Nansee frowned at the linen cabinet. It wasn't exactly empty, but it certainly wasn't where it should be. Eyes narrowing, she looked over at the used linens basket. Full. Hmph. And not an apprentice in sight. What were they teaching the kids these days? How to run wild through the forest?
"Young man," the older healer called out to the only other healer in the infirmary at that moment. True, he was no spring chicken, but he was younger than her, probably. "Help an old woman out, will you?" She used her cane to tap lightly at the basket.
... and that was how they ended up boiling linens (by all rights apprentice work) just outside the infirmary dragon entrance in the wee hours of the morning.
The steam from the boiling water made Nansee sweat, but the humidity wasn't wholly unwelcome. It held heat in the air and made her knee feel a bit better. One thing she hadn't anticipated, moving her and her granddaughter out to the Western Continent, was the effect of the colder weather on her mildly arthritic knee. Now that the area was warmer, however, her cane was left leaning against a chair.
"He's one of those sea whers, hm?" She eyed the brown with steady curiosity. "What's his name?"
He let out a yawn, he was bored, but he'd rather be bored then overly busy this early in the morning, if he were honest, all that stress wouldn't be good for him he'd say.
Then someone called out to a "young man" for a moment he looked around, meeting the eyes of ... was he the young man she was referring to? mine is anything but young a sassy remark from the brown that followed him. I'd take it as compliment. he tacked on. as Lycanious moved over to see what the older healer wanted.
Lycanious wasn't one to shirk busy work away, even if it really annoyed him to do it, this was above him.
But hey with this he'd rather have clean linens for himself and others to use later, might as well get it done here and now.
And if it's HIM doing it he knows it's getting done right.
He didn't... mind the heat of the steam, luckily the weather was only just starting to warm, any hotter he might melt. He took just a couple seconds to crack his knuckles, before getting back into it.
"hmm? - oh." He took a moment to recalibrate his head "pain in my ass is what he is." He snuck a glanced to the brown laying down nearby, a soft chuckle came out of him "a marine wher he is, goes by Lycsk" I'm the better half. the brown yawned, lifting his head.
Nansee raised her eyebrows in quiet amusement at the other healer describing his counterpart as a "pain in the ass". She could relate. Sometimes she felt that way about her granddaughter, always running about on her young legs. Still, she loved the girl--Faranth help her.
"Lycsk, hm?" The older healer nodded to the brown. When the wher addressed her directly she gave him a quick, conspiratorial wink. "I can see that." She cast a sideways glance and a wry smile to Lycanious. He certainly had his hands full.
"And I'm Nansee, the ancient healer carted off to the edge of the world." She sighed dramatically, rubbing a shoulder before continuing to stir the pot of boiling linens. "At least, that's what my granddaughter would tell me... You'd think I've got one foot in the grave, the way she carries on." A bit of gossip at the girl's expense, but you couldn't begrudge an old woman her gripes.
"What's your story, then?" Might as well have some conversation. They'd be here a little while.
Lycsk let out a soft amused noise, Lycanious raised a brow, "im not that bad" He added on "I can be easy to talk to." can be the brown repeated. Putting an emphasis on it, he can be easy to talk to, only sometimes.
Lycanious stuck his tongue out at the wher,
"we make it work." the handler said after a moment, if only to show they weren't a ... bad bond, just one that tends to banter at eachothers expense..
Lycanious chuckled, "I dont think your due for burial any time soon, you got life in ya." He stated, granddaughter huh? Wonder what that was like, he never could see himself starting a family, much less falling for someone the wher added to his thoughts quietly, earning a glance from his handler.
"oh I'm not very interesting." He started, speaking as he worked. "a story I'm sure a few have heard in some way ... a kid wanting to prove he was worth something, so he became a healer." He started, what went unsaid was the thought that healers would always be needed, and so he'd always have someone to need him.
"moved here mostly cause i was curious, plus... didn't have much going for me back home." He hummed. he didn't miss it that much.
Nansee let the bonded pair have their little moment. It was something she had gotten used to, living in a Weyr for so long. Sometimes the Riders and Handlers would get lost for a moment, having some intimate conversation to which others could never be privy, and you would have to pause and wait like a public speaker waiting for applause. Annoying, yes, but just a part of Weyr life: like living in cold stone or eating the same thin gruel every morning.
"We make it work."
