Call it First Aid...

Warning - Adult situation -nudity implied (nothing over pg-13 though)


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Xanadu Weyr - Hot Springs

The warmth that flows from this cavern is almost overwhelming for some, the steam rising from the shimmering pools as thick as the morning fog that rolls in off the ocean. Numerous pools are scattered here and there with ribboned walls that are natural in their construction. The water has a somewhat green cast to it, but it is merely a reflection from the ethereal light which is the glow down here that was so noticeable from the Lower Cavern Tunnel. People can often be found down here washing themselves or just relaxing.

Situated along the walls are various racks covered in fresh towels ready for those who step out of the warm waters. A set of shelves have been installed towards the back wall, allowing people a place to put their belongings while they rest in the pools, and despite the white color that these have been painted, they are cast with that eerie green glow. Then, it's obvious. The ceiling of this cavern is covered in the fluorescent phosphorous matter that glows are made off. The mossy substance almost glitters and appears quite lovely.


It's dark, nearly midnight. Seryth has risen to mate, flown high and well in an energetic and unusually competitive flight during the dinner hour. The Weyr, for the most part is settled, save for the Weyrleaders, who have parted ways without lingering upon waking. Snow crunches underfoot as Thea makes her way to the living cavern. Seryth, who is still curled up with Romth, is soundly asleep outside the guest weyr. Through the semi darkened caverns into the tunnel leading to the hot springs heads the Weyrwoman, pausing first to listen for raucous revelry and murmuring voices alike. Hearing nothing, she continues, shedding her jacket as she enters the quiet, steamy area. After a glance cast over the pools to be sure they're empty and she'll have some privacy - at least to start - she shucks her boots, drops her jacket on a bench, snags a thick robe and a bucket of sweetsand. Then she's over to one of the pools slipping out of her clothes and into the water with a sigh and closing of tired eyes as her head sinks back against the stone behind her. Long day. Longer day ahead. Flights. Never easy.

No, they never are easy for anyone involved. Dinner came and went, the twins were sent home with Hali and Donn took a long walk. After Seryth and Romth left the skies above the weyr he and Siebith took to them. Is late yes, but he's returned, calmer now than he was when he stormed off from the tavern earlier in the evening. Now he slips into the bathing caverns in hopes of a long, quiet soak. Thea's presence in the darkened room goes unnoticed as he crosses the room, drops his clothes on one of the many benches and slips into the water on the other end of the pool from his weyrmate.

Rather than bootsoles on stone, it's the splash into the pool that opens Thea's eyes with a bit of a disoriented blink. She must have actually nodded off for a moment or two. She's none too pleased that there's someone else there and she's still flight hungover enough to be annoyed and not hide it, especially when she notes the person is male. She rises with a small growl under her breath, water cascading down her body muttering to herself something sounding like, "plumbing… coastal road… Donn to do…" Muttermuttergrowl. Palms are placed to the lip of the pool to hoist herself out without regard that whoever he is he's going to have a splendid view of her backside; right now she doesn't have the patience to give in to her modesty. Besides it's too late and it would look stupid. And she has too much pride to boot.

D'had might not care that the woman is flustered as she climbs out of the pool, but for the familiarity in the grumbling. "Babe?" he questions as she goes to leave him on his own. "Come on 'n stay. I'll go ifin ya don't want no one else round."

It's that familiar voice that stops Thea, midway from the pool. Her head turns back over her shoulder, squinting though the steamy dimness at him, "Oh! Donn. It's you." Like he's the last person she expected to see here. "I thought you'd be home asleep." (or drunk, not that she's going to say that). She sinks back into the water, ripples lapping the sides of the pool as she wades slowly across to him with a perplexed look on her face. "I'm sure you've got the twins taken care of," she says half questioningly but calmly enough. She does have a far greater measure of trust for him after all this time. She sinks to sit beside him on the ledge, trying to gauge his mood. "You can stay. I just, you know… me." And he should by now know what that means.

Who said he's not drunk? "The girls took 'em home," D'had replies in explanation of where the twins are and who they're with. The girls being some combination of Hali, Darsce, and/or Natali. They are taken care of though, yes. He sighs, a deep groan, as he settles sore muscles into the warm waters of the pool. "Mmmm," his sound of understanding for her reasoning of wanting to go to start.

