Xanadu Weyr - DragonHealer's Annex
An entrance way which would allow admittance to even the greatest of Queen Dragons leads into a chamber which would house half-a-dozen of the same size. To one side is a shallow pool which constantly clears itself of grime and is used is washing wounds. Nearby is a shelf with a generous supply of clean bandages and clean sheets upon stone shelves. The other side of the chamber is taken up by an alcove with multiple banks of computers to house medical records and help to diagnose illness and injury in the Dragons who come for aid. Within this alcove is a small medical laboratory where medicines and herbs can be prepared and experiments can take place. The far wall houses two dozen Dragon couches, each separated above by a rail which supports a thick curtain allowing the patients an option of privacy as they rest and recover.
Tinkle, clink. Rustle, mutter, clink. Knees on the counter, Sigam sifted through the box beside him, pulling out vials and bottles and stout jars. Labels are peered at, some fixed with new numbers or definitions, and are then shuffled to the shelves before him. Numbweed went first, and was the easiest to stock - unlike the chaotic disarray of the other shelves, this one had been utilized until the shelves ran bare, and in the haste and mayhem, they had been left that way while the Dragonhealers worked out of boxes; trainees were put to work, and couldn't be spared for such trivial tasks. Now, however, the panic had worn off. Those dragons too critical to leave were sleeping off to one side, and the ever-present gold hide of Seryth had become such a common feature that Sigam hardly jumped every time he turned around anymore. Instead, he worked as quietly as one can with glass and ill-labeled bottles, stocking his way through pre-dawn, determined that the next shift to arrive would be prepared.
Thea sleeps, as she does every night since the eggs were moved here, curled up in the cradle of Seryth's forearms. Every now and then she'll twitch at a clink made by Sigam, finally she turns, her dark hair spills in a sable cascade over one of those forelegs and she slips into a deeper slumber. The young queen has remained tense with her eggs inaccessible inside that incubator, and although the gold sleeps also, it is a light, restless sleep. Some movement, a flex of a talon perhaps, moves the muscles under Thea's head and rouses her. The weyrwoman sits up, blinking sleep-hazed eyes, sweeps her hair out of her face, then slowly the clinks and mutters draw her attention. She slides down to the floor, smoothes her rumpled self as much as possible before stepping out to see who is up so early. "Sigam?" That looks like the back of him anyway. She steps closer, "Up early or never slept?"
Sigam jumps at the sound of a voice, a quick thrill stabbing down his spine, but thankfully nothing falls or breaks. Yet. "Yeah, hey. Sorry if I woke you," he whispers, peering over one shoulder. "I tried to be quiet, but… you know." The jars in his hands are raised and lowered with his shrug, brown eyes rolling as he turns back to stash them in one of the neat rows on the shelf. "Sleep is for mortals," comes an eventual distracted reply as the man's cramped handwriting makes a lable more eligible. A wry smile is aimed Thea's way. "Just up early. Relieved the poor girl that was dozing off at her desk to do this business. It's been driving me crazy for weeks." Sigam is a little OCD when it comes to these things - who knew?
Thea shakes her head quickly, "You didn't, Seryth did." She covers a yawn with her hand, pale green still a bit unfocused as she watches those bottles and jars being placed. Her voice is still sleep-furred, but her tongue is as sharp as ever, "Need any help then, O Immortal One?" She adds a wry smirk of her own to that as she adds, "Crazier, you mean." She leans on the counter with her elbows, props her chin in her hands. "It's nice to see the place a little slower in here. It was buzzing so much I had to get out to find some quiet."
