12.Apr.21, 02:47 AM
N'lis gave a squeak of surprise as someone ran into the door. That was odd. And then M'quel stepped inside and that was even odder. What was she doing there at such an early hour? In her little night shirt? While he was in the bath? His brain was having a hard time computing any of that and then she went and glared at him while tossing out a question he had no idea what it linked to. "Uh," he stated gracefully while slowly sinking into the water when M'quel sat on the edge. His brain was starting to catch up and while he was holdbred, he'd been in the Weyr long enough that shyness in the bath was mostly gone. However, N'lis still didn't like people seeing his scars, no matter how much Zelana had tried to make them seem like patterns and nothing to be ashamed of.
He had managed to sink to his neck by the time M'quel revealed what was on her mind. He did know Parella was dead since the Weyrlingmaster had been keeping them informed of the murders to help keep them on alert and watch for anything suspicious. But N'lis suspected it was best that he didn't say that he did given how angry his friend seemed to be over not hearing it right away. A part of him wondered how she would have avoided the gossip that would have been flying around the dining cavern if nowhere else but he had to admit M'quel was also pretty oblivious; at least he assumed she never noticed his past interest in her. He didn't want to think that she had and purposely ignored it because she was too kind to shoot him down.
Forgetting for the moment that he only wanted to hide, N'lis slowly lifted a hand from the water and placed it on one of M'quel's bare knees in a gesture he hoped was comforting. He also did his best to ignore they were bare and attached to thighs he could easily run his hand up if he was braver and the time wasn't so inappropriate. That helped him stay focused.
"I'm so sorry, Madiquel," he whispered, using her old given name. He knew her honorific and liked it but sometimes honorifics seemed so impersonal. "I've only ever heard stories about her and Grith but never interacted with them. I heard they were amazing and fun and helped raise everyone in Katila." He wanted to give M'quel the proper hug she needed but he was wet and naked and neither seemed the best form of dress for that.
He had managed to sink to his neck by the time M'quel revealed what was on her mind. He did know Parella was dead since the Weyrlingmaster had been keeping them informed of the murders to help keep them on alert and watch for anything suspicious. But N'lis suspected it was best that he didn't say that he did given how angry his friend seemed to be over not hearing it right away. A part of him wondered how she would have avoided the gossip that would have been flying around the dining cavern if nowhere else but he had to admit M'quel was also pretty oblivious; at least he assumed she never noticed his past interest in her. He didn't want to think that she had and purposely ignored it because she was too kind to shoot him down.
Forgetting for the moment that he only wanted to hide, N'lis slowly lifted a hand from the water and placed it on one of M'quel's bare knees in a gesture he hoped was comforting. He also did his best to ignore they were bare and attached to thighs he could easily run his hand up if he was braver and the time wasn't so inappropriate. That helped him stay focused.
"I'm so sorry, Madiquel," he whispered, using her old given name. He knew her honorific and liked it but sometimes honorifics seemed so impersonal. "I've only ever heard stories about her and Grith but never interacted with them. I heard they were amazing and fun and helped raise everyone in Katila." He wanted to give M'quel the proper hug she needed but he was wet and naked and neither seemed the best form of dress for that.