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+---- Thread: [G] [C] 734.12.21 | New Family (/showthread.php?tid=2592)
734.12.21 | New Family - R'nd - 24.May.14
Several days had passed since T’ryn’s surprise announcement and R’nd was still reeling from it. He believed the boy, after a moment of shock and denial, since a good look at the bronze Weyrling made it impossible to do otherwise. T’ryn looked so much like he had at that age that R’nd wondered why he never noticed before. He supposed it was easy to overlook something you weren’t looking for or didn’t want. Not that he didn’t want T’ryn as a son! The poor kid had already mentioned a fear of not being wanted and being a disappointment. T’ryn was a good kid and R’nd had already been proud of him for his work in classes and raising Syrendryth. It was simply that he was, as everyone pointed out, rather flighty and lived up to a lot of the bluerider stereotypes; he had no interest in commitment or having kids.
All that had slowly started to change when Volfetti introduced him to their son Benden and then, of course, his fantasy of hooking up with B’jin not only came true but he fell into a wonderful relationship with the greenrider. Now he had a son that was about to become a teenager. It was still mind-boggling but R’nd thought he was ready for the challenge and it was why he kept his word to meet one afternoon with the boy and his mother.
It had and hadn’t gone as expected. Telerii hugged him and then slapped him for being so dense and cried a lot, apparently in joy from her smiling. Her reaction had taken him aback but R’nd didn’t hold it against her. He knew he had been kind of dense, especially given the reactions of those close to him when he told them. It seemed Kerrin’s joking around for the last half a decade or so was more accurate than not with T’ryn popping up. Maybe all the blonde haired kids running around really were his. That was a thought that made him slightly nervous.
As uncomfortable as he had been, R’nd sat through the light lunch with his son and his past lover, doing his best to ask the right questions and answer the ones posed at him. Luckily, T’ryn was old enough to take care of himself and he really wasn’t needed in helping to raise the boy, though that was something R’nd apologised for. In hindsight, it was easy to say he would have stepped up like he had with Benden but twelve turns ago, R’nd didn’t think he would have. He knew he had matured over that time and mellowed out enough to attempt holding a child. It was perhaps why he hadn’t shut down too much when T’ryn approached him and didn’t run for the hills.
Finally, his luck returned when Telerii announced she had to get back to the crèche so one of the other ladies could enjoy some time away from the children. R’nd heaved a sigh of relief as he stepped out into the warm sunshine with T’ryn shuffling along beside him. The boy was usually on the quieter side but it seemed different now and R’nd had kept an eye on him throughout their little family gathering. With a smile, he put his arm around T’ryn’s shoulder and immediately wished he hadn’t as the boy tensed under his touch. He was so used to his friends and even T’bia, that R’nd hadn’t thought much of the gesture. Still, he didn’t pull away, thinking if he did, that would only make things worse.
“That went fairly well, don’t you think? Your mom looked worried but seemed like her usual self after she realized I wasn’t going to run off.”
Re: New Family [T'ryn] - T'ryn - 25.May.14
T’ryn glanced at R’nd when the arm went around him and he had, indeed, tensed up. It was a friendly gesture and one R’nd had actually done once before after a class before Impression as he answered a final question that had been burning on his tongue all class. The bluerider was so easy to like and get along with that it seemed natural to chat with him casually and despite his yearning for R’nd to know who he was, it had still been a comfortable situation at that time. Now, it seemed different. T’ryn couldn’t explain why but had a feeling it had something to do with it still feeling friendly and not at all fatherly. Not that he had any idea what that should have looked or felt like or even if he wanted it. Something just seemed off but gradually he eased up, chiding himself for over-thinking it all.
“Yeah… mom’s been anxious about the meeting since I told her I told you,” that hadn’t been easy to do but he knew he had to do it before she learned through gossip. Telerii had worried that R’nd was angry or denied him, no matter how many times T’ryn went over the details of his spontaneous confession. She seemed convinced he was still the young man she had fallen for so long ago and wouldn’t want to discuss anything serious let alone the sort of commitment that came with being a father. Still, T’ryn saw that she seemed a bit happy as well, as if a weight had been lifted. He wasn’t sure why she thought that since she wasn’t the one that had grown up as a secret and had to put up with glances and occasional comments from kids he grew up with and even some adults. Though, he supposed since his parents still kept in touch and were friendly – sometimes too much so given whatever it was R’nd had with B’jin – she likely felt bad for keeping such a secret from him as well.
A thought occurred to T’ryn as they continued their casual meandering from the hall to the open space of the gathering area and the young bronze weyrling came to a halt. He stepped out of R’nd’s light embrace that had lingered on his shoulders and glanced up to the look the bluerider in the eye to catch his reaction. “Are you mad at her?” If anything, R’nd had only looked terrified and relieved at intervals during their little family get together but T’ryn needed to know if R’nd held any sort of grudge against either of them for keeping the secret or revealing it.
Re: New Family [T'ryn] - R'nd - 26.May.14
R’nd knew from classes that T’ryn could be full of questions when the mood struck and he should have known from their last big talk that the boy could come out of nowhere with a statement or question to shock him but still the bluerider wasn’t ready for that one. Was this simply a habit of T’ryn’s while they learned more about their new relationship or was this something he had to look forward to with Benden when he reached T’ryn’s age? Benden was already full of questions that typically started and ended with ‘why’ but they were far easier to deal with and could be given nonsensical answers at times as well. This was something completely different.
“Come with me,” his voice was light and certainly nowhere close to being an order as R’nd waved off in the direction of a quieter area of the Square. A few tree trunks that hadn’t been needed for the construction of the new buildings had been hacked up into little stools that were nice to take a break on and socialize. R’nd sat down on one and waited for T’ryn to join him a moment later before beginning the puzzle of his emotions.
“No, I’m not mad at her.” That was a good starting point. He wasn’t mad and held no grudges, especially now that they had talked and R’nd was shown how his flightiness affected other people and caused them to make certain decisions. “I think… she was probably right in doing what she did. I wasn’t ready then and if she came forward immediately after Volfetti had, I may not have believed her or I may have been too overwhelmed to be much good to anyone.” That was a horrible thought to have but it was true. He barely handled Benden being shoved in his face and then trying to live up to his promise of attempting to be a good dad to the boy. If he suddenly had T’ryn in his life as well, R’nd didn’t think he’d be able to cope and would shut down and quietly fade out of their lives as quickly as possible.
As it was, he had still spent a lot of time sulking, drinking, and hiding in bed until he managed to sort everything out and make arrangements to meet with his eldest son and Telerii. B’jin had been a bit much to deal with at times as well but R’nd didn’t hold it against him, knowing it was just how his lover could be and most of the time everything was done with good intentions to make him feel better and accept yet another new role in life.
Re: New Family [T'ryn] - Record Keeper - 04.Jul.14
@Insulting Truths
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