It isn't much, but a little of the tension riding in Sig's shoulders release at that. "Okay, good. I've been paranoid. Dragons can sleep through anything if they've half a mind." One hand flicks dismissively off to one side as he slides the last jar that can fit on this shelf into place with what can only be a contented sigh. "Nah. I've had people 'helping' with these shelves a lot since I got here, but they don't fix anything, or arrange them by date, or strength, or what-have-you. It's my turn." Shifting around, the Dragonhealer seats himself on the edge of the counter, smirk curling up the corners of his lips. "Thanks, though, I appreciate the offer." The additional dose of crazy is received with a muted raspberry, the man's eyes crossing immaturely before he settles back into the wayward smile. "Yeah, it was barking mad, and I don't blame you a bit. Wished I could do the same a lot of the time, but you know. Shit happens." His face sobers for a moment, as if remembering the chaos of the past many days, and it seems as though his eyes only clear by force of will. "But oh well. Things are looking up a bit. Seryth doing alright? She always seems so quiet and agitated."
Thea cough-laughs at the face Sigam makes; it's too early and her voice still sleepy for light girly-laughter apparently. Her eyes drift out to where Seryth is as she answers the dragonhealer's question thoughtfully, "She's always quiet, but agitated, tense… is new for me to deal with. She's usually quite serene." She stares at that incubator, a tiny frown forms, "Perhaps it's because she can't curl up around them." She straightens up as Sigam turns to sit, peering at him with eyes slightly squinted, noting the shadows and lines around his. "You need a vacation or something. And prison-time at Ista doesn't count." A handflip dismisses the idea of time off as a crazy notion, her tone wry as she mutters, "I know, pot-kettle. D'had was trying to get me to-" She stops that comment abruptly, a troubled look left in its place.
Sigam's face changes to something between amused and wary as his gaze shifts to settle on the gold in question. "Yeah? I'm sorry. I've heard that it can be really boggling when lifemate's brains change tracks." Leaning forwards, hands braced on the counter, the Dragonhealer presses his lips together. "I wish there was a way we could let her, but… the most we could manage without risking the eggs would be to let her nose them." He lets the words hang like an offering before reaching up to touch his own face under her scruitiny. He's clean-shaven for once, but it does nothing to hide the tiredness apparently. "You're the third or fourth person to tell me that this week, so I must really look like hell," he grouses with a low laugh, head shaking. "R'iahn says he's hauling me away to a deserted beach for my turnday. I think I'll let him." He ponders this for a second, only fleetingly amused at the pot and kettle reference before his head tilts to one side, eyes curious and… mischievous? Ruh roh. "To…? Go on vacation? Quit worrying so much? Run away screaming? Sex him up? I can keep going," Sig threatens, smirk turning into a full-blown grin.
"Tell me about it! You've seen what she does to me when her mind is proddy." Thea notes that wary look on the dragonhealer's face with a lifted brow and a low-voiced assurance, "Seryth would never hurt anyone, Sigam." She's watching him carefully as she says it, the mention of the queen nosing the eggs has her shaking her head. "I'm helping her through, she'll be okay." The strain of that mental effort shows in the slight tremble of weariness in her voice as she says it, but her attention is on something else and she's looking searchingly at him. "You look… sad. Is everything… are you okay?" She nods agreement that he should get away, then her eyes fly open wide at his finishing of her sentence. "Sigam!" She's aghast, reaching to poke sharply at his side. Her face flushes scarlet, something she just never does. She turns, bracing her hands against the counter, hop-pushes to sit beside him and drops her head, "He wants to take me to a deserted island." Of course this reluctant admission is muttered from inside the shelter of her hair. Still blushing mightily, likely because if Sigam is observant he'll see that where her hair is parted is red.
"Yeah, I know," Sigam says with a low chuckle and a nod before he looks, for lack of better words, spectacularly confused. "What? No, I didn't meant to imply she would. I know that. I was just saying…" He trails off, hands gesturing before he leaves off with a shrug, unsure about what to add to that. "Okay. Good luck, I guess." Dark eyes return her assessing look, the Dragonhealer picking up on just as much of her weariness as she is his. "No, I'm not really sad. I'm fine, just… tired. Really, really tired." Judging by the way he's saying it, it's more of a spiritual or mental exhaustion than physical, for despite the bags and lines on his face, no part of him is drooping or swaying. If anything, he's stiff along the same lines of his shoulders that carry any of the rest of his stress. "Yeeees?" Yet, it doesn't seem to keep him from having a good sense of humor, for her cry merely provokes a great big shit-eating grin on his face. "So I was right, he does want you to sex him up." His voice is one part purr, one part light teasing as he elbows her side, eyebrow cocked high. "I'm kidding! Calm down, breathe, and for goodness sake, quit hiding your face or I'll pull your hair back into a runner tail. With tape." Smirking a bit, but trying to be serious, Sigam eyes that slash of red amongst brown before sliding one finger into her hair curtain and lifting it a bit. "That's a promise, not a threat."
