What Safe Sounds Like

Writers: Bree, Eimi
Date Posted: 15th August 2006

Characters: Zanie, Renner
Description: Zanie and Renner remember why they enjoyed spending time together so much, and realize that nothing has changed.
Location: Elsewhere on Pern
Date: month 13, day 16 of Turn 3

Renner rubbed at the scar on his arm absently as he watched a small gossamer spinner weave its web in his room window. He didn't mind spinners at all.
In fact, he could never quite figured out what it was about them that seemed to bother some people so much. They served their purpose, catching the insects that would otherwise take over and over run every speck of vegetation, destroying the natural world in their frenzy to feed. No, they needed spinners like this one. It was part of nature. Part of the natural order. Everything in nature served its purpose. Everything, except the humans trapped in these rooms. He couldn't help but think that this Hall was like a spinners web, and madness the spinner that weaved it. Some unfortunate insect flies around, trying to survive the best way they know how, and some unforeseen force, some gust of the wind of fate blows them off course and right into the path of the web. Before they even know what's coming its too late. They are caught.

He was startled out of his reverie by a knock on his door. "Come in!"

The door opened a few hand spans, and Zanie's face appeared around the edge, looking entirely uncertain. "Renner?"

Renner took a brief moment to place the face and the voice. It wasn't that he didn't know every line and curve of it, he just hadn't really expected he would ever see it _here_... at his door... in a mindhealers Hall... "Zanie?"
he murmured as he stood to his feet, setting his book on the sill without a look.

She slipped through the door and closed it behind her, still looking nervous. "I told you I'd come and visit you."

"I didn't think you'd actually come to... Well to _this_ place," he said, equally unsure. It had been so long... Renner wasn't sure how he should act towards her anymore, and especially here, surrounded by barely controlled chaos.

Silence stretched out between them as Zanie tried to think of something to say. Something to bridge the gap between them that had sprung up in the time they'd been apart. Finally she gave up and crossed the room in three long steps, throwing her arms around him. "Shards, of course I came, Renner."

He was momentarily stunned by her sudden burst of affection, and yet, it was so like Zanie. Tears welled up in his eyes as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her to him tightly. "Faranth, I've missed you so much..." he said in a choked whisper.

"Me, too." Her confusion melted away the way it always did when he was around. It wasn't like D'cal with the tension and hot passion and longing...
holding Renner just felt _right_ in some indefinable way. Doubt had crept in while they'd been apart, but she remembered now why she'd offered to spend her life with him. Maybe she wasn't _in love_ with him in a stirring and romantic way, but she couldn't imagine a life where she couldn't be with him when she wanted. "You came..." The words came out as a sob of relief. Renner had tried to push away all thoughts of her while he was gone. He had told himself it was for the best that he was here and she was at the Dolphin Hall, safe from him and his craziness. It had been easy to convince himself that she would never come and that it was better that way... But now that she was here...
Shards, how could he let her go again?

The couch was close enough, and she pulled him down with her, settling against his side with her arm around his shoulders and his tucked firmly around her waist. "I told you that you weren't getting rid of me," she whispered as she let her fingers run softly through his hair. "I'm just sorry it took me so long, Renner. I was afraid."

"I don't blame you," he said, leaning his head down to touch hers. "But the healers say I am getting better..."

"Of course you are. And from now on, you're going to see a lot of me." And if D'cal got sick of bringing her, she'd find someone else. "How did you get here this time?" he asked curiously.

Zanie hesitated for a moment, remembering how Renner had never seemed to approve of D'cal. It seemed unfair to her friend to dismiss him, but Renner didn't need any more stress. "I asked at the Weyr for a ride. They don't seem to mind bringing me to visit, as long as I don't ask _too_ often."

"Any time you can come," Renner said softly, pulling her closer. "Shards, I still can't believe you're really here. I don't want you to go in case you never come back again."

"Shhhh." Zanie tucked his head against her shoulder, kissing his forehead gently. "You don't have to worry about that, Renner."

"Will you just talk to me?" he murmured, burying his head against her as if he could hide away. It had been a long time since he had felt so safe and wanted. "I don't care what you say, I just want to hear the sound of your voice."

"Of course." And it seemed easy to just talk. Not about anything in particular, though she avoided any unpleasant subjects while she told him stories of the excitement and gossip and goings on at the Hall.

Last updated on the August 15th 2006

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What Safe Sounds Like