Well is he? The only obvious thing Thea would notice would be fumes since he's not moving around. Work with me here. There's a nod for that, no huge relief because she'd been relaxed to begin with as soon as she realized it was him. Curious, though she is definitely that. "Why are you up so late, Donn?"

He wouldn't say he's drunk, but he has had a few drinks this evening. "Needed to relax," D'had replies as to why he's up so late. "Nice long soak, warm water." Its a good thing. Even with the steam and the dim lighting she's close enough now, sitting beside him, that the bruises across his chest and arms should be visible above the water along with a good looking shiner to the outside of one eye.

Who could blame him for a few drinks? Thea likely wouldn't blame him for being plastered now that she's come to understand him better. And now that Thea is not so distracted with other things like an unwanted male invading her bath, the twins and flight fallout, she's leaning in through the steam to have a closer look at her weyrmate given that tired-sounding groan of his. "Were you out-" No wait, he's not in a wing, he doesn't do sweeps. And indeed those bruises and black eye noted now, her voice a touch sharp with alarm, "Donn. What have you done?" She rises, reaches with a gentle touch to trace the purple-ish eye, her voice becoming hard, "Who- Who did this to you?" She's half-turning to leave the pool and haul the hind end of whoever did this before her for an explanation and in her current mood it does not bode well.

D'had's eyes are half closed, he can hold conversation and relax at the same time. Even that gentle touch on such a fresh bruise causes him to wince, hand lifting from the water to swat at her. "Don't touch it." It hurts. As for who, "That wingleader," she really expects him to come up with a name for her? "They threw him in a cell to cool off. Just stay here."

Thea yanks her hand back at that swat, a low growl at the back of her throat for his peevish response to her concern. "Do NOT strike me!" She's not listening, there's the sound of water swishing as she turns away, "I'll have his hide!" She's spitting mad at Ers'lan, wanting details and maybe a little blood from the sound of her voice. Has he ever heard her this way? Probably not. And she's not in the mood to listen to reason, either. Forgive her, but flights. Not easy.

"Ain't hittin' you," D'had argues back, "Just don't touch it." She's supposed to baby him right now, not run off to give the other guy a tongue lashing. He reaches after her in attempt to keep her here with him. "Babe relax, I got 'im as good." Look at him all proud of that fight.

She was babying him with that meant-to-be tender touch but nooo. She got her hand swatted and it does not sit well in her present state of mind. It's a bit chaotic in there and hey - understanding works both ways, doesn't it? The fingers that wrap around her wrist stops her forward motion and she tugs in an unsuccessful attempt to be free. Thea's muttering nonstop but there's a word heard crystal-clear in there and that is 'crossbow'. Tongue lashing indeed! He's never seen her this angry and it's got to be clear that she's under the impression 'that wingleader' whoever he is jumped her weyrmate and beat up on him. Woe be to the man if she gets loose!

Oh, she was gentle, but that doesn't mean it still didn't hurt. D'had holds tight enough to keep her from running off to get said crossbow on him, but he's not squeezing hard by any means either. A gentle tug comes as his attempt to pull her back down beside him. "Relax," he comments. That's what he's here to do anyway. She might as well take advantage of the time for it too. "Stay here with me and deal with it in the mornin'."

Those words he'd spoken sink finally and Thea stops muttering, stops pulling. Indeed there's an ominous quiet to the stillness in her as she stands there for a few beats, her wrist still within his grasp. She's only half-faced away so he might just see her eyes close in a 'give me patience' sort of way before she gives in to that tug of his. Turning to face him and allowing him to draw her those few steps she stares at him incredulously, "You did what?" Like she didn't hear him right.

D'had relaxes back into the warm water, letting her loose once she's given in and decided to stay. "He didn't get off without a few bruises of 'is own," he comments in reply to that question. No one, no male anyway, is going to throw a punch at him without having one thrown back at them unless something goes very wrong.

Thea may still be here, but 'giving in' has likely little to do with it if he knows her! This time her hand reaches to cup his chin and carefully so, turning his head equally as gently this way and that to see the extent of the damage. He's a man and she has come to understand he's a mix of tender and tough but he's hurt and she has to know why. Her voice is rough with concern, "What happened, Donn?"

