Where Are the Lines?

Writers: Avery, Devin
Date Posted: 22nd January 2018

Characters: L'pin, V'rel, T'lin
Description: L'pin provides some advice about restrictions
Location: Dolphin Cove Weyr
Date: month 2, day 19 of Turn 9

T'lin

T'lin stepped into the Weyrlingmaster Second's office and took a seat
next to V'rel. "Thank you for taking the time to speak with us, sir."

"Not a problem. I know I'm expected to say this since I'm your
teacher, but I do genuinely enjoy when weyrlings stop by to chat with
me. Especially if it happens _before_ there's trouble," the
Weyringmaster's Third said with a wry tone.

V'rel was quiet, fiddling with a piece of braided yarn in his hands
and not making eye contact with either of the other men in the room.

"What can I do for you today?" L'pin asked encouragingly.

"Well we wanted to talk about how... strict the weyrling restrictions
are. V'rel and I are romantically involved, but we were friends long
before that and we've always been affectionate," T'lin said. "I'm like
that with most of my friends. I get the no sex thing, and not making
out or doing something that makes you think about sex. But what about
hugging? Or kissing on the cheek?"

The Weyrlingmaster's Third was unsurprised by the question. The blue
weyrlings sitting before him weren't the only couple in the class, and
he'd expected to be having this conversation with a few people right
around the time of the weyrling restriction, or the sexuality,
lessons.

"It's a tough question. Try to shut your dragons out and think
neutrally as best you can, like we've done in classes," L'pin said.
He'd have Chaneth keep an eye on the dragonets just in case.

"Those are likely okay, but I don't know for sure," L'pin said.

"Wht not?" V'rel asked.

"I'll be frank with both of you because you're level-headed and
weyr-familiar enough that I know you'll take me seriously and not
start pushing the lines." He let that sink it before continuing.

"You see, technically, it's different for every weyrling pair. The
reason we say no sex is because you both know how overwhelming it can
be physically and mentally. Such strong emotional surges can briefly
block out your connection with your dragon, and at this young age,
where they're still dependent on you, that becomes terrifying and you
can lose them. The problem is, the stage of doing things where your
emotions becomes that overwhelming is different for each dragonet and
person, and miscalculating is a disaster. So while kissing on the
cheek might be okay for one pair, it might not for another if it
always leads their emotions astray."

"So..." T'lin thought it over. "We won't get in trouble for hugging
and stuff if our dragons are okay with it? If we keep it to affection
and not stray into anything that would be a prelude to sex?" It was
comforting to know L'pin seemed to respect their maturity but he
wanted to make sure before he allowed himself to feel relieved.

"That's my best guess. Hugging and kissing on the cheek are friendly
gestures family give each other. I saw such at the Hatching's feast,
and no dragonets were distressed," L'pin said.

"I think it's because feelings of friendship bonds are something the
dragonets understand. They care about each other as clutchmates and
acknowledge their dam and sire, so they know when you're doing that
about someone else."

T'lin heaved a sigh and sagged into the chair. "Oh thank Faranth."
He'd die if he couldn't touch V'rel and his other friends.

"So hugs and cheek kisses, but no mouth kisses or anything farther
because that can lead to getting carried away," V'rel said aloud, just
to make sure he understood.

"Correct."

"What happened when a gold rises? Like if Riyanth rises next before we
hit the /betweening/ stage?" After all, it was Panitath's flight's
referred lust that had caused him and T'lin to get carried
away..._very_ carried away...and had wound up eventually leading to
them becoming a couple... V'rel had to clamp down hard on the memories
and imagined stuffing them into a box so Rymeth couldn't see or know.

"Having your own dragon will filter some of the ambient flight energy
out for you, since they'll be aware of it in the air and not
participating," L'pin said. "That said, they're likely to pick up that
something important is going on and the strength of it may frighten
them, especially if you're trying to chase that feeling. If so, we'll
be on hand to help you through calming them."

T'lin wrinkled his nose. "That's not going to be any fun." Instead of
enjoying the lust in the air, he'd be trying to block it out and maybe
comforting an upset dragon.

"Yes, it's a bit of an exercise in self-control and dragonet control.
And with the other golds gone to avoid territoriality issues, only the
un-chasing bronzes will be around to provide stabilizing influences,"
L'pin said. "But we've successfully shepherded classes through this
before."

"What about Santhiath? She's obviously too young to Rise and can't be
taken out of the Weyr. But will another gold Rising upset her?" If it
disturbed the other dragons, T'lin wondered if it would be worse for
her.

It was an insightful question that not everyone would have thought of
to ask, and L'pin gave T'lin a pleased smile. "I've found that depends
on the maturity of the gold in question. Greens rise right around the
end of weyrlinghood, while golds rise after that usually. If she was
close to graduation I'd be more worried. But she should still be young
enough that she won't see the bronzes as her property and another gold
as challenging her territory yet."

"That's good." T'lin knew how adult dragons reacted to flights but he
hadn't given a lot of thought to how it effected weyrlings.

"Any other questions about regulations about your relationship? I know
it's going to be hard," L'pin said sympathetically.

"We'll manage." T'lin reached out for V'rel's hand.

V'rel took it. "Thank you for being willing to talk to us about this," he said.

He probably shouldn't pry into their personal lives, but L'pin had a
weakness for gently teasing people, and he couldn't resist making a
joke. "And don't worry, I'll tell Chaysea to make sure that there's a
few weyrs large enough for two on the list when it's time to choose."

Heat crept into T'lin's cheeks, equal parts nervous and thrilled at
the idea. He hadn't even discussed weyrmating with V'rel, he'd only
just gotten V'rel to agree to trying a romantic relationship. "Well
that depends on how awful my romantic poetry is."

"Well, we'll see what she has available at that time. You might be
able to find neighboring ones as well. But remember, nothing on the
outer cliff-wall until after graduation, their wings aren't strong
enough for the wind currents."

"Neighboring would be good," V'rel said, his voice suspiciously high
and squeaking.

T'lin told himself V'rel was just embarrassed to talk about this in
front of L'pin, but he felt a cold little spike of rejection. He
laughed to cover it. "You haven't even _read_ my poetry yet and it's
already driving you away."

L'pin raised an eyebrow. "Poetry, hmm? You've got a Harper trained
teacher and two in your class if you need help. And speaking of
classes, you probably have studying to do, or things that aren't
listening to me lecture or tease you. So don't let me keep you here."

"Thank you," V'rel said again, nodding at his teacher before getting
up to escape. He was a bit embarrassed by the idea that his
relationship was public discussion, even if it had had to be in order
to get an answer for what he and T'lin could or couldn't do.

Last updated on the March 2nd 2018

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Where Are the Lines?