+- World of Pern (https://pern.second-pass.net/forum)
+-- Forum: Fort Territories (https://pern.second-pass.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=7)
+--- Forum: Fort Weyr (https://pern.second-pass.net/forum/forumdisplay.php?fid=123)
+--- Thread: [G] [C] 741.11.21 | Peace Offering (/showthread.php?tid=4725)
741.11.21 | Peace Offering - Cazan - 23.Nov.20
Cazan had spent all morning and most of the rest of the day working on the pencil roll and matching case. They were made of thin supple leather, darkened with oils and leather conditioners but otherwise left in a more natural state. She didn't know Kor'is well enough to try to decorate it further, and despite feeling bad enough about the fight that she was making it in the first place, she wasn't sure she wanted to add anything more.
Malvayth gave a small pleased chirp which Lady immediately imitated. Cazan reached up to stroke her dragon's neck, and soon after Lady hopped down from her high perch for some pets of her own. She indulged them both with some more affection before giving the roll and case another quick check for any imperfections. As much as she didn't want to care about what Kor'is would think about the gift, she wanted everything to be perfect to satisfy her own pride.
RE: 741.11.21 | Peace Offering - Kor'is - 23.Nov.20
Hiii! Taith chirped in greeting as he trotted over to see his sister. He liked spending time with her in general but every day he had to check to see if she was getting bigger and if he could see the eggs poking her belly yet. Still nothing, though Kor’is had warned him it would take a while still before any noticeable changes happened. Did she? She’s so nice! He watched Cazan approach Kor’is and held his breath as he waited for how his rider would react to the gesture.
Kor’is studied Cazan’s face more than the gift she came bearing, noting that he had left some marks on her, though not nearly as bad as she had done to him. He had a sore hand, a swollen lip, a black eye, and a headache that had lasted through breakfast. Yet Cazan had managed to do some leather work while he had planned to mediate or some shit that the Weyrwoman and Weyrlingmaster would appreciate because he wasn’t in the mood or shape to draw.
He eyed the pieces that she set down and then watched her walk away. Was this how she fixed every problem? Sighing, he carefully picked up and inspected each piece in turn. They were well done, simple yet functional and perfectly fine for his tastes and needs. A smile wanted to appear but Kor’is fought it off. A part of him didn’t think he deserved such a gift but he mostly wondered what accepting it would mean. He didn’t want Cazan in his life no matter how hard she tried. Was this just another attempt to get him to open up or at least be nice?
He didn’t hate Cazan, not really. She had no common sense and there were quite a few things about her that drove him insane and her dragon was insufferable but there were worse people he could have been stuck with. Which was why he made a decision that somewhat surprised himself as he grabbed the items and walked over to Cazan.
“Thank you,” those weren’t words he was used to saying, especially to Cazan but her work deserved it. “But we were both a part of the fight. Give these to me when there’s actually a reason to,” like that she wanted to, not because she felt guilty and a gift would clear her conscience. That was a bit mean as Kor’is was starting to realise Cazan was just a nice person and the gesture likely wasn’t borne of guilt. Still, he held the items back out to the goldrider to take back.
RE: 741.11.21 | Peace Offering - Cazan - 23.Nov.20
Cazan settled back down onto the picnic blanket, grabbing her notebook to get back to work on the jacket design. It wasn't the most comfortable thing with how sore her knuckles were, but she'd found in the past that as long as she kept using her fingers they would at least not stiffen up too badly. Malvayth noticed Kor'is approaching first and gave her mate a small nudge so that she would look up too. Caz studied the bluerider curiously, wondering what he wanted. He didn't look as upset as she was used to, and that almost made her suspicious.
The thanks caught her off guard and at first she just blinked mutely up at him. He was thanking her... but also trying to give the gift back. His reasoning made Cazan shake her head. "Keep them, they were made specifically for you and that's reason enough."