"Oh, I just didn't want you to worry about getting eaten or anything," Thea smirks as she says it. Don't all dragonhealers have nightmares about such an ending to their lives? She nods, relief showing in her face at his answer, "I'm glad you're not sad, but," a hand lifts, one finger taps his tight shoulder, "You seem like you're carrying quite a weight on your back." At his threat-promise, she sits up straight, lifting her head and flashing him an unreadable look before she's laughing, "Don't you dare!" Her bright blush is fading, but her breathing has yet to slow down. Panic much? Apparently lately she does. Her smile falters just a bit, then fades altogether, as she stares at Sigam with eyes that have gone unfocused as she tries to form words, "I… I don't -know- what he wants! He's…" She squirms uncomfortably, "He's being really nice to me." Striving to explain that, "I mean, D'had's all right, really. He's a flirt, always has been." Her tone is telling that the flirty D'had isn't what has her troubled.
"That is a particular relief," Sigam does agree with a slow smile, but he's distracted by the shoulder poke, other eyebrow tilting up to join its companion. "Don't I always, though? I don't think I ever really relax." He says it jokingly, through a smile, but perhaps there's something sad about that. Regardless, it's masked quickly by a crooked grin. "Then quit hiding!," the Dragonhealer says with a chuckle, feet starting to swing a little in the air. "Ooh, that's tragic. A guy being nice to you, curses." One finger twirls in a 'whoop-dee-doo' gesture, but his eyes are serious, concerned. "I'm going to guess that's the least of your worries. We /can/ be nice you know - men. We aren't always out to put you down or mess you up or throw you over our shoulders and haul you off to a weyr." He's trying hard now to school his features to match his eyes, but it's failing spectacularly as the sides of his mouth twitch and flicker. "Maybe he likes you."
Thea just shakes her head at Sigam, her eyes flicker over that crooked grin, not at all fooled by it. "You told me once," she says it quietly, "that talking helps." It's an offer, but she isn't going to push. She eyes him at his 'don't hide' and deliberately gathers her hair, twists it and ties it into a knot behind her head, all the while keeping her eyes on his, rebellion in hers. One eyebrow lifts as if to ask a silently sarcastic 'Better?' before she snorts softly as his not-so-subtle sarcasm. "No no. You don't understand, he's always been nice. Just not -this- nice!" She knows that sounds confusing. From the look on her face, she's totally bewildered as well. There's a blink and a wince as Sigam mentions the throwing over shoulders and dragging to weyrs. Her lashes fall, "I know, Sigam but-" His last has her blinking at him once more, "Oh, please! He hasn't met a woman he doesn't like." That can't be it, in other words.
"There's not much to talk about that isn't apparent, Thee," Sigam says in a tired way, pulling back on the counter until he can cross his legs and lean his shoulders against the cupboards. "I'm tired. If I'm not here doing work, I'm off at this meeting or conversing with that visiting 'healer, or helping with the recovery. And even when I get away from /that/ there's always something. Flits. Digging through destroyed weyrbarns. Stuff that isn't really /bad/, but when coupled with all the rest of it…" Realizing he's rambling, Sigam trails off to a stop, tugging his shoulders up in a shrug before returning his far-away stare to the goldrider. Her quirked brow is given a grin of triumphant approval. "Oh," he says, as if that made all the difference in the world. Cough. "You misunderstand me, too. Even swingers settle down sometimes." The man fills his face with false gravity, thumb jerking once towards himself before he assumes a more curious, calm appearance. "If that's not it, why are you so worried? I'm afraid I'm not understanding very well."
