Breakfast in Weyr [Nine]

[Windra]

Of course E'lis wasn't gonna see Ronnie around as much. Not after the wher attacks with everybody freaking out. And certainly not after her recent promotion! Although it did ... make him feel a way. A little lonely, mayhaps. Their 'second date' kept getting postponed. He wasn't really the type to nudge and nudge to the point of annoyance and decided to give her the space she needed. Who knew how much work a Wherleader was required to do?! Tuckal was almost impossible to find outside of her weyr! (Although that could have a lot to do with a slew of other problems. Who knew?)

It was Plemeth who urged him out. Your thoughts are driving me up the forsking wall. Go and say hello to the lady before I throw you off the weyr ledge myself! Of course she is busy. So go out of your way! I'll bet you she's famished and stressed!

He didn't need to be told twice.

E'lis ransacked the kitchen to fill a platter with meatrolls and stew, bread and cheese ... and, with a bit of sweet-talking, a couple of extra bubbly pies. The k'lah was tricky. Or, well, balancing the whole shardin' thing was tricky! Quite a few close calls on the way down to the wherhandler quarters.

And ... ah ...

Shit.

Which weyr was her's?

"Miss Ronnie!" he called in a harsh whisper, habit forcing him to be mindful of those who might be asleep at this late hour. It was long after dark. But this was the nocturnal section ... ! "Ma'am, I've brought food - ah, where are you?"

[nineofswords]

Ronnie was buried in paperwork. Which was honestly was her in her element; paperwork was something she'd been taught from birth how to handle, and her penmanship was crisp, neat, and efficient. But changing over from the last wherleader left a lot of paperwork, even for her. It left little time for much else.

She was so engrossed in what she was working on that she was blocking everything else out. Onisk was still sleeping, taking advantage of the hour on what was nominally meant to be a day off. It was Osk who noticed something odd, lifting his head and growling. When Ronnie still didn't look up at that, he slowly got to his feet and padded over to her desk to headbutt her with another growl.

She jerked, slightly, looking up at him. "Osk? What's the matter?" The brown jerked his head towards the door and Ronnie followed the motion, frowning. "There's someone at the door?" She got up and opened it and then she finally heard a familiar voice. "E'lis?" she called out, utterly surprised. "Eli-kins, is that you?"

[Windra]

The moment she opened the door, E'lis felt sweat dampen the back of his neck. "Uh - " She was caught completely off-guard, not expecting him ... or really, anybody. Probably. There was a haze about her: the air of intense work and no sleep for the wicked. The greenrider coughed into a closed fist, prickling heat in his face alerting him to the rousing crimson of his cheeks. "R-Ronnie! Evenin' to you, lovely - ah - hope ahm not disturbin' ya, love - "

He stammered over the words, especially since that last one caught in his throat. Plemeth gave him a harsh mind-push to help heimlich the rest out of his airway.

"Ah - ah haven't seen you 'round and ... well ... " Poor bashful boy. He glanced at his feet awkwardly. "Jes' worried ya might be overlookin' yer health, s'all. Brought some hot grub. And k'lah. Wine too, if'n you're wanting."

[nineofswords]

Ronnie saw the greenrider in the hall holding a tray, and for a moment her brain didn't seem able to register why that could possibly be. But then he was blushing, and she gave him a warm smile, because this, at least, was familiar territory for her. "Eli-kins, darling, you could never disturb me!" she said, striding out into the hallway to meet him and give him a peck on the cheek. It was also so they could talk without having to raise their voices and disturb her no doubt sleeping neighbors.

