Mood Swing

Writers: Halyonix
Date Posted: 2nd February 2025

Characters: S'yen
Description: S'yen discovers that Impression has some unexpected side effects
Location: Dragonsfall Weyr
Date: month 3, day 22 of Turn 12

S'yen

Notes:
~*~

He woke with the same feeling that nothing had changed. Sunlight was filtering into windows, snoring could be heard from nearby bunkmates. For the longest of moments, he thought that he was still a Candidate, still waiting, still rejected. Bitterness began uncurling within his sternum -- his constant companion for the last five Turns.

}: Oh, no, that will simply not do, :{ Jenith said, slicing through his rider's mood.

S'yen rolled over and came face to face with two faceted eyes whirling a verdant green. "You weren't a dream," he breathed. "Or is this still the dream?"

Jenith tilted his head to the side. His tail swished rhythmically. Then, very carefully, he bumped his snout against S'yen's nose.

S'yen burst out laughing, a sound that was devoid of its usual cynicism and sarcasm. He could not remember the last time he had laughed like that.

}: I like hearing you laugh, :{ Jenith said. And then his stomach let out a loud rumble. Which made S'yen laugh again.

He swung his legs out of bed and went to grab pants. "I'm pretty sure dreams don't need to eat," he said with a grin. This felt so...right. Not just Impressing Jenith but to be..._happy_. When was the last time he had felt this? The day he had been Searched?

For something he had been aching for, it felt...weird. Like a new pair of boots that _fit_ but weren't what you had expected.

And even his new name -- S'yen. He had been Syerin for so long that getting his elided name felt...weird. Not _bad_, just...new? Maybe it was just all the novelty that made him feel awkward. That had to be it. S'yen was used to being cynical, angry, bitter, jaded. All of those things. Living surrounded by this stormcloud of negativity.

As he dressed, S'yen realized that Jenith was a piercing ray of sunlight, dispelling what he had grown used to, and he wasn't sure how to handle being made so vulnerable by that sunshine.

Jenith was watching him the entire time, letting his rider dress and have his epiphany. When S'yen looked his way, he fanned his little wings slowly. }: I love you. :{

S'yen let out a garbled choke of a sound, a sob lodging in his through with such speed that he thought he would stop breathing. He threw his arms around Jenith's neck. Those fragile wings embraced him. Love washed over his mind. **Why me? Why me? Why me?** S'yen repeated over and over in a sudden fit of doubt and despair. What was _wrong_ with him?! This was what he had always wanted! This couldn't be what every dragonrider felt like!

}: It's okay! It's okay! :{ Jenith exclaimed. }: I chose you because you fit me. And I fit you. You'll see, you'll see, I promise. I can see it. You'll see it one day too. I'm sorry I made you wait for so long. But I'm here now. You'll never be alone again. :{

When S'yen extracted himself to dry his eyes, he said, "This is so much. I can't believe it."

}: Tell me about it. I just Hatched yesterday. You and I have a lot of time to make up for. :{ His stomach growled unhappily again. Jenith let out a sigh. }: I don't suppose we can find food? :{

"Sure," S'yen agreed. One thing was certain -- he was _not_ going to let anyone know that he was having all of these feelings. Not his classmates, not the Weyrlingmasters. They'd laugh at him! The coldhearted S'yen, now all warm and fuzzy because of a dragon.

}: And what's wrong with that? :{ Jenith asked as they walked. }: You were never coldhearted, S'yen mine. You just didn't have the right dragon to give your heart to yet. :{

"How are you so sharding wise at one sharding day old?!" S'yen blurted out.

Jenith gave the draconic equivalent of a shrug. }: There are just some things that dragons know, I guess. :{

S'yen let out a succinct curse. But even that felt weak, like all of the vitriol he had carried within him had been emptied out.

This was really going to take some getting used to.

Last updated on the February 11th 2025

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Mood Swing