The Word

Writers: Heather, Miriah
Date Posted: 3rd March 2014

Characters: K'lvin, Bahji
Description: Bahji and K'lvin go out to celebrate his promotion.
Location: River Bluff Weyr
Date: month 5, day 28 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: E'rae, U'das, H'vack, K'sedel, D'arvn, Rhosyn (not by name)

K'lvin was all smiles as he walked from the bathing pools, his
shoulder length hair still damp but finger-combed back away from his
face. He was headed for a certain weaver's weyr and he hoped she was
home. The bronzerider wasn't fool enough to believe that he was the
only one who ever paid Bahji a visit. She was a beautiful, spirited
young woman after all.

"Oh dearest Bahji," he knocked on her door, "your favorite bronzerider
is here." He called.

Though she recognized his voice, she answered the door with a wide
grin as said. "Oh, U'das, it's been forever since you've visited." Her
expression sparkled with pure mischief.

K'lvin's voice was filled with mock rage as he spoke, "Lies, woman,
lies!" He dropped a kiss to the top of her head, "How have you been?"

Bahji laughed and gave him a quick hug. "I've been good. Staying as
busy as I can, really. I've got a few projects going right now." She
felt she had passed her slump and was slowly moving upwards to the
point she needed to be. Though she still had bouts of sadness, she
finally felt that she was beginning to heal. "Have you been busy?" She
bent and sniffed. "You bathed...you must have had drills today."

"I did," K'lvin confirmed, amused by the woman's ability to put
together clues, "although I promise I bath on non-drill days too.
Somtimes" He put his hands on her arms and gave a light squeeze, "The
Weyrleader came to see me after drills."

"Really? K'sedel's a nice man. I've spoken to him." She paused.
"You're not in trouble, are you?"

"No, I am generally well behaved... Except when I am around you."
K'lvin smiled, "Actually the Weyrleader asked me to be Torrent's new
Wingleader. I was hoping you might be free to celebrate with me."

"That's wonderful!" She hugged him tightly and squeezed. "I'm so happy
for you! I'm sure you're very excited." She tilted her head to the
side. "I'd be glad to." She paused and then shook her finger at him.
"But not like that, you naughty man." She flushed a little. "You can't
always have that as a celebration."

The bronzerider shook his head, and then quickly stopped once he
realized that it was doing him no good, "I was just thinking dinner,
and then maybe a retreat to my weyr, and I shall be on my best
behavior. I swear it on Xmrenth's hide." There was an affronted bronze
bugle outside that made K'lvin laugh. He really had no one else in the
Weyr to share his accomplishment with other than Bahji. Somehow the
idea of sharing an ale with H'vack over his promotion just didn't seem
as appealing as Bahji's witty company.

Bahji gave a delicate snort. "Are you ever on best behavior?" She
chuckled as she heard the bronze's bugle of protest. "It sounds like
he agrees with me." She waved him into her rooms and then moved to
slip on her shoes. "I'd love to celebrate with you. But surely you'll
want to have a drink with your friends. This is quite an
accomplishment. Who knows? Soon you could be Weyrleader."

"Don't wish that on me! That Weyrwoman seems like a handful, and
K'sedel is the man for the job." K'lvin chuckled as he watched her get
ready, "Drink with my friends huh?" He ran a hand through his hair, "I
can count all of my friends here at River Bluff on one hand, no, one
_finger_, and that one finger is named Bahji."

She frowned a little and tilted her head towards him. "That surprises
me. You're a nice, charming man. Go out. Meet people.

K'lvin shrugged, "I have met a few people. A healer in the infirmary
when Kylena was throwing up, the Weyrwoman and Weyrleader of course,"
there was a dry chuckle there, "I've had a drink before with the
Weyrlingmaster, and then Kylena ran through your yarn and ripped your
knitting needles out of your hands and so I met you." While not a shy
man, it was interesting that K'lvin never seemed to openly seek out
meeting others but waited until serendipity introduced them.

"Hmmm.." She wiggled into her last shoe. He had met E'rae too, but she
doubted that would become a friendship. She missed the bluerider, but
he'd not come back with any intention of agreeing to see her own
strength and it pained her. She pushed that thought aside.

She walked back to him, found his arm and slid her hand into his
elbow. "Well until you make more friends, I will be happy to fill your
time."

K'lvin gave her hand a pat as he opened her door and escorted her
outside, "I actually find it rather hard to make friends in the Weyr.
You already have wingmates, and bed hoppers," and he already knew he
qualified as the latter, at least, his last weyrmate had shouted that
at him before, "and sometimes that line blurs and there's never really
true friendship. Just drills and drama between couples." He didn't
mind drills, but he avoided drama at all costs.

She sighed and nodded. "I've had my share of that as well. I'm
beginning to think that being a couple isn't really possible at a Weyr.
Perhaps being good friends and and allowing yourself certain liberties
with friends makes more sense here. I dont know." She rolled her
shoulders. "If I had my sight, I'd likely already be married at
Sunstone."

