24.May.14, 01:58 AM
Several days had passed since T’ryn’s surprise announcement and R’nd was still reeling from it. He believed the boy, after a moment of shock and denial, since a good look at the bronze Weyrling made it impossible to do otherwise. T’ryn looked so much like he had at that age that R’nd wondered why he never noticed before. He supposed it was easy to overlook something you weren’t looking for or didn’t want. Not that he didn’t want T’ryn as a son! The poor kid had already mentioned a fear of not being wanted and being a disappointment. T’ryn was a good kid and R’nd had already been proud of him for his work in classes and raising Syrendryth. It was simply that he was, as everyone pointed out, rather flighty and lived up to a lot of the bluerider stereotypes; he had no interest in commitment or having kids.
All that had slowly started to change when Volfetti introduced him to their son Benden and then, of course, his fantasy of hooking up with B’jin not only came true but he fell into a wonderful relationship with the greenrider. Now he had a son that was about to become a teenager. It was still mind-boggling but R’nd thought he was ready for the challenge and it was why he kept his word to meet one afternoon with the boy and his mother.
It had and hadn’t gone as expected. Telerii hugged him and then slapped him for being so dense and cried a lot, apparently in joy from her smiling. Her reaction had taken him aback but R’nd didn’t hold it against her. He knew he had been kind of dense, especially given the reactions of those close to him when he told them. It seemed Kerrin’s joking around for the last half a decade or so was more accurate than not with T’ryn popping up. Maybe all the blonde haired kids running around really were his. That was a thought that made him slightly nervous.
As uncomfortable as he had been, R’nd sat through the light lunch with his son and his past lover, doing his best to ask the right questions and answer the ones posed at him. Luckily, T’ryn was old enough to take care of himself and he really wasn’t needed in helping to raise the boy, though that was something R’nd apologised for. In hindsight, it was easy to say he would have stepped up like he had with Benden but twelve turns ago, R’nd didn’t think he would have. He knew he had matured over that time and mellowed out enough to attempt holding a child. It was perhaps why he hadn’t shut down too much when T’ryn approached him and didn’t run for the hills.
Finally, his luck returned when Telerii announced she had to get back to the crèche so one of the other ladies could enjoy some time away from the children. R’nd heaved a sigh of relief as he stepped out into the warm sunshine with T’ryn shuffling along beside him. The boy was usually on the quieter side but it seemed different now and R’nd had kept an eye on him throughout their little family gathering. With a smile, he put his arm around T’ryn’s shoulder and immediately wished he hadn’t as the boy tensed under his touch. He was so used to his friends and even T’bia, that R’nd hadn’t thought much of the gesture. Still, he didn’t pull away, thinking if he did, that would only make things worse.
“That went fairly well, don’t you think? Your mom looked worried but seemed like her usual self after she realized I wasn’t going to run off.”
All that had slowly started to change when Volfetti introduced him to their son Benden and then, of course, his fantasy of hooking up with B’jin not only came true but he fell into a wonderful relationship with the greenrider. Now he had a son that was about to become a teenager. It was still mind-boggling but R’nd thought he was ready for the challenge and it was why he kept his word to meet one afternoon with the boy and his mother.
It had and hadn’t gone as expected. Telerii hugged him and then slapped him for being so dense and cried a lot, apparently in joy from her smiling. Her reaction had taken him aback but R’nd didn’t hold it against her. He knew he had been kind of dense, especially given the reactions of those close to him when he told them. It seemed Kerrin’s joking around for the last half a decade or so was more accurate than not with T’ryn popping up. Maybe all the blonde haired kids running around really were his. That was a thought that made him slightly nervous.
As uncomfortable as he had been, R’nd sat through the light lunch with his son and his past lover, doing his best to ask the right questions and answer the ones posed at him. Luckily, T’ryn was old enough to take care of himself and he really wasn’t needed in helping to raise the boy, though that was something R’nd apologised for. In hindsight, it was easy to say he would have stepped up like he had with Benden but twelve turns ago, R’nd didn’t think he would have. He knew he had matured over that time and mellowed out enough to attempt holding a child. It was perhaps why he hadn’t shut down too much when T’ryn approached him and didn’t run for the hills.
Finally, his luck returned when Telerii announced she had to get back to the crèche so one of the other ladies could enjoy some time away from the children. R’nd heaved a sigh of relief as he stepped out into the warm sunshine with T’ryn shuffling along beside him. The boy was usually on the quieter side but it seemed different now and R’nd had kept an eye on him throughout their little family gathering. With a smile, he put his arm around T’ryn’s shoulder and immediately wished he hadn’t as the boy tensed under his touch. He was so used to his friends and even T’bia, that R’nd hadn’t thought much of the gesture. Still, he didn’t pull away, thinking if he did, that would only make things worse.
“That went fairly well, don’t you think? Your mom looked worried but seemed like her usual self after she realized I wasn’t going to run off.”