Thea listens until Sigam trails off, "So you can't, don't or won't take regular days off. Seems like there might be the answer to that tired-mind thing you've got going on." Pot-kettle again. "I'm beginning to think that D'had is right about that. Too many of us just don't." She tilts her chin at that triumphant look of his, but remains silent, for his next comment demands attention. She just starts snickering, "You're an example of settled? Uh, huh!" No mention of drunken singing or kilts. Instead she's giving back a little of what he's been giving out, "Maybe that's your problem. You've settled down too much." She turns to glance over at Seryth. Still asleep, good. Her head remains turned away, but her eyes slide back to peek at him slyly from the corners, "I think you need a tumble. Could fix you up with someone…" Her lips quirk in a teasing way, but then he's asked for clarification, and her joviality fades instantly, "He's patting me and kissing me on the face lately. And and and…" She's at a loss for words, "He's always been winking and calling women sweet pet names, that's just his way, you know? He doesn't mean anything by it." Doesn't that clear it up?
Sigam's eyes harden into little jasper stones, brows jerking down abruptly, although thoughtfully. "I can't just sit back and do nothing when the extra set of hands could mean saving a life or a limb, or even just a patch of hide. I sleep enough to keep me useful, so… Maybe he is right." A shrug. "Regardless, me, myself, and I with a bottle of booze and an empty beach for a week in, what… four days?" The look on his face is practically blissful for an instant before her snickering sinks in. "I was," he reminds her quasi-seriously before… well, before he's flabberghasted, likely giving himself whiplash as fast as he's turned his head towards her. "Did-" His face goes from astounded to incredulous. "No. No, you did /not/ just tell me to go get laid." His eyes dance briefly before he gives her an assessing look. "You saucy minx. I can find my own women, thank-you-very-much." The Dragonhealer turns his head back to face out into the Annex again, but a bit of a blush rides high on his cheeks. "Oh-kay. So let me get this straight. All of this stuff he does normally and without prompting and isn't something to worry about… but you're still making a big deal out of it." A beat. "Do /you/ like /him/?" It should be illegal to be this amused.
"Sigam." It's a gentle entreaty, "I didn't mean in this current crisis. But you'll do us not one bit of good dead in spirit either." She makes no comment about his booze and beach scenario because she is busily snickering at his incredulity. She merely nods affirmation, sweetly pointing out, "Sure you can, but I'll bet you haven't taken the time to do that, either." She's smug right up until he asks her if she likes the Weyrsecond. He smile falters, but she doesn't have to think about the answer at all, "Well, of course! He's likable. And I think he's a capable leader, why?" Cue puzzled glance at Sigam and an innocent, "What's that got to do with anything?" She eyes him with a bit of suspicion. "What is so funny? I never said it wasn't a problem!" She, who was so bold one moment ago, is now flustered and her blush is returning.
"Oh… Right. Well… I guess. Working on it, regardless." Sigam stutters over the responses awkwardly, put off his normal smoothness by the truth therein. Thankfully, it's hard to keep up that seriousness in the face of such a strange conversation, and once again, the man's eyes light up. "Maybe I have and I'm just in the act of seducing them," Sigam purrs, eyebrows twitching while a devious smirk tilts up one side of his mouth. "Kidding. However." One finger raises, face switching to something sagely. "I think you missed my point again." The Dragonhealer steeples his fingers, hearing her out before clarifying himself. "I meant… /like/ him. Finding him attractive. Romantically." A brow arches. "Capabilities and general likeability aside, it sure sounds like you're flustered by him in a way that isn't being frustrated or mad. It's quaint." The blush is eyed in a vastly amused fashion.
Thea is too confounded to gloat over Sigam's recreation or mock his lack thereof. As she listens to him expound, her expression is that she isn't sure she should be taking him seriously or not. All that eyebrow twitching and finger steepling has her wary, but she's trying to follow. She shrugs, baffled, "I'm not mad at him, wouldn't hurt him for the world, but…" Then there's that word, "Quaint?" The word is all but wailed as Sigam gets a look of disbelief. She tips her head to study her hands, there's a long silence while she's mulling his question. Her hair decides to slip out of its knot as she does so, sliding out with a soft whuff around her face. "Uh, I dunno." She finally mutters, it's almost sullen. "I feel… I dunno, confused." Oh, it's all so much -more- confusing to her now! Thanks Sigam!
