Breaking Point (PG-17)
Dragonsfall Weyr
Amber Hills Hold
Vintner Hall
Healer Hall
Hidden Meadows
Dolphin Cove Weyr
Dolphin Hall
Emerald Falls Hold
Harper Hall
Printer Hall
Green Valley Hold
Leeward Lagoon Hold
Barrier Lake Weyr
Sunstone Seahold
Citrus Bay Hold
Writers: Nicole Bonvisuto
Date Posted: 1st June 2014
Characters: X'dris
Description: Xandris reaches a breaking point
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 6, day 12 of Turn 7
Notes: Mentioned: Jenackt
Notes1: slightly PG-17, for some language and minor violence.
Notes: Follows "Teenage Girls". Coposts? Backdated from LOA.
Rating: PG-17
After his altercation with Flita, Xandris ran until his entire body felt numb, hoping he would come back suitable to interact with humanity. Unfortunately, nothing could prepare him for an evening of kitchen duty with Tiaz.
For the most part, the first candlemark was uneventful. Then, one of the kitchen drudges mentioned something about Jenackt. From then on, everything out of Tiaz's mouth was about Jenackt, or the holdless, or something about the "scum of Pern". Eventually, the kitchen girls were sick of hearing his tirade, so Xandris got to hear it… all the way to the store rooms.
"You must just stay up and think about him all night, the way you talk," Xandris finally said, hoping for three seconds of silence.
"Hoping he won't stab someone in the night, maybe," Tiaz snapped and opened the door to the closet to put the mop buckets away on the empty back shelf.
"I'd never want to get in the way of you and your /boyfriend/."
"Oh, go break it off in your brother, Tiaz," Xandris shook his head.
"You're the only one who stays up at night thinking about men."
"And who did you put it in, greenrider?" Tiaz taunted with his back turned.
"Was it that little red-haired girl you brought? Did you hold her down while she screamed, like Jenackt would?"
Xandris didn't remember the mop handles leaving his hands. He never heard them hit the floor. He didn't even register that he was walking, but in the seconds it took Tiaz to turn, Xandris was inches from his face. Xandris grabbed the boy's shirt and lifted him effortlessly off the floor, slamming the skinny Candidate against the shelves.
"Say it again," he growled.
He wasn't sure how long he held Tiaz there. But when Xandris realized what he was doing, it felt as though they'd been there for turns. The air stank of sweat and piss. The combination of shock and terror that warped Tiaz's face finally registered. Tiaz must have realized this as well, because in that moment he began to twist and squirm against Xandris and the shelves, creating an insane racket. A frantic kick landed on Xandris' shin, and he turned and threw the red-head across the store room.
Tiaz landed on his side and slide most of the way across the closet. He lay there for a moment, looking up at Xandris, open-mouthed.
"Shut up. If you _ever_ say something like that about myself, Flita, or anyone else again…" Xandris growled at him and stopped the words on the tip of his tongue. He stood there, eyes locked with Tiaz's, and fists clenched. Finally, Xandris shook his head.
"Get out!"
Tiaz still laid there, stunned.
"GET OUT!"
The red-head leapt to his feet, and Xandris swore Tiaz ran in place for a moment before his feet finally found traction and bolted down the hall.
He watched the other Candidate disappear before he finally realized he was shaking. The storeroom was in disarray around him. The mop buckets had fallen onto the floor, along with various other cleaning items, and the mops were strewn in all directions where Xandris had been standing. He slammed a fist on the now-empty shelf behind him and let out a breath.
There was nothing left to do but clean up the mess.
Last updated on the June 13th 2014