EW-NA's Literary Word Piles

[EW-NA]

Note: Set in future when I get around to letting her procreate. TW: pregnancy
-------

First Time Frustrations: Part 3



“Let me see.... where did I put it---”

Drask pried his wrinkly eyelids apart as Daedra's feet pattered before his snout for the fourth time. The surrounding space blearily came into view, needing to blink his faceted eyes once or twice to get them in focus. The Brown let out a massive yawn as he found himself properly stirring from his short nap, still inclined to remain splayed upon one of his blankets on the floor. Something moved passed and brushed against the skin on his nose, tickling the sensitive skin enough to make it scrunch. A telltale sensation was building, and try as he might, it would not be held back--

Drask let out a sneeze with such sudden force that it almost seemed like he had liftoff. Of course, such a thing was impossible, but his nose itched enough now that he had to have a few sniffles and chuffs to relieve it.

“Oh!” The commotion was enough to draw his handler's attention from... whatever she'd been occupied with. Daedra stopped her methodical pacing about the room and turned to her bonded. When she glanced to him, Drask laid on the floor as usual, but seemed none too perturbed. Other than taking the time to glance back her way once he realized she was staring at him.

“--Excuse you, Drask,” was all the redhead muttered when she realized, before turning away again. An uneasy expression came over her features as he brows lowered. The old wher watched a tentative finger raised to tap at her lip, before Daedra started to pace about again. As if lost and unsure, despite them being in the safety of their comfortable living space.

This was not a new sight though. It had become a rather common thing, so much so that Drask couldn't muster himself to even sit up. Slumped and lumpy, with his head still pressed flat on the floor, the wher merely turned his eyes to follow his small handler, as she walked back and forth. Back and forth. Back and forth. Wracking her brain and occasionally pausing to look in a particular area or hidden spot, only to be met with disappointment. Drask followed with his gaze for a few moments, before a huff forced its way from his chest.

Now with less duties for them to do, due to Daedra's condition, the wher felt his handler somehow much more scatterbrained than prior. While always prone to missing something here or there, now it seemed like a constant. She'd announce an intent to do one thing, but then fall into another task, completely forgetting the first until she was involved in something else. Pick an item up for some reason, then set it down and forget it. Drask just really didn't understand why things seemed to be progressing in this manner. Sure... routine and tasks to be done helped keep one's mind focused, but the sudden lack shouldn't jumble her so badly.

If that were so, Daedra would have been completely hopeless when they had been living in the Wilds. Granted, her survivability skills were moderate at best... but atleast the redhead always seemed to know where her desired items were at any given time.

“Raauugh... I must be losing my mind! I know I had them----somewhere!!”

Drask could tell she was getting frustrated now. That also seemed something to happen more easily and frequently. The wher, thinking it best to not let her be frazzled for the rest of the evening, effortless browsed some of her prior thought processes. While Daedra seemed unable to navigate the fog that was now ever present in her own head, it took Drask hardly any effort to gather an idea of what his handler had been after, and what came about it.

Daedra still in her movements when she heard a particular sound from the wher towards he backside. Drask was still on the floor, looking more like a skinned animal rug, but his form lurched as he forced air through his nose and mouth, making his telltale 'whuff'. Assured he had her attention, the Brown merely jerked his head, moving his nose to point at a particular drawer. Seemingly the only one she had yet to scour through, despite her prior efforts. When the redhead only responded with a confused expression, Drask verbally signaled to her again, prompting her to check.

Thankfully, the small woman was not reasonable enough to go over and check his suggestion. Upon pulling the drawer open, immediate relief washed over her.

“Ah!! It was right here-- how could I have forgotten~ Thank you for keeping track of things, Drask.”

The wher just snorted before adjust himself more comfortably. He wasn't going to remind or correct her on that fact. At this point, he'd take what peace he could have. As such, returning back to his nap seemed like the perfect reward.