"I have seen a few relationships at the Weyr last, but it requires
both individuals going into it accepting the way things work at the
Weyr. Either both people in the couple have to be accepting of being
as monogamous as possible outside of flights, or both have to be
accepting that sex, is sex, and doesn't change what weyrmates feel for
each other." K'lvin had a very traditional very of the way life at the
Weyr should work. He had been monogamous because Kylena's mother had
asked it of him when they were weyrmates, but he preferred not to be
bound by jealous motives.

"But rarely between riders and crafters, right?" There was a softness
to her voice at that.

K'lvin chuckled softly, "I have seen it work between riders and
crafters. It worked for me and my weyrmate for a long time."

"You had a weyrmate?" Bahji's voice was careful. "Kylena's mother?"

"Yes, she is a healer." K'lvin told her, his eyes looking down at her
as they walked, trying to gage the reason for the caution in her
voice.

"But it obviously didn't work either." She surmised. "When I was
young, I used to believe that if you loved someone that everything
would always work out, no matter what." She shook her head. "That's
depressing. And we're supposed to be celebrating."

"If it makes any difference it wasn't some ugly break up. Cylena
decided that we had different goals." He raised his shoulders. He
didn't have any hard feelings toward Kylena's mother, she had been the
one to call off their relationship so for a long time K'lvin had still
held onto his love for her thinking that she would be back.

"Sometimes it's nice having a familiar face to come home to every
night." K'lvin said finally just before they reached the Dining
Cavern, "But now for the celebrations!" He slid his arm around her
waist and gave her a squeeze.

"Or a familiar voice." She quipped and waggled her fingers. "I cant go
around groping faces. What would people think?" She grinned, lifted
her hand and slid it along his shoulder to his cheek. With a glint in
her smile, she patted his cheek and then tweaked his nose playfully.

K'lvin laughed and nipped at Bahji's fingers playfully, "You can grab
_my_ face any time! Just give me warning so I can shield my eyes!"

"I wouldn't poke you in the eye, you silly man." She laughed and
pulled her hand away. "Now behave. People are going to think
we're...wait..they'd be right. Oh dear." She grinned and shrugged.
"Celebrate. Juice please!"

"People are going to think we are what?" He asked as he hailed a cup
of wine for himself.

She chuckled and shook her head. "Well, if you don't know by now, then
I think I've been doing something wrong." She patted his hand. "It's
okay. I understand. You are getting older."

K'lvin barked out a laugh, putting a hand to his chest and feigning
hurt in his voice, "Ouch! My poor ego! I may not remember much in my
old age but I seem to remember you enjoying yourself. Very much."

"Are you sure?" Bahji thanked the server as she left the wine and
juice. "Because your memory might be fading. All those years and
knocks in the head from stray firestones..."

It was his turn to pat her hand, "Oh no, dear Bahji, I never forget
the sound of a woman crying out my name."

Her face flushed bright crimson. She had walked right into that one!
She giggled with embarrassment and ducked her head, nudging him with
her toe. "That was not fair. " She covered her hot cheeks and her lips
twisted. "Well...I guess I'll just have to learn to be quiet, huh?"

K'lvin regretted causing the blush on her face, "Oh, no ma'am, I like
you just the way you are." He reached back out for one of her hands,
"Besides, I don't kiss and tell so your secret is safe with me." He
brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles.

Her knuckles twitched against his lips as she drank her juice. "Well, I
seem to remember a few grunts of my name too." She sat up primly, her
face the epitome of innocence. "So tell me, what will you be doing as
Wingleader?"

K'lvin smirked, there had definitely been some grunts of her name on
his part, "Well, whipping those dragonriders into shape for one.
Without a true Wingleader things have gotten a little sloppy and I
plan on reigning it in." He could be a hard ass when it came to the
Weyr and carrying out your duties.

"How? I really don't know much about riding. All my time is spent in
the weavery and honestly, I guess riders I know have figured I wouldn't
be interested."

"Well they need someone looking at them with a critical eye and trust
me, I have one. Then they need a leader that's not afraid to hurt
their feelings and tell them what they are doing wrong, and I will do
that too." He chuckled, "I may be very unpopular in the future."

"Well, you'll stay popular with me." She vowed. "If they need
discipline, then they need it, right? It'll help them not get injured,
I'm sure." She paused and tilted her head, realizing something.
"You're going to be really busy aren't you?"

K'lvin nodded, taking a drink of his wine as another drudge set down a
platter of food for them to share, "Yes, I imagine my schedule will be
busier than it has been."

It happened, she reasoned. It was why she really didn't see much of
U'das or D'arvn either. She hadn't seen E'rae at all. She felt a surge
of guilt and promptly buried it. Riders were far busier than she, she
reasoned. "Well, perhaps this way you can get acquainted with more
riders." She offered optimistically.

"Perhaps," K'lvin said, "but that doesn't mean I won't have time for
my favorite almost-weaver. My weyr door is open any time, Burst can
show you the way."