D'had's face only shows that one bruise beside his eye, there are plenty more across arms, shoulders and chest however. It was a good fight if you ask him. As for what happened, "He tried ta hit on my girl." For him, that explains everything! Do not try to make out with his daughter in front of him.

Thea makes an exasperated sound in the back of her throat. He's giving her very little detail here and she wasn't there to witness anything that went on. "She's beautiful, what do you expect?" Oh she's seen him glare and growl in over-protectiveness so that's all she's got to go on at this point. She repeats herself, "What happened? He give her a pickup line or something?" Like, come on, really? Fighting over that? Yep, still sounding incredulous, but noting those bruises has her looking concerned.

D'had snorts. If it was a pickup line he wouldn't have gone that far. "No," he growls, not really wanting to remember that picture of what did happen. "Tried makin' out with 'er and grabbin' 'er ass in the middle a the tavern." That's the part that really got to him. "And then he went and tried ta tell me to mind my own business." The audacity!

There's an ahhh sort of understanding sound coming from Thea, her frown eases and she nods, the picture at least becoming clearer. And all the implications fall into place a moment later. Oh yes, she can imagine things would get out of control on all sides, "During the flight?" It's a sort of gasped question and she sinks back into the water to sit beside him at last, releasing his chin in favor of reaching for his recently-hurt hand to see it. "How's your hand?" It's asked in such a way there's no mistaking her worry that he's split that half-healed thing wide open again - and he'd better be honest about how it feels! There's no censure in her tone at all about the fight when she asks, "Is Darsce alright?"

"Yeah," the bluerider confirms that it all took place during the flight. He's still not happy about it, but at least the warm water is soothing to sore muscles and he can try to relax. He's not going to fight her look at his hand, he knows better than that. She'll get it one way or another. It's looked better, that's for certain, but it's not too much worse for wear if you ask him. "Sore, but I'll live. And she's fine. Just shaken up."

Thea isn't too happy about it either. And yep, she's assumed it was his younger daughter because, "Hali's learned by now how to avoid this sort of… flight thing. She needs to show Darsce a thing or two!" Tipping her head to eye his hand closely in the dim lighting as she lifts it above the water, she says, "Open and close it." Yes - she's being bossy! It's not even phrased as a request as her eyes fix on his face to watch for any grimace or twitch of pain when he does. So much as a twinge and she'll be hauling his butt out of the hot springs and over to the infirmary, middle of the night or not! "You shouldn't have risked your hand," she mutters. She's fretting, not relaxing as he is doing - her family is hurt and she's upset about that. That's got to be obvious.

"They'll figure it out," D'had comments of his daughters. That conversation will likely come up between the two of them now. He does as directed closing and then reopening his hand just once, trying his best to keep a straight face for her. Sure, it hurts, but right now most of him is sore and tired. "He started it," he retorts, even if he was the one to throw the first punch.

"I'm actually amazed you let the pair of them anywhere near a Weyr," Thea retorts with dry sarcasm. "They'd be safer up at Cold stone." Yes because for all his faults, Thadan is no lecher and the man has an eagle-eye. "You should have ice on that lip - and your eye too," she notes with narrowed eyes at his battered face. She's far less worried about his aching muscles than he is! His comment about the perpetrator draws a snort. "What happened after they took him off? You…?" No not even assuming he'd have gone to the Infirmary and she's not looking all that satisfied with his hand, although she says nothing about that. She's trying to meet his eyes, looking for a sort of reassurance because he seems so distant. "Are you angry?" With her, with him…

"Not on my life," D'had snorts. Despite his eye for trouble D'had wouldn't leave any of his children with Thadan for any length of time. "And it'll be fine," he adds about eye and lip - he doesn't need ice right now. "I… went for a walk?" What's she looking for him to say he did after the fight was over? Her question of angry however finds a reply with a hint of a smile. "With him, yeah, you, not a bit." Him being Ers'lan.

Yeahno, she was totally being flip with that Thadan comment. Perhaps worried he'd done something rash with the aftereffects of the flight and the adrenaline of that fight he'd been in and she's concerned. "I thought I saw Siebith in the sky-" Thea just closes her lips, leaving that unfinished with a sigh, dropping her eyes. Troubled. Very.