Hopefully that would be enough to convince Kor'is to keep the gifts. Just in case though, Caz set her pencil down on her notebook and watched the man for any sign he'd be upset by her rejection of his rejection. Malvayth watched them both quietly before asking her brother,
RE: 741.11.21 | Peace Offering - Kor'is - 23.Nov.20
Kor’is frowned and furrowed his brows in confusion when his rejection was rejected and the reason for it. Cazan really was a little goody two-shoes. Why was she like this? Why did she have to keep trying to be nice, polite, and insist on being friends or whatever it was she was after? At least her second reason made more sense to him and it was easier to swallow than kindness so he nodded and walked back to his spot where he flopped onto his cushion.
I think he likes it and I don’t think there will be another fight, at least not today, Taith had his head cocked to the side as he watched Kor’is simply stare at the gift. He hated how hard it was for Kor’is to accept kindness at face value and wished he would allow hugs. Hugs made a lot of people happier and seemed to fix so many problems. Kor’is needed hugs and Taith was convinced he wanted them as well but didn’t know how to deal with that and locked it all away.
“Cazan, why do you insist on being kind and polite no matter what I do to get you to stop it?” He had to know. He kept thinking it while staring at the leather, unrolling and rolling it back up again as he envisioned his supplies tucked within, so he had to ask. He needed an answer and to see if he could find the hidden meaning behind the words. It would make everything so much easier if this was all a charade like he believed—wanted—it to be.
RE: 741.11.21 | Peace Offering - Cazan - 23.Nov.20
Cazan was back to her sketching, occasionally pausing to just flex her hands and set them down on the sands for some more soothing warmth. She didn't pay Kor'is any mind once he'd walked away, and was again surprised when she heard him speak. What sort of question was that? Considering how little he tried to engage with her in the first place she assumed it was not rhetorical and that he wanted a response.
"Why?" She drummed the pencil on her notebook as she tried to think. She wasn't sure she was really all that kind, she certainly thought unkind things about Kor'is frequently enough and had tried to generally avoid him in the past. It probably didn't matter what she thought, not if he was already trying to call her kind. That thought made her sad, she hadn't really done much for him except be polite and make a gift. "I don't know, it's easier I suppose? Easier to work with people when you're polite, easier to get things done, easier to deal with customers. I guess I could have been an ass sometimes, but that was usually more trouble than it was worth. And I guess I wasn't always polite, I still ended up in a few fights, and I suppose I can be a bit short when I'm at my workbench trying to focus."
Cazan studied him for a moment, wondering if she should ask why he insisted on being such an asshole. She decided against it, if he wanted to tell her he would probably bring it up himself. Instead she asked, "Does that make sense?"
RE: 741.11.21 | Peace Offering - Kor'is - 24.Nov.20
It didn't really make sense to him but still he nodded. The more he thought about it, the more he could see how it was true for some people. Kindness, smiles, friendliness...some people were naturals at it. Sometimes he thought he could be and even was when around Aldra or even Tazikel when the Tillek lordling would visit Ista Hold. But there was too much in his past that made it impossible to be that open. Cazan may have found kindness easier but Kor'is found being an asshole and keeping a distance easier.
Maybe that was why he worried what accepting the gift meant. Mylorah had pestered him until one day he finally gave in and accepted her friendship. Sh'ran was an oddity but taking a sex drug on an island with a group of people and experimenting with the man was an oddity all around so it made sense. A few other people were tolerated and Kor'is knew Cazan had weaseled her way into that category with her persistence. He supposed he could accept that and not be as standoffish with her.
He likes the gift. Seems he likes it just as it is as well. Please let Cazan know since I don't think he will comment on it further. Taith was so proud of Kor'is for accepting the gift and using manners that he didn't mind the lack of follow up on whether he actually liked it or would use it. Surely Cazan would see the cavern she had managed to bridge as well and wouldn't be upset by it.
RE: 741.11.21 | Peace Offering - Cazan - 24.Nov.20
Cazan waited just a few more moments after Kor'is gave her the nod in case he had any other questions before she turned back to her notebook to make some more adjustments on the design. The conversation, if it could be called conversation, was probably the most pleasant one she'd ever had with Kor'is, which made a bit of sense, she supposed. It wouldn't have been the first time she'd punched a man and gotten along better with him afterwards. Her only real hope now was that the rest of their time on the sands would go along smoothly, or at least with less bickering.
Malvayth was ecstatic when her brother gave her the news and she eagerly passed it along.