. "I was going to move. Any minute," he insists, not entirely serious, as he follows, shuffling along with one booted foot, and one not. "Anyway. How are you, Millie?"
"Mmhm, you sure looked like you were going to," Milani answers as she slips into one of the general stores rooms, walks without looking at the labels to the right shelf and pulls down a box of laces. "Hmm ... long boot lace ..." she murmurs under her breath and pulls one out to start threading into that boot. She looks up at the weyrling, smile warm. "I'm good, Kas. Seems like you could use some extra sleep though, hm?"
"Ready for everything, that's me," grins the weyrling, following the Headwoman into the storeroom, though he surreptitiously gives his eyes another wipe as he walks. While she laces the boot, he slings his hands into his pockets, watching, and matching her smile. "I'm a weyrling," he laughs, not quite brushing off the comment, but too light to be taking it too seriously. "We're always lacking sleep. I'll be okay."
"Oh now that I know," Milani teases back for his first, poking the lace through another eye. SHe leans over to set her clipboard down for a moment, the better to slip the long waxed cording through those holes and pulls up what work she's already done, evens the ends out and keeps going. "Not usually so late in weyrlinghood," she answers mildly, looks back up at him for a second, squinting more closely at his face. There. Boot laced. She hands the item over his way and lifts her hand briefly to his cheek. "Don't push too hard, Kas."
"I'm hurt that it's taken you this long to learn that," K'del teases back, more awake for the banter, now. "I did join the leadership program late," he reminds, quick to make excuses, "So there was catch-up, there. Plus the rest of my classes. I can't let myself fall behind." He accepts the boot, dropping it tidily onto the ground and shoving his foot into it, wiggling it straight. His hand lifts to cover hers on his cheek, and he smiles at her. "I won't, I won't. I'll be in bed on time tonight, promise."
Laughing, Milani just shakes her head for that response. "Oh no, I think I caught on to that pretty quickly," she teases back. "Mmhm. Catch up. I don't think there's much about you that needs catching up on," the banter continues. With his hand over hers, her palm lingers there, thumb brushing gently. "I'll hold you to that promise," she says very seriously, wags a finger at him. "There's not so many months left and then you'll be free to make your own schedule."
K'del smirks, waggling his eyebrows for emphasis. "I thought so," he tells her, grandly. "Hard to miss, you know? No," he adds, sagely, bobbing his head into a slow nod. "Probably right. All caught up." His fingers squeeze hers, lightly, twining lightly about them. "I know, I know. Just have to survive a while longer, and then I'm free. But." In the meantime, his tone says, not glum, but thoughtful. "I'd invite you to come tuck me in, but..."
More laughter from Milani. "Mm, something like that," she quips and looks up and up pointedly, though she doesn't actually need to look that far herself. "Maaaybe," she draws the word out, eyes glinting with continued humor about being caught up. When his fingers shift, Milani's smile turns a little softer and she returns the favor, leaving their hands laced together. "Right, just a little longer," she echoes, takes a deep breath. "Well. Don't put it past me to actually /tuck you in/, weyrling, without any you know, extra meaning," she says with mock archness, then quickly, leans in to kiss him, very lightly. "But yes. /Sleep/ tonight, Kas."
K'del even strains on his toes for emphasis, to make himself /even taller/, though only for a moment - he wobbles, as he does it, his boots not quite designed for that purpose, and his balance not too good to begin with. He's laughing, too, head shaking for her teasing, though he doesn't add anything - instead, he returns the kiss, keeping it as light as she began it. Afterwards, "You mean, you can resist my charms? Aw, man. That's something I /will/ have to work at, then. I will, though. Sleep. I... nearly fell asleep in class, yesterday. Can't do that. Can't miss things. Can't afford to, anyway."
Giggling for that straining upward, Milani just shakes her head, pokes at his shoulder good-naturedly. "Just chalk it up to my amazing will-power instead of any lack on your part." There her smile turns sweet, then fades into a more concerned expression. "Oh, Kas. No, you can't," she says gently and squeezes his hand, then gently unthreads her fingers from his, gives his shoulder a little pat. "If I have to come over to make sure you /sleep/, I will though," she warns and leans over to pluck her clipboard up off the shelf. "If you can after drills, take a nap even, so you're a little more aware for whatever you have going on later."
"Ah-hah!" enthuses K'del, seizing about upon this solution as a balm to his ego, though he's clearly jesting. "Exactly right. Though you know I'd try my darndest to beat your will-power with my insistance." He manages to look abashed for her response to his admission, nodding, rueful, as his hand returns to his side. "Noted, noted. Mm, I might." Take a nap. "Just need to catch up on some notes tonight, but it'd be better if I was awake for it." He kneels, now, to properly lace up his newly-fixed boot, nodding. "Thanks, Millie."
"Sometime, we'll have to do that. My will-power against your insistence," Milani promises, head tipped to the side as she takes in that abashed look. "Okay then. Take care of yourself, please." That's sincerely said, but the next is full of mischief: "I'm very invested in making sure you're well-rested after all!" Big-eyes. As he kneels to deal with that boot, Millie drifs a fond hand across still-fuzzy pate. "Of course, Kas. Just let me know if you need anything."
"But it wouldn't be fair," points out K'del, amused. "You don't /really/ want to resist me most of the time, do you?" His nod is solemn, for her next, his expression equally so, though it breaks off into laughter before he manages to say anything. "In that case... for you, Millie, I will get that sleep. Incentive!" His eyes lift, for her hand on his head, his smile pleased. "Of course. S'pose I should get back to drills." Before he's missed /too/ much.
"Maybe, maybe not," Milani answers with a little coy slip of her mouth to the side. "I can be pretty stubborn when I put my mind to something." Laughing again she agrees though. "But you're right. Most of the time, no, I don't." She smiles widely for that promise. "Good. Me and everyone else you're trying to keep up with," she can't help teasing, gives his shoulder another little pat. "Yes. Go be good and dutiful now, so you can sleep and then have fun later. I've got work to do myself so that I don't wind up with a stack of hides a mile high to get through before this evening." This time she puts that kiss on her fingertips, drifts it to his cheek. "I'll see you later, Kas. Or tomrrow. Or whenever you're /most/ well-rested," she challenges with a wink and then saunters on by, making sure to make her walk /very/ interesting as she heads back out into the corridor.
"But so can I," insists K'del, amused, as he finishes, his boot laced and ready to go. "Oh, the /wailing/, were I to be to tired to--" He breaks off, but laughing, nodding again. "Oh, you will. No matter how much sleep it takes." She has /all/ his attention, for that saunter, eyes wide, mouth just slightly open, a grin - oh, very salacious. And then he's getting up, wiping his knees off, and following out into the caverns again, off to his drills.