"Not if it takes up too much of your time, K'lvin. I know you'll be
busy. I'm just a crafter. I know that." She gave an understanding
smile, her fingers finding the plate, lightly searching and then
finding a piece of fruit. She was uncertain about going into anyone's
weyr any more. Especially if they happened to be at the top of any
stairs.

"I wouldn't care if all you did was scrub latrines, I would still make
time to see you. I don't tend to fit people into my schedule based on
their job status." K'lvin finished his cup of the wine.

"I didn't think you did." Her expression softened as she reached a
hand to him. "I just know that important people get busy, K'lvin. I
know I'm your friend and you'll make time. But I understand if you
can't."

K'lvin captured her hand in both of his. He liked that Bahji seemed to
be an understanding woman, but he thought it was a shame that someone
had taught her that there were more important things to do than to
spend time with her. **Careful, K'lvin, that sounds more like a
weyrmate than a friend.** He let the topic drop, "I could show you to
my weyr in case you ever need, or want, to stop by."

There was obvious hesitation. "Are there stairs?"

"There were," he conceded, "but I got moved to a larger weyr today
with an office. It's ground level so Kylena can come and go when she's
not with her foster mother."

She shifted in her seat, but didn't try to tug her hand away.
"Uhm...last time I was offered to go into a weyr any time I wanted to,
it didn't turn out too good, K'lvin. I don't mind you stopping by to
see me when you have the time. I don't want to intrude or interrupt
what you might be doing by just showing up."

K'lvin frowned, "I don't understand."

She struggled to explain, but she didn't want to bring up E'rae.
"You're a bronzerider, K'lvin. I know you'll be..uh..occupied
sometimes. I don't want to just show up and surprise you." And she
didn't want to get too attached to him. She didn't go visit anyone's
weyr; her other rider friends usually came to visit her. Visiting a
weyr smacked of intimacy that she was sure K'lvin didn't mean. _And_
she didn't want to show up if he was occupied.

He blinked at her for a long moment, letting silence fall between
them, "I wouldn't have invited you if I thought I might be otherwise
occupied," he sighed, "but I understand." It was probably for the best
anyway, he thought. The last thing either of them needed was him
getting attached to having her around.

Bahji shook her head, not liking the silence at all. "No, I don't
think you do, K'lvin." She grasped his hand tighter. "I just don't
want to assume things that you might not be thinking. " She bit her
lip. "I've made that mistake and I like you too much to do that."

"What kind of assumptions are you afraid of making? I can't put you at
ease without knowing." K'lvin stroked the back of her hand with his
thumb.

She flushed and licked her lower lip before taking a deep breath and
letting the words spill out. "That there's more to this than
friendship and occasional time in the furs. " She took another breath.
"I know that there's not. But the last time that I was in a rider's
weyr, I made the assumption and I don't want to make that mistake
again." Her brow furrowed. "I suppose it's hard to explain."

"Would you want there to be more?" He asked as he tried to follow her
explanation.

At that, she looked surprised, her head turning towards him. "I...I
don't know. I mean...I've tried not to think about that and just tried
to enjoy myself. I like being around you, K'lvin. Just as we are."

**Just as we are. Just... Friends.** K'lvin didn't know why that
bothered him but it was nearly like a punch in the gut. He felt a
little foolish. Here he was in his mid forties getting attached to a
young woman who had Turns of lovers yet to enjoy. **Foolish man.**

"I don't want to make this stressful for you, Bahji, or ruin what we
have. Forget I said anything."

She heard the change in his voice and blinked slowly. "K'lvin?" Her
hand tightened on his. "D...do you want more?" She swallowed. "Please.
Tell me the truth."

K'lvin studied Bahji's face. Did he want more? He had always been a
man to enjoy moving from bed to bed and there had only ever been one
woman who had ever made him want to concentrate on just one- until
now.

"I am going to be honest when I tell you that I am afraid to answer
you," he chuckled. "You have said before that you want to be a woman
of the Weyr so if I say that I would like more please don't think I am
trying to be possessive."

Her face flushed and she kept a hold on his hand as she digested his
admission. She liked K'lvin. She liked spending time with him. She
liked laughing and joking with him. But was she ready? She was still a
little sore over E'rae and her confusion about him. "I don't think
you're trying to be possessive." She said softly. "I...I wouldn't mind
more." She admitted. "But..slow?"

"I think slow is the best way." K'lvin said with a smile, pleasantly
surprised by Bahji's admission.

Her lips twisted slightly in a smile. "This is an odd celebration and
not what I expected." She bent slightly to whisper at him. "I know I
said slow, but seeing as how we've already...ahem..." She blushed a
little at her boldness. "I'd like to congratulate you later."

K'lvin leaned in to whisper as well, "Oh really? Well, you say the
word and I am there. I, for one, am never one to miss being..
Congratulated."

"After we eat..." She drew out the words, popped a piece of fruit into
her mouth, chewed and swallowed. "The word."

"Yes ma'am!" K'lvin said and began eating with gusto.

Last updated on the March 6th 2014

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The Word