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Getting out of bed had been a struggle. Going to work had been a struggle. Everything thus far had been an uphill push for Vaniwrynn, even more so with a Hatching still on his mind--there had been a handful of fresh new Blues, and he hadn't been able to watch. Not when there was so much on his mind still, lingering quietly until he'd let his guard down just enough.
He'd moved past it. He'd carried on, avoided those particularly fresh new faces, and had done what he needed to do before going right back to bed. The Feast wasn't for him anymore, anyway, and he didn't know if he could stomach more of those looks people gave him so often.
Today, however, Vaniwrynn found himself left mostly idle--there were always dragons to attend to, of course, but the majority of his duties were already done for the time being. He'd done his rounds, swept his feelings under the rug, and had put his mind to anything else to occupy his thoughts. At the end of it all, though, he found that had a little time to himself.

He hated when that happened.

What could he do? Simply sitting around was--impossible, not to mention an utterly horrific idea, if past experiences were anything to go by. Since he'd been given Sagebrush's egg, he'd had a somewhat easier time, what with having to care for the little Green and all, but for all her loving peeps and careful cuddling, she couldn't fill the void. Faranth knew she tried, though, and he loved her for that.
He'd wound up on a somewhat haphazard walk through the weyr, avoiding places he knew would only bring back unfortunate memories and sticking to the less populated zones if at all possible. Sagebrush was curled around his neck like a delicate scarf, gently thrumming at him in an effort to soothe his steadily-building nerves--she didn't like this any more than he did, albeit for drastically different reasons. By the time they made it out into the Weyrbowl itself, she was almost beside herself with worry, her already pale hide graying just a touch; he truly did hate seeing her like that. She was doing her best, and that counted for far more than she'd know.

Even then, Sagebrush had a wonderful idea forming inside her tiny head. Wonderful by her standards--Vaniwrynn was likely to be far less enthusiastic, but she didn't know what else to do! But maybe, just maybe, she might be able to make him feel better with a little social interaction. Admittedly, the thought wasn't quite as complicated as that--she simply spotted Museth from a distance and saw fit to go ask the dragon for some help. Vaniwrynn stopped in place the moment she disappeared from around his neck, throat momentarily tightening in quiet fear--but no, he could still feel her. And...see her, actually, having popped out of between a ways ahead to a spot near the lake.
Oh. Oh no. She was fluttering in front of a dragon he definitely recognized, chittering away how he just knew she would. Vaniwrynn froze, a pained look settling across his features--should he try to slip away before they noticed, or was it already too late?

Too late, then. Dammit.

It wasn't that he didn't like Soui--quite the opposite, really. The young healer was certainly bright, and he could tell that she'd make a great master someday, if she had the time to keep her studies up between her duties as a rider. He knew all too well what kind of a schedule they lived on, although he was most familiar with one from...different times. Older. Less covered in Thread, with its burning, ravenous touch--
Every inch of his tangling scars ached, as though the mere thought of it resurrected the long-dead scraps of silver that had burrowed within him.

"Good afternoon, Soui." His voice bore the gravelly edge of disuse, and for a moment, Vaniwrynn winced at the note it added. He knew exactly what kind of response it tended to draw, and wasn't sure he was in the state to take it. "I've--been busy, as per usual. I try to stay on top of my duties when possible." 'When possible?' Always. If he didn't, he'd be left standing...well, here, much like this. Exactly like this.
Sagebrush returned to her perch, staring down at the tiny Blue with clear curiosity--she kneaded his shoulders, uncertain if she should flutter down to interact with him. With a soft trill, she curled her tail back around Vaniwrynn's neck in a silent gesture of support, reminding him that he was by no means alone, even if he'd quite like to be.
"How have-- Have both of you been well?" He tilted his head toward Museth, although he avoided looking at her directly. To see the love there would be...too much right now, and he didn't want to risk it. "There's been a lot going on lately, and...it's easy to get burned out."