Glad I Didn't Disappoint You

Writers: Aaron, Devin
Date Posted: 22nd October 2025

Characters: N'vanik, H'yazi
Description: N'vanik congratulates H'yazi on his Impression.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 10, day 15 of Turn 12
Notes: Follows "Rain-Washed Wings"
Mentioned: R'lor, J'ackt

N'vanik

The Weyrleader was smiling as he walked up to the formerly Holdless boy. "Congratulations, bluerider!"

"Oh! That's me." Usually, there was a bit of a tell when a smile was fake or malicious. This smile looked like a real one, thank goodness. A good sign he had not done anything to make the man angry. "Thank you, sir."

It still did not feel quite real, but at the same time, H'yazi almost felt naked to have left the leggy little thing behind in their new barracks.

"What's your new name?"

"Wha...?" For half a moment, H'yazi was baffled. Had they not already had this talk? Did the Weyrleader expect him to change his name all the time like his parents used to do?

But it was only half a moment.

"Oh! Um. Just H'yazi." Nothing complicated, nothing unusual. He was not a canine or a firelizard, after all.

"Simple," N'vanik said with an approving nod. "What's your dragon's name? I missed it in all the excitement."

H'yazi broke into the world's biggest grin. Even just thinking his name brought joy, but getting to say it out loud? That was his dragon. His very own dragon! It was almost too good to believe it could be true.

"Iarlath, sir."

N'vanik would never get tired of seeing that look on a new weyrling's face. "Iarlath. You did good, kid. I was so happy to see you Impress." After their interview, he couldn't help having a soft spot for H'yazi.

It had been a while since H'yazi had heard someone say things like that to him. He had been fairly certain no one ever would again. But he was a touch surprised to hear them from the Weyrleader. It was, perhaps, unfair of him, but he had simply assumed the man must not like him very much. Not personally. He had been Holdless, after all.

"You were?"

"Yeah." Shards, the kid was so starved for any kind of praise or acceptance. N'vanik knew that feeling, though he'd rarely shown it. "Don't tell the others." The Weyrleader put a hand to the side of his mouth and said in a stage whisper, "But you were one of my favorites this time."

H'yazi beamed! One of the Weyrleader's favorites!? He could hardly believe it. Thank goodness he had Impressed, then. How terrible it would have been if he had let the man down.

"I-I'm glad I didn't disappoint you, sir!"

"I only would've been disappointed _for_ you," N'vanik said. The kid's parents had sure done a number on him.

"I, uh... Thanks." H'yazi was truly unsure how to take this sort of... whatever this was from N'vanik. Understanding? Grace? He could not quite put the strange reaction into words.

Lessons from his parents came rushing back.

What reason did the Weyrleader have to have chosen H'yazi as a favorite? Did he want something? Expect something? Did H'yazi even have anything worth taking? Was this part of some long con of his own that started with him allowing H'yazi to come to Dolphin Cove? He certainly could consider himself to be in N'vanik's debt because of that.

Finally, he worked up the courage to ask.

"Why?"

"Because you had a hard life and you deserve something good." N'vanik was a little tempted to tell H'yazi that he'd been Holdless, too, but he'd kept the truth of that close for so long it was hard to share. At first it had been fear that they wouldn't accept him as a Candidate if they knew, but even after Impressing he kept lying about it. Hiding those rough Turns and the thrill of stealing that he'd grown much too fond of. Even becoming Weyrleader hadn't been enough to make him feel comfortable revealing that part of his past.

H'yazi was not sure he did deserve anything good. Deserving good things came from doing good things, not having bad things happen to you. But he had Iarlath anyway, and nobody could take him away now, so what did it matter if he did not deserve him?

"Well... this is my life now."

N'vanik chuckled. "Enjoy this moment. You have a lot of hard work ahead of you. But knowing a dragon's love -- that he sees every single part of you, good and bad, and loves you anyway -- it's more than worth it." He sent warm affection to Loseth, who echoed it back to him.

"I could probably use a little hard work." It would make it so much easier to forget everything that came before this. "Will there be anything... _you_ need me to do? Since you let me stay here?"

"I won't ask anything of you that I don't ask of the other weyrlings. You don't owe me anything for accepting your transfer. You don't owe Cyradis and R'lor for agreeing to let you Stand." J'ackt had needed some tough love, this kid needed the opposite. "No matter what you were before, you're a weyrling now, equal to the rest of your class."

For now, H'yazi would take him at his word.

"Thank you, sir."

"If anyone gives you trouble, talk to the Weyrlingmaster, or me, okay?" N'vanik said.

"I'm not a useless wimp. Or a-- a baby."

That was just the kind of thing someone who wanted you in his debt would say. Which was... baffling, because N'vanik already _had_ H'yazi. What was he doing? He did not owe him, but also he was trying to lure him into calling on a favor? Why would he go go all of the trouble of ensnaring him when H'yazi had already practically told him he would be willing to repay him?

"I can handle _some_ things."

"But you shouldn't have to," the Weyrleader said. "If they're hassling you, that's a discipline issue, and that can lead to problems once they get in the Wings. Better to catch it soon." N'vanik almost laughed. As if he hadn't been a terrible weyrling and an insubordinate wingrider. Well, he'd been rude to his clutchmates but he hadn't bullied them.

Maybe he wanted H'yazi to snitch? Well, that, he would not do.

"Nobody's hassling me." Not entirely true, but he was not about to turn them over to the Weyrleader over a bit of contemptuous taunting.

N'vanik studied him for a moment. "The point is, this is your _home_ now, and I want you to be happy here."

"I... I am. I really am." And about that, H'yazi was not fibbing. That same smile came back again.

Last updated on the October 12th 2025

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Glad I Didn't Disappoint You