[EW-NA]

It's A Big Leap

---

Daedra was contemplative; a very uncharacteristic mood for her to be in, frankly. Set at her place at a table, the redhead propped her chin in her upturned palm, while her other splayed out over the flat surface. Idly, she let her fingernails dance across the surface, back and forth slowly, only taking a moment to let one tap here and there on occasion.

Drask was nearby, listening to his handler fidget. He'd lifted his head prior when he'd heard the occasional noise from her, but took to ignoring it as time went on and the gestures repeated. Splayed on his side like a beached carcass, he was content to wait. He could tell there was something stewing in Daedra's head, but strangely, he found he could not decipher it. Not that she was hiding her thoughts but more ... things were moving passed her too rapidly for him to focus on any one thing. There and gone and back to something before... Besides, Drask found the woman a bit hard to comprehend at times, despite their long standing bond. That was probably something common to all bonded beings - always a gap that was impossible to cross among the species.

He trusted his handler to come to him if she needed to – when she needed to. And, like he anticipated, it wasn't much longer before the old wher heard the legs of her chair scrap the floor. The tapping of her fingers went silent as he heard her sit up proper. It was only when he heard his name, did the Brown move to show his attention.

“Say, Drask... I've been wondering about something,” the redhead spoke up, after making the tiniest clearing of her throat. Daedra waited as he shifted from the floor and craned himself up. Almost expectantly.

Daedra parted her lips to speak, but found herself unable to get the words to flow suddenly. Despite finally seeming ready to voice her thoughts. They remained trapped in her throat as she looked at the stern face of the wher, staring with bright yellow eyes. Daedra really didn't know why... well, she knew why, but she didn't understand why this was giving her such an issue. It was Drask, afterall. Harsh as he could be, the wher was the one being in all the world she knew she could come to with anything. The one who would always be with her, and practically had always been with her. Who could tap her thoughts in a way no other could.

Which is why this seemed so silly...

Best to just push ahead, the redhead mentally spurred herself on. She knew Drask was aware she wanted to tell him something, and he'd probably get more annoyed if she just floundered off from it. She appreciated his patience, but knew it was a finite thing.

“If...” her eyes turned, lips pursing slightly. “- if I ended up having children, would that be all right with you?”

Drask's wrinkled face scrunched tight in confusion. Snorting, the wher jerked his head at his handler, as if responding: 'why ask me'? As if he had any say in what Daedra chose, or chose not to do, atleast concerning her own biological things. But then, he remembered-- namely when he saw Daedra turn slightly hurt blue eyes to him.

Humans and whers did things rather differently. That, and his human was not quite like the decent majority in the Weyr when faced with this matter. Daedra was not so easily 'detached' from things that had meaning to her, and she put meaning into.... too much, frankly. It was then he understood better, but still waited for her inevitable explanation.

“I know you understand about eggs and hatchings, Drask, but-,” Daedra went on to explain, almost pleadingly. Drask could tell this was not some simple amusement that caught his handler's attention, though. A whim to chase, like a fluttering insect across a field. So, the wher offered his undivided attention to her, but Daedra's bravado still shriveled. Her fingers momentarily returning to fidgeting about the table.

“I suppose it might not be a wise choice,” the redhead spoke up, despite her lowered gaze. “--but... it would be really nice. I think so, anyway. To have.”

Drask watched the way her lips curled up in a warm sort of manner. A very tiny, little smile, one Daedra herself was sure he would be unable to see. Meant only for herself. The Brown had seen it clearly though, even if he didn't grasp emotional displays with the ease his handler could. He feigned uninterested ignorance through the conversation though.

The redhead's fingers tapped on the table again, her focus straight ahead and very deliberately not looking towards the wher sitting quite close beside her. Perhaps leery of his immediately decline of her hopes. And Drask did deserve a say in this, though she knew many people would argue otherwise. If some part of him had to experience it through her, it wouldn't be fair to just force it on him. Especially when Daedra did have -some- control... Plus, Drask might not fully understand that she didn't intend to simply be over this, once the 'physical' demands were done.