Ronnie let out a sigh that was half apologetic, half aggravated. "I know, it's been forever since we've been able to spend time together. The paperwork feels never-ending right now, and Osk - and I say this with all the love in the world, because he is just the sweetest in his own way - is a bit of a handful. Not in the sense that a baby is, you know how the young ones get, all energy and no sense, but he just gets overwhelmed very easily you see. It's been ever so long since he's been around so many people, and it's tiring, and he is quite an old wher you know, so he does tire rather easily. We were on half shifts because of how hard it is for him to keep up with us lively girls - which was a bit of a boon as I started settling into my new position - but I simply cannot bring myself to leave him alone to sleep once we're off duty because he gets nightmares you see, and it absolutely breaks my heart to think of him waking up to an empty weyr all alone after all those turns without another soul to rely on, so leaving him to his own devices isn't really possible right now." She stopped to wind her arm through E'lis'. "Oh, but it's wonderful to see you, it really is. Tell me, how's your darling Plemeth? Is she keeping you out of trouble?"

Ronnie gave a delighted gasp when E'lis said why he'd come, and finally gave the tray a proper look. "For me? Oh E'lis, you wonderful, beautiful boy, food is absolutely welcome!" She sighed wistfully at the wine. "I'd better not," she admitted. "I still have a few duty rosters I want to approve, and I shouldn't drink when I'm working on official Weyr paperwork. It's just sloppy, you know, besides which, I had an uncle who would drink when he did paperwork, and let's just say the errors that caused created a scandal that people still talk about to this day in the hold he lived in. Oh, but I shouldn't get into that. E'lis, be a dear and enjoy the wine for me?" She went to take the tray, then stopped, biting her lip. "Oh, but....I'm sure you'll want to eat this with me, won't you?" She looked back at her door, sighing. "I'm not sure Osk will do well with people in our weyr, and I'd rather not test that just yet. I suppose I could do with a break...is it absolutely miserable for a picnic in the weyrbowl just now?" she asked. "I could do with a break, though just a quick one."

[Windra]

"Not miserable at all, darlin', so long as you're around!" And he gave a broad grin, keenly aware that the blush was spreading fast across his nose. "Honestly though, s'a bit blistery. I would absolutely bundle up!"

Ronnie's little pecks and public displays of affection were not something he ever found himself tiring of ... but that wasn't the most endearing thing he was finding of her right now. The way she spoke of Osk - how highly, how much praise and adoration - doting on him like a toddler of her own. It was fantastic. She was undeterred by the brown's actions and surrendered herself - mostly - to maintaining his happiness in an environment he wasn't suited to for a long time.

"He hasn't really spoken much 'bout where he's come from, has he?" he asked suddenly and could not help but turn his head just a little - just a smidge - to try and glimpse the big boy nesting in the weyr. "'Caused a big ol' fuss and Faranth you know how some folk talk 'o whers like they're worse n' tunnelsnakes. Forskin' hypocrites. Heck if he ain't walkin', talkin' proof that they can have bad days jes like everythin' else and come outta it with a little TLC. Heard he's all scarred up. Ah can't believe some of 'em heartless ingrates still chain them up - " He felt himself prattling on, and picking up momentum and heat as he went. But E'lis also found he might be starting to broach a ... tender subject. "Betcha he's a big ol' handsome fella. Be nice for Plemmy to meet 'im whenever he comes 'round! She thinks Onisk is flippin' adorable."

Thinking back to his own bonded, he gave a snort.

"Oh, her," E'lis tittered. "Glowin' like a worm and Ah wager she'd be rising by sevenday's end. Gettin' right up my rump about everything and believe you me, s'all Ah can do to get a breather from her every now and then."

I could say the same of you, E'lis, snapped the green with a warning. Carrying on with your nerves like some jilted creche boy coming of age. I need my personal space, too.

"Oh, she's mad at me now," he laughed. "She packs such venom for a little thing. Then he put on a serious face, shifting to accommodate her linked arm without losing his grip on the platter. [b]"I know ya got so much goin' on darlin, and Ah don't wanna force yer hand if it'll make ya stressed n' throw Osk into a tizzy. If'n ya want Ah can pull up a few chairs n' we can munch at your doorway?"