"Yes, quaint." Sigam's mouth curls in a bemused manner as he gestures with one hand, trying to find the words to explain it. "I haven't seen you all… you know, like this over someone before." He doesn't interrupt her silence, but if he clears her throat and pointedly eyes the drawer that's labeled to hold 'tape,' it is entirely coincidental. Mmhmm. "Okay. Well. I don't know much about the situation, and admittedly I haven't gone out of my way to talk to D'had even after he became weyrsecond, but… You know. You just… aren't acting how I'd expect you to. I'd've thought you'd be horrified or annoyed by the persistant attention if you didn't like it - you've shut people down before. Shards, you've shut /him/ down before, and you were definitely different about it then." He pauses, watching her closely. "What are you confused about?"
"I still love Enkavir!" It is said in a low voice, determinedly. Thea lifts her head to look at Sigam, hastily tucking her hair behind one ear, flickering him a confused look as she does so. "I've shut- Oh! That!" A hand waves that away, "He was… still under the effects of Flight. And drunk. And Enkavir was still here." Her voice carries a tinge of bitterness at that last. "This is… different." She rubs her face with her hands, muttering from behind them, "He's sweet, asking me if I need to talk, he'll listen one minute, grouchy and frowning the next." She growls the answer, "Confused why he's changed! Confused why he's doing it! Confused why I feel shaky inside when he does." She resists the temptation to hide (saw that glance towards the 'tape' drawer maybe?) and allows Sigam to see her conflicting emotions with a wince and a silent plea not to laugh.
"Of course you do." Sigam's quick to avert his eyes, fixating them somewhere else in the Annex to cover mild embarrassment. "Never said you didn't. I was just saying…" The Dragonhealer falls quiet for a long moment, hearing her out, but also seeming a little distant - remembering something perhaps. "Different." He says the word blandly, but the look he gives her asks questions all of its own. "Hmm. Do you tease him a lot? Don't balk, it's a valid question. Maybe if he's… trying to be sensitive and you try to be like you are with your other friends but say the 'wrong thing,' he gets upset." As for the rest of that, Sigam gives a shrug that borders on helpless. "I don't know either… Maybe because you… inspire people to be different? I know I, for one, certainly don't ponce around having deep conversations about relationships with just anyone," he half-grins, not laughing at her but trying to make a little light of the situation. "As for feeling shaky, that could just be a natural reaction to being put into a certain situation… As in, where your mind likes it, but doesn't know what to do with it and wants to remain loyal to Kav but also is tempted, and… well… I guess the confused thing is perfectly understandable, too. That could happen with anyone though, your reactions up here." He taps his right temple.
"Different because he's not a talker, doesn't answer any of my questions, but yet he wants to listen to me?" Thea's still confused, but the next question has her lips curving into a smile in spite of the current topic, "I tease yes. Some people just sort of bring it out of me." And D'had certainly does! So she nods, "Yeees, but only because he acts the way he does. Like nothing matters. He's so flippant all the time. He sorta sets himself up for it." She blinks at Sigam's assessment, "Inspire people to be different? I do?" She breathes that question in wonder, headtilts to consider, "I doubt I'd inspire him to change. Like you, he wouldn't be happy with my set of values imposed on him. And why would he want to? He's got all the gals he could want. I'm sure that's they way he wants it." As to the rest, temptation and all that, she just subsides into a thoughtful silence from which she rouses herself with great effort, slipping down off of that counter. "Sigam. Thanks." She gives him a clear-eyed look, reaching light fingers to touch his arm. "I need to head to the Springs and get ready for the day. Take care of yourself? Please? When you disappear down inside yourself… I miss you." So saying she turns and pads over to get her boots, then leaves in the direction of the Weyr caverns.