She wanted the long haul of it. A very long and fulfilling experience, if she were allowed, atleast.

Daedra knew Drask was always putting up with a lot, for her sake. Bonding, forced interactions with people, coming to a Weyr... on and on and on. So, if he understood properly and told her 'no', Daedra would accept that. She'd be heartbroken, perhaps disappointed beyond words, but she'd learn to accept it.

She could always keep to the creche, in that instance, Daedra assured herself. Afterall, visiting the creche as often as the two of them did, had started the inevitable 'itch' for her. Of course, having to leave daily and feeling the lack of a familial connection to the little ones had also fueled the fire on the opposite end but.... Well, Daedra knew it was probably time to make some decisions. Or, atleast take the time to think on them as thoroughly as she was able.

Regardless of how she barely felt any real physical differences in the last turns, Daedra was aware she was getting older. Well, she wasn't old, sky above- no! But-- it was a thing to be mindful of. And Threadfall... and how many hardships High Reaches seemed to face season to season. For all the benefits, a Weyr could seemingly be as haphazard as life outside of it! Still...

“The thing is, Drask...”

The wher shifted up a bit, as his handler paused again. He could tell she was building herself to just get over the metaphorical hill she was stranded on. Regardless of his silence, Drask already knew what she was going to ask of him. It wasn't just that Daedra wanted to make small humans. To just do her 'run' and be over it. What his handler was actually asking of him, was if he was willing to deal with her focus being on her offspring – 'children', as humans always referred. More so than getting dragged to the creche and getting small hands on his nose and side, or giving pointless 'rides'. Having to deal with atleast one more than just a simple hour every few days or weeks. A constant, probably... for who knew how long. That is what his handler was trying to ask him.

If Drask were honest, he really didn't see the point of spending time with them. They weren't learning survival or attaining anything of real note from Daedra and himself. Amusement, maybe. Daedra was absolutely the one more invested. However...

Drask knew that all of this was what his handler really wanted to do. Even as she fumbled to ask him in human words, the wher knew it well and true, deep down. He wouldn't have needed a bonded connection to even see it, but it certainly helped. So, it really didn't matter much to him, because Daedra would be happy. She was always at her best, when she was truly happy. Besides, it wasn't like she was getting a pack of annoying firelizards to take care of. The Brown would rather deal with small humans than any amount of those annoyances...

“-- I don't just want to hand my children off right away,” the redhead finally worked herself to continue. “Well, as long as I can, anyway. I suppose they will eventually go to the creche with the others--- but we'll just visit! That is---”

She was rambling off again. Drask felt that was enough, so he offered a firm whuff, to get the small woman's attention. Immediately, Daedra set her eyes upon the wher in confusion, so he offered another verbal response again. Firm, but assuring. She would understand.

“Really, Drask?! You really wouldn't mind?” she asked, her eyes lighting up as her hands clasped in hope.

The wher would mind at some instances, he was sure. If he declined, Drask knew his handler would wilt and pout for far longer than he cared for. This was simply the best way of it. It was simple as that.

So, of course, Daedra barely tried to contain herself, as she squealed and rushed to the massive Brown. The petite handler flung her arms about his neck, pressing herself into the soft comforting flab of his neck. All this excitement, and she was just asking for an 'okay', but it hardly mattered. Now she wouldn't feel guilty or shamed at all. Daedra was still a bit skeptical that the wher was truly aware of the scope of all this... but she trusted him to mean what he 'said'.

“It'll be wonderful, Drask~” she assured, as if she really had any knowledge herself. This would be a knew thing for herself just as much as the Brown. Moreso, probably. Drask had been a parent plenty of times, though none since meeting her.

“You'll see! Now, I suppose we'll just have to wait and see how it works out.”

Not a very assuring statement, but Daedra was confidant. Drask was... less so, but he'd already agreed. Besides, how bad could it be?