[G] [C] [EVENT] 745.03.04 | Tidying Up

A'tay sighed when he came in from the ledge and spotted Orgailian sprawled on the couch. A quick scan didn't show any other brothers lingering around so he only had one battle to get through that morning. "So what are you taking advantage of today? The quiet? The cool? The lack of people?" Orgailian could put their entire family to shame with how he flirted and hooked up with anyone he wanted... when he put his mind to it. Usually, however, he was a grumpy bear that preferred being an introvert and away from other people. A'tay wasn't one to judge either way, especially when he tended to lean toward the introverted tendencies, but his brother was becoming such a staple that it started to feel like he lived there and not Zelly.

"Whatever it is," A'tay cut off Orgailian's words before they really began as he walked through the room to the kitchen to set his empty mug down, "you can at least be useful. If you're going to insist on inviting yourself in all the time, you can help clean as well." Technically, Zelly and I invited him in. He appeared when she was leaving and I agreed it would be fine. Of course he did. Xyxyth had a soft spot for those he cared about and family and Zelly ranked high on the list. Honestly, A'tay was just glad that he didn't return home to a weyr full of people on a regular basis with how his dragon liked to socialize.

A'tay pulled out the broom from the little storage closet and leaned it against the counter that also had a water-filled bucket sitting on it. "As the guest, I'll let you choose if you get to do the floors, wipe down the walls, or air out the bedding." As he smiled sweetly at his older brother, A'tay wondered if he was about to see a spectacularly dramatic scene involving pouting and melodrama or stomping out the door.

When Zelly opened the door, he lit up, thinking he'd get to hang out with her. Instead, she said he was welcome to hang out, but she had appointments to keep, and booped him on his nose with a finger before fleeing down the hall. So, he had been back to the original plan of just lazing out in the quiet weyr where he could write if the mood struck--which it hadn't that much lately. Was his life really that dull now that nothing inspired him? Had S'far broken him with manual labour and all his creativity had seeped free into the ground he had become intimate with in his solo journeys?

Maybe it hadn't entirely left him with that imagery.

He toyed with that idea a bit, jotting down some lines and themes, but quickly grew bored and ended up sprawled on A'tay's couch, the journal on his chest acting as a drum for his fingers. He probably should have gone out to say hi to his brother since he could hear him working on something out on the ledge, but Orgailian didn't want to fully intrude on his space. A'tay's business hours were currently over as they moved into the hotter portion of the day where most of the Weyr went into light duties or rest and their dear Weyrsecond deserved his alone time as well.

But with that greeting, Orgailian was starting to change his mind and readied a quick jab in return when he was cut off. When did A'tay become so rude and demanding? Which one of them was the bad influence? It was probably him or maybe just the demands of the job made A'tay grow more of a spine. Orgailian would have been, if the brat didn't start listing off chores and assuming he would help. "Oh, come on, Tay. You can't be serious," he quickly sat up, setting his journal on the table as he swivelled to glare at his brother. He was greeted with a look that said very much how serious the brat was. That was definitely his Weyrsecond face and Orgailian didn't like it being aimed at him.

"Seriously, I'm still exhausted from the Telgar Torture Experiment. Deep within my very essence. Don't you want a happy and healthy brother? I should be resting and relaxing..." Orgailian trailed off when A'tay not only continued his less than impressed stare but also waved a hand at the broom and bucket. Cheeky little shit.

"Fine. Floors." He had had enough of buckets.

It wasn't one of Orgailian's best performances which was probably why he was able to hold his own against it this time. Still, he did have a bit of guilt creeping in on him as he passed the broom over with a bit of a shy smile. Everything the older boy would need for beating the rugs was already set up on the ledge and he knew Orgailian wouldn't need directions on getting out there or how to do any of it. Despite the whining, his brother was still a Candidate in mostly good standing and did his share of the chores, wherever they may take him that day.

A'tay eyed the bucket with a small frown. His early morning had already been spent running around the Weyr getting updates from the various departments and mediating disputes between various riders that didn't need K'dar's attention. He would have preferred to simply go right to bed for a nap, but the cleaning had to be done. He tried to stay on top of it weekly, bi-weekly if he absolutely didn't have the time due to his position, and Zelly was great at maintaining a clean kitchen and taking care of their laundry. Even with tapestries draped along the entrances, dust from their dry environment still made its way inside for a never-ending battle. Washing the walls was also like washing Xyxyth so there wasn't any threat of losing muscle tone any time soon.

Normally, he would start inside and work his way out to the ledge and that would have made sense with Orgailian beating rugs out there, but his brother mentioned his Telgar punishment and A'tay realised they had never really talked about what had inspired it or explained why he was grateful. And then he decided to let Orgailian get out some of his frustrations on the rugs first and focused on wiping down the walls in the living space.