Now she could just be saying that to find out if he did anything else, but even so he's not going to deny that the blue was in the air after Seryth's flight had ended. "And then we went flyin'," D'had replies, trying to catch some hint of where she's going as her eyes drop. "What's the matter babe?" At least he realizes that there's something bothering her.

If he did anything else! Like… with a woman? Not something that has crossed her mind because he promised. And she trusts that he'll keep it or be honest. And she knows that he knows she's always come to him as soon as she can to be there for him if he needs her after a flight. No, she's worried about him. Her eyes lift to his and her mouth trembles. "You've… just…" She takes a deep breath, finishes in a rush, "Become so distant and restless and you pretend you're fine when you’re hurting and you're upset with things but you don't talk to me about it and… and…" And he's barely touched her since his hand was hurt, but she says nothing about that. She can't.

Flight induced, he might have, but he probably would have admitted it to her, true. "Babe," D'had tries. No, he does not like that tremble in her voice. Hand lifts for fingers to gently catch her chin and he leans to press a light kiss to her lips. "Just cause I'm hurtin' don't mean I'm not fine. There ain't nothin to talk about. Its over and done." He threw a few punches and the other guy got what he deserved for egging him on.

Thea meets D'had's eyes searchingly as he leans in until he is too close to focus on and then her lids close firmly on the moisture gathering in her eyes. Not going to cry! She meets him halfway, returns his kiss, then draws back to give him a very direct look. "I'm not talking about the fight tonight. I'm talking about how you've been… how we've been. It just feels like… distance between us." And if he knows her, she's been grieving over it.

"Seems ta me," D'had starts given her thoughts on the matter, "That you've been afraid something's gonna happen." That's just his observation, but just because he got hurt doesn't, or rather shouldn't, change anything. "What ya say we take a couple days before she's to heavy ta fly and do something, hmm?"

He's not getting it. "Oh I am," Thea admits easily, as frank as she ever is with him. “I told you that the day you awoke from surgery. I'm working though that, though. Life is a risk, right?" Not easy to accept, but she's trying since her world was rattled when he looked so lifeless on that stretcher. But that's not what's been bothering her and she shakes her head, trying again. "You're restless and… I've seen you more content. I really thought you'd be lounging happily on the beach, fishing or…" Here she just stops and gives him a look. Does she really have to spell it out for him?? Y'know, the man was tired. He's free from work, should have more energy… ahem! "Do something." There's a hint of a suggestive smile for that. "Like what?"

"Yeah," D'had agrees with her comment on risk, about to say something more when she continues on about his unrest. "Well…" to protest or not? "I am," he finally decides to go along and admit that he is just that - restless. "Thought I was ready for a break, was nice for .." he cuts himself off at that smile of hers to give a lopsided grin of his own. "Maybe go somewhere warm," he suggests and she should know just what location he has in mind.

Sadly, Thea is so focused on what's worrying her about her weyrmate that she totally misses that he's about to wax philosophical before her ill-timed interruption sidetracks that. She's never going to hear his inner mind, is she? But he's admitting, at least one of her observations so at least he's not getting his neck wrung tonight. She lifts a brow, "Was hmm?" Well, it'll be up to him to decide what he's going to do about that. And he STILL hasn't answered the do what question, so she just smirks playfully and says, "Oh?" Really now, Donn. Take advantage of this: Thea, speaking merely three words and nothing more. While… well… figure it out man.

As for that thought of a break, "Thought so," D'had repeats, "First seven or so was nice, but guess I'm just used ta somethin' at the weyr keepin' me busy." And he's missing not having that. But for now.. that grin lingers on his lips even as he explains though as that explanation ends he snags and arm around her waist to pull her to his lap and press a deep kiss against her lips.

For once Thea says nothing, just smiles. There's no 'told ya so' coming from her because she didn't tell him he'd be bored when he handed back that knot. There's no pesky questions peppering him about what he wants to do or if he wants that knot back -she knows he'll let her know. Thankfully the water helps with some of her weight as she floats onto his lap and returns that kiss with a fire he's probably not seen for awhile with all the tension and angst she's been carting around for the past several weeks. There is at least some good to be had out of the lingering goldflight in her, yes? And he did say he wanted to go someplace warm. She can help with that!


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