[prp] Curse Whilst You Work [Nyrida/Keleres]

[Sweet Symmetry]

Quote:

Keleres [WW] - 21 - she/her/hers - JM Masseuse (spy)

Keleres bent over her sewing with a fastidiousness that highlighted her usual dedication to work. Chores were menial, true, but it felt good to put her skills to use. Being a candidate without a clutch on the sands gave her a hollow sense of self, but she hoped her minor contributions were welcome. Darning and mending was honest work, and weyrfolk without shirts were vulnerable indeed… well, whatever it took to convince herself that this was fine, right?

A sudden, sharp flash of pain drew a hiss from her lips, and pulled her fingers back. “Shells…” The redhead cursed under her breath. Pricking one’s finger was meaningless in the grand scheme of injuries, but it had a way of jarring one’s flow and pace. She frowned at the shirt that she had been sewing back to usefulness, making a mental note to clean the slight speck of blood off of it later.

Glancing around the weavers’ room, she wore a polite smile and inclined her head. “Nyrida, right? Could you please pass me a thimble? I fear I’m a little clumsy today.” Hopefully her fellow candidate hadn’t caught her initial disgruntlement. Each mask had to be perfect, after all...

sariraii

 

[sariraii]

In some ways, working with leather was not so different from working with cloth. In other ways, they could not be more different. Nyrida's fingers had grown deft from her craft, despite her recent transfer to it, but it was quite different, working with these materials. Still, she would do her chores without complaint, and she welcomed the new challenge, as well as the distraction.

It was a simple pattern, but Nyrida was intent on her work, until she heard a soft hiss and a curse from the woman beside her. Looking up from the torn pants she was mending, she noted her fellow candidate. "Quite the grave injury you have there. It might be life threatening," she commented dryly, as she reached for a thimble, before wincing. "I apologize. That was rude."

She passed Keleres the thimble, searching for words to make up for her sarcastic comment. She was trying to make friends, here--she just wasn't especially good at it. "We all have our clumsy moments. I daresay I have had many of my own."  

[Sweet Symmetry]

Nyrida’s own comments provoked a smile, and as she apologised for her dryness, Kel shook her head. “It’s fine- I can take a joke.” Her voice was quiet, all prim and proper, and excellent at concealing the glint of humour in her green eyes. “But if I die from an infection soon, I’ll make a note to haunt your living days.” The young woman added as an afterthought, her smile breaking into a grin.

Keleres murmured her thanks as she slipped the thimble over her finger, then nodded as Nyrida mentioned clumsiness. “You would think, as a masseuse, I’d not be so inclined; but I have clumsy days aplenty.” She didn’t know Nyrida well- a newer addition to the ranks of candidates who filled the Western barracks- but it was nice to make friends.

“Your sewing looks really neat. Have you practiced much of it in the past?” Some things were better left unsaid, but this was an innocent enough topic, surely?

sariraii

 

[sariraii]

It was still impolite. Nyrida tried to keep a healthy amount of distance between herself and others, but in the least offensive way possible. She was overly formal, but sometimes her sarcastic streak slipped through. Keleres didn't seem to mind, though. She even added a quip of her own, and Nyrida responded with a small, grateful smile. Still, she did not add more. She didn't want to drive Keleres away--the woman seemed kind, and Nyrida thought perhaps it was too much to hope that she might make a friend.

She simply nodded at Keleres's comment on her own clumsiness. As the conversation shifted to her sewing, however, Nyrida looked down at it, as if in surprise. "Oh, it is not much, though I am an apprentice tanner--working with leather, at least, is a particular skill of mine. Cloth is not so different, yet it is different enough."

Nyrida couldn't say she had much experience working with this material, specifically, after all. She didn't mind the question--far enough removed from her prior craft, mentioning it hardly brought back memories.

Sweet Symmetry