Eventually it seemed like that task was done and the rugs were left to air out as Orgailian manned the broom and began sweeping. A'tay dunked his rag in the water a few times, wrung it out, and began wiping down the next spot. "So, uh... I know I said thank you before, but... I really do appreciate you looking out for Winnie like that. It means a lot to know someone's there for her. I mean, T'ryn and Mylo are both there and they'll watch out for her, but they're also busy with their positions and..." and he wasn't explaining it well at all.

He could feel his face warming from how flustered he was getting and while he stopped wiping the walls, A'tay couldn't look away from the rock as he confessed, "It's been hard being away from her. It's been years thanks to Xyxyth in Ista and then K'dar dragging me here and I could have transferred to Telgar at any point before Igen happened so it is my fault, but I've always looked out for her since I can remember." Why was he suddenly unloading on the one sibling that seemed the most emotionally detached and would probably laugh at him?

He was still as skinny and as strong as a cooked noodle, but Orgailian could still thrash a rug with good results. Why he was proud of that, he had no idea, but it would hopefully keep his brother off his back and let him loaf about uninterrupted again for a while. It was nice having a hidey-hole that most people wouldn't dare disturb him in and he had to admit that A'tay had been chill about the number of times he returned home to a brother or two hanging out like it was their weyr. K'dar was a surprisingly hard nut to crack, though Orgailian still managed to take over the Weyrleader's home on occasion.

When the last rug seemed like it had given up all it had, Orgailian left them to continue airing out so he could sweep unimpeded. He traded his tools for the next torturous task, opting to begin in the kitchen with small gentle strokes of the broom like he had been taught so long ago. He couldn't recall who had taught him. Was it his mom when he was getting under foot back in Katila? It seemed like one of those things he'd always known how to do and perhaps it was a self-taught skill since it simply made sense.

As he contemplated things that his mom did teach him, A'tay started a hesitant sentence and Orgailian sighed. What other tasks were about to be tossed at him? His gaze swung to his little brother when the gratitude started, and his eyes were quickly rolling. Really? Again? Oh, but this was A'tay so he couldn't just leave it at that and had to hit Orgailian in the feels. It wouldn't have worked two years ago, but since the attack on him and Zor, Orgailian finally understood the need to protect his family. Well, most of them. Some of his siblings were obnoxious and earned what they got, but others deserved him stepping up. He couldn't keep Zoremet safe that day in the library and they had both nearly died because of it. Would he be able to save them if it happened that night? Likely not, if he was being fully honest to himself, but he could better understand the connection so many of the other siblings had with each other and the need to be stupid and throw themselves into harm's way to save another.

Not that he needed anyone knowing all of that. He let pieces of the truth slip out here and there, but he wasn't about to start having full on heart-to-hearts. He grabbed the dustpan and squatted down to sweep up his tiny pile of dirt, crumbs, and a few pieces of what smelled like green peppers. If his nose wrinkled in disgust over the conversation, he could pass it off as the smell getting to him before making a quip about messy chefs. “As much fun as it would be to lord this over you forever—I got into a fight over name calling. I didn’t save Wynera from anything. This isn’t a life debt and you don’t have to keep saying thanks. But I get it, okay? I’ll watch her back at Hatchings until one of us is no longer on the Sands.” With the way his luck ran during Hatchings, Wynera would be the one to Impress and move on long before he did.

“But if you really want to show gratitude, you can start with not making me work so hard.”

"Oh! I guess that's... damn it, Gail, you're not manipulating me." A'tay pinched the bridge of his nose as his brother chuckled in response to being caught. If nothing else, Orgailian was good for practicing his skills in spotting trickery and then denying someone what they wanted. But his brother did have a point, A’tay conceded as he returned to wiping down the last section of the wall. It did seem like he was over-reacting, especially given the event happened months ago. It just stuck with him, and it never felt like it had a proper conclusion with just them talking. Not that he was going to get that moment now, either, but he had tried for it all the same and did end up with a promise that eased some tension from his shoulders. Wynera was all grown up and didn’t need knights surrounding her anymore, and A’tay just had to accept that—while also being happy that some were still in place regardless.

He dropped his rag in the bucket and brushed his hands against his trousers as he decided being selfish from time to time was allowed. “I’m going to sneak in a nap before going back to the office. As for you, just finish sweeping and you can spend the rest of the day merging with my couch." Knowing Xyxyth would keep an eye on Orgailian to ensure the work was properly done, A’tay didn’t feel too guilty for leaving his brother behind as he entered the dark bedroom to prep for a few hours of a needed rest.