"I see." She determined that she was supposed to engage again and offered an encouraging nod. The bonds did always work, somehow. All her turns in a Weyr had left her yet to see a pair formed that was truly miserable. Dragonkin had a way, it was said, and she knew it to be true. That's why none had bonded with her; they all knew she would be demanding to work with. Nansee liked to think that she was unique in this regard. It had made the disappointment easier to bear. Besides, there were some things in her mind she liked to keep to herself, thank you very much... many things, in fact.
Lycanious brought up her not being due for a burial and she laughed along with him. "Such flattery!" The older healer was smiling, however. "Tell my granddaughter that, when you get the chance... To the young, anyone older than 30 is at death's door!" Commiseration, perhaps. He was, after all, no spring chicken. Maybe he understood, in some small way.
"Nice to meet you, Not-Very-Interesting," Nansee snorted, a half-smile on her face as she raised an eyebrow at Lycanious, "Although, I can't say your story ain't my own." It's true, she had become a healer to be needed and useful, too. It was not a bad life. "Seems to have worked out for you, at least." She gestured with her chin to Lycsk as she fished out the linens, freshly boiled.
She brought them to a line, set up in advance, to hang them to dry. The time it took to transfer them between the tub and the line had left them cool enough for her to handle. However, her granddaughter had always called her "dragon hands" for this assertion, claiming that such things were still to hot for her younger hands to handle. Maybe Nansee had grown calloused against it after years of this work.
"How goes the scrubbing?" She asked over her shoulder. "I think we've got a radish you can use, if the stains aren't coming up." Because he was younger, and therefore she assumed he had less arthritis, she had set him to the pre-washing station prior to the boiling. It was not glamorous work, but he had done well so far. He certainly had an attention to detail and drive to do things right that was uncommon in a man.
"He thinks me a puzzle to solve" he's got a funny mind the pair note briefly.
Oh good that made her laugh, he chuckled a bit more before turning up the drama a bit "oh I'd be knocking on death's door if thats the case, maybe I'll bring the guy some wine." he chuckled to himself a bit, "but yes, younger folks don't realize it, childhood... is very short." did he sound almost sad? Not that he'd ever go back to his own childhood, he was miserable.
He chuckled again "Lycanious." He stated realizing he forgot to give his name, "it has, I'm much happier here then where I was prior." He said softly, though not getting into any of the nitty gritty of it.
He didn't at all seem to mind being out to scrubbing, sure it was the more laborious part but it's fine it wasn't all that bad, he hummed a bit at first, glancing over "so far okay, should try to grab that radish though just to have it in my sight when I need it" and so he takes a moment to turn and find it, wouldn't take him too long to grab it, giving the brown a short opportunity to tell a story this reminded him of.
once, he lost his pen. Couldn't find it anywhere, guess where it was. ... in his hand. the wher paused again very silly, lycsk didnt tell him he had it.
"Lycanious," Nansee repeated, nodding her head. It would be best if she could at least remember the names of all the healers she worked with. The dragonriders, she could take it or leave it. They all transferred all over the place, anyway, like wind-blown vagabonds. No use learning their names if they weren't going to stay a while.
The fact Lycanious didn't even blink when she mentioned the radish surprised Nansee. A man who knew old wives' tricks for how to get rid of stains... incredible. Not that she was so eager to be impressed just yet. One should never be impressed by a radish.
When Lycsk started speaking to her she leaned over to him, as if trying to listen better. She didn't have to do this, of course. He was speaking telepathically. But it seemed polite. (Yes, Nansee could be polite, if a wher was involved.) Just as Lycanious was returning she gave a brief "Hm!" of amusement while looking his way. Then, returning her attention to Lycsk, she replied, "I'm glad you didn't. How else would he learn?" They were talking about Lycanious right in front of him now. Like he wasn't even there. Although, Nansee could not resist looking over her shoulder at him to see if he was listening.
Having hung up the linens that were done, she promptly proceeded to boil the next batch. The sky was no longer in true dark anymore. Dawn was a bit away yet, but blues were starting to take over the black and the Weyrbowl was beginning to come alive. This was the time of day Nansee loved most. That quiet stirring of a world, asleep, beginning to awaken, and knowing that she had been awake for hours prior. There was something sacred about it, something pure.
"Were you usually on the night shift before?" She asked the other healer, cocking her head toward Lycsk so that he might take her meaning.