05.Oct.12, 09:20 AM
B'jin had been the eldest child of four, back in the day, with no younger siblings showing up until he was in his fifth turn. The greenrider had very little memory of the turns before his brother's birth, and so in his mind, he had always been a big brother. His relationship with his siblings was up and down, but B'jin had always considered that to be all a part of being a sibling and was why he let his own children squabble when they needed to but firmly put a stop to any bitching before things got overly serious. He had never had much in common with Lenador, who had taken a fancy to the growth of grapes not long after B'jin had shown a talent for music. It was his sisters B'jin had always harboured a soft spot for, with Andeleen following him happily into the Harper Craft, where she had stayed when he had ended up an unintentional and unwilling dragonrider. Moramanda, who had grown up more on stories of Benjinamor than actual time spent with him, had idolised him and followed in his footsteps to the degree of being Searched and Impressing. B'jin would always blame himself for being fundamental in her eventual demise.
"Oh, she wants to," B'jin said dryly, looking sideways at Talian with a flat look that harboured a mild sense of amusement but was mostly simply world weary. "She may not have any skill, but I'm sure she can smile and look pretty." He shrugged slightly, watching the stars winking down at them once more. "But as you said, she's still just a baby." He didn't know if his little girl would have any talent for the Healer craft, but he knew she was currently interested and it would be a good way to keep her work up in her classes; if she wants Talian to take her on than she must do her best! B'jin smiled slightly. "She's very determined to impress you," his voice was light hearted, but not particularly teasing.
B'jin flinched at the icy tone Talian's voice took on, brown eyes widening than narrowing slightly as he twisted around to half sit, resting on one elbow and scowling down at the young Healer. He remained that was for several minutes, just staring down at Talian with an unreadable expression as the young man finally asked him if he'd kept his promise. He knew he should do as Talian asked, and not explain why he Searched - that he should answer the question of promises the young man asked with such insistence. Knew it, knew it somewhere in the back of his mind. But he couldn't get past the icy tone Talian had spoken in, and the accusation that had fuelled it. Like B'jin wanted to steal these young men and women from their homes! Like he enjoyed it!
"Why?" He asked, half hissing the word. "Because that son of a fucking wherry told the fucking Weyrleader my bloody dragon is the best. That's why." Brown eyes were dark with anger, though it was not aimed at Talian, but at S'kef and just another of the brownrider's life ruining actions. B'jin hissed between his teeth irritably and sat up, giving Larrikith's head a gentle bump with his knee so she lifted it off his thighs, letting him spin around to face Talian, crossing his legs, arms folded tightly over his chest. "So yes, we Searched. A whole fucking seven of you, out of over one hundred. So don't give me that fucking attitude, Talian. I don't do it because I want to. I do it because I have no fucking choice!"
Easy, love. Larrikith spoke softly, before snorting when B'jin returned her quiet words with a fast mental stream of curses that had the dragon ruffling her wings huffily. Fine. Be that way. Irritable, Larrikith rose and stalked off several paces to sit with pristine dignity, her back turned to the two men and her nose in the air. B'jin didn't so much as glance at her: he was busy glaring at an image of the past located somewhere to the left and over Talian's shoulder.
B'jin's lips twisted into an angry sneer, before his entire persona calmed as rapidly as the anger had spiked, the greenrider shaking his head and closing his eyes. B'jin dropped his chin, unfolding his arms slowly and raising his hands to rub idly at his temples, a deep breath releasing very slowly. "I'm sorry, Talian." B'jin's voice was a very low murmur, almost a whisper. His head lifted slowly, hands dropping back into his lap as he considered the young man thoughtfully.
"I guess so," B'jin said slowly, almost completely random as he recalled Talian's wide eyed question and focused on it, pushing aside his tantrum of moments before with his usual dedication. "I wish you were happy," he didn't bother elaborating on how he knew that wouldn't actually be likely to ever happen. "But you are surviving." He shrugged slightly, looking uncomfortable. "Sometimes that's all we can do." B'jin had spent most of his life surviving; random points in the past turn were the only times he could recall being happy - legitimately - with who he was and where he was in his life. R'nd was a major factor, his children, and Talian. He wondered, sadly, if any of them were aware of just how much they meant to him. He was afraid of putting any form of pressure on R'nd, but he had no excuse not to remind the children daily - thrice! - that he loved them, and appreciated them, right?
With a sudden and dramatic change in expression, B'jin literally threw himself at Talian, wrapping the undoubtedly startled young man up in an almost desperate hug. "I really do love you!" It was said firmly, but more than a little muffled by his face being half buried in his own arm, and Talian's shoulder.
"Oh, she wants to," B'jin said dryly, looking sideways at Talian with a flat look that harboured a mild sense of amusement but was mostly simply world weary. "She may not have any skill, but I'm sure she can smile and look pretty." He shrugged slightly, watching the stars winking down at them once more. "But as you said, she's still just a baby." He didn't know if his little girl would have any talent for the Healer craft, but he knew she was currently interested and it would be a good way to keep her work up in her classes; if she wants Talian to take her on than she must do her best! B'jin smiled slightly. "She's very determined to impress you," his voice was light hearted, but not particularly teasing.
B'jin flinched at the icy tone Talian's voice took on, brown eyes widening than narrowing slightly as he twisted around to half sit, resting on one elbow and scowling down at the young Healer. He remained that was for several minutes, just staring down at Talian with an unreadable expression as the young man finally asked him if he'd kept his promise. He knew he should do as Talian asked, and not explain why he Searched - that he should answer the question of promises the young man asked with such insistence. Knew it, knew it somewhere in the back of his mind. But he couldn't get past the icy tone Talian had spoken in, and the accusation that had fuelled it. Like B'jin wanted to steal these young men and women from their homes! Like he enjoyed it!
"Why?" He asked, half hissing the word. "Because that son of a fucking wherry told the fucking Weyrleader my bloody dragon is the best. That's why." Brown eyes were dark with anger, though it was not aimed at Talian, but at S'kef and just another of the brownrider's life ruining actions. B'jin hissed between his teeth irritably and sat up, giving Larrikith's head a gentle bump with his knee so she lifted it off his thighs, letting him spin around to face Talian, crossing his legs, arms folded tightly over his chest. "So yes, we Searched. A whole fucking seven of you, out of over one hundred. So don't give me that fucking attitude, Talian. I don't do it because I want to. I do it because I have no fucking choice!"
Easy, love. Larrikith spoke softly, before snorting when B'jin returned her quiet words with a fast mental stream of curses that had the dragon ruffling her wings huffily. Fine. Be that way. Irritable, Larrikith rose and stalked off several paces to sit with pristine dignity, her back turned to the two men and her nose in the air. B'jin didn't so much as glance at her: he was busy glaring at an image of the past located somewhere to the left and over Talian's shoulder.
B'jin's lips twisted into an angry sneer, before his entire persona calmed as rapidly as the anger had spiked, the greenrider shaking his head and closing his eyes. B'jin dropped his chin, unfolding his arms slowly and raising his hands to rub idly at his temples, a deep breath releasing very slowly. "I'm sorry, Talian." B'jin's voice was a very low murmur, almost a whisper. His head lifted slowly, hands dropping back into his lap as he considered the young man thoughtfully.
"I guess so," B'jin said slowly, almost completely random as he recalled Talian's wide eyed question and focused on it, pushing aside his tantrum of moments before with his usual dedication. "I wish you were happy," he didn't bother elaborating on how he knew that wouldn't actually be likely to ever happen. "But you are surviving." He shrugged slightly, looking uncomfortable. "Sometimes that's all we can do." B'jin had spent most of his life surviving; random points in the past turn were the only times he could recall being happy - legitimately - with who he was and where he was in his life. R'nd was a major factor, his children, and Talian. He wondered, sadly, if any of them were aware of just how much they meant to him. He was afraid of putting any form of pressure on R'nd, but he had no excuse not to remind the children daily - thrice! - that he loved them, and appreciated them, right?
With a sudden and dramatic change in expression, B'jin literally threw himself at Talian, wrapping the undoubtedly startled young man up in an almost desperate hug. "I really do love you!" It was said firmly, but more than a little muffled by his face being half buried in his own arm, and Talian's shoulder.