This is Different

Writers: Avery, Devin
Date Posted: 18th November 2017

Characters: T'lin, V'rel
Description: Tyselin and Vatirel discuss possibilities.
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 1, day 3 of Turn 9

T'lin

"Hey Tir. Something wrong?" Tyselin sat on the cot next to his friend.

Vatirel had been sitting on his cot swinging his feet and feeling like
a petulant child for the past few minutes. He felt kind of embarrassed
that he was so transparent. He supposed it was because he and Tyselin
had been friends for Turns now.

If it was anyone else, like Neria, he might have blown them off. But
for Tyselin, he'd tell the truth.

"I'm still being grumpy at my father," he confessed.

Tyselin put an arm around his shoulder. It was nothing more than a
friendly gesture, something they'd done a million times. But touching
Vatirel felt different now and he wasn't sure if that was good or bad.
"Anything I can do to cheer you up?"

"Tell me something funny that has absolutely nothing to do with
fathers? Or at least, not _my _ father," he requested.

"Well, apparently we had sex right on the table at the welcome party.
Or so I heard." Tyselin had heard three different versions of the
story and they seemed to be getting more outrageous over time.

Vatirel was so shocked that he tried to breathe in, accidentally got
spit going the wrong way, and then began to cough. "_No_. Really?
_Really?" he said, when he was able to manage speech again.

Tyselin patted his back. "Shocking, right? According to some people I
bent you over the table in front of everyone." If only. It was a
wicked thought, but too much even for Tyselin. Probably. Maybe.
"People have gotten very creative embellishing that story."

"I don't know anyone who would just rut on a table like that in front
of everyone." At least, Vatirel didn't _think_ he did.

"Who'd you hear that version from?"

"A messenger from Rising Moons. It's really getting around." Tyselin laughed.

Vatirel blushed. "I can't believe they heard about it that far away."

"We're practically famous." Tyselin's voice dropped. "For doing
naughty things with each other."

"That's quite a reason to be famous." Vatirel swallowed. For some
reason, his voice seemed rough.

"I like us being tangled up like that." Tyselin's heart sped up,
nervous to be saying that, nervous to even think it, but he went on.
"People knowing we're together, imagining us doing all sorts of
things."

"You mean, that everyone now thinks about us as a thing? Not about Ty,
or Tir, but as Vatirel-and-Tyselin?" Or the other way around.

"Yeah." Shards he hoped this didn't scare him off or screw things up
because Tyselin wanted it. He really, _really_ wanted it.

"It's odd for people to be thinking that, though. Prior to the party,
we hadn't done anything in public," Vatirel mused.

Oh, they'd spent the aftermath of Panitath's flight together - he
remembered that, of course, the way they'd rutted against each other
in one of the classrooms. It had been satisfying, it had been
thrilling. But it had been flightlust. And the party had been alcohol.
They hadn't done anything with each other not under one kind of
influence or the other, so why were people suddenly seeing them as
something?

Tyselin's stomach dropped. "Oh, do you not want that? I mean, not the
public stuff. Us?"

"What do you mean?" Vatirel asked. He tilted his head so he could look
at Tyselin better instead of just sitting next to him. The question
didn't quite make sense to him.

"Well, um. I know I fool around with some of my friends but..." He
swallowed, his face heating. Flirting and sex were easy. This was so
much harder. "This is sort of different for me. I want us to be
together in a... romantic way." Tyselin held his breath.

"Oh!" Vatirel exclaimed in surprise. So when Tyselin said 'us', and
'public', he meant like _a thing_. Like they were not just friends who
had hooked up in a flight, or when drunk. Like they could be actually
dating.

The weaver apprentice had thought about hooking up with Tyselin
before, and the thoughts had embarrassed him prior to it actually
happening. After all, they were good friends. He'd been worried that
sex would ruin that. It hadn't seemed to - **not yet, anyway**, warned
a treacherous part of his mind.

But if they started dating? Dating was something else entirely. That
was more serious than just hooking up and getting the itch out. Dating
led to spending more time together and caring, and investing feelings
in someone. That left you open to getting hurt.

That made him think about his relationship with Ashelia and how ever
since she'd broken up with him, he felt like he had jagged, exposed
edges around her when they spoke to each other. They hadn't been able
to be around each other without hurting each other.

He unconsciously bit down on his lip as he thought about that. If he
and Tyselin started dating, and then they broke up, wouldn't that mean
they couldn't be friends anymore? He liked Tyselin, and he liked him
being his best friend. And if they dated, what if that put it at risk?

Because he was thinking so heavily about the risks, Vatirel didn't
realize how long he had been silent.

"I--I'm not saying we should be exclusive or anything," Tyselin said.
"In case you're worried about that. I was just sort of hoping you
might feel the same." Oh no, had he made a mistake? He couldn't
exactly take the words back now. "Or that you might be willing to try
being a couple?"

"I didn't know you were thinking about being a couple. I thought this
was just being casual," Vatirel said. He'd really enjoyed the times
they'd come together. Tyselin was attractive, of course, and he was
good at what he was doing, and it was hotter when it was your best
friend. But the feelings part?

"Ty… You know I only broke up with Ashelia a couple months ago, and
everything still kind of hurts when I think about how she and I aren't
really _friends _ anymore. What if we try it, and if something
happens between us, and then we...stop talking or something?" he
asked, worry in his tone.

"I can't imagine not talking to you." Tyselin gripped his hand.
"You're my best friend. You know I wouldn't ever deliberately hurt
you. And if I do it by accident, I'll apologize. We'll talk it out and
make things right."

It was true. He couldn't imagine Tyselin trying to hurt him. He could
all too easily imagine himself hurting Tyselin, turning the other boy
off and making him realize what a disaster Vatirel was.

"We'll have to stop if we Impress this time," he mused aloud.

The corner of Tyselin's mouth turned up. "Then we can court like
chaste holders, going for walks with a proper escort, giving each
other gifts, holding hands."

"I can't decide if that sounds cute or horrifying."

"You don't want me bringing you flowers and writing you love poetry?"
He said it as a joke but that actually sounded nice.

"I suppose that couldn't bother little dragonets at all, could it?" It
was only physical things forbidden during weyrlinghood, surely. Not
the cute gestures of romance. The things you gave to someone you
really liked, that could stir warm feelings.

"I should start practicing my poetry, just in case." He and Vatirel
had been trying for Turns, but that didn't mean one or both of them
wouldn't find their lifemate this time.

Now that they'd said they were going to give this a try, and hope that
they would be able to make it work without hurting each other, Vatirel
felt like he should make it clear to Tyselin how much he appreciated
him. So he leaned slowly over, telegraphing his moves, before kissing
his friend gently on the lips.

Tyselin took that to mean Vatirel was at least willing to try and
relief washed through him. He kissed Vatirel back and smiled against
his lips. "Know what else we should do just in case? I think we should
have as much sex as possible."

"Storing some memories to make it though? I think that could be
arranged, if we can find some privacy..." Vatirel teased.

"As if I don't know every nook and cranny of this Weyr." He tugged
Vatirel to his feet. Tyselin planned to show Vatirel just how happy he
was.

"I'll trust you, then." With his body. And now, with his heart.

Last updated on the December 10th